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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Risen with Christ

Passage

Hebrews 5:7-10

Prayer

Dear Father, Eternal God, Thank you for a high priestly Savior, who in the days of his flesh, offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to you who were able to save him from death. Thank you that you heard him for his godly fear, but that you answered him by raising him from death, rather than saving him from dying. Otherwise we would have had no sacrifice for our sins. Thank you for Jesus' sacrificial death. Thank you for his resurrection, which has been passed on to us through him. For we too have died and been raised through the great love with which you loved us! Thank you, Father, thank you, thank you! We cannot thank you enough! There are not enough words, not even time, not enough breath, not enough strength, to say what we owe you for your great salvation! In the name of Jesus, our High Priest, I pray. Amen.

[nChrist]

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

Better Things

Passage

Hebrews 5:11-6:4, 9-12

Prayer

Dear Father, I am eager to be a good learner. I want to get beyond needing milk meant for babies. I want to digest the solid food of your word. I want to be skilled in righteousness, able to distinguish good from evil. Let me move past the elementary teachings of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance. Help me to lay hold of those "better things" that belong to salvation. Thank you, God, for remembering the work and love that I render for your sake in serving your holy people. May I realize the assurance of hope right to the end, so that I may not be sluggish, but may imitate those who through faith and patience inherit your promises. 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
________________________________

The Immutable Oath

Passage

Hebrews 6:13-7:28

Prayer

Dear Father, King above all rule and authority on earth, Thank you for your holy and sure promises. Your oath is immutable. In these things in which it is impossible for you to prove false, we who have fled to you for refuge find strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. Thank you for the sure and steadfast anchor you have given our lives, our hope that enters into the inner shrine behind the curtain. There Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become for us a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek - King of Righteousness, King of Peace - a priest for ever by the oath of you yourself - receiver of tithes from Abraham and Aaron - officiating not by right of bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life! Praise, honor, glory, and power to Jesus our High Priest, able for all time to save those who draw near to you through him, Son of God, made perfect for ever! In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

[nChrist]

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

By His Own Blood

Passage

Hebrews 8:1-13

Prayer

Dear Father, the Majesty of heaven, Thank you that in Jesus we have a totally understanding and merciful High Priest. He has your authority, seated at the right hand of the throne of your majesty in heaven, a minister in the sanctuary and true tabernacle which was set up by you, not men. Thank you that the new covenant we have through him is superior to the old covenant in that it is written on our hearts and minds. I want to know you, O God. I want to obey you. I want to spend my life in your service and eternity in your glory. Remove my wickedness and remember my sins no more. In the name of your holy Son, whose blood has bought my forgiveness, I pray. Amen.

[nChrist]

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

A Perfect Sacrifice

Passage

Hebrews 9:11-14

Prayer

Dear Father, Thank you that when Christ appeared as a High Priest, he entered into the Holy Place and took not the blood of bulls and goats, but his own blood, thus securing eternal redemption for us. How much more perfect and pleasing to you was his sacrifice than that of animals, for he offered what was truly perfect-his sinless body. Thank you, Father, that through this offering he has purified my conscience that I might serve you, the true and living God. Infuse my body, soul, and spirit with your grace. Give me a soft and obedient heart that yields readily to your will. Give me a broken and contrite heart that despises sin and yearns for true holiness. Keep me from loving the things of this world. Make me willing to surrender anything that I possess or could possess, that I may walk with you. 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
________________________________

Holding Fast to Faith

Passage

Hebrews 10:19-25

Prayer

Dear Father, Thank you for the confidence I can have to enter your sanctuary. May I draw near to you in faith, full of assurance, with my heart cleansed from a guilty conscience and with my body washed with pure water. Grant that I may hold fast to the confession of my faith, without wavering, since I know that you, the one who promised, is faithful. May my enthusiastic expression of faith stir up fellow Christians to good works. Let me not neglect meeting with my brothers and sisters or fail to remember that we all will be gathered to meet the Lord. May we encourage one another all the more as we see that glorious Day drawing near. I am looking forward to the return of your Son, and it is in his name that I pray. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge, Heartlight Magazine
Free By RSS News From Heartlight
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Confident in Christ

Passage

Hebrews 10:26-39

Prayer

Holy God, who has promised to return, How foolish I would be to keep on sinning after coming to the knowledge of your truth. Give me the strength to forsake whatever sin I become aware of in my life. I submit myself to your examination and ask to see myself as you see me. In the face of suffering or ridicule, I want to stand strong in truth, always aware that confidence and perseverance will be richly rewarded in the life to come. May I not be among those who shrink back and are destroyed, but among those who hold on to faith and keep their souls. 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
________________________________

Giants of Faith

Passage

Hebrews 11:1-7

Prayer

Dear Father, trustworthy God, You alone are worthy of faith, for you alone have the power to keep promises. Increase my faith, Lord. May I have the full assurance of what I hope for, the firm conviction of the reality of what I do not yet see. Give me faith in your creation and ordering of the world, that what is here is made out of what does not appear. Give me faith like Abel, who sought your approval and whose faith still speaks beyond his death. Give me faith like Enoch, who walked so close to you that you took him to yourself without his having to die. Give me faith like Noah, who was willing to preach your message to an unregenerate and unrepentant world. In the name of Jesus, who died in my place. Amen.

[nChrist]

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

Abraham's Faith

Passage

Hebrews 11:8-19

Prayer

Holy Father, in whom all faith is safe, I cannot imagine what it would be like to be asked to do what you asked Abraham to do. He was willing to sacrifice the very son you had promised to him, the son through whom you promised to make a great nation. He believed that you could do what he had never seen done before - raise someone from the dead. May I stay so close to you that I will never doubt your instructions to me. Like Abraham, I want to be willing to follow you to unknown parts of the earth. Like Abraham, I want to trust you when you ask me to do difficult things. Abraham believed you and you counted it to him as righteousness. May my faith be counted to me as righteousness as well. 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
________________________________

Acts of Faith

Passage

Hebrews 11:20-12:2

Prayer

Dear Father, my trustworthy God, Give me faith like Moses, who loved your way more than the treasures of Egypt. Give me faith like the people of the Exodus, who were willing to walk through the sea at your bidding, but keep me from wavering and rebelling as they did. Give me faith like Rahab, who placed her loyalty with you and your people. Give me faith like Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who did mighty works in your name and suffered with patient endurance for your sake. Dear God, I rejoice to be in the company of your holy people, this cloud of witnesses who lived by faith in you. May I lay aside every weight of sin and run with perseverance the race that is set before me, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of my faith. 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
________________________________

Respect for God's Discipline

Passage

Hebrews 12:3-11

Prayer

Dear Father, Help me to keep my eyes on Jesus. Despite the hostility poured on him by sinners, he obeyed you, even to the point of death. Help me submit to your discipline, for I know that it assures me that I am your legitimate child, not just a slave. Help me to respect your discipline, as from a heavenly Father, even more than discipline I received from my earthly father. Help me bear up under the painful aspects of your discipline, understanding that it yields the fruit of righteousness. Teach me to rely on you and trust you, as a small child does a father. Let me become as a little child, that I may enter your kingdom! 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
________________________________

Call for Peace and Holiness

Passage

Hebrews 12:12-15

Prayer

Dear Father, When my hands droop and my knees are weak, put me in a place where I will get exercise. Open my eyes so that I can find level paths on which to lead the lame so they will not trip and get hurt but will walk and find healing. May I always strive for peace with every other person in the world and to seek holiness for myself, knowing that without it I will never see you. Enable me to help others find grace and to keep those in your family from becoming bitter, which causes trouble and leads to defilement. In the name of your Son I ask. Amen.

[nChrist]

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

The Birthright

Passage

Hebrews 12:16-17

Prayer

Dear Father, Keep me from being immoral or irreligious and, like Esau, selling the birthright you have for me. I want to inherit your blessing, even if it comes to me through tears. Hold me close to you. Fill my mind with thoughts of you. Fill my heart with love for you. May I use my strength to perform acts of care and love which you initiate. I love you, Lord. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

[nChrist]

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

I Come to You, God

Passage

Hebrews 12:22-29

Prayer

Dear Father, I come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, to the city of the living God. I join with the thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, with the assembly of the firstborn ones, whose names are written in heaven. I come to you, my God, the judge of all the earth. I come to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. I come to you, my God, thanking your for receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken. I am so thankful. And so I worship you with reverence and awe. Receive me, I pray. You, my God, are a consuming fire. Burn away all that is worthless in me, that I may be to you a vessel of pure gold, useful and holy. With awesome reverence and in the name of Jesus I come to you, asking 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
________________________________

Light that Exposes Sin

Passage

Hebrews 12:29

Prayer

Dear Father, who dwells in indescribable light, I want to love the Light. Your verdict is: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. They hate the light because they are afraid they will be exposed. As for me, Lord God, I come into your Light, to your Son, that my sinfulness can be exposed and expunged through him. Because I want to live by the truth, I come into your light, so that it may be clearly seen that my conversion, my conviction, and my conformity to Jesus have been wrought in you. In Jesus' name. Amen.