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A Prayer about Why the Gospel Is Such Good News

by | Nov 13, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Gospel Coaching, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Why the Gospel Is Such Good News

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Mark 1:1

Good Father,

Our world seems to be drawn to bad news, 

so much so that we can even watch it 24 hours a day 

on TV, on our phones, on our tablets.

And yet, our souls truly long for good news, 

and your gospel is precisely that. 

The word gospel literally translates as “good news.” 

This good news is “of Jesus Christ,” 

meaning it belongs to Jesus the Messiah, 

the King of your kingdom. 

This good news is also about Jesus Christ. 

It is true that it is [almost] unbelievably good news, 

for the story goes that you sent your Son, 

a divine King,

into the world as a human baby 

born from a virgin’s womb. 

But not only that, you sent your Son, 

your sinless Son, 

who perfectly satisfied you, 

as the Savior for your sinful people, 

who could never satisfy you. 

Good Father, help us to grasp this truth—

we could never earn your love. 

We could never pay the debt of our sin. 

Nothing we have done in our lives 

makes us good enough to be forgiven. 

And in that is the amazingly good news: 

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, 

so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21). 

Father, how we thank you for your goodness to us in Christ. 

May we live in gratitude for this good news, 

and may we share it with everyone we meet.

In Jesus’ good name. Amen.

Read Mark 1:1-11. 



A Prayer about Freedom from Contempt

by | Nov 12, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Freedom from Contempt

Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt. Psalm 123:3

Merciful and Loving Lord,

Many of us have suffered 

from daily doses of contempt, 

deployed by the evil one through “arrogant attackers” (Psalm 123:4). 

Contempt spreads like a cancer 

within our bodies and souls, 

wreaking havoc on our hearts, 

deceiving our brains.

Contempt shouts at us, 

telling us we’re not 

strong enough, 

smart enough, 

thin enough, 

good enough. 

Contempt makes fun of us 

for crying out to you for mercy. 

And yet, we do, for where else could we go? 

You alone have seen our worst, 

judged it for what it is—

destructive sin and rebellion, 

and sent your Son to die for it, 

that we might be freed from it. 

You, the One Judge 

who has the right to condemn us, 

sent your Son to pay our debt,

that you might call us your beloved children. 

Because of your mercy and grace, 

may we never join with voices of contempt, 

and may we bring the good news about you

to others 

through love, patience, kindness, and gentleness. 

In Jesus’ freeing name. Amen. 

Read Psalm 123. 



A Prayer about the Joy Growing in Our Hearts

by | Nov 11, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about the Joy Growing in Our Hearts

Light is sown for the righteous,

And joy for the upright in heart. Psalm 97:11

Glorious God,

We confess, 

sometimes the evil in our world 

and the darkness in our own hearts 

obscures your righteousness and glory. 

Psalm 97 reorients the eyes of our hearts

to see how magnificent you are, 

and as we see your kingly power 

and eternal beauty, 

we rejoice: 

“The Lord reigns; 

let the earth rejoice; 

let the many coastlands be glad!” (Ps. 97:1). 

May we never doubt for a moment 

that you will defeat all evil 

on this earth 

in your good time: 

“Fire goes before him 

and burns his adversaries all around” (Ps. 97:3). 

Indeed, as we see “The mountains [melting] like wax” 

before you, mighty Lord, 

we “hear and [are] glad.” 

We rejoice! 

Not only are you “[preserving] the lives of your saints; 

[delivering] us from the hand of the wicked,” (Ps. 97:10), 

you are sowing light in our hearts. 

Today and every day, 

may we see the seeds of light 

growing in our hearts, 

and may we know that out of those seeds, 

you will harvest bright blooms of joy and gladness. 

Indeed, as your children made righteous in Christ, 

may we “give thanks to [your] holy name!” (Ps. 97:12).

In Jesus’ joy-full name. Amen.

Read Psalm 97.



A Prayer for Veterans and Current Military Personnel

by | Nov 10, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer for Veterans and Current Military Personnel

May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace! Psalm 29:11

Almighty God,

Even as we celebrate and pray

for our veterans today in America, 

we praise you for being the Commander-in-Chief 

of Peace and Love. 

We thank you for those 

who have laid down their lives 

to bring peace, freedom, and protection to our country.

We thank you for their many sacrifices—

leaving families and friends, 

suffering loneliness and injury on our behalf.

We lift up families of veterans and current military personnel—

may they find good community, supportive churches, 

and rest in your protection when their loved ones are serving.

And we pray for all who have been injured in the line of duty, 

whether physically or mentally. 

We ask especially for healing of those with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder—

bring restoration and hope to their lives and their families’ hearts. 

Most of all, we pray that our veterans and current military personnel 

would find their hope and healing in the Prince of Peace—Jesus.

In his mighty name we pray. Amen. 

Read Psalm 29. 



A Prayer about Affliction

by | Nov 9, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Affliction

I know, O Lord, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.

Psalm 119:75

Faithful Lord,

The truth is, we don’t like to think that you afflict us. 

And then, when we do think you afflict us, 

we don’t always remember that it is 

“in faithfulness” that you do so. 

Today, I can more easily see how and why 

you might allow what feels like affliction in our lives. 

We have had to withhold food

from our beloved dog-who-thinks-she-is-a-person 

since last night at 8 p.m., 

because she is getting her teeth cleaned today. 

She has begged, 

she has nudged, 

she has barked her displeasure 

at not getting her morning treats, 

her morning meal, 

and her second round of morning treats. 

(I know, maybe we’re too extravagant with her?) 

(But not any less so than you are with us!).

To her, this feels like affliction. 

But we know that if we fed her, 

she might aspirate while under the anesthetic. 

Finally, she has settled, 

choosing to take a nap, 

choosing to trust 

that we have a good reason 

for “afflicting” her. 

Today, Lord, we pray that we would do the same—

that we would settle, 

that we would trust you, 

that we would know any affliction we experience 

is faithfully, sovereignly, lovingly 

administered by you. 

In the name of our afflicted Savior we pray. Amen.

Read Psalm 119:67, 71, 75. 



A Prayer about the Author Who Writes Our Stories from Start to Finish

by | Nov 8, 2024 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about the Author Who Writes Our Stories from Start to Finish

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Revelation 22:13

Author God,

You began 

your True Story, 

the Living Word, 

with the words, 

“In the beginning…” 

Jesus concludes the True Story 

by reminding us, 

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, 

the First and the Last, 

the Beginning and the End” (Revelation 22:13). 

Help us to see what good news this is! 

If you are the beginning and the end, 

surely there is nothing in-between 

that you have not written into our stories 

for our good and your glory. 

Just as every character, 

round or flat, 

good girl or bad guy, 

is written into your True Story for a purpose, 

every person you place in our lives 

has a glorious purpose, 

to grace us, 

refine us, 

shape us, 

into the image of Christ. 

Every plot point, 

every twist and turn of the story, 

is written by your loving hand. 

Even more, you are 

with us

in the story. 

You never leave us to fend for ourselves 

against the mighty dragons. 

You never leave us to weep alone 

the losses and longings 

of this life. 

No human author can say the same, 

no matter how badly we may wish 

to walk alongside our readers. 

Thank you, 

glorious God, 

brilliant Author, 

for writing our story 

from beginning 

to end 

to new beginning. 

In the name of the Alpha and Omega, 

Jesus, our Savior, we pray.

Amen. 

Read Genesis 1:1; Revelation 21-22.