PrayerThots Devotional

God Grants Gifts for Unity; and           Inspiring Blest Be the Tie That Binds

I’m Blest Be the Tie That Binds
John Fawcett was ordained as a
Baptist minister and began ministry
at a poor church in Wingate England.
The small congregation could only
afford to pay him a minimal salary.
After seven years of ministry,
Fawcett received offer from affluent
Carter’s Lane Church in London.
As he was saying his farewells
and saw the tears on the faces
of his people, he decided to stay.
Inspired by Eph 4, Fawcett wrote
this hymn for the congregation at
Wingate. He recognised the bond
of love he knew there was worth
more than any material wealth. For
being united with Christ means we
are to treat one another as family.

Lord, Unite & Bind us together:
Live a life worthy of the calling you
have received. Be humble & gentle…
Be patient with each other, making
allowance for each other’s faults
because of Your love (Eph 4:1-2).
Make every effort to keep
yourselves united in the Spirit,
binding yourselves together
with peace. For there is one body
and one Spirit, just as you have
been called to one glorious hope
for the future. There is one Lord,
one faith, one baptism, and
one God and Father (v3-6).
To each of us grace was given…
And He gave some to be apostles,
some prophets, some evangelists
and some pastors and teachers,
for the equipping of the saints
for the work of ministry, for the
edifying of body of Christ (v7-12).

Lord God, help me accept human
imperfection in others and myself;
for we are all sinners in Your sight.
Help us to be more patient with
each other making allowance for
each other’s faults & weaknesses.
Help us to develop a right view
of others despite their annoying
faults and non-saintlike conduct.
Help us pray for serenity to accept
things we could not change. Amen.

Lord, Help us keep unity of Spirit
in lowliness of heart and gentleness.
Let differences in our backgrounds,
experiences and personalities,
not divide us but instead enrich us.
Help us make every effort to keep
the unity of the Spirit and protect it.
Bind us Lord together in love for
You made us one body & one spirit.
Teach us to appreciate and love one
another and live together in peace.
Lord blest the tie that binds! Amen.

Father, You have appointed
for me apostles, prophets,
evangelists, pastors and teachers
to prepare me for works of service.
They are Your gift to the church to
build me up towards unity of faith
with all the saints, in the knowledge
of Christ Jesus, so that I may
become mature and attain the full
measure of Christ in my life. Amen.

Lord, Blest be the tie that binds
Our heart in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above…
Before our Father’s throne
We pour our ardent prayers; Our
fears, our hopes, our aims are one,
Our comforts and our cares…
We share each other’s woes,
Our mutual burdens bear,
And often for each other flows
The sympathizing tear. Amen.

God Loves & Empowers Us

The Ephesians had unlimited
spiritual wealth at their disposal,
yet they lived as spiritual paupers.
So Paul wrote to encourage
them to understand and claim
their heavenly resources. Only
then could they draw on them for
their earthly walk. And In Christ,
Christians are endowed with every
spiritual blessing as well as adoptn,
redemption, inheritance and power.

Lord, we Seek Your Empowerment:
We have boldness and access
with confidence thru faith in Him.
Therefore… do not lose heart…
I pray to the Father that
from His glorious unlimited
resources, He will empower you
with inner strength through
His Spirit (Ephesians 3:12-16);
that Christ may dwell
in your hearts through faith;
that you being rooted & grounded
in love may… comprehend…
the love of Christ…
that you may be filled with
all the fullness of God (v17-19).
Now to Him who is able to do
exceedingly abundantly above
all that we ask or think, according
to the power that works in us,
to Him be glory… forever (v20-21).

Lord, I have limited strength and
may not have much in reserve.
Even when I am strong, I will
still need to depend on You.
That’s more true when I am weak;
please show Yourself strong in me;
and fill me with Your Resources.
Holy Spirit, You who reside in me,
give me strength & faith to believe.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

Lord, I want to understand and
experience Your Love in a deeper
way than I ever have before.
May Your Love be my secure
anchor as Your Spirit causes
my roots to sink deeper in You.
Grant me the power to understand
the limitless extent of Your Love.
Be the center of my life and reveal
Yourself to me each day. Amen.

Lord, we exalt You being awesome
possessing all wisdom and power.
Forgive us Lord for having just
a small view of You and Your will.
We affirm Lord You are Able to do
amazing things in and through us;
though they are not yet experienced.
Bring it up to the level of Your truth
and teach us to operate in the
Power that works within us. Amen.

Christ Enables Good Works

The Ephesians had unlimited
spiritual wealth at their disposal,
yet they lived as spiritual paupers.
So Paul wrote to encourage
them to understand and claim
their heavenly resources. Only
then could they draw on them for
their earthly walk. And In Christ,
Christians are endowed with every
spiritual blessing as well as adoptn,
redemption, inheritance and power.

Lord, we will Be Your Workmen:
For by grace you have been saved
through faith, and that not of
yourselves; it is the gift of God…
For we are His workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus for good
works, which God Prepared
beforehand that we should
Walk in them (Eph 2:8-10).
For through Him we both have
access by one Spirit to the Father.
Now… you are no longer strangers…
but fellow citizens with.. members
of the household of God (v18-19).
Jesus Christ Himself being the chief
Cornerstone… in whom the whole
building being fitted together,
grows into a holy temple… in whom
you also are being built together
for a dwelling place for God(v20-22)

Father, what a gracious gift that
You saved us & we take no credit
for our salvation as You gave it to us.
Pray Lord that I will not degrade in
thinking that I’ve to do good deeds
to earn or hold onto Your salvation.
For I am saved by Your grace,
and good deeds are simply part
of Your plan for me to have a
purposeful & fulfilling life. Amen.

Father, Thank You for giving me
new and rich life that will never end.
Thanks for capacity to change and
help me grow to be more like Jesus.
Thanks Abba for adopting me
and placing me in Your household.
Give me spiritual gifts to serve
others; work in me & through me.
Help me lead a purposeful life,
to be a blessing to others and
thereby glorify Your name. Amen.

Father God, You laid the foundation
on the cornerstone building a
holy spiritual house for Your love.
Thanks for making it possible for
everyone to be part of Your family.
Lord Jesus, grateful for Yr sacrificial
act of love and the suffering You
went through for our salvation.
And I choose to live for You and to
do Your assignment that You have
specially prepared for me. Amen.

God Grants Spiritual Blessings

The Ephesians had unlimited
spiritual wealth at their disposal,
yet they lived as spiritual paupers.
So Paul wrote to encourage
them to understand and claim
their heavenly resources. Only
then could they draw on them for
their earthly walk. And In Christ,
Christians are endowed with every
Spiritual Blessing as well as adoptn,
redemption, inheritance and power.

Lord, so grateful for Your Blessing:
Praise be to the God & Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us with every
spiritual blessing… in Christ,
just as He chose us in Him…
that we should be holy & without
blame… having predestined us
to adoption as sons (Eph 1:3-5).
In Him we have redemption thru
His blood, the forgiveness of sins,
acc to the riches of His grace…
In Him also we have obtained
an inheritance, being predestined
according to His purpose (v7-11).
( I am) asking God… to give you
the spirit of wisdom & revelation
so that you might grow in your
Knowledge of God. (I pray also)
that the eyes of your heart may
Be Enlightened in order that
you may know the Hope to which
He has called you, the riches of
His glorious Inheritance… and His
incomparably great Power (v17-19)

Father God, all Praise and Thanks
to You for Your abundant blessings.
How easy it is to forget that You
are the source of every good thing.
Your goodness to me is not because
of any goodness on my part; but
because of Christ; and Your grace
giving the spiritual blessing I need.
When I feel dry & empty, remind me
Lord that You stand ready to give
whatever that I may need. Amen.

Lord, let reality of Your redemption
and forgiveness of our sins
flood our soul; and let the riches
of God’s grace overwhelm us.
Thank You Lord that we’ve been
assigned an inheritance in You;
and we claim this promise and
declare that as Your children and
heirs to all that You have for us.
So thankful Lord for Your blessings;
and in gratitude we purpose that
Your truths will renew us. Amen.

Lord, I pray that the eyes of my
heart will Be Opened to see the
Hope to which You’ve called me.
Help me to understand my true
Inheritance; and enable me to
comprehend the magnitude of
Your Power for I believe in You.
And I seek more of Your presence,
Your Love & Power so that I can see
them manifested in my life. Amen.

God Grants Us Fruitful Freedom 

Galatians is Paul’s manifesto of
justification by faith. He directs
this charter of Christian freedom
to people who are about to forsake
the liberty they possess in Christ.
Jewish legalists are influencing the
believers in Galatia to trade their
freedom in Christ for bondage to
the law. Paul writes to refute their
false gospel of works & to show the
superiority of justification by faith.

Lord, we Yield to Your Control:
Stand fast… in the liberty by
which Christ has made us free,
and do not be entangled
again with a yoke of slavery…
For you have been called to liberty;
only do not use liberty as an
opportunity for the flesh (Gal 5:1,13)
The works of the flesh are evident:
hatred, contentions, jealousies,
outbursts of wrath, selfish
ambitions, dissensions… envy,
murders… and the like (Gal 5:19-21)
When the Holy Spirit Controls
our lives, He will produce
this kind of fruit in us:
Love, Joy, Peace,
patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and
self-control (Gal 5:22-23).

Father God, You made us
free beings having a free will
to choose without compulsion.
We are abundantly grateful and
blessed to be Your chosen ones.
We praise You for giving us Your
Spirit inside of us to live a life
of holiness, and righteousness.
God, help us to experience the
fullness of the freedom we have,
not to do whatever we want,
but the freedom to do whatever
You want which is best for us.Amen

Lord, we can be vulnerable to
the works of the flesh, including
contentions and fleshly emotions.
As fruit of the Spirit doesn’t reside
within my flesh, keep my life cleared
of things that crowd out Your Spirit.
Enable me Lord to humble myself
before You and rely on Your Spirit.
Train me to Yield to the Control of
the Holy Spirit and may the fruit You
produce draw others to You. Amen.

Lord, I need the Joy that only You
can give; and I want to be marked
by Your Peace and not to worry.
Forgive me Lord for the times I let
circumstances control my mood.
I need Your joy and peace so that
others might see the comfort and
assurance available only in You.
And teach me to rest in knowledge
that You are in control. Amen.

Loving Lord, grant me to overflow
with Your Love so that it will
spill out in my words and actions.
Help me pursue the path of love,
in difficult circumstances or with
difficult people; and cause Your
Goodness to flow through me.
For it’s not easy to think of others
or think of glorifying You when my
life is filled with pain. So, grant me
grace to live supernaturally. Amen.

Adoring God thru Thanks & Praise

The purpose of the epistle to the
Galatians is to refute the Judaizers
(who taught that Gentile believers
must obey Jewish law to be saved)
as well as to call Christians to
faith and to freedom in Christ.
Apostle Paul goes on to show
that it is in the Spirit, and not
the flesh, that the Christian life
is to be lived successfully.

On Mon, we learn from Gal 1 that
God Approves Us thru the Gospel.
On Tuesday, we learn from Gal 2
that Christ Jesus Is Living In Me.
On Wed, we learn from Gal 3
that God Justifies Us By Faith.
On Thursday, we learn from Gal 4
that God Adopts Us as His Children.
On Friday, we learn from Gal 5
that God Grants Freedom & Fruit.
On Sat, we learn from Gal 6 that
God Promises Reaping Harvest.

Let us humble ourselves and pray
and seek His face. Help us O God
be Christ’s disciples who Adore You:
For You are worthy of our Praise
as God Approves thru the Gospel and that Christ Jesus Lives In Me.
For You are worthy of our Thanks
as God Justifies Us By Faith and
that He Adopts Us as His Children.
For You God Grant Freedom & Fruit
as well as Promise Reaping Harvest.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

God Promises Reaping Harvest

Galatians is Paul’s manifesto of
justification by faith. He directs
this charter of Christian freedom
to people who are about to forsake
the liberty they possess in Christ.
Jewish legalists are influencing the
believers in Galatia to trade their
freedom in Christ for bondage to
the law. Paul writes to refute their
false gospel of works & to show the
superiority of justification by faith.

Lord, we’ll Press On to Do Good:
Pay careful attention to your own
work, for then you will get the
satisfaction of a job well done.
For each one should bear his
own load (Galatians 6:4-5).
You will always Harvest what
you plant… But those who live
to please the Spirit will harvest
everlasting life (Gal 6:7-8).
And let us not grow weary while
doing good, for in due season we
Shall Reap if we Do Not Lose Heart.
Therefore, as we have opportunity,
let us do good to all, especially to
the household of faith (v9-10).

Lord, I desire to live a meaningful
and purposeful life for Your glory.
I want to sink into the task You’ve
assigned me, to do it well to please
You and to enjoy the satisfaction.
But when things are overwhelming,
help me to persevere, and remind
me that You reward faithfulness.
And let knowledge of Your goodness
keep me going when weary. Amen.

Lord, we recognise whatever seeds
of priorities, habits and attitudes
we plant in our lives, eventually
become what we will harvest.
Help us Lord to keep planting spirit
of praise and love for God & others;
godly habits and positive actions.
For eventually these seeds will
grow; and become a Harvest
as You have promised. Amen

Lord, Thank You for teaching me
in my weariness that I can do
absolutely nothing apart from You.
I give myself to You; for You’re my
life, my strength and my salvation.
Grant me the power to restore joy;
even as I purpose Not to lose heart.
Renew my vision Lord to keep
doing Your will and to do good.
And let knowledge of Yr goodness
energise me when I feel down.Amen

God Grants Freedom & Fruit (Oct 11)

Galatians is Paul’s manifesto of
justification by faith. He directs
this charter of Christian freedom
to people who are about to forsake
the liberty they possess in Christ.
Jewish legalists are influencing the
believers in Galatia to trade their
freedom in Christ for bondage to
the law. Paul writes to refute their
false gospel of works & to show the
superiority of justification by faith.

Lord, we Yield to Your Control:
Stand fast… in the liberty by  which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled  again with a yoke of slavery. For you have been called to liberty;  only do not use liberty as an 

opportunity for the flesh (Gal 5:1,13.             The works of the flesh are evident:

hatred, contentions, jealousies,
outbursts of wrath, selfish
ambitions, dissensions… envy,
murders… and the like (Gal 5:19-21)
When the Holy Spirit Controls
our lives, He will produce
this kind of fruit in us:
Love, Joy, Peace,
patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and
self-control (Gal 5:22-23).

Lord, we can be vulnerable to
the works of the flesh, including
contentions and fleshly emotions.
As fruit of the Spirit doesn’t reside
within my flesh, keep my life cleared
of things that crowd out Your Spirit.
Enable me Lord to humble myself
before You and rely on Your Spirit.
Train me to Yield to the Control of
the Holy Spirit and may the fruit You
produce draw others to You. Amen.

Lord, I need the Joy that only You
can give; and I want to be marked
by Your Peace and not to worry.
Forgive me Lord for the times I let
circumstances control my mood.
I need Your joy and peace so that
others might see the comfort and
assurance available only in You.
And teach me to rest in knowledge
that You are in control. Amen.

Loving Lord, grant me to overflow
with Your Love so that it will
spill out in my words and actions.
Help me pursue the path of love,
in difficult circumstances or with
difficult people; and cause Your
Goodness to flow through me.
For it’s not easy to think of others
or think of glorifying You when my
life is filled with pain. So, grant me
grace to live supernaturally. Amen.

God Adopts Us As His Children

This epistle is Paul’s manifesto of
justification by faith and the liberty
that produces. Paul directs this
charter of Christian freedom to
people who are about to forsake
the liberty they possess in Christ.
Certain Jewish legalists are
influencing the believers in
Galatia to trade their freedom
in Christ for bondage to the law.
Paul writes to refute their false
gospel of works and to show the
superiority of justification by faith.

Father God, we Love You:
When the set time had finally
come, God sent His Son, born
of a woman, born under the law,
to redeem those under the law,
that we might receive adoption
to sonship (Galatians 4:4-5).
And because you are sons,
God has sent forth the Spirit
of His Son into your hearts,
crying out, “Abba Father!”
So you are no longer a slave,
but God’s child; and since you
are His child, God has made
you also an heir (v6-7).
Now we, brethren… are children
of promise… (And) we are not
children of the bondwoman
but of the free (v28-31).

Dear God, You are not just the
powerful Creator & righteous Lord,
You are also my loving Father.
And when I go thru hard times,
You care and listen to my pleas,
and will guide, provide & protect.
You are never impatient with me
and will not be “too busy” for me.
Lord Jesus, Thks for saving me; and
because of Yr grace & my faith in U,
I’m a child of the living God. Amen.

Lord, in times of severe trials,
we can be bombarded by doubts:
Why are all these happening to me?
I can’t believe a loving God will
let His children go thru such trauma.
And tough times can made me
wonder if I really am Your child.
Thank You Lord for the presence of
Your Spirit, who provides assurance
that I belong to You forever. Amen.

Lord, a key and great truth about
You God is that You are personal.
You want us to know You deeply
and intimately; for You Lord are
our Abba Father, Papa, Daddy.
I can readily come to You anytime
and say: Papa, please help me
with this problem. For You Lord are
a personal God; and You promise
to make Yourself real to us. Amen.

God Justifies Us By Faith (Oct 9)

This epistle is Paul’s manifesto of
justification by faith and the liberty
that produces. Paul directs this
charter of Christian freedom to
people who are about to forsake
the liberty they possess in Christ.
Certain Jewish legalists are
influencing the believers in
Galatia to trade their freedom
in Christ for bondage to the law.
Paul writes to refute their false
gospel of works and to show the
superiority of justification by faith.

Lord, we will Live By Faith:
Did u receive the Spirit by the works
of the law or by hearing of faith?
Are you so foolish? Having begun in
the Spirit, are you now being made
perfect by the flesh (Gal 3:2-3).
He who supplies the Spirit to you
and works miracles among you,
does He do it by the works of
the law or by the hearing of faith?
Just as Abraham believed God
and it was accounted to him
for righteousness (v5-6).
So then those who are of faith are
blessed with believing Abraham…
No one is justified by the law
in the sight of God is evident, for
the just shall Live By Faith (v9-11).

Father God, I did not receive the
Holy Spirit by the works of the law
but by the hearing of Faith. I am
not so foolish to turn to self efforts
to justify myself after I’ve admitted
that I can’t and that I need Jesus.
I am not the fool who begins new
life in the Spirit, then turns back
to works for justification; for Jesus
alone makes me perfect. Amen.

Father God does not give me His
Spirit because of the good works
that I do; or because I am sinless,
which I am obviously not at all.
He does these things because
I believe in Christ and in His Word,
and speaks it in the spirit of faith.
My belief becomes the springboard
for goodness in my life, and not
the works of righteousness. Amen.

Lord, I believe in Your power to do
miracles; and I desire to witness
the evidence of Your mighty work.
Help me Lord to believe fully in You
and to expect great things from You.
And I come to You believing not only
that You exist, but also believing
that You are a rewarder of those
who diligently seek You. Amen.