Dec 9 – Day 343. Sanctify the Lord. 1 Peter 3.15

“Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to everyone that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” (1 Peter 3:15)

Welcome to another daily prayer. Keep on praying. Sanctify the Lord in your heart and be ready. Set apart the Lord God in your hearts as sacred and central to your life. Always be prepared to provide a thoughtful and compassionate response to anyone who inquires about the source of the hope that resides within you. Approach these conversations with both humility and reverence, ensuring that your answers reflect not only your beliefs but also a genuine respect for the perspectives of others.

Transcript

Good morning, everyone! Welcome to another episode of EBC’s Prayer Podcast. Today is December 9, the 343 day of the year. 

I’m your host, Dr. Victoria Haddad, the First Lady and Prayer Leader at the Elyon Bible Church Apostolic in Salem, New Jersey. It’s a blessing to connect with all of you as we gather in prayer and reflect on how quickly time passes and the opportunities we have to deepen our faith and to grow spiritually.

Our scripture will be taken from 1 Peter 3:15. And it reads, “Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to everyone that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” 

Today, we need to make God the center of our lives and be prepared to share the hope He gives us with others. As we pray, let’s open our hearts and be ready to offer a response of God's blessings to everyone we meet.

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father. Our Wonderful Savior and our Redeemer.
 Father, we come before you with our hearts filled with gratitude, reverence, and admiration. What an incredible privilege it is to lift our voices to the Creator of the universe, the One who calls us his beloved children. 

Lord, thank you for the precious gift of prayer. For any moment, in any place, and under any circumstance, we can come before you with sincerity, and help us to truly know you, for you are listening to every prayer. 

Lord, you are over every thought, every word, every action, every hope, and every desire. Your words are higher than our thoughts. You are reminding us to “sanctify you, our Lord God in our hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to everyone who asks us a reason for the hope that is in us, with meekness and fear.” 

Lord, sanctify our hearts and draw us closer to you. Help us to honor you in all that we do, and allow your presence to fill our lives and guide our thoughts. Transform us from within, so we can reflect your grace and kindness in our interactions with others.

Help us to always be prepared to respond thoughtfully and graciously to everyone who inquires about the hope that resides within us. Help us to share our beliefs with gentleness and respect, exemplifying the spirit of humility and your love. Teach us to communicate our faith clearly and meaningfully, so that others may understand the reasons for our hope and the source of our joy.

Father, remove timidness, uncertainty, and every opportunity that arises when we share our hope with others. Give us the opportunity to see you as the wonderful God, the powerful God, and the one who can do the impossible in our lives.

Forgive us of fear and doubt. Fill us with wisdom and bravery, so we can be prepared to speak of your righteousness in all that we do and everyone that we meet.

Lord, grant us the wisdom to pray with joy. There are so many around us who are searching for meaning, searching for peace, searching for love, searching for a reason to keep moving forward, and searching for hope. Some have not even realized that what their soul long for is more of you. 

Help us to be vessels of love. When questions are asked, let our answers not be rooted in pride, haste, or human wisdom, but let them flow with humility, grace, and the power of your Spirit.

Father, teach us to communicate with gentleness and respect as we go through this day. Teach us to express our faith clearly and sincerely. So, our words will never come empty but will always be full of compassion. Help us to speak in ways so that others can hear your words and see your love mirrored in our actions. 

May the way we treat others, the way we serve, the way we forgive, and the way we walk in humility all point directly to you, because you are our Savior.

Too often, our voices sound harsh, divisions sometimes run deep, and hostility overshadows our understanding of who you are. But today, you are reminding us that you are calling us to be different, to be peacemakers, to be ambassadors of you, our Savior. Who clothe us with compassion and kindness. 

Lord, even when we face opposition, criticism, or rejection, may our hearts be anchored in your love, for you are reminding us that we are not called to win arguments, but to win salvations and souls for your kingdom. 

Fill us with abundant grace that even when others resist us, they will encounter your presence in our lives because with patience, mercy, and steadfast love, you are doing wonders in our lives.

Father, soften our hearts continually. Help us not to grow weary or become distracted by issues of life. Help us not to lose sight of the hope that we have in you. 

Lord, the eternal hope that we have in you cannot be shaken by circumstances, by suffering, or by even death, for your love was poured out without measure. You are reminding us of the empty tomb, where victory over sin and death was secured forever. You are reminding us of the promise of the eternity we will have with you, where every tear will be wiped away. 

Lord, when we feel unworthy or inadequate, remind us that it is not about our strength but about your glory. When we feel overwhelmed, remind us that you are our fortress. When we feel alone, remind us that your Spirit is ever-present, guiding and comforting us. And when we feel unsure of what to say, give us the right words to say to others and the strength to say what you laid on our hearts.

This is the hope that energizes us, the hope that sustains us, and the hope that we long to share with others.

So, Lord, equip us to shine as lights in darkness, for you called us to be a city on a hill that cannot be hidden. Help us not to go backwards, but to let your light radiate through us, through acts of kindness. Help us to have words of encouragement, words of love, and words of unshakable faith. 

Lord, help us to draw others closer to you, not because of who we are, but because of who you are.

Father, we are lifting those who are searching for answers before you. Help them to receive your Holy Spirit. Just as you promised, the Holy Spirit teaches us what we ought to speak.

Break down walls of doubt, soften hardened hearts, and open blind eyes to see your beauty. Help us to plant seeds of faith, know that you have the power to bring the growth.

Lord, in closing, help us to glorify you in every season, every day, and in everything we do and say. Let our testimonies not be marked by perfection, but by transformation. Let our faith not be marked by pride, but by humility. Let our love for you not be marked by condition, but by your unconditional love that you are flowing upon us each and every day.

Most of all, Lord, thank you for being our living hope. For being our Redeemer, our Shepherd, and our Refuge. Thank you for the assurance that you are hearing our prayers and working all things together for our good. Thank you for reminding us that even in our weakness, your strength is made perfect. For you are the gift of salvation and the promise of hope. For nothing can separate us from your love.

Lord Jesus, we join with your scripture today, for you are reassuring us. Help us to “Sanctify you in our hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to everyone that asks for a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” 

We pray all of this with reverence, gratitude, and deep trust in the saving and powerful name of Jesus Christ, our holy and mighty Savior…Amen.

Everyone. Keep on praying, keep on trusting God. Have a blessed day, and we will pray again tomorrow. Bye-bye.