Scripture: Matthew
10:34–42
Having had this reading earlier in the week, please resist
the temptation to skim it over (although if you have time for nothing more,
please skim!) and take your devotion time to re-read the Gospel lesson slowly.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to teach you as you read the
Scripture lesson, and ask him to teach you to pray, opening your heart and mind
to pray according to God’s will.
Prayer
On Fridays you will be encouraged to pray for a variety of
prayer requests. The hope is that through these prayer requests we will,
obviously, intercede for those who need prayer, and that we will learn to think
more broadly in our prayers. If time is short, you could simply pray the Lord’s
Prayer.
Pray for those who find
themselves sharing God’s Word with those who don’t want to hear it, that their
witness be both faithful and winsome.
Pray for those who suffer for
their Christian faith, that God comfort them, provide for them in their times
of need, and that their faith in and testimony about Jesus would be strong.
Pray for those who speak
falsehoods as they claim to speak God’s Word and for those who teach false
doctrine, that God would silence them and that he would lead them to
repentance, true faith, and love for his Word.
Pray for those who have conflict
in their family because some believe in Jesus and some do not. Help the
believers to be patient, faithful, and confident in God’s salvation, and that
their witness would be heard and believed by their unbelieving family members.
Pray that all Christians would
take up their cross to follow Jesus, loving their Lord more than the pleasures
of this world or even their own lives.
Pray that we would willing lose
all thing for Jesus’ sake and take hold of the everlasting life he has given
us.
Pray for those who receive,
assist, and shelter God’s people to aid them in ministry that they be blessed
and have joy in serving God by serving his people.
Pray for a deeper appreciation
of God’s Law and Gospel, sin and grace, and the importance of Jesus’ suffering
and death on the cross for us.
Pray that we would lead holy
lives, bearing fruit for God.
Pray for the sick, the mentally
ill, they dying, and all who need God’s aid.
Pray the Lord’s Prayer.
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