P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
Paul points us to our citizenship in heaven.
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, I am restless till I rest in you. Pour out your Spirit on me. Speak to me through your Word.
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.
Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
Philippians 3:17-21
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?”
Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
Philippians 3:17-21
What a thing to be able to say, “join in imitating me”, and it make it into Scripture! Our eyes matter, what we focus on matters, and who we hold up as examples matter. There’s two ways to live this life. One as enemies of the cross of Christ whose end is destruction. The other as saved by the work of Christ on the cross whose citizenship is in heaven. It matters who we choose as examples in this life.Paul willingly admits he’s not perfect, but his attitude is to press on towards the goal. The goal of knowing Christ is worth all of it. There is going to be strain so we need to remind ourselves that Christ has made us his own. Hear that personally, that Jesus Christ, Lord of all, has chosen to make you his own. What is the one thing to do? To forget what is behind and strain forward to what lies ahead.
Lord, I ask that you show me whose example is worthy to walk in step with. Remind me that no matter what happens on this earth that my citizenship in the end resides in heaven.
Lord, let my sighs give way to songs about your faithfulness. Let my pain reveal your glory as my only true rest. Let my losses show me that all I truly have is you. I am satisfied in you. Revive us, oh Lord. Make your barren land fruitful again.
As I read the passage for the final time, I listen to 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?
Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
Philippians 3:17-21
Yielding Prayer
Lord, in obedience I seek to follow after you. Surround me with people that point me to you in all aspects of life. As I await my eternity with you let my citizenship being in heaven be at the forefront of my mind. Teach me what it means to live the now in light of eternity.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in Philippians 1…
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:6
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.