Week 44 Day 4
I. Prayer to enter the Lord’s presence:
Be still for a moment. “Lord, I give the day that is now past to you. It is yours. I give the day that is to come to you; help me to see where you are working and to join you there. Speak to me during these moments. I commit them and myself to you.”
II. Prayer of Confession:
“Lord, you are faithful to forgive me and cleanse me of my sin when I confess it to you. I confess my sin(s) of ______________. Thank you for forgiveness.” (1 John 1:9)
III. Prayer of Thanksgiving:
Choose to be thankful, speak out loud of what God has done.
“Thank you, Father, for _________________. Fill my heart and my mouth with gratitude throughout this day.”
IV. Scripture Reflection
Read
“When a man’s own folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the Lord.”
Proverbs 19:3
Reflect
This Proverb is full of irony. A person’s life is ruined because of their own foolish choices but in their heart and mind they blame God for what has happened to them. What makes this ironic is that not only has God not caused their ruin, God has given his word to lead them in paths away from ruin and into life. Of course not all that happens in our lives is the result of folly. Proverbs are not “laws” but statements of how life generally works. Some people have experienced difficulty through no fault of their own. However ultimate “ruin” is something that results from a life lived in long-term rebellion to God’s will and ways.
Respond
Pray for people in your life who are far from God. Pray God will open their eyes and hearts to the truth of the gospel. If someone you know who is not a Christ-follower is going through difficult times ask God to use their difficulties to draw them to himself. Perhaps someone is suffering physically or mentally/emotionally…ask God to give you opportunity to speak into their life. Very often this suffering is evidence of God at work in a person’s life.
V. Prayer for others:
Pray specifically for the concerns of your life and the lives of others.
VI. Prayer of commitment:
“Lord God, I commit to love you with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my strength and with all my mind and to love my neighbor as myself. Empower me today to love you and others with everything that I am.” (Luke 10:27)
This Month’s Scripture Memory:
Habakkuk 3:17-18
Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.