Bonnie’s Prayer Affair Prayers

SUPPLICATION

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THE SPIRIT’S FREEDOM AND POWER

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[We all have friends and family that sit in our churches but only act like they are Christians.  It is up to us to pray for their salvation.  Here’s an opportunity to pray for them.  Fill their name in the blanks.]

FATHER, I think of Your nation Israel, at the time Ezra came to Jerusalem and found that the people had intermarried with the peoples of nearby lands (Ezra 9:2). In a manner of months they sent back home these foreign wives and their children (Ezra 10:3). LORD, this story certainly proves how powerful Your SPIRIT is as He enabled them to send away their family!

SPIRIT, the FATHER gives You to us powerfully. Comfort from the words and promises of CHRIST can sometimes break in through all opposition into the saddest and darkest condition imaginable just as was the case recorded in Ezra (ref#35, p375).

The FATHER also gives You to us freely. BOUNDLESS SPIRIT, You have freedom in Your operation meaning You can come as the Comforter unexpectedly (ref#35, p376).

SPIRIT-GIVING FATHER, I stand on the fact that You are able in an instant to do all I ask because of Your SPIRIT’s freedom and the strength of His power. I pray for ____.  O SPIRIT, come and surprise (him/her)—impress upon (him/her) that all (his/her) comforts lie treasured up in the promises of CHRIST—that CHRIST provides hope in the darkest situations.

SPIRIT, surprise ____ by enabling (him/her) to come to CHRIST through Your freedom and power. AMEN.

THANKSGIVING

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PSALM 89:15-18

Screen Shot 2016-01-13 at 2.33.51 PM…FATHER, how blessed and happy I am, yes, how fortunate and to be envied for I understand and appreciate Your spiritual blessings. I have accepted Your invitation to walk in the light of Your face (Ps 89:15).

With Your favor my walk is stately and self-assured (ref#68, [Ps 89:15]). I feel in my conscience that You are my FATHER (ref#67, [Ps 89:15]). I shall live in Your acts of kindness and enjoy Your smiles (ref#16, [Ps 89:15]).

Because of You, I rejoice; because of Your righteousness You exalt me (Ps 89:16). You justify me freely from all things; You purify me from all unrighteousness. I am growing in grace and in the knowledge of JESUS now, and at last will be exalted to Your right hand to reign with You forever (ref#15, [Ps 89:16]). In the enjoyment of Your divine favor I grow more wise, more holy, more powerful, and, consequently, more happy (ref #15, [Ps 89:17]).

All I am and have I owe to You (Ps 89:18). All that I rely on as a defense belongs to You or is of You (ref#16, [Ps 89:18]). Since You are my ruler, You are my defender; and who is he then that can harm me (ref#18, [Ps 89:18])?

I am blessed to know the joyful sound—to know I am convened to the place of Your worship (ref#16, [Ps 89:15]).

 

I am blessed to know the festal shout,

I walk, O LORD, in the light of Your face,

I exult in Your name all the day

and in Your righteousness I’m exalted (Ps 89:15-16).

 

For You are the glory of my strength;

by Your favor my horn is exalted.

For my shield belongs to You, O LORD,

my very self to the Holy One of Israel (Ps 89:17-18).

 

I know the festal shout

For I walk in the light of Your face,

You are the glory of my strength

My shield belongs to You, O LORD.

 

Hallelujah

Hallelujah

Hallelujah

Amen

CONFESSION

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PLACING MYSELF ABOVE OTHERS

Screen Shot 2016-01-13 at 2.04.09 PM“Anger is always an attack on the brother’s life, for it refuses to let him live and aims at his destruction….Every idle word which we think so little of betrays our lack of respect for our neighbor, and shows that we place ourselves on a pinnacle above him and value our own lives higher than his. The angry word is a blow struck at our brother, a stab at his heart: it seeks to hit, to hurt and to destroy….When a man gets angry with his brother…when he…insults or slanders him, he is guilty of murder…He erects a barrier not only between himself and his brother, but also between himself and God. He no longer has access to him: his sacrifice, worship and prayer are not acceptable in his sight. For the Christian, worship cannot be divorced from the service of the brethren,…God will not be separated from our brother: he wants no honor for himself so long as our brother is dishonored….There is therefore only one way of following Jesus and of worshipping God, and that is to be reconciled with our brethren” Dietrich Bonhoeffer (ref#10, p127-129).

FATHER, Your love for everyone in Your creation is so great that You refuse to commune with me any further if I am the least bit critical of anyone. I cannot be as sweet water, worshipping You and, at the same time, bitter water and angry at my bother. If I’m not sweet to my brother, You will be bitter toward me. How greatly grieved You are when my words, even in jest, speak negatively of someone.

The Apostle Paul says, “…I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified” (1 Cor 9:27 ESV). Paul knows how easy it is to put himself above others with angry or idle words. He knows he must subdue his corrupt tendencies and thus warns himself (and me). (ref#16, [1 Cor 9:27]).

So, today, FATHER, I ask that You make me aware of how I dishonor people. I surely desire to not lose Your presence because of saying and thinking unkindness toward someone.

ADORATION

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SPONTANEOUS WORSHIP

Screen Shot 2016-01-13 at 1.58.40 PMI ascribe to You, GOD, THREE IN ONE, the glory due Your name even though I’m a creature only able to recognize or express a tiny bit of Your glory.   You are perfect and pure (Rev 15:4). My spirit, so inclined to sin, falls prostrate before Your feet to pay honor to You (Rev 19:10). With fear and trembling (Ps 96:9) I gaze upon Your beauty—Your delightful loveliness—Your sweet attractiveness (Ps 27:4).

You bless me by choosing me and causing me to come near that I may dwell in Your presence. You make me satisfied by fearful and glorious things—these things that terrify the wicked but make me sing praises (Ps 65:4,5). Truly, a day in Your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere (Ps 84:10). I spontaneously worship in the splendor of Your holiness (Ps 29:2).

SUPPLICATION

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SICKNESS – LIFE THREATENING

[The majority of our prayers concern physical health.  We all know someone who is dealing with a life-ending disease (like cancer).  Here is an opportunity to pray for them.]

WHAT CANCER CAN’T DO

Screen Shot 2016-01-13 at 12.06.31 PMCancer is so limited…

It cannot cripple love

It cannot shatter hope

It cannot corrode faith

It cannot eat away peace

It cannot destroy confidence

It cannot kill friendship

It cannot shut out memories

It cannot starve courage

It cannot reduce eternal life

It cannot quench the Spirit

It cannot lessen the Power of the resurrection.

Author Unknown

THANKSGIVING

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THE SACRAMENTS

Screen Shot 2016-01-13 at 11.50.58 AM…FATHER, how You care for my needs—You know I need regular reminders of what the Gospel is and that I’m truly a part of it. You have set up Baptism and the LORD’s Supper to be visible signs, ordained by You and instituted by CHRIST, to do just that (Matt 28:19, 1 Cor 11:23-26). They are the tangible evidence of the grace and blessings of Your covenant The Reformation Study Bible (ref#56, p1411, “The Sacraments”).

“As the preaching of the Word makes the gospel audible, so the sacraments make it visible. Sacraments strengthen faith by correlating Christian beliefs with the testimony of our senses” The Reformation Study Bible (ref#56, p 1411, “The Sacraments”).

Baptism:

“…is a sign of the believer’s death and resurrection with Christ (Rom 6:3),…to increase our…realization of death to the power and love of sin…and to increase our experience of the power of new resurrection life in Christ…” Wayne Grudem (ref#63, p954).

The LORD’s Supper:

“…is a fellowship with Christ, in his presence and at his table” Wayne Grudem (ref#63, p954-955). “…God’s aim has been to bring his people into fellowship with himself, and one of the great joys of experiencing that fellowship is the fact that we can eat and drink in the presence of the Lord” Wayne Grudem (ref#63, p989-990).

CONFESSION

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KNOWLEDGE PUFFS UP

Screen Shot 2016-01-13 at 11.42.58 AM…FATHER, make me realize that my earthly wisdom only corrupts me. I can know the truth of Your justice, and what righteousness You require but my knowledge does nothing to save me or put me in communion with You. I can ponder Your patience, goodness, forbearance, and mercy but knowledge alone does not lead me to repentance (ref#35. p197).

Whatever discovery I have of truth, (without it coming from CHRIST’s mouth, through the SPIRIT), I hold captive under unrighteousness (Rom 1:18). O GOD, how guilty I am for engaging my mind in learning Christianity instead of humbling myself before CHRIST and waiting for Him to teach my heart. FATHER, impede me from thinking the Scriptures give me eternal life (John 5:39). I am like a “brute beast” if my wisdom corrupts me (ref#35, p197, [Jude 10]).

If there be anything that will do me good, CHRIST is interested in dispensing it to me. Until I desire to make Him captain of my salvation (Heb 2:10) I will be led by the futility of my own wisdom. FATHER, help me be satisfied with only knowing CHRIST and not just knowing about Him (ref#35, p199).

FAVOR DISPENSING GOD, it is amazing to consider that all my Scripture learning, my choices of what is doctrinally correct, and my efforts to abide by my good morals do not make me a genuine Christian. Help me recognize my own efforts toward spiritually and the way I use then for my glory instead of Yours.

ADORATION

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REASONS OF WAITING FOR GOD

Screen Shot 2016-01-13 at 11.34.43 AM“…His [CHRIST’s] mediation on the throne is as real and indispensable as on the cross….it engages all His time and powers, is His unceasing occupation at the right hand of the Father” Andrew Murray (ref#19, TWENTY-SIXTH LESSON) (brackets mine).

Because in CHRIST the whole fullness of Deity continues to dwell in bodily form giving complete expression of the divine nature (Col 2:9), I will wait for You.

Because Your Son is able to save to the uttermost—completely, perfectly and for all time and eternity those who come to Him (Heb 7:25), I will wait for You.

Because CHRIST is always living to make petition to You and intercede with You and intervene for me (Heb 7:25), I will wait for You.

SUPPLICATION

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A HUNGER FOR GOD & HIS TRANSFORMING POWER

Screen Shot 2016-01-11 at 4.19.26 PM[Because we are Christians and live in the world we will always need prayer for our walk and for witnessing to others about CHRIST.  Here’s an opportunity to pray for others or even ourselves.  Fill the name in the blanks.]

“Jesus says to Simon Peter…do you have a love for me called out of your heart by my preciousness to you, a devotional love that impels you to sacrifice yourself for me? Do you consider me more precious and thus love me more than these [fish]?…” (ref#37, p266, [John 21:15]).

 FATHER.ç “What Christ died for is not that we might help him, but that we might see and savor him as infinitely valuable” John Piper (ref#92, p83).

FATHER, I pray for ____, that (he/she) rest in CHRIST’s love. Remind (him/her) that the moment (he/she) was regenerated (he/she) automatically became “a holy temple fit for habitation of the Holy Spirit”  Roy and Revel Hession (ref#101, p13). Hasten ____ to dwell on this truth as much as (his/her) new birth. “God has given a new life plus the indwelling of the very Person of the Holy Spirit” Roy and Revel Hession (ref#101, p14). It is through the SPIRIT that ____ will find CHRIST waiting for a relationship with (him/her). I pray ____ develop a hunger for fellowship and for CHRIST’s transforming power so that (he/she) may experience a vigorous and joyful life (ref#78, p25,26).

THANKSGIVING

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GOD’S LOVE – FRUITFULNESS: MY LOVE – THANKFULNESS

Screen Shot 2016-01-11 at 4.07.48 PM“The Father communicates…his love…through Christ; and we make no return of love…but through Christ. He is the treasury wherein the Father disposes all the riches of his grace, taken from the bottomless mine of his eternal love…” John Owen (ref#35, p117).

FATHER, all Your fullness You poured into CHRIST. It pleased You that all divine fullness should dwell in Him permanently. (Col 1:19). And I receive that fullness of Your love from Him by faith—communing responsively to You through the treasury of CHRIST.

Because You love me You bless me with all spiritual blessings (Eph 1:3). These blessings are an ever-flowing fountain. Your love descends on me in bounty and fruitfulness. These blessings are absorbed into me and create goodness in me (ref#35, p118). Your love descends through CHRIST and I experience growth.

My love, on the other hand, ascends to You in thankfulness (ref#35, p119) for Your provisions. My love also ascends to You in the duties I perform in response to Your love. Your presence demands I behave. But, behaving becomes a duty of joy for me because of Your presence through CHRIST.

Yes, because of Your love, I gladly give You Your due as my FATHER. What can I do to honor You (Mal 1:6)? I do not love You for no reason—I love You for the “excellency, loveliness, and desirableness” that is You (ref#35, p120). It becomes my joyous work to follow, running along behind You with CHRIST (ref#10, p 58).