Dear beloved and chosen child of Jesus,

One of the greatest challenges we face is to stay vibrantly connected to Jesus on a daily basis. He is the source of our life. True life flows from our relationship with him.

Yet, we have a tendency to make excuses when we allow other things to take the greater priority. We need to be reminded of the powerful truth found in the Lord’s words from John 15:4, “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”

The Lord was saying that as we stay connected to him, his life grows in us and flows out of us. Therefore, we must strive to remain in him daily. We are not striving to be accepted or liked by Jesus. He has always loved us, and He accepted into His family the moment that by faith we received his gift of eternal life. Instead, we must work at remaining close with the Lord.

Let these Seven Daily Steps of prayer be your guide in this endeavor. Each step can vary in length depending on how much time you have. Start out by spending 1-2 minutes on each step, but don’t make time spent your focus. Instead, set your heart on seeking the Lord. Make this time your special time with Him.

You will notice that each day has a different scripture for each step. As you read the scripture, pray according to how the Spirit moves you. Then, as a response to each step of prayer, write down what the Lord brings into your heart and mind. Remember, it’s not the amount of praises or petitions prayed or the time spent that matters. What matters is your heart connecting with the heart of God. May the Lord bless you with the gift of his presence as you take these daily steps with Him.

The Seven Daily Steps

Praise

Praise declares that who God is and what He does is truly magnificent. It acknowledges that His greatness is more excellent that anything else in all of creation.

Confess

Confession is acknowledging our unrighteousness in the face of God’s holiness. It is saying that we are wrong and God is right.

Meditate

To meditate is to think about the scripture from all angles. It helps the mind to process what is actually on the pages of the Bible. As we meditate on the Word of God, the Holy Spirit works it into our heart and mind so that it can go deep down into our soul.

Petition

To petition is to ask. Jesus encouraged us to ask. Try to be as specific as possible when you petition because often the Lord reveals our hearts and himself to us when we do.

Intercede

Intercession comes from the Hebrew word paga which means to “stand in the gap.” When we intercede we are asking God to bridge that the gaps between people and God’s will.

Thanksgiving

We must learn to be grateful because it doesn’t come naturally. Giving thanks must become like breathing to God’s people.

Rest

Just stop and don’t do anything. Wait on the Lord. God worked it into creation on purpose. Let Him work it into your life.

Use the following verses from the book of Ephesians during the meditation portion of your Seven Daily Steps. As you read and meditate on these verses each day, write down your questions and thoughts. At the end of the week look back and see how the act of meditating impacted your understanding.

Ephesians 1:3-14

 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Lord, I give You my heart
I give You my soul
I live for you alone
And every breath that I take
Every moment I’m awake
Lord, have Your way in me

— Reuben Morgan

Day 1

Praise

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise!”  – Psalm 100:4

Confess

“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” – 1 John 1:8-9

Meditate

“Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.” – Psalm 119:97

Petition

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” – Philippians 4:6

Intercede

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people.” – 1 Timothy 2:1

Thanksgiving

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Rest

“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” – Isaiah 40:31

Day 2

Praise

“Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.”  — Psalm 63:3

Confess

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” – James 5:16

Meditate

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” – Joshua 1:8

Petition

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” – Matthew 7:7-8

Intercede

“Pray without ceasing.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Thanksgiving

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” – Psalm 107:1

Rest

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.” – Psalm 40:1

Day 3 

Praise

“I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.” – Psalm 9:2

Confess

“I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity;

I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.” – Psalm 32:5

Meditate

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.” – Psalm 1:1-2

Petition

“And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, ‘I have asked for him from the Lord.’” – 1 Samuel 1:20

Intercede

“At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you.” – Philemon 1:22

Thanksgiving

“Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!” – Psalm 33:2

Rest

“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.” – Psalm 62:5

Day 4

Praise

“For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.” – Psalm 96:4

Confess

“I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying, ‘O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules.’” – Daniel 9:4-5

Meditate

“I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.” — Psalm 119:15

Petition

“Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.” – Psalm 2:8

Intercede

“And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” – Revelation 5:8

Thanksgiving

“Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” – Ephesians 5:20

Rest

“Now therefore stand still and see this great thing that the Lord will do before your eyes.” – 1 Samuel 12:16

Day 5

Praise

“Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples!” – Psalm 117:1

Confess

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!” – Psalm 51:1-2

Meditate

“My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise.” – Psalm 119:148

Petition

“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: 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 inquire in his temple.” – Psalm 27:4

Intercede

“Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.” – James 5:17-19

Thanksgiving

“I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.” – Psalm 86:12

Rest

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.” – Psalm 37:7

Day 6

Praise

“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” – Psalm 139:14

Confess

“And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.’” – Luke 15:21-22

Meditate

“Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.” – 2 Timothy 2:7

Petition

“Thus says the Lord: ‘Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.’” – Jeremiah 6:16

Intercede

“I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day.” – 1 Timothy 5:5

Thanksgiving

“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” – Colossians 4:2

Rest

“Be still, and know that I am God.” – Psalm 46:10

Day 7

Praise

“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!” – Psalm 150:6

Confess

“As for me, I said, ‘O Lord, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against you!’” – Psalm 41:4

Meditate

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever  is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” – Philippians 4:8

Petition

“Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” – John 14:13-14

Intercede

“Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you.” – 2 Thessalonians 3:1

Thanksgiving

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 15:57

Rest

“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” – Psalm 27:14