Loving Heavenly Father, we thank You for the many fathers who have led their families in honoring You and living for You. They’ve sacrificed, worked hard, and provided for the needs and wants of their children. How blessed we are when we have the love and role model of both mom and dad in a day when a majority of households are managed by just one parent. There are certain duties most naturally fulfilled by the father and other duties naturally fulfilled by the mother. When this is impossible due to an early death, divorce or other unfortunate circumstances we thank You for the blended family where a “step” parent can fulfill as best as possible the role of the original parent. No matter the fabric of our family it takes much prayer, dedication, obedience to Scripture and daily endurance to fulfill our biblical role as a loving godly parent. Help us in our weaknesses and be praised in our strengths. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Father in heaven, as we approach our national election, I pray that your people will vote, and that they will vote with a sense of thankfulness for a democratic system that at least partially holds in check the folly and evil in all our hearts so that power which corrupts so readily is not given to one group or person too easily. I pray that we would know and live the meaning of being in the world, but not of it, doing politics as though not doing them, being on the earth, yet having our lives hidden with Christ in God, rendering to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s; that we would discern what truths and values should advance by being made law and which should advance only by the leavening of honest influence; that your people would see what love and justice and far-seeing wisdom demand in regard to the issues of education, business and industry, health care, marriage and family, abortion, welfare, energy, government and taxes, military, terrorism, international relations, and every challenge that we will face in the years to come; and above all, that we will treasure Jesus Christ, and tell everyone of his sovereignty and supremacy over all nations, and that long after America is a footnote to the future world, he will reign with his people from every tribe and tongue and nation. Keep us faithful to Christ’s all important Word, and may we turn to it every day for light in these dark times. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Father, we pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters. They suffer, not as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. They are guilty of being a Christian believer, guilty of loving You more than their very lives; guilty of wanting to gather with their family of believers week after week; guilty of spreading Your Gospel though their government suppresses their message. They are found guilty as charged of doing that which brings honor to You. They suffer according to Your will and commit themselves to You, their faithful Creator as they continue to do good. May we follow in their courageous footsteps through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Father, I know that godliness with contentment is of great benefit. It gives me a state of mind that is calm and satisfied; free from murmuring and complaining. I’m reminded that it takes little of this world’s goods to satisfy one whose citizenship is of another country. Help me to hold loosely to that which does not last beyond this life, and to clasp tightly that which has eternal significance. May the character of my soul and the fruit of my actions be of much greater importance than the perishable items that are alluring to me. I look to You for proper balance in the things You have blessed me with and the attitude in which I receive these good things from Your hands.

Father, we count among our rich blessings the bounty of Your handiwork – whether it’s that which we can observe only at a distance or that which we can examine closely, touch with our hands, smell or taste. You are a benevolent Father, giving us so much to enjoy. Creation declares Your glory causing us to delight in Your creativity, in all its bountiful and varied displays. We give You thanks for it all. Amen.

Father, as we live in daily communion with You, our presence will make a difference in a classroom, in a workplace, in a neighborhood, in a community and most especially in our families. With Your sanctifying seal upon our lives we no longer live according to the lust of the flesh, but the life of the Son who resides in us. May we see our world turned upside down as people walk away from evil while being transformed by Christ’s redemptive power. It is in His name that we pray, Amen.

Father, You have poured out Your abundance on us from the heavenly realms in all manner of blessings. You forgave our sins and broke the chains that once enslaved. You brought fulfillment in our lives as You gave us a sense of purpose. You provided for us a roadmap through the Holy Scriptures that leads ultimately to heaven. You’ve promised us eternal life. We experience peace that surpasses human understanding and the list is unending. For this and so much more we are eternally grateful. We deserve none of Your blessings and yet we receive them all, not only in this life but we lay hold of future blessings in the life to come. Prompt us to focus on our blessings since they far outweigh our troubles. Even when shadows darken the view of our blessings may they visibly surface as the indwelling Holy Spirit brings them to our remembrance. May it be our heart’s desire to refresh others whom we meet from day to day in life’s journey as we walk in the power of Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

My God, I have never thanked You for my thorns. I have thanked You a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorns. Teach me the glory of the cross I bear; Teach me the value of my thorns. Show me that I have climbed closer to You along the path of pain; Show me that, through my tears, the colors of Your rainbow look much more brilliant.”

Father, all I have needed Your hand has provided. Help me to live with a grateful heart in constant assurance that You are more than enough! Your goodness overflows in my life, so much so, that I certainly don’t want to hoard Your blessings, but share them with others. Keep me mindful of those who are needy so that I can share Your goodness with them. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Father, it comes naturally to fix our sights and build our hopes on that which is seen by the human eye. Not only are our eyes drawn to the visible, but our affections are also caught up in that which we can see with our eyes or touch with our hands. And yet we’re reminded in the book of Colossians that if we are risen with Christ we are to set our affections on things above, not on things of the earth, for we are dead [to the things of the world] and our spiritual life is now hidden with Christ in God. Father, You are the Masterbuilder working in the invisible realm preparing for us a kingdom that cannot be shaken by the folly of man or the sins that so easily corrupt. Our future resting place is eternally fixed in the heavens where we will dwell with You and the saints of all the ages. Keep our anticipation stirred and our affections above where Jesus is seated at Your right hand. It is because of His sacrificial death on our behalf that we can look forward to dwelling in the eternal city of Heaven. Amen.