Sit quietly before the Lord and ask that your heart and life be made ready for the coming of Jesus. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you areas of your life that need to be refined and changed in order that you might be found faithful when He comes…

Lord Jesus, You have said that as the lightening comes from the east and flashes to the west, so will Your coming be, that no one knows what day or time it will be – not the angels in heaven, or You Yourself, but only the Father. But oh, that it were today! May I live today Lord, ready for Your return.

Lord Jesus, help me to be ready!

Sanctify me by Your Spirit, that I might be found blameless at Your coming! Strengthen me, that I might continue in You, and be confident and unashamed before You when You come. Thank You for heaven, the place that You are preparing for me, and for Your promise to return and take me to be where You are. Help me to live with the reality of Your return in mind. May it change the way that I live and the choices that I make.

Lord Jesus, You are coming again and Your reward is with You!

May I be ready for service with my lamp burning, like a man waiting for his master to return from a banquet, so that when You come and knock, I can immediately open the door for You. I want to be one who is found watching when You return!

Lord Jesus, I long for the day when I will see Your face!

As I wait for You, may Your gentleness in me be evident to all. Strengthen me to be patient and to stand firm in the midst of a world that is falling apart all around me – for You are my blessed hope, and I long for Your appearing! Daily, may I be more and more aware that this is not my home. Remove the love of the world and all of its trappings, completely from my life. Remind me of my heavenly citizenship! As I enter a New Year, my heart longs for You, Lord Jesus. May 2023 be the year that ushers in Your coming, when I will see You as You are and all the nations will be gathered before You! As I wait, may I be faithful in loving and serving You.

Maranatha! Come quickly, O come quickly, Lord Jesus!

Matthew 24:27, 36, 44; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; 1 John 2:28; Mark 8:38; Luke 12:35-40; Philippians 4:5; James 5:8; Titus 2:13; 1 John 2:15-17; Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Corinthians 16:22

‘ECB is a biblical community…’   Father, I ask that the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace increase among us. May we serve like Jesus and consider one another as more important than ourselves. May our hearts be knit together as one (Ephesians 4:3; Philippians 2:1-11).

Father, I ask that the ECB community of faith become increasingly generous in the way that we ‘sow’ into your work. Forgive us for thinking that what we have to offer is too small, or not enough. Take our gifts, talents, time and money, and multiply it over and over to feed many (2 Corinthians 9:6; John 6:1-15).

‘…of the nations to the nations…’   How thankful I am for the privilege of worshiping with brothers and sisters from many lands. Thank You for this taste of heaven, Lord! May we increasingly put aside cultural preferences, I pray. Unite us under the banner and cross of Christ. May the Word of God be our one true standard! And Father, allow us the privilege of sowing into the nations represented among us!

Father, I pray for those in our fellowship who are filled with fear, anxiety and depression, and ask that You give them Your mind – the mind of Christ. Strengthen them to take every thought captive, and fill them with Your peace (2 Corinthians 10:5).

‘…with prayer as our foundation.’   You have said Lord, that Your house is to be a ‘house of prayer for all nations.’ Father, teach us to pray at ECB, to really enter into a deeper longing for you – greater faith, greater fervency. Make us to be a true house of prayer (Mark 11:17). Grow us in prayer, Lord!

Father, I ask that those who come to ECB seeking answers about who You are and what it means to follow Jesus, will be drawn by the Holy Spirit to salvation. May each of us extend the welcome of Jesus to those around us and may Jesus be so seen among us, that many will come to faith in Him. May there be salvation in Your house each week!

Father, may we be strong in You and in Your mighty power, and not put confidence in our own strength. May each of us daily wear the full armour that You have provided – may we ‘put on’ Jesus! Remind us that our struggle is not against flesh and blood and strengthen us to stand firm. Teach us to pray continually (Ephesians 6:10-18).

‘…We are called to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ…’   Lord Jesus, be exalted among us as we gather and worship, as we meet in homes, at our places of work, school and play. Be exalted, be glorified in our conversations, in the choices that we make, and the places we go. Whether we eat or drink or whatever it is that we might do. May we always be mindful that we belong to You, and do it all for Your glory (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Open the eyes of our hearts and reveal the hidden things, for You have said that You desire truth in our inmost parts. Show us Lord, show me, where I am still withholding my heart from You (John 4:23-24; Ephesians 1:18; Job 28:11; Psalm 51:6).

I pray for my brothers and sisters at ECB, Lord, and ask that we might all ‘run the race’ in such a way as to be found worthy of the prize (1 Corinthians 9:27). May our daily living display Christ in greater and greater clarity, and the imprint of Jesus left in our wake.

‘…serve each other…’   Lord Jesus, teach us to follow Your example and serve one another. May we prefer one another out of love for You and serve one another with joy (John 13:1-5; Philippians 2:1-11)!

Father, I praise and thank You for the way that You are growing us as a community of faith. May we be increasingly unified by Your Spirit and grow in our love for one another. Empower and strengthen those who are leading our LIFE Groups – may each group be knit together by Your Spirit.

I ask in Jesus’ mighty name, that every stronghold of addiction be broken off of us as Your people. Reveal the hidden things Father! Purify us and make us holy (Job 28:11)!

‘…and reach the world.’   Jesus, You said that we are to make disciples of all nations – show us this way! Surely You have put us here in Bangkok at this point in time for Your plans and purposes – may we as Your people, enter in with joy to all that You have for us. Increase the harvest among us! May many come to Jesus! And yes Lord, give us the nations (Matthew 28:19)!

Father, prepare the hearts of Your people today to worship You tomorrow. Prepare my heart, I pray! Open our lips that we might declare Your praise – may our hearts be unleashed! Pour out Your Spirit on us as we gather, change us and wash us by Your Word (Psalm 51:15; Ephesians 5:26; James 1:22)!

May Your Word go forth with power tomorrow – give us ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the church, what you are saying to me.