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Saturday, February 27, 2016

For judges to uphold the sanctity of life, No. 1

***For U.S. judges to restore the sanctity of life in our nation.
Job 12:10
10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
Please pray with me:

Heavenly Father,
Thank You for each day of life that You give us. You are the Giver of Life. Thank You for all that You have placed on this earth to sustain us. Your creation provides beauty and inspiration. The colors of flowers, the sky, the multitude of fruits and vegetables, available here in the U.S. —they all bring us delight. The sounds of the wind, the birds, and the rain; the fragrance of flowers and smell of savory food —all testify of Your magnificent care and provision for us.

Father, You did not intend for us to manage death and disease. Vegetables decay and food spoils. Our bodies decline and illness and disease comes upon us. In the midst of our lives we struggle with death. It is all around us.

We strive to prolong our lives and avoid the inevitability of death. Yet, when death seems inevitable, many people consider euthanasia. Although we did not give ourselves life, we somehow believe that we have the right to take it. We want to be in control rather than yield it over to You. Forgive us.

We wish to avoid all that is unpleasant. We no longer seem to find value in suffering and pain. We strive to dismiss that stuggle, pain, emotional and physical, has value. Didn't You order that women would struggle and have pain in childbirth? Jesus, You did not avoid Your mission to die that we might live. You did not avoid the emotional and physical pain that was necessary that we might be saved. Thank You.
Hebrews 12:2
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Father, getting old, managing disease and illness is a challenge. We lose our functionality and find ourselves in embarrassing situations. We struggle to maintain our dignity. We see that our actions impact the lives of others and don't want to be a bother.

Yet, You have provided. You give us grace to withstand the suffering. You give us comfort and strength to endure what life brings. Forgive us for wanting to be in control, especially when You have proven that You can do such a better job. Forgive us for dismissing the value of suffering, when You, Lord Jesus Christ, suffered cruelly for our sake. Forgive us for not trusting You with our life, when You gave Yours for our sake.

Here in the U.S. we consider and are now in the process of bringing euthanasia as an acceptable part of our society. We call it "Death with Dignity" to disguise that we are really pretending to be You. Forgive us. To justify our decision, as a nation, we are in the process of changing our laws. Somehow we believe that our laws are aligned with Your laws. Somehow we have elevated our own desires and conveniences to be expressed through our legal system. Forgive us.

Father, we need clarity. We need Your path and Your Word to prevail. Abortion has become legal and now we push for euthanasia. Is it all out of convenience? Raise up spokespersons, who will speak Truth regarding Life. May pastors and preachers openly preach that You are the Author of life. Open hearts of people to hear Your Word, Your Truth.

As judges continue to make decisions on these critical issues, may they rule in righteousness as You have defined it. May their thinking align with Your values. Where we have been complacent, may we rise up. Where we have put our convenience before Your values; please forgive us. Turn us around. Cause us to seek You diligently.

Forgive us for taking the value of life into our own hands. Show us the path to align our laws with Your Word.

In Jesus’ Name.

***These prayers are based on the encouragement and guidance from Intercessors for America. These prayers are my own and the content does not reflect the philosophy or policies of Intercessors for America. These are published in good faith and for general information purpose only. Please consider joining this army of prayer warriors. Consider visiting their website to learn more. http://ifapray.org/



Sunday, February 21, 2016

Pastor Prayer No. 11: For a Spirit of Sacrifice

***That pastors would preach the humility of Christ to serve and sacrifice
Hebrews 12:2
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Please pray with me:

Father in heaven,
You created the earth and all the beauty that is beyond our comprehension. You created the sciences: physics, calculus and trig, physiology, botany, chemistry—the intricacies of how You formed the earth and all that's here.

Throughout time, as we have learned more, we have been enamored, fascinated, intrigued, and dumbfounded at the comprehensive coordination and integration of every part of Your creation. Thank you for the complexity which has captured and captivated our attention. Praise and worship belong to You alone.

Yet, even in light of all this evidence, we have congratulated ourselves for our science, our discoveries, our understanding. We have become proud and confident. We have even made up scenarios to deal with those elements that we don't understand. ...like evolution.

We choose our own way of thinking and have chosen to veer away from Your Word rather than to wait for more to be revealed. We proclaim the possibilities from our own imaginations to be truth, and then go about our way to prove we are correct. Have mercy Father.

Many of us have chosen to believe Your Word. We have held fast. We have said in our hearts that You are the Creator. But we have done so silently. Father, the cost of speaking out has risen to the point that now, our livelihoods are at stake. It has gone on so long that the exercise of free speech can cost us our jobs, our future, and even our safety.

Forgive us for years of silence. Forgive us for not taking a stand early in this battle. Forgive us for not praying for the protection of this nation against the pride that has blossomed over the decades.

So now we sit silently, believing in our hearts, afraid of the media, afraid of scorn, afraid of the consequences of speaking out. Afraid for ourselves and our families. Forgive us for attending to our fear. Your Word clearly states:
2 Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
We need You. We need Your Spirit. We need to do as Jesus did and make the sacrifices as led by Your Spirit. We need courage and we especially need to clearly hear Your direction so that we speak respectfully, truthfully and in the tone that You direct. We need to clearly know Your timing, Your words, Your way.

Father, this is really scary. We need Your confidence. We need courage that we cannot find within ourselves. We need stalwart determination to do Your will, to "march forth" in the knowledge and faith that You will go before us and that the battle belongs to YOU!

Truly, how can this happen, except we spend time with You in prayer? Call us to deep prayer and worship. Call us before Your throne of grace to find the help we need.

Holy Spirit, press us. Crush us with a knowing on how to proceed. As you pressed each of us to realize that we are sinners, press us to seek Your path in prayer. Grant us the healing in our spirit that would dispel any fear or hesitation. May we pray urgently to know Your will for us. Saturate us with diligence and determination. May we walk forth in quiet confidence.

Jesus, You sacrificed Your life...at a young age. You endured the separation from Your Father to bear our sins. You suffered humiliation, ridicule and the physical pain of the cross. Yet Your Word tells us that for the joy set before You, You did so willingly.

This is such a hard thing. Father, how will Your church, here in the U.S. rise up to do this? Teach our pastors. Teach Pastor __________ about sacrifice. Work in his heart to lead and guide us. Jesus, You are the Author and Finisher of our faith...move in Pastor ________ —that his faith becomes profound.

Father, around the world, there are many who are forced to watch as their children are tortured, maimed and raped. They are daily giving up their lives, even death on the cross, rather than give up their faith. Here in the U.S. we are insulated in our comfort and we remain silent as our freedoms are being rescinded one by one. Forgive us. Invigorate us.

Father, many of us have given our tithes and offerings to You from our comfort...especially here in the U.S. We have given in our plenty, holding back so that we always have enough. We surround ourselves with our prosperity. We seek the physical desires rather than the spiritual depth that You have for us.

We believe that You want us to enjoy our prosperity. We are prosperous. How do we share all that You have given us?

There are many in the U.S. who have stood up. There are many who made these sacrifices. They have been publicly mocked and stripped of all they have. Show us how to pray for these people. There are those in the legal profession who stand for Your principles and laws. Bring us to pray for them! There are organizations that seek to establish this nation and fight for the society that You outline in Your Word. Bring us to give liberally and sacrificially to them!

Our pastors in the U.S. need the conviction of Your Spirit to speak with authority and give their congregations the courage to move in sacrifice. This is a hard prayer as we have become so soft. We have become complacent. We have protected our physical comforts. Forgive us. Help us change. Help us to be willing to help others to give and share what You have given to us.

Equip our pastors to find those words that would give us courage. Show us the "joy set before us" that we would stand and live for Christ with all that we have. Help us to know that it ALL belongs to You. Show us how to seek You and be diligent with the wealth that surrounds us. Saturate us with Your wisdom that we may go forth with confidence.

In Jesus’ Name.

***These prayers are my own and the content does not reflect the philosophy or policies of any organization. They are offered in good faith that others may find them helpful in their prayer life and that the Church of Jesus Christ may be found faithful in the day of His coming.

Saturday, February 20, 2016

For American youth: to thirst and desire fellowship with God, No. 1

***That American students would have a thirst for God, like their forefathers.
Psalm 42:1
1 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
Please pray with me:

Heavenly Father,
Hallelujah to the Most High God! Hallelujah to Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit! You are the God of Salvation. You are the God of Holiness. Praise be to Your Name. O God of righteousness, You have sent Your Son; Jesus, You have joyfully given Your life, and Holy Spirit, You have graciously invited us into the inner sanctum of fellowship.

You have made Yourself available to all people through the sacrifice of Jesus. Thank You. Glory be to the Name of Jesus, who has covered and dismissed our sin.

Do we thirst to stand before the throne o grace? Do we begin our day before the throne of grace? Do w stop in the midst of our day to reinvigorate our strength? Do we close our day before You, that our rest would be sweet?

Give us a thirst—especially our youth. We spend so much time “doing” and so little time “being.” Surely, this is the place where we are healed.
Isaiah 53:5
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Philippians 3:10
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Give us a thirst to know You. Show us this path. Mighty Holy Spirit, fr the youth, may they feel the dryness of their existence and diligently seek Jesus. May they not stop to be sated by emotional gratification, but forge ahead to living spiritual peace that comes only through the righteousness of Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:21
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Give us all a need to daily come before Your throne of grace and take the time to know You. To put aside all other concerns and focus on You: who You are and who You have made us to be. Teach us the wonder of this place of worship and fellowship. May our thirst be so great, and our desire so intense that we run to stand before You.

Have mercy on us, Father. We get so caught up with the “stuff” of the day. Forgive us when we say that we get caught up with “life”…when Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Forgive us when we replace our life and its business, for Your Truth.

Give us all a willingness to make sacrifices in our lives to find the time to be before You, to develop relationship by spending time in fellowship. Especially our youth. Show us how to reach out to them and to welcome them. Give us words to communicate well by first listening to understand. Grant us focus to find fellowship with You before Your throne of grace that when the time of need comes, we know the way.

In Jesus’ Name.



Please also consider this prayer For American youth: to thirst and desire fellowship with God, No. 2.

***These prayers are based on the encouragement and guidance from Intercessors for America. These prayers are my own and the content does not reflect the philosophy or policies of Intercessors for America. These are published in good faith and for general information purpose only. Please consider joining this army of prayer warriors. Consider visiting their website to learn more. http://ifapray.org/



Thursday, February 18, 2016

Pastor Prayer No. 10: To understand the order of spiritual growth and healing

***That pastors would have daily time to first know God, to find healing before engaging in service
Philippians 3:10
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

2 Peter 3:18
But grow in grace, and [in] the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him [be] glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Please pray with me:

Heavenly Father,
We get ahead of ourselves. We read Your Word, we get excited and run out to do something. You are a God of order. You have ordered the universe. Thank You and praise be to Your Name. We see the order all around us. It's hard to miss! You order the days, the seasons. You order our very heart beat. Thank You.

It is so easy to take all these things for granted as they are ever with us. Yet, if You took such care to order Your creation, we can know that You also order our spiritual lives and growth. Praise be to Your Name! Hallelujah! You clearly tell us that the spiritual is more important than the physical.
Matthew 10:28
And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Yet, we get the order wrong. We get saved, and we get excited, and we go forth. We do not first seek You for the healing of our spirits and the re-ordering of our minds and hearts. We hope to "get it along the way." Do You roll Your eyes as You see our exuberance? Do You sigh as You realize that we have gone forth without getting equipped first? Thank You for Your mercy!
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
What glorious thing You do to us. Thank You! How can we not run out and want to tell people. Yet, we have not re-ordered our thinking or our ways. With such a transformation as You bring on us, we have so much to learn and understand. WOW! The people You called in the Bible: Abraham, Moses, Joshua, King David, Samuel, the disciples, the Apostle Paul... they first spent time getting to know You and Your work in them before they went out. It seems we need some of this in our lives (even daily), as well as in our churches.

You tell us:
Isaiah 53:5
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
So if I'm not healed, am I simply saying, "Jesus, I'm not healed. You didn't do enough." Surely, it cannot be. Perhaps healing is missed because we "go forth" before we are spiritually healed and have had time to know ourselves differently. Perhaps we have not taken the time to understand this "new creature" that You have made us to be.

Father, our churches get tied up in numbers. David did that too (2 Samuel 24). We seem to have this need to count things and it is a natural way to gauge what may seem like growth, profit or loss. Surely some of this is needed just to manage our books for government and society. Forgive us when these numbers become our way of gauging our success.

Father, healing is in knowing You. Thank You! You ask for time with You and that in knowing You we can find healing. This is hard! How to do it! When we pray, our words get in our way! Give Pastor _________ ways to talk to our congregation about this. Teach him to help us, motivate us, encourage us to spend time with You and to find "grace to help in time of need!" Help Lord!
Hebrews 4:16
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
It seems that we skip this step. Give Pastor _______ understanding. Give him time before Your throne of grace— that he may experience true healing of his spiritual being that he may preach from a complete understanding of what You have done for him. May this experience be so incredible that it ignites his spirit and his preaching to motivate him before our congregation at _________.

Father, help him to convey to us that healing isn't in the numbers and it isn't in our service—it isn't in our "doing." Help him to see and preach that we have a tendency to prove Your will for us by "doing" rather than by "being" ...with You. Show him the order of the spiritual growth that he may preach it. Open our hearts to want it! You have paid for our healing. Thank You! Direct us to find the path to obtain it.

Help us to desire a testimony that none can challenge. Help us to understand that if we jump right into service, that we have denied and limited Your full testimony in our lives. Forgive us...show us a better way. Show our pastors across this nation and ignite their sermons that we may see true revival in this nation.

Hallalujah and Amen!

In Jesus’ Name.

***These prayers are my own and the content does not reflect the philosophy or policies of any organization. They are offered in good faith that others may find them helpful in their prayer life and that the Church of Jesus Christ may be found faithful in the day of His coming.

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

U.S. Election Prayer No. 4: Praying for God's Choice Not Ours

***That we would focus more on God's choice for our next leader than on electing a Christian
Daniel 2:20-21 KJV
20 Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:
21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings
Please pray with me:

Heavenly Father,
You are the God of order. You have set the world in order and at creation. The earth proclaims You are sovereign, loving, beautiful. You are also wise—comprehensive wisdom, You are vengeful; and You are jealous of anything that promotes evil. Father in heaven, You are not bound by time and You know our end before our beginning.

In You alone, we can have complete confidence.

Praise be to Your Name. Praise be to the Father, to Jesus Christ, Your Son, and to You, Holy Spirit of the One True and Living God.

The United States is at a crossroads. We have been here before. Now it is dire. There is so much at stake with these elections. Truly, it seems that every one of us will make account for our actions during these elections: whether we prayed, whether we sought You, and how we exercised the privilege to vote for our next President.

Father, we have not been diligent. Forgive us. Turn us, that we may truly repent and become active as the Holy Spirit leads us. May we diligently seek this leading. As Christians, it is easy to believe that You would have a Christian in the White House, as our President. Yet, Your choice my be very different. A "Christian" as President may not be Your will. It may not be in our best interest.

Father, may we seek Your will and not be deceived by our own thinking.
Proverbs 16:12
There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Isaiah 55:8
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
Isn't it logical for us to think that a believer in Jesus Christ is best? Having a person who diligently seeks You as our leader...Father, it seems like the right thing to ask of You. Yet, maybe that is not Your will.

A "Christian" may have no credibility, simply because he or she is a Christian. I am so sorry that this nation has come to this. Is it plausible that for a great revival to take place, that we must fall even deeper and become yet more reprobate and rebellious? Is it possible that through a different individual, this nation will degenerate even farther down the path of corruption and that because of it, we would turn to You?

Father, You sent Israel into captivity to Egypt. They were brought there in time of famine. Eventually, they cried out to You as the oppression of Pharaoh became so great. But in the end You used Pharaoh and eventually, You destroyed all the Egyptian army (Exodus 14:28). You sent Israel into captivity to Babylon and kept them there until You proclaimed that You would destroy Babylon (Jeremiah 51).

Must we go into captivity, that, as a nation we may turn back to You? Is it too late? If so, then raise up those who would fight for Christ that others may find Him. Show us the path to revive our spirits to take on the battle that is not about flesh and blood. Show us how to wage war in the spiritual realm for those we know, that they may find salvation.

Father, it is a hard thing to ask for Your judgement on the United States. It is a hard thing to ask for Your will rather than our own. Here we are living in a perverse nation. As You used the King of Egypt and the Kings of Babylon to get the attention of Israel, help us pray that You will get our attention. Show us how to support Your work, rather than seek the security of our pleasurs.

Forgive us for thinking that a "Christian President" will fix everything. We have not done the work of maintaining our freedoms and praying for our leaders. By and large, we have not been involved for decades and left only a few to carry the banner of our Judaeo-Christian beliefs. We have taken Your blessings for granted, enjoyed the prosperity and gone about our prosperous lives—filling ourselves with our every desire. Forgive us. Forgive me. Help me turn, help us to turn and pray.

In Jesus’ Name.

***These prayers are my own and the content does not reflect the philosophy or policies of any organization. They are offered in good faith that others may find them helpful in their prayer life and that the Church of Jesus Christ may be found faithful in the day of His coming.

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Pastor Prayer No. 9: to preach the Gospel of Christ

***That pastors would preach the Gospel of God's love, encourage commitment and devotion to Christ
Matthew 22:37
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

1 Corinthians 4:10-13
10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.

11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;

12 And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:

13 Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.
Please pray with me:

Heavenly Father,
The times are pending. The United States is crumbling and it seems that Your Church seems dormant. Asleep. Thank You you neither slumber nor sleep. You see it all. Thank You. Nothing escapes Your knowledge, Your understanding. You even know our thoughts.

The standard news in the U.S. seems set on placating people. We need vision, we need truth. We need revival. Revive us. We seem to be in a stupor. Open our eyes. Perhaps our lives have been so distracted, that we have come to trust in the news rather than to diligently seek You. You know. Forgive us. Have mercy Father.

Where is Your Gospel? Truly it has not changed. It has not wavered. Your love for us has not diminished. Thank You. Yet, we have gone astray. I have been placated by the media. I am entertained without taking time to deeply seek You, study Your Word, and desire to know Your will for me. Forgive me.

I have not been diligent or even interested in truly understanding Your love for me. I have lost my first love and the excitement I experienced when I first came to salvation. Forgive me.

Raise up pastors in the U.S. Raise up Pastor _________. May he be crushed by Your Holy Spirit to preach the Gospel...all of it! Give the congregation at _______________ (Church) a hunger and thirst to understand their place in You: that we are helpless and hopelessly full of sin. Help us to understand our desperate plight. May pastors across the nation preach this truth. Give them courage to help us see our position before You, that we may truly embrace what You have done to dismiss our sin—and give us the righteousness of Christ in place of our sin.

May we cry out to You oh God. Surely, when You look at our nation, we are despicable before You. Our culture, our amusements, our desire for stuff, our greed, our distractions...we have redefined marriage, taken prayer out of our society. When we are called, not just to be tolerant, but to affirm and even embrace what You have deemed sin— Oh Father...have mercy. Crush us that we would cry out to You.

Where are the preachers? Where are the pastors? Where are those who would give us Your vision for our churches, our communities and our very lives? Give these servants words to speak. Work in the hearts and minds of their congregations that there be no objection to the preaching of sin! Help them to get on board and support their pastors to preach these messages that we need to hear. Bring unity to these churches for the work that You have for us.

Raise up leaders in the churches that are drawn to Your priorities. May they be deeply concerned about the spiritual well being of those who are committed to the hard topics that we so need to hear.

Help Lord! Draw us to You. Create an army of prayer warriors that would petition You daily for revival in the United States. Raise up valiant men and women, who would courageously proclaim the Gospel in their lives: both in action and words. Encourage these people that the Gospel would proliferate.

The times are dire. Open our eyes and hearts to realize the destruction that looms before us. Prepare us to be fools for Christ. Give us the armor of God and train each of us to boldly perform Your work each day. Gear us up. Rile us up. Create an eagerness for the Gospel that begs to be expressed. May this start with our Pastors! Raise them up. Unify them, by Your Holy Spirit, with one vision for the Body of Christ. May we be invigorated each day, armed with Your Word, and prepared to demonstrate the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Father, may we have no regrets when we stand before our Savior: Jesus Christ.

In Jesus’ Name.

***These prayers are my own and the content does not reflect the philosophy or policies of any organization. They are offered in good faith that others may find them helpful in their prayer life and that the Church of Jesus Christ may be found faithful in the day of His coming.

Friday, February 12, 2016

A Prayer for the Syrian Crisis

***That believers in Christ would hold strong and that their testimony would bring others to the saving grace of Jesus Christ
Psalm 13
1 How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

3 Consider and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;

4 Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.

5 But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.

6 I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths.
Please pray with me:

Heavenly Father,
My heart groans as I hear the news. Truly it is difficult to know who represents good and who represents evil. Men speak one thing and do another. Surely the Syrians who are being bombed and starved to death don't really care if the bombs are from Russia, from ISIS, or from the U.S.

There are many Christians, Your people, O God, who are there. They are seeing their families, their very children dismembered...and they are helpless to change their physical reality. Have mercy O God. Have mercy on them and touch their hearts and minds and soul. Upgird them with Your strength. Raise up Your Holy Scriptures within their hearts and minds. Cause it to enlarge within them and place Your greater purposes higher than their terrible situations. Father, surely they cry out:
Ps. 13:1-2. How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?
Mothers cry for their children. Men are forced to watch as their children are mutilated alive. Father, attend to every prayer give to You. Provide unreasonable comfort to those who must undergo these horrors. May they trust without any other consideration but that You are faithful.

May they never consider or even think that for moment You are unfaithful. As they undergo such horrific torture and unfathomable times, mighty Holy Spirit, grant them prayers for those who torment them. Pour out prayers that they cannot even consider on their own. Through these prayers, may they know that they are here for this time and that You are mightily using them for Your purposes. Assure them that You will take Your vengeance Your way. Embed Your Word within in them:
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. (Romans 12:19)
Cause these, Your servants to release their captives to You. May every one of them, through Your Holy Spirit, "be still and know that You are God." (Ps. 46:10). May they embrace that Your ways are not their ways (Is. 55:8) and may each one hold fast with the peace that passeth understanding (Phil 4:11). Assure them, deep within them, that You are there and that You see their plight (Prov. 15:3). May they have rest in their souls, knowing that they have not been abandoned.
Proverbs 15:3
The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.
Father, answer them quickly. Please. Have mercy.

Many, O God, by Your graciousness, have escaped. They are now refugees, trying to make a new life. Grant them prayers for those left behind. Grant them grace and humility. Surely, they cannot understand why the world stands by when the situation is so dire. Bring every one to Jesus. Raise up their testimony.

Draw Your church together to pray for these who must feel forgotten. May we not live in ignorance or callousness to their plight. Turn our hearts to pray. May we be found faithful in the day of Your coming.

Have mercy, Father.

In Jesus’ Name.

***These prayers are my own and the content does not reflect the philosophy or policies of any organization. They are offered in good faith that others may find them helpful in their prayer life and that the Church of Jesus Christ may be found faithful in the day of His coming.



Thursday, February 11, 2016

Pastor Prayer No. 8: To know our place before God

***That pastors would teach us our place before God.
Job 13:23
How many are my iniquities and sins? Make known to me my rebellion and my sin.

Matthew 14:14
And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
Please pray with me:

Father in heaven,
You know us intimately. You created us...in Your own image! You even know the hairs on our heads. Truly, there is no place to hide from You. Yet, the very thought of it causes me to cower. It causes me to turn away, for I know I am a sinner.

Show me my sin that I may confess it and repent. Show me my sin that through the blood of Jesus Christ, I may know that my sins have been forgiven and I may have fellowship with You and enjoy You each day. Thank You for Your incredible provision.

Fear of Your judgement resides in my thinking. I don't know how to embrace Your love for me. You loved me while I was yet in sin...thank You. You desired communion and fellowship with me. But we could not enjoy each other because You are holy and I am a sinner. So You sent Your only Son to pay the price. Jesus, You came and died in my place. Holy Spirit, You convicted me of my in and to know that the sacrifice of Jesus is true.

And now...now You see me through the righteousness of Christ? You do not see my sin? You are not standing by and watching me to judge me and crush me? ...which I deserve. I do not know how to even begin to understand Your love for me. Help me!

Why?

Why did You go to he trouble. You don't need me and all that is in and on the earth is Yours. Yet, somehow, You wanted communion and fellowship...with me. ...and to share all of Your creation with me. My purpose is to glorify You and enjoy You forever (Psalm 145).

It is more than I can fathom. Help me embrace this. Teach me.

Reach out to my Pastor: Pastor ________ . Reach into him and confirm this truth from Your Word. Pour out Words through him, that I may draw closer to You. Give him an intimate understanding of this love for me that my life may be full of rejoicing. Teach him to demonstrate it to me and every member of our congregation. Give him that heart of compassion that You, Jesus, demonstrated over and over again.

Use our pastors. Call them. Give them a heart to serve each member of their congregation as their service to You. May it be their daily joy to interact and serve these people. May they be instruments of Your healing that we may know our place before You.

Lord God, Most High God, One True and Living God: You have gone through such great expense...Jesus...that we may have place before You. Raise up pastors to preach this. Open heart to receive it. Help us understand who You have made us to be...that we may enjoy You and be Your delight.

Then Father, then— when we can receive this station that You have prepared —then, may we pour out lives of service in gratitude and lov. Then, may we cherish You and seek You daily. May we satisfy You with our love with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength.

In Jesus’ Name.

***These prayers are my own and the content does not reflect the philosophy or policies of any organization. They are offered in good faith that others may find them helpful in their prayer life and that the Church of Jesus Christ may be found faithful in the day of His coming.

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Pastor Prayer No. 7: A heart for the people

***That Pastors would have a heart for every individual in their congregation
Isaiah 6:8
Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

Acts 20:28
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Please pray with me:

Heavenly Father,
Thank You for those that You have called to serve as pastors in our churches. Thank You for those who have answered and have prepared themselves to serve. Grant all believers prayers for these servants who show up each day to serve You and attend to Your congregations.

Oh Father, they are walking targets before the enemy. Protect them with Your full armor. Bring prayers of protection for them and their families to those around them, that they may not fall into the snares of the enemy.

Protect their families and their relationships with their families. May they take that quality time to care for their spouses and children, that they not fall prey, or be distracted. Give them a set of priorities for each day of their lives, that they live in accordance with Your Word and the order that You have established so that priorities not get out of skew. Again, may their armor be airtight!

Having established their daily care of their personal relationship with You and with their families, grant them vision for Your churches and a heart to know their part as servants of the Most High God. Give them an intimate relationship with You as Jehovah-Rohi, the Lord our Shepherd, that they may daily live in the example of Jesus Christ.

As their congregations see their commitment to servant-leadership, may servant-leaders rise up to establish the vision for each church, in the character and purpose that You have given them. May all be done in good order.

Father, churches are so good at judging each other. Give pastors the wisdom to thwart every attempt at this. May it be established in their heart that we judge not. Show them how to demonstrate Your love to each other beginning with their staff, the volunteers, the individuals who come, whether as members or not, givers or not, outgoing or introverted.

Father, it seems that every church has an abandoned sheep pen. I am so sorry. Forgive us and show pastors the path to dismantle them. Open wide the hearts of pastors. Fill them with compassion for every person who comes to the church. May staff and leaders see this compassion and deeply desire it.

Bring all of us to Your Word so that we may more clearly understand how to demonstrate Your love to each other. Raise up an army of encouragers within each church. May this encouragement go forth to every person, including pastors and their staff. May no one be or feel taken for granted.

Give pastors the words to touch the hearts of their congregations...every heart, no one missed. May this come through the discernment of the Holy Spirit: the rhema...the right word and the right time for the need of the moment...

Please help keep these pastors humble that they not find themselves in the cross-hairs of the enemy.

In Jesus’ Name.

***These prayers are my own and the content does not reflect the philosophy or policies of any organization. They are offered in good faith that others may find them helpful in their prayer life and that the Church of Jesus Christ may be found faithful in the day of His coming.

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Pastor Prayer No. 6: Time in God's Word

***That pastor's would protect their time to build relationship with God through the study of His Word
Psalm 119:105-106
NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledg him and he shall direct thy paths.
Please pray with me:

Heavenly Father,
Great and glorious is Your Name over all the earth. All worship belongs to You, O God of our salvation. In You is life.
John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Jesus, You are the Word. You are Life. Thank You heavenly Father for Your Word, Your Son. Thank You for Life and Life in Your Word. Our pastors need the breath that comes from Your Word. It is quick and powerful. It is sharper than any two-edged sword. In You, in Your Word, is life.

For pastors in my church, and pastors across the nation, I ask that they have sheltered time in Your Word. May a day not begin without careful time prayer and in study. May they seek to know You deeper and greater by delving deep into Your Word. Touch them each day in preparation for their schedule. May this time be so dynamic that they must pull themselves away from it and look eagerly to the next opportunity to meet You in Your Word.

Holy Spirit, meet these pastors through Your Word. Grant them and uncanny ability to learn it, memorize it and to clohe each day in Scripture before launching off to the work set before them.

Give them the logos and also grant them rhema. May these revelations embed deep within their spirits that they are totally helpless without You. Indeed, make them weak that You may rise up within their lives in strength. May they be so astounded that they eagerly rise each day to meet You in Your Word. May the results literally "awe" them such that this time with You never be neglected.

Open their eyes to see the criticality of covering themselves in Your Word. Show them that Your Word empowers them intimately and completely such that they dare not go out in their own strength. Make them an invincible army for the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lion of Judah.

And Father, from this place of total impotency, may pastor's lives be dramatically changed. As Moses shone when he came down the mountain. And King Saul...when he was anointed, You gave him another heart. How incredible is that!
1 Samuel 10:9
And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.
Father, submerse these pastors in Your Word, grant them a new heart that is unweilding in their devotion to You. Drive them daily to know You more deeply through You Word. Great and mighty Holy Spirit, teach them that their ministries would draw their congregations together through Your Word.

Father, unite believers through these pastors who are saturated with Your Word.

In Jesus’ Name.

***These prayers are my own and the content does not reflect the philosophy or policies of any organization. They are offered in good faith that others may find them helpful in their prayer life and that the Church of Jesus Christ may be found faithful in the day of His coming.



Saturday, February 6, 2016

U.S. Election: Prayer No. 3: For diligence and discernment

***For Americans to be diligent, discerning and prayerful during the election season
1 Samuel 16:7
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.
Please pray with me:

Heavenly Father,
We are helpless by ourselves. The situation of our nation seems beyond help. We are impotent and we have waited too long to actively engage in the political arenas in our nation. Forgive us. Give us hope. Raise up our hearts to take back this country.

Raise us up to bring revival back to the USA. May each person who calls Jesus Christ their Savior rise up and take their place in the ranks as a soldier of Christ. Our nation is as stake. Plant seeds of urgency within us. Cause us to rise up in prayer. Cause us to gather fellow Christians to pray for these elections.

Give us discerning minds. Grant us a focus on the real issues. We see the outer appearance of these people. We hear their words. We see enticing possibilities, and we are often swayed by what we take in through our senses. Let us seek You diligently to see as You see. You see the heart. Enable us to see past the words and the tone. Help us to see the heart of the people who are running for office as well as the media who reports it.

Father, there is no way that we can do this of our own abilities. Thank You!

Our nation is falling apart. Our fiscal spending is out of control. Our culture despises You and all You stand for. There is civil unrest in many arenas. Sexual experimentation and self gratification have permeated our daily living. Wake us up. Cause the stupor to lift from your church where so many of these practices also prevail.
James 1:5
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
We need You. We need discernment. As the candidates move through the paces of the election schedule, grant us wisdom as we listen and watch. Grant us focus to hear Your Spirit. Grant us a firm commitment to the restoration of the United States as One Nation Under God.

In Jesus’ Name.

***These prayers are my own and the content does not reflect the philosophy or policies of any organization. They are offered in good faith that others may find them helpful in their prayer life and that the Church of Jesus Christ may be found faithful in the day of His coming.

U.S. Election: Prayer No. 2: America at a Crossroads

***That Americans would have discernment in choosing a new president
Daniel 2:20-21
20 Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
wisdom and power are his.
21 He changes times and seasons;
he deposes kings and raises up others.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the discerning.
Please pray with me:

Heavenly Father,
Our nation is at a crossroads. Our leadership has turned from You and we have become complacent. We are a nation divided in so many ways. Government has grown and so has our national debt.

I have not been involved. I have not prayed as I should for our leaders and for our nation. I have sat on the sidelines and watched, when You have made it so easy for me to make a difference by coming to You in prayer. Please forgive me and grant me prayers, led by Your Spirit, that I may be found faithful when I stand before You.

Father, the elections loom before us. You are the God of wisdom and power. True wisdom and power belong to You. So does truth and mercy! Help Lord! We need wisdom as we choose who will be in this powerful office of President.

Expose the lies that proliferate the media. Loose the controls that cover up the truth about these candidates. Prick the heart of every aspect of the media to report honestly and to choose their words and print carefully. Give viewers and listeners discernment to know within our spirit how we can pray and how we should vote.

Father, we have lost vision for our nation. We are divided in so many ways. Every person finding ways to do what is right in his or her own eyes.
Judges 21:25
In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

Proverbs 14:12
There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
This verse sounds like the U.S. Even churches have joined in. Many have become reprobate as You told us would happen. Are we past revival? Is anything too hard for You? What must we undergo to return to a godly nation?

We need Your help. We need a wake-up call to Your Church, to arise and pray. Convict us to pour out our hearts before You that we would return to godly principles. As we watch the elections, as we listen to the news, pour out prayers on the hearts of believers, that we may bring them before Your throne of grace and mercy.

Forgive us for gauging what is right through our own desires, rather than heeding Your Word and following the path of security and safety that You have outlined. Open our eyes to see the path of confession, repentance, and bring us to prayer that we may have discernment as we choose the next President of the United States.

In Jesus’ Name.

***These prayers are my own and the content does not reflect the philosophy or policies of any organization. They are offered in good faith that others may find them helpful in their prayer life and that the Church of Jesus Christ may be found faithful in the day of His coming.

Thursday, February 4, 2016

Pastor Prayer No. 5: Led by the Spirit

***That pastors would have a quiet spirit to hear the leading of the Spirit
Please pray with me:

Heavenly Father,
The days press on. The schedules are full and filled with "doing." We pride ourselves with what we accomplish, forsaking who we are before You, the Most High God. Forgive me. Forgive us.

It's easy to get lulled into numbers. We count our programs, our hours, our money and donations. We count our our money, our attendance at church, Sunday School, and our prayer services. How many prayers? How much time spent in Bible Study, or ministry. We count numbers and often forget about quality. Forgive us.

Oh Father, grant us a quiet spirit. Especially our pastors; may the lead in this initiative. Show us how to take time out from our doing. How can we quiet our minds? It is so hard as the days press against us and push us to "do." ...more, more, more.
Psalm 46:10
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
Lead each of us to be still. Help us to still our bodies, our minds, our hearts. Drive us to a place of solitude. Our gadgets of distraction pelt us with enticements of the moment. There is never a time when there isn't something else to delight our senses...from social media to food shows. All our senses are held captive by a constant barrage of incessant possibilities. ...and we sometimes respond as children in a candy store. Forgive us.

Create a longing within in us to be still and know that You are God. May there be an outpouring of exaltation before Your throne of grace. In each of our lives, especially our pastors and music directors, may there be praise and worship welling up within us each day. May it build throughout the week and may we hardly contain ourselves to come to church on Sunday and proclaim that You are our God at the gathering of the brethren in worship.

Press our leadership to enjoy being still before You each day.
Zechariah 4:6-10
6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.
Father, please impress upon our church pastors and leadership that they are weak, incapable, impotent, and inept...but for Jesus. May this truth be preached every day in their lives. May they take time out from heir doing to enjoy their status of being before You. Give them words to pass on to their congregations and convict us all that we "put the cart before the horse" every time we initiate activities without first acknowledging You, and our place before You...affirming who we are: sinners saved by grace.

Oh, if we could get this one thing right! What would it do if we all took a step back before we started "doing" so that our days would be accomplished by Your Spirit? How glorious! If in all our counting, we put You first...what would the result be? ...incredible...if we started with a quiet spirit to then be led by Your Spirit. I ask it. Establish quiet spirits in us, especially our pastors. May their lives testify to their congregations in a powerful way as they love each member in their church as You do.

In Jesus’ Name.



***These prayers are my own and the content does not reflect the philosophy or policies of any organization. They are offered in good faith that others may find them helpful in their prayer life and that the Church of Jesus Christ may be found faithful in the day of His coming.

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Pastor Prayer No. 4: Preaching Repentance for Pride and Pretense

***That pastors would be intimately aware of their pride and pretense, and preach and live humbly for Christ
Romans 3:23
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

2 Chronicles 7:14
if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
Please pray with me:

Heavenly Father,
This nation has called You since the beginning and You have blessed us. The blessing has been extraordinary. Thank You. I have taken so much for granted and I have not prayed for our leadership or our pastors as I should. Forgive me. Show me the path to repent.

Is there any sin that does not start as pride? When I get angry, isn't it because I have placed what I want above everything else? ...and I want to control others so that I get what I want. Forgive me.

Oh Father, even in our churches, we seem to have a breeding ground for pride and pretense. "How are you?" ..."Just fine, thank you. And you?" "I'm find too." ...when the reality is that we are falling apart. Participation on committees brings notoriety and extends power to those appointed. Our service that we render to the church brings favor, which lifts us up. It feels good to be noticed. It feels good to be "selected." It seems we have made ourselves the focus rather than You. We enjoy having position. Help us to be diligent with the responsibility and trust, as we serve.

Open our hearts so that each of us can see our motives. Open our hearts each day to see the times where we have pretended we are fine, or pretended we are troubled. Help us to see the manipulation that comes from our words as we issue them to others.

It isn't always appropriate to say what is real. The situation determines it. Holy Spirit, grant us discernment.

After all that Christ has done for us, give us a heart to know that YOU have given us great favor, great honor...which we do not deserve. Help us to understand our place before Your throne and may it permanently humble us. May we never forget what You, Jesus Christ have done on our behalf. May we not diminish what it took for You, Father, to turn Your back on Your Son.

Establish in each of us, our place of total ineptness, and may we daily embrace the love that You have demonstrated towards us. ...that we may have fellowship with You. May the overwhelming understanding bring us to true servanthood.

What about the pastors at churches in the U.S? Move in their hearts to become true servant leaders. As Christ sacrificed Himself for the Church, may they demonstrate that same love for their churches. Jesus, pour out Your love for Your Church through these pastors, that they may know the joy of sacrificial love.
Hebrews 12:2
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Open the eyes of congregations to see the humility of these pastors and may each of us go forth into our week, discerning our pride, replacing it with sacrificial love. May these actions be the outpouring and demonstration of our love for You and desire to become Christ-like. May these acts bring us closer to You. May our relationship be sweet—both with You and with each other.

Father, establish pastors to demonstrate repentance, humility, and servant leadership. And may their congregations go forth with their example to live honorably before You.

In Jesus’ Name.



***These prayers are my own and the content does not reflect the philosophy or policies of any organization. They are offered in good faith that others may find them helpful in their prayer life and that the Church of Jesus Christ may be found faithful in the day of His coming.

Pastor Prayer No. 3: Salvation and the Seal of the Holy Spirit

***That Pastors would intimately know their salvation and seal of the Holy Spirit, and preach it. Father, You are the God of Creation and the God of Salvation. Lord Jesus, You are consummate and the universe is established daily, because of and through You.
Colossians 1:17
And he is before all things, and by him all things consist [all things hold together].
As You hold the world together, we rebel against all that You have warned us about. We serve our own desires in defiance of Your Word. And yet, You bring us salvation.

Father, help us not to stray from our own salvation. Holy Spirit, You have convicted us of our sin. Thank you. Continue to bring our sin before us and grant us hearts to confess and repent. Sin is wonderful to our earthly being. Show us how to grow in our dislike for all that offends You. Pile it up before us.

May we truly see that we are disgusting self-serving creatures that are openly and forcefully defiant of all that You deem good. Bring us to this place that we may truly understand our need for a Savior. Holy Spirit, help us to daily see our need. Show us our sin. Place it before us. Open our eyes to see that we are truly wicked in our hearts.

THEN…bring us to the place of salvation. Help us to remember our salvation experience! May we never forget the moment when we knew the it was all true! That Jesus Christ knew our need and gladly took our place on the cross and paid for our sin debt. The weight of our sin upon us…the horror of realization that, in our hearts, we were full of sin —and then—Jesus!

How profound the experience. We could be free of sin. We could be clean. The stench of our dead souls could be changed and by the blood of Jesus, we could be white as snow. How precious the revelation, the moment. Thank You.

Father, we stray from this knowledge. And as we indulge in the world, the profound knowledge of our Salvation through Jesus Christ dims. Oh may it not be so. Revive our salvation experience.

Open our eyes to the path that leads us away from our salvation experience. Open our hearts to daily understand and address our sin: every day, every hour, every moment…that we may humble ourselves in our inability to not sin.

THEN...Seal us! Hallelujah!
2 Corinthians 1:22
Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
We pray for Pastor _______ and the pastors at ________ church. May this be their daily experience. May they lead a movement of knowing who we are in Christ. May this foundational understanding be the center of their lives. Grant them all the wherewithal to bring this foundation to the attention of every person who walks into the church, who hears a sermon, who serves on a committee, and who goes forth in any ministry.

Father, re-establish, re-set our focus. Cause our spiritual lives to know who we are in You…that THEN we may indeed go forth for Christ.

In Jesus’ Name



***These prayers are my own and the content does not reflect the philosophy or policies of any organization. They are offered in good faith that others may find them helpful in their prayer life and that the Church of Jesus Christ may be found faithful in the day of His coming.

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

U.S. Election: Prayer No. 1: For Prayerful Selection as we Vote

***That our nation prayerfully choose our leaders.

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the privilege You have given me to be born and lived in the United States. Father, this nation has turned from You and we have gone our own way. Forgive me for not praying more fervently. Forgive me for not “getting involved” in politics. Forgive me for not vetting out leaders before elections and for not seeking You on behalf of this nation. I have become complacent. Forgive me and help me change.

You are sovereign. Thank You. You choose leaders who bring about the circumstances where we may choose who we will serve. It seems our nations has chosen very poorly as every aspect of our living seems to have turned away from You. Our government, education, culture, and commerce are in grave disrepair.

Father, our leadership appears to be defiant against You and against Christians. Our culture demands outward acceptance and affirmation of all You despise. Help Lord. We need leadership and a return to Your ways.
Daniel 2:20-21 KJV
20 Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: 21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings
It seems we are at a crossroads as we are choosing our next President. Move in our hearts to choose the President that would cause our nation to come before You in humility. Holy Spirit, humble us. Drive us before the Throne of Grace. Revive Your church to plead the case of this nation before You. Cause Your church to drive out the sin in our own individual lives, that we may rightly plead the cause of this nation.

Help Lord. Raise up pastors to preach about sin. Raise up churches to repent. Raise up leaders both in the church and in our political realm to walk in the counsel of the godly. Show us the path to once again delight in Your law.

We have entered the backstretch on the road to November 8. We need Your guidance and Your vision. Have mercy on us and show each of us our part. Help us to restore Your Word, in our hearts, in our minds, in our government, our finances, our educational system, our nation at large.

In Jesus' Name



***These prayers are my own and the content does not reflect the philosophy or policies of any organization. They are offered in good faith that others may find them helpful in their prayer life and that the Church of Jesus Christ may be found faithful in the day of His coming.

Pastor Prayer No. 2: Courage to Address Sin

***That Pastors be encouraged to address sin.
Deuteronomy 4:24
For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.
Please pray with me:

Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the day. Thank You that we can come before You and find grace to help in time of need. Is there ever a time when we do not need You? Is there ever a time when You do not receive us? Thank You for Your Provision, Jesus Christ, who has taken our sin upon Himself, that we might come before You. Thank You for Your sacrifice, Lord Jesus. Thank You, Holy Spirit, for helping us to see our sin. And Thank You for confession and repentance, that we may grow in relationship with You: God, our Father.

Father, we sin. Holy Spirit, show us our sin. I pray for myself, my church, and the pastors and leadership. Give us a heart to want to see our sin. Give us a heart that is intolerant to anything that comes between us and our relationship with You.

You are a jealous God. Thank You. You desire our safety, our happiness, and our provision. You stand by to provide all that we need, and guide us in all that we do. Your countenance, Your heart is for us. You seek relationship, yet You give us free will. Thank You. Your jealousy rages against all that threatens us. Thank You.

Father, I call upon You in Your jealousy to give us a heart to detest sin in our life. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear, hearts to please You, and courage to eradicate sin from our lives. It seems that each of us struggle repeatedly with certain sins. Show us how to come before You, immediately, and hear Your Holy Spirit, and find the path to help us in our time of need.

You command us to become holy.
Leviticus 19:2
Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God [am] holy. 1 Peter 1:16
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
Your purity and holiness is so comprehensive that we cannot even imagine Your holiness. Without Your guidance, Holy Spirit, we can not even consider what this means…we are in a dreadful state and have only a word “holiness” to describe our destination. Help us! Teach us. Give us a desire and urgency to “be” holy and to attain this goal in our lives. May it be our delight to seek You and to seek holiness as You define it in all that we do.

Surely, this can only happen, if You will place this desire within us. Amplify this desire, that You have for us, within each of us. Unite our desire with Your will. May this be our daily goal. Keep us faithful. Help us to remain steadfast.

Raise up pastors to lead in this path. Raise up Your Spirit within Pastors _______ to lead our church with urgency. Give them words, upgird thier spirit and help them to see the urgency of this matter. Teach temh, that they may teach us. Press upon their spirits, that they may press their congregations. Father, give hem Your love for us, that is so strong, that they cannot contain their desire for our holiness. …and may Your Spirit guide them to preach boldly from the pulpit, that we may all find favor in Your sight, and delight in our fellowship with You.

In Jesus’ Name.

***These prayers are my own and the content does not reflect the philosophy or policies of any organization or church. They are offered in good faith that others may find them helpful in their prayer life and that the universal church of Jesus Christ may be found faithful in the day of His coming.



Monday, February 1, 2016

Pastor Prayer No. 1: Awareness of Sin

***That Pastors would be aware of their sin and preach sin awareness to their congregations
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 John 1:8-10
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
Please pray with me:

Heavenly Father,
How precious to come to You, on behalf of our Pastor. Lord Jesus, You honor us. You are the King, and You hold all that is together. …and You bid us to come before You on behalf of our Pastor. He is Yours. Thank You that You have placed us here, together, on behalf of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. What a privilege. Thank You.

Oh Father, convict me of my sin. Don’t let any sin go by without my awareness. Help me to realize the full ramifications of my sin. Make me aware. Open my eyes to my sin, and give me a heart of remorse. May I never be comfortable with it. Show me the way to change. Lead me in the path of Your righteousness. Father, may I never forget my need for a Savior. May I always be cogent of my sin, and of Your saving grace. I ask these things for Pastor ________ as well.

Father, awareness of my sin is not enough. Give me a heart that is consistently remorseful. Give me heart that desires to please You and to truly repent. Grant me the words to carefully and thoughtfully confess my sin before You. Holy Spirit, fill me with a desire to come quickly before the throne of grace to find help in time of need. Let me know when my time of need is come. May I move swiftly, without delay. That I may confess my sin in accordance with Your Word. I ask the same for Pastor ________.

Father, confession is not enough. You bid us to repent. Give me a heart that is so dissatisfied with my sin, that I seek repentance. Drive me to the path of change. Cause me to know the triggers that direct my thoughts sin-ward. Teach me how to engage with the Holy Spirit that I sin not. Give me a keen ear to hear the Spirit’s voice. Holy Spirit, help me to pay attention to You. Help me to focus on Your guidance, Your nudges, Your teaching. May my repentance be sincere and honorable before You. I ask the same for Pastor ________.

Father, repentance is not enough. You bid me that I be holy. No matter how hard I try, I never seem to “not sin.” Nonetheless, may I seek holiness with urgency. May I strive with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. May my struggle be consistent. May I never take my eyes off of You, Jesus Christ, that I always know that Christlikeness is the goal. Help me to cherish the work of the Holy Spirit to bring me to the point of Christlikeness. As I fail, over and over again, may it not be for the same reasons. Help me to grow in a way that is pleasing to You. I ask the same for Pastor ________.

Father, I am not yet able to not sin. I ask that I never stop striving, give me a heart that never stays down. Give me strength to fight without ceasing. And in all my failures, may the knowledge that all my shortcomings have been covered by the blood of Christ—give me great joy…may it light my countenance, that others may see the light of Christ. May I receive others with great warmth, and may they now that it is the Light of Christ…the Way, the Truth and the Life. …and I ask the same for Pastor ________.

In Jesus’ Name,

***These prayers are my own and the content does not reflect the philosophy or policies of any organization. They are offered in good faith that others may find them helpful in their prayer life and that the Church of Jesus Christ may be found faithful in the day of His coming.