Daily Prayer

a prayer for boldness

Father,

We come to you this day knowing you are our God, the one who created us, sustains us, and never leaves us. The one who loves us with an profoundly deep love, the one whose everlasting arms reach for us every moment of every day.

We boldly approach your throne, knowing you hear us and know us .. because the righteousness of your Son Jesus covers our sin. We come boldly knowing that we are your child, and that you sing and exult over us. Your look upon us is with tender care, and not with judgment.You give us grace upon grace.

We boldly ask for more of You this year, Father. We want more of you in our lives, we want to experience your Holy Spirit guide us continually. We want more of all that you are, and all that you do for us. We want to know you deeply, we want to hear your voice. We want to be joyful in our walk with you each day, and we ask for a boldness to share the truth of what you have done for us, knowing that you are with us each moment.

Amen

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Epiphany Prayer

Father, as you revealed your Son as King to the Magi long ago, give us a fresh look at him and what it means for us to seek and worship him. Amen

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a prayer for the new year

Our Father and our God, as we stand at the beginning of this new year we confess our need of Your presence and Your guidance as we face the future.

We each have our hopes and expectations for the year that is ahead of us—but You alone know what it holds for us, and only You can give us the strength and the wisdom we will need to meet its challenges.

So help us to humbly put our hands into Your hand, and to trust You and to seek Your will for our lives during this coming year.

In the midst of life’s uncertainties in the days ahead, assure us of the certainty of Your unchanging love.

In the midst of life’s inevitable disappointments and heartaches, help us to turn to You for the stability and comfort we will need.

In the midst of life’s temptations and the pull of our stubborn self-will, help us not to lose our way but to have the courage to do what is right in Your sight, regardless of the cost.

And in the midst of our daily preoccupations and pursuits, open our eyes to the sorrows and injustices of our hurting world, and help us to respond with compassion and sacrifice to those who are friendless and in need.

May our constant prayer be that of the ancient Psalmist: “Teach me, O Lord, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end” (Psalm 119:33).

Amen

-from a prayer by Billy Graham

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we look to the lord

I look to Thee in every need,
and never look in vain;

I feel Thy strong and tender love,
and all is well again.

The thought of Thee is mightier far than sin
and pain and sorrow are.

Discouraged in the work of life,
disheartened by its load,

Shamed by its failures or its fears,
I sink beside the road.

But let me only think of Thee and then new heart springs up in me.

Thy calmness bends serene above, my restlessness to still;

Around me flows Thy quickening life, to nerve my faltering will.

Thy presence fills my solitude, Thy providence turns all to good.

Enfolded deep in Thy dear love, held in Thy law, I stand;

Thy hand in all things I behold, and all things in Thy hand.

Thou leadest me by unsought ways, and turn my mourning into praise.

Amen

... a prayer of Samuel Longfellow

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Praying for Don

Don, our beloved friend and fellow prayer blogger, has been struggling with health problems this year. For many months he has been trying to ready his body for a pacemaker. This past Monday Don had a stroke with weakness on his right side. He is getting better. Please join me in prayer.

We bring our friend to you Lord asking that your peace would fill his heart. We ask that you would touch his body with strength and healing. Give his doctors wisdom that he might fully recover. Help his wife Wanda, their family and all his friends to trust you in this hard time. In all things, may you be glorified. Amen

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we turn to you

We turn to you Lord as we turn away from the things we idolize.
Help us to find joy in the things that you love.

We turn to you Lord as we turn away from selfishness.
Help us to embrace those who you love.

We turn to you Lord as we turn away from pride and ego.
Help us to walk humbly with you and the people you love.

We turn to you Lord as we turn away from the things that distract us.
Help us to focus on things that prosper your plans for our lives.

We turn to you Lord as we turn away from things temporal.
Help us to live lives that prepare us for things eternal.

Amen

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a prayer for Christmas Eve

Father, we talk a few moments this day to sit in and breathe. We've been running in several direction, metaphorically and literally, all to prepare to celebrate. And so we take this moment to rest in Your presence.

You have been so good to us. As we consider all that tomorrow means, there was nothing more good than the gift of your son to this earth. The gift that changed the world. The gift that changed our hearts. The gift that altered the course of humanity.

For you came to redeem us. To make things right between us. We still live in a sinful world with sinful hearts, but now we have a great peace between us and you where there wasn't before. Father, we are so thankful you brought that peace.

Amen

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for courage to help those in need

O Lord, open my eyes that I may see the needs of others
Open my ears that I may hear their cries;
Open my heart so that they need not be without succor;
Let me not be afraid to defend the weak and the poor.

Show me where love and hope and faith are needed,
And use me to bring them to those places.
And so open my eyes and my ears
That I may be able to do some work of peace for thee.

Amen

-adapted from a song in the United Methodist Hymnal

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prayer for the homeless

This image cuts through me. Homeless people suffer in ways that are both unique and common. Cancer attacks everyone. These however so often lack the support of family and medical professionals.

I live in an urban area and regularly encounter people who are homeless. Always hard to know how to really help these who suffer so much. In light of those who are in such pain this time of the year, please join me in praying this prayer from the Church of England.

God of compassion,

your love for humanity was revealed in Jesus,
whose earthly life began in the poverty of a stable
and ended in the pain and isolation of the cross:
we hold before you those who are homeless and cold
especially in the bitter weather to come.

Draw near and comfort them in spirit

and bless those who work to provide them
with shelter, food and friendship.

We ask this in Jesus' name.

Amen.

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a christmas prayer

For those who are ill or sad,
we pray for the presence of heaven.

For those who are healthy and happy,
we pray for courage and strength of character.

For our world, we ask for the promise of Christmas,
peace on earth and goodwill to all.

For all people, in all things and in all places,
the joy of a newborn baby.

Amen

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Praying Stephen's Prayer

While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep. -Acts 7:59-60 NIV

Help us dear Lord to forgive those who sin against us.
We release them from our anger and frustrations.
We pray for your best in their lives.
We ask you to bless them.
Cause us to see past the offence.
And help us to see them through your eyes.
We praying believing in the merciful name of Jesus Christ.

Amen

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that we might be wise

Dear Lord, may we be like the Wise Men who were guided to You by a star. Give us the wisdom to seek You, light to guide us to You, courage to search until we find You and generosity to lay our gifts before You, our King and our God forever and ever. Amen.

-prayer from Beliefnet

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Even when it is hard

Those times when we have the hardest time voicing our prayers to God are the times when we need to cry out the most.

In the hard times, just pray.

In the confusing times, just pray.

In the devastating moments of life...

PRAY.

God hears our hearts cry. He hears the pleading of our spirits. He hears the anguish felt deep down in our souls.

Let your prayers be known to our God and rest in the assurance that He hears every single one...

PRAYER is our lifeline. Our HOPE. Our REFUGE.

Pray.... even when it is hardest to pray... and let God do miraculous things in your life.

Amen

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a prayer for protection

Heavenly Father,

We praise your name this day and acknowledge your power and your glory. Father Almighty, we will ever praise you. For you are good and faithful and true. We cry out and you hear us.

Focus our hearts on you during this season of distraction and business. Protect our hearts from the temptation to stay and sin. When the world offers so much and tempts us away from you, may your protection stand strong around our hearts.

Surround and protect us, delivering us from the enemy who fights for our souls. In the storms and trials of this season, may we keep our eyes fixed on you and rejoice in your glory and majesty. You are bigger than this world, more mighty than any foe we may face, and we worship you with all my heart and with all my soul and with all our strength. Amen

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.- Proverbs 4: 23

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