Daily Prayer: September 2019

for those passing through grief

You are our shepherd Lord. You meet all of our needs.

We lift those grieving to you today.

We thank you for meeting all of their needs.

We pray that you would comfort them.

We know that you hold them close to your heart.

We praise you that their need for rest is met in you Lord.

Please lead those in pain in ways that would restore their soul.

We ask you Father to help them grieve.

We are confident of your presence with those who mourn.

May your love be felt by those who travel through this passage of sorrow.

Amen

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for second chances

Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. (Romans 10:1)

Nothing moves our hearts as much as when we pray for the people we love. These prayers seem doubly moving when they deal with our loved ones relationship with God. I think that we pray this way because we know from experience that a relationship with God will help our loved ones in the way that we have been helped.

Father, I am reminded that salvation has a beginning. Sometimes a renewed beginning. A second chance. I ask that my loved ones and others will be granted a new beginning - even a second or third chance. Draw them to You Lord. Show them Your goodness - the kind that will lead them to repent. I commit them to You and to Your love.

Amen

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May the mind of Christ, my Savior.

May the mind of Christ, my Savior,
Live in me from day to day,
By His love and pow’r controlling
All I do and say.
May the Word of God dwell richly
In my heart from hour to hour,
So that all may see I triumph
Only through His pow’r.
May the peace of God my Father
Rule my life in everything,
That I may be calm to comfort
Sick and sorrowing.
May the love of Jesus fill me
As the waters fill the sea;
Him exalting, self abasing,
This is victory.
May I run the race before me,
Strong and brave to face the foe,
Looking only unto Jesus
As I onward go.
May His beauty rest upon me,
As I seek the lost to win,
And may they forget the channel,
Seeing only Him.

~K.B. Wilkinson

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to rest and be content

Lord, grant us true contentment…
Acceptance of what each day brings,
Joy in you and not in things,
Tranquility in storm or strife,
Serenity in all of life;
That when you whisper, ‘Peace, be still,’
We’ll wait upon your perfect will,
Knowing we will soon be blessed
By love that only wants our best.
Help us see that we are meant
To rest in you… and be content.
Amen

-this prayer from author BJ Hoff

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victory

Today LORD, we lift up all those who are broken. All those who feel lost and confused. We ask that you empower the ones who have fallen to rise! The ones who are in shattered pieces to hope!

Oh, God, give strength to the weary and power to the helpless.

May your love fill us all to overflowing as we trust you to be victorious in all things.

Amen

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for our worship

Lord God,

We exalt Your name above all names, knowing that Your power is great and mighty! We come before You today with the words of Jesus in our hearts, "You shall worship the Lord Your God and him only shall you serve." (Matthew 4:10)

We confess that we have many idols in our hearts, when we know that we are to only worship You. We confess that the ways of the world draw us in, but Your one desire is for us to be drawn to You. Help us in our worship, O Lord. Help us to remove all that worship above You so that You hold the only place in our hearts that long to worship.

For God, YOU ARE GOOD. You are worthy of praise. May we bow down at Your feet, acknowledging who You are. Reign in our hearts, Lord God.

Amen

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in remembrance

Memories elicit so my feelings in me Father.

I am thankful when I remember the joyous times in my life.

I am forgiving when I ponder the times that you were faithful even when I was not.

I am joyful when I consider the blessings of my childhood.

I am trusting in hard times because I recall that you are with me.

I am filled with faith as I recollect the faithfulness of Jesus.

Mostly my memories remind me that you love me and care about me.

I love you Lord.

Amen

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spiritual growth prayer

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:4-6)

There is a symbiotic relationship in spiritual growth. We plant spiritual seeds when we seek the Lord and God causes the growth of those seeds. I love that the apostle says that he is confident that God will complete the work that He started in our lives because it creates an atmosphere of grace around spiritual growth.

Thank you Father that You are working in us. You are causing us to grow. You are conforming us into the image of Your Son. Help us to be sensitive to Your presence in our lives that we would be cooperative children that help other grow.

Amen

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My salvation

In confidence of your goodness and great mercy, O Lord,
I draw near to you,
as a sick person to the healer,
as one hungry and thirsty to the fountain of life,
a creature to the creator,
a desolate soul to my own tender comforter.
Behold, in you is everything I can or should desire.
You are my salvation and my redemption,
my hope and my strength.
Bring joy, therefore, to the soul of your servant;
for to you, O Lord,
have I lifted my soul.

Source: Thomas à Kempis
Amen

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make us instruments of heaven

We affirm dear Father that out citizenship is in heaven. Our desire is for your will to be done and your kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. Our hearts cry out for a better world where pain and tears are no more. We pray dear Lord that you would make us instruments of heaven that we might be ones who ease the suffering of others and help to dry their tears. We praise you for the future hope of heaven and our present hope of heavenly ministry. To you belongs the glory and honor forever.

Amen

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Come home

Father, Our prayer today is for all those who have run from your love. For all those who can’t see their way back to you. For all those who fear they are too far gone. Today, we ask you LORD, to speak to their hearts. Beckon to their spirits. Call out their name. Draw them to you, O God, and lead them back home to You. Lead them back to your unfailing love and to your unending mercy and to your amazing grace. Let them see You with new eyes, with open hearts. May they break loose of the chains that bind and run to You with abandon into your arms that are opened wide to receive them. We ask this trusting and believing in Your mighty Name.

Amen

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a prayer for clarity

Gracious Heavenly Father,

We come before you this day in awe of who you are: a loving, compassionate, great, just and powerful God. One we can bring our joys and burdens to each and every moment. One who listens and speaks. One who is is quiet yet sounds a loud trumpet for us to hear. One who holds the earth in the palm of your hand and yet is so close we can feel your presence next to us.

In the midst of confusion, O LORD, we ask for clarity. We ask for guidance to navigate the muddy waters of this life. We ask you to give us a path to take that is not the way of the world, but your way alone.

Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.

(from The Valley of Vision prayers)

Amen

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Prayer for His Light

Christ, you are the light of the world. You are also the light of the church. Thank you for your presence, your guidance, and your strength. We give you our hearts and our lives to serve only you. Guide our church into your will.

Amen

- a prayer offered by my friend Keith

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when life seems out of control

I have discovered that I am only trusting God when I am not in control. When we are stressed and in crisis it is good to know that it is appropriate to be still and trust God.

To you, O Lord, do we lift up our troubled hearts.
To you, Dear Father, do we come with childlike faith.

When we are tempted to take control of things uncontrollable,
Remind us, Sovereign Lord, that our job is to simply trust.

When chaos comes and things are beyond control,
Instruct us, Compassionate Teacher, about the joy of being still.

When life is darkest and rescue seems so far away,
Fill us, Beautiful Holy Spirit, with blessed hope and assurance.

And when we feel so alone and so forgotten,
Give us, Merciful God, ears to hear and hearts to believe.

To you, O Lord, do we lift up our troubled hearts.
To you, Dear Father, do we come with childlike faith.

Amen

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let me be your blind instrument

O Lord, I give myself to Thee, I trust Thee wholly. Thou art wiser than I – more loving to me than I myself. Deign to fulfil Thy high purposes in me whatever they be – work in and through me. I am born to serve Thee, to be Thine, to be Thy instrument. Let me be Thy blind instrument. I ask not to see – I ask not to know – I ask simply to be used. Amen.

... prayer by Cardinal John Henry Newman, 1801-1890

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Never forget

LORD, may we never forget this day. May we never forget the lives lost. And may we never forget that only YOU can change our world...

Amen

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as we walk

Heavenly Father,

We praise you, Father, because you never change. You are all-powerful and ever-present, holy and righteous and just. It's in your consistency, Father, that gives us the surety to worship you and you alone. It's your faithfulness that helps us seek to be more faithful.

We ask for your presence and guidance as we walk through our every day lives. Be with us. Help us to feel your presence, deep and abiding. Teach us to listen to your voice, to know your voice, so that we may walk faithful.

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25)

Amen

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for grandparents

The older I get, the more that I realize what a blessing and joy that my grandkids are.

Lord open our eyes to the joys and blessings of aging and of being a grandparent.

As I have aged, I found myself taking pride in my parents and the sacrifices they made for me.

Help us Father to be thankful for parents who have helped us grow in life and those who have helped us grow spiritually.

In my older years, I have loved spending times with my grandchildren.

Lead us Lord to make time to be with and mentor those who are younger - these need us more than we know.

Please join me in thanking God for the wonders found in family - genetic and spiritual.

Amen

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to know as we are known

Let me know Thee, O Lord, who knowest me:
let me know Thee, as I am known.

Power of my soul, enter into it, and fit it for Thee,
that Thou mayest have and hold it without spot or wrinkle.

This is my hope, therefore do I speak;
and in this hope do I rejoice. Amen

...a prayer of St. Augustine, from his Confessions, Book Ten

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Friday blessing

My prayer for you today is that the Lord bless and protect you in every part of your day. That He gives you grace and strength and favor in all your daily activities. I pray that in all you do, you work diligently as to the Lord. I pray that you are growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and that every part of your life honors Him. May you always know the love, compassion and peace of God your Father and let His will and purposes be done in you.

And as we go about our routines this weekend, let us continue to remember in prayer those who are impacted by the hurricanes in the loss of loved ones and injuries. Amen

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help us to press on

I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. -Philippians 3 (NLT)

We thank you Lord for the influence and power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We affirm that it is our desire to know You and to experience your power in our lives. Help us to run the race before us even if it involves pain or suffering.

To that end we ask you to help us to forget the past, to press on and seek you afresh in the days ahead. And help us to remember Lord that we do not run in vain nor do we run alone - heaven awaits us and You are faithful to walk with us every day.

Amen

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for those impacted by hurricanes

As Hurricane Dorian nears Florida we remember Psalm 42.

God is our refuge and strength,⁣⁣
an ever-present help in trouble.⁣⁣

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way⁣⁣
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,⁣⁣
though its waters roar and foam⁣⁣
and the mountains quake with their surging.⁣⁣

Amen

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a prayer for the battle

Father,

It feels like every day is a battle. We battle the sin inside of ourselves, we battle the sin and pain in the world around us. We feel both, and we struggle to understand. What is the battle about? Why is it happening? What can we do? Why can't it be fixed?

In your sovereignty, Lord, help us to trust. Help us to trust in your plan, trust in who you are, and trust in all you have promised. Help us to trust that you have given us the opportunity to change the world - to take part in the continued redemption that Jesus brought when he came to save. Help us to trust that however you have called us to change the world, that we can do it in your strength alone.

Help us to remember the battle is yours - we are simply called to be your faithful servants. Help us to be kind towards one another, to show the light of Christ to the world. Help us to honestly look at our own hearts and what must be changed.

We are grateful for your strength, your promises, your faithfulness, and your power. May we find peace that you are fighting our battles.

Amen

"The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." -Exodus 14:14

"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" -Romans 8:31

“Do not be afraid of them; the LORD your God himself will fight for you.” -Deuteronomy 3:22

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Labor Day Prayer

Father, we thank you for those who work, for those who provide the things we need and for those who keep things running smoothly. We thank you for the dignity of work, and the knowledge that our work is a gift from yo. Help us to work as those who work for you and who bring your kingdom to bear through what we do. Amen

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