Yesterday I preached on a pattern for powerful prayer and presented seven biblical principles that should drive our prayer lives. I mentioned that at the beginning of every day when I seek to meet with God I begin with a series of short petitions to God asking for his divine assistance as I read and pray through the Bible that day. I ask him to incline my heart toward His testimonies, open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in His law, unite my heart to fear His name, and satisfy me in the morning with his steadfast love. Recently I have an incorporated another set of daily prayers that I gleaned from Jon Bloom at Desiring God blog. I commend them to you. He daily prays:
Whatever it takes, Lord, give me…
- Delight in you as the greatest treasure of my heart.Delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4)
- Desire to know you, be with you, and seek your kingdom above all else.”Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (Psalm 73:25-26).
- Discernment that comes from a renewed mind that I might know your will.But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. (Hebrews 5:14)
- Discipline to plan for what I discern as your will.Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5:15-16)
- Diligence to do your will with all my heart.You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (Deuteronomy 6:5)
