DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

For the Work of Your Word in the Hearts of Your People

Heavenly Father,
Sundays are sacred. In worship, you speak to our hearts through your Word and Sacrament. You afflict those comfortable in their sin through the law, and comfort those afflicted by their sin through the gospel. You alone know the needs and desires of our hearts, and you alone are capable and caring enough to provide what each of us needs when we come into your presence. Nurture and feed the faith of your family of believers who gather together on this special day, and see that your kingdom continues to come to them and through them by means of your gracious, life-giving Word.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

To Love Hearing and Living Your Word

Sovereign Lord,
We are so richly blessed to be able to freely worship you together with fellow believers. Thank you for providing us with the spiritual nourishment of Word and Sacrament. Let your people treasure and cherish this privilege and hold it always in high regard. At the same time, Lord, steer the hearts and minds of your people away from any notion that good church attendance is our primary goal as believers belonging to a congregation. Rather, lead them to love and crave worship, because through it, you fortify our faith to faithfully carry out our callings in the world. Let our time in your sanctuary strengthen us and spur us on to be the salt and light you would have us be in the world. Lead us to deeply love hearing your Word in worship and then deeply love living your Word in the world. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

For Faith-Filled Elders

Shepherd of Souls,
Look with favor on the important work of elders in their congregations. Provide churches with faith-filled elders who are eager to serve you and their fellow believers. As they work together with your pastors and undershepherds, make their spiritual care a blessing to all of the sheep of your flock. Ensure that they are well-trained and equipped for their work. Make them bold and faithful to carry out their responsibilities. Establish effective channels of accountability between pastors, elders, and members, so that support and encouragement are readily available. Through their joint efforts, as they teach, rebuke, correct, and train in your Word with your people, foster robust spiritual growth in your churches everywhere. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

To Keep Devoting Ourselves to Your Word

Holy Spirit,
Your Word is life, but so often we let life get in the way of your Word. We know firsthand the blessings of being in your Word regularly, but we also know how challenging it can be to maintain the regular habit of spending time in it. Thank you for the seasons of consistency, and for the ways you nurture our faith in those seasons. Be patient with us when we drift or get out of our routine. When we do, guard us so that our guilt and shame do not give way to frustration and discouragement, leading us to fall for the lie that we’ll never be able to establish a regular devotional life. Instead, with your patient grace, invite us back into your Word for the freshness of forgiveness and the newness of your mercy every morning. Feed our souls, and let our time in your Word be driven not by duty, but by delight. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

For Discernment to Uncover the Lies I Believe

Holy Spirit,
Satan is the father of lies. It is therefore no surprise that he retains the same tactics today that brought him success against Adam and Eve and countless others since then. As shameful as it ought to be that he would be so unoriginal and simple-minded, it’s even more embarrassing that I still fall for his lies today. The reason I so often believe his lies is that he is so good at masking them as the truth. Therefore, I ask for discernment to be able to help me expose any lies that I am believing. Use others around me to help detect them and warn me, or to inform me of the possibility of certain lies in my life. Give me the humility to realize that no matter how smart I think I am, the evil one is superior in outsmarting me with seeds of doubt, misinformation, and deception. Then, when the lies I am believing come to the surface and are discovered, empower me to shut them down with the truth of your Word. Let your light pierce any darkness in my life so that I can call out the lies and replace them with truth. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

For Worship to Be About Jesus

Heavenly Father,
Sundays are sacred. As believers gather in Christian churches all over the world on this day for worship, edify them through the preaching of your Word. Remind both preachers and those listening that we are called the Christian Church because Christ is central to all that we are and do. Let that be clearly reflected and understood in preaching and worship. While we enjoy freedom and flexibility in so many ways because of the gospel, guard all believers at all times against being willing to compromise anything that may call Christ into question. On Jesus and his saving work, your Church is a tower of strength. Without him, it crumbles to pieces. Let it stand forever, as you have promised, and keep us faithful to our promise to remain true to you. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

To Gather Others to Your Church

God of Grace,
Your Church is for everyone. However, there are still so many souls outside of Christianity who are blinded by the evil one and are in danger of being eternally lost. Some are blind because they are simply unaware of all that you have done to save. Others are blind because they have been deceived by false religions and counterfeit gods. Still others stand as bitter enemies of the Christian faith. Yet these all have this in common: you alone bring them unparalleled peace that is not accessible and cannot be appreciated apart from Jesus Christ. Flex your mighty right arm of salvation, unleash your Holy Spirit, and dislodge and dismantle every obstruction that is currently cutting off so many from the lifeline of faith in Jesus. Let the gospel overpower all opposition and succeed in rescuing many more souls into the safety and sanctuary of your Church. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

To Grow My Faith

Holy Spirit,
How can we possibly determine the value of the priceless gift of faith which you have given us? By faith, our eyes have been opened to see our Savior, who has secured our salvation and who provides us with peace and purpose in life. Therefore, I ask you to increase my faith so that it continues to cling ever so tightly to you and does not waver or doubt. Since I know you carry out this vital work through your Word, draw me into it more consistently and direct me to think on it deeply. Lead me also to crave Communion, by which you refresh and restore my soul, and to rejoice in my baptism, by which you claimed me as your own. Use your Word in all these wonderful ways to grow in me a faith that delights in fixing my eyes increasingly on my Jesus. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

For Godparents to Be a Blessing to Their Godchildren

Lord of the Church,
Godly godparents may be some of the most under-appreciated gifts you give believers. Christian parents may not always take advantage of the blessed tradition of choosing godparents, or they may not give much prayerful deliberation to their choice if they do. Godparents, too, may overlook or neglect their important roles. Nevertheless, guide your church to retain this practice, to expand its awareness, and to heighten its importance. Your little baptized saints growing up in the world today are in as much need of prayer and spiritual care as ever. Place godchildren on the hearts of their godparents regularly. Direct them to your throne of grace on their behalf, and lead them to welcome and embrace the role of helping disciple their godchildren in every way possible. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

To Be Proactive Against Temptation

Protective Father,
I am no stranger to temptation. I know how weak and susceptible I am when Satan is knocking at the door. When those moments arrive, it so often feels like it’s already too late and my self-control and determination to stand firm collapse and crumble. Since I know this about myself, give me the wisdom to get ahead of temptation instead of allowing it to grow and intensify. Keep my eyes from wandering. Strengthen me to redirect any impure or unholy thoughts and take them captive to righteousness. Do not permit me to be deceived into thinking I can put myself into known dangerous situations that will test my sanctification. I am so grateful for your promise to provide a way out whenever I am tempted, but I also ask you to give me the spiritual maturity and discipline to avoid putting myself into situations that require a way out in the first place.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.