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.
Prayer Guide
- Sunday, April 13th -- Palm Sunday: Lord Jesus, Your Word says in James that from our mouths come both blessing and cursing, and this is sinful. Lord, this was never more apparent than during that holiest of weeks, when on one day, the people blessed You, then not a few days later, they cursed You and said You should be crucified. Lord, we confess that we too have done this. We praise You one moment, then cry out in anger at You the next. We are no different than that crowd. We too have betrayed You, and by our actions appear as if we never knew You. Oh God our King, have mercy on us and forgive us. Change us, so that we will truly be different, and be like You. Amen.
- Monday, April 14th: Prayerfully read or listen to Luke 19:28-34. If two people came to you and said they needed something of yours because “The Lord has need of it,” would that honestly be enough for you? If not, what else would be needed for you to release it for their use? Why do you think this person freely let these disciples have his colt?
- Tuesday, April 15th: Prayerfully read or listen to Luke 19:35-40. There is a phrase in this passage that should remind you of another important event the Church celebrated a few months ago (v 38). Why do you suppose Luke specifically includes this particular phrase? Do you think it’s important? Why or why not?
- Wednesday, April 16th: Prayerfully read or listen to Luke 19:35-40 with Zechariah 9:9. What do you think was the primary motivation behind the Jewish Leaders’ consternation? As you look at those in various positions of power today (government, religious, cultural, etc.), do you think that motivation is always the same, or do you think it’s different in each case, and why? Can you identify your primary motivation (for a hint at Jesus’ motivation: see Mt. 26: 36-44 and Jn. 5:19)?
- Thursday, April 17th -- Maundy Thursday: Prayerfully read or listen to (any or all of the following): Mt. 26:1-56; Mark 14:1-42; Lk. 22:1-53; Jn. 13:1-38, 14:1-6, 18:1-11
- Friday, April 18th: Good Friday: Prayerfully read or listen to (any or all of the following): Mt. 26:57-27:56; Mk. 14.43-15:41; Lk. 22:54-23:49; Jn. 18:12-19:30
- Saturday, April 19th: Holy Saturday: Prayerfully read or listen to (any or all of the following): Mt. 27:57-66; Mk. 15:42-47; Lk. 23:50-56; Jn. 19:31-42
- Sunday, April 20th: Resurrection Day! Almighty God, who through Your Son Jesus Christ overcame death and opened to us the gates of eternal life, grant that we who celebrate this day with joy may truly know this resurrected life and be filled to the full with Your life-giving Spirit, through Christ our Lord, Amen.
- Monday, April 21st: Prayerfully read or listen to Luke 24:1. Based on this verse alone, what can you assume was the women’s attitude or perspective as they came to Jesus’ tomb? What did they have with them that adds to your assumptions? Where did they obtain these things? What would have been their mood, their conversation, their emotions, etc? What did they expect to see at the tomb (see Mt. 27:62-66)?
- Tuesday, April 22nd: Prayerfully read or listen to Luke 24:2-5a. Based on previous experiences you’ve had where you’ve been very surprised, how do you think you might have reacted if you had been with the women? What does their reaction tell us about what they were expecting when they came to the tomb? What does this tell us about what they had been doing since the crucifixion?
- Wednesday, April 23rd: Prayerfully read or listen to Luke 24:5-8. Again, assume you are with the women: would you be able to comprehend what the “men… in gleaming clothes” are saying? What makes this whole passage easier, or harder, for you to believe about Jesus’ resurrection? What would you have done if you had been there with the women? How would you have responded?
- Thursday, April 24th: Prayerfully read or listen to Luke 24:5-8. Why is the first question the men asked the women: “Why do you look for the living among the dead,” still an important question to us today? What is the “transferable concept” in that question, and how can you apply it in your life right now?
- Friday, April 25th: Prayerfully read or listen to Luke 24:1-8. Approximately how much time do you think it took from the time the women approached the tomb, until the time they left? Think about how they were feeling, their mood, their expectations and so on as they came to the tomb, compared to how they were when they left it, and the amount of time in between. When was a time that God turned your life around that quickly? What was that like? Can you appreciate a “stone being rolled away” in your life?
- Saturday, April 26th: Review each of these Scriptures, topics, and questions that you have worked through this week. How does all of this resonate with you? Pray through these things as the Spirit leads you!
