Focus on the holiness (literally "set-apart-ness") of God. He doesn't belong in a category we use for anything else in our lives. He is above all else in life. He deserves to be exalted and adored by us—which is all part of expressing our love and devotion to Him. When we pray, it should always begin with worship.

Matt. 6:9 Pray then like this: 'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.'

Closing prayer: Take one more moment to think about the meaningful relationships in your life. Now, think about why your relationship with God is even more meaningful. Use the thoughts that come to mind as your closing way of worshipping Him today.

Focus on Jesus' love for you (using Rom. 5:8) and his grace (using John 1:16). After you read those scriptures several times think about how you want to worship Jesus by expressing your gratitude—in your own words—for His love and grace in your life.

Rom. 5:8 [B]ut God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
John 1:16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
 
Tip: One easy way to worship using these scriptures is to personalize them as you speak them to God in prayer. For example, Rom. 5:8 would sound like this, "Jesus, I cannot believe you showed your love for me when I was a sinner (when I least deserved it) by dying on the cross for my sins." 

Closing prayer: Wrap up your time by asking the Lord to help you experience His love and grace in new and refreshing ways as you reflect on these scriptures throughout the day.

We often ask Jesus to bless us. When we open our daily prayers it's our turn to bless Him. So, focus on Jesus and His surpassing worth compared to anything else in life. Spend a few moments blessing Him in worship today. Use Psalm 103 to get going and then move beyond those words to what is in your heart that you want to speak to Jesus.

Psalm 103:1-5 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    and all that is within me,
    bless his holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity,
    who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit,
    who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
 
Tip: The Psalms are songs. They meant to be repeated in the same way we sing modern worship songs. Feel free to speak these words out loud to the Lord several times through. Go slowly, thinking upon what each phrase means and how it can honor God.

Closing prayer: Finish your prayer today by thinking deeply about what you could say to Jesus that would bless Him. (If you're not sure what to say, exactly, remember there isn't a way to get this wrong if your true desire is to bless and honor Jesus.)

Focus on the greatness of God. He is not like us. He is above all things and no one is beside Him. Let the majesty of Jesus overawe you. Even overwhelm you. Yet this great God loves you, and wants you to know Him. Use Isaiah 55:8-9 as your guide and allow your worship take you to a special place today as you exalt Jesus in the way He richly deserves.

Isaiah 55:8-9, NIV  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts. 
 
Closing prayer: Wrap up today by thinking about the true majesty of our God. Think of the surpassing greatness of Jesus, and take a few moments to glorify Him and give Him the worship He deserves.

With this eye-popping miracle Jesus blew the minds of his friends, but He didn't lull the storm to sleep with a long-winded prayer. It was only three words long. Take some time to think through this moment and allow it to build your faith.

Mark 4:39-40, ESV  And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”
 
Closing prayer: We all need more peace. Life is full of choppy waters and stormy seasons. Today, let your faith be charged by Jesus power, and then pray a short, simple prayer asking for God's peace to flood your spirit. As you pray, believe that it is being answered.

Whatever our need is, it likely isn't bigger than the raising of Lazarus from the dead. It also doesn't matter. Our focus isn't the size of our need, it's the size of our faith. Faith doesn't manifest in wordy prayers. It comes alive in confident prayers. Today, read the story of Lazarus and meditate on it, then pray a brief, but confident, prayer.

John 11:41-43, ESV  And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.”
 
Closing prayer: In what area of your life do you need healing or restoration? Pray a brief, faith-filled, prayer asking God to work in this area of your life (again, it doesn't mean you can't pray longer prayers at another time for this, but for today, keep it short).

Even the powers of this world (demonic included) are subject to the authority of Jesus. He delivers us from evil. Do we have faith to believe He does? Not every addiction or spiritual kind of bondage are broken in an instant, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't pray in faith. Our job is the prayers, God's job is the answers.

Mark 9:25, ESV  And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”
 
Closing prayer: Let your mind focus on the authority of Jesus. In His prayer He commands the evil spirit. Our prayers are a command toward God, but they should be prayed in full faith of His authority over everything in our lives. Take a moment to pray  a faith-filled one sentence prayer for spiritual deliverance in an area of your life.

This is one of Jesus most well-known miracles. As dramatic as the result was, the prayer wasn't even noteworthy enough for anyone to remember exactly what He prayed.

Matthew 14:17-19, ESV  They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” 18 And he said, “Bring them here to me.” 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.
 
Closing prayer: Is there an area of your life you need God's provision? Whether it's a financial need, or your asking wisdom to make a decision, take a few moments and pray a confident prayer that God can provide miraculously for you.

When Jesus prayed for huge miracles his prayers were a few words to one sentence in length, but when He prayed to surrender His life to His Father He prayed for hours. Read through these verses and reflect for a moment on how Jesus prayed at length, multiple times, on the night before He was crucified.

Matthew 25:42-44, ESV  Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again.
 
Closing prayer: Now, think about something in your life you are hesitant to surrender to God (be honest!) and spend some time today asking God to prepare your heart to surrender it to Him. You don't need to pray to submit it to Him, just ask for His help and strength to give it to Him. 

Jesus asked His Father if there was another way. It was an amazing moment of honesty. Read through the scripture for a moment and let it truly sink in. Then wrap up in prayer.

Luke 22:40-42a, ESV  And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. 40 And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” 41 And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me."
 
Closing prayer: It's time for honesty with God. How do you feel about having to surrender this thing in your own life, whatever it may be? Throughout scripture, and even in Jesus' life, we see honesty with God. Take a few moments to express how you feel to Him in prayer. 

In the end, we all must submit as Jesus did. We must confess that God's ways are higher than ours. This wasn't easy for Jesus, it won't be for us either, but it is absolutely necessary.

Luke 22:42b, ESV  "Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”
 
Closing prayer: End your time today by echoing the prayer of Jesus. Give it all to God. Pray that His will would be done in your life and situation rather than your own. If it's difficult, then know you are in good company, and you are doing exactly what you should be.

This hasn't been an easy week of prayer, but it's one that must be repeated throughout our lives. We won't always need hours to pray ourselves into total surrender, but the daily habit is necessary for us to be prepared for the times it will take hours. 

Matthew 6:10, ESV  Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
 
Closing prayer: Wrap up today with a moment of worship and surrender, bringing together the first two steps of how Jesus taught us to pray.

Jesus taught us to pray by asking for God to provide for us, but also to declare our dependence on God at the same time. Take a moment to think about the verses below and then close out your time in prayer.

Matthew 6:11-13, ESV  
Give us this day our daily bread,
12 and forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from evil.
 
Closing prayer: Spend a moment worshipping God, surrendering to His will, and then pray for God to provide whatever you might need while declaring your dependence on Him. 

Forgiveness is only a prayer away. Today, take a moment to reflect on the scriptures below and the faithfulness of God to forgive us our sins.

Matthew 6:11-13, ESV  
Give us this day our daily bread,
12 and forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from evil.
1 John 1:9, ESV If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
 
Closing prayer: Now, close out your time by letting the Spirit search your heart and show you sins to repent of and temptations to turn from. Wrap up your time by asking for forgiveness, or asking God to help you forgive others. It may take time, but God can help you to forgive.

We all have crossroads in life where decisions must be made. The good news is we aren't alone in those moments. God is there to guide us away from sin and temptation, wickedness and godlessness, and toward His will and His plans for our lives.

Matthew 6:11-13, ESV  
Give us this day our daily bread,
12 and forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from evil.

Closing prayer: You may need to begin your prayer by asking God to help you surrender to His direction. We aren't always ready to follow His leading. Sometimes we want to hold on to control. You may be longing for His direction for your life already. Wrap up today by praying for God to help you and lead you.

Our God delivers. Take a moment to focus on the closing line of how Jesus taught us to pray and then ask God for His power to deliver you from whatever might be binding you.

Matthew 6:11-13, ESV  
Give us this day our daily bread,
12 and forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from evil.
 
Closing prayer: Pray with boldness today as you ask for God to deliver. His setting you free may be a process not a moment, but His timing is perfect. Spend some time worshipping, surrender to God, and then make your request for His delivering power to rescue you from fear, anger, temptation, addiction, or whatever might be binding you.