Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Selfishness, the issue runs deeper that mere outward inferior behavior -- it's about enthroning self where only God belongs.

Livin' for self, all focused on and obsessed with self while holding your magazine called "Self.." promoting yourself, with self-worship, exaltin' self, drawin' attention to self.

Hey man, there's a much better way to live!

It's true. They always say everyone will be worshipping somethin' or someone.
"The more you fulfill yourself the less you will seek God." ~ Oswald Chambers
"Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, 'I will be king'; and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him." 1 Kings 1:5
Selfishness is not really a fruit of the Spirit; love is. The fruit of the Spirit is love...
"So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves.
The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.
But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.
When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,
idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division,
envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.
Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives.
Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another." ~ Paul, Gal. 5:16-26 nlt
It never ever is about getting all you can, canning all you get and then sitting on that can. Love.. "is not self-seeking" (or "does not demand its own way" like a spoiled little baby): Love yields to others and focuses on meeting their needs ahead of personal gratification. (See 1 Corinthians 13:5).


Are you standing free (Gal. 5:1)? Your freedom in Christ is a costly thing, for it cost Jesus His life. In Him, you stand free; the yoke of the law has been removed (Acts 15:6–11).
Are you falling (4)? To fall from grace does not mean to lose one’s salvation. It means to move out of the sphere of grace into the sphere of law. It means to substitute regulations for a personal relationship with the Lord.
Are you running on course (7)? Or has false teaching gotten you on a detour?
Are you being leavened (9)? Jesus used leaven to picture sin (Matt. 16:6–12). Like yeast, false teaching is introduced quietly, it grows secretly, and soon it affects every part of your life.
Are you serving others (13)? Freedom brings with it the responsibility to serve. Love motivates us to fulfill the law of God (Rom. 13:8–14).
Are you walking in the Spirit (16)? Life, not law, changes behavior; and as you yield to the Spirit, Christ’s life is manifest in the fruit of the Spirit.
Law works by compulsion from without, but grace works by compassion from within.
“Every time we say, ‘I believe in the Holy Spirit,’ we mean that we believe there is a living God able and willing to enter human personality and change it.” ~ J.B. Phillips

The great rival to God is not merely Satan, the world, or false religion—it is the enthronement of self.

From Genesis to Revelation, pride says, "My will be done." Faith says, "Your will be done."

The Bible's Diagnosis of Self-Exaltation

The first recorded sin in the universe was self-exaltation:

"You said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God... I will make myself like the Most High.'" — Isaiah 14:13-14 nasb

The first temptation offered to humanity was self-exaltation:

"You will be like God." — Genesis 3:5

The first rebel king in Israel's history displayed the same spirit:

"Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, 'I will be king.'" — 1 Kings 1:5 (NKJV)

Notice the pattern:

Satan: "I will."
Adam and Eve: "We will."
Adonijah: "I will be king."
The disciple: "Not my will, but Yours."

One path exalts self. The other exalts the Son of God -- Jesus.

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.." Phil. 2:4

Why are we warned, “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought” (Romans 12:3)?
Explain more. Epaphroditus put “the interests of others” before himself and so modeled the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:4–5). He labored on Paul's behalf. 

Who was Epaphroditus in the Bible? 

Jesus did not say:

Improve yourself.
Express yourself.
Promote yourself.
Esteem and focus on yourself.
Discover yourself.

Self-denial is not self-hatred.

Self-denial is self-refusal.

It means saying:

No to self-rule.
No to self-will.
No to self-centeredness.
No to self-glory.
No to self-sovereignty.

And saying yes to Christ's rule.

The Great Exchange

The world system moronicly says:

"Find your truth and find yourself."

Jesus says:

"Lose yourself for My sake."

The world says:

"Like follow your heart, dude. Go with the flow, bro."

If the flow is going in the wrong direction with the masses of confused people, will you go with them off a cliff, or go against the stream? 

The Bible says:

"The heart is more deceitful than all else." — Jeremiah 17:9 (NASB)

The world says:

"Believe in yourself."

The Bible says:

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart." — Proverbs 3:5

The corrupt world system stupidly says:

"Live your truth and your truth alone."

Jesus says:

"I am the truth." — John 14:6. He's the only way into God's holy heaven where you can enjoy eternal life.

Love Is Totally Opposite Of Self-Worship Or Any Misdireeted Worship

Paul's description of love in 1 Corinthians 13 is really a description of Christ. Is it also a description of you? What would your close friends say about that?

Love:

is patient
is kind
is humble
serves
sacrifices when the time and situation is right.

And:

"Love does not seek its own." 1 Corinthians 13:5 nkjv

The flesh asks:

"What's in it for me?"

Real agape Love asks:

"How can I assist, help and serve you?"

The fleshly nature asks:

"How can I be noticed like I deserve to be?"

Love asks:

"How can I point to the ultimate Solution -- how can Christ be magnified?"

Paul's Testimony

Paul went from self-promotion to self-denial:

"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me." Galatians 2:20 nasb

Notice he does not say:

"Christ helps me live."

He says:

"I no longer live."

The old self-centered life was nailed to the cross.

Oswald Chambers Was Right

"The more you fulfill yourself the less you will seek God."

Has it ever dawned on you that the more you seek first.. happiness for yourself.. the more it simply evades you. Wisely do Matthew 6:33 instead.

God is love, but love is not God. So seek Him who cares and can never be taken away from you.

That observation harmonizes with Scripture:

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." — Matthew 6:21

A heart occupied with self has little room for God.

A Better Way To Live

Jesus demonstrated the exact opposite of selfishness and self-exaltation:

"Although He existed in the form of God... He emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant... He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." Philippians 2:6-8 nasb

The way up in God's Kingdom is down. The way down is to put yourself up. The Son of God did not climb upward.

He came downward.

He humbled Himself.

He served.

He sacrificed.

He loved.

And because of that:

"God highly exalted Him." Philippians 2:9

The biblical pattern is always:

Humility before honor.

Death before resurrection.

Self-denial before exaltation.

The cross before the crown.

As Dietrich Bonhoeffer famously wrote:

"When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die."

And as A.W. Tozer observed:

"The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One."

The Christian life is not fundamentally about improving self, promoting self, or fulfilling self.

It is about us each dying to self and to our own way, so that Christ may live through us. He is the only way for you and me, believer, and he daily has a specific way for you that is very good.

"He must increase, but I must decrease." — John 3:30 nkjv

J.B. said that, and it might just be the shortest definition of self-denial in the entire Bible.

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There is an unseen line that you really don't want to cross. "God gave them up!' You don't want to be in that situation - please decide early to do it God's way instead of your own.

Romans one sounds like Paul is talking about our day huh. See Rom. 1:28  "And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God or consider Him worth knowing as their Creator, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do things which are improper and repulsive," amp

There is an unseen line. God sees it.  

(I honestly feel pity inside cuz it's so tragic! A depraved mind means the mind doesn't function even near right. That's when a kind of insanity prevails over the person. We've been seein' more and more of this lately, which is demonstrated clearly in the fact that many leaders of Nations could give a flip about protecting their own citizens, and we're not allowed to say a man is a man and a woman is a woman. That there is insanity; that is a depraved mind. The abortions continue on men are competing against women and we can't seem to keep them out of their restrooms. Man, this society will be totally fine with you if you choose 45 personal pronouns, or say that any rock or stick on the ground is a God worth worshipping. They'll even think that's vogue and cool. But if you say the Bible is authoritative and Jesus is deity -- God the Fathers only way in for you and me, there's immediate mocking, scoffing, or heated opposition).

...verse 16 "For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.
17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them.
20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

21Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.
22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools.
23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.
24 So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies.
25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.
26 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other.
27 And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.
28 Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done.
29 Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip.
30 They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents.
31 They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy.
32 They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too."

THE CROSS AT CALVARY IS PROOF OF BOTH THE IMMENSE LOVE OF GOD FOR PEOPLE OF EVERY BACKGROUND, AND OF THE PROFOUND WICKEDNESS OF SIN.

The Apostle Paul could have been describing the moral fog of our own generation when he wrote these sobering words in Epistle to the Romans 1:28:

“And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God or consider Him worth knowing as their Creator, God gave them over to a depraved mind…” (AMP)

A depraved mind is not merely a misguided mind—it is a mind that no longer functions rightly because it has deliberately rejected the truth of God. The tragedy of sin is not only that it corrupts behavior; it distorts perception. When humanity suppresses truth long enough, confusion begins to masquerade as wisdom. Darkness starts calling itself enlightenment.

Paul’s words are painfully relevant today. We live in a culture that often celebrates moral rebellion while scorning biblical truth. Society may applaud endless self-expression, endorse spiritual confusion, and tolerate almost any ideology or lifestyle imaginable—but when someone lovingly declares that Jesus Christ is Lord, that truth is objective, that God created mankind male and female, or that the Bible carries divine authority, ridicule and hostility often follow.

Yet none of this should surprise believers. Scripture warned us this would happen.

In Epistle to the Romans 1:18–32, Paul carefully traces humanity’s downward spiral away from God. It is not merely a political problem, educational problem, or social problem. At its root, it is a worship problem.

Humanity did not begin in ignorance and slowly evolve upward into wisdom. According to Scripture, mankind began with clear revelation from God through creation and conscience:

“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen…” (Romans 1:20)

The heavens preach daily. The complexity of life testifies to divine intelligence. Conscience whispers that right and wrong are real. Every sunrise, every star-filled sky, every human soul bears witness to a Creator.

But fallen humanity suppresses that truth.

First comes indifference toward God. Then ingratitude. Then vain reasoning. Finally, moral collapse.

Paul says:

“Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful…” (Romans 1:21)

That verse explains more about modern culture than countless sociological studies.

When gratitude toward God disappears, people do not become spiritually neutral; they become spiritually disoriented. A vacuum is created, and idols rush in to fill the empty throne of the heart. Humanity will always worship something—if not the Creator, then creation itself: pleasure, politics, sexuality, power, identity, money, celebrities, technology, or self.

As the Scottish preacher Thomas Chalmers famously observed:

“The heart is not so constituted as to have all its love extinguished by a mere process of extraction.”

People do not stop worshiping; they merely change objects of worship.

Paul describes this exchange with piercing clarity:

“They exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator.” (Romans 1:25)

That is the essence of sin: replacing God with self.

And when truth is persistently rejected, judgment eventually comes—not only in eternity, but even within history itself. Three chilling times in Romans 1 we read the phrase: “God gave them over.”

God gave them over to impurity.

God gave them over to dishonorable passions.

God gave them over to a depraved mind.

Divine judgment is sometimes God letting to pray people have exactly what they want .. it's sometimes him allowing people to pursue the very rebellion they insist upon.

The late A. W. Tozer wrote:

“The essence of idolatry is the entertainment of thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him.”

And Billy Graham warned:

“When we come to the end of ourselves, we come to the beginning of God.”

The frightening reality is that a society can become so intoxicated with sin that it not only practices evil, but celebrates it, markets it, legislates it, and pressures others to affirm it. Paul closes Romans 1 by saying people eventually “approve of those who practice them” (Romans 1:32). Evil no longer hides in shame; it demands applause.

Yet the darkest backdrop makes the Gospel shine brightest.

Right before Paul describes humanity’s collapse, he triumphantly declares:

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes…” (Romans 1:16)

That is the great hope of Christianity. The Gospel is not weak advice for self-improvement; it is the supernatural power of God to rescue sinners from slavery to sin.

The same chapter that exposes humanity’s ruin also announces heaven’s remedy.

Jesus Christ—the eternal Son of God—entered human history, died for sinners, and rose again in power. Paul emphasizes both Christ’s humanity and deity: He was descended from David according to the flesh, yet declared to be the Son of God with power through the resurrection.

The Gospel is not man reaching up to God through religion. It is God reaching down to man through grace.

Salvation does not come through moral reform, political activism, intellectual achievement, or religious ritual. It comes through faith in Christ alone.

“The righteous shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:17)

This was the blazing truth that ignited the Reformation and transformed countless lives.

Charles Spurgeon once said:

“Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong. It is knowing the difference between right and almost right.”

That is especially needed today, because modern culture often packages rebellion as compassion and confusion as progress.

Still, Christians must speak truth with tears, not arrogance. Paul’s words should not make believers smug; they should make us grieved, prayerful, and evangelistic. Apart from the grace of God, every one of us would still be enslaved to sin and spiritual blindness.

The Gospel humbles us before it exalts us.

Even in a morally collapsing culture, believers are called to stand firm without shame. Rome in Paul’s day was filled with sexual immorality, idolatry, political corruption, violence, and moral confusion—yet the Gospel spread like wildfire there. The light of Christ shines brightest in dark places.

According to research from , biblical literacy and church engagement have declined significantly in many Western nations over recent decades, especially among younger generations. Yet history repeatedly shows that spiritual awakenings often arise during seasons of deep cultural decline.

God has not lost control. HE'S STILL ON THE THRONE! HASN'T FALLEN OFF, and won't ever.

The answer to a depraved culture is not panic, bitterness, or retreat. It is bold truth wrapped in Christlike love. It is the church living distinctly holy lives. It is Christians refusing both compromise and cruelty. It is believers proclaiming Christ crucified and risen again.

As John Stott wisely said:

“We must never separate what God has joined together—Christian conviction and Christian compassion.”

And as the beloved hymn declares:

“My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.”

The world changes. Moral trends rise and fall. Nations shake. Philosophies collapse. But the Word of God remains unshaken.

The same Gospel that transformed pagan Rome still transforms hearts today.There is...

Still mercy for the repentant.

Still cleansing for the guilty.

Still freedom for the bound.

Still hope for the broken.

Still power in the cross.

And there is 

Still only one Savior, only one way into God's holy Heaven -- through Jesus Christ. KnowGod.org

You don't want to be in that situation so decide early. 

God gave them up! This described above is the revelation of the wrath of God (v. 18). The sins listed here are too vile to define or discuss, yet they are practiced today around the world with the approval of society. People know that sin will be judged, yet they take pleasure in it anyway. Were it not for the Gospel of Christ, we would be in this slavery to sin ourselves. “Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift” (2 Cor. 9:15).

What's good about pride and sinful rebellion against God's word? Nothing!

"All who fear the LORD will hate evil. Therefore I hate PRIDE and arrogance, corruption, and perverse speech." Prov. 8:13

"They wear pride like a jeweled necklace
and clothe themselves with cruelty." Ps. 73:6 knowGod.org

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Tuesday, June 9, 2026

Just don't feel like it today? Been there, but God hears You even when it's a simple flare-prayer. Really, really short. Have you tried a one sentence or two word prayer?

"For there is only one God, and only one Mediator between God and mankind, the Man Christ Jesus," 1 Timothy 2:5

Both of my parents were alcoholics. I prayed more than once, and God answered. He freed them. 

Here Are Seven Ways To Pray When You Don't Know What To Say?  

1. Start with simple one-liner praise to God, with thanks and worship, even if you can't sing it. Psalm 100:4 

2. Pray the Lord's Prayer and then in a Bible-loyal fashion, perhaps reword it freshly for yourself. I don't change the meaning, but sometimes I pray this in German. It's basically a tempet, it's a good track to run upon. Matthew 6:9-13 

3. Tell God exactly how you feel and think: kind of hurt. God. I don't know what direction to go in. God, I need a good attitude and demenior. I need your free Grace and fellowship and time with you, but I don't feel like praying sometimes and I don't want to get too busy for time with You, with my family, or with your Family. I want to have expectant faith when I pray that so many things have been bad and I don't feel wanted anywhere, not even among my own kids. Do you have anything better for my wife and I than these two jobs we currently have that leave us empty. We don't want to be poor. We need to experience your love and some blessings again. We need at least a few changes made. Please make it easy for us through these changes. We've suffered a lot of loss and can't take any more emotional pain. Psalm 62:8 

4. Ask God for His kind of wisdom. James 1:5 

5. Beseech humbly. Yes, pray one-sentence prayers perhaps. Even for others around you. Nehemiah 2:4 

6. Simply talk with, listen and pray, "Lord, help me." He gets it, no matter the situation your in. Trials with some suffering come and go -- are you entering one, in the middle, or exiting one? Choose to stay faithful and above reproach. Matthew 15:25 

7. Say. Perhaps pray out loud.. or silently.. the prayers already given to us, which were voiced or penned by believers throughout the whole Bible. Why not remind God of what he's promised and said, or what others have prayed before.

Has the Bible given us hundreds of examples of believers praying? Yep. These are not empty religious formulas to recite mechanically like some automaton-AI-robot. There are inspired patterns that teach us how real men and women of God get honest during times of need. They show us how others approached Him—with praise, confession, doubts, lament, struggles, faith, repentance, thanksgiving, dependence, and bold requests.

Wise Christians humbly pray to their Father God through their Lord Jesus Christ. Expect, cuz praying in faith matters! Scripture teaches that there is "one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5). You don't need any queen when you already have a caring King. 

Sup with prayer? It is simply a friendship-conversation with God, your heavenly Father, not some religious ritual with incense or a laundry list of demands or requests. God doesn't need anything -- certainly not me to inform Him of how He is to answer my prayers and when. He is God, and I am His servant, not the other way around. I request in faith, He decides, and then I leave the results with Him. It's like that with witnessing. I pray, I care, I go share and then leave the results with Him. Seeds get planted, watered, tended to, and the harvest gets reaped. We ask and keep on asking in different ways.

Are you His child, or merely His creation? The Father loves and hears His children cry out. God cares about the heart and motives behind your prayers, believer, rather than their length, repetition or eloquence. Keep your focus on God, and keep prayers simple and effective, including:

Prayer is Inviting, Not Informing: God already knows in advance what you need before you ask Him. Prayer is a way of inviting Him into your circumstances.

No Formal Formulas: No fluff and fu-fu! You don't need religious or fancy words or a specific location or position to be in. You can simply whisper "God, help!" like in your time of need.

The Lord's Prayer is Like a Good Blueprint if Ya Will: Jesus provided the Lord's Prayer (some call it the disciples' prayer. See Matthew 6:9-13), not as some Temple or Churchy script to robotically repeat for show or magic, but as a simple template. It teaches us to honor God in worship, to align ourselves with His will, to present our daily needs cuz He gives a flip, to seek His free forgiveness, and to ask for protection in this dangerous world.

A smart Choice. Turn your Panic into Prayer. Turn your Worries into Worship: When facing trouble, opposition, or anxiety, instead of getting uptight and worrying or getting angry at others, let your requests be made known to God with thanksgiving. God hears and has His timing.

Jesus taught: "Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. 10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today the food we need, 12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. 13 And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one." Matthew 6:9-13 nlt

"I know of no better thermometer to your spiritual temperature than this--the measure of the intensity of your prayer." ~ C.H. Spurgeon

Need some short but biblical prayers.. that any believer today can still pray, either in full or perhaps adapted to their own circumstances?

1. Prayers of Praise, Worship, and Adoration

Moses

"Who is like You among the gods, O LORD?" (Exodus 15:11)

Pray:

Lord, there is none like You. You are holy, glorious, faithful, and mighty to save.

David

"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name." (Psalm 103:1)

Pray:

Father, I bless Your holy name. Thank You for forgiveness, mercy, healing, and steadfast love.

Heavenly Worship

"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty." (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8)

Pray:

Holy, holy, holy are You, Lord God Almighty. You alone are worthy of worship.

2. Prayers of Confession and Repentance

David After His Sin

Psalm 51

Pray:

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness. Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me.

Daniel's Confession

Daniel 9:4-19

Pray:

Lord, we have sinned and fallen short. Yet You are merciful and forgiving. Turn our hearts back to You.

Tax Collector

Luke 18:13

Pray:

God, be merciful to me, a sinner.

Martin Luther said:

"The entire life of believers is to be one of repentance."

3. Prayers for Guidance and Wisdom

Solomon

1 Kings 3:9

Pray:

Lord, give me an understanding heart and wisdom to make decisions that honor You.

David

Psalm 25:4-5

Pray:

Show me Your ways, Lord. Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth.

James

James 1:5

Pray:

Father, I lack wisdom. Please give it generously and help me walk in it.

4. Prayers During Fear, Trouble, and Distress

Jehoshaphat

2 Chronicles 20:12

Pray:

Lord, I do not know what to do, but my eyes are upon You.

David

Psalm 56:3

Pray:

When I am afraid, I will trust in You.

Hezekiah

2 Kings 19

Pray:

Lord, hear my cry and defend Your people. I trust You to fight battles I cannot win.

Peter Sinking

Matthew 14:30

Pray:

Lord, save me. KnowGod.org

I repent in the best way I know how, I agree with you, I've sinned. Forgive me, Jesus. Come inside me. Rule without rival. Use and keep me, Lord. Thanks. 

Those 2 words are Bible terms: Save me. That's one of the shortest and greatest prayers in Scripture.

5. Prayers for Help and Strength

Nehemiah's Arrow Prayer

Nehemiah 2:4

Pray:

Lord, help me right now.

The Canaanite Woman

Matthew 15:25

Pray:

Lord, help me.

David

Psalm 61:2

Pray:

Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.

6. Prayers of Lament and Honest Pain

The Psalms are filled with these.

David

Psalm 13

Pray:

How long, Lord? Will You forget me forever? Yet I trust in Your unfailing love.

Sons of Korah

Psalm 42

Pray:

Why are you cast down, O my soul? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him.

Job

Throughout Job

Pray:

Lord, I do not understand what You are doing, but I bring my grief and questions to You.

God invites honesty, not pretending.

Psalm 62:8 says:

"Pour out your heart before Him."

7. Prayers for God's Presence

Moses

Exodus 33:15

Pray:

Lord, if Your presence does not go with me, do not send me from here.

David

Psalm 27:4

Pray:

One thing I ask: that I may dwell in Your presence and behold Your beauty.

Psalmist

Psalm 73:25

Pray:

Whom have I in heaven but You? Besides You, I desire nothing on earth.

8. Prayers for Revival and Spiritual Renewal

Psalmist

Psalm 85:6

Pray:

Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?

David

Psalm 51:10-12

Pray:

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation.

Habakkuk

Habakkuk 3:2

Pray:

Lord, renew Your work in our day.

9. Prayers for Deliverance

David

Psalm 40:13

Pray:

Be pleased, Lord, to deliver me; hurry to help me.

Psalm 91

Pray:

Father, protect me and my family under the shadow of Your wings.

Paul

2 Thessalonians 3:2

Pray:

Deliver us from evil and from wicked men.

10. Prayers for Family and Future Generations

Abraham's Servant

Genesis 24

Pray:

Lord, guide my family according to Your will.

David

Psalm 144:12

Pray:

Bless our sons and daughters and establish them in Your ways.

Paul's Prayer

Ephesians 3:14-19

Pray:

May my family know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.

11. Prayers for God's Provision

Agur

Proverbs 30:8-9

Pray:

Give me neither poverty nor riches, but provide what is fitting.

Jesus

Matthew 6:11

Pray:

Give us today our daily bread.

Jabez

1 Chronicles 4:10

Pray:

Lord, bless me indeed and enlarge my opportunities for Your glory.

12. Prayers for Faith and Trust

Father of the Demon-Possessed Boy

Mark 9:24

Pray:

Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.

David

Psalm 31:14

Pray:

I trust in You, Lord. You are my God.

13. Intercessory Prayers for Other People

Abraham

Genesis 18

Pray:

Lord, show mercy and save those who are far from You.

Moses

Exodus 32

Pray:

Lord, forgive Your people and turn them back to Yourself.

Samuel

1 Samuel 12:23

Pray:

Lord, help me never cease praying for others.

Paul

Colossians 1:9-12

Pray:

Fill them with the knowledge of Your will and spiritual wisdom.

14. Jesus' Prayers That We Also Can Pray

The Lord's Prayer

Matthew 6:9-13

Gethsemane

Matthew 26:39

Pray:

Not my will, but Yours be done.

For Unity

John 17

Pray:

Father, make Your people one and keep them faithful.

On the Cross

Luke 23:46

Pray:

Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit.

15. Paul's Great Prayers for Believers

Ephesians 1:17-19

Pray:

Give me a spirit of wisdom and revelation in knowing Christ.

Ephesians 3:16-19

Pray:

Strengthen me in my inner being and help me grasp Christ's love.

Philippians 1:9-11

Pray:

Cause my love to abound with knowledge and discernment.

Colossians 1:9-12

Pray:

Help me walk worthy of the Lord and bear fruit in every good work.

A Prayer Especially Relevant to What You Shared

You mentioned feeling weary, unwanted, uncertain about the future, burdened by loss, needing fellowship, provision, direction, and renewed experience of God's love.

Several biblical prayers fit those needs remarkably well:

  • Psalm 13 (when you feel forgotten and you might)
  • Psalm 42 (when discouraged -- that could happen)
  • Psalm 62:8 (pouring out your heart)
  • Psalm 71:18 (for later years of life)
  • Psalm 73:25-26 (finding God as your portion)
  • Psalm 90:14-17 (asking God to satisfy and establish your work)
  • Exodus 33:15 (asking for His presence. This is better than His presents)
  • Ephesians 3:16-19 (knowing Christ's agape love)
  • Philippians 4:6-7 (bringing all cares and anxieties to God)
  • Matthew 11:28-30 (coming to Christ for rest and abundant life)

Lord God, give me eternal and abundant life in Jesus. Give me grace to accept what You have not called me to change or address, strong courage to obey where You are calling me to go act, to go say, to go listen, and wisdom to know the difference. Keep me from all fleshly striving and from wasting time on battles that are not mine to fight. Teach me to pray faithfully, biblically, earnestly.. to wait on You patiently, and to act 100% obediently. Make me willing to become part of the answer to my own prayers, I pray. Since I have been saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, please help me walk in the good works You have prepared for me. That glorify You alone! Direct my steps in the word and make my life fruitful even through the silver years.. for Your glor Jesusy. Amen.

Would you pray something like.. I'm not telling you what to pray. Prayer isn't like some magic formula. It's simple communication--communion, friendship, fellowship. Can I (biblically) change my prayers according to the changing needs? Sure, why not? Do you say the same things to your best friends every single day?

Psalm 90 contains one of the most practical prayers for believers facing uncertainty about work, purpose, and the future:

"Satisfy us in the morning with Your steadfast love... Let Your favor be upon us, and establish the work of our hands." (Psalm 90:14,17)

That prayer remains as fitting today as when Moses first prayed it thousands of years ago. It asks God for what every believer ultimately needs: His presence, His love, His favor, and His hand upon the work He has entrusted to us. 

What does it mean that there is one mediator between God and man?

How can we lift up prayers and supplications with thanksgiving to God? 

What is a prayer of supplication?

What are the different types of prayer?

What are some Bible verses about prayer?

Is the ACTS formula for prayer a good way to pray? This: Adoration, with Confession, Thanksgiving, with Supplication.

What does it mean to be above reproach aka blameless? 

What even is real intercessory prayer?

How does the Spirit intercede for us with groanings?

What are some Bible verses about intercession?

What does it even mean that Jesus is our mediator?

Should Christians post their prayers on social media?

What are some Bible verses about intercession?

How can I be sure I am praying according to the will of God?

How can I stop being nervous about praying publicly?

What is a prayer closet?

How can I know what to pray for?

Can I ask God to deliver a message to a loved one who has died? Why waste your time?

How to pray? What is the proper way to pray?

Is there any scriptural basis for praying on behalf of the unsaved?

I've got to sleep some, so what does it mean to pray without ceasing?

God answers every prayer with a No, Yes, or Wait. so how should a Christian respond to unanswered prayer?

What is the purpose of Jesus interceding for us in heaven?

How can Jesus be both God and man at the same time?

Is prayer to saints or to Mary biblical?

Is Mary really the co-redemptrix aka mediatrix?

What does the Bible say about confession of sin to a priest?

Christian, would you get honest and pray something sort of like: 

Father God, Grant (please give) me a willingness to obey You, a fresh infilling of Your Spirit, and the strength to accept the things I cannot change. Give me the courage to change the things You are now calling me to change, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Teach me to discern truth and what to apply from the Bible. Like, where You are working and where You are not at all leading me. Keep me from striving in the flesh, fighting battles You have not assigned to me, or spending precious time on matters beyond my personal calling. Help me focus on what is truly imperative in Your sight, instead of what merely seems important.

Give me godly wisdom to steward my time well daily—to know when to pause, get alone and pray, when to wait on You silently, when to speak up, when to act right with the right timing, and when to totally leave a matter in Your hands. Show me the difference between burdens You want me to carry and burdens You want me to surrender over to You.

Lord, make me not only a person who prays for other needy people and change, but a person willing to be changed inside. Help me become part of or all of the answer to the prayers I offer. Give me obedient faith that puts feet to holy conviction and action to biblical beliefs.

Remind me of Your love and faithfulness, that I do not work for salvation, for Christ has already accomplished that work completely through His death on the Cross and physical resurrection. Yet because I belong to Him, please empower me to abound with JOY in the good works You have prepared beforehand for me to walk in.

May my life bear fruit that honors You. I want to walk in Your word cuz that is walking in Your will. Direct my every step, establish the work of my hands, and teach me to spend my days on what will matter for eternity. Acceptable worship, biblical soul-winning and non-coercive discipleship. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Can I (biblically) change things according to the changing need? Sure, why not? Jesus is the Friend who sticks closer than a brother. How do you respectfully speak with your brother or BFF? 

God grant me a fresh anointing and strength inside to accept the things I cannot change around me as I live as a witness.. as I give verbal witness of Jesus. I want people to see Christ in me, even if they already hate. Yes, and the courage (boldness), godly wisdom, with some basic practical helpful steps I need to take.. in order to change the things that I can change with step-by-step guidance, Your help Jesus. In fact help me run back to you for the details of how to do it Your way instead of the World's way or my own way. Yes, Jesus, help me get involved with what You are for sure wanting me to change by Your power. Thanks for the enabling of the Holy Spirit inside. Please direct me by Him to change what's for me to change ..exactly as you desire.. starting with me. Grant true repentance. It's a way of life for me. I can't really change me as You can, but I can cooperate. Continually give your wisdom -- that's what I request instead of the world's wisdom, to know the difference between what I should be involved with and what I should NOT be involved with changing. Help me abide in You, Jesus at your feet like Mary did, when it's time for me to simply rest, to let go and let God the Father. Lord Jesus, I don't want to strive in the flesh trying to produce anything good independent of You, or waste any of my time struggling with things I shouldn't even busy myself with. God, give your wisdom in double measure if you like, to prioritize my time between praying about the things that need to be changed and actually becoming an answer to my prayers -- someone to change them, I mean, putting shoe leather to my faith. Yes, becoming the answer to my own prayers, doing it your way and not my own way. Because faith without works is dead. Use me, Lord, and help me stay use-able with those good works that You lead me to perform that both glorify the Father and help other people know Him well. Amen.

Sure, we Christians don't work towards salvation (like we could somehow earn Christ's forgiveness and right standing with the Father), but we work from that moment of salvation. 

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time.. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is."

This combines godly wisdom, right priorities, stewardship of time, and discerning God the Father's will

What's to learn: Daily dependence on God (John 15:5), His wisdom for applying (James 1:5), stewardship of time and resources (Ephesians 5:15-17), discerning God's truth and will (not half-truths Romans 12:2), and active obedience (James 2:17). 

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