P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
We continue proclaiming that Jesus is King. This week we see that as King he establishes a Kingdom of Humility.
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
Jesus, you are King and at your feet I bow today. You deserve all the glory. In this time would you speak as I read your Word. Meet with me and transform me by the power of your Holy Spirit.
I choose to rejoice, with all God’s people, in the powerful promise that God gives us in Psalm 145…
I will extol you, my God and King,
and bless your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless you
and praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
and his greatness is unsearchable.
Psalm 145:1-3
As you read the passages below, ask the Lord to cause a word or phrase to stand out to you.
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Philippians 2:1-4
As I reread the passage, I reflect on the questions, “How is my life touched by this word?” and “How does this passage connect with my life?”
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Philippians 2:1-4
This week we are looking at humility and the call on the life of Christians to live a life that is defined by humility. Humility is not the natural state of a sinful, so it is something that we need to seek after. Paul writes to the Philippians in his letter to them and says if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy we are to live in humility. That is quite the charge and one that we will be baking out all week!
Lord, search my heart now. Show me where there is a pride and arrogance and transform me into humility.
Lord, after our election last week we lift up this nation in prayer. We know that no election fixes all that is broken in our nation so we ask that you do what only you can do. For those elected officials we pray for their safety and wisdom. We ask that you would meet them and that they would come to know you. We pray for President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect Vance. We ask for their safety and we pray that you would draw them to yourself. Meet them and restore their souls. We lay our nation at your feet and ask that you bring revival.
As I read the passage for the final time, I listen for how the Lord is inviting me to respond to him. Where in my life do I need to yield in obedience to what he has for me?
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Philippians 2:1-4
Yielding Prayer
Lord, I open my heart’s desires to you today. I want to be obedient, but find myself so often seeking my own interests above everything else. Forgive me for my prida na arrogance. Fill me with your Spirit and show me what humility looks like in this world.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in James 4…
But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
James 4:6-10
Closing Prayer
Lord, enable me, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to love you today with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength; and to serve you today, by loving and caring for others as I do my own self; and, to exalt you today, by telling the people in my world about the abundant and eternal life found only through faith in Jesus.
*The P.R.A.Y. acronym has been adapted from the Lectio 365 app.