Tag: faithful

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Churches Facing Closure

Lord of the Church,
Thank you for establishing so many churches all over the world where your Word is proclaimed and the Sacraments are administered. While you promise that your Word will always endure, you make no such promise about individual churches. Like everything else in life, churches have a life cycle – they are planted and grow, they bear fruit for a time, and eventually they close their doors. Be with those churches near the end of their life cycle, as they struggle with difficult ministry decisions and limited resources. Comfort those carrying memories of a full church and active membership with the assurance that their ministry was never in vain, and that you used it to serve souls. Give pause to those inclined to make hasty decisions, so that they are sensitive to their fellow saints with treasured recollections of their church. Make them open to considering how they might still continue to bless other churches or ministries with their means or manpower, so that your kingdom still comes through their support of gospel efforts. Remember your people gathered in these sacred spaces, Lord, and the many years of faithful service they rendered to bring honor and glory to you.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Jesus’ Ascension

Ascended Savior,
On this day of Ascension, forty days after we celebrated your resurrection from the dead on Easter Sunday, we remember and rejoice that you returned to your heavenly throne. You did not abandon your Church, but rather returned to rule over all things on her behalf. You oversee world events so that disaster and catastrophe must bend to your will to serve the good of your people. You utilize even the persecution of your people to build your Church into a magnificent temple of living stones, with you yourself as the Living Cornerstone. From your seat in heaven, you direct and govern the affairs of your Church, using her to bless and save many in this fallen and lost world. Keep the body of the Church faithful to you, its Head, by standing with steadfast hearts and ironclad wills on your Word that endures forever.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Expose Error and Restore Truth

Heavenly Father,
Sundays are sacred. We rejoice that there are so many places of worship for believers to gather and be fed by your Word. However, we also know that not all of them stand faithfully on the Bible. Whether a church deviates from Scripture a lot or a little, no amount of false teaching is insignificant and always causes damage to souls. Bring rebuke and correction wherever they are needed, so that your people are not led astray, and the message of the gospel is not compromised. Equip your people with the discernment to identify false teaching and empower them to speak up when they become aware of it. Expose error and restore the truth so that your church continues to stand on the solid foundation of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, revealed in Scripture alone. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Bless Married Men

Lord of Love,
Married men face unique challenges. In marriage, they have committed to living sacrificially for their wives, multiplying their obligations. Marriage also means setting aside or compromising many of their own personal preferences and interests. When you bless them to be fathers, their responsibilities increase even more. Keep them from becoming overwhelmed in their vocations as husbands and fathers, while also guarding them from securing their identities through these roles. When they envy single men, hold out before them the rich blessings you extend to them through their families. Keep them faithful to their wives and families. Let every husband’s passion and desire be directed to his wife alone, and bless that devotion with sexual satisfaction and fulfillment in her alone. Equip husbands by your Spirit to be the spiritual leaders in their homes. Raise up their wives to fill them with love and support, so that they are able to carry out their God-given roles, bringing glory to you as they serve their families. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Serve You with My Best

Light of the World,
This week of Epiphany, we reflect on the wise men who journeyed to worship the Savior. Their journey, coupled with their determination to track down their Savior, would have been remarkable enough to reflect how much they treasured their King. But they didn’t stop there. Instead, they arrived bearing the costliest of gifts. They gave their best for the Best.

Help me to do the same in my service and my gift-giving to you. Let my acts of service be willing, joyful, and generous. Let my gifts flow freely and full of faith. You were born to serve me with your life and death, then raised again to rule the whole universe for my good. Use this precious truth to move and motivate my whole-hearted, all-in service to you. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Faithful Spouses

Giver of Marriage,
Keep husbands and wives faithful to each other and to their vows. Foster in them a greater curiosity and desire to pursue each other more and more as each year passes. Protect them from outside distractions and temptations, and do not allow disinterest or indifference toward each other to settle in. Guard their hearts and minds from entertaining the lies and deceptions planted by the evil one. Direct them to each other for the fulfillment of their desires for physical and emotional intimacy, and make them willing and eager to serve each other according to their spouse’s needs. Fill each of them spiritually with an awareness of your love and faithfulness to them. Lead them always to look first to you for what only you can provide, not allowing either husband or wife to elevate their spouse to that level. Otherwise, they will only find disappointment and unmet expectations. Finally, Lord, cover marriages with your gracious forgiveness. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Pastors

Lord of the Church,
Thank you for the gift of pastors. Through their service, you lead and feed your sheep. Keep them fervent and faithful to the task. Send your Spirit to guide their handling of your Word so that it continues to be proclaimed and taught without error. Guard pastors from apathetic attitudes and laziness. Let them carry out their calling with respect and the highest regard for your ministry. Bless their efforts and use them to equip your people and build up your church.

Along with the rich blessings that accompany ministry, there are also many challenges. When pastors are frustrated or discouraged, restore them with your gracious promises. When they have to oversee difficult situations or individuals, provide them with the counsel and support they need. When they struggle with feelings of inadequacy or insecurity, remind them that you are their rock and the rock on which your church is built. When they feel lonely or isolated, move them to look to brothers in ministry for encouragement and hope. Guard pastors from enticement or temptation that would not only threaten them spiritually, but potentially put their ministry at risk. Hold your heavenly prize always before them, and fill them with peace and purpose through the assurance that you are ever-present in their lives and ministries.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Be Mindful of Our Offerings

Heavenly Father,
Sundays are sacred. The primary reason we gather in your house is to receive from your generous hand what our faith needs both to survive and to thrive: your gospel in Word and Sacrament. We delight to be fed the spiritual food you fill us with to follow you in faith. You serve us graciously and generously.

Your grace and generosity to us spurs on our generosity in return, so when we gather in your house, we do not do so empty-handed. Rather, we come bearing gifts of gratitude, not only through the songs and speech that make up our worship, but also through our offerings. Whatever we bring to you pales in comparison to how richly you lavish us with your gifts! Nevertheless, we bring our gifts thoughtfully, cheerfully, generously, and gratefully. Guide us to keep growing in the grace of giving, not because you are interested in deepening our pockets, but because you long to deepen our dedication to you.  

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Future Leaders

Faithful Father,
Throughout history you have raised up strong leaders to guide and direct your people. While there are certainly natural gifts and abilities that you grant people in those roles, you ultimately are responsible for developing and equipping remarkable leaders. Continue to bless your church with reliable, trustworthy, and faithful leaders. Keep them also humble in their work.

Help congregations to consider how they identify, train, and equip individuals for leadership. Give them men and women willing to take others under their wings and invest the time to necessary to mentor and model for them. Provide outlets for potential future leaders to serve so that they come to realize that they may have certain gifts that are well-suited for leadership. When they do, increase in them a godly desire to spend more time with Jesus in his Word, so that they shadow him and imitate his life and ministry. Fill them with encouragement and support as they grow into leadership positions, and help them to embrace their shared role in continuing to develop leaders for the future. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Those Being Confirmed in Christ

Heavenly Father,
Sundays are sacred. This time of year, many young people who have been instructed in the teachings of the Christian faith are being confirmed. Bless them as they confess their faith in Jesus and make their promises to you and to their congregations to remain in their faith and grow in it. Keep them from taking their vows lightly and lead them to a clear understanding of how important they are. Instill in each class of confirmands a camaraderie and sense of spiritual responsibility for each other, so they can encourage each other and hold each other accountable. Guide parents to faithfully carry out their roles of modeling the faith in the home. Lead congregations to embrace their responsibility of continuing to shepherd these young people and prioritize their spiritual health. Draw all confirmands continually closer to their Savior and keep them faithful to the end, so that each may receive the crown of life Christ won for them. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.