Normally, I give you one Bible version.  Either the NIV or NLT.  Today, two!  The NIV and the New Century Version.  If you are new to reading these prayers, when you reach the last paragraph, there are blanks.  Read it.  Then pray it putting a person's name in the blank!

 

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God, our Merciful God! You are just and You are fair!  You show mercy, compassion, and kindness to who You choose. You are in control!

 

LORD Jesus, mold my heart to be a heart for the church.  Create in me a desire to get to know and grow with my brothers and sisters in You!  And forgive me for gossip.  That one lady just irks me!  Help me to remember to show even her the kindness and love You have shown me.  May the words out of my mouth be words that encourage, not tear down.

 

Sweet Jesus, I'm so glad You show mercy to who You desire and that isn't based on what I think You should do!  If I had my way, the world would be in LOTS of trouble!  {grin}  Thank You for being in control!  I'm thankful to you that Your choices do not depend upon human desire or effort.  Thank You for being faithful and unwavering!  I'm thankful You don't change who You are based on what people want or try to do!

 

Father, we come to You in the name of our Savior, Jesus.  We lift to you _____.  Father, we pray ____ will know You are fair and just.  You see what we cannot see!  You see how tragedy will effect ALL involved, even who will come to know You as his/her God through the experience.  LORD, we know You choose who You'll show mercy to BUT we also know it's not Your desire anyone to perish.  We pray You'll show mercy to (feel free to switch to a different name here); pour out Your compassion on him/her!  You already chosen to show _____ compassion, we pray he/she will accept Your gift of love!  In Your name, Jesus, we pray the Father's will be done. Amen

 

Romans 9:14-16

 

NIV ¹⁴ What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! ¹⁵ For he says to Moses,

“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
    and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

¹⁶ It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.

 

NCV

¹⁴ So what should we say about this? Is God unfair? In no way. ¹⁵ God said to Moses, “I will show kindness to anyone to whom I want to show kindness, and I will show mercy to anyone to whom I want to show mercy.” ¹⁶ So God will choose the one to whom he decides to show mercy; his choice does not depend on what people want or try to do.

Father, God of Heaven and Creator of Earth, You are merciful!  While I lived in sin, separated from You, You poured out Your mercy on me!

O, Merciful God, mold my heart into a heart for people.  Help me to love my enemy, to reach out to someone who needs me to show him/her mercy as You have shown me mercy. I can only do it with You constantly filling me with Your Holy Spirit, Jesus.

(May want to change this to match your own thanks!) Father, thank You!  Thank You for the washed $3 I found in my pant pocket yesterday morning.  I wasn't sure how to make that penny stretch till Friday and that amount is EXACTLY what I needed!  You are in the small details and I am so GRATEFUL!

 

LORD, we bring before You ______.  Teach ____ to love his/her enemies, to do good to those who hate him/her.  Give _____ the strength to bless those who curse him/her and remind _____ to pray for those who mistreat him/her.  We know well it's the people closest to us who hurt us most.  People we love and cherish.  Family and friends.  Pour into ____ Your Holy Spirit to give him/her the ability to be merciful as You are merciful. We pray, Jesus, in Your holy name the Father's will be done in our lives. Amen

Luke 6:27-28, 35-36

²⁷ “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. ³⁵ But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. ³⁶ Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

God's Mercy Extends to ALL Who Trust Him!

God, my Savior, Mighty One; You have performed mighty deeds! Your mercy extends to all who trust You, from generation to generation!

LORD Jesus, give me a heart for God. Create in me a deep longing to seek God and to be in His Presence each day.

Father, I am so thankful for the promise You made to Eve and Abraham!  There are many others too! You have proved Your faithfulness in the story of their lives!  You showed each mercy!  You show me the same mercy!!  Thank You for Your faithfulness! Thank You for Your mercy!

Jesus, You are the Mighty One!  You have done great things for ______!  We pray _____ will fear You and trust in You.  We pray You'll continue to show Your mercies to  _______. As we close, allow us to offer You another round of praise. May our souls glorify You, LORD! You fill the hungry with good things! May we hunger for You today and share the spiritual bread and physical bread You have so graciously given us with someone needing Your mercy. We pray in Your holy name, Jesus. Amen

Luke 1:46-55

⁴⁶ And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord
⁴⁷     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸ for he has been mindful
    of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
⁴⁹     for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
    holy is his name.
⁵⁰ His mercy extends to those who fear him,
    from generation to generation.
⁵¹ He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
    he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
⁵² He has brought down rulers from their thrones
    but has lifted up the humble.
⁵³ He has filled the hungry with good things
    but has sent the rich away empty.
⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel,
    remembering to be merciful
⁵⁵ to Abraham and his descendants forever,
    just as he promised our ancestors.”

God Is Merciful

Note To Those New to the Blog:

The following prayer follows the Four Steps of Prayer and focuses on praying scriptures.  For more details on The Four Steps of Prayer, click here to read a blog post about this particular prayer guide. I encourage you to read it through once silently and then read it through again out loud.  When you enter into the 4th paragraph of the prayer, think of someone you desire to pray for and insert his/her name into the provided blank.  Re-pray that section of the prayer as many times as you desire placing a different name in each time you pray it.  I do ask you to excuse typos! LOL

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God, our Father, Is there a god who compares to You? A god who pardons sin and forgives transgressions? NO! You are The God of mercy there isn't another like You!

Lord Jesus, purify me.  Have compassion on me and tread my sins underfoot.  Hurl all my iniquities into the deep sea. May I live in surrender to You!

Thank You for Your faithfulness! You keep all Your promises and have never failed me.  Thank You for showing me mercy and for not staying angry with me!

Jesus, in Your name we lift up ______.  We pray You will have compassion on _______ and You will tread  _______'s sins underfoot.  We know You  love _______ and each of us; You delight in showing mercy! Jesus, we pray God's will be done today on earth as it is in heaven. Amen

Micah 7:18-20

¹⁸ Who is a God like you,
    who pardons sin and forgives the transgression
    of the remnant of his inheritance?
You do not stay angry forever
    but delight to show mercy.
¹⁹ You will again have compassion on us;
    you will tread our sins underfoot
    and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
²⁰ You will be faithful to Jacob,
    and show love to Abraham,
as you pledged on oath to our ancestors
    in days long ago.

Four Steps of Prayer: Prayer 101

Before I begin, I'd like to share something to help ease your mind and heart about prayer.  I desire to "bust some myths" about prayer. In Mary Southerland's 5 week study, "Laugh More ... Live Better" on Joy, she writes about pray producing joy:

1. Let go of worry about praying a 'right' way.
2. There is no 'right' posture or place for prayer.
3. Prayer helps us 'tune in' to the presence of God.

Its hard to talk with God when we are anticipating how He's going to answer our prayer, when He's going to answer, or dictate instruction on how and when to answer us. When we try to use God like our "magic genie in the lamp", we become frustrated with God and say "I prayed to You and You didn't answer me!" or "You didn't do what I thought needed to be done!" When our prayer focus is on "I" and not Him, we loose some of our joy. This is the purpose of the Four Steps Of Prayer. Its a guide. Its ONLY a guide! It guides me (and hopefully you) in placing my focus on Who my focus should be on: God.

Here is the Four Steps used by Moms In Prayer International:

1. Praise
2. Confession
3. Thanksgiving
4. Intercession

In Southerland's study and in the booklet people receive when attending The Emmaus Walk, both use ACTS:

1. Adoration
2. Confession
3. Thanksgiving
4. Supplication

Both mean the same thing!  We'll now pick them apart one by one.

Praise/Adoration

Begin your prayer with giving God praise for who He IS!  Enter into His presence focusing on God's name(s), character, or an attribute. 

Giving God praise, "exalts God and gives Him glory", "helps us focus on God and not our situation", "brings about an awareness of God's Presence", "dispels the enemy's power".  (Taken from the Moms In Prayer Booklet).

God is: love, good, faithful, justice, light, the rock, fortress, shield, strength, joy (just to name a few)
For more praise helps, visiting Moms In Prayer website www.momsinprayer.org and click on "Leader's Corner" then click on "Prayer Sheets".  On the right side will be more links, click on "Attributes of God" and a PDF will open!  Feel free to print!

As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. 2 Chronicles 20:22

Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises. Psalm 22:3
 

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. Psalm 145:3
 

Confession

This part of the prayer allows you to clear your heart and mind before God. Confess sins, to become humbled, to ask Him to search you. It's about surrendering your will for His will. It's us realizing we ARE human with human frailties and asking God to give us the strength, to empower us with His Holy Spirit  to do what He is desiring us to do. 

Now, I hear you! "Vivian, I'm a Christian. Jesus lives in my heart. I don't sin everyday. Why do I need to this time of confession?"

Let me tell you a story. I walk the local mall. One day, I saw this lady who had come from one of the restaurants. She was loaded down with all kinds of cooking supplies. Oil, flour, eggs. Two large "trays" of eggs. I heard this voice "Offer her help in carrying the eggs." I stopped walking; a brief pause. I continued. The Voice:  Offer her help in carrying the eggs. I paused. She was closer to the door. I kept going. One more time the Voice: Offer her help in carrying the eggs. I almost went to help! Then I rationalized "She'd probably say 'no' anyway." The Voice, "It's the offer that counts." I kept going. My heart felt heavy! So I prayed "Lord, help her get to the car without breaking all those eggs." The Voice: THAT! Was YOUR task!

I cried! 

Sometimes we see sin as: adultery, lying, taking God's name in vain, murder, stealing. Sin IS disobedience! I knew in my heart I had ignored God's Spirit prompting me to offer the lady help. I kept on walking just like the people in Jesus's story "The Good Samaritan". 

 
Confession isn't always about a "sin" BUT it is always about surrender, yielding. It's about living in submission to God's perfect will! It's about asking Him to "search my heart" and being humbled before Him.

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24

But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. Isaiah 59:2

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

Thanksgiving

Giving God credit and thanking Him for what He has done, is doing in our lives. 

Sounds simple doesn't it? NOPE!

The most miserable people are the ones who are the most ungrateful. Ingratitude breeds resentment, jealousy. Discontent with everything God has given them! 

Stopping to count our blessings and give God an offering of thanks begins to change us! Contentment. Joy. Realizing how blessed I am inspite of how little I have. 

 

What has God blessed you with? Name family members by name, friends by name, things He has provided (home, vehicle, food, clothes, etc.). Thank Him for His ultimate gift to you! Jesus! Thank Him for paying the price Sin demanded. Thank Him for the sunshine and the rain. Thank Him for your struggles! 

What? 

You read right! Say "Lord, I don't know why I am going through this BUT I thank You for the chance to be a witness to others about Your faithfulness to me."

To be honest, I think this part of prayer has changed me more than "Confession" has changed me. It's so easy to focus on what we don't have than it is to give thanks for what we do have. I heard a joke once about the man with 6 kids and he man with 6 million dollars. The question is "Who's content, the man with 6 kids or the man with $6 million?" The answer is "The man with 6 kids because he doesn't want any more!" The point is the man is content with 6 kids for many reasons! (Hahaha) The man with $6 million isn't satisfied because he always wants MORE! 

God HAS given you GOOD gifts! Give Him thanks! (Trust me ... It takes a few days before the light bulb pops over your head IF you are a person who has mostly focused on the "I have nots".)

Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me. Psalm 50:23a
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Supplication/Intercession

Praying for others.

Intercession:

Standing in the "gap" for someone who doesn't know Christ. Standing in the "gap" for someone who is broken hearted and can't pray for him/herself. Standing in the gap for a school, community, etc.  

Supplication:

Lifting up needs of other people. Supplication "is the combination of intercession and petition" (Worship Booklet for Pilgrams; Walk to Emmaus 3rd Edition pg 46). It is "asking God to meet the needs of other people" (Laugh More study).

He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm achieved salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him. Isaiah 59:16

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Ephesians 6:18

This is a HUGE amount to take in!  If you notice, praying takes the focus off of "me" and puts it on God and others.  It is about what God desires instead of what "I" desire.  It's about what others need instead of what "I" need.  Is it ok to tell God "my" needs?  YES!

Prayer 102 will focus on "Praying the Scriptures".  Again, there is no "right" way to pray!  Just be open and honest with God!  No sense in trying to hide what is on your mind and heart because He already knows it. :)
 

My Shepherd, My Comforter

My Shepherd, You are my Comforter! When I am in the dark valley, You are with me.  You guide me. You protect me. Because You surround me, I do not need to fear! God, You are my Comforter!

 
Jesus, may Your words guide me. I pray I'll indulge each morsel of Your Scriptures. I pray Your Holy Spirit will teach me to apply each sweet Word to my life!
 
I thank You, Jesus, for Your Rod and Staff which are Your Word -- the Word of God.  I especially thank You for David and all the  Psalms You inspired him to write!  Each one is a reminder of who You are!  Thank You for this precious treasure!
 
Sweet Shepherd, even though ______ is in the dark valley, light his/her path.  May _____ feel Your Spirit surrounding him/her and all his/her fear fade away.  May ______ find comfort in Your Word; comfort for his/her heart.  We ask this in Your name, Jesus, according to the Father's will. Amen
 

Psalm 23:4 (NIV)

Even though I walk

through the darkest valley,

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

Jesus the Compassionate Shepherd

Jesus,

You had compassion on me! You saw me as someone lost, confused, and helpless. Seeing me in such a state, You took pity on me! You wanted to help me! You are COMPASSIONATE!

Lord, I want to see people the exact same way! I pray Your Holy Spirit will give me eyes to see past a person's faults and love them as You love them. May my heart be filled with sympathy and may I be an encourager.

I thank You, Jesus, that Your love knows no limit and Your grace can't be measured. Thank You for becoming my Shepherd! "I once was lost but now I'm found," THANK YOU!

Jesus, _____ lives in a dark world, be his/her Shepherd.  May _____ not be confused and helpless because of Your unfailing love and deep compassion for him/her.  Lord, there are many lost in need of compassion! May we be the ones You use to show compassion! As a new school year begins, use each of us to be Your love to these kids. May we pray for them without fail! Lord, love each mother's child as if he/she the only one on Earth!  Be with the sons/daughters in the military. Wrap Your arms of compassion around their mothers.  Be with the sons/daughters who are homeless, lost, broken, held captive by mental illness, trapped by Satan's lies that they'll never be worth loving; YOUR heart breaks for these!! May we be Your compassion! In Your name, Jesus. Amen

References: "Amazing Grace" and a quote by Augustine "God loves each one of us as if there were only one of us"

Scripture Reference: Matthew 9:36

(NLT) When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

(NKJV) But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.

 

God is Slow to Anger!

AGod, You are Compassionate!

You are merciful! You are slow to anger.  When You finally arrive at "I Am mad", You don't stay that way forever! You are filled with unfailing love and You do not constantly accuse me! Your compassion is AMAZING!

Father, in the name of Jesus, I pray Your Holy Spirit searches me through out this day. Take in consideration my actions and words.  Do they testify to You being the compassionate God?  Does my attitude reflect the mercy You have shown me? Lord, judge me accordingly and correct me. I desire to be a woman who shows compassion.

Thank You for not dealing with me harshly! You do not punish me for all my sins!!  Thank You for Your grace covering the things I do out of ignorance; the things I don't do out of fear. You recognize I am human with many weaknesses: tired, hunger, illness, etc. Thank You for being so gentle and tender with me!!

Lord, we come to You on behalf of _____.  Lord, be compassionate with _____ and slow to anger with him/her.  Do not punish _____ for his/her actions nor deal harshly with him/her. Shower _____ with Your unfailing love which will draw _____ to trust You. We know this IS Your will! You don't desire a single member of the human race to be lost for eternity. It breaks Your heart when a soul refuses Your love.  Lord, may we be Your hands of compassion! In Jesus name we pray, Amen

Scripture Reference: Psalm 103:8-14 (NLT)

The Lord is compassionate and merciful,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
 He will not constantly accuse us,
 nor remain angry forever.
He does not punish us for all our sins;
    he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.
For his unfailing love toward those who fear him
    is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
He has removed our sins as far from us
    as the east is from the west.
The Lord is like a father to his children,
    tender and compassionate to those who fear him.
For he knows how weak we are;
    he remembers we are only dust.

God Is Compassionate

God, You are Compassionate!

You are God of forgiveness, who is gracious with Your mercy! You are slow to anger and rich in unfailing love!

God of Heaven, forgive me when I am proud and stubborn! I know there have been times when I haven't paid attention to Your commands and have flirted with the very sin You have rescued me from. Lord Jesus, melt my heart with Your compassion. Sweet Holy Spirit, remind me of what God has done for me and whisper His goodness in my heart's ear. I do desire to be surrendered to the One who protects me to show me His love!

Lord Jesus, thank You for not abandoning me! Even when I choose my way, You go with me to guide me back to the path God desires me to take.  I have one time ... Oh, okay ... I have several times in mind of when I know You were present rescuing me from my own stupidity! THANK YOU!

Sweet Jesus, in Your great mercy, do not abandon _____. Send Your Holy Spirit to instruct _____ in God's ways. Do not stop protecting _____ but continue to sustain him/her. Jesus, there are many physical needs we lift to You as well as spiritual. We trust each of the people we love into Your loving care.  Your love; Your compassion out way ours for them. We join together in Your name, Jesus, praying for on another's burdens and concerns. We pray God's will be done in us and through us today. Amen

Scripture Reference: Nehemiah 9:16-21 (NLT)

“But our ancestors were proud and stubborn, and they paid no attention to your commands.  They refused to obey and did not remember the miracles you had done for them. Instead, they became stubborn and appointed a leader to take them back to their slavery in Egypt! But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry, and rich in unfailing love. You did not abandon them,  even when they made an idol shaped like a calf and said, ‘This is your god who brought you out of Egypt!’ They committed terrible blasphemies.

 “But in your great mercy you did not abandon them to die in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud still led them forward by day, and the pillar of fire showed them the way through the night. You sent your good Spirit to instruct them, and you did not stop giving them manna from heaven or water for their thirst.  For forty years you sustained them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell!

Jesus, Who Is ....

I struggled with today's prayer, not because it is hard BUT because I didn't know what direction God wanted me to take with it. It IS hard to narrow God down to a text or Email message! Here we go ....

Jesus, You are Light! Not a light wired to a switch I can control. No. You are the Source of all life kind of light! I choose to make You the Center point in my heart that I may become a woman who You can use to carry Your Light to others. 

Lord Jesus, You are my Traffic Light signaling me caution, stop, go. You are my Runway Lights guiding me to the rite strip to use for take off. Your Word is the Flashlight in my hand for me to use to avoid stumbling around in the dark. You are the bright, lit up City who draws me to You when I'm in the wilderness. You are Light who warms my cold heart! Without You, I'd be a lost, stumbling, wrecked woman! Thank You for being my Light! Amen

Scripture Reference: 2 Samuel 22:29; Revelation 21:22-25

2 Samuel 22:29 O Lord, you are my lamp,  The Lord lights up my darkness.

Revelation 21:22-25 I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the world will enter the city in all their glory. Its gates will never be closed at the end of day because there is no night there.

Jesus IS the LIGHT

Lord Jesus, You are the LIGHT of the World! I do not walk in darkness because You light the way! You lead to life ALL who follow You!

Lord Jesus, speak Your light in my mind and write Your words on my heart. May my heart burn hot for Your words and my mind meditate on all of Your teachings! You are the Word of God! May ALL Your teachings live in me!

Lord Jesus, thank You for shining brighter than the sun You placed in my day! Your words warm me. Your words nourish my heart, mind, body, and soul!! Your words are the Vitamin D for my spirit! Thank You, Lord Jesus, for being ALL I need!

Lord Jesus, be the light of ___, may ___  follow You and not walk in darkness because he/she will have the Light who leads him/her to life.  Sweet Jesus, may we not give up praying for the world who needs Your Light so desperately! Many people need Your nourishing light and thru the power of the Holy Spirit may we carry them Your Words.  Lord Jesus, we pray in Your name the Father's will be done in our lives! Amen

Scripture Reference: John 1:1; 8:12

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

God's Word Lights My Way

Father, God who is Light, Your Word is a lamp to guide me! Your Word lights up my path!

Father, forgive me for neglecting to study Your Holy Scriptures! When the psalmist prays "I have hidden Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You," I can't say that! I DO desire to!  Create inside me a burning desire to study Your Word!

Father, I thank You for William Tyndale, Martin Luther, and many others who You guided to translate Your words into the "common" language! I thank You for the countless men and women who have followed in their footsteps, guided by Your Holy Spirit, to bring us Your words! I thank You for the technology that places many versions and translations of Your Word at my finger tips! I thank You for the audio versions of Your Word! Thank You for making sure I'd understand Your Word!!

Father, the teaching of Your Word gives light so even ___ can understand! Sweet Lord, may we not make Your words hard for anyone. May we be the ones who help carry Your light, Your Word, to those in darkness! In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen

Scripture Reference: Psalm 119:105, 130 (NLT)

105 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.
130 The teaching of your word gives light, so even the simple can understand.

Note: I love the New Living Translation. I use it A LOT! However, I like the New King James Version, The New International Version, New Century Version, and many others.  I really like using Bible Gateway's "parallel feature" on it's web site! To view the same text in the different translations or commentary Bibles brings a rich, fullness to studying God's Word.  Bible Gateway and YouVersion both offer apps for downloading to your favorite on the go technology! iPhone, iPad, Nook, Kindle, Android. Both apps offer several translations in audio as well!  Of course, you can always visit www.biblegateway.com for the full effect the site has to offer!

He is Clothed In a Robe of Light: God IS Light

Lord God, Let all that I am praise You! You spoke light into the darkness and You stretched out the starry curtain in the sky!  You are clothed in a robe of light! You are LIGHT!

Spirit of the Living God, shine God's light into my heart. Fill every dark crevice of my heart with Your light, Father! Where there is jealousy, shine the light of contentment. Where there is  (fill in a negative), shine the light of (fill in the opposite of the negative) .  I desire my heart to shine for Your glory!

Thank You for thinking about me! When the darkness of discouragement falls on me, You are my beacon of hope! I'm so grateful for my family in Christ who You use to be Your light to me! That prompting of a phone call, text, or prayer means so much!

Father, shine Your light in ___'s heart so he/she may know Your glory that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.  Use each of us to be examples of Your light! We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ who is the Light of the World! Your kingdom come and Your will be done, Father. Amen

Scripture Reference: Psalm 104:1-2; 2 Corinthians 4:6 (NLT)

Psalm 104:1-2  Let all that I am praise the Lord.  O Lord my God, how great you are!  You are robed with honor and majesty.  You are dressed in a robe of light.  You stretch out the starry curtain of the heavens;

2 Corinthians 4:6  For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

God is Love and His Love in Unfailing

 

 

 

Dearest Father, You are LOVE! You are patient. You are kind. You are not demanding. You do not keep a record of my wrongs; You are forgiving! You are God Almighty, the God who IS love!

 

Jesus, forgive me when I do not love others as You love me! Love can't be earned. Sometimes I forget that1 Love is to be given regardless of how I feel toward a person. Love is an action of setting myself aside to serve others as You served me ... served the world!

 

Father, thank You for saying I am Your daughter! You show me love even though I do not deserve it. Thank You for being so patient with me!

 

Father, may Your love be revealed to ___ today. We pray ___ will know You are the source of true love.  Lord Jesus, may we each be used by You to show someone Your love. May we be Your arms of love to each other. Father, we pray Your will to love one another as You love us will be done through us. Amen

 

Scripture Reference: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7; 1 John 3:1; 4:7-10

 

⁴ Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud ⁵ or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. ⁶ It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. ⁷ Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. -- 1 Cor 13:4-7 (NLT)

 

See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. -- 1 John 3:1 (NLT)

 

⁷ Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. ⁸ But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

⁹ God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. ¹⁰ This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. -- 1 John 4:7-10 (NLT)

 

God Is Love 4

 

Father,

 

You are LOVE!  Plain. Simple. To the point. You are LOVE! You love me!!

 

Lord Jesus, take up residence in my heart! I pray I will take root in Your love, for Your love is what makes me strong. Your love is what gives me nourishment. May my heart be fully planted in You, filled with You, willing to do Your will!!

 

Thank You for Your glorious, unlimited resources that empower me with inner strength through Your Holy Spirit! For I am weak, but You are strong! Thank You for the strength that only comes from You to do what is pleasing in Your eyes!

 

Lord Jesus, make Your home in ___'s heart, may he/she become rooted in God's love. Lord, may we each have an understanding of how wide, how long, how high, and how deep Your love is. May we each experience Your love, Lord Jesus, though it maybe to great to fully comprehend. In Your name and by Your power, Lord Jesus, we pray the Father's will be done. Amen

 

Scripture Reference: Ephesians 3:16-19 



¹⁶ I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. ¹⁷ Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. ¹⁸ And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. ¹⁹ May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

God Is Love 3

Father,

The God who does might miracles, You are LOVE! Your love endures forever! Nothing can separate me from Your love for You are mighty!

LORD Jesus, I pray Your Spirit continues to bend me to the Father's will! May my heart beat at the thought of You!

Thank You, Father, for not letting go of me! When fears and doubts assail me, You stay with me. When trials come my way, You cling to me reminding me of Your love. Thank You for not abandoning me!

Father, in the Name of Jesus, we pray ___ will know that no matter what he/she is going through that You love him/her. When troubles, persecution, hunger, or even death comes ___'s way, Your love for him/her is unfailing. May each of us remember this too! We pray Your kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Amen

Scripture Reference: Romans 8:35-39 (NLT)

³⁵ Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? ³⁶ (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) ³⁷ No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
³⁸ And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. ³⁹ No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Getting to Know God

Several months ago, we started a group through Moms In Prayer International. Moms coming together to pray for our children and schools. It's not limited to just moms! Grandmothers, aunts, sisters. And it's not limited to K thru 12! There are moms praying for their college kids, moms praying for their children with careers. There are even groups of mothers who pray for their children who are in prison. For more details about groups in your particular area, visit www.momsinprayer.org.

Like, I said, we (as in my church) started a Moms In Prayer group. I signed up to receive daily prayers using scripture verses via Email. I'd then text them to my BFF! From that, The Prayer Squad was formed!  Other ladies wanted to learn to pray scripture using the Four Steps of Prayer guide (Praise, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Intercession/Petition).  What started out as just a quick text with one verse turned into full length prayers! We went from 2 of us sharing to 13!!

By praying the same prayer, we are joining together and praying in unity. Even though we are in separate areas (there is one in another state), we are still uniting in God's Holy Spirit praying His will. Praying scriptures ensures we are praying according to God's will!

Praying scriptures is not the only way to pray! Please don't think this is a 100% right way to pray. However, it is a great way to dive into God's Word and learn who He is and what He desires. 

This week we are working on God's character: Love. God's love is AMAZING! We never really understand what love is until we take time to know God. I mean really know God. How do you get to know someone? Well, you talk to them right? Call the person on the phone. Shoot him/her a text. Stalk that person on Facebook. You engage with that person in some form or fashion. That is how you can get to know God!  Talk to Him! Stalk Him! Write Him a quick note ... Yes, it is ok to write God a note even if you throw it away or keep it in a journal.

Stalk God? "How does a person stalk God?" you ask. Well. It's like this ... Read the Bible. Sing Songs of Praise. Read books on Bible Studies. Find a good devotional (good as in it catches your attention!) to read daily. Attend worship services. Go to concerts of your favorite God praise, singing freak! (I'd love to hear 10th Ave North and Kutless in concert!) Attend conferences that are God centered. Find a good Bible study, Small Group, L.I.F.E group to join.  Have coffee or coke with a BFF who loves God too and chit chat about what He's doing. Be on the look out for God everywhere you go! Do you see Him in the simplest things? Do you admire the sun, moon, and stars? The flowers, kittens, and trees? Trust me! There are MANY ways to stalk God! I've only named a few! 

Trust me ... unlike Hollywood's famous names, God won't turn away any fans! He enjoys being stalked!

God is Love 2

Praying the Scriptures, Focusing on God's attributes, character, and names; following the 4-Steps of Prayer Guide. Fill in the blanks with a person's name. These are the prayers the Prayer Squad receives via text messages.

Father,

The God who created all I see, You are LOVE! You fill me with Your love through the Holy Spirit and that's how I know You are love!

LORD Jesus, search my heart! Do you find self ambition there? If so, remove it from me! I do not desire to make my own agenda happen, only Your's. May my life point to You!

Father, God, thank You for loving me while I was Your enemy! You didn't wait until I was living by Your laws to save me! No, you saved me & poured Your Holy Spirit into me; fixing me from the inside out. Thank You for loving me!

Father, in the name of Jesus, we lift up __ who is utterly helpless without You. Draw __ to You! May __ know that most people wouldn't die for him/her BUT You showed him/her Your love by dying for __. Lord, Your kingdom come and Your will be done in our lives as it is in Heaven. Amen

Scripture Reference: Romans 5:5-8 (NLT)

⁵ And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
⁶ When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. ⁷ Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. ⁸ But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

God Is Love 1

Praying the Scriptures, Focusing on God's attributes, character, and names; following the 4-Steps of Prayer Guide. Prayers the Prayer Squad receives via text messages.

Father,

PRAISE: The GOD of gods! The LORD of lords! Your faithful love endures forever! You remember me in my weakness and You rescue me! You save me from my enemy who is Your enemy! You provide nourishment for me & You are my strength! Your love is everlasting!!

CONFESSION: LORD Jesus, You know I am made of dirt, dust of the earth. I am human. I am weak. Forgive me for choices I make out of fear! Forgive me for not always saying "Yes, LORD". I desire to be a woman who says "Yes" to Your request ...

THANKSGIVING:  Father, thank You for all the provision! Thank You for setting the sun, moon, & stars in the heavens to govern the light You created! The sun reminds me of Your love & the moon reminds me of how Your think of every detail. Thank You for thinking of  EVERY detail in my life!!

INTERCESSION:  Father, in the name of Jesus, may (insert a name here) know Your faithful love! Your love looks on ____'s weakness & looks past his/her faults & sees all he/she will be when he/she turns to You. In the name of Jesus, we pray the Father's will be done in our lives & in the lives of those in our cities. Your kingdom come, Your will be done. Amen

Scripture Reference: Psalm 136:1-9, 23-26