1 Corinthians 2:1-5Dear Father, God of all true wisdom, power, and glory,When I set about to share your Good News about Jesus with other people, keep me from using lofty concepts or high-sounding words. Let me speak of nothing except Christ and him crucified.Help me to understand that it is okay for me to show my own weakness, fear, and trembling. Let my words demonstrate your Spirit and power, so that the faith which germinates will rest not in my wisdom but in yours.In the name of Jesus, by his authority, and according to his will I lift up this petition to you. Amen.Ⓒ 1996-2025 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. Heartlight appreciates Eldon Degge and Meridian Publishing for permission to make this available on our website. Praying with Paul is also available as a book.

1 Corinthians 1:26-31Dear Father, you of whom we boast,Why have you chosen the weak, the foolish, the despised? You have done this so that no human being can boast. And we do not! We cast our lives at your feet. You alone are worthy!You are the source of our lives in Christ Jesus, whom you made to be everything to us. He is our wisdom and our righteousness. He is our sanctification and our redemption.Therefore, as it is written, "Let him who boasts, boast of the LORD" - and we do!In the name of Jesus, by his wisdom and authority, I ask these things. Amen.Ⓒ 1996-2025 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. Heartlight appreciates Eldon Degge and Meridian Publishing for permission to make this available on our website. Praying with Paul is also available as a book.

1 Corinthians 1:22-25Dear Father, confounder of worldly wisdom,What you have caused us to preach is "Christ crucified," a stumbling block to tradition-followers, like the Jews, and folly to philosophy-lovers, like the Greeks. But to us who are called, he is your power and your wisdom. For we believe that your foolishness is wiser than our wisdom, and your weakness is stronger than our strength.I am thankful that you have taken most of us from the lower echelons of society. Not many of us are wise according to worldly standards, not many are powerful, not many are of noble birth.You chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, what is weak to shame the strong, what is low and despised, even things that don't yet exist, to bring to nothing the things that are.May my weakness and foolishness be transformed into usefulness through your strength and wisdom. In the name of Jesus and by his wisdom and authority I pray. Amen.Ⓒ 1996-2025 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. Heartlight appreciates Eldon Degge and Meridian Publishing for permission to make this available on our website. Praying with Paul is also available as a book.

1 Corinthians 1:18-21Dear Father, author of all true wisdom,You have said, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will thwart."Where is the wise man? Where is the debater of this age? I thank you, Father, that you made foolish the wisdom of this world.For in the wisdom of your plan, mere "wisdom" has never enabled anyone to know you.People were looking for something great, as they understood greatness. It pleased you, rather, by the "foolishness" of what we preach, to save all of us who put our trust in you and your manifested love.May I never try to impress anyone with my wisdom. Instead let me impress them with my faith in your wisdom.In the name of Jesus and by his wisdom and authority I ask these things. Amen.Ⓒ 1996-2025 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. Heartlight appreciates Eldon Degge and Meridian Publishing for permission to make this available on our website. Praying with Paul is also available as a book.

1 Corinthians 1:17Dear Father, author of all true wisdom,Thank you that you do not send your emissaries out as mere recruiters. They are not just to baptize but to preach the Good News about Jesus, that he doesn't just want us to "join his club" but he wants us to be like him, yes, to be him, to be his body, in the world.Thank you for not appealing to us with elegant ideas or eloquent speech, lest the message of the cross be emptied of its power. For while this word of the cross is utter folly to those who are perishing, to us who are being saved by it, it is your power.Grant me the courage and strength to trust you when worldly wisdom sounds convincing.In the name of the one who empowers me to live according to his righteousness, I pray. Amen.Ⓒ 1996-2025 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. Heartlight appreciates Eldon Degge and Meridian Publishing for permission to make this available on our website. Praying with Paul is also available as a book.