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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Children of Promise

Passage

Galatians 4:8-5:1

Prayer

Dear Father, Keep us from turning back to any weak and beggarly things. Help us to live in the glorious freedom brought by the Son of God. Let Christ be born in our souls, even if through great travail. Let him be the reality of our lives, hour by hour and day by day. Let us live as children of the free woman, the new Jerusalem which is above, not as children of the bondwoman. Make us the children of promise. Since it was for freedom that Christ set us free, let us live in his freedom. In the name of Jesus I ask. Amen.

[nChrist]

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

Christ, the Stumbling Block

Passage

Galatians 5:7-12

Prayer

Dear Father, guarantor of freedom, Help me to run well! Help me not to be hindered from obeying the truth! Don't let me be persuaded by a viewpoint that is not from you, the God who called us to freedom in Jesus! A little leaven leavens the whole lump! Help me keep out even a pinch of "slavery" type thinking and religiosity that worships human will. For to preach circumcision (law-keeping as a means of justification), is to remove the stumbling block of the cross of Christ. Help me never to lose sight of the cross, the awful price Jesus paid for my freedom. In the name of Jesus I ask you to preserve my faith in freedom and love. Amen.

[nChrist]

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

Freedom Is No Excuse for Sin

Passage

Galatians 5:13-15

Prayer

Dear Father, guardian of the free, May we never use freedom as a pretext for evil or as an excuse for indulging sinful desires. Rather, grant that we, out of love, will make ourselves servants to one another. For the Lord has taught us that the whole law is fulfilled in the one saying, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Keep us from "biting" and "devouring" one another, lest we be consumed by one another. Encourage and enable me and all my brothers and sisters in Christ to live by love, your principle of freedom. In the name of Jesus I ask you to preserve my faith in freedom and love. Amen.

[nChrist]

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

The Flesh Versus the Spirit

Passage

Galatians 5:16-18

Prayer

Dear Father, giver of your Spirit, Help me to walk by the Spirit and not gratify the desires of my flesh. For the desires of my flesh are opposed to the desires of my spirit and to the desires of your Spirit for me. These things set up an opposition within me to keep me from doing what I want. But thank you for letting me know that if I live by the Spirit I do something different than just live by the rules of the law, that in fact I am not under law. In the name of Jesus I ask you to perfect us, whatever that may take, and give us the grace to endure your renovation process. Amen.

[nChrist]

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

The Deeds of the Flesh

Passage

Galatians 5:19-21

Prayer

Dear Father, opposer of all that is evil, Help me to stay away from those things which are clearly works of the flesh: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. Help me heed your warning, given again and again, that people who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. In the name of Jesus I ask you to perfect us, whatever that may take, and give us the grace to endure your renovation process. Amen.

[nChrist]

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

The Fruit of the Spirit

Passage

Galatians 5:22-26

Prayer

Dear Father, grower of spiritual fruit, Let the fruit of the Spirit blossom, mature, and ripen in my life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these. Let me possess them! Since I belong to Christ, I have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Let me live by the Spirit. Let me walk by the Spirit! Let me show no self-conceit, give no provocation, have no envy toward anyone else. Let me live in, through, and for Christ Jesus, as he lives in, through, and for me and his whole church. In the name of Jesus I ask you to perfect us, whatever that may take, and give us the grace to endure your renovation process. Amen.

[nChrist]

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

Bearing Each Others' Burdens

Passage

Galatians 6:1-5

Prayer

Dear Father, lifter of our heavy loads, Fill my heart with love for my brothers and sisters in Christ. If someone is overtaken in some misdeed, help me to assist in restoring that person, in a spirit of gentleness. Let me watch out for myself, lest I also be tempted. Help all of us to bear one another's overloads, and so fulfil the law of Christ. But help us not to deceive ourselves, thinking we are something when we are really nothing. Let each one of us test our own work, so that our reason for pride may be in what we do and not in what our neighbor does. Teach each of us to bear our own fair load. May we who are taught share all our good things with the person who teaches us. In the name of Jesus I ask all this and that you will give me a Spirit-filled life resulting in eternal victory! Amen.

[nChrist]

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

Sowing Seeds

Passage

Galatians 6:6-10

Prayer

Dear Father, holy unscornable God, Don't let me be deceived, my God, for I know that no one can mock you with impunity. For whatever a person sows that is what the person will reap. Those who sow to the flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but those who sow to the Spirit will reap eternal life. I want to reap eternal life, Father. Help me always to sow to the Spirit! Help me never to tire of doing good, for in your own due season I will reap. Let me never lose heart, but, as I have opportunity, may I do good to all people, especially to my brothers and sisters in the household of faith. In the name of Jesus I ask all this and that you will give me a Spirit-filled life resulting in eternal victory! Amen.

[nChrist]

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

Reaping Righteousness

Passage

Galatians 6:7-8

Prayer

Dear Father, Keep me from sowing seeds from my sinful nature, for I do not want to reap the crop they will produce. May I not invest my time, money, or desires in the deceitful things of this world. For then I will reap destruction. Help me rather to sow to the Spirit, to please you. Help me to put my time, money, and desires into proper thinking and righteous living so I will reap everlasting life. In the name of the infinitely generous Jesus I ask these things. Amen.

[nChrist]

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

Anticipating the Harvest

Passage

Galatians 6:9-10

Prayer

Dear Father, just yet merciful God, May I not become weary in doing good but rather work diligently, energetically, and enthusiastically, keeping in mind the rich harvest you will send at the proper time. Don't ever let me give up on doing good or give up on you. And God, don't ever give up on me! As I have opportunity, let me do good to everybody, especially to those in my family of fellow believers. In the name of Jesus I ask these things. Amen.

[nChrist]

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

Living as a New Creation

Passage

Galatians 6:12-18

Prayer

Dear Father, creator of new creations, Far be it from me to glory except in the cross of Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. For neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation! Let your peace and mercy rain down upon all of us who walk by this rule, upon the Israel of God, called both from Jews and from non-Jewish people. Thank you, Father, for calling me to be part of your holy nation. Let us take no thought for any identifying marks on our bodies, except the evidences of our suffering for the sake of Jesus. Help us never to glory in the flesh, or to give ourselves to be counted for someone else's glorying, except for this. In the name of Jesus I ask for his grace to be with our Spirits in this and in all our petitions. Amen.

[nChrist]

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

A Marvelous Message

Passage

1 Thessalonians 1:2-8

Prayer

Dear Father, Thank you for the great numbers of believers in Jesus Christ, for their works of faith, their labors of love, and their steadfastness of hope which they have in Christ. Thank you for choosing all of us and calling us to yourself by the Good News about Jesus. Thank you that this marvelous message came to us not only in word, but in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. Thank you for the example of your apostles as demonstrations of what the Good News about Jesus can do in human lives. Help us to imitate their labors, suffering, and joys in the Holy Spirit so that we may become examples to others. Let our faith, like theirs, go forth everywhere to all men so that all men will turn from vain idols and self-worship to serve you, the living and true God. In the name of Jesus I pray and give thanks to you. Amen.

[nChrist]

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

Saved to Serve

Passage

1 Thessalonians 1:9-10

Prayer

Dear Father, May our faith serve to call them to wait for your Son from heaven, whom you raised from the dead, Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath that will ultimately come upon an unrepentant world. Thank you for a love that reaches down and takes from within the world of sinners a people for yourself. Thank you for redeeming us, those sinners, for making us holy through your power, and for saving us for your eternal kingdom. My God, you are so great, so awesome, so good! I love you, God. In the name of Jesus I pray and give thanks to you. Amen.

[nChrist]

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

Avoiding Error

Passage

1 Thessalonians 2:1-4

Prayer

Dear Father, I pray that every ministry being done in your name in our time will be done in unselfish love for you and for people. Please defeat those that serve to bring honor to themselves instead of you. May people leading these ministries avoid everything that springs from error or uncleanness. Let there be no deceit in any appeal. Let those whom you have entrusted with the gospel live and speak not to please others but to please you. In the holy name of Jesus. Amen.

[nChrist]

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

Holy and Blameless

Passage

1 Thessalonians 2:5-12

Prayer

Dear Father, Keep all your preachers from using words of flattery, any cloak of greed, or from seeking glory for themselves, even though they have certain rights of support in the gospel. Let them reach out to people with care and gentleness, like a nurse caring for infants. Help them to be willing to share not only the gospel but their very selves. May your witnesses exhibit holy, blameless, and righteous behavior, showing the care of a father, even as you do, as they exhort and encourage and charge people to lead lives worthy of you, the great wonderful and loving God who calls men into his own kingdom and glory. In the holy name of Jesus. Amen.