Father, we confess that there are many teachings of the Bible that are difficult to understand and challenging to implement. Yet we honor Your inspired Holy Word and hold it up as the standard for our pilgrimage here below. As lawlessness and ungodliness continue to plague our world we recognize all the more that You are like a shield for all who seek Your protection. There are instances where we may be called to take a stand for righteousness that requires us to make hard decisions, even that of choosing our relationship with You over our comfortable standing with our family or friends. We love You with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. May our choices reflect that proclamation as we are counted among those who endure to the very end. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Jesus, You know my tendency to worry and fret about circumstances and people dear to my heart. Thank You for giving me Scriptural wisdom in how to deal with this ongoing weakness that robs me of Your joy and peace. As I seek first Your kingdom I will look to Your Word rather than the unending problems that lead me to a worrisome state of mind. As I read Scripture over and over that pertains to my needs, it replaces the time spent worrying over and over about the problems at hand. Meditation on Your Word is similar to worry in that I turn Scriptural promises over and over in my mind. You replace my worried thoughts with divine wisdom and peaceful reassurance as my heart is open to You when looking for answers to my problems. Help me to seek You above all else and trust Your overflowing provision for all that concerns me today. It is in Your name that I pray. Amen.

Father, You made my heart to be the life-giving source for my physical existence and You also made my heart to be the life-giving source for my spiritual existence. Create in me a pure and contrite heart, O God, and establish a steadfast spirit within me. It is only in the power of Your Holy Spirit that I can faithfully guard my heart from the follies of this world. Fill me with the abundance of Your goodness so that it overflows into the lives of others as my conversation and conduct reflect Your residency within my heart. Help me, I pray, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Father, the dynamic story of the three Hebrew men has been a favorite story of Your miraculous deliverance for all ages and throughout all generations. Their unyielding devotion to You, Almighty God, is a tremendous example to those of us who call You our Father. You are not only our Father who watches over us but also our Deliverer in times of trouble. Faith that cannot be tested is faith that cannot be trusted, so it is in times of fiery testing that we prove Your power and You prove our allegiance to You. Help us to be willing to give up our lives rather than serve or worship any god except the one true eternal God. Amen.

Father, as we live in the Light of Your Word the devil’s venomous plots are exposed. We are not caught by surprise but rather we are filled with Your Spirit which prepares us to be on the offense rather than defense. We walk in truth and confidence as we stand strong on the day of evil. As we wear the full armor You have provided for our protection we can fight against the devil’s evil tricks. Our fight is not against flesh and blood but against the powers of this world’s darkness and the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly world. So we pray in the spirit continuously asking for Your help, strength, and guidance. We also pray for our brothers and sisters that together we will stand firm against the enemy of our souls. Amen.

Father, we choose to contend for the faith once for all entrusted to the saints throughout Scripture and to all generations that follow. We love You with our heart, soul, mind and strength so we choose to live according to Your pattern established in Scripture. We choose to align our desires with Your design for our lives and refuse to “exchange the truth of God for a lie”. Your truths bring light and life; Satan’s lies bring darkness and death. Those who follow the lie claim to be wise, yet they become fools as they exchange glory reserved only for You, the Creator, for that which You created. So we choose to give our full allegiance to You, our Creator and Father, who is forever praised. Amen.

Father, as we confess our sins we thank You that You are faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Help us to confess our sin, welcome Your cleansing, and invite the Holy Spirit to help us courageously deal with personal consequences from our sinful defiance. You are a gracious Father who does not cast us down in our failures, but You uphold us with Your gracious and loving hand. When pride and fear consume our hearts it holds us back from taking the proper steps to right a wrong. Replace our fear with courage and our pride with humility so that we will take the proper steps to correct a wrong we’ve committed. Help us to find peace in knowing that we have obeyed You.

Jesus, the race You’ve marked out for us doesn’t require nearly as much physical stamina as it does spiritual endurance. Those who are physically weak due to disease, illness, and aging are just as qualified to run as those who have young athletic bodies. It’s a spiritual race where You call us to perseverance as we discard those things that would trip us up, lead us on a disastrous detour or a total defeat. The great cloud of witnesses spur us on; those from the Biblical period, throughout history, and from our own generation. But above all we thank You, Jesus, that You endured the cross and all the suffering that accompanied it, being spurred on by the joy You knew that would be Yours afterward. You cheer us on by Your own example and by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit that sustains us in our struggle against sin. Keep us faithful to the finish line as it is an entry way into a life unentangled by any form of sin in the perfect world God created for us. Amen.

Father, when Your tender Holy Spirit stirred the spiritual slumber of my heart strings, I awakened to my need for a Saviour who could save me from the mess I had made of my life. I invited Jesus to come into my heart, save me from my sins, and restore my broken relationship with You. It was then that I decided to follow Jesus all the days of my life. The cross before me and the world behind me became the theme of my life. Like the martyr who declared, “Though no one joins me, still I will follow” I want to be one hundred percent sold out to You. I choose not to fear man or the things he can do to me, but to fear You and hate all evil. I have decided to follow Jesus and there is no turning back for me all the days of my life. Because of Jesus’ amazing grace I come to You in prayer. Amen.

Father, we are grateful for our earthly human family; for our parents, siblings, and extended bloodline. So many warm memories and formative teachings have shaped us into the people we are today because of their personal sacrifices and loving infuence. We thank You also for our forever spiritual family who help us interpret life’s journey though an eternal scope. Because of our mutual love for Jesus we relate as a spiritual mother, father, brother or sister in a large family. We bear each other’s burdens, weeping with those who weep, rejoicing with those who rejoice. May we help to meet the needs of others which You have commissioned us to do, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. In the name of Your Son, Jesus, we pray. Amen.