DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

To Prioritize Physical Fitness

Mighty God,
Spiritually speaking, you are and always will be my rock and my source of strength. Whether I am struggling with weakness in temptation or wavering in trust, your strength is the solution. 

But the blessing of strength is not limited merely to the spiritual. You have also given us flesh and blood bodies capable of growing physically strong. Since we are called to take care of everything that you have entrusted to us, our physical bodies are surely included. The many benefits of exercise and physical fitness are well-documented, and since we desire to maximize the time you graciously give us here on earth in service to you and others, we therefore want to strive to be in good shape.

Make our physical health a priority for us. Help us to be disciplined when it comes to any physical activity, realizing that something is always better than nothing. Make us as willing to push our bodies as we are to pamper them. Keep us from being stationary or overly sedentary for extended lengths of time. Along with a faith that moves mountains, grant us also a body that moves as well as you designed it to.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

To Avoid Judgment

Just Judge,
While I acknowledge and confess my sin of judging others, there is an even greater judgment about which all people need to be concerned: the verdict you will render against us when we stand before you in judgment. While we may be able to keep our sins hidden from others, they will all be laid bare before you. If you kept track of our every sin, we know full well our verdict would be “guilty” and our sentence would be condemnation. 

But as believers who know we have been bought and paid for with the blood of Jesus Christ, we know our sins no longer accuse us before you. They have been paid for and we have been forgiven. Therefore, we will be able to stand before you in judgment with full confidence. We already know the verdict: “not guilty.” There is no condemnation for those who stand in your grace, which means there is no fear of judgment. Use me to lead others to know that they don’t need to be afraid of judgment, either.  

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

To Avoid Judging

Patient Lord,
Daily we face judgment from others. People judge us by the way we dress, the food we eat, our circle of friends, and so many other factors. We are constantly being scrutinized and assessed. We live in fear of how others will judge us.

Sadly, the very judgment we fear, we also perpetuate by judging others. We judge them on the basis of the same criteria by which they judge us. Forgive us all for constantly critiquing one another, and help us let go of judgmental thoughts. Instead, generate in our hearts both the desire and the ability to see the best in others. Replace our judgmental spirits with joyful ones, and helps us view others as Jesus views us: as friends. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

Thank You for the Elderly in Worship

Holy Father,
Sundays are sacred. Being able to gather for worship is a blessing often taken for granted. Use the example of elderly church members to encourage us in this regard. As we age, even the little details of daily life become more and more difficult to carry out. Coupled with that are chronic pains and other health issues that would be enough do discourage many from gathering for worship. Even transportation, which presents little challenge for many, can be an obstacle for those without the freedom of driving as a result of their age.

Yet week in and week out, they regularly gather in your house for worship. These faithful, experienced believers are such fine examples for so many each week. Let us imitate their dedication and commitment to hearing your Word and receiving the Sacrament. As they are a blessing to others in this regard, let others be a blessing to them by offering assistance and help whenever needed, as well as a simple “thank you” to them for setting such fine examples of Christian faith in action. Continue to develop many more dedicated disciples just like them, including me.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

To Take Action

Lord God,
There is a time for pondering, a time for planning, and a time for preparing. As important as each of these steps are, keep me from getting so wrapped up in them that I fail to take action. Too often I overthink instead of taking action. Too often I expect to fine-tune the plan until it’s perfect. Since it never is, I get stuck in the realm of inactivity. And, sometimes it is simply my own indecisiveness or procrastination that hinders my action.

Push me to be more deliberate about taking action. Even wrong or misguided actions allow for adjustments or corrections to be made, which ultimately result in greater progress than simply doing nothing. Make me bold to fail forward instead of failing flat-footed because I refused to act. Since in Jesus we already have our perfection, we don’t need to be perfectionists; we can celebrate progress. Since progress requires action, move me to take it more often. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

For Those Secretly Struggling

Omniscient Lord,
There are so many who appear to be fine on the outside, but in reality are struggling mightily on the inside. Rather than facing their struggles and processing them in healthy ways, they avoid them and focus more time and energy on masquerading as if all is well. They are ensnared by addictions. They suppress past trauma or abuse. They battle depression and wrestle with suicidal thoughts. The list goes on, as do the numbers of those secretly struggling.

Be their champion. Fight for them and refuse to let Satan pick them apart and prey on them. Protect them from serious emotional, physical, and spiritual affliction. Make others aware of their internal struggles and move them to intervene with aid and support. Heal their wounds and guide them along a healthy path of recovery. Build up their resiliency so that when they face similar troubles in the future, they are well-equipped to manage them and unafraid to reach out for help. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

For All the Hardship I Never Experienced

Gracious God,
In this month of Thanksgiving, I am grateful for all of the hurts and the hardships that you kept me from experiencing in my life. I naturally get so hyper-focused on any difficulties or challenges that DO come into my life that I fail to comprehend how many you’ve spared me from over the course of my life. Even when I have had bad experiences, I can always thank you that they weren’t more frequent or extensive than they were.

Thank you for the injuries I never sustained, for the sicknesses I never contracted from someone else, and the accidents I was never involved in. Thank you for the heart-wrenching conversations that didn’t ever come up, the abuse and trauma that are not a part of my story, and the time in a hospital or a prison that I didn’t have to spend. Thank you for guarding and protecting me from so much more than I could ever know, and thank you for your promise to work good even out of the bad things that have come into my life. You are always good, and always good to me. Thank you. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

For Good Eating Habits

Blessed Redeemer,
When you paid the price to make me yours, you didn’t redeem only my mind and my soul, but my body as well. Since you paid such a great price to redeem my body, I want to take care of it properly. I want to have the physical ability to serve you and others in whatever way I am able, for as long as you extend my life here on earth. 

One of the most significant ways I can carry out this goal is by paying attention to the food I put into my body. So much of the food today that is fast, easy, and tastes good fails to provide the nutrition my body needs and also contributes to many health issues. If I do make those choices, let it be so in moderation. Curb my cravings for fatty and sugary foods that don’t serve my health goals. Guide me to make good choices and to enjoy the process of discovering food that is both healthy and tastes good. Make me mindful of my portion sizes and keep me from overeating and consuming in excess. Bless my efforts at focusing more on my diet as I honor you in caring for my body.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

For Struggling Congregations

Head of the Church,
There are many Christian congregations that struggling. Their struggles can be caused by many different challenges in different seasons of ministry. Some are without a pastor to shepherd your people. Others struggle to raise up strong leaders. A lack of financial support from generous offerings can limit essential ministry efforts. Declining attendance and/or disengaged members put a heavy burden on the faithful few who bear the bulk weight of congregational responsibilities. 

Yet when you are the Lord of the Church, the head of the body of Christ, there is always reason for hope. Answer the prayers of members in struggling churches, and do so in such radical ways that surpass even the loftiest of requests. Use their struggles to drive them into your Word and through that process draw them closer to you. Spur members on to share in the joys of ministry by inviting and engaging each other when service opportunities are available. Use them also to encourage their pastor when he is down by lifting him up with your promises. Lead them to see each and every victory you bring about in their midst, to celebrate them, thank you for them, and build on them as your grace allows. Make struggling churches into turnaround stories that become healthy, thriving congregations which are a testament to the power of your Word and the blessing of your grace. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

Live a Life of Startling Generosity

(Mark 12:38-44)

When you see the brightly colored “Caution” or “Slow” or sign posted as while driving on the highway, you know that means there is a potential danger or risk ahead, so you pay attention to the warning. You do the same thing as you are navigating through a store or mall and see the yellow sandwich sign that alerts you with a “Caution: Wet Floor.” These warnings are intended to alert you and keep you safe from injury or danger.

Jesus gave a warning sign to his listeners. He told them to “watch out for the teachers of the law” (v.38). But why? Were they a threat to his disciples? Jesus didn’t follow up his warning by pointing out any specific false teachings that the teachers of the law were promoting. Jesus didn’t appear to be emphasizing any physical threat that they posed, at least not here, and not to his disciples. He didn’t alert them to any death threats or assassination plots. So why were they supposed to watch out for the teachers of the law?

So that the disciples wouldn’t become them. The overall picture Jesus paints is that of a group concerned with optics and outward appearance. They were more worried about how others saw them than they were about how God saw them. After all, if they were going to enjoy religion’s version of celebrity status, they had to look the part. The upscale clothing, the special treatment, the constant performance – it was no small thing to pull it all off! They couldn’t dare come off looking like, well… a poor widow, for example. How serious is Jesus’ warning? “These men will be punished most severely” (v.39). Those words really require much explanation, do they!?

It’s a good reminder for us. Yes, we know and believe that it isn’t our outward works, but our faith in Jesus alone which saves. Yes, we know and believe that every sin has been forgiven. These are most certainly true.

However, while all our sins have been forgiven and we are no longer slaves to sin, there’s that lingering part of the old us that will always be attracted to sin and still tempted by it. And perhaps no other sin is more attractive to us than pride. Jesus was essentially warning his disciples to watch out so that their religious piety isn’t corrupted by religious pride. This warning is especially appropriate regarding the topic of giving – especially giving generously – so that we don’t allow our generosity to become tainted by pride and its desire to be recognized.

While Jesus began this section of his teaching referring to the teachers of the law and mentioning the rich people and their gifts, these weren’t the only ones who would serve as his teaching illustrations. There was also a widow. 

Wouldn’t it be nice if we had some more details about the widow? Something that could cement for us that her gift was purely given, cheerfully and willingly, and prompted solely by her love for Jesus, whom she knew loved her so deeply? When we come up with the deep theological questions in Scripture and wonder about the details of different accounts in the Bible, I can’t recall anybody ever asking about more of the background on the widow from this account. But would’t that be helpful if we could get more of a snapshot of her life, something that would fit more neatly with the rest of the Bible’s teaching on giving and generosity? Would’t that be something?

Perhaps we don’t need it. Perhaps Jesus is allowing us a sneak a peek into the window of her life by contrasting her so sharply first with the teachers of the law, and then with the rich people throwing in large amounts in their offerings.

She obviously wasn’t concerned about the optics – “Hey everyone, redirect your eyes away from the piles of cash everyone else is putting in the offering boxes and get a load of these two copper coins I’m about to drop in!” Neither did she make excuses or promises to be more generous down the road when she might have more to give. No, her gift was quietly and generously given, for it was everything she had. And that kind of gift is the kind of gift that faith gives. Not to be seen or recognized, but simply because that’s what faith does.

Jesus commended her. “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on” (v.43-44). 

What can we learn from Jesus’ commendation of the widow and his thoughts on generosity? Generosity is not about your money; it’s about your heart. Admittedly, I don’t imagine it’s the first time you’ve ever heard that. Giving and generosity are not matters of amounts, but are a matter of where our heart is at. So when giving and generosity are a struggle for the believing child of God, it is rarely because we are unaware of the fact that it’s a heart issue. Instead, it has more to do with our inability or even refusal to diagnose the heart issues unique to each of us. So let’s work through some of those.

Since no one likes junk mail, whether it’s in your physical mailbox or your email inbox, let’s refer to some of these deceptions that can keep us from growing in the grace of giving as “generosity junk mail.” If God is wants to change our hearts in regard to giving (remember, giving is always a heart issue), then we have to get good at identifying the junk that fills the inbox of our hearts so that we stop believing it and perpetuating it. Let’s consider a few of the more common ones.

    1. “Offerings (or “treasures”) aren’t the only thing God cares about – he also wants us to give him our time and talents.”

    I know what you’re thinking. “Wait, that’s not wrong; it’s true that God also wants our time and talents to be used to serve him.” Technically, you’re correct. But I have to point out the problem with how that statement is used. You know who doesn’t ever make it? Generous people. What I mean is, while it’s true that God has given us so much more than just financial blessings to manage and to be generous with, there is typically a reason people are quick to redirect to time and talents: because they struggle with being generous financially. And again, not because it’s an issue of dollar amounts, but of the heart. So be careful before you share such a statement, and do a little digging into your own heart to make sure you aren’t expressing it as a spiritual sleight of hand to hide your reluctance to grow in the grace of giving.

    Here’s another piece of generosity junk mail we need to discard:

    2. “I’ll give more when I have more.”

    Look back at the widow again. If she had taken that approach to giving, Jesus wouldn’t have this story to tell! She would have waited until those two copper coins added up to something much more. Instead, she gave what she had – all of it. When is the last time you gave all that you had to God? It’s been awhile for me – like never!

    Here’s a question to consider that lines up with some of the promises God gives in Scripture. While we’re sitting back on the “I’ll give more when I have more,” mindset, what if God is saying to himself, “I’ll bless him with more once he starts giving from what I’ve already given.”? So while we’re waiting on God to bless us with more to give, he’s waiting on us to give right now so that he can bless it. 

    This next one is a piece of generosity junk mail that is probably more common outside the church, but Christians still struggle with it, too.

    3. “All the church cares about is money.”

    It’s a statement typically spoken by those who refuse to acknowledge their own unhealthy attachment to money. It’s not easy for them to let go of it, so they turn the church into the bad guy, and whenever giving is mentioned, it’s blown out of proportion as “all that’s ever talked about.”

    To provide a balanced perspective, however, certainly churches and pastors have mishandled or mismanaged that trust; of course it has. And, there are certainly some who resort to legalism rather than gospel-generated giving. But these churches don’t represent all or even most churches by any means. So let’s discard that piece of generosity junk mail.

    And one last piece of generosity junk mail:

    4. “I just don’t have enough after all my expenses to give more than I’m giving.”

    And you never will. This junk mail exposes two possible issues: one, a spending issue, or two, a priority issue. When is the last time you’ve tracked your expenses and evaluated where unnecessary or frivolous spending was present? Perhaps that should be more of a cause for concern than it is. Could our “expenses” include purchases that we could still live quite comfortably without?

    The other issue with this attitude is that it turns giving upside down. When we give our left overs we’ll never have enough left over to give more. That’s because giving needs to be realigned to the top of the list. When giving comes first, we see how God keeps his promise to provide for everything else that we need. Until giving tops the list of priorities, it’s impossible for us to rise up to the level of being a generous giver. 

    As believers, we can have open conversations about giving, because we know that we’re the ones God is trying to grow through this process. We also know that the widow wasn’t the only one who gave everything. Jesus did the same thing, but on a scale that impacted far more people. With her two copper coins, she “put in everything.”

    So did Jesus. Jesus went a step further and “put in everything” with his whole life. He went all in. He didn’t hold back. Jesus gave it all by giving his all.

    “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). There is nothing of greater value that could ever be given than Jesus’ life, and he gave it up for you and me. The widow’s two copper coins were her “everything”: Jesus’ life was his “everything,” and he generously gave it so that we could benefit eternally; so that we can live forever. 

    Let’s live right now like we’ll live forever and use what he gives us here and now so that we can help as many others as possible live forever. Let’s discard the junk mail and give with startling generosity.