Tag: Prayer

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“I Repent, Part Two:” Day Eight, 21 Days of Prayer

 

First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior” (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, today I repent;

For not praying more often for those who have authority over me at work.

I repent of not praying more often for the President, Senators, Governor, and all public officials who lead me.

I repent for not praying more often for the priests, deacons, and bishops who serve me.

I repent of putting more faith in government provision than faith in God’s provision.

I repent for not praying more for in the people living in war torn countries who have no shelter, water, or food.

I repent of the arrogance and pride that says that I do not need you, I am sufficient in myself at work and home.

Last, I repent of my unbelief in your incredible love and forgiveness which you have shown me even when I fail.

Lord, have mercy on me a sinner and grant me your forgiveness!

In Jesus’s Name, Amen!

~~India Davis

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“I Repent”: Day Seven, 21 Days of Prayer

 

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5).

Prayer: Heavenly Father, merciful savior, I come with a repentant heart and ask forgiveness of leaning on my own understanding.

I repent of not trusting you and wanting my own way.

I repent of taking control of my time, relationships and finances.

I repent to not being obedient to your word and your voice.

I repent of arrogance and pride in myself that has led to poor choices.

I repent of wasted hours on the internet, video games, movies and entertainment.

I repent of not giving you thanks for my job, my house, the food you have provided, my family and friends.

I repent of always wanting more of what the world offers and less of you.

Lord come and forgive us; we thank you for the Cross and how you bore our sins and how willing you are to forgive.

~~ India Davis

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“Burn Away Everything”: Day Six, 21 Days of Prayer

He will sit like a refiner of silver, burning away the dross (Mal. 3:3).

Father, in Jesus’ name, burn away every dream, desire, attitude, thought, feeling, word and action that is not a result of Your Spirit reigning in my life.

Burn away everything that is more important to me than my revelation of You and my relationship with You.

Burn away everything that hinders me from loving You with all my heart and loving my neighbors as I love myself.

Burn away everything that hinders me from hearing and obeying Your voice.

Burn away everything I believe about who You are and what You are like that is not the Truth.

Burn away everything in my heart and mind that causes me to desire to harm or destroy those who desire or act to harm or destroy me.

Burn away the lust of my eyes, lust of my flesh and pride of life.

Burn away everything that causes me to desire to own or possess anything that is not rightfully mine.

Burn away everything that causes me to desire to lie or exaggerate to get what I want or impress or harm others.

Father, in Jesus’ name, I ask that I will be deeply intimate with You, filled with your Holy Spirit, free of pride, lust, and fear, loving, patient, kind, tender- hearted, forgiving, joyful, thankful, grateful, humble, considerate, healthy, successful, prosperous and very generous. Amen. 

~~Dr. James “Jay” H. Ferguson

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God Is Grace: Day Five, 21 Days of Prayer

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ . . . . (1 Peter 5:10 NIV).

Prayer: Almighty God, God of grace and God of glory, whose Son, Jesus, is full of grace and truth. Thank you that your grace relentlessly pursued us and never stopped confronting us until you won our hearts by your great love. Your grace was undeserved and unmerited, you rescued us from a just judgment of our own making. Your grace called us to trust Jesus Christ as our savior, the one who took all our sin upon himself. Your grace lifted us out the pit of our sin, renewed us, empowered us, and elevated us into your presence.

Assist us, Lord, to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Assist us to know that your grace is available at all times, in every need, and for every good work. Assist us to experience your grace enabling us to say, “no,” to ungodliness and to live upright and godly lives; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

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God Is Love: Day Four, 21 Days of Prayer

 

God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8).

O’ Lord, most beautiful, caring in all your ways, unrelenting in your love and devotion toward us in Christ Jesus. Your love for us has no beginning and has no end. Your love is not limited by space or time because your love is immense and vast like a beautiful, bottomless ocean. Your love never wavers in its pursuit of us: it is undeserved, unsurpassed, unmerited, and free. Your love conquers our deepest fears, overwhelms our greatest worries, and heals our deepest hurts. Your love is unsurpassed for it was displayed in all its glory on the hardwood of the Cross.

Pray, Lord Jesus, open our minds and free our hearts to grasp the width, length, height, and depth of your love. Help us to comprehend that every act of your will and every work of your wisdom is love; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

–Fr. Glenn E. Davis

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God Is Mercy: Day Three, 21 Days of Prayer

But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead (Eph 2:4–5 NLT).

Prayer: O’ Lord, father of all mercies, whose compassions never fail and whose mercies never cease. Your mercy is gracious goodness to those of us who are miserable and distressed because of our sin. Look upon us, your servants, with your never failing love, extend to us your compassion on our many struggles, failings, shortcomings, and sins. We are frail, yet you are strong. We are needy, yet you are compassionate. We are sinful, yet you are forgiving. Lord, your mercy is boundless and free through our Lord Jesus Christ, bestow upon us your compassion now in our present distress; through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

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God Is Wise: Day Two, 21 Days of Prayer

Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! (Rom. 11:33 NLT).
O’ God, all-wise, all-knowing, who always knows what is right, chooses what is right, and performs what is right. We are grateful that you never lead us astray: nothing takes you by surprise, nothing happens by chance, nothing is beyond your purpose and workings. We rejoice that we can trust your all-pervasive wisdom, we never need fear being lead into blindspots. We never need fear being overwhelmed by the world with all its problems and disappointments.
We can know with certainty that our wise God will never leave us confused, bewildered, or forsaken. We pray Lord Jesus Christ, who is all wisdom and knowledge, generously gift us with your wisdom for it is peace-loving, always gentle, full of mercy, and the fruit of good deeds; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
–Fr. Glenn E. Davis
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God Is Great: Day One, 21 Days of Prayer

The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength; indeed, the world is established, firm and secure. Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity (Ps 93:1–2 NIV11).

Today, Tuesday, September 08, begins our 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting: As a parish, we are seeking God to know him more intimately, experience his Holy Spirit more powerfully, touch lives in our community more personally, and meet needs in our county more sensitively. This week, our focus in prayer will be adoring the character of God and praising the beauty of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Almighty Father, God of majesty, whose greatness exceeds the heavens and whose majesty fills the earth. You are our Creator, you made us in your likeness and gave us this earth for our provision and enjoyment. We thank you that nothing exceeds your ability and nothing takes you by surprise. Remind us, dear Lord, that every moment of our lives is spent before your sight and lived before your all-knowing presence. We pray, transform our lives that they may reflect your glorious greatness, and thereby, make Jesus more attractive to all we know and meet; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

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On Unanswered Prayer for Revival

 

Then another angel with a gold incense burner came and stood at the altar. And a great amount of incense was given to him to mix with the prayers of God’s people as an offering on the gold altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, mixed with the prayers of God’s holy people, ascended up to God from the altar where the angel had poured them out.

Rev. 8:3–4 NLT

Revival hunger is wanting God’s presence more than sleep, desiring God’s face more than food, hungering for God’s holiness more than our comfort, and pursuing God’s glory more than our daily routine. Revival hunger yearns for God above all others, removes idols of the heart, glorifies God in public worship, mortifies sins of the flesh (i.e., sin nature), renews commitment to God’s covenant promise, and more importantly, humbles oneself under God’s mighty hand (2 Chron. 7:14). Revival hunger yearns for God more than self-exaltation, self-concern, and self-fulfillment.

Revival hunger is a good thing, but it can become a bad thing if our desire for revival causes us to become impatient with God and doubt his willingness, timing, and provision. Though we are called to participate in preparing for revival, ultimately God’s timing for revival is his sovereign choice. Even if a revival is delayed, not a single prayer for revival has gone wasted or ignored.

This thing becomes an obsession. For fifty years I’ve wept, and I’ve prayed and I’ve groaned, and I’ve read, and I’ve fasted, and I’ve met with guys for nights of prayer, and days of prayer and days and days of prayer, for revival.

There is not much sign of it. Well, are you sure? You see, prayers never die. What are these: the prayers of the saints (Rev. 8:3). You never pray a prayer born of God without it being on record with God. God never wastes anything. Do you think you and I have prayers born of grief, born of anguish, born of desire to see an overthrow of iniquity (for after all that is what revival is), and you think God will let them die?”

Leonard Ravenhill, Revival Study Bible, note on Rev. 8:3

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Your Problems, His Concern

But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.

Heb. 7:24–25 NLT

Jesus Christ is our continuously praying intercessor (Rom. 8:8:34; Heb. 7:24-25). He is always praying for you and me. Jesus’ prayer life reflects his priorities: Jesus is personally concerned about your personal concerns (1 Peter 5:7). He is not like an earthly priest who tires, lacks knowledge, fails occasionally (or numerously), and can only bear a few burdens. Our high priest, Jesus Christ, never wearies in praying for us, he knows all, never sinned, and can carry the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Jesus is praying for us and our concerns: without hesitation he is praying that we will make it. Every prayer that Jesus has ever prayed has always been answered by the Father. Therefore, the prayers of Jesus that you will persevere to the end will be answered. You will make through all your struggles while glorifying God the Father. How? Christ is praying for you every day, every hour, every minute. Your problems are his concern.

But I see the basic, wonderful truth here, that day by day the Lord Jesus Christ is ministering in heaven on my behalf, and yours. . . . May I put it pointedly: all the aspects of your Christian life are His concern. Your great high priest is concerned about your prayer life: He knows all about it; He is concerned about it, and His loving concern is that your prayer life might be rich and full.

He is concerned about your spiritual babyhood, if that is true of you. He is also lovingly concerned that you should go on to maturity. . . .

He is concerned about your particular problems. Maybe you think nobody is concerned about your problem: it is too difficult to share with anybody. I say that the Lord Jesus Christ all about it, and He is concerned about it.

He most lovingly wants that problem dealt with; and His whole ministry in heaven concerns you, in all the loneliness of your spiritual problem, which you can share with nobody. You have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Doesn’t that encourage you? Open your heart to Him.

K. A. A. Weston, “Our Great High Priest,” Daily Thoughts from Keswick: A Years’s Daily Readings, ed. Herbert F. Stevenson (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1980), 94.