October Daily Prayers

 

October 1

by Ed Vasicek

 

Dear Lord,

 

You are the Lawgiver. Our consciences testify that there is indeed such a thing as right and wrong. This reminds us that there is a standard and that standard exists because You have written Your law on our hearts. You have the right to announce what is right and wrong, for You are perfect in all Your ways. Your justice and holiness are reflected in Your Law. Our opinions are no competition for Your Word. Your Word reflects Your will and is based upon Your Law. You do not merely share opinions.

 

Lord, thank You that You planned for Jesus Christ to die for our sins before the world was founded. Thank You that He took all my sins upon the cross as a sin offering. Thank You that He presented His blood to You in the heavenly sanctuary and that His offering was for all people for all time. Thank You that our Savior arose from the dead.

 

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.

 

I remember the poor, sickly, downtrodden. Provide for them, encourage them, open doors of long-term opportunity for the poor, grant patience, strength and healing for the sick and mend broken hearts.

 

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 conviction, as has been our heritage.

 

Lord, thank You for the work of Media Associates International. "MAI equips and nurtures talented men and women with a passion for producing Christian literature for their own people. Since its founding in 1985, MAI has equipped local Christians in 57 countries on 5 continents [seeing] budding writers developed, publishing houses grown, periodicals begun and books and magazines produced that speak to the hearts of readers in their own languages.... [They] advance the Gospel by training Christians to produce literature that nurtures the church and attracts readers to Christ."

 

Lord, help me use whatever talents You have given me to reach and minister to others, I pray in the Messiah's Name, Amen.

 

 

October 2

by Ed Vasicek

 

My gracious Master and my God,

 

You are a benevolent God. You are kind, generous and compassionate. Our Lord Jesus Christ is a high priest Who can sympathize with our weaknesses. Although You are a consuming fire, You are also tenderhearted, charitable and good. Even though we have sinned against You, You still love us and care about us and feel for us and provide for us.

 

Thank You, Lord, that for me – and all Who know Christ – death has lost its sting. At death, my body and soul are separated. Although my soul will go to enjoy your presence, one day my resurrection body and soul will be reunited. But I will never face spiritual death, the separation of my soul from You. This is the second death experienced by those who do not know Christ. Jesus will say to them, "Depart from me.... I never knew you." Thank You that Jesus knows me!

 

Great Father of Lights, I pray that You would enlighten those who are struggling with substance abuse and addictions. Some who name the Name of Christ find themselves captive to alcohol, prescription drugs, illegal drugs, pornography, or are rampant spenders of money. Give them grace and the courage to believe that life can be rich and meaningful without their addiction. Help them develop new habits and associations to replace the old ones and help them to focus on getting to know You more than anything else.

 

Lord, I pray for the nation of Ukraine with its 50 million people. Thank You that over 2.7% of the population claims to be born-again evangelicals and that the church has nearly doubled since the Soviet Union broke up. Lord, the Russian invasion and ensuing war has been devastating. We pray that You would bring peace and freedom to the Ukrainians, and that many more would find You. We pray that those who know You would shine during such traumatic times. We ask that You would give special wisdom to the believers to know how to conduct themselves during this time of conflict. We also pray that their aggressors would come to know You.

 

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.

 

Lord, I pray for Men For Missions International in which "thousands of men from various church affiliations and all walks of life find a channel for harnessing and releasing personal skills and abilities in practical, direct missionary involvement. By participation in overseas witness and work teams, they catch new zeal for soul winning at home as well as abroad.... As a result, scores of missionary homes, schools, churches, clinics, etc., stand as monuments to the obedience of individual laymen. Millions of dollars are given to support missionaries, national workers, and evangelistic outreach." O Lord, bless this dynamic ministry! Provide, protect, motivate, grant harmony and empower this ministry.

 

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

 

October 3

by Ed Vasicek

 

Lord,

 

You are the God of Power. When You consciously will something, You effectively accomplish it. We can lift many things, but we have to move our bodies, stoop down and exert energy to lift. You merely think the thought and it is so. In a way, we can understand Your power. We can imagine things and create things in our minds, but they do not materialize. You imagine and what You imagine comes into being. Thank You for imagination, for it helps us comprehend what little we can understand about You.

 

You are unlimited in Your power, but You often choose to use indirect means to create. For example, You created the earth and then You fashioned Adam from the dust and breathed into him the breath of life. You formed Eve from his rib and all of us are formed from Adam and Eve’s genes. It doesn’t have to be that way; You could create each one of us individually, if so wished.

 

And so, Lord, You normally work through the routine of life. But in some cases, You work a miracle or answer a prayer because You are not bound by Your creation as though it were a higher law above even You.

 

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

 

Father, please fortify marriages everywhere. I pray for my family, my extended family, my church family, my friends and acquaintances. Help them to take marriage seriously, to work hard at maintaining and improving their marriages and not to allow them to suffer from neglect. Lord, help them work out differences and help couples to seek to please one another. Stifle the attitudes of demanding and distancing, I pray.

 

Lord, I pray for the Middle Eastern nation of the United Arab Emirates. Lord, this small nation of less than 3 million people has less than one percent (.8%) who claim to be born-again evangelicals and Christians are commonly arrested if they try to witness. Father, use television, radio, the Jesus Film, dreams and literature to reach many more for Christ. Please double the percentage of believers within the next five years and help the Christians to be strong and wise. Change the political climate so that believers are free to witness without persecution, I pray.

 

Lord, thank You for Mexican Medical Ministries, "an interdenominational...organization...dedicated to providing low or no-cost health care to the people of Mexico in the Name of Jesus Christ. [They] believe part of the Great Commission is bringing healing and hope through medicine and the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ." Lord, bless their efforts. May they indeed be messengers of mercy who also share the good news of Jesus Christ. Provide, bring harmony, protect and empower them by Your Spirit, I ask.

 

Lord, I pray for executive secretaries and administrative assistants including church secretaries. Help all in these fields to work well and get along with others. Father, may those who know You shine and be noted as excellent workers with servants hearts. Use them to win many to Christ, I pray.

 

Help me serve You this day, in the Savior’s Name I ask it, Amen.

 

October 4

by Ed Vasicek

 

My Omniscient King,

 

You know everything. The knowledge You have is not acquired, as is much of ours. Animals have instincts and have knowledge that is not acquired, as do we. Our body functions before we ever learned how it does. So we can understand the concept of innate knowledge. But in Your case, it is infinite.

 

You cannot add to Your knowledge base, nor do You learn by experience like we do. You have always known it all; Your understanding is infinite. You know what You have determined to happen, what You allow others to choose and even what could happen if other choices were made. You are involved in the day-to-day life of each one of us and You know when even a sparrow falls.

 

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

 

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

 

Lord, help my church 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.

 

Lord, when Joshua was ready to enter the promised land, You encouraged 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 1:9). Lord, my life may not be the equivalent of entering Canaan, but, Lord, I am often intimidated, afraid, or insecure. Help me to remember that You are the same God as Joshua's God. You do not want me to "be terrified...discouraged." Help me take the principle from this verse and bravely go on.

 

Lord, today I pray for some of the nations where persecution is an issue. Father, believers have to fear death, torture, dismemberment, separation from their families in prisons or concentration camps. Lord, it breaks my heart to even think of such things. Today I pray for nations numbered 36-40 on the persecution chart of the 86 nations where persecution is an awful reality. I pray for: Oman, Dagestan (part of Russia), Iraq, Mauritania and Kabardino-Balkaria (part of Russia). O Lord, may the persecution stop, may the Gospel produce an enormous amount of fruit and may those who do the persecuting be won to the faith. Help believers evade persecution when possible; when not, Lord, provide them with the grace that only You can provide.

 

Lord, thank You for Ministries in Action, "an interdenominational...organization...committed to strengthening local Churches, particularly in the areas of fellowship, discipleship and evangelism, theological training, economic development and works of mercy. Further, as a result of building coalitions and establishing partnerships with a large network of churches, church denominations, government officials and other faith based organizations, MIA initiates relief efforts when natural disaster affects our ministry area." Bless, provide, prosper and empower this important ministry, I ask.

 

Use me today, I pray in the Messiah's Name, Amen.

 

 

October 5

by Ed Vasicek

 

My constantly-present God,

 

You are unchangeable. You endure forever and You have been the Living God from eternity past and will be into eternity future. You are and will be always the same. Your nature does not vary because it is perfect and infinite. Your character is always the same; You are always just, always holy, always good.

Even though You do not change, You do experience changes of emotion.

 

Lord, even Your decision to create the world was an eternal decision. It was never not in Your mind to do so. After You created the universe, You rested from all Your activity. But it was not that You were tired; You rested only in the sense that You stopped creating. You are never drained, Your capacity is never even 1 percent full. For just as half of infinity is also infinity, so none of Your power can ever be depleted or even lessened.

 

How different I am from You! When I get proud, arrogant and puffed up, help me to stop comparing myself to others and compare myself to You, the only one and perfect standard. Nothing will bring me back down to reality as a glimpse of Who You are.

 

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.

 

Lord, I pray for young adults who do no have direction in life. I pray that many would come to know You and seek Your will for their lives. Guide them in their church involvement, educational choices, career fields and relationships. Help them to abstain from sexual intimacy until marriage. Teach them the principle of delayed gratification, the hallmark of maturity. Help them to value marriage and guide them to spouses that are right for them. Help them be responsible, to think long term and to value people above things. Give them convictions like a belief in the truth of Your Word, the concept of absolute truth and Biblical convictions about life, marriage, sexuality, family and fiscal responsibility.

 

Today I pray for the Shandong Province of China with its 90 million. Thank You that nearly 3% of the population claims to be born-again Christians. O Lord, may the Gospel permeate this entire area! Help the believers to be able to avoid persecution and may the percentage of Christians double over this next seven years, I ask.

 

I remember the missionaries my church supports including: ___________________. Bless them, provide for them, protect them, keep them from sin and put a hedge around them to protect them from the Evil One. Empower them and grant them harmony with their fellow workers. May they be fruitful for the Kingdom of God.

 

Help me to stand firmly for the Gospel today, I pray in Jesus' Name, Amen.

 

October 6

by Ed Vasicek

 

Father,

 

Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, is many things. He is God in the flesh, the Savior, the King of Israel and the Head of the Church. But He is among many things a Teacher. He taught and trained His disciples especially focusing upon those He name "apostles."

 

Thank You that Jesus is constantly teaching me! He teaches me first and foremost through His Word by His Spirit. He teaches me through those He has gifted within the church. As I read the Words of Jesus, or those He trained or those who prophesied of Him, I am directly connected to Him. Thank You, Lord, that the Great Teacher, our Lord Jesus Christ, teaches me! Help me to be an eager learner.

 

My Master, I know that there are many false teachers out there, too. Lord, Peter warned us: "But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them...." (2 Peter 2:1-2a) Lord, some people who once professed the faith become trapped and brainwashed by cults and false religions. Most of these have an authority other than the Bible – other supposed scriptures – while others have a prophet or "great leader." O Father, stop the spread of the cults. May churches that are true to the obvious teaching of the Word of God grow while those who manipulate Your Word decline, I pray.

 

Protect those who are close to me from these errors, O Lord.

 

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

 

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

 

Lord, the United Kingdom has been a great nation for the Kingdom of God in the past. In a way, UK evangelicals set the tone for the evangelical church in the U.S. and together these two nations accounted for the vast majority of missionaries in the world, thus spreading their influence to the four corners of the earth. But the UK. has fallen away from You, O Lord. Now only 8.5% of its 59 million people claim to be born-again believers. O Father, bring a great revival to this nation. May it once again become a bastion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Remove the spirit of cynicism that has swept the land and help people humble themselves and turn to You, O Lord.

 

Lord, bless the Mission America Coalition, "an unprecedented coalition of Christian leaders who have prayerfully come together to mobilize the church for praying, caring and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ in deed and word.... Leaders from 81 denominations, over 350 ministries and dozens of ministry networks have been involved.... MAC calls for active participation in The Great Commission of Jesus Christ." Their mission statement is: "The whole church taking the whole gospel to the whole nation – and to the world!" O Lord, bless this effort. Provide, protect, prosper, grant harmony and empower Christians in the U.S. to actively influence their society and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

 

Help me to influence my sphere today, I pray in the Messiah's Name, Amen.

 

October 7

by Ed Vasicek

 

My Triune God,

 

Despite that fact that You are three Persons, You are One God. You are the one creator, and there is no other god besides You. There is simply none like You, and no one or nothing – nor the total of everyone and everything – can compare with You. You are in a class by Yourself. You alone are God; only You alone are to be worshiped. We pray to no others, we sings songs of praise to no others, we believe no others can hear the silent prayers of our heart.

 

You are supreme and above all supposed gods and deities. You are the one true God. O Lord, Adonai, Yahweh, I am so privileged to know the one true God. My prayer is that the mass of mankind may turn to You and know You personally as I do.

 

Lord, help congregations that are seeking pastoral staff. Father, finding the right man to lead a church family is a challenging and sometimes risky proposition. When they find the right leader, Lord, help them not to try to form him into a clone of a well-beloved successor. May the congregation allow him to be himself. Give Him your sense of direction and help him bring the congregation along rather than to try to force them to accept His leadership direction. Please help the entire transition process, I ask. And may church members grow attached to their new pastor realizing that they are not betraying their previous pastor by loving the new leader.

 

Help me to resist temptation and the lures of the Satan today.

 

[for the married] Lord, thank You for what marriage has done for our society and this world. Help my marriage to be a blessing. Guard it, put a hedge around it and help us to be determined to work out our differences with an unswerving commitment. Help us to respect one another, to talk to one another, to compromise with one another and to enjoy one another's company. Help us to work at our marriage, to nurture it, to go out together, to occasionally read a book to help us renew our marriage and to really understand one another. When I do not understand, help me to know this. Do not allow me to think that I understand my spouse when I do not. Never let an attitude of contempt or sarcasm master me.

 

[for the single, divorced, separated, or widowed] Lord, I have to admit that sometimes life is lonely. Although friends and family enrich my life, sometimes I regret that I am alone. At other times, I appreciate it! Help me to appreciate the positives: time to focus upon You, freedom to come and go as I please and a less complicated life. Help me to participate in church and community. If I am left out, help me to avoid being sensitive about that. Remind me that this is usually not intentional. Many couples have no idea that I want to be included; their minds blind them to the reality that singles have social needs, too. Help me to clearly express that I want to be included – rather than dropping hints.

Lead me to a few good Christian friends of my gender to pal around with. Keep me from taking the stance of a victim.

 

Lord, thank You for the work of Mission Safety International as they help train and counsel missionary pilots to reduce the number of missions-related accidents: "Mission Safety International (MSI) has worked tirelessly to meet the safety needs of mission aviation departments spread from one side of the globe to the other. While small and agile as an organization, MSI has developed connections with a host of experienced aviation and safety volunteers who can be called upon at a moment’s notice to meet specific needs just about anywhere in the world." O Father, bless and prosper this work, I pray.

 

Use me to impact lives, I pray in Yeshua's Name, Amen.

 

October 8

by Ed Vasicek

 

My King,

 

You are Spirit. You are the One God, and You have a spiritual nature. You have created all spirits. When Jesus walked the earth, He stated: "God is a spirit, and they that worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). Hebrews tells us, "Furthermore, we have had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits and live?" (Hebrews 12:9). This is why You do not dwell in Temples, nor do human hands serve you as though You needed something (Acts 17:24-25).

 

Since Your nature is spiritual, You do not have a body or members of a body. You do not have any material structure. When we humans were created in Your nature, it does not mean that we look like You; it means, rather, that we are like You in a limited sense. We are spiritual and moral beings in addition to being physical beings.

 

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.

 

Savior, as Your disciple You want me to bear fruit. You want me to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit in my lifestyle, the greatest of which is love. You want me to salt the earth and be a light. You want me to encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ, to use my spiritual gifts in conjunction with my church and to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others. Help me to be a fruitful Christian. May I start at home with those closest to me.

 

Help me to organize my life and environment in a healthy, balanced and reasonable way. Keep me from obsessive behavior. May I neither model a control-freak lifestyle that is nothing more than a fearful approach to life nor that of disorganization because You are a God of order. Help me to seek a medium mentality: one that trusts You without obsession but disciplined enough so that I can find what I need and model responsibility.

 

Today, Lord, I pray for the United States of America. Father, I praise You that over 32% of its 285 million people claim to be born-again evangelicals. Thank You for raising up missionaries, ministries and great training centers in the U.S. Certainly, Lord, You have been good to the USA. But, Lord, the moral climate is eroding. We have seen the rise of gender confusion and perversions that ignore Your Word. We hear of mass shootings weekly. The U.S. owns a high divorce rate and many Americans within the church are embracing situational ethics. Though many African-Americans profess the evangelical faith, the high illegitimacy rate and high crime rate raise suspicions about the power of the Gospel. The American church is noted for its materialism and many have embraced a prosperity Gospel. O Lord, help the American Church to grow in depth as well as breadth. May Americans model a Christianity worth reproducing, I pray. Continue to bless and use America and bring her back to Your side.

 

I ask that You would use me to influence my community, school, or workplace, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

 

October 9

by Ed Vasicek

 

Gracious Lord,

 

Thank You that You have a will. You are not some sort of cosmic machine or impersonal force. You feel, You think and You have a will. You are a personal God and part of personality is the ability to decide – having a will.

 

Since You are independent of Your creation, creation exists as a choice of Your will. If You had all power and all wisdom but no will, You could do nothing with that power or wisdom. You could not have created, could not have redeemed, indeed, could not answer prayer.

 

Because Your will is perfect, we gladly submit all our requests to Your will. Our wills are imperfect. Even after being redeemed, we are tainted by sin as long as we have our old sinful natures. It is only when we see Jesus that we will lose our sinful bent. In the meantime, O Lord, help us submit our wills to Yours.

 

Thank You, Lord, that I too need others to be happy and fulfilled. Sometimes I feel lonely and alone; help me not to cower in a corner, but help me to jump into my church, neighborhood and community. You made me social, just as You are social. Help me nurture that part of my being and not stifle it in fear.

 

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 even among the regenerate so that I do not hold false expectations that will leave me frustrated.

 

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.

 

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

 

Lord, I pray for the Indian State of Tamil Nadu with its 63 million people. Thank You that over 5% of the population claims to be born-again evangelicals and that the church is growing rapidly. The growth, however, has not been even. Many groups have no Christian witness whatsoever, O Father, please keep working mightily in this region. Raise up a people for Your Name among all the areas in this State, I pray. May the number of believers triple over this next decade, I ask.

 

Father, thank You for Mission Training International, as they seek to train missionaries to adjust well and endure on the field. Thank You that more than 14,000 missionaries have been trained over the years. The focus upon character development and family issues "focusing on the heart issues that make or break those in missions." O Lord, bless their efforts. The percentage of missionaries who quit their work is high; Father, use this ministry to help conserve Your servants so that they might fulfill the tasks to which You have called them.

 

Now, Lord, fulfill Your purposes for my life, I pray in the Messiah's Name, Amen.

 

 

October 10

by Ed Vasicek

 

Dear God,

 

You are an active God. You are not passive. You are energetic, lively, vigorous and dynamic. You do not sit idly by wondering what will happen, nor are You some impersonal force that does neither process nor direct what happens. You participate with Your creation and You providentially steer the course of history. You are also active in my life working with me individually. You are active in the lives of all who have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.

 

Lord, even though You are the sovereign God, You hold us accountable and responsible for our behavior. You made us moral beings. Even though we are predisposed to sin and be selfish, we still choose to be this way in every instance. Indeed, You are the objective standard by which all right and wrong is measured and that standard is revealed in Your Word. Help us not to blame others for the wrongs we do, but to take responsibility for our own wrongs.

 

O God, I pray for children who are Christians but who have a parent or parents who are not. O Lord, please be the advocate for such youngsters. Give them unusual wisdom and protection, I pray. Bring people into their lives that can nurture them in their Christian walk, I ask.

 

Your Word tells me that if I confess my sins, You are faithful and just to forgive me of them and You will cleanse me from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). So I bring my sins before You now: ______________.

 

Lord, reconciliation within families is a painful issue. Please bring together members of my family – or of a family I know – who are at odds with other family members. We ask that the offenders would embrace repentance, apology, restitution, the embracing of responsibility and reasonability, or the reestablishment of credibility, whatever is needed to mend the fences. And we pray that those offended would be gracious yet not naive. We know some situations can never be fixed, but we pray that repairable relationships would experience reconciliation.

 

Lord, I pray for the South American nation of Uruguay. I thank You for the 4.5% of the population who claim to be born-again evangelicals. I praise You for each one. But, Lord, the work has not gone particularly well in this nation. As Uruguay has become more secular, many have lost interest in spiritual things or turned to pagan superstitions. Thank You, Lord, that some evangelical church groups are seeing rising growth rates. O Lord, excel this, I plead. May the percentage of believers double over this next decade. Do a might work in Uruguay!

 

Lord, thank You for Mission: East Asian National Support, an American based "Christian organization dedicated to sharing the Gospel and helping the needy by partnering with churches, mission groups, missionaries in East Asia and East Asians worldwide.... [Their] vision is to nurture and support at least one Filipino missionary in every country in the world by partnering with them in their work to spread the Gospel of the Kingdom of God." O God, provide, protect and empower this ministry. Grant harmony to the leaders and Your direction, I pray.

 

Now help me follow Your direction for my life today, I request in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

 

October 11

by Ed Vasicek

 

Lord,

 

You are a God Who keeps His promises. Although many Christians take Your promises out of context or misunderstand them, the promises You have made to us will be kept as they were originally understood. You will keep Your promises in Your time to those with whom You made them. Thank You that Your calling and gifts are irrevocable (Romans 11:29).

 

Although You made many promises to individuals or nations that are descriptive (only for that particular situation), I especially appreciate the promises that are prescriptive (made to all who meet a certain condition). Your promise of eternal life is made to all who repent of their sins and accept the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Savior. You promise to hear our prayers and meet the needs we bring to You in prayer according to Your will. When our fellowship is broken because of sin, You promise to restore our fellowship when we confess our sin to You. And you have promised that You will be with me in a special way that You are not with unbelievers even until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).

 

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.

 

Father, I intercede for believers who are struggling with substance abuse, addictions, or other bad or undesirable habits. Some practices are wrong even in moderation. Others are wrong in excess. Others are not wrong in themselves, but are wrong because they are enslaving. Help us all to put off our bad ways and replace them with positively constructive ways. Rather than steal, let us labor to give to those in need. Rather than gossip, let us praise. Instead of being drunk with wine, help us to be filled with Your Spirit. Help us replace the undesirable with the good – or at least the neutral.

 

Lord, today I pray for five more nations where persecution is an issue, nations 41-45 from the list of the 86 nations listed in the persecution index (Operation World, 2001, p. 222). I pray for Tartarstan, Nigeria (north), Ingushetia (part of Russia), Sri Lanka and Malaysia. Thank You that persecution is lessening in Nigeria, but I am distressed to hear that it is worsening in Malaysia. O Lord, may persecution in these and other lands cease. Help local and national governments to respect true and complete religious freedom. May the persecutors themselves be won to the faith. Give the believers wisdom to evade persecution and when they cannot, help them, Lord, with Your grace, I ask.

 

Lord, thank You for the work of Missionary Ventures International. "Missionary Ventures International sponsors several ministries to supplement its purpose to encourage and support indigenous missions through personal involvement. The ministries rely on Spirit led leaders to recruit capable volunteers and marshal resources to fulfill their unique tasks to 'reach the unreached' through practical applications of skills and training often used in secular endeavors." Bless this work as they come alongside national workers with volunteers and resources, I pray. Empower, guide, grant harmony and protect this ministry, I request.

 

Empower me today by Your Spirit to represent You well to others. I pray in the Savior's Name, Amen.

 

October 12

by Ed Vasicek

 

Lord,

 

You are my light. You open the eyes of my heart to understand Who You are. If it were not for Your Spirit preparing my heart, I would not have really understood that You forgive me and offer me eternal life free of charge to me. I would not have understood that when Jesus said, "It is finished," it was. The full price of my redemption had been paid. By receiving Christ as my Savior, I now have eternal life. It is not just something I will have; I already have it. I do not have to hope that my sins are forgiven; I know they are. I do not have to guess that I have eternal life, I know I do (1 John 5:11-13).

 

Your light extends to my ability to perceive spiritual truths. The Word of God just jumps out at me. Although it is not always so, sometimes I get excited just reading my Bible as I discover new truth-- new to me, that is. You guide me each day into Your way. Thank You that You are the God Who gives light. Sometimes You give light well in advance, sometimes You give light at the last moment. But You are my light and my salvation.

 

Lord, Your Word tells me to cast all my anxiety upon You, because You care for us (1 Peter 5:7). I remember Jesus in Gethsemane and how stressed He was He sweat drops of blood. He felt the sting of the trauma He had to face and it wore on Him. But You strengthened Him, gave Him the courage to go on and in the end, worked things for a greater good.

 

Today I pray for the 10/40 window, that area which includes much of Asia and northern Africa. It includes the Arab world, the Indo-Iranian-Tibeto-Burman region, south and east Asia, the Sub-Sahara, We know that the Gospel has penetrated this area least of all. Persecution and lack of religious freedom have insulated and isolated these regions from the Gospel. Many forbid missionaries; some will not even allow the few existing Christians to meet. We pray for victories and for the Gospel to germinate and bear much fruit. Use radio, satellite television, The Jesus film and tactful witnessing by existing believers to multiply the church exponentially. Thank You that in recent years we have seen some great progress. Protect, prosper and provide for Your servants in this part of the world. Give them much fruit for their labors and bind the Evil One, I ask.

 

Father, thank You for New Hope International which is "committed to equipping the church in Eastern Europe through partnerships that provide training, materials and encouragement as they win the next generation for Christ.... It partners with ministries such as Focus on the Family, Youthbuilders, BCM International, Injoy, as well as cutting-edge churches." O Father, help this ministry to make a big dent for the Kingdom of God as they nurture family life and seek to reach and disciple young people in Eastern Europe. Empower, provide, protect and grant unity to them, I ask.

 

Lord, help me to be a gracious Christian today, I pray in Jesus' Name, Amen.

 

 

October 13

by Ed Vasicek

 

My Father,

 

Thank You that You are an understanding God. You understand in that You are supportive and appreciate our situations. You understand in that You are perceptive. You are keenly aware of all things, events, results and feelings. You grasp every situation and You discern even the thoughts, motives and intentions of our hearts completely. Indeed, all things are laid bare before You. There is no reality You do not understand, no problem that perplexes You and no situation that confuses You. You are God, the One who completely understands all that was, is, or shall be.

 

Lord, help me to be an encourager. So many of my brothers and sisters in Christ need an uplifting word, a thank you, a "well done," an "I appreciate you." But do not limit my encouragement to my brothers and sisters in Christ. Help me never view the lost as unimportant or only mattering as far as the Gospel goes. May I be an encouragement and source of blessing even to lost family and friends whether they come to Christ or not. Help me never use people, or love people only because I have an agenda for them, as well intentioned as I might be. Help me to love them because they are people created in Your image, be they lost or saved.

 

Help me to resist temptation and the lures of the Satan today as I choose to draw near to God. Bind the evil one and control me by the Holy Spirit. Help me to be alert and of sound mind so that I might detect his schemes. Help me remember that if I resist him, he will flee from me. I take up Your armor, O Lord, including the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

 

Lord, help parents everywhere. May Christian parents in particular invest a quantity of time with their children. Help parents to be kind but firm, to be able to say no when it is in the best interest of their children and to adjust to differences in children based upon personality, gender and stage of life. May parents exemplify a Christianity that works and may they lead their families in prayer on a daily or near daily basis.

 

Lord, I pray for the important Shanghai Municipality of China with its 15 million people. Thank You that perhaps 7% of the population is made up of born-again evangelicals and thank You for the positive impact of the churches there despite sometimes intense persecution. O Lord, continue to use the Christians in this region. In Your good grace, double the percentage of people who know Jesus Christ as personal Savior.

 

Lord, thank You for the ministry of Open Doors with Brother Andrew as they engage in: Bible delivery in closed nations, helping persecuted believers, publicizing the plight of those imprisoned for their faith and training believers in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America. O Father, please bless this important work. Empower, protect, provide and grant harmony to those who minister, I ask.

 

Send angels to protect my loved ones and me, I pray in Yeshua's Name, Amen

 

 

October 14

by Ed Vasicek

 

O God,

 

You are MY God. Yes, You are the God of all Who call upon You in truth. Yes, You are the God of the Universe, the Creator of all things. But You are also MY God, concerned with my life, my problems and my little world.

 

As for me, I can barely keep track of family and friends. And my ability to remember details – or to even have the time to inquire – is so limited! But not so with You, my God. You take pleasure in me, my life and even the mundane and trivial aspects of it. Your mind is so immeasurable that You are fully aware of all the details of everything in creation and You know not only every tiny detail of all that is happening right now, but You simultaneously know all that has or will happen. I am impressed beyond measure.

 

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 that "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: ______________.

 

Lord, I pray for the nation of Uzbekistan formerly part of the Soviet Union. Lord, this nation is far from free and only. .3% of the population claims to be born-again evangelical. Over 85% of the population is Muslim and most believers have immigrated into this land. The government is willing to allow some freedom for registered churches, but it makes it almost impossible for a church to register. Bless Bible distribution, help the government change its mind to allow Christians to produce literature and bless the two hours a week of Uzbek broadcasts by Christian shortwave radio stations. Though the Jesus film has been banned, it is being used to share the Gospel; bless this attempt and protect the believers. Grant freedom to this land and may Your church multiply tenfold over the next decade, I ask.

 

Lord, thank You for ITS, the Institute of Theological Studies, a "ministry that produces advanced independent study theology courses and participates in international Christian leadership development.... ITS was founded to address the need for reliable, flexible and accessible distance theological education resources for pastoral and ministry training." Thank You, O God, that this ministry has been used by You to train leaders throughout the world. Bless this work, provide, prosper, empower and grant harmony, I ask.

 

Lord, I pray for those who work as general and operations managers. May those who know You shine and may they lead others to Jesus.

 

Help me to be patient today, I request in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

 

October 15

by Ed Vasicek

 

My Loving Creator and Redeemer,

 

You have so many qualities and none of them exist in isolation. You are a compassionate God, a gracious God and an angry God. You are also a logical God. No, You are not all reason; You have emotions and value relationships. But You are all these things and logical as well. Your thinking is sound and coherent.

 

That is why it is so important for me to cultivate my mind – to be like You. You want me to renew my mind, fill it with good things and to develop it. Lord, may Your logic motivate me to cultivate logical thinking. Since You define pure logic in the way You do things, I can be like the Psalmist is Psalm 119:99, "I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes."

 

Your Word tells me 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 accept responsibility for them and freely bring the sins Your Spirit brings to my mind now: ______________.

 

Please meet the following needs, requests and desires as You see fit: ______________.

 

Lord, I pray for the peace of Jerusalem. I ask You to work out Your purpose for that part of the world. I also ask Your blessing upon Messianic Jews and the Messianic movement. Help me to remember that the priority of Your Word is “to the Jew first “ (Romans 1:16). Help me to bold like Paul when it comes to sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.

 

Lord, Your Word teaches this proverb: "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed" (Proverbs 15:22). Although this is a principle and not a promise, it therefore holds true most of the time. So help me to get plenty of advice from godly people before making major decisions. Keep me from being impulsive and help me recognize how much I need other believers and how much they need me!

 

Father, today I pray for the Tripura State of India with its nearly 4 million people. Thank You that about 3% of the population is made up of born-again evangelicals. Lord, they have been persecuted by both Hindus and animists (spirit-worshipers). Lord, there is much work to do in this region. Please, Father, work by Your Spirit and grant many the repentance that leads to life. Help the percentage of believers to double within the next five years, I ask. Prevent persecution; work in hearts to create a positive attitude toward the Gospel.

 

Lord, thank You for Pacific Island Ministries, "a discipling and training mission with accent on service with special interest in Papua New Guinea where it pioneers in remote regions to promote the knowledge of the Scriptures and obedience to its mandates. The mission aids rural and urban communities by sponsoring Christian elementary schools, Sunday schools, Bible schools, leadership training, community development, the installation of rain-catching water systems, health services and the supply of Christian literature." O Lord, provide, protect, empower and grant harmony to this ministry, I ask.

 

Help me to be a blessing to someone today, I pray in the Savior's Name, Amen.

 

 

October 16

by Ed Vasicek

 

O Lord,

 

You are a jealous God. As Your Word says in Exodus 34:14, "the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God." When Joshua urged the children of Israel to count the cost and determine if they were going to serve the LORD or not, Joshua did not hold anything back. He told them that You, the Lord, are "a holy God...a jealous God."

 

Like a husband is jealous for His wife, so You are jealous for Your people Israel (Zechariah 1:14-16). You are also eager for Your bride, the church, to be presented to You without spot or blemish. You resent it when Your children share what is rightfully Your worship with other gods. You remind us that even covetousness or greed removes You from first priority in our lives and is, in some sense, like idolatry (Colossians 3:5).

 

Help me not to provoke You to jealousy. May I give You the first place in my heart and may there be no competition for first place. You, my Creator and Redeemer, are certainly in a league by Yourself; help me remember that You are Lord above all.

 

Lord, help me to value my family relationships above material goods. Remind me that, "Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil." Instead of focusing upon succeeding in business or areas of my interest, help me be most concerned with succeeding in life as You define success. Help me categorize the things of the Spirit and the needs of my family and others as top priorities. Do not let me get caught up in the prestige or achievement rat race.

 

O Father, help me to crave Your Word. Let me fall in love with it. Your Word, the Bible, is Your communication to me. If I love You, I will want to know what You have to say.

 

Lord, today I pray for the continent of Africa. Over 800 million people live there and 14.8% of the population claim to be born-again evangelicals. Praise Your Name. But, Lord, the challenges are many: war between tribes, the oppressiveness of Islam in the north, AIDS and governmental tyranny or instability. This continent is so poor and sometimes the believers are not maturing as they should. The evangelical churches are often very competitive and sometimes the pastors, being educated, can form personality cults. O Lord, help the church in Africa to grow both in number and depth. May Biblical Christianity so permeate the continent that honest and effective governments will become the norm. Bring harmony to Africa's various people and a spirit of religious freedom. Guide western missionaries as to how they can best develop indigenous churches.

 

Lord, thank You for Palm Missionary Ministries which "exists primarily to enable and facilitate the development of national missionaries and workers to go into all nations, make disciples and establish them either into existing local evangelical congregations or newly organized churches." Thank You for their work (10 missionary families in Ecuador, 1 in Colombia and 1 in Spain) in helping nurture doctrinally solid indigenous churches. Prosper, protect, provide, empower and grant harmony to them, I ask.

 

Provide for my needs today, I request in Jesus' Name, Amen