7 Prayers That Work

1 Corinthians 13 (MSG): 

So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love. Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end. Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled. But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly…

Lord, God of heaven and earth,


How your heart must grieve over the dissension and hate in the world!

You want unity here on earth, 
among your children,
so the world will know that you are a God of love.
Instead, we manifest selfishness, dissent, criticism, and hatred.

Create unity in me.

I confess my prejudice toward others who don't think like I think.
I confess my jealousy and resentment toward others who have more than me.
I confess my anger toward others who behave differently than I think they should.
I confess my excuses and my blame-shifting of my perspectives and beliefs
because I think other people are worse than me.

That creates disunity.
I want your Spirit to reign in my life,
causing love and unity toward all people,
regardless of politics, religion, race, economics, or anything else.

Create unity in our church.

I confess our selfishness because we care more about what church gives us
than we do about giving ourselves to mission.
I confess our petty bickering about politics,
because we c…

Oh, Lord,

I pray for our law enforcement.
I pray for the safety of our officers and elected officials.
I pray for the emotional and mental stamina to endure
and the spiritual awareness to do what's right in every situation,
to trust you and to trust righteousness.
I ask for the safety of their homes and families.
I pray against any more loss of life from any side.

Give our officers and leaders compassion,
mercy,
courage,
goodness,
and a godly sense of justice.

Convict those who have sinned and change their hearts toward their fellow-man.
Affirm those who have served faithfully and give them favor with everyone.

I pray for healing of their hearts and their spirits,
for the emotional damage that's been done.
May this time of unrest bring awareness rather than hostility,
a desire for fairness rather than revenge.

Lord, end the violence in this country by changing hearts.
Help us to see you,
honor you,
and uplift you in every situation and through every action.
May we stop blaming …

Oh, Lord,

You are a God of love.
I want to love you more every day.
I want to extend your love to others,
no matter who they are, what they've done, or how they feel about you and other people.

Help me to love people the way you do.

Keep me from
criticism,
judgment,
presuppositions,
assumptions,
stereotyping,
prejudice,
demonizing,
hating.

Oh, Lord, convict us of our hate.
Whether we think it,
speak it,
advocate it,
or act on it.

Lord, eradicate our hatred for one another,
on all sides,
for any reason.
Wreck us with compassion,
empathy,
understanding,
hope,
and love.

If we feel angry,
help us lean in and give.
If we feel confused,
hell us lean in and learn.
If we feel defeated,
help us lean in and persevere.
If we feel vengeful,
help us lean in and fight with righteousness.
If we feel grieved,
help us to lean in and find comfort.

You alone have the power to
change lives,
make lives matter,
give life,
renew life.

But please, Lord,
humble us so we can love others like you love us.
B…

Lord Jesus,

We ask your Spirit to comfort us today.
Whether we suffer with grief,
anxiety,
fear,
hurt,
anger,
betrayal,
guilt,
or hopelessness--

Come meet us.
Speak into our lives and invite us to sit in your presence.
To feel you.
To trust you.
To hear you.

We come and sit.
We wait with expectation and wonder.

We will tell of your wonders.
We will be glad and rejoice in you.
We will sing your praises
because you always uphold your righteous causes.

You will rebuke sin and arrogance.
You will blot out the names of the wicked with your vengeance
and uphold the testimony of the righteous.

You will judge the world for its sin.
You will govern us, your people, with justice.
You are refuge for the the oppressed
and a stronghold in times of trouble.
Because of your power, righteousness will not be defeated.

Those who seek you will know your name--
they will hear you call yourself by the name they most need to understand.
And that will cause them to trust in you.

Jehovah-Jireh: The Lord who provide…