My Prayer for You

It is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, ….   Philippians 1:9a

“And he (Jesus) said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the great and first commandment.  And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39 ESV)

It is my prayer that you love God with all your heart, soul, and mind.

I pray that you also love the people around you.

…. with knowledge and all discernment,  …. Philippians 1:9b

I pray that your love is not simply an emotional love, but rather it is love that comes from embracing the truths found in scripture.

…. so that you may approve what is excellent …. Philippians 1:10a

I pray that your growing love for God and others, as well as your love for Biblical truths, enables you, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to know right from wrong.  I pray that you will become better equipped to make right decisions and good choices.

…. and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, …. Philippians 1:10b

I pray that you have a right relationship with God.  I pray that you relate to others in such a way that you do not cause them to stumble.

….  filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, …. Philippians 1:11a

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  (Galatians 5:22-23 ESV)

I pray that your life is full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

…. to the glory and praise of God.   Philippians 1:11b

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV)

I pray that your life glorifies God.

This is my prayer for you.  Feel free to pray this for me.

+13

God, Hold My Hand

A Model Prayer – Part 6

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  Matthew 6:9-13 ESV

…. fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10 ESV)

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. (Psalm 32:8 ESV)

Lead us …. Deliver us from evil

A Model Prayer

+11

God will forgive us, but …..

A Model Prayer – Part 5

Will God forgive us when we confess our sins to Him? Yes, of course!

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9 ESV)

Yes, God forgives our sins, but we need to look carefully at what we are saying if we pray the words in Matthew 6:12.

Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  Matthew 6:9-13 ESV

In this prayer we are asking God to forgive us as we have forgiven others.  If we are thinking about the words we are praying, we would only pray this phrase if we have in fact already forgiven those who have offended us.

Now look at the two verses that follow this model prayer.

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:14-15 ESV)

If we want a right relationship with God and with others we really do need to be willing to forgive anyone for any offense they may have committed against us.

One final passage:

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” [22] Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times. (Matthew 18:21-22 ESV)

We need to be praying for God’s forgiveness for our sins, and we also need to be forgiving those who have sinned against us.

Lord forgive my sins and help me to forgive those who have sinned against me.

A Model Prayer – To be continued in a future blog.

+12

Let Your Needs be Made Known

A Model Prayer – Part 4

Jesus teaches us to address God the Father as “Our Father.”  He also teaches us to address God as a perfect and holy God.   We are taught to pray for God’s will to be done on earth and in heaven.

Jesus’ model prayer also teaches us that it is o.k. to ask for personal needs.

Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  Matthew 6:9-13 ESV

….  your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Matthew 6:8 ESV)

Since God already knows what we need, we should feel free to let our needs be made known to God.

[6] do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6 ESV)

A Model Prayer – To be continued in a future blog.

+10

Your Will Be Done

A Model Prayer – Part 3

In His model prayer, Jesus taught His disciples (us) to pray, “…. Your kingdom come, your will be done, ….”

Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  Matthew 6:9-13 ESV

Many times our prayers are centered around the things we want rather than being centered on the things God wants. God uses the Bible, the Holy Spirit, nature, people, and other sources to teach us His will.  When we pray for God’s will to be done, we are praying for Biblical principles to be put into practice.

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, …. . (Matthew 6:33 ESV)

…., but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, ….. (Romans 12:2 ESV)

….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 1:10 ESV)

 Our prayer for today could be:

“Holy Father, 
Help me, with the power of the Holy Spirit, to put the Biblical principles you have taught me into practice today.”

A Model Prayer – To be continued in a future blog.

+11

Holy, Holy, Holy

A Model Prayer – Part 2

As Jesus was teaching his disciples (us) how to pray, He reminded them (us) that God is a Holy God.

Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  Matthew 6:9-13 ESV

Prayer provides all of us an opportunity to worship a holy, perfect, sinless God.  In our prayers we need to remember to address our God as a Holy God.

In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.  Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.  And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” (Isaiah 6:1-3 ESV)

We were created to worship God and a Holy God deserves our worship.

Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness. (Psalm 29:2 ESV)

Take some time today to worship your Heavenly Father.

A Model Prayer – To be continued in a future blog.

+9

A Model Prayer – Part 1

Throughout His ministry on earth, Christ taught his disciples many valuable lessons.  One of these lessons is found in Matthew chapter 6.  Here Jesus was teaching his disciples (and us) how to pray.

Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  Matthew 6:9-13 ESV

Every time we pray this prayer we should be reminded that God is a Father to all Christians.

If we are a Christian, God is our Father.

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, (John 1:12 ESV) [italics added]

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. …. (1 John 3:1 ESV) [italics added]

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, …. (Romans 8:16-17 ESV)[italics added]

As Christians, we are a part of God’s family.  We need to remind ourselves that our prayers are conversations between a Father and his beloved child.

What an awesome privilege it is to have conversations with our Heavenly Father.

A Model Prayer – To be continued in a future blog.

+11

A Life Changing Prayer

The Last in a Series of Life Changing Prayer Requests

Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end.
Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.
Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it.
Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!
Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.
Confirm to your servant your promise, that you may be feared.
Turn away the reproach that I dread, for your rules are good.
Behold, I long for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life!
(Psalm 119:33-40 ESV)

Praying scripture back to God can be an enriching experience.  Try it, using the above passage.

…. pray without ceasing, …. (1 Thessalonians 5:17 ESV)

Putting it all together.

Psalm 119:33-40 was the passage of scripture used for the past eight blogs.  If you missed any of  these blogs you can read them on the Seeking His Kingdom Ministries web site.

+13

Give Me Life.

The Eighth in a Series of Life Changing Prayer Requests

Behold, I long for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life! (Psalm 119: 40 ESV)

The more time we spend in the Word, the better we will know God and the better we will understand His plan for our life. We will learn that God is offering us full and abundant life now and for all of eternity.

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10 (ESV)

I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. ( NIV)

My purpose is to give life in all its fullness. (TLB)

Our prayer for today is, “Give me full and abundant life today and for all of eternity.”

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 ESV)

Check out  “WHOEVER BELIEVES ….” at www.seekinghiskingdomministries.com

+13

We Need to be Focused.

The Seventh in a Series of Life Changing Prayer Requests.

An expression I frequently use as a teacher is, “You need to be focused.”  I use this expression because I believe students are missing something important when they are distracted.  Distractions are like weeds or thorns.  In The Parable of the Sower, some good seeds were choked (distracted) by weeds or thorns.  “And some (of the seed) fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it.” (Luke 8:7 ESV)  The good was choked out by the bad.

We need to be sure that the good seed God is planting in us is not being choked out by weeds.

Turn away the reproach that I dread, for your rules are good. Psalm 119:39 (ESV)

We may need to be praying, “Take away the reproach, shame, dishonor, insults, rebuke, taunts, and distractions that surround me and let me focus on You and Your Word.”

And some (seed) fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” (Luke 8:8 ESV)

+14