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As I prayed this week I had one song go round and round my head… Queen and David Howie’s Under Pressure! It would not shift.

It made me think… we hear a lot about the church and individuals being under pressure just now. We all long to escape that. But what if instead of helping people avoid pressure, we are called to to teach people how to thrive in that place and grow as a result. The early Christians expected tough times… so why do we feel we need to escape them?

I had a picture connected to it… a diamond being formed in a piece of coal. Diamonds are only formed when dirty old coal comes under immense pressure. Beautiful and strength from pressure.

Perhaps part of our calling is to teach people to stay strong / keep going / lean into God in prayer in the hard times - to not check out / leave church / walk away from God but to stay and build a stronger more beautiful faith.

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Picture from hanging a frame this week and thinking that one bit of string on the back wasn’t enough so added another. Also words from Ecclesiastes ch4 v9 to 12 ringing in my ears, “A cord of 3 strands is not easily broken.”

I had the picture of loose woven net being across Scotland and each strand was fairly thin. The challenge was maybe how can we strengthen the strands so that the whole NET works better.

Links back to the idea from the Acts ch9 reading where the believers called for Peter to come. Can we have stronger links to call each other over or to be connected in prayer.

Hopefully an encouragement as we look to the future.

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Worship night - prayers for finances. That the funding will come through for God's glory and for Christ's alone.

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Worship night - prayers for finances. That the funding will come through for God's glory and for Christ's alone.

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Four things 'mobilise' ,Ecclesiastes  5 v4 'Do not deay in fulfilling your vow', Psalm 84 Blessed is the man who sets his heart on pilgrimage and the Good Samaritan Luke 10 who is the good neighbour? 

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Four things 'mobilise' ,Ecclesiastes  5 v4 'Do not deay in fulfilling your vow', Psalm 84 Blessed is the man who sets his heart on pilgrimage and the Good Samaritan Luke 10 who is the good neighbour? 

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“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭13‬-‭16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

A call to share what God is doing in Scotland. A voice of hope, of restoration, to call to justice while we act out justice ourselves, a call to prayer as we practice prayer ourselves, a call to mission as we practive mission in our own communities. 24-7 Prayer Scotland can share the goodness of God - where Gods justice is moving, where creativity is being expressed, where people are welcomed and loved in hospitality, where true Christ like kindness is moving in Scotland, where the Gospel is being spread not just in words but in actions too and where communities are on their knees, humbly before Christ himself.

This is the sound of unity, of hope, a Kingdom where everybody has a home. Where justice rolls like a river and where hope is restored.

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Great and deep the Spirits purpose,
Making Jesus seen and heard.
Every age of Gods creation
Grasps new meaning from His word.
Show us, Holy Spirit, show us
Your new work begun today;
Eyes and ears and hearts are open,
Teach us what to do and say.

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Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His faithful love endures forever.

Praise and thanks for all God has done in Scotland and all he is doing.

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I believe that we shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

Psalm 27

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The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

2 Day after day they pour forth speech;

night after night they reveal knowledge.

3 They have no speech, they use no words;

no sound is heard from them.

4 Yet their voice

[b] goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.

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“I haven’t forgotten you. Where you are is where I am. Look around, here I am!”

Picture of someone being taken gently by the hand and taken to top of cliff. “See where I am. The clouds are flags of my faithfulness. Look around. Here I am! I have not abandoned you. I came before you, I will be here after. Here I am! Surrender! Be still and know! You are beloved, you are mine.”

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Psalm 46:10-11 “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” The LORD of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress. 

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Psalm 46:10-11 “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” The LORD of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress. 

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Be still for the presence of the Lord
The Holy one is here
Come bow before him now
In reverence and fear
In Him no sin is found
We stand on Holy ground
Be still for the presence of the Lord
The Holy one is here.

Be still for the glory of the Lord
Is shinning all around
He burns with Holy fire
With splendor He is crowned
How awesome is the sight

Our radiant King of light

Be still for the glory of the Lord

Is shining all around.

Be still for the power of the Lord
Is moving in this place
He comes to cleanse and heal
To minister His grace
No work too hard for Him
In faith receive from Him
Be still for the power of the Lord
Is moving in this place.

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A recurrent theme is good foundations. On the cornerstone….our Lord Jesus Christ. A secure foundation when all else is shaking in the national church. 

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A recurrent theme is good foundations. On the cornerstone….our Lord Jesus Christ. A secure foundation when all else is shaking in the national church. 

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The whisper of history in the making.

Scotland has such a rich history both church and state. … but now we are not called to look back on our heritage but to listen to the still, small voice that will direct us forward into a new history. We are living through dramatic changes…. A new reformation. God will be in charge…not human structures.

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Dream macro but love micro. I believe the Lord is calling us to large vision that always starts with life right where we are. Loving hard in our homes, neighborhoods and communities. The heart of God that leaves the 99 for the 1. The woman at the well, the Syrophoenician woman, the man at the gate called Beautiful. Enlarged Vision but not distraction by grandeur. Humility. Wash feet where no one sees. Anything large and beautiful is built on small and hidden acts of love.

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I felt God challenge us to have faith in His power to regenerate the Church in Scotland. We are being called not just to recognise the need for change and not just to desire change, but to have wholehearted faith that he also desires change, and that He has the power and the will to bring that change about in our time. I saw the regenerative power of God gathering in our churches, first among congregations and then rising from the ground up like a tree as local and national leadership structures were reformed and renewed.

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While praying we were prompted to pray for boldness for the 24/7 Scotland team. We were reminded of the man who built his house upon the rock. Because of the solid foundation, nothing would move it. All who have gone before in the 24/7 Scotland team have built a strong foundation and now it is time to be bold and build (think big) something beautiful for our Lord.

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We desire to help people encounter God and engage with the needs of the world through prayer that is creative and interactive, through missional communities and through Christ-centred social action that champions the cause of the marginalised & the poor.

(From the 24-7Scotland website)

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“I don’t think the way you think.
The way you work isn’t the way I work.”
God’s Decree.
“For as the sky soars high above earth,
so the way I work surpasses the way you work,
and the way I think is beyond the way you think.
Just as rain and snow descend from the skies
and don’t go back until they’ve watered the earth,
Doing their work of making things grow and blossom,
producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry,
So will the words that come out of my mouth
not come back empty-handed.
They’ll do the work I sent them to do,
they’ll complete the assignment I gave them.

12-13 “So you’ll go out in joy,
you’ll be led into a whole and complete life.
The mountains and hills will lead the parade,
bursting with song.
All the trees of the forest will join the procession,
exuberant with applause.
No more thistles, but giant sequoias,
no more thornbushes, but stately pines—
Monuments to me, to God,
living and lasting evidence of God.”

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Interactive Request - What's our tartan as 24-7 Prayer Scotland.

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Interactive Request - What's our tartan as 24-7 Prayer Scotland.

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We recognise that we are called to work in unity, interwoven together and that individually we all bring our ourselves and our own expression together to make up the body of Christ. What is our tartan? What colour do you bring. In the comments please let us know what you bring! I will comment the colours that were shared in the prayer meeting!

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A member of the worship night had been at the v&a exhibition. She was really struck by the fact that each clan had their own tartan and that clan means children. She felt like 24-7 PRayer Scotland is it's own family, it's own clan and as you look at tartan, the strands going upwards are like our relationship with God and the strands going sideways are our relationships with each other and then we are woven together.

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Faithfulness - word for the vision day - received Aug 23

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Faithfulness - word for the vision day - received Aug 23

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Just wanted to note the faithfulness of the team, giving up time and resources to serve Scotland. Felt there was an invitation to sit at Jesus' feet on the vision day, to soak up the Lords presence. Just as we are about to leave the vision day, God will drop something in that may be for part of the strategic plan.

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Acts Chapter 9 - Read about the resurrection of Tabitha.

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Acts Chapter 9 - Read about the resurrection of Tabitha.

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"24-7 Prayer Scotland is a hope for churches that are discouraged in the midst of the restructure"

"There is a call of the church. With the turmoil of the national church within Scotland at the moment there could be a call to for people to individually turn to 'good Christian ways' with 24-7 leading the call back to prayer for the Christians. There is a link to the resurrection story in Acts 9. As we network together, the individuals in the story called on Peter. We must work alongside others and encourage each other working together."

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The Lord longs for every heart - 23rd Aug

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The Lord longs for every heart - 23rd Aug

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There is a call into the wilderness. There is a call for 24-7 Prayer Scotland to be open to the movement of God, to move with the breath of God. The Lord longs for every heart.

Prepare to expand the reach - enlarge the tent - move the tent pegs.

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Picture in communal worship on zoom - 23rd Aug - birthday cake with many layers.

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Picture in communal worship on zoom - 23rd Aug - birthday cake with many layers.

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There was a little birthday cake, with 5 or 6 candles. They were lit and happily sitting on the top of the cake. The camera then pans out and the 5 or 6 candles bend down as we see another tier of the cake is revealed and the candles then light a few candles each on the tier below. The camera then pans out to reveal the next layer and once the camera is finished panning out there are 5 or 6 layers of cake. Each with candles burning that have been lit by the candles on the tier above. Each layer enables the next layer to burn.

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As we began worship tonight, there was a sense that reading Matthew 6:9-14 was important. To begin to pray as Jesus teaches us to pray. A number of people shared words around thy kingdom come as it is in heaven.

"It is the role of 24-7 Prayer Scotland to share the news of God's Kingdom moving in Scotland. It is an anchor, we will be a people to show God's love, kindness and to share where God's kingdom is moving in Scotland."

Reflection from Daniel 6 when Daniel continues to choose to pray 3 times a day. He is still in the Kingdom that God has placed him in, just like we are in the Kingdom of Scotland, however, he is not of the Kingdom, he is in exile just like we are in exile in Scotland as we are part of the Kingdom of God.

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Take a moment to stop, to pause and reflect upon the vision of 24-7 Prayer
https://www.24-7prayer.com/about/about-us/the-vision/

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So this guy comes up to me and says, "What's the vision? What's the big idea?" I open my mouth and words come out like this... The Vision? The vision is JESUS - obsessively, dangerously, undeniably Jesus. The vision is an army of young people. You see bones? I see an army.

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"Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Ps46:10

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"Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Ps46:10

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Lord Jesus, we pause to be still. To breathe slowly. To recentre our scattered senses upon the presence of God.

Lord we ask that you will be exalted among Scotland. Will you use us for your glory. Father, it is only Your will that we seek. Be exalted Lord.