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 really understand your love for me, I thank you with my whole heart for loving me. 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,

We are so grateful to know that when we pray, our thoughts and words mingle with the incense in the golden bowls around your throne, and you delight in them. You answer us. You bend down to right wrong and rescue your children. You touch us with your comfort.

We are blessed to be known by the name of your Son Christ – Christians. We are grateful that you answer prayer and offer help. We your children will never cease praying for one another. We will continue to intercede and ask for blessings for our biological families, our loved ones and friends, our spiritual brothers and sisters in our nation and the world.

Please fill each of us with the knowledge of your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Strengthen us with all power according to your glorious might. Teach us to be joyful and thankful even as we endure troubles and learn patience -- because you have delivered us from the kingdom of darkness and qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light; because you forgive our sins and remove all our guilt.

We wait for you, Jesus, and pray this in your name. Amen.

Supporting verses:

“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. . . . And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:3,4, 9 –14

“And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel . . . and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.” Revelation 8:3--5

Inspired by Rick Renner’s thoughts on 1 Corinthians 13 in Sparkling Gems from the Greek:

O God,

Please give us the wisdom and strength to function in your agape love for others, even when they hurt us.

Clear our minds to see them through your eyes so we won’t take up an offence at anyone.

Give us a love that covers the flaws of others rather than seeking to expose them -- love that shields and safeguards them.

Keep us loyal and faithful, never surrendering, prepared to “work it out” with those who offend us no matter how much time or energy is required.

Guide us to stay by the side of those who need your help, bearing their burdens with them. Keep us from throwing up our hands in despair over actions or attitudes that distress us.

Teach us to hope for and expect the best in them. Instead of assuming failure or a bad result in someone’s life, help us anticipate everything good for them.

We ask this in the name of your Son Jesus, amen.

Supporting verses . . . 

“Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.” Proverbs 10:12

 

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” I Corinthians 13:4 -7

Holy God, Almighty Creator of the Universe, 

I bless my friend with the blessings given to us by your Son Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

• I bless you with the assurance that you belong to God.
• I bless your heart to relax in the love of the Lord, knowing that nothing can separate you from him.
• I bless your emotions with the comfort and joy of Jesus’ presence.
• I bless you and your family with God’s peace that defies understanding.
• I bless you with rejoicing and the strength to take every thought captive and turn your worries over to God.
• I bless your mind with the wisdom God freely gives.
• I bless you with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.
• I bless the work of your hands.

Supporting verses:

“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” Romans 8:16

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38,39

“I, I am he who comforts you; who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass and have forgotten the LORD, your Maker who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth.” Isaiah 51: 13

“And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Philippians 4:4,6

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” James 1:5

“We have not stopped ceasing to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” Colossians 1:9

“Commit your work to the LORD and your plans will be established.” Proverbs 16:3

Taken from the book Prayers for Troubled Times, by Jeannie St. John Taylor, AMG Publishers.

Dear God,

    We’re so thankful you are the author of marriage. It was your idea that a man and his wife would be united as one. You made the perfect plan, but you knew we would be far from perfect. And that can make marriage challenging.

    There are many couples in church and the world who think divorce is the answer to marriage problems. Show them the truth – divorce causes heartache. It is a sin. It is painful. It does not just affect the couple involved, but all those around them, especially the children. Lord, we pray for your hand of restoration to overshadow our nation. Change hearts, priorities, work schedules and lives. Bring healing and forgiveness to the institution of marriage. 

  

     We pray for our pastors and church leaders to take a new stand, a stronger stand, for marriage. Give them boldness to speak out and contradict the lies we have believed regarding divorce.

     Turn the hearts of those with healthy, godly marriages toward couples who are struggling. Give them the desire, the time and the skills to come alongside and mentor those people. Start with the church, Lord. Let the world see what a beautiful gift marriage can be when Jesus Christ is the center.

     Teach us to take our eyes off ourselves and place them first on you and then on our spouses. We look to your Word as the standard, and we remember that you have bound us together in holy matrimony. Teach us to be holy. In the name on of the Holy One, we pray, amen.

Supporting verse:

“Wives submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.” Col. 3:18.19

Abba Father,

            Please bless my friends today. Reveal to them how much you love them and who they are in you. Remind them that you created them in your own image to be your much-loved children -- they were never a mistake. You determined the exact times of their births. You joyfully knit them together in the womb, numbered the very hairs on their heads and determined where they would live. You continue to treasure them even now, no matter how they feel or what they believe.

            Please protect them from evil. When troubles seem to overwhelm, rescue and comfort them. Teach them that you are not distant and angry instead you watch and ponder every action because you love them unconditionally. You delight in your children and long to establish and bless them.

            Please give my friends eyes to see who you are and to understand how important they are to you. Bless them in Jesus’ name, amen.

Supporting verses:

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Gen. 1:27

“You therefore must be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” Matt. 5:48

“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. . . .  For you formed my inward parts/ you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” Ps. 139: 1,2, 13

“I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness with all my heart and soul.” Jer. 32:41

“And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined and allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, in the hope they might feel their way toward him and find him.” Acts: 17:26

“So we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us.” 1 John 4:16

Zeph. 3:17

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” 2 Cor. 1:3-4

           

O God of Heaven and Father of Jesus Christ, 

 We praise you for your love and faithfulness – your unfathomable love that follows us wherever we go. But though down deep we believe you haven’t stopped loving us and you will fulfill your purpose for us, we fight fear when so many things seem to be going wrong. And right now the entire earth seems to be in turmoil

Please keep us from fear today.

Open our eyes to see the ways you are working through the disasters wrapping around the globe and difficulties in our own lives. Help us stop worrying -- because we know we are still safely in your hand and you will fulfill your purpose in our lives. Give us a fresh sense that it isn’t all about us, it’s about you. And we are part of your plan. Help us follow and obey you with joy, Lord, as we return your love. We ask this in Jesus’ name, amen.

Supporting verses:

“Open my eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.” Psalm 119:18

“The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.” Psalm 138: 8

“If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost part of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,’ even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.” Psalm 139: 8 –12

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Psalm 91: 1, 2