WELCOME TO 21 DAYS OF PRAYER!

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1 21 DAYS OF PRAYER

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3 WELCOME TO 21 DAYS OF PRAYER! The very act of prayer is a blessing. It is an act of worship in which God receives glory and reveals His glory to us. Whether prayer is part of your normal routine or if this is the first time you have incorporated prayer into your everyday life, our prayer is that the next three weeks are an incredible time of reaching up to God. Within this prayer guide, you will see that we have provided a focal prayer passage per week, along with daily prayer prompts. The passage should be read at least once at the beginning of each week, and can be reread as many times as you like. As time allows, we encourage you to continue to read along in our summer reading plan (biltmorebaptist.org/kingdom) through the Gospel of Luke. The daily prayer prompts are simply that; prompts. They are intended to aid you in your prayer time, in giving you fresh thoughts each day. We encourage you not to limit your prayer time to the daily prompts, but to begin each prayer time by incorporating them into your prayers. In the Gospel of Luke, chapter 11, verses 9 & 10 it says, And I tell you, 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 the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. For the next 21 days, let s do just that. Let s seek His face, and ask Him to move in our hearts, our families, our church, our community, and in our world.

4 WEEK 1 - DEVOTION WEEK 1 - THE LORD S PRAYER (LUKE 11:1-4) As we begin this 21-day journey, consider some things from the prayer Jesus teaches here in Luke 11. Open your Bible to Luke chapter 11 and read the first four verses. First of all, Jesus prayer was simple. It wasn t very long, and He didn t use big words. He told His Heavenly Father what was on His heart and shared what He desired. As you pray, don t feel as though you have to make your prayers complex. Just talk to your Heavenly Father like you re having a conversation with someone. Tell Him whatever is on your mind and share your heart s desires with Him. Jesus prayer was also focused. While it may have been simple, Jesus prayer got straight to the heart of the matter. He prayed for God s will: Your kingdom come (v2). God s will should be our desire as well. We believe that God s way is best in every single situation, and we should prayerfully align our lives accordingly. He prayed for Himself: Give us our daily bread...forgive us our sin...lead us not into temptation. (vs. 3-4). As you pray, try not to be distracted by the peripheral things in life. Stay focused on Jesus, His mission, His church, and His glory. He prayed for others: Everyone who is indebted to us. (v4). As you pray, ask God to reveal any bitterness or unforgiveness that you need to release to Him. Remember, we forgive freely because we are forgiven of ALL of our sin debts.

5 WEEK 1 DAILY PRAYER GUIDE MONDAY (DAY 1) - Spend some time thinking about how God worked in your life and the lives of others yesterday at church. Spend some time thanking Him for what He did and ask Him to continue to move among His people at Biltmore. TUESDAY (DAY 2) - Pray that today you ll be more focused on His Kingdom. Pray for opportunities to share the love of Christ with someone. Ask God to make you sensitive to the needs of others around you. WEDNESDAY (DAY 3) - Thank God today for the daily bread He has given you. Be specific about all the ways God has provided for your every need: the need for love, shelter, food, family and friends. THURSDAY (DAY 4) - Ask for forgiveness and confess your sins (your mistakes). Thank Him for sending His Son Jesus to take your place and paying for your sin debt. Pray for victory over the struggles you face. FRIDAY (DAY 5) - Pray for God to show you His glory in your life. Just like Jesus prayed, ask for God s will to be done in your life. Remember, not our will, but God s will. Ask God to continually help you see His activity in your day-to-day operations. SATURDAY (DAY 6) - Pray for your church leadership. Lift up your Pastors and leaders by name. Pray for protection over their families, pray for their integrity, pray for God s hand to remain over His church as His servants faithfully serve Him. SUNDAY (DAY 7) - Give praise to God today as we see many go public with their faith at our annual Outdoor Baptism. Pray for those who ll take this next step of obedience, and pray for anyone you know who isn t living out their faith. WEEK 1 - DAILY PRAYER GUIDE

6 WEEK 2 - DEVOTION WEEK 2 - TAKE UP YOUR CROSS (LUKE 9:23-27) As Believers, we aren t just called to a one-time surrendering of our life to Christ but instead, a daily surrender. In Luke 9:23 Jesus not only addresses the twelve, but also anyone who wants to follow Him, with three expectations for being a disciple, or follower of Jesus Christ. First, deny himself. To deny oneself is not about denying pleasures, but to admit that you really don t know what s best for your life or your family and to submit your will to His ways. Second, take up his cross. Even before Jesus brutal death, His audience knew that the cross was a tool used for torture and death. Jesus is asking us today to embrace the hardships, sufferings, and even persecution that come with following Him. Third, follow me. The same call that He gave to each of the first disciples He s extending to you and me! He is asking us to follow His example. James 1:22 goes on to say that following Christ requires action, and we should actively be doing His will. We can give our lives to many causes. We might even strive to achieve all the success the world can offer, but if we go through this life and miss God, we have truly missed life! If someone were to look at your calendar or your bank account would they be able to say that you were a follower of Christ? If not, reflect back on these three expectations Christ gives: ask Him to help you deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him.

7 WEEK 2 DAILY PRAYER GUIDE MONDAY (DAY 8) - As you reflect back on your life before Christ, thank God that He s made you a new creation and set you free from the temporary pleasures this world has to offer. TUESDAY (DAY 9) - As you give weight to what it means to deny oneself, ask God to reveal strongholds in your life. As you repent of those sins, ask Him to give you the strength to release them. WEDNESDAY (DAY 10) - Is there a cross that you are currently bearing? If so, ask the Holy Spirit for the strength to endure it well so that someone will see Christ in you today. THURSDAY (DAY 11) - According to God s plan (Ephesians 5), discipleship begins in the home. Ask God to give you the heart to humble yourself and serve someone in your home today just like Christ served you. FRIDAY (DAY 12) - Lift up members of your family by name today. Pray for those who are lost to see Christ at work in yourself, and pray for strength and provision for the believers in your family. SATURDAY (DAY 13) - Today hundreds of volunteer leaders will assemble for encouragement and training at Biltmore s Leadership Summit. Praise God for these volunteers at every campus who serve faithfully, (lift up as many by name as you can). SUNDAY (DAY 14) - If you re in a Connect Group, pray for your leader by name, and pray for their walk with Christ and for their family. If you haven t joined a group yet, today would you prayerfully consider joining one? WEEK 2 - DAILY PRAYER GUIDE

8 WEEK 3 - DEVOTION WEEK 3 - THE GREAT COMMISSION (LUKE 24:44-49) A witness is someone who sincerely tells what he or she has seen and heard. The word witness is used twenty-nine times in the Book of Acts. As Christ-followers, we are not judges or prosecuting attorneys sent to condemn the world. We are witnesses who point to Jesus and tell those who are far from God how they can be brought into a relationship with Him! After the crucifixion of Jesus, the disciples find themselves in their greatest moment of despair and weakness. Not sure what to do, they mourn together and wonder what s next? Then, in the greatest turn of events in human history, Jesus returns to them completely alive and well! He comforts them, eats with them, and speaks with them. He explains to them the reason that He went to the cross, and how through His death and resurrection, those far from God can be brought near. Jesus then gives them the most daunting task imaginable. He commissions the faithful few who are willing to go into the world and proclaim the good news that they have seen and heard. They will be the ones responsible for telling the entire world about Jesus; but how is this possible? They are just a few ordinary men. Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit will be the one who gives them the power and the ability to take the gospel to the nations. The commission that Jesus gave the disciples on his last day on earth is the same commission that applies to us today. We are to be the ones who are His witnesses. Witnessing is not something that we do for the Lord; it is something that He does through us, when we are filled with the Holy Spirit. Now our lives have a clear purpose. We will do whatever it takes to tell those who have never heard the wonders of the gospel. Not only down the street but across the world!

9 WEEK 3 DAILY PRAYER GUIDE MONDAY (DAY 15) - Ask God to stir your heart for His global mission. Pray for those who are currently involved in this work, and even for opportunities for you to attend an international mission trip. TUESDAY (DAY 16) - Start today by thanking God for the way that He has used Biltmore to share the gospel with the people of Ecuador. Ask God to continue to work in mighty ways as we work with children, families, and pastors in Ecuador. WEDNESDAY (DAY 17) - Joyfully thank God for all that He has done to draw people to Himself in the nation of India. Pray that God would bless the partnership with Biltmore and India. Ask God to rescue the people of India from their various forms of idolatry and show Himself to them. THURSDAY (DAY 18) - Start by praising God for all the people that He has sent to declare the Gospel in countries all over the world. Pray for their safety, as many missionaries face danger on a daily basis. FRIDAY (DAY 19) - Pray on behalf of the millions of followers of Christ who are persecuted for their faith. Ask God to strengthen and guide them. Pray that God would even use their persecution as a means to draw people to Himself. SATURDAY (DAY 20) - Intercede on behalf of the millions of people who if they died right now would face a Christ-less eternity. Pray for God to send witnesses to share the love of Christ with them today, and ask God to soften their hearts. SUNDAY (DAY 21) - Ask God to give you a passion to share the gospel with those you come in contact with every day that don t have a relationship with Christ. Pray that God would give you an opportunity to be a witness to someone that you know. WEEK 3 - DAILY PRAYER GUIDE

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