Forty Days Daily Prayer—Week 1

[Sunday]  [Monday]  [Tuesday]  [Wednesday]  [Thursday]  [Friday]  [Saturday]

Sunday—March 9, 2003

Day 1

It all starts with God

It’s not about you.

If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by his purpose and for his purpose.

Pray today about the purpose of life that has puzzled people for thousands of years. Who do I want to be? What should I do with my life? What are my goals, ambitions, dreams, visions, and hopes?

Pray even more deeply about the message of the Bible, which tells us that God has a purpose and plan for our lives. Pray that God will lead you during these 40 days to discover a deeper meaning and purpose for your life that comes from knowing that it is in Christ that we find out who we are, and what we are living for. Pray that you might discover that even more importantly than the question, “What should I do with my life” is the question, “What does God want me to do with my life.”

Pray that your commitment during these 40 Days of Purpose to come to worship, be a part of a small group, and pray through these daily emails.

Pray that your starting point would be God, not you. That’s what these 40 days are about!

Point to Ponder: It’s not about me.

Verse to Remember: “Everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him.” Colossians 1:16b (Msg)

Question to Consider: In spite of all the advertising around me, how can I remind myself that life is really about living for God, not myself?

May God bless us together on this journey!

Pastor Eric Burtness

[ back to top]

Monday—March 10, 2003

Day 2

You are not an accident.

Long before your parents conceived you, you were conceived in the mind of God.

Nothing in your life is arbitrary. It’s all for a purpose.

God made you for a reason and for a purpose, and your life has profound meaning. If you want to understand the deep meaning of our lives, you have to start with knowing that you are not a random creation; you were made by God for God’s purpose and pleasure.

Pray today that you might know that God loves you and values you even more than you know! Pray today that you might know that God planned you and your life with great precision, and that God is a God of love. Pray that you might know that God doesn’t make junk, nor does God make mistakes. God created and formed you for a reason and for a purpose. Pray that you might discover that reason and that purpose during these 40 days!

In the midst of our troubled world, pray for peace and an end to conflict. Pray for our troops, those who stand in harm’s way, and the innocent people in Iraq. Pray for wisdom for the leaders of our world, and pray that they might personally know God and God’s vision for their leadership.

Point to Ponder: I am not an accident.

Verse to Remember: “I am your Creator. You were in my care even before you were born.” Isaiah 44:2 (CEV)

Question to Consider: Knowing that God uniquely created me, what areas of my personality, background, and physical appearance am I struggling to accept?

May God bless your prayers richly today!

Pastor Eric Burtness

[ back to top]

Tuesday—March 11, 2003

Day 3

What drives your life?

Everyone’s life is driven by something.

Some people are driven by guilt. They spend their lives running from regrets

Some people are driven by resentment and anger, and hold on to hurts that they can’t get rid of.

Some people are driven by fear from a traumatic experience, or from expectations they have that aren’t met.

Some people are driven by materialism and want to acquire as much as they can in their lives.

Still others are driven by the need for approval by parents, spouses, or peers.

Open your prayer today by laying before God what drives you to do what you do. Be honest and open with God.

Pray, then, that discovering the deep meaning and purpose that God has for your life might drive your life. To know that purpose is the focus of these 40 days. Pray that you might realize that the greatest tragedy in life is not death, but life without purpose.

Pray that in knowing God’s purpose for your life that you will be kept from changing direction, jobs, churches, and other external changes in your life that never fills that void and emptiness in your heart. Pray that you might find focus and motivation in knowing that discovering your purpose prepares you for an eternity with God and other believers.

Remember that when you die, God is going to ask you two questions:

First, God is going to ask, “What did you do with my son, Jesus?”

Second, God is going to ask, “What did you do with what I gave you?”

Pray that you might spend your life answering those questions!

Point to Ponder: Living on purpose is the path to peace.

Verse to Remember: “You, Lord, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you.” Isaiah 26:3 (TEV)

Question to Consider: What would my family and friends say is the driving force of my life? What do I want it to be?

May God bless your prayers today!

Pastor Eric Burtness

[ back to top]

Wednesday—March 12, 2003

Day 4

You were made to last forever.

This life is not all there is.

You will spend far more time on the other side of death---in eternity---than you will here. This life is preparation for the next.

When you fully comprehend that there is more to life than just here and now, and you realize that life is just preparation for eternity, you will begin to live differently.

Pray today that you might begin to fully comprehend that one day your life will end, and that you will be spending an eternity with God. Since most people only think about eternity (or ponder the meaning of life) at funerals, pray today for being able to know that death is a door to eternity when spend eternity in heaven with Jesus, in the mansion that he has been preparing for us. Pray for comfort and confidence about your future.

Pray for the lives of those in the armed forces who stand ready for being called into action. Pray for their safety and for purpose and direction for their lives.

Point to Ponder: There is more to life than just here and now.

Verse to Remember: “This world is fading away, along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever.” 1 John 2:17 (NLT)

Question to Consider: Since I was made to last forever, what is the one thing I should stop doing and the one thing I should start doing today.

May God bless your prayers today!

Pastor Eric Burtness

[ back to top]

Thursday—March 13, 2003

Day 5

See life from God’s view.

The way you see your life shapes your life.

How you define life determines your destiny. Your perspective will influence how you invest your time, spend your money, use your talents, and value your friendships.

There are two metaphors of life to consider today: Life is a test, and life is a trust.

Life is a test. Think how God tested Abraham, who offered his son, Isaac. Think how God tested Jesus in the wilderness. Think of how God tested Adam and Eve, and how they failed the test.

Life is a trust. We were given this life as a trust from God, to do everything we can do to please God. The more God gives you, the more God wants you to be responsible with what you have.

Pray today that you might understand that if life is a test, then nothing in your life is insignificant. Everything that happens in your life is an opportunity for your character development. Pray today to remember that every moment of every day is an important opportunity to show your love and commitment to God.

Pray today that you might understand that if life is a trust, then everything that you have is a gift from a living and loving God, given to you to use in such a way that it brings praise and glory to God. Pray that you would use your gifts, talents, and treasures in such a way that it shows that you know that life is a gracious trust from God. Remember this prayer as you are provided opportunities for using your gifts for ministry and mission in the next months.

Last Sunday Pastor Eric encouraged you to pray each day, “God, I want to know you and love you more. And if I end the day, knowing and loving you more, then the day is one of significance.” Have you been praying that prayer? If not, begin today.

Point to Ponder: Life is a test and a trust.

Verse to Remember: “Unless you are faithful in small matters, you won’t be faithful in large ones.” Luke 16:10 (NLT)

Question to Consider: What has happened to me recently that I now realize was a test from God? What are the greatest matters God has entrusted to me?

May God bless your prayers today!

Pastor Eric

[ back to top]

Friday—March 14, 2003

Day 6

Life is a temporary assignment.

To make the best use of your life, you must never forget two truths: First, compared with eternity, life is extremely brief. Second, earth is only a temporary assignment.

Your identity is in eternity, and your homeland is heaven. When you grasp this truth, you will stop worrying about “having it all” on earth.

Eternal values, not temporal ones, should be the deciding factors for your decisions. Your time on earth is not the complete story of your life. You must wait until heaven for the rest of the chapters. It takes faith to live on earth as a foreigner.

Pray today about your life and your eternal life with God in heaven. Pray for a proper perspective on all the traumas and temptations in life, and pray that you might remember that you are not home with God yet. Pray that God might help you see that prosperity, success, and power in this life are nothing compared to using your life to serve God completely.

Pray that God would help you today to be open to God’s leading and guiding in your life.

Pray that the 40 Days of Purpose will be a defining moment in the journey of our church, and that lives will be open to the will and way of God.

Point to Ponder: This world is not my home.

Verse to Remember: So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18

Question to Consider: How should the fact that life on earth is just a temporary assignment change the way I am living right now?

May God bless your prayers today!

Pastor Eric

[ back to top]

Saturday—March 15, 2003

Day 7

The reason for everything is for God.

It’s all for God.

Everything created by God reflects God’s glory in some way. God’s glory is best seen in Jesus Christ. We are commanded to recognize God’s glory, honor God’s glory, praise God’s glory, reflect God’s glory, and live for God’s glory. When anything in creation fulfills its purpose, it brings glory to God.

Right now, God is inviting you to live for Gld’s glory by fulfilling the purposes God made you for. It’s really the only way to live. Real life begins by committing yourself completely to Jesus Christ.

Will you accept God’s offer?

Pray today that you will deeply believe that God loves you and made you for God’s purpose. Believe that you are not an accident, but that you were made to last forever. Pray that this simply truth might give meaning and purpose to your live.

And then pray to receive Jesus Christ into your heart and life, and to receive the forgiveness that God wants to give you.

Pray these words: “Jesus, I believe in you and I receive you.”

Pray that this spiritual growth emphasis at St. Matthew will deepen our church’s faith and prayer life. Pray for the coming harvest of changed lives.

Pray for Friendship Sunday at St. Matthew tomorrow, and if you haven’t done so already, invite a friend or coworker to worship with you tomorrow.

Point to Ponder: It’s all for God.

Verse to Remember: For everything comes from God alone. Everything lives by his power and everything is for his glory. Romans 11:36 (OB)

Question to Consider: Where in my daily routine can I become more aware of God’s glory?

May God bless your prayers today!

Pastor Eric

[ back to top]