First Christian Church, Owensville, IN
April 26, 2020
Quotes on prayer:
1 Peter 4:7: “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.” (ESV)
“Prayer is not difficult to understand. It is difficult to do…
“…How do we become mature in our prayer life? By praying when we do not feel like praying is precisely the time we ought to pray. There are not shortcuts to prayer. There are no books to read, seminars to attend, or inspirational mottoes to memorize that will transform us into intercessors. This comes only by committing ourselves to pray and then doing so.
“…Don’t allow yourself to become satisfied with shallow, self-centered praying. Stay with God in prayer until He leads you to pray at the level He wants.” –Henry Blackaby, Experiencing God Day by Day, May 25
Adoration: Praise Sovereign God for His attributes, for who He is and what He is like in this passage:
2 Peter 1:3-5: 3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. (NLT)
For ________________, Mighty God. We give you praise!
Confession: Ask the Holy Spirit to show you anything in your life that is displeasing to Him and confess it to Him.
Isaiah 53:5: But he was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole. (NLT)
Father, I confess ______________, Forgiving God. Hear our prayer.
Thanksgiving: Let us thank God for what He has done & does.
Hebrews 9:28: …so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him (NIV84).
For _______________, loving God. We give you thanks.
Supplication (Humble Petitions) & Intercession:
Psalm 124:8: Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth. (ESV)
• Pray to our merciful God about anything/anyone the Spirit puts on your heart to pray:
For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.
• Meditate on this passage:
1 Peter 1:13-16: 13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (ESV)
For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.
Meditate on this passage:
Ephesians 4:17-18: 17 So I tell you and encourage you in the Lord’s name not to live any longer like other people in the world. Their minds are set on worthless things. 18 They can’t understand because they are in the dark. They are excluded from the life that God approves of because of their ignorance and stubbornness (GW)
Ask the Lord to help you apply the above verses to your life.
For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.
Benediction: The Lord’s Model Prayer
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13, KJV)