Tag: guys

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Those New to Worship

Heavenly Father,
Sundays are sacred. Today I pray for all of those considering a first-time visit to worship. I also pray for those considering returning to church years or even decades of being away. Whatever it was that prompted this consideration, I pray that you not only lead them to follow through, but also richly bless their decision. Let them find a place of warmth and welcome, free of cold shoulders and judgmental stares. Make their worship a joy and allow law and gospel to be clearly preached, sung, and spoken. Let Jesus as Savior be the highlight of their experience, and send your Spirit to do whatever work is necessary in their heart through your Word. Open their eyes not only to see the blessing of continuing to draw nearer to Jesus in the future, but to his church and people as well.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Keep You Number One

Holy Father,
The Ten Commandments are intended to be a blessing, not a burden. Nevertheless, since they expose my sin, I naturally bristle before them. You command me to put you first in my life, to have no one and nothing else which I would fear, love, or trust more than you. But so easily my heart attaches itself to whatever seems to promise satisfaction, worth, or meaning. When such idols deceive us, devastation follows, for they can never provide what they promise. We relentlessly pursue what end up being meaningless mirages and dead ends.

Guide me to guard my heart from anything and everything seeking to establish a presence there. Reign supreme and expel all that threatens you. You alone are the source of grace for which my heart thirsts. Do not  allow anything to displace you. Be and remain the lone source of my soul’s satisfaction and lead me to look nowhere else but to you for my every need.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Speak Well of Others

Loving Lord,
Gossip is all around us. We live in a culture that effortlessly tears down, assumes the worst, and passes along negative information about others that may not even be true. I have been guilty of such speech and I have been on the receiving end of hurtful comments. We need to see that the problem isn’t only with the other person. Determining whether they did or didn’t do something in the first place or if they did, debating if it’s as grievous as charged, isn’t the only issue that needs attention.

The other part of the problem is my heart.

That’s the part of the issue I want to control. The way to keep my lips from malicious speech toward others is to guard my heart and mind from malicious thoughts. Regardless of what someone else did, I want to be aware of my own intent before I comment or share an opinion. Lead me always to assume the best of others and keep me from spreading slander and vitriol. Even when others have done wrong, let me see the wisdom in giving thoughtful consideration before offering any response. Help me to be quick to defend and speak well of others whenever possible and do not allow me to swim in the cesspool of society’s shocking speech. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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Thank You for Being Patient With Me

Dear Lord,
Thank you for being patient with me. You call us to deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow you, but it comes so naturally to me to turn your call around. I too willingly lay down my cross to follow my own self-serving interests. I savor sin in my own life rather than shunning it. I thoughtlessly dismiss your Word rather than delighting in it daily.  I am such a far cry from what you created and redeemed me to be and I know full well what I deserve because of it!

Yet in perfect patience, you welcome me with open arms every single time I turn to you in repentance. And you rejoice every time, like the shepherd who tracks down his lost sheep and the woman who finds her lost coin! You patiently restore me, refresh my soul, and set me back on your paths of righteousness. You do not give up on me when my sanctification is sluggish. You do not turn your back on me when I am slow to trust the truths of your Word. May your patience with me never run out, and may I need less and less of it as you continue to grow me in faith.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Use Words Wisely

Spirit of Wisdom,
There is a time to listen and a time to speak, and I pray for the wisdom to know the difference. The wisdom of Proverbs and the warnings of James highlight the damage the tongue can do when words are spoken carelessly. In order to ensure that my speech honors you, blesses others, and upholds my reputation, make me quick to listen and slow to speak.

Keep my pride in check, for it desires to manipulate conversations and somehow make them about me. Fill me with the humility to hear others out before I insist on being heard. Give me ears that seek to understand. When I am quick to speak, may it be to ask questions that bring forth clarity in my assessment of a situation. Let thoughtfulness, charity, and wisdom accompany my words, so that my speech builds up others with courage and confidence, uplifts and comforts those who are hurting, and appropriately rebukes and admonishes those who are in the wrong. Use my ears and my lips to produce a harvest of righteousness in your kingdom. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Care for My Body

Almighty God,
We are fearfully and wonderfully made. The more we discover about our bodies and how marvelously you have designed them to function, the more in awe of you we are. Not only are we as human beings the crown of your creation, but you also showed how highly you regard our physical bodies through your incarnation, clothing yourself in flesh and blood! Help me to remember that my body is a gift from you, and just like all gifts that you give, you entrust them to us to manage and care for in ways that honor you. 

While you are responsible for numbering my days, I want to do everything I can to protect and preserve the physical body you’ve given me. Give me wisdom regarding my diet and curb my appetite and desire for food that can negatively impact my health in the short or long-term. Guard me from being overly sedentary and instill in me the discipline to exercise and/or maintain a reasonable level of physical activity. Lead me to establish a daily routine that also allows for adequate sleep each night, enabling my body to receive the rest and recovery time it needs to function at an optimal level. All of this I ask so that I may glorify you and effectively serve my neighbor with a healthy body for as long as you determine. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Be a Man of Integrity

Dear God,
We live in a self-serving world. It is filled with those who are willing to compromise morals or values for personal gain. So many are comfortable saying one thing and doing another. Who they appear to be in the presence of others differs from who they are behind closed doors. I, too, have been guilty of this from time to time, which makes me all the more grateful for your grace and mercy!

However, I don’t want this kind of behavior to define who I am. Instead, make me a man of integrity. Align my words and actions so that I do what I say I will do. Free me from any temptation to present a persona based on certain situations or in front of certain people that is disingenuous. Lead me to own up to my mistakes and wrongdoings and attempt to make them right whenever I can. Shape me into a man who is not only concerned with giving the appearance of godliness, but rather who lives by and demonstrates godly character at all times, whether alone and unseen or in the company of others. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Parents with Little Ones in Worship

Heavenly Father,
Sundays are sacred. Satan knows this and tries to throw every excuse, hindrance, and obstacle in our way to keep us from gathering together around your Word. Parents with small children are in a season of life marked by the uphill challenges of bringing their little ones to your house for worship. So today I pray for them. 

Help fathers and mothers to provide a united front in modeling a regular and consistent worship life for their children. When they are on the same page, they provide each other with the blessing of mutual encouragement and support. Reward their efforts by allowing them to see the fruit of their labors as your Spirit nurtures and grows the faith of their children. Let their children, too, see and experience the richness of regular worship. Lead them to appreciate the sacrifices their parents make to keep Jesus at the center of their lives. Provide struggling and single parents with a church family that welcomes them and finds delight in sharing the burdens of bringing up little ones in the shadow of the cross. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Love God’s Law

Holy Father,
Your holiness both attracts and repulses me. As a sinner, I am well aware that I have no business being in the your presence, face-to-face with your perfection. Yet at the very same time, I know that apart from your holiness, I would be hopeless to ever attain righteousness on my own, so I am drawn to you. In Jesus Christ you provide not only the forgiveness my sin requires, but also the holiness I cannot achieve on my own.

It is the new man in me, raised up by the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus, that now loves your law. I desire to carry out your will. Obedience is no longer the dirty word it used to be, but a daily delight to be pursued. All that is good and right in your sight is also pleasing to me. The good news of the gospel and the freedom I have in Jesus Christ compel me to seek your kingdom and your righteousness, and to reflect it in my thoughts, words, and actions. Help me to show my thanks for Jesus, who perfectly kept the law for me in my place, by continuing to develop my own love for your law. Graciously fill me with both the desire and the ability to keep it as I follow in Jesus’ footsteps.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Those Who Protect Us

Dear Lord,
Thank you for those who put their lives on the line to defend our country and to protect and serve our communities. We take for granted the protections they provide us with as citizens and overlook the sacrifices so many make in our place. Allow your guardian angels to watch over those in harm’s way and limit the dangers they face. Minimize any injuries they may sustain while serving and grant them quick healing and recovery when they do. Keep them strong in mind and body so they are alert and ready at all times. Free their families and loved ones from worry and anxiety while they serve and fill them with peace. We are grateful for all they do on our behalf. May we express that gratitude and thanks to them often.  

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.