How Lovely is Your Dwelling Place - Psalm 84

Pray For Me - Seeking Wisdom - W1 D4

Seeking Wisdom My son, if you receive my words      and treasure up my commandments with you,  making your ear attentive to wisdom      and inclining your heart to understanding;  yes, if you call out for insight      and raise your voice for understanding,  if you seek it like silver      and search for it as for hidden treasures,  then you will understand the fear of the Lord      and find the knowledge of God.  For the Lord gives wisdom;      from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. (Proverbs 2:1-6) Father, wisdom is promised to those who go after it like treasure hunters — who dig, and call out, and refuse to give up. I pray that ______ would want your wisdom that much. Make them students of your Word, treasuring up your commandments and inclining their hearts to understand. Keep them from the laziness that wants truth handed over cheaply. Let them search for you as for hidden silver, and let them strike gold: the fear of the Lord and the knowledge of God himself. Remind them that you are not a stingy God — you give wisdom generously, from your own mouth, to all who ask. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Pray For Me - Wisdom's Call - W1 D3

Wisdom's Call Wisdom cries aloud in the street,      in the markets she raises her voice;  at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;      at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:  “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?      How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing      and fools hate knowledge?  If you turn at my reproof,      behold, I will pour out my spirit to you;      I will make my words known to you.” (Proverbs 1:20-23) Father, thank you that wisdom is not hidden away for the privileged few but cries aloud in the street, freely offered to anyone who will stop and listen. I pray that ______ would have ears to hear her over the noise of the world. Where they have loved being simple, or grown comfortable with scoffing, or treated the knowledge of you as boring — turn them, Lord. Let your loving reproof find them while they are young and tender. And to every heart that turns, keep your beautiful promise: pour out your Spirit on ______, and make your words known to them. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Pray for Me - Resisting Enticement - W1 D2

Resisting Enticement My son, if sinners entice you,      do not consent.  If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood;      let us ambush the innocent without reason;  like Sheol let us swallow them alive,      and whole, like those who go down to the pit;  we shall find all precious goods,      we shall fill our houses with plunder;  throw in your lot among us;      we will all have one purse”—  my son, do not walk in the way with them;      hold back your foot from their paths. (Proverbs 1:10-15) Father, the voices calling to our young people are loud, persuasive, and often dressed up as friendship. I pray that ______ would have the courage to say a clear, simple “no” when sinners entice them — even when the whole crowd has said yes. Give them eyes to see where a path leads before they ever set a foot on it. Guard them from the lie that belonging requires sin, that everyone is doing it, that just this once won’t matter. Surround them instead with friends who love what you love. And when the pressure is greatest, let your voice be the one they cannot ignore. Hold back their foot, Lord, from every path that runs to ruin. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Pray for Me - Week 1, Day 1— The Fear of the Lord

Reverence The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;      fools despise wisdom and instruction.  Hear, my son, your father’s instruction,      and forsake not your mother’s teaching,  for they are a graceful garland for your head      and pendants for your neck. (Proverbs 1:7-9) Father, you are the beginning and the end of all true wisdom. I pray for ______ today, that the fear of the Lord would take root in their heart as the very first thing — before knowledge, before achievement, before opinion. Give them holy wonder at who you are. Let reverence for you be the lens through which they see everything else, so that they would never despise your wisdom or grow bored with your instruction. Cause them to treasure the teaching of those you have placed over them, and to wear obedience like a graceful garland rather than a heavy chain. May they learn early that to fear you is not to shrink away from you but to draw near. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Give Thanks to the Lord!

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.Psalm 107 1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;     his love endures forever. 2 Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—     those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, 3 those he gathered from the lands,     from east and west, from north and south. 4 Some wandered in desert wastelands,     finding no way to a city where they could settle. 5 They were hungry and thirsty,     and their lives ebbed away. 6 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,     and he delivered them from their distress. 7 He led them by a straight way     to a city where they could settle. 8 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love     and his wonderful deeds for mankind, 9 for he satisfies the thirsty     and fills the hungry with good things. 10 Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness,     prisoners suffering in iron chains, 11 because they rebelled against God’s commands     and despised the plans of the Most High. 12 So he subjected them to bitter labor;     they stumbled, and there was no one to help. 13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,     and he saved them from their distress. 14 He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness,     and broke away their chains. 15 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love     and his wonderful deeds for mankind, 16 for he breaks down gates of bronze     and cuts through bars of iron. 17 Some became fools through their rebellious ways     and suffered affliction because of their iniquities. 18 They loathed all food     and drew near the gates of death. 19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,     and he saved them from their distress. 20 He sent out his word and healed them;     he rescued them from the grave. 21 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love     and his wonderful deeds for mankind. 22 Let them sacrifice thank offerings     and tell of his works with songs of joy. 23 Some went out on the sea in ships;     they were merchants on the mighty waters. 24 They saw the works of the Lord,     his wonderful deeds in the deep. 25 For he spoke and stirred up a tempest     that lifted high the waves. 26 They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;     in their peril their courage melted away. 27 They reeled and staggered like drunkards;     they were at their wits’ end. 28 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,     and he brought them out of their distress. 29 He stilled the storm to a whisper;     the waves of the sea were hushed. 30 They were glad when it grew calm,     and he guided them to their desired haven. 31 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love     and his wonderful deeds for mankind. 32 Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people     and praise him in the council of the elders. 33 He turned rivers into a desert,     flowing springs into thirsty ground, 34 and fruitful land into a salt waste,     because of the wickedness of those who lived there. 35 He turned the desert into pools of water     and the parched ground into flowing springs; 36 there he brought the hungry to live,     and they founded a city where they could settle. 37 They sowed fields and planted vineyards     that yielded a fruitful harvest; 38 he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased,     and he did not let their herds diminish. 39 Then their numbers decreased, and they were humbled     by oppression, calamity and sorrow; 40 he who pours contempt on nobles     made them wander in a trackless waste. 41 But he lifted the needy out of their affliction     and increased their families like flocks. 42 The upright see and rejoice,     but all the wicked shut their mouths. 43 Let the one who is wise heed these things     and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord.