Oct 18 - Day 291. Pray –Thanks Always. Ephesians 5.19-20

“Speaking to yourselves in psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God, the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” (Ephesians 5:19-20)

 Welcome to another daily prayer. Prayer works. Engage in heartfelt conversations with one another through the uplifting words of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, allowing the melodies to resonate within your heart as an offering of praise to the Lord. Express your gratitude consistently, recognizing and giving thanks for all the blessings you receive, directed to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Furthermore, embrace a spirit of humility and mutual respect by submitting to one another, always mindful of the reverence and awe we owe to God.

Transcript

Good morning, everyone! I want to welcome each and every one of you to another episode of our EBC’s Prayer Podcast. I am feeling good and celebrating the Lord and giving Him thanks for another day.

Today is October 18th, the 291st day of the year. And God is still blessing us, still reaching out to us, and still showering us with His mighty blessing. 

Remember, I am your host. I am Dr. Victoria Haddad, and the First Lady and Prayer Leader at Elyon Bible Church Apostolic in Salem, NJ. 

Today, we are going to focus on Ephesians 5:19-20, and it reads: “Speaking to yourselves in psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God, the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” 

Today, we are going to pray and give God thanks. We're going to praise him, celebrate him, and rejoice during our prayer today, and have a great day. 

 Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, our Lord, God, and Savior. You are our wonderful counselor and our mighty God.

Father, we are approaching you today with our hearts full of gratitude for the incredible gift of music that enriches our hearts, the gift of prayer that uplifts our spirits, and the gift of assurance that brings praise to our lips. We come before you, God, in reference with our hearts full of humility, seeking your honor, your glory, and your grace. 

Lord, thank you for reminding us that your word is a lamp unto our feet and a light to our path. God, with you, we can do Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. We can sing and make melody in our hearts before you and give you thanks for all that you have done for us. You are our Father, you are our Lord Jesus Christ. You are submitting yourself to all because of all that you have in store for us. You are worthy of songs of praise, songs of gratitude, and songs of wonder. As we journey through this day, inspire us to “joyfully sing, sharing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs,” so the melodies can resonate deeply within us, drawing us closer to you. 

Lord, in this day, whether the day is bright with joy or shadowed with tears. Help us to have joy, to sing, and give you praise. Help us to rejoice as we go to this day and give you thanks for the trials that will draw us closer to you, the tears that will increase our seeds of faith, and the storms of life that is reminding us of our anchor in you. When tears flow from our eyes, let it be a song of worship. When our hearts are heavy, receive the song as a fragrant offering. 

Lord, thank you for the gift of praise not only for the mountaintops, but for the valleys, for it is in praising you that our souls will find strength. Help us to always see your goodness in our lives and not give up on you, but praise you like never before. To give you thanks for all things, things that are delightful to us and things that are challenging to us. 

God, you know the songs that are laid on our hearts. Help us to sing and celebrate the day, the minute, and every second. 

Father, when we rise in the morning, may our first thoughts be of you; when we work with our hands, may it be as unto you; when we speak to others, let our words carry honor to you, our Lord, and when we rest at night, may our souls find peace in your presence. Let our lives be a melody that will never fade and a psalm that will never end. Let your Psalms and your scriptures move in our hearts with joy and melody. You want us to have joy as we go through this day. 

Lord, thank you for reminding us that you are our Savior, Jesus Christ, in whose name we can come boldly. Through you, we have been given access to the throne of grace. Through you, our sins are forgiven, our lives are renewed, our hope are secured. It is in your name that we can lift our heads in confidence, for you are hearing us and showing us that you delight in your children. Let our joy not be based on what life is throwing our way. It doesn't matter what comes our way, it doesn't matter the appointment of life, and it doesn't matter what the result of this day will bring. You want us to have joy today, not give up on you, not get discouraged, even if life is not perfect. So, rejuvenate our minds and help us to focus our attention on you and grow weak.

Lord, thank you for reminding us that amid sickness, you are sending healing touch. Amid financial difficulties, you are sending breakthroughs. Amid family problems, you are sending love; love at home, love on the job, love with the neighbors. 

Lord, help me to express our thanks always and recognize the countless blessings you are bestowing upon us. Help us to submit to others in love and humility. Teach us to serve without seeking recognition, to listen before speaking, and to honor others above ourselves. Help us to walk in the holy fear and to see the people in our lives as gifts, kindness, patience, and grace.

Lord, let our hearts rejoice, let our minds celebrate you. Let us give you praise and worship every day. Help us, Lord, to love you more than we love this world, to love the things of God more than everything else that this world can offer. To celebrate you and to give you thanks for the countless blessings you are bestowing upon us. 

Lord, help us to live a life focused on you more than the things of this world. Help us cultivate humility with reverence, honor, and glory.  Teach us, God, to fully seek you, to fully serve you, to fully listen to your words, and surrender to you.

Father, help us not to get consumed in a world that is often driven away by pride, by money, or by position. Lord, help us to have joy even when things don't look right. To find joy even if the day doesn't turn out the best way we thought it would turn out. Help us to have joy even when distractions arrive in the home, in the job, and in the family. Help us to have joy no matter what comes our way. To celebrate the goodness of God and find joy in all the things of God, more than the things of this world.

In your mighty, holy, and wonderful name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

Lord, in closing, help us to sing the song of joy, join the eternal chorus before your throne. Until then, keep our hearts in tune with spiritual songs, thanksgiving, and a spirit of humility. 

Lord, you see the concerns of our hearts, our loved ones, our dreams, our fears, our burdens. We place them in your hands. Strengthen us and help us to know that submission is not a sign of weakness but of great strength in you. 

We thank you for everyone who is praying and listening to this podcast. I pray that the spirits will uplift you and give us a joyful day. We'll pray again tomorrow by God's grace. Bye-bye.