Sunday Prayer

 

“ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”- Ephesians 4:30-32

 

Our Father,

We pray that these words touch the ones who need to hear it today. It is the great duty of Christians to take care that we do not offend with our lips. Here is caution against wrath and anger, with further advice being  given to mutual love and kind dispositions towards each other. By bitterness, wrath, and anger, it is meant violent inward resentment and displeasure against others: and, by clamor, big words, by which bitterness, wrath, and anger, vent themselves. Help us Lord to not  entertain these vile passions in our hearts. Evil speaking signifies all railing, reviling, and reproachful speeches, against such as we are angry with. Accusing others of lying when it is not true, certainly falls into these categories.  And by malice we are to understand that rooted anger which prompts one to design and to do mischief to others. Sometimes, we allow our anger and jealousies to wish misfortune on others or to harden their paths and endeavors. Father, forgive us, if ever resentment should overwhelm our hearts to cause us to scheme as such. Rather, may we be the contrary by being kind to one another. This implies the principle of love in the heart, and the outward expressions of it, in an affable, humble, courteous behavior. Father, help us to be tender-hearted; that is, merciful, and having tender sense of the distresses and sufferings of others, so as to be quickly moved to compassion and pity.  May we be forgiving of one another, even those who may act as just described against us.  It is here intimated that those corrupt passions of bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, and malice, grieve the good Spirit. May we not provoke the blessed Spirit to withdraw His presence and His gracious influences from us! It is a good reason why we should not grieve Him that by Him we are sealed unto the day of redemption. There is to be a day of redemption; the body is to be redeemed from the power of the grave at the resurrection-day, and then Your people will be delivered from all the effects of sin, as well as from all sin and misery, which they are not until then rescued out of the grave: and then their full and complete happiness commences. All true believers are sealed to that day. You have distinguished us from others, having set the mark upon us. Father, we do not want to lose the mark, so we ask that You empower us to take heed of Your commands regarding how we are to behave with our fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord. Our relationship with members of the Body of Christ is PARAMOUNT above all other relationships with our fellow man. Humble us to acknowledge and receive that!

In JESUS name AMEN

 

Monday Prayer

 

“Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”   Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” – Romans 12:20-21

Our FATHER,

Thank YOU for allowing us to see wise counsel regarding human relations. These are things that we are not always quit to heed. It is easy to bless people when we pray, yet curse them at other times. You want us to "bless them always, and curse not at all. This passage helps us to see things we need to do in “deed.”  "If our enemy hungers, be ready and forward to show him any kindness. We should never insult over them, and say, Now God is avenging me of them, and pleading my cause. Father, You want us to confer love not revenge on others. It says here that in so doing thou we shall heap coals of fire on their head. Yes, we either melt our enemy into repentance and friendship, and mollify their spirit or "It will aggravate their condemnation and make their malice against us the more inexcusable. IT will then be in Your wrath, but never ours. Vengeance belongs to You Father. To this purpose is the exhortation in the last verse, which suggests a paradox not easily understood by the world, that in all matters of strife and contention, those of us that revenge is the conquered, and those that forgive are the conquerors. Help us to be not overcome of evil. Let not the evil of any provocation that is given us have any power over us!  May it not disturb our peace, destroy our love, and ruffle and discompose our spirits. May they never transport us to any indecencies, or to bring us to revenge. If we cannot quietly bear an injury then we are conquered by it. We rebuke that!  Father, You teach us to overcome evil with good, with the good of patience and forbearance, kindness and beneficence to those that wrong us. We thank You for teaching us to defeat their ill designs against us, by changing them. In so doing we preserve your own peace. We are mighty conquerors when we have control over our spirits. Thank You Father for this profound teaching. Help us to take heed!

In JESUS name AMEN

 

Tuesday Prayer

 

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.”- 1 John 4:18

Our Father in Heaven,

We have learned that love prevents or removes the uncomfortable result and fruit of servile fear: So far as love prevails, fear ceases. There is a big difference between fear and being afraid; or, in this case, between fearing You and being afraid of You. You have often mentioned and commanded us to fear You as the substance of religion; and so, it imports the high regard and veneration we have for You and Your authority and government. Such fear is constant with love, yes, with perfect love. But Father then there is a being afraid of You, which arises from a sense of guilt, and a view of Your vindictive perfections. You are represented in Scripture as a consuming fire; therefore, fear here may be rendered dread; but Father, There is no dread in love. Love considers its object as good and excellent, and therefore amiable, and worthy to be beloved. Love considers You as most eminently good, and most eminently loving us in Christ, and so puts off dread, and puts on joy in Him and, as love grows, joy grows too; so that perfect love cast out fear or dread. Yes, Father, that is what we are seeking – to perfectly love You and from Your nature, and counsel, and covenant, be perfectly assured of Your love, and consequently be perfectly free from any dismal dreadful suspicions of Your punitive power and justice, as armed against us. We well know that You love us, and we thereupon triumph in Your love.  It is that perfect love that casts out fear and the torment that comes with it. Fear is known to be a disquieting torturing passion, especially such a fear as is the dread of an almighty avenging God; but perfect love casts out torment, for it teaches the mind a perfect acquiescence and complacency in the beloved, and therefore perfect love casts out fear. Today, we pray, Father, that You remove all dread. Please remove all doubts and dismal apprehensions which are evidence that our love is less than perfect. Let us long for, and hasten to, the world of perfect love, where our serenity and joy in You will be as perfect as our love! We are thankful for the blessed assurance of Your love and we ask that YOU help us to reflect to others such love without any fear.

In JESUS name AMEN

 

Wednesday Prayer

“ For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,” – 2 Corinthians 10:4-5

 

Our Father,

There was no place in which the apostle Paul met with more opposition from false apostles than at Corinth; he had many enemies there. Let not any of us ministers think it strange if we meet with perils, not only from enemies, but from false brethren. Though he was so blameless and inoffensive in all his carriage, so condescending and useful to all, yet there were those who bore him ill-will, who envied him, and did all they could to undermine him, and lesson his interest and reputation. Here, Paul vindicates himself from their imputation, and arms the Corinthians against their insinuations. Today, we are armed as well. Our work of ministry is a warfare, a spiritual warfare, with spiritual enemies and for spiritual purposes. And though we as ministers walk in the flesh, or live in the body, and in the common affairs of life, act as others, yet in our work and warfare they must not go by the maxims of the flesh, nor should we design to please the flesh. Father, help us to be crucified with its affections and lusts. Father, You have given us two tools. The doctrines of the gospel and discipline of the church- these are the weapons of this warfare; and these are not carnal. Out ward force is not the method of the gospel, but rather, strong persuasions, by the power of truth and the meekness of wisdom. Please give us a good argument this is against persecution for conscience’ sake. We are persuaded by You - not driven by force of arms. And so the weapons of our warfare are mighty, very powerful; and the evidence of truth is convincing and cogent. This indeed is through You or owing to You, because they are Your institutions, and accompanied with Your blessing, which makes all opposition fall before Your victorious gospel. Ignorance, prejudices, beloved lusts, are Satan’s strong-holds in the souls of some; vain imaginations, carnal reasonings, and high thoughts, or proud conceits, in others. All of these exalt themselves against Your knowledge. We rebuke them in Jesus name! We use our weapons to pull these strong holds down and bring every thought into the holds of obedience to Christ. Help us Father to use these weapons wisely.

 

In JESUS name AMEN

 

Thursday Prayer

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“For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” – Romans 12:3

 

Our Heavenly Father,

How we all need to listen to these words today, especially those of us with position in the church. Paul was speaking to individuals who were familiar with the old Judaic system and all of the higher elevations that man created with it’s institution. But, these words are just as appropriate today as they were then. Your Word is always alive and powerful and fresh and anew. There are many of us who are ambitious, who want an office, a title, a position within the work of ministry. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be used by You. We know Father, that Your Word says that it is a noble thing for one to aspire to a position of influence within the church. But, with everything Father, we must seek balance. It has been noted that if a ministry leader wants to have a lot of workers following their lead, they must create many organizations, and boards so as to give positions and titles. Why? Because people tend to think more highly of themselves than they ought. The Apostle told us how to view what we do, he said “think soberly.” He said this as an apostle, who had his position because of the grace that was given to him by our Lord Jesus. What a humble appeal from a person with so much authority! You are still appealing to us today. Father, in Your grace, we may receive many privileges, we may be in all of the big “Christian circles” but Father, we ask that You help us to never overestimate who we are and where we have come from. Help us to have a correct estimation of ourselves in relationship with other members of the church. Help us to not be ambitious in areas that we may NOT be gifted in. Help us to know our gifts and use them accordingly as You have graced us with them. Remove the jealousies and competitiveness that sometimes divides Your people. Father, we know that You want us to have self-esteem, and use the gifts You have given, but help us use caution and not to think MORE highly of ourselves than we should. This requires humility and an honest self-evaluation.  We pray that you help each of us to be and do just that. In whatever ways this counsel may apply in our secular work and family life, we pray that You help us to see and make application. Forgive us, if ever we have failed in this counsel.

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In JESUS name AMEN

Friday  Prayer

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“Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You-- You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight—” -- Psalms 51:1-4

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Our Father in Heaven,

We can feel the cry of conscience and conviction of sin that David had as we read these words. You allowed these things to be recorded for us, and today, we peer into these words for deep reflection. It took a big man to make a confession as this, this was a time when a King admitted he was wrong. We see what he called it- transgression, iniquity, sin and evil There was no justification, rationalization or trying to put a bias or slant on the ugly he had committed.  He had stepped over Your boundaries, broke the ten commandments, particularly the sixth and seventh. He had done what was wrong in and among itself. He had missed the mark, had not come up to Your standard. But neither do any of us, for we all fall short of Your glory. But, David took it a step further and said that what he had done was evil – that which is innately, actual and factually wrong.  Father, we are frightened when we think of the horror of that which David had entered in. We pray that we never enter in such a place of guilt and repugnancy. David hated what he had done, felt dirty and his conscience was outraged, and his soul was anguished.  He had an accusing finger pointing at him and it was his conscience and it was crying hard at him. Thank Father, for giving us a conscience. We know that our conscience does not necessarily always direct us on which way to go, but rather, after we have gone a direction, our conscience affirms that what we did was either right or wrong. We pray that we receive positive affirmation from our conscience! We pray that when we fall, and if ever we should fall as deep as David did, that we will respond in the same way in which he did – in total repentance. Father, forgive us for our sins- the intentional and unintentional. Remove from us any tendency to make excuses and sugar coat the ugly that we have committed against you or our fellow man. Help us to view our falls as David did- as transgressions, iniquity, sin and evilness. Cover us and wash us in the blood of Jesus!  It is with repentance, that we pray to You this day. And it is with intense acknowledgement that we approach Your throne of grace.

IN JESUS name AMEN

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Saturday Prayer

“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”- Hebrews 12:2

 

Our Father,

Yes, looking unto Jesus- nothing greater than our eyes can behold! This is nothing greater than to animate and encourage our walk. Just prior to this, the writer here spoke of a great cloud of witnesses who were examples of faith. But, Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith and we look to Him today. He is the beginning, the perfecter, and rewarder of it. Jesus is not only the object, but the author. He is the great leader and precedent of our faith, he trusted in You. He is the purchaser of the Spirit of faith, the publisher of the rule of faith, the efficient cause of the grace of faith, and in all respects the author of our faith. But, Father we too are grateful that He is the finisher of our faith he is the fulfiller and the fulfilling of all scripture-promises and prophecies. Our Jesus is the perfecter of the canon of scripture and the finisher of grace, and of the work of faith in His people. We glory in that He is the judge and the rewarder of our faith and determines who they are that reach the mark. It is from Him, and in Him, they have the prize. But in looking unto Him, we see the trials that Christ met with in His race and course. He endured the contradiction of sinners against Himself. He bore the opposition that they made to Him, both in their words and behavior. They were continually contradicting Him and crossing in upon His great designs and though He could easily have both confuted and confounded them, and gave them a specimen of His power, yet He endured their evil manners with great patience. He endured the cross--all those sufferings that he met with in the world for He took up His cross, and was at length nailed to it, and endured a painful, ignominious, and accursed death, in which He was numbered with the transgressors, the vilest malefactors yet all this, He endured with invincible patience and resolution. He despised the shame. All the reproaches that were cast upon Him, both in his life and at his death, He despised He was infinitely above them when knew His own innocence and excellency and despised the ignorance and malice of His despisers. And now, He sits at Your right hand. Teach us Father to have the same excellence and patience in the face of our persecutors. Teach us to have the integrity of the Son. We want one day to sit at Your feet!

In JESUS name AMEN