Tag: die

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For the Gift of Life

Dear Jesus,
The gift is not like the trespass. Because of the trespass of one man, Adam, death reigned. It ruled without mercy, unchallenged. All sinners were helpless to address their fate. Then you came, Lord, and dethroned death! By your sinless life, your sacrificial death, and your death-defying resurrection, you brought life. Truly, the gift is not like the trespass! Where faith in you is present, death no longer calls the shots, but must submit to the eternal life that is your gift of grace to all who believe. Thank you for the grace that makes this gift mine.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For No Fear of Condemnation

Dear Jesus,
The gift is not like the trespass. The judgment resulting from the trespass is condemnation, while the judgment following the gift is acquittal. We rejoice, Lord, for the gift of your grace means no fear of condemnation! Though I am guilty of sin, you do not count it against me. Though I earned condemnation, your gift is justification. As a result of your sacrifice, all sin – including my sin – has been paid for in full, meaning there is no substance to the empty accusations of the evil one. The eternal death sentence of Adam’s trespass has been undone by the gift of your grace. How true it is that the gift is not like the trespass!

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Make the Gift Known

Dear Jesus,
The gift is not like the trespass. Through Adam’s act of disobedience in the garden, death came into the world. However, through you, Jesus, the gift of grace overflowed. In Adam, we all die. In Christ, we live. While the result of Adam’s trespass – death – directly affects all people, whether they know why or not, Jesus’ gift of grace has to be made known, for it can only be received by faith. Truly, the gift is nothing like the trespass! Let my mouth speak to others of this gift of grace so that death is not the end of their story. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Compassion Toward Those Experiencing Loss

God Who Cares,
Trouble and tragedy so frequently fill our news feed that we can become disinterested and desensitized. When that happens, our sense of compassion can diminish along with it. We brush over death and lives lost, lacking sympathy for those devastated by such tragic loss. Unconcerned, we don’t spend so much as a passing thought on souls and their eternity. 

Forgive me for being too much in the world, but not of it in all the wrong ways. You have placed me here to grieve with those who grieve. You have uniquely shaped me to show compassion to suffering neighbors and care for saddened strangers. Lord, your heart ached for others who were hurting. Give me that same heart, always willing to pause and be present with others in their loss and grief. And, when appropriate, compel me to point them to the precious hope you provide to all who have experienced loss. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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A Prayer for Ash Wednesday

Merciful God,
On this day, Ash Wednesday, we mark the beginning of the season of Lent. Today especially, we are reminded of the inseparable bond sin and death share. Sinners cannot escape death. I, therefore, cannot escape death. What I can do, though, and need to do daily, is confess my sins that lead to death. Lent is not a season of self-help, but a penitential season of helplessness. Grant me a humble and contrite heart, and create in me a renewed spirit as I prepare once again to see the Savior’s steps toward his ultimate sacrifice for all, including me. Only at the cross was the eternal bond between sin and death broken, so that now, in Christ, even though I die, I live. Eternally. With you. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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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. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Your Good Friday Sacrifice

Lamb of God,
You take away the sin of the world. Today, we remember the cost. There is no greater sacrifice imaginable that could have been made than that you, the innocent Son of God, would willingly be executed in the place of the real convicted lawbreakers. My sin crucified you, and your compassion saved me. On this Good Friday, words will not ever be able to capture or convey the thanks you rightly deserve. Nevertheless, thank you for dying for me. Compel me to live for you.   

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Ash Wednesday

Lamb of God,
Today, Ash Wednesday, is much more than just the first day of the season of Lent; it is a reminder of my mortality. Anyone who has stood at the graveside of a Christian friend or family member has likely heard the eerie reminder, “ashes to ashes, dust to dust…” That reference to ashes, as well as the ashen crosses that will mark the foreheads and forearms of many today, serve as emphatic markers of my mortality. I will die. We all will die. Of this we can be certain, for death comes to all who sin. 

But the intent and purpose of this day is not to leave us woefully wallowing and dispirited by the inescapable reality of our death. No, it is a call to repentance, and yes, even a joyful confidence in confessing those very sins for which I will experience death. This confident confession that by faith turns me toward Jesus, my Savior, assures me that he was the sacrificial Lamb who takes away the sin of the world – and who therefore takes away my sin.

For that reason, though I will die because of my sin, I will never be condemned because of it. Hell is not my final destination, since Jesus endured it in my place. Therefore, today and throughout this season of Lent, may I repeat the refrain on my heart again and again:

“Glory be to Jesus,
Who in bitter pains
Poured for me the life-blood
From his sacred veins.

Grace and life eternal
In that blood I find;
Blest be His compassion,
Infinitely kind” (Glory Be to Jesus, stanzas 1&2). 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.