September Prayers

 

September 1

by Ed Vasicek

 

Lord,

 

You never tempt us to sin, but You do test us so that we may prove our faith. It is not that You do not know the quality of our faith, but it is, rather, that we need to see it and tests help our faith grow.

 

You tested Abraham’s faith by demanding that He sacrifice His only Son, Isaac. But You sent Your angel to stop Abraham before he could put his son to death. Then the Angel of the Lord said, "Do not lay a hand on the boy.... Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son" (Genesis 22:12). Although You knew the outcome before You gave the test, so You condescend to us and relate to us as though You existed in the realm of time. Lord, it reminds me of a tall giant of a man stooping down so he can talk to a youngster eye to eye. You are the God Who condescends.

 

Lord, I remember those who are poor, sickly and disadvantaged in some way. Father, life is rough. Sometimes we create our own miseries and then we develop a victim mentality or we inherit a victim mentality. But sometimes – all too often – we can be poor, sickly, or disadvantaged through no fault of our own. And the easy solutions others offer us simply do not work in our situation. Thank You, Lord, that You see through our excuses and rationalizations, but You also see through the advice of the simplistic. You know "what is what" and, like Job's "comforters," You will demand that the know-it-alls give you an account.

 

Lord, help me to bear up under the trials, disappointments, fears and tribulations of life including: ___________________________.

 

Let me remember that You are developing my faith and that You often use difficult times to make me stronger in You. Though I admit that I usually hate such trials, I do appreciate what You have done in my life through them. My choice is to go through them with You or without You. I will go through them either way. I choose to go through them hand in hand with You.

 

Today I pray for the Asian (Middle Eastern) nation of Syria, with its 16 million people. Lord, less than .1% of the population claim to be born-again evangelicals. Thank You that Christians are fairly well tolerated, something unusual in a Muslim country. Although missionaries are not allowed into Syria, please continue to bless outreach through literature, the Jesus film, radio and television. May the number of believers grow tenfold over the next five years and may this pattern continue for four decades, I ask.

 

Lord, thank You for Grace Ministries International. "The mission of Grace Ministries International is to send missionaries into various countries of the world with the purpose of: Preaching the gospel of God's grace.... Establishing indigenous churches where believers grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ...training and equipping men and women to do the work of the ministry in the churches." Thank You, Lord, for their work in Asia, Australia, Africa and South America. Grant them harmony, provision, protection and empower them by Your Spirit. May many come to know Christ and mature in Him as solid churches are established.

 

Help me to mature in You, I ask in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

September 2

by Ed Vasicek

 

O Lord,

 

I sometimes feel so unworthy of You. And, Lord, sometimes it gets worse: I feel unworthy in general. Life defeats me, it seems; I think I do not measure up. But Lord, though You are awesome, You are not intimidating to Your children. Your Son, our Savior, did not come to rub sin in, but to rub it out. You are a God Who corrects and disciplines, but You are not a God Who gives into lengthy scolding. And Lord, sometimes I feel inadequate not just because I am sinful, but also because I am limited by my own personality, gifts and outlook. Your calling for me is bigger than I am. The needs are greater than I am.

 

Your plan for me differs from Your plan for others. Help me, Lord, to accept that. And thank You for not being the slavedriver that some imagine You to be. Thank You for working with me in gentle and patient ways. Thank You for Your mercies.

 

Father, protect my loved ones and I when we are on the road. Lord, traffic accidents, dangerous weather, even breakdowns can have disastrous consequences. Keep us safe as we travel, O Lord. Send angels to watch and protect us.

 

Lord, keep my heart ablaze for You. If it is not ablaze, please set it ablaze. You want me to be empowered by Your Spirit, not adrenaline. Help me not confuse the two. Lord, I do not want to become weary in well-doing because my labor for You is not in vain.

 

I remember parents. Lord, parents are so important to those little ones entrusted to their care. May parents everywhere protect and train their children in humane and balanced ways. Help them to love their children, not to spoil them and to encourage them toward positive directions. We pray that Christian parents would prove to be consistent role models for their young ones. Send angels to protect them, I pray.

 

Today I pray for the nation of Tajikistan, in Asia (a former republic of the USSR) with its over 6 million people. As a result of civil war, many foreigners – the main source for evangelism – left. Thank You though that their testimony of compassion lives on. Thank You that .1% of the population claim to be born-again believers; O Lord, may that number multiply by 100 over the next 20 years! Thank You for the relative amount of religious freedom in this nation and I pray it would continue and expand. Use the Jesus film and Christian radio to reach many and help the few Christians there to multiply themselves time and time again, I ask.

 

Lord, "the mission of the Great Commission Center International is to serve alongside evangelical churches and para-church groups for the realization of the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ." Father, their focus is China where they "support and participate in theological and mission training programs in China...publish training materials for Chinese intellectuals...publish and distribute training materials for churches in China...supply Christian books to major university libraries in China." O Lord, bless and prosper this ministry. Grant the workers harmony, safety, fruit and empower them by Your Spirit, I pray.

 

Lord, may my language today be gracious, seasoned with salt, I pray in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

September 3

by Ed Vasicek

 

O Lord,

 

You are the only One I can hang onto. More accurately, You are the only One Who can hang on to me. My loved ones are mortal and can be taken from me or turn away from me. Distance may separate us. But You, O Lord, are eternal and a Rock I can depend on.

 

As years go by, there are fewer people with whom we can remember the past, and we can only shares chunks of the past together. But You, O Lord, were there for it all, the good and the bad, the happy and the sad. You understand who I am and how I came to be who I am. You orchestrated events and planned me for unique purposes so that I alone can fill the niche You have carved out for me. What a God You are: the God Who shares the entirety of my life with me! Even before I knew You, You knew me.

 

Father, today I pray for those burdened with substance abuse and addictions. Although the process often begins with sin, the addiction is more than simple sin – it is also bondage. Lord, You understand all that is involved when it comes to addiction; I know little. But Lord, I do not need to know it all to ask You to help those I love (and perhaps myself) break free from these chains of bondage.

 

Lord, I have some specific requests to bring before You today. They are: ______________.

 

Lord, I pray for troubled marriages and those not so troubled including my own (if I am married). Lord, help Christians put in effort to maintain and invigorate their marriages. Help those who know You not to take their spouses for granted but to nurture their relationship. Bind Satan and help each spouse to focus on his or her own shortcomings and avoid making demands upon their spouses. May Christians address all areas of marriage seeking Your will in everything, I ask.

 

Father, I pray for the Meghalaya State of India with its 2 million people. Lord, most people in this region claim some sort of Christianity, but the younger generations are falling away. O Lord, shepherd these younger people back into the fold and strengthen the church there, I pray. I also pray for the Mizoram State. O Lord, what a work You have done here. Most of the 860,000 people know You! More than 2,000 people from this region have gone off to be missionaries themselves – would that it were this way all over India! They are highly educated and greatly blessed by You. Please keep them strong and keep using them, I pray.

 

Lord, thank You for Harvest Evangelism and their successful ministry in Argentina. "In over twenty-five years of ministry, [You, Lord, have] allowed Harvest Evangelism to gestate a prototype for reaching entire cities and nations for Christ based on the biblical principles of marketplace transformation, prayer evangelism and intercession." Thank You for the phenomenal church growth and evangelism produced by this approach! Grant wisdom, harmony, protection, provision and the empowering work of Your Spirit to this ministry, O Lord. May many come to You and mature into discipleship, I ask.

 

Help me think of You throughout my day, I pray in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

September 4

by Ed Vasicek

 

My God,

 

You are the God of the long-term plan. Of course You exist outside the realm of time, so You see all points of time at once. Not that I can understand that! So You see the big picture, and You are nudging history – including the infinitesimal part of history involving me – in directions that seem imperceptible to us. King David collected materials to build the Temple, Solomon, his son, had it built.

 

Four hundred years later, the Babylonian (general and later king) Nebuchadnezzar destroyed it. Then it was rebuilt by Ezra and destroyed centuries later by the Romans – but on the same day and month it had been destroyed the first time! In the End Times, it will be built again, only to be defiled the by the Antichrist. But Lord, there is method to the madness. What seems random is part of Your overall plan.

 

In my life, Lord, You bring me through refining fires and times of blessing. As Solomon wrote, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Your Holy Spirit is conforming me to the image of Christ. When I suffer, I share in the sufferings of Christ. When I am healthy, when my relationships are solid and when I have plenty, I can give You thanks or I can be so busy enjoying my blessings that I forget where they have come from. Then You shake me to wake me from my stupor. You remind me that I literally depend upon You for every breath and although I can have the assurance of salvation, there is little else in life that is sure and guaranteed.

 

Lord, I am thankful for many things three of which are: ______________.

 

Lord, I empty myself before You so that Your Spirit may fill me. May I find my strength in His power, not my own. May Your Spirit control me today.

 

Lord, help my church family be harmonious. May the leaders be firm when it comes to the clear teachings of Scripture and gracious about the not-so-clear matters. Keep antagonists, troublemakers and those who resent authority away from our congregation. Help my church to be effective in evangelism, discipleship, loving one another and supporting world missions.

 

Father, I praise You for what You have done in the Jiangsu Province of China with its 74 million people. Thank You that over 6% of the population claim to be born-again evangelicals. Lord, please keep the church growing and safe. Put a hedge around this area, Lord, and may the testimony of the believers be strong. May the percentage of believers double over the next decade, I ask.

 

Lord, bless the work of Emmanuel Ministries International, and their work in Aruba, Czech Republic, India, Kenya, Latvia (along with Estonia and Lithuania), Mexico, Romania, Russia and the USA. "EMI works with, within and for the local church, as it is God's pillar of truth and chief instrument for His glory in this present age.... EMI invests primarily in emerging leaders wherever poverty, persecution or other circumstances make training and ministry difficult." Provide, prosper, protect, empower and grant harmony to this ministry, I pray.

 

I commit my day to You, in the Savior's Name, Amen.

 

September 5

by Ed Vasicek

 

LORD,

 

Your Shekinah, Your glory, was represented as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. This glory lead the children of Israel throughout 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. Your glory can be with us even in bleak and monotonous times, even during times of gloom we ourselves created, as did the children of Israel.

 

Your Shekinah dwelt above the Ark of the Covenant, for a time. When Jesus Christ came, He was full of Your glory. When the soldiers came to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, they asked for Jesus. When He literally said, "I am," (which is what Your Name, Yahweh, means), perhaps Your Shekinah was revealed for a second because, "When Jesus said, 'I am he,' they drew back and fell to the ground" (John 18:6).

 

Father, You spoke several times out of a cloud of glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!" (Mark 9:7).

 

And now, Lord, we reflect that glory to others. As we experience Your glory in our lives through fellowship with You, Your glory transforms us, "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."

 

First John says that if I confess my sins, You are faithful and just to forgive me those sins, and You will purify me from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). I confess the sins I am aware of now and I ask Your Spirit to search my heart (Pause to admit them to God).

 

I pray for parents of children who have gone astray. Whether in the realm of premarital or extramarital sex, drugs, alcohol, gambling, crime, violence, bitterness toward parents, abandoning the faith or in any other way, it hurts like nothing else can.

 

Today I intercede for the African nation of Tanzania. Lord, it is great to see what You have done through Your people here. Over 17% of the population claim to be born-again evangelicals, praise Your Name. Yet, Lord, the believers are not spread evenly throughout the nation. The coastal and southern regions are largely unreached. Thank You for the 10 translation projects underway, but there are about 45 people groups without a Bible in their native tongue. Please bless and prosper the work there. May Tanzania become a lighthouse for the region, I ask.

 

Father, bless the Fellowship of Independent Missions (FIM). Thank You that this mission agency ministers on every continent and is noted for its high standards. Lord, empower the missionaries, protect and provide for them and grant them harmony among themselves. Lord, may You use them to reap a mighty harvest, I ask.

 

Today I pray for those who work as customer service representatives. Help them to work honestly, kindly and efficiently. May those who know Christ use the open doors You provide to share Christ with others, I ask.

 

Help me to remember that whatever I do today, I can do it to Your glory. I pray these things in Jesus' Name, Amen.

 

September 6

by Ed Vasicek

 

Lord,

 

When You gave the Law to Moses, the children of Israel were not even allowed near Mt. Sinai. You instructed Moses to set up boundary markers. Lightning and thunder accompanied this fearful event. According to Jewish tradition, You spoke the Law in the 70 languages of the nations.

 

Later, when Your Spirit answered Jesus prayer for oneness by baptizing all believers into the Body of Christ on the Day of Pentecost Your people praised You and gloried in Your grace. On Pentecost, 3,000 were saved; when the Law was given, 3,000 died (Exodus 32:28). You are the God of both Law and Grace, Justice and Mercy, Holiness and Compassion.

 

Thank You for keeping us by Your power. When we stray from You, You discipline us and give us a spanking of sorts. Thank You that You are looking out for our best interests, working in ways that may seem mysterious or illogical to us. You are not an enemy to keep at bay but a true Friend, truer than any other.

 

So, Lord, help me to understand what I can of You and Your ways. Do not allow me to be ignorant of Your Word, but help me to truly read and study it. Help me to learn the Word even if parts of it may not seem relevant at the time. Help me to believe that all Scripture is both inspired and profitable.

Help me to guard my tongue, to choose my words carefully and to use my mouth to heal, not to hurt. Help me learn to listen, to remember that You created us with two ears but only one mouth.

 

Lord, I have some specific requests to bring before You today. They are: ______________.

 

Help me with my thought life today. Help me think positive and pleasant thoughts today, thoughts that please You.

 

Lord, the Asian nation of Thailand with its 63 million people needs the Gospel. Even though missionaries have been working in Thailand for a long time, fruit has been scarce until now. Thank You that we are finally seeing some growth. O Lord, less than .7% of the population claims to be born-again evangelicals. Father, please multiply that percentage ten times over the next decade! May the Gospel penetrate hearts and spread throughout the society. Father, the sex industry with its abuse of children is well established in this land. O God, please let Your Word permeate this culture and help the citizens of Thailand protect their children and find more ethical means to generate income, I ask. Do a mighty work with Your Spirit there, I plead.

 

Father, thank You for the work of Global Advance as they seek to "provide training and resources for one million pastors and church leaders in needy areas of the world. [They] believe empowering national church leaders is the most strategic, cost effective and culturally sensitive way to advance the Gospel." Lord, bless and guide their efforts, grant them harmony, the power of Your Spirit, protection and provision, I ask. Grant them much fruit for their labors.

 

Grant me fruit for my labor, I ask in the Messiah's Name, Amen.

 

September 7

by Ed Vasicek

 

Lord,

 

When You sent the twelve spies into the land of Canaan, ten of them decided that it would be too difficult for the children of Israel to conquer. Two of them, Joshua and Caleb, knew that they could indeed conquer the land but only with Your help which You promised. The children of Israel sided with the ten defeatists, turning away from Your Word and Your promises. As a result, the Israelites wandered around in the wilderness for one generation, forty years. The unbelievers died off, but Caleb and Joshua lived to inherit the land.

 

Although we cannot always see a clear distinction in this life between those who trust You and those who do not, You see that distinction with clarity. For to have faith in You is to affirm Your character as the God Who keeps His Word, as the God Who is trustworthy and has complete integrity. To doubt You is to attack Your very character. And so we glorify You when we trust You, even if we do not understand. Help my faith to be strong, O Lord.

 

Help me to resist temptation and the lures of the Satan today. Open my eyes to see how he is attacking my family, my church, my community and me.

 

Lord, marriage is something You ordained. It is not a man-made institution. Father, there are constant and relentless attacks waged against marriage and the evil one loves to break up families because this fits in so well with his agenda as "the destroyer." Children of divorce are more likely to get divorced, more likely to take drugs, more likely to have psychological problems. O Father, help the traditional family to make a surprising comeback. Thwart the schemes of the devil, I ask.

 

O Lord, thank You for what you have done with the 1.6 million people in the Indian State of Nagaland. Praise Your Name that the vast majority of the population claims to be firmly born-again believers! Hallelujah! Thank you for the churches, the theological institutions and the prosperity of this region. Yet, Lord, some Christians are not consistent in their behavior. Help the believers to be spiritually deep. May they send forth workers into other parts of India and win many to Christ, I ask.

 

Lord, bless the work of Global Recordings Network which "seeks to effectively communicate the gospel of Jesus Christ through audio recordings to all peoples in their own language." They are committed to "reach every tribe and tongue and nation with the gospel of Jesus Christ. GRN has made recordings in around 5,500 languages and dialects since the work began. Credible research indicates that there are over 10,000 vernacular languages spoken in the world today. Most of these don't have the written scriptures. GRN is committed to provide the good news for those tribes and tongues still without the gospel." Bless and prosper this ministry, I ask. Grant the ministry harmony and great fruit, I pray.

 

Lord, help me to look for opportunities to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ at home, at work, in school, or among those who rub shoulders with me on a regular basis. And then, Lord, bless my efforts.

 

I bring these requests before You, Father, in the Name of Yeshua, Amen.

 

September 8

by Ed Vasicek

 

Great God,

 

You are the God Who encourages. You give us courage. When Joshua was about to lead the people of Israel into the promised Land, You told Him, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:9b). When Jeremiah was called to be Your prophet, he was a young man and very much afraid. You told Him, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

 

But Jeremiah was still intimidated. He replied, "'Ah, Sovereign LORD,' I said, 'I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.'"

 

But Lord, You replied, "'Do not say, 'I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you', declares the LORD" (Jeremiah 1:5-8, passim).

 

Lord, sometimes life seems too much for me; I feel inadequate and frightened. I am intimidated. Help me to remember that You, O Lord, are the God Who encourages Your children to do right and to serve You.

 

Lord, I am thankful for many things three of which are: ______________.

 

Lord, I empty myself before You so that Your Spirit may fill me. May I find my strength in His power, not my own. May Your Spirit control me today.

 

Today I pray for the evangelical church worldwide, all congregations made up mostly of people who claim to have been born-again and have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, who believe in the deity of Christ, His death on the cross for our sins, the literal resurrection, who stand for the Bible as the inspired and authoritative Word of God and who believe in salvation by grace through faith alone, apart from works. Thank You that although Christianity has declined slightly as a percentage of the world’s population, evangelical Christianity has grown from 84.5 million (2.8%) in 1960 to 420 million (6.9%) in 2000.

 

But, Lord, we know that growth does not necessarily mean truth. Indeed, sometimes those who follow the truth decline in number. So please, Lord, help evangelical Christians to crave Your Word, to value knowledge and doctrine and to address the questions of our day with intelligence and Biblical convictions.

 

Lord, the nation of Timor Lorosae, an Asian island nation, gained its independence from Indonesia in 1999 and the Indonesian military went on a vindictive spree of destruction because of this leaving the new nation in a state of upheaval. Lord, thank You for the 2.5% who identify themselves as born-again evangelicals; help them to work with the traumatized children and young people who are trying to recover from loss of their parents and possessions. The people live in deep poverty. Help the Gospel to take root, Lord. May the number of believers grow tenfold over the next decade, I pray. Provide translators for the language groups that do not have the Bible in their own language, I ask.

 

Lord, bless the missionaries my home church supports, including: __________. Keep them true to You and Your Word; grant them safety, provision, harmony, fruit and the power of Your Spirit, I ask.

 

Empower me to serve You today, I pray in Jesus' Name, Amen.

 

 

September 9

by Ed Vasicek

 

Great God,

 

You are my strength, O Lord. I am not adequate for the high calling and great trust You have given me. I cannot live the Christian life in my own power; I am incapable of producing the kind of works that please You. Were it not for Your grace, I could not even approach Your throne. Yet, O Lord, You have saved me by Your grace and given me the status of perfection. At the right time, Christ died for me. By Your Spirit’s indwelling, baptism and filling, I can live the Christian life and experience victory over the world, the flesh and the devil. I dare not fight these spiritual battles in our own name, but rather in the Name of my Savior, Jesus Christ.

 

Today I praise You that the Holy Spirit has sealed me for the day of redemption. I bear the royal seal of the King of Kings and none dare open the seal but He. I am Yours, Lord, bought with the blood of Jesus Christ. I am not my own.

 

Lord, I have some specific requests to bring before You today. They are: ______________.

 

Lord, I pray that You would protect my loved ones and I throughout our lives. Send guardian angels to watch over us, I pray. Keep us from harm and evil of all kinds.

 

Father, help me to work for Your Kingdom. Lord, I am tempted to do what I have to do to fulfill my daily responsibilities and then I am tempted to think that the rest of my life is mine to do as I wish. In a sense that is true. You want me to relax, to enjoy myself in wholesome ways and to develop social and personal interests. But Lord, You also want me to expend effort for Your Kingdom. Help me obligate myself to serve.

 

Lord, today I pray for Jiangxi Province of China with its 43 million people. Perhaps 4% of the population is made up of born-again evangelicals. I praise You for the areas where the church has multiplied, but other areas are very needy. I also remember another province with about the same population, the Liaoning Province, with its 43 million. The percentage of evangelical Christians is about the same here, too. O Lord, help the percentage of evangelical Christians in these provinces double over the next decade, I ask. May the Gospel permeate these societies. Give wisdom to the believers and empower them by Your Spirit.

 

I praise You for the ministry of Gospel for Asia as they are "planting churches in unreached areas. In each aspect of Gospel for Asia's ministry, the primary aim is to plant churches among the unreached – those who have never heard the Gospel" and as they are "sending native missionaries. Gospel for Asia trains and sends native missionaries because they have proven extremely effective. They are already familiar with the language and culture and they live at the level of the people they serve, thus removing many social barriers."

 

Father, please use and bless this outreach to win many to Christ. Help them establish solid churches; empower them by Your Spirit, provide, protect, and grant harmony amongst fellow workers, I ask.

Lord, I give this day to You, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

 

September 10

by Ed Vasicek

 

Great King,

 

You are a God of joy. You offer joy to those Who know You and You fill them to overflowing. You are the source of joy, happiness and genuine contentment. Yet too often I look for contentment in other places. I settle for broken cisterns like the people about whom Jeremiah prophesied: "My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water" (Jeremiah 2:13). Remind me that You are the source of meaning and a rich life. The invitation of Isaiah 55:1 still stands, "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost."

 

Help me remember that our church is a body and that I have a part to play. Help me to be forbearing, to confront when necessary and not to be touchy. Help me maintain a realistic view about human nature so that I do not hold false expectations and become easily frustrated or disenchanted.

First John says that if I confess my sins, You are faithful and just to forgive me those sins and You will purify me from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). I confess the sins I am aware of now and I ask Your Spirit to search my heart (Pause to admit them to God).

 

Lord, thank You that we live in a day with many opportunities to grow and present our faith. We thank You for Answers in Genesis, including the Creation Museum and built-to-Biblical specifications Ark. The message of Noah very much parallels the message of the Gospel. Although we know that reason alone will not bring someone into the Kingdom of God, we also know that You use a variety of ways to help people focus upon the Gospel. We pray that You might use these as well.

 

Thank You for the African nation of Togo with its 5 million people, 9 percent of whom claim to be born-again and evangelical. While many more claim some form of Christianity, those versions have either gone liberal and deny the truth of Scripture or are spiritually dead. Thank You, O Lord, for raising up new works with new zeal and fruit to Your glory. Revive the church there, O Lord, and may the number of believers double in a decade, I ask.

 

Lord, thank You for Help for Christian Nationals which "is an interdenominational, evangelical missionary society...dedicated to spreading the Gospel, primarily through service to Christian national workers with economic and educational assistance and equipping them to be more effective in reaching their own people for Jesus Christ. HCN ministers throughout the world including Guatemala, Paraguay, Peru, Nicaragua, India, the Philippines, Spain and Russia." Grant them fruit, provision, protection and the power of Your Spirit, I ask.

 

Protect my loved ones and I, in Jesus’ Name I ask, Amen.

 

 

September 11

by Ed Vasicek

 

Gracious Lord,

 

Your Word declares in no uncertain terms that Your love is everlasting. Your love never waivers or vacillates and You Yourself do not grow weary or tired. You will shower me with Your love forever and ever and even now You do so. Your love is without limit; it reaches to the heavens. You do not need to release Your love in small portions to conserve it; it is infinite. Though I have begun to experience the wonders of that love, I will only see it in full force when I am with You in glory. But when I doubt Your love, all I have to do is look at the cross. You have proven Your love for me.

 

In Your love, Father, You have sent Your Spirit to live within me. He has written Your Law upon my heart in that He has given me a new nature that desires You. He has intensified my conscience. O God, may I become holier as I allow Your Spirit within me to control me and empower me.

 

Lord, today’s date brings back memories of the awful terrorist bombings which occurred in 2001. Father, I pray that You would wipe out terrorism from this planet. May those who have grievances go about trying to promote desired changes through legal and ethical means. Lord, I pray that terrorism would suffer an awful defeat.

 

I pray for my lost friends and family members including: __________. Father, please send Your Spirit to draw them to Yourself and grant them the repentance that leads to life.

 

Dear God, I pray that You would help me to discipline myself to be tactful in relating to others today. Help me to speak kindly, to write thoughtfully and to conduct myself with consideration to others. May my love for You and my love for others – rather than peer pressure – motivate me to be considerate.

 

Father, today I remember the Orissa State of India with its 38 million people. O Father, perhaps 1% of the population in this region claims to be born-again evangelicals. And Lord, persecution from those espousing Hinduism has been serious here. Anti-conversion laws make it illegal to convert from one religion to another. Yet, Lord, despite all this, the church has grown! Over half of the people cannot read, but thank You that Christian radio is reaching many. O Lord, protect the believers, empower them and multiply Your church in the Orissa State. May the number of believers double every five years for two decades, I ask. Do a mighty work here!

 

Lord, thank You for the ministry of Hope Builders International whose "purpose is to help build up the body of Christ through local discipleship, national partnerships and international support of indigenous mission activity. [Their] intention overseas is to introduce Western believers to those ministries that are actively furthering the Kingdom of God around the world in lands of poverty and persecution and to facilitate a working relationship between the two...in Asia, the Middle East and the Turkish speaking world."

 

Father, use this ministry. Give them vast amounts of wisdom, provide for the work, protect those who do the work, grant them harmony among themselves and empower them by Your Spirit, I ask.

Help me walk the walk today, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

 

September 12

by Ed Vasicek

 

King of Kings and Lord of Lords,

 

You are the God the remnant. At one time, only Noah and His family were true to You. You delivered them in the Ark while the ancient world perished. Throughout the Torah, we find individuals who knew You in surprising places: Melchizedek, Jethro and even Balaam. Job lived about the time of Abraham. When You singled out Your special nation of Israel, many turned away from You, but You always had Your remnant who refused to bow the knee to Baal. When our Savior came to His own people, they rejected Him – for the most part. But a remnant believed and together believing Jews and believing gentiles make up Your church. Even the word “church” means the “called out ones.” We are a God-fearing remnant from our society.

 

Lord, I have some requests to bring before Your throne. They are: ______________.

 

Lord, I am thankful for plenty of things (You have been good) and two of them include: _______________.

 

Lord, may Your Spirit fill me. May I find my strength in His power, not my own. May Your Spirit control me this day.

 

I ask that You would bless all of my relationships: the relationships within my family, among my friends, church members, fellow employees, neighborhood and community.

 

Help me to be a content person, not a constant complainer or negative. Help me encourage those who are close to me. Keep me away from put-down humor or rudeness. Help me to be the kindest toward those who are the closest to me.

 

Lord, help me to be a gracious person. Help me not react to insults or slights or delays or mistakes with uncontrolled anger, a demanding attitude, or rudeness. Instead, help me to delay my anger and gain my composure and consider the effect of my responses on others.

 

I remember those in our world who have lost loved ones to terrorists (or responses to terrorism), who have been injured, handicapped, or traumatized. O Father, please heal the broken hearts and help these precious survivors to find their strength in You.

 

Father, today I pray for the Pacific Island nation of Tonga with its 100,000 people. Thank You that almost 22% of the population identify themselves as born-again evangelicals and thank You that the King is a firmly committed Christian. Help the church to become healthier. Bring reconciliation to heal the many schisms and thwart the "personality cult" mentality that is all too common. May Jesus Christ be the true head of the church in Tonga, not just technically but practically!

 

Lord, thank You for the ministry of In-Touch Mission which "has for the last 20 years ministered to the Persecuted Church in Eastern Europe, Africa and whenever a need is presented. Primarily, the ministry attempts to uphold the name of our Lord Jesus by ministering to those who have needs, both spiritual and material, in areas of persecution."

 

Lord, I pray for both dental assistants and dental hygienists. Father, they perform an important service for many of us. Help them to do their work well with integrity and may those who know You freely share the Gospel.

 

Lord, help me to be appreciative of my freedom to follow Christ, I pray in His Name, Amen.

 

 

September 13

by Ed Vasicek

 

My Lord,

 

You are certainly just; You always do right. True, Your grace means that You bless me even though I am unworthy, but the wrath that was due me fell upon my Savior, Jesus Christ, Who was made a curse for me (Galatians 3:13).

 

Your justice does not mean that You treat everyone equally, but rather that no one gets less than he or she deserves. Although I must admit that Your ways differ from the common concept of justice, You are just in the truest and purest sense of the Word. Your character defines justice and Your Law reveals the wisdom of Your justice.

 

Lord, please send angels to protect my family and me. Thank You for making Your angels ministering spirits who serve the heirs of salvation.

 

Mighty King, help me to trust in You. May that trust cut down my propensity to worry. When I am afraid, help me to trust in You. Help me to look for and find Your hand in daily life, I ask.

 

Lord, please keep me healthy. Protect me from serious illnesses, I ask. I know You bring us through times of suffering to develop us and make us holier, but, Lord, I also know that we have not because we ask not. So, Lord, I am asking.

 

Father, help me confront my brothers and sisters in Christ when necessary. Although love covers a multitude of sins – those small infractions or things I can get over – sometimes an offense wedges itself within me. Then I need to follow the advice of Matthew 18 and go to the one who offended me. Talking behind his/her back will not satisfy You, nor will dropping hints. Help me speak the truth gently, but help me speak it indeed.

 

Lord, thank You for how You have worked in the Jilin Province of China. I praise You that perhaps 5% of the population is born-again evangelicals. O Lord, multiply the number of believers in this province of 27 million people. May government officials appreciate the contribution of Christians to their society rather than persecuting them, I ask. Help the Gospel to penetrate all regions within this province, I pray.

 

Lord, thank You for the ministry of The India Children's Choir as they travel the world to tell how the Gospel has transformed their community. The Hmar people of India were at one time headhunters, but missionaries arriving in India in 1910 found the people responsive to the Gospel. As the descendants of these people (The Children’s Choir) present this story via musicals, Your people are reminded of the impact of the Word of God. Working with "Bibles for the World," the choir moves participants to give toward providing Bibles in foreign lands. O Lord, bless this ministry, I ask.

 

Lord, I pray for those who work in the realm of electricity: electrical and electronic engineering technicians and electricians. Although their job descriptions are very different, help those who know You in these fields to shine for Jesus Christ.

 

Now, Lord, help me to shine for Jesus in my world, I pray, Amen.

 

 

September 14

by Ed Vasicek

 

Lord,

 

In 1 Timothy 1:17 I read, “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” You are the eternal King. Your reign is not for a term or a generation, but for eternity. You are invisible to us. You are Spirit, and for us to see You as You are would mean death. Although You are present everywhere and especially present within me, I cannot see You with my eyes or feel You with my sense of touch. I cannot hear or taste You. You are beyond my senses. And You are the only God. Although mankind has imagined thousands of gods, human imagination cannot change reality. You, O Lord, God of Israel and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, are the only true God. And so I join the multitude of the heavenly host and ascribe to You honor and glory, and I will praise Your Name forever and ever.

 

I pray for my pastor, staff and church board leaders, officers and teachers. If any do not know You, may they become born-again. Help them to be true to the Bible and to put Your Word over their own personal agendas. Help them to have genuine integrity, Biblical convictions, love, wisdom and courage. Help them put their walk with You first, their families second and their ministries third. Do not allow others to intimidate them into neglecting their families and remind them "the fear of man works a snare." Help them be most concerned about pleasing You, while also seeking peace and harmony within the congregation.

 

Father, I have some personal health concerns including: ______________. I also pray for the physical, mental, or spiritual health of others including: ________________.

 

Today I ask You to watch me as I travel. This is a dangerous world, and I pray for safety. May my vehicle(s) perform well and watch over me, I pray.

 

Lord, thank You that prayer changes me. Thank You that prayer often changes events. Although You will not grant our prayers when outside Your will, there are many things You will only give us if we pray. So often we have not because we ask not. So today, I am asking!

 

Father, today I pray for the Latin American island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. Thank You, Lord, that over 15% of the population claim to be born-again evangelicals. Yet, Lord, we know that many families are dysfunctional and the churches are often without clear direction or missionary vision. I pray that the quantity of the church would continue to grow – to double over the next decade. But I pray with even more burden that the churches would have a vision to reach out to other people groups and that the believers would grow in depth, a depth that affects their family lives.

 

Lord, Thank You for the work of the India Gospel League. Praise Your Name that You have used them to organize the planting of 7,000 churches since 1992! O Lord, help them as they evangelize, baptize and disciple. Grant them great fruit for their labor, protection, provision and the power of Your Spirit!

 

Empower me to serve You today, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

September 15

by Ed Vasicek

 

Dear God,

 

Thank You that You always stand ready to forgive. You are serious about forgiving. The only condition for me as a believer is confession (admission and repentance) for my sin. For those who do not know You, it is repentance toward You and faith in the Person and Work of our Lord Jesus Christ. When I trusted Christ, all my sins were forgiven. When I sin as a believer, sin creates relational problems with You, a tension in our relationship. Even though I am secure in You, sin blocks our fellowship. When I confess my wrong, You immediately forgive me and cleanse me from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). We forgive others following Your pattern.

 

It is Your nature, O Lord, to be a forgiving and gracious God. And even though Your forgiveness is certainly conditioned upon our repentance, You never forgive grudgingly.

 

Lord, I have some requests to bring before Your throne. They are: _______________.

 

As just mentioned, First John says that if I confess my sins, You are faithful and just to forgive me those sins, and You will purify me from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). I confess the sins I am aware of now, and I ask Your Spirit to search my heart (Pause to admit them to God).

 

Lord, I thank You for the assurance of salvation I have by my faith in Jesus Christ and His presence in my life. Thank You that, according to 1 John 5:13, I know that I have eternal life. I do not need to merely hope or guess, I can know. Thank You that the blessed Holy Spirit bears witness to my spirit, that I am a child of God.

 

Lord, help me to be a gracious person. Help me not react to insults or slights or delays or mistakes with uncontrolled anger, a demanding attitude, or rudeness. Instead, help me to delay my anger and gain my composure and consider the effect of my responses on others.

 

Today I pray for the African nation of Tunisia with its 10 million people. Lord, the percentage of evangelical believers in this nation is zero! There are about 200 people who know You, and that’s about it. Missionary efforts have produced little fruit, but, Lord, many of these were won to Christ in recent years. Thank You that this nation is not as hostile or intolerant as are many Islamic countries; Lord, break through by Your Spirit. May the number of believers double every year for the next decade, I ask.

Give people dreams and prime them to come to know You; grant many the repentance that leads to life!

 

O Lord, thank You for the efforts of India Gospel Outreach as it, "trains and sends Indian evangelists and church planters to all peoples of India...starts new training centers throughout India to help local Christians reach their own people with the gospel...aids poor people of India with relief, education and development in the name of Jesus...[and] enlists intercessors to pray for revival and spiritual awakening in India." Empower, provide, protect and bless this ministry, I ask. Grant the organization harmony amongst its staff, I pray.

 

Help me to get along well with others today, I pray in Jesus’ Name, Amen.