Father, we are “richly blessed” when we call upon You to save us from our sins. You desire to share riches of eternal value with the redeemed. Far too many play around with the idea of surrendering their hearts. They think about it in certain settings or when influenced by believing Christians or persuasive Scripture. We pray that they would not just stand outside the door of the kingdom, but take the necessary steps to step inside the kingdom of God by confessing with their mouths and believing in their hearts that Jesus Christ is raised from the dead. When we truly believe and boldly confess we are changed from within and our actions from without. That’s the mark of the true believer. May our lives give evidence of Your redemptive work and boundless blessings. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Father, You know the true content of my heart though others may be fooled by my words and actions. So it is with You that I must keep a short account and pray from a genuine heart that I will act in accordance to Your revealed will and think upon those things which are honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. Thoughts form in my mind before they are spoken from my mouth, so I pray that You would purify my mind, keep my tongue from evil, and enable me to stand for that which is honorable in Your sight so that I pass the tests of life and hear you say, “I am pleased with your integrity.” In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Father, it’s been said that “courage is fear that said its prayers”. And it’s true that You can change our hearts and outlook even when the circumstances have not changed. But it requires our dependency on You through persevering in prayer which results in absolute trust. We can be assured of Your eternal encouragement and good hope as it encourages our hearts and strengthens us in every good deed and word. It is through Christ Jesus our Lord that we pray in faith believing that You turn tragedy into triumph, as You work out all things together for our good. Amen.

Father, we ask You to not only open our eyes to that which is around us, but we ask You to open the eyes of our hearts so that we might envision that which is true and that which is false on a spiritual level. When we hide Your Word in our hearts we more quickly discern that which masquerades as good, but its source is from one of Satan’s servants “masquerading as a servant of righteousness.” Because Your Spirit reigns in our hearts and knowledge from Scripture fills our minds, we affirm that which is Scriptural and reject that which is heresy. May we ever be vigilant in attaining Scriptural knowledge and fervent in prayer as we encounter the gods of this age. In the matchless and true name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

Father, it is not by mistake but by Your design that we experience the detours of life that give us perspective in a way that nothing else does. Though we see others who travail in difficulty, it is particularly difficult when we ourselves experience tough terrain that we seek to understand Your purpose for the trial we are enduring. Help us to persevere in the midst of uncertainty and unfamiliar landscape. May we find joy in the simple pleasures we overlooked when life’s journey was routine and uninterrupted by the surprise bends in the road or difficult detours that bring about delay or a change of plans. May the testing of our faith bring about maturity and give us a new perspective that makes us stronger in our faith and more effective in our witness to those around us. May they see a grateful spirit in us even as we undergo difficulty so that we glorify Your name rather magnify our problems. Amen.