Bible passages to be read before prayer and used to stimulate prayer:
Exodus 35:4-20 “Moses spoke to all the
congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “This
is the thing which the Lord has commanded, saying, 5 ‘Take from among you a
contribution to the Lord; whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it
as the Lord’s contribution: gold, silver,
and bronze, 6 and blue, purple and scarlet material, fine linen, goats’ hair, 7 and rams’ skins dyed red, and porpoise
skins, and acacia wood, 8 and oil for lighting, and spices for the anointing
oil, and for the fragrant incense, 9 and onyx stones and setting stones for the
ephod and for the breastpiece. 10 ‘Let every skillful man among you
come, and make all that the Lord has commanded: 11 the tabernacle, its tent and
its covering, its hooks and its boards, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets;
12 the ark and its poles, the mercy seat, and the curtain of the screen; 13 the
table and its poles, and all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence; 14
the lampstand also for the light and its utensils and its lamps and the oil for
the light; 15 and the altar of
incense and its poles, and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the
screen for the doorway at the entrance of the tabernacle; 16 the altar of burnt
offering with its bronze grating, its poles, and all its utensils, the basin
and its stand; 17 the hangings of the court, its pillars and its sockets, and
the screen for the gate of the court; 18 the pegs of the tabernacle and the
pegs of the court and their cords; 19 the woven garments for ministering in the
holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his
sons, to minister as priests.’” 20 Then all the congregation of the sons of
Israel departed from Moses’ presence. 21 Everyone whose
heart stirred him and everyone whose spirit moved him came and
brought the Lord’s contribution for the work of the tent
of meeting and for all its service and for the holy garments.”
Exodus 35:22-29 “Then all whose hearts
moved them, both men and women, came and brought brooches and
earrings and signet rings and bracelets, all articles of gold; so did
every man who presented an offering of gold to the Lord. 23 Every man, who had
in his possession blue and purple and scarlet material and fine linen and goats’
hair and rams’ skins dyed red and porpoise skins,
brought them. 24 Everyone who could make
a contribution of silver and bronze brought the Lord’s contribution; and every man who
had in his possession acacia wood for any work of the service brought it. 25 All the skilled women spun with their
hands, and brought what they had spun, in blue and purple and scarlet material and in
fine linen. 26 All the women whose heart stirred with a skill spun the
goats’
hair. 27 The rulers brought the onyx stones and the stones for
setting for the ephod and for the breastpiece; 28 and the spice and the oil for
the light and for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense. 29 The
Israelites, all the men and women, whose heart moved them to bring material for all the work,
which the Lord had commanded through Moses to be done, brought a freewill
offering to the Lord.”
1 Kings 5:1-5; 6:1 “Now Hiram king of Tyre
sent his servants to Solomon, when he heard that they had anointed him king in
place of his father, for Hiram had always been a friend of David. 2 Then
Solomon sent word to
Hiram, saying, 3 “You know that David my father was
unable to build a house for the name of the Lord his God because of the
wars which surrounded him, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet.
4 “But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side;
there is neither adversary nor misfortune. 5 “Behold,
I intend to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord
spoke to David my father, saying, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your
throne in your place, he will build the house for My name….’
6:1 “Now it came about in the four hundred and eightieth year after the sons of
Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s
reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv which is the second month, that he
began to build the house of the Lord.”
Luke 4:16-20 “And Jesus returned to
Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the
surrounding district. 15 And He began teaching in their synagogues and
was praised by all. 16 And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up;
and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and
stood up to read. 17 And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And
He opened the book and found the place where it was written, 18 “The
Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to
the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of
sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed, 19 To proclaim the
favorable year of the Lord.”
Acts 2 42-48 “They were continually
devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the
breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and
many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. 44 And all those
who had believed were together and had all things in common; 45 and they began
selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as
anyone might have need. 46 Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple,
and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals
together with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor
with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those
who were being saved.”
Acts 19:9 “But when some were becoming
hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the people, he withdrew
from them and took away the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of
Tyrannus. 10 This took place for two years, so that all who lived in Asia
heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.”
1 Cor. 3:16 (the church) “Do you not know
that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in
you? 17 If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for
the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.”
1 Cor. 6:19 (the individual believer) “Or
do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in
you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have
been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”
Rev. 21:1-4 “Then I saw a new heaven and
a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is
no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down
out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I
heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold,
the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they
shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 4 and He will wipe
away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death;
there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first
things have passed away.”
Prayer Focus
Give thanks and praise to God for the building
and property He has given us to use.
Ask God to give us a greater desire to construct
and care for the build and property He has given us (Ex. 35:4-29).
Ask God to give us the means to make our
facilities reflect the beauty of His nature.
Ask God to help us to know how He might want us
to glorify His name in a greater way through the use of the building and
property He has given us (1 Kings 5:1-5; 6:1).
Ask God to help us not to forget that we
minister to people not buildings and grounds (1 Cor. 6:19).
Ask God to help us to know how He wants us to
use the building today and prepare it for future ministry.
Ask God to help us keep our eye on our destiny; To enjoy the
tabernacle of God for eternity (Rev.20:1-4).