Praying With Paul

[nChrist]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge, Heartlight Magazine
Free By RSS News From Heartlight
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Discipline in Love

Passage

1 Corinthians 5:9-13

Prayer

Dear Father, lover of righteousness and purity, Give us determination to keep your command not to associate with the immoral - not at all meaning the immoral of the world, the greedy and robbers, the idolaters, for then we would have to go out of the world - but not to associate with one who bears the name of a brother if that one is guilty of immorality or greed, or is an idolater, a reviler, a drunkard or robber - not even to eat with such a person. You have called us to judge those inside the church, not outside of it. You, our God, judge those on the outside. May we keep your command to "Drive out the wicked person from among us," but not "quench a smoldering wick" or "break a bruised reed." May we oppose only those who willfully persist in their humiliation of you, your gospel, and your church, and even then may we do it only for the salvation and good of all. In the name of Jesus I ask for wisdom in matters of discipline and for the loving spirit of the Savior himself. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge, Heartlight Magazine
Free By RSS News From Heartlight
________________________________

Conciliation

Passage

1 Corinthians 6:1-11

Prayer

Dear Father, eternal and just judge of all, Help me never to shame you or your saints before the world. How could I dare seek arbitration with a brother before a judge who does not even know about Christ's way? If believers are someday to judge the world, and even angels, surely we can settle matters between ourselves. Help me, Father, to willingly suffer wrong rather than to quarrel with members of your family before the world and thereby invite their ridicule. Don't permit us to be deceived, but to know that the immoral, idolaters, adulterers, homosexuals, thieves, greedy, drunkards, revilers, and robbers will not inherit your kingdom. Yes, Father, we were these kinds of people before we came to know your salvation. But you washed us, sanctified us, justified us in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and in your very own Spirit. Thank you, loving Father, for reaching out to us, changing us, saving us! In the name of Jesus, by whose blood we are washed clean and by whose Spirit we are made to live, I pray. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge, Heartlight Magazine
Free By RSS News From Heartlight
________________________________

My Body a Temple

Passage

1 Corinthians 6:12-13

Prayer

Dear Father, powerful and holy God, Help me to understand that even though all things may be lawful for me, all things are not helpful. Keep me from being enslaved by anything. You gave us stomachs for processing food and drink, and you gave us sexuality for procreation and intimacy, but you did not mean our bodies to be used for gluttony, drunkenness, or immorality! Remind me every day, Lord, that my body is for you, and that you, Lord, are for my body! In the name of Jesus. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge, Heartlight Magazine
Free By RSS News From Heartlight
________________________________

My Body an Instrument

Passage

1 Corinthians 6:14-20

Prayer

Dear Father, powerful and holy God, This body of mine is not just temporary, meant for the decay of the grave. You have promised to redeem it, to make it glorious like Christ's. It will be my instrument to glorify you throughout eternity. Let me use it with that thought in mind. Surely you, God, who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead by your power, will also raise my body by your power. Make me ever aware that my body is a member of Christ's body. Shall I take the members of Christ's body and join it with a prostitute? Never! How can I become one body with someone who is evil when I am one spirit with the Lord? Help me to shun immorality, which, unlike other sin, is against my own body. I consecrate my body as a temple of the Holy Spirit, which I have received from you. Help me to know that I am not my own but that I am bought with a price, the precious blood of Jesus, and so let me glorify you in my body. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge, Heartlight Magazine
Free By RSS News From Heartlight
________________________________

Family Relations

Passage

1 Corinthians 7:1-7

Prayer

Dear Father, third party to our marriage, Thank you that in matters of family relations you have not left us uninformed. Thank you for your apostle Paul's instructions. Help me take all these to heart. While it may have been better for me to remain unmarried and to have dedicated my life wholly to your service, I am married now, so please help me to fulfill all my vows and obligations to my wife and to freely give to her my love. Help me constantly to show affection to her and make her know that I love her. Give me the health, strength, and desire to fulfil her conjugal rights, understanding that I don't rule over my body, but that she does. Please help her to reciprocate. In the name of Jesus and by his authority I ask. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge, Heartlight Magazine
Free By RSS News From Heartlight
________________________________

Husbands and Wives

Passage

1 Corinthians 7:10-24

Prayer

Dear Father, lover of families, May my spouse and I both strive to satisfy the spiritual, mental, economic, emotional, and physical needs of the other so neither of us will ever be tempted to look to someone else for companionship. Help us both to exercise perfect self-control, never giving Satan any opportunity to deceive us. Father, grant that there may never be any rupture in our marriage relationship that would lead to quarreling, unfaithfulness, separation, or divorce. While one cannot take ultimate responsibility for the salvation of the other, help each of us to live for you before the other, building each other up. Because marriage is honorable in your eyes, help us to lead the life before you which you have assigned us in marriage. Thank you for calling us to peace, peace with each other and with you. In the state we are in, let us remain there with you, living joyfully in the keeping of your commandments. In the name of Jesus and by his authority I ask. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge, Heartlight Magazine
Free By RSS News From Heartlight
________________________________

Contentment

Passage

1 Corinthians 7:25-35

Prayer

Dear Father, head of our one enduring spiritual family, Thank you that you have not left us uninformed in matters of family relations. Thank you for the apostle Paul's instructions, which tell us to be holy in body and spirit and to give ourselves up to please you. Help me, Father, to do that.May we be content in the situations in which you have placed us. May those of us with spouses live, in a sense, as if we had none. May those of us who mourn over lost loved ones, in a sense, not mourn at all. May those of us who rejoice, in a sense, not be so joyful. May those of us who buy and sell, in a sense, act as if we have no goods. May those of us who deal with the world, in a sense, act as if we have no dealings with the world at all. What does it all mean? This world and the form of it are passing away, so free me from all anxiety! There is no answer apart from knowing that you are in control and will bring to pass your good pleasure. Grant us rest in you! In the name of Jesus I lift up this prayer to you. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge, Heartlight Magazine
Free By RSS News From Heartlight
________________________________

Love above Knowledge

Passage

1 Corinthians 8:1-13

Prayer

Dear Father, the one real and only God, Give me more love and humility than knowledge, for "Knowledge puffs up but love builds up." People know lots of things, but they let it go to their heads. Help me, Father, never to imagine that I know everything, because I know that I do not yet know as I ought to know. What I want is to love you as I should, for if I love you, then I am loved and known by you. All the things that men and women pursue, O God, seem to have no real existence when compared to you. There is no God but you, the one God.The world is full of "gods." But for us Christians there is just one God, you, from whom all things come and for whom they exist, and there is just one Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. In the name of Jesus and by his authority I ask these things according to his will. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge, Heartlight Magazine
Free By RSS News From Heartlight
________________________________

Earthly Relationships

Passage

1 Corinthians 7:36-40

Prayer

Dear Father, head of our one enduring spiritual family, We live in our bodies and in families and we have strong needs for these very human things. Thank you for consenting to our involvement with these, as long as we possess them without grasping or coveting, and as long as we love you more than these. Whatever freedoms we have, let us exercise them by abiding in the Lord. Grant us the grace to follow Paul's teaching, since he spoke as one having the Spirit of the Lord. In the name of Jesus I lift this prayer to you. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge, Heartlight Magazine
Free By RSS News From Heartlight
________________________________

False Gods

Passage

1 Corinthians 8:7-13

Prayer

Dear Father, the one real and only God, Many do not understand that all reality is rooted in you, so they chase the "gods" of this world, the "idols" which they worship - money, fame, glamor, power, security - and in some cases real idols and the real demons who are behind those idols. Many brothers and sisters in Christ have recently been freed from bondage to a culture that worships these false gods, and due to their weak consciences they can easily be drawn back. Keep me from pursuing the things they were in the habit of pursuing, lest they think I am serving their old "gods" and that it is okay for them to violate their consciences and return to former practices. Don't let my "knowledge" destroy someone who is weak. May I be willing to forego any right or privilege rather than cause a brother or sister to fall. In the name of Jesus and by his authority I ask these things according to his will. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge, Heartlight Magazine
Free By RSS News From Heartlight
________________________________

Foregoing Rights

Passage

1 Corinthians 9:1-18

Prayer

Dear Father, who sees my heart, Help me to follow the excellent example of the Apostle Paul. Though he had a right to earn his livelihood from his preaching, he didn't do so. He chose not to make full use of his rights in the gospel and instead preached the message free of charge. Grant that my service to you will not be motivated by monetary gain or personal ambition. Whatever I do, let it be done out of love for you, your Son, your Word and your holy people. Help me never to put any obstacle in the way of the proclamation of the Good News about Jesus Christ to all who need to hear. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge, Heartlight Magazine
Free By RSS News From Heartlight
________________________________

Slave to All

Passage

1 Corinthians 9:19-23

Prayer

Dear Father, lover of all peoples, Though I am free from all men, let me become a slave to all, that I may win many, many more people to the cause of the Lord. To Jews help me become as a Jew, to non-Jews as a non-Jew, to the poor as one who is poor, to the weak as one who is weak, that I might by all means save some of them. Help me to gladly do whatever is needful for the sake of the Good News, so that I may share in its blessings. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge, Heartlight Magazine
Free By RSS News From Heartlight
________________________________

Exercising Self-control

Passage

1 Corinthians 9:24

Prayer

Dear Father, Help me to compete like a runner aspiring for an Olympic gold medal. Help me to exercise discipline and self-control in all things that I may receive the imperishable victory wreath. Help me not to run aimlessly or to box as one sparring against the air. Give me the grit to pommel my body, to bring it under subjection, lest after having shared the Good News with others I myself should be disqualified. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge, Heartlight Magazine
Free By RSS News From Heartlight
________________________________

Heeding Warnings

Passage

1 Corinthians 10:1-5

Prayer

Dear Father, righteous judge of all mankind, Help me take to heart the examples of disobedience and punishment set by your ancient people as they wandered through the wilderness. Although they were baptized into Moses in the cloud and the sea, and drank of the spiritual food and spiritual water, flowing backward through time from that spiritual Rock, which was Christ himself. In spite of all this, they got lost in the wilderness because they displeased you. O Father, let me take to heart these warnings, and not desire anything evil, as they did, nor to worship idols, as they did, or to engage in immorality, as they did. May I never put you to the test or grumble about your providence, as they did. In the name of Jesus grant me patience to persevere until the end. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge, Heartlight Magazine
Free By RSS News From Heartlight
________________________________

Perseverance

Passage

1 Corinthians 10:6-15

Prayer

Dear Father, righteous judge of all mankind, Help me to live as one upon whom the end of the ages has come. Help me take what happened to the Israelites as a warning to myself. Don't let me get puffed up, thinking that I cannot fall. But at the same time let me keep in mind that no temptation has overtaken me that is not common to man. Help me remember that you are faithful and will not allow me to be tempted beyond my strength, but with every temptation will also provide the way for me to escape, that I may be able to endure it! The way of escape may be death, as it was for Jesus. If so, may I be willing to die if that is what it takes to enter your eternal kingdom. It is better that I should enter it with eyes or hands gone than to enter into hell with my whole body intact. Help me to obey you from a heart of love and gratefulness for what you have done for me. In the name of Jesus grant me such love for you that I will persevere in obedience until the very end. Amen.