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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Setbacks into Stepping Stones

Passage

Philippians 1:12-20

Prayer

Dear Father, Take the setbacks of our lives and use them to further the proclamation of your Good News about Jesus to the world. Let such things become a source of encouragement to our brethren when they see the valor of those who bear up under adversity. May every hardship spur your people on to boldly speak your word without fear! Even when your word is proclaimed for the wrong reason, we rejoice, for your word of salvation is nevertheless proclaimed. Father, we rejoice in the way you comfort and remain faithful to us. We are thankful that the prayers of our fellow believers rise night and day for us and for the good of your kingdom. In the name of King Jesus I ask. Amen.

[nChrist]

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

To Live Is Christ

Passage

Philippians 1:20-26

Prayer

Dear Father, Fill us with courage so that Christ will be honored in our bodies, whether by life or by death. For us to live is Christ, to die is gain! Grant that our manner of life may be worthy of the Good News of Christ. Help us to stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the Good News, not frightened in anything by our opponents. Grant that we may not only believe in Christ, but that we shall also be willing to suffer for him if necessary, engaged in the same conflict as was Jesus, the apostles, the martyrs, and all of your church until this very day. 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
________________________________

Undivided, Indivisible

Passage

Philippians 2:1-2

Prayer

Dear Father, One God of your one holy people, Help me never to be a party to any division within the body of Christ. Let me be perfectly united in mind and heart with all others who follow you. Help me not to be some kind of -ite, -ist, or -anian. Keep me from misplacing my loyalties with this person or that! Christ, of whom I am part, is not divided. He is of one mind. So let me and all his people be together and in agreement. Let us be like-minded, having the same love, one in spirit and purpose. In the name of Jesus Christ, the source of our unity and salvation, I ask these things. Amen.

[nChrist]

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

One in Spirit

Passage

Philippians 2:3-11

Prayer

Dear Father, One God of your one holy people, Help all of us to do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility help us count each other better than ourselves. May we look out for the interests of each other, not just our own. Let our attitude be the same as was in Christ Jesus, who made himself nothing and obeyed you, our Father, even in the matter of dying. Help me humbly and obediently to exalt Jesus, even as you have exalted him and given him a name that is above every name, that every knee should bow and every tongue confess - to the glory of you, our God and our Father. In the name of Jesus Christ, the source of our unity and salvation, I ask these things. Amen.

[nChrist]

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

Fear and Trembling

Passage

Philippians 2:12-13

Prayer

Dear Father, Help me to obey your word, not only in the presence of other followers of Christ but even more when they are absent, when there's no one there but me. Be with me as I work out my salvation with fear and trembling, lest I should ever think that I have earned it. After all, it is you, dear God, who is at work within me, both causing me to do your good purpose and to purpose your good deeds. In the name of Jesus, our star of hope. Amen.

[nChrist]

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

A Brilliant Star

Passage

Philippians 2:14-18

Prayer

Dear Father, Help me do what is needed without complaining or arguing, so that I may be blameless and pure. Let me be your child without fault, a child of God, in a crooked and perverse generation. Let me shine like a brilliant star in the night skies of your universe, as I hold out the word of life. Make me a source of pride to those who led me to the Lord, so that they may know that their efforts were not in vain. Let me rejoice together with all your saints and let them rejoice with me! Now and for ever! In the name of Jesus, our star of hope. Amen.

[nChrist]

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

The Ultimate Loyalty

Passage

Philippians 2:19-3:7

Prayer

Dear Father, Help me to be a Timothy, one who genuinely cares for the welfare of others. Help me look out not just for my own interests, but for Christ's. Help me to be an Epaphroditus, a true fellow worker and fellow soldier to all others who serve you, risking my life for you. Help me to be one of the true circumcision, who worship you in spirit, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh. Help me turn my back on all earthly gain and count all things as loss for the surpassing worth of knowing Christ and serving him. 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
________________________________

A Precious Promise

Passage

Philippians 3:8

Prayer

Dear Father, Keeper of all your promises, You have promised: "Be faithful unto death and I will give you a crown of life." Thank you for such a precious promise! You are so gracious to me! Help me to count everything as loss for the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus as my Lord. For his sake I would gladly suffer the loss of all things - at least I hope I would - and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him. Father, you know my heart. You know that I don't want a righteousness of my own based on self-sufficient rule-keeping, but one which comes from trusting Christ. I want the righteousness that you provide when I commit myself to your trustworthy care. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

[nChrist]

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

My Joy and Crown

Passage

Philippians 4:1

Prayer

Dear Father, Help me to stand firm in the Lord, not only for my own sake but because I am someone's joy and crown, the object of their love and longing. May I reach out to others to call them to follow the example Christ. Let them become my joy and crown, the objects of my love and longing. Especially, Father, let me influence my family - spouse, children, in-laws, grandchildren - to walk in your way and to long for your day. I love them dearly and long for their salvation. Draw them to your heart of love. 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
________________________________

A Citizen of Heaven

Passage

Philippians 3:16-21

Prayer

Dear Father, I want to join all your holy people in imitating the example of your apostle Paul, and I want to take notice of people in my own time who live by the same example. Thank you, my God, that my citizenship is in heaven, from which I wait the return of my Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you, Father, that he will come to change my lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power which enables him to subject all things to himself. 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 from the Future

Passage

Philippians 3:15

Prayer

Father, May the motivations of my life come from the future you have appointed for me rather than from the past I have lived. Let every one of my fellow Christians be mature in this matter too, along with me. If I, or they, are lacking in any way, please disclose this to us, and change us! Help us hold true to what we have already attained. Don't let us throw this away! In the name of our Lord Jesus I ask these things and pray that you will grant us a spirit of perseverance unto eternal life. Amen.

[nChrist]

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

To Know Christ

Passage

Philippians 3:10-14

Prayer

Father, I want to do this because I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection, and be allowed even to share in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Dear Father, I know that I have not made this my own yet, but one thing let me do: Let me forget what lies behind and strain forward to what lies ahead. Help me to keep pressing forward toward the goal so that I may win the prize according to your will in Christ Jesus, my Lord. In his name of our Lord Jesus I ask these things and pray that you will grant us a spirit of perseverance unto eternal life. Amen.

[nChrist]

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

Rejoice! and Pray!

Passage

Philippians 4:4-7

Prayer

Dear Father, forbearing God, Let me rejoice in the Lord always! Again I ask this from you: Let me rejoice always! Let me be gentle, open to reason, slow to make negative judgments. Let this forbearing spirit be apparent to everyone. I know the Lord Jesus is near, so I have no reason to be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let me present my requests to you. I believe in you, Father, a God who transcends all human understanding. I believe that the peace which comes from you, which transcends all understanding, will keep my heart and my mind in Christ Jesus. In the name of the ever-near Jesus. Amen.

[nChrist]

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

Preparing for the End

Passage

Philippians 4:7-11

Prayer

Dear Father, victorious deliverer, May I be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, based on rule-keeping but that which is through trust in Christ, the righteousness of God that depends on trust, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that if possible, I might attain the resurrection of the dead. O God, let me obtain it! Let me be awake! Let me put on the armor of light! Let me put on the Lord Jesus and his righteousness, and be found in him! Let me trust, obey, even suffer, in order to have the victory! In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

[nChrist]

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

The End Is Near

Passage

Philippians 4:5

Prayer

Dear Father, victorious deliverer, Everything points to the fact that we live in the last days, so let me not waste time sleeping. Salvation is nearer now than when I first believed. The night is far gone. The day is at hand. Help me cast off all the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let me conduct myself as becomes one of your people, not in reveling or drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling or jealousy. Rather let me put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provisions for the flesh, to gratify its desires. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.