Dear Lord,
I come before You today with a heart full of gratitude for my dear friend. I thank You for the ways that they have enriched my life and brought joy to my days.
I lift up my friend to You now, asking for Your blessings and protection. I pray that You would surround them with Your love and grace, and give them the strength, wisdom, and courage to face the challenges that come their way.
I ask that You would bless my friend with peace and joy, and help them to always trust in You and Your plan for their life. I pray that You would guide them and direct their steps, and give them the discernment to know Your will for their life.
I also pray that our friendship would be a source of encouragement and support for both of us, and that it would bring glory to Your name. I ask that You would bless our time together and use it for Your purposes.
In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Suggested Bible Readings
Proverbs 17:17 ESV
A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for adversity.
Galatians 6:2 ESV
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 ESV
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!
Proverbs 27:17 ESV
Iron sharpens iron,
and one man sharpens another.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 ESV
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
Must-Read Christian Books
Desiring God
Piper unpacks "Christian Hedonism": that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him, grounded in Scripture.
View on Amazon
The Knowledge of the Holy
Short, powerful meditations on the attributes of God that lift the reader into a bigger, more biblical view of who He is.
View on Amazon
The Cost of Discipleship
A penetrating look at Jesus' call to follow Him, contrasting cheap grace with true, costly discipleship.
View on Amazon
Chosen by God
A clear, pastoral explanation of biblical election and God's sovereignty in salvation.
View on Amazon
The Reason for God
Thoughtful, biblical responses to common objections to Christianity, aimed at skeptics and believers alike.
View on Amazon
Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God
A robust, Scripture-saturated theology of prayer with practical guidance for deepening communion with God.
View on Amazon
A Call to Spiritual Reformation
Walks through Paul's prayers to teach believers how to pray biblically and God-centeredly.
View on Amazon
The God Who Is There
Shows how the God of the Bible speaks into modern philosophical and cultural confusion.
View on Amazon
Don't Waste Your Life
A passionate plea to live for Christ's glory rather than trivial pursuits.
View on Amazon
Just Do Something
A wise, biblical approach to knowing God's will without paralysis or mysticism.
View on Amazon
All of Grace
A simple, powerful explanation of salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone.
View on Amazon
Christian Beliefs
A shorter, accessible overview of 20 basic Christian doctrines for everyday believers.
View on Amazon
The Hospitality Commands
Shows from Scripture how vital hospitality is to Christian obedience and fellowship.
View on Amazon
God's Glory in Salvation through Judgment
Argues that God's glory in salvation through judgment is the central theme of Scripture.
View on Amazon
Idols of the Heart
Helps believers identify and repent of heart-idols through the lens of Scripture.
View on Amazon
Family Worship
A short, practical guide to leading your home in daily worship of God.
View on Amazon
Shepherding a Child's Heart
Biblical parenting that aims at a child's heart, not just outward behavior.
View on Amazon