Instead of praying the same things over and over for those we care about, it is good for us to use scripture to guide our intercessions. I Timothy 4:12 is one of those verses we can use profitably in our intercessory prayers. It says: “In speech, conduct, love, faith and purity show yourself an example of those who believe.”

This is a great list of things to pray for someone you love; it is so comprehensive. “Speech” refers to everything they say; “conduct” means everything they DO; “love” is the most important thing — you want to pray for them to excel in that. Without “faith” it is impossible to please God. And Hebrews tells us, “without holiness no one will see the Lord.” This is a very encompassing and essential list of Christian qualities. Use it to pray for someone you care about today — and while you are at it, you might use it to pray for yourself too!