PRAYER FOR OTHERS
PRAYER SCRIPTURE
Philippians 1:3,4, The Message
Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart.
PRAYER TEACHING
Prayers that are made with thanksgiving and joy are a delight to God’s heart. We are told in Psalms to enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.
When we come to our place of prayer every day, let’s start with the right attitude of thanksgiving and a grateful heart. Before we start our list of petitions, let’s focus on how good God is and what He has done for us. Let’s take some time to thank Him and let Him know how grateful we are to Him for His goodness. I know, there are times when we are sort of “down in the dumps” about life in general and we certainly don’t feel very joyful. You’re breathing, aren’t you. You have breath in your body, don’t you. Even if you are hooked up to oxygen, thank God for the availability of oxygen. There are always things we can find for which to be grateful.
I am reminded right now that when I pray for people that I am not too pleased with at the moment, I am to break out in exclamations of thanks to God, and pray for them with a glad heart. Are you thinking right now—-yuk, yuk and double yuk? Hold on a moment. God could think the same thing about you and worse. He is perfect and you are definitely imperfect without Him. So there you go—you are already ahead of the game. That person is not nearly as bad as you thought. Pray for them. Before you know it, you will find yourself praying with a glad heart.
Pray and rejoice! Have a grateful heart! Let joy be your trigger to pray!
PRAYER CONFESSION
I PRAY FOR OTHERS WITH JOY IN MY HEART!