DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

adbLeave a comment

For Financial Spiritual Maturity

Gracious God,
Grant me spiritual maturity in my relationship with money. Money, like all other possessions, is a gift that you entrust to us that allows us to bless others and honor you in how we use it. Because your Word includes many warnings about the possible pitfalls of greed and wealth, please send your Spirit to surround and protect my heart from those temptations. Establish in me a pure and healthy relationship with money that is pleasing to you.

You provide for me financially so that I can take care of my family, give to the government what is owed, help others in need, and give back to you through offerings. When I bristle in any of these areas, remind me that each one is simply a different outlet for honoring you. Keep me vigilant so that I am not caught up in the consumerism that is so rampant in our society. Counter the lure of materialism with the genuine joy that accompanies generosity, and sustain me with a spirit of contentment in all situations at all times. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

adbLeave a comment

For Genuine Compassion Toward Others

Compassionate Savior,
I will never be far from someone who is grieving, hurting, or in need. You even assured the disciples that they would always have the poor around them. I simply don’t have to look very hard at all to see people struggling. 

This prevalence of pain that others are experiencing can cause me to become desensitized or indifferent to their plight. Because it is such a common part of the human experience to hurt or be in need, even if not intentionally, I can easily tune out the tribulations of others as I go about my daily business. 

Forgive me for my self-absorption and lack of compassion. Don’t allow me to become so preoccupied with my own schedule and responsibilities that I don’t acknowledge or give thought to the distress others are experiencing. Let me follow through with my promises of prayer, not treating them like a checklist that I can complete, but as powerful petitions that can channel real change for those in need. Increase my own capacity for compassion, so that my care and concern for others might more often flow into expressions of charity.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

adbLeave a comment

To Bless Young People Through Summer Employment

Providential Father,
When the school year is over, the months away from the classroom often include opportunities for young people to pick up summer jobs. Summer employment can provide unique learning experiences. Teach young people lessons that will serve them well for the rest of their lives, such as being on time, working well with others, being reliable, and the value of hard work. Help them learn how to handle paychecks, giving thoughtful consideration to how to manage your financial blessings.

When they have to deal with difficult managers, employees, or customers, use those challenges to strengthen their relational skills and develop their emotional intelligence. When they have scheduling conflicts between work and personal plans, teach them discernment and the importance of good decision-making. As they engage and interact more and more socially, impress on them how many chances they have to let their light shine and to be a witness to others. Overall, use these summer employment opportunities to help them acquire skills that will be a blessing to them and to others for the rest of their lives.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

adbLeave a comment

To Remain Close to You Over the Summer

Heavenly Father,
Sundays are sacred. Summer doesn’t change that. But, knowing that vacations and breaks from school can sometimes negatively affect worship attendance, I pray for you to counter the temptation to allow church attendance to slide. Rather than seeing the summer months as a break from steady worship, let them serve instead as a season to refocus and recommit to time in your house. Let worshippers pay special attention to the details of worship that can easily be lost in the busyness of the school year and other seasonal obligations.

Refresh souls with strong preaching and thoughtful sermons that spur on Christian growth and draw your people closer to their Savior. When travel plans and vacations take us away from our home congregations, lead us to seek out other churches to attend. When this happens, let us be a source of encouragement to our fellow Christians as we gather together with them. In all these ways, lead us to celebrate the unity we have, and the opportunity we have to remain connected to the Vine. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

adbLeave a comment

For Flexibility

Loving Father,
While structure and routine in our lives provide stability and security, there are times and seasons in our lives that also require flexibility. Help me identify these situations when they arise, and give me both the discernment and the willingness to be appropriately flexible. Keep me from avoiding each extreme: being either too rigid with routine or too flaky in my flexibility.

Direct me also to avoid forcing flexibility on others or changing just for the sake of change. As I assess what any given situation calls for, remind me to give consideration to the needs of others who might be affected. When adaptability is called for, let me proceed with patience and caution for the benefit of those who might struggle more with any changes. Allow flexibility and adaptability to remain blessings by always being implemented lovingly and appropriately. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

adbLeave a comment

For Structure and Routine

Loving Father,
Thank you for everything that provides structure and routine in my life. Times and seasons serve as signposts that guide me along the way. Years have months, months have weeks, weeks have days, and each day is broken down to hours and minutes – all of which work together to provide a steady and reliable framework for my life. There are so many decisions that need to be made and tasks that need to be carried out on a daily basis, that I would be overwhelmed if I had to process and decide each and every one, every single day. 

However, you designed our brains to put so many of those responsibilities on autopilot based on timing or circumstances, so that the next step or outcome throughout the course of the day is already determined. Daily routines also provide a sense of emotional security and stability, since they free us from the worry and concern that can come from not knowing what’s next. And, when I can anticipate how my day is scheduled, I can also better prepare for it. Although I know that my times are ultimately in your hands, you give me the freedom to design and lay out my days and life with meaning and purpose. In some small ways, this helps bring a measure of control out of chaos, allowing me the joy of serving you and others accordingly.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

adbLeave a comment

To Guard and Guide My Heart

Gracious Lord,
Were it not for your Word, which reveals that our heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure (Jer. 17:9), I would be much more inclined to follow its lead. I am sure of this, because even though I already know this danger, I still foolishly let my heart guide me from time to time, only to learn another hard lesson about how misleading it is. 

Let David’s plea in the psalm be my plea: “create in me a pure heart, O God” (Ps. 51). Let your description of David also be a description of me, that I would be “a man after [your] own heart” (Acts 13:22). A heart that has been washed and cleansed by your blood, Jesus, is one that knows to lean on you and your Word for all understanding, direction, and guidance. It is a heart that clings to your salvation above all else, and fiercely and faithfully seeks to stand guard against every outside attempt of the evil one to attack and take it over (Proverbs 4:23). By your grace, God, grant me such a heart and so keep me yours forever.  

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

adbLeave a comment

To Anchor My Hope in You

God of Hope,
We have such high hopes for so much in our lives, from the little things to the big. We hope this small daily habit will yield a certain result at some point down the road. I hope this career change will be the move I need to get my life on the right track. I hope to find the person of my dreams who will make the rest of our life together amazing and wonderful.

While it isn’t wrong or foolish to have such hopes, placing the full weight of my life expectations on them is. There are so many factors beyond my control that can determine the final outcome of such hopes. Some may play out as I had hoped, but many will not.

But hope anchored in the Lord and in his assurance that he is able to work good out of any situation in my life will never disappoint. That kind of hope is a sure thing, because the Lord’s promises are a sure thing. Hope in the Lord renews my strength, provides patience, and frees me from the deception of being in control. Hope in the Lord leaves me at peace knowing that I don’t have to bear the unnecessary burden of pretending to be God, because he is. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

adbLeave a comment

To Hold On to My Faith

Almighty Father,
You warn us repeatedly of the dangers of trouble, trial, and temptation. When these arise in my life, they can put my faith to the test, seeking to challenge it or choke it out. The evil one will use whatever means he can to drive a wedge between my Savior and me. If he can succeed in separating us during this life, then he will achieve his goal of stripping me of my eternal life.

Hold me fast. Send me an extra measure of your Spirit whenever I face spiritual adversity, to strengthen my grip on your powerful promises. Do the same for struggling Christians everywhere, so that your grace causes them to grab on to their faith more firmly and not let go. Extend the loving and supportive arms of fellow believers to embrace and hold up brothers and sisters in the faith when the enemy’s fighting is fierce. Hold my hand forever, so that even when I loosen my hold in my moments of weakness, I know you’ll always have me.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

adbLeave a comment

For Those Who Sacrificed Their Lives

Dear Lord,
On this Memorial Day, we mourn the loss of the service men and women who made the greatest sacrifice one can make in dying for their country. May I never take for granted the rights and freedoms I enjoy because of their tremendous sacrifice. Lead me to honor them by the way I live as an upright citizen and to do whatever I can to see that they are not forgotten and that their sacrifices are always honored. Be with all friends, family members, and loved ones still grieving their loss. Heal their wounds and lift up their saddened spirits. Surround them with care and support on this day and anytime they are down. Remove the guilt of those who are burdened by having survived when others around them were lost in the heat of battle. Give meaning and purpose to them in their lives, and allow us all to appreciate those who gave up their lives for us. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.