Prayer Guide
- Sunday, July 5th: Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” ~ Luke 4:8 (NIV) * Father God, we are content to worship You and declare that You alone are our God. But, if we are honest, words like serve and submit are words we are not comfortable with. Help us to understand what it means to serve You and submit to Your will so we can find true freedom in Christ, amen.
- Monday, July 6th: Read Galatians 5:1 and Matthew 11:29 & 30. As you read these verses back to back do you feel at ease with being “yoked” to God? Or does this make you feel like your freedom is less than free? Father God, show us how to live in the freely given love and grace that You offer us through the death and resurrection of Your Son, Jesus. Pour out Your Spirit upon us in understanding and acceptance. We humbly ask this, amen.
- Tuesday, July 7th: Read Galatians 5:13 & 14. Who are the “neighbors” that God lays on your heart as you read this passage? Can you really love someone like God loves us if they don’t share your same values or beliefs? Lord, help us to love others with the same unconditional love that You have for us. We realize that we cannot do this without Your help, so we ask this in the name of the Father, Jesus Your Son, and Your Spirit, amen.
- Wednesday, July 8th: Read Matthew 6:16 – 18. Seek God’s will for what He would have you fast from today. Lord, Your Word tells us, when we fast not if we fast. Help us to accept this as a part of a mature Christian life and then help us to do it. We seek Your guidance and instruction so our times of fasting can become times of listening and learning Your will for our lives. We ask this in Jesus’ name, amen.
- Thursday, July 9th: Read Deuteronomy 6:4 – 9. How can we move from putting Bible verses up as decorations to really living them out? Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we want to love You with all we are and all we have but then the stuff of earth overwhelms our good intentions. Write Your Words on our hearts and minds so we have them to rely on when things get hard or we lose our way, amen.
- Friday, July 10th: Read Deuteronomy 6:10 – 12. Ask God to show you what your “Egypt” is and how He has rescued from it. Father God, You save us from so many things. Things we desire more than You to things that bring pain and hardship. Show us all that You have saved us from so we can say, “Thank You!” and give You praise. We offer You all that we have going on today and ask You to guide our decisions and actions so we can continue to glorify You despite our circumstances, in Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
- Saturday, July 11th: Psalm 16:5 – 8. Father God, thank You for rescuing us from all that enslaves us, especially our sin. Forgive us for the ways we refuse to follow Your will. Forgive us for the times we refuse to love others the way You love us. Remind us what it means to be free in Christ and free from sin so we can develop into the people of God that You see us to be. We offer You all we have and all we are, for Your glory, others gain, and our good, amen.
- Sunday July 12: Lord God, the earth belongs to You, and everything in it. For You alone created it all, and the entire universe glorifies Your Name! From the smallest fish in the sea, to the brightest stars in the Heavens, everything in all creation cries out “glory!” You created summer and winter, springtime and harvest. You are the One that even the wind and the waves obey Your voice! Help us Lord to continually give You thanks and praise each day, for You alone are worthy of it all. Amen!
- Monday July 13: Prayerfully read or listen to Matthew 8:23-27, and take note that in the previous four verses (v. 18-22), the conversations center around the topic of following Jesus. Yet when His disciples followed Him in this story, what happened? What does it say the disciples were thinking (see v. 25; see also Mark 4:38)? Do you think they might have been reconsidering their decision to follow Him at that moment? Why were they so afraid?
- Tuesday, July 14: Prayerfully read or listen to Mark 4:35-41, and compare this version of events to the one in Matthew 8:23-27. Take a piece of paper, and compare each verse, or even each moment of the story, and see how the differ or how they are the same. What do you learn about this story in the life of Jesus, and in the life of the disciples? What do you think are the most important aspects of it? For example, both Gospels says that Jesus “rebuked____.” Why did He do that? Compare other events in the same way. What do you learn?
- Wednesday, July 15:Prayerfully read or listen to Matthew 8:23-24. One of the key points in this story is that Jesus got into the boat, having some knowledge that the storm would arise, and yet He fell asleep. It even appears that He would have slept all the way through the storm if the disciples hadn’t woken Him up! What does this tell you about Him and His trust in His Father, and His trust that His Father would watch over His disciples? How can we learn to have such trust in the Lord? Pray through this today with the Lord.
- Thursday, July 16: Prayerfully read or listen to Matthew 8:26. Jesus just asked one question of His followers in this entire event. Consider your life circumstances right now. If Jesus were to ask you about your situation, would this be the question He would ask you? If this question resonates with you, ask Him to strengthen your faith and trust in Him for the days ahead. Pray to the Lord, and spend some time in silence and see what He wants to share with you!
- Friday, July 17: Prayerfully read or listen to Psalm 29:1-4. How do these verses connect to the story of Jesus speaking over the storm? Do you believe that the Lord’s voice is powerful enough to speak over the storms in your life? If the storms in your life have yet to calm, how are you responding right now: are you panicking as the disciples did, or are you resting and waiting like Jesus did in the boat? We not only want to follow Jesus, but we want to be like Him! Ask Him to help you rest in the Father the same way He did that day!
- Saturday, July 18: Review each of these Scriptures, questions, and prayers that you have worked through this week. Which one, or which theme, resonated with you? Pray through these things again as the Spirit leads you!
How's Your Prayer Life?
Are you praying on a regular basis? Are you meeting Him and sharing your heart? Whether you are or you aren't, we all need help when it comes to a consistent and meaningful prayer life.
Prayer is one of the most important things a Christian can do. It is a time we are communicating with God, and while there is deep theological meaning in prayer, it doesn’t have to be something that is complicated or difficult. It’s something anyone can do anywhere at any time.