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DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Fruit of the Spirit: Forbearance

Holy Spirit,
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. In our quick-to-react, impatient, and short-tempered society, forbearance is in short supply. Too often I find it woefully lacking in myself as well. In your mercy, forgive me.

Cultivate a harvest of this fruit of forbearance within me. Produce in me patience in place of knee-jerk reactions, and restraint rather than snarky and rash responses. Along with these give me the resolve to endure seasons of suffering or hardship. Encourage me to persevere when I am inclined to give up or am tempted to turn anywhere other than to you for help. Work in me the wisdom to wait on your timing to reveal or unravel in my life anything that requires clarity. Finally, use the faithful forbearance you bring about in my life to be a blessing in the lives of others. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To See Your Good in All Things

God Almighty,
You promise me that you work all things for the good of those who love you. What an amazing promise this is! Where I so often struggle even to bring good out of the relatively few things I can control in my life, you assure me that you bring good from everything.

Although I know this promise, my spiritual short-sightedness stifles my trust in it – especially when I am faced with bad news or difficult challenges. Those are the times I sense Satan’s deceitful whispers, leading me to question the reliability of your love and providence for me. When my reason and logic are not satisfied with how I perceive you to be working in my life, cause my faith to intervene and grant me the awareness to see your hand at work. And, even when it still may not be clear to me in such times, broaden my faith to believe it – that you are good, and are always working for good in my life. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For the Blessing of Parents

Lord God,
I thank you for the blessing of parents. Through mothers and fathers, you intend to provide a safe and stable environment in the home to raise up families. Parents who are present and attentive to the needs of their children are a gift. Through parents, continue to provide direction and discipline to children as they navigate the increasingly challenging demands of growing up in a wayward society. 

Above all, use parents to nurture the faith of children. Let fathers own up to the important role of being spiritual leaders. Through mothers, display Jesus-like love and compassion. Create healthy habits in the home that feed faith and support sanctified living. Make weekly worship a non-negotiable priority, that children may build healthy connections and relationships with their church family. Use those relationships to ultimately strengthen their relationship with you as well. Thank you for parents. Richly bless all that they do for families.  

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For the Wise Use of Our Freedom

Holy Counselor,
Since Jesus bought and paid for us with his precious blood, we are free – free from the fear of eternal death, free from the condemnation of sin, and free from slavery to Satan. We are free because we are yours.

Holy Spirit, guide us with your counsel to use that freedom wisely. Let Jesus’ selfless love direct our own hearts and minds, so that we speak and act not in the best interests of ourselves, but in the interests of others. Let me consider not simply what is permissible for me, but rather what is beneficial for my neighbor. As we combine our freedom in Christ with the spiritual wisdom you provide, our freedom is a blessing that builds others up rather than a burden that breaks them down. Grant me your wisdom, Counselor, so that my freedom might result in honor and glory for you, together with the Father and the Son. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Fight Temptation

Gracious Lord,
When we take stock of all the battles against temptation that we’ve lost, and how quick we are to surrender, victory always seems so far out of reach. Truly, if left on our own, it would be. But you fought and won the decisive victory against Satan for us. Your victory is our victory.

Instill in us the confidence and resilience to put up a fierce fight when facing temptation. Yes, the devil is relentless, but we are not helpless. Give us your strength to guard our hearts from whatever would poison them and to keep our eyes from being enticed. With our ears, let us hear only what is good and noble, whatever is uplifting and encouraging, and with our lips, let our speech follow suit. Equip us daily with the weapon of your Word to become more and more determined to stand strong when we are tempted. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Encouragement through Worship

Heavenly Father,
Sundays are sacred. As the Last Day draws closer, you invite us to gather together with believers around your Word more and more. In our time of worship this morning with our church family, remind us of the many ways you bless your church as it gathers for worship. Encourage us through the presence and participation of others – especially those who make significant sacrifices just to come to church each week.

Use us also to be a source of encouragement to others. Help us in worship and the fellowship that follows to see and become aware of the needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ, and move us to do what we can to meet those needs. Bind us together with a love for each other that is spurred on by your great love for us. Let us not forsake gathering together regularly, and bless us through your Word and through the body of Christ, our fellow believers. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Fruit of the Spirit: Peace

Holy Spirit,
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Bear in me more of this fruit in my daily living as I strive to walk a godly path in my life.

Today I pray for peace – peace in challenging relationships, peace in the face of worry and anxiety, and peace in the face of the unknown. Where I am personally responsible for allowing seeds of discord and division to germinate, forgive me. Remind me that your forgiveness is truly the source of my peace, for your peace is so much more than just absence of conflict; it is the assurance of my restored relationship with you through the reconciliation of Jesus, who is my peace. So, Holy Spirit, let your peace permeate my life daily, and pass it on to others through my words and actions. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Forgive Others

Merciful Father,
Forgiveness is foundational to my faith. Indeed, it is why I can even approach you with my prayers in the first place. No words or expression of my thanks could ever fully capture how grateful I am for your forgiveness.

Yet as appreciative as I am for your willingness to forgive me, still I struggle more than I should with forgiving others. There are those whose actions have left me with significant scars. There are others who have carried out unimaginably despicable things against others. In cases like these, it can be easier for me to withhold my forgiveness and to bear a grudge. I know better, yet I remain bitter. 

In such cases, fix my eyes to your cross, where I see again the price you paid for my forgiveness. Remind me that even though I daily give you every reason to bear a grudge against me, to remain bitter toward me, and to withhold your forgiveness from me, instead you choose to forgive all of my sin. Always. Give me your grace to always forgive others in that same way.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Emotional Intelligence

Gracious Lord,
Thank you for our emotions. We are grateful for the ability to love and feel loved, for the sense of unexpected surprise, for infectious happiness, and even for the sorrows of sadness. Emotions, and the ways we experience them and share them with others, are one of the many ways you set us apart from the rest of your creation.

As men, it can sometimes be more difficult for us to identify and sort through the emotions we’re feeling. We aren’t always very comfortable talking about them or sharing them with others. We also struggle to be aware of the emotions others may be experiencing as we interact with them. Help us to grow in our emotional intelligence, so that we might better understand ourselves and others, and come to appreciate the different ways you have made us. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Marvel at the Created World

God of all wisdom,
Thank you for your gifts of knowledge and intellect. Not only do such gifts allow us to know and understand you better as you reveal yourself to us in your Word, but they also amplify our love and appreciation for you as we know more about you through your created world. Create in us an ongoing curiosity to seek and discover more knowledge about the marvelous ways your created world works. Fascinate us with flora and fauna and how they thrive differently in a variety of ecosystems. Take our breath away with the vastness of the solar system and the galaxies within it. Through the ingenuity of the inner workings of our own human body, leave us in awe of your brilliance. As we grow in our appreciation for the world you have given us and entrusted to us, may we never cease to be amazed by your genius and drawn even closer to you. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.