Precious Jesus: Day Ten, Forty Days of Prayer

And [Jesus] is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent (Colossians 1:18 ESV). 

We praise you precious Jesus, glory and honor be to you. Blessed Christ who for our sake condescended from your heavenly throne, you came into our fallen misery and became God incarnate in human flesh–one with us. We seek you, make our hearts a precious dwelling place for your presence, adorn our lives with your fruit, replenish our ministries with your gifts, and possess our hearts fully and completely.

You are Jesus our Savior, be our complete and total deliverer and rid us of the sin that so easily ruins the sweet fellowship of your presence. Grant us committed hearts full of affection and devotion, give us compassion for others’ pain, trials, and struggles. Pray that we may love others as you have loved us, that we may forgive as you forgave us and that we may show mercy to the merciless. In your blessed name, we pray. Amen.

~~ Fr. Glenn E. Davis

Sustain Us: Day Nine, Forty Days of Prayer

Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved (Psalm 55:22 ESV). 

Lord, we cast our burdens upon you for they are heavy. Our hearts are broken and downcast. Our spirits are burdened over loved ones who are sick, lost, and dying. Please come and sustain us as you have promised. Please heal and save those we fervently love and diligently serve. Let us not be moved from steadfast faith and complete trust in your all-mighty power. Do not allow Satan to come and steal our hope in your faithfulness. We thank you, Lord, that you hear our prayers on behalf of our loved ones. Come and have mercy on us, we pray in Jesus’s name. Amen!

~~India B. Davis

God of All Grace: Day Eight, Forty Days of Prayer

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people (Titus 2:11 NLT).

Almighty God, God of grace and God of glory, whose Son, Jesus, is full of grace and truth. Thank you that your grace relentlessly pursued us and never stopped pursuing us until you won our hearts by your great love. Your grace was undeserved and unmerited, You rescued us from a just judgment of our own making. Your grace called us to trust Jesus Christ as our Savior, the one who took all our sin upon himself. Your grace lifted us out the pit of our sin, renewed us, empowered us, and elevated us into Your presence.

Assist us, Lord, to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Assist us to know that your grace is available at all times, in every need, and for every good work (2 Cor. 9:8). Assist us to experience your grace enabling us to say, “no,” to ungodliness and to upright and godly lives (Titus 2:12); through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

~~ Cn. Glenn E. Davis

Approval: Day Seven, Forty Days of Prayer

For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels (Mark 8:38 ESV).

Lord, I confess making an idol of what other people think. I am a slave to the fear of man. Too many times I am reluctant to be associated with you, the cross, and the gospel. Too many times I keep silent when I know I should share your good news with others who desperately need it. Forgive me for accepting things that you disapprove in order to be accepted by the world that disapproves of you. You chose to be rejected as the worst criminal rather than be accepted by the wealthy and influential. Forgive me for valuing the approval of my friends and co-workers more than your approval. I thank you for the blood-bought forgiveness of Jesus. Amen.

~~Nicholas Beckham

We Are Your Children: Day Six, Forty Days of Prayer

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. (Hebrews 12:1–2 NIV).

Lord, our God and Father, we thank you for letting us walk in the way of Jesus Christ, for helping us on the way to the Cross. Come what may, we belong to the Savior, and we are your children. We want to be joyful and full of faith, full of hope, full of patience, for your mercy leads us on. In all, we experience how often we can say, “Thanks be to God. He has helped us here, he has helped there, he helps every day in spite of all the evil in the world. Praise and thanks and honor be to him forever!” In Jesus’s name. Amen.

–Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt

ht: daily dig

You Are Mighty: Day Five, Forty Days of Prayer

God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will (Heb 2:4 ESV).

O’ Lord God, you are mighty. Though we believe this truth with our minds, please make it real in our hearts. You are the God who parted the Red Sea leading your people out of slavery in Egypt. You defied Pharoah with plagues, signs, and wonders. You healed the sick, provided manna, and delivered Israel from her enemies. You have taken down the mighty and lifted up the poor and needy.

O’ Lord, our God, we ask to witness your miracles again. We are desperate for your power to pour out on us and through us. We ask during this Lenten season that your church will not be barren. But, your Holy Spirit will work freely in our daily lives blessing the lonely and hurting. We ask that your kingdom power manifest where we live and work: our homes, offices, hospitals, schools and government. In our darkest hours, we seek your face and place our hope in you. Come, almighty God in and among your people and let us see your wonder-working power again.  We ask through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God and forever. Amen.

–India B. Davis

Faithful Obedience: Day Four, Forty Days of Prayer

I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.” Psalm 40:8.

Heavenly Father, through the ascension of your Son Jesus, our Lord, you sent the Holy Spirit to come along side us and to fill us, to give us power to live lives of faithful obedience, to love our neighbor and minister effectively. We know you to be a good Father who gives good gifts to His children and the Holy Spirit to those who ask. Fill me, my family, and my fellow believers afresh with your Holy Spirit today. Give us the gifts of the Spirit so we may minister to each other and our community in His power. Lastly, manifest through us the fruits of your Spirit so that our lives display Jesus and bring you glory. Amen.

~~ Fr. Scott Howard

Lying Voices: Day Three, Forty Days of Prayer

 

When [Satan] lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies .

Jn 8:44 NLT

Prayer: Lord, I repent of listening to voices that say that you do not love me.

I repent of listening to voices that say I am worthless.

I repent of listening to voices that say I am not good enough.

I repent of listening to voices that say I have a right to be angry.

I repent of listening to voices that say I have a right to unforgiveness and bitterness.

I repent of listening to voices that say I am not forgiven.

I repent of listening to voices that say,
I do not have to lay down my life,
for my husband/wife,
for my children,
for others,
and for you Lord.

Lord teach to only hear only your voice and make real your word in my heart. Amen!

~~India Davis

Send Us Out: Day Two, Forty Days of Prayer

 

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Matt 9:37-38

Lord, send us out to preach your gospel to the lost, the least, and the lonely. Father, show us how to reach our family, friends, and neighbors who do not know you. Spirit, give us boldness to proclaim your truth without fear or reticence. Break our hearts with love for those who need your love the most. We pray that no one would be lost because we failed to heed your command to make disciples of all nations. Help us to walk in wisdom, making the most of every opportunity you have given us. Open the hearts of those we encounter to hear your gospel. May you add to our number daily those who are being saved.

~~ Nicholas Beckham

Forgive Us, Lord: Day One, Forty Days of Prayer

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me

Ps 51:10, ESV

Heavenly Father, we are grateful for this special day, Ash Wednesday, a day to remember that we are frail, weak, wounded and sinful. A day to remind ourselves that we are a people desperately needful of your great grace.

We pray convict us by your Holy Spirit of our deep selfishness, stubborn pride, and hard-hearted wills. Forgive us, Lord, for breaking your heart by our selfish attitudes and for hurting others by our wrongful actions. Forgive us, Lord, for violating your explicit commands and for ignoring the implicit leading of your Holy Spirit. Forgive us, Lord, for indulging our flesh, lusting with our eyes, and being full of the pridefulness of life. Forgive us, Lord, for insensitivity, anger, lying, jealousy, envy, and all the deeds of our fallenness. Forgive us, Lord, for not loving You with all our hearts and for not loving our neighbors as we love ourselves.

Jesus Christ, we pray, empower us, to receive your forgiveness bought for us by your shed blood on the Cross. Renew within us the desire to please You, the hunger to know You, and the passion to trust You, all day every day. We ask through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

~~ Cn. Glenn E. Davis