First Christian Church, Owensville, IN
September 6, 2020
NOTE: Except for section headings, bold type indicates the unison response of everyone when praying in a group.
Quotes on Prayer:
“The Psalms has proven to be the most reliable pastoral and liturgical resource we have in Scripture. Generation after generation has turned to the Psalms, in season and out of season, as a helpful resource for conversing with God about the things that matter the most” --Walter Brueggemann, Spirituality of the Palms
“The more deeply we grow into the psalms and the more often we pray them as our own, the more simple and rich will our prayer become.”—Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together
“In the psalms, we have a collection of 150 prayers that were inspired originally by the Holy Ghost. If you want to know how God is pleased and honored in prayer, why not immerse yourself in the prayers that he himself has inspired?”―R.C. Sproul
Adoration: Praise Sovereign God for His attributes, for who He is and what He is like in this passage:
Psalm 23:1The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
3 He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever. (ESV)
For ________________, Mighty God. We give you praise!
Confession:
Psalm 32:5: I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah (ESV)
• Ask the Holy Spirit to show you anything in your life that is displeasing to Him and confess it to Him.
I confess ______________, forgiving God. Forgive us our sins. (If prayed aloud with others.)
Thanksgiving: In light of the following passage and anything else the Spirit reminds you of, let us thank God for what he’s done.
Psalm 28:7: The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. (ESV)
For _______________, loving God. We give you thanks.
Supplication (Humble Petitions) & Intercession:
1 Timothy 2:1-2: First of all, I encourage you to make petitions, prayers, intercessions, and prayers of thanks for all people, 2 for rulers, and for everyone who has authority over us. Pray for these people so that we can have a quiet and peaceful life always lived in a godly and reverent way. (GW)
• In addition to the instructions of the previous passage, pray to our merciful God about anything/anyone the Spirit puts on your heart to pray.
For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.
Psalm 19:14: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (ESV)
Psalm 40:8: “I delight to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.” (ESV)
For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.
Psalm 27:8: You have said, “Seek my face.”
My heart says to you,
“Your face, Lord, do I seek.” (ESV)
Psalm 71:14: But I will hope continually
and will praise you yet more and more. (ESV)
For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.
Benediction: The Lord’s Model Prayer
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
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)