Ed Vasicek's Site
March Prayers for Evangelical Christians
March 1
by Ed Vasicek
Great God,
You are our strength. We freely admit that we are not adequate even for the limited tasks You have for us. We are incapable of living the Christian life in our own power, incapable of producing the kind of works that please You, indeed, we are helpless even as far as our own salvation goes. But when we were helpless, at the right time, Christ died for us. By Your Spirit, we can live the Christian life and have victory. We dare not fight our spiritual battles in our own name, but rather in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Lord, I have some disappointments and burdens in life. A few of them hurt me and have left scars including: ______________.
I turn them over to You. Help me to find Your purpose and joy in life. There are many things I cannot change, but I can share all my thoughts with You. Thank You that You do not stifle me or pressure me to "get over it." You are a God Who feels with me.
Lord, Your Word says it is appointed for me to die once, and after that, the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Help me to realize that I can only earn rewards for glory now. When I am in heaven, I will enjoy You, worship You, and fellowship with You and with all who know You.
But my work for You can only be done in this lifetime. I will not be reincarnated. Help my friends and family to understand that they need to accept Christ now because after death it is too late.
And so, Lord, I ask You to give me a burden and heart for the lost. Help me to share my faith, to support missions, and to care about those who do not know my Savior.
Sometimes, Lord, I feel unworthy sharing my faith with others because there are still frontiers in my life where Your Word has not penetrated. Stubborn sins and unexamined portions of my heart remind me that it is by Your grace, not my works, that I am accepted by You. As I share my faith, help me make it clear that I am but a sinner saved by grace.
Today I remember the nation of Congo in prayer. Thank You that nearly 14% of the people there claim to be born-again. They have survived over 20 years of communism and war since the demise of Marxism. Help them rebuild the congregations and catch up with ministry toward the young. Help those who have compromised their faith to dedicate themselves anew to serving You. Help the church to train leaders, and we pray that the church in Congo would grow in numbers, but even more so in depth.
Lord, I pray for SIM (formerly Sudan Interior Mission). Thank You for their many missionaries and their outreach particularly in Africa, but also in South America and Asia. Bless them as they, "are committed to evangelism and starting churches. Where a church exists...to strengthen the church through teaching the Bible, developing leaders, and equipping the church to fulfill Christ's Commission." Help the missionaries to get along with one another in harmony, may Your Spirit provide much fruit and use these missionaries, and may the churches become truly indigenous and self-supporting. Provide for their needs, safety and harvest.
Bless the chemists in our society. May they regulate their work with Biblical ethics, and may many come to know you. Help the Christian chemists to use their position to reach others in this field.
Now help me serve You today, I pray, in Jesus' Name, Amen.
March 2
by Ed Vasicek
All-Powerful One,
Thank You that You are a Mighty Warrior (Exodus 15:3). You are not the fearful passive god that many believe in: You are the God Who fights, and Who fights aggressively. Just as You fought for Israel as they broke free of Egyptian bondage, so You have fought for our salvation. When the Savior prayed in Gethsemane the night before His crucifixion, He sweat drops of blood as He battled to submit His will to Yours. By His sacrificial death on the cross and His resurrection, He provided the basis to defeat Satan and all the forces of evil and darkness. He arose a Victor and Conqueror. You fight for us in ways we do not even recognize.
Today I praise You that the Holy Spirit has sealed me for the day of redemption. I bear the royal seal of the King of Kings, and none dare open the seal but He. I am Yours, Lord, bought with the blood of Jesus Christ. I am not my own.
But, Lord, sometimes I live as though I were my own. I steer my own course and leave You out of the equation completely, or relegate You to second or third place. Oh, Father, help me to resist this and other temptations, temptations I face every day, temptations that do not even register as temptations. You know it is difficult for me to live for You. But then I again remember that You are the Warrior God, fighting for me!
Help me to be a person of hope. Sometimes life seems mundane and routine. Some of the people I have to deal with are unpleasant or unimaginative. Sometimes my own personality defects make me uninviting! So help me, Lord, to be patient with others, but to humble myself and check my own arrogance or rudeness.
Today I pray for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), formerly known as Zaire. This nation is separate from but adjoining Congo. The DRC has suffered from war after war and oppression from without and from within. Thank You that now the government recognizes religious freedom. Thank you for that over 19% of the population claims to be born-again.
There is a lot of work to be done: reaching the severely despised Pygmy peoples, training lay leaders, and addressing tribal and "warlord" tensions. There are many groups that need Bible translation. I pray that the church would become stronger, the leaders eager for training, and that the environment would be conducive for evangelism, discipleship, and spiritual maturity. May Your church shine in the DRC, Lord!
I remember the SGA, the Slavic Gospel Association. "With 90 percent of the thousands of towns and villages in the lands of Russia still waiting for their first Bible-preaching church, it's no surprise that tens of millions of struggling Russians have yet to hear the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ." Thank You for SGA's ministry of working with the indigenous church there, planting churches, training leaders, and using media to reach lost people in not only Russia but other nations of the former Soviet Union. Help the missionaries to work in harmony with one another and the leaders of the individual churches; may Your Spirit empower them and grant them a great harvest. Provide for the physical and spiritual needs of the missionaries and those with whom they work.
I pray for childcare workers everywhere. Lord, keep our children safe and treated compassionately; help those in the childcare field to take pride in their task, and give them a love and protective spirit for the children they supervise. May many childcare workers come to know You, and may they share their faith, not only with the children, but also with parents.
I commit my day to You, in Jesus' Name, Amen.
March 3
by Ed Vasicek
Gracious Lord,
You are the Owner of all. Not only do You own the cattle on a thousand hills, You own the entire universe with its vast and countless stars. You own all, for You created all. You are the Uncaused Source of all events. Nothing has its being apart from You. You own me by virtue of creation but also by virtue of redemption. You have purchased me with the blood of Jesus Christ. I have been bought with a price, therefore You expect me to glorify You in my body.
Thank You that my body is not evil. Although my whole being is affected by sin, my body is no more affected than my soul and mind, for Your Word tells me that the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. But my body can be used for good or evil. Help me not accept the lie that the physical is evil and the spiritual is good. After the six days of creation, You saw all You had made, and it was all good, including the human body. But my sinful nature, the flesh, refers to that invisible operating system, that mentality leads both my body and my mind in directions contrary to You. And physical deprivation can do nothing to control that nature (Colossians 2:23). No, it is by walking in the Spirit that I can put to death the deeds of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).
Lord God, I have many requests to present before You, a few of which are: __________________.
I also need motivation, direction, perseverance, wisdom, and Your Spirit’s power in my life. Both the routines of life and the challenges of life have a way of wearing me down. I need to have the attitude that says, “Do not grow weary in doing well.” Lord, I confess my weariness, and look to You to reinvigorate me.
Today I pray for the many students in the world, especially those on college campuses in lands other than their homelands. In the world, there are over 50 million such students in 46,000 universities and colleges. Few of these know Christ as Savior.
Bless and use the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students to impact these campuses. The Navigators has made an impact on these students, as have organizations like Campus Crusade for Christ and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. Also bless the efforts of groups that attempt to place Christian faculty members in universities around the world.
Lord, we know that a sampling of the world comes to universities in the U.S. We pray that the evangelical community there would extend warm welcomes and befriend these individuals. We pray that many will come to know You, but even among those who do not, we pray that the claims of Christ would be grasped, and that they would return home tolerant and favorable toward Christianity. We pray that many such individual would later accept Christ.
Help me keep You in mind today, I pray, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
March 4
by Ed Vasicek
Loving Father,
You are a Glorious God. When Isaiah saw a vision of You, You filled the Temple with Your glory. Your glory, or, in Hebrew, Your Shekinah, filled the Tabernacle and the Temple. Your Shekinah led the children of Israel through the wilderness. Your Shekinah was in Jesus Christ. When the guards came to arrest Him in Gethsemane and He claimed the divine name, "I Am," the guards fell back (John 18:4-8). As the songwriter put it, "veiled in flesh the godhead see; hail the incarnate deity." Jesus Christ is the radiance of Your glory (Hebrews 1:3).
Lord, I am thankful for many things, three of which are: ______________.
Lord, I empty myself before You so that Your Spirit may fill me. I find my strength in His power, not my own. May Your Spirit control me today.
Abba, I thank You for fellowship, having something in common with You and with fellow believers. It is Jesus Christ we have in common. He gives me fellowship with You, and He is why my friends who are in the Kingdom of God and I see eye-to-eye on so many things and enjoy one another's company. The early church was characterized by teaching solid doctrine, eating together and celebrating the Lord's Supper, praying together, and enjoying one another's company as they shared life together (Acts 2:42).
So help me to develop my social skills. Help me learn the wisdom that comes from the book of Proverbs, and to become familiar with the protocols within my own culture so that I can "become all things to all men."
Today I pray for the sparsely populated Cook Islands. Thank You that about 12% of the population claim to be born-again evangelical Christians. Unfortunately, some cults are also significant within the population. We pray that You would help the believers to be well-grounded in Scripture so that they might both defend the faith and win others to it. Help them glorify You by their lives and walks.
Today I pray for the great ministry of Source of Light. Their correspondence Bible studies are used by many mission agencies and pastors to help ground new believers and lead them to the path of discipleship. Their material is used literally around the world and available in a multitude of languages. Bless the missionary staff, provide for them financially, healthwise, spiritually, and help them to relate well relationally. May Your Spirit keep using this ministry and help it to multiply.
Today we remember all the sports coaches, particularly those who are employed as coaches or P.E. instructors. Help them to be good role models for team members, help them espouse fairness and honest play. May those who are Christians find tactful and appropriate ways to share their faith, and use them to win other coaches to Christ.
Now help me know You better today, I pray, in the name of the Savior, Amen.
March 5
by Ed Vasicek
Eternal Father,
Your faithfulness reaches to the heavens. You are a God Who stands by His Word, Who is dependable, Who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Our world is always changing, and the pace of change often leaves us in shock. But You stay the same. Indeed, all eternal stability finds its source in You. We fade away like the grass, but Your Word endures forever.
Help me to be a man or woman or young person of integrity, honesty, and stability. Help me to resist making promises, but when I do, may I keep them unless I have promised in ignorance or my promise involves something sinful.
Today I remember the sick, the poor, and the oppressed in this world. They are everywhere, particularly in the poorer nations. Although we are the richest country in the world, we still have many in this category. Yet often our poor are wealthier than the average person in many nations.
I pray for the sick and afflicted whom I know, including: ______________.
I pray for the poor and disadvantaged in the large metropolitan area nearest to where I am, the city of ______________.
I also pray for the rural poor, the mentally handicapped and the physically disabled. Be a God of grace and provision for them, I pray. I also remember those who give care to the elderly and disabled.
I pray for the outreach in the urban centers of the world. Although many missions’ agencies and evangelistic strategies are in place to reach the lost in rural areas, we must adjust our strategies to reach people in the major non-Christian cities that are becoming more and more crowded as rural peoples move to these places for work and education. Help the missions organizations make the paradigm shift from the jungles to crowded and often unsanitary urban centers. Help the evangelical church to avail itself of modern technology, effective communication methods, and tapering their ministries to face the new challenges of urban outreach.
Today I remember the many evangelical denominational missions agencies, particularly those associated with my denomination or fellowship (or I remember the missions outreach of a denomination I respect).
Help the missionaries to stay true to the Word of God, to get along well with one another, and to experience fruitful ministry. Bless them with health, safety, and provide for their needs and the needs of their families.
Bless all those who labor in nursing homes and other retirement facilities. Help them to be kind and loving toward those they serve, and to know how to be firm yet compassionate when necessary.
Now bless my attempts to be a good testimony to Your grace today, I pray, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
March 6
by Ed Vasicek
Lord, You are wonderful!
Your Word tells me that if I confess my sins, You are faithful and just to forgive me of them, and You will cleanse me from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). So I bring my sins before You now. I do not excuse them, but I freely admit them and ask for Your forgiveness.
Please, Father, meet the following needs: ______________.
God, help me to handle conflict well. I hate it when conflict comes my way, and sometimes it is so hard for me to be objective when my emotions become involved. Help me to look at the long-term consequences of my response, and help me value relationships above being proven right.
I pray for those who are unemployed or underemployed. Father, I pray that our economy would continue to grow in strength and that good jobs would abound. Comfort those who are out of work, keep them from quitting to pursue employment, and bless them by opening up doors of opportunity.
Gracious King, thank You for the reality of heaven. Eye has not seen, nor has ear heard, nor has entered into the heart of men the things that God has prepared for those who love Him. Heaven is just as real as earth, only more permanent, and better in every way. I look forward to seeing my Savior and those I know who are already enjoying its bliss. I look forward to meeting new friends and interviewing the great men and women of faith mentioned in the Bible. An eternal party awaits me.
Help me, Lord, to rest in You. May I experience Your peace in my daily life, even amid turbulent times! May I be known as a person of Shalom, peace. The Savior said, "Blessed are the peacemakers," and I want to be one of them.
Today I pray for the South Pacific coral island nation of Niue with a population of fewer than 2,000. I ask that the 8.5% of those who profess to be born-again evangelical Christians would double over the next decade.
I remember South America Mission, and their vision: "to see the Church of Jesus Christ established so that thousands of local, witnessing communities of believers are maturing in their own knowledge and faith, while working to ensure that everyone in South America has multiple opportunities to hear a clear, meaningful and persuasive presentation of the gospel from within their own ethnic or social group."
Bless their evangelistic efforts, their discipleship training and leadership training. Raise up strong lay leaders with the believing community. Provide for the missionaries, empower them with Your Spirit, help them work in harmony, and may they see many both brought into the Kingdom of God and brought to spiritual maturity to Your glory.
Today I remember computer engineers, software designers, and those who work in computer development or repair. Bless them, and may those who know Christ boldly share the Gospel with their coworkers.
Help me follow Your lead today, I pray, in the Name of the Messiah, Amen.
March 7
by Ed Vasicek
Lord God,
You are my Counselor. Of God the Son, it is said that His Name would be called, "Counselor, the Mighty God." You are my guide, my confidant, the source of wisdom and direction. But Lord, sometimes I forget to consult with You. Sometimes, when I ought to be checking in with You for direction, I run ahead as though I were on my own. Help me to remember that You indeed are my Counselor.
Help me to resist temptation and the lures of the Satan today. In a sense, Satan and his kingdom are anti-counselors who would lead me to disgrace Your Name. Help me not to be ignorant of his schemes. I choose today to reaffirm my allegiance to Jesus Christ, and I put on His armor.
[For the married]
Lord, marriage is Your institution. I cannot fathom how much marriage has improved life on planet Earth. Lord, guard my marriage, and help me to guard it. Keep us faithful to one another, and help me not to neglect my spouse, but rather to make pleasing You and my spouse life's top two priorities (1 Corinthians 7:33-34). Bind Satan, and help us both to walk in the Spirit that we might put to death the deeds of the flesh. Help us to respect one another, to talk to one another, to compromise with one another, and to like one another. Help us understand and accept one another. Help us renew our commitment to love one another on a daily basis. Help me address conflict, not avoid it; help me to argue fairly. Never let an attitude of contempt or sarcasm master me.
[For the single, divorced, separated, or widowed]
Lord, life can be lonely. I thank You for caring friends and family, but Lord, sometimes it is tough to stand alone. Help me to trust Your Sovereign hand, and lead me in the way I should go. Help me to participate in church and community. If others seem to leave me out because I am single, help me to become tough to that. Help me dive in and include myself.
Help me remember that being left out is often not intentional. Many couples have no idea I want to be included. They think I would be uncomfortable with them. Help me express to them that I want to be included. Keep me from taking the stance of a victim. Help me to find good friends to share activities with, and help me remember that You are especially concerned about those who are alone.
I thank You that all Scripture is inspired and profitable. Thank You that the Old Testament is just as inspired as the New. Thank You that the words of Paul are just as inspired as the words of Jesus. Thank You that I can depend upon all Your Word, for it is breathed of You in a plenary way.
In like manner, Lord, I pray that I would give You even control of my life. I tend to surrender bits and pieces of my life to You, but You want all of me. And even when I do surrender certain areas of my life, I often take those areas back. Rescue me, I pray, from a divided heart.
Today I pray for both Pitcairn Island and Tokelau Islands of the South Pacific. On Tokelau, less than 4% of the population (which is only 1,500 people) claims to be born again. Work in the lives of the believers on both islands, and may the number of born-again believers double, I pray.
I remember TEAM (The Evangelical Alliance Mission), one of the most respected, oldest, and largest evangelical missionary organizations. Thank You for their focus:
"Our work is focused on the church from beginning to end. We engage existing churches in cooperative efforts to establish new churches worldwide and then encourage those churches to establish even more new churches. We see the day when the people of God from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation will be gathered around the throne of heaven, worshipping Him." We say, "Yes Lord." Thank You for the hundreds of missionaries who serve literally around the world in full time vocational ministry. Help them to work as a team, in harmony, and to be led by Your Spirit. Provide for them and their families, use them, and may they be effective in building the Kingdom of God.
Today I pray for cost estimators. Help them to be accurate, honest, and fair. We pray that many in these fields would come to know Jesus, and that those who know Him would share the Gospel with others.
Now fill me with Your Spirit that I might glorify You today, I pray, in Jesus' Name, Amen.
March 8
by Ed Vasicek
Dear Lord,
Thank You that God the Son is the Mighty God, the Father of Eternity, and the Prince of Peace. There is only One God, and there is no one like God. But, according to Hebrews 1, the Son is the exact representation of God and like God in every way. Isaiah tells us that the Messiah would be called, “The Mighty God.” Coupled with His incarnation, He is truly Emmanuel, God with us. The idea that there is one God, but that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are the One God and yet have distinct personas is difficult to understand, but it is the summary of what the Scriptures teach. Jesus Christ is the Son of Man, and therefore man. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and therefore God.
If our Savior were merely a man, He could not atone for our sins, as Psalm 49:7-8 says, “No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him; the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough.” Because Christ was also God and His human and divine nature are inseparable, His shed blood was in some sense God’s blood (Acts 20:28). Thank You for the redemption I have by believing in Jesus Christ as my once-and-for-all-time offering for sin.
Lord, I am thankful for many things, three of which are: ______________.
Today I pray for the evangelical church worldwide, all congregations made up mostly of people who claim to have been born-again and have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, who believe in the deity of Christ, His death on the cross for our sins, the literal resurrection, who stand for the Bible as the inspired and authoritative Word of God, and who believe in salvation by grace through faith alone, apart from works. Thank You that although Christianity has declined slightly as a percentage of the world’s population, evangelical Christianity has grown from 84.5 million (2.8%) in 1960 to 420 million (6.9%) in 2000.
But, Lord, we know that growth does not necessarily mean truth. Indeed, sometimes those who follow the truth decline in number. So please, Lord, help evangelical Christians to crave Your Word, to value knowledge and doctrine, and to address the questions of our day with intelligence and conviction as has been our heritage.
Lord, I remember Trans World Radio (TWR), “the most far-reaching Christian radio network in the world. Programs in over 190 languages and dialects are aired from more than 2,700 broadcasting outlets around the globe, including 14 international transmitting sites, satellite, cable, Internet and local AM and FM stations. Every day, TWR’s broadcasts reach millions in over 160 countries.” Thank You for the over 2,000 team members, and for the great fruit of this ministry. Provide for them, protect them, bless them by Your Spirit, and help the workers to experience harmony among all. May Your Spirit draw men, women, and young people to Christ by using this ministry.
Father, help me please You today, I pray, in Jesus’ Name, Amen
March 9
by Ed Vasicek
Precious Lord,
You are the Father of Eternity. There was a time when there was no time or dimension. But You were there. You created height and depth, two created entities that cannot separate us from Your love. You created time. All events have a cause, but You are not an event. All creation had a beginning, but You are not created and therefore not part of creation, though You interact with Your creation. You are the Eternal Father.
Lord, I am totally helpless to deliver myself from Your wrath. I owe You total obedience to begin with, so if I owe You my all and yet sin, how can I make up for sin? How could I give You more than the “all” I already owe You? My helplessness and spiritual bankruptcy means I am totally depraved, spiritually broke. That is why I needed a Savior to rescue me; I could not rescue myself.
Now that I have received, help me to learn to both give and receive. Help me give to others of my resources, including things like time and energy. When others give to me, help me to thankfully receive. Keep me from being one of those persons who wants to owe no one but wants others to owe me. Help me to see such egotism and such a controlling disposition for what it is.
Please address the following needs: ______________.
Lord, help me get along with those I see most: family, coworkers, friends and neighbors. Help me make extra effort to resolve conflict and to initiate fellowship. Keep me from being too aggressive or too passive.
Father, thank You for Your work in Costa Rica. We are grateful for the 12.5% of the population who are involved in Evangelical congregations, and we pray that these churches might become solid, avoiding legalism, and maintaining moral and doctrinal integrity. We know that there are many born-again believers attending nonevangelical churches, and we pray that You would lead them to fellowship with believers of like faith instead of trying to change other churches toward their beliefs. We ask that the church would develop solid leadership, and that the number of true believers would double.
Today I remember The U.S. Center for World Mission (USCWM), “a place dedicated to making the glory of God known, and to bringing all the people groups on the earth to obedience and worship of Him (as revealed in the Lord Jesus Christ). The USCWM produces and publishes resources to motivate and equip Christ's body to join Him in His Biblical purpose to ‘bless all the families of the earth’ (Genesis 12:1-3). The USCWM also engages in a variety of activities toward ensuring, as soon as possible, that each distinct people group is “reached”; that a viable movement is established to evangelize and disciple each people group.” Lord, bless and prosper this ministry and the role it plays in world missions.
Father, bless all those who are having their hours reduced, being downsized, or who have experienced financial reversals. Help them turn to You and bless them, I pray, in Jesus� Name, Amen.
March 10
by Ed Vasicek
Almighty One,
Thank You that God the Son incarnate is the Prince of Peace. He came the first time as the Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world so that we could be at peace with You. He will come the second time as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah to reign. As the Prince of Peace, He brings me His peace during the turbulent storms of life. And we know that this world will never be at peace until the Prince of Peace reigns.
Dear Lord, help me to be a discerning person. There are many false teachings out there, many deceivers have entered the world. Others name the name of Christ but are not sincere. Help me not to be gullible. Help me to be discerning about spiritual things, relationships, and life.
Your Word tells me that if I confess my sins, You are faithful and just to forgive me of them, and You will cleanse me from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). So I bring my sins before You now. I do not excuse them, but I freely admit them and ask for Your forgiveness.
Lord, I empty myself before You so that Your Spirit may fill me. I find my strength in His power, not my own. May Your Spirit control me today.
Father, I pray for my relationships.
[For the married]
I pray that you would fortify my marriage. Help me to be committed to my spouse, to be faithful, considerate, patient and a good listener. Let me accept the qualities that accompany my spouse's gender and personality type. Help me be more concerned about our relationship than about power struggles of jostling for position as the "wiser one." Help me respect the person to whom I am married. Help me speak respectfully, neither barking orders nor using sarcasm. Help me realize that my heart is deceitful and desperately wicked, and that I selectively remember and selectively forget so that it always seem like I am the one in the right. Not perfect, but in the right. Help me accept my own inability to be objective.
[For the single]
Lord, sometimes it is a lonely world. Help me to lean upon You as my companion, to make good friends, and to spend my life serving and helping others. Help me not to huddle in my home and create my own little world with me as its population. Help me embrace life and society.
Keep me pure and away from the temptations of improper relationships. Help me to either accept my singleness or to pursue a relationship in a way that honors Christ. Help me to find a support group of other singles, and help me realize that I am a whole person because I am in Christ.
Today I pray for the nation of Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast). Although this nation was considered safe and stable, recent civil wars and unrest have hindered the spread of the Gospel. Thank you for the 9.2 percent who claim to be born-again evangelical Christians. We know that Bible knowledge is low among the evangelicals, that Islam is spreading rapidly, and that the unrest in the land is serious. We ask that the number of evangelical Christians would double over the next five years, that Islam would decline, that the country would stabilize and that believers would make a complete break from the superstition of Spiritism (the worship of spirits).
I remember United World Mission in prayer, "a fellowship of missionaries and missional churches from North America working in partnership with churches around the world to see nations saturated with new churches." Help them as they establish local Bible-believing, Bible-teaching churches throughout the world. May the missionaries work in concert and harmony with one another, and may Your Spirit empower and bless their work. Provide for them in every way, open the right doors and close the wrong doors, we pray.
Now use me to Your glory today, I request, in Jesus' Name, Amen.
March 11
by Ed Vasicek
God of Israel,
You are a passionate God. In a day when people claim to be passionate about chocolate or music, it is refreshing to know that You have strong and deep feelings about what really matters. You are alive in every sense of the word. As a matter of fact, Your feelings are more intense than ours ever could be. Yet Your feelings are always in harmony with Your reason and Your justice. Although sometimes our feelings are our worst enemies and they tempt us to react in sinful ways, Your feelings never fail to lead You to righteousness.
Because You are passionate – a God with deep feelings – we know that being created in Your image means having deep emotions and feelings. Unfortunately, just as our bodies, intellects and wills have been affected by sin so have our feelings. So help me to check my feelings with the absolute truth revealed in Your Word. Help me to be led by Your Spirit Who never leads contrary to Your Word and not my feelings. Help me to discern the difference between the emotional and the spiritual.
I thank You that, though my works might reveal my destiny, they do not create it. I thank You that I am saved by Your grace, Your freely given gift, and not by my behavior, achievements or religious practice. I am saved in such a way that you get literally all the glory and all the credit. The only thing I have contributed toward my salvation is the sin from which I have been saved! Thank You that Jesus Christ is my Savior. He is not a 90% Savior with me being a 10% Savior. He saves me 100%, completely!
I pray for my lost friends and family members, including: ______________. Father, please send Your Spirit to draw them to Yourself and grant them the repentance that leads to life.
Today I remember the nation of Croatia. Lord, this country has been involved in the nasty Balkan Wars of the 1990s with Serbia and Bosnia. Only 1 percent of the people claim to be born-again evangelical Christians. But thank You that this reflects growth, and thank You that the Christians have fellowship among the different ethnic lines, testifying to the unity Christ can bring. As the Jesus Film begins to be used to reach people, we pray that Your Spirit would hover over Serbia and the whole area of the former Yugoslavia. We pray that the evangelical church would multiply tenfold over the next decade.
We pray for White Fields as they seek to reach people with the Gospel and plant churches in several nations in South America, Africa and Asia. We pray that You would bless their missionaries with health, godliness, great family life, safety, provision and much fruit for their labors. We pray for harmony and effectiveness in Kingdom work. May Your Spirit empower and guide them.
I remember those who work as court reporters. Help them to do their work well, and may those who know Christ take opportunities to share the Good News with coworkers.
I especially remember the poor, the underemployed and the unemployed. Help those looking to find work.
Now, Lord, protect me today. Send guardian angels, I pray, in Jesus' Name, Amen.
March 12
by Ed Vasicek
Gracious Master,
You are without spatial dimension, for You created space: height and depth are among those that are "anything...in all creation" (Romans 8:39). You fill all things, but You are not those things. You are separate from and distinct from Your creation. Your Son upholds all things by His power. We cannot conceive of a Personal God Who exists apart from space and creation. But then again, if we could fully conceive of You, You would be a small god. But You are a big God, beyond our full grasp. Yet because You have revealed Yourself in nature and more specifically in Your Word, there are many things about You that You have revealed (Deuteronomy 29:29).
Lord, when Solomon built a Temple for Your Name (1 Kings 5:5), He knew that You would not be confined to it but that You do not dwell in temples built by hands (Acts 17:24). Indeed those of us who know You are the temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). We are not our own property!
As Your temple, help me to take reasonably good care of my body. On the one hand, I am not afraid to die, but on the other, I am in no hurry. On one hand, I do not want to give the impression that my focus is this life, but on the other, I know You expect me to be a good steward of that which You have entrusted me, including my body which is Yours and not my own. Help me strike the balance You have for me.
Please address the following needs: ______________.
Lord, I am thankful for many things, three of which are: ______________.
Lord, I empty myself before You so that Your Spirit may fill me. I find my strength in His power, not my own. May Your Spirit control me today.
Today I pray for the nation of Cuba, a land that has suffered long under the oppression of communism and dictatorships. We pray that the persecution and oppression would end. We thank You for the 4.6% who claim to be born-again evangelical Christians, and we pray that their numbers will triple over the next decade. Bless the Jesus movie as a mighty vehicle to harvest souls for the Kingdom of God.
I especially remember children today. So many live in poverty or have suffered physical or sexual abuse. Others are neglected or have been traumatized. Some are reared with little positive adult attention. Lord, You love the children. You said it would be better for a man to put a millstone around his neck and cast himself into the sea rather than causing a little one to stumble. Please protect the children, help them come to know You, and help those who have been abused or traumatized to recover and to not repeat the sins of the fathers.
Lead them to good pastors and solid counselors who will help them deal with the effects of such abuse, that they might face it, grieve over it and move on, with Your help and compassion.
Lord, help me to get along with my neighbors. Help me to get to know many of them, but help me to be wise and discreet and not naively trust anyone who happens to live nearby.
Help me to truly be Your servant today, I pray, in Jesus' Name, Amen.
March 13
by Ed Vasicek
Precious Lord,
You are with me right now. You have promised never to leave me, never to forsake me. You promised Your disciples that You would be with us, "always, even to the end of the age." Yet there is a sense in which You are present in heaven in a way in which You are not present on earth. Indeed, we look forward to going "to be with the Lord." This refers not only to the splendors of heaven but to experiencing Your presence in a way we cannot experience it on earth.
When believers gather in the Name of Jesus, You are there in our midst in a way that You are not there when we are alone. And there is a sense in which You "go with us." When we draw near to You, You draw near to us, thus affecting Your presence in our lives. When we quench the Holy Spirit, this somehow affects Your presence in some way. When we remember the broken body and the shed blood of our Savior, it seems as though we experience Your presence in yet another way. But whatever the complexities and variations, we thank You that Your Son is Emmanuel, God with us. And He is still with us.
Help me to resist temptation and the lures of Satan today. Although Satan is not present everywhere, he does cover a lot of ground via his multitude of demons. When I stand up against Satan, I am very unlikely standing up against Satan himself, but rather against one of his demons. Help me to resist the devil and he will flee.
I pray for parents of children who have gone astray. Whether in the realm of premarital or extramarital sex, drugs, alcohol, gambling, crime, violence, bitterness toward parents, abandoning the faith or in any other way, it hurts like nothing else can.
Yet children have wills of their own, and they make choices. Perhaps our own past decisions have contributed toward the problem, perhaps not. Why we behave as we do or make the choices we do is a complex issue, but all of us are capable of great sin, for our hearts are "deceitful and desperately wicked" (Jeremiah 17:9), and "The hearts of men are full of evil, and there is madness in their hearts while they live" (Ecclesiastes 9:3b). Yet we can have victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 8:1-4) if we present ourselves to Him as a living sacrifice and renew our minds constantly (Romans 12:1-2).
I remember the nation of Cyprus in prayer. The division of the island into two or one nation has been contested, and there is great bitterness over this issue. Evangelical Christians have been the object of propaganda from both the dominant Greek Orthodox Church and obviously the Muslim population. Less than one half of one percent of the population claim to be born-again evangelical Christians. We pray that the people of Cyprus would solve their conflicts peacefully and in a way that maintains religious freedom. We pray that the number of evangelical Christians would multiply tenfold over the next decade.
We remember Answers in Genesis, as they use Scientific Creationism to reach the lost and help arm Christians against the onslaughts of godless evolutionary theory. We know they are fighting a difficult battle, and we pray You would provide for them, that they would be recognized as seekers of truth, not merely people with an agenda. Bless the new creation museum in suburban Cincinnati, and use it to reach and educate many.
Now, Lord, help me go through my day as working for You, I pray, in Jesus' Name, Amen.
March 14
by Ed Vasicek
Great King Above Creation,
Your Word describes You as a jealous God. When it comes to worship, You want a complete monopoly: we are to worship the Lord our God, and Him only should we serve. That is why You do not want us to make images and kneel before them (Exodus 20:4-5), and You do not want us to perform acts of worship toward anyone other than You. Only You are omnipresent and omniscient to hear all our prayers, and only You are everywhere to hear our prayers and enjoy our hymns of praise. You do not want us to associate Your unique attributes with any but You. You alone are God.
Although Lucifer committed the first sin by starting a rebellion against You (Isaiah 14), thus becoming Satan, the Adversary, sin and death entered the human race and the physical universe through our forefather, Adam. By His disobedience, all creation – and generations yet to be born (including us) are corrupted by sin. But the Second Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ, lived a life of perfect obedience. His death on the cross satisfied Your wrath, and His Resurrection declared to all that He is the Son of God. Because we have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, You have removed us from the family of the First Adam and adopted us into Your family, the family of the Second Adam. How we praise You for this!
Oh, God, I feel so inadequate to live the Christian life. My heart and mind are so often filled with sinful and selfish thoughts, I lack the faith to trust You with the details of my life at times, and I know, deep down, that I am not what You want me to be. It does me no good to punish myself or get down on myself; instead, I need to catch a fresh vision of You, to focus upon You and not my failings. Please help me to grow in this area of my life.
Today I pray for the Czech Republic (Czechia). Only a little more than 1% of the population claim to be born-again evangelical Christians. Help the work of CEF, The Bible Society, The Jesus Film, Christian literature distribution, and radio broadcasts true to Your Word. May Your Spirit hover over this land, and may the number of believers multiply ten-fold over the next twenty years. Raise up strong leaders in the church, and provide good training for them.
I remember World Reach, "an interdenominational foreign mission organization serving fields in East Africa, Central and South America, and Europe. Its thrust is the establishment and nurturing of churches among unreached people while training national pastors and lay-leaders." Bless this ministry as they are actively trying to put to work the Great Commission. Provide for them, protect them, and may Your Spirit prosper their labor.
Help me to walk hand in hand with You today, I ask, in Christ's Name, Amen.
March 15
by Ed Vasicek
Holy God,
You are the God of Redemption. Your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, was particularly referred to as Redeemer although the title also pertains to You as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, for each divine Person has played a part in redemption. Thank You, Father, that You sent the Son. Thank You, Son, that You provided for the redemption of all. Thank You, Spirit, that You apply redemption on an individual basis through Your work of regeneration for all those who as a result believe. You have bought us from the slave market of sin, from the required justice of a holy God, from a destiny of condemnation to freedom, forgiveness, and eternal bliss.
Although I am now redeemed, I still do not always live like a redeemed person. Work in my heart to make me holy and pure in daily life.
Your Word tells me that if I confess my sins, You are faithful and just to forgive me of them, and You will cleanse me from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). So I bring my sins before You now. I do not excuse them, but I freely admit them and ask for Your forgiveness.
I ask You to send angels to watch over me and my family throughout our lives.
Please address the following needs in my life or in the lives of those dear to me: ______________.
Lord, help me to participate in some way in the life of my community. I am tempted to take the light and hide it under a bushel, or to let it shine only among others' lights, my brothers and sisters in Christ. Instead, help me to make the effort to be in the world, to penetrate society; yet help others see the difference because I am not of the world. I do not have to highlight the difference or emphasize it. It will surface.
Today I pray for the world. As the population is rushing toward the 7 billion mark, I praise You that 6.9% of the population claim to be born-again evangelical Christians. Thank You that the Gospel is especially bearing fruit in non-western countries, and that there are now more evangelicals elsewhere than in the west for the first time. Thank You that Bible-oriented churches are growing at a good pace; we pray that the pace would not only hold its own, but, Lord, that You would double the growth rate within the next decade. Lord, build Your Kingdom to Your glory!
Father, particularly bless World Team, “...a mission organization striving to glorify God by working to establish reproducing churches focusing on the unreached peoples of the world.” Bless them as they seek to multiply churches around the world. Provide for the missionaries and their families, give them fruit for their labor, protect them, and may the Holy Spirit empower them and grace them with a cooperative and harmonious spirit.
Gracious Master, help me remember that I am serving You today, I pray, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
March 16
by Ed Vasicek
Dear Lord,
I praise You, Jesus, that You are the church's Bridegroom. I am part of Your universal church; I became part of it the moment I turned from my sins and trusted Jesus Christ as my Savior. Your Spirit baptized me into Your body, the church. Elsewhere, You describe Yourself as the Bridegroom who will return someday without warning to take Your bride away. I look forward to that day, when I will feast with You and the all the redeemed at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Although this is imagery, I am grateful for the substance beyond the imagery: eternity in heaven in God's presence and in fellowship with the multitudes in glory. Even so come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Thank You, Lord, that You created our first parents, Adam and Eve, even knowing that they would sin. Thank You that by allowing their sin You have worked a greater good than would have been otherwise – at least as far as Your glory is concerned and as far as the destiny of those You have called. Surely You work out all things for the good for those who love God, for those who are called according to Your purpose. Our position having been redeemed is more glorious than that of Adam and Eve before the Fall.
Lord, help me to be encouraged by You and to encourage others. May others know me as a positive, encouraging person who can listen without spouting out unwanted advice. Teach me to listen to both You and others.
Lord, I am thankful for many things, three of which are: ______________.
Lord, I empty myself before You so that Your Spirit may fill me. I find my strength in His power, not my own. May Your Spirit control me today. I surrender my life afresh to Him.
I remember my enemies and those I do not really care for. I ask You to bless them, and if appropriate to grant them repentance. Help me to respond in a proper way to them. Help me to understand the difference between loving my enemy, my neighbor, my brother or sister in Christ, my spouse, children and family. Help me distinguish between the love of duty and a love that embraces emotionally. May I not make more stringent demands upon myself than You make upon me.
I pray for the nation of Denmark. Thank You for the 4.8% of the population that claim to be born-again evangelical Christians. Many of the people claim a formal form of Christianity, but they do not attend church and do not have a personal, living relationship with the Risen Christ. Please use the Jesus Film, the Danish Bible Society, and may Your Spirit also empower the new and promising Christian youth movement.
On another continent, thank You for Zion Evangelical Ministries of Africa which "has formed a missionary partnership with TEAM and SIM to increase the work of the ministry" in South Africa. Bless this work, keep it true to You, and provide resources, protection, and the blessing of Your Spirit.
I pray today for doctors around the world. They have a tough job with a lot of stress, and they must deal with many ethical issues. Help them to do what is right as You define right. May many come to know You, and help the doctors who do know You to share their faith with both patients and peers.
Now lead me today, I pray, in Christ's Name, Amen.
March 17
by Ed Vasicek
Great Three in One,
You are beautiful, God. Your beauty is such that You are the ultimate in desirability. Like David, we want to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and meditate in His Temple. When we look at some of the physical beauty of creation, we are awestruck. But Your beauty is way beyond the physical, more than the sum total of all beauty in the universe. You are beautiful to an infinite degree.
Lord, help me to have a beautiful character and pleasant disposition. May my heart be pure and my motives blameless. Help the eternal me, the invisible part of me that will live forever with You – my very soul – to be a thing of beauty.
I thank You, God, for the convicting work of the Holy Spirit. He convicts people of sin, righteousness and judgment. Thank You that His convicting work was part of the process of creating faith within me.
Lord, I have some disappointments and burdens in life. A few of them hurt me and have left scars including: ______________. I turn them over to You. Help me to find Your purpose and joy in life. There are many things I cannot change, but I can share all my thoughts with You.
Thank You that You do not stifle me or pressure me to "get over it." You are not in a hurry, and You can hear my recitations of woe over and over again. You are a God Who feels with me. But, Lord, You are also the God of victory. Help me get to a point where I am ready to move on.
Father, I pray for our president, governor, federal and local senators and representatives, and judges of all kinds. Help them to do what is right, to seek You, and to please You.
Today I remember the nation of Djibouti. It is a dry and impoverished land, and this is even truer in the spiritual realm where only one-tenth of one percent claim to be born-again evangelicals. Thank You that even though Muslims make up 91% of the population there is a relative level of religious freedom. Lord, please see to it that this continues. We pray that the Bible-oriented churches would grow fifty times over the next decade. Create a hunger in this land for You.
I thank You for the ministry of the Gideons as they distribute tens of millions of Bibles every year free-of-charge throughout the world. Thank You that they supply hotels, military personnel and students – among others – with the Word of God.
Bless those who work as electricians. Keep them safe, and help them do a good job so that we are safe from electrical hazards as well. May many in this field come to know You, and help those who do to share their faith.
I ask Your blessing and guidance today. I pray in Jesus' Name, Amen.
March 18
by Ed Vasicek
Dear Lord,
You are a spiritual being. You have no body, except the resurrection body united to God the Son in the person of Jesus Christ. But in Your essence, You are a spiritual being. You do not depend upon the laws of the physical universe. You designed them. Thank You for creating us as both physical and spiritual beings. We are physical, so we can enjoy life on earth; we are spiritual, so we can enjoy fellowship with You. And though You are spiritual, You are also Personal. You are not some force.
I remember those struggling with addictions: alcohol, drugs, food, sex, materialism, clothes, work...and those addicted to their own adrenaline who cannot relax without getting depressed. Lord, so many of Your children struggle thusly. Help them to first of all believe that life can still be worth living, even without getting their "fix." Help them to discover an entirely new world of adventure and meaning in You.
Please address the following needs in my life or in the lives of loved ones and friends: ______________.
Today I remember the persecuted church. On the one hand, I am thankful for progress in the realm of freedom. Thank You that Qatar has allowed the first Christian church to be built in that country in 1400 years. But I pray for nations like Sudan: where Christians have been sold as slaves; China: where the government constantly persecutes the church; Saudi Arabia: where even small groups of believers are not allowed to meet; North Korea and Viet Nam: with their oppressive regimes. Lord, I have been told that more Christians died for their faith in the 20th century than in the first 19 centuries of the church combined. Please, Lord, may the persecution stop, the Gospel spread, and may the persecutors themselves become believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.
I also remember the United States, where many previous religious freedoms have been challenged and sometimes lost. Whether it is the "one nation under God" clause in the Pledge of Allegiance or the displaying of Christmas nativities, forces are at work to obliterate the evidence that America was once a nation that favored Christianity and that such a favoring was not considered inconsistent with the constitution. Yet we know America's greater problem lies in the quality of believer we are producing. So often our negative statistics match those of people who know not Christ. Please help Your children to live in ways that please You.
I remember the International Bible Society and their ministry of making the Scriptures available at low cost prices. Thank You also for Faith Comes By Hearing as they make the recorded reading of the Bible available throughout the world as well. Provide for and use these important ministries. Thank You that Your Word will not return void. It is powerful. May Your Word spread throughout the world. On the other side, please hinder and hold back false religions from spreading.
Lord, help me serve You, I pray, in Jesus' Name, Amen.
March 19
by Ed Vasicek
Great God,
You are the God of peace. When I present my cares to You, You provide me with Your peace.
Before I knew You when I was at enmity with You, Your Son became a man, paid my penalty for sin so that I could be at peace with You. You are the God of Shalom, peace. Although Your feelings are many and varied, You are always at peace: always confident, always sure, always having the satisfaction of doing right and being right. One day when Jesus returns, we will finally have Your peace on the earth, a peace prophesied by the Christmas angel. Thank You that Your children already experience this peace in their hearts.
This world is a world of turmoil, confusion and sudden change – particularly from the human perspective. Sometimes I do not have peace: I have worry, fear, frustration and uncertainty. Yet I can come to You for an oasis of peace, a break from the chaos, a time to readjust my perspective. Thanks for Your peace. Help me to avail myself of it more frequently.
Help me to resist temptation and the lures of Satan today. Help me to be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might, to put on the armor of God and to claim the blood of Jesus Christ as the source of my status before You.
Lord, help me manage my resources: time, energy, money and the people in my life. Give me balance, wisdom and skill in all these areas. Help none of them to replace You as the priority in my life.
I pray for the island nation of Dominica. Thank You that nearly 14% of the population claim to be followers of You as born-again evangelicals. Help them, Lord, to live in light of that profession. We know that the slaves who once inhabited that island were not allowed to marry, and now that they are free, most births are still out of wedlock even in the believing community. Help the Christians there to learn a new appreciation for marriage and the importance of staying pure until marriage. We pray that young people who know Christ would particularly develop this conviction, and that You would use them to lead this nation out of poverty and dysfunction. Provide for the pastors, as many of them hold other jobs and therefore burn out of ministry.
I remember Christian radio stations that are true to the Bible throughout the nations. Help them stay true, provide equipment and good personnel, and use them to reach millions with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as well as aiding believers to grow deeper.
I also remember the effective evangelistic ministries of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and the Louis Palau Evangelistic Association. Provide new leaders and evangelists for the future, and may the effectiveness of these ministries grow in the years ahead.
Help me now to serve You, I pray, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
March 20
by Ed Vasicek
Yahweh, the God Who Keeps His Covenant,
Thank You for Your faithfulness. You are utterly trustworthy and dependable, and You personify integrity. When You make an unconditional promise, You keep it unconditionally. When You make a conditional promise, You keep it as You stated. You do not change Your contracts after the fact, but Your calling and purposes are irrevocable. We humans renege, we rationalize and we fudge. But not You. You are faithful to an infinite degree. Your faithfulness reaches toward the heavens. Your yes means yes and Your no means no. You do not vacillate and have no hint of fickleness.
Oh, Lord, help me to be more like You. Help me to remember that it is better not to make a vow than to make a vow and not keep it. Make my commitments few, but help me to keep the few I make.
Father, I have some personal health concerns including: ______________.
I also pray for the physical, mental, or spiritual health of others including: ______________.
Lord, I empty myself before You so that Your Spirit may fill me. I find my strength in His power not my own. May Your Spirit control me today.
Your Word tells me that if I confess my sins, You are faithful and just to forgive me of them, and You will cleanse me from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). So I bring my sins before You now. I do not excuse them, but I freely admit them and ask for Your forgiveness.
I remember the hungry, the destitute, the abandoned, the sick and the elderly. Oh, Lord, be a God of compassion and provide for them. Change world conditions so that fewer people are hungry, and bring medical help to the world.
Today I pray for the Dominican Republic, a nation that shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti. Lord, the people are poor, the government corrupt, and the challenges many. Thank You for the 70 missionaries who serve there, and that 7.6% of the population claim to be born-again Christians. Thank You for the growth we have seen in recent decades. We pray that those who make professions of faith would become integrated into Bible-oriented churches and take root, developing spiritual maturity. We pray that You would raise up strong leaders and provide for them. Bless the solid theological schools on the island, and may the church in the Dominican Republic double over the next decade but quadruple in quality!
Lord, thank You for the ministry of African Enterprise, "a Christian interdenominational, multicultural ministry of evangelism; reconciliation; leadership development training; relief and community development.... [Its] scope is all of Africa. AE leaders are African nationals that work with local church and parachurch leaders to mobilize congregations in outreach to African cities." Provide for and bless this ministry; keep them true to You, accountable and effective. May Your Spirit empower those ministering and help converts to get connected to Biblically solid congregations.
Today I pray for engineers, the men and women who design the products we use or that benefit us in some way. Bless them, and may many engineers come to know Jesus Christ. Help those who do to share their faith and to serve faithfully in local churches.
Now guide me today, I pray, in Jesus' Name, Amen.
March 21
by Ed Vasicek
Adonai,
You are the Righteous God. You also do that which is consistent with righteousness and justice. You are never corrupt. We can count on You to pass the right verdict. You may sometimes be gracious, but even Your grace is consistent with Your righteousness. Part of being righteous means You are honest. You Yourself set the standard of righteousness, for righteous is part of Who You are.
Lord, I am unrighteous in myself, but thanks be that because Jesus Christ is my Savior and my representative as the “Second Adam,” I am righteous in Him. You choose not to view me as I am, but You view me through the prism of the blood of Christ. Though my sin is as scarlet, in Christ You accept me as though I were white as snow.
Lord, help me to be a learner throughout my life. Obviously I need to learn more about You and Your Word, but there are many subjects I must learn about. If I am to appreciate the beautiful things of this life, I must learn of them. I must learn how to love my neighbor, impact my family and to enjoy the wholesome pleasures of this life to Your glory. I must learn how to serve, how to be a peacemaker and how to reflect the light of Christ into this dark world. I must learn and pray for Your kingdom work around this world.
Help me to resist temptation and the lures of the Satan today. I claim my victory because I am identified with the Victor, the Risen Christ!
Today I pray for the media. Journalists, newscasters, editorial writers: they have so much influence on the way people think, what is included in the news and what is excluded, and the interpretational framework of reporting. We pray that many of Your children would find their way into influential positions in the media so that the Judeo-Christian viewpoint may be included and respected in the media.
Please address the following personal needs in my life or the lives of those close to me: ______________.
Today I pray for the entire continent of Africa. Lord, about 14.8% of the population claim to be born-again evangelical Christians. Thank You for the many who have responded to Christ in this difficult part of the world.
We know, Lord, that Africa is a large continent and varies immensely by region. The north is mostly Muslim with a significant Arab population. Many portions of Africa have been colonies of other countries, mostly British and French. AIDS has devastated much of the population, as have famine and “ethnic cleansing.” The people are horrendously poor, governments unstable, war common and the church often without strong leadership and stability. Lord, we pray that the situation would improve dramatically over the next decade. May the church become strong, the believers solid and moral, the economies and governments better.
Today I pray for the Moody Bible Institute. I pray for the school that trains pastors, evangelists and missionaries including the majority of the world’s missionary pilots. I remember Moody Publishing and the Moody Broadcasting Network. Bless the president, Dr. Mark Jobe, and provide for this strategic ministry.
Now, Lord, help me serve You today, I pray, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
March 22
by Ed Vasicek
Loving Father,
Thank You that You are the Revealer of Truth. Sometimes You keep this truth from the wise of this world, but reveal Yourself to babes, to those considered foolish by society's standards. We know that You must reveal to us our lost condition, our helpless plight, and the sacrificial Lamb, Jesus Christ, as our sin-bearer and sacrifice. You help us recognize that He was declared the Son of God by His resurrection. You nurture faith within us and coax us along until we are saved, cleansed, forgiven and reconciled with You. Thank You for revealing Jesus Christ to us.
Lord, help me to seek to be used of You in the revelation process. Use me to explain the Gospel to someone soon, and by Your Spirit take those truths and open them up to this person that he or she may come to know Christ, my Lord.
Father, thank You for my senses. In Your grace and goodness, keep them all healthy, and help me to appreciate them and use them in ways that please You. Help me to discover the joys of being a human being created in Your image, yet help me to enjoy life in ways consistent with Your revealed will.
Help me to do my part by volunteering to serve or continuing to serve in a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching church. May I set my roots down deeply and attend every week I am able to do so.
Lord, I pray for our president and leaders. Guide them, protect them and help them to love You.
I also pray for those who are seeking to help children in good and practical ways. Bless the children's hospitals in the U.S. and throughout the world. Help those ministries and agencies that minister help to street children, abused children and homeless children. I especially remember the orphaned and impoverished children and children who have suffered abuse. It sometimes breaks my heart to hear the stories that I hear, but, Lord, I know it breaks Your heart even more. I look forward to the return of Christ at which time true and complete justice will be established.
I remember the nation of Ecuador. Thank You that over 6% of the population claim to be born-again evangelicals, and thank You for the mighty work You have done among the Quichua people! Use the Jesus film to reach the urban areas, and may You move as mightily among them as You have the Quichuas! Help the government to stabilize, and may the evangelical church in Ecuador produce strong leaders. May their numbers double over the next decade. May the Gospel transcend class, ethnic groupings and denominational labels.
I pray for the ministry of Asian Access, "an interdenominational evangelical organization that works throughout Asia to identify, develop and release leaders who serve as pastors of growing and reproducing churches." Thank You for their successful training cycles in nations like Mongolia, and their new operations in other Asian countries. Provide for them, guide them, protect them, bless them and empower them by Your Spirit, I ask.
I pray for the world's farmers. Thank You for the abundant food they produce, and I pray that their farms would become more efficient and successful. May farmers worldwide turn to You in great numbers and help those who know You to boldly share the news of the Jesus Christ, in Whose Name I pray, Amen.
March 23
by Ed Vasicek
Great Sovereign,
You are Three yet One, One yet Three. How can I fully grasp One God in Three Persons? If I really think I grasp it, I do not. Father, You are not the Son. Son, You are not the Spirit. Spirit, You are not the Father. Yet Father, You are God. Son, You are God. Spirit, You are God. But there is only One God. Yet, at the same time, You, God cannot be sectioned or divided. I accept these criteria because they are the boundaries Your Word sets. But then again, I am not surprised that You are much more complex than we simple products of Your creation!
Lord, help me to be an honest person. Help me not to lie to save my pride, not to say one thing while I am thinking another. Help my "yes" to be sincere, and help my "no" to be sincere. Help me be direct yet tactful; help me to avoid communication games.
Great God, help me find my greatest source of significance in You. I admit that I want people to like me and respect me. I want to achieve at least a few measurable goals in life. I want to make a difference. But help me find my greatest identity as a Christian – someone who knows God.
Help me to resist temptation and the lures of the Satan today. Help me learn to avoid tempting situations, and to flee from temptation, when this is possible. I claim Jesus Christ, the victor, as the captain of my defense against the evil one.
I remember my family members who do not yet know Christ. I pray that I would have the assurance that they indeed know You. I pray for: ______________.
Today I remember the nation of Egypt. I have read of ancient Egypt often in my Bible, but modern Egypt is very different. Almost all of the people are Muslims. Only 2.5% are born-again evangelical Christians. Persecution is a real problem. We pray, dear God, that You would help the believers to be able to evade persecution and that it would stop. Help the believers to be strong not in themselves but in You. We pray that You would use the Jesus film and media to get the Gospel out, and we pray that within ten years the number of evangelical Christians would triple.
I thank You for the unique ministry of Barnabas International, a ministry that seeks to encourage and refresh those serving as missionaries. As they provide an encouraging word, counseling, training and advice to those in the field, we pray that You would use them to keep evangelical missionaries spiritually, relationally, physically and emotionally healthy. Thank You for a specialized work that cares for the troops!
Now, Lord, help me remember You throughout my day, I pray in Jesus' Name, Amen.
March 24
by Ed Vasicek
My Father,
You are the God of Providence. You coax history along in directions that fulfill Your purposes. We might view some of these events as coincidence or good fortune, but we know that You are working in human history to accomplish Your divine ends. You are certainly and truly the God of Providence, a God Whose guiding hand cannot be stopped.
Lord, help me to be a kind person. I did not ask you to help me to be nice for niceness implies being a people-pleaser. Instead You want me to be kind. In being both kind and true, I will indeed win the favor of many people – but not all. But more importantly I will please You (Proverbs 3:3-4).
Thank You that my soul will live forever. When my body dies, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. One day when He returns to the clouds, Jesus will resurrect my body into an incorruptible one like His.
Help me with my thought life today. Help me think positive and pleasant thoughts today, thoughts that please You.
Lord, I am thankful for many things, three of which are: ______________.
Lord, I empty myself before You so that Your Spirit may fill me. I find my strength in His power not my own. May Your Spirit control me today.
Please address the following needs in my life or the lives of my friends: ______________.
Today I remember the Russian province of Chechnya. Although many of these people want their region to be independent, the Russian government opposes this move. Chechnya has often been devastated by war and they have devastated others by terrorism. Lord, we pray for peace in this region. We also pray that Your Spirit would move and that the very few believers in Chechnya would grow and grow. We pray that the Russian evangelical church would also grow by leaps and bounds, that You would raise up strong leaders in both groups and that the rest of those societies would learn to respect born-again Christians. We know Chechnya with its heavy Muslim population is particularly difficult to reach. Use the Jesus film and other means, but most of all may Your Spirit do a great work there.
Thank You for Bethany International, an organization that, “...exists to delight God's heart and extend His Kingdom by training and sending servant leaders to disciple the least reached. We outfit men and women for missions through Bethany College of Missions in Minneapolis and through more than 40 sister schools and partner ministries worldwide. More than 125 missionaries disciple the least reached in 29 countries through Bethany International Ministries (formerly called Bethany Fellowship Missions).” Father, we pray that You would prosper the attempts of this organization, provide harmony among the workers, provide for them and empower them by Your Spirit. Send angels to protect them and Your Spirit’s wisdom to direct them.
Lord, bless financial analysts and financial planners. Help them to be honest, competent and may those in this field who know You share their faith with their peers and clients.
Now, good God, keep my heart from straying, I pray, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
March 25
by Ed Vasicek
Lord,
You are the source of all life. Life does not come from non-life but only from life. Therefore all who live owe their existence, their possession of this mysterious property called "life," to You. Thank You that Your Son came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly (John 10:10). Through Jesus Christ, we experience a deeper level of life as our spiritual nature is regenerated and we become new creatures in Christ. Although we were dead in our trespasses and sins, You have resurrected us to spiritual life.
Father, the longer it is that I have known You, the more difficult it is to remember what life was like before You made me one of Your own. At first the difference was so clear, but now I have become accustomed to this higher level of living. Lord, help me not forget the mire from which You have lifted me, the lost estate from which You delivered me!
Lord, You have not called all of us to be missionaries in the sense of crossing cultures to share Christ, but You have called all of us to be witnesses, to testify to the Gospel. Help us remember that all of us have this responsibility. Rather than responsibility, help us to view what it mostly is: a privilege. Although we can worship You now, we will worship You even more so in heaven, but we will not be able to reach lost people in heaven with the news of salvation. Help us to appreciate our current opportunity.
Your Word tells me that if I confess my sins, You are faithful and just to forgive me of them, and You will cleanse me from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). So I bring my sins before You now. I do not excuse them, but I freely admit them and ask for Your forgiveness.
Lord, El Salvador is certainly a modern miracle. Thank You that the evangelical church has grown from 2.3% in 1960 to 22% in 2000. Despite war with all its consequences, Your Kingdom has surfaced in a strong way. As the land now experiences peace and freedom, we pray that the church would continue to grow in strength and we ask that You would help them minister to the many victims of war including the massive number of orphans. Provide strong leaders, and I pray that El Salvador would become a lighthouse to the rest of Latin America.
Oh, Father, I pray for “...CRU, a worldwide, interdenominational Christian ministry committed to showing people how they can know and experience God's plan for their lives.” Thank You for their presence on university campuses around the world. Thank You for their great outreach via The Jesus Movie, one of the greatest and most successful evangelistic methods of all time. Thank You for the hundreds and hundreds of thousands who have come to know Christ through this movie! Thank You for the 4 Spiritual Laws, their publishing and literature ministries and their defense of the faith. Keep them true to You and Your Word, help them work harmoniously with one another; provide for them and empower each staff member by Your Spirit.
Now help me serve You today, I ask, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
March 26
by Ed Vasicek
My Master and My God,
Lord, You are the Governor of the Universe. You are the Director, the Ruler, the Overseer Who holds sway over everything and everyone. You administer and superintend based upon Your character. You have every right to exercise authority. You maintain the laws of physics and the laws which govern the souls of people balancing grace and justice. Indeed under Your reign, "Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other" (Psalm 85:10).
Thank You that one day there will be a New Heaven and a New Earth. The old creation will be burnt up. There will be no taint of the curse but only truth and righteousness and joy and peace. As one who has accepted Jesus Christ as personal Savior, I need not fear the Lake of Fire, the destiny of the lost. Heaven is my home because all my sins have been washed away by Christ's sacrifice on the cross.
Lord, Your Word tells me that a wise man is eager for instruction; he or she wants to learn and is open to correction. Help me not react to criticism especially when it is not someone's cruel lashing. Remind me to thank the critic and to mull over how true or untrue a comment is. Please keep me from becoming defensive; I cannot become a wise person if I take that posture.
I pray for the biggest challenge I seem to be facing my life right now. I ask You to work in the situation, to strengthen me through my trials.
I pray for my lost friends and family members, including: ______________. Father, please send Your Spirit to draw them to Yourself and grant them the repentance that leads to life.
I pray for Christians who are straying from their first love or compromising their walk with You. Rekindle the faith they once professed and help them fervently love the Savior once again. Remove their boring view of serving You and help them see the adventure and fulfillment of walking daily in Your light. Stir up their hearts and help them make the routines of godliness a part of their lives. I especially remember: ______________.
Lord, the African nation of Equatorial Guinea has had several traumatic decades of communist repression, and even though no longer communist, it is still a one-party nation. Thank You that religious freedom has begun to surface; I pray that eventually the government will recognize complete religious freedom. Thank You for the 3.2% of the nation who claim to be born-again evangelicals. Thank You for some great progress in Bible translation. May the number of believers quadruple over the next decade, help the church to develop solid and strong leaders, and may Your Spirit draw many people to Yourself in that land.
I remember OC International in prayer. Their mission and strategy is to "mobilize godly and effective Church leaders to reach all nations by means of research, motivation and training." Thank You for the, "425 missionaries impacting over 60 countries." May they walk in harmony, pleasing You, and filled by Your Spirit so that they may be effective. Provide for them, empower them, protect them and bless them with great fruit.
Now, Lord, help me give discreet answers today, I pray, in Jesus' Name, Amen.
March 27
by Ed Vasicek
Father in Heaven,
You are the Primary Cause of all things. You set time into motion. You created dimension. You wound the clock we call the physical universe. You created the laws of physics and the rules of life. The more we discover, the more we see how incredibly complex life is and how simple the laws of physics are. They all point to a beginning and to You as the One Who started it all. We know that the evidence of Your handiwork is clear for all to see – to those who are open to You.
Thank You for keeping us by Your power. When we stray from You, You discipline us and give us a spanking of sorts. Thank You that You are looking out for our best interests, working in ways that may seem mysterious or illogical to us. You are not an enemy to keep at bay but a true Friend, truer than any other.
So, Lord, help me to understand what I can of You and Your ways. Do not allow me to be ignorant of Your Word, but help me to truly read and study it. Help me to learn the Word even if parts of it may not seem relevant at the time. Help me to believe that all Scripture is both inspired and profitable.
Help me to guard my tongue, to choose my words carefully and to use my mouth to heal not to hurt. Help me learn to listen, to remember that You created us with two ears but only one mouth.
Please address these following personal needs for others or myself: ______________.
O, Lord, please be a help to the hurting, a balm in Gilead for the emotionally wounded and devastated. Strengthen the disappointed; encourage the demoralized, bind up the wounded, particularly: ______________.
Today I remember the millions of ethnic Chinese scattered throughout the continents. Help them break completely free from the tyranny of communism and totalitarianism. May the Gospel penetrate these communities and help those who know You to eagerly share the good news of Jesus Christ with their friends and families.
Thank You for the ministry of Christ for the City International. Bless their 104 missionaries and staff as they work in Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Haiti, Mali, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Spain, El Salvador, Bolivia and the USA, mostly with Spanish-speaking individuals. Use them to plant churches, make disciples and further Your kingdom. Empower them by Your Spirit, provide for and protect them, and help them to work in harmony and peace with one another.
Lord, especially protect and bless our firefighters. Give them safety and a good espirit de corps. May those who know Christ freely share Jesus with others. Help the rest of us to encourage them and help us let them know that we view them as heroes. Especially help widows and children of firefighters who have given their lives to protect others.
I pray Your blessing upon me, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
March 28
by Ed Vasicek
Gentle Shepherd,
You are the God Who works miracles. When Jesus walked the earth, He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf. You are a God Who answers prayer, even if not always in the way we would like You to answer. We thank You that although we cannot contain, quantify, or control You, we can always submit our requests to Your good grace and Your perfect will. Although we do not get everything for which we ask because some of our requests are outside Your plan, there are many things You will not do for us unless we ask. While it is true all requests must pass the filter of Your will, it is also true that we have not because we ask not.
So help me persevere in prayer. Let me not become weary in well doing. May serving You, Lord, never get old. I don’t want to be a quitter. I have set my shoulder to the plow. Help me, Lord, not to look back.
Lord, strengthen my family. Keep the families in my church strong and together. Help married couples to work out their differences, stand by their commitments and work as a team. Help parents not bury their heads in the sand, but keep them aware of the needs and challenges their children face.
Lord, I am thankful for many things, three of which are: ______________.
Lord, I empty myself before You so that Your Spirit may fill me. I find my strength in His power, not my own. May Your Spirit control me today.
Lord, I know the church gathers so that believer can build one another up in their faith, the result of this is spiritual maturity as seen in faith, hope and love. Help me to become a more mature Christian. This does not happen in giant leaps, but by small baby steps. Help me make those steps. I also pray for the following, that they do would grow a little more every week: ______________.
Today I pray for the nation of Eritrea bordered by Ethiopia and Sudan. Thank You for the 1.7% of the population who are born-again evangelical Christians. Lord, there is much work that needs to be done in this land. We pray that You would use the Jesus film, radio broadcasts and the small evangelical church to share salvation by grace through faith alone in Jesus Christ. Please restore freedom of religion so that evangelicals and other groups may have freedom to share their faith. Please work among the Muslim and Eastern Orthodox groups to recognize the importance of true freedom. May the Bible-oriented churches see a tenfold growth over the next decade and provide good leaders and leadership training, I pray.
Father, I pray for CLC (Christian Literature Crusade). “CLC serves in 55 countries where 700 men and women of diverse nationalities are joining hands to feed a world hungry for print.” Thank You for their development, production and distribution of Christian literature used around the world to reach the lost and to train believers. Provide for them, protect them, grant them harmony with one another and empower their efforts and literature by Your Spirit, I ask.
Now, Lord, use me today. I pray, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
March 29
by Ed Vasicek
Dear Lord,
You are the Lawgiver. Our consciences testify that there is indeed such a thing as right and wrong. This reminds us that there is a standard, and that standard exists because You have written Your law on our hearts. You have the right to announce what is right and wrong, for You are perfect in all Your ways. Your justice and holiness are reflected in Your Law. Our opinions are no competition for Your Word. Your Word reflects Your will and is based upon Your Law. You do not merely share opinions.
Lord, thank You that You planned for Jesus Christ to die for our sins before the world was founded. Thank You that He took all my sins upon the cross as a sin offering. Thank You that He presented His blood to You in the heavenly sanctuary, and that His offering was for all people for all time. Thank You that our Savior arose from the dead.
Although the Savior is my friend, I also have a fierce enemy. Help me to resist temptations and traps of the devil. May I not be ignorant of his schemes. Instead, may I cling to You, my God, and may I take up Your armor. I put on the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, and my feet are ready to go and share Your good news. I take up the shield of faith and I boldly wield the sword of the Spirit, Your Word.
Father, help parents throughout our world. Although I pray especially for the parents who know You, I pray for all parents. Motivate them to do what is in the best long-term interest of their child or children. Keep them from abusing their children and from spoiling them.
May parents take seriously the responsibility to be a good example, to keep their marriages together when possible, and to nurture their child’s/children’s moral education. Give parents great wisdom to face the challenges of the modern world. We pray that more and more parents would surrender their lives to Jesus Christ.
Today I pray for the nation of Estonia. Thank You that this land is now free from the former Soviet Union and that religious freedom is a reality. Thank You for the 5.7% of the population that claim to be born-again evangelical believers, and thank You for the missionary efforts from nearby Finland. Prosper the new leadership training schools. May the church grow numerically and double within the next five years. May Your Spirit sweep over this land.
I remember Compassion International in my prayers. “Compassion International exists as an advocate for children, releasing them from spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enabling them to become responsible, fulfilled Christian adults.... Today, Compassion helps more than 728,800 children in more than 20 countries.” So, Father, provide support and safety for the workers, sponsors for children, and the blessings of Your Spirit. Help the workers to experience harmony with one another and may they have Your wisdom as they engage in working for Your Kingdom.
I pray for those who work as lawyers throughout our land. Help them to be honest, ethical and conscientious. May those who know You freely share their faith with their peers and their clients and may many attorneys come to know Jesus Christ in the next few years.
So, Lord, I surrender myself afresh to You today in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
March 30
by Ed Vasicek
Almighty One,
You are Yahweh, the God Who heals. Although the health of my soul is first and foremost because my soul will live forever, You nonetheless also care about my body.
You designed the human blueprint, and You formed me within my mother's womb. Thank You for the times You do heal us. And thank You for the times that You choose not to do so; sometimes suffering is part of Your will for us to develop and nurture our faith and to teach us to depend upon Your grace. Yet so often You bless us with health and we thank You for that! We thank You for Your provision of doctors, medicines, preventive medicine and Your healing touch.
I know there is a special blessing that comes from praying with others. This might include family members who know You, friends from church, or fellow Christians at work, school, or in the neighborhood. We know You are specially present where two or three gather in the Name of Jesus (Matthew 18:19-20).
Please meet the following needs, requests and desires as You see fit: ______________.
Help me to do my part by volunteering to serve or continuing to serve in a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching church. May I set my roots down deeply and attend every week I am able to do so.
Your Word tells me that if I confess my sins, You are faithful and just to forgive me of them, and You will cleanse me from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). So I bring my sins before You now. I do not excuse them, but I freely admit them and ask for Your forgiveness.
I remember the nation of Ethiopia. Lord, this land has been through a lot: wars, famines and droughts. But thank You that You have worked mightily by Your Spirit, and almost 20% of the population are born-again evangelicals. Thank You that a large evangelical movement has penetrated the Orthodox Church there and many have been born-again.
Lord, Islam is also growing, gaining converts from others in the Orthodox Church and from the animistic religions. There seems to be a race going on and we pray that the evangelical church would win it! May Your Spirit continue to empower Your people there. Thank You for the growth in leadership training facilities and we pray that the leaders would be strong in all ways.
Thank You for the ministry of Cook Communication Ministries "committed to encouraging people everywhere to accept Jesus Christ as personal Savior. Cook supports, promotes and contributes to teaching and applying His two great commands ‘loving God and loving one another’ by creating and disseminating Christian communications materials and services to people throughout the world.... Cook's international ministry focuses on nations and regions of the world where the Church is growing so rapidly that there is a desperate need for trained pastors and leaders as well as outreach materials in the heart language of the people." Provide for this ministry in every way, Lord, and may Your Spirit provide the workers with harmony and wisdom.
Today we pray for those who work as loan officers or mortgage consultants. Help them to be honest, realistic and practical. We pray that many in this field would come to know Christ and that that those who do would share the Gospel as You open doors.
Gracious Lord, help me to be a gracious person, I pray in Jesus' Name, Amen.
March 31
by Ed Vasicek
Lord of Hosts,
You truly are the Lord of hosts – the multitude of the heavenly army. This vast force of angels, cherubim and seraphim, is at Your command. We cannot imagine their number, their design, or their work. Your children in glory, although no longer fighting battles, join the heavenly host in praising and worshipping You.
Thank You, Lord, that there is solidarity within Your body. Your church is made up of all genuinely born-again believers in Jesus Christ regardless of denomination. Although we acknowledge that You have Your children within many congregations, we particularly pray that You would lead them into congregations that sincerely teach the Word of God and seek to implement its directives. Help Your children know the difference between religion and the teachings of the Word of God.
Help me, Lord, to be a peacemaker and not a troublemaker. May I be a blessing to my church, my pastor and my friends. Keep me from instigating problems, from gossip, slander and disrespect for those in authority. When I disagree, help me to disagree agreeably.
Lord, today I especially remember those looking for a job. Open doors of opportunity and match the right person to the right job. Especially help those who work with integrity and have good character to find employment.
Also, dear Father, help me to handle my finances well. Guide me when it comes to saving, giving and help me know when to say no. Help me control my money under Your guidance; please do not let money control me.
Lord, I pray for the Faeroe Islands between Iceland and Scotland. Thank You that 28 percent of the population claim to be born-again. Since they are a self-governing region of Denmark, use them to reach the Danes.
I thank You, Lord, for the fact that nearly 23% of the population of the Falkland Islands – small islands near the tip of Argentina – claim to be born-again evangelicals. We particularly pray for the British soldiers who are stationed there, that Missions to the Military would reach them and that many would return to the UK as born-again believers.
Lord, thank You for the ministry of Development Associates International. They are, "committed to develop the integrity and effectiveness of Christian leaders worldwide so that the church can fulfill its role in extending the Kingdom of God" as they focus upon 4 functions: educating through interactive adult education courses, mentoring, consulting and connecting. Bless them as they minister throughout the world. Keep them true to You and Your Word and provide them with harmony and the power of Your Spirit.
Lord, bless those who work in the music field both secular and Christian. We know that music is a gift from God, so help musicians realize this. Help them to play, write and promote music that looks at life from a Judeo-Christian viewpoint. May many musicians come to know You and may those who do liberally share the good news of Jesus Christ.
Lord, renew my mind today, I pray in Jesus' Name, Amen.