A daily prayer to connect with God, focus on Him, and His plan for your life! |
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(Adapted from Pastor Rick Warren’s sermon January 22, 2011)
The most important time of the day is our time alone with God in the morning.
“O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.” Psalm 5:3 (ESV)
It is during this time, first thing in the morning, when I meet God and focus myself and my day on God and His will for my life.
There are four important elements to this devotional time with God:
1) Read God’s word.
2) Be quiet before God.
3) Talk with God.
4) Review my day and goals with God.
Praying through the Lord’s Prayer
Jesus tells us to pray like this, not these exact words. The Lord’s Prayer is a model of how Jesus wanted us to pray.
The Lord’s Prayer
(From the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, 1549)
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory. Forever and ever. Amen
The Lord’s Prayer is based on Matthew 6:9-13.
A Template for Daily Change
Within the model of the Lord’s Prayer are prayers of Connection, Surrender, Trust, Forgiveness, Protection, and Victory:
The Prayer of Connection
“Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your name…”
Connect with God by thinking about how much God loves you. The fact is we cannot begin to comprehend how much God loves us—it surpasses our understanding.
“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:14-19 (ESV)
The Prayer of Surrender
“Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
Offer your life to be used for His purpose today. Focus on being in the center of God’s will for your life.
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33 (ESV)
The Prayer of Trust
“Give us this day our daily bread.”
Tell God in faith you are depending on Him to meet your needs for today, today.
“What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:9 (ESV)
The Prayer of Forgiveness
“And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
Receive God’s forgiveness and release others. Let go of guilt (what you have done to others), and let go of resentment (what others have done to you).
“And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” James 3:18 (ESV)
The Prayer of Protection
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
You need God strength to reach you goals, to fulfill His plan for your life. Ask God for strength to reach your goals.
“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 (ESV)
“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV)
The Prayer of Victory
“For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory. Forever and ever. Amen.”
Thank God for the ultimate victory in your life!
“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39 (ESV)
“… which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.” 2 Timothy 1:12 (ESV)