Bonnie’s Prayer Affair Prayers

SUPPLICATION

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GENERAL TRIBULATION

[We all can think of a Christian sister or brother experiencing so much affliction they may not be able to pray for themselves. Here’s an opportunity to pray for them. Fill their name in the blanks.]

TRIALS REFINE FAITH

 

Screen Shot 2016-05-16 at 12.27.08 PM“Not believing that God has a wise purpose for every event helps conceal our idolatries” John Piper (ref#124, p115). And usually the idolatry is wanting things to be like they were before the tribulation John Piper (ref#124, p115). The idol is ourselves—our agenda—desiring to make ourselves happy.

Just as You humbled the Israelites in the wilderness and let them go hungry, You have created this adverse circumstance to test ____ —to see if ____ has faith enough to trust You (Deut 8:2-3). FATHER, I would never pray You send ____ tribulations, but I do pray You always strengthen (his/her) faith. How else can (he/she) prove to You that (he/she) really trusts Your wisdom, grace and power John Piper (ref#124, p115)?

____ is actually to be envied in situations where You discipline and instruct (him/her). Not only do You test (him/her), but You give (him/her) power to keep (himself/herself) in the midst of the adversity (Ps 94:12-13). Tribulation struggles are much better than no struggles at all.

FATHER, may ____ trust You completely in this trial—to the point of rejoicing in it. Let (him/her) consider it a matter of “…unadulterated joy [without any admixture of sorrow]…” whenever (he/she) “…falls into the midst of variegated trials.” Make ____, FATHER, through the testing of (his/her) faith, be a recipient of “…patience which bears up and does not lose heart under trials” Kenneth S. Wuest (ref#37, p539, [James 1:2-3]).

THANKSGIVING

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CARRIED THROUGH TRIBULATION

Screen Shot 2016-05-16 at 12.22.46 PM“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?  Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God” (Ps 42:11 ESV).

“Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by” (Ps 57:1-3 ESV).

FATHER, when my body reels from fright and I can’t stop the reaction though my thoughts tell me that everything is fine.  I collapse in tears at Your feet.  I know full well that there is nothing in this world to be frightened of with You brooding over every circumstance You give me.

I know I must use my faith to span the gap between how I feel and what I know.  But, I thank You that You make up what is lacking of my faith (Jer 3:22).  You send out Your light and Your truth; You give me a lantern, compass and a map so I can find You (Ps 43:3).  You are the only one who can fulfill Your purpose for me, I can’t.  You must come form heaven and save me (Ps 57:2-3).

And thank You that You do send Your truth and light to me.  You meet me with all I ask You for (Ps 59:10).  You bring me out from under the burdens (Ex 6:6).  You send out Your steadfast love and faithfulness to me and make me praise You again (Ps 57:3).

CONFESSION

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HOLLERING HELP

Screen Shot 2016-05-16 at 12.02.07 PM…FATHER, forgive me for allowing my natural thoughts to ravish my body. I know I can’t successfully navigate my circumstances so I worry, and worry hurts me instead of helps. O LORD, turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am afflicted.

The troubles of my heart are multiplied; bring me out of my distresses (Ps 25:16-17). I need You to lead me toward taking control of my mind; give me the wherewithal to renew it (Rom 12:1,2)—stopping natural thought and turning toward You.

I admit my lack of strength in my present circumstances (Ps 71:9). In the multitude of Your mercy and the abundance of Your loving-kindness, hear me and answer me. Rescue me, do not let me sink, I plead (Ps 69:13-15).

In You, I take refuge. In Your righteousness deliver me and liberate me; incline Your ear to me, and save me. Be to me a shelter to which I may continually come, for You are my fortress (Ps 71:1-3).

My human mind attempts to accomplish its will with brute strength, but LORD, I ask You to strengthen me by Your SPIRIT so that my strength is accomplished with no physical exhaustion but with spiritual strength that is a glorious inner strength (Eph 3:16).

LORD, I know You will not restrain Your mercy from me; Your streafast love and Your faithfulness will ever preserve me (Ps 40:11). You say in Isaiah 41:10 that You will strengthen and harden me to difficulties, yes, You will help me. You will hold me up and retain me with Your victorious right hand. Because You are my help, I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works (Ps 145:5). Help me now set my thoughts on all You have done for me.

All Your deeds, LORD, are awesome. They pour forth the fame of Your abundant goodness; they sing aloud of Your righteousness (Ps 145:6-7). What hope and peace Your Words have brought to me. What joy they will always bring, for CHRIST is eternal and my renewed mind is a result of being dead to sin and alive in CHRIST—a position that You graciously and freely give me (Rom 6:9-11).

I will attest with vigor—my peace comes by being alive in CHRIST. I can do all things by being in CHRIST who strengthens me (Phil 4:13).

ADORATION

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COVENANT OF WORKS

Screen Shot 2016-05-16 at 11.49.35 AM“Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners….” (Rom 5:19 NLT). “This divinely chosen arrangement whereby Adam determined the destiny of his descendants, has been called the ‘covenant of works,’…” The Reformation Study Bible (ref#56, p13, “The Fall”).

My natural-born condition of wanting to decide for myself what is good or bad is the reason this covenant exists. FATHER, I am prone to establish for myself a collection of activities I consider good and bad and then work to do the good. Left to myself, without Your input, FATHER, it makes sense to me that if I work at being good You will bless me; this is the “covenant of works.” My part is to be as good as I can, Your part is to bless me and invite me into heaven—I hope—if I can just do enough good to satisfy You…

 “…the human heart would much rather offer to God its works, no matter how costly, than humble itself to confess sin. That is the reason why man is always predisposed to go the way of works;…” Roy and Revel Hession (ref#100, p 80).

You, FATHER, established the “covenant of works” with Adam and Eve in the Garden. You were to be their GOD and they were to be Your people; You gave commands and they were to follow them. And You warned them about the consequences if they did not follow Your commands: “…you shall surely die’” (Gen 2:17 ESV).

The “covenant of works” requires obedience (Lev 18:5); perfect obedience leads to life (ref#63, p517). But now, as with Adam, if I break this covenant “the punishment…is still in effect…death” Wayne Grudem (ref#63, p517-518).

Since I do not have the ability to obey every one of Your commands, my only choice is to give up directing my own life and put myself under the Lordship of CHRIST. If I trust Him to fulfill all Your covenant requirements for me, then I shall live forever and never die.

For this I am humbled, LORD GOD; JESUS is my escape from the covenant of works that I cannot keep. You are Jehovah-Jireh, my Provider.

“O HEAVENLY FATHER,

Teach me to see…

that Christ does not desire me…

to live in self-confidence in my own strength…”

The Valley of Vision (ref#76, p57).

SUPPLICATION

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PROVISIONS

[We all know someone who is dealing with financial problems. Here is an opportunity to pray for them. Fill their name in the blanks.]

WARNINGS AGAINST HOARDING

Screen Shot 2016-05-14 at 2.28.17 PM…FATHER, I lift up ____ as (he/she) has asked for prayer. Give (him/her) the ability to evaluate (his/her) resources correctly. (His/Her) possessions You give that they might be “consumed in use and…meet the legitimate requirements of the body” Dietrich Bonhoeffer (ref#10, p174-175).  Remind ____ You give earthly goods to be used, not to be collected.

I beseech You, FATHER, to give ____ food suitable for (him/her)—food that will nourish and preserve (him/her), and that You would give it day by day. Assist (him/her) to not be over-zealous and careful for tomorrow but by daily prayer obtain daily supplies from You.

THANKSGIVING

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THE BRIDE OF CHRIST

Screen Shot 2016-05-14 at 2.13.27 PM“My beloved is mine, and I am his;…” (Song 2:16 ESV).

FATHER, CHRIST is mine, “I possess him, I have interest in him, as my head and my husband; and I am his, possessed of him, owned by him, given up unto him: and that as to my Beloved in a conjugal relation” John Owen (ref#35, p153). CHRIST and I are far from equal—He never sins, I do—but I am part of His bride, the church, and will attend the “marriage supper of the Lamb” (Rev 19:9).

FATHER, remind me that CHRIST and I always stand facing each other holding hands in mutual resignation like couples in a marriage service. He takes me to be His, to love and care for me; I take Him to be mine giving myself up to be His in obedience.

He says, “…I know by experience those that are mine, and those that are mine know me by experience, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father…”  Kenneth S. Wuest (ref#37, p238, [John 10:14-15]). And so, CHRIST, if I love You, then I am known by You (1 Cor 8:3). You make rich provision for my needs, You pay all my debts and I can share in Your wealth and You even allow me to assume Your name (ref#34, July 22nd AM). My sin is covered by my Bridegroom. His puts on me His very own comeliness that makes me beautiful—even perfect (ref#35, p156).

And, on my part it is to consent to accept all He gives—to “receive, embrace, and submit unto the Lord Jesus, as…husband, Lord, and Savior—to abide with him…and be ruled by him forever” John Owen (ref#35, p157).

FATHER, I thank You that You have made me prefer CHRIST counting everything else as rubbish compared to Him (Php 3:8). Thank You for my heart change so I am willing to give myself up to Him. I desire He see my face and hear my voice and count it as sweet and lovely (Song 2:14).

“He is…your Husband, never seeking a divorce; your Friend, sticking closer than a brother; your Shepherd, with you in death’s dark vale. He is your help and your deliverer; your castle and your high tower; the horn of your strength, your confidence, your joy, your all in all…” Charles Spurgeon (ref#34, April 19th PM).

CONFESSION

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SIN DOES NO PERMANENT DAMAGE

Screen Shot 2016-05-14 at 2.07.49 PM…FATHER, I know sin has consequences, but it does no permanent damage. Sin has put me in shambles; I am like the rubble of a building but through my acceptance of CHRIST’s work on the cross the HOLY SPIRIT will purify and refine me back into a building gloriously enough for You to dwell in. No matter how horrific my sin or how horrific someone has sinned again me, You provide the way for my whole soul to be restored (ref#15, [Acts 9:31]).

Sin is a past issue with You. And, it may be too, with me, once I roll the situation over to You. To nullify sin’s damage, LORD, You require, by faith, I prove CHRIST conquered sin by putting the incident behind me, as You have put it behind You. Yes, I may deal with a consequence of sin everyday but it does not need to trigger a flash back to the original sin. I need to purposefully break the circle of returning to negative thoughts.

Direct me, FATHER, to fixing my eyes on JESUS (Heb 12:2), recalling His love for me that is stronger than death (Song 8:6), praying He bestow such love on me so that I’m able to bestow it on myself and the ones I have sinned against or the ones that have sinned against me. This becomes the entrance into restoration.

LORD, hand out enough faith to me that I know Your forgiveness heals the damage of sin; You will restore (Isa 57:14-19); this is Your promise! Be with me as I prove Your healing by letting You tear away habits of old hurtful thoughts and permitting You to replace them with new habits of thinking.

I must willingly let You work even though I, quite possibly, will not have any recognizable changed feelings. (Proper feelings may never come, but freedom will and the joy of following truth will easily override any lack of feelings I long for.)

To help me anchor the renewed mind You give me, FATHER, I ask for faith to perform the below commands:

  1. Never bring up the subject of the sin and its situation to the one who has wronged me or to the one I have wronged.
  2. Never again bring it up in conversations with other people.
  3. Never dwell on it again in my own mind.

ADORATION

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THE SPIRIT—MY INTERNAL SECURITY

Screen Shot 2016-05-14 at 1.57.40 PM“Give me the saving lamp of thy Spirit that I may see thee, the God of my salvation, the delight of my soul, rejoicing over me in love” The Valley of Vision (ref#76, p136).

It is the SPIRIT “…Who writes the law of God inwardly on the heart],…” (Isa 59:21 AMP). FATHER, the SPIRIT verifying Your Word reveals Your covenant, promises, faithfulness, and more.

By the SPIRIT I find joy, for when He brings the Gospel truths home to my soul with life, vigor and power, transforming me into the image and likeness of those truths, it is to my delight (ref#35, p388).

He understands my spiritual condition. When I stop to notice I find Him doing constantly what I need. What comfort to know He is always present with me continually (ref#35, p388-389).

He enables me to loose my desire to keep my agenda; there is an excitement and joy being led by the SPIRIT. I will exalt Him for making me able to stand empty—to stand waiting for Him.

FATHER, He prods me to recount Your graces—awakens me to comprehend how much You value me—makes me know the extent to which You cherish me (ref#130, p179). And all this is just a drop in a bucket compared to what He pours out for me.

“…the Father…will give to you…the Spirit… whom the world is not able to receive because it does not see Him with discernment and does not know Him experientially. But, as for you, you know Him experientially…” Kenneth S. Wuest (ref#37, p250, [John 14:16-17]).

SUPPLICATION

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GENERAL SICKNESS

[The majority of our prayers concern physical health.  We all know someone who is dealing with the pain of sickness.  Here is an opportunity to pray for them.  Fill his/her name in the blanks.]

WHEN WE ARE IN DARKNESS, YOU ARE LIGHT

Screen Shot 2016-03-28 at 6.22.25 AM“…there are burdens placed on us by God which He does not intend to lift off, He wants us to roll them back on Him….the burden is lightened by the sense of companionship.  Never disassociate yourself from the burden” (ref#7, April 13th).

FATHER, there is nothing too difficult for You (Jer 32:17). You do not despise nor abhor the affliction of the afflicted; neither do You hide Your face, but when the afflicted cry, You hear them (Ps 22:23,24). You do great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number (Job 5:9).

In ____’s sickness, You lift (him/her) up; when (he/she) is in darkness, You are (his/her) light. You are (his/her) very present help in trouble; (Ps 46:1) You are (his/her) refuge—(his/her) strength. You know when (he/she) sits down and when (he/she) rises up. You search out (his/her) path and (his/her) lying down and are acquainted with all (his/her) ways ( Ps 139:1-3). You daily bear (his/her) burdens. O LORD, give (him/her) the strong faith to believe these compassionate activities You do for (him/her).

I pray ____’s lips will greatly rejoice in the wonderful care You take with (him/her). Indeed, You are righteous in all Your ways and kind in all Your works.

With such great promises, I confidently bring ____ to You. Take (him/her) into Your lap and comfort (him/her).

THANKSGIVING

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GOD HEALS MY FAITHLESSNESS

Screen Shot 2016-03-28 at 6.13.10 AM…FATHER, You know what I’m thinking (Ps 139:2). You know what I need before I ask You (Matt 6:8) and You generously provide.

My faith is small but You heal my faithlessness (Jer 3:22). When my mind cannot fathom a good outcome to a situation, You do not leave me at that dead end. When I walk by faith, it does not have to be a blind faith.

Your countenance always shines light on my path ahead if I’m in Your presence. You never allow me to see the end of the situation, but You provide a way so I can take a forward step. I walk by faith in the light You provide; it is a seeing faith not a blind faith. This seeing faith is real to me even though I have yet to come to the end of the situation and experience it with my senses (1 John 1:7).

The light You provide directly in front of me encourages me and provides endurance (Rom 15:5) so I might continue walking in faith—this seeing faith solidifies for me that You are in the situation and will bring it to a good end. I thank You for helping my unbelief (Mark 9:24). How full of gratitude I am for You always provide enough faith for me to take one step forward.