Praying With Paul

[nChrist]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
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Walking in the Light

Passage

Ephesians 5:6

Prayer

Dear Father, Help me not to be deceived by empty but high-sounding words that cloak the intent of wickedness. I know that it is because of these flauntings that your wrath comes upon the sons of disobedience. Help me not to walk with such people, to think like them, or to behave like them. Let me walk in the light, with the children of light, for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true. May I learn to do only those things which are pleasing to you. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
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[nChrist]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

Standing in the Light

Passage

Ephesians 5:7

Prayer

Dear Father, Keep me from being silent when your cause is threatened by evil people, even though I and my family and the people I care about may perish. May I stand with courage, for you are able to raise deliverance from another quarter. And if I perish, I perish. May I not take part in any way in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. In the name of Jesus, the holy Light of mankind. Amen.
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[nChrist]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

A Clean Life

Passage

Ephesians 5:6-7

Prayer

Dear Father, Don't let me be deceived by the empty words of worldly people. It is because of these things that your wrath will come upon the sons of disobedience. Father, if I have to stand alone, so be it! Let me stand for you if the whole world stands against you! Don't ever let me forget your commands or forsake you. In the name of Jesus I ask for the purity of mind and spirit that was in him. Amen.
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[nChrist]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

A Clean Mind

Passage

Ephesians 5:5

Prayer

Dear Father, Holy God, You have warned me that I can be sure of this: that no fornicator or impure person, or one who is covetous (idolatrous!) has any inheritance in the kingdom that belongs to you and Christ. Furthermore, keep me from enjoying as entertainment the depiction of such things in books or magazines, or on the stage or on television. Help me to understand that most of what comes through these media is from the minds and imaginations of unregenerate people, whose gods are self, money, power, and sensual indulgence. In the name of Jesus I ask for the purity of mind and spirit that was in him. Amen.
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[nChrist]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

A Clean Mouth

Passage

Ephesians 5:3-4

Prayer

Dear Father, Keep me from talking about or thinking about illicit sex and pornography and covetousness, since you require that your holy people avoid referring to these things. Keep me from filthy stories, silly or flippant talk, and any other kind of conversation not fitting for one who follows you. Instead, let my mouth be filled with - thanksgiving! In the name of Jesus I ask for the purity of mind and spirit that was in him. And I give you thanks. Amen.
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[nChrist]

____________________
Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

Imitating God

Passage

Ephesians 4:29-5:2

Prayer

Dear Father, worthy of my love and obedience, Let nothing evil come out of my mouth - only what is good for building others up. Let whatever I say fit the occasion, that it may impart grace to those who hear. Don't let me do anything that would grieve your Holy Spirit within me, by which I have been sealed for the day of redemption. Help me get rid of all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander, and especially anything malicious. Help me to be kind to others, tenderhearted, and forgiving, even as you have forgiven me in Christ.Father, I want to imitate you, as a loving child would imitate a father. And may I walk in love, even as Christ loved me and gave himself up for me, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to you. In the name of Jesus who sacrificed himself for my sake. Amen.
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[nChrist]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

Good Neighbors

Passage

Ephesians 4:25-28

Prayer

Dear Father, worthy of my love and obedience, May the thought of deceit or falsehood never enter into my relations with my brothers and sisters in Christ. Let all of us speak the truth with our neighbors, since we are members of each other. Don't let my anger turn into sin. May I never let the sun go down on my wrath. Don't let grudge-holding and unforgiveness on my part give the devil any opportunity. Help me never to covet anything that belongs to someone else, but rather to work with my mind and my hands to get the things needed by myself and others. In the name of Jesus who sacrificed himself for my sake. Amen.
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[nChrist]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

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
____________________

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
____________________

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]

____________________
Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

Participants

Passage

Philippians 1:3-11

Prayer

Dear Father, Thank you for the great joy I feel about my fellow believers. Thank you for the partnership we have in your Son Jesus. Thank you that we are common partakers of your grace. Give us all the grace to yearn for each other with the affection of Christ. Help our love to abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that we may approve what is excellent, and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruits of righteousness that come through Jesus Christ, to your glory and praise!In the name of Jesus we ask. Amen.

[nChrist]

____________________
Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

Love and Trust

Passage

Ephesians 6:23-24

Prayer

Dear Father, May your peace-in-the-midst-of-war be with all my brothers and sisters throughout the world. May you and the Lord Jesus fill them with love and with full and effective trust in you. May your unfailing favor be with all who love our Lord Jesus with an undying love. Father, I do love the Lord Jesus with unfailing love. Let me never outlive it. In the name of Jesus and by his authority I ask for victory against everything that stands in opposition to your will, our eternal good. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

Time to Pray

Passage

Ephesians 6:18-19

Prayer

Dear Father, May I fill my time with prayer and entreaties to you. Help me to keep alert for prayer. And to keep on, and keep on, and keep on. I offer supplications for your holy soldiers everywhere, especially those who preach your word. Give them the words and the boldness they need to publish openly the secret of your Good News about Jesus and his resurrection victory! In the name of Jesus and by his authority I ask for victory against everything that stands in opposition to your will, our eternal good. Amen.

[nChrist]

____________________
Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

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]

____________________
Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

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.