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
To request a prayer, click on the blue button below that reads, Share Your Prayer Request.
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!
Anthony hayes
For Rosanna Chacon: God to set her free from the spirit of Jezebel bipolar spirit and for God to heal and restore our relationship and friendship so we can fulfill God's calling in our life to be married. Amen.
Received: January 17, 2019
Julia
A Prayer for Good to Prevail over Evil
“‘As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.’ Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.” (Genesis 50:20)
Lord, what the enemy means for evil against our church body, we believe you can use for good. Remind our hearts of this. When we are being attacked and crushed from all sides, remind us of your faithfulness to use everything for your good and your glory. May we not fear but trust in your provision for our church family. May we not only be readers of your Word but believers and doers. Increase our faith, Lord.
Amen.
(Crosswalk.com)
Received: January 14, 2019
Julia
A Prayer for Difficult Times
In difficult times, when all my efforts have failed to conform the events of my life towards the Gospel teaching, I would pray in the following manner:
"Come and make yourself one with my will. Your commandments do not fit within my narrow heart, and my finite nous does not comprehend their content. If you are not well pleased to come and dwell within me yourself, then I will inevitably be led towards the darkness. I know that you do not work through force, so I entreat you: Come and take charge of my house, and wholly renew me. Transform the hellish darkness of my pride into your humble love. Transfigure with your light my corrupted nature, that no passion might be able to remain within me that would prevent your coming with your Father. Make me a dwelling place of that holy life which you yourself have allowed me to taste of here in part. Yes, O Lord, I entreat you, do not deprive from me this sign of your goodness.
(Elder Sophrony of Essex)
Received: January 10, 2019
DALILA ALEMAN
I pray for our Brother Rafael Moreno to heal from all irregularities in his body. Our Lord, make him healthy again so that he can enjoy his Son and Family who deserve more time with such a Beautiful human being. I DECLARE in the name of Jesus that he is HEALED and will come out of uci immediately. Thank you our Lord, our Angels of light. Amen
Received: January 10, 2019
Julia
Prayer for the Protection of Religious Liberty
O God our Creator, from your provident hand we have received our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. You have called us as your people and given us the right and the duty to worship you, the only true God, and your Son, Jesus Christ. Through the power and working of your Holy Spirit, you call us to live out our faith in the midst of the world, bringing the light and the saving truth of the Gospel to every corner of society.
We ask you to bless us in our vigilance for the gift of religious liberty. Give us the strength of mind and heart to readily defend our freedoms when they are threatened; give us courage in making our voices heard on behalf of the rights of your church and the freedom of conscience of all people of faith.
Grant, we pray, O Heavenly Father, a clear and united voice to all your sons and daughters gathered in your church in this decisive hour in the history of our nation, so that, with every trial withstood and every danger overcome— for the sake of our children, our grandchildren, and all who come after us— this great land will always be "one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
(The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops)
Received: January 8, 2019
Julia
A Prayer for the Lost
Lord, I pray that you would teach me to yield myself to your Spirit. Holy Spirit, teach me to trust you as a living person who leads my life and my prayers. Help me to understand your ministry and power. Help me to understand you as my Comforter, Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, and Strengthener. I long to see a demonstration of your power in my life just as the Apostle Paul did. I thank you that you indwell, seal, sanctify, and empower me. You guide me, teach me, and pray through me. Help me to partner with you in everything I do. Transform my life completely with your power. Make me sensitive to your promptings, and teach me to partner with you in prayer in a deeper way.
I thank you for making the darkness vanish as I pray for the lost. Thank you for convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. I pray that you will soften the hearts of those who do not know where they are spiritually. Remove the blindness from their eyes, and help them to understand the truth about you. Bring them to repentance and salvation. Help me to be your light in their lives. Help me to let my light shine before men, that they may see my good deeds and glorify my Father in Heaven. Show me how to be your witness and how to show acts of love to them. I believe that you are working in their lives even as I pray.
In Jesus’s name, amen.
(Crosswalk.com)
Received: January 7, 2019
Julia
A Prayer to Be Filled with the Holy Spirit
Almighty and most merciful God, grant that by the indwelling of your Holy Spirit we may be enlightened and strengthened for your service; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
(Anglican Diocese of the South)
Received: January 4, 2019
Julia
Living in Light of the Incarnation
O God, who wonderfully created, and yet more wonderfully restored, the dignity of human nature: Grant that we may share the divine life of him who humbled himself to share our humanity, your Son Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
(Anglican Diocese of the South)
Received: January 3, 2019
Julia
A Prayer for Mission
O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the Earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you, bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit upon all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
(Anglican Diocese of the South)