Father of Love and Truth,

You observe the details of our lives. You watch every action and hear every thought. You know how often we fall short of your plans for us --  and yet you still love us. We belong to you. Your Word tells us we are to imitate you so we can be holy as you are holy.

You are Truth, Father, and you want us to speak Truth – not just to one other but in our in own hearts. Thank you for providing the tools for us to search for and find Truth through the Bible. Your Word is Truth. All your commandments are true. You you’re your Spirit of Truth – the Comforter -- to dwell in us and reveal Truth.

Help us value Truth and not turn from it. Give us the courage to face the Truth about ourselves and others even when it is painful. We give you permission to call us up short when we’re tempted to be dishonest and twist the Truth.  Thank you that we can face our flaws without fear because you will forgive any sin we acknowledge. And as we confess and ask for forgiveness, you heal our hearts.

We pledge to seek out and speak Truth. Give us the wisdom not to be fooled by deceitful smooth words and help us accomplish that without judgment or rancor. Please guide us to think noble thoughts and speak pure honest words. We pray these things in the name of your Son Jesus. Amen.

Supporting verses:

“God looks down from heaven on the children of man to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all fallen away; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.” Psalm 53:2,3

“Who shall dwell on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart.” Psalm 15:2

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14:16, 17

“But you are near, O LORD, and all your commandments are true.” Psalm 119:151

“Sanctify them in your truth; your word is truth.” John 17:17

“Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right, for my mouth will utter truth.” Proverbs 8:6,7

Adapted from the book How to be a Praying Mom by Jeannie St. John Taylor, Hendrickson Publishers.

Gracious Heavenly Father,

I praise you because you are a God of love. Thank you for being holy and righteous and calling us to imitate you – calling us to love the way you love. Give us eyes to see the world through your eyes of love. Forgive us for the many times we fall short. Thank you for accepting us, despite our tendencies to be unloving, as you lead us closer to your perfect love.

Remind us that love is an action, not a feeling. Help us act in love toward the people who wrong us. Give us wisdom to overlook flaws. Help us pray for others rather than resenting them. Help us bless rather than curse. Pull up any bitter roots that try to grip our hearts, and wind the tendrils of your love around them instead. In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

Supporting verses:

“Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. . . . For this is the message we heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.” 1 John 3: 18, 11

“By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.” 1 John 5:2

Father God, our Abba Daddy,

Teach us today that you truly are our heavenly Daddy and you love to supply our needs and give us the desires of our hearts. Just as we take pleasure in caring for our children and giving special gifts to loved ones, you enjoy caring for and giving to us. We aren’t bothering you when we ask for things for ourselves.

You want us to ask.

Over and over in the scriptures you urge us to ask you to supply physical, spiritual and relational needs, promising that if those requests fit in with your will and honor Jesus’ name, you will grant all of them. 

So as we go about our day today please remind us to ask you for help instead of

worrying. And help us not feel selfish or guilty for asking, because the answers you send will not only help us but glorify you. Thank you Father that we can pray directly to you in the name of your Son Jesus, amen.

Supporting verses:

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. . . . If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” Matthew 7:7, 8, 11  

“Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” John 14:13, 14

“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” John 15:7,8

“ . . .  so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” John 15:16b

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.” John 16:23 b

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made knows to God.” Philippians 4:6

“In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.” John 16:26,27

         O powerful God who stretched out the heavens and stirs up the sea so that waves roar, we know you can accomplish the impossible. We believe that if we ask you can:

Restore our impossibly broken relationships

Change our rebellious children

Provide jobs when the economy is collapsing

Supply us with food and clothing

Heal our bodies

Remove our addictions

Lift our depression and calm our fears

We believe that nothing is ever ruined if we turn and ask you for help, because you are able to impossibly renew us and remake us into your masterpieces. Remind us to keep asking you daily to accomplish the impossible in our lives.

We thank you in Jesus’ name, amen. 

Supporting verses: ESV Bible

 “I am . . . the LORD, your maker who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth . . . who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar” Isaiah 51:13 & 15

“If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” Matt. 17:20

“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matt. 19:26

“He saved us . . . by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.” Titus 3:5 “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus.” Eph. 2:10 (NLT)

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” Matt. 7:7

“And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you he will give justice to them speedily.” Luke 18:7

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

Father God, 

    You search my heart and know everything about me. You know what I’m thinking, and before I speak a single word you know what I’m going to say. No one could possibly count the many times your thoughts rest on me every day. I don’t understand why you would care so much about me, but I’m grateful that you do.
   
    Though I will never be able to fully comprehend your great love for me, I thank you with my whole heart. Thank you that you watch over me and my loved ones for our good to prosper us. Thank you that you will never leave me or forsake me. Teach me to seek after you with my whole heart, and help me remember the many benefits of knowing you and obeying your Word. We pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.

Supporting verses:

“O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I could count them, they are more than the sand.” Psalm 139:1, 2, 6. 17 & 18

“When I look at the heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” Psalm 8:3,4

“I give you thinks, O LORD, with my whole heart.” Psalm 138:1

“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Heb. 13:5b

“Therefore keep the words of this covenant and do them,  that you may prosper in all that you do.” Deut.29:9

“. . . forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems you life form the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good.” Psalm 103:2-5

 

       O God, 
       You very great and we all need you. Even those of us who smile and appear successful on the outside are often hurting and lonely inside. We sometimes feel overwhelmed. It’s hard for us to comprehend that the Great King of the universe would see our pain and care about us and want to help us, but you do -- even the times our own foolishness caused our problems.

       Help us believe that you see each of us individually, that you love us and delight in every detail of our lives. We choose to lift our eyes to you because we know you are our hope. Enable us to wait patiently for you to renew our strength. Give us wisdom to recognize your answers when they come. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Supporting verses:

“O LORD my God, you are very great!” Psalm 104:1b

 “Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction. . . . Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He sent out his Word and healed them and delivered them from their destruction.” Psalm 107: 17, 19 &20

 “The steps of the godly are directed by the LORD. He delights in every detail of their lives.” Psalm 37:23 NLT, 1996 edition “Look at the birds. They don’t need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are.” Matthew 6:26 NLT

“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1,2

“Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you. Be still in the presence of the LORD and wait patiently for him to act.” Psalm 37: 5,7

“Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”  Is. 40: 30.31

The One Time Only Prayer

The following One Time Only Prayer was taken from the partially-completed manuscript I wrote for my beloved cousin after he overcame addiction. Before Gary passed away he had been clean and sober for several years and approved each of the prayers in the book. Though written for addicts, this prayer fits most of us at some point during our lives. But once we pray it, we need never pray it again because we know God has answered.

I pray you will sense God's forgiveness and the intense love Christ offers and feels for you. Merry 
Christmas,my friend! 

Dear Father God,  

I feel so unworthy. I have no right to talk to you, but I’m desperate. I can’t stand this torment any longer. I’ve made a mess of everything. I’ve failed my family; I’ve failed my friends; I’ve failed myself; I’ve failed you. I’m at the end of my rope. I don’t know how to help myself and no one else can help me. So, I’m begging you to help me, God. Please help me!

            It’s hard for me to believe you would care about someone like me, but I do believe. I choose to believe. I declare it aloud right now: I believe your Son Jesus is Lord. I believe you sent him to die on the cross for all my sins, I believe you raised him from the dead. Please forgive my sins.

(Pause here to ask for forgiveness for each specific sin God brings to your mind.)

Lord Jesus, now that my sins are forgiven and my heart is clean, would you please send your Holy Spirit to live inside me? I want him to guide and teach me. I want him to lead me out of my addiction. I want to obey you. I need the comfort you can bring.

            Thank you, Lord. I believe that you came to live inside me the instant I asked. It doesn’t matter if I feel different or not — I am different. I believe that you now see me as righteous through your son Christ Jesus. I believe you rescued me from the kingdom of darkness and made me into a completely new person. I am clean! Thank you! Praise you! I am not ashamed to declare aloud what you did for me. I pray all this in Jesus name, amen.

Supporting verses

“For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.” (Romans 10:9, 10) NLT

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1