P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
This week in our series, “There is More”, we seek to understand and experience the Holy Spirit and his work in our lives as we look at spiritual gifts!
Together we will pray (P.R.A.Y.) each day – ‘P’: Pausing to be still as we come into the presence of the Lord. ‘R’: Rejoicing as we remember who our God is and what He has done, and Reflecting on His word. ‘A’: Asking God to help us and others. And ‘Y’: yielding to His will in accordance with His word.
As I come before you to pray, I still my thoughts and quiet my mind. I seek to make you the center of my focus.
Prayer of Approach
Lord, your word promises that if I draw near to you, you will draw near to me (James 4:8). I believe your word and claim your promise now as I spend this time with you. May your Holy Spirit draw close and fill me anew today in a way that I have not experienced before. Grow your fruit in me today Holy Spirit. Let me hear your voice, that I may receive and act upon the things you give me.
-Mark Rosewell
We choose to rejoice in the power of God’s Word, with all his people in Psalm 107:
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
whom he has redeemed from trouble
and gathered in from the lands,
from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south.
Psalm 107:1-3
Today we are reflecting on the words of Scripture, where we read:
Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:1-3
Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,
for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!
Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
Our God is in the heavens;
he does all that he pleases.
Their idols are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
They have mouths, but do not speak;
eyes, but do not see.
They have ears, but do not hear;
noses, but do not smell.
They have hands, but do not feel;
feet, but do not walk;
and they do not make a sound in their throat.
Those who make them become like them;
so do all who trust in them.
O Israel, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
Psalm 115:1-9
Before Paul begins his discussion on spiritual gifts, he wants to begin with the foundation. He reminds the church in Corinth and likewise us who we were. We were far from God and chasing after idols. Idols that were lifeless and powerless. As the Psalm that we read describes this even further, the idols that we were chasing after were useless in our lives. They have nothing to offer us. The Holy Spirit transforms our life when Jesus becomes our Lord. “Jesus is Lord” is a common phrase in our world, but in the 1st century, it would have been a reminder of all they had left behind in order to follow Jesus. Jesus is Lord is one of the earliest Christian confessions that they would have held onto. It reminded them that their allegiance was to Jesus alone. It set them apart from the Jews who didn’t claim Jesus’ divinity. It would have set them apart from the pagans of the day that had many “lords” as they followed different cults and worshipped all kinds of gods. So now as we cling to Jesus being Lord we are indwelled by the Holy Spirit as our Helper and no longer follow after worthless idols. If the Spirit will manifest himself in our lives through spiritual gifts it is important for us to remember during all of the following discussions to come back to the truth that Jesus is Lord. Jesus by his grace has given us the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit gives us gifts. No gift will be found apart from being connected to Jesus as Lord and being filled with the Holy Spirit
Jesus, you are my Lord. Show me what that means in my life as I seek to turn from the worthless and powerless idols in my life and follow after you.
1)What does it mean to me that Jesus is Lord?
2)Do I truly believe that the idols in this world are as mute as these Scriptures make them out to be?
3)What idols am I chasing after in my life today?
Lord, would you humble your people at your feet? Open our eyes and show us that it is in you alone that we find life. This world has nothing for us. Break us of our desire for the mute and lifeless idols of this world. Give us a longing for more. Give us a desire to have whatever it is you want to give us. Pour out your Spirit in a supernatural way during this season of time as we seek your face. To you alone be all glory and honor.
As I read the passage again slowly, I listen for anything that You would say to me in it. Help me see how to position my life in order to yield to your word.
Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:1-3
Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,
for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!
Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
Our God is in the heavens;
he does all that he pleases.
Their idols are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
They have mouths, but do not speak;
eyes, but do not see.
They have ears, but do not hear;
noses, but do not smell.
They have hands, but do not feel;
feet, but do not walk;
and they do not make a sound in their throat.
Those who make them become like them;
so do all who trust in them.
O Israel, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
Psalm 115:1-9
Yielding Prayer
Jesus, I surrender my life to you. You are my Lord and my all in all. Let my life and my obedience to you show that as I live the life you have ordained for me today. Let all actions and thoughts yield to you and to your Word. Fill me with your Spirit and lead me in the way everlasting.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in Ephesians 3:
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:14-21
Closing Prayer
Holy Spirit, may I display your fruit today to everyone that I meet. Help me to love more; to radiate joy and peace; to be patient in trying situations; to be kind and good when my natural reaction may be to lash out; as you have been gentle and faithful to me Lord, help me to be so to others today. Grant me the self-control I will need to triumph for your kingdom today, bringing glory to the name of Jesus
*The P.R.A.Y. acronym has been adapted from the Lectio 365 app.