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
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Phil. 4:11-13
Contentment is a learned habit. It is a heart attitude but it becomes so by making it habit.
How do you supposed Paul learned to be content whatever the circumstances? What kinds of things did he do with his mind, his emotions, his choices to learn contentment?
Do you place contentment in the category of piano, golf, math or height and birthplace? What I mean is do you see contentment as difficult to learn (piano, golf, math) or impossible to change (height, birthplace)?
For Paul to have learned contentment it indicates he was at one time not content in his circumstances. If he can learn, so can you.
When he says “I can do everything” he is referring specifically to this idea of being content no matter what the circumstances. The strength for his contentment came from Christ. He learned contentment by learning to tap into the power of Christ.
Open hands not closed fists are an essential part of learning to stay tapped into Christ’s power. What have your hands closed on since yesterday. Open them again to Christ.
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:
He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.
Proverbs 18:22