Prayer For Christian Youth to Grow in Grace

Grow in Christ, Marriage, & Prayer

November 7, 2013

Meaningful Relationships must have Life!

Some relationships simply do not grow.  They are static, limited, predictable – they involve persons “kept at a distance” – they are the less important relationships in our lives.  Relationships  that really matter, the meaningful, important ones, must be growing and developing.  They must have life.

  Meaningful relationships have life – vitality, ever new, ever fruitful, always more somehow than the mere sum of their parts.  The relationships I want to consider here are the relationship of spouses in Christian marriage, and the relationship of a Christian with God which is known as the Christian’s life of prayer.

  The two relationships ought to be ever growing, ever deepening in intimacy, ever full with life and ever fruitful.

Marriage must be, by its very nature, a relationship of great importance and priority.

  Christian marriage in particular is ordered to be a covenant communion of the spouses in Christ, ordered to Christ and His mission by virtue of the spouses’ Baptism into Him, and by virtue of the meaning and the mystery of Matrimony itself.  Christian marriage must have life – fertile, fruitful, growing and maturing life.

Because Christian marriage is sacramental, a supernatural reality, it is in its essence fertile and fruitful.  It is based upon more than human love; it is based upon holy divine charity.  Of the unique presence and empowerment of God with the spouses in this sacrament, the Catechism says,

1639 The consent by which the spouses mutually give and receive one another is sealed by God himself. [Cf. Mk 10:9] … The covenant between the spouses is integrated into God’s covenant with man: “Authentic married love is caught up into divine love.” [GS 48 # 2]

A good and natural marriage (a non-sacramental one) in itself calls persons into a bond that is alive, growing and rich in human fruitfulness.  But how much more does the supernatural covenantal bond in Christ, of a sacramental union of spouses in Him, call forth supernatural life?  A marriage in Christ calls us beyond the natural to a holy union in Him.  Paul wrote:

Eph 5:31  “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”

Eph 5:32  This mystery is a profound one, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church…

Among natural relationships, that of a man with his father and mother is profound.  It is fundamental, it is foundational to his personhood, his very being.

  Yet Christian marriage calls the man to leave that foundation of a natural relationship with father and mother, to one that is supernatural and sacramental.

  Christian marriage – the mystery of the conjugal covenantal communion of human persons – prophetically proclaims the even more profound mystery of Christ and His Church, as Paul observed.

  When the spouses personally live the life they were given first at Baptism in Christ, their marriage will be a marriage in Christ.  When the spouses are personally growing in Christ, their marriage will be growing in Christ.

  When the spouses personally are experiencing the fruitfulness of the life of Christ in their individual souls, then the marriage will bring forth the fruitfulness of the life that Christ came to give us all.

Growing in Christ Means Growing in Prayer

And so how does a Catholic Christian truly and personally grow in Christ?  How is his personal relationship with Christ nurtured, that it may grow – that he may grow, and mature to the fullness of the stature that God has intended for him from the beginning?  Well, we grow through the sacraments that bring us grace, we grow through Holy Scripture that brings us truth, and we grow through prayer which in itself is our relationship with God.  Prayer is relationship.  The Catechism teaches:

2564 Christian prayer is a covenant relationship between God and man in Christ. It is the action of God and of man, springing forth from both the Holy Spirit and ourselves, wholly directed to the Father, in union with the human will of the Son of God made man.

2565 In the New Covenant, prayer is the living relationship of the children of God with their Father who is good beyond measure, with his Son Jesus Christ and with the Holy Spirit…. Thus, the life of prayer is the habit of being in the presence of the thrice-holy God and in communion with him.

The key is prayer.  Prayer unlocks and ignites fruitful life in Christ, which then empowers and nurtures fruitful sacramental marriage.  And because prayer is relationship, we begin to see the thread that unites these subjects: our relationship with Christ is our life of prayer; our relationship in marriage is dependent upon our life in Christ, our life of prayer with Him.

“The life of prayer is the habit of being in the presence” of God.  We need to develop a life habitually in prayer-communion with God.  We need to grow in prayer, until by habit we live dwelling with Him.  By habit, when we remain in Him, we remain prayerful.  We become persons of prayer, we become persons with whom relationships matter, and are fruitful for Christ.

This ends part one of a two-part series on Growing as a Christian.  Part two will focus on prayer.  Prayer is both an art and a science.  We will consider both the art and the science of prayer: we will find that the journey of prayer is a journey traveled in stages, each one leads into the next, for those willing to grow.

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Источник: //catholicexchange.com/grow-christ-marriage-prayer

PRAYER – Tips for New and Growing Christians • ChristianAnswers.Net

It has been well said that God always answers prayer. Sometimes He says, “Yes.” sometimes He says, “NO.” Sometimes He says, “Wait for a minute,” and a day to the Lord is a thousand years to us (2 Peter 3:8). That means that a ten year wait for us, is 14 minutes and 24 seconds to God, so ask in faith, but rest in peace-filled patience.

Surveys show that more than 90% of America prays daily. No doubt they pray for health, wealth, happiness, etc. They also pray when grandma gets sick, and when grandma doesn't get better (or dies), many end up disillusioned, and some end up bitter.

This is because they don't understand what the Bible says about prayer. It teaches that sin will stop God even hearing our prayers (Psalm 66:18). It teaches, among other things, that if we pray with doubt, we will not get an answer (James 1:6-7).

Here's how to be heard:

How do you “pray with faith?” Someone once said to me, “Ray, you're a man of great faith in God,” thinking that they were paying me a compliment. They weren't. If I said to you, “I'm a man of great faith in my doctor? It's to the doctor.

If I have great faith in him, it means that I see him as being a man of integrity, a man of great ability—that he is trustworthy. I give “glory” to the man through my faith in him.

The Bible says that Abraham “staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God, being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able to also perform” (Romans 4:20-21). Abraham was a man of great faith in God. Remember, that is not a compliment to Abraham.

As far as God is concerned, if you belong to Jesus, you are a VIP. You can boldly come before the throne of Grace (Hebrews 4:16). You have access to the king, because you are the son or daughter of the king. When you were a child, did you have to grovel to get your needs met by your mom or dad? I hope not.

So, when you pray, don't say, “Oh God, I hope you will supply my needs.” Instead say something , “Father, thank you that you keep every promise You make.

Your Word says that you will supply all my needs according to Your riches in glory, by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). Therefore, I thank you that you will do this thing for my family.

I ask this in the wonderful name of Jesus. Amen”

It was the great missionary, Hudson Taylor, who said, “The prayer power has never been tried to its full capacity. If we want to see Divine power wrought in the place of weakness, failure, and disappointment, let us answer God's standing challenge, ‘Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things of which thou knowest not of’.”

How do you get “clean hands a pure heart?” Simply by confessing your sins to God, through Jesus Christ. His blood cleanses from all sin (1 John 1:7-9). When you confess them to God through Jesus, God will not only forgive your every sin, He promises to forget that sin (Hebrew 8:12).

He will even justify you, on the grounds of the sacrifice of the Savior. That means He will count it as though you have never sinned in the first place. He will make you pure in His sight—sinless.

he will even “purge” your conscience, so that you will no longer have that sense of guilt that you sinned in the first place. That's what I means “to be justified by faith.

” That's why you need to soak yourself in Holy Scripture—to read the letters to the churches and see the wonderful things that God has done for us through the Cross of Calvary. If you don't bother to read the will, you won't have any idea of what has been left for you.

How do you know that you are praying to “the God revealed in Holy Scripture?” Study the Word. Don't accept the image of God portrayed by the world, even though it appeals to the natural mind.

A loving, kind fatherly-figure, with no sense of justice or truth appeals to guilty sinners. Look to the thunderings and lightnings of Mount Sinai.

Gaze at Jesus on the cross of Calvary—hanging in unspeakable agony because of the Justice of a holy God. Such thoughts tend to banish idolatry.

Warfare—Praise The Lord and Pass the Ammunition

Previous…

1. Feeding on the Word—Daily Nutrition
   “A healthy baby has a healthy appetite.

   If you have truly been “born” of the Spirit of God, you will have a healthy appetite…” [Read more]

2. Faith—Elevators Can Let You Down
   “…in a world where we are continually let down, we can totally rely on, trust in, count on His promises… He will never, ever, let you down…” [Read more]
3. Evangelism—Our Most Sobering Task
   “You probably have a limited amount of time after your conversion to impact your unsaved friends and family with the Gospel… Here's some advice that will save you a great deal of grief…” [Read more]
4. Prayer—“Wait For A Minute.”

Next…

1. Warfare—Praise The Lord and Pass the Ammunition
   “When you became a Christian, you stepped right into the heat of an age-old battle.

   You have a three-fold enemy—the world, the flesh, and the devil… Let's look at these three resistant enemies…” [Read more]

2. Fellowship—Flutter by Butterfly
   “Pray about where you should fellowship… Don't become a ‘spiritual butterfly.

   ’ Send your roots down…” [Read more]

3. Thanksgiving—Do the Right Thing
   “For the Christian, every day should be Thanksgiving Day.

   We should even be thankful in the midst of problems…” [Read more]

4. Water Baptism
   [Read more]
5. Supporting God’s work and workers—The Last Frontier
   “It was once said that the wallet is the “last frontier.

   ” It is the final area to be conquered—the last thing that comes to God in surrender…” [Read more]

6. Troubleshooting: Cults, Atheists, Skeptics
   “When cults tell you that you must acknowledge God's name to be saved, that you must worship on a certain day that you must be baptized by an elder of their church, don't panic. Merely go back to the Instruction Manual…” [Read more]

Also see

Ray Comfort of Living Waters Publications. From the booklet Save Yourself Some Pain. Edited by Films for Christ. Web page Copyright © 2001, Living Waters Publications, All Rights Reserved—except as noted on attached “Usage and Copyright” page.

ChristianAnswers.Net Christian Answers Network PO Box 1167

Marysville WA 98270-1167

Источник: //christiananswers.net/q-comfort/growing-prayer.html

23 Short Prayers – Hope for Your Soul

Whether you have had a personal relationship with God for years or you are only beginning to discover who Jesus is, we all need guidance sometimes when it comes to prayers. It’s often hard to find the words to pray, that’s why we put together this collection of short prayers.

The following short prayers offer guiding words to use for praying over various topics including worry, anxiety, doubt, forgiveness, fear, and other areas of life where we need to ask for God’s help.

Please use these prayers and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you as you add some of your own words and personalize your petitions to God.

Prayer for Peace

Father God, my heart is filled with chaos and confusion. I feel as if I am drowning in my circumstances and my heart is filled with fear and confusion. I really need the strength and peace that only You can give. Right now, I choose to rest in You. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen. ~ Mary Southerland.

Prayer for the Broken-Hearted

Lord, my heart is broken but You are near. My spirit is crushed, but You are my rescuer. Your Word is my hope. It revives me and comforts me in especially now. My soul faints, but you are the breath of life within me.

You are my help, the One who sustains me. I am weak but You are strong. You bless those who mourn, and I trust You to bless me and my family with all that we need. You will rescue me from this dark cloud of despair because You delight in me.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen. ~ Jennifer White
 

Prayer for Perseverance

Holy Lord, Thank You for grace. Please help me move beyond the hurdles that trip me up and give me the strength and wisdom to look up and see the hope I run toward in Christ. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. ~ Gwen Smith

Prayer for Self Control

Father, today I ask forgiveness of all the negative and harmful words I have spoken about myself. I do not want to abuse myself in such a way again. Transform my thoughts and let me understand how marvelously you made me. Change my habits so I use my tongue to speak hope and favor upon my life. In Jesus' name, Amen. ~ Sarah Coleman

Prayer for Loving Jesus

Father, I have to thank You for looking beyond my faults and for loving me unconditionally. Forgive me when I fail to love others in the same way. Give me eyes to see the needs of the difficult people in my life, and show me how to meet those needs in a way that pleases You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. ~ Mary Southerland

Prayer for God’s Direction

Lord, help me not to lean on my own understanding but in everything acknowledge You so that You can direct my words, thoughts and actions. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. ~ Sharon Glasgow

Prayer For Worry

Father, I am tempted to worry about so many things. Our world is a mess! Forgive me for focusing on anything or anyone but You. Thank You for the Bible that equips and empowers me to live each day. Right now, I declare that You are my only Hope. Please help me remember that You really are in control. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. ~ Mary Southerland

Prayer for God’s Strength

Lord, thank you for your greatness. Thank you that when I am weak, you are strong. Lord, the Devil is scheming and I know he desires to keep me from spending time with you. Don’t let him win! Give me a measure of your strength so that I might not give into discouragement, deception and doubt! Help me honor you in all my ways. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. ~ Debbie Przybylski

~ Debbie Przybylski

Prayer When Feeling Inadequate

Dear Lord, Thank You for fearfully and wonderfully creating each of us. Thank You for giving us worth in Your eyes. Help us live as the one You uniquely intended us to be. Help us abide instead of strive, living peacefully and joyfully as heirs to Your Kingdom and co-heirs with Christ. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. ~ Julie Sunne

Prayer for Being Grateful

Father, I am so sorry for the way I complain about my circumstances. Please forgive me for my bad attitude when things don't go my way.

I want to see Your hand in every part of every day – good or bad.

Help me learn how to face every storm with confidence, knowing that You really are in control even though I cannot hear Your voice or see Your hand at work. In Jesus Name, Amen. ~ Mary Southerland

Prayer of God’s Provision

Dear Father God, Thank You for Your unfailing love for me, Your blessings, and goodness. Thank You for Your faithfulness to guide me and see me through times of uncertainty, for lifting me up, and setting me on high.

Thank You for Scripture that comforts and reminds me of Your promises, plan, and provision. Thank you for taking away my fears and worries, the what-ifs, and reminding me that my help comes from You. Help me be a good steward and to sow wisely.

In Christ’s Name, Amen. ~ Renee Davis

Prayer for Growing Faith

Dear Lord, help me – every single morning – to find faith in the midst of the chaos. Give me the desire and ability to see You, hear You, talk to You, and give thanks to You.

And as I do, I pray that I will draw nearer and nearer to You, and that my faith will multiply exponentially as I understand in new, deeper ways that You are everything I ever hoped You would be. And so much more.

Amen. ~ Kelly O’Dell Stanley

Prayer for Confidence

Lord, help me let go of my fear of failure. I know Satan wants to use my fears to hold me back from living boldly for You.

Forgive me for not living in faith, and help me from this moment on to live with bold confidence in You. Lord, help me not compare myself to others around me.

I pray instead that I can keep my eye on You and live a life that proclaims Your excellence. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen. ~ Rick Warren

Prayer for a Heavy Heart

Lord, I want to lay before you all that weighs heavy on my heart. Reveal even the sin I am not aware of, Lord. I lay these at your feet and pray your forgiveness on me. I believe you when you say that you wash us whiter than snow. Thank you Lord for your unending love for me! Help me start fresh right now to make choices that honor you. In Jesus' Name, Amen. ~ Rick Warren 

Father, sometimes it does feel that you have left us in the battle. We know that you are with us, but so are our feelings of aloneness. The Enemy seems to be taking ground. Our crying out to you seems to go unanswered. We know you are at work, but help us trust you in the midst of our questions. In Jesus' Name, Amen. ~ Ron Moore 

Short Prayer for Thankfulness

God, sometimes life gets me down and I find it hard to see things to be thankful for. Open my eyes to see the gifts you’ve given me in my life. I’m going to start by thanking you for loving me enough to come to earth and die so we can live together forever. Amen. ~ Wendy van Eyck

Prayer for Restored Relationships

Father God, open my eyes to see the ways I’m Cain.

What conflicts am I allowing to brew in my family? What anger is bubbling into murderous rage in my relationships? Thank You for the clarity to see how hatred kills relationships.

I choose instead the way of love. Love protects. Help me to protect those I love by loving them. Your way is always best, Father. I pray in Jesus’ Name, Amen. ~ James MacDonald

Which one of these short prayers spoke the most to you and how can we be praying for you? Comment below and let us know! 

This article is part of our larger Prayers resource meant to inspire and encourage your prayer life when you face uncertain times. Visit our most popular prayers if you are wondering how to pray or what to pray. Remember, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us and God knows your heart even if you can't find the words to pray.

Prayer for Healing
Prayer for Strength
Prayer for Protection
Morning Prayers
Good Night Prayers
Serenity Prayer
A Birthday Prayer
Sinner’s Prayer
Prayer for Forgiveness
Prayer for Guidance
Intercessory Prayer
Prayer for Peace
Prayer for Faith
Prayer for Love

Now available is our new Daily Prayer devotional! An easy way to find start your day with prayer, read today’s prayer and sign up to receive by email.

Источник: //www.crosswalk.com/faith/prayer/23-short-prayers.html

10 Short Daily Prayers For Christians

Prayer is something that should be a part of our lives daily throughout the day. We should pray when we wake up, go to sleep, and many times in between. Even if you and I don’t have a lot of time to pray, God still wants to hear us. Here are 10 short daily prayers that you can pray throughout your day.

Morning

“In the morning when I rise, in the morning when I rise, in the morning when I rise, give me Jesus.” (Fernando Ortega, Give Me Jesus)

Father in Heaven,

Thank you for watching over me as I slept through the night. Your hands of comfort and strength held me as You watched over me. Father, I love You. You love me so much and I am in awe of how amazing You truly are. As I begin my day, I simply pray that you walk with me and lead me where you please. May Your will be done this day. Amen

In The Car

“Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

O Lord,

An ambulance just went by. Father, I pray for Your mercy on who is injured in that ambulance. Father, use your hands of healing on them and bring them to the hospital safely.

May it be that they will live through this and find You if they haven’t already. Father, reach for them and show them Your love. Be with the family of this person and comfort them through this time of pain and suffering.

May Your name be glorified in this. I love You, Father! Amen

I pray that today you will be with me as I am patient with my boss (the thorn in my flesh).

Your Boss (The Thorn In Your Flesh?)

“I don’t wanna say a word, unless it points the world back to you, back to you!” (Hawk Nelson, Words)

Lord,

I pray that today you will be with me as I am patient with my boss. He/she preaches diversity and equality to look good and does things that are the complete opposite. Father, this is such a struggle for me.

I don’t even want to go to work some days because of the unfairness. I have strength to go on those days only because of You, Father. Thank You for giving me Your peace that passes all understanding when I need it most.

May my boss and fellow workers see Jesus in me today. I love You, Father! Amen

School

“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.” (Ephesians 4:15)

Dear Lord,

I thank You for my school and the faculty that runs it. I pray that you will give me courage to speak the truth in the midst of lies that may be taught there. I don’t ever want to accept a lie just to get a better grade.

Father, be with me as I fight for truth in the midst of chaotic moments there. I know we did not evolve from monkeys because God made humans special and different from the animals.

May it be that Your name be glorified today as I shine the light of Jesus Christ to a hurting world. I love You, Lord! Amen

Rifts Among Friends

“What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?” (James 4:1)

Forgiving Father,

Forgive me for my own sin that is a part of the reason for a hurting friendship. I miss the way things were before our fight. Lord, I need your strength right now. I want to mend this relationship badly, but it has to be You that my friend sees in me. Father, give me the words to say today as I try to reconcile a wonderful friendship. I love You, Lord! Amen

Plans

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Gracious Lord,

I have many things to do today. Bills need to be paid, a dental check-up, an oil change in my car and many other things. Father, I pray that You will be with me as I do all of these things. More importantly, I ask that You show me what plans You have prepared for me today. May it be that I don’t put my plans ahead of Yours, Lord. You know what is best for me, Father, and I love You! Amen

Prayer For The Evening Meal

“Blessed be the Name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore!” (Psalm 113:2)

Father in Heaven,

Blessed be Your Name! You have brought my family back home safely through all of the things we accomplished today. I am grateful for this family You have given me. Thank you for my spouse and my children. I am truly blessed. Father, thank you for this food that has been prepared.

I pray that You would use it to nourish our bodies and give us strength. Thank You most of all for Your Son, Jesus, who paid the price for our sins on the cross. Words cannot express how thankful I am for the cross.

All glory, honor and praise belong to You! I love You, Father! Amen

Prayer Before Devotions

“An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.” (Proverbs 18:15)

Dear Lord,

Prepare my heart for what I am about to read in Your Holy Word. I pray that You would enlighten my mind to understand everything I read. I want to know You more, Father. Show me Your will in this time as I grow closer to You through Scripture. I praise Your Holy Name, Father! I love You! Amen

I Am Thankful

“Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His Name!” (Psalm 100:4)

Wonderful Lord,

I just want to thank You for everything You are. You have given me Jesus and now You look at me as if I am holy. I can’t wrap my mind around this because I know how stained I am with sin. Father, I thank You for the beauty in nature.

Thank you for lush wooded forests, crystal clear island waters, the sun for warmth and light, the moon, and the twinkling stars that You have specifically placed into constellations for us. You are wonderful and awe-inspiring, Father.

I love You! Amen

Prayer For The Lost

“All the poor and powerless
And all the lost and lonely
All the thieves will come confess
And know that You are holy
And know that You are holy” (All Sons And Daughters, All The Poor And Powerless)

Father, God

I pray for the lost and hurting people in this world. We are all surrounded by greed, malice, strife, conceit, pride, and many other horrible, evil things. Father, I pray that You would use me to spread Your Good News to someone today.

It grieves me to know many who have died without Jesus. Hell is such a horrible place. To be eternally separated from You is hell, Father! I am eternally grateful for the cross, and Jesus’ blood spilled for me.

Father, I truly am in love with You! Amen

8 Evening Prayers to End Your Day

Resources – The Holy Bible, English Standard Version “Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. “Give me Jesus” by Fernando Ortega

as: Prayers, short daily prayers

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