Month: September 2014

Have mercy 

Hear my prayer, O Lord! Listen to my cries for help! (Psalm 39:12; NLT).

Each day I beg for your help, O LORD; I lift my hands to you for mercy (Psalm 88:9; NLT).

God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us (Acts 17:27; NIV).

She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed” (Matthew 9:21; NIV).
Lord,
Have mercy on me!
Hear my prayer,
And listen to my cry for help!

I seek you day and night,
Lifting up my hands to you,
Reaching out
To touch the hem of your robe,
Begging for your healing
And forgiveness.

Lord,
Have mercy on me!
Hear my prayer,
And listen to my cry for help!

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

Evil

Acknowledge that the LORD is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture (Psalm 100:3; NLT).

They kept demanding an answer, so he [Jesus] stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” (John 8:7; NLT).

“How can you think of saying, ‘Friend, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye” (Luke 6 42; NLT).

Lord,
I’m sorry for all the evil
We, your people, inflict on
Those weaker than ourselves.

I pray for an end
To our boundless capacity for
Judgement and criticism,
Prejudice and discrimination,
Hatred and brutality.

May we all learn to live
In love and peace together –
At last.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

Healing 

And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy! (Isaiah 35:5-6; NLT).

A vast crowd brought to him people who were lame, blind, crippled, those who couldn’t speak, and many others. They laid them before Jesus, and he healed them all (Matthew 15:30; NLT).

Lord,
I am blind –
Please heal me,
So I can see your face.

I am deaf –
Please heal me,
So  can hear your voice.

I am lame –
Please heal me,
So I can dance with joy.

I am dumb –
Please heal me,
So I can sing your praise.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

Unworthy

In the same way, when you obey me you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants who have only done our duty’ (Luke 17:10; NLT).

But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me,  for I am a sinner’ (Luke 18:13; NLT).

Jesus replied, “The Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the LORD your God and serve only him’ ” (Luke 4:8; NLT).

Lord,
I am your unworthy servant;
I don’t even do my duty!

Have mercy on me;
Heal and forgive me.

Help me to start afresh,
And to serve you alone.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

Joy

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again – rejoice! (Philippians 4:4; NLT).

Always be joyful (1 Thessalonians 5:16; NLT).

Father,
Please give me
The words I lack
To praise you –
Or my heart will burst
With joy.

In your Son’s name,
Amen.

Prayer

“O LORD,” I prayed, “have mercy on me. Heal me, for I have sinned against you”
(Psalm 41:4; NLT).

“If only you would prepare your heart and lift up your hands to him in prayer!”
(Job 11:13; NLT).

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love (Ephesians 5:1-2; NIV).

Father,
I’m a sinner.

It’s a privilege
To pray to you,
And I know
I don’t deserve it.

Help me to prepare my heart,
Lifting my hands to you in prayer
As I try again
To walk in your way of love.

For Jesus’ sake,
Amen.

Failure 

‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner’ (Luke 18:13; NLT).

“Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you” (Luke 15:18-19; NLT).

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere (Ephesians 6:18; NLT).

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; NLT).

Father,
Be merciful to me,
For I am a sinner
Who fails you every day.

I forget to stay alert,
And to be aware
Of your presence.

I fail to follow Christ’s example,
And to see you
In others.

I neglect to pray in the Spirit,
And to be thankful
In all circumstances.

Please forgive me,
And help me to do better,
For the sake of your dear Son.

Amen.

Empty and full 

You open your hand to feed them, and they are richly satisfied (Psalm 104:28; NLT).

“For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you” (Isaiah 55:12; NKJV).

He [Peter] said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep” (John 21:17; NLT).

He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us
(2 Corinthians 1:4; NLT).

Father,
When I’m empty,
You open your hand
To feed me.

When I pray,
You fill me
With peace.

When I go out,
You fill me
With joy.

And when I rest,
You fill me
With strength.

Lord,
When others are empty,
Please help me to feed them,
Just as you feed me.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

Prayer

“Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you” (Mark 14:36; NLT).

And the Lord – who is the Spirit – makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image (2 Corinthians 3:18; NLT).

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus
(Philippians 2:5; NIV).

Father,
Everything is possible for you.

By the power of your Holy Spirit,
Please help me to grow
More like your dear Son
In thought, word and deed,
With every day that passes.

Through his most precious name,
Amen.

Restoration 

You have allowed me to suffer much hardship, but you will restore me to life again and lift me up from the depths of the earth (Psalm 71:20; NLT).

“You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind” (Luke 10:27; NLT).

But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength (Isaiah 40:31; NLT).

I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance; therefore I will hope in him” (Lamentations 3:24; NLT).

He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy (Psalm 28:7; NLT).

God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them
(1 John 4:16; NLT).

Lord,
Restore me to life again,
And lift me up
From the depths of the earth.

My body is weak –
Help me to find strength
In your power.

My mind is sad –
Help me to find hope
In your Word.

My heart is lonely –
Help me to find joy
In your presence.

My soul is empty –
Help me to find fulfilment
In your love.

Lord,
Restore me to life again,
And lift me up
From the depths of the earth,
I pray.

Through Jesus’ name,
Amen.