This is a sample prayer guide written by Rev. Fred Lunsford.

May 5-WHY WEEPEST THOU? 

John 20:15-Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou? She supposing him to be the gardener saith unto him Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Why are we so sad? Jesus is asking this question to each of us at the very beginning of “Forty Days with God.” He wants to know why we are so troubled in these dark dreary days. Remember, Jesus said He has overcome the world. If we have Him as our Savior, we too have overcome the world. Thank God for victory in Jesus Christ.

May 6-WHOM SEEKEST THOU?

Who are we looking for Jesus is asking us this question today. Our prayer for today can be, “Help me Dear Jesus to get my eyes focused upon You. In II Chronicles 7:14, it says, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” Pray for today is that God will help us this day to seek the face of Jesus. If we are to be successful in our praying during the “Forty Days,” we must seek the face of Jesus. I refer to Rev. 3:20-“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear m voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” John said, “Behold the Lamb of God. By all means we must get our eyes focused on Jesus.

May 7-WHO’S CALLING MY NAME?

Psalm 46:10-“Be still, and now that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” He called Mary’s name. She recognized who He was. God is indeed calling our name. During these “Forty Days with God,” seek to behold Him and listen for Him to call your name. There is something about hearing your name that awakens us to the reality of the presence of one who is speaking. Luke 9:23-“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”

May 8-LISTEN CLOSELY

In order to hear your name, you must listen very close to God, and shut everything else out and listen to His voice. He says in Psalm 91:1”He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” Today, go into the closet and listen for your name.

May 9-GO TELL

Matthew 28:7-“And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold he goeth before you into Galilee, there shall ye see him: lo , I have told you.” God has commissioned us every day to go and tell our fellow Christians and lost people how much Jesus means to you. We will deal more with the subject on another day. Pray for someone who is lost and call them about Jesus.

May 10-WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

Jesus encountered the two men walking on the Emmaus Road and asked them, “What are you talking about?” In these “Forty Days,” what are we talking about? What do you talk about? Read Acts 1:8-“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” This tells us what we need to be talking about. Pray that God will help you. Gossip about the Gospel!

May 11-WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? (PART 2)

We talk about the weather, the news, how bad the world is, about each other, etc. I say it’s alright to gossip about the Gospel. In James, the tongue is unruly. James 3:8-“But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” Just thank God that He has given us the ability to talk and speak and commissioned us to tell the sweet story of Jesus. Matthew 28:19-20-“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the” world. Amen. Tell someone about Jesus today.

May 12-RECOGNIZE THE PRESENCE OF JESUS (PART 1)

Read Luke 24:13-35 today. On the Emmaus Road, they knew Him not. Jesus is often in our presence and we don’t recognize His presence. During “Forty Days with God,” we must recognize the presence of Jesus. Re-read the Emmaus story I Luke 24 for your devotion today and ask God to help you recognize His presence.

May 13-RECOGNIZE THE PRESENCE OF JESUS (PART 2)

Their eyes were opened and they recognized Him and He vanquished out of their sight. They said, “Did not our hearts burn within us?” We need to ask for heavenly hearts that will burn within us during the day today.

May 14 AND 15-PEACE

Jesus said in John 20:21-“Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so sen.d I you.” Twice on this occasion, Jesus said, “Peace b unto you.” There were only ten disciples there at this time because Thomas was not with them. “Peace” means a harmonious relationship between God and man. We will focus on a harmonious relationship with God.  A child of God is saved; born again, but many times we as Christians we are not in harmony with God. We need to pray and ask God to give us a Spirit of harmony wOith Him. We need to be in tune with Him.

May 16-SO  SEND I YOU (PART 1)

John 20:21-“Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” Today, is a day to surrender all that we are and ever hope to be into the hand of God and obey the commands of God. He said, “As the Father hath sent me, so send I you.” He has sent us into the world. Pray for the ability to follow Jesus.

May 17-SO SEND I YOU (PART 2)

We continue to look at the command of Jesus,”As the Father hath sent me, so send I you. Jesus said, Himself, that He came to seek and to save that which was . JElost. A mandate from God is to go. Remember, today we are being sent by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit into the world. Pray today for the power to go as God has commanded.

May 18-RECEIVE YE THE HOLY SPIRIT (PART 1)

John 20:22 is the verse our theme for 2022 is based on. Jess breathed on them and said, “Receive ye the Holy Spirit.” Pray today that you will be able to receive all God has to offer.

May 19-RECEIVE YE THE HOLY SPIRIT (PART 2)

If we receive the Holy Spirit, we receive God the Father, and the Son of God. We have already received them through salvation. Scripture tells us to be filled with the Holy Spirit. If we do, we have God the Father and God the Son. They are one. Pray for the ability to receive this day.

May 20-RECEIVE GO, THE FATHER (PART 1)

If we receive the Holy Spirit, we also receive God the Father. If we do, we receive love because God is love. God wants us to receive His love to the degree that we’ll overflow through the love of God and become a channel to those about us. Ask God to cleanse you from hindering the free-flow of God’s love.

May 21-RECEIVE GOD THE FATHER (PART 2)

Receive Jesus Christ as the Son of God. We have already received Him as Savior, but we need to make sure we let Him be the Lord of our lives. He is the Light of the World, The Bread if Life and more. All of these are our Savior. Jesus again says, “He said, Follow me.” Ask God to give you the ability to follow Jesus all the way home.

May 22-RECEIVE GOD THE FATHER (PART 3) 

He said, “Receive ye the Holy Spirit. We are receiving the Holy Spirit and He enables and empowers us to do that which pleases Jesus. He always calls all to Jesus and the Spirit has to empower us. Pray in the Name of Jesus Christ that we receive the Holy Spirit for every day of all our lives to do the work of God in this world.

May 23-THE IMPORTANCE OF FORGIVING (PART 1)

The makes it plain if we don’t forgive others we are not forgiven. Whatever sins ye retain, they are remitted. Forgiving sins is very important to be able to receive what God has to offer. We must forgive so we can be forgiven and filled with the Holy Spirit. Ask God to help you forgive others today.

May 24-THE IMPORTANCE OF FORGIVING (PART 2)

Forgive sins if we are to be forgiven.  In regards to forgiving sin in Psalm 66, we’re told, if I regard iniquity in my heart, God will not hear my prayer. We must forgive sins if we are to be forgiven. Unforgiveness of sin is a hindrance to a successful prayer. Pray that God will give you a forgiving spirit.

May 25-BEHOLD HIM (PART 1)

When Thomas was with Him, He said, “Behold my hands and feet.” He says to us, “Behold me.” The word “behold” is often replaced with “see or observe.” However, the word, behold” is much stronger. “Behold my hands and my feet.” He wants to behold the sacrifice He made for us. Pray today that you’ll be able to behold and see Him as He really is.

May 26-BEHOLD HIM (PART 2)

Over and over in the Scriptures, Jesus is held up before us in many forms. Today, let’s look upon Him as the Lamb of God as portrayed in Revelation; dying for our sins on the corss and as we pray and worship Him. Thank Him for salvation.

May 27-BEHOLD HIM (PART 3)

As we look into His nail-scarred hands a we turn and look into His face. He says, “Come unto me. Follow me.” This day, let us bow before Him and call on His precious Name and ask Him to give us strength for the day and every day and to enable us to receive everything He has offer us.

May 28-BEHOLD HIM (PART 4)

Thomas is now in the presence of the Son of God and see’s the nail-prints in His hands and felt of them and said, “Behold my Lord and my God.” Jesus said, “Blessed are ye because you have seen and have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” This includes us. Pray that God will open our eyes that we may see.

May 29-BEHOLD HIM (PART 5)

Those of us who have believed on His Name and trust Him for salvation in our daily lives are “blessed.” We have not seen but we believe on Him with all of our hearts. We may doubt at times, but we must pray, “Lord, I believe. Help thou mine unbelief.” Let this be your prayer for today.

May 30-PEACE BE UNTO YOU (PART 1)

Jesus used the word, “peace,” twice in verse 21 and later He said it again when Thomas was with them. We need to pray today for the peace of God to be present during “Forty Days with God,” and beyond.

May 31-PEACE BE UNTO YOU (PART 2)

The word, “peace,” means a harmonious relationship with God and man. What this really means is that we are in tune with God. If I am in tune with God, you and I will also be in harmony with God. Pray today for peach with God and each other.

June 1-PEACE BE UNTO YOU (PART 3)

John 14:27- “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” He also prays in John 17. He prays five times that we may be one as they are one; God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. If it is important enough for Jesus to pray that we be one, then it is really important. This means we need to have a harmonious relationship with God and others. Pray today to be one with Him.

June 2-FORGIVENESS

John 20:23- “Whose soever sis ye remit, they are remitted unto them: and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.” The previous three days we’ve prayed for oneness in the Lord directly related to the forgiveness of sin. Jesus says that if we forgive our brother and sister of their sins, He will forgive us. If we don’t, He’ll not forgive us. If we are going to be one with Him and have peace with God and man, we must forgive others no matter what. It is not an option, but a must. Pray that we’re able to forgive one another.

June 3-THE TOUCH OF GOD

John 20:29- “Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and het have believed.” The blessings of God are bestowed on those who believe and haven’t seen Him. Pray for more faith in Him. In Hebrews 11, it tells us that without faith it is impossible to please to please God. We need to pray that our faith will be strengthened.

June 4-BLESSING 

What does it mean to have the blessings of God bestowed upon us. Believers and non-believers alike receive blessings such as the air we breathe, the food we eat and the beauty of the earth. Believers receive blessings over and above and beyond these mentioned. Every day and many times a day, I pray and ask God to accept my thanks for His presence and power of the Sweet Holy Spirit. Thank Him for the blessings that are special to His children. He has promised to answer our prayers.

June 5-HAVE YE ANY MEAT? (PART 1)

When He appeared to His followers after the resurrection, He said, “Have ye any meat?” They brought Him fish and honey and He ate it. In John 21:5, it says, “Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.”  This word is really calling out to us as His children, “What do you have to eat?” He’s talking about not just physical but spiritual food. He wants us to bring Him the harvest of our spiritual life. What do we have to offer Him today? Pray, the Lord of the harvest, that He will give us fruit to present to Him.

June-6- HAVE YE ANY MEAT? (PART 2)

Acts 1:8- “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” This is directly tied to the producing of fruit. The fruit of a Christian is another Christian. Pray today that we will be soul-winners for Him.

June 7-HAVE YE ANY MEAT? (PART 3)

Today, read Matthew 28:18-20. Jesus had an appointment with them and they had an 

appointment with Him. He said, “All power is given to me in heaven and earth. Go ye therefore.” As they went, He said, “Lo, I am with you always even to the end of the world.” Pray we will be willing to go.

June 8-COME AND DINE

When the disciples that had gone fishing came to the shore, they came dragging their fish to the shore and He had fish already cooked. He asked them to come and dine on the 154th fish that had nothing to do with the fish they had caught. They had caught 153rd fish. In Revelations 3:20, it says-“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” This means we will dine together. What a blessing we can coe and dine with Him. Thank God for this today.