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 18
Reflect:
Proverbs 18:10-11
10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
the righteous run to it and are protected.
11 The wealth of the rich is his fortified city;
in his imagination it is like a high wall.
Security is something we all long for. These two verses offer two different paths people take in the search for security. Only one path works, and it’s the one in which we place our trust in the Lord, the path which causes us to turn to God’s revealed character. Only by putting our faith in Him will we find the security we long for. On the other hand, wealth is deceptive; it has a kernel of truth in that it can sometimes ease the sting of disaster, but it is limited. Money cannot replace the Lord—period.
An obsession with wealth can also corrupt hearts and cause other vices like greed to grow inside our hearts. Jesus was keenly aware of the trappings of wealth. Once, He was asked to decide a dispute between two brothers concerning the estate of their father. Jesus’ response was probably not what they were expecting.
“Jesus replied, ‘Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?’ Then he said, ‘Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.’
Then he told them a story: ‘A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. He said to himself, “What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.” Then he said, “I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. And I’ll sit back and say to myself, ‘My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!’”’
‘But God said to him, “You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?”
‘Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.’” (Luke 12:14-21 NLT)
Respond:
Who or what are you running to for security or protection? Don’t be foolish but remember the wisdom in this proverb: “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are protected.” Trust God today with all your concerns and worries. Look to Him as your only source of security and protection.
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 13:15
Good judgment wins favor, but the way of the unfaithful leads to their destruction.