Prayer for 2023

O Lord Jesus Christ, I come before you asking for your forgiveness for all the sins I’ve committed, and I fully forgive all those who have sinned against me. I repent of all my wrongdoings and choose to do what is right in eye’s of the Lord.

As we come into the year 2023, we pray that we are renewed in the faith. We pray that we crucify the flesh and all its evil desires. We pray that we honor God even more in 2023.

We pray for the peace of Jerusalem. We pray that my nation is in mutual goodwill towards Israel in all ways. We repent and reject all kinds of wickedness against Israel as it’s the apple of God’s eye.

We pray that we come out of all deceptions and traps of the enemy by listening to the word of God. We pray for God’s wisdom to be our light against the darkness and vile shadow’s of this world.

We pray for each of our nation’s, that they depart from what is evil and sinful and instead accept what is right in your eyes. We pray against those who use the laws of the land to mock the laws of the Living God, that their plans against the people of God come to nought.

We pray for each one who call upon the name of the Jesus as they pray to God our Father, that they are continuously led by the Holy Spirit. We pray that all of us be one body in Spirit and in truth without any compromise against the Word of God.

We pray for the health of body, mind, soul and spirit for each one of us and our friends and family. We pray for Divine protection against all sickness and disease. We pray that we do not get tricked nor outwitted by the Enemy as we claim our worthiness by the blood of the Lamb of God.

We pray for those who will come to know the Gospel, that they are strengthened in their faith and are welcome in the Christian communities wherever they are are. We pray that we are able to exhort our new brothers and sisters in Christ to be aglow in the Holy Spirit each and every moment.

We pray that we are able to preach the Word of God even more boldly in this fallen world. We pray that as we preach the Gospel, people are receiving their deliverance from sickness. We pray that evil spirits are banished as we call upon the name of Jesus in the situations where people are harassed by them.

We pray that as we walk through the whole of the year 2023, we always walk with you O Lord our God and that no fear is able to accompany us. We choose to glorify you this year so that your name O Living God is praised amongst the people of the Earth.

We ask all of this in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

Are you growing in your love for Jesus?

Are you growing in your love for Jesus?

It may sound as a simple question and yet this is a significant question to each who believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Jesus himself said “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love” (John 15:9-10)

One of the key ways you can realize if you are love Jesus and are growing in your love for Jesus is how to love others, especially those of who also believe in Jesus Christ.

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. (1 John 4:8)

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:2-3)

Another way to realize that you are still loving Jesus is how to treat those are not in Christ.

But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. (Luke 6:27-31)

Now its possible to have an external display of loving Jesus and even keep doing actual good work towards people especially the poor and need yet have no faith in Jesus Christ at all. I’ve encountered people who are super polite and won’t hesitate to give their offerings to the Lord, but if asked if the believe if Jesus Christ is real they are unable to give a coherent answer! Such lack of faith in the existence of Jesus Christ also automatically leads to lack of love for Jesus. Beware of this for the sake of your own soul, lest you depart from the faith!

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! (2 Corinthians 13:5)

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

Christ be with you!

The Lord hears the prayer of the righteous but does not listen to sinners

Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me.Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord, would have none of my counsel
and despised all my reproof, therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way,
and have their fill of their own devices.(Proverbs 1:28-31)

The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is His delight. (Proverbs 15:8)

We know that God does not listen to sinners, but He does listen to the one who worships Him and does His will. (John 9:31)

Surely God does not listen to empty pleas, and the Almighty does not take note of it. (Job 35:13)

He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them.The Lord preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.(Psalm 145:19-20)

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. (James 1:17)

O you who believe in Jesus Christ, give credit where it is due!

For all your talents, skills, wealth which is good has been given to you by the Lord God the Father of Jesus Christ. Do not therefore be proud of yourself but rather give glory to God who created heaven and earth and all that dwell in it.

If you are lacking in anything that is good be it wisdom or healing or wealth which is free from malice, then ask of the Lord God in faith and with purity of heart. And this way the Lord God will surely hear your prayer.

So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! (Matthew 7:11)

It the Lord who will also provide if you till your land. I mean there are certain things in which you have to put in your efforts and pray to God that you succeed. Its his blessing that makes our hard work fruitful.

The LORD will indeed provide what is good, and our land will yield its increase. (Psalm 85:12)

What if the Lord should give you power to raise the dead

If the Lord should give you power to raise the dead, He would give much less than He does when he bestows suffering. By miracles you would make yourself debtor to Him, while by suffering He may become debtor to you. And even if sufferings had no other reward than being able to bear something for that God who loves you, is not this a great reward and a sufficient remuneration? Whoever loves, understands what I say. (St John Chrysostom)

Just because times are tough do not live in fear

I keep hearing and seeing the news all around the world. Some places there have been earth quakes, some bush fires while now of this writing, the Corona Virus (Covid-19) has been causing devastation and death wherever it can. While the danger is real, you don’t need to live in fear. Firstly put your trust in God who can deliver you from evil. And then continue with prayer and thanksgiving unto the Lord Jesus. Obviously, you are to also take due precautions and not deliberately land yourself in trouble.

Fear leads to worry and worrying won’t help you

“Do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?” ~ Luke 12:22-26

“He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” ~ Mark 4:39-40

Fear makes the problem seem more than what it is

By being fearful you don’t end up getting your problems solved. Not a bit. You need to focus on the right steps to help yourself. Remind yourself that you are loved by God and he will be there for you in the hardest of times, if you only believe in him.

“I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me.  He freed me from all my fears.” ~ Psalm 34:4

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.” ~ Romans 8:38-39

Fear of man (or woman) only keeps you down in life

Fear no man nor woman because it is not worth it. Such fear is a trap. People lose a lot of things, even their souls due to this, because they keep confirming to the sinister schemes of the sinful world. Reject this fear of man (or woman) and be a true believer in God.

The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe. (Proverbs 29:25)

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28)

Fear can keep you away from the Will of God

Beware of fear, because it can keep you away from the Will of God. Be strong and courageous for the Lord God and reject any fear of people and society when it comes to doing all the good things God has planned for you.

Then David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished. (1 Chronicles 28:20)

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” (Romans 8:15)

Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)

And finally..

I pray that you are able to make a decision to live without fear for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God be with you!

Do you fast?

Do you fast? Then feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, visit the sick, do not forget the imprisoned, have pity on the tortured, comfort those who grieve and who weep, be merciful, humble, kind, calm, patient, sympathetic, forgiving, reverent, truthful and pious, so that God might accept your fasting and might plentifully grant you the fruits of repentance (St John Chrysostom)

The Lord set apart the godly for himself

Quick Reminder: Faith without works is dead!

• ¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? ¹⁷ So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (James 2:14-17)
  
• ¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. ¹⁹ You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! ²⁰ Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? ²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? ²² You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; ²³ and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. ²⁴ You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. ²⁵ And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? ²⁶ For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. (James 2:18-26)
• Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:23-25)
• But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. (Galatians 5:16-17)

Prayers leading to Christmas – 6

O Lord God, to whom alone belongs the Final judgement, give me justice against all evil doers, and defend me. I pray for your protection, against enemies,, both seen and unseen. Save me and my family, from the evil rulers of the earth. Deliver us from all evil whether its mental, physical or spiritual. Do not let the Enemy of my soul, rejoice over my afflictions, and cause all weapons formed against me, to not prosper. By your Holy Spirit, warn me of dangers, so that I avoid the insidious paths of life. Preserve me, so that I can given even greater glory, to your Holy Name. Like the righteous and devout Simeon, who did see death until he met the Lord Jesus, and so received the consolation of Israel, I pray that you save me from untimely death so that I fulfill all that you want me to do before I be with you in heaven. I ask this all in the precious and majestic name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Amen.