Devotional & Journal

First Baptist Church exists to LOVE God and others, LEARN from Christ, LIVE for Christ, and LEAD others to Christ.

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Table of ContentsIntroduction ............................................................................................................................................. 5About the Authors ................................................................................................................................... 7Week 1 - The Devoted Praise of Prayer .............................................................. 11

Day 1 - Lord, Teach Me to Pray! ........................................................................................... 13Day 2 - Your Prayer Plan ........................................................................................................ 15Day 3 - Prayer Comes from the Heart .................................................................................. 17Day 4 - The Structure of Prayer ..............................................................................................19Day 5 - Our Father ................................................................................................................. 21Day 6 - Which Art in Heaven ................................................................................................ 23Day 7 - Hallowed Be Your Name ......................................................................................... 25

Week 2 - The Divine Purpose of Prayer .............................................................. 27Day 8 - What Is the Kingdom of Heaven? ........................................................................... 29Day 9 - What is the Kingdom Like? ....................................................................................... 31Day 10 - Our Role in God’s Kingdom .................................................................................. 33Day 11 - The Freedom of the Kingdom .............................................................................. 35Day 12 - The Cost of the Kingdom ..................................................................................... 37Day 13 - Praying According to God’s Will .......................................................................... 39Day 14 - The Power fo Prayer to Transfom .......................................................................... 41

Week 3 - The Daily Provision of Prayer ............................................................... 43Day 15 - What’s the Point? ................................................................................................... 45Day 16 - One Day at a Time ................................................................................................. 49Day 17 - The Bread - Part 1 .................................................................................................... 51Day 18 - The Bread - Part 2 .................................................................................................... 53Day 19 - When God Answers ................................................................................................ 55Day 20 - Without Ceasing ..................................................................................................... 57Day 21 - Some Trust in Chariots ............................................................................................. 59

Week 4 - The Definitive Pardon of Prayer .......................................................... 61Day 22 - Forgiving and Being Forgiven .............................................................................. 63Day 23 - The High Cost of Forgiveness ................................................................................ 65Day 24 - Vengeance is the Lord’s ....................................................................................... 67Day 25 - The Radical Nature of Forgiveness ...................................................................... 69Day 26 - Forgiveness and Anger ........................................................................................ 71Day 27 - Seventy Times Seven.............................................................................................. 73Day 28 - A Spirit of Forgiveness ............................................................................................. 75

Week 5 - The Desired Protection of Prayer ........................................................ 77Day 29 - Temptation Revealed ............................................................................................ 79Day 30 - The Tempter ........................................................................................................... 81Day 31 - Temptation’s Tactics ............................................................................................. 83Day 32 - Temptation vs. Trials ............................................................................................. 85Day 33 - Avoiding Temptation ........................................................................................... 87Day 34 - Escaping Temptation ............................................................................................ 89Day 35 - Jesus Overcomes ................................................................................................... 91

Week 6 - The Deliberate Position of Prayer ........................................................ 93Day 36 - The Priority of Worship .......................................................................................... 95Day 37 - Thine is the Kingdom ............................................................................................. 97Day 38 - Thine is the Power .................................................................................................. 99Day 39 - Thine is the Glory.................................................................................................... 101Day 40 - Praying the Lord’s Prayer ..................................................................................... 103

How to Become a Christian ............................................................................................................... 107A Letter to New Believers .................................................................................................................. 109Life Change Devotionals for New Believers...................................................................................... 111

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Introduction You can do more than pray after you have prayed; but you can never do

more than pray until you have prayed.A.J. Gordon

The most important thing a born again Christian can do is to pray.Chuck Smith

Men may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our persons, but they are helpless against our prayers.

Sidlow Baxter

Satan does not care how many people read about prayer if only he can keep them from praying.

Paul E. Billheimer

The power of prayer has never been tried to its full capacity. If we want to see mighty wonders of divine power and grace wrought in the place of weakness, failure and disappointment, let us answer God’s standing

challenge, ‘Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not!’

J. Hudson Taylor

Satan trembles when he sees the weakest Christian on his knees.William Cowper

He who has learned to pray has learned the greatest secret of a holy and happy life. William Law

I would rather teach one man to pray than ten men to preach.Charles Spurgeon

The man who mobilizes the Christian church to pray will make the greatest contribution to world evangelization in history.

Andrew Murray

God shapes the world by prayer. The more prayer there is in the world the better the world will be, the mightier the forces against evil.

E.M. Bounds

Talking to men for God is a great thing, but talking to God for men is greater still.

E.M. Bounds

Don’t pray when you feel like it. Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it.

Corrie ten Boom

Nothing of eternal significance is ever accomplished apart from prayer.Jerry Falwell

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Christians have discovered again and again through the years that prayer is essential to the healthy Christian’s walk with Christ. Yet, prayer is one of the most neglected of spiritual disciplines. It can be a great challenge for many Christians to begin the discipline of spending daily time reading God’s word and maintaining a consistent prayer life.

There are three things we hope to accomplish through 40 Days of Prayer. First, we hope that you will begin to develop the spiritual discipline of daily time with God through prayer. One of the reasons people have difficulty developing this discipline is because they often don’t know how to pray. The disciples knew that prayer was important, but they had never heard anyone pray like Jesus. We read in Luke 11, where the disciples asked of Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray.” In response to their request, Jesus shared with the disciples what has become one of the most well-known and beloved prayers of all time: “The Lord’s Prayer.” This prayer was given to the disciples as a model for them to learn how to pray. This same prayer that Jesus used with the disciples is the model we will examine throughout this series. Second, we hope that your understanding of prayer will grow. However, let me be clear. Growth in understanding should always be matched with growth in our spiritual walk that strengthens our ability to fulfill our role in living out the Great Commandment (cf. Matt. 22:36-40) and fulfilling the Great Commission (cf. Matt. 28:16-20). Third, it is my prayer that our church will be unified in love, spirit, and purpose as together we learn how to pray in the way Jesus instructed His disciples. We hope that your daily devotionals will prompt discussions around the dinner table with your family, around the coffee table with your friends, and even around the conference table with your co-workers.

Here are some of the components and how they can help you deepen your prayer life over the next 40 days:

• Scripture Verse: Each devotional begins with a verse of Scripture that you can meditate on throughout the day. You could even develop the spiritual discipline of Scripture memory as well.

• The Devotional: The devotional provides a brief understanding of the Scripture passage often through illustrations and application.

• Key Thought: The “Key Thought” is a short synopsis of each day’s devotional. It provides a summary of the biblical truth.

• Praying Today’s Truth: This section provides you with a brief action step to move you toward application of the biblical truth.

• Journaling: There is space with each day’s devotional to write down your own personal thoughts on what God is teaching you. Your retention for learning is increased when you write things down in your own words, even if you never look at it again!

In addition to the 40 Days of Prayer Devotional & Journal, it is important for you to commit to weekly attendance in a small group over the next six weeks. If you are not currently in a small group, visit our 40 Days of Prayer table in the lobby to find out how you can join one of our small groups.I am looking forward to discovering how the Lord will challenge us as a church over the next 40 days as we all learn to pray like Jesus!

Lord, teach us to pray!Pastor Chris Dortch

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About the AuthorsPastor Chris Dortch (Weeks 1, 3, and 6)

Pastor Chris Dortch has been serving in vocational ministry since 1993 and currently serves as the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church Mount Sterling. He graduated Summa Cum Laude (4.0 GPA) from Liberty University with a Bachelor of Science in Religious Studies (Theology and Biblical Studies). He also completed his Master of Divinity (M.Div.) and Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) degrees from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary with emphases in Pastoral Ministries and Church Leadership respectively. He is the author of “No More Dropouts: Best Practices for Retaining Young Adults in the Local Church after High School,” “Games in a Bag: 300 Games for Your Small Group,” and “Event Essentials: Planning Life Changing Events that Reach & Teach.” He has been a guest speaker for Youth Specialties’ National Youth Worker’s Convention (Zondervan). Pastor Chris has been married to Cheryl for over 23 years and they have one son, Carson. Carson and his wife Jessica live in Boone, North Carolina.

Jason Bratcher (Week 2)

Jason Bratcher has been in fulltime ministry for nearly nine years, having most recently served at Christ Community Church in Huntersville, NC (the same church as Pastor Chris). He graduated with a Bachelors of Arts from the University of Kentucky where he majored in Philosophy and Computer Science. He is currently working on his Master of Divinity (M.Div.) in Theology at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. He has plans on becoming a Discipleship Pastor/Professor. Jason has been married to his wife Katie for three years.

Dr. Andrew Wyant (Week 4)

Andy Wyant is currently serving as pastor of Grace Gospel Church in Sharpsburg, Kentucky. He is also a professor and graduate faculty in the Clinical Sciences Department, College of Health Sciences, at the University of Kentucky where he teaches physiology and clinical medicine. Andy graduated from the University of Evansville with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry (Magna Cum Laude), the Indiana University School of Medicine with a Doctor of Medicine degree (Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Graduate), and the University of Tennessee postgraduate residency program in Obstetrics & Gynecology. He returned to Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore after fifteen years of practicing medicine when he felt a persistent call from God on his heart to serve more formally in ministry. He graduated from Asbury with a Master of Divinity degree in 2014. He hosts a podcast called “God-Talk” that discusses the interface of faith and science. He is most passionate about family life, preaching and teaching God’s word, and writing in the area of religion and science. Andy is married to Krystal and they have three children: Juliet – 11, Jude – 9, and Josie Mae – 3. Andy was ordained for pastoral ministry by First Baptist Church Mount Sterling in 2014.

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Kris Mann (Week 5)

Kris Mann has been serving in various evangelistic roles since 2010. Kris conducts Sunday morning church services in the summer months at Zilpo Campground located at Cave Run Lake. He is actively involved in Champions for Life Prison Ministry, pulpit supply and short-term missions. He is a deacon at First Baptist Church in Mount Sterling. Kris holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Alice Lloyd College and a Master’s Degree in Juvenile Justice Studies from Eastern Kentucky University. He is currently the Executive Director of Program Services for the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice’s Eastern Region. Kris has participated in short-term mission trips to: Higuey, Dominican Republic (1 trip); DaNang, Vietnam (1 trip); Cali, Columbia (2 trips); and various locations in Haiti (3 trips). He has been a part of disaster relief efforts in: Oklahoma City, OK; Joplin, MO; and Eastern Kentucky. Kris has been involved in domestic ministries including: Church Under the Bridge, Lexington, KY; God’s Appalachian Partnership, Eastern KY. He has been guest speaker at Beulah-Land Bible Camp, Campbellsville University’s Baptist Campus Ministries, Christian Home School graduation ceremony, and various youth ministry events. Kris is dating Kayla Daulton and enjoys spending time with his family and fishing. He resides in Mount Sterling, KY.

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Week 1

The Devoted Praise of Prayer

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.Matthew 6:9b

This week we will be introduced to what many consider the most famous and well-known prayer of all time: The Lord’s Prayer. Our focus this week will be on the opening phrase of the prayer: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.”

We will discover this week that the Lord’s Prayer was not intended to be a recited prayer of ritual, but rather a model prayer to be used as a guide. The Lord’s Prayer is a model example of the elements of prayer that we can incorporate into our daily prayer life.

It is my desire as your pastor, that we as a church family will discover that powerful prayer begins with worship of our heavenly Father. May we all grow in our understanding of prayer and engage with our Lord on a more personal and intimate level.

Pastor Chris Dortch

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Day 1

Lord¸ Teach Me to Pray!Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He

ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray . . .”Luke 11:1

I’ve often wondered, if Jesus spent so much time in prayer… how much more do we need to see the necessity of prayer and spend time on our knees? When I consider the life and ministry of Jesus it was rich with prayer. Jesus said a prayer during His baptism, we are told “while He (Jesus) prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, ‘You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased’” (Luke 3:21-22). Immediately after His baptism He went into the wilderness where He spent forty days in prayer and fasting! Jesus understood the importance of prayer both during and immediately after significant spiritual markers in His life.

Jesus made it a point to spend time in prayer even though He was very busy and others demanded so much of His time. We read in Luke 5:16, “So He Himself (Jesus) often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.”

Jesus understood that it was important to spend time in prayer before making major decisions. Luke writes, “Now it came to pass in those days that He (Jesus) went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles” (Luke 6:12-13).

When Jesus heard of the execution of His cousin, John the Baptist, He went to be alone in prayer (cf. Matt. 14:13). We know that Jesus understands the grief of losing a dear friend. Even though Jesus knew He would raise Lazarus from the dead it did not lessen Jesus’ deep compassion for those who were suffering, “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). Even when we know we will see our loved ones again, there is great comfort as we pray during our time of grief.

Jesus knew the importance of praying for the needs of others as they faced great

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struggles. Jesus said to Peter, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has aked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren” (Luke 22:31-32).

As Jesus reached the culmination and greatest challenge of His ministry He spent great time in prayer. “Coming out, He (Jesus) went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him. When He came to the place, He said to them, ‘Pray that you may not enter into temptation.’ And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, ‘Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.’ Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow. Then He said to them, ‘Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation’” (Luke 22:39-46). It is clear that Jesus understood that prayer can help the believer from even entering temptation.

Is it any wonder that Jesus’ disciples said, “Lord, teach us to pray”? They had been eye witnesses to the life and ministry of Jesus. They understood that prayer was central to His daily walk.

This 40-day journey will challenge you to discover the joy, peace, wisdom, power, and grace that comes through knowing and experiencing God through prayer. In the same way that His disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, we too can make the same request.Key ThoughtJesus understood the importance of prayer throughout His life and ministry. We too must discover the necessity of prayer in our walk with our Lord.

Praying Today’s TruthFind some time today to “withdraw from the crowd” and be alone with God. Think about some of the examples that Jesus went to His Heavenly Father in prayer. God desires for you to come before Him in every circumstance. Take a moment to speak with Jesus and request, “Lord, teach me to pray.”

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Day 2

This single verse found in the Gospel According to Mark provides us with key insights for developing a plan to cultivate the spiritual discipline of prayer. A study of the prayer life of Jesus as found in the scriptures will help us develop our own prayer plan.

First, we discover that Jesus set aside intentional time to pray. Mark 1:35 says, “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight.” What time of day seems best for you? Consider when you are most alert and able to give God your best attention. Whether morning, afternoon, evening, or night, it is most important that you simply pick a time and stick with it. Corrie ten Boom once wrote, “Don’t pray when you feel like it. Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it.” People often ask, “How long should my prayers be?” Start with a few minutes and allow your time to grow. Don’t keep track of your time. It’s more important that you “find the time to spend with Him” rather than worry about “how much time to spend with Him.”

Second, we read that Jesus “went out and departed to a solitary place.” In Mark 6:46 we read that Jesus “departed to the mountain to pray.” And in Luke 5:16, “So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.” Wherever Jesus went, He found a place to pray. Do you have a place where you meet with God? Establishing a quiet, consistent place to pray is crucial in allowing Jesus to teach us how to pray.

Third, we observe that Jesus didn’t just choose any place to pray, He chose solitary places (Mark 1:35). Just before He shared the model prayer with His disciples, Jesus instructed them, “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly” (Matt. 6:6). As we develop a strategy for a healthy prayer life, find that solitary place

Your Prayer PlanNow in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out

and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.Mark 1:35

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for just you and God. Don’t forget to “close the door” to your prayer closet. Sometimes your environment can set you up for distractions, even though no one else is in the room with you – you may not be “alone” with God. Turn off the TV, cell-phone, iPad, and so forth. An e-mail alert or Facebook notification will quickly distract us from focusing upon our prayer time with the Lord.

Finally, Mark 1:35 tells us “there He (Jesus) prayed.” Over the 40 Days of Prayer campaign, we will discover the key elements concerning how to pray. It is important to know that prayer is not a one-way communication. God speaks to us by the Holy Spirit through Scripture. Will you make a commitment to God today to establish a plan for prayer?

Key ThoughtJesus had a plan for prayer.

Praying Today’s TruthIn prayer today, commit your prayer plan to God. Agree to meet with God every day for the purpose of prayer; agree on the time and agree on the place.

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Day 3

Now that we have established a plan for prayer, it’s time for a quick heart exam. Before we concern ourselves with the content of our prayers, we must be concerned with the heart of our prayers.

It is important that our prayers do not become performances for others. Our prayers, whether public or private, should be intimate conversations with our Heavenly Father. Eugene H. Peterson in his paraphrase of Matthew 6:5-6 in The Message catches the essence of what Jesus is saying, “And when you come before God, don’t turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat? Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense His grace.”

Jesus cautions us not to pray with the wrong heart motivation. Sometimes our prayers can be motivated by trying to impress others with our speech. Sometimes our prayers can be motivated by our own personal desires. I’ve often said that God is most concerned with the condition of our heart. He desires possession of our heart. If Christ has possession of your heart, then our desires should align more clearly with His desires.

Consider this… prayer is not trying to get God to give us what we want. Prayer is trying to get us to want what God desires. Have you ever thought: if I pray “not my will, but Yours,” am I already “giving up” on the hope that God will answer my prayer? Instead of praying to persuade the heart of God, perhaps we should begin to pray that our hearts are changed to align with the heart of God. That’s not to say that we never come before God with our desires, it is simply a suggestion that our heart’s

Prayer Comes from the HeartAnd when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask

Him. In this manner, therefore, pray . . .Matthew 6:7-9

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desires should first align with God’s desires.

Key ThoughtOur prayers should flow from a heart with the right motives.

Praying Today’s TruthIn prayer today, ask God to reveal to you the motive of your prayers. Ask God to work in your heart so that your desires are His desires; so that you want only what He wants for your life.

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Day 4

Jesus instructed them in Matthew 6:9, “In this manner, therefore, pray.” He wasn’t giving His disciples a prayer to repeat so much as a pattern to follow. It is okay to recite, to memorize, and meditate upon the Lord’s Prayer, but Jesus never intended for it to become a substitute for our own personal prayers and conversations with the Father. He had just told His disciples, “And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions” (Matthew 6:7). To give them a verbatim prayer to recite would have contradicted this. Furthermore, the disciples had asked Him to teach them how to pray, not “teach us a prayer.” Jesus presents them with a beautiful, inexhaustible guide for prayer. He instructs us to use this as a skeleton for prayer, to flesh it out with words of worship, praise, submission, petition, confession, forgiveness, and spiritual warfare. This prayer teaches us how to pray!

If we are not careful, prayer can become mechanical, dry, and formal. This is likely what prayer had become for many people during Jesus’ time. The idea that prayer was an intimate fellowship with God had been diluted. Jesus wants our prayers to be full of life, meaning, power and joy! He wants to teach us to have real conversation with God, not a forced obligation to a mechanical religious function. It would be a tragic mistake to take this prayer that Jesus gave and turn it into the very thing He was correcting; meaningless praying.

Within the model prayer, the Lord Jesus gave us six essential elements of powerful praying. Those elements are worship, surrender to God’s will, praying for our needs and the needs of others (petition), confession and forgiveness, spiritual warfare, and praise. Notice that this prayer begins with God in expressions of worship (Our Father in Heaven, hallowed is Your Name) and submission to the will of God (Thy kingdom come, thy will be done), moves to

The Structure of PrayerJesus said, “This is how you should pray . . .

Luke 11:2

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addressing our needs (daily bread, forgiveness, temptation), and then closes with the focus on God again (His kingdom, power, and glory). In order to pray as Jesus taught us to pray, we need to learn to incorporate each of these elements in our prayers. Please note, however, that we are not enslaved to this structure; that would be mechanical and would contradict what Jesus was trying to correct. Every prayer offered is not required to include this structure, but as a guide, our prayers should involve worship, surrender, requests for needs, confession, forgiveness, and seeking victory over temptation. These are the basics of a meaningful and powerful prayer life.

Using the model prayer as a guide, here is a sample of one of my prayers: “Lord, You are worthy of all praise. I worship you for who You are and for the relationship we have because of Your sacrificial love. Lord, I pray for Your will today in my life. Help me to keep my eyes open to accomplish the things You desire most in my life. I pray that You will watch over my family today and keep them safe. Lord, please remind me that I too must be forgiving just as You have forgiven me. Lord, help me find victory over the challenges that come my way today. I know I already have victory in You and sometimes I get in the way because I am so weak in my own strength. Help me to resist the temptations that come in my direction. You are my strength! You are my victory! You are my protector! You are my salvation! I trust in You and I pray for You to be glorified through my life this day and every day. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Key ThoughtThe six basic elements of the model prayer include: (1) worship, (2) surrender, (3) petitions, (4) confession & forgiveness, (5) seeking victory over temptation, and (6) continued praise.

Praying Today’s TruthAs you pray today, personalize each of the elements Jesus taught in the Lord’s Prayer. Begin with a prayerful moment of worship. Surrender to His will for your life. Next, share your personal requests with Him and pray for the Lord to meet specific needs of others as well. Confess your sins to Him. Ask Him to help you be forgiving toward others. Seek His help in giving you victory over temptation. Close your prayer time with worship.

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Day 5

Our FatherSo you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you

received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”

Romans 8:15

In the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5-7, Jesus constantly contrasted the dry, lifeless faith of the religious leaders of His day with the true life of faith God intended. Those religious leaders spent hours regularly praying and fasting, but they had no personal relationship with God. Jesus kept saying, “Don’t be like the Pharisees!” Prayer is not just a discipline or a ritual; it is a personal, intimate relationship with the Father. So when He said, “When you pray, pray like this, ‘Our Father,’” His listeners were shocked! The people of Jesus’ day certainly believed in the Fatherhood of God, but they saw it in terms of God being the Father of a nation, Israel. God is referred to as “Father” only fourteen times in the Old Testament. In each of these occurrences, it was always used with reference to a nation, but never personally as in “my Father.” When Jesus came on the scene, He addressed God only as “Father.” All of Jesus’ prayers address God as Father. The Gospels record Jesus using “Father” more than sixty times in reference to God. No one had ever, in the entire history of Israel, spoken and prayed like Jesus. No one! To the traditional Jew, this was shocking because Jesus used a title of personal intimacy for God. He wasn’t just saying, “Father;” He was saying, “Daddy!”

That is exactly what Jesus is trying to communicate to us about prayer. It is first and foremost a relationship. It is intimate, warm, personal, close, loving communication with our heavenly “Daddy.” Romans 8:15 teaches us, “So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when He adopted you as His own children. Now we call Him, ‘Abba, Father.’” We don’t have to approach God in prayer as fearful slaves, but as His own children, saying “Abba, Daddy.” God is first and foremost concerned about our relationship with Him not our service to Him. He wants them to be personal and

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Key ThoughtPrayer is first and foremost a personal relationship with our heavenly Father made possible through Jesus Christ.

Praying Today’s TruthDo you have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ? If not, take a moment to read “How to Become a Christian” on page 107. If yes, then spend some time in prayer today thanking Jesus for making that relationship possible.

intimate; like a child with his dad. It is the love relationship He desires most from us. Our prayer time should be viewed as a relationship not a religious chore or requirement. Viewing prayer as a daily relationship with God is the first step in learning to pray as Jesus prayed.

Remember, God wants a personal relationship with you. Would you tell someone you really love, “You are very important to me, but it is just so hard for me to find time to spend with you. So I am going to force myself to spend a few minutes with you every day”? That’s not much of a relationship is it? God, your heavenly Father, wants to spend time with you.

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Day 6

Which Art in HeavenWhere can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go

up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

Psalm 139:7-8

The phrase “Our Father which art in heaven” tells us a lot about the characteristics of our Heavenly Father. First, it is a reference to God’s majesty and dominion. 1 Chronicles 29:11 says, “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.” When we speak to God in prayer as our Father in heaven, we are recognizing Him as majestic, exalted, glorious and over all things. It is an expression of worship.

Second, “Our Father in heaven,” refers to the omnipotence of God, His might and power. 2 Chronicles 20:6 proclaims “O Lord God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You?” When we pray “Our Father in heaven,” we are agreeing that nothing is too great for God; no problem I encounter, no circumstance I face, no need I have is too great for God. “You are God in heaven!” We are declaring with the prophet Jeremiah, “You are the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for you?” (Jer. 32:27).

Third, “in heaven” is a reference to God’s omnipresence, that there is nowhere in the universe we can go that the glorious Presence of God would be missing. The words “in heaven” are actually plural, so they literally mean “Our Father in the heavens.” God is everywhere! 2 Corinthians 12:2 declares, “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago – whether in body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows – such a one was caught up to the third heaven.” The “Third Heaven” is what we often think of heaven. It is the home of God (cf. Hebrews 8:1). The “Second Heaven” is what we would refer to as the Celestial Heaven where we see the sun, moon, and stars (cf.

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Key ThoughtYou can be confident, God is with you!

Praying Today’s TruthTake a moment to read Psalm 139 and make the words of this Psalm your prayer. These twenty-four verses acknowledge His majesty, power, and presence in our lives.

Deut. 4:19; Matt. 24:29). Their “First Heaven” is the Atmospheric Heaven (cf. Gen. 6:7; James 5:18). Consider the words of 1 Kings 8:27, “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!”

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast” Psalm 139:7-8 NIV.

“Our Father in heaven” means that God is as far away as the most distant galaxy and as close as the air we breathe. Worship His majesty! Declare His power! Believe in His power! He is there!

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Day 7

Hallowed Be Your NameGive unto the Lord the glory due to His name; Worship the Lord in the beauty

of holiness.”Psalm 29:2

Hallowed is one of those terms we rarely use these days. It means consecrated, to make holy, dedicated, to give honor.One of the most eloquent uses of the

word “hallowed” was in Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg address. As he gazed across those fields that just a few months earlier had been littered with the bodies of thousands of American soldiers, Lincoln said, “But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our power to add or detract.” Similarly, we cannot add to or detract from God’s “hallowedness” or holiness, but we can acknowledge and declare it. We can proclaim, “You are my Father in heaven and You are holy!”

Names in the Bible revealed something about the person’s character. This is especially true for the names of God. For example, Psalm 20:7 declares, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name (character) of the Lord our God.” To pray “Hallowed be Your name” means to say, “May You be given that unique reverence and honor that Your character and nature as Heavenly Father demand.” It is saying, “May You be given the respect You deserve.”

But let’s personalize this prayer. What does it mean for you or me to hallow God’s name? The reformer Martin Luther, in his Greater Catechism, asked: “How is it (i.e. God’s Name) hallowed among us?” Answer: “When our life and doctrine are truly Christian.” Our Father’s name is most hallowed when we behave like Jesus Christ. For Christians to live in disobedience to God is to take His name in vain, to dishonor the majesty of His name by claiming as Lord someone whom we do not follow as Lord. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’” Jesus warned, “will enter the kingdom of heaven;

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Key ThoughtMay the way I live and act bring glory and honor to God’s name.

Praying Today’s TruthPray today for God’s name to be hallowed in your life. Examine your attitudes and actions, and if there is anything you find that would bring dishonor to the majestic name of the Father, confess it as sin. Turn away from it and begin doing what is right; hallowing the name of God.

but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven” (Matt 7:21). When we eat, drink, and do everything else to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31), that is hallowing His name.

Week 2

The Divine Purpose of Prayer

“Thy Kingdom come, Thy will will be done...”Matthew 6:10

This week we will discover that our prayers have a divine purpose. When we pray for “God’s will to be done,” it isn’t “giving up” on our prayers of petition, rather it is an alignment of our prayer with the larger, more grand purpose of praying for God’s kingdom to take priority over our own personal desires.

We will discover this week that the Lord’s Prayer teaches us to become kingdom focused. The Lord desires to include you in building His kingdom. In fact, we will discover that the kingdom of God is quite the opposite of conventional wisdom.

I pray this week will be a life-changing journey as we discover the world in which we live is upside-down in comparison to the Kingdom of God. May we each truly discover the significance of what it means to pray, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”

Jason Bratcher

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Day 8

What Is the Kingdom of Heaven??Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Matthew 6:10

God’s Kingdom is a theme that is found throughout the New Testament. “The Kingdom of God” occurs four times in Matthew, fourteen in Mark, thirty-two times in Luke, twice in John, six times in Acts, eight times in Paul’s epistles, and once in Revelation. “Kingdom of heaven” is a phrase that is unique to Matthew in the New Testament (although Daniel uses it in the Old Testament), it occurs thirty-three times throughout the course of the gospel. “Kingdom” occurs nine times, “your Kingdom” occurs twice, “his kingdom” occurs three times, “the kingdom of their Father” occurs twice, “The Good news of the kingdom” occurs three times, “the message about the kingdom” occurs once, “the subjects of the kingdom” occurs twice, “the coming kingdom of our father David” occurs once, and twice the “kingdom” refers to the redeemed in Revelation.

Of all the New Testament authors, none focus on the “kingdom” more than Matthew. But, what exactly does the kingdom of heaven refer to? 1. God’s Kingdom can refer to the millennial kingdom when Christ will reign on earth for a thousand years after his second coming. 2. Kingdom can also refer to the eternal kingdom that will exist after God makes all things new. 3. Finally, it can refer to the present age (cf. Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43) as God’s kingdom infiltrates the world through the Gospel. The kingdom in Matthew 6 can be seen as any, or even, all of these. As believer’s we are to not only long for our eternal home with God, but the fulfillment of His will now in our lives. So, when we ask for his kingdom to come, we are in fact asking for both.

We should not be so concerned about the future state of God’s Kingdom that we miss being a part of it now here on earth. As part of the Church, we have work to do to be a part of His kingdom now. As Paul stated, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

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Key ThoughtThe Kingdom of Heaven is not just in the future, but is present now in the world through the work of the Gospel. As more and more people receive Christ, the Holy Spirit infiltrates the fallen world and God’s Kingdom on earth grows.

Praying Today’s TruthDear Heavenly Father, show me what it means to be a part of your kingdom now. Help me not to be so focused on my future that I miss all the opportunities and blessings you have placed in my life now. Help me to complete the calling you have given to me to take the Gospel to everyone that I know. In Your Son’s most holy name, amen.

God has called every believer to active service in His Kingdom. We are to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth, making disciples of every nation (cf. Matthew 28:19).

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Day 9

What Is the KingdomLike?He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the

kingdom of his beloved Son.Colossians 1:13

God’s Kingdom is unlike anything that we know on earth. No earthly kingdom can compare. This is why so many people in the Gospels had a hard time accepting Jesus as the Messiah, He was not what they were expecting. So, what should we expect?

The kingdom is soteriological (i.e., the redemption of people). God’s Kingdom is made up of people whom He has restored to Himself. This was Christ’s purpose on earth, to pay the price to return us to a right relationship with him. “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son” (Colossians 1:13).

The kingdom is mysterious (cf. Matthew 13:11). God’s kingdom is something completely alien to the way kingdoms on earth operate. Jesus did not come to earth with pomp and fanfare, He came in humility to reconcile fallen man back to God (cf. John 18:36). Therefore, it is not concerned with material wealth and acquisition of power, but with the renewal of the hearts of people. This is why some people receive the Gospel with gladness and others reject it as foolishness.

The kingdom is diverse (cf. Matthew 13:38). Unlike kingdoms on earth, whose citizens can be easily identified, the Kingdom of heaven contains people from every tribe, tongue, nation, and social status. As Jesus states in 13:38, the field is the entire world. John informs his readers in Revelation 7:9, that people from every tribe and nation will be present in heaven. This means we cannot always know who our brothers and sisters in Christ are (or will be). Therefore, we must show the love of Christ to all men, regardless if they are like us or not.

The Kingdom is priceless (cf. Matthew 13:44-46). Obtaining the Kingdom of heaven is worth any price that we have to pay. Even though God offers His kingdom as a free gift, we cling to things of this world as if they are more valuable

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Key ThoughtGod’s Kingdom is unlike anything we know on earth and is worth any price that we must pay to obtain it.

Praying Today’s TruthDear Heavenly Father, I want to know you more. Help me to understand the mysteries of Your kingdom and depths of Your will for my life. Give me the desire to sacrifice everything for Your kingdom. In Your Son’s most holy name, amen.

(Matthew 16:26). This is why we are called to give up everything to follow Christ, nothing is worth losing our soul.

The kingdom is exclusive (Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43;47-50). Entrance into the kingdom of heaven depends upon our relationship with Christ, only those who have their name written in the book of life will ever enter into God’s eternal kingdom.

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Day 10

Our Role inGod's Kingdom?Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the

name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you

always, to the end of the age.Matthew 28:19-20

“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven,” are powerful words. They ask God for the fulfillment of Jesus’ promised return, when all things will be made new.

But they are also dangerous words for the complacent Christian. As we learned earlier this week, these words do not only refer to Christ’s return, but to the present world as well. In the world’s current state, God’s means of accomplishing His will is through the Church. Therefore, when we pray “your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven,” we need to be prepared for God to use us as His hands and feet. Too often, Christians pray for God’s will to be done, but do nothing to help bring it to fruition (cf. James 2:16). This cannot be the case. Of course, this means getting outside of our comfort zones and living out the Gospel before the world. God is going to ask us to take the Gospel to our family, to our neighbors, to our coworkers, to our friends, and to people that we may not normally associate. The work of the Gospel was never meant to be carried out by a few professional clergy, but by every follower of Christ. The Great Commission is for all believers; all Christians are called to be evangelists and disciple makers (cf. Matthew 28:19).

Our spiritual radar must always be alert to the needs of others for the sake of the Gospel. Therefore, we can no longer pray for someone to go reach our neighbor, we must go do it ourselves. When we hear of the financial need of our coworker, we must not only pray for God to meet it, we must meet it ourselves. By avoiding these kinds of opportunities to share the love of Christ with the lost world, we miss out in one of the greatest joys that Christ has to offer us: participation in carrying out His perfect will to the world.

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Key ThoughtRemember, praying for God’s will to be accomplished on earth as it is in heaven means being prepared to be His hands and His feet in a lost world.

Praying Today’s TruthDear Heavenly Father, I ask that Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. I ask that you help me to be aware of Your work around me, and give me the courage to leave my comfort zone and join You. Lead me to the people in my life that need You. Allow me to be Your hands and Your feet to my lost family, friends, neighbors, and community. In Your Son’s most holy name, amen.

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Day 11

The Freedom of the KingdomFor I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to

be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and

need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:11b-13

Our lives are often full of worry. We worry about bills. We worry about our children. We worry about our health. We worry about U.K. winning the national championship every year. It seems like worry is one of the most natural of human emotions. But this is not meant to be so in God’s Kingdom, for worry accomplishes nothing. As Jesus asked, “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” (Matthew 6:27). Much of our worry comes from misplaced priorities. Many of the things that we pursue in life (e.g., wealth, entertainment, happiness, and ease of life) are not what God intends for us.

Instead of living our lives in pursuit of material things we are to pursue the kingdom of God. Matthew 6:33 states, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” God already knows all our needs, and has promised to give us these things as we seek after Him, just as he does for the birds of the air. However, we must remember that God always knows what is best for us, and that might not be the same thing we think it is. God’s intention is to make us more like His Son, not about making us comfortable.

For I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:11b-13

Verse 13, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me,” is a verse that is taken out of context frequently. It is not meant to be a motivational slogan for athletes to push themselves to victory or the unprepared student’s only hope on the final exam. It is

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Key ThoughtSeeking God’s Kingdom is to be our first priority in life. This is why we find it at the very beginning of the Lord’s Prayer. It comes before any considerations for our physical and spiritual needs (cf. 6:11-13). Seeking after and worrying about other things is of no benefit if we are not pursuing after God’s Kingdom. Only seeking God’s Kingdom has real and lasting benefits for our lives.

Praying Today’s TruthDear Heavenly Father, help me to put your kingdom first. Help me to rid myself of the worries of this life and focus solely on You. Fill me with your presence and wisdom to face the challenges that come my way. You know what is best for me, and I surrender my life to Your perfect will. In Your Son’s most holy name, amen.

speaking about Christ giving us the strength to face the hardships that seeking after His kingdom will bring. A strength that goes beyond any human ability. As Paul states, no matter what circumstances may befall us in the course of living for Christ, He will give us a peace and contentment because we are in the center of His will and He will give us His strength to face the challenges. This is intended to free us from the worries of our daily lives. If we are seeking after God’s Kingdom, our priorities are in the right place and we can face whatever challenges life may bring through Christ.

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Day 12

The Cost of the KingdomThen they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will

be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.Matthew 24:9

Modern Christianity is full of colloquialisms: “God will not give you more than you can bear,” “another angel just got their wings,” “God will always provide.” In times of loss or tragedy, Christians often comfort each other with these phrases. They sound good, but have little or no biblical basis. For instance: “God will always provide.” People will use this phrase as a blanket statement that God will provide everything for us. While it is true that He is entirely capable of providing for all our physical needs, what if He does not. There are plenty of Christians living in complete poverty around the world that do not have their most essential physical needs met, thousands of which will die of hunger every year. Are we to assume God is not meeting his promises and failing them? Absolutely not! It is important to remember that Jesus promised us hardship in this life (cf. John 16:33). Following Christ does not mean that everything will be handed to us and we will have a life of ease.

Yesterday, we learned that freedom is found in seeking the Kingdom of God. But, along with that freedom comes a cost. Jesus promised His followers persecution and hardship, “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake” (Matthew 24:9). Just take a look at Paul’s hardships:

Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst,

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Key ThoughtWe are going to face hardship. This means we are going to suffer loss and this means we are going to go through tragedy – often more than we can bear on our own (remember the Christian colloquilaisms?). But, we can remember that we have a Father in heaven who is the ruler of the universe and that in the end He will provide for our every need, just maybe not all of them now in this life. For now, we have the promise that Jesus has already met our most fundamental need on the cross and will be with us as we face the hardships life has in store.

Praying Today’s TruthDear Heavenly Father, as you bring about your Kingdom, I ask that you help me to seek it daily. No matter what my circumstances may be, help me to keep my eyes on You and Your will for my life. Allow me to rest upon Your strength and not my own. Help me to not worry about the things I have no control over, and keep my focus on the right things. In Your Son’s most holy name, amen.

often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. 2 Corinthians 11:24-28

Sometimes, the things we need the most are the hardships we try so desperately to avoid. Seeking God’s Kingdom means becoming more and more like Christ. Christ had no home of his own, had no permanent income, went without food on occasion, was mocked and beaten, and eventually even executed. However, during all of those hardships He was still in the Father’s will and followed it perfectly.

God has promised to meet our most fundamental needs if we seek after His kingdom (cf. Matthew 6:33). Our problem is that we do not always know what those needs really are. True, we need food, shelter, and clothing. But, are those truly the most essential needs we have? In fact, they are not. Our deepest need is for forgiveness and mercy. Christ died on the cross to provide for our salvation. Everything else, absolutely everything else, is secondary at best.

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Day 13

Praying According to God’s WillAnd this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything

according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

1 John 5:14-15

Asking for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven includes God’s will in our own lives. In fact, this is to be the focus in much of our prayer life. When our prayers align with the will of God, we can be completely assured that they will be granted.

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. 1 John 5:14-15

How do we know what the will of God is? The key is a deep knowledge of Scripture. As Jesus stated, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15:7). By praying God’s commands and promises back to Him, we already know that His will will be done in our lives. This remains true even if there is no specific command in Scripture. As Grudem stated:

We should bring to bear as much of Scripture as we understand, perhaps to give us some general principles within which our prayer can be made. Beyond this, we often must admit that we simply do not know what God’s will is. In such cases, we should ask him for deeper understanding and then pray what seems best to us, giving reasons to the Lord why, in our present understanding of the situation, what we are praying for seems to be best. But it is always right to add, either explicitly or at least in attitude of our heart, “Nevertheless, if I am wrong in asking this, and if this not pleasing to you, then do as seems best in your sight.”1

God meets us where we are in our knowledge of Him. We do not have to have

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Key ThoughtA deep and fulfilling prayer life depends on our understanding of God’s will from Scripture. Even when we do not know exactly what we should be praying for, we know that if we come humbly before Him to seek His will that He will answer us and give us a better understanding of Him.

Praying Today’s TruthDear Heavenly Father, please give me the wisdom to pray for the right things. I know that I do not always ask for what You would want for me, but in my ignorance, please help me to understand You better. In Your Son’s most holy name, amen.

complete understanding of His will in order to take our concerns before Him. What does have to be right is our heart. Praying for our own selfish desires will never be honored by God, but humbly seeking His will, even when we do not know what they may be, will always be answered by Him. Sure, it may not be in the exact way we expect, but we will always walk away with a better understanding of His will.

1 Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology (Nashville, TN: Zondervan, 1994), 387.

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Day 14

The Power of Prayer to Transform

The position of asking for God’s will to be done in the Lord’s Prayer is not an arbitrary one. It demonstrates the power that prayer has to conform our will to the will of God. As we learned yesterday, the more time that we spend in prayer, the more our prayers begin to reflect God’s desires and not our own. This is what Paul calls the renewal of the mind (cf. Romans 12:1-2). But what does renewing our mind look like?

For 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

Praying for God’s will in our lives has the power to conform our lives to the righteousness of Christ. Bringing our will in line with God’s means we begin to act as Christ acted. We begin to see people as God sees them and opportunities to share the Gospel with others become more obvious. Our lives become less concerned with obtaining material goods and more about seeing God glorified through everything that we do.

Praying for God’s will in our lives has the power to bring peace to the most disorderly circumstances. God’s kingdom is not one of conflict, it is one of unity and peace. The three persons of the trinity have existed in unity of will and being for eternity. What conflict exists is because of man’s fallen state. Therefore, praying for God’s will to be done in our lives brings us into unison with God. In fact, unity is an important theme throughout Jesus’ prayers. In the High Priestly Prayer he asks that all His followers will be one, just as he is with the Father (cf. John 17:11). Being of one mind is the only way to bring about real peace and tranquility, and to have one mind means to conform our will to the will of God.

For 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

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Key ThoughtPayer has the power to change the way we see and experience our lives. God uses it to conform us to the image of His Son and gives us peace and joy as we carry out His will for our lives.

Praying Today’s TruthDear Heavenly Father, allow Christ’s righteousness to shine forth from my life. Help me to experience the peace and joy that only carrying out Your will for my life can give. In Your Son’s most holy name, amen.

Praying for God’s will in our lives has the power to bring total joy to our troubled lives. Since the Fall, man has known little but suffering. While happiness can be experienced from time to time in our lives, it never lasts. There is always something around the corner that robs us of our happiness (e.g., a death, loss of a job, an argument, etc.). Joy on the other hand, is something that can only come from a relationship with Christ. It is more than just an emotion, but a state of existence. Nothing can rob us of the joy that we have in Christ, and one day that joy will be made full when all things are made new. Then there will be no more tears, death, or mourning (cf. Revelation 21:4). The more like Christ we become now (i.e., renewing our mind), the more joy we can experience in this life, regardless of what our current circumstances may be.

Week 3

The Daily Provision of Prayer

“... give us this day our daily bread ...”Matthew 6:11

During this week’s devotions, we will focus on the phrase, “Give us this day our daily bread.” This simple request is a prayer of petition. A petition is asking God to meet my needs as well as the needs of others. The word “bread” is a symbolic word for our daily physical needs. When we are asking for our “daily bread,” we may be praying for God to provide a job, a car to get to work, money to pay the bills, or even our physical well-being. This week, we will address why it’s important for us to pray these prayers of petition. We will be challenged to be specific in our prayers. The underlying theme of this week’s devotions is trust. As we embark on this week, perhaps it would be good to begin by reading and memorizing Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

Blessings,Pastor Chris Dortch

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Day 15

What's The Point?Until now you have asked nothing in My name.

Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.John 16:24

A major component of the Lord’s Prayer is petition. As we discovered in week one, petition is asking God to meet our needs and the needs of others. We petition for God’s name to be worshipped, for His Kingdom to come, and for His will to be done. The prayer, “Give us this day our daily bread,” is a petition for our own daily needs. Jesus told His disciples, “Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24).

There are many people who see God as their personal genie or vending machine. They expect God to grant every wish. The truth is that we cannot manipulate God to get what we want. On the other end of the spectrum are those who never petition God. Perhaps they are avoiding petition out of a concern not to treat God as a personal vending machine. On occasion, I hear people say they don’t want to bother God with little things in their life. I’ve observed many Christians who will share prayer requests in petition for others but seldom share a prayer request for their own daily needs. However, it is important to remember that God wants us to ask of Him. Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8). It is God’s plan and desire for us to come to Him through prayer and ask.

This may lead someone to pose the question, “What’s the point? Why should I pray if God already knows that I have daily needs?” It is true that God is all-knowing. The Bible teaches, “Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8). There are several good reasons why God wants us to come to Him through prayer and ask for the things we need. For the purposes of this devotional, I would like to focus on

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three: a relationship of trust, a relationship of dependence, and a relationship of honesty.

I believe one of the main reasons God desires for us to come to Him through prayers of petition is because it demonstrates a relationship of trust. When I am working on a project, I will often call a friend I know is dependable to help me get the job done. In a similar way, when we call upon God, we demonstrate our trust in His ability to help us. Calling on God for our daily needs is a demonstration that we trust and believe God is dependable and capable (Psalm 28:7).

Another reason we should present our requests to God is to demonstrate a relationship of dependence. When we come before God with a prayer of petition, we are submitting to His authority and acknowledging He is the source of all good things. The Bible teaches, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17). When we ask God for the things we need, it shows we are dependent upon Him for the answers.

Third, when we present our petition prayers to God it shows we have a relationship of honesty. If we only come before God with prayers of praise and never share our need for daily bread, we are not being completely honest with God. I mentioned earlier that some don’t want to bother God with minor details. This attitude seems to weaken our fellowship with God. When we have something of importance to share, do we not want to share the smallest of details with our closest friends? How can we worship Him in spirit and truth if we are not being honest with Him about our daily needs? Prayers of petition are evidence of an honest and healthy fellowship with God.

Jesus provides the most direct answer to why we should ask for our needs in prayer when He said “that your joy may be full.” The joy Jesus speaks of is not simply in receiving the things we need. The phrase “in My name” indicates the relational aspect of prayers of petition. Our joy is made full through a personal relationship with Christ, expressed through trust, dependence, and honesty.

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Key ThoughtAsking God to meet your daily needs is an indication of a healthy relationship with Him.

Praying Today’s TruthDuring your prayer time today, let God know you trust Him with your daily needs. Remember you are speaking to a close Friend and share the smallest details of your needs. You may want to consider writing out some of your most urgent requests and later write how God provided an answer to your prayers.

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Day 16

One Day at a TimeTherefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its

own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.Matthew 6:34

The prayer “Give us this day our daily bread” includes a challenging truth: each day we are met with needs. I am reminded of the instructions the LORD gave to Moses when He said, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not” (Exodus 16). Each day God provided bread from heaven for His chosen people. They were instructed to gather according to each one’s needs. Of course there were some who, in disobedience, took more than what they needed; and the next morning the bread had produced worms and a horrible stench.

The phrase “this day�