fbpx

A Prayer about Seeing God’s Might

by | Sep 6, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Mission

A Prayer about Seeing God’s Might

We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are. Numbers 13:31.

Mighty God, 

I’m afraid I often relate more to the spies of Numbers 13

than I do to Caleb, the man with eyes to see your power and glory.

The spies, though they were surrounded by grapes the size of golf balls 

and a land lush with pomegranates and figs, 

chose to focus on the big and scary giants.

Caleb, a man of great faith, 

boldly fought the wild rumors the fear-mongers spread, 

assuring Moses and the people, 

“we are well able to overcome it” (Numbers 13:30). 

Lord, may we remember 

that you had brought your people through the wilderness, 

and you had promised to give them this land (Numbers 13:1). 

And yet, many doubted.

In the same way, 

may we remember 

that you have already defeated the monster of our sin 

and have given us the fruit of the gospel. 

As we remember your redemptive work in us, 

may we grow in faith and boldness.

May we know that you are with us. 

May we see that you are mighty to defeat 

whatever giants we see in the lands to which you have called us 

to go with the incredibly good news of the gospel. 

In Jesus’ mighty and merciful name. Amen.

Read Numbers 13. 

A Prayer about Those Who Turn Away from Jesus

by | Sep 2, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, kingdom living, Leadership

A Prayer about Those Who Turn Away from Jesus

After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. John 6:66

Heavenly Father,

This must be one of the saddest verses in all of Scripture. 

Not too long before this, 

Jesus had fed well over five thousand people 

with five loaves of bread and two fish (John 6:1-16). 

The next day, the crowd of people sought out Jesus, 

wanting them to feed them again, 

but he pointed out their true and desperate need for living bread: 

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. 

If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever” (John 6:51). 

Many of the more religious people were confused and disgruntled 

by Jesus’ words—

they were hungry and thirsty 

and just wanted Jesus to do more miracles. 

Sadly, they missed what we sometimes miss—

our deepest need is spiritual. 

We seek things of this earth 

to fill our hunger, our thirst, 

and yet, what we really need 

is what Jesus has already given: 

his blood shed for us, 

his body broken for us, 

and the new life that comes 

from dining on the bread of life (John 6:53-54). 

Father, we know that those who are truly in Christ 

will never turn away from him. 

For those who have turned away from Christ, 

we pray that by your Spirit, 

they will be drawn to return, 

to trust Christ alone 

to fill their hunger and thirst. 

In Jesus’ saving name. Amen.

Read John 6:22-71. 

A Prayer about How God Supplies Every Need

by | Sep 1, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, gratitude, Spiritual Growth, Suffering

A Prayer about How God Supplies Every Need

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

Merciful God,

Thank you for your extravagant generosity to us. 

As we bring what we consider to be our needs 

before you today, 

may we trust that you will supply every need, 

not just one or two. 

We admit, sometimes we don’t understand 

why you don’t supply things we think we need—

like healing of our child’s illness 

or a long-desired spouse or child 

or a job that seemed just right. 

In those cases, 

turn our eyes upon your riches in glory—

the undeserved and over-the-top 

provision of glory in Christ Jesus. 

In him, we truly have everything we really need—

forgiveness of our sins past, present, and future, 

peace with you eternally, 

a meaningful kingdom life 

that has already begun 

and will continue forever. 

Help us to remember that

though you have already supplied those needs, 

you continue to supply daily, here-and-now needs, 

and you continue to invite us to bring our daily needs to you, 

because you are our generous Father. 

As we name those needs now, 

we pray “Thy will be done.” 

In Jesus’ glorious name. Amen. 

Read Philippians 4.

A Prayer about God’s Grace for Our Sin

by | Jul 26, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living

A Prayer about God’s Grace for Our Sin

They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Romans 1:29-31.

Merciful Lord,

It’s impossible to read the list of sins 

describing people who don’t “see fit to acknowledge God,” 

and not see ourselves somewhere in it—

have I ever gossiped, 

speaking ill of people behind their backs? 

Have I ever been boastful and haughty, 

thinking I know the right thing to do 

about raising children, 

protecting from disease, 

or even teaching Bible study? 

Was I ever disobedient to my parents as a teenager? 

Have I ever wanted to possess what someone else has? 

Have I ever not only done these things 

but given approval to others who do them (Romans 1:32)? If so, I deserve to die for my sins (Romans 1:32).

I have, and I do.

And yet. 

By your mercy, 

through your undeserved grace, 

you have turned my heart toward Jesus 

as my only hope for salvation. 

Although I will continue to struggle 

with some of these sins 

until the day you take me home, 

“There is therefore now no condemnation 

for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

Lord, help us to take stock of our sins. 

Forgive us when we judge others’ sins 

more harshly than our own. 

Open our hearts to our one true hope for salvation. 

And empower us to fight the battle 

against besetting sin 

through the might of your sanctifying Spirit. 

In Jesus’ saving name. Amen. 

Read Romans 1:18-32; Romans 7:7-8:1.

A Prayer about Not Repaying Evil for Evil

by | Jul 4, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living

A Prayer about Not Repaying Evil for Evil

1 Thess 5:15: See to it that no one repays evil for evil, but always seek to good to one another and to everyone.
 
Good Father,
Not only are you “abundantly good,”
you sent your Son to defeat evil,
in our hearts, and in this world.
We know our hearts are “deceitful”
and “desperately sick” (Jeremiah 17:9),
and we know we are blind to our own potential
to harm others and to rebel against you.
Show us, we pray, by your Spirit,
the ways we harbor evil,
the ways we seek revenge
when someone has done us evil.
Destroy every crack and crevice
of bitterness or resentment
we might harbor.
Draw us to “seek to do good”—
to “one another” and to “everyone,”
not just to the people
who have been nice to us,
the people we agree with on all the hot-button issues,
or the people who look, talk, and act like us.
In Jesus’ kind name. Amen.
Read 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28.

A Prayer about Being Truly Transformed

by | Jul 1, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living

A Prayer about Being Truly Transformed

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2

Everlasting God,

I did it again.

I just scrolled away twenty minutes,

looking at this and that,

following this trail on someone’s post about their wayward cat,

clicking on this headline about a bizarre tragedy on a remote island,

checking the weather for Wimbledon…

Have mercy on me, have mercy on us.

Sometimes it seems we have no self-control

when a screen is in our hand or at our fingertips.

We long to know the “rest for my soul”

that Jesus has promised (Matthew 11:28-30),

and yet so much of what we do

fills our heads and heart

with noise and trivia

that is impotent to change our lives.

Transform us, we pray,

renew our minds by the work of your Spirit,

so that we can sit still

and remember that you are God (Psalm 46:10).

Speaking of sitting,

help us to do just that sometimes,

to sit quietly with no phone, no tablet, not even a book,

and listen for your voice delighting in us,

for in this very moment,

you are singing over us,

quieting us with your love (Zephaniah 3:14-17).

In Jesus’ life-changing name. Amen.

Read Romans 12:13; Matthew 11:28-30; Psalm 46:10; Zephaniah 3:14-17.