Speaking God's Language in Prayer

Per Justin Taylor's Blog:
by Joni Eareckson Tada
The large window at Baltimore-Washington International Airport framed a gray afternoon. Our flight was late, and the seats in the waiting area were full. Judy and Bunny stood beside me to pray–something we often do before and after flights.

I was down about a number of things, including the news that we lacked funds to launch an outreach to disabled children in several Eastern European orphanages. Reading the sadness in my eyes, Bunny reached for my hands and Judy's. After praise and thanksgiving, she prayed in a soft voice laced with confidence: "Lord, send forth the corn and the wine and the oil. Send forth the early rains . . . the late rains . . . and produce a wonderful crop of blessings." I recognized the strains of Joel 2:19: "The Lord will reply to them: 'I am sending you grain, new wine and oil, enough to satisfy you fully.'"

Just as Bunny was repeating the part about corn, oil, and wine, I sensed the presence of a fourth person who edged between Judy and me. Then a fifth person crowded in with us, and together the newcomers punctuated my friend's prayer with "amens."

When we finished, we hardly had time to exchange names with our unexpected prayer partners–a married couple. Before rushing to catch their flight, the husband folded a $100 bill into Bunny's hand. Bunny waved the bill in the air like a flag of victory. "Yea, even while I was speaking in prayer, the angel came with the answer!"

"Joni," she continued as she tucked the bill in my coat pocket, "this is the firstfruits of what God will supply!"

She was right. And it didn't surprise me. When Bunny prays, things happen. I've learned, through years of interceding with her, that Bunny's prayers have power with God.

God's Accent
I believe that Bunny's effectiveness in prayer is, at least in part, because she has learned to pray in the language of the Father. Bunny even responds using God's language: Her "yea, even while I was speaking in prayer" was a paraphrase of Dan. 9:21.

I have learned to follow Bunny's lead and season my prayers with the Word of God. It's a way of talking to God in His language–speaking His dialect, using His vernacular, employing His idioms. (I've often teased Bunny that I hear God's accent when she prays.)

If praying "in the name of Jesus" comes as naturally as breathing, we need to pray "in the Word" just as naturally. The Bible underscores that there are two things God honors above all else: His name and His Word. "For you have exalted above all things your name and your word," wrote David in Ps. 138:2. Prayer spiced with God's Word is prayer exalted.

This is not a matter simply of divine vocabulary. It's a matter of power. When we bring God's Word directly into our praying, we are bringing God's power into our praying. Hebrews 4:12 declares, "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword." God's Word is living, and so it infuses our prayers with life and vitality. God's Word is also active, injecting energy and power into our prayer. Listen to how God described His words to Jeremiah: "Is not my word like fire . . . and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?" (Jer. 23:29). Scripture gives muscle and might to our prayers.

Your Prayer Book
I'm convinced God enjoys it when we consciously employ His Word in our prayers. It shows Him the importance we attach to our requests. It demonstrates we have thought through our petitions and praises and lined them up against the plumb line of Scripture. It underscores to Him the high regard and appreciation we attach to His Word and demonstrates that we sincerely seek His heart in the matter for which we pray. Using God's Word in prayer–Scripture praying, as it is sometimes called–gives a divine familiarity to our words, earmarking us as servants who possess a working knowledge of the most powerful prayer book ever written: the Bible.

Saints in Scripture practiced this type of praying. The prophet Habakkuk appealed to God on the basis of His Word during a time of deep national distress: The ruthless Babylonian army was poised to sweep across the country like water from a ruptured dam. Yes, the prophet agreed with the Lord that Judah was deserving of His judgment. But how could God use a people even more evil than they as His rod of discipline? Habakkuk quoted snippets of psalms and proverbs as he spoke with God: "Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?"(Hab. 1:13).

David pleaded with God in prayer based on what he knew to be true about the Lord from Scripture: "Remember, O Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. . . . According to your love remember me, for you are good, O Lord" (Ps. 25:6-7).

Does it sound cheeky to remind God of His character and His promises? Does it seem presumptuous? Perhaps, if you are unfamiliar with the prayer habits of saints such as Habakkuk and David. Nevertheless, the Lord would have us claim His love, plead His holiness, remind Him of His goodness, recount His longsuffering, present to Him His steadfastness, and pray in His power. In Is. 1:18, God invites us: "Come now, let us reason together." He encourages our discourse.

Word-woven Prayers
Often I attend prayer meetings where various requests for healing, finances, safety in travel, or job promotions are divvied out. Naturally, we desire prayer for such things. But a closer look at God's Word would reveal deeper and more divinely inspired ways to pray for friends and family.

Is there a cancer? Yes, prayer for healing is in order, but so is prayer for the robust blessings of Ps. 119:140: "Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them." How rich to pray, "Lord, this cancer is testing Your promises in the life of my friend who is ill, but You are faithful to every promise You've made to her. May Your servant love Your promises through this time of testing."

Is there a need for finances? Yes, prayer for needed money is in order, but so is prayer for the rewards of Prov. 15:17: "Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred." How invigorating to pray, "Lord, financial blessing isn't the focus; Your Word says that love should be. May we learn to live on little if it means leaning harder on You, as well as each other."

When I pray for disabled children I know, I intercede with Mt. 19:14 in mind: "Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.' " In verse 15 we're given a picture of Jesus tenderly placing His hand on each child. "Lord Jesus," I'll say, "Your heart went out to children when You walked on earth. I can picture You tousling their hair, bouncing them on Your knee, and laying Your hands on their heads to bestow a blessing. If Your heart went out this way to the boys and girls who could walk up to You, how much more must Your heart overflow toward little Jeanette with spina bifida or Benjamin who has cerebral palsy? Today, may they feel Your hand of blessing on their heads."

Often it's good to quote an entire passage, substituting a person's name for the pronoun in the passage. Colossians 1:9-12 is a good example of scripture to pray this way: "I ask God to fill Susan with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And I pray this in order that Susan may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work she does, being strengthened with all power, so that she may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully give thanks to the Father."

Remember, God's Word is alive, active, and powerful. Prayers laced with the Word of God not only bring about fundamental changes in people and situations, but such prayers keep us in touch with God's priorities. Weaving God's Word into our prayers brings His purposes to the forefront of every request.

Language Lessons
My friend Bunny is a good instructor on how to pray using Scripture. She would suggest that, first, we must read long portions of God's Word, not necessarily as Bible study, but to seek insights that might be applied to petitions or praises. Next, we should meditate on those portions that reveal a particular truth to be applied in prayer. Evaluate how the passage might translate into a specific petition, asking yourself, Does this verse prompt me to pray for someone with such a need? Is it possible to use some of the words of this scripture as I pray? Third, form a personal prayer, enriched by the passage you've chosen.

Suppose your brother is feeling as if life is over since his wife died. One morning you're reading Phil. 1:6: "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Aha! you reason. This is just what my brother needs. So you pray, "Lord, I cling to this passage on behalf of my brother. Help him to see the good work You want to accomplish in his life through his heartache. Carry him to completion, Lord Jesus. I know You'll be faithful to this promise in Phil. 1:6, and although my brother may be too depressed to ask, I hold You to Your Word."

As you center your prayers on God's Word, its power and life become not only a part of those for whom you pray but also a part of you. Focus on quoting God's mercies in prayer as David did, and you will become more merciful. Plead with Him for His wisdom, quoting Proverbs 4, and wisdom will be yours. Center your requests upon His holiness, and you will grow in holiness.

An Enlargement of His Promises
E. M. Bounds was known for his extraordinary prayer life. He once testified,

The Word of God is the fulcrum upon which the lever of prayer is placed, and by which things are mightily moved. God has committed Himself, His purpose, and His promise to prayer. His Word becomes the basis, the inspiration of our praying, and there are circumstances under which by importunate prayer, we may obtain an . . . enlargement of His promises.

Bunny would say, "Amen!" I would, too. I will never forget the time I received an "enlargement of His promises" from praying Scripture. It was in the early '80s, not long after the honeymoon was over for two newlyweds: Ken and me. I learned that my new husband preferred to spend Monday nights in front of the TV with chips, salsa, and the NFL rather than being my hands to write out my Bible study for me. Horrors, I thought, he's not a man of the Word!

I was itching to change my husband, but my nagging and scolding only made things worse. Feeling like a martyr, I sought help in God's Word and stumbled across these words in Phil. 2:3-4:

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Yikes, that's me, I thought. I've wanted Ken to change for selfish reasons�so that he'll meet my expectations. And to be honest, I don't consider him "better than myself." I feel I'm the one in the right. I feel I've got it spiritually together, not him.

I was convicted. These verses catapulted me into a major prayer advance for Ken. I sincerely wanted to follow God's Word and have humility of mind, as well as to regard Ken better than me. How could I look out for his interests? I feverishly flipped through Scripture until I found the perfect passage to pray for my husband.

Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God his Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob. Selah. Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. – Ps 24:3-8

I'd spend evenings in our bedroom, praying, "Lord, You want Ken to stand in Your holy place, to have clean hands and a pure heart. May You cause him to lift up his soul to You and receive Your blessing. May he seek Your face. Lift up the gates of Ken's heart that You, the King of glory, might come in! Lord, say to him, 'I, the King of glory, will come in and rule your life. I, the Lord, strong and mighty.'"

I can't tell you how many times I prayed this way. But now, years later, it's clear that Christ sits on the throne of my husband's heart. (He's in the process of memorizing the entire Sermon on the Mount; I didn't put him up to it, really!) Something else is clear: Ken still loves Monday Night Football. What has changed is that so do I! And I've found other "hands" to help me write out my Bible studies on other evenings.

I began praying Psalm 24 over my husband believing that God would change him, but God did much more. He changed me. It was, as E. M. Bounds would say, "an enlargement of His promises." I'm convinced we are still feeling the repercussions of that Scripture prayer. That's because it was based on Psalm 24 and was alive, active, and powerful, bringing about fundamental changes in me where it counted most. And in my husband, too.

The Bible is our prayer book, and we'd be remiss to neglect its riches. It holds the key to finding God's will when we pray, providing balance and meaning. Great themes abound–God's holiness, wisdom, faithfulness, sovereignty, love, and mercy–all of which beautify our praises, adorn our intercessions, embroider our petitions, and give weight and significance to every supplication.

Most of all, using the Word of God in prayer is about as close as we can get to the Living Word, the Lord Jesus. If we're going to pray in His name, it makes sense to speak in His language.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

About the author:
Joni Eareckson Tada is president of JAF Ministries, an organization that accelerates Christian ministry into the disabled community around the world. She is also author of several books, including When God Weeps and More Precious Than Silver (both Zondervan).


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Used by permission of Pray! Magazine. Copyright © 2006, The Navigators. Used by permission of NavPress. All Rights Reserved. To subscribe, visit www.praymag.com or call (800) 691-7729.

by Joni Eareckson Tada
The large window at Baltimore-Washington International Airport framed a gray afternoon. Our flight was late, and the seats in the waiting area were full. Judy and Bunny stood beside me to pray–something we often do before and after flights.

I was down about a number of things, including the news that we lacked funds to launch an outreach to disabled children in several Eastern European orphanages. Reading the sadness in my eyes, Bunny reached for my hands and Judy's. After praise and thanksgiving, she prayed in a soft voice laced with confidence: "Lord, send forth the corn and the wine and the oil. Send forth the early rains . . . the late rains . . . and produce a wonderful crop of blessings." I recognized the strains of Joel 2:19: "The Lord will reply to them: 'I am sending you grain, new wine and oil, enough to satisfy you fully.'"

Just as Bunny was repeating the part about corn, oil, and wine, I sensed the presence of a fourth person who edged between Judy and me. Then a fifth person crowded in with us, and together the newcomers punctuated my friend's prayer with "amens."

When we finished, we hardly had time to exchange names with our unexpected prayer partners–a married couple. Before rushing to catch their flight, the husband folded a $100 bill into Bunny's hand. Bunny waved the bill in the air like a flag of victory. "Yea, even while I was speaking in prayer, the angel came with the answer!"

"Joni," she continued as she tucked the bill in my coat pocket, "this is the firstfruits of what God will supply!"

She was right. And it didn't surprise me. When Bunny prays, things happen. I've learned, through years of interceding with her, that Bunny's prayers have power with God.

God's Accent
I believe that Bunny's effectiveness in prayer is, at least in part, because she has learned to pray in the language of the Father. Bunny even responds using God's language: Her "yea, even while I was speaking in prayer" was a paraphrase of Dan. 9:21.

I have learned to follow Bunny's lead and season my prayers with the Word of God. It's a way of talking to God in His language–speaking His dialect, using His vernacular, employing His idioms. (I've often teased Bunny that I hear God's accent when she prays.)

If praying "in the name of Jesus" comes as naturally as breathing, we need to pray "in the Word" just as naturally. The Bible underscores that there are two things God honors above all else: His name and His Word. "For you have exalted above all things your name and your word," wrote David in Ps. 138:2. Prayer spiced with God's Word is prayer exalted.

This is not a matter simply of divine vocabulary. It's a matter of power. When we bring God's Word directly into our praying, we are bringing God's power into our praying. Hebrews 4:12 declares, "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword." God's Word is living, and so it infuses our prayers with life and vitality. God's Word is also active, injecting energy and power into our prayer. Listen to how God described His words to Jeremiah: "Is not my word like fire . . . and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?" (Jer. 23:29). Scripture gives muscle and might to our prayers.

Your Prayer Book
I'm convinced God enjoys it when we consciously employ His Word in our prayers. It shows Him the importance we attach to our requests. It demonstrates we have thought through our petitions and praises and lined them up against the plumb line of Scripture. It underscores to Him the high regard and appreciation we attach to His Word and demonstrates that we sincerely seek His heart in the matter for which we pray. Using God's Word in prayer–Scripture praying, as it is sometimes called–gives a divine familiarity to our words, earmarking us as servants who possess a working knowledge of the most powerful prayer book ever written: the Bible.

Saints in Scripture practiced this type of praying. The prophet Habakkuk appealed to God on the basis of His Word during a time of deep national distress: The ruthless Babylonian army was poised to sweep across the country like water from a ruptured dam. Yes, the prophet agreed with the Lord that Judah was deserving of His judgment. But how could God use a people even more evil than they as His rod of discipline? Habakkuk quoted snippets of psalms and proverbs as he spoke with God: "Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?"(Hab. 1:13).

David pleaded with God in prayer based on what he knew to be true about the Lord from Scripture: "Remember, O Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. . . . According to your love remember me, for you are good, O Lord" (Ps. 25:6-7).

Does it sound cheeky to remind God of His character and His promises? Does it seem presumptuous? Perhaps, if you are unfamiliar with the prayer habits of saints such as Habakkuk and David. Nevertheless, the Lord would have us claim His love, plead His holiness, remind Him of His goodness, recount His longsuffering, present to Him His steadfastness, and pray in His power. In Is. 1:18, God invites us: "Come now, let us reason together." He encourages our discourse.

Word-woven Prayers
Often I attend prayer meetings where various requests for healing, finances, safety in travel, or job promotions are divvied out. Naturally, we desire prayer for such things. But a closer look at God's Word would reveal deeper and more divinely inspired ways to pray for friends and family.

Is there a cancer? Yes, prayer for healing is in order, but so is prayer for the robust blessings of Ps. 119:140: "Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them." How rich to pray, "Lord, this cancer is testing Your promises in the life of my friend who is ill, but You are faithful to every promise You've made to her. May Your servant love Your promises through this time of testing."

Is there a need for finances? Yes, prayer for needed money is in order, but so is prayer for the rewards of Prov. 15:17: "Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred." How invigorating to pray, "Lord, financial blessing isn't the focus; Your Word says that love should be. May we learn to live on little if it means leaning harder on You, as well as each other."

When I pray for disabled children I know, I intercede with Mt. 19:14 in mind: "Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.' " In verse 15 we're given a picture of Jesus tenderly placing His hand on each child. "Lord Jesus," I'll say, "Your heart went out to children when You walked on earth. I can picture You tousling their hair, bouncing them on Your knee, and laying Your hands on their heads to bestow a blessing. If Your heart went out this way to the boys and girls who could walk up to You, how much more must Your heart overflow toward little Jeanette with spina bifida or Benjamin who has cerebral palsy? Today, may they feel Your hand of blessing on their heads."

Often it's good to quote an entire passage, substituting a person's name for the pronoun in the passage. Colossians 1:9-12 is a good example of scripture to pray this way: "I ask God to fill Susan with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And I pray this in order that Susan may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work she does, being strengthened with all power, so that she may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully give thanks to the Father."

Remember, God's Word is alive, active, and powerful. Prayers laced with the Word of God not only bring about fundamental changes in people and situations, but such prayers keep us in touch with God's priorities. Weaving God's Word into our prayers brings His purposes to the forefront of every request.

Language Lessons
My friend Bunny is a good instructor on how to pray using Scripture. She would suggest that, first, we must read long portions of God's Word, not necessarily as Bible study, but to seek insights that might be applied to petitions or praises. Next, we should meditate on those portions that reveal a particular truth to be applied in prayer. Evaluate how the passage might translate into a specific petition, asking yourself, Does this verse prompt me to pray for someone with such a need? Is it possible to use some of the words of this scripture as I pray? Third, form a personal prayer, enriched by the passage you've chosen.

Suppose your brother is feeling as if life is over since his wife died. One morning you're reading Phil. 1:6: "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Aha! you reason. This is just what my brother needs. So you pray, "Lord, I cling to this passage on behalf of my brother. Help him to see the good work You want to accomplish in his life through his heartache. Carry him to completion, Lord Jesus. I know You'll be faithful to this promise in Phil. 1:6, and although my brother may be too depressed to ask, I hold You to Your Word."

As you center your prayers on God's Word, its power and life become not only a part of those for whom you pray but also a part of you. Focus on quoting God's mercies in prayer as David did, and you will become more merciful. Plead with Him for His wisdom, quoting Proverbs 4, and wisdom will be yours. Center your requests upon His holiness, and you will grow in holiness.

An Enlargement of His Promises
E. M. Bounds was known for his extraordinary prayer life. He once testified,

The Word of God is the fulcrum upon which the lever of prayer is placed, and by which things are mightily moved. God has committed Himself, His purpose, and His promise to prayer. His Word becomes the basis, the inspiration of our praying, and there are circumstances under which by importunate prayer, we may obtain an . . . enlargement of His promises.

Bunny would say, "Amen!" I would, too. I will never forget the time I received an "enlargement of His promises" from praying Scripture. It was in the early '80s, not long after the honeymoon was over for two newlyweds: Ken and me. I learned that my new husband preferred to spend Monday nights in front of the TV with chips, salsa, and the NFL rather than being my hands to write out my Bible study for me. Horrors, I thought, he's not a man of the Word!

I was itching to change my husband, but my nagging and scolding only made things worse. Feeling like a martyr, I sought help in God's Word and stumbled across these words in Phil. 2:3-4:

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Yikes, that's me, I thought. I've wanted Ken to change for selfish reasons�so that he'll meet my expectations. And to be honest, I don't consider him "better than myself." I feel I'm the one in the right. I feel I've got it spiritually together, not him.

I was convicted. These verses catapulted me into a major prayer advance for Ken. I sincerely wanted to follow God's Word and have humility of mind, as well as to regard Ken better than me. How could I look out for his interests? I feverishly flipped through Scripture until I found the perfect passage to pray for my husband.

Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God his Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob. Selah. Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. – Ps 24:3-8

I'd spend evenings in our bedroom, praying, "Lord, You want Ken to stand in Your holy place, to have clean hands and a pure heart. May You cause him to lift up his soul to You and receive Your blessing. May he seek Your face. Lift up the gates of Ken's heart that You, the King of glory, might come in! Lord, say to him, 'I, the King of glory, will come in and rule your life. I, the Lord, strong and mighty.'"

I can't tell you how many times I prayed this way. But now, years later, it's clear that Christ sits on the throne of my husband's heart. (He's in the process of memorizing the entire Sermon on the Mount; I didn't put him up to it, really!) Something else is clear: Ken still loves Monday Night Football. What has changed is that so do I! And I've found other "hands" to help me write out my Bible studies on other evenings.

I began praying Psalm 24 over my husband believing that God would change him, but God did much more. He changed me. It was, as E. M. Bounds would say, "an enlargement of His promises." I'm convinced we are still feeling the repercussions of that Scripture prayer. That's because it was based on Psalm 24 and was alive, active, and powerful, bringing about fundamental changes in me where it counted most. And in my husband, too.

The Bible is our prayer book, and we'd be remiss to neglect its riches. It holds the key to finding God's will when we pray, providing balance and meaning. Great themes abound–God's holiness, wisdom, faithfulness, sovereignty, love, and mercy–all of which beautify our praises, adorn our intercessions, embroider our petitions, and give weight and significance to every supplication.

Most of all, using the Word of God in prayer is about as close as we can get to the Living Word, the Lord Jesus. If we're going to pray in His name, it makes sense to speak in His language.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

About the author:
Joni Eareckson Tada is president of JAF Ministries, an organization that accelerates Christian ministry into the disabled community around the world. She is also author of several books, including When God Weeps and More Precious Than Silver (both Zondervan).


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Used by permission of Pray! Magazine. Copyright © 2006, The Navigators. Used by permission of NavPress. All Rights Reserved. To subscribe, visit www.praymag.com or call (800) 691-7729.

Prayer: Not Just for Emergencies

The impression that one often gets at prayer meetings is that petition is the pivot upon which prayer turns and that the main function of prayer is to handle life's emergencies....If prayer is fostered only by emergencies and is only and always just petition, then...some very important aspects of prayer are being ignored. Prayer is more than the church's ambulance, called out to deal with various crises after the damage has already been done....To pray in an emergency is altogether right. But to pray only in an emergency cannot be right because this limits prayer to the area of our own self-awareness in the events of life. It makes prayer a convenience, something to which we are driven by our human perspective on the crisis, not something in which we are drawn and energized by the Holy Spirit (R. Arthur Mathews, Born For Battle, 65).

Prayer: A Battle Against Whatever Is Not God's Will

Prayer is a weapon, a mighty weapon in a terrible conflict. Our prayers are to be a continual, conscious, earnest effort of battle, the battle against whatever is not God's will (P.T. Forsyth).

Spurgeon on Prayer

This week I'm preaching on prayer from Ephesians 6:18 and came across this remarkable thought from the great 19th century Baptist preacher, Charles H. Spurgeon (Morning and Evening):
What a multitude of prayers we have put up from the very first moment we learned to pray. Our very first prayer was a prayer for ourselves. We asked God that He would have mercy on us and blot out our sin. He heard us. But when He had blotted out our sins, we had some more prayers for ourselves. We had to pray for sanctifying grace, for constraining and restraining grace. We’ve been led to pray for a fresh assurance of faith, for a comfortable application of God’s promises, for deliverances in the hour of temptation, for help in the time of duty, for aid in the day of trial. We’ve been compelled to go to God for our souls as beggars asking for everything. Bear witness, children of God: You have never been able to get anything for your souls from anywhere else. All the bread your soul has eaten has come down from heaven. All the water which it has drunk has flowed from the Living Rock, Christ Jesus the Lord. Your soul has never grown rich in itself. It has always been a pensioner upon the daily bounty of God, and hence your prayers have ascended to heaven for a range of spiritual mercies all but infinite. Your needs are innumerable, and therefore the supplies have been infinitely great. Your prayers have been as varied as the mercies have been countless. Therefore, don’t you have cause to say, “I love the Lord, because He has heard the voice of my supplication”? For your prayers have been many, but so have been God’s answers to them. He has heard in your day of trouble; he has strengthened you; He has helped you even when you dishonored Him by trembling and doubting at the mercy seat. Remember this, and let it fill your heart with gratitude to God, who has thus graciously heard your poor, weak prayers. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all of His benefits.

A Prayer for the Day after Christmas

Per Pastor Scotty Smith:
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. Luke 2:20

Heavenly Father, life just on the other side of Christmas day feels quite different to different people. For some of us, this was the “greatest” Christmas ever—in terms of caring relationships, incredible “eats”, thoughtful gifts, and above all, profound gratitude for the indescribable gift of your Son, Jesus. But for others of us, it was a really difficult day of palpable tensions, dashed hopes, and brokenness abounding. For still others, it was the first Christmas with an empty chair where a loved one used to sit, or a day spent all by ourselves with underscored loneliness.

Father, my prayer today is for all of us, no matter what yesterday was like. For even our best days are in need of the gospel, and none of our worst days are beyond the reach of the gospel. We always have more of your grace than we’re aware of and we need more than we realize.

When the shepherds left Jesus’ manger, they were still shepherds. They still couldn’t worship at the temple; they still couldn’t give testimony in a court of law; they still were stereotyped as thieves by many in their community. A five-star inn in Bethlehem didn’t suddenly open up for Joseph and Mary the day after Jesus was born. She wasn’t spared any of the normal chaos and pain of birthing and afterbirth. Angels didn’t begin showing up as round-the-clock nurses.

Father, thank you that we’re Christians, not Gnostics. We don’t have to pretend about anything. Christmas isn’t a season in which we’re supposed to be transported into a super-spirituality, rising above reality. The gospel isn’t about denial but is about learning to delight in you, no matter what’s going on. We praise you that Jesus came into a real world where everything is broken, but he did come to make all things new, starting with us.

Please give each of us the special and the common grace you gave the shepherds. Let us hear and let us see more of Jesus, even if we remain “shepherds” the rest of our lives. Father, enable us to glorify and praise you in every season and situation of life. We are a people of hope, not hype, and everything you tell us in your Word will come to pass. Our past is forgiven, our present is in your hands, and our future is looking really good. This is good news for shepherds and kings alike. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ faithful and loving name.

A Prayer to Start the Week: Divine Support

Happy in thyself,source of happiness in thy creatures, my Maker, Benefactor, Proprietor, Upholder.
Thou hast produced and sustained me, supported and indulged me, saved and kept me; Thou art in every situation able to meet my needs and miseries. May I live by thee, live for thee, never be satisfied with my Christian progress but as I resemble Christ; And may conformity to his principles, temper, and conduct grow hourly in my life. Let thy unexampled love contrain me into holy obedience, and render my duty my delight. If others deem my faith folly, my meekness infirmity, my zeal madness, my hope delusion, my actions hypocrisy, my I rejoice to suffer for thy name. Keep me walking steadfastly towards th country of everlasting delights, that paradise--land which is my true inheritance. Support me by the strength of heaven that I may never turn back, or desire false pleasures that wilt and disappear into nothing. As I pursue my heavenly journey by thy grace let me be known as a man/woman with no aim but that of a burning desire for thee, and the good and salvation of my fellow men. (From Valley of Vision, 212-13)

31 Biblical Virtues to Pray for Your Children

1. Salvation—"Lord, let salvation spring up within my children, that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory." (Isa. 45:8; 2 Tim. 2:10)

2. Growth in Grace—"I pray that my children may grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Pet. 3:18)

3. Love—"Grant, Lord, that my children may learn to live a life of love, through the Spirit who dwells in them." (Gal. 5:25; Eph. 5:2)

4. Honesty and Integrity—"May integrity and honesty be their virtue and their protection." (Ps. 25:21)

5. Self-Control—"Father, help my children not to be like many others around them, but let them be alert and self-controlled in all they do." (1 Thess. 5:6)

6. Love for God's Word—"May my children grow to find Your Word more precious than much pure gold and sweeter than honey from the comb." (Ps. 19:10)

7. Justice—"God, help my children to love justice as You do and act justly in all they do." (Ps. 11:7; Mic. 6:8)

8. Mercy—"May my children always be merciful, just as their Father is merciful." (Luke 6:36)

9. Respect (for self, others, and authority)—"Father, grant that my children may show proper respect to everyone, as Your Word commands." (1 Pet. 2:17)

10. Biblical Self-Esteem—"Help my children develop a strong self-esteem that is rooted in the realization that they are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus." (Eph. 2:10)

11. Faithfulness—"Let love and faithfulness never leave my children, but bind these twin virtues around their necks and write them on the tablet of their hearts." (Prov. 3:3)

12. Courage—"May my children always be strong and courageous in their character and in their actions." (Deut. 31:6)

13. Purity—"Create in them a pure heart, O God, and let that purity of heart be shown in their actions." (Ps. 51:10)

14. Kindness—"Lord, may my children always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else." (1 Thess. 5:15)

15. Generosity—"Grant that my children may be generous and willing to share, and so lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age." (1 Tim. 6:18-19)

16. Peace-Loving—"Father, let my children make every effort to do what leads to peace." (Rom. 14:19)

17. Joy—"May my children be filled with the joy given by the Holy Spirit."
(1 Thess. 1:6)

18. Perseverance—"Lord, teach my children perseverance in all they do, and help them especially to run with perseverance the race marked out for them." (Heb. 12:1)

19. Humility—"God, please cultivate in my children the ability to show true humility toward all." (Titus 3:2)

20. Compassion—"Lord, please clothe my children with the virtue of compassion." (Col. 3:12)

21. Responsibility—"Grant that my children may learn responsibility, for each one should carry his own load." (Gal. 6:5)

22. Contentment—"Father, teach my children the secret of being content in any and every situation, through Him who gives them strength." (Phil. 4:12-13)

23. Faith—"I pray that faith will find root and grow in my children's hearts, that by faith they may gain what has been promised to them." (Luke 17:5-6; Heb. 11:1-40)

24. A Servant's Heart—"God, please help my children develop servant's hearts, that they may serve wholeheartedly, as if they were serving the Lord, not men." (Eph. 6:7)

25. Hope—"May the God of hope grant that my children may overflow with hope and hopefulness by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Rom. 15:13)

26. Willingness and Ability to Work—"Teach my children, Lord, to value work and to work at it with all their heart, as working for the Lord and not for men." (Col. 3:23)

27. Passion for God—"Lord, please instill in my children a soul that 'followeth hard after thee,' one that clings passionately to You." (Ps. 63:8)

28. Self-Discipline—"Father, I pray that my children may acquire a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair." (Prov. 1:3)

29. Prayerfulness—"Grant, Lord, that my children's lives may be marked by prayerfulness, that they may learn to pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers." (1 Thess. 5:17)

30. Gratitude—"Help my children to live lives that are always overflowing with thankfulness and always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Eph. 5:20; Col. 2:7)

31. A Heart for Missions—"Lord, please help my children to develop a desire to see Your glory declared among the nations, Your marvelous deeds among the peoples." (Ps. 96:3)
© Bob Hostetler. Used with permission. www.ReviveOurHearts.com Info@ReviveOurHearts.com

31 Days of Praying for Your Pastor’s Wife

Many people don't realize that when pastors take hits in ministry, they feel the same hurt and pain that any normal human being would feel.

Furthermore, when a pastor takes a hit, his wife takes the same hit. A pastor’s wife is often in the shadow of the man who fills the pulpit every Sunday. Therefore, an important question is who will listen to, encourage, and pray for her needs?

This prayer guide with accompanying Scriptures from Revive Our Hearts Ministries offers some practical ways to pray for her.

Day 1Pray that your pastor’s wife will love God with all her heart, soul, mind, and strength.Pray that God’s Spirit will work in her heart in power, and that she will value and follow biblical priorities. (Deut. 6:5; Matt. 6:33)

Day 2Pray that she will cultivate strong character and uncompromising integrity. Pray that her testimony will be genuine, and that she will guard her heart. (1 Tim. 1:5; 3:7; Prov. 4:23)

Day 3Pray for her personal walk with God—that her soul and spirit will be nourished and strengthened in her times with Him. Pray that she will spend more time in the Word of God than in reading Christian books and articles. (2 Tim. 2:15-16; Ps. 119:7).

Day 4Pray that your pastor’s wife will counsel and teach with discernment through the wise use of Scripture and faith in God’s power. (Ps. 119:99; James 1:5-6)

Day 5Ask God to protect her marriage and keep it strong as a model of the Church’s submission to Christ. Pray that she will respect and practice godly submission to her husband’s leadership, and that her husband will love and cherish her. (Eph. 5:23-33)

Day 6Pray that God will protect your pastor’s wife from discouragement and bitterness when she or her husband faces inevitable criticism. Pray that she will trust in the wisdom of the Word of God to answer her critics, and commit herself into the hands of God, who judges righteously. (Heb. 12:15; Ps. 119:42; Col. 4:6; Prov. 31:26; 1 Pet. 2:23).

Day 7Pray that your pastor’s wife will remember truth and practical principles from the Word of God during times of trial, and that the Scriptures will bring her comfort. Pray that the Word will become her delight and song when circumstances are tough. (Ps. 119:28, 52)

Day 8Ask God to protect your pastor’s wife from the evil plots of Satan. Pray that she will notbe corrupted as she rubs shoulders with the world. (John 17:15; Isa. 54:17; Ps. 91:9-11)

Day 9Pray that God will build a hedge of protection around her marriage, and that she and her husband will be aware of the potential for any improper relationships. Pray that their family time will be protected. (Matt. 19:6; Prov. 31:11a; 2 Cor. 10:4-5)

Day 10Pray that your pastor’s wife will be morally pure and that she will wear the armor of God so that she will not fall into sexual temptation. Ask God to guard her heart concerning the use of free time, and that she will be especially discerning in her use of emails, the Internet, television, and other media. (Rom. 13:14; Eph. 6:10-18)

Day 11Pray that God will bring godly friends and encouragers to your pastor’s wife and her family, to strengthen them for the ministry and to provide meaningful fellowship, accountability, and times of rest. (Ps. 55:14; 119:63)

Day 12Pray that she will be a woman of prayer and worship, and that she will lead by example—teaching women how to walk in a close relationship with the Father.(1 Thes. 5:17; Acts 1:14a; Mark 1:35; Matt. 4:10; Titus 2:4-5).

Day 13Your pastor’s wife is a busy woman. Pray that she will make wise lifestyle choices in
order to protect her health, especially in the areas of exercise, eating moderately, and getting sufficient rest. Pray for times of relaxation and renewal to balance the stress of ministry. (Rom. 12:1-2; 1 Cor. 9:27; 6:19-20; 10:13; Prov. 31:17)

Day 14Pray that your pastor’s wife will focus on the Word of God and walk by faith in the fear of the Lord—rather than the fear of man. Pray that she will not seek acceptance from others or compare herself with them, but that she will discover true freedom in her position in Christ. (Prov. 19:23; 31:30; Heb. 11:6; 2 Tim. 2:15; Ps. 119:45; Eph. 1:3-12).

Day 15Pray that she will cooperate with her husband in providing godly leadership in their home, not based on fear of what others will think, but according to scriptural truth. (Eph.6:4; Col. 3:20-21) (If your pastor’s wife does not have children, pray that God will give her many “spiritual children” as she shares the truth of God’s Word.)

Day 16Pray that her children will be taught of the Lord and experience His peace. Pray that the pressures of the ministry will not discourage or embitter them. (Isa. 54:13).

Day 17Pray that your pastor’s wife will be an example of contentment, thankful for God’s supply. Pray that her sufficiency will be in God’s abounding grace. (1 Tim. 6:6, 8).

Day 18Ask God to provide for the financial needs of your pastor and his family. Pray that your pastor’s wife will be a wise steward in caring for her family and using funds entrusted to her care. Pray that her heart will be turned away from selfish gain and worthless things.(Phil. 4:19; Heb. 13:5; 1 Tim. 6:11; Ps. 37:25; 119:36-37).

Day 19Pray that your pastor’s wife will use time wisely, seek God’s perspective for her schedule and priorities, and guard against unnecessary interruptions. Pray that she will seek and obey God’s will, rather than trying to meet everyone else’s expectations.(Eph. 5:15-16; Col. 4:5; Ps. 90:12; Prov. 31:27)

Day 20Ask God to remind her of the hope and refuge God offers her each day. Pray that she will be encouraged in God, knowing that He is a firm, secure anchor for her soul.(Ps. 9:9-10; Ps. 42:5; 71:14; Heb. 6:19a).

Day 21Pray that your pastor’s wife will be wise in her conversations, choosing her words carefully to encourage respect for her husband and the church, and to edify her sisters in the Lord. Pray that she will know how to respond to gossip, and that she will always speak with kindness and compassion. (Prov. 21:23; 31:26; 1 Pet. 3:10; Prov. 11:13)

Day 22Pray that she will serve others with God’s agape love and encourage them with His wisdom and compassion. (Gal. 5:13b; Phil. 2:3-4; Prov. 31:20)

Day 23Pray for spiritual unity between the pastor’s wife and others in the church—especially other staff members’ wives. Pray that the enemy will not be allowed to create divisions,strife, or misunderstanding in any way. (Rom. 14:19; 1 Cor. 12:25)

Day 24Pray that your pastor’s wife will be clothed with strength and dignity. Pray that she willhave a gentle and gracious spirit, and represent the Lord well as His ambassador.(Prov. 31:25a; 2 Cor. 5:20a; 1 Pet. 3:4).

Day 25Pray that your pastor’s wife will seek God for personal revival and revival in your church and community. Pray that she will quickly repent when she sins or strays from her Good Shepherd’s side, and that she learn the will and ways of God. (2 Chron. 7:14)

Day 26Pray that your pastor’s wife will think biblically—with the mind of Christ—and practice the expression of her faith with boldness in places of influence. (Ps. 119:46)

Day 27Pray that she will earnestly seek God’s will and be committed to instant and complete obedience—ready for God to work powerfully in and through her life and ministry.(1 Sam. 15:22; 2 Cor. 10:3-5; Luke 9:23-24)

Day 28Pray that she will strive for personal excellence as a “Proverbs 31” woman, and will believe God to accomplish His will in her as a virtuous woman. (Prov. 31:10-31).

Day 29Pray that your pastor’s wife will be a woman of faith and passionate love for God, not giving in to worries, fears, or an uptight and anxious spirit. (1 John 4:18; Prov. 3:5-6)

Day 30Pray that the Word will be her counselor, and that she will serve the Lord with gladness,and encourage others to worship with a joyful, surrendered spirit. (Isa. 61:3; Ps. 119:24)

Day 31Pray that your pastor’s wife will be humble and authentic in her faith, not given to pride or hypocrisy. Pray that she will have pure motives and give God glory for every gain or Pvictory. (Mic. 6:8; Gal. 6:14; John 7:17-18; 1 Cor. 10:13)
Published by Revive Our Hearts © 2006.

31 Days of Praying for Your Pastor

© Revive Our Hearts. Used with permission. Take the 31 Days of Praying for Your Pastor Challenge
Brothers, pray for us(1 Thess 5:25 ESV).

“Let the thought sink deep into the heart of every church, that their minister will be such a minister as their prayers make him. . . . How perilous is the condition of that minister . . . whose heart is not encouraged, whose hands are not strengthened, and who is not upheld by the prayers of his people! . . .

It is at a fearful expense that ministers are ever allowed to enter the pulpit without being preceded, accompanied, and followed by the earnest prayers of the churches. It is no marvel that the pulpit is so powerless, and ministers so often disheartened when there are so few to hold up their hands. . . . When the churches cease to pray for ministers, ministers will no longer be a blessing to the churches.
Gardiner Spring (1785-1873)

There is no greater gift you can give your pastor and the spiritual leaders of your church than to pray for them. Pastors cannot win the battle alone; they need committed intercessors to lift them up in fervent, specific prayer. Imagine how the power of God might be released in our churches if we were to pray faithfully for our pastors.

Pastors are human—they face the same challenges that their people do, with some additional ones! They grow tired in ministry, are tempted to sin, and may find it difficult to balance their many roles and responsibilities. They need the encouragement and support of those they lead.

Prayer for your pastor is crucial to the spiritual health of your pastor, his family, and your church. God will reward your efforts to cover him in prayer.
If you want to encourage your spiritual leaders (and their wives!) let them know you are praying for them. Ask them periodically for any specific prayer requests and assure them you will pray accordingly. Use the following prayer guide with accompanying scriptures, to suggest practical ways to pray for those who provide spiritual leadership for the flock.

31 Days of Praying for Your Pastor
Day 1
Pray that your pastor will love God with all his heart, soul, mind and strength. Pray that
God’s Spirit will work in his heart in power and that he will value and follow biblical priorities. (Deut. 6:5; Matt. 6:33)
Day 2
Pray that your pastor will cultivate strong character and uncompromising integrity. Pray
that his testimony will be genuine, and that he will never do anything that he would need to hide from others. (1 Tim. 1:5, 3:7; Eph. 6:10-12)
Day 3
Pray for his personal walk with God—that his soul and spirit will be nourished
and strengthened in his quiet time with God, beyond his sermon preparation. Pray that he will spend more time in the Word of God than reading Christian books and articles. (Mark 1:35; 2 Tim. 2:15-16)
Day 4
Pray that your pastor will counsel and teach with discernment through the wise use of
Scripture and faith in God’s power to work. Pray that he will be protected from the effects of sinful or negative attitudes that he encounters as he counsels (Mal. 2:7; James 1:5-6; John 17:15).
Day 5
Ask God to protect your pastor’s marriage and keep it strong as a model of Christ’s
relationship with the Church. Pray that your pastor will tenderly cherish and lead his wife, and that she will respect and encourage her husband, submitting to his leadership. (Eph. 5:23-33) (If your pastor is not married, pray for his relationships with loved ones and those who are close to him.)
Day 6
Pray that God will protect your pastor’s wife from bitterness when her husband is
criticized. Pray that her prayer and devotional life will be consistent, and that she will guard her mind and heart. (Heb. 12:15; Prov. 4:23)
Day 7
Pray for your pastor’s children, and especially that the pressures of the ministry will not
discourage or embitter them. Pray that your pastor will provide godly leadership in the home, not based on fear of what others will think, but according to scriptural truth. (Eph. 6:4; Col. 3:20-21) (If your pastor does not have children, pray that God will give him many “spiritual children” as he shares the Gospel.)
Day 8
Ask God to protect your pastor from the evil plots of Satan. Pray that he will not be
corrupted as he rubs shoulders with the world in the course of ministry. (John 17:15; Is. 54:17; 2 Cor. 2:11; 1 Pet. 3:12; Ps. 9:9-10, 91:9-11)
© Revive Our Hearts. Used with permission. Take the 31 Days of Praying for Your Pastor Challenge
http://www.ReviveOurHearts.com
Info@ReviveOurHearts.com
Day 9
Pray that God will build a hedge of protection around your pastor’s marriage, and that he and his wife will be aware of the potential for any improper relationships. Pray that their family time will be protected. (Ezek. 22:30a; 2 Cor. 10:4-5; Matt. 19:6)
Day 10
Pray that your pastor will use discernment in use of e-mails, the Internet, and the media.
Ask God to guard his heart concerning the use of free time. Pray that he will be morally pure and that he will wear the armor of God so that he will not fall into sexual temptation. (Rom. 13:14; 1 Pet. 1:16; Eph. 6:10-18; 2 Cor. 10:4)
Day 11
Pray that God will bring godly friends and encouragers to your pastor and his family, to
strengthen them for the ministry and provide meaningful fellowship and times of rest. (Phil. 2:19-25)
Day 12
Pray that your pastor will be humble and authentic in his faith, not given to pride or
hypocrisy. Pray that he will have pure motives and give God glory for every gain or victory. (Micah 6:8; Gal. 6:14; John 7:17-18; 1 Cor. 10:13)
Day 13
Pray that your pastor will make wise lifestyle choices in order to protect his health,
especially in the areas of exercise, eating moderately, and getting sufficient rest. Pray for times of relaxation and renewal to balance the stress of ministry. (Rom. 12:1-2; 1 Cor. 9:27, 10:13, 6:19-20; James 3:1-2)
Day 14
Pray that your pastor will focus on the Word of God and walk in the fear of the Lord—
rather than fear of man—as he prepares his messages. Pray that he will seek to please God rather than men, and pursue holiness rather than the praise of men. (Acts 6:4; Prov. 19:23; 2 Tim. 2:15; Heb. 11:6; 2 Tim. 4:1-2)
Day 15
Praise God for your pastor’s leadership and pray that he will make godly decisions. Pray
that he will lead with a shepherd’s heart, and that he will always speak the truth in love. (1 Kings 3:9; 1 Pet. 5:2; Rom. 12:6-8; Jer. 3:15)
Day 16
Pray that your pastor will be courageous in the pulpit in proclaiming Christ, and
confident in his use of the Word of God. Ask God to help him preach with insight, transparency and humility. (Col. 1:28, 4:3a; Eph. 6:19)
Day 17
Pray that your pastor will be a “Great Commission man”—committed to personal
evangelism and the equipping of the saints to seek the lost. Pray that he will have a heart to develop a thriving missions program in his church. (Rom. 10:15; Matt. 28:19-20; Luke 19:10)
Day 18
Pray that your pastor will be a man of prayer and worship, and that he will lead by
example—teaching the congregation how to walk in a close relationship with the Father. (1 Thess. 5:17; Acts 1:14a; Matt. 4:10; Mark 1:35; Luke 22:46)
Day 19
Pray that your pastor will use wise time management, and that he will seek God’s
perspective for his schedule, guarding his time against unnecessary interruptions. (Eph. 5:15-16; Col. 4:5; Ps. 90:12; John 9:4)
Day 20
Pray for a fresh divine anointing on your pastor’s ministry. Pray that God’s working will
be powerfully evident both in his personal life and the spiritual life of the congregation. (1 Cor. 9:27; 2 Tim. 1:7; Rom. 15:18-19a)
Day 21
Pray that your pastor will not give in to discouragement, but will deal with inevitable
criticism and conflict by committing himself into the hands of God, who judges righteously. (1Pet. 2:23)
Day 22
Pray that your pastor will practice servant leadership, edifying the congregation with
wisdom and serving with God’s “agape” love. (Gal. 5:13b; Eph. 6:7; Mark 10:43b-45, 9:23-24; John 13:5-9; Phil. 2:3-4)
Day 23
Pray for spiritual unity in the church staff and among the spiritual leadership of the
church (elders, deacons, etc.). Pray that the enemy will not be allowed to create divisions, strife, or misunderstanding among the church leaders. (Rom. 14:19; 1 Cor. 12:25)
Day 24
Pray that God will give your pastor a clear, biblical vision of what your church can be
and should be for His glory, and that he will communicate that vision clearly and confidently to the church. (Prov. 29:18; John 15:16, 17:17; 2 Tim. 3:5; Mal. 3:11)
Day 25
Pray that your pastor will seek God for personal revival, and revival in your church and
community. (2 Chron. 7:14; Ps. 69:32)
Day 26
Pray that your pastor will think biblically, with the mind of Christ. (1 Cor. 2:16; Col. 2:6-
8; Eph. 4:17)
Day 27
Pray that he will earnestly seek God’s will and be committed to instant and complete
obedience—ready for God to work powerfully in and through his ministry. (2 Cor. 10:3-5; Luke 9:23-24)
Day 28
Pray that he will strive for personal excellence and will believe God for all He wants to
do in the congregation. (2 Pet. 1:3; Col. 3:23-24)
Day 29
Pray that your pastor will be a man of faith and passionate love for God, not giving in to
worries, fears, or an uptight and anxious spirit. (1 John 4:18; Prov. 3:5-6)
Day 30
Ask God to provide for the financial needs of your pastor and his family. Pray that he will
be a wise steward of both personal finances and church funds. (Phil. 4:19; Heb. 13:5; 1 Tim. 6:11; Ps. 37:25)
Day 31
Ask God to heal any hurts that your pastor has suffered in the ministry. Pray that he will
serve the Lord with gladness, and encourage the congregation to worship God with a joyful, surrendered spirit. (Isa. 61:3)

A Prayer to Start the Week: A Prayer about Christians Always Coming to Jesus

As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” 1 Pet 2:4-6

Heavenly Father, I used to think “coming to Jesus” was a phrase whose meaning was exhausted when we first trust your Son to be our Savior. For sure, that’s the most essential “come-to-Jesus-meeting” we’ll ever have. There’s no greater moment in our lives than when we first trust Jesus plus nothing for our salvation.

But it’s clear to me now that the whole Christian life is about coming to Jesus. No time in our lives is to be called “after I came to Jesus.” We need Jesus this day just as much as the first day. In fact, we’ll never exhaust our need for what Jesus alone can give and we’ll forever discover more reasons to praise and adore him.

Indeed, Lord Jesus, you are the life-giving living Stone for your beloved people; the precious cornerstone of the living temple, called the Body of Christ; the Rock of refuge that’s higher than I am (Psalm 61); the Rock from which God gave water in the wilderness in Moses’ day (1 Cor. 10:1-4); the Honey-ed Rock of whom Asaph spoke (Psalm 81:16); Daniel’s stone, cut from a mountain by the hands of God, which will become an everlasting kingdom of redemption and restoration (Daniel 2:36-45). If we’re not coming to you, where are we going?

Lord Jesus, we exalt you, we boast in you, we delight in you. The more precious you become to us, the more we watch our shame melt away. The more we see you for you really are, the more we see all other currencies as “fool’s gold.” The more we come to you, the more we realize that it’s you who are always coming to us first, always.

We come to you right now—we come bringing our emptiness to the fountain of your fullness. We bring our brokenness to the storehouse of your kindness. We bring our weakness in the great assurance of your endless mercies. We come to you anticipating gospel-manna and living water more-than-sufficient for the demands of this day. Free us to be a people to the praise and glory of your grace all day long. So very Amen we pray, in your precious and shame-freeing name (Scotty Smith).

Do You Have a List of Names?

I have two lists of names in my prayers, those for whose conversion I pray and those for whose conversion I give thanks. The little trickle of transferences from List A to List B is a great comfort (C.S. Lewis, Letter to Dom Bede Griffiths, June 27, 1949).

A Prayer for Spiritual Revitalization

I don't know about you, but often when I'm in need of spiritual revitalization, the ironic thing is that I feel too weak to agonize and persevere in prayer for it. That's why, in those dry and weak times, I like to turn to prayers offered by others that communicate the sentiments, desires, and longings of my heart.

I came across this prayer C. John Miller prays at the end of an article he wrote called "Prayer and Evangelism." This prayer could be a good place to start if you are in need of spiritual refreshing.

Heavenly Father, we really don't know much about praying. We're good at talking. We're good at gossiping. We're not good at praising, and we're not very good at witnessing. We want to be honest, and we want to have You deal with us where we really are. We also have many lusts and ambitions. And we are often fools for our own sakes. But we want to be different. We want to get rid of this. We want to become fools for Christ's sake. We ask you for mercy. We are not talking about someone else; we're talking about ourselves. We need to have Your compassion over us. We ask You to pity us with Your fatherly heart and eye and send Your Spirit to cleanse us and to give us a new joy, a new fellowship with You, a new eye to see that You are our Father, a new glorying in Christ, a new glorying in You, a new freedom in the Spirit, a new setting aside of anxieties, a deep awareness that there is nothing You are not sovereign over. We pray Father, that You would bring us the comfort of knowing we are wonderfully loved by our God, that we might in wonder and trembling joy take the pardon of our God, the pardon for crimes of deepest dye, a pardon bought with Jesus' blood.
Lord, give us the gift of the Spirit to pray. Revive us, change us, make us different: that we might forgive our enemies, and bless them, that we might love our friends, that we might be tender to those nearest us, that we might be the vehicles of Your ministry in our age. Open our eyes to see evangelistic opportunities. May we have a heart to see, a mind to see; may we love people. May we realize that John 3:16 is applicable wherever we are, that men are under Your wrath and Your curse, but You also offer them a beautiful redemption in Jesus Christ. Redemption brings life and not death. Cause us, then, to proclaim the realities of this new life. Awaken us to the peril of men; help us to see that they are lost, that they are dying without Christ. When they go to hell, that door shuts; it will never be reopened. Lord, give us the knowledge of Your truth. Cause us to live, and then, Lord, as we go forward, daily teach us to pray. Daily teach us to love and to reach out....Amen (C. John Miller).

Is Prayer a Duty? Or, Is it More?

In his own unique way, John Piper argues that prayer may be a duty we have as Christians, but its more:

Is it true…that intentional, regular, disciplined, earnest, Christ-dependent, God-glorifying, joyful prayer is a duty...? You can call it that. It’s a duty the way it’s the duty of a scuba diver to put on his air tank before he goes under water. It’s a duty the way that pilots have to listen to air traffic controllers. It’s a duty the way that soldiers in combat have to clean their rifles and load their guns. It’s a duty the way that hungry people have to eat food. It’s a duty that first these people have to drink water. It’s a duty the way a deaf man has to put in his hearing aid. It’s a duty the way a diabetic has to take insulin. It’s a duty the way that Pooh-bear looks for honey. It’s a duty the way that pirates look for gold.

I hate the devil and the way that he’s killing some of you is by persuading you that it is legalistic to be regular in your prayers as you are in your eating and sleeping and using the internet. Do you not see what a sucker he’s making out of you? He’s laughing up his sleeve at how easy it is to deceive Christians about the importance of prayer. God has given us means of grace. If we do not use them to our fullest advantage, then our complaints against him will not stick. If we don’t eat, we’ll starve. If we don’t drink, we’ll get dehydrated. If we don’t exercise a muscle, it atrophies. If we don’t breathe, we suffocate. And just as there are physical means of life, so there are spiritual means of grace, and prayer is one of them. You need it as much as you need to breathe. Is it your duty to breathe?”

A Prayer to Start the Week: A Prayer of Praise for the Multiple Ministries of the Holy Spirit

Heavenly Father, I’m particularly grateful today for the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the member of the Godhead whom I often take for granted. Though I don’t understand everything he’s up to, these things I humbly and gladly affirm today . . .
Just as assuredly as Jesus stood outside of Lazarus’s tomb and said, “Come forth,” you sent the Holy Spirit to preach the gospel to my heart, and I came out of the tomb of my sin and death a new man in Christ. How I praise you for your sovereign goodness and irrepressible power! Unless you’d breathed new life into my spirit—unless I’d been born from above, I would have never become a follower of Jesus. I could have never known the peace of complete forgiveness and the covering of his perfect righteousness.
When you raised me up in Jesus, you baptized me with the Holy Spirit, making me a member of your family and Christ’s bride. You sealed me for eternity by the Spirit, marking me as your very own possession. You sent the Spirit to live as a permanent resident in my heart—to convict me of sin; make me like Jesus; constantly preach the gospel to my heart and tell me that I’m one of your cherished children. O, the peace these great truths bring!
According to your declaration and doing, I’m already controlled by the Holy Spirit. I am no longer controlled by my sinful nature—great news, indeed! You’ve given me all the gifts of the Spirit I need to live as an active member of Jesus’ church and a caring servant in your kingdom. I lack nothing and should whine about nothing. And the Spirit is the firstfruits and guarantee of the full inheritance Jesus earned and secured for us, your beloved children. Nothing can separate us from your love and presence. What a generous and compassionate God you are. Therefore, I acknowledge my desire to be more fully and consistently filled with the Holy Spirit; to walk according to the Spirit; to keep in step with the Spirit; and to set my mind on what the Spirit desires. All to which I say, “Hallelujah, what a Savior! Hallelujah, what a salvation!” I pray in Jesus’ most beautiful and worthy name. Amen (Scotty Smith)

A Prayer to Start the Week: A Prayer for God to Override Our Unbelief

“He [Peter] went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door. When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!”
“You’re out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.” But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. Acts 12:12–16
Heavenly Father, thank you for chronicling this almost comical prayer meeting in your Word. As much as it exposes our unbelief, in a far greater way it highlights your faithful commitment to do exceedingly beyond all we can ask or imagine. This story describes the kind of praying that goes on in my heart way too often. I dutifully pray, but I faithlessly doubt. Forgive my unbelief; override my unbelief.
There are many things I’m praying about right now for which I want to hear “Peter knocking at the door.” I have no need to be considered a great prayer warrior. I’m not looking for wonderful stories to tell others as a testimony to my faith. I simply want you to bring a whole lot of glory to Jesus. Astonish us, Father; astonish me.
Father, I pray for our brothers and sisters in the persecuted church and for their leaders. At times is seems as though evil is winning the day. Strengthen these believers, encourage them, and grant miracles of provision and deliverance. Cause the gospel to spread like wildfire. Give them so much joy, peace, and love that their persecutors will be convicted and fall down and worship you.
Father, I pray for the courageous men and women who are laboring in the dark world of human trafficking. How long, O Lord, before the last woman and child will be sold as economic fodder? Bring justice to bear, holy God. Bring deliverance from the evil of slavery in every form. Protect the rescuers and provide good aftercare for those rescued.
Father, I pray for an outpouring of your Holy Spirit on our church family, and others like ours. O, to experience a fresh movement of your soul-invigorating, worship-inducing, community-transforming Spirit! Shake us, wake us; melt us, mold us; fill us, free us. Let us have done with “lesser things” that we might more fully give ourselves to the things that matter the most to you.
We’re spoiled; we’re dull; we’re bored and we’re boring. The main vision we need is a renewed vision of Jesus gathering his bride from the nations and making all things new. Free us from ourselves for yourself. Astonish us, Father; astonish us as you override our unbelief. I pray in Jesus’ exalted name. Amen. (by Scotty Smith)
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A Prayer to Start the Week: "Devotion"

God of my end, it is my greatest, noblest pleasure to be acquainted with Thee and with my rational, immortal soul; it is sweet and entertaining to look into my being when all my powers and passions are united and engaged in pursuit of Thee, when my soul longs and passionately breathes after conformity to Thee and the full enjoyment of Thee; no hours pass away with so much pleasure as those spent in communion with Thee and with my heart.
O how desirable, how profitable to the Christian life is a spirit of holy watchfulness and godly jealousy over myself when my soul is afraid of nothing except grieving and offending Thee, the blessed God, my Father and friend, whom I then love and long to please, rather than be happy in myself! Knowing, as I do, that this is the pious temper, worthy of the highest ambition, and closest pursuit of intelligent creatures and holy Christians, may my joy derive from glorifying and delighting Thee. I long to fill all my time for Thee, whether at home or in the way; to place all my concerns in Thy hands; to be entirely at Thy disposal, having no will or interest of my own. Help me to live to Thee for ever, to make Thee my last and only end, so that I may never more in one instance love my sinful self (From "Valley of Vision")

A Prayer to Start the Week: "Grace Active"

O God, may Thy Spirit speak in me that I may speak to Thee. I Lord Jesus, great high priest, Thou hast opened a new and living way by which a fallen creature can approach Thee with acceptance.
Help me to contemplate the dignity of Thy Person, the perfectness of Thy sacrifice, the effectiveness of Thy intercession.
O what blessedness accompanies devotion, when under all the trials that weary me, the cares that corrode me, the fears that disturb me, the infirmities that oppress me, I can come to Thee in my need and feel peace beyond understanding!
The grace that restores is necessary to preserve, lead, guard, supply, help me. And here Thy saints encourage my hope; they were once poor and are now rich, bound and are now free, tried and now are victorious.
Every new duty calls for more grace than I now possess, but not more than is found in Thee, the divine treasury in whom all fullness dwells. To Thee I repair for grace upon grace, until every void made by sin be replenished and I am filled with all Thy fullness.
May my desires be enlarged and my hopes emboldened, that I may honour Thee by my entire dependency and the greatness of my expectation.
Do Thou be with me, and prepare me for all the smiles of prosperity, the frowns of adversity, the losses of substance, the death of friends, the days of darkness, the changes of life, and the last great change of all. May I find thy grace sufficient for all my needs. (From "Valley of Vision")

A Prayer to Start the Week: "Divine Support "

Thou art the blessed God, happy in Thyself, source of happiness in Thy creatures, my maker, benefactor, proprietor, upholder. Thou hast produced and sustained me, supported and indulged me, saved and kept me; Thou art in every situation able to meet my needs and miseries.
May I live by Thee, live for Thee, never be satisfied with my Christian progress but as I resemble Christ; and may conformity to His principles, temper, and conduct grow hourly in my life. Let Thy unexampled love constrain me into holy obedience, and render my duty my delight. If others deem my faith folly, my meekness infirmity, my zeal madness, my hope delusion, my actions hypocrisy, may I rejoice to suffer for Thy name.
Keep me walking steadfastly towards the country of everlasting delights, that paradise-land which is my true inheritance. Support me by the strength of heaven that I may never turn back, or desire false pleasures that will disappear into nothing. As I pursue my heavenly journey by Thy grace let me be known as a man with no aim but that of a burning desire for Thee, and the good and salvation of my fellow men (From Valley of Vision).

A Prayer to Start the Week: "Resurrection"

O GOD OF MY EXODUS,
Great was the joy of Israel’s sons
when Egypt died upon the shore,
Far greater the joy
when the Redeemer’s foe lay crushed in the dust.
Jesus strides forth as the victor,
conqueror of death, hell, and all opposing might;
He bursts the bands of death,
tramples the powers of darkness down,
and lives for ever.
He, my gracious surety,
apprehended for payment of my debt,
comes forth from the prison house of the grave
free, and triumphant over sin, Satan, and death.
Show me herein the proof that his vicarious offering is accepted,
that the claims of justice are satisfied,
that the devil’s sceptre is shivered,
that his wrongful throne is levelled.
Give me the assurance that in Christ I died, in Him I rose,
in His life I live, in His victory I triumph,
in His ascension I shall be glorified.
Adorable Redeemer,
Thou who wast lifted up upon a cross
art ascended to highest heaven.
Thou, who as man of sorrows wast crowned with thorns,
art now as Lord of life wreathed with glory.
Once, no shame more deep than Thine,
no agony more bitter, no death more cruel.
Now, no exaltation more high,
no life more glorious, no advocate more effective.
Thou art in the triumph car leading captive Thine enemies behind Thee.
What more could be done than Thou hast done!
Thy death is my life, Thy resurrection my peace,
Thy ascension my hope, Thy prayers my comfort (From Valley of Vision).

A Prayer to Start the Week: "The Deeps"

Lord Jesus, give me a deeper repentance, a horror of sin, a dread of its approach. Help me chastely to flee it and jealously to resolve that my heart shall be Thine alone.
Give me a deeper trust, that I may lose myself to find myself in Thee, the ground of my rest, the spring of my being. Give me a deeper knowledge of Thyself as saviour, master, lord, and king. Give me deeper power in private prayer, more sweetness in Thy Word, more steadfast grip on its truth. Give me deeper holiness in speech, thought, action, and let me not seek moral virtue apart from Thee.
Plough deep in me, great Lord, heavenly husbandman, that my being may be a tilled field, the roots of grace spreading far and wide, until Thou alone art seen in me, Thy beauty golden like summer harvest, Thy fruitfulness as autumn plenty.
I have no master but Thee, no law but Thy will, no delight but Thyself, no wealth but that Thou givest, no good but that Thou blessest, no peace but that Thou bestowest. I am nothing but that Thou makest me. I have nothing but that I receive from Thee. I can be nothing but that grace adorns me. Quarry me deep, dear Lord, and then fill me to overflowing with living water (From The Valley of Vision)