Prayers of Paul

Dear Father,

We pray for these children that their love will abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight so that they will be able to make good decisions about what is best in life so that they will be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:9-11

Father, we ask that you make their love to increase and overflow for each other and for all of your children, just as our love overflows for them. Strengthen their hearts so that they will be blameless and holy in your presence when Jesus comes again.

I Thess. 3:12-13

May you, the God of peace, give them the peace that is beyond understanding, give it to them at all times and in every way.  Always be with them, guarding their hearts and their minds.

II Thess 3: 16 (Philippians 4:7)

May your Love, Father, and the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the fellowship of your Holy Spirit be with them all.

II Cor. 13:14

Amen

Prayers of Paul - Ephesians

I come before you, Father as it is from you that your whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray for these children that out of your glorious riches that you will make them mighty and strong with power through your Spirit in their inner beings so that Christ may dwell to the fullest in their hearts through faith. That they will be rooted and established in love, that you will give them the power to grasp how Wide and how Long and how High and how Deep is the love of Christ and that they will always be able to experience this love that is beyond comprehension, and that they will be filled up to the brim with your presence in their lives.

Ephesians 3: 14- 19

Now to you who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or even imagine – according to your power that is at work within us to You be the Glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3: 20 -21

Prayers of Paul - Thessalonians

Dear Father,

May you, the God of peace, set these children apart for your service, sanctifying them through and through, that their whole spirit, soul and body will be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I Thess. 5:23

I pray that you will count them worthy of your calling, that by your power, you will fulfill your purpose in their lives and you will also grant success for their leaps of faith, for their efforts that are prompted by their faith. That the name of Jesus Christ will be glorified in their lives and that they will also be glorified in Christ according to your Grace and the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

II Thess. 1: 11-12

I ask that you, Father, and your Son, Jesus Christ who have loved us and by your grace have given us eternal encouragement and hope, that you will for these children, encourage their hearts at all times when they need lifting up and strengthen them in every good work that they pursue.

II Thess. 2: 16-17

Amen

Prayers of Paul - Colossians

Dear Father,

I pray that you will fill these children with the knowledge of your will in their lives through all spiritual wisdom and understanding, that they may live a life worthy of Jesus Christ and may please you in every way, bearing fruit in every good work, growing in knowledge of you, being strengthened with all power according to your glorious might so that they may have great endurance and patience and may always joyfully thank you, Father, who has qualified them to share in the inheritance of all Christians in the Kingdom of light. Father, rescue them from the dominion of darkness and bring them into the kingdom of your Son, whom you love, and in whom they can have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1: 9-14)

I pray that you will help them to stand firm in ALL of your will, that they will be mature and self confident in their faith. (Colossians 4:12)

Amen

Freedom in Christ

Father,

I pray that you guide this children to avoid the trap of legalism for we know that we are all under grace, not under law, if we have been clothed in your son. (Romans 6:14, Galatians 5:4). I know the temptation is always there to attempt to justify ourselves by how well we keep your rules and how easy it is to condemn ourselves when we don't do well at keeping your rules.  But you want our hearts to be at rest in the knowledge of our salvation - asking only that we love other people as Jesus has loved us (I John 3:18-20). I know that we will fail at such a command, but that is where your grace will complete our imperfection as we strive to love others.

Help these little ones to understand clearly that it is love and mercy you want from them - for them to show love and mercy to each other and to others, rather than trying to follow a set of rules. Please help them to understand that you did provide rules, but not so that we prove ourselves to you by following them, but that they are for our own good in this life - because, to your praise and glory, Jesus already paid the price for our failure at rule-keeping and by that abolished rule-keeping as our way of coming to you. Now these children can come to you by calling on the blood of Jesus given for them - and thereby they can approach your throne with confidence knowing they will receive mercy. (Hebrews 4:16).

Amen

Thanksgiving - I Chronicles 16

Dear Father,

May these children always give thanks to you and call on your name. May they tell of what you have done in their lives. May they sing to you, sing praises to you and tell of the wonderful things you have done. Let them bask in the glory of your name and as their hearts seek you, may they rejoice.

May they always look to you for their strength and seek your face. Bring to their memory the wonders you have done in their lives

You are the Lord their God, your judgments are in all the earth. You remember your promises of salvation to them for a thousand generations. May they sing to you and proclaim your salvation day after day. May they declare your glory and speak of your marvelous deeds, for you are great and are worthy of their praise.

You made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before you. Strength and joy are in your dwelling place. May these children ever ascribe to you glory and strength due your name. May they come before you with an offering and worship of a sacrificial life lived in the splendor of your holiness.

The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved. Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad.
Let them say among the nations "The Lord reigns!"
Let the sea resound, and all that is in it;
Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them!
Then the trees of the forest will sing, they will sing for joy before you, for you come to judge the earth.

We give thanks to you, oh Lord, for you are good; your love endures forever.

May these children cry out "Save us, our God and Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name, that we may glory in your praise."

Praise be to you, God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.

Amen

Psalm 46

Dear Father,

Be their refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.
By your presence, may they not fear,
Though the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the sea.
Though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

There is a river whose streams make glad your dwelling place - the hearts of your followers, as I pray these children will always be.

I pray that you dwell within them, that they will not fall, that you will help them through the darkness of night until the dawn breaks.

Though nations are in uproar and kingdoms fall, you lift your voice and the earth melts and you, the Lord Almighty, will be their fortress in the midst.

Let them see your works, the desolation you bring on the earth against those bent on evil.
Let them see you make wars cease to the ends of the earth as you break the bow and shatter the spear, and burn the shields with fire.

Help them learn to be still, and know that you are God. That you are in control, with power over all nations - power over all the earth.

Be with them at all times, oh Lord Almighty. God of Jacob be their fortress.

Amen