A Fifteen-Day Prayer Vigil prepared by Carolyn Miller (October-November 2013) based on Scripture Passages taken from "Sermon on the Mount"
May we come into that deeper intimacy of the heart of God in Christ. May we know our own heart in the light of God's grace.
Day 1 (Matthew 5:1-12)
Blessed (Happy)...describing the inner condition of you and me as followers of Christ...
Day 2 (Matthew 5: 3-16)
Search my heart, O God...try me...know my thoughts...JESUS we want to be salt and light. Psalm 139:23-24
Day 3 (Matthew 5: 17-20)
Thank You, God that every Word of the Old Testament is vital and will be fulfilled..."The Kingdom of God" is
righteousness, peace, joy, in the Holy Spirit." Romans 14:17
Day 4 (Matthew 5: 21-26)
"God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus, has given us the ministry of reconciliation." Help us continue being ambassadors for You, Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5: 18, 20
Day 5 (Matthew 5:27-32)
"No temptation has seized us except what is common to man. God is faithful. He will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear. But when we are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that we can stand up under it. Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him." 1 Corinthians 10: 13 & James 1:12
Day 6 (Matthew 5:33-42)
"Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee. Draw near to God. He will draw near to us. Cleanse our hands. Purify our hearts. Humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord. He will lift us up." James 4: 7-10
Day 7 (Matthew 5:43-48)
"Love one another as I have loved you. By this all men will know you are My disciples. I have called you friends, for all things I have heard from My Father, I have made known to you." John 13: 34-35 & John 15: 15
Jesus says (Matthew 5: 48) 'be ye perfect' and my footnote says 'not necessarily without sin, but mature and
complete in the likeness of God.'
Day 8 (Matthew 6:1-15)
The Lord's Prayer: To be our model for praying...beginning with adoration of God...yielding to His will...asking petitions of Him...ending with praise. The Lord emphasizes the necessity of forgiving one another.
Forgiveness with the Father depends on forgiveness among the members of the family of God. Jesus said, "My house shall be called a 'house of prayer' for all nations." Matthew 21:13
Day 9 (Matthew 6:16-24)
"Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life...do not be afraid little flock...Your Father is pleased
to give you the Kingdom...sell your possessions...give to the poor...treasures in Heaven will not be exhausted. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also". Proverbs 4: 23 and Luke 12: 32-34
Day 10 (Matthew 6:25-34)
"I have learned the secret of being content whatever the circumstances. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength. God will meet all our needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever." Philippians 4: 12-13; 19-20
Day 11 (Matthew 7:1-6)
We who are disciples of Christ (Matthew 7:6) are expected to make moral distinctions and not allow those who reject the invitation of Christ to treat precious things as cheap. "I will instruct you and teach you. I will guide you with My eye." Psalm 32: 8-9
Day 12 (Matthew 7:7-12)
Matthew 7:12...well-known as 'The Golden Rule'. "Every good and perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of Lights with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." James 1:17
Day 13 (Matthew 7:13-14)
Two ways presented by Jesus...Could the narrow way be the way of prayer? The disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray. Their question was asked after they had watched Jesus spend much time with His
Father. "Lord, teach us to pray..." Luke 11: 1
Holy Spirit, help us to be teachable!
Day 14 (Matthew 7:15-23)
"In the midst of the street (New Jerusalem) and on either side of the pure river of water, there stood The Tree of Life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month...and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations." Revelation 22:3
Day 15 (Matthew 7:24-27)
"Be not wise in our own eyes...fear the Lord...depart from evil...this will bring health to our bodies." Proverbs 3: 8-9
The Wise Man Builds His House Upon The Rock (JESUS!) Chorus: "The prayers go up and the blessings come down (sing it 3 times) and the House on the Rock stood firm!"
Help us Lord to keep ourselves firmly planted in JESUS (OUR ROCK)!
Closing...
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw aside every weight and sin which so easily ensnares us. Let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking unto JESUS, the
author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Remembering Article III of 'The Bond of Faith'...
III. "Our Constitution of Conduct shall be woven out of the Sermon On The Mount. Through adherence to this Constitution we shall hope to make religion go beyond Science and become an Art, lifting it above Law into Grace, and from a Code into a Contagion"
May we come into that deeper intimacy of the heart of God in Christ. May we know our own heart in the light of God's grace.
Day 1 (Matthew 5:1-12)
Blessed (Happy)...describing the inner condition of you and me as followers of Christ...
Day 2 (Matthew 5: 3-16)
Search my heart, O God...try me...know my thoughts...JESUS we want to be salt and light. Psalm 139:23-24
Day 3 (Matthew 5: 17-20)
Thank You, God that every Word of the Old Testament is vital and will be fulfilled..."The Kingdom of God" is
righteousness, peace, joy, in the Holy Spirit." Romans 14:17
Day 4 (Matthew 5: 21-26)
"God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus, has given us the ministry of reconciliation." Help us continue being ambassadors for You, Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5: 18, 20
Day 5 (Matthew 5:27-32)
"No temptation has seized us except what is common to man. God is faithful. He will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear. But when we are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that we can stand up under it. Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him." 1 Corinthians 10: 13 & James 1:12
Day 6 (Matthew 5:33-42)
"Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee. Draw near to God. He will draw near to us. Cleanse our hands. Purify our hearts. Humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord. He will lift us up." James 4: 7-10
Day 7 (Matthew 5:43-48)
"Love one another as I have loved you. By this all men will know you are My disciples. I have called you friends, for all things I have heard from My Father, I have made known to you." John 13: 34-35 & John 15: 15
Jesus says (Matthew 5: 48) 'be ye perfect' and my footnote says 'not necessarily without sin, but mature and
complete in the likeness of God.'
Day 8 (Matthew 6:1-15)
The Lord's Prayer: To be our model for praying...beginning with adoration of God...yielding to His will...asking petitions of Him...ending with praise. The Lord emphasizes the necessity of forgiving one another.
Forgiveness with the Father depends on forgiveness among the members of the family of God. Jesus said, "My house shall be called a 'house of prayer' for all nations." Matthew 21:13
Day 9 (Matthew 6:16-24)
"Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life...do not be afraid little flock...Your Father is pleased
to give you the Kingdom...sell your possessions...give to the poor...treasures in Heaven will not be exhausted. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also". Proverbs 4: 23 and Luke 12: 32-34
Day 10 (Matthew 6:25-34)
"I have learned the secret of being content whatever the circumstances. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength. God will meet all our needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever." Philippians 4: 12-13; 19-20
Day 11 (Matthew 7:1-6)
We who are disciples of Christ (Matthew 7:6) are expected to make moral distinctions and not allow those who reject the invitation of Christ to treat precious things as cheap. "I will instruct you and teach you. I will guide you with My eye." Psalm 32: 8-9
Day 12 (Matthew 7:7-12)
Matthew 7:12...well-known as 'The Golden Rule'. "Every good and perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of Lights with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." James 1:17
Day 13 (Matthew 7:13-14)
Two ways presented by Jesus...Could the narrow way be the way of prayer? The disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray. Their question was asked after they had watched Jesus spend much time with His
Father. "Lord, teach us to pray..." Luke 11: 1
Holy Spirit, help us to be teachable!
Day 14 (Matthew 7:15-23)
"In the midst of the street (New Jerusalem) and on either side of the pure river of water, there stood The Tree of Life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month...and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations." Revelation 22:3
Day 15 (Matthew 7:24-27)
"Be not wise in our own eyes...fear the Lord...depart from evil...this will bring health to our bodies." Proverbs 3: 8-9
The Wise Man Builds His House Upon The Rock (JESUS!) Chorus: "The prayers go up and the blessings come down (sing it 3 times) and the House on the Rock stood firm!"
Help us Lord to keep ourselves firmly planted in JESUS (OUR ROCK)!
Closing...
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw aside every weight and sin which so easily ensnares us. Let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking unto JESUS, the
author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Remembering Article III of 'The Bond of Faith'...
III. "Our Constitution of Conduct shall be woven out of the Sermon On The Mount. Through adherence to this Constitution we shall hope to make religion go beyond Science and become an Art, lifting it above Law into Grace, and from a Code into a Contagion"
