Intercessory prayer is the purifying bath into which the individual
and the community must enter every day.
(Dietrich Bonhoeffer)
and the community must enter every day.
(Dietrich Bonhoeffer)
Before You Ask
And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Matthew 6:7-8)
Many people think their prayers won’t work if they don’t utter them clearly enough, or fail to explain to God exactly what they mean, or don’t speak loudly enough to him with sufficient earnestness. But when this happens, prayer becomes so exaggerated that our Savior even forbids it.
Obviously Jesus does not want to discourage us from praying. His point is that when we pray we must have a sense of proportion. Once we have prayed, we must be quiet. We need to be like the farmer who has sown his seed. Help will come only when you are quiet in faith. Also in your sickness or with other needs, learn to be still and look to the Kingdom of God.
We can share our needs with the Father in a few words, without making a fuss, and rest assured that God already knows what we need and what he will do to help us. We don’t have to explain our requests in great detail to God, or try and make quite sure that he knows our needs. God knows about even the smallest matters and takes them straight into his heart. We can turn to him by glancing Heavenward, with no words at all. We can do this even when we pray about something concrete and tangible, or about something that specifically troubles us. We may realize that what we thought we needed is actually not necessary and that we can find a way right in the midst of how things are now.
This doesn’t mean that we just let things happen – as if everything will come of its own accord without our longing for it. Nor should we just cast a brief and hurried request at God’s feet. When this happens, we too easily lose sight of God, assume that everything comes to us without his help, and we forget to thank him. Then we cease to have a believing heart and are consequently not true children of God.
Jesus said, “Before you ask him.” Therefore we do need to make our requests known to him, otherwise many things will not be given that could have been given. It never displeases God when we come to him with our heartfelt requests. A real child asks for everything, knowing God has an ear for him. We should bring all our burdens and needs to him, for at the very least this helps to make us ever more aware that in all things God is the giver.
God always has our interest in mind. He carries our various needs with fatherly concern, eagerly waiting for us to come to him. He has not forgotten us. And when we feel tempted to think so, then all the more we should remember that he knows it all and cares for us. In fact, he knows much more about us and our needs than we do. Simple, childlike prayer is enough to move his heart, give you something out of the fullness of his compassion, and save you from all sorts of fear and trouble.
(Johann Christoph Blumhardt)
(The God Who Heals, Words of Hope for a Time of Sickness)
Request a prayer and pray for others
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To pray for others, look below the form to see what prayers have been requested.
You may add your prayer request to this prayer wall using the form below. Once your prayer request is received, I will share it according to your instructions. Feel free to submit as many prayer requests as you like!
Julia
Knowing, Desiring, Loving by Columbanus
I beg you, most loving Savior, to reveal yourself to us, that knowing you we may desire you, that desiring you we may love you, that loving you we may ever hold you in our thoughts.
Amen.
Received: July 9, 2018
Edmund Krzeminski
[We read] In the King James Bible, Ezekiel 22:30: "And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none."
O God, please help us and teach us to build a wall [of prayer] around the USA, Canada, Poland and Great Britain. Are you ready to stand in the gap, where God is the Helper and Teacher?
Please pray that Great Britain, Poland, the USA/Canada would overcome for: (The Acts 26.18).
* Poland, pray for freedom from dead religion to saving faith of Jesus Christ as the Saviour and the Lord by faith only,
* the Church in the USA & Canada & Great Britain – Pray for repentance and cleansing of the church - Matt. 3.12 "Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
* my family:
1. Stir up the hearts of my family for ministry for me, my wife Dorothy, our daughter Ann, and our sons Peter and Daniel - "..but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" Joshua 24.15
2. Pray for God's will, wisdom, discernment, revelation and recognition for me and my family; I ask God for Edmund’s work situation, God's direction for Edmund , Dorothy, Peter, Daniel and Ann (also God's protection over the company where she works),
3. God's order in my work. I ask God for great wisdom at my work. Blessings and the knowledge of Jesus Christ for my bosses. Thank God for the continuation of my work.
Edmund & Dorothy Krzeminski
Received: July 9, 2018
Julia
Pray children can learn
About 66 million children around the world — 23 million in Africa alone — attend school hungry. This makes concentrating on subjects difficult, and their learning suffers.
Heavenly Father, be with little ones as they seek to learn. Provide their parents with the means to send them to school well fed so the only hunger they know is an insatiable hunger to learn. Equip them with an education that prepares them to do the great things you have planned for their lives.
“Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.” (Proverbs 4:13)
Amen.
(World Vision)
Received: July 3, 2018
Julia
A Prayer for the People of DR Congo
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3: 20-21)
Background: Insecurity and violence have increased significantly in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in recent months. There are fears that the humanitarian crisis will deepen as a result of recent clashes between militia forces and government troops, with thousands of families fleeing in fear.
O God, loving parent of all, comfort your children – displaced, wounded, lost or orphaned by conflict in the DRC; and give the people of that country courage to seek enduring peace with justice and freedom, that their children might grow up without fear. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
(Adapted from a Prayer from the Congo Swahili Prayer Book 1998)
Received: July 3, 2018
Julia
Prayer for South Sudan
God of Peace, Saint Francis prayed, "Lord, make me an instrument of your peace." And so do we. Make us instruments of your peace. Allow instruments of peace to rise up in South Sudan and flourish all over your world: instruments of peace who offer stability, safety, and justice that bring joy and hope; that foster hearts of reconciliation, mercy, and love.
God of Justice, The prophet Jeremiah likened your saving justice to towering mountains. And so do we.
May your justice tower over the people of South Sudan: Upholding the righteous, protecting the widow and orphan, staying the hand that seeks violence, reconciling brother with brother, sister with sister, your children with each other.
God of Plenty, your Son showed us how in faith, prayer and generosity, your bounty could be multiplied
And so will we. Bless South Sudan with a bountiful harvest; let this conflict not dry its fields or close its markets or still its people's desire to share what they have. Banish famine from their land and turn the hearts of all to those who hunger that we may all share what you have blessed us with; that their baskets may be filled, that their cups may overflow, that their children may flourish.
Amen.
(Catholic Relief Services)
Received: July 3, 2018
Julia
Prayer for the Fulani
The Fulani in Western Niger are sometimes called “Gorgaabe”, meaning “People of the west”. The majority of them have settled in and around towns and cities in the Departments of Niamey and Dosso, some have become farmers, although owning cattle is still a key part of their ethnic identity. Fulani culture places a high value on self-control and on a certain stoicism which does not allow any demonstration of weakness. When one Fulani wants to express friendship towards another, he will lend him a cow. The person receiving the cow takes care of it until it has a calf, and then he returns it to the owner.
The Fulani are overwhelmingly Muslim; however, their traditional pre-Islamic rituals and beliefs are still followed today and only vaguely linked with Islam. Although it’s not fully understood, Islam is part of their ethnic identity, it has been said that it is not possible to be Christian and Fulani at the same time.
Please pray:
That the Fulani would come to know an identity in Christ, and realize that it is possible to both be Fulani and a Christian.
That the Fulani would be open to the gospel and be willing to listen to the ministry outreach teams as they share with them truths from God’s word.
For the team as they seek to raise the prayer and financial support that will allow them to go to the Fulani.
That the team would settle in quickly and learn language easily and well.
Pray that the reserved Fulani people would be welcoming and adapt to the team’s presence.
Amen.
(Africa Inland Mission)
Received: July 3, 2018
Julia
A Prayer to St. Thomas the Apostle, Pray for Me
Lord Jesus, Saint Thomas doubted your resurrection until he touched your wounds. After Pentecost, you called him to become a missionary in India, but he doubted again and said, no. He changed his mind only after being taken into slavery by a merchant who happened to be going to India. Once he was cured of his doubt, you freed him and he began the work you had called him to do. As the patron saint against doubt, I ask him to pray for me when I question the direction in which you are leading me. Forgive me for mistrusting you, Lord, and help me to grow from the experience. Saint Thomas, pray for me. Amen.
Received: July 3, 2018
Julia
A Prayer about Serving Others
Father, allow me to serve others with a joyful heart: never keeping score, always giving, never expecting to receive. Allow me to give of myself, to give of my talents and of my goods, to give of my time and of my energy, to give of my heart and of my soul. Help me understand the needs of others, never criticizing, never demeaning, never scolding, never condemning.
You have been so gracious to me, always loving, always forgiving, always restoring, never gloating over my defeats even when I have been so wrong.
Father, keep a condemning spirit far from my heart and further from my lips. Allow me to serve others as you serve, with gentleness, compassion, and tenderness; never diminishing the worth of another; choosing to extend mercy to the brokenhearted like you have repeatedly shown it to me.
Amen.
(Pushing Jesus)
Received: July 2, 2018
Julia
Prayer for peace of mind
Lead me to your still streams, O Lord, where I can kneel in the waters of life. Lay down my anxious thoughts and cast all my cares on you.
Here I will wait a while wait a while and bathe in the life-giving waters. Bathe my mind in your Spirit, O God, and come fill my being with your peace.
Bathe my heart with your love, O God, and come still my being with your peace. Bathe my spirit with your freedom, O God, and come saturate this life with your peace.
Amen.
(Lords-prayer-words.com)
Received: July 2, 2018
Julia
Prayer for Kate Steinle on the third anniversary of her death:
God our Father, your power brings us to birth, your providence guides our lives, and by your command we return to dust.
Lord, those who die still live in your presence, their lives change but do not end. I pray in hope for Kate Steinle, who was killed three years ago and whose dead is still mourned.
In company with Christ, who died and now lives, may she rejoice in your kingdom, where all our tears are wiped away. Unite her together again with her family, to sing your praise forever and ever.
Amen.
(Catholic Online, adapted)