Day 26: Train Me to Speak Words of Life

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble,

whatever is right, whatever is pure,

whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--

if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--

think about such things.

- Philippians 4:8

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Lord, help me be a person who speaks words that build up and not tear down. Help me to speak life into the situations and people around me, and not death. Fill my heart afresh each day with Your Holy Spirit so that You love and goodness overflow from my heart and my mouth. Help me to speak only things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy. "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer" (Psalm 19: 14). Keep my mouth from speaking any evil or anything that is not true. Holy Spirit of truth, guide me in all truth. Help me to "speak as the oracles of God" and with the ability You supply so that You may be glorified (I Peter 4:11). May every word I speak reflect Your purity and love.
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Your Word says that "the preparations of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord" (Proverbs 16:1). I will prepare my heart by being in Your Word every day and obeying Your laws. I will prepare my heart by worshiping You and giving thanks in all things. Fill my heart with love, peace, and joy so that it will flow from my mouth. Convict me when I complain or speak negatively. Help me not to speak too quickly or too much. Help me not to speak words that miscommunicate. I pray You would give me the words to say every time I speak. Show me when to speak and when not to. And when I do speak, give me words to say that will bring life and edification.
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Help me to be a woman who speaks wisely, graciously, and clearly and never foolishly, rudely, or insensitively. Give me words that speak of the hope that is within me so I can explain my faith in a persuasive and compelling way. May the words I speak bring others into a fuller knowledge of You.* In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
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But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.

Always be prepared to give an answer

to everyone who asks you to give the reason

for the hope that you have.

But do this with gentleness and respect,
keeping a clear conscience,

so that those who speak maliciously

against your good behavior in Christ

may be ashamed of their slander.

It is better, if it is God's will,

to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

- I Peter 3:15-17

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Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,

sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.

- Proverbs 16:24

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*Make this prayer your own! From the book, The Power of a Praying Woman. Ordering information is at the bottom of this page. I strongly encourage you to read this book as the chapter content is so powerful!
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Today's prayer for your husband: His Deliverance
Today's prayer for your children: Living Free of Unforgiveness

Day 24: His Talk

Death and life are in the power of the tongue,

and those who love it will eat its fruit.

- Proverbs 18:21

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For our of the abundance of the heart

the mouth speaks.

- Matthew 12:34

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Lord, I pray Your Holy Spirit would guard my husband's mouth so that he will speak only words that edify and bring life. Help him to not be a grumbler, complainer, a user of foul language, or one who destroys with his words, but be disciplined enough to keep his conversation godly. Your Word says a man who desires a long life must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit (Psalm 34:12-13). Show him how to do that. Fill him with Your love so that out of the overflow of his heart will come words that build up and not tear down. Work that in my heart as well.
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May Your Spirit of love reign in the words we speak so that we don't miscommunicate or wound one another. Help us to show each other respect, speak words that encourage, share our feelings openly, and come to mutual agreements without strife. Lord, You've said in Your Word that when two agree, You are in their midst. I pray that the reverse be true as well - that You will be in our midst so that we two can agree. Let the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, our strength and our Redeemer (Psalm 19:14).* In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
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Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth,

but what is good for necessary edification,

that it may impart grace to the heavens.

- Ephesians 4:29

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*Make this prayer your own! From the book, The Power of a Praying Wife. Ordering information is at the bottom of this page. Win a copy of The Power of a Praying Wife Prayer Cards this week by leaving a comment on any post dated September 23-29!
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Today's prayer for your children: Rejecting Sexual Immorality

Day 16: Learning to Speak Life

He who guards his mouth preserves his life,

but he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction.

- Proverbs 13:3

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For out of the abundance of the heart

the mouth speaks.

- Matthew 12:34

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Lord, I pray that David and Elizabeth will choose to use speech that glorifies You. Fill their hearts with Your Spirit and Your truth so that what overflows from their mouths will be words of life and not death. Put a monitor over their mouths so that every temptation to use profane, negative, cruel, hurtful, uncaring, unloving, or compassionless language would pierce their spirits and make them feel uncomfortable. I pray that obscene or foul language be so foreign to them that if words like that ever do find their way through their lips, they will be like gravel in their mouth and they will be repulsed by them. Help them to hear themselves so that words don't come out carelessly or thoughtlessly.
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Keep them from being snared by the words of their mouths. You've promised that "whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles" (Proverbs 21:23). Help them to put a guard over their mouths and keep far away from adversity. Your Word says that "death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit" (Proverbs 18:21). May they speak life and not death. May they be quick to listen and slow to speak so that their speech will always be seasoned with grace. Equip them to know how, what, and when to speak to anyone in any situation. Enable them to always speak words of hope, health, encouragement, and life, and to resolve that their mouths will not sin.*
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May I be an example of a pure mouth to my children and all I come in contact with. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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Let the words of my mouth

and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord,

my strength and my redeemer.

- Psalm 19:14

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But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak,

they will give account of it in the day of judgement.

For by your words you will be justified,

and by your words you will be condemned.

- Matthew 12:36-37

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*Make this prayer your own! From the book, The Power of a Praying Parent. Ordering information at the bottom of this page.