# Morning Prayers

## 1. Introduction

Beginning each day with a meaningful time of morning prayer is a vital aspect of one’s spiritual journey. Think of it as fuel for your car, or food for your body; without it, we cannot go far.

Morning [prayer](/content/prayers/index.html) honors God and refreshes the soul. Believers should view morning prayer as a key spiritual discipline, a way to honor the Lord, and part of their offering unto the Lord. Indeed, Scripture notes, O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you… (Psalm 5:3). For the psalmist, his sacrifice was paired with his prayer. In the New Testament Book of Revelation, John refers to the _prayers of believers_ as _bowls of incense before the throne of God_ (Rev. 5:8). Many believe that their prayers are somehow a burden to God—that their prayers are not really welcome or that they are not worthy to pray. Here are two things to remember: 1) We are commanded to pray and 2) God loves it when we pray. Paul said we are to _…never stop praying._ (Rom. 12:12b, CEV).

Many understand it is important to pray, but few understand the importance of beginning each day with a morning prayer. It sets a positive tone, focuses the mind, and follows the positive practice of many in the Bible who prayed in the morning. Among these are Abraham (Gen. 19:27), Moses (Exod. 9:13), David (Psa. 55:17), Daniel (Dan. 10:10-28), Hannah (1 Sam. 1:19), and Jesus (Mark 1:35). Morning prayer and personal study are key aspects to a growing spiritual walk. We pray the [Manna App](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manna-daily-bible-study/id6742866659) will be a great resource to you.

# 2. Opening Morning Prayer

A professional athlete will warm up and stretch their muscles before the competition. A fine musician will review their recital piece before the concert. A world-class opera singer will run through the scales and ready their vocal cords before the curtains open. These preliminary steps surprise few; we simply consider them requisites to success. We must train our minds to think of morning prayer in this way, as a requisite to spiritual health and being able to manage the demands of life successfully.

Through morning prayer, one can draw close to God and seek His leading and strength for the day. Psalm 90:4 notes: Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Interestingly, Psalm 90 was written by Moses—He saw the 10 plagues in Egypt, the Red Sea part, bitter water turn pure, fresh water flow from a dry rock, manna appear on the ground, and quail fall from the sky, yet in Psalm 90 he wrote that his heart was _satisfied in the morning_ when he reflected, through prayer and praise, on God’s matchless love. Note: many articles, games, and resources on the Manna App can help you grow in the areas of prayer and discipleship.

# 3. Sample Prayer (Template)

Prayer is like light: Light diffused (like a standard low-watt bulb) produces little heat or real power. However, if light is focused, such as through a magnifying glass, it becomes a beam and can ignite a fire. And when focused even more, it can become a laser that cuts through metal. Again, prayer is like light. When we pray without true focus, as in, _God bless the poor; God bless the hurting; God bless our world,_ then we really never see what God is doing—the effect our prayers have. However, if we focus our morning prayer time and ask for God to move in a specific way, such as, _God please see brother Jim through his surgery tomorrow,_ then we are better able to see God move and, as Moses wrote, our hearts can be satisfied.

Therefore, keeping in mind the recommendation to pray with focus—for _specific_ people, situations, and needs, a basic template for morning prayer follows:

Begin with a time of praise: Think about the prayers He has answered and the blessings you have received. Be specific. Rather than thanking God for your life, thank God for what happened yesterday afternoon, last night, and this morning. And thank God for what you know He has done through the ages (many stories in the Bible testify to His mercy and greatness, and you likely know of how God has worked in the lives of others). And during your morning prayer, you may want to praise and thank God for His attributes— _He is kind, good, loving, merciful, patient, giving, etc._ Begin with a time of Thanksgiving and praise.

Follow with a time of acknowledgment and confession: Remember when Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit in the Garden? What happened? When they heard _God walking in the Garden in the cool of the evening,_ they hid. Then God called out, Adam, where are you? Some question, _how could the all-knowing God not know where Adam was?_ The truth is, God knew exactly where Adam was—but _Adam_ did not know where Adam was, spiritually, that is. We share that story here to communicate the importance of beginning your morning prayer time with honest reflection, contemplation, and confession. Ask God to reveal where _you are,_ how you’re doing, where you are slipping, what areas in your spiritual walk should be strengthened, etc.

The good news is, God is merciful and quick to forgive. The key is to acknowledge and confess. So, in your morning prayer time, ask God to reveal if there are areas in your life that do not align well with God’s will. Ask the Spirit to bring to mind the things you have done (or have not done but should have) that are displeasing to Him.

Pray for your needs: Jesus taught His followers to pray, _Father, give us this day, our daily bread_ (Matthew 6:11). The Apostle Paul told believers to _Make their every need be known to God_ (Philippians 4:6). We are to voice our prayer requests with God, not to inform Him of our needs, but to strengthen our relationship with Him and, so that we will better remember when God moves in response to our prayers.

Pray for the needs of others: This is called _intercessory prayer._ Scripture tells us to pray with others (Matthew 18:20; James 5:16) and for others (1 Timothy 2:1). _Note: The Manna App has various prayer helps for those desiring to develop their prayer life._

Pray for those who lead: Pray for those who lead in ministry, in your workplace, and for those who serve in local, national, and global positions of authority (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

Pray to gain a deeper understanding of and fulfill your calling.

# 4. Encouragement to Begin the Day

John 5:17 makes clear that God is always on the move—always working on behalf of His people. What a wonderful thought. The prophet Jeremiah, the author of the book, Lamentations, noted that if we look, we can see God working. _Morning by morning new mercies I see,_ he wrote (Lam. 3:23), though he was living during a very difficult and dark period of history. Beginning each day with morning prayers helps us be able to see God working, and when we do, our hearts are encouraged.

This is how we are able to, as Paul wrote, _In everything give thanks_ (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Note that the Bible does not say to be thankful _for_ everything, but to strive to be thankful _in_ everything—in every situation. Why? Because we can know that we are never alone. God will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5) and is always at His work (John 5:17).

Through morning prayers, we meditate and reflect on the faithfulness of God and thereby are better able to have a proper focus for the day.

# 5. Suggested Format for Personalization

In Matthew 6 (which is part of the famous Sermon on the Mount), Jesus provides instructions on how to pray. In what is often called _The Lord’s Prayer_, Jesus did not teach the disciples _what_ to say—He provided guidance for _how_ to pray. These timeless principles help countless believers pray with power and effectiveness every day. What follows is a general overview of Jesus’ instructions regarding how to pray. We begin with the text:

9 In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

10 Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as _it is_ in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts,

As we forgive our debtors.

13 And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. (Matt. 6:9-13)

Jesus began by saying, _Our Father, who art in heaven…_ This lets us know to whom we should direct our prayers.

Believers are to pray to the God who is holy and whose name is _hallowed_. This is a reminder that God is holy, pure, and mighty.

Believers are to pray for God’s will to be done in their lives. Jesus’ model prayer included the phrase, _Thy_ _kingdom_ _come._ _Thy_ _will_ _be_ _done…_ This means we are to believe that God has a plan for our lives (Jer. 29:11) and that we should ask God to reveal His will and provide strength to follow His leading, even when difficult (Luke 22:42). Believers should incorporate language that expresses these desires and goals in their morning prayer time.

Believers are to pray for their needs. Jesus’ model prayer includes the phrase, _Give us this day our daily bread_ _…_ This means we are to pray, humbly, for our needs. In this same sermon, Jesus encouraged people to _ask, seek, and knock,_ all action words related to how we should share prayer requests for ourselves and others.

Believers are to pray for forgiveness. Jesus said to pray, _forgive us our debts_ _…_ 1 John 1:9 indicates that Jesus is quick to forgive the sins we confess to Him.

Believers are to pray for the ability to forgive others. Jesus’ model prayer includes the phrase, _…as we forgive our debtors_ _…_ This means we are to forgive those who have sinned against us. This can be difficult, but it is required, and should be a regular part of your morning prayer time. _Note that in a few verses later, in Matthew 6:15, Jesus warned, If you do not forgive other people, then your Father will not forgive your offenses._

Believers are to pray for wisdom and strength to stay far from sin. Jesus said to pray, _[Father]_, lead us not into temptation._ Later, the Apostle Paul warned, Be alert, be on watch! Your enemy, the Devil, roams around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8, Good News Translation).

Some Bible translations include a kind of postscript or statement of praise at the end of the _Lord’s Prayer_ (most add the closing phrase as a footnote). Though there is debate on how the last line should be included in modern translations, all agree that it is good to begin and end morning prayer times with an expression of gratitude and praise. The _Lord’s Prayer_ ends with these words: _[Lord]_, Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen Later, the Apostle Paul closed His letter to the Corinthian Church with these words of praise to the Lord, _But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ_ (1 Corinthians 15:57). The exact words you use are not the most important thing—what is important is that your morning prayer times include expressions of praise and thanksgiving.

The template for a powerful prayer life includes remembering to pray to God, to remember He is holy and His name is hallowed, to pray for His will to be accomplished in your life, to pray for your needs, to pray for forgiveness, to pray to be able to forgive others, to pray the Father will help you avoid and overcome temptation, and to include expressions of praise.

# 6. Call to Daily Habit

Follow the example of Jesus, Paul, Daniel, David, and countless greats in the faith and make morning prayer a regular spiritual discipline. Regular involvement in study and morning prayer requires commitment. The Manna App can be a very helpful resource in this endeavor. Books on prayer, prayer journals, praying with a prayer partner, and supporting a prayer team or ministry at your church will help you make morning prayer, and pursuing spiritual growth, an exciting, anticipated daily activity.