Main Street Church - Pray First 2021

Welcome to pray first 2021!

Click the button below to download a digital copy of our Pray First 2021 devotional!

3-day Fast

SPICE up your prayer life

As followers of Jesus, prayer and fasting is a discipline that we can and should practice all throughout the year. As we begin the year with a focus on prayer we want it to go beyond just a month of prayer but that prayer is what we do all day and all year long. We know that it can be hard to learn how to pray. In fact, cultivating a consistent prayer life may be the hardest thing you ever do. But it is worth it.
So, we want to help spice up your prayer life but giving you some ideas on how to be creative as you pray, fast and grow closer to Jesus. Below are some ideas you can implement.

PRAYER AND FASTING INFORMATION

For more information, including different types of fasts and the physical impact of fasting, please read this PDF –

fasting-information-2021.pdf

PRAYER WALKING

Visit the Main Street Church Prayer Walking web page here – www.mainstreetchurch.ca/prayer-walking
Walk through your neighborhood, a park, your town praying for the people and activities that go on there.
Take a group of children or adults on a prayer walk; ask God to point out specific needs, people or locations that He wants you to pray for. Talk with one another about the experience.

PRAYER WORKSHEETS

Prayer sheets help you pray deeply into a particular theme or topic. They are helpful for daily devotions. Here are a few that you can download -

Five-Step-Prayer-Sheet.pdf

prayer-sheet-2021.pdf

Digital Detox

Here is a 7-day Digital Detox that you can use -

7-DAY-DIGITAL-DETOX.pdf

GOD’S CREATION

Use nature as a venue for other spiritual practices such as certain types of prayer, journaling, reading.
Pay attention to the specific elements in nature and what they might say about some of the different traits of God – God’s greatness, beauty, variety, abundance.
Spend some time in nature, hiking or being outside. Consider how God cares for the lilies and the sparrows – and you! Let nature lend itself to certain biblical narratives, for example, read the story of Jesus walking on water while you’re at the beach or meditate on how Jesus overcame temptation next time you are hiking in the wilderness.
As you spend time in nature, slowly and deliberately walk though places for the purpose of being intentional as you listen in prayer.

SOLITUDE

Take a break from noise. Commit to being quiet for at least one hour (or even try a day). Turn off things that make noise and speak as little as possible. Remember those in our world whose voices have been silenced and pray for them.
If you drive to work keep the radio off. Pray as you drive.
If you exercise – do it without any noise. Pray instead.
Use daily chores and maintenance as an act of worship.
Pick an attribute of God and meditate on that attribute throughout the day. Write down in your journal what God speaks to you about it. Here are some attributes of God to focus on:
God is All-powerful.
God is Present everywhere.
God knows everything.
God is sovereign.
God is Holy.
God is absolute Truth.
God is Righteous.
God is Just
God is Merciful
God is Faithful
God never Changes

WORSHIP

Dedicate a time each day this week to worship God through music.
Pick something to put in your pocket that will remind you to pray (e.g. A nail to remind you of Christ’s sacrifice or some pieces of Lego to remind you that God is the one who keeps things together. Be creative.
As you worship, vary your posture. Learn to sit, kneel, stand, lie prostrate.
Visit the Main Street Church worship page to listen or download music from our church worship teams. www.mainstreetchurch.ca/worship

PRAYING FOR OUR COMMUNITY

Try practices that develop an awareness of God’s activity alongside yours that help you recognise what you can and can’t carry. A prayer at the end of each day offering those you minister to back to God might be helpful.
Call a local food pantry and ask what their most needed item is that week. Pick up some and drop it off and pray for God to meet the needs of those receiving food.
Bring a meal or snacks or gas card to a neighbour, someone going through a transition (new job, new baby), a foster or adoptive family, someone going through a loss (miscarriage, job, marriage).
Attend another church in our community online. Pray for that church and thank God for their work throughout our community.
Track down an old coach, mentor, pastor or teacher and let them know the influence they had on your life. Pray for them.

PRAYING FOR THE NATIONS

Eat a meal of rice and beans every day for at least three days. While you fast, remember the 25,000 people who die of malnutrition and starvation each day.
Get the agenda for an upcoming city council meeting. Pray over the items. Better yet, attend a council meeting and pray.
Look through your clothes. Learn about one country where they were manufactured. Do some research to discover the working conditions of the people who made them. Commit to doing one thing to improve the lives of people who live in that country.
Learn about a local mission or organization that interests you. Find out how you could support them, whether with your time, money or prayer.
Walk for 6 km. While you walk, think about people around the world who need to walk this far on average for clean water every day.
Pick a language from a country that has sent many refugees to Canada. Try to learn a few words or phrases in this language. Pray their transition into a new country.
Track a food to its source that you eat regularly. Pray for the folks who made it possible for you to consume it
Visit our Main Street Missions web page and pray for our missionaries and global partners. www.mainstreetchurch.ca/missions Email one of the church’s mission partners a prayer, verse or encouragement.