Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about Him and were taught in Him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Ephesians 4:17-24 ESV
Before you begin to pray, take a deep breath and quiet your thoughts. Focus on being in the presence of God. Thank God for hearing your prayers. Then reread the scripture we will study next Sunday, Ephesians 4:17-24. Read it slowly, recognizing that God is speaking to you through His Word. If God puts something specific on your heart, pray about that today.
Thank. Verse 23 of this week’s scripture tells us that when we put off our old self we are to be “renewed in the spirit of your minds.” This is a God-powered transformation. The spirit at work within us gives us the strength we need to be more like Jesus. Thank God today for transforming you into a new person. Thank Him for the people in your life that push you to be more like Jesus.
Adore. Our God is so good! He desires that we become more like Him and gives us His Spirit so that we may call on Him for the strength and wisdom we need to change. Let’s adore God for His goodness.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise!
Psalm 100: 4-5
Give thanks to Him; bless His name!
For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever,
and His faithfulness to all generations.
Confess. The goodness of God is beyond our understanding and we cannot attain it. Still, we are called to try to show Christlike goodness. In our striving, we often fall short. Confess a time when you had the opportunity to show kindness to someone and you chose not to. God will forgive you. He loves you. He is so very good.
Others.
| CU Church: Pray for our Next Steps Initiative that works with young men transitioning from high school to adulthood (college, trade school, jobs.) Pray for the staff (Miles) and volunteers who manage the program and mentor the men. Pray that the young men in the program make the very best use of this opportunity to learn and shape their futures in a way that honors God. |
| Community: Pray for the high schools in your community. Choose a specific group to pray for (students, teachers, administrators, support staff) or pray for a specific need you know exists. |
| Global Church: Pray for people worldwide who are suffering oppression because of their faith, race, culture, gender or socio-economic status. Pray that God delivers them from their oppressors. “Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly people, from the deceitful and unjust man deliver me!” Psalm 43:1 |
Self. God is listening. He loves you. Pray for any specific needs that you or your family have.