1 PRAYERS OF REPENTANCE

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2 introduction Prayer is one of the aspects of the Christian faith that seems overwhelming to so many people. Even those who have walked with Jesus for a long time admit that prayer is difficult. How are we supposed to pray? Where are we supposed to pray? What are we supposed to say? Am I using the right words? Is it as simple as just talking to God? Why should we do it? Richard Foster, in his book Celebration of Discipline, says, to pray is to change. Prayer is the central avenue God uses to transform us. This view of prayer is very different than our American view of prayer as bombarding God with a series of requests. What if we approached prayer differently? Throughout Scripture, we see many prayers. Many godly men and women called on the name of the Lord and brought their prayers before Him. This booklet will delve into various prayers of the Bible. We will use those prayers to help us grow in our understanding of prayer. Do our prayers look like the prayers of David or Paul or Jesus? How are our prayers different? I am praying right along with you for the next 31 days. I pray that through this time devoted to prayer that God will change us. I pray that we will see the power of God in a way that we have never experienced. I pray that as we learn how to pray that God will radically move in our midst.

3 Week 1 PRAYERS OF REPENTANCE There are many types of prayers throughout Scripture. There are prayers of confession and repentance. There are prayers for deliverance. There are prayers of adoration. Some prayers beg God to meet a personal need. Each week, we will focus an entire seven days on one of these categories. We will use the prayers of the Bible to help us formulate our own prayers. The beautiful thing about praying God's Word is that there is power in the Word of God. When we pray God's words back to Him, we can know that we are doing it right. So, let's spend the first week delving into the prayers of repentance and see how God changes us.

4 1 PRAYER OF THE TAX COLLECTOR Read Luke 18:9-14 God, have mercy on me, a sinner. One sentence. That is it. In one sentence, we see such a powerful prayer. Prayers don t have to be extended. In this one sentence, we see who God is and who we are. We are sinners. We have nothing righteous in us. Nevertheless, God is the giver of mercy. Our sin deserves death. Yet, in God s mercy, He does not give us what we deserve. 1. What does Jesus say about this man s prayer? 2. How does Jesus describe this man s attitude as he was praying? 3. Do your prayers look like this? Write your daily prayer as you model the prayer of the tax collector.

5 2 PRAYER OF ISAIAH Read Isaiah 6:1-7 Woe is me. Similar to the prayer of the tax collector, Isaiah recognizes who God is and who he is. Both men were made aware of their sinfulness. However, Isaiah gets very specific about the sin in his life. Isaiah had been serving the Lord and hearing from the Lord, yet still had sin areas that he needed to confess. Confession isn t something we do once and never struggle with again. Confession should be a regular practice that allows God to show us those areas that are hindering our walk and growth. 1. What sin does Isaiah confess? 2. What is God s response when Isaiah confesses? 3. What specific sin area do you need to confess today? Write your daily prayer as you model the prayer of Isaiah.

6 3 PRAYER OF DAVID Read Psalm 51 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. This is the prayer that David prayed after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba. David begged God for forgiveness. You can hear his heart wrenching as he calls out in this prayer. It is important to note the reasons that David gives for repenting. He isn t trying to make sure he can go to heaven. He isn t trying to get himself out of trouble. He misses the unhindered relationship with God. His sin was causing a barrier between him and God. It was hindering their relationship. God felt far off, and David could not stand it. 1. How does David describe God? 2. What does David ask of God? 3. Is there anything hindering your relationship with God? Write your daily prayer as you model the prayer of David.

7 4 PRAYER OF JOB Read Job 42:1-6 Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. If you are not familiar with this prayer of Job, it may need a bit of explanation. Job had fallen on hard times. He had lost his health, his family and his wealth. He experienced grief and loss and pain. However, he never lost faith in God. There were questions, of course. Many wanted to weigh in on the situation and give Job insight and counsel. Job stood his ground and refused to give up his faith even in the most challenging circumstances. He knew about God. He had an understanding of God. In Job 38, God begins to speak to Job. At this moment, Job now has an even greater understanding of who God is. He knew a little about God. He understood some things about God. But when God spoke to him, Job s eyes were opened to an even greater understanding of who God is. At that moment, he didn t merely know God; he experienced God. 1. What is the difference between Job hearing of God and actually seeing God? 2. List 3 things that you know about God. 3. List 3 times that you experienced those things to be true. Write your daily prayer as you model the prayer of Job.

8 5 PRAYER OF DANIEL Read Daniel 9:4-19 We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! In Daniel chapter 9, Daniel finds himself connecting the dots. He is meditating on the prophet Jeremiah and realizes that the exile that he finds himself in is due to the rebellion of Israel. The prophets had tried to encourage Israel to come back to God, to give up their false idols and follow the commands of the Lord. Israel refused. At this moment, Daniel prays on behalf of his people. He begs God to forgive their sin and rebellion. However, he doesn t ask this so that their suffering would cease. He asks this so that God s name would be made famous. 1. What were the things that Israel had done for which Daniel was asking for mercy? 2. In what ways does Daniel address and describe God in his prayer? 3. What areas do God s people (the church) need to repent today? Write your daily prayer as you model the prayer of Daniel.

9 6 PRAYER OF ISRAEL Read Nehemiah 9:5-37 In all that has happened to us, you have been just; you have acted faithfully while we did wrong. This prayer is a corporate prayer. The leaders pray this prayer as all of God s people gathered together. I love how it tells a story. From the beginning of the prayer, they trace the history of God s people. They describe God s faithfulness and righteousness despite the failures of the people. But do you know what else strikes me? They take full responsibility for their sin. They don t blame God for their situation. They understand that they are in this place because they have not followed the commands of the Lord. Sometimes it would benefit us to look at our situation and determine how much is due to the choices we have made following our own desires rather than following the teachings of His Word. 1. How is God described in this prayer? 2. When you found yourself living in sin, how was God still faithful to you? 3. Have you ever experienced hardship because of poor choices on your part? Write your daily prayer as you model the prayer of Israel.

10 7 Choose one prayer from this past week. Read the entire prayer to God as if you are the one praying it. You may need to change some of the words to make it personal to you. After you read it like it is your prayer, pray it out loud.

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12 1 PRAYER OF DAVID Read Psalm 8 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! This entire prayer is declaring who God is. In fact, we can read this prayer because it was documented thousands of years ago and passed down to us. However, this is a prayer that was sung. It reminds me of the songs that we sing on Sunday morning. Do you consider our singing time on Sunday morning as prayer time? When you sing on Sunday, are you directing those words to God? That is a beautiful way to pray songs of adoration. 1. What words does David use to describe God? 2. What does majestic mean? 3. What has God done that deserves our praise? Write out Psalm 8 as your own prayer today.

13 2 PRAYER OF DAVID Read 2 Samuel 7:18-29 How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you. David had a great desire to build a temple for the Lord. David lived in a palace, and he didn t feel that it was right that God dwelt in a tent. However, that wasn t God s plan for David. So, God sent word to David (through the prophet Nathan) that he loved David and would prosper David, but David would not be building the temple. This prayer was David s response to God. 1. Even though this is a prayer of adoration, David does request something of God. What is it? 2. Why does he request it? 3. When we request things of God, is it for the same reason that David gave? Write out your daily prayer as you model the prayer of David.

14 3 PRAYER OF PAUL Read Romans 11:33-36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. This is a prayer of Paul that declares only the glory of God. He isn t asking for anything. He is simply claiming everything that makes God famous. But what I want us to notice today is how the apostle Paul prayed Scripture. Isaiah 40:3 says, Who has understood the mind of the Lord or instructed him as his counselor? Job 41:11 says, Who has a claim against me that I must pay? Everything under heaven belongs to me. Paul is using the Scripture that he had (the Old Testament) to pray God s Word back to him. So, when you don t seem to have the words to pray, or you don t know what to say, continue to find Scripture and turn them into prayers. Find your own Scripture today, as Paul did, and write your prayer below.

15 4 PRAYER OF MOSES Read Exodus 15:1-18 In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling. This is the prayer that Moses prayed after God delivered them from the hands of the Egyptians. Just like Psalm 8, this is a prayer song. In fact, you can see how the song starts with the people talking about God. Then, halfway through the song, they start praying/singing to God. They are overjoyed with all that God had done for them. 1. What words did they use to describe what God had done? 2. Look at Exodus 15: What else did they do besides sing to show their gratefulness? 3. How do you demonstrate your thankfulness for how God saved you? Write your daily prayer as you model the thankfulness of Moses.

16 5 PRAYER OF PAUL Read Philippians 1:3-11 I thank my God every time I remember you. Paul opens this letter to the believers in Philippi by letting them know that he thanks God for them. I remember coming home from a long week and opening my mailbox to find a note from someone letting me know that they were praying for me and thanking God for me. I have never forgotten it. I am sure the church in Philippi had the same reaction. What a blessing to know that someone is thanking God for me! 1. Who can you thank God for today? 2. Be specific, like Paul did, about why they bring you joy. 3. Send that person a note to let them know that you thanked God for them today. Write your daily prayer as you model Paul s prayer for the church at Philippi.

17 6 PRAYER OF THE SONS OF KORAH Read Psalm 84 Better is one day in your courts than a thousand anywhere else. This prayer is a beautiful longing to be close to God. It is a cry for the closeness and safety that only the Lord can bring. When the world around us seems to be caving in, God is our safety and shield. 1. What words are used to describe God in this prayer? 2. Who is blessed according to this prayer? 3. What does your soul thirst and yearn for? Read this prayer out loud as your daily prayerto the Lord today.

18 7 On this final day, choose your favorite worship song. Write the lyrics below as your prayer for today.

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20 1 PRAYER OF SOLOMON Read 1 Kings 3:4-9 Give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. If God came to you and said, Ask for whatever you want, what would you ask? This is the situation in which Solomon found himself. He could have asked for anything.anything!! He asked for wisdom and discernment. He wanted to lead well. He wanted to serve God well. He wanted to govern well. In order to do that, he needed wisdom. God granted his request. 1. Read how God responded to his request in 1 Kings 3: Why did God bless him beyond his request? 2. Why did Solomon make his request? 3. What would you request of the Lord and why? Write your daily prayer for the Lord. Tell Him your requests and the reason you are asking.

21 2 PRAYER OF ELIJAH Read 1 Kings 18:16-39 Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, O Lord, our God, and that you are turning their hearts back again. This is one of my favorite stories in the Old Testament. Elijah, a prophet of God, is going up against the prophets of Baal, the false god. They build two altars. The altar that catches fire will prove who the true God is. Elijah prays and begs the Lord to show everyone who He is, the true God of Israel. Elijah s primary goal is to put God on display. He wants his prayer answered so that everyone would know that his God is real. His God is the Almighty, the powerful One. 1. Consider a personal request that you would like God to answer. 2. If he did answer it, would it make Him more famous? Would it bring Him glory? Write your daily prayer as you model the request of Elijah.

22 3 PRAYER OF THE EARLY CHURCH Read Acts 4:23-31 Enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Peter and John were testifying and preaching about the good news of Jesus Christ. However, many of the Jewish leaders didn t like what they had to say. They were being ridiculed, persecuted and eventually put in prison. When they returned to their local body of believers, this was the prayer that they all prayed together. They did not pray for relief from persecution or to be comfortable. They did not ask for safety or ease. They prayed that they would be bold in it. They prayed that God would be made famous. 1. How did they begin their prayer? 2. What was their specific request? 3. Do you ever find yourself making requests that God make you comfortable instead of requesting that God s name is made famous in the situation? Write your daily prayer as you model this prayer of the early church.

23 4 PRAYER OF HEZEKIAH Read Isaiah 38:1-6 Remember, O Lord, how I have walked before you faithfullyand with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes. It is important to recognize our motives when we come before the Lord. Are we asking for selfish reasons? Do we want God to be glorified? Are we asking wisely or selfishly? However, this prayer reminds us that God still hears us in our most desperate moments. Hezekiah didn t want to die. He begged the Lord, and God listened to his cry. No one lives forever. But for some reason, God allowed Hezekiah 15 more years to live. 1. Why do you think God answered Hezekiah s prayer? 2. What is something that you need the Lord to do for you? Write your prayer below as you model Hezekiah s prayer.

24 5 PRAYER OF HANNAH Read 1 Samuel 1:1-20 O Lord Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant s misery and remember me. Hannah s prayer reminds us that we can be honest before the Lord. Verse 10 says, In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the Lord. Bitterness is not a quality that followers of Jesus usually desire. However, things of this world take their toll. This was Hannah s story. But notice verse 18. As she gathered herself after her time with God, it says that her face was no longer downcast. Lament is encouraged in Scripture. We see many instances where honesty before God is displayed as bitterness, anger, and doubt. But prayer changes us. Communion with God changes us. He loves us too much to leave us there. 1. Why was Hannah so desperate? 2. Are you going through any circumstance that requires honesty before God? 3. How often do you lament before the Lord? Write your daily prayer as you model the lament of Hannah.

25 6 THE LORD S PRAYER Read Matthew 6:9-13 Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We have many prayers of Jesus recorded in the New Testament. None are as well known as this one. And what does Jesus request? Daily bread! He doesn t ask for much. He asks for just enough sustenance to get him through today. There are other times, of course, that Jesus makes requests of the Father. But His example here is a good reminder that sometimes we just need enough for today. 1. Looking at today, is there anything that you need in order to survive today? 2. If not, give thanks. If so, place that request before the Lord. 3. If your daily needs are met, pray for those around the world who are longing for a piece of bread. Write the Lord s Prayer as your daily prayer today.

26 7 Journal today about anything you learned this week about how you bring your needs to God. Are there ways that you have approached God with requests that you would like to change? How so?

27 Week 4 A DIFFERENT ASK Several years ago, I started to look at my own prayer life. I knew that I wasn t very good at praying. I always wanted to pray like my mom. She is what we call a Prayer Warrior. Prayer warriors are people that seem to have direct access to God when they pray. They talk to God all the time. They are always sharing stories about how God answered their prayers. I just wanted to be that person. I have met several people over the years that fit this category: Vivienne Smith, Jim Martin, Dr. McCabe. So, after years of thinking that I was somehow going to become a prayer warrior magically, I decided to dig in and do the work. You see, prayer is very much like going to the gym. Only after putting a plan in place, putting in the time and becoming disciplined did I begin to see results. When I first started, I had no idea what I was doing. I tried finding a quiet place, and I just prayed in my head. But usually, I was distracted and on to something else very quickly. Then, I decided that I would talk out loud. That helped keep me on track, but still lacked the power that I sensed when other people prayed. I did find writing my prayers down very helpful. It slowed me down and allowed me to focus so that the Holy Spirit could begin directing my thoughts. I read books on prayer. I started praying Scripture. I have used prayer books as a tool. Over time, I began to see my prayer muscles building up. It wasn t right away, but I stuck with it. However, do you know what has helped the most in developing my prayer muscles? I started noticing that people in the Bible didn t pray as I prayed. There was a category of prayers that I was not praying ever. I knew how to pray thanksgiving. I knew how to pray prayers of repentance. I knew how to ask God for what I needed. However, there was a different kind of prayer that I was not praying. This is the category we will look at this week. I call them a different ask. For me, it made all the difference. These are prayers that Paul prayed for the church. However, I turned them into prayers for myself. I asked God to do in my life what he was doing in the life of the early church. So, this week, I will list the reading. I will also print the entire prayer slightly reworded from the Message (MSG) version of the Bible to make it more personal for us. I hope that as you read these prayers, you pray them with all of your heart. I pray for you that God will answer these prayers above all the others. Because when we ask God to make us more like Jesus, He changes us.

28 1 I ask You, the God of my Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory to make me intelligent and discerning in knowing you personally. I ask that my eyes be focused and clear so that I can see exactly what it is you are calling me to do. I ask that I can grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life you have for me. Read Ephesians 1: What three requests does this prayer make? 2. How will you know if God is beginning to answer this prayer in your life? Pray this prayer aloud several times today.

29 2 I get down on my knees before the Father, my magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask You to strengthen me by Your Spirit it is not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength. I ask that Christ will live in me as I open the door and invite You in. And I ask You that with both feet planted firmly on love, I ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ s love. I want to reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! I want to live a full life, full in the fullness of God. You can do anything far more than I could ever imagine or guess or request in my wildest dreams! You do it not by pushing me around but by working within me, Your Spirit deeply and gently within me. Glory to God in the church! Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus! Glory down all the generations! Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes! Read Ephesians 3: What requests does this prayer make? 2. How will you know if God is beginning to answer this prayer in your life? Pray this prayer aloud several times today.

30 3 I ask You to give me a wise mind and spirit attuned to Your will. If you do this, I will acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which you work. I pray that I ll live well for my Master, making You proud of me as I work hard in Your orchard. As I learn more and more how You work, I will learn how to do my work. I pray that I ll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul not the grim strength of gritting my teeth but the glory-strength that only You give. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking You who makes me strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that You have for me. Read Colossians 1: What are the four requests made in this prayer? 2. How will you know when God is beginning to answer this prayer in your life? Pray this prayer aloud several times today.

31 4 I pray that my dependably steady and warmly personal God develops maturity in me so that I get along with everyone as well as Jesus gets along with us all. Then we ll be a choir not our voices only, but our very lives singing in harmony in a stunning anthem to the God and Father of our Master Jesus! Read Romans 15: What is the underlying request made in this prayer? 2. How will your life look different when God begins to answer this prayer in your life? Write this prayer in your own words below.

32 5 I pray that Your Word will simply take off and race through the country to a groundswell of response, just as it did among us. And I pray that we ll be rescued from scoundrels who are trying to do us in. Not all believers are believers. But You will never let us down. You will stick by us and protect us from evil. Read 2 Thessalonians 3: What is the underlying request in this prayer? 2. What would it look like if God s Word raced through our community? 3. How can you become part of the answer to this prayer? Pray this prayer and think of specific people who you might be able to influence with the good news of Jesus Christ.

33 6 Dear Jesus, All of the things that I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing You as my Master, firsthand. Everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant dog dung! I ve dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace You and be embraced by You. I don t want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting in You. I want to know You personally. I want to experience Your resurrection power. I want to be a partner in Your suffering and go all the way with You to death itself. If there is any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I want to do it! Read Philippians 3: Are there things that you have made a priority that are not really that important? 2. Of all of the things that this prayer is asking for, which do you want the most in your life at this moment? 3. The early church fathers viewed persecution a great honor because they were called to suffer in the same way that Jesus suffered. Do you see suffering for your faith in the same way? Write this prayer in your own words below.

34 7 Spend today reviewing the prayers of this week. Write your own prayer that models these prayers, begging God for a more profound faith and a closer walk with Him.

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