How Can Christians Learn to Pray Confidently

Posted on by thechristiantechnerd

Prayer can seem intimidating if we lack confidence that God will really listen to our prayers and answer them. We may see prayer as an obligation rather than an opportunity – and end up not praying much, then feeling guilty. If we learn to pray confidently, though, we can enjoy the process of praying, because we’ll wake up to God’s presence with us there.

What Does it Really Mean to Pray Confidently?

Praying confidently means trusting that God will meet us in prayer because he cares about us. 1 John 5:14-15 assures us that we can pray to our loving God with confidence: “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.” It’s possible to pray confidently because God will listen to us with love and answer us according to his will, which reflects his great wisdom and power.

All we need to do is show up, do our best to communicate with God, and then trust God to respond in the best ways and in the best timing. The more we devote ourselves to prayer, the more we can develop the trust we need to do so.

Here are five ways Christians can learn to pray confidently:

  1. Approach God with reverence and humility:

If any sin in our lives has distanced us from God, we may lack the confidence to pray. John 9:31 reveals, “We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.” We should be reverent and humble when approaching our awesome God, confessing our sins and accepting God’s help and forgiveness so we’ll be able to come into his holy presence with a clear mind and an open heart. We can confess directly to God: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). We can also confess to our brothers and sisters in Christ: “Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16). Once we’ve dealt with any sins we need to confess, we can be confident in approaching God with our prayers. “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God” 1 John 3:21 assures us.

  1. Let go of formulas:

We don’t need to worry about following any formulas when we pray. God will still accept our prayers if we don’t use formal language when we speak or if we don’t sit still with our eyes closed. God will still listen and respond if our thoughts are unorganized or our emotions are raw. God will meet us where we are when we simply pray naturally, and his Spirit will help us express what we’re truly longing to pray. As Romans 8:26 assures us, “… the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” We don’t need formulaic methods of praying; all we need is a genuine desire to communicate with God.

  1. Try out creative possibilities:

We can feel free to try praying in new ways that shake up our prayer routines. The creative possibilities for expressing our prayers are unlimited, and include writing, drawing, singing, and dancing. We can pray silently anytime and anywhere, such as while driving, walking, or cooking. What’s most important is that we pray in ways that truly get us excited about communicating with God.

  1. Listen as well as talk:

Prayer should be a two-sided conversation between us and God. So, after we talk to God, we need to listen to what God may have to say to us. God promises in Jeremiah 33:3: “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and incomprehensible things you do not know.” By quieting our minds and focusing on hearing from God, we can discern messages that the Holy Spirit sends into our minds during prayer.

  1. Expect big answers from our great God:

We can also develop more confidence as we pray by expanding our prayers. Rather than only praying small prayers (for situations that don’t require much help from God to change) pray big prayers (asking God to intervene in situations and do what only he can do). We can remove limitations from our prayers, keeping in mind that God “… is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20). Invite God to do something greater than what we can do ourselves, in each situation we present to God in prayer. Dare to ask for big answers from our big God! As Jesus encourages us in Matthew 7:7, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”

The ability to communicate with our Creator in prayer is a blessing that we can embrace with confidence. Learning to pray confidently will move us closer to our loving God who always wants to meet with us. As Hebrew 4:16 says, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Let’s look forward to the wonder we can discover during our prayer times with God!

Ways to Better Enjoy Reading the Bible

Posted on by thechristiantechnerd

The Word of God is full of history, wisdom, poetry, warnings, and truth. When approached with a heart open to the Holy Spirit’s whispers and a mind focused on understanding, the Bible can be one of a Christian’s greatest resources and treasured objects. But it also takes time. It can be confusing. It can feel like a chore and an obligation sometimes, particularly in seasons of spiritual difficulty or when life gets busy.

For some people, they never had an opportunity to build in the habit to have daily quiet time to invest in studying the Bible, and struggle to start. There are many ways the world can serve as a distraction as well.

God wants us to be in His Word, spending time with Him, and getting to know Him through that time and study; one of the Psalms reads, “More to be desired are [God’s precepts in the Word] are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb” (Psalm 19:10). Studying the Bible should be a sweet experience, so finding ways to make it a better experience can help someone enjoy their time in the Bible more.

Here are a few ways to better enjoy reading the Bible:

Create a Space for Reading Your Bible

Some people find it easier to read under certain conditions. Some of them prefer to be in dark corners with overhead light, or others in a window with full natural light. Creating a personalized space with your favorite chair and good light that you want to spend time in can make reading the Bible a treat.

There are also scientific studies that suggest studying in the same place and environment can help with retention. Making a space dedicated to spending time alone with God and His Word is also inviting the Lord into your home in a real way.

Make It a Challenge

For the person who thrives in competition – or just likes to go the extra mile – finding ways to make reading the Bible a challenge can make it more engaging. Maybe see how many verses in a chapter you can memorize. Try reading a book in a month. Challenge yourself to read one of the dense, or more challenging texts like Isaiah or Ezekiel.

There are also free Bible reading challenges you can find online that can push your boundaries, get you to stretch yourself, and maybe even get a few friends to participate so you can have discussion.

Follow a Bible Reading Plan Themed around a Concern or Topic of Interest

When people go through phases of life, sometimes they need to focus on passages of the Bible that can speak to whatever they are experiencing.

Struggling with doubt? Find passages and stories that focus on confidence in God’s plan. Want to learn more about Israel’s time in exile? Spend your time in Daniel, Ezra, and Nehemiah. Need a little more joy in your life? Seek out passages that speak about joy.

Have Background Music Playing

Whether white noise helps a person focus, or they find music spiritually engaging, playing music can enhance time in the Word. Some people may turn to light, ambient music with no words, while others may want an uplifting worship tune. Some people cannot focus in silence, so music helps their brain engage and focus on the task at hand. It can also make quiet time a more sensory experience.

Do It with a Friend or Family Member

Being able to share thoughts, feelings, and ideas with another person may make reading the Bible a more fun experience. Have a coffee date once a week with a friend to exchange notes and observations. Make it a family experience, with everyone in the family reading the same verses or passages and then discuss it over dinner.

The Bible can act as a wonderful tool for bonding between people, and the company can provide an avenue for discovering more about God’s Word. The Holy Spirit illuminates different things to different people, so the opportunity to share how the Lord is working in each individual’s life through their study can be fulfilling.

Memorize Your Favorite Verses

Memorization can be difficult, but rewarding. Lots of people want to have better recall for Bible verses, so using quiet study time as an opportunity to focus on learning certain passages by heart can be an effective way to start the memorization process. Whether you learn better by repeating aloud, reading the same thing several times, or writing something down, engaging with the Bible in a tactile way with the intent to embed it in your heart and mind is always a worthwhile pursuit.

Conclusion:

Everyone is different and has their own approach to making an activity engaging and enjoyable. Not every tip is going to work for every person, but each one is worth giving a try. Experimenting with when you read the Bible can have an impact as well. The Bible is a sweet and wonderful resource for Christians, so making sure that reading it is not a chore is important to spiritual growth. Find more ways to make Bible study a pleasure, and not an obligation.

Friends of the Christian Tech Nerd

Posted on by thechristiantechnerd

Hi! I would like to share with my readers similar Christian blogs that I think they would enjoy learning about.

I’m going to start adding links to similar Christian blogs to this page sometime this week so please check this page regularly as I’ll be updating the list of blogs daily!

If you would like for me to place a link to your blog please send it to me in the comments section and I’ll add it to the list below. You do not have to place a link to my blog on your blog/site in order to get a link to your blog listed here, but I would very much appreciate if you did.

Christian Blogs I Recommend:

Towards Excellence

Burning My Boat

Jean Ryan

Towards Excellence

The Kaiser Karen

Young Women of the Faith

Alicia Marentette

Salty Saints

Shaun C. Kennedy’s Bible Translation Blog

Matthew 6.6

Alpha Omega Portal

Marred in the Master’s hands

Cards Coffee And God

Pavement Ends Ministry

Frank Talk With Grace

30 Seconds with God

Jonathon D. Svendsen

Rhemalogy

Ultimate Impact

Unapologetically Marcia

Devotions of the Heart

The Right Well

Inspire 2 Achieve

Disciple’s Direction

IandThouReflections

Four-Calendar Café

Speak True Life

Christian Discrimination and “Bring Your Bible to School” Day

Posted on by thechristiantechnerd

Before you being reading, if you’ve ever been a victim of Christian discrimination I’d love to learn how you stood up against those that criticized you so I can share your story with other Christian that are currently suffering from Christian discrimination…God bless.

I just learned that Christian students nationwide are being encouraged to share their faith during ‘Bring Your Bible to School’ Day. I wish “Bring Your Bible to School Day” was encouraged during my time in grades K-12, and of course the University I go to would NEVER advertise a “Bring Your Bible to School Day” even though they proclaim that students would feel safe to be who they are and that no one should criticize anyone for their beliefs…that is unless their beliefs are based in Christianity.

It’s so strange that every group on campus, such as LGBTQ groups or BLM, just as examples, are offered a safe space without criticism, but Christian groups are widely mocked and looked down upon by other groups that have suffered discrimination in the recent past. I don’t know, I just find this strange.

Anyway, enough of me rambling on, let’s get back to the article I read in regards to “Bring Your Bible to School Day”.

Article:

Last week, Focus on the Family led its 8th annual “Bring Your Bible to School Day” as hundreds of thousands of Christian students were encouraged to share the Word of God with their classmates.

“This annual campaign empowers Christian students of all ages to speak God’s grace and truth into the culture around them, starting with two simple steps — bringing their Bibles to school and sharing what God’s Word means to them,” Focus on the Family Program Manager Bret Eckelberry explained in a statement last week.

“It opens doors for students to talk to their friends about the gospel. It connects them with other believers in their school,” he continued. “And it allows them to celebrate their religious freedoms in the United States.”

In a recent interview with The Christian Post, Focus on the Family’s Vice President of Parenting and Youth Danny Huerta explained that the majority of participants are high school students or junior high school students, but students “all through college” can participate as well.

While it was too soon to tell whether more students participated in this year’s event than from last year, which had 514,000 participants, Huerta did note that registration for this year “surpassed last year’s registration numbers.”

“Our eventual goal is to get 1 million kids bringing their Bible to school or more,” he continued. “It’s basically just a starting point … for kids to maybe start Bible studies in their school, [or] pray together in their school.”

Huerta stressed that students have “the freedom to bring their Bible to school in a public school setting as long as they’re not disruptive in the school.” Additionally, he pointed out that the best times for students to share the Word of God with others were before and after school as well as lunch and recess.

While students have previously faced opposition from school staff from sharing their faith, Huerta said that the Focus on the Family has referred parents and students to the religious liberty law firm Alliance Defending Freedom as a resource in the midst of adversity.

He hopes that the annual event can unite American students in “hope and love” amid the division seen across the world today.

“We’ve really been focused even more so now on the opportunity to offer hope, to invite peers and students into conversation about God’s Word and about their faith and just standing courageously and with love and hope,” Huerta said.

“It’s about inviting people into something that is very loving, which is a relationship with their Heavenly Father and with God’s word,” he asserted.

Once again, please let me know if you’ve ever felt discrimination due to your Christian beliefs and how you stood up to those that criticized you so I can share your story with others that could use your advice!

All Christians Need to Embrace the Power of Prayer

Posted on by thechristiantechnerd

When the disciples walked the earth with Jesus, they had the privilege of being able to ask him any question they wanted. (We have that same privilege as well.) But of all the things that they asked Jesus, one of the things that sticks out above the others is when they asked him to teach them to pray.

“One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples’” (Luke 11:1).

What is it about prayer, or what is the power of prayer, that would cause the disciples to want to learn how to do it correctly? A basic definition of the power prayer is when you invite heaven’s resources to intervene in your earthly situation. Since heaven’s resources are unlimited, then you are inviting the omnipotent God into the equation and asking him to fix or do something about your circumstance. When you grasp that, then you are getting hold of what the power of prayer is.

What Does the Bible Say about the Power of Prayer?
There are numerous scriptures throughout the Bible that encourage us to pray and highlight the true power that is in prayer. Here are just two.

“Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
and he brought them out of their distress.
He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven”

(Psalm 107:28-30).

“’Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.’ After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly” (Acts 4:28-30).

From these two verses and so many others, you can see that one of the powers in prayer is when God’s people ask for his help in their current situation.

Why Is Prayer So Powerful?
There is an old expression that says, “God helps those who help themselves.” Many people think this is in the Bible, but it is not. Not only is this not in the Bible, but this is also not really true. If you hold onto this type of thinking you will nullify prayer’s power.

When you think about what the real power of prayer is, it is not coming from a person who believes they can help themselves, but from a person who knows they can’t.

In the gospel of Luke, Jesus told this parable, and when you understand it you will understand what the power of prayer is.

“To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

‘But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted’” (Luke 18:9-14).

There is a stark difference between these two men praying. One came with full confidence, knowing he had done everything right and his praying was just the icing on the cake of his self-righteousness. The other one could barely lift his eyes toward heaven, yet he is the one that experienced the power in prayer. There were two simple but important reasons why:

  1. Reality

If there is a key to experiencing power in prayer, it is making sure you pray from a place of reality. What I mean by this is that you don’t hide the truth of your situation and how you feel about it.

One reason we never have real times of breakthrough in prayer is because we often approach God like the Pharisee, either falsely believing we have it all together or thinking we must get it together before we approach God, because “God helps those who help themselves.” The truth is you need to come to God just the way you are, bring the situation just the way it is and be open, real, and honest before God. This is what God wants from you and when you do this, you position yourself to experience the real power in prayer.

  1. Humility

I mentioned earlier that statement about God helping those who help themselves. The truth is the opposite. God helps those who realize they can’t help themselves – those who cry out to him for his help. When you invite heaven’s resources into your situation, that means you are acknowledging that what you have is not enough.

If you are repenting of sin, you are admitting you don’t have enough righteousness on your own.

If you are praying for opportunities, you are admitting you can’t create them on your own.

If you are praying for wisdom, you are admitting you don’t have all the answers.

It does not matter what you are praying for, when you humble yourself and recognize that without God’s help this is not going to happen, then you have positioned yourself to know and experience what the power of prayer really is.

Does Prayer Physically Aid Us?

As great as the spiritual benefits are from prayer, there have been studies that show there are physical ones as well. Admittedly this is not my area of expertise, but here is information from a 2009 study:

“A 2009 study by Koenig and colleagues found that six weekly in-person Christian prayer sessions with patients at a primary care office lowered their depression and anxiety symptoms and increased their optimism.”

Because God understands fully all the benefits of prayer, it is no surprise that he would encourage us to do it. It is why verses like this make more sense.

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

As these patients continued in prayer, their anxieties and worries were lowered. This happens because in prayer, they transferred their anxieties from themselves to God and allowed him to carry them.

In prayer God is not just concerned about your need, he is concerned about you as well. Part of the reason God desires you to pray is because he knows it is good for your health. The things you let go of and give to God are not only good for your spirit, but they are also good for your body and mind too. This is a power of prayer that we most certainly overlook.

Is There Anything Prayer Cannot Do?

As powerful as prayer is, there is one thing that prayer, faith, or anything else can’t do. Prayer cannot supersede or override the will of God. You can pray as much as you want, for as long as you want, and with as much faith as you can muster, but it will not change what God has willed to do. For this reason, one of the most powerful weapons in prayer is agreement with God’s will. Not only are we encouraged to pray God’s will be done (think the Lord’s prayer) we are also assured that when we pray according to God’s will, he will do what we are praying for.

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him” (1 John 5:14-15).

When we consider this verse, we get an even better understanding of the power of prayer. The real power of prayer is when your will and desires come into alignment with God’s will and desires. When this happens, there is nothing that God will not do in answer to prayer because your prayers are already aligned with what he wants to do in the first place.

A Few Bible Verses That Christians Get Wrong

Posted on by thechristiantechnerd

The Bible is the most important book ever written. The one true God chose to reveal Himself to us through the written word. Amazing and humbling!

Yet sometimes we get it wrong. We misunderstand or misapply the truth God has given us. Although there are countless causes, through my experience I’ve seen two primary problems crop up again and again.

Perspective – Too often we read God’s Word with our own purposes and goals in mind. But the Bible is all about God. When we read it with His eternal purposes in mind, we will better grasp the truth of His Word.

Context – The Bible may have unlimited applications, but its meaning never changes. It means the same today as it did when it was written. To understand the original meaning, we must pull back and understand the context – of the passage, of the chapter, of the book.

Here are 10 verses that are often misunderstood due to perspective, context, or both:

  1. Corinthians 10:13

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

Many Christians claim this verse as a “promise” that God will never allow them to experience more difficulties than “they can handle.” Yet, the larger passage (1 Corinthians 10:1-13) deals with temptation and our ability to withstand it. God promises He will always provide a way for us to say “no” to temptation. In fact, Paul learned by experience that God will allow us to face circumstances “beyond our ability to endure” so that we will learn to rely on Him (see 2 Corinthians 1:8-11).

  1. Proverbs 22:6

“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”

Misunderstanding Proverbs 22:6 as a promise has led to grief for many parents. The book of Proverbs is wisdom literature, which offers general principles for successful living. A proverb is not a promise. Instead, let us use it as a tool for wise parenting and decision-making, and entrust our children to our faithful God!

  1. Matthew 7:1

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.”

Is all “judging” wrong? Jesus did condemn a harsh, critical “judging” motivated by a self-righteous, hypocritical attitude. But in the whole of Scripture, God clearly commands Christians to lovingly point out sin and exhort each other to holiness. It is not our place to determine their motives, but it is our responsibility to gently identify behavior God has already judged to be “sin.” The goal is to reconcile that person with God and others and to keep the sin from spreading (Matthew 18:15-17, 1 Corinthians 5:5-7, Hebrews 12:15, James 5:19-20).

  1. Psalm 37:4

“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

If I find joy in God, will He fill my life with all the things I value and enjoy? Wait – remember context and focus. In this psalm, David contemplated the age-old question of why evil people seem to prosper while the righteous often struggle. David wrote to encourage his readers – and us – to widen our perspective, to live in light of eternity and to set our hope in God’s everlasting purposes. When we commit ourselves (delight) to God’s capable hands, our desire for the righteous to prevail will be realized in His timing.

  1. James 1:2-3

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”

We would think that James meant we could find joy in Christ in spite of our trials. That makes more sense! Yet, James really did say – and mean – because of our trials. While God cares very much about our physical circumstances, James knew He uses trials to refine our faith and make us more like Jesus. That is something to rejoice about!

  1. Matthew 18:20

“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Considering just this verse, we might believe that Jesus is with us only when we are with other believers. But the context of the larger passage is church discipline. When another believer sins, if he will not listen to one, two or three fellow believers should bring the matter to the church (Matthew 18:15-20).

  1. Romans 8:28

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Does God control all the circumstances of our lives to make things turn out great for us? Let’s take a step back to grasp the glorious truth of Romans 8:28. First, this promise is not for all people, just Christians who love and follow Jesus. Second, in the larger context, (Romans 8:18-39), Paul reminds us that although we must temporarily endure earthly suffering, God works through it to continuously work out His greater, eternal plan for us (Romans 8:28-30). The “good” God is working towards is not temporary, earthly “success,” but the eternal purpose of us being “conformed to the likeness” of Jesus (Romans 8:29).

  1. Habakkuk 1:5

“Look at the nations and watch – and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.”

If we read this verse by itself, we might believe God is going to do something wonderful and glorious before our eyes. Well, He definitely did, but probably not what you’d expect. God sent the prophet Habakkuk to pronounce judgment on Judah for turning away from God. The amazing thing God planned was to send the brutal nation of Babylon to conquer His people and carry them into captivity. This verse should stand as a strong reminder that God does discipline His children.

  1. Jeremiah 29:11

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”

This verse is definitely a promise. But it’s a promise for a particular people in a particular time. Through the prophet Jeremiah, God promised that after Judah’s pre-determined exile in Babylon, He would bring them back to the Promised Land. We often misappropriate promises. And while God does make a lot of promises to all believers, this particular promise isn’t one of them.

  1. Philippians 4:13

“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

Philippians 4:13 is probably the most misused verse in the Bible. We pull it out of the surrounding passage and hold it out as God’s obligation to empower our plans and dreams. Yet, Paul was writing about being content no matter his earthly circumstances. He could endure any difficulty or physical need through the strengthening power of Christ. Oh yes, Philippians 4:13 is a great promise indeed! Jesus will give us the strength we need to endure desperate need. His empowering presence will be with us through every difficult circumstance.

Christian Prayers for Forgiveness

Posted on by thechristiantechnerd

I hope everyone reading this is having an AMAZING start to their week! I had a close friend of mine lie to me about something over the weekend, and when I discovered the truth I decided that it would be best to forgive my friend instead of keeping a grudge against her. I truly believe that forgiveness is a very important Christian rule that mus be taken seriously. I know that forgiving someone who wronged us is difficult at times, but if you do forgive then you can work on your friendship instead of allowing it to disipate.

Enough of me rambling, here are some Christian prayers about forgiveness that I would like to share with everyone today…if you have any prayers of forgiveness that you would like to share with me I would very much appreciate that!

Pray in true faith with these powerful words of forgiveness and be forgiven by the grace and mercy of our Lord. May these prayers for forgiveness bring you peace and comfort.

Prayer to God for Forgiveness of Sins


Even while I encourage you to pray this prayer, I caution you that saying words alone will not save you. Prayer doesn’t save. Only Christ can save. But prayer can be a means of reaching out to the Lord in true saving faith. If you pray these words in faith, Christ will save you. You can be sure of that.

Lord Jesus, for too long I’ve kept you out of my life. I know that I am a sinner and that I cannot save myself. No longer will I close the door when I hear you knocking. By faith, I gratefully receive your gift of salvation. I am ready to trust you as my Lord and Savior. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for coming to earth. I believe you are the Son of God who died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead on the third day. Thank you for bearing my sins and giving me the gift of eternal life. I believe your words are true. Come into my heart, Lord Jesus, and be my Savior. Amen.

Prayer for Forgiveness and Salvation

God is love concept text lying on the rustic wooden background.


Lord, Father all-powerful, and ever-living God, I thank you, for even though I am a sinner in the kindness of your mercy you have fed me with the precious body and blood of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that this holy communion may not bring me condemnation and punishment but forgiveness and salvation. May it be a helmet of faith and a shield of goodwill. May it purify me from evil ways and put an end to my evil passions. May it bring me charity and patience, humility and obedience, and growth in power to do good.

May it be my strong defense against all my enemies, visible and invisible, and the perfect calming of all my evil impulses, bodily and spiritual. May it unite me more closely to you, the one true God and lead me safely through death to everlasting happiness with you. Lead me, a sinner, to the banquet, where you with your Son and Holy Spirit, there is true and perfect light, total fulfillment, everlasting joy, gladness without end and perfect happiness for your saints. Grant this through Christ our Lord.

Prayer for Forgiveness and Deliverance


O Christ, my Creator and Redeemer, Almighty Lord God, forgive the sins of all who are joined to me by friendship or blood, and for whom I pray, or have resolved to pray, — and all your faithful people. Deliver them from all evil, preserve them in all good, and bring them to eternal joy; for your honor and glory. Amen.

Short Prayer to Forgive Others


Dear Lord, I thank You for the power of forgiveness, and I choose to forgive everyone who has hurt me. Help me set [name anyone who has offended you] free and release them to You (Romans 12:19). Help me bless those who have hurt me (Romans 12:14). Help me walk in righteousness, peace, and joy, demonstrating Your life here on earth. I choose to be kind and compassionate, forgiving others, just as You forgave me (Ephesians 4:32). In Jesus’ name, amen.

Short Prayer to Forgive Yourself


Father, today I ask forgiveness of all the negative and harmful words I have spoken about myself. I do not want to abuse myself in such a way again. Transform my thoughts and let me understand how marvelously you made me. Change my habits so I use my tongue to speak hope and favor upon my life. In Jesus’ name.

Prayer for Forgiving Others


Dear Merciful Lord, thank you for your gift of forgiveness. Your only Son loved me enough to come to earth and experience the worst pain imaginable so I could be forgiven. Your mercy flows to me in spite of my faults and failures. Your Word says to “clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” (Col. 3:14) Help me demonstrate unconditional love today, even to those who hurt me.

I understand that even though I feel scarred, my emotions don’t have to control my actions. Father, may Your sweet words saturate my mind and direct my thoughts. Help me release the hurt and begin to love as Jesus loves. I want to see my offender through my Savior’s eyes. If I can be forgiven, so can he. I understand there are no levels to your love. We are all your children, and your desire is that none of us should perish.

You teach us to “let the peace that comes from Christ rule in our hearts.” (Col. 3:15) When I forgive in words, allow your Holy Spirit to fill my heart with peace. I pray this peace that only comes from Jesus will rule in my heart, keeping out doubt and questions. And above all, I am thankful. Not just today, not just this week, but always. Thank you for the reminder, “Always be thankful.” (Col. 3:15) With gratitude, I can draw closer to you and let go of unforgiveness. With gratitude, I can see the person who caused my pain as a child of God. Loved and accepted. Help me find the compassion that comes with true forgiveness.

And when I see the person who hurt me, bring this prayer back to my remembrance, so I can take any ungodly thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ. (2 Cor. 10:5) And may the confidence of Christ in my heart guide me into the freedom of forgiveness. I praise you for the work you are doing in my life, teaching, and perfecting my faith. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Forgive and Awaken Us


Lord God, heavenly Father, we all like sheep have gone astray, led away from the right path by Satan and our own sinful flesh. Graciously forgive us all our sins for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ and awaken our hearts by your Holy Spirit, that we may abide in your Word and in true repentance and a steadfast faith continue in your Church to the end and obtain eternal salvation; through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one true God, now and forever Amen.

Bible Verses about Forgiveness


1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

James 5:16 – Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Matthew 18:21-22 – Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.

Matthew 6:14-15 – For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Colossians 3:13 – Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

I would love to read any prayers of forgiveness that you would like to share with me!

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Pray for Strength and Rejoice in Hope: Seven Prayers for Hope

Posted on by thechristiantechnerd

May these prayers for hope encourage your heart, soul, and mind!

A Prayer for Hope
Lord, help me to hear you saying, “I am your hope” over all the other voices. Lord, your word says, you are the hope for hopeless so I’m running to you with both hands stretched out and grabbing on to you. Fill me up with hope and give me a tangible reminder today that hope is an unbreakable spiritual lifeline (Hebrews 6:19-20). God, you know those things in my heart that I barely dare to hope for, today I give them to you, I trust them to you, and ask that you because I know that you can do more than I could ever guess, imagine or request in wildest dreams (Eph 3:20). God, you are my hope and I trust you. Amen.

The Lord Bless You with Hope
May the Lord show you the greatness of his goodness, that you overflow with thanks every day. May the Lord bless you abundantly with rest for the heart, power for virtue, wisdom for life, and patience in suffering. May the Lord bless you with joyful hope, and one day with the inexpressible joys of eternal life.

Prayer for Faith, Hope, and Love
Almighty Lord God, give us true faith, and make that faith grow in us day by day. Also give us hope and love, so that we may serve our neighbors according to your will; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Prayer for Hope
Heavenly Father, I am your humble servant, I come before you today in need of hope. There are times when I fell helpless, There are times when I feel weak. I pray for hope. I need hope for a better future. I need hope for a better life. I need hope for love and kindness. Some say that the sky is at it’s darkest just before the light. I pray that this is true, for all seems dark. I need your light, Lord, in every way. I pray to be filled with your light from head to toe. To bask in your glory. To know that all is right in the world, as you have planned, and as you want it to be. Help me to walk in your light, and live my life in faith and glory. In your name, I pray, Amen.

My Hope and Refuge
Ah, Lord God, Holy Lover of my soul, when you come into my soul, all that is within me will rejoice. You are my glory and the exultation of my heart. You are my hope and refuge in the day of my trouble. Set me free from all evil passions, and heal my heart of all inordinate affections, cure and cleanse me within, that I may be made fit to love, courageous to suffer, steady to persevere. Nothing is sweeter than love, nothing more courageous, nothing fuller nor better in heaven and earth; because love is born of God, and cannot rest but in God, above all created things. Let me love you more than myself, and love myself except for you, and in you all that truly love you, as the law of love commands, shining out from yourself. Source: Thomas à Kempis

Hope in God’s Promise
O Father in heaven, look upon all your people who struggle with anger, anxiety, doubt, frustration, guilt, hopelessness, loss, memories, lack of patience, pain, regret, sadness, selfishness, temptation and weakness. Your Holy Word tells us “All things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” And that means that you make all these things work for your good purpose in our lives, even when we do not understand. Remind us of your invitation, “Cast all your cares upon me,” and of your assurance that goes with it, “because I care for you.” …through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer for Hope Today
Lord, help me to hear you saying, “I am your hope” over all the other voices. Lord, your word says, you are the hope for hopeless so I’m running to you with both hands stretched out and grabbing on to you. Fill me up with hope and give me a tangible reminder today that hope is an unbreakable spiritual lifeline (Hebrews 6:19-20). God, you know those things in my heart that I barely dare to hope for, today I give them to you, I trust them to you, and ask that you because I know that you can do more than I could ever guess, imagine or request in wildest dreams (Eph 3:20). God, you are my hope and I trust you. Amen.

How We Know that God Really Does Hear Our Prayers

Posted on by thechristiantechnerd

One of the greatest struggles encountered by many of God’s people is prayer. Our three deadly enemies, being the world, our own flesh, and the devil are all involved in keeping us away from this divine discipline. But even in the midst of our times of prayer, any one, or a combination of these enemies can rise up to distract us from fellowship with the Lord.

The world tends to increase our time spent away from prayer by busying, or overburdening us with things like work, school, and other necessary things. When it comes to our flesh, it wants nothing at all to do with the things of God. Flesh cries out to be satisfied—and prayer does not do that. “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish” (Galatians 5:17).

Satan of course, is an enemy of prayer because he and his horde of principalities and powers know what can happen when the child of God invests quality time with the Lord.

Whether it is through intercessory prayer, petitions, or simply desiring to hear from Him for guidance, we are ultimately strengthened through our prayer times. Prayer has been designed by God to enrich the life of every believer. Even at its most basic level, prayer touches God. It is not “busy work,” i.e., something that we do just to say that we did it. Through it we are able to enter into intimate fellowship with the Lord.

Prayer also engages us into spiritual warfare. As stated previously, there are spiritual forces arrayed against us when we pray. Satan will do all that he can to frustrate our faith, and if we are not careful, he can convince us that God either does not care, or that He is not listening. In times when this does take place, we know immediately that the devil is a liar, because God has given us His Word which assures us that we can know that he hears us when we pray.

Five essential ways that we can know that God hears our prayers:

  1. He Hears Us Because We Do Not Treasure Sin
  2. He Hears Us Because We Know That He Is Able
  3. He Hears Us Because We Come Boldly to His Throne
  4. He Hears Us Because We Have Humbled Ourselves
  5. He Hears Us Because We Pray According to His Will

Some may quibble over which of the spiritual disciplines are most important. While each one may be involved more in one discipline over another, the truth is that they all share equal value to the child of God. Each draws us into God’s presence in its own powerful way. However, when we pray, we should listen carefully to His voice, because we know that our prayers have been heard by Him.

What Is the Power of Prayer?

What is the power of prayer? How can prayer bring a person back to life? How can it heal the sick? How does prayer comfort those who are anxious or sinking into the depths of depression? Why do Christians pray for their future spouses or pray prayers of protection over their children as they send them off to school? How can prayer impact those who don’t know Jesus or help in a time of crisis like a pandemic?

The answer is found in one pivotal scripture. In Matthew 18:18-20, Jesus tells us about the power of prayer when he said,

“Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

There are dozens of real-life accounts in the Bible where Jesus and other disciples battled in prayer. God shut the heavens and prevented rain from falling for three years at Elijah’s request. He parted the red sea for Moses to lead His people through. He cast out demons; Jesus healed the sick and gave sight to the blind, and, on more than one occasion, raised people from the dead, like Lazarus.

Do we realize the power we have available to us when we take our authority in prayer? If we did, we would be praying in Jesus’ name more. There would be no such thing as doubt, fear, or anxiety because we would be on our faces before God, storming the heavenly realms in battle with the darkness and evil forces in our world.

Talking to God
So, what exactly is the power of prayer? The power of prayer isn’t in the words you utter. It’s not about what you pray or even how you pray. Prayer can be defined as talking to God, but it is much more than that. Prayer is an act of worship that glorifies God and reinforces our need for Him. Through living a life of prayer, we communicate with the very source of and purpose for our existence.

It is our fiercest weapon against the enemy and all things in this fallen world. Priscilla Shirer is the author of the Fervent: A Woman’s Battle Plan to Serious, Specific, and Strategic Prayer says, “Prayer is the portal that brings the power of heaven down to earth. It is kryptonite to the enemy and to all his ploys against you.”

Another well-known author, Mark Patterson says, “Prayers are prophecies. They are the best predictors of your spiritual future. Who you become is determined by how you pray. Ultimately, the transcript of your prayers becomes the script of your life.”

In other words, who you become, the circumstances in your life, and the core of your character are all determined by what you talk to God about. According to the Bible, the power of prayer is, quite simply, the power of God, who hears and answers prayer. Consider the following:

God Is All-Powerful
The Lord God Almighty can do all things; there is nothing impossible for Him (Luke 1:37). The character and heart of God is the very fabric of the gospel. When we close our eyes, get on our knees, the spirit of God whispers, “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?” It’s as if to say to our hearts, no need is too great or small.

God Asks Us to Pray
He invites, encourages, and wants us to talk to him. We are to come to him in faith, (James 1:5), with persistence (Luke 18:1), with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6), within his will (Matthew 6:10), and from a heart that is right with God (James 5:16).

In fact, in Luke 18:1 we read, “And he [Jesus] told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.” Hebrews 4:14-16 talks about Jesus as our High Priest and says He can sympathize with us.

Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” We have been given access to the very throne of God through prayer.

He Answers Our Prayers
The Lord God Almighty answers prayer. “I call on you, O God, for you will answer me” (Psalm 17:6). “The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles” (Psalm 34:17). In John 16:23-24, Jesus makes a stunning, sweeping, glorious promise to us:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”

In other words, when we ask God to give us a love for our neighbors, he does. When we ask for patience, he begins to tend to our hearts, uprooting areas of impatience and then provides opportunity to practice patience. When we ask him to be near to us, his presence sweeps in and surrounds us like a cozy blanketed embrace filled with his peace and strength.

Even when we lack faith or have very little faith. Sometimes learning to trust God with our prayers is like being a toddler. We wobble, waver and fall. But he doesn’t chastise us. Instead, he encourages us to get back up and try again with his hands held out as he says, “Because of your little faith,” He told them. “For I assure you: If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20).

Power of Prayer and How Do I Tap into It?
The power of prayer isn’t in the person praying. It’s not a magic formula. It isn’t keywords. It is an open heart, humble and filled with awe of who our mighty God is. Rather, the power resides in the God who is being prayed to.

1 John 5:14-15 tells us, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us — whatever we ask — we know that we have what we asked of him.”

In fact, Jesus rebukes those who pray using repetitions or those who pray in public to seek attention or those who don’t have the right heart, “And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Matthew 6:7-8).

Psalm 107:28-30 reminds us, “Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven.” There is power in prayer!

How Does Prayer Change Us?

Posted on by thechristiantechnerd

Prayer is the power tool for Christians to communicate with the Lord. It is our way of realizing that we have needs and the only provider of our needs is the Father in Heaven. The Bible tells us that He will never leave us, as it is written in Scripture,

The LORD Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy 31:8).

And we can lay our worries to Him because He promised to take care of us, as is written, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

As we pray, we can feel a change in our spiritual life. We are closer to God because we continuously communicate. Through prayer, we acknowledge that His love for us is infinite, and He will never leave us. Truly, there is power in prayer and it can change us in many ways. How does prayer change us?

Changes Us by Knowing God Better
Prayer changes us by making us closer to God and knowing Him better. The Holy Spirit guides us through prayer. The Bible tells us that Jesus assured us that after His resurrection, the Holy Spirit will be with us forever and that the Holy Spirit is all around us to give us wisdom in knowing God.

The Bible also tells us, “For I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you” (John 16:7).

It is written that through a very good relationship with God, through prayer, we are able to experience God’s omnipresence through the Holy Spirit. For this reason, we know God better because we experience Him in our daily lives.

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen (2 Peter 3:18).

It is also through knowing God that we are able to understand God’s nature. We know that he will never leave us and that He is the great provider, but only through prayer that we may experience knowing him more. And that God’s love for us shines brighter than anything else.

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).

Changes Us by Listening
Prayer also changes us by improving our attitude on listening to what God wants. Most of the time, we are always focused on presenting our request to God and praying constantly that our requests are answered.

Sometimes, we forget to listen to God and acknowledge that it is His will that should be followed. “Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.” (Proverbs 16:20).

Listening to God is not an easy task. It requires constant discipline, and we can only achieve training through continuous prayer and practicing His command.

Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me — put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you (Philippians 4:9).

However, there will come a time when we are tempted to not follow His command or His will. That is why, we have to train our minds to avoid the noise of the world and instead, listen to God and God alone.

We can do this by continuously learning about God and communicating through prayer as we strengthen our faith in Him, as Scripture says, “But solid food belongs to those who are full of age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:14).

Changes Us through Patience
Prayer also changes our lives by patience. Because as we pray, we are required to be patient in listening to God’s will. As Jesus Christ said,

Truly I say to you, If you have faith, and doubt not, you shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if you shall say to this mountain, Be you removed, and be you cast into the sea; it shall be done (Matthew 21:21).

However, human as we are, we are sometimes impatient. We become tired of waiting for our prayers to be answered. Do not fret. The Bible tells us that:

Have you not known? Have you not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, faints not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding. He gives power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint (Isaiah 40:28-31).

Continuous prayer can change us and make us patient. Our communication with God will tell us that He will answer our prayers according to His will.

Changes Us through Faith
Prayer changes us by nourishing our faith in God. As we communicate with God, we learn that He is truly our great provider and it is only through God that we can receive impossible breakthroughs in our lives.

However, there are circumstances when we feel hopeless, especially when trial after trial happens to us. Remember, it is only in God’s will that we can understand the totality of each situation. As the Word says, “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience” (James 1:3).

And “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:8-9).

We are reminded that there is an inexpressible and glorious joy as we continue our faith in God because we know through Him, we can achieve impossible things.

Continued prayer to God makes us remember God’s promises to His faithful servants. That is why it is important for us to continue and communicate daily through prayer.

Changes Us through Our Inner Strength
Prayer has the power to change us by building our inner strength through Christ Jesus. As stated in Psalm 46:1-3,

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

The Father in Heaven promises to be the refuge in times of harsh circumstances. Therefore, prayers have the power to change circumstances to a better one by changing our inner perspectives to that of a perspective that has faith in Christ Jesus and the Father in Heaven.

Our life depends heavily on our prayer life and spiritual life. That is also true with our inner strength. As we pray, our inner strength is being built to be stronger and stronger until we become prepared for whatever circumstances we face because the Father in Heaven has promised in Isaiah 43:1-3,

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord you God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

Whenever we need strength, we can count on God to be there in endless ways as written in Proverbs 18:10, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe.”

And rest assured your path is right as long as you have constant communication to God through prayer.

Changes Us through Ultimate Surrender
Prayer changes us through our ultimate surrender to God. Prayer is a form of worship and only through worship, we are able to surrender ourselves through God. As Scripture says, Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship (Romans 12:1).

Through ultimate surrender, we can rest all our worries to the Lord, “Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes” (Psalm 37:7).

Finally, we are reminded that, indeed, prayer is our most important tool in communicating with God. It is also equally important if we have faith in Him and we know Him better, which can be achieved through continuous prayer.

Having a continuous communication with the Lord will help us and lead us to the right path. A stronger prayer life changes us through our inner strength, through ultimate surrender, through patience, by listening, by knowing God better, and through faith in Christ Jesus as the Bible tells us,

Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go (Joshua 1:9).