Month: August 2022

Prayer for Times When You’re Feeling Down and Discouraged (Based on Psalm 143)

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Photo taken in Colorado.

Author: Elton Streyle, Contributor: Noah, Photography and Editing: Ali

Compassionate Heavenly Father, I come in Jesus’ Name to thank You for this prayer example of David during his time of hopelessness and discouragement. Like David, I am saddened by the evil and brokenness in the world.  In my time of need, I ask for what David expressed in verse 7.  “Answer me speedily, O LORD; my spirit fails! Do not hide your face from me, lest I be like those who go down into the pit.”

I ask You to teach me to pray like David did in this Psalm during difficult and down times. Show me how to fit my prayers into what I know is consistent with Your attributes and plans. Direct me to recall and think about You and all You have done to take care of me in the past.  Verse 5-6 “I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works; I muse [meditate] on the work of Your hands. I spread out my hands to You; my soul longs for You like a thirsty land.” 

I know that when I am discouraged, only You can provide the comfort that I seek.  Rescue me from any enemies, for I hide myself in You. Verse 9 “Deliver me, O LORD, from my enemies; in You I take shelter.” Like David, I need Your guidance and the Holy Spirit to teach me in all truth about how to depend on Your sufficient grace to help me in times of need.  Thank you that if I ask, I can be assured that You will lead me in the path of perfect peace. Verse 10 “Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the path of uprightness.” Refine my desires through the trials of life, and always redirect me toward Your will.  Even though I may not understand my suffering and distress now, I trust in Your perfect plan, and I submit myself to Your perfect will. 

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.     

Prayer About Overcoming Feelings of Inadequacy (Based on Exodus 4:10-13)

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Photo taken in Colorado.

Author: Ali, Contributor: Elton Streyle and Noah, Photography and Editing: Ali

Heavenly Father, I come to You in Your Son’s Name to thank You for Your wisdom in including stories in the Bible that deal with human inadequacy and how it makes room for You to display Your glory and strength. The stories of Mary, Gideon, Esther, Moses, and others come to mind. When You called Moses to speak to Pharaoh on behalf of the Israelites, he protested in Exodus 4:10, ‘”O my Lord, I am not eloquent…I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” I confess that this is often my response as well. I feel inadequate to fulfill the purposes You have laid out for me, and I tell You all the reasons I can’t do what You have called me to do instead of trusting You.

It is encouraging that for every story of human inadequacy in Your Word, You follow it up with a reminder of Your own adequacy and care for Your people. After Gideon questions how he can defeat the Midianites with his pitiful strength, You reassure Him in Judges 6:16b, “surely I will be with you…” You said a similar thing to Moses in Exodus 4:12. “Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.“

Thank you that You choose to use me in spite of my shortcomings, and for Your promise to be with me in every situation. I do not have to worry about being adequate, because as 2 Corinthians 3:1-6 says, it is “not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God.” Direct me, like the people in the Bible, to trust that You will give me the strength and skillsets necessary to accomplish whatever You call me to do. Remind me that, as Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Prayer About the Importance of Worshiping and Praising God (Based on Psalm 66)

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Photo taken in Florida.

Author: Elton Streyle, Contributor: Noah, Photography and Editing: Ali

Magnificent Heavenly Father, I enter into Your presence with awe and reverence because there is no one like You in the heavens and the earth. Thank you for giving an example in this Psalm of genuine worship and praise. Verses 1 and 2 “Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth! Sing out the honor of His name; make His praise glorious.” Forgive me for the times my attitude is the opposite of these verses. I ask, You answer, and I receive, but often I don’t even stop to give You praise and thanks. I am quick to move on to my next need.

Direct me to always acknowledge that You are worthy of praise and thankfulness for the mighty works that You have done and are doing. Many times, I can’t even fathom Your activities, like in verses 6a and 7a. “He turned the sea into dry land… He rules by His power forever; His eyes observe the nations.” Direct me, even in my feeble knowledge of this world, to exclaim Your praises, knowing that You are greater than my fears and doubts, greater than the evil around me, and so much stronger than the forces of chaos and destruction that exist. You command the wind and the waves of the ocean. You direct the sun and the stars where to move in the sky. You know every hair on my head. There is not a single part of creation that You are not intimately familiar with and in control of.

At the end of this Psalm, You make a phenomenal point. If we do not confess and repent of our sins so we have a clean relationship with You, all our worship, prayer, and praise is of no value. Verse 18 “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.” What a great privilege it is to worship and praise You, the mighty and perfect God.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Prayer About Staying True and Faithful to God and His Word (Based on the Book of Jude)

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Photo taken in Florida.

Author: Elton Streyle, Contributor: Noah, Photography and Editing: Ali

All wise Heavenly Father, I come in Jesus’ Name to thank You for Your Word and the infinite value of eternal life. It is a blessing that You trust me and other followers of Jesus Christ with the awesome responsibility and privilege to defend the truth of Your Word and share it around the world. There are many people who are in opposition to You, and to those of us who are Christ followers. However, Your truth always stands strong. 

Thank you for Jude’s warning about false teachers wanting to destroy a Christ centered life, discredit the truth and power of Your Word, and destroy the unity of believers working together. Verse 3: “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.” I ask that as a child of Yours, You direct me according to Your will in this battle for Your truth to prevail. 

In Your grace, You reveal Yourself in Your Word and through Jesus Christ. Therefore, show me all that I can know about Your truth, even though there are some things I can’t fully understand with my finite mind. Lead me in practicing Verses 21 and 22. “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”

Thank you that in the middle of much false teaching and distraction around me, You give the promise in Verse 24 that You will keep me from falling if I remain faithful to You. “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.”  

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.