Prayer dated May 16/22

ADORATION (v.12-15)

When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there.  Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing.  And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful. All who are with me send greetings to you. Greet those who love us in the faith.Grace be with you all

O Father, how glorious your kingdom will be, and I cannot wait for your return, my King. You’re all powerful, all seeing, all present. All your people are waiting and hoping for our eternal life with you. You’re our blessed hope, and nothing or anyone can snatch us away from you.

“What we asked is for God’s glory. We are not seeking a gift that may glorify us, bringing honour to human prowess or to human wisdom. We see that which will put crowns upon the head of our gracious God, and we seek it with the one pure desire that He may be glorified. Above all, we ask that which is dear to the heart of Christ. Jesus is the friend of sinners- for sinners He lived, He died, He rose, He pleads, and He reigns in glory.” ~Charles Spurgeon

CONFESSION

Holy Spirit, guide my every step so that I may not sin against God, for in you alone is my salvation. I’m thankful that I can pray to Jesus, who I consider my friend and with confidence, I laid all my prayers at his feet. Forgive me when I’ve doubted your ways, have no desire to be alone in prayer with you or have no interest in reading your word. O Father, forgive my unfaithfulness and do not be harsh with your servant. Pour your grace upon me like the anointed oil on a prophet’s head, and be kind to me as I have much to learn.

“This hard place in which you perhaps find yourself is the very place in which God is giving you opportunity to look only to Him, to spend time in prayer, and to learn long-suffering, gentleness, meekness – in short, to learn the depths of the love that Christ Himself has poured out on all of us.” ~ Elisabeth Elliot

THANKSGIVING

O Father, thank you for the churches who have kept accurate to your word, kept faithful, and taught sound doctrines to us in a profitable matter. Thank you for our health, friends, neighbours, car, property, and garden, and for the strength to accomplish our daily tasks. Without your blessings, we own nothing and are nothing.

“Sometimes life is so hard you can only do the next thing. Whatever that is just do the next thing. God will meet you there.” ~ Elisabeth Elliot

So, my friend, I hope you’re learning to pray to our beloved Jesus Christ through the scriptures. My prayer will be a springboard to your daily prayer with Him, for He is worthy and loving. There are no perfect sinners, so go ahead and pray your heart content to Him, ask forgiveness for strength, healing, and courage, but do so in a way that will glorify Him and not satisfy your selfish ambitions.

“My soul, bow down under a sense of your natural sinfulness and worship God. Admire the grace that saved you-the mercy that spares you-the love that pardons you!”~Charles Spurgeon

Let’s go pray!

RESOURCES

• Elizabeth Elliot quotes:https://www.azquotes.com/author/17940-Elisabeth_Elliot
• BibleGateway
• The Power of Prayer in a Believer’s Life by Charles Spurgeon

ADORATION

My Savior, Jesus Christ, poured on us his grace and gave us hope of eternal life. He promised that we’ll become heirs according to His word. Oh, my Savior has shown me a good and perfect path for my life. By His grace, now I have a purpose in my life to live a godly life in the present age. He made my life profitable to others and ready for any good work. His saying is all trustworthy, and I’ll walk in them all the days of my life.

Let us go, then, to our God, making confession of our sins. Individual confession is needed. I have sins that you might not discover in me, but they are there. You, too have sins in your families, in your businesses, in your private and public lives. Every man has a point of sin wherein he is separated from his fellows, and each man, therefore, make his own confession-with the fullest honesty and the deepest humiliation. Each one must add to his acknowledgements the humble prayer, ” Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts” (Ps.139:23)

Charles Spurgeon

CONFESSION (v.1-4)

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,  to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 
 

Oh, Jesus, teach us your goodness and loving-kindness. In my walk with you, Jesus, teach me not to speak against anyone plotting evil against your Anointed One. Guide my steps to be of good works for your kingdom and those who have believed in God and reach those who need comfort, caring, attentiveness, and showing perfect courtesy toward all people. Not only those who love us but also those who are foolish. All people need to hear the hope of eternal life; no one wants to perish or be made to believe that nothing is better than a bitter and lonely end.

“Let us bless His name exceeding great goodness to us and sing of all His lovingkindness that He has shown to us. Let us confess our unworthiness that He has deadness, our lethargy, our wanderrings of heart, and then, having confessed our faults, we may expect that at the very commancent God will visit us.”

Charles Spurgeon

THANKSGIVING

he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,  whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,  so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.  The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.

What an incredible Savior you’re; you saved your servant according to your own grace and not according to our work in righteousness. You’ve regenerated and renewed my heart, mind, and soul by pouring your Holy Spirit upon my soul. I’m thankful for your trustworthy word, and those who believe in God can devote themselves to good works which are profitable and excellent. The Holy Spirit taught God’s will, not mine, that was perfect and efficient. He guided every step so I might become the ideal heir, a born-again daughter, into his kingdom.

SUPPLICATION (v.9-11)

9But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned

Father, those who have stirred up a division for shameful gain, insatiable need, powerful position, and long-lasting fame. They hate your teachings, proclaim there is no God, and call themselves a god. They love war, love genocide of humankind, and are unfit for any good works. Your people, the poor, the orphans, and the widows, are caught amid this warfare of good and evil. Bring comfort and hope to their souls. All the nations have entered into judgment, for they shook their fists at the holy God with foolishness and pride, claiming, “There is no God!”. Come quickly, Jesus, end their evil deeds, as many are enduring suffering in your name. Give us the courage to endure(Joshua 1:9).

RESOURCES

• BibleGateway
• The Power of Prayer in a Believer’s Life by Charles Spurgeon

Read Titus 2 and pray over it. Then read my prayer for comfort and encouragement.

ADORATION (v.11-12)

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, 

My Savior and Redeemer of my soul, I’m blessed by your grace. You brought salvation to all people and did not take pleasure in punishing those who failed to obey you. You protect our souls from getting further into sin by renewing our minds with the Holy Spirit. Through your grace and salvation, we are trained to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions contradictory to your holiness.

“A definite object and earnest desire in prayer would not avail if they were not mixed with a still more essential and divine quality-namely, a firm faith in God. Do you believe in the power of prayer? There are many Christians who do not. They think prayer is a good thing, and they believe that it sometimes does wonders, but they do not think that prayer-real prayer- is always successful. They think that prayer’s effect depends upon many other things, but that it has no essential quality or power in itself. My own soul’s conviction is that prayer is the grandest power in the entire universe. It has more omnipotent force than any other force known to mankind. Prayer has as true, as real, as invaluable and influence over the entire universe as any of the laws of matter.”

Charle Spurgeon

CONFESSION (v.12b-13)

and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,  waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 

O Father, teach me how to live self-controlled, upright, and live my life in the present age with dignity and integrity that will reflect your will. Let me wait patiently for the blessed hope you promised to us. As your servant, I will wait till your return. You have appeared to us in the human form of Jesus Christ and died on the cross for us. Oh Jesus, let my soul rejoice in you always. Let my prayer be a sweet aroma. Teach my heart not to be boastful with pride. Guard my mind not to hate my enemies but pray for them that all may be well with my soul.

THANKSGIVING (v.14)

 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

My heart is blessed by Jesus’ perfect sacrifice, and you’ve redeemed my soul from God’s wrath by shedding your blood at the cross. Jesus, you’ve brought the only hope of salvation to all of us.

“See now, God breathes the desire into our hearts, and as soon as the desire is there, before we call, He begins to answer. Before the words have reached halfway to heaven, while they are yet trembling on the lip- knowing the words we mean to speak-He begins to answer them, sends the angel, and brings the needed blessing. Why, the thing is a revelation if you could see it with your own eyes.”

Charles Spurgeon

SUPPLICATION (v.15)

15 Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

O Lord, I will declare of these beautiful things. Help me pray for the homeless, needy, single moms, families struggling with a child’s health, and seniors who passed their days alone and unloved by their relatives. You see all things. Knows all things. Teach us how to pray unceasingly. In you, we can find rest for our weary souls (Psalm 23). I prayed for my family and friends.

Here is one of my favourite songs by Charles Wesley

Arise, my Soul, Arise.

Arise, my soul, arise; shake off thy guilty fears;
The bleeding sacrifice in my behalf appears:
Before the throne my surety stands,
Before the throne my surety stands,
My name is written on His hands.

He ever lives above, for me to intercede;
His all redeeming love, His precious blood, to plead:
His blood atoned for all our race,
His blood atoned for all our race,
And sprinkles now the throne of grace.

Five bleeding wounds He bears; received on Calvary;
They pour effectual prayers; they strongly plead for me:
“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,
“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,
“Nor let that ransomed sinner die!”

The Father hears Him pray, His dear anointed One;
He cannot turn away, the presence of His Son;
His Spirit answers to the blood,
His Spirit answers to the blood,
And tells me I am born of God.

My God is reconciled; His pardoning voice I hear;
He owns me for His child; I can no longer fear:
With confidence I now draw nigh,
With confidence I now draw nigh,
And “Father, Abba, Father,” cry.

Let’s go pray!

RESOURCES

• BibleGateway:https://www.biblegateway.com/

• The Power of Prayer in a Believer’s Life by Charles Spurgeon
• AlltheLyrics.com: https://www.allthelyrics.com/lyrics/charles_wesley/arise_my_soul_arise-lyrics-1129026.html

Prayer dated May 8/22

ADORATION (v.1)

1 But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.

O Lord, your teachings are sound, truthful, profitable, holy, and perfect for my soul. All your instructions are good, and your Word saved my soul from the pit of darkness and gave me a purpose in life. Your teachings suit everyone, and you’ve given us excellent and profitable instructions. Through your Word, we shall know You.

CONFESSION (v.2-5)

 2 Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. 3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.

My Savior and comforter teach me to be self-controlled, sound in faith, and love, reverent in behaviour, and not slander others with harsh and unnecessary words. Help me to become wiser from your teachings so that I may teach young women to love their husbands and children, but most importantly, to have a deeper relationship with You.

” We do not forget to eat or go to work or go to our beds to rest, but we often do forget to wrestle with God in prayer and spend long periods in consecrated fellowship with our Father and our God. With many believers, the worldly ledger is so bulky that you cannot move it, and the Bible-representing their devotion- is so small that you might almost put it in your coat pocket. Hours for the world! Minutes for Christ!”

Charles Spurgeon

THANKSGIVING

 6 Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. 7 Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, 8 and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. 9 Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, 10 not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

Thank you for your steadfast love and love-kindness toward my soul. Thank you to all the young men you have called to minister to us. Keep them sound in faith as they face cultural and political pressures. Thank you to our children for our property, friends, and health. Thank you to our good neighbours. In you alone, I shall trust.

SUPPLICATION

I pray for the W. family and protect their foster children from harm and deception. I pray for our friends that need a new home to rent. (I prayed for my children).

“Still remember that prayer is always to be offered in submission to God’s will. When we say that God hears prayer, we do not mean that He always gives us literally what we ask for. We do mean, however, that He gives us what is best for us and if He does not give us the mercy we ask for in silver, he bestows it upon us in gold. If He does not take away the thorn in the flesh, yet he says, “My grace is sufficient for thee’ (2 Cor. 12:9). We never offer up prayer without inserting the clause, either in spirit or in words, “Nevertheless not as I will as thou will” (Matt.26:39). We can only pray without an ‘if’ when we are quite sure that our will must be God’s will, because God’s will is fully our will”

Charles Spurgeon

I’m reading through the book of Isaiah and just finished the audiobook on Joshua. Also, I will recite Titus’s entire text to a friend this Friday. Now lets us pray! How was your weekend?

RESOURCES

• BibleGateway:https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Titus%202&version=ESV
• The Power of Prayer in a Believer’s Life by Charles Spurgeon

For some reason, I got up tired this morning. My loving husband told me to take it slow today as I did not want to rush outside to paint my old window frames, complete those newly raised beds, or level the ground around the chicken coop. Maybe I’m simply tired because it’s a rainy and cloudy day, or I just went to late to bed last night. Even writing my blog, which I love doing, was hard. So for all my beloved friends and believers, I know you also have those tiresome days. So let’s go pray together!

This prayer is dated May 6/22. Read Titus in its entirety to have an overall of this short letter.

10 For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. 11 They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. 12 One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth. 15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work. 
Titus 1:10-16

ADORATION

“Power of prayer is very much the gauge of our spiritual condition”

Charles Spurgeon

Savior of my soul, you’ve changed my heart and mind so I could love you without any conflict of thoughts. Holy Spirit, you’ve protected me from harm in my youth, and now you’re guiding my thoughts to be more linked to Jesus’s love and commands. Father of mercies, you allowed my prayers to enter your sanctuary because Jesus intercepted my sins. You’re the best! In you alone I find peace, grace, and mercy.

“Prayer comes spontaneously from those who abide in Jesus. Prayer is the natural outgushing of the vine branch without any conscious effort and simply because of its living union with the stem, so prayer buds and blossoms and fruits out of souls abiding in Jesus”

Charles Spurgeon

CONFESSION

O Jesus, let your teachings be pure to my heart; let nothing defile my body, mind, and soul. Increase your wisdom in my heart. Let me profess my testimony in a way that will honour and praise your name on high and forgive me when worldly doubts and fears assailed me. Forgive me if I’ve done offensive behaviour, disobeyed your commands unconsciously, or said prideful words that do not fit your kingdom. Forgive me when I’ve devoted my time longer than necessary to worldly passions and pleasures that contradict your teaching or can harm my soul’s well-being.

“Abiding in the Lord Jesus not only means trusting in HIm. It also includes our yielding ourselves to Him to receive His life and to let that life work out its results in us. We live in Him, by Him, for HIm, to HIm, when we abide in HIm. We feel that all our separate life has gone: “For ye are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3)”

Charles Spurgeon

THANKSGIVING

O Lord, your goodness and mercy have filled my heart with pleasurable, satisfying joy. Thank you for having kept the highway dry and safe this entire week. Thank you for allowing me to learn about firearms and to be able to handle them safely. Thank you for the opportunity of testing my intelligence through this study. It was a fantastic group of people and instructors.

“Abide in Him as to your very life. Do not say, “I have been a Chrisitan man now twenty years and can do without continued dependence upon Christ.” You could not do without Him if you were as old as Methuselah. Your very being as a Christian depends upon your still clinging, still trusting, still depending. This He must give you, for it all comes from Him and HIm alone. To sum it all up, if you want that splendid power of prayer, you must remain in loving, living, lasting, conscious, practical, abiding union with the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Charles Spurgeon

SUPPLICATION

Jesus, save K. and J. from their demons, clear their consciences, and let the Holy Spirit regenerate their hearts to respond to your grace. Let them both cry to the Father for the deliverance of slavery they’ve embraced. I pray for Laura, guard her heart against religious discontent, and show her the steadfast love of the Father and Lord Jesus Christ. Give those with a heart of bitterness toward others to be more forgiving and patient. I pray for those who desire clarity of hospitality to build confidence in that area. Help all of us to be worthy of your name.

” The gifts of grace are not enjoyed all at once by believers. Coming to Christ, we are saved by a true union with Him., but it is by abiding in that union that we further receive the purity, the joy, the power, and the blessedness that are stored up in Christ for His people.”

Charles Spurgeon

Have a wonderful week with Jesus Christ. If you’re not a believer, pray to Jesus Christ that he will open your eyes to his excellent work of salvation. He came to save sinners and offer us his gift of grace. Believe He came and died and was resurrected.

Let’s Go Pray!

RESOURCES

• BibleGateway
• The Power of Prayer in a Believer’s Life by Charles Spurgeon
• https://www.missiontools.org/resources/the-power-of-prayer-in-a-believers-life-by-charles-spurgeon/

For many years, I’ve prayed over the Psalm and the Puritan prayer book called the Valley of Vision. They are divided into three sections: Adoration, confession, and application. King David was a musician and poet at heart. He was the perfect king of his nation, and God used his gift to write beautiful psalms of praise and supplication of a sinner to a holy God; through the Holy Spirit, he was guided. The Psalms are still relevant to us today. But what about praying over one of Paul’s letters? It is no difference in how you would proceed. Paul’s letters were given to the churches; praying over them will be excellent and profitable for us. In the coming weeks, I’ll share my prayers from the book of Titus.

ADORATION

O Father, the God of grace and peace, let your steadfast love endures forever. O Jesus, Son of God, you love my soul more than anyone else. O Holy Spirit, the guardian of my soul, you’ve taught me great things about Jesus and his ways. Continue protecting me from myself, from others, and from warfare.

CONFESSION

I pray that you’ll forgive my arrogant heart when I seek the wisdom of this world instead of your excellent teachings. Teach us how to be more hospitable, to become a lover of good works for your kingdom, and be holy and disciplined at home, at work, and in every area of our daily life. To teach our children and grandchildren about who you are. “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honour your father and mother,” this is the first commandment with a promise, “that it may go well with you, live long in the land (Ephesians 6:1-2), and love your spouse. “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her(Ephesians 5:25). We may be sound in faith and hold firm to your teachings regardless of the pressure this fallen world wants to offer that contradicts your word or has lied about it. “Therefore, you are great, O Lord God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears (2 Samuel 7:22).

THANKSGIVING

Thank you for my health and my husband, my life companion. Thank you for my three children. They all have different temperaments that make them unique and loving. Thank you for regenerating the hearts of two of my children.” He saved us, not because of our works in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). Thank you for continuing working in our marriage and for the friendly relationship we’ve developed with other believers. I pray for Rosalyne and help her be strong and firm in her love and faith. Made her daughter see that love is more significant than anything else. Protect her from hurtful events. Praise the Lord; this prayer was answered!

SUPPLICATION

I pray for the Chamberlain family to heal their child’s brain seizure. Provide doctors with excellent knowledge and care for the child to be healed or in a better situation. I pray for Jonathan & Kylie to cast their demons out of their body and mind. Clear their mind that they will see the light in Jesus Christ and distrust the darkness they’ve embraced with their ignorance and foolishness. Claimed their souls and let them not perish in the hands of evil, for you, O God, to not delight in destroying the soul of men. I pray for wisdom in reading your word, prayer, and living in the present age. Help me memorize a new letter. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path”(Psalm 119:105).

“Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.”— Joshua 1:7

Our God’s tender love for his servants makes him concerned for the state of their inward feelings. He desires them to be of good courage.

Some esteem it a small thing for a believer to be vexed with doubts and fears, but God thinks not so. From this text it is plain that our Master would not have us entangled with fears. He would have us without carefulness, without doubt, without cowardice.

Our Master does not think so lightly of our unbelief as we do. When we are desponding we are subject to a grievous malady, not to be trifled with, but to be carried at once to the beloved Physician. Our Lord loveth not to see our countenance sad.

It was a law of Ahasuerus that no one should come into the king’s court dressed in mourning: this is not the law of the King of kings, for we may come mourning as we are; but still he would have us put off the spirit of heaviness, and put on the garment of praise, for there is much reason to rejoice.

The Christian man ought to be of a courageous spirit, in order that he may glorify the Lord by enduring trials in an heroic manner. If he be fearful and fainthearted, it will dishonour his God.

Besides, what a bad example it is. This disease of doubtfulness and discouragement is an epidemic which soon spreads amongst the Lord’s flock. One downcast believer makes twenty souls sad.

Moreover, unless your courage is kept up, Satan will be too much for you. Let your spirit be joyful in God your Saviour, the joy of the Lord shall be your strength, and no fiend of hell shall make headway against you; but cowardice throws down the banner.

Moreover, labour is light to a man of cheerful spirit; and success waits upon cheerfulness. The man who toils, rejoicing in his God, believing with all his heart, has success guaranteed. He who sows in hope shall reap in joy; therefore, dear reader, “be thou strong, and very courageous.”

Charles H. Spurgeon

Let’s Go Pray!

RESOURCES

• Morning & Evening by Charles H. Spurgeon: https://spurgeonsmorningandevening.com/2022/05/11/
• BibleGateway:https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/