Hillside Methodist Church
PRAYER DIARY MAY 2021
[Quotations from the Bible are shown in italics and are taken from the Contemporary English Version (CEV).]
But Jesus said, “My Father has never stopped working, and that is why I keep on working.” John 5 v17.
May 1st (Saturday) Workers’ Day. Pray that workers will find fulfilment in what they do, even the mundane tasks. Our bodies ache during the day, and work is torture. Then at night our thoughts are troubled. It just doesn’t make sense. The best thing we can do is to enjoy eating, drinking, and working. I believe these are God’s gifts to us, Ecclesiastes 2 v23-24
May 2nd (Sunday) Working for God: What is our vocation? In what ways has God called us and what tasks has he given us to do for him? Has God prepared a new challenge for us to take up for him? He said to his disciples, “A large crop is in the fields, but there are only a few workers. Ask the Lord in charge of the harvest to send out workers to bring it in.” Matthew 9 v37-38. Pray that God will assign you a task in the fields of his heavenly harvest.
May 3rd (Monday) Pray for your employer or boss or superior officers. Pray for those with whom you do business – your customers, those who enjoy your custom. Servants, you must obey your masters and always show respect to them. Do this, not only to those who are kind and thoughtful, but also to those who are cruel. 1 Peter 2 v18.
May 4th (Tuesday) Pray for your employees or subordinates at work. Pray for those who serve you in business or local government. Do not steal anything or cheat anyone, and don’t fail to pay your workers at the end of each day. Leviticus 19 v13.
May 5th (Wednesday) Pray for those who are not working, but wish they were. Pray especially for our youth in these challenging times. Pray for those who have retired from full time work, perhaps with mixed feelings. All of you young people should obey your elders. In fact, everyone should be humble toward everyone else. The Scriptures say, “God opposes proud people, but he helps everyone who is humble.” Be humble in the presence of God’s mighty power, and he will honour you when the time comes. God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him. 1 Peter 5 v5-6.
May 6th (Thursday) Pray for those who have suffered bereavement who are known to you. He will wipe all tears from their eyes, and there will be no more death, suffering, crying, or pain. These things of the past are gone forever. Revelation 21 v4.
May 7th (Friday) Pray for our Christian brothers and sisters suffering persecution in many parts of the world. If the people of this world hate you, just remember that they hated me first. If you belonged to the world, its people would love you. But you don’t belong to the world. I have chosen you to leave the world behind, and that is why its people hate you. John 15 v18-19.
May 8th (Saturday) Pray for the President and Government of Zimbabwe and for all in positions of responsibility and authority. You are free, but still you are God’s servants, and you must not use your freedom as an excuse for doing wrong. Respect everyone and show special love for God’s people. Honour God and respect the Emperor. 1 Peter 2 v16-17.
May 9th (Sunday) Mothers’ Day. Pray for our Mothers, giving thanks for the way that they have revealed what God’s love is like. Let’s include all who have been like a mother to us. Anyone who obeys my Father in heaven is my brother or sister or mother. Matthew 12 v50.
May 10th (Monday) Let’s pray for health workers: doctors, nurses, cleaners, administrators and all who help us to stay healthy. Our dear doctor Luke sends you his greetings, Colossians 4 v14 (part).
May 11th (Tuesday) Pray for the full-time workers in the Methodist Church, both Ministers and Lay People, at Hillside Methodist Church and in our Circuit, especially today praying for Rev Bekithemba Phiri, Rev Nobuhle Sibanda and Rev Margaret James. Even now the harvest workers are receiving their reward by gathering a harvest that brings eternal life. Then everyone who planted the seed and everyone who harvests the crop will celebrate together. John 4 v36.
May 12th (Wednesday) Let’s especially thank God for Patience and Simon for the work they do for Hillside Methodist Church. My dear friends, stand firm and don’t be shaken. Always keep busy working for the Lord. You know that everything you do for him is worthwhile. 1 Corinthians 15 v58.
May 13th (Thursday) Ascension Day. Jesus has been taken to heaven. Acts 1 v11 (part). Pray for a vision of heaven that will remind us to continue God’s work on earth. Pray also today for the Presiding Bishop George Mawire, Connexional Lay President Mr Gear Hanyane and the Connexional Team.
May 14th (Friday) Let’s thank God for those who have worked over the years to bring us to God’s kingdom, especially remembering those here at Hillside Methodist Church, members of the Church Triumphant as well as those still in the Church Militant with us. Don’t forget about your leaders who taught you God’s message. Remember what kind of lives they lived and try to have faith like theirs. Hebrews 13 v7.
May 15th (Saturday) International Day of Family. Let’s each pray today for the members of our own families and any others who are particularly close to us. A friend is always a friend, and relatives are born to share our troubles. Proverbs 17 v17.
May 16th (Sunday) Pray for our Sunday School as we prepare to reopen. Is God calling you to help? Maybe on a temporary or occasional basis or maybe just to see how it goes, with an option to make a longer commitment? Come, my children, listen as I teach you to respect the LORD. Psalm 34 v11.
May 17th (Monday) Theophilus, I first wrote to you about all that Jesus did and taught from the very first until he was taken up to heaven. But before he was taken up, he gave orders to the apostles he had chosen with the help of the Holy Spirit. Acts 1 v1-2. Let’s pray today for our family and friends in the diaspora.
May 18th (Tuesday) For forty days after Jesus had suffered and died, he proved in many ways that he had been raised from death. He appeared to his apostles and spoke to them about God’s kingdom. Acts 1 v3. Thank God for the members of the Manyano and WA as they continue the work of Jesus in Hillside Methodist Church and further afield.
May 19th (Wednesday) While he was still with them, he said: Don’t leave Jerusalem yet. Wait here for the Father to give you the Holy Spirit, just as I told you he has promised to do. John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Acts 1 v4-5. Pray for many people unable to leave their locality to go and see their friends and family in other places, but thank God for communication technology such as video calling.
May 20th (Thursday) Jesus said to them, “You don’t need to know the time of those events that only the Father controls. But the Holy Spirit will come upon you and give you power. Then you will tell everyone about me in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and everywhere in the world.” Acts 1 v7-8. Pray for each member of your Fellowship/Bible Study group, that together you may find your part to play in God’s plans. Pray for patience to carry on even though we don’t know the complete picture of what is to come.
May 21st (Friday) After Jesus had said this and while they were watching, he was taken up into a cloud. They could not see him, but as he went up, they kept looking up into the sky. Suddenly two men dressed in white clothes were standing there beside them. Acts 1 v9-10. Pray with thanksgiving for the work and witness of the MCU and Men’s Fellowship.
May 22nd (Saturday) They said, “Why are you men from Galilee standing here and looking up into the sky? Jesus has been taken to heaven. But he will come back in the same way that you have seen him go.” Acts 1 v11. Let’s pray that we will be ready when Jesus comes, by taking our eyes off the clouds and focussing on each other’s needs, beginning with our own fellow members at Hillside Methodist and the community around us.
May 23rd (Sunday) Pentecost. On the day of Pentecost all the LORD’S followers were together in one place. Suddenly there was a noise from heaven like the sound of a mighty wind! It filled the house where they were meeting. Acts 2 v1-2. Pray that Jesus will come to each one of us, and to us as a fellowship, by the fire of his Holy Spirit. Pray also today for our District Bishop, Matthew Ncube, Lay President Mr B Majokojoko, Synod Secretary Rev Bekithemba Phiri and the rest of the District Team.
May 24th (Monday) Wesley Week (May 24th to 30th). “Proceed with much prayer, and your way will be made plain” (John Wesley). Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God’s people. Ephesians 6 v18. Thank God today for our Music Team and also those who lead us in prayer in our Sunday worship.
May 25th (Tuesday) Africa Day. Pray today for the work of the AU in promoting peace in Africa. Pray also for the WHO (Africa Region), persuading all countries around the world to unselfishly help each other fight against the Covid-19 virus. Then Jesus asked, “Which one of these three people was a real neighbour to the man who was beaten up by robbers?” The teacher answered, “The one who showed pity.” Jesus said, “Go and do the same!” Luke 10 v36-37.
May 26th (Wednesday) “That execrable sum of all villainies commonly called the slave-trade” (John Wesley). The keeping and trading of slaves is still common and widespread today. Pray for all who are working to end it. You refused to pay the people who worked in your fields, and now their unpaid wages are shouting out against you. The Lord All-Powerful has surely heard the cries of the workers who harvested your crops. James 5 v4.
May 27th (Thursday) “Though we cannot think alike may we not love alike?” (John Wesley). But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you. Matthew 5 v44. Pray today for anyone you know with whom you have misunderstandings, beginning at home and within Hillside Methodist Church.
May 28th (Friday) “I want the whole Christ for my Saviour, the whole Bible for my book, the whole Church for my fellowship and the whole world for my mission field” (John Wesley). Jesus wants nothing less than 100% of each one of us. Pray that together at Hillside Methodist we will help each other to be devoted to Jesus. Peter said, “Remember, we left everything to be your followers!” Luke 18 v28.
May 29th (Saturday) “Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not whether they be clergymen or laymen, they alone will shake the gates of Hell and set up the kingdom of Heaven upon Earth” (John Wesley). Pray, giving thanks, for our Local Preachers and Ministers. Later the Lord chose seventy-two other followers and sent them out two by two to every town and village where he was about to go. Luke 10 v1.
May 30th (Sunday) “My fear is not that our great movement, known as the Methodists, will eventually cease to exist or one day die from the earth. My fear is that our people will become content to live without the fire, the power, the excitement, the supernatural element that makes us great” (John Wesley). Let’s ask God to send us again the fire and the power of the Holy Spirit as he did on the Day of Pentecost. Then they saw what looked like fiery tongues moving in all directions, and a tongue came and settled on each person there. The Holy Spirit took control of everyone, Acts 2 v3-4 (part).
May 31st (Monday) Matthew Rusike Children’s Homes Week (May 31st to June 6th). Our God, from your sacred home you take care of orphans and protect widows. You find families for those who are lonely. Psalm 68 v5-6 (part). Let’s ask God to show us our part in this sacred task.
The Hillside Methodist Church Prayer Diary can also be emailed to you (just ask and we can add you to the list of recipients). There was usually a print edition, which would be distributed at the door of the church on the last Sunday before the beginning of the month and we will probably resume this when circumstances change.
The Prayer Diary has changed its format:
it is no longer constrained by the space available on a sheet of A4 paper, because we are not making a printed edition for the foreseeable future.
