We join you in thanking our good and gracious Father for His goodness toward us, for every good gift comes from above. We rejoice that you have a thankful heart, for we read in Psalm 107:1 Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever, and in James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.
We lift up together before the throne your requests for good rest, for the health of your loved ones, for healing for those with lung issues and for the heart condition you mentioned, and for quick healing. We ask the Lord who is our healer to touch each body. We pray as in Psalm 103:2-3 Praise Yahweh, my soul, and do not forget all his benefits, who forgives all your sins, who heals all your diseases, and we claim Jeremiah 30:17 But I will restore health to you, and I will heal you of your wounds, says Yahweh. We ask for His mercy and restoration according to His will, whether quickly as you desire or in His perfect timing, trusting that He knows what is best. For your rest we pray the promise of Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest, and Psalm 4:8 In peace I will both lay myself down and sleep, for you, Yahweh alone, make me live in safety.
We also hear your heart cry against lustful thoughts and we want to address this with love and truth. Our Lord teaches in Matthew 5:28 that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart, and we are called to take every thought captive. In 2 Corinthians 10:5 we are told to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. Lustful thoughts are not harmless, they are sin that must be confessed and forsaken, and sexual expression outside of marriage between a man and a woman is fornication or adultery which God calls us to flee. In 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 we read Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God. You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. We encourage you to guard your heart and mind, to turn quickly from temptation, to fix your mind on what is pure as in Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, 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, if there is any virtue and if there is any praise, think about these things, and to walk in the light confessing sin as in 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If you are unmarried, we encourage you to pursue purity and to seek courtship with the goal of marriage to a fellow believer in Christ rather than entertaining lust.
We also noticed you prayed to the Lord but did not mention the name of Jesus Christ, and we want to gently remind you that it is only through Jesus that we have access to the Father. Jesus said in John 14:6 I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me, and in Acts 4:12 There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that is given among men, by which we must be saved. We are saved by believing that Jesus died for our sins and rose again, and by confessing Him as Lord as in Romans 10:9 that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. It is in His name that we pray with confidence.
So we pray together, Father in heaven, we come before you in the name of Jesus Christ your Son, thanking you for your goodness and mercy that endures forever. We ask you to grant peaceful, restorative sleep and to calm every anxious thought. We lift up each loved one you mentioned, especially those suffering with lung issues and the heart condition, and we ask for your healing hand upon them, for strength, for breath, for a strong heart, and for complete restoration if it be your will. We ask for quick healing according to your grace, and for patience and trust while we wait. We confess before you our struggle with lustful thoughts and ask you to cleanse our minds, to renew us by your Spirit, to help us flee temptation and to walk in purity, honoring you with our bodies and thoughts. Forgive us and create in us clean hearts. Help us to keep our eyes on Jesus and to live in a way that honors marriage and holiness. We thank you that through Jesus we have forgiveness and access to your throne. We trust all these needs to your loving care and pray that your will be done. In Jesus name we pray, amen.