Week 2 Prayer Guide

Thank you for participating with us in a season of spiritual focus and renewal as we begin a new year. Setting aside 21 days for prayer is a powerful way to start a new season and to seek revival in our hearts, intercede for the needs around us, and seek God for His wisdom in our lives.

May the Lord richly bless you as you participate in these daily devotions.

Each day, we will pray: P. R. A. Y.

DAY 8: PRAYER

P. Pausing to be still.

Go to your quiet place.
Clear your mind from the day’s demands, as best as you can.
For a few minutes be still, be silent, and know God is near.

Start your day with this brief prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for your presence. Prepare my heart now Lord, through your Spirit, to receive your goodness and meet the obligations of the day so that all my interactions express the love of Jesus Christ and glorify you. Amen.

R. Rejoicing and reflecting on a Psalm.

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart 
Be acceptable in Your sight, 
O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.”
Psalm 19:14 (NKJV)

A. Asking God to help us and others.

Eternal Father, work in me a pure heart that your Word of Truth becomes my native tongue. I know the necessary heart work is hard work. I also know I have the power of the Holy Spirit to labor beside me. I know I must develop this communication skill in the intimate, private place with you daily before it becomes comfortable for me to speak to you in public on another’s behalf. Let my petitions reflect Christ’s heart in genuineness and sincerity. I pray that all words of your children glorify you and edify others. In Christ’s name. Amen.

Y. Yielding to God's will in our lives, come what may.

“Loving Lord and heavenly Father, I offer up today all that I am, all that I have, all that I do, and all that I suffer, to be Yours today and Yours forever. Give me grace, Lord, to do all that I know of Your holy will.

"Purify my heart, sanctify my thinking, correct my desires. Teach me, in all of today’s work and trouble and joy, to respond with honest praise, simple trust, and instant obedience, that my life may be in truth a living sacrifice, by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the name of Your Son Jesus Christ, my Master and my all. Amen.”

Elisabeth Elliot (1926-2015)

DAY 9: SELF-LESS

P. Pausing to be still.

Go to your quiet place.
Clear your mind from the day’s demands, as best as you can.
For a few minutes be still, be silent, and know God is near.

Start your day with this brief prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for your presence. Prepare my heart now Lord, through your Spirit, to receive your goodness and meet the obligations of the day so that all my interactions express the love of Jesus Christ and glorify you. Amen.

R. Rejoicing and reflecting on a Psalm.

“Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!
Serve the Lord with gladness; 
Come before His presence with singing.
Know that the Lord, He is God; 
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; 
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, 
And into His courts with praise. 
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
For the Lord is good; 
His mercy is everlasting, 
And His truth endures to all generations.
Psalm 100 (NKJV)

A. Asking God to help us and others.

Heavenly, Holy Father, I am full of selfish desires. For this I repent.
Help me to be as John the Baptist and acknowledge that I must become less so that Christ becomes more in my life and more in the world.
Help me focus on Christ’s face alone.
Save me from myself in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Help me to be Christ’s hands and feet, His mouthpiece, His image bearer. Help me to be others-oriented; to think of others more, to care for others more, to love others more so that they have a relationship with Christ because they have a relationship with me.
In Christ’s glorious name. Amen

Y. Yielding to God's will in our lives, come what may.

“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: 
where there is hatred, let me sow love; 
where there is injury, pardon;
 where there is doubt, faith; 
where there is despair, hope; 
where there is darkness, light; 
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek  to be consoled as to console, 
to be understood as to understand,
 to be loved as to love. 
For it is in giving that we receive,
 it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, 
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.”

St. Francis of Assisi (c. 1181-1226)

DAY 10: SERVICE

P. Pausing to be still.

Go to your quiet place.
Clear your mind from the day’s demands, as best as you can.
For a few minutes be still, be silent, and know God is near.

Start your day with this brief prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for your presence. Prepare my heart now Lord, through your Spirit, to receive your goodness and meet the obligations of the day so that all my interactions express the love of Jesus Christ and glorify you. Amen.

R. Rejoicing and reflecting on a Psalm.

“Commit your way to the Lord; 
trust in him, and he will act.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, 
and your justice as the noonday.

The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,
  and his tongue speaks justice.
The law of his God is in his heart; 
his steps do not slip.”
Psalm 37:5-6, 30-31 (ESV)

A. Asking God to help us and others.

God Eternal, give me a servant’s heart so that I may serve where you have put me. May my work honor you and my employer and when I have returned home, may I humbly serve those whom you have entrusted to me.

Teach me where I am deficient that I may learn your ways.
Provide an opportunity for me to teach where I am proficient for Christ’s purposes.
Stretch me beyond comfort for I was made for more than my current activities.
A ship in the harbor is safe, but that isn’t what a ship was made for. Send me.

Stir me to serve in the church and community. You have uniquely gifted every believer for service. I want us to use these gifts to glorify you and further your kingdom. May this be the congregation’s prayer in Christ’s name. Amen.

Y. Yielding to God's will in our lives, come what may.

“Govern everything by your wisdom, O Lord, so that my soul may always be serving you in the way you will and not as I choose. Let me die to myself so that I may serve you; let me live to you who are life itself. Amen.”
Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)

DAY 11: SALVATION FOR OTHERS

P. Pausing to be still.

Go to your quiet place.
Clear your mind from the day’s demands, as best as you can.
For a few minutes be still, be silent, and know God is near.

Start your day with this brief prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for your presence. Prepare my heart now Lord, through your Spirit, to receive your goodness and meet the obligations of the day so that all my interactions express the love of Jesus Christ and glorify you. Amen.

R. Rejoicing and reflecting on a Psalm.

“The Lord is good and upright; 
therefore he shows sinners the way.
He leads the humble in what is right 
and teaches them his way.
All the Lord’s ways show faithful love and truth
 to those who keep his covenant and decrees.”
Psalm 25:8-10 (CSB)

A. Asking God to help us and others.

God of All, only you can save souls. I pray that you would grab hold of __________ .
Open their eyes to their lostness,
soften their hearts so they can experience your grace and mercy and your love and truth,
and don't let go until they acknowledge their hopeless condition.
Then, lead them through the Spirit to the redeeming cross of Christ Jesus.

Use me Lord to exemplify the Kingdom life here on earth. Give me words to counsel them on the way they should go. I pray this in Jesus’s name. Amen.

Y. Yielding to God's will in our lives, come what may.

“For those who do not know you yet, Lord, grab on to them now, and do your work. Take them by the heart, overcome them, and persuade them, until they say, ‘You have won. You are stronger than I.’

Lord, did you not make me a fisher of men? I have worked all this time and caught nothing. Have I spent my strength for nothing?

I will cast my net one more time. Lord Jesus, stand on the shore and show me where to spread my net. Give me the words to enclose the souls I seek, that they will have no way out.

Now Lord, for a multitude of souls. Now for a full portion. Lord God, remember me, I pray and strengthen me, O God. Amen.”

Joseph Alleine (1634-1668)

DAY 12: PROVISION

P. Pausing to be still.

Go to your quiet place.
Clear your mind from the day’s demands, as best as you can.
For a few minutes be still, be silent, and know God is near.

Start your day with this brief prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for your presence. Prepare my heart now Lord, through your Spirit, to receive your goodness and meet the obligations of the day so that all my interactions express the love of Jesus Christ and glorify you. Amen.

R. Rejoicing and reflecting on a Psalm.

“Trust in the Lord and do what is good;
  dwell in the land and live securely.
Take delight in the Lord, 
and he will give you your heart’s desires.
… the humble will inherit the land
  and will enjoy abundant prosperity.
Psalm 34:3-4, 11 (CSB)

A. Asking God to help us and others.

Provider of All, help me look around to all you have given; material things, yes, but spiritual blessing and physical wellness too. May I not to be content to hold tightly to this inventory. Rather, let me live a life of abundance and not of scarcity. Show me, through the eyes of Christ, the needs of others and let me liberally share your gifts for the benefit and blessing of others.

Help us, as your people, to come along side those in need; to feed the hungry, cloth the naked, shelter the homeless, bring in the outsiders, and give out of our provision that there would be no known need. That would be Kingdom living indeed! Amen.

Y. Yielding to God's will in our lives, come what may.

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all people. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Amen.

Philippians 4:4-7 (NASB)

DAY 13: SABBATH - REJOICING

P. Pausing to be still.

Go to your quiet place.
Clear your mind from the day’s demands, as best as you can.
For a few minutes be still, be silent, and know God is near.

Start your day with this brief prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for your presence. Prepare my heart now Lord, through your Spirit, to receive your goodness and meet the obligations of the day so that all my interactions express the love of Jesus Christ and glorify you. Amen.

R. Rejoicing and reflecting on a Psalm.

“Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship,
  for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord.
They rejoice all day long in your wonderful reputation.
  They exult in your righteousness.
You are their glorious strength.
  It pleases you to make us strong.”
Psalm 89:15-17 (NLT)

A. Asking God to help us and others.

God of Peace, I come to you today to rejoice in your soul-resting rhythm. May it be experienced by all that have the capacity to receive it. I pray that my family and those around me can be in your presence and drink in your refreshing Spirit this Sabbath today. Hide from our minds the things that distract us so we can focus our heart, mind, soul and strength on the grace, mercy, and love you have lavished on us.

I pray you work in the lives of those that have lost sight of your eternal care through difficult circumstances or through disordered desires and do not experience a Sabbath rest. Give them to know you are ever present and that you love them. In Christ’s name. Amen.

Y. Yielding to God's will in our lives, come what may.

“I have found the joy no tongue can tell;
How its waves of glory roll!
It is like a great overflowing well
Springing up in my soul.
It is joy unspeakable and full of glory,
full of glory, full of glory;
It is joy unspeakable and full of glory,
O the half has never yet been told.”
Barney E. Warren (1867-1951)

DAY 14: WORSHIP - PARDON

P. Pausing to be still.

Go to your quiet place.
Clear your mind from the day’s demands, as best as you can.
For a few minutes be still, be silent, and know God is near.

Start your day with this brief prayer:
Heavenly Father, prepare my heart, through your Spirit, that the praise and worship I give you today will be an acceptable expression of my love for you, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

R. Rejoicing and reflecting on a Psalm.

“Good and upright is the Lord; 
therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
He guides the humble in what is right
  and teaches them his way.
All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful
  toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.
For the sake of your name, Lord, 
forgive my iniquity, though it is great.”
Psalm 25:8-11 (NIV)

A. Asking God to help us and others.

Gracious, Glorious God, who am I that I should come to you for forgiveness for I am a person of unclean lips and I experience darkness in my heart. Thankfully there is One who is not under this condition, Christ our Lord, who provides a way to your throne to all that believe on Him. Please pardon me, pardon us, from all iniquity. Cleanse us of our sins and we will be whiter than snow.

Now Father, let us cast our eyes upon Jesus today so we can praise and worship the Triune God rightly and be living sacrifices, holy, acceptable to you, which is our reasonable service. I pray this in the mighty name of Christ. Amen!

Y. Yielding to God's will in our lives, come what may.

“Heavenly Father, by your mercies you have brought me to the start of this blessed day, so I ask you to make it a day of reconciliation between my sinful soul and your divine majesty. Give me grace to make it a day of repentance before you, in your goodness, seal it to be a day of pardon to me.

May my chief delight be to dedicate myself to your glory and honor and not my own. I will celebrate your day with saints and angels in unspeakable joy and glory, to your praise and worship, in your heavenly kingdom forevermore. Amen. ”

Lewis Bayly (1575-1631)