DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

Thank You for Worship

Heavenly Father,
Sundays are sacred. On this first day of Thanksgiving week, we are especially thankful for the blessing of worship, by which you dispense the riches of your grace. Where your Word is preached and your sacraments are administered, there you are placing your divine banquet before your people. Through it, let the Holy Spirit continue to kindle in believers old and new a genuine longing for and love of worship. Use worship to draw them more deeply into your Word and to strengthen their faith’s grip on your gracious promises. As believers grow in their appreciation for worship, lead them to be protective of their time in your house and encourage each other to do the same. The more they come to gather, equip them also to go, shining the light of their faith brightly, and eagerly speaking about what they have seen and heard. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

For Those Starting Churches

Lord of the Church,
Energize your people everywhere who are involved in planting a new church. Their ministry is both exciting and exhausting. To be used by you to reach out and connect with the lost and see the Holy Spirit’s work in bringing them to faith is one of the greatest rewards a Christian can experience. But it is also very hard work. Give believers in these settings a great measure of patience and perseverance. Fill them up with a steady diet of your Word so they are prepared and well-equipped to pass along your promises to others as they evangelize. Raise up solid leaders in their midst who are full of faith. Open doors to provide them with strong community relationships and a favorable reputation in their mission field. Infuse missionaries with an abundance of love, support, and encouragement to help protect them from burnout. Use their efforts to add many souls to your kingdom and lead them all to regularly celebrate your gracious work in and through them.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

For Those Carrying Out the Church’s Work

Holy Spirit,
So many are needed to carry out the ministry of the church. You provide not only pastors and teachers to carry out that work, but also very capable and gifted individuals to oversee and coordinate the work. While some are paid for this work, most are not. Thank you for working in them the desire to use their gifts and time for this noble purpose. Make their service a blessing to fellow believers. Bring them joy and reward in carrying out their responsibilities faithfully. Use them to support others when necessary and to lead when called. Build up your kingdom through their efforts, and meet all of their spiritual needs so that they can carry out their work well. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

For Husbands to Prioritize Their Wives

Gracious Savior,
Marriage is one of the most tremendous blessings you have given to mankind. Yet we often and easily overlook it, take it for granted, or neglect it. When this happens, it’s not just the marriage relationship that suffers, but we are also missing out on a unique relationship which you established to lead us to a deeper understanding of our relationship with you.

Lead husbands to renew their devotion to their wives and to focus on developing their marriage relationship. Help them manage their days and schedules in a way that prioritizes their time with and attention to their wives. Grant grace to husbands to make them eager to meet the needs of their wives and to be willing to live sacrificially for them. Move them to have hearts of service that follow in Christ’s footsteps and put the needs of house and home before their own. Through all of this, richly bless not only wives, but husbands as well, as they continue striving to become more and more like you.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

Thanks for Those Serving on Sundays

Heavenly Father,
Sundays are sacred. While the pastor preaches and leads worship, and the musicians and instrumentalists are responsible for the music, thank you for everyone else who is involved in some capacity or another. Before any attenders arrive, set up and preparations are made, sometimes by a few; others times by many. Greeters and ushers help worshipers feel welcome and at-home. Those working in audio and video help ensure that the Word is communicated clearly, allowing those present or those at home to hear and see. Some use their gifts to provide care for children during worship. Others teach. Coffee and refreshments are prepared and served. Afterward, once the service is over and the worshipers have left, others take pride in tidying up and making the space presentable for ongoing ministry that occurs during the week. Thank you for those who serve in so many ways on Sunday, so that you can serve us with your Word and Sacrament. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

To Treasure Worship

Heavenly Father,
Sundays are sacred. Today I reflect on the countless saints throughout history and in the present who have shared the common experience of being able to gather together in your presence around your Word and Sacrament. Although that worship has varied drastically during different periods of history and among different cultures, how beautiful it is to know that we have shared and celebrated the same Savior. It is the blood of that Savior, Jesus, which makes saints out of souls – regardless of language, social status, age, and skin color, creating a magnificent tapestry within your Church. Lead believers to regard worship as one of the most precious activities your saints can ever participate in, for it is a foretaste of when we will all be gathered together with saints past, present, and future in your glorious presence. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

To Be Grateful for the Gospel in Worship

Heavenly Father,
Sundays are sacred. It’s so easy for us to take for granted that every time we gather for worship, we hear the good news of the gospel preached and sung. Sadly, that is not necessarily the case, certainly among religious gatherings outside of Christianity, but even within Christianity. The gospel is our lifeline to you, the assurance of our eternal security, and our hope for daily living. Cause preachers to proclaim it confidently and clearly. Keep them from the temptation of thinking that their own cleverness or creativity is necessary for the Word to be effective. The gospel is everything, therefore, let it not be overshadowed by anything. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

To Set the Tone for Sunday Worship

Good Lord,
One of the best ways to prepare for worship on Sunday is to set the tone on Saturday. Saturday is a day that is often set aside for projects and recreation, each of which are blessings in their own right. I am grateful for those opportunities, but also ask that you help me approach them with balance in mind. Guide me to avoid overexerting or exhausting myself so much that I am still worn out on Sunday morning, providing an extra and unnecessary obstacle in the way of worship. 

Let me set aside even a small portion of time each Saturday both to reflect on last week’s worship and message, and to prepare for worship tomorrow. Where resources are available for me to look ahead at the Scriptures, hymns, or songs, help me establish the practice of readying myself with them, if even just briefly looking over them. As I go to bed tonight, let my prayers include the request to wake up refreshed and with a spirit that is eager to gather together with others in your house for worship. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

For the Accessibility of Worship

Heavenly Father,
Sundays are sacred. While worshiping together with fellow believers is the ideal, thank you for all of the many ways you make services and parts of worship available for those unable to gather in person. Hymns and worship music can be heard and sung in a variety of ways. Sermons can be read, listened to, or viewed live or on demand via all kinds of media. We can pray along with other believers in real time, or pray written prayers whenever we wish to. Use all of the means of providing these digital and recorded blessings to edify believers everywhere, and even draw in unbelievers, too. At the same time, may their usage not be viewed by believers as a preferred option to gathering in person with the body of Christ. Keep the gathering together of the saints for worship as a high priority for all believers everywhere.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

To Prioritize My Salvation

Lord of Salvation,
Nothing should concern us more than the matter of our salvation. Scripture paints such a terrifying picture of hell that we must conclude that Satan and sin are nothing to be trifled with. Yet the same Scripture points to the clear certainty of salvation solely through the work of our Savior. It leaves no doubt for anyone seeking the answer to the question of what happens to us after this life. 

Keep us from allowing other concerns and distractions in our lives to crowd out the matter of our salvation. Although Jesus took care of it entirely for us, Satan tries relentlessly to take it away from us. While he cannot undo the work of salvation carried out by Jesus, Satan can convince us that our busy schedules don’t permit the time it takes to keep us close to Jesus. Since he cannot take salvation away from us, he tries to take us away from our salvation. He does this by trying to cut us off from Word and Sacrament. Help us fight that battle daily and remain tethered to you by faith, so that our salvation is never in jeopardy. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.