P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
The Lord tells Cain that sin is crouching at our door and it is the same for us unless we grown in our awareness of our own sin, which we will look at today.
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, fill me with your Spirit and let me not hide from you today. I remind myself that you know everything about me. You know every thought, every intention, and every action of my heart and just like with Cain you invite me into relationships via communication and questions. Let me find your presence here today.
I choose to rejoice, with all God’s people, in the powerful promise that God gives us in Psalm 103…
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
Psalm 103:12
As you read the passages below, ask the Lord to cause a word or phrase to stand out to you.
The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”
Genesis 4:6-7
For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
Romans 7:15-20
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?”
The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”
Genesis 4:6-7
For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
Romans 7:15-20
Genesis 4:7 is one of the most vivid pictures of sin that we see in all of Scripture. God is coming to Cain in the midst of his anger and teaching him about what sin is. Sin is not neutral. 1 Peter 5:8 describes Satan as prowling like a lion seeking someone to devour. Sin is not sitting it is crouching desiring the worst for me. We have to know the enemy in order to fight against the enemy. John Owen said, “Be killing sin or it will be killing you.” We have to not only be aware of what Satan’s goal is with sin, but we have to fight against it. We fight not in our own strength, but in the strength of the Holy Spirit. We need the Spirit’s power and help, so ask for it! Name your sins specifically today and ask the Holy Spirit to give you the power to fight against them. We also need to be in community in order to fight sin. If sin is outside of my door crouching fixed on destroying me I can’t always see it. I can’t see through doors. I need people who love me and know me outside of my door pointing out and warning me of the sin crouching that I can’t see. I cannot do this on my own at all!
Lord, I ask that you reveal my sin to me. It should be obvious, but in a broken and sinful world sin is sometimes easy to get used to. Break through the scar tissue and help me to deal with myself honestly today. It is your kindness that leads me to repentance.
Lord, we know that in the midst of this time, you have kingdom purpose. You have brought our country to its knees. Nothing that is happening is a surprise to you. You see the big picture, and you are at work in ways that we cannot see. Please guide the direction of our country, grant us grace and mercy and leaders who will lead with integrity and wisdom.
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?
The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”
Genesis 4:6-7
For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
Romans 7:15-20
Yielding Prayer
Lord, my sin separates me from you, so let me take it seriously. In a world that calls evil good and good evil let your church stand differently. Let me not fear the introspection, because your Son has already died for all my sins. Let your holiness be a mirror to my sin and reveal the sin that I cannot see. Forgive me and set me free from that which binds me.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in Romans 8…
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:37-39
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.