Tag: spiritual

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Acknowledge Your Generosity (Part 2)

Generous Father,
It isn’t just the size and scale of all of the physical blessings in my life that demonstrate your generosity, but also the wealth of spiritual blessings you pour out on me. Forgiveness is not measured by the ounce, but by the gallon, gushing over me through the words of absolution and in the generous servings of your Supper. The hope I have in you is never day-to-day, but eternal, since you never fail to keep your promises. The words of peace spoken by Jesus to his disciples after he rose still apply to your disciples today, as yours is a peace that cannot be exhausted. There are also the gifts of the Spirit, the fruits of the Spirit, and an endless abundance of other spiritual blessings! Finally, what makes your generous treasury of spiritual gifts so certain is that they all hinge on your limitless grace, lavished freely and fully on me and on all of your followers. Thank you!

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Raise up Men to Lead

Lord God,
Raise up believing men everywhere to take seriously your charge to be spiritual leaders. Some are lukewarm, lazy or apathetic. Others are insecure, lack confidence, or don’t know the first step. Still others are too comfortable passing off their God-given responsibility to their wives and other women. Work repentance and renewal in the hearts of Christian men everywhere and empower them with your Holy Spirit. 

Eliminate their indifference. Replace their timidity with trust. Guide them with your Word. Place other spiritually mature men in their lives to model and mentor what godly leadership looks like when men step into the roles you created them to fill. Let their impact be felt in marriages, families, congregations, and even whole communities as you stir up in them a spiritual fervor to hold high the banner of your gospel. Bless them and produce abundant fruit through their efforts in tending to your kingdom.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Seek Your Kingdom

Christ the King,
I am a citizen of two kingdoms. I am a citizen of my earthly kingdom, determined by whichever nation I was born and/or live in. This citizenship can change, or I can even become a citizen of multiple countries, if I choose to pursue the necessary paths to do so. There are varied blessings attached to this type of citizenship, depending on the country in which we hold it.

But even the greatest of these earthly blessings will never measure up to the spiritual blessings attached to my citizenship in your kingdom. While the blessings of this citizenship are superior because they extend into eternity, they also affect me here and now as well. Keep me focused then, on my pursuit of your kingdom. Make me long for more of what your kingdom offers – an identity that is secure in you, the joy you grant in serving you and others, and the meaning and purpose attached to the work of extending your kingdom by putting your gospel to work. Let me never tire of seeking your kingdom. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Set My Mind on Things Above

Heavenly Father,
It isn’t only my heart – my feelings and desires – that you direct me to set on things above, but also my mind. This makes perfect sense, for you as our Creator wired us in such a way that our hearts and minds are connected. Since our feelings and desires flow from our thoughts, how important it is then that we follow your guidance and set our minds on things above!

So I ask you to send your Spirit to keep my thoughts in check, to safeguard them from the enemy’s ambushes, and to limit any mindless disengagement that could leave me vulnerable. Although your thoughts are beyond my thoughts, let my thinking imitate your thinking which you have revealed to me in your Word. Lead me to meditate on the spiritual truths of your Word and to ponder what pertains to your kingdom. May I daily consider your church and her ministry, and prayerfully reflect on where and how I fit into your designs and intentions for them. Then, when my mind is properly aligned and set on things above, ensure that my heart’s desires follow accordingly.  

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Create Godly Desires in Me

Heavenly Father,
You direct me to set my heart on things above. In your Word and still today, references to the heart have to do with feelings and desires. So when you call me to set my heart on things above, it really is an encouragement to focus my feelings and desires toward godly, spiritual things. 

Since it is so natural for my wants to be worldly, I need your help. Let your Spirit dwell in me richly so that the longings I have line up more and more with what you desire for me. Give me not just a knowledge or awareness of the spiritual gifts and fruit mentioned in your Word, but also the desire to pursue them eagerly. Make my wants more kingdom-minded while also detaching my heart from the temporal and worldly. Create in me desires that are more concerned with eternal outcomes than temporary pleasures and pursuits.  

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Enrich My Prayer Life

Dear Jesus,
Teach me to pray. When I listen to your voice, I am comforted and reassured by your promises and I hear the encouragement and direction I need to faithfully walk in your footsteps. And, when I listen to your voice, it compels me to speak back to you in prayer. But so often I feel as if my prayers are shallow shells when compared to the bold, robust prayers of the faithful believers recorded in your Word. My prayers tend to focus on the physical rather than the spiritual. They are more about me than about others. I frequently struggle even trying to think of what to pray for at all. And, don’t get me started on all of the broken prayer promises I’ve made to others who’ve requested my prayers!

Enrich my prayer life and let your will and your words permeate my prayers, so that my requests and intercessions mirror what you want for others and for me. Help me to balance the physical and the spiritual in my prayers, so that my heart and mind are not preoccupied with what is temporal and worldly. Direct me to pray more often, so that it becomes more and more natural for me and so that my prayer life is enhanced in every good and pleasing way. Bless me with your Word, so that your words may shape more of my own in prayer. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Set My Heart and Mind on Things Above

Lord God,
You direct me to set my heart and my mind on things above, and not on earthy things. One of the most effective ways to keep me from an unhealthy focus on earthly things is to prioritize redirecting my desires and thoughts on things above. My desires and thoughts are closely connected, so that whatever fills my thoughts also increases my desire, and what I desire then directs my thoughts.

Therefore, let your Spirit dwell in me richly to control both my thoughts and desires, so that they nurture and complement each other. Lead me to seek your spiritual blessings and to crave more fruits of faith in my life. Help me to treasure the work you do in me that serves my eternal good. Create not only a longing for my heavenly home, but an awareness of how my time here on earth helps prepare me for eternity. Align my desires with yours and my thoughts with yours, as much as possible.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Not Get Caught Up in Worldly Concerns

Dear Lord,
You direct me to set my heart and my mind on things above, and not on earthy things. It is so natural for me to give my attention to the things of this world. When my daily schedule involves so many things that deal with the here and now, those are the things I focus on. Problems need solving. Tasks need to be accomplished. People need to be pleased. Like Martha, I get caught up in prioritizing all of these responsibilities and obligations and you become an afterthought.

In addition to being so preoccupied with these types of concerns, which are not inherently wrong, I am also daily tempted by plenty of earthly things that are plain and simply just sinful. Guard my heart from both – from being consumed by earthly concerns and being courted by earthly temptations. Remind me that you are the one in control who oversees all things and equips me to carry out my daily responsibilities, and that you also promise me a way out when I am tempted.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Christian Schools

Lord God,
Thank you for schools that provide a Christian Education. When congregations are able to offer elementary schools as a part of their ministry, both the congregation and the community are richly blessed. The standards are high and the flexibility of curriculum choices allows them to avoid certain controversial content. However, there is no greater benefit than Jesus that Christian schools are able to offer. To nurture and equip not just the mind, but also hearts of faith provides an eternal reward to students. For high schools and colleges that allow students to continue on this path of spiritual instruction, thank you. 

Through these schools, your impact often goes beyond the student into the home, so I pray that your Spirit stretches his reach into the hearts of not just students in school, but their families as well. And, because teaching young minds is no small task, I also ask that you equip teachers and professors in these schools with patience, wisdom, and compassion for their students. Let your light shine brightly in them, so that they put the love of Jesus on display for their students and other faculty members to see. Continue to use Christian schools to build up your church and equip believers for this life and the next.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Fathers to Lead Spiritually

Loving Father,
Equip fathers to be strong spiritual leaders in their homes. While it is one of the greatest responsibilities of Christian fathers, it is also among the most neglected. Many fathers struggle so much with leading themselves spiritually that they are not prepared to lead their families. Others may prioritize their own spiritual health, but lack the ability or confidence to lead anyone else.

Help fathers see how important their role is in shaping the spiritual health of their children. Children whose fathers worship with them are far more likely to continue attending church as adults, so lead dads to embrace the blessing of regular worship together and to take responsibility for leading their family to your house for worship. Make them aware of informal and unplanned opportunities to discuss your Word and their faith. Provide fathers with pastors and strong believing friends who can support them in their leadership. Move wives and children to encourage fathers in this area, and to cause their collective efforts to bear abundant fruit.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.