Prayer for Peace

Prayer for Peace in Troubled Times



Dear Lord, in these troubled times make your presence known to all the peoples around the world so that they may see peace as the only way to salvation. Replace the anger and violence in our hearts with joy and tranquility and help us to seek the good in everyone. Cause us all to realize that without you we can do nothing that will bring us peace and joy. Thank you for hearing and answering our prayers. Amen.

Humility

To Be Humble in Spirit


Father, I'm praying for (name one or more) and others in my circle of family or friends to know the importance of humbling themselves...

May they choose to humble themselves before You and before Christ, for we know You detest the proud of heart. You live in a high and holy place and with those who are contrite and humble. (Daniel 10:12; James 4:10; Proverbs 16:5a; Isaiah 57:15)

May they desire to be like Christ, gentle and humble in heart, living in harmony with one another, compassionate and sympathetic, loving each other—not trying to pay back hurts or insults but instead responding with blessings. May they be willing to submit to You and each other out of reverence for Christ. (Matthew 11:29b; 1 Peter 3:8–9; James 4:7; Ephesians 5:21)

May they be willing to humble themselves before You, for if they will, Your Word says You will guide them in what is right and teach them Your way, giving them grace and esteeming them in Your sight. Help them to show true humility toward all people, to clothe themselves with humility. (Psalm 25:9; Proverbs 3:34; Isaiah 66:2b; Titus 3:2b; 1 Peter 5:5b)

Make them daily more sensitive to pride in their lives, that they may confess it as the sin it is. In the power of the Spirit, may they choose humility over pride at every turn. In Jesus' name, Amen and amen .

Always Pray

Father, I'm praying for myself and others (add your names here) in my circle of family and friends to grow in our prayer lives...

May we be people of prayer, asking not only for our daily needs to be met but praying for others. May we ask, seek, and knock with right motives, living lives of obedience that are pleasing to You so we may receive whatever we ask. (Matthew 6:11; 1 Samuel 12:23; Matthew 7:7–8; James 4:2–3; 1 John 3:21–22)

May our prayers be set before You like incense as we pray without ceasing, praying always without giving up—boldly and with persistence. Help us come before Your throne of grace with confidence and be able to pray as Elijah prayed—fervently, effectively. May we be watchmen on the wall, standing our ground in prayer. (Psalm 141:2a; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Luke 18:1–5; 11:5–8; Hebrews 4:16; James 5:16b; Ezekiel 33:7; Ephesians 6:10–18)

Help us pray in faith, believing we have received what we've asked because we've prayed according to Your will. May our faith be so strong it amazes You! (Mark 11:22–24; 1 John 5:14–15; Matthew 8:5–13)

Help us to grow strong in prayer. In Jesus' name, AQmen and amen.

messengers of Christ

Ye messengers of Christ,
His sov'reign voice obey;
Arise and follow where He leads,
And peace attend your way.
The Master Whom ye serve,
Will needful strength bestow;
Depending on His promised aid,
With sacred courage go.

Mountains shall sink to plains,
And hell in vain oppose;
The cause is God's and must prevail,
In spite of all His foes.
Go, spread a Savior's Name,
And tell His matchless grace,
To the most guilty and depraved
Of Adam's num'rous race.

Contemplating Suicide

For Those Contemplating Suicide



Most loving and forgiving Father,
hear our prayers for all
who seek to end their life
by their own hand.
The despair is too great,
the loneliness is unbearable,
the inability to share
thoughts and feelings overwhelming,
the seeming lack of options a dead end.
Bless them with the strength of love
to meet each day with new courage;
friendships to bring moments of joy
in their days of anguish;
and hope for the future.
Amen and Amen

Prayer for a Newborn Child

We are humbled by the awesome power of this moment.
From our lives we have brought forth life.
Through our love we have fashioned a child of love.
May our child be a blessing to all he meets.
And may he count us among his blessings as well.


- Rabbi Rami M. Shapiro
NoteAccording to Rabbi Scheinerman's "Tallit Talk," the tallit (also pronounced tallis) is the most authentic Jewish garment. It is a rectangular-shaped piece of linen or wool (and sometimes, now, polyester or silk) with special fringes called Tzitzit on each of the four corners. The purpose of the garment is to hold the Tzitzit. The purpose of the Tzitzit is to remind its wearers of God's commandments.

The Tzitzit is tied in what Scheinerman calls a form of macrame. When done correctly, the Tzitzit will have 7-8-11-13 winds between double knots. The numbers have various interpretations, one of which is that they spell out the Tetragrammaton, God's name. The four windings together can be interpreted to say, "God is one."

The gold-colored neckband, called the Atarah, is emboidered with the blessing one recites when donning the tallit.

For widows

Most loving God,
You know the pain and sorrow of death; mercifully hear our prayer for those who mourn the death of their beloved. The nights are lonely and the days are too long. Comfort them and bring an end to the days of tears. Bless them and bring an end to their days of sorrow. Renew them with the joy of life and bring to an end their days of mourning. Let the bond of love which you have for your people be the foundation of their hope that love never ends and that precious moments with our beloved are forever held dear in our hearts.

Amen.

Generous Hearts

To Have Generous Hearts


Father, I pray for (name one or more) and others in my circle of family and friends to be generous people...

May their generosity begin with You as they give You their tithes and offerings, believing Your promise that as they do, You will throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that they'll not have room enough for it. (Malachi 3:8–10)

Help them grow in the grace of giving, giving to others as much as they are able, willing to give even beyond their ability because they trust in You and have given themselves to You according to Your will. May they be generous, always willing to hear the cry of the poor and willing to share. (2 Corinthians 8:7b; Romans 12:6, 8b; 2 Corinthians 8:2–5; Proverbs 21:13; 22:9; 1 Timothy 6:18)

May they sow generously and reap generously—pressed down, shaken together, and running over! Help them be cheerful givers to those in Christian service, and then supply all their needs from Your riches in Christ Jesus. (2 Corinthians 9:6; Luke 6:38; Philippians 4:15–19)

Help them to give beyond their means. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Forgive your friends

Prayer for Friends

You have created us to live in community,
O God of love;
bless our friends who provide us
with the grace and love of an extended family.
Endow them with the riches of your blessings:
good health, sight, and mobility,
that they may enjoy the wonders of your creation
and share their delight with others.
Bless them with keen minds and compassionate hearts
that they may create a better life for all.
Guard them from injustice, oppression, and evil
that they may know freedom and hope lifelong.
In their waking and in their sleeping,
in their laughter and in their tears,
surround them with your love
until the end of their days;
and so bring them to eternal life in peace.
Through Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Amen.

Decide to forgive
For resentment is negative
Resentment is poisonous and devours the self
Be the first to forgive, to smile and to take the first step,
And you will see happiness bloom
On the face of your human brother or sister.
Be always the first
Do not wait for others to forgive.
For by forgiving,
You become the master of fate,
The fashioner of life, the doer of miracles.
To forgive is the highest,
Most beautiful form of love.
In return you will receive
Untold peace and happiness.
Here is the program for achieving a truly forgiving heart:
Sunday: Forgive yourself
Monday: Forgive your family.
Tuesday: Forgive your friends and associates.
Wednesday: Forgive across economic lines within your own nation.
Thursday: Forgive across cultural lines within your own nations.
Friday: Forgive across political lines within your own nation.
Saturday: Forgive other nations.
Only the brave know how to forgive.
A coward never forgives. It is not in his nature.

The goodness of God

Gregory of Nyssa (c. 335-c.394)
You truly, O Lord, are the pure and eternal fount of goodness; ... who did curse, and did bless; you did banish us from Paradise, and did recall us; you did strip off the fig-tree leaves ... and put upon us a costly garment; you did open the prison and did release the condemned; you did sprinkle us with clean water, and cleanse us from our filthiness. No longer shall ... the flaming sword encircle Paradise around, and make the entrance inaccessible to those that draw near; but all is turned to joy for us that were the heirs of sin; Paradise, yea, heaven itself may be trodden by man, and the creation, in the world and above the world, that once was at variance with itself, is knit together in friendship: and we ... are made to join in the angels' song, offering the worship of their praise.