Lesson 4: Wednesday

“Our Father” - Our Relationship with God

Dear Heavenly Father,

I worship you for you are good. “For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever” (Psalm 117:2).

I join with the Psalmist who exclaims, “The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation” (Psalm 18:46).

“From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised!” (Psalm 113:3).

“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalm 34:1).

You are glorified as I bear much fruit (John 15:8).

Grant me the desire and the power (your grace) to honor you in my life today.

I worship you, Jesus, for who you are, and thank you for what you do for me daily.

I join with the angels and archangels and proclaim: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing” (Revelation 5:12).

“God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).

I thank you for forgiving me of my sins. Paul said, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:1-5).

Please help me to walk in a manner worthy of you, fully pleasing to you: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in my knowledge of you (Colossians 1:10).

Blessed Holy Spirit, guide me as I learn what it means to pray in the Spirit (Jude 1:20).

I desire and purpose to follow your prompting and leadership today.

Give me ears to hear what you wish to say to me.

Open my ears and eyes spiritually, and grant that I would not be rebellious or turn back from doing your will (Isaiah 50:4-5; Ephesians 1:18).

“In Heaven” - God’s Royalty

“The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man” (Psalm 11:4)

“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man, that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” (Psalm 8:3-4).

You created all the stars and call each of them by name (Isaiah 40:26).

Though you have done all this, you seek intimacy with me and give me dignity and destiny through Jesus Christ.

I thank you and worship you for your sovereignty and your great love.

“Hallowed Be Your Name” - God’s Reputation

I exalt you, the Lord my God, and worship at your footstool! You are holy! (Psalm 99:5).

Father, help me to know how to exalt you in my life, in my attitudes, and in my words.

You command, “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness” (Psalm 29:2).

Your holiness is beautiful. May nothing in my life detract from your holiness today.

“Your Kingdom Come” - God’s Reign

May I remember that your kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36).

You said, “The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).

Your kingdom presently is in the hearts of men and women who are spiritually born again.

As my King, grant me the ability to submit willingly to your authority.

May your reign be seen in my life as I daily live under your lordship.

I pledge allegiance to you and your purposes for my life, for the lives of my family members, and for the lives of my friends.

May your kingdom grow as more and more people come to know you as their Lord and Savior.

Bless, strengthen, and encourage all believers who work in secular jobs, so that they will be radiant witnesses of the love and peace of Jesus.

You said, “Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest” (John 4:35). Raise up, I pray, more workers for the fields (Matthew 9:38) and grant them fruit for their labors.

I pray for... (names of people who are not saved)... to be saved.

Father, draw them to Jesus (John 6:44). Grant them a heart of repentance (2 Timothy 2:25). Create in them a hunger and thirst for you (John 6:35).

Bind the powers of darkness that hold them captive (2 Timothy 2:26) and open their eyes to their need of you (2 Corinthians 4:4).

May the day of their salvation be soon.

“Your Will Be Done, on Earth as It Is in Heaven” - God’s Rule

Father, I rejoice that you desire for me to be filled with the knowledge of your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding (Colossians 1:9).

It is your will that I stand mature and fully assured in all your will (Colossians 4:12).

“Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies” (Psalm 27:11).

Remember: One of the reasons Jesus teaches us to pray like this, spending 1/3 of our prayer time on his name, his kingdom, and his will is to break us from our self-absorption (our problems and needs).

“Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread” - God’s Resources for Us

Dear Father, you said that if I seek first your kingdom and your righteousness—if I put you first in my life—you will supply all my material needs (Matthew 6:33).

Jesus, you said, “Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:34).

You forbid me to grumble, murmur, or complain about anything (1 Corinthians 10:10). Instead of complaining, I am to bring all my problems to you in prayer.

You said, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

Please forgive me for ever murmuring or complaining about my circumstances. You have been better to me than I deserve.

I bring you my present needs…. (name them).

Help me to remember and be thankful for all you have already done!

I pray for…. (others who are in need around the world).

I pray for those who occupy positions in local, state, and national government. I pray they will be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (2 Timothy 2:25). I pray that you will guide them by the principles of your Word. Grant that they will honor you and that righteousness will reign. Please frustrate the purposes of evil and may your will be done. Grant “that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (1 Timothy 2:2).

“And Forgive Us Our Debts, as We Also Have Forgiven Our Debtors” - Reconciliation with God

Search me, O God, and see if there if there is any sin in my life (Psalm 139:23-24).

“God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). You said that if we say that we have fellowship with you, and walk in darkness (do sinful things), we lie and do not the truth (1 John 1:6). But if we walk in the light (do what we know pleases you), as you are in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ your Son cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7).

If we confess our sins, you are faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

Help me to walk in all the light you have given me. Grant me the grace to do your will gladly and cheerfully.

Father, I confess my need of having a greater desire, boldness, and effectiveness in personal witnessing and soul winning.

I thank you, Father, that you “are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you” (Psalm 86:5).

Thank you for forgiving my sins.

“And Lead Us Not into Temptation, but Deliver Us from Evil” - God’s Protection

You command, “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires” (Romans 13:14).

Give me grace to guard the areas of life in which I am weak and prone to displease you.

This is your will for me: “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.… For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood [people], but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:10, 12).

You said, “Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth” (Ephesians 6:14). Help me to be completely truthful today in all my relationships.

You said, “Put on the breastplate of righteousness” (Ephesians 6:14). Guard my heart and help me be righteous and holy in all I do.

You said my feet are to be shod with the gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15). Help me to stand firm in your truth and detect when you want me to share the gospel of Jesus with others.

You said, “Take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:16). When I am tempted today, grant that my faith may not fail (Luke 22:32).

I am to put on the helmet of salvation (Ephesians 6:17). May all my thoughts be taken captive to obey Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Help me to learn how to use the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17).

“For Yours Is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory, Forever” - Praise to God

To you, Lord, I offer right sacrifices, and I put my trust in you (Psalm 4:5).

“Let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you” (Psalm 5:11).

Father, I choose to be happy and joyful in you.

This is the confidence I have toward you, that if I ask anything according to your will you hear me. And I know that if you hear me in whatever I ask, I know that I have the requests that I have asked of you (1 John 5:14-15).

In the name of Jesus I pray this, Amen.