If you would
like to have us pray for you, please contact us with your request at plbiblechurch@gmail.com or by phone at 870-405-2969. Please state if this is to be confidential or if it can be shared with our prayer group.
Prayer group meets at the Church, every Wednesday night at 6pm. Please join us in prayer as we intercede
for our Nation and our Families.
Prayer
Spiritual growth is impossible apart from the practice of prayer. Just as the key to quality relationships
with other people is time spent in communication, so the key to a growing relationship with the personal God of heaven and
earth is time invested in speaking to Him in prayer and listening to His voice in Scripture. As
central as these twin disciplines of prayer and Scripture are to our spiritual life, most believers in Christ are frustrated
by hit-or-miss approaches to both. As a result, their time in prayer and the word can become unsatisfying, routine, and even
boring. It is no surprise, then, that most people spend a minimal amount of time in either of these disciplines and fail to
develop intimacy with the One for whom they were created. The problem with prayer is heightened
by the fact that people often succumb either to the extreme of all form and no freedom, or the opposite extreme of all freedom
and no form. The first extreme leads to a rote or impersonal approach to prayer, while the second produces an unbalanced and
undisciplined prayer life that can degenerate into a litany of one "gimme" after another. Handbook to Prayer
was designed to make prayer a more enriching and satisfying experience by providing both form and freedom in the practice
of prayer. MORNING AFFIRMATIONS 1. SUBMITTING TO GOD - Because of all You have done
for me, I present my body to You as a living sacrifice for this day. I want to be transformed by the renewing of
my mind, affirming that Your will for me is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2)
2. ADORATION AND THANKSGIVING - Offer a brief word
of praise to God for one or more of His attributes (e.g., love and compassion, grace, mercy, holiness,
goodness, omnipotence, omnipresence, omniscience, truthfulness, unchanging character, eternality) and/or works
(e.g., creation, care, redemption, loving purposes, second coming).
- Thank Him for the good
things in your life.
3. EXAMINATION
- Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these
to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness. (Psalm 139:23-24)
4. MY
IDENTITY IN CHRIST - "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I
who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved
me, and delivered Himself up for me." (Galatians 2:20)
*I have forgiveness
from the penalty of sin because Christ died for me. (Romans 5:8; 1 Corinthians 15:3) *I have
freedom from the power of sin because I died with Christ. (Colossians 2:11; 1 Peter 2:24) *I
have fulfillment for this day because Christ lives in me. (Philippians 1:20-21) *By
faith, I will allow Christ to manifest His life through me. (2 Corinthians 2:14) 5. FILLING OF THE SPIRIT - Ask the Spirit to control
and fill you for this day.
- I want to be filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 5:18) When I
walk by the Spirit, I will not carry out the desire of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16) If I live by the Spirit, I will also
walk by the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25)
6. FRUIT
OF THE SPIRIT - Pray on the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)
- "Love is patient,
love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not
seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but
rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." (1 Corinthians
13:4-7)
7. PURPOSE OF MY LIFE
- I want to love the Lord my God with all my heart, and with all my soul, and with all my mind,
and I want to love my neighbor as myself. (Matthew 22:37, 39) My purpose is to love God completely, love self correctly,
and love others compassionately.
- I will seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness.
(Matthew 6:33)
- I have been called to follow Christ and to be a fisher of men. (Matthew
4:19)
- I will be a witness to those who do not know Him and participate in the Great Commission
to go and make disciples. (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8)
- I want to glorify the Father by
bearing much fruit, and so prove to be Christ's disciple. (John 15:8)
8. CIRCUMSTANCES
OF THE DAY - I will trust in the Lord with all my heart, and not lean on my own understanding.
In all my ways I will acknowledge Him, and He will make my paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
- "God
causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."
(Romans 8:28; also see 8:29) I acknowledge that You are in control of all things in my life, and that You have my best
interests at heart. Because of this I will trust and obey You today.
- Review and commit
the events of this day into the hands of God.
9. PROTECTION
IN THE WARFARE Against the World: Renew - I will
set my mind on the things of the Spirit. (Romans 8:5)
- Since I have been raised up with
Christ, I will keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. I will set my mind
on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. (Colossians 3:1-2; also see 3:3-4 and Hebrews 12:1-2)
- I will be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving I will let my
requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard my heart and
my mind in Christ Jesus. Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is
lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, I will let my mind
dwell on these things. (Philippians 4:6-8; also see 4:9)
Against the Flesh: Reckon
- I know that my old self was crucified with Christ, so that I am no longer a slave to sin, for
he who has died is freed from sin. I will reckon myself as dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. I will
not present the members of my body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but I will present myself to God as one
alive from the dead, and my members as instruments of righteousness to God. (Romans 6:6-7, 11, 13)
Against the Devil: Resist - As I submit myself to God and resist
the devil, he will flee from me. (James 4:7)
- I will be of sober spirit and on the alert.
My adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But I will resist him, firm
in my faith. (1 Peter 5:8-9)
- I will take up the full armor of God, that I may be able to
resist and stand firm. I put on the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness; I put on my
feet the preparation of the gospel of peace; and I take up the shield of faith with which I will
be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one. I take the helmet of salvation and the sword
of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and petition I will pray at all times
in the Spirit and be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:13-18)
10. THE COMING OF CHRIST AND MY FUTURE WITH HIM
- Your kingdom come, Your will be done. (Matthew 6:10)
- You have said,
"I am coming quickly." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. (Revelation 22:20)
- I consider
that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to me.
(Romans 8:18)
- I will not lose heart, but though my outer man is decaying, yet my inner
man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for me an eternal weight of glory far beyond
all comparison, while I look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things
which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
- My citizenship is in heaven, from which also I eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. (Philippians
3:20)
- (Also consider 2 Timothy 4:8; Hebrews 11:1, 6; 2 Peter 3:11-12; 1 John 2:28; 3:2-3.)
'Heavenly Father, We come before you today to ask your forgiveness
and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly
what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness
and called it welfare.. We have killed our unborn and called it choice.
We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected
to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and
called it politics.. We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.
Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and Set us free. Amen!'
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Continuing Prayer List: Pray that our Nation will turn back to
God Almighty that revival would break out across this nation. This begins with a personal revival and hunger for God, His
Word, and that our actions would Glorify Him. Pray for our Military (Protection, guidance, and that they would keep their oath). Pray for our Veterans (for healing,
wisdom, favor, and for medical help they need). Pray that out leaders (President on down to the local level) will do what is best for our
Country. Pray that
we will return to the founding principles of this Country. That our leaders will follow the Constitution that they
took an oath to support and defend and if they won't, may we the people of the Republic use our God given right to
make a change that we can truly believe in! Pray for the Persecuted Church - Voice of the Martyrs, etc. Pray for God to be returned in our schools, that those children and parents
will stand up for truth and not allow stupidity to run amuck, that common sense would return to the schools, or parents would
pull their children out of the government system and home school their children. Pray for truth in all things - The truth about Benghazi - that people
responsible will be held accountable; Truth in the IRS scandal - that the people responsible will be held accountable; as
well as the NSA spying, etc., etc.
Day 23 Adoration Will
God indeed dwell on earth? Heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You. (1 Kings 8:27) God's voice thunders in marvelous ways; He does great things
which we cannot comprehend. (Job 37:5) Pause to express your thoughts
of praise and worship. Confession O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger Or
chasten me in Your wrath. Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am weak; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are in distress. My soul also is greatly troubled; But You, O Lord, how long?
(Psalm 6:1-3) Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas
of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness. Renewal May I be self-controlled
and alert; my adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. But may I resist him, standing
firm in the faith, knowing that my brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. (1 Peter 5:8-9) I will stand firm, having girded my waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of
righteousness, and having shod my feet with the readiness of the gospel of peace; above all, taking up the shield of faith
with which I will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. I will take the helmet of salvation and the sword
of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and petition, I will pray always in the Spirit, and to this end I
will be watchful with all perseverance and petition for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:14-18) Pause to add your own prayers for personal renewal. Petition Oh, that You would bless me and enlarge
my territory! Let Your hand be with me and keep me from evil, so it may not grieve me. (1 Chronicles 4:10) Growth in Christ Greater
desire to know and please Him Greater love and commitment to Him Grace to practice His presence Grace
to glorify Him in my life My activities for this day
Special concerns Intercession Grace has been given to each one of us according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
And He gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, for the
equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:7, 11-12) Churches and Ministries My
local church Other churches Evangelism and discipleship ministries Educational ministries Special concerns Affirmation As Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so the Son of Man had to be lifted up, that
everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life. (John 3:14-15) He
who believes in God's Son is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed
in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18) Pause to
reflect upon these biblical affirmations. Thanksgiving We should not be ignorant about those who fall asleep or grieve like the rest of men,
who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen
asleep in Jesus. According to the Lord's own word, we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede
those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught
up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (1 Thessalonians
4:13-17) Pause to offer your own expressions of thanksgiving. Closing Prayer You are my hiding place; You will preserve me from trouble And surround me with songs of deliverance. (Psalm 32:7) You will instruct me and teach me in the way I should go; You
will counsel me and watch over me. (Psalm 32:8)[1]
[1] Boa, K. (1993). Handbook to prayer: Praying scripture back to God. Atlanta: Trinity House.
"Father,
I have a problem. It's weighing heavy on me. It's all I can think about, night and day.
"But before I bring it to you in prayer, I suppose I should pray for those who are less fortunate
than me-those in this world who have hardly enough food for this day, and those who don't have a roof over their heads at
night. I also pray for families who have lost loved ones in sudden death, for parents whose children have leukemia, for the
many people who are dying of brain tumors, for the hundreds of thousands who are laid waste with other terrible cancers, for
people whose bodies have been suddenly shattered in car wrecks, for those who are lying in hospitals with agonizing burns
over their bodies, whose faces have been burned beyond recognition. "I pray for people
with emphysema, whose eyes fill with terror as they struggle for every breath merely to live, for those who are tormented
beyond words by irrational fears, for the elderly who are wracked with the pains of aging, whose only ‘escape' is death.
"I pray for people who are watching their loved ones fade before their eyes through the
grief of Alzheimer's disease, for the many thousands who are suffering the agony of AIDS, for those who are in such despair
that they are about to commit suicide, for people who are tormented by the demons of alcoholism and drug addiction.
"I pray for children who have been abandoned by their parents, for those who are sexually abused,
for wives held in quiet despair, beaten and abused by cruel and drunken husbands, for people whose minds have been destroyed
by mental disorders, for those who have lost everything in floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes. "I pray for the blind, who never see the faces of the ones they love or the beauty of a sunrise, for those whose
bodies are horribly deformed by painful arthritis, for the many whose lives will be taken from them today by murderers, for
those wasting away on their deathbeds in hospitals. "Most of all, I cry out for the millions
who don't know the forgiveness that is in Jesus Christ...for those who in a moment of time will be swept into hell by the
cold hand of death, and find to their utter horror the unspeakable vengeance of eternal fire. They will be eternally damned
to everlasting punishment. O God, I pray for them. "Now, for my problem...Strange. I can't
seem to remember what it was. "In Jesus' name I pray. Amen."
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