Easter is a time of rebirth and a deep sense of hope. Use these powerful Easter Bible verses to guide you on this day as you reflect on the story of Jesus’ resurrection. How can you bring these Scriptures into your own life and feel the power of Jesus’ love on Easter and beyond?

READ MORE: 40 Beautiful Easter Quotes to Share

Popular Easter Bible Verses

1. Mark 16:8 – Be Amazed 

So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them. (Mark 16:8) 

What would your reaction be if you went to the place where they had buried your beloved Lord and discovered the body was no longer there? The best news in the world can be so startling that we can’t embrace it at first. So it was for Jesus’ first followers. Two millennia later, the message of the Resurrection still takes me by surprise. Before singing those “Hallelujahs” at church, I find myself catching my breath. Then I utter the refrain: “The Lord is risen indeed!” 

READ MORE: 10 Easter Traditions (Old and New)

2. 1 Peter 1:3 – Give Thanks

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (1 Peter 1:3) 

I used to wonder why we praise God. Was God so insecure as to need all that affirma­tion? No—God loves our praise because it’s good for us, like telling a colleague what a great job they did or thanking a friend. Giving credit where credit is due. ’Tis the season of praise and exclamation points! Don’t hold back. Flowers, Easter baskets, colored eggs—they’re all ways to express our exuberance. To thank the Creator for his gift to us. 

READ MORE: 10 Acts of Kindness to Do for Easter

3. Luke 18:16 – Nurture Your Inner Child 

But Jesus called for them and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.” (Luke 18:16) 

After we sing the last hymn at church, the kids dash outside for the egg hunt. The eggs and giant bunny are reminders of new life. The event mirrors the thrill of any seek-and-find spiritual journey. No matter your age, a youthful spirit is something Jesus valued. Nurture your inner child for the day.  

READ MORE: 10 Easter Eggs from Around the World

More Easter Bible Verses to Bring You Joy 

4. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

5. But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.” (Luke 24:1-6) 

6. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11) 

7. Ask the Lord for rain in the springtime; it is the Lord who sends the thunderstorms. He gives showers of rain to all people, and plants of the field to everyone. (Zechariah 10:1) 

8. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. 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. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? (Romans 8:34-35) 

9. Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. (James 5:7) 

10. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. (1 Corinthians 15:20-21) 

11. I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. (John 11:25-26) 

12. Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge Him. As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth. (Hosea 6:3) 

13. I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. (John 8:12) 

14. Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And 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. You know the way to the place where I am going. (John 14: 1-4) 

15. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1) 

16. He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time. (2 Timothy 1:9)  

17. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. (1 Timothy 1:15-16) 

18. The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. (Lamentations 3:25-26)

19. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 1:18-20) 

20. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8) 

READ MORE ABOUT EASTER: 

• The Easter Story in 14 Bible Passages
• 5 Joyful Easter Devotions
• How to Pray in the Days After Easter
• The Message of Easter

For more inspiring stories, subscribe to Guideposts magazine.

The post 20 Easter Bible Verses to Celebrate and Reflect appeared first on Guideposts.

This is the time of year when many people take on spring cleaning projects inside and outside their homes. But since we put so much time and effort into cleaning our worldly residence, shouldn’t we also do some spiritual spring cleaning?

READ MORE: 20 Bible Verses About Spring and New Life

What is a Spiritual Spring Cleaning?

A spiritual spring cleaning is when we take stock of our spiritual lives to clean out our hearts and souls. This can include our prayers, our relationship with God, our views on the world around us, how we treat others, our sense of purpose, or anything else that impacts your spiritual life.

If we desire clean hearts, we must start by asking for them. “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me,” (Psalm 51:10). After we’ve prayed for guidance, we need to wade into the clutter and grime of our hearts—and let the cleaning begin!

Spiritual Spring Cleaning in 4 Steps

1. Scan for big problems you might have overlooked.

Take some time to think through the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:2–17) in the Bible. Are there any you’re not living out fully? If you find you’re tripping over one of these, confess it—and ask God to sweep, or spiritually spring clean, your sin away.

READ MORE: 7 Spring Prayers for Hope and New Beginnings

2. Dust off your irritations.

Think of the things (or people) that annoy you regularly, and ask yourself if anything is going on in your own heart that contributes to the problem. To do your spiritual spring cleaning, let go of the negative things in your life and invite the positive ones in—like peace, hope, and love. And remember, “[love] is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs” (1 Corinthians 13:5).

READ MORE: 25 Joyful Spring Quotes to Inspire You

3. Consider the clutter of your days.

What could you fling from your life that’s cluttering your relationship with God? One TV show a day? A tidbit of gossip when you get together with friends? An indulgence that might be cultivating a spirit of selfishness? Look to the small things. The Bible warns us that it’s “the little foxes that ruin the vineyards” (Song of Solomon 2:15).

4. Contemplate what’s lacking.

What we fail to do often depletes our spiritual health as much as what we do wrong. We want to be among those to whom Christ says, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me’” (Matthew 25:35-36). As you do your spiritual spring cleaning, think of what more you can do in your life to help others and live with spiritual wellbeing.

READ MORE: 10 Acts of Kindness to do for Easter

Bible Verses about Spiritual Spring Cleaning

• Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10)
• Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. (Psalm 51:7)
• For now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face. Now I know in part but then shall I know even as also I am known. (1 Corinthians 13:12)
• Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup so that the outside of the cup will be clean too. (Matthew 23:26)
• Who can say I have made my heart clean? I am pure from sin. (Proverbs 20:9)
• There is nothing unclean of itself but to him that sees anything unclean, to him it is unclean. (Romans 14:14)

READ MORE: How to Pray These Bible Verses for Spring Cleaning

God longs to purify you from your sins, to wash you and make your heart “whiter than snow” (Psalm 51:7)…every season of the year. Take the steps to undergo a spiritual spring cleaning and it will benefit your life through the spring season and beyond.

The post 4 Steps for a Spiritual Spring Cleaning appeared first on Guideposts.

Looking for a new way to celebrate Easter? Between busy schedules of egg hunts and baskets filled with candy, it can be hard to find the time to sit with God and feel gratitude for this holy season. Here are five Easter devotions to help you reflect on what this day is all about. Read them on your own before you say your Easter prayers, or gather the whole family to read them together before your Easter celebrations.

READ MORE: The Easter Story in 14 Bible Passages

1. An Easter Devotion: The Joy That Invades Our Hearts

by Elizabeth Sherrill

He is not here; for he has risen…—Matthew 28:6

Only a week had passed since that triumphant Palm Sunday entrance into Jerusalem—but what a difference in the little procession that set out now! No cheering crowds, no waving branches. Just a few silent women setting out in the gray dawn to perform the last sad rites at the tomb.

The day that changed human history was not a public occasion but a private one. The day when everlasting life broke into earthly time began not with celebration but with tears.

This is still the way Easter breaks into our lives—when we least expect it, when all seems lost. That’s when the stone rolls away and the angel speaks and “death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:54)

If it seems too good to be true, this joy that invades our hearts, it seemed so on the first Easter morning too. Mary Magdalene could not believe what her eyes were telling her; she took Jesus to be a gardener at work early among the graves. Preoccupied with her loss, she barely glanced at the figure standing before her on the path. She had a mournful task to fulfill and—

“Mary.”

There in the first light of dawn, Mary stood still. That voice…that tone of loving involvement. This was the moment, the moment when Jesus called her by name, that Easter broke like the sunrise into her heart. It is how we recognize Him still. The risen Jesus calls us so personally, comes into our lives to individually, that with Mary Magdalene, we cry out in glad recognition.

READ MORE: 10 Easter Eggs from Around the World

And then we do what the women did on that first Easter Sunday. Dropping their spices and ointments, the burdens of their sad errand, they rushed to tell the others. They set the pattern, these women who were first at the empty tomb, the two-fold pattern of the Christian faith newborn that Easter morning. They met the living Jesus. And they brought the good news to those who grieved.

That’s always our role, when it’s Easter in our lives; to tell someone else that He is risen.

2. An Inspiring Easter Surprise

by Penney Schwab

For the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given. —2 Corinthians 1:11

It was a wonderful Easter. Morning worship at our son Patrick’s church in Texas featured an excellent choir and inspiring sermon. Our daughter-in-law Patricia prepared a veritable feast for dinner. After our traditional family egg hunt, my husband Don said, “We need to head home, so we can stop in Amarillo and get Penney’s Easter surprise.”

Read this inspirational family devotion for Easter and see what Penney’s husband had in store for their surprise. 

3. Easter Always Comes

by Marci Alborghetti

Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him. —Psalm 62:8

“I saw a robin!” My mother’s voice on the phone had the singsong quality of smug victory. She might as well have added, “Na-na-na-na-na!” She likes to win this game.

Mom and I have an annual competition to see who can spot the year’s first robin. It means that the winter will, indeed, end, even when we’re convinced it’s going to go on forever. For both of us, it’s always been a long, gray crawl from Christmas to Easter. So the first robin is an important signpost, and even more so this year.

Read this heartwarming Easter devotion and learn how the sighting of a robin taught Marci an important Easter lesson. 

4. A Devotion About the Easter Miracle Deep Within

by Elizabeth Sherill

He is not here; he has risen! —Luke 24:6

“He is not here,” the angels told the little group of grieving women who came to the tomb that first Easter morning. “He has risen!” This is what angels, in their myriad shapes, tell us still, not only on this Easter, but every day.

For me, one of those angels is a handsome conifer, the only large tree in our yard. My husband John and I were new homeowners, not sure of how to care for the lawn and shrubs. But whatever our failures, the tree towered above them, drawing the eye away from weeds and bare spots. That’s why we were distressed when that fall some brown patches appeared among the dark green needles.

Read the rest of this beautiful devotion during your Easter celebrations and see how a conifer tree became an important Easter symbol. 

5. A Devotion for Easter Monday

by John Sherrill

I am with you always… —Matthew 28:20

It’s Monday, the day after Easter.  Yesterday, when the children and grandchildren left, my wife, Tib, and I went through the usual post-holiday letdown. We coped with it as we always do—cleaning up. I collected left-behind jelly beans before they could be trod into the rug, picked up a ball of colored foil where someone had missed a wastebasket, found a half-eaten chocolate rabbit under one of the kids’ beds.

Tib gathered the wicker baskets and carried them up to the attic, then got out the vacuum cleaner and attacked the escaped Easter grass.  How did the shiny green strands get so far from the bedrooms where we had unpacked the baskets?

Read this unique Easter devotion and learn how a post-Easter clean-up became a sign of Hope for this couple. 

READ MORE ABOUT EASTER:

• Bible Verses to Live By: Celebrate Easter Joy
• 40 Beautiful Easter Quotes to Share
• 10 Acts of Kindness to do for Easter
• The Message of Easter

The post 5 Joyful Easter Devotions appeared first on Guideposts.

Have you felt hurt, angry—maybe even frozen—when things haven’t gone the way you hoped and prayed for?

How do you cope when a relationship ends or a longed-for opportunity doesn’t materialize? Do you stew in anger or regret? Shut down and shut out the world? Or do you hang on tighter? After all, society bombards us with messages to never give up.

I’ve clung to people and situations, thinking, God, don’t ask me to give this up. But when I let go—and let God take over—I’m reminded that his plan is better than mine. Always. “‘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’” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Letting go is not easy. I think about biblical figures like Abraham, who was told by God to sacrifice his son Isaac on the mountain. Abraham entrusted his son to God, and in return, God promised to make Isaac’s descendants more numerous than the stars in the sky. When you clear space in your life, you make room for God to give you even more.

That’s something worth thinking about this season. During peak fall foliage, we see God’s glory. Then the leaves dry up and drift to the ground, allowing the next season’s growth. May you let go of what no longer serves you and let God lead the way.

For more inspiring stories, subscribe to Guideposts magazine.

The post Keeping the Faith: Let It Go appeared first on Guideposts.

Quick answer: all of them. They’re all good guides. Sometimes what matters most is the convenience, finding helpful Scripture when you need it. For instance, take a verse from the Psalms, “God of Zion, to you even silence is praise.” (Psalm 65:1)

That’s from the Common English Bible, the CEB, and I found it an inspiration in my daily prayer practice. I even used it as the title of my book on meditative prayer, Even Silence Is Praise (Thomas Nelson, Feb. 8 2022).

The CEB gives the Scripture in easy-to-understand, everyday English. No highfalutin phrases. Plenty of contractions. It’s the language we speak.

On the other hand, sometimes I want that beautiful Shakespearian language I remember from childhood, “He maketh me lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters…” (Psalm 23: 2). The wondrous King James Version.

Published in 1611, the KJV was the primary English-language Bible for centuries. I have a tattered pocket version I used on my subway commute to work for years. “The Bible that’s falling apart belongs to someone who isn’t,” they say. Here’s my witness!

These days, at home, I turn to the New Revised Standard Version and read three Psalms over breakfast. Food for body and soul. The NRSV was published in 1989 by the National Council of Churches and was itself an update of the RSV released in 1952.

The Oxford version offers tons of scholarly comments, should I need them. The language of the Psalms amplifies my prayer life, with a tone that’s not too forbidding and yet dignified.

Then there’s the American Standard Version, an earlier revision of the KJV, first published in 1901. The language is less archaic and more approachable, for instance here it’s “He makes lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.” Notice the period, no semi-colon.

The copy I treasure belonged to my father and in its pages is a prayer where he uses his own vernacular, signing off, “Love ya,” to God. You gotta love that. Some Bibles you treasure because of who owned them.

I could go on and on but let me end with the New International Version. First published in 1978, incorporating the work of scholars and linguists, with a text true to the original as well as readable, it has been updated twice, in 1984 and 2011.

I have this one on my Kindle, handy to read when I want to refer to the Bible. Trustworthy and dependable, it’s one of the most popular versions out there.

Of course, there are differences of opinion about any of these versions and choices that are made. What matters most is not just how you read them but how you live them. The Bible we live is the best version out there.

The post Which Bible Translation Should You Use? appeared first on Guideposts.

John’s Gospel, the fourth account of Jesus’ life in the Bible, relates seven clear and concise word pictures Jesus used to refer to Himself, each starting with the ancient “name” God gave Moses at the burning bush: “I Am.” Each statement is rich in meaning. Each can usher the reader or listener into a deeper understanding of Jesus. And each suggests a new path for us to take in prayer.

1)  I Am the Bread of Life (John 6:35)
In the ancient world, bread was a common and critical feature of people’s daily diets. It was a key to survival and often, literally, the difference between life and death. Pray to Jesus as “the Bread of Life,” the One who gave you life and Who sustains and nourishes you.    

2)  I Am the Light of the World (John 8:12)
Just as bread held daily importance to people in Jesus’ time, so did light. Whether it was the light of a torch, oil lamp or sunrise, light brought safety, clarity and health. Turn to Jesus as “the Light of the World”—your Light—to seek those blessings. 

3)  I Am the Door of the Sheep (John 10:7, 9)
When Jesus said this, He evoked a familiar rural scene: a sheep pen enclosed by a gate or the reclining body of the shepherd himself. The “door” kept the flock safe from attacks and accidents. Your prayers to Jesus as “the Door of the Sheep” can appeal to His care and keeping, enabling you to rest secure in the knowledge that He guards you. 

4)  I Am the Good Shepherd (John 10:11, 14)
Jesus expanded on this theme by enlarging the analogy from the shepherd who guards to the shepherd who guides. He knows His sheep, calling each one by name. He leads them “in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake” (Psalm 23:3 KJV). Pray to your “Good Shepherd,” who knows you, calls you by name and guides you in the right direction, day to day and moment to moment.

5)  I Am the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25)
It was a bold thing for Jesus to claim—at a funeral—that He is “the resurrection and the life.” But He proved it by calling Lazarus out of the grave. He still proves His power today by giving new life to dead hopes, shattered dreams and broken lives. Call on Him as “the Resurrection and the Life.” Let His resurrection power “make all things new” for you (see Revelation 21:5 KJV). 

6)  I Am the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6)
This is perhaps the most well-known “I Am” statement of Jesus. Calling on Him as “the Way, the Truth and the Life” is a wonderful way to pray, especially if you crave direction, need wisdom or feel deflated or depleted. 

7)  I Am the True Vine (John 15:1)
Everyone in Jesus’ day would have understood this revelation as vineyards proliferated (and still do) in the land of Israel. He went on to explain the meaning of the metaphor, which is the absolute necessity of constant connection with Him (“abiding”) in order to produce the kind of fruit our lives need. So, pray to your “True Vine,” asking Him to help you keep that connection alive and productive.

As you regularly pray the “I Am” statements, Jesus will come closer and His true nature will become clearer. And, as He answers your prayers, “God will take care of all your needs with the wonderful blessings that come from Christ Jesus!” (Philippians 4:19 CEV).

The post For a Fresh Way to Pray, Try the ‘I Am’ Sayings of Jesus appeared first on Guideposts.

What I’ve come to understand is that praising God is a gift for us. A golden opportunity to be reminded of God’s power, magnificence and all the blessings we have received and often forget to acknowledge. Until we launch into praise. 

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! (Psalm 150:6) It’s so easy to take the gift of breath for granted, but it came directly from God. At the beginning of time God breathed into us—and all living creatures—the breath of life. Wow. When you take a deep breath and praise God, you’re giving thanks for that.

Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord! (Psalm 117:1-2) Look at all those exclamation points. I loved typing them. It goes against all editorial conventions. You’re supposed to use exclamation marks sparingly.

Not when it comes to praising God. Verses like this give us a chance to access the enthusiastic part of our souls. Praise puts us in touch with the godly part of our being, buoyed by God’s steadfast love and faithfulness.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! (Psalm 100:4) When I’m feeling out of sorts, burdened and weary, I’ll take out a piece of paper or notebook and write down the things I’m grateful for.

There is healing in that simple exercise. I rediscover peace of mind. You think you’d run out of things to be thankful for. Not a chance. At last count, one notebook of mine lists 162 things I’m grateful for. And I’m only just starting. 

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God…and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. (Acts 16:25-26) 

Miracles come about through praise, even the simple act of singing hymns and praying. Of course, I’m drawn to this story because it involves Paul’s friend Silas. Silas is the name of our new grandson, born this summer. (Talk about an event worthy of praise!) I expect to be singing hymns with him very soon.

Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre! (Psalm 149:3) Praise isn’t something you just do with your voice. You can get your whole body involved. Raise your arms, clap your hands. Dance! 

I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. (Psalm 145:1) I was feeling kind of glum when I started writing this blog. Not anymore. Praise put me back in good spirits. Back in touch with our Maker.

—Need a Lift? Try Our Gratitude Challenge

—Learn More About Our Thanksgiving Day of Prayer

The post Why Praising God Is a Gift for Us appeared first on Guideposts.

As the writer and editor of 60 Days of Prayer magazine, I spend many hours thinking about prayer and praying. Before I write a devotion, I sit with God and ask for His help in selecting a Scripture and crafting a reflection and prayer that will add meaning and bring comfort to someone who needs it.

The best thing about dedicating time to grow with God is that you feel His love almost immediately. I’ve been praying every day for many years and here are some of the lessons I’ve learned.

1. A little is all you need. Simply talk to God for a few minutes. Pick a devotion like 60 Days of Prayer, Daily Guideposts or select a passage in the Bible and ask God to guide and instruct you with His Words.

2. Make a plan. Have a goal and keep track of your progress. The plan can be as simple as “I want to pray more so that I sleep better and worry less.” Get up early and spend time talking to God about the day to come. Turn to a devotional book that you like—and if there’s space for writing, note how you feel after your prayer time.

3. Celebrate positive changes. Prayer changes everything for the better. Give yourself a pat on the back when you see yourself handling stress and overcoming challenges with faith and trust. Notice the difference God is making in your life.

4. Be as fancy or simple as you like. Your relationship with God is uniquely yours. Maybe sipping a cup of tea, while reading your devotional book feels right for you. Or maybe you want to start the day with Him and keep a devotion by your bed to turn to when you first wake up. Take a minute and think about it. What appeals to you? Whatever you decide is perfect—and it’s fun to switch it up now and then.

5. Blessings abound. God is a great partner and the more you invite Him into your life, the more you’ll discover that when you give Him your time, you receive more than you can possibly ever give.

I hope these tips and benefits will encourage you to devote time to open your heart to His Word, and discover a whole new world of joy—an exciting journey of faith—that will enhance your life in surprising and blessed ways.

The post 5 Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Daily Devotional appeared first on Guideposts.

He loves it so much that the Bible tells us to “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 KJV). And, judging from the prayers that are recorded in the Bible—especially those in the Psalms—He will hear and respond to all kinds of prayers, whether we’re celebrating, complaining or crying.

But there are some kinds of prayers He most wants to hear from us, at least if the “sample prayer” Jesus gave to His followers is any indication—and who would know better than Jesus?

Measured by the Lord’s Prayer, these are the prayers God most wants to hear:

1)  Affirming Prayers 
When Jesus prescribed a way of praying for His earliest followers, He started, “Our Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:9 NIV). This suggests that God wants to hear you identify with Him and affirm that you are His child, establishing your place in His family.

2)  Prayers of Praise
The Lord’s Prayer continues: “hallowed be Your name” (Matthew 6:9 NIV). Elsewhere, the Bible says that God is “enthroned” on the praises of His people. So, go ahead and praise Him for His attributes such as His holiness, power, glory, love and kindness.

3)  Prayers of Submission 
Jesus also instructed His followers to pray, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10 NIV). This is a prayer of submission and participation in God’s will and ways. It indicates that God loves to hear you surrender to His loving will and enlist in His wise plans.

4)  Practical Prayers 
When Jesus told His followers to pray, “Give us today our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11 NIV), He urged them to appeal to God for the most basic, practical, ordinary needs of daily life. So, when you pray for food, job, finances, home, car and health, you’re saying the prayers your Father in heaven most wants to hear.

5)  Prayers of Forgiveness
When Jesus modeled prayer to His early followers, He included the confession of sin and request for forgiveness in His short recipe: “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12 NIV). Some of us, of course, more naturally pray for forgiveness from “trespasses,” but the idea is the same. It’s a signal that God wants to forgive our sins and wants us to forgive those who wrong us. He desires a daily soul-scrub for us, one that keeps us from holding on to our sins…and from resenting others for theirs.

6)  Prayers of Deliverance
One more category of prayer that God most wants to hear from us are prayers of protection and deliverance. Jesus told His followers to pray, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Matthew 6:13 NIV). God knows that we are prone to temptation and vulnerable to the evil one, and we need Him to help us avoid and escape both…as well as to pray so that we’re also regularly, even constantly, aware of our need.

These six kinds of prayers aren’t the only ones—there are so many ways and occasions that could fuel our unceasing prayers. But, judging by the Lord’s Prayer, these are the ones God most wants to hear from you, so much so, that they make a good plan for daily prayer.

The post 6 Prayers God Most Wants to Hear from You appeared first on Guideposts.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
    “May those who love you be secure.
May there be peace within your walls
    and security within your citadels.”
For the sake of my family and friends,
    I will say, “Peace be within you” (Psalm 122:6-8 NIV).

I regularly pray those words, just as they are recorded in our Bibles, praying for peace in Jerusalem (the very name of which includes the Hebrew word for peace: “shalom”). But I also apply those lines more broadly, adapting and applying them to contemporary situations, along with numerous other biblical prayers and admonitions to promote peace. Here are seven prayers for peace, drawn from the Bible: 

1)  Prayer for perfect peace in your heart and soul
Lord, the prophet Isaiah said to You, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You” (Isaiah 26:3 NIV). And Jesus, You said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27 NIV). So, I pray for that perfect peace of Christ (Colossians 3:15) to rule in my heart and soul. 

2)  Prayer for peaceful sleep
Heavenly Father, as the psalmist sang, “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for You alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8 NIV).

3)  Prayer for peace in the church 
God, Your word says, “The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace” (Psalm 29:11 NIV). Help me and Your whole church to “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3 NIV). 

4)  Prayer to be a peacemaker
Jesus, You said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9 NIV). I want to be blessed; I choose to be a peacemaker, knowing that “Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness” (James 3:18 NIV).

5)  Prayer for the peace that passes understanding
Prince of Peace, I ask for You to fulfill in me the promise of Your word that “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7 NIV). 

6)  Prayer to live in peace with all
God, since Your word says, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18 NIV), I ask You to help me “make every effort to do what leads to peace” (Romans 14:19 NIV), that I and those around me “may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (1 Timothy 2:2 NIV).

7)  Prayer for the peace of a city, region or home
God, I pray for the peace of __________:
    “May those who love you be secure.
May there be peace within your walls
    and security within your boundaries.
For the sake of everyone within,
   I will say, ‘Peace be within you’”(based on Psalm 122:6-8 NIV).

That last prayer, from Psalm 122, is a great one to pray while on a walk around your neighborhood or city. It can also work as a house blessing for any home you enter. And all of those prayers above can help to cultivate and spread the “shalom” of God, a fruit of His Spirit (see Galatians 5:22).

The post Turn to the Bible for Prayers About Peace appeared first on Guideposts.

1)  Spiritual health
2)  Physical health
3)  Mental and intellectual health
4)  Marriage and family
5)  Financial and household
6)  Work and professional

But I’m starting something new this year, and I’m excited about it. I can’t believe I’ve never done it before. 

In my many years of goal-setting, I didn’t set goals that were beyond my control. Instead, I focused on tasks and objectives that I could accomplish on my own. I call these SMART goals—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-based. I would not set a work goal to “publish two books this year,” as so much of that is up to other people. But I might set a goal to “write two books this year” and even “submit two books for publication this year.” Goals I could control.

But I realized this year that something has been missing from my annual list of goals. What about the things I hope and pray for that are out of my control—some of them much more important to me than any SMART goals? 

So, I’ve added a new category to my list of goals, at the head of my list, called “Top 2021 Prayers.” They are goals, in a way, but they’re things that are ultimately outside my control.

Number one is my prayer for the healing of my two grandchildren, 8 and 11, who cope with cystic fibrosis. I can’t make a SMART goal out of that, but I pray every single day for it. Another top 2021 prayer is financial, and two others relate to work. I can contribute to the outcome, but ultimately each is up to God.

As I said, I can’t believe I’ve only now added that category to my annual goals (which, by the way, I print and keep inside the front cover of my daily journal in which I write some of my prayers, among other things).

I’m already finding great solace and reward in seeing that category at the top of the list. I’ll still work hard to accomplish my SMART goals, but I’ll pray hard every day this year for the things I cannot control. And I look forward to hearing how God answers these prayers by the end of 2021.

What about you? What are your top prayers for the upcoming year?

The post What Are Your Top Prayers for the Year? appeared first on Guideposts.

“Then don’t say ‘God,’” my sponsor said dismissively. “He’s not going to be offended.” I took the advice and omitted his name when I stood at the conclusion of a meeting, grasping hands with the persons on either side of me. I didn’t let myself think too hard about whom I was beseeching for serenity, just so long as I didn’t give in to the G word. I even practiced outside the meetings so I wouldn’t slip up.

So why did this prayer seem to keep me out of trouble? It centered me in situations where I’d normally reach for a mood changer. I wondered if maybe it would work even better if I added “God.” I experimented, and that was the beginning of my spiritual awakening.

AA founder Bill Wilson said about the Serenity Prayer, “Never have we seen so much AA packed into so few words.” And I might add, never has so much God been packed into so few words.

The post The Serenity Prayer Ignited His Spiritual Awakening appeared first on Guideposts.