A Prayer Against the Ones Who Cause Division

But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, that they were saying to you, “ In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.” These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh. Now to Him who is able to protect you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory, blameless with great joy,to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority before all time and now and forever. Amen.

. – Jude 1:17-25

Also see Revelation 6 and this commentary for help to understand where I’m coming from: https://www.christianity.com/bible/commentary.php?com=mhc

Lord, We know there are 4 horsemen in our world already. We see them generation after generation and we know the end will come. We see You have a perfect plan to show us who divides, to show us that this is urgent! You keep us calling out, one voice in the desert, seeking You, with haste! You patiently wait until all the elect see the Truth of Your divine plan and despite our sin You continue to show us daily Mercy through Your provision and blessing while we toil in this world. Help us to be guided by You, no matter what comes, and to remember that we know not when Christ returns, but if we continue to seek You and share Your Gospel we will be prepared.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen

A Prayer of Thanks and Praise When I Fail

They traded God’s truth for a lie, and they worshipped and served the creation instead of the creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. – Romans 1:25

I admit, one of the things I struggle with the most is learning good stewardship. I find that I almost always fail to follow God’s ways if they involve money. I had been getting a bit desperate in my prayers about this lately. My husband and I are always trying so hard to improve our stewardship, keep tithing, pay off our debts, and remember when we spend that this is money God provided us by His Grace in giving us jobs… but it’s still so hard sometimes. Or rather so easy to get behind again and again. And I try to make myself feel better by reminding myself that we always do better than we used to, that we’ve never as far behind as we used to be, but all of that just indicates that we are not actually giving up our struggles into God’s hand. When God is in control, I don’t need to justify, I am justified through Him. Not only that, but I start to get nervous and panicky and think that there must be something I’m not doing right, some key I have yet to find that will give me the self control to always stay within my budget. And then I realize, all that is needed for all of this, to become the person I know God is leading me to be is to keep studying His Word and following His path through prayer and that study. It is such a relief!

On that note, will you pray with me?

Lord, I fail almost all the time to be a good or even adequate steward with the funds You give my family. I see myself falling short so often and I get frustrated and feel like giving up, but then Father, I remember that You have saved me, by Grace. I remember that I can thank YOU for all the times I’ve done better, for all the moments I’ve avoided temptation, and I can Thank You because You will be there in future, disciplining me and testing me over and over so that I can improve and grow. I thank You for every low moment You’ve gotten me through already (all of them!) And all the low moments too l know You’ll help me through as I continue to study Your Word and grow in Your Love and Grace. Thank You mostly, Lord, for the rest You provide so that I may praise You even in another minor storm. Praise Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen

A Prayer for Times of Hardship

1 Peter 5:10 ESV / 971 helpful votes

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

Exodus 14:14 ESV / 361 helpful votes

The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”

We’re still going through many changes here, and it is certain there are more on the horizon. I’m working hard to keep believing in God’s plan, keep reminding myself I don’t need to have a plan, or know God’s plan. I only need to know God has one.  Tonight, we need a little extra faith that things are going to work out all right in all areas of our lives, and so, we pray.

Lord, we know You’re moving us forward on Your path for our lives, we know You’re working to give us more than we need, and that You’ve promised to help and prosper us. We rely tonight only on You. We are so tired, Lord, and the worries creep back in at every chance. And so, we remind ourselves that we can rest, Lord. We can rest in You and receive what You are sending to us, because of Your promises, because of Your Grace, because of Your Love. We know You’ll send us all the people to help us along the way, all the blessings we need to remain where You are calling us, and all of the strength we need to get through each trial. We rest in You, Lord, gladly and gratefully, and we accept Your solace.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

A Prayer For Easter

John 11:25-26
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.(NIV) 

Lord, We can never find words to thank You for the ultimate sacrifice You gave. You sent Your son to die for us, and on this day He was risen and showed to the world that You kept Your promise and that You walked this earth with us for awhile, in the form of Your son, then You felt him suffer more torture and pain, not just physical and mental, but all the spiritual pain that we had brought on ourselves for all of the generations of this earth. He took it all, Lord, and wore our stripes. And now we can never be punished for them, so long as we have died to sin and been reborn in You. All men must die, but You arranged it so that we could die while still living our earthly lives so that when our bodies expire, we are merely moving on to our eternal life with You. How could we ever praise You enough, Lord, for something so great it is entirely beyond our comprehension? We praise Your Holy Name, Lord, again and again, because be it only a pittance in return for all Your love, it is all we have.

Praise Him, Praise Him, Praise Him! Alleluia, Amen!

A Prayer For Learning To Listen

“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:27, 28).

 

This prayer is not from me, and it is much simpler than mine usually are. I am very happy to share it though, because it comes from one of the best articles I’ve ever read about listening and the spirituality of listening. I feel like it gave me a whole new project to work on in myself and my behavior.

 

Prayer from the article:

‘from spiritual director Aelred of Rievaulx: “Here we are, you and I, and I hope a third, Christ, is in our midst.”’

Read it here: http://christianstandard.com/2014/03/the-spirituality-of-shutting-up/

A Prayer For Calling, Renewal, and Protection

Dear Lord,

Ephesians 4:14-15 says “that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things, into him, who is the head, even Christ;” (NASB) and Ephesians 4:23-24 says “and that ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man, that after God hath been created in holiness of truth.”

Lord, These verses as I read them this morning spoke to me of my husband. First, Lord, the beginning of this chapter of Ephesians speaks often and much about gifts from you and our calling. I know my husband seeks his calling from you, Lord. I know he has longed for a vocation and a true and meaningful way of life through your direction. I pray today, Lord, with a full heart and leaving all the worries at your feet, that you will allow him to feel that calling and find his vocation. I pray you will give us the direction strongly so he can see where he will do the most good and most closely follow your will for his career. I lay it all down to you, Lord, and pray you give me the strength when the time comes to follow him as he follows you and to lay down the fears I know I will have and trust that if you would direct him to change careers, we should have faith that it will all be all right. Lord, I fear I let the pressure of money get to him too much, that I don’t shield him from my worries over finances enough, and Lord, I know really you’re the provider in this family and so I need not lean so unduly heavily on my husband. Please, Lord, remind me of that daily and especially while he seeks his purpose in you.

I see my husband growing up so quickly in you. We’ve only been married a year and yet he has begun to so apparently shed his old life and old self and become a Christian man who follows your will as closely as he feels it. I pray, dear Lord, that you continue this work within him and that I get the blessing of continuing to see that light shine from him each day as he grows and matures and changes in his heart. Dear Lord, please, do the same for me. I feel sometimes like my faith is old and worn and needs a polishing. I pray that you create in me a new heart and help me to be renewed in spirit and mind and to follow my husband’s example and trust your guidance to do so. I pray today, Lord, that you allow us to remember not just the few verses that stuck with me strongest but all of the verses of Ephesians 4 so that we can recall that you have gifted each person here on earth, and renewed us, and allowed us the capacity to grow in you and to follow your light, Lord. I Thank you for the fact that you have already done this, Lord, as always.

I pray today as you protect my husband in safe conduct to and from his work that you will allow him to remember who he is now, and as I requested, to feel your calling of him, Dear Lord. I pray that you are a light unto both of our paths and that you would keep us growing not only as individuals in you but as a family. Please keep our Alice safe and growing in her childlike ways as well. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

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