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Hello everyone,

Today, Sunday 5th January, we have 315 people from all over the world and from many Christian denominations joining together in prayer. Our reflection this week is about Angels and War the one from Bob and Debbie Gass, from their "The Word for Today" is called What ‘issues’ are draining you? It's the first one of the new year and I wish each and every one of you God's Peace, God's Joy, God's Healing and God's Bounty for 2003. And a huge big thank you for all the prayers going up to Heaven from you all!

The Weekly Intentions are included below and available on a plain page to be able to print off and kept to hand for your own prayer time.

http://www.circleofprayer.com/prayerbook.html
http://www.circleofprayer.com/weekly-intentions.html

"Father, bless all those who have requested prayers in whatever it is that you know they may be needing this day! Father, we ask You to heal the broken bodies, broken hearts, broken spirits and broken relationships and may all their lives be full of your peace, prosperity, and power as they seek to have a close relationship with you. Amen."

"Thank You Jesus for answering our prayers because we know You hear every prayer and never refuse to answer. You are providing
answers and healings from the prayers of all these wonderful people. Praise God!"

God Bless you all and thanks a million for being part of the Circle of Prayer - the Prayer Warriors.

Mary Mullins in Galway, Ireland
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Please say the two wee prayers below as often as you can, particularly the first one to the Holy Spirit if you need to see things in
a clearer perspective. There are some further down you might consider saying too.

"O Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul, I adore You. Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, console me, tell me what I should do. Give me Your orders. I promise to submit myself to all that You desire of me and to accept all that You permit to happen to me. Let me only know Your will. Amen"
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"Dear Lord, I give you may hands to do Your work; I give You my feet to go Your way; I give You my eyes to see as You see; I give You my tongue to speak Your words; I give You my mind that You may think in me; I give You my spirit that You may pray in me. Above all, I give You my heart that You may love in me - love the Father and love all humankind. I give You my whole self, Lord, that You may grow in me, so that it is You who lives, works and prays in me. Amen."
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Some time ago one of the 'Prayer Warriors' sent in a prayer request but within a long email. She was dreading Christmas and the financial costs that accrue, and the possibility of rows. For some time now I've been looking at how we have let the commercialism of Christmas dominate that most beautiful of celebrations - the birthday of our Divine Saviour. I'd really love to BAN CHRISTMAS! Sounds dramatic doesn't it?

How many of us feel obliged to give gifts to all and sundry and end up in debt because of it? How many of us fall into the trap of  the pressures of television advertising influencing our children's idea of Santa having a bottomless pit of money? How many of us receive gifts that we really don't want, need, or like? How many of us buy gifts to compensate for time spent?

A child's belief in Santa is magical but it needs to be tied in with the real Christmas story. The reason d'etre. What Christmas is really all about. The reason He came for us in the first place. It was to give us the greatest gift of all, His own Dearly Beloved Son, because of His love for us and for our freedom from sin, pain, unhappiness.

So, what do we do to celebrate this greatest of gifts? We get ourselves into debt and more debt, we drink ourselves silly, we let office parties lead to one-night-stands and adultery, if consequences occur we book the abortion clinic, we fight, argue and abuse, we spend, spend, spend! Then for weeks and months afterwards we are eaten up with guilt and all sorts of ideas to repair the damage. Guilt is not one of the gifts the Father intended for us, instead it is one of those sneaky little emotions implanted by satan and his cohorts. Look at the list of stuff just mentioned and tell me they are gifts from God!

I don't know the answer to them except to try and live our lives focussed on the Heavenly Gift-giver. Under His protection we won't stray too much off the righteous path. Oh, satan will enter the scene as much as he can and pick away at people who are tired, frustrated, fearful or angry in order to cause a row, or tempt us with little thoughts to lead us towards to the bigger wrong-doings. I'd say Christmas is probably one of his best season - great business!

Anyway, getting back to 'banning Christmas'. Why not move the big presents for the children to their birthdays? Takes off some of the pressure and, unless they all have birthdays at the same time of year, it might spread the cost more evenly. Make the Santa present small.

I watch my grandchildren getting more enjoyment out of the cardboard box the very expensive prezzies come in. God be with the days here in Ireland when Christmas meant a lovely big orange, a shiny new sixpence and a handful of sweets in a Christmas stocking. But there was the love of family, the enjoyment of each other, the visiting neighbours, the open door welcome.

Here's another idea to think on - why not tell all the friends and relatives that next year the AFFORDABLE money generally spent on presents will be going to a local, national or global charity, and DO  IT! Don't let it be a cop-out! Why not be honest with each other and tell it as it is? I really can't afford it!

How many of us stuff ourselves silly till we are so full we sleep off the most of the day? Think of those families who would survive a full year with what we spend on one day. Is that not the gift the Son wants us to give - to His poor, His starving, His disenfranchised, His homeless, His persecuted?

Our time is probably one of the best gifts we can give to one another. During the year make a list of all those who need our forgiveness or a wee word of 'sorry', forgive them, tell them you're sorry and  pray for them, especially at Christmas time, perhaps even visit and make up the row that has kept you separated. This is so common among family members and often over something so silly.

These are tall orders I know but the Peace of God resides in such situations. You can see from above how the evil spirits of division can cause guilt, anger, lust, abuse etc. Let's reflect on the true meaning of Christmas and make a promise, now it's all over, to try and find a way to make next year's one a very different time.

I'm keeping in the prayers added last week as the world constantly needs prayers for peace and in this world of today we need prayers for protection too.

Prayer for Peace:

O God from whom all holy desires, all right counsels, and all just works do proceed. Give unto Thy servants that peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey Thy Commandments, and that unafraid of our enemies, we may spend our days under Thy protection, in peaceful order, through Christ Our Lord, Amen.  Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us.

Prayer to Saint Michael:

"Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in the day of battle. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, cast down to hell Satan and all his wicked spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls"

Pray this prayer with the US, Britain, Iraq and even North Korea in mind that their hearts may also be changed.

Pray before the Cross:

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Father, send now Your Spirit over the earth. Let the Holy Spirit live in the hearts of all nations, that they may be preserved from degeneration, disaster and war. May the Lady of All Nations, who once was Mary, be our Advocate. Amen.”
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What ‘issues’ are draining you?

" A CERTAIN WOMAN…HAD AN ISSUE… "  MARK 5 : 25 (NIV)

Are there issues you’ve struggled with for so long that they’ve drained you? Do they whip out their resumés and remind you that you’ve already tried every solution and nothing has worked? Do they whisper, 'I’m here to stay; get used to me'? Have you said, 'By this particular date my marriage will be healed…my health will be restored…I’ll be out of debt…the door will have opened,' but it hasn’t happened and you’re discouraged?

What was this woman’s answer? Listen: 'Behold, a woman…with an issue…12 years…said within herself…’If I may but touch [Him]…I shall be whole’' (Matthew 9:20-21). She had three options, and so do you. She could have said to herself: (1) 'Nothing is going to change.' (2) 'Look at that crowd; I’ll never get through to Him.' (3) 'I’ll never be this close again!' She chose option 3: 'If I can only touch Jesus, I know I’ll be set free.' Tune out the naysayers, silence your doubts, speak words of faith to yourself and move in His direction!

Listen: 'He relieved the inwardly tormented. He cured the bodily ill. He fulfilled Isaiah’s well known sermon, ‘He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases’' (Matthew 8:17 NIV). Refuse to carry your ‘issues’ a step further. Bring them to the Lord. Your past doesn’t matter to him, nor do your present circumstances. The only thing that matters is touching Him by faith. What He said to her then, He says to you now, 'Your faith has made you well. Go in peace…' (Mark 5:34 NKJ). Today, reach out and touch Him in faith!