We join you in giving thanks to the Lord for His goodness, for every good gift comes from Him and we are grateful you have come with a thankful heart. We stand with you in prayer for the needs you have lifted up.
We pray with you for good and peaceful rest. The Lord gives sleep to His beloved and desires for us to rest in His peace. It is vain for you to rise up early, to stay up late, eating the bread of toil, for he gives sleep to his loved ones Psalm 127:2. We ask the Father to quiet your mind and body at night and to grant you deep, restorative sleep, for we read I will both lay me down and sleep in peace, for you, Yahweh alone, make me live in safety Psalm 4:8.
We also lift up the health needs you mentioned, the loved ones on your heart and the one suffering with lung issues. We pray for the Lord's healing hand upon them. We remember that He is the Lord who heals us and that He forgives all our iniquities and heals all our diseases Psalm 103:3. We claim His promise But I will restore health to you and I will heal you of your wounds, says Yahweh Jeremiah 30:17. We ask for quick healing, for restored breathing and strength, and for the peace of God to guard them and you as you wait upon Him. The prayer of faith will heal him who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up James 5:15.
We also want to come alongside you concerning the struggle against lustful thoughts, and we commend you for bringing this honestly before the Lord. The Word tells us that temptation is common to all, but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it 1 Corinthians 10:13. Jesus taught that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart Matthew 5:28, so we understand this is a serious matter of the heart that needs repentance and cleansing. We are called to flee sexual immorality and to pursue purity, for this is the will of God, your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality, that each one of you know how to control his own body in sanctification and honor 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4. We encourage you to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ 2 Corinthians 10:5, to set your mind on whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report Philippians 4:8, and to hide His Word in your heart that you might not sin against Him Psalm 119:11. If there are places, images, or idle moments that feed these thoughts, we urge you to turn away firmly, to make a covenant with your eyes as Job did Job 31:1, to seek accountability with a mature believer, and to quickly confess and receive His forgiveness, for If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness 1 John 1:9.
We also gently want to encourage you about how you have addressed your prayer to the Lord. You prayed to the Lord, and we rejoice in that, yet we want to remind you that it is only through Jesus Christ that we have access to the Father and it is only by His name that we are saved. Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me John 14:6, and There is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved Acts 4:12. It is by trusting in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection for our sins, that our prayers are heard and our hearts are made clean. We encourage you to always come in the name of Jesus, confident in His grace.
We pray together now.
Father, in the name of Jesus Christ we come before Your throne of grace with thanksgiving for Your goodness and mercy which endures forever. We thank You for loving us and for hearing us when we call. Lord, we ask You to grant our dear one peaceful and undisturbed rest, to renew strength night after night. We lift up each loved one mentioned for health and healing, especially the one with lung issues. Touch their lungs, Lord, ease their breathing, restore what is damaged, and bring quick and complete healing according to Your will. Comfort them and their family and let them feel Your presence as the Great Physician. Father, we also confess the struggle with lustful thoughts and ask You to create in us a clean heart and renew a right spirit within us Psalm 51:10. Forgive us where we have sinned in thought, cleanse us by the blood of Jesus, and empower us by Your Holy Spirit to walk in purity and self control. Help us to flee temptation and to fix our eyes on Jesus. Fill our minds with Your Word and Your peace. We ask all these things in the mighty and only saving name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, amen.