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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Julia
Praying For Africa’s Unreached
Let us pray in unity, with passion, and confident expectation that God is fulfilling his promises, building his church, and establishing his kingdom so that people from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation will worship him. Amen.
(Africa Inland Mission)
Received: June 12, 2018
Julia
A General Intercession For Those in Trouble
We hold before God:
those for whom life is very difficult;
those who have difficult decisions to make,
and who honestly do not know what is the right thing to do.
We hold before God:
those who have difficult tasks to do and to face,
and who fear they may fail in them;
those who have difficult temptations to face,
and who know only too well that they may fall to them if they try to meet them alone.
We hold before God:
those who know that they can be their own worst enemies.
We hold before God:
those who have difficult people to work with;
those who have to suffer unjust treatment,
unfair criticism, unappreciated work.
We hold before God:
those who are sad because someone they loved has died;
and any who are disappointed in something for which they hoped very much.
Amen.
(William Barclay)
Received: June 12, 2018
Julia
A Prayer For When You Struggle with Doubt
Lord, I believe in you. I believe you are good. I believe that I am secure in you – that I am hidden in you and no real harm can come to me with you as my rock and my salvation. I believe that you see me and you love me – that I am treasured in your sight. Help my unbelief. Help that head knowledge become heart knowledge- so that my actions reflect those truths and not the lies the enemy throws at me. Amen.
(By Jordan Sok)
Received: June 11, 2018
Julia
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I would like to encourage us to pray for the US-North Korea Summit.
Heavenly Father, we ask for the outpouring of your grace on the momentous US-North Korea Summit here in Singapore on 12th June. We all desire to live in a world where there is peace, fraternal love, concern, and charity for each other. Without peace, there can be no security, no progress and future for humanity.
Lord, we pray you will enlighten the political leaders to work for peace, justice, and social order in the world. May this be the start of a continuous effort to building strong relationships, freed from the burden of fear and the weight of suspicion. May nations learn to trust each other and work towards world peace for all humankind.
Blessed Mother, you are our Mirror of Justice and Seat of Wisdom, we entrust this Summit to you. Holy Spirit, guide the leaders and officials so that “nation will not lift sword against nation, there will be no more training for war.” (Isaiah 2:4)
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
(Archbishop William Goh)
Received: June 11, 2018
Julia
Prayer for Christian Prisoners
Loving Heavenly Father, we pray for the many Christians who are being held in prisons, both at home and abroad, simply because they trust in the Lord Jesus as Savior – many of whom have been falsely accused of crimes or deliberately set up to fall foul of the law– simply because they are believers in your name.
Lord we pray that you would be with each one in their imprisonment. Break any bonds of fear and bitterness – and may the love of Jesus be shown forth in their actions and attitudes, so that those with whom they have to do, recognize that there is something very special about them, and the God whom they serve.
Set each one free, we pray, not only from their physical incarceration but also from their spiritual prison. Help them to rest in the Lord Jesus, knowing that in a small part they are participating in the fellowship of his suffering.
Use each one as a witness of Jesus Christ and may many be drawn into the kingdom of God, simply because of their gracious love they display in their time of great difficulty, in Jesus name we pray,
Amen.
(Knowing Jesus)
Received: June 11, 2018
Julia
We pray for all those who believe that children with disabilities should end their lives before they are born.
Prayer for Children with Special Needs
God created each person.
We are to see Jesus in everyone.
Jesus, we remember the children who have special needs.
We pray for these children who face difficult challenges each day.
Guide us in being friendly, patient, and understanding.
Help us to see the person and not the disability.
Amen.
(Catholic Foundation of Eastern South Dakota)
Received: June 11, 2018
Julia
Prayer for Churches in Hawaii
Pray for boldness to witness to the hurting: pray that we love one another well through the crisis, and that we are faithful witnesses by the Holy Spirit to others around us.
Pray for strength to persevere in ministry: Pray for perseverance and rest through all of this, especially for local church and ministry leaders.
Pray for provision and wisdom to move forward: Praise God for his provision so far, but we need wisdom to direct funds and labor and delegate work well.
May God again be pleased to sweep this island with gospel awakening, calling his own out of the world to true joy through Christ. May he unite his church in proclaiming the gospel of grace, rescuing many from the lie that we must provide sacrifices for a hungry goddess, to the good news that he has provided the one and final sacrifice for mankind in his Son, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
(Desiring God)
Received: June 11, 2018
Julia
An Horology by Lancelot Andrewes
O thou that hast put in thine own power the times and the seasons, give us grace that we may pray to thee in a convenient and opportune season; and save us.
O thou that for us men and for our salvation wast born in the depth of night, grant us to be renewed daily by the Holy Ghost, until Christ himself be formed in us, to a perfect man, and save us.
O thou that very early in the morning, at the rising of the sun, didst rise again from the dead, raise us also daily to newness of life, suggesting to us, for thou knowest them, habits meet for repentance; and save us.
O thou that at the sixth hour of the sixth day didst nail together with thyself upon the cross the sins of the world, blot out the handwriting of our sins that is against us, and taking it away, save us.
Thou that at the seventh hour didst command the fever to leave the nobleman’s son, if there be any fever in our hearts, if any sickness, remove it from us also; and save us.
Thou that at the ninth hour for us sinners and for our sins, didst taste of death, mortify our members which are upon Earth, and whatsoever is contrary to thy will; and save us.
Thou that at the tenth hour didst grant unto thine apostle to discover thy Son and to cry out with great gladness, “we have found the Messiah,” grant to us also, in like manner, to find the same Messiah and having found him to rejoice in like manner; and save us.
Thou that didst even at the eleventh hour of the day of thy goodness send into thy vineyard those that had stood all the day idle, promising them a reward, give us the like grace, and though it be late, even as it were about the eleventh hour, favorably receive us who return to thee; and save us.
Thou that at the sacred hour of the Supper wast pleased to institute the mysteries of thy Body and Blood, render us mindful and partakers of the same; yet never to condemnation, but to the remission of sin, and to the acquiring of the promises of the New Testament; and save us.
Thou that at eventide wast pleased to be taken down from the cross and laid in the grave, take away from us, and bury in thy sepulcher, our sins, covering whatever evil we have committed with good works; and save us.
Thou that hast made the evening the end of the day, so that thou mightest bring the evening of life to our minds, grant us always to reflect that our life passeth away like a day; to remember the days of darkness that they are many; that the night cometh wherein no man can work; by good works to prevent the darkness, lest we be cast out into outer darkness; and continually to cry unto thee, “Abide with us, O Lord, for it draweth towards evening and the day of our life is now far spent.”
Amen.
Received: June 11, 2018
Julia
World News This Week in Prayer
Jesus asked “Who are my mother and my brothers?”
Lord Almighty, Son and Spirit, you who live in community know that we are always separate from one another but invite us into your family. You give us a way to live together for our mutual comfort and support.
We give thanks for those, who understanding our need for mutuality, find ways to live in greater support:
We give thanks for the Australian Royal Flying Doctor Service, celebrating 90 years since its inception/inauguration. We pray for all those who work for the service and those who need it.
We give thanks for all air ambulances, their staff and supporters, especially the volunteer workers. We pray for those in trauma who need these ambulances. We name those in floods in English Midlands and South East and Western North Carolina in the USA.
We give thanks for all diplomats and ambassadors who, by their work, seek to bring people into closer understanding. We pray for all who need their help as our world “shrinks” and we find more ways to get into trouble while abroad. We name Korea and Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and her family.
We give thanks for those who, understanding the need for each person and country to have their own land, seek to promote peaceful interdependence not violence, especially where land is unfairly owned, where mineral rights are grabbed and water becomes a commercial weapon. We name South Africa; Rwanda; Mozambique; all countries along the course of the river Nile.
We give thanks for those who have studied our living, moving, changing earth especially those who study storms and volcanoes, giving rise to the production of power from wind, wave and geothermal sources. We pray for those who live with the fact that our earth is too big to control. We name Hawaii; Iceland; India.
We give thanks for those prepared to stand against separation and abuse. We pray for those suffering all kinds of discrimination, abuse and exclusion – such as the Windrush Generation in the UK and media programs which take action.
Who are my mother, brother, sister? All those whom God has created.
May it be so.
Received: June 5, 2018
Julia
The Blessing Of The Trinity
In name of Father,
In name of Son,
In name of Spirit,
Three in One:
Father cherish me,
Son cherish me,
Spirit cherish me,
Three all-kindly.
God make me holy,
Christ make me holy,
Spirit make me holy,
Three all-holy.
Three aid my hope,
Three aid my love,
Three aid mine eye,
And my knee from stumbling,
My knee from stumbling.
(Celtic)