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Praying the Scriptures Praying the
scriptures has long been a practice of the Christian tradition. Praying the scriptures allows one to find an
intimate connection between the scripture, its authors, and God. Following
are selections to aid in praying the scriptures. 1. Get into a
comfortable position 2. Focus on your
breathing & breathing in and out slowly a few times 3. Read a
scripture three times 4. Allow your
mind to wander through the scripture 5. Give a prayer
of thanks to God Psalm
42:5
5Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed
within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and 6my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I
will remember you from the land of the Psalm
41:9-13
9Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared
my bread, has lifted up his heel against me. 10But you, O LORD, have mercy on me; raise me up, that
I may repay them. 11I know that you are pleased with me, for my enemy
does not triumph over me. 12In my integrity you uphold me and set me in your
presence forever. 13Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from
everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen. Luke
17:3,4
3So watch yourselves. "If your brother sins,
rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. 4If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven
times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him." Romans
12:14,17,19,21
14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not
curse. 17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do
what is right in the eyes of everybody. 19Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for
God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will
repay," says the Lord. 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with
good. 2
Timothy 4:16-18
16At my first defense, no one came to my support, but
everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. 17But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength,
so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles
might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth. 18The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and
will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and
ever. Amen. Matthew
10:16-21
16I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore
be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17"Be on your guard against men; they will hand
you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. 18On my account you will be brought before governors
and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to
say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of
your Father speaking through you. 21"Brother will betray brother to death, and a
father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put
to death. Psalm
23
1A psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd, I shall
not be in want. 2He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me
beside quiet waters, 3he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of
righteousness for his name's sake. 4Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow
of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff,
they comfort me. 5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my
enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days
of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Hebrews
13:5,6
5Keep your lives free from the love of money and be
content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave
you; never will I forsake you." 6So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my
helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" Psalm
27:1-6
1Of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation--
whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life-- of whom shall I be
afraid? 2When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh,
when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. 3Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. 4One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze
upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. 5For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in
his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me
high upon a rock. 6Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who
surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will
sing and make music to the LORD. Philippians
4:19
19And my God will meet all your needs according to his
glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Psalm
32:8
8I will instruct you and teach you in the way you
should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. John
14:1-4
1"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in
God ; trust also in me. 2In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not
so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come
back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4You know the way to the place where I am
going." John
16:33
33"I have told you these things, so that in me you
may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have
overcome the world." Romans
5:1-5
1Therefore, since we have been justified through
faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into
this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of
God. 3Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings,
because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has
poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
Philippians
4:6,7
6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything,
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all
understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Romans
12
1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's
mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to
God--this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this
world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able
to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. 3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you:
Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of
yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has
given you. 4Just as each of us has one body with many members,
and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each
member belongs to all the others. 6We have different gifts, according to the grace given
us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his
faith. 7If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching,
let him teach; 8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing
to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him
govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. 9Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to
what is good. 10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor
one another above yourselves. 11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual
fervor, serving the Lord. 12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful
in prayer. 13Share with God's people who are in need. Practice
hospitality. 14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not
curse. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who
mourn. 16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud,
but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do
what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live
at peace with everyone. 19Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for
God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will
repay," says the Lord. 20On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed
him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will
heap burning coals on his head." 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with
good. Psalm
6
1For the director of music. With stringed
instruments. According to sheminith. A psalm of David. O LORD, do not rebuke
me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. 2Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint; O LORD,
heal me, for my bones are in agony. 3My soul is in anguish. How long, O LORD, how long? 4Turn, O LORD, and deliver me; save me because of
your unfailing love. 5No one remembers you when he is dead. Who praises
you from the grave ? 6I am worn out from groaning; all night long I flood
my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears. 7My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of
all my foes. 8Away from me, all you who do evil, for the LORD has
heard my weeping. 9The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD
accepts my prayer. 10All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed; they
will turn back in sudden disgrace. Romans
8:31-39
31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God
is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up
for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all
things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has
chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who
died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and
is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall
trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
36As it is written: "For your sake we face death
all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors
through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life,
neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any
powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all
creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ
Jesus our Lord. Psalm
4
1For the director of music. With stringed
instruments. A psalm of David. Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous
God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer. 2How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame ?
How long will you love delusions and seek false gods ? Selah 3Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for
himself; the LORD will hear when I call to him. 4In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds,
search your hearts and be silent. Selah 5Offer right sacrifices and trust in the LORD. 6Many are asking, "Who can show us any
good?" Let the light of your face shine upon us, O LORD. 7You have filled my heart with greater joy than when
their grain and new wine abound. 8I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O
LORD, make me dwell in safety. Psalm
42
1For the director of music. A maskil of the Sons of
Korah. As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O
God. 2My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When
can I go and meet with God? 3My tears have been my food day and night, while men
say to me all day long, "Where is your God?" 4These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I
used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God,
with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng. 5Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed
within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and 6my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I
will remember you from the land of the 7Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers have swept over me. 8By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song
is with me-- a prayer to the God of my life. 9I say to God my Rock, "Why have you forgotten
me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?" 10My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long, "Where is your God?" 11Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within
me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Luke
11:1-13
1One 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." 2He said to them, "When you pray, say:
"'Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. 3Give us each day our daily bread. 4Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone
who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.'" 5Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a
friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three
loaves of bread, 6because a friend of mine on a journey has come to
me, and I have nothing to set before him.' 7"Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me.
The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get
up and give you anything.' 8I tell you, though he will not get up and give him
the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will
get up and give him as much as he needs. 9"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to
you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds;
and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 11"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a
fish, will give him a snake instead? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good
gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the
Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" John
17
1After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and
prayed: "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may
glorify you. 2For you granted him authority over all people that
he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3Now this is eternal life: that they may know you,
the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4I have brought you glory on earth by completing the
work you gave me to do. 5And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with
the glory I had with you before the world began. 6"I have revealed you to those whom you gave me
out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed
your word. 7Now they know that everything you have given me
comes from you. 8For I gave them the words you gave me and they
accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they
believed that you sent me. 9I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but
for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And
glory has come to me through them. 11I will remain in the world no longer, but they are
still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the
power of your name--the name you gave me--so that they may be one as we are
one. 12While I was with them, I protected them and kept
them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed
to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. 13"I am coming to you now, but I say these things
while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my
joy within them. 14I have given them your word and the world has hated
them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15My prayer is not that you take them out of the world
but that you protect them from the evil one. 16They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into
the world. 19For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be
truly sanctified. 20"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also
for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are
in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe
that you have sent me. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that
they may be one as we are one: 23I in them and you in me. May they be brought to
complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them
even as you have loved me. 24"Father, I want those you have given me to be
with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because
you loved me before the creation of the world. 25"Righteous Father, though the world does not
know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26I have made you known to them, and will continue to
make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that
I myself may be in them." 1
John 5:14,15
14This is the confidence we have in approaching God:
that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15And if we know that he hears us--whatever we ask--we
know that we have what we asked of him. Psalm
18:1-3
1For the director of music. Of David the servant of
the LORD. He sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him
from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said: I love
you, O LORD, my strength. 2The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my
salvation, my stronghold. 3I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I
am saved from my enemies. Psalm
34:7
7The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear
him, and he delivers them. Psalm
38
1A psalm of David. A petition. O LORD, do not rebuke
me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. 2For your arrows have pierced me, and your hand has
come down upon me. 3Because of your wrath there is no health in my body;
my bones have no soundness because of my sin. 4My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy
to bear. 5My wounds fester and are loathsome because of my
sinful folly. 6I am bowed down and brought very low; all day long I
go about mourning. 7My back is filled with searing pain; there is no
health in my body. 8I am feeble and utterly crushed; I groan in anguish
of heart. 9All my longings lie open before you, O Lord; my
sighing is not hidden from you. 10My heart pounds, my strength fails me; even the
light has gone from my eyes. 11My friends and companions avoid me because of my
wounds; my neighbors stay far away. 12Those who seek my life set their traps, those who
would harm me talk of my ruin; all day long they plot deception. 13I am like a deaf man, who cannot hear, like a mute,
who cannot open his mouth; 14I have become like a man who does not hear, whose
mouth can offer no reply. 15I wait for you, O LORD; you will answer, O Lord my
God. 16For I said, "Do not let them gloat or exalt
themselves over me when my foot slips." 17For I am about to fall, and my pain is ever with me.
18I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin. 19Many are those who are my vigorous enemies; those
who hate me without reason are numerous. 20Those who repay my good with evil slander me when I
pursue what is good. 21O LORD, do not forsake me; be not far from me, O my
God. 22Come quickly to help me, O Lord my Savior. |
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