Bible Prayers

April 1, 2020

Praying for pardon

We’ve heard about the “sins of the fathers” being “revisited upon the children,” but God said – whether child or parent – each of us carries responsibility for own actions. That’s true, of course, since God said so! But it primarily refers to punishment such as fines or jail time.

Bad decisions and unhealthy lifestyles today can, and most likely will, affect even a great-grandchild. For example, they might eat the nutrition-less foods they had growing up. Or they might do drugs because their grandmother did. They might not be taught social skills or the godly standards expressed in God’s word.

As one generation passes poor choices onto another generation who doesn’t know they even have choices, the chain continues – unless we seek God’s power in our lives and those of our ancestors and offspring for generations gone and to come.

That’s what Moses did. As the mediator between God and God’s people who had been enslaved for hundreds of years, Moses pleaded for this visitation of sin to cease.

Numbers 14:17-19 – a prayer of Moses

And now, I beseech thee,

let the power of my lord be great,

according as thou hast spoken, saying,

The Lord is longsuffering,

and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity

and transgression, and by no means

clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity

of the fathers upon the children

unto the third and fourth generation.

Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity

of this people according unto the greatness

of thy mercy, and as thou hast

forgiven this people, from Egypt

even until now.

Numbers 14:17-19 – a prayer of Moses

Lord, I need evidence of Your power!

You said You’re slow to anger

and filled with unfailing love,

forgiving all sorts of sin and rebellion,

yet not excusing the guilty.

Indeed, when parents sin, their choices

and actions affect other people–

even a great-great-grandchild!

But please pardon us, Lord!

Please keep on parenting us

with Your glorious love.

May God forgive us our sins and break any chains of bad inheritance, traumas suffered, or “bad blood” between us and others affecting us, our families, and our countries in Jesus’ Name.

…

March 31, 2020

Bible Reviewer: God’s promises in God’s Word reveal God’s will

Bible Reviewer: God’s promises in God’s Word reveal God’s will:

Claiming God’s promises and praying in agreement with God's vows to us ensures that we’re praying in God’s will.

March 18, 2020

Moses prayed for family healing

For forty years, Moses lived in Pharaoh’s palace while his siblings, Miriam and Aaron, lived in the home of their parents, who were Hebrew slaves.

One day Moses saw an Egyptian cruelly mistreating a Hebrew, so he killed the man to defend the slave. When word got around, Moses fled the country and spent the next forty years among the Cushites, tending livestock and marrying the daughter of the local priest for whom he worked.

Moses’ third round of forty years began with the Exodus as God called him to lead the Hebrew people out of Egypt. Miriam and Aaron came too, but they did not like his being married to a Cushite (Ethiopian) woman. Maybe they were intolerant of people with darker skin. Maybe they got jealous of their younger brother’s position of authority. Regardless, they spoke against Moses – the man whom God Himself had appointed, which was like speaking against the wisdom of God.

Numbers 12:8 records God’s response from a cloud: “Why weren’t you afraid to speak against my servant?” As the cloud lifted, they saw Miriam’s skin turning stark white with leprosy.

Immediately, Moses prayed:

Numbers 12:13 – King James Version

And Moses cried

unto the Lord,

saying,

Heal her now,

O God, I beseech thee.

Numbers 12:13 – paraphrased

I’m crying out to You

as loud as Moses:

Lord God, please

heal my family!

In response to Moses’ prayer, God said, “Let her be shut outside the camp for seven days, and afterwards, let her be received again,” (Numbers 12:14.)

May the people quarantined in this country and around the world turn to God, pray, and be healed.

…

March 13, 2020

Priestly Prayer for God’s People

At the moment, the world seems to be in a panic over a virus, causing man-made systems, businesses, and services to shut down. As health officials tell us, we need to wash hands with soap every time we’re out and keep ourselves – and the air in our homes – hydrated.

Most important, however, we need to decide if we truly do trust God, Who made us, cares for us, and gives us this prayer:

Numbers 6:24-26 – the priestly prayer-blessing of Aaron over God’s people (KJV)

The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:

The Lord make his face shine upon thee,

and be gracious unto thee:

The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee,

and give thee peace.

Numbers 6:24-26 – the prayer of Aaron (paraphrased)

Lord, we pray You bless and keep us.

We pray Your face shines graciously upon us.

We pray You look kindly toward us

and give us Your God-peace.

Shalom.

May this priestly prayer, given to the Jewish high priest Aaron and received by Christians too, give us the peace needed in any troubling time.

…

March 9, 2020

Moses intercedes for God’s people

During the season of Lent, God’s people often take time to draw closer to the Lord through personal confession and prayer for forgiveness. However, Moses confessed for the hundreds of thousands whom God had asked him to lead out of slavery.

As soon as their leader was out of sight, the people committed the most offensive act against the very God Who had rescued them! When Moses saw what was going on, he mediated for them, confessed their wrong-doing, pleaded with the Lord God on their behalf, and even put his own life on the line, knowing God could be trusted to do what was right.

Exodus 32:31-32 – a prayer of Moses

And Moses returned unto the Lord,

and said, Oh, this people have sinned

a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.

Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin;

and if not, blot me, I pray thee,

out of thy book which thou hast written.

Exodus 32:31-32 – a prayer of Moses

(Now I see)

what terrible sins

these people have committed!

They have fashioned themselves

gods of gold!

Oh, Lord, please forgive them!

And, if that just is not possible,

please take me off Your list!

Today, praise God, we have Jesus Christ to intercede for us and reconcile us to our Heavenly Father and His.

…

March 2, 2020

Moses confronts God in prayer

As the Lenten season leads us to Easter, our times of seeking God can lead us to repentance. But undoubtedly we mean our need to repent, not God’s!

Moses had other thoughts. His honesty, faith, and daring placed him face-to-face with God – a position which can also lead to confrontation!

Exodus 32:11-13 – King James Version

And Moses besought the Lord his God,

and said, Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot

against thy people, which thou hast

brought forth out of the land of Egypt

with great power, and with a mighty hand?

Wherefore should the Egyptians speak,

and say, For mischief did he bring them out,

to slay them in the mountains, and to consume

them from the face of the earth?

Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent

of this evil against thy people.

Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel,

thy servants, to whom thou swarest

by thine own self, and saidst unto them,

I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven,

and all this land that I have spoken of will I give

unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.

Exodus 32:11-13 – paraphrased

O, Lord, why are You so angry

with Your people – the very ones

You rescued with such great power?

After displaying Your mighty force,

do You really want everyone

to think You brought us here

to strike us dead?

Please do not bring disaster!

Remember Your faithful servants

who have gone before us –

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob –

and how You promised them

countless descendants

more numerous than stars.

As Christians, we’re also to be honest with God and express our faith, knowing Jesus is beside us, ready to help.

“For there is one God, and there is one Mediator for all people – Jesus Christ,” 1 Timothy 2:5.

“Jesus Christ has negotiated a new covenant between God and us,” Hebrews 9:15.

Throughout Lent and beyond, may we always feel free to approach the Lord with what troubles us – no matter what!

…

February 19, 2020

The prayer-song of Miriam

Until the Exodus from Egypt, the only life Moses’ sister Miriam had known was as a slave. Once she and the Hebrew people had safely crossed the Red Sea, Miriam not only burst into a song of prayer and praise, she encouraged God’s innumerable people to do the same.

Exodus 15:21 – a prayer-song of Miriam

Sing ye to the Lord,

for he hath triumphed gloriously;

the horse and his rider

hath he thrown into the sea.

Exodus 15:21 – a prayer of Miriam

We sing to You, Lord

for You are to be exalted!

How gloriously You

have triumphed!

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