Category: purpose in life

Almighty and Most Loving Father God,

We know that worry and fear are not of Your heart. 1 John 4 reminds us that perfect love casts out all fear, and we pray Your perfect love upon the hearts of all those who are burdened with fear of this virus. Lord, we know with no doubt that You are bigger than the threat of anything, especially illnesses. Please comfort those who are living in fear, please free them from the bondage that anxiety creates within. Remind them that You are still on the Throne and that You are still in control. Fully rain down the serenity that comes only from the Prince of Peace. Help those who are living in unease to trust You in this time so that in times to come we may rest assured that You will be faithful to be with us until the end of age. We find our respite and rescue at the Throne of the Almighty and we rely on your word for comfort and strength.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the hunter’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. Psalm 91:1-6

You are the ultimate Healer. Father, we come before You to pray for those infected with this virus. We pray for not only their healing, but for them to be comforted while they heal. Lord, please eradicate every ounce of this virus from their bodies. Please heal every cell in their bodies, every infected part of their being. We pray for no lasting effects in their bodies from this illness. Father, please heal them inside and out and provide them with the medical care they need, with the medications they need, and with the healing not only physically but spiritually so that they may live life and life abundantly ahead.

We also come to pray for those who are caring for the sick. It takes a kind and selfless heart to care for those who are sick, and so Father we pray for them. We pray that You would be their source of rest, their source of replenishment when weary, and their source of hope in such overwhelming times. Lord we know that whosoever pours out shall be given back in proportion (Luke 6:38), so we pray blessings upon these caregivers. We also pray for their health that they may not fall ill. Father protect them with a hedge of protection against the germs of coronavirus and help those who are giving to be protected as they apply their God-given skills and nurse others back to health.  Bless them abundantly, uphold their strength, and give them proper rest.

We call upon all the powers of your Holy Spirit and pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.

By Declaration of the Commander in Chief, President Donald J. Trump:
Sunday, March 15th is designated as a National Day of Prayer.
“We are a Country that,
throughout our history,
has looked to God for protection
and strength in times like these….”

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction,
faithful in prayer.
Romans 12:12

Almighty Father God,

You are God of heaven and earth. You are our comfort and our peace. You are our salvation and our protection, and we honor you today. We come before you to pray for our beloved country and for everyone who is affected by this current health pandemic. Our faith is in you and not driven by our fears. We have strayed far from your principles and from your plans for this country. Help us to find our way back to your paths of righteousness.

We pray for our national, state, and local leaders. We pray that they will take a serious look at their personal integrity and place the best interests of your people first and foremost in all matters. We pray that they will become dissatisfied with any area, in their personal character, that is in rebellion to you. Inspire them to be men and women of prayer. Inspire them to passionately pray for wisdom. Inspire them to be hungry for your guidance. Inspire them to seek godly boldness and determination to be the best leader they are capable of being. May you become their strength and not be influenced by the winds of public opinion.

Almighty God, we lift up to you the needs of our brave military men and women – those presently serving and our veterans. They have been often placed in harm’s way as they protect our freedoms. Draw our attention to their needs. Show us how to cooperate with you in meeting those needs. May their infirmities and health struggles be covered by your healing grace. Assure them that their loved ones are safe in your care when they are called to duty and service.

We pray for the doctors, nurses, and all caregivers who are unselfishly utilizing their God-given skills in this health crisis. We pray that their own health is not compromised by their exposure to various diseases and infections. Reward their sacrifice with a fast resolution to this pressing and serious threat so their time with family and respite can be enjoyed. Forgive us for so often overlooking the needs of our nation’s heroes. Forgive us for putting their health needs, their financial needs, and their spiritual needs on the back burner. May they sense the power of our daily prayers.

Almighty God, today we take this opportunity to re-dedicate ourselves to you. We want to spend our days walking before you in integrity and obedience. We want to show love and respect toward you and toward each other. Today, we dedicate ourselves to the goal of listening to your voice more closely. Forgive us for our complacency and the sins of neglect.

Almighty Father God, you have given us a great country. We thank you for our freedom and our liberty and for our beautiful land and for our natural resources. We also thank you for giving us a nation of men and women with the capacity to work together to build a better future through strong bonds of cooperation and unity. May we never forget your compassion, your grace, your comfort, and your guidance that is readily available to everyone who calls on your name. May faith in Jesus be known and trusted as our ultimate salvation.

In the name of Jesus, we pray,
Amen

National Day of Prayer, First Baptist Church of Chrisman, Illinois, Sunday, March 15, 2020

Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear but like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail.
Isaiah 51:6 (NIV)

I don’t know about you, but sometimes the Bible is so brutally honest it hurts! We consider our world, our earth, to have been here a long time and assume it will be here a long time more. But God reminds us that it is temporary! We are even more temporary: just like flies, we’re here for a short while, and then we’re gone. But not gone, gone! Christians are just gone from the temporary existence of earth because our lives are caught up with Christ in God’s salvation which lasts forever and God’s righteousness that will never end or fail. The Temple of tomorrow is a house not built by feeble human hands… it is marvelously and meticulously crafted with limitless splendor, perfect precision, and unmatched majesty completed by the Lord of Lord’s own hand.

All we want in Christ, we shall find in Christ. If we want little, we shall find little. If we want much, we shall find much; but if, in utter helplessness, we cast our all on Christ, He will respond with grace and be to us the riches of heaven.

Lord and Savior who hears my prayers and strengthens me for the journey, thank you for the assurance that what I have as a Christian goes beyond the boundaries of death, the limitations of my humanity, and the vulnerabilities of my weaknesses. Thank you that I am tied to you and your salvation and that you see me as your righteous and holy child. Amen.

Hear my prayer, O LORD; listen to my cry for mercy. In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me.
Psalm 86:6-7 (NIV)

Sometimes there are no immediate answers for the troubling events in life. We have prayed and cried and tried and gone sleepless and mourned and shouted. Still there are no answers. The days roll by in an agonizing parade of pain. Still there are no answers we can identify. What do we do? We can go to the Psalms. We allow let them raise up our heart’s cry. We are honest with the God of the entire universe and yet we can still anticipate mercy from him. We are convinced that in our troubles, he will not only hear us, but he will also care about what is happening in our lives.

Almighty God,
the only true Healer
of disease and Mender
of broken hearts,
please hear the cry today
of those I love who are
in such desperate situations.
May your will be done
in every one of their lives
with tenderness, grace,
and a sense of your presence.
And Lord, please be near me,
and help me see your
answer to my prayers.
Forever yours in the name of Jesus.
Amen.

God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Acts 2:36 (NIV)

Understanding Jesus is not simply knowing who He is, but more than titles, these two names of Jesus (Lord and Christ) are the pillars around which we can build our new lives in God’s Kingdom.

Jesus is Lord! He is our Ruler and King. He is our Master and Teacher. Our hearts are yielded to his will and open to his leading. We hold no rival to Jesus in our hearts and lives. Jesus is the Christ! He is the Messiah, the promised Savior of the Old Testament.

He is the one of whom the prophets spoke. Ruler and Savior, Master and Messiah, Jesus is God’s gift to bring us home. Jesus is the one who went to the Cross to bring us forgiveness, redemption, and salvation. The Crucified One is both Lord and Christ.

We praise your mighty Name,
O Lord, and thank you for your
gracious and sacrificial love.
We praise you dear Father,
for sending your Son Jesus
to die for our sins and
to be raised for our
hope and salvation.
Please help me, God,
to yield my heart
to Jesus my Lord as well as
open my lips in praise to
the Christ of my salvation.
In the mighty name Jesus
and through the intercession
of the Holy Spirit I pray.
Amen.

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.
Always be prepared to give an answer
to everyone who asks you to give
the reason for the hope that you have.
But do this with gentleness and respect.
1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)

We may be called to testify to our faith and face consequences of harsh reaction by the opposing forces in the world. We must be reminded that we are here to minister to the gospel message. We cannot recapitulate or cower, but having Jesus as our Lord does not mean that we bulldoze over others with this important eternal reality. Gentleness and respect are the character traits of those who have Jesus as their Lord. After all, Jesus loved others enough to die for them. Jesus even asked for those who crucified him and those who mocked him as he died to be forgiven. Having such a Lord means we have prepared a response when we are given an opportunity to share the basis of our hope in him. Those around us may not appear interested, but many are seeking for something they have not yet identified. Let’s be ready when their time is right to meet Jesus!

Holy and gracious God,
please give me wisdom
to see the opportunities
to share the love of Jesus
with those around me.
I ask you to especially help me
be able to share Jesus
with several of my friends
that I now mention by name…

Father, please give me the gentleness
to do this redemptively,
showing them the same respect
Jesus did with those
to whom he ministered.
In the name of the Savior,
your Son Jesus, I pray.
Amen.

I am writing these things to you
about those who are trying to lead you astray.
As for you, the anointing you received
from [the Holy One] remains in you,
and you do not need
anyone to teach you.
But as his anointing teaches you
about all things and as that anointing
is real, not counterfeit —
just as it has taught you,
remain in him.
1 John 2:26-27 NIV

My righteousness draws near speedily,
my salvation is on the way,
and my arm will bring justice to the nations.
The islands will look to me
and wait in hope for my arm.
Isaiah 51:5 (NIV)

God’s promises stand through the ages. He has fulfilled them in many different ways. He has punished evil nations, he has redeemed Israel according to his promises, and he has sent Jesus as Savior and redeemer. But most importantly of all, Jesus stands at the edge of history waiting to return and bring full redemption for God’s people and salvation for those everywhere who long for his return.

Sovereign Lord,
I see so much injustice in the world
and I long for truth, righteousness,
and justice to triumph.
While I long for the return of Jesus,
my heart also breaks for the many
that do not know Jesus
and for those who are
in rebellion to your will.
I don’t know what to ask
other than that your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven
and may the triumph
of your will begin with me.
In Jesus’ name I pray.
Amen.

We know also that the Son of God
has come and has given us understanding,
so that we may know him who is true.
And we are in him who is true —
even in his Son Jesus Christ.
He is the true God and eternal life.
1 John 5:20 (NIV)

The Hula-Hoop, a hip-swiveling toy that became a huge fad across America when it was first marketed by Wham-O in 1958. An estimated 25 million Hula-Hoops were sold in its first four months of production alone. The enormous popularity of the Hula-Hoop was short-lived and within a matter of months, the masses were on to the next big thing.

Many fads come and go but Jesus is exactly the answer to the wanting of the heart. In our culture today, every new item to hit the market steals the headlines only for a brief moment and then fades into obscurity. God knows our short attention span and how easily we are distracted so He sent Jesus to be a permanent satisfaction to the longing of our hearts.

Jesus came to reveal God to us. He has given us the clearest picture yet of what God is really like. Because of Jesus, we can know God, the only one who is truly genuine. Because we are in Christ, we share that special bond with the Father and find in him a whole new quality of life. This life won’t end when our bodies die, and eternal life begins now, as we walk with him each day and extends unto forever. For the eternal and transcendent God to make himself known to us is grace. For him to do it in Jesus is salvation… God is the same yesterday, today and forever… no need for a new and improved savior!

Holy and awesome Father,
I know that because my life
is joined to you through Jesus,
I will enjoy your presence forever.
I love you for all you have done for me
and the terrible price you paid
to redeem me from my sins.
I love you for creating me
and having a plan for my life
when no one else knew
I was even conceived.
Most of all, I love you for being God
and choosing to be the kind of Father
who wants his children
to know and love him.
In Jesus name. Amen.

It is not good to have zeal without knowledge,
nor to be hasty and miss the way.
Proverbs 19:2 (NIV)

Maybe one of the most important things we can do to grow in spiritual maturity is to find the right things to get passionate about. We can get riled up about some of the most inconsequential issues. We can get wildly passionate about everything from sports to chocolate pie. But zeal, passion for an issue, must be anchored to spiritual wisdom and understanding. We can get worked up over something and completely miss the will of the Lord because we were blinded by our own passions. While I want zealous people around me, I want them to be zealous for God’s things and for Kingdom issues.

Powerful and perfect God,
I find it so easy to get “all wound up”
about something and then lose
my zeal for it by the next morning,
or I get so roused to action,
I go off half-cocked
and do terrible damage.
Dear Father,
please give me the wisdom to
see what is best and right and true.
Holy God, I want to serve and honor
you and bless others in your name.
In Jesus’ wonderful name I pray.
Amen.