1 Peter 3 ~ Praying Scripture

Please read 1 Peter 3.

Meditate on verse 8.

To sum up, all of you be harmonious,

 sympathetic, brotherly,

kindhearted, and humble in spirit.

Peter shepherded wives, husbands, and everyone in 1 Peter 3.  Wives were exhorted to submit to their own husbands in the same way Jesus submitted to God the Father.  Husbands were exhorted to understand and honor their wives.  And everybody was to bless others. 

Remember the Word of God is enduring (1 Peter 1:23), and it is the wisdom of God versus demonic wisdom (James 3:15).  The exhortations in 1 Peter 3 have not changed or become old-fashioned.  God still says, “Wives, submit to your own husbands.  Your gentle and quiet spirit is precious in My sight.  Husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way and honor her as a fellow heir of My grace, so I will hear your prayers.”

This is timeless truth that improves marriage relationships.  Pray 1 Peter 3:8-9 over the relationships you guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, please help ________ and me

be harmonious, sympathetic,

brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit.

Do not let us return evil for evil or insult for insult,

but let us give a blessing instead

because we were called for that very purpose

so that we might inherit a blessing.

In Your name, Jesus~”

1 Peter 2 ~ Praying Scripture

Please read 1 Peter 2.

Meditate on verse 2.

Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the Word,

 so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,

if you have tasted the kindness of the LORD.

A good shepherd makes sure his sheep are fed.  Jesus commanded Peter to feed His sheep (John 21:15).  Peter took his sheep to the enduring Word of God for nourishment. 

God’s Word lasts forever (1 Peter 1:25).  God commands you in 1 Peter 2:2 to long for that Word like a newborn baby longs for his mama’s milk.  The word long means to intensely crave and pursue something. Does that describe your pursuit of God’s Word everyday?  As a child of God, your spiritual nourishment comes from the Word of God.  What would happen to a newborn baby who was not given any milk for an entire day?  What would happen if that newborn were given only a drop of milk, just a small taste each day?  You understand why God used this comparison; now spend time in the Word of God as if your life depends on it because it most certainly does.

Pray 1 Peter 2:1-3 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, may _________ and I put aside all malice, all deceit,

hypocrisy, envy, and all slander.

Like newborn babies,

may we long for the pure milk of Your Word,

so that by it we may grow in respect to salvation. 

Thank You that we have tasted of Your kindness, LORD.

sSIn Your name, Jesus~”

1 Peter 1 ~ Praying Scripture

Please read 1 Peter 1.

Meditate on verse 25.

But the Word of the LORD endures forever.

And this is the Word which was preached to you.

Peter was the disciple who denied knowing Jesus three times the night before Christ was crucified.  Peter was part of Jesus’ inner circle of friends, but that night, Peter was more motivated by fear than love for his Lord.  However, rather than killing himself in his shame like Judas did, Peter let Jesus forgive and restore him.  After the resurrection, Christ graciously came to Peter, asked him if he loved Him, and exhorted him three times to shepherd His sheep (John 21:15-19).  Peter wrote two letters as part of obeying his LORD’s command to tend His lambs.  Thankfully, as a lamb of God, you have these shepherding letters to tend your heart and the hearts of those God has called you to shepherd.

Peter’s enduring letter explains how you are saved and protected by the power of God.  It says that your faith is more precious than gold, so do not be distressed by trials because God uses trials to prove your faith.  You love God even though you have never seen Him.  Your life was futile until the precious blood of Jesus Christ redeemed you. 

Based on these and the many other truths found in 1 Peter 1, pray 1 Peter 1:13-16 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, let ________ and me prepare our minds for action,

keep sober in spirit,

and fix our hope completely on the grace to be brought to us

at the revelation of You, Jesus Christ.

As obedient children, do not let us be conformed

to the former lusts which were ours in our ignorance.

But like You, Holy One, who called us,

let us be holy in all our behavior.

We can be holy because You are holy.

In Your name, Jesus~”

  

James 5 ~ Praying Scripture

Please read James 5.

Meditate on verse 16b.

The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

Do not grow weary and lose heart in your prayer life.  God heard and answered Elijah’s prayers, and he was a person just like you.  Even Elijah had a sinful nature.

Do not believe Satan when he says your prayers will not make a difference, or the sins of your past disqualify you to ask the Lord to work in your life and the lives of others.

God says you must pray.  You must pray when you are suffering; you must pray when you are cheerful.  You must pray for yourself and others.  James compares human lives to soil that needs early and late rains in order to produce a crop.  Pray for God’s truth to rain on those you love in order to produce a bountiful harvest of righteousness.

Pray James 5:19-20 over those for whom you are standing guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“Lord, __________ has strayed from Your truth.

Turn them back.  Turn them from the error of their ways.

Save their soul from death and cover a multitude of their sins.

In Your name, Jesus~”

James 4 ~ Praying Scripture

Please read James 4.

Meditate on verse 6.

But He gives greater grace.

Therefore it says,

“God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

As if God’s grace to save you from eternity in hell isn’t enough, He gives greater grace to forgive you when you fall back into the sins listed in James 4:1-4.  James wrote to Christians.  These believers were fighting, quarreling, lusting, envying, murdering, being friends with the world, and being enemies of God.  James calls them adulteresses for engaging in such hostile behaviors.

God jealously desires the Holy Spirit He caused to dwell in you to be allowed to live in you.  You have a choice to make.  In appreciation of God’s greater grace that does not zap you dead for engaging in spiritually adulterous behavior, will you submit to God, resist the devil, draw near to God, purify your heart and mind, be miserable and mourn over your sin, and humble yourself in the presence of the LORD?

You know the right thing to do. Choosing not to do the right thing is sin.

Pray James 4:6-10 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, You are opposed to the proud.

May ________ and I be humble;

we need Your greater grace.

Help us to submit to You and resist the devil.

Make the devil flee from us.

Draw near to us, LORD, as we draw to You.

Cleanse our hands and our double-minded hearts.

Let us be miserable, mourn, and weep over sin.

Let us never laugh and be joyful about sin.

LORD, may we humble ourselves in Your presence.

You be exalted, Jesus,

For Your name’s sake~”