A Prayer about Waiting for Recovery

by | Nov 5, 2025 | Daily Prayer

A Prayer about Waiting for Recovery

Do you need help for your unbelief?

Lord, I believe; help my unbelief. Mark 9:24

Heavenly Father,

How this earthly father’s words resonate with us. 

He had likely lost all hope that his son, 

who was violently abused by an “unclean spirit,” 

would ever recover (Mark 9:17). 

And yet, he, like we, 

dared to hope that Jesus could help. 

He, like we, in our hopeless and discouragement, can only ask, 

“if you can do anything, 

have compassion on us and help us” (Mark 9:22). 

When Jesus responds, “Anything is possible if a person believes,” 

the father admits his ambivalence: “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24). 

Oh Lord, how we thank you 

that your healing work in our lives, 

whether healing of sin, 

healing of addiction, 

healing of illness, 

or healing of relationships, 

does not depend on our level of faith. 

Oh Lord, how we thank you 

that you are the faithful one 

who loves us deeply in our doubt. 

Oh Lord, how we thank you 

that we know the day of full and final healing 

is coming soon. 

In Jesus’ faithful name. Amen.  

Read Mark 9:14-29. 

A Prayer about Not Resenting Correction

by | Nov 4, 2025 | Daily Prayer

A Prayer about Not Resenting Correction

How do you feel about correction?

Mockers resent correction, so they avoid the wise. Proverbs 15:12

Gracious Father,

Throughout your word, 

we find you calling us 

to heed correction and discipline. 

And yet, we confess, 

we resist it; 

sometimes we even resent it. 

How desperately we need your correction, though,

for our hearts are stubborn and still plagued by sin; 

we are too much the wayward sheep, 

all going our own way (See Isaiah 53:6).

How desperately we need a Savior, 

and how desperately we need to trust your discipline 

as a kindness to us. 

We do not want to be people 

who “despise the Lord’s discipline,” 

who “resent your rebuke” (Prov. 3:11).

Rather, make us your very own children 

who know that you “discipline the one you love” (Hebrews 11:6), 

who trust that your discipline, 

while it seems painful, 

“yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness 

to those who have been trained by it” (Heb. 12:11). 

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Read Proverbs 3:11; Proverbs 15:12; Hebrews 12:3-11.

A Prayer about Desiring a Better Country

by | Nov 3, 2025 | Daily Prayer

A Prayer about Desiring a Better Country

Do you need a little perspective on Election Day?

These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. Hebrews 11:13

Lord God, Architect and Builder of the City with Foundations,

Remind us today of what you have told us over and over: 

this world is not our home—yet. 

One day, our Savior, King Jesus, 

who submitted himself to estrangement 

for the sake of our sins, 

will return to this earth. 

In that day, he will bring with him 

“the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, 

coming down out of heaven from God, 

prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:2). 

We admit, that’s a mixed metaphor 

and it’s hard to get our minds around, 

but this we know:

In that day, we will, 

like Abraham and Sarah and Moses and Rahab 

and all the other saints mentioned in Hebrews 11, 

“receive the things promised,” 

the things we “greet…from afar” (Hebrews 11:13). 

We will settle in the homeland 

we have always sought (Hebrews 11:14). 

We will no longer be “strangers and exiles on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13). 

Today and every day, Lord, 

keep our eyes fixed on the horizon, 

looking for that “better country” 

our hearts deeply desire, 

the heavenly one, 

for we know that you have prepared for us a city. 

Until that day comes, 

may we invite others to join us 

as strangers and exiles on this earth, 

as citizens of your heavenly kingdom. 

In the name of the only King, Jesus. Amen. 

Read Hebrews 11:8-16; Revelation 21:1-5. 

A Prayer about Praying for the Persecuted

by | Nov 2, 2025 | Daily Prayer

A Prayer about Praying for the Persecuted

Will you join me in praying for those severely persecuted for their faith?

Indeed, the hour will come when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. John 16:2

Lord of Hosts,

Yesterday we prayed about enduring persecution. 

And yet, most of us praying these prayers cannot comprehend the type of persecution endured by many of your followers throughout the world. 

As our pastor pointed out, 

persecution is variable, 

and in many countries of the world, 

your followers are killed or imprisoned 

for being Christians. 

In some countries, those who are not killed 

are deported to labor camps 

as political criminals.** 

In many countries, 

churches are destroyed, 

and your followers experience 

severe discrimination and economic pressure. 

Lord, we ask your protection 

of these Christians 

who courageously live their faith 

in the face of severe persecution. 

Give them courage and endurance

as they cling to Christ their Savior 

for wisdom and hope. 

We pray that those trapped 

in state religions or false religions 

will see the light of Christ 

and respond to him as Lord and Savior.

We pray for children in oppressed countries, 

for their protection, 

that they might hear your Word 

and grow as your disciples.

We pray that we might be bold witnesses, 

faithful to pray 

and to share the hope 

you have given us through our Savior.

In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

For more information about the persecuted church worldwide, visit persecution.com and opendoors.org. 

A Prayer about Being Persecuted as a Christian

by | Nov 1, 2025 | Daily Prayer

A Prayer about Being Persecuted as a Christian

How do you feel about being persecuted?

‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you…. John 15:20

Precious Jesus,

We admit, we really like to be liked. 

Reading that we will be hated and persecuted 

“because [we] are not of this world” 

unnerves us.* 

Strengthen us to bear persecution, 

for indeed, 

it will come to your followers.** 

Help us to remember that it is not personal, 

especially when family and friends 

mock or abandon us 

because we follow you. 

Help us to endure persecution 

through looking to you, 

the “author and perfecter of our faith,” 

“who for the joy set before him 

endured the cross, 

despising the shame, 

and is seated at the right hand of God” (Hebrews 12:2). 

And most of all, help us to remember 

that we are not alone 

as we face persecution, 

for we have the Helper, 

the Holy Spirit, 

whom you sent to us. 

The Spirit will give us the words 

and the courage we need; 

the Spirit will comfort us 

and bandage our wounds. 

Thank you for giving us all we need 

to endure 

until the day 

of no more mourning, 

no more pain, 

no more shame. 

Amen.

*Today is the international day of prayer for the persecuted church. We will pray about persecution today and tomorrow (and on an ongoing basis.)

**This prayer based on a sermon by our pastor, Joel Treick. You can listen here : Pinewoods Church – Podcast.

A Prayer about Being a BlueJay

by | Oct 31, 2025 | Daily Prayer

A Prayer about Being a BlueJay

Do you know you are a gift to the body of Christ?

But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 1 Corinthians 12:18

Creator God,

How creative you are!

Sometimes we notice the blue jays 

flitting around an oak tree,

and we don’t think much of it, 

because they are fairly common in our neighborhood

We say to ourselves, “Oh, it’s just a blue jay!” 

But then we actually look at the beautiful blend 

of blues and grays and blacks in the blue jay 

and realize how cleverly you designed this bird 

to help plant new oak trees by spreading acorns. 

And we think of how we sometimes look at people 

in your body and think 

“They’re just blue jays.”

Just another ordinary person, 

nothing special. 

Or maybe we think about ourselves that way—

“I don’t have any special gifts 

to contribute to the body.”

And yet, you have clearly created each one of us 

with unique gifts for serving you, 

and we need every member of the body of Christ: 

“If the whole body were an ear, 

where would be the sense of smell?” (1 Corinthians 12:17). 

Wondrous Creator, 

may we see the wonder of each and every member of your body, 

including ourselves, 

even if we’re “just a blue jay.” 

May we seek you and serve you 

with the ordinary gifts you have given us—

the ability to open the door for an older woman, 

the heart to send a note to someone we missed in church today, 

the hope to believe that redemption is coming 

despite the dark landscape we see around us.

In Jesus’ gifting name. Amen. 

Read 1 Corinthians 12.