Category Archives: prayer

A Prayer for Good Fruit Prompted by Matthew 12:33-35

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33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. 

Heavenly Father,

I deeply desire that my life would bear good fruit, the kind that would please you in every way.  For that to happen I ask first that you would make the the kind of person that might be comparable to a good tree, so that good fruit would naturally appear.

Since it is true that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, I ask you first to purify my heart.  Let my heart be filled with an abundance of good. Then let my mouth speak good things that would impact others for good purposes.

Let me be a good person in your eyes because I allow you make me good.  There is no possible way for me to be good on my own.  Then let my life bring forth good out of my good treasure.

One way or another, I am going to leave a legacy.  Let what I leave behind be good.  Once again, Father, I desire that my life would bring forth good fruit.  For that to happen I ask you to change me from within, so that good would be the natural outcome of all that I say and do.

And I ask this for Jesus’ sake and for his glory.

Amen.

 

A Prayer for Christ’s Rest Prompted by Matthew 11:28-30

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28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Dear Lord Jesus, 

Today I am feeling especially weak in my labors and I sense that I need your rest.  It is not merely a physical rest that I am in need of, but a spiritual rest for my soul.  Help me not to let my burdens get the best of me, but rather help me to share them with you.  Help me to experience your rest, the spiritual rest that only you can give.

I desire to learn from you, Lord Jesus.  Teach me what it is to be gentle and lowly in heart just as you are.  It is precisely in this lowliness that I am reminded I was not meant to bear these burdens alone.  You invite me to serve alongside you.  Just as two oxen were joined by their yoke, I desire to be joined with you.  It is then and only then that I will not be heavy laden in my service.  Again, help me to experience your rest, the rest that only you can give.

Your yoke is easy and your burden is light.  How different this is from the yoke and the burden of the world.  Elsewhere you said that apart from you, we can do nothing.  How true that is, and how clear it is that laboring alone, without you, is foolish.  Please take my work, my labors, my heavy burdens upon yourself and place your yoke upon me.  

Help me, Jesus, to experience the work that is actually rest when I labor together with you.  There is really no other way for me to effectively serve.

Amen.

 

A Prayer for Endurance Prompted by Matthew 10:16-25

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Heavenly Father,

Your Son reminded us that sometimes the best we can expect out of this world is trouble. 

His disciples often faced difficulty, opposition and persecution and they endured.  Give us that same kind of strength.

From Christ’s instruction we learn that our worst enemies and betrayers might be those we would expect to be our closest friends.  Those who should love us and those we love may respond with hatred and rejection.  We thank you that Jesus experienced all of this first.  We are certainly no greater than he is.

Help us, Father, to remain steadfast, to be faithful and to endure.  We may desire happiness, comfort, approval and blessings, but they may not be ours at this time.  Just as Jesus endured to the end and was glorified, help us to stand firm knowing that his story did not end at the cross and neither will ours.

If we experience no glory or honor in this world, may our lives still bring glory to him, for Christ is worthy.

Amen.

A Prayer Prompted by Matthew 9:36-38

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36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Heavenly Father,

Christ had compassion on the shepherdless crowds who were harassed and helpless.  In response he asked us to pray, and so this is what we are doing.  He alone is their true Shepherd, their Good Shepherd and Chief Shepherd.

There are multitudes who need to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, the good news of who he is and what he has done.  There are multitudes more who need to hear it again, who need to be reminded or given one more opportunity to respond.

None of us can accomplish this task alone.  Please, heavenly Father, send out laborers.  As Jesus pointed out, the harvest is truly plentiful and the laborers few.  Send out laborers into this great harvest field.  Let their labors lead to the increase of your church.  Let their labors be used to build your church.  Let eternity be filled with more people brought into your family as a result of the laborers that you send out in response to our prayers.  Let disciples be multiplied and the knowledge of your word be increased.  And let your name be glorified throughout all ages as a result.

Amen.