Though Scripture contains many written prayers, like those found in the book of Psalms, and many teachings on how to pray, like the parables and sermons in Jesus’s ministry, this reading plan focuses on the prayers offered to God in the narratives of Scripture. Each day we’ll read a narrative that includes a prayer from an individual or group. Their prayers vary in length, type, posture, purpose, and God’s response. The secondary passages explore how the rest of Scripture speaks to the themes demonstrated in the main reading.
While each account is different, every prayer recorded in Scripture teaches us about the unchanging God who invites us to speak to and hear from Him. These prayers model for us what it can look like to be in conversation with God. As you read, notice the posture and emotions present each day.
Reading Scripture together is the centerpiece of what we do at She Reads Truth. As we spend time as a community reading Prayers in Scripture together, we encourage you to start by reading the daily Scripture on your own. Then join us here to engage and encourage one another as we respond to what we’ve read in the comments.
The prayers this week have pointed us toward the God who works in all circumstances, responds, brings justice, resurrects, and emboldens. Last week, we read prayers demonstrating that God listens, is compassionate, guides, remembers, and keeps His promises. How do these truths about God encourage you in prayer? Which has stood out to you most in this season?
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65 thoughts on "The God Who Emboldens"
I can boldly approach the throne to worship, ask, cry out, or simply talk. Thank you Lord for being approachable and for encouraging us to come to you. You already know all our needs.
I am willing to be a vessel for you Lord!
God remembers. He remembers me as well as situation and he’s compassionate and moves according to his good counsel for my life. Thank you Jesus.
I know I can bring everything to Him because He is who he says He is and He is amazing. He will do so much for us and He is so much for us. I know he hears and is working. He has before and He will again.
God knows which power he holds will benefit me best according to his power and his will for my life
And enable your servants to speak your word with boldness. We only have to be willing for God to work in us and through us.
We have a loving and encouraging God who breaths truth and life into us. God hears is when we are calling out to him in prayer. So, putting our faith and trust in him brings me nothing but peace and joy. Because I know he’ll see me through.
I feel similar.I think the enemy loves us to sit quietly and encourage us to believe what we have to say isn’t important-I’ve felt like this for many years,but what I have noticed is when I step out in faith-God honours these moments.Praying for you Amy.
These truths encourage me knowing that God is able to answer big prayers and that He does! I’m encouraged to think and pray even bigger with confidence in the Lord.
These truths about God reassures me that He will give me the strength and power to get through anything. You can overcome any obstacle when you put your faith in God’s hands. That is not only encouraging but also brings me peace when I’m going through a difficult time.
Today’s message about boldness stood out to me. I need to pray bold prayers. I need to be bold in my faith and how I talk about it with others. Even with other believers sometimes I am hesitant to share my thoughts on issues of faith. I feel like I don’t have wisdom to share and that I can’t think of answers that others can learn from so I should just listen. But God has placed me in those conversations and I can pray to him for boldness to share with others.
I am just in Awe of God. I have learned in this season of life to hold on and cling to God. Jesus is the only medicine that can truly heal. I know that there is nothing too big for God to handle. I know to lay everything at the altar and let him handle it. I know that all of my strength is found in Jesus. When I seek him and let him take over all circumstances, I know that it will be good.
this is gorgeous Audren! The fact that none of our prayers are wasted hits deep. Like, really? Every whispered prayer from my car? The ones through tears in my bed? The ones in song in my shower? Yep, all of them. He’s too good! Praying for you from Gainesville, Audren!
I loved acts 4:13 where God uses uneducated and commonly men. That we are used regardless of our status, education or pedigree. And God honors his word in his time. So remembering to settle in the discomfort of his timing and know that I am being taken care of. Thank you God for your timing in my life in ALL things
God is so good. Our thoughts, worries and concerns matter to Him and there is not one way to pray. He wants to be the center of our lives because we are at the center of His.
These truths about God encourage me to keep seeking Him. God is God. Jesus is Lord. God hears me, God keeps His promises to me, He emboldens me. It’s by faith in Christ and my heart being rooted in Him that I have courage, that I can ask Him anything. He keeps His promises because He’s good and cannot lie. I’m going to keep seeking Him. I’m going to keep praying to Him. And above all I’m going to trusting Him. I long to obey Him above all things else.
I need to leave my worries with God
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What has stayed with me the most so far is that God is a God who remembers. I like what Hannah said about God: 3 Talk no more so very proudly,
let not arrogance come from your mouth;
for the Lord is a God of knowledge,
and by him actions are weighed. – 1 Samuel 2:3. The Lord is a God of knowledge. He knows. He knows every detail and he understands how they come together. I only see as much as he reveals. The rest is a mystery. It’s beautiful and holy.
I love that we’re emboldened because of his deep love for us (Ephesians passage). What a good God!
it shows that he cares about each and everyone of us
Seriously this knowledge makes me quake, feeling “who am I that He should care about me!” I know that it should embolden me, but it humbles me!
This study is really reminding me that I can (and need to) cast ALL of my cares on Him, not just the things I think He can handle or is more likely to answer. God cares about it all, and wants us to boldly ask and boldly seek. I need to not limit what He can do by limiting what I bring to Him.
These truths about God remind me of how faithful he is to me and encourage me to be enthusiastic in my commitment to him in prayer and emulate his ways of being steadfast in loving me. The part that stood out to me the most was 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. – Ephesians 3:12
There is nothing, NOTHING better than feeling the grace of our Lord and Father. When a prayer is answered in the most beautiful way – that love – there is nothing, nothing better!
Lanie, I had a similar experience many years ago. It left a scar. I have to remind myself “Thy will, not mine”. It is not easy to read “Ask in My name” and then there is no movement. I think I have come to terms with it but I like you have a hard time with the big ask especially if it is for me personally. #workinprogress
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Knowing that He hears us has been super key. No matter if I get a “response” or not knowing that He HEARS us is so powerful. I feels like having the best cake that someone tailored especially for you because you asked and you didn’t know that they were listening to you you when you told them your favorites. Good or bad, He hears our requests, laments, triumphs, low times, high times. That’s really powerful and encouraging to tell him in prayer now and in the future.
What has stood out to me the most this season is Justice. I was watching the Waukesha Parade Attack trial. Listening to the victim impact statements really put in to perspective the horror and terrifying consequences of that event last year. How they are still traumatized and trying to heal. And ultimately the Justice that prevailed against the perpetrator just shows how our Lord does work to provide a measure of peace in the face of such evil acts against our communities. Hearing so many of them utilizing the our Lords word in the face of evil and showing so much strength to confront their attacker. Keeping the victims and their families in our prayers now that they are able to try to really start to heal.
These truths about God encourage me by helping me remember I can tell God whatever and He won’t turn away or forget; will never waste a word I say, and has given things that I don’t need to pray for because He has made them forever accessible. God being compassionate has stood out to me most this season.
@Dorothy: praying for you and your sister. Hope your accommodation arrangement got sorted out.
@Gramsiesue: praying for your husband’s relief from ongoing pain issue.
@Mari: for your son’s trip, daughter’s school formal dance. May they both have a safe and lovely experience. How exciting that must be :)
@Sharon Jersey girl: praying for repentant hearts for your sons and transformed lives. More grace and comfort for your mama heart & your family.
Have a lovely weekend. Be blessed dear beautiful amazing sisters.
Be bold as you go before the LORD!
Hello Shes. A sister She wrote earlier in the week: “Who am I running to first when life gets hard?” Convicting words. It asks me to name who, where and when I should turn & talk to the Most High. I am trying to whisper a simple prayer to soothe my soul in highly stressful situations. When seized by sadness, remorse, injured feelings, or seld-doubt. As I enter the season of prophetic expectation – the birth of Christ – alongside a series of self-appointed chores & challenges (aka shopping, cooking, decorating, hosting, gift wrapping…) May my longing heart beat louder still: “Father in heaven; please work on me; with me; and through me”. And in close encounters under contentious conditions (family holiday gatherings & the losses suffered). Silently say , “Father in heaven; please work on (say the name); with (name); and through (name).” Invoking the presence of a great & gracious God. All seeing. All knowing. All loving. As a She intoned today: “God isn’t forgetful. He isn’t distracted”. And from another She, “Pray, remembering that only God can change hearts & circumstances”.
For every She who gathers at this table for daily bread, sharing & caring & praying for one another, to God be the Glory!
All of the readings for the past two weeks, plus your comments, have really been a blessing to me. As I said the first day, I frequently struggle with prayer feeling useless, since God has a better plan and is going to implement it anyway.
One thing I will admit is that I cannot stand to listen to podcasts. If it’s just one person teaching that’s not so bad but when three or four people are having a conversation and I’m just supposed to sit and listen to them talk amongst themselves, it bores me to tears, even if it’s on the topic I’m very interested in. However, on Monday I went ahead and listened to the first podcast in this study. And I will tell you I was completely blown away by the wisdom in that discussion. So, if you’re doing the readings without listening to the podcast I highly recommend that one. I might even listen to some of the others. I so appreciate reading your comments and your kindness to and prayers for one another. Have a great weekend my friends
When it comes to the app and comments, I have found it helpful to write my full comment in a note and then copy and paste here.
I’m behind in my reading — way behind — but so far with yesterday’s and today’s readings, I know many burdens, worries and anxious moments have left me. My prayer life has changed drastically in the last week but I have remembered and always turned to the Lord when I felt despair.
I plan on catching up this weekend because after just two days I see how helpful the study will be.
Be blessed and DON’T EVER, EVER BE afraid to turn to the Lord for help sisters. (Yes I’ve been doing this.)
What stands out in Acts is the boldness the Christians have in the face of the Sanhedrin. I am a believer but am I able to speak back to authority that boldly when I know God is right? I pray I would, this study is teaching me to continue to come to God in prayer and ask him to strengthen my faith continually, I know he can do it and I must trust him.
I have been seen how acknowledging God, the author and perfecter of my very faith, should be paramount. How being in a state of constant acknowledgement of His sovereignty and character will naturally align my prayers back to him when I wonder in my motives and anxiousness! He is in all things, and working all things together for His good – that should be enough for me to simply rest in Him and petition Him for His will to find the light of day and be emboldened, even when circumstances leave me disappointed or devastated! He is on throne, He is listening, He is orchestrating, and He is pouring out His love, grace, forgiveness, and REDEMPTION. He isn’t forgetful, He isn’t distracted. What peace to sit and be still before Him, to be included in His work, even knowing He doesn’t need someone as simple and broken as me. What good gifts He gives!
Kingdom minded prayers, yes. I need more of this. Sometimes life throws so many things at you that you are left reeling. My focus becomes more on self and not kingdom minded.
Its FRIDAY!! Good Morning sweet SRT sisters! DAY 10 is one that really stood out to me from this study. And of course I enjoyed ALL of the study, however, day 10 stood out as it was titled The Good Who Brings Justice. It brings me hope and courage to keep pressing on EVEN when its hard and I want to take justice into my own hands. Trust me, its not easy. BUT GOD….I’m so encouraged by HIS WORD, this study, all of you whom I know are lifting me and ALL of us here in prayer encouraging one another, and simply just being here for one another to listen. Please pray as, I admit my flesh gets weak ALSO I would appreciate prayer for my son who leaves on weekend Friendsgiving trip. Pray for the safety of all of them. Also for my daughter who will be going to her first school dance with her friends. Winter Formal. That they would have a good time and stay safe. I’m so grateful her sweet friends love Jesus!
Praying as I read through each request. Father, have mercy on each of us. Surround us with Your grace. Wisdom for decisions and boldness to make them. You are a great and mighty Savior! Save and bring comfort.
In the first days after my son passed, I could find no words to pray, only tears. As I would walk, listen to praise music and cry each morning only a single word would cry out. Help! I know even in one word He heard and helped and continues to help. Thank You, Lord!
@Rhonda J. — God is so funny. You’re like, “Nah, God I am gonna do other things.” & He’s like, “NOPE, not My plan for you!” I love that. You are a leader, Rhonda – live it out!!! It’s crazy. How simple would have been to ask God to fill up those studies with His Spirit… He did it for you and with you!!! I love it. God is so funny to me :)
This prayer study has encouraged my prayer life. I especially noticed Peter and Elijah’s faith in a new light. I see myself in them, but also, I see very very strong and determined men of faith. How beautiful. May my faith continue to grow and be bold and sturdy, like theirs. Peter didn’t start out that way. We all know he made mistakes. But God gave him confidence and passion for a reason. I love Peter. I especially love The Chosen’s depiction of him…. Yet I imagine him even more sturdy than that character.
Lord, be my vision, my shield, my strength. Help us ladies walk in mercy, truth, and by Your spirit. Enable us to be warring in the Spirit by Your Word and Your love. Let Your truth and mercy prevail. Let no weapon prosper. God, Your will be done for all spoken and unspoken requests of my fellow Shes.
I am in tears and so encouraged by the love and wisdom you all bring to the table here. Once again SRT brings us closer to God and shows us that He is always working.
Thank you for your prayers.
I love how @Searching keeps her list and prays over all of us. I have been keeping a list in my prayer journal as well so please remember that you are all prayed over many times.
Have a blessed weekend.
Hugs to all my sisters around the world. ❤️
These truths are a reminder to me that NOTHING is impossible with God! He is always working and responding – even when I can’t see it. These truths assure me that I can be bold to speak the gospel of Jesus Christ because the ability and power come form the Holy Spirit and not from myself.
These truths teach me I can come boldly before the throne to cry out to God to hear and answer my prayer. These truths give me hope that one day my two grown sons that were brought up in the ministry, will one day embrace the faith as their own – the same faith they both walked away from. It grieves my heart so to think that they do not love God like I do, or walk in His ways. But, I have hope because God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly ABOVE all that I ask or think! Ephesians 3:20.
Please pray for my two prodigal sons – Nicholas (age 34) and Jonathan (age 25) – that one day they will love God with all their heart, soul and mind.
@Grammiesue – prying for your husband Steve.
@Traci Gendron – continuing to pray for God’s comfort as you enter the holiday season once again, without Tanner.
@all my SRT sisters – praying for all your requests as I read them. Have a blessed Friday!
God expects me to speak His truth even in times of peril because saving one person at my expense is better than living many years ashamed on a broken world.
I pray for that EMBOLDMENT today, for the Spirit to fill me, so I am able to confidently talk and share with unbelievers in my family and all I come in contact with! I have such overwhelming reverence for this amazing God, the creator of the world with such power that we can’t fathom, yet wants to be in each of our lives to guide, comfort, talk with, and be our friend! It’s just crazy to wrap our minds around it sometimes! It makes me want to shout from the rooftops, yet in some circumstances, I feel very inadequate to speak the right words! Lord, feel me with your words and your power, the Holy Spirit’s power that will lead! I want that boldness, but I want it to be from YOU Heavenly Father. Thank you for growing me this year in such leaps and bonds already, that came from a willing heart, fasting and studying your word, and Prayer! She Reads Truth makes it so easy with these great studies to really get in the Word and meditate on it and understand!
A few days ago I asked God are you hearing me? Please speak and give me something to show me YOU are listening! I am going to a weekly Bible study at church called “Jesus Calling”, and for some reason, I really was not “getting into” the book, or the study too much so I decided the night before the study, on Wed night, that I was going to skip because “I needed to do other things…” (the enemy trying to pull me away..). Then my phone rang…it was the leader of the study saying she was going to have to be late for the study and hated to change the time for people, would I mind getting the study started and leading until she got there?! So I guess God spoke pretty clearly after that prayer! I was a little nervous stepping in but the study went SO Well! The leader ended up being later than a little and I actually led the whole class! And the interesting thing is we all voiced that the study was a little dry (we are only in 3 weeks). But God, He really stirred up some good conversation and after watching the 4th video of the series (with Anne Grahm Watts), she touched on all of our discussion and had us all really feeling more excited about the “filling of the Holy Spirit” and the power and help it brings!! Also, I easily closed the group in prayer (if you remember I am the one that praying aloud in front of others was pretty terrifying just a year ago!) with the HS”s help.
I love how God works! And I am praying for all the needs of my dear She’s. GrammsieSue you and Steve are on my heart and I sure hope he gets some relief! I pray the doctors will figure out the issue and the cancer will flee.
Have a good Friday She’s and a great Wkd filled in love and hope in our Saviour!
May I not be afraid to be bold in the asking and may my ears be open to the hearing! Prayers lifted for those mentioned and on hearts. Have a wonderful weekend.
Through prayer God does it all!! Wow! Listens, hears, guides, comforts, directs, answers, promises, emboldens,LOVES!
Praying for boldness this coming week as I host my family that I may reflect Christ’s love and speak clearly of his goodness. And pray that miracles will happen to bring them all back to relationship with Him. In Jesus name! I believe!
Lifting all my sisters this day. ❤️❤️
Well said at Erica Wilson! When believers pray with a kingdom mindset, mighty things are achieved
Praying this in the name of Christ Jesus our Lord from Ephesians 3:16–21 (LEB): that he may grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith (you having been firmly rooted and established in love), in order that you may be strong enough to grasp together with all the saints what is the breadth, and length, and height, and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, in order that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
Now to the one who is able to do beyond all measure more than all that we ask or think, according to the power that is at work in us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
The last 2 days of study have been so powerful. Changing the perishable to imperishable, the mortal to immortal. Today we hear and are inspired to speak boldly in the power of Jesus’s name and resurrection. My prayer this morning is for all She’s who are walking daily in the profound mysteries of God’s will. May our steps and words be lit by the lamp of scripture each step of the way! Amen
We must obey God rather than men. Thankful for these prayers,that God saw fit to teach us how to reach out to Him in different situations and over the course of thousands of years. He is always reaching out…I pray that I would pursue Him as He pursues me.
Knowing that Christ has conquered sin and death, is before all things, able to do far more than my feeble mind can comprehend… I am emboldened to pray fervently for the the unbelievers in my life. Specifically, a young man my daughter had dated, that ended their relationship because she had faith in Christ (she wants to marry a believer). I pray that this young man (whom our family loves) will be struck like Paul and encounter the deep love of Christ. For my aunt, who has deconstructed and now follows the pagan religion. For her daughter, my cousin who is deeply atheist with daughters who are following baphomet. For my nephews who don’t know Christ to the point of not knowing what the manger scene was. My heart breaks for the prodigals of this world, those who have deconstructed from the faith, the lost and confused. Lord, I plea, touch these hearts.
I have really enjoyed reading these narratives of prayer. Each of these people are ordinary people (besides Jesus) who God did BIG things through to show us His love, His Presence, and His power. It reminds me how He wants to work through us to accomplish His will. This week I wrote the most in my journal for the God who Responds as I am in a season of waiting reminding myself that I am refined in my waiting and I build perseverance in my waiting. I pray everyone has a blessed weekend <3 I'm still sick but I took another COVID test and it was negative (praise God!)
One thing that stood out to me in today’s Scripture selections was Acts 4:17-18, 17 But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.” 18 So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. (NKJV)
Here we are 2000 years later living in a society with the same mindset as you can hear curse word after curse word on TV but not one mention of Jesus, the name above all names.
Yesterday was a technology challenged day and I prayed through your requests but was not able to post – one of downsides of living in a rural area with limited internet access.
To those frustrated by the app – I read the devos & comments online but also attempt to go through the comments via the app as some are synced and some are not. SRT has assured me that they are working on fixing the app. I will contact them again today after it took 10+ tries to get the app to stay open. I have deleted and reinstalled with same results. Praying for their tech people!
Praying for:
TRACI G, SUSAN, CINDY J, MARTHA HIX and others that are grieving loved ones – for comfort in your grief. I know in my own grief for several losses in the past few years, it still hits me like a ton of bricks on some days.
TAYLOR – healing, hope you are feeling better
ERICA CHIARELLI – your SIL, niece and brother over the devastating news of losing their baby, and also her not being able to contact him.
DOROTHY – relationship with sister
NICOLE ZEIVERT – grandmother’s pacemaker procedure
GRAMSIESUE – you and especially Steve, for relief of his pain.
MEGHAN FOX – your son and bullies.
SHARON JONES – your daughter, and your 2 friends fighting breast cancer
ANGIE MILLS – liked your comment about trusting that God will bring about His purposes in our circumstances.
BELINDA MULLIS – your faith and confidence in your grief, thank you for sharing.
KATHY – thank you for praise report
SRT sisters – will you join me in prayer each day to pray for GRAMSIESUE and Steve, for wisdom and a solution to his ongoing pain?
The believers prayed not for comfort or rescue but for BOLDNESS in the face of persecution. How often my prayers are self-focused. :( I want to pray with a Kingdom mindset, like these believers, and remember that I am praying to the God who is Master of all creation and circumstances!
I am encouraged to press into prayer when I’m reminded that God works in ALL circumstances. No situation is too far gone, too big, or too small for him. Reflecting on the readings from this week, I’m also moved by the fact that God responds. Prayer does something! Thinking back to Abraham speaking with God about destroying the wicked. He came humbly before God and asked him to relent if righteous people could be found and God said yes. When we come to God in prayer, it changes things. Sometimes, what changes may be us and our perspective, but other times it can change the course of history! What an amazing gift that the God of the universe allows us to approach him like that!
These truths about God are encouraging to our prayers because they are the foundation upon which our prayers are based. We can have confidence in coming to the Lord with faith in who He is and what He does because His character is sure and His nature is firm. He is not a God who changes. These truths describe who God has been, who He is, and who He will continue to be.
I am always astounded that God keeps every single promise He makes. In this season of life, I am grateful that God is the God who leads me and emboldens me as I serve Him.
That prayer is the only answer, always. And my faith is strengthened.
I just looked back at the titles of each day and the scriptures I am struck by how God works in all circumstances. The reading for the day was Jesus’s crucifixion. If God can work in that circumstance, then nothing I am facing is too big.
The most encouraging truth so far is that God works in all circumstances, and the truth that stands out the most so far is that God keeps His promises.
Have a great day Shes
This encourages me to keep praying. I just listened to a part of a sermon by John MacAuthor about prayer. To summarize and paraphrase a bit, he said when praying for ourselves he said to acknowledge God’s Sovereignty and His Holiness. He said to remember that God is the source of everything good! Pray for His Name to be Hallowed and His Kingdom to advance through the Gospel one soul at a time. He said to ask to be kept alive to be useful to Him and to be filled with thanksgiving for all that ever offend us so that we can put His forgiveness on display. He said to ask God to show us through ever trail, so it doesn’t end up as a temptation. In the sermon he talks about how God never tempts and can’t be tempted. If you would like to listen it was called , How Should Every BelieverPray. I clicked this on, because I wanted to hear more about this! I don’t think we can put the links. Prayers for you all today!
Now unto Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, caccording to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
This has been such an encouraging study! Being reminded that God listens and keeps His promises and that He IS working in all circumstances (according to His plan) is my biggest take-away. In those times that it seems He isn’t listening/working, these truths are a huge comfort. Have a blessed weekend, ladies!
Yes there can be and SHOULD be boldness when we speak of Jesus. Lord, help me to be bold in telling of how you love me!
In the current season I’m in, this study has reminded me that God listens AND responds.
Our god is so loving, and Jesus Christ filled us with grace. Thank you father. Amen