Praying With Paul

[nChrist]

____________________
Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

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]

____________________
Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

The Secret of God's Will

Passage

Ephesians 1:9-14

Prayer

Dear Father, King of an eternal kingdom, You have made known to us the secret of your will, the purpose which you set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time. Thank you, O God, for what you have made known - that you intend to unite everything in Christ - things in heaven and things on earth. Divine Lord, you accomplish all things according to your will. Thank you that we who first hoped in Christ have been destined and appointed to live for the praise of his glory. Thank you also that in Christ we who have heard the word of truth, the Good News of our salvation, and have put our trust in him, have been sealed with your own Holy Spirit. We exult in you, Father, because you have given us this Spirit, which is the guarantee, the down payment on our inheritance, until we acquire possession of it - for the praise of your glory! In the name of Jesus and by his authority I pray. Amen.
____________________________________

[nChrist]

____________________
Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

Heavenly Blessings

Passage

Ephesians 1:5-8

Prayer

Dear Father, King of an eternal kingdom, In love you destined us to be your sons through Jesus Christ, exactly as you wanted to do. My heart overflows with thanksgiving and praise for this glorious graciousness which you bestowed on us in your beloved Son. Thank you that in him and through his blood we are forgiven of every sin and released from our bondage to sin - all of this according to your unfailing love lavished on us! In the name of Jesus and by his authority I pray. Amen.
______________________________________

[nChrist]

____________________
Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

Holy and Blameless

Passage

Ephesians 1:3-4

Prayer

Dear Father, King of an eternal kingdom, Thank you for giving me the greatest motivation in life. You have called me into your kingdom, the greatest blessing that can come to any creature in heaven or on earth, in ages past, the present, or time to come. Blessed are you, O God, Creator of everything that is.You have blessed us with every blessing of a spiritual nature in the heavenly realms. In fact, you chose us in Christ before you created the world, that we should be specially dedicated to you, holy and blameless. Continue your work in me, O Lord. Make me holy and blameless in word and in deed. In the name of Jesus and by his authority I pray. Amen.
_______________________________________

[nChrist]

____________________
Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

Christ Working in Me

Passage

Hebrews 13:10-21

Prayer

Dear Father, Help me to obey my leaders and submit to them, as those who keep watch for my soul. Fill my mouth and my heart with earnest prayer for all your servants who serve you in your kingdom! Now may you, the great God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip me with everything good that I may do your will, working in me what is pleasing in your sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. In the name of Jesus the Christ. Amen.
____________________________________

[nChrist]

____________________
Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

Altar of Worship

Passage

Hebrews 13:10-21

Prayer

Dear Father, Thank you for providing an altar of worship for me and all those who have faith in Jesus. Thank you that our Lord Jesus was willing to suffer outside the gate in order to call to himself a people sanctified through his blood. Thank you that I am one of these! Let me therefore go to him outside the camp, bearing abuse for him. Father, here I have no lasting city, no permanent country, but I seek the city which is to come, that you are preparing. Through Christ therefore I offer up to you a continual sacrifice of praise, the fruit of my lips which acknowledge your name. My Lord, help me never to neglect to do good and to share what I have, for I know these sacrifices are pleasing to you. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
___________________________________

[nChrist]

____________________
Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

No Fear in Christ

Passage

Hebrews 13:6-8

Prayer

Dear Father, Help me say with confidence: The Lord is my helper. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? I remember those who led me to Christ by speaking his word to me. Thank you for them. Bless them abundantly. Help me to imitate their faith. And most of all, thank you for Jesus Christ, who forever remains true to me. Thank you, my God, that he is the same yesterday, today, and for ever. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
_______________________________________

[nChrist]

____________________
Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

Exhortations

Passage

Hebrews 13:1-5

Prayer

Dear Father, hospitable king, Fill me with brotherly love. Make me a generous provider of hospitality to strangers. Let angels find provision under my roof, even when I don't know who they really are. Help me remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since I am also in the body. Help me hold marriage in honor. May my own marriage bed remain forever undefiled. Keep me from the love of money. Help me be content with what I have, knowing that you will never fail me or forsake me.In the name of Jesus. Amen.
____________________________________

[nChrist]

____________________
Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

Spiritual Resources

Passage

Ephesians 6:17-18

Prayer

Dear Father, my resource for everything, Help me make full use of your spiritual resources given to me. Help me destroy evil through the power of your word, the power of your Holy Spirit. Help me be a prayer warrior, for it is through prayer that you empower your soldiers. So help me to stand - by right belief, by right thinking, by right living, by right praying. Help me to pray at all times in the Spirit. In the name of Jesus and by the power of his Spirit I seek your face. Amen.
_____________________________

[nChrist]

____________________
Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

Prepared to Fight

Passage

Ephesians 6:14-17

Prayer

Dear Father, my support in battle, Help me stand, having put on my body the garments of TRUTH and the bullet-proof vest of the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF JESUS, having put on my feet the combat boots of PREPARATION IN THE GOOD NEWS OF PEACE, and besides these, having taken in hand the shield of TRUST IN GOD. (I feel like I need a gas mask of DISCERNMENT to protect me from the poison of Satan's propaganda.) Give me the wisdom that comes with the helmet of SALVATION and the zeal to take up the assault weapon of the SPIRIT, THE SPOKEN WORD OF GOD. With all these in place, let me stand my ground . . . and fight! In the name of Jesus, the forger of our armor, I pray. Amen.
_____________________________

[nChrist]

____________________
Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

Equipped for Battle

Passage

Ephesians 6:11-13

Prayer

Dear Father, warrior against all evil, May I put on the full array of battle gear that you supply that I may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil, the commander-in-chief of all evil spirits. Help me understand that our warfare is not just against flesh and blood, against mere men. It is against the principalities, the powers, the rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual armies of wickedness in the heavenly places. It is there that they do battle against my soul, against you and your Son, against the heavenly armies, and against all your holy people. Therefore let me take up all the equipment which you have given me, that I may be able to withstand Satan's hordes in the evil day, and having done everything you want me to do, to stand! In the name of Jesus, the forger of our armor, I pray. Amen.
_____________________________

[nChrist]

____________________
Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

Strong in Christ

Passage

Ephesians 6:10-12

Prayer

Dear Father, King, and Commander of the holy armies, Though you have lifted me up to reign in the heavenly places with Christ, remind me that your armies are engaged in a fierce struggle to take earth for heaven. Don't let me relax as if there is no war going on. This is not a time of peace. Never let me let down my guard and fail to look to my armament. May I be strong in you and in the strength of your might! In the name of Jesus, the faithful warrior, I pray. Amen.
_____________________________

[nChrist]

____________________
Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

Good Spouses

Passage

Ephesians 5:25-33

Prayer

Dear Father, Help me to be the good husband that you want me to be. Help me to love my wife even as Christ loves his church, being willing to give himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. Help me to keep your command to love my wife as I love my own body. Empower me to love her as I love myself. Help me to live in such a way as to help her in her attempt to be holy before you. May I always support, encourage, comfort, and nourish her for her good. In the name of Jesus, the one husband of the church. Amen.
_____________________________

[nChrist]

____________________
Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

Submission

Passage

Ephesians 5:21-6:9

Prayer

Dear Father, Help all of us who reverence Christ to be submissive to each other, even as he submitted himself to the people about him so that he could be their servant-king. Help wives and husbands submit to each other. Help wives to be respectful. Help husbands to be loving and considerate. Help parents and children submit to each other. Help children to obey their parents. Help parents to act in the best interest of their children, not provoking them. Help employers and employees submit to each other. Help employees render the work for which they are paid. Help employers to be fair, to show kindness. Help all your people everywhere to live even as Jesus did. In the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
_____________________________

[nChrist]

____________________
Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

Living in Wisdom

Passage

Ephesians 5:15-21

Prayer

Dear Father, Fill me with your heavenly wisdom, which involves alertness to problems and opportunities, avoidance of addictions, fullness of your Spirit, overflowing joy, and constant thanksgiving! For your heavenly wisdom is pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere. And true wisdom begins with awesome reverence for you! To you be all the glory, honor, and dominion. Forever and ever! In the name of Jesus our Lord. Amen.
_____________________________