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: Proverbs Chapter 4
Reflect:
Proverbs 4:24
24 Keep your mouth free of perversity;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
Today’s proverb deals with perversity and corrupt talk. Perversity is a sense of wrongness, a falsehood; it’s a form of dishonesty. Corrupt talk refers to words that are deceitful and underhanded. Today’s proverb is warning us to avoid the kind of talk that is distorted with falsehood and tainted with deviousness.
With all the hot-button topics circling our world right now, there is ample opportunity to let our mouths rattle off stuff that is wrong, if not dishonest. As followers of Christ, we can’t do this because when we give in to perverse and corrupt talk, we’re allowing that kind of speech to shape our hearts into something they were never meant to be. The verse just before our verse says, “Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.” (Proverbs 4:23 CSB) This is an important verse to remember. God begins with the inner you and then works outward. By paying attention to what is coming out of our mouth, we’re doing the work that shapes us into the people God calls us to be.
Respond:
As a follower of Jesus, we belong to Him. We’re to offer our entire being—our heart, mouth, lips, eyes, and feet. (See Romans 12:1) What comes out of our mouths reveals what the heart loves. You see, that’s the real issue! Does your heart love folly or wisdom? The way we talk says a lot.
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 Week’s Scripture Memory:
Proverbs 15:25
The Lord tears down the house of the proud, but he sets the widow’s boundary stones in place.