Prayer Starter

Revelation 22:20  John, the writer of The Book of Revelation, prays, "Come, Lord Jesus!" John was exiled to Patmos by the Roman emperor. Isolated and separated from the rest of the church, he might have seemed completely alone. At the same time, he understood that the kingdom of God was near. Scripture shows us that trials and the kingdom of God are often linked. Acts 14:22 reminds us, “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” Difficulties in life aren’t random or meaningless. Instead of asking, “Why is this happening to me?” or placing blame, we are invited to seek God’s purpose in the midst of what’s unfolding. Hardships can be part of a larger work of preparation—shaping us for the future, whether in this life or the next.  John’s exile might have looked like a setback, but it was exactly where God wanted him. With no distractions, God had John’s full attention, and it was in that place of isolation and suffering that John received one of the most...

I will exalt you, my God the King;      I will praise your name for ever and ever. 2  Every day I will praise you      and extol your name for ever and ever. 3  Great is the  Lord  and most worthy of praise;      his greatness no one can fathom. 4  One generation commends your works to another;      they tell of your mighty acts. 5  They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—      and I will meditate on your wonderful works. 6  They tell of the power of your awesome works—      and I will proclaim your great deeds. 7  They celebrate your abundant goodness      and joyfully sing of your righteousness. Psalm 145:1-7 (Read the whole Psalm) Now, let's pray this Psalm of Worship: I will exalt you, my God the King;      I will p...

If you want your prayers to be guided by God's Word — and I hope you do — there’s nothing better than using the Psalms. The Psalms are words from God that we can use to speak back to Him. They include praise, sorrow, reflection, requests, and cries for help. Ignoring them means missing out on something powerful. The Psalms connect our personal prayers with the prayers of believers throughout history. They touch our hearts, teach our minds, and help us follow God's will. Psalm 51:10-12 ( Read the entire Psalm 51 ) Create in me a pure heart, O God,      and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11  Do not cast me from your presence      or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12  Restore to me the joy of your salvation      and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. O Lord God, the Father, I pray for a pure heart. In Christ, You fulfilled David’s plea and gave me a clean heart, a gift only You could ...

Christian minister and author Lynn Anderson wrote about a group of church leaders discussing prayer. One said, "I hate to admit it, but sometimes my schedule gets so hectic I don't really pray much for days." Another  said, "My problem is a bit different, I usually pray fairly regularly, but my prayers often feel stale and I get into this rut praying the same old things every day." A third man spoke up adding, "I hear that. Rote, stale, and repetitive. Plus my prayers become narrower and narrower. Here lately I pray mostly about me: my needs, my family, and my work. Me!" Prayer Warrior, these struggles are not unique. Around the world sincere Christians find themselves stuck in a similar rut. * Stale and shallo w prayers * Praying mostly about surface issues * Prayer focused on us rather than on our relationship with God We could go on and on. I hope these prayer starters help you avoid these ruts. This morning focus on praying when life has us down. T...

Good Morning, I hope you won't be offended, but I want to share an old joke with you that drives home an important point regarding what the Bible tells us about prayer and trusting in God. A religious man was trapped on the roof of his house during a bad flood. He prayed to God to save him. Before the waters were too high, a neighbor drove by and offered to take him in his truck before the water rose. He declined the offer and said "God will save me."  As the water rose, vehicles could no longer drive by and a Fire & Rescue crew came by in a boat. Again, an offer for rescue and again, the religious man said, he would wait upon the Lord.  Finally the water is destroying the house and it is near the lower levels of the roof. Another rescue attempt this time by helicopter, offers to whisk him away to safely and he declines, relying on God to save him, only to die in the great storm. In heaven, the man confronts God and says, "Why didn't You save me?" To whi...

Good Morning Friends, Let me give you an example to show how easy God has made prayer. There was a man who couldn’t walk. His story is found in Mark, chapter 2 . He had some very kind friends. They believed Jesus could help him. So they carried him to the house where Jesus was teaching. But the house was so full of people that they couldn’t get inside. Did they give up? No! They climbed up on the roof, made a hole in it, and lowered their friend down, right in front of Jesus. His friends probably waited for Jesus to say, “You are healed!” But Jesus didn’t say that first. Instead, He said, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Why did Jesus say that? Because even though the man didn’t speak, Jesus knew what was in his heart. The man really wanted to be forgiven. He didn’t say anything out loud—he just looked at Jesus. But Jesus heard the silent prayer from his heart. Jesus forgave him first. Then He healed his body too. This story helps us understand something important about prayer. Prayer is...

Good Morning, Here is a prayer of Paul's that he wrote for the Christians in Ephesus. Let's pray it together for our fellow Christians. For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people,   I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.   I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.   I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,   and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength     he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,   far above all rule and authority, power...

If God is all-powerful, all-knowing and unchanging, then what possible influence will our prayers have on Him? Another way to say it: "Can our prayers change God's mind? If God already knows everything and has a perfect plan, why pray? And if our prayers don’t change God’s mind, what’s the point? This is part of the larger paradox between God’s sovereignty (His complete control over all things) and human agency (our ability to make real choices). On one hand, God is all-knowing and His will is perfect. On the other hand, Scripture invites us—commands us—to pray, to ask, to seek, and to knock.  Matthew 7:7-8. The key insight thought might better be stated: Prayer isn’t primarily about changing God—it’s about God changing us. It’s a relationship, not a transaction. Through prayer, we align our hearts with God’s will, grow in trust, and learn to want what He wants. In short: God’s plan includes our prayers. Our prayers are part of how God works in the world and in ...

Good Morning Prayer Warrior - Simple prayer to start your Sunday: Heavenly Father, this is the day You have made. I will rejoice and be glad in it!  Thank Your for being my God and loving me. Continue your prayer and read this passage throughout the day: Psalm 118:24 . May you have a blessed day and the Spirit of Christ fill your soul!

It's Saturday morning. Tomorrow is the Lord's Day. Let's  focus on a prayer from Jesus when He was dealing with temptation. Luke 22:39-44   Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him.     On reaching the place, he said to them,  “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.”   He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed,   “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”     An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.   And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. Even for Jesus, it was all about the will of God. We don't always understand God's plan, but we need to trust him. And a like His disciples; we need to pray that we will not fall into temptation. I Corinthians 10:13  No temptation  has overtaken you except what is co...

Good Morning- Sometimes when you don't think you are getting it right spiritually, you may feel lost. Faith however is something that comes from God, and trust is the outcome in your heart as you practice it.  Get to know our faithful, dependable God, and you will build trust in Him. We get to know God better by getting into His Word and then sharing conversation with Him through prayer. Ephesian 2:8   We are saved by faith. Praise the Lord! " For it is by grace  you have been saved,  through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—" Matthew 17:20 Jesus stated:   “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Let's pray: Lord, I feel so lost at times because I can’t seem to keep my eyes focused on You. Life can be tough. life is frustrating.  Sometimes I just...

Good morning, Prayer Warrior Friends - The older I get the more often I am temporarily lost or I lose things. I know it can happen when we are younger, too, but the impact on my life seems to be more stressful.  Last night I hurried home from visiting my granddaughter at her work place. The shift manager wasn't treating her right and she felt down, discouraged and a bit depressed.  She was being belittled. She wasn't being encouraged or supported. She felt lost. This morning I woke up early to consider our thoughts and to pray to God. She was on my mind. My adult children were on my mind and my grandchildren.  The world is in so much chaos and confusion. No wonder so often everyone is feeling at a loss. As I finished my prayer, I opened up my laptop to write a prayer we could share and ponder on a scripture, I realized I had lost my glasses.  Panic took over. I have only a few more minutes to get our message out. I can't see the screen. I can't find the keys on the k...

Good morning, Friends- I saw this picture the other day and it just caught my eye. Not only because it was a picture of calmness, it also has such a positive message reminding us of our current topic of prayer, faith and building our relationship with God. As we read these various passages of faith notice  the amount of my faith does not matter, but where our faith is placed is key. A faith in God who loves His children is required no matter if it is a strong faith or a growing faith.  A purified faith is a powerful faith – able to pray boldly, humbly, and submissively.  Sometimes our faith can move mountains; sometimes it can only reach out and touch the hem of His garment; sometimes it simply cries out for mercy – but in all prayers of faith, in some measure, the true healing is that our eyes are opened and we see the Lord! Prayer for this morning: Heavenly Father, sometimes I feel like my faith is weak. Sometimes my unbelief just creeps into my heart, but this morning ...

Prayer is the pathway to build our faith. Self‑sufficiency suffocates it. God never meant us to muscle through trials alone; He wants us to rely on Christ, who can do anything ( Philipians 4:13 ). We are designed by God to do His good works which require our faith in Him ( Ephesians 2:10 ). Yesterday we read Mark 9:14-29 to learn about prayer and faith.  Mark’s Gospel tells many storeis about Faith. Here are a few you can read again if you want. Faith on display The leper ( Mark 1:40 ) The paralytic’s friends ( Mark 2:1‑12 ) The Syrophoenician mother ( Mark 7:24‑30 ) Each story whispers the same invitation: confess, believe, admit where it’s weak, and seek God’s help. “Lord, I believe—help me believe more!” Practically, that means trusting Jesus’ absolute sovereignty—His power over our lives and the world. When fear surfaces, ask: Have I lost sight of who Jesus is?   So where have you concluded, “God can’t fix this”?   Where have you prayed, “ If You can…”?  ...

  Our scripture this morning comes from Mark 9:14-29 (NIV). ( Link to NASB ) 14  When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them.   15  As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him. 16  “What are you arguing with them about?”  he asked. 17  A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech.   18  Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.” 19  “You unbelieving generation,”  Jesus replied,  “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” 20  So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and r...