Daily Prayer Guide
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Introduction
This prayer guide is meant to help us embrace the habit of stopping, slowing down, centering, and pausing to be with Jesus. Our goal is to create a continual and easy familiarity with God’s presence each day. Start modestly, beginning with one prayer time a day before trying to do all of them regularly.
Otherwise, you risk getting discouraged and giving up. Start slowly.
Notice the silence at the beginning and conclusion of each prayer time. Consider being silent for 30-45 seconds between the readings and prayers. In the silence, sit still and straight. Breathe slowly, naturally and deeply. Close your eyes, remaining present, open and awake. Don’t rush! When you’re alone, if God leads you to pause at a certain phrase or verse, stay with that. Less can be more.
If you’re doing this with others, agree on a leader to facilitate the pace. You may also want to take turns reading/praying. Read the texts and prayers out loud (even if you’re alone), slowly, prayerfully and thoughtfully.
Morning Prayer Guide
Silence & Centering (2-5 minutes)
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. (Psalm 37:7)
Opening Prayer
Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple. For in the day of
trouble, He will keep me safe in His dwelling. (Psalm 27:3-5)
Lord, help me this day to love You with all my heart and with all my soul, and with all my mind and with all my strength, for this is the first and greatest commandment, and then to love my neighbour as myself. (Matthew 22:37-39)
New Testament Reading & Prayer
Heavenly Father, grant me the Spirit of wisdom and revelation that I may know You better. May the eyes of my heart be enlightened in order that I may know the hope to which You have called me. May I glimpse, by the Holy Spirit, the riches of Your glorious inheritance in the saints, and Your incomparably great power for us who believe. May I experience that power today – the working of Your mighty strength, which You exerted in Christ when You raised Him from the dead and seated Him at Your right hand in the heavenly realms. (Based on Ephesians 1:17-20)
Old Testament Reading (Exodus 20:1-17)
1. You shall have no other gods before Me. Lord, I detach myself from all things outside of You that compete for my ultimate affection.
2. You shall not make for yourself an idol. Help me not to shape You according to my own fears and ideas, but to trust and follow You, like Abraham, into the unknown.
3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God. Enable me to represent You well in every
conversation and interaction.
4. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Prepare me that I may rest from all my works each day and set apart a day to put away all earthly anxieties to delight in You.
5. Honour your father and your mother. Help me to honour my parents appropriately. May I remember that the same way I treat them, I may be treated some day.
6. You shall not murder. May my interactions today with others, and my words, bring life and not death,
edify and not tear down.
7. You shall not commit adultery. Free me to live purely, rightly and respectfully to myself and others.
8. You shall not steal. Help me not to be greedy but to share joyfully with others.
9. You shall not give false witness. Lord, help me to walk in the truth and to avoid false assumptions about other people and situations — not only in my own mind, but in my conversation with others.
10. You shall not covet. May I love You above all else because “Your love is better than life.”
** Pray for others/yourself; optional devotional reading **
Midday Prayer Guide
Silence & Centering (2-5 min.)
Be still and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10)
Opening Prayer
Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. For a thousand years in
Your sight are like a day that has just gone by or like a watch in the night … May the favour of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands, O Lord, establish the work of our hands. (Psalm 90:12-17)
We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. In Him our hearts rejoice for we trust in His Holy Name. May Your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in You. (Psalm 33:20-22)
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever, Amen.
Concluding Prayer
Lord, You say that “in repentance and rest is my salvation, in quietness and trust is my strength.” Teach me to rest and trust in You throughout the remainder of this day. “Teach me Your way, O Lord, and I will walk in Your truth. Give me an undivided heart that I may fear Your name…for great is Your love toward me.” (Isaiah 30:15; Ps. 86:11-13)
Evening Prayer Guide
Silence & Centering (2-5 minutes)
When you are on your bed, search your heart and be silent. (Psalm 4:4)
Opening Prayer
May my prayer be set before You like incense; may the lifting of my hands be like the evening sacrifice. (Psalm 141:2)
It is good to praise the Lord and make music to Your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night. (Psalm 92:1-2)
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. O Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love. (Psalm 130:5-7)
New Testament Readings (Beatitudes)
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3) God have mercy on me, a sinner. Help me accept my brokenness, emptiness and need for You.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (Matthew 5:4) Lord, help me not to pretend but to embrace my vulnerability, humanity, and limits.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5) Lord, grant me grace to trust You and drop my defenses, be approachable, kind, merciful, and appropriately assertive.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled. (Matthew 5:6) Help me love You above all else. Purge my soul of all polluted affections, habits and rebellions.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (Matthew 5:7) Enable me to forgive as generously and consistently as You, Lord, forgive me.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8) Lord, I ask for a pure (clean, uncluttered) heart. I long to see Your face, that there would be nothing between You and me.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. (Matthew 5:9)Lord, fill me with courage to disrupt false peace around me when needed. Give me wisdom and prudence to be a true peacemaker.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:10-12) Lord, fill me with courage to speak and live the truth, even when it is not popular or convenient.
Old Testament Reading
Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion, blot out my transgressions. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and grant to me a willing spirit, to sustain me. (Psalm 51:1,10,12)
Almighty God, my Heavenly Father: I have sinned against You, through my own fault, in thought, and word, and deed, in what I have done and what I have left undone. For the sake of Your Son our Lord Jesus Christ, forgive me all my offenses; and grant that I may serve You in newness of life, to the glory of Your Name. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer)
**Pray for others/yourself; optional devotional reading **
Final Prayer
May the Lord Almighty grant me and those I love a peaceful night and a perfect end.
Conclude with Silence (2-3 minutes)
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