Praying With Paul

[nChrist]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
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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
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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
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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
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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
____________________

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
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Focused on Goodness

Passage

Philippians 4:8-9

Prayer

Dear Father, praiseworthy God, Help me set my mind only on things that are true, that are noble, right, pure and lovely, things that are worthy of admiration. If there is anything excellent or praiseworthy, O God, let me think only about such things! Whatever I have learned or received or heard through your apostles and your word, help me to put into practice. O God of peace, be with me in everything! I believe you will, for you have promised it. I lovingly pray for your blessings and abiding presence in the name of Jesus. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
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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]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

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
____________________

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
____________________

Content in All Circumstances

Passage

Philippians 4:11-13

Prayer

Sovereign Lord of all things, Abba, dear Father, I will not complain of want, for I have learned in whatever condition I am to be content. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and want. I can do all things through you, the God who strengthens me! Holy God, Abba, Father, you are my all-sufficient strength, and throughout eternity you will be everything I need or want! In the name of Jesus, for whom you were everything, and who taught me also to let you be my everything! Amen.

[nChrist]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

All Things through God

Passage

Philippians 4:11-13

Prayer

Sovereign Lord of all things, dear Father, How aware I am of my mortality! All flesh is like grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades . . . but your word, O God, will stand forever! I will not say that my way is hidden from the Lord, or that you, my God, have disregarded my rights. Don't I know? Haven't I heard? You, Lord, are the everlasting God, the Creator of the most distant parts of earth. You do not grow faint or get tired and your understanding is unsearchable. You give power to me when I faint. When I feel I have no energy, you increase my strength. Because I wait on you, Lord, you shall renew my strength. I shall mount up with the wings of eagles. I shall run and not be weary, I shall walk and not faint. In the name of Jesus, for whom you were everything, and who taught me also to let you be my everything! Amen.

[nChrist]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

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]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
____________________

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.

[nChrist]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
_______________

You Made Salvation Possible!

Passage

Colossians 1:21-22

Prayer

Dear Father, I am so thankful that in your love and wisdom you gave up your Son to reconcile us to yourself through his body of flesh offered in death on the cross. You wanted me to be holy and blameless and without reproach, so you made it possible! Thank you, Father. In the name of your holy Son. Amen.

[nChrist]

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Praying With Paul
by Eldon Degge
_______________

Reconciled through Christ

Passage

Colossians 1:15-20

Prayer

Dear Father, We are Christ's church and he is head over us, head over his body. He is the beginning, the first-born of creation and the first-born from the dead, that in everything he might have the pre-eminence. How gracious you were and are in your good will toward us that your very fullness should dwell in him and that through him all things should be reconciled to you, things on heaven and things on earth. Thank you for making peace with us and all your creation by the blood of your Son's cross. Let us always glory in it and in him! Thank you, dear God, for the wonderful salvation you have provided. In the name of Jesus I ask. Amen.