View an in-depth discussion of Practical Prayer in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris.
Click on the image below to view the video:
With thanks to Hope Channel – Television that will change your life.
Wednesday: Praise, Confession, Requests, Thanksgiving
Daily Lesson for Wednesday 13th of May 2026
In the same way that Jesus taught us how to pray in Matthew 6:5-15, we can follow this simple model when we come to God privately, with our families, or as a church, remembering that prayer is speaking to God as a friend. Too often our prayers are full of requests when Jesus has taught us to pray for so much more!
Read Daniel’s prayer in Daniel 9:4-19 and look for different parts of his prayer.
Consider how you might include the following components in your prayers:
Praise: Praise is expressed adoration for who God is and what He is like. Read Psalms 100:1-5, the beautiful praise song to God. Consider God’s many names and His magnificent character. Praise Him for being your Redeemer, Savior, Comforter, Healer, Good Shepherd, Alpha and Omega, and Rock, to mention just a few.
Confession and Forgiveness: When we find ourselves talking with and abiding in God, we can’t help letting go of whatever might be holding us back or separating us from Him. The closer we are to Him, the more we see our unworthiness and wretchedness. This makes us beg Him to remove our sins and shape our character in His likeness. If we expect God to forgive us, we need to be ready to forgive others as well. “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16, NKJV).
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Requests: What challenges are you facing, perhaps with your family, friends, health, finances, work, or study? Where, specifically, do you need God’s leading hand to guide? Who needs your support, and how can you best give it? Pray specifically about these areas and people, asking for God’s will to be done.
Thanksgiving: Read Philippians 4:6 and think about the blessings in your life. Significant things might come to mind, but what about the small things that we so often take for granted? We are the constant recipients of God’s mercies; yet, how little gratitude we express, how little we praise Him for what He has done for us.
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What things do you need to praise God for, confess to Him, request from Him, and to thank Him for? Why not do it right now? |
Tuesday: Jesus Teaches Us How to Pray
Daily Lesson for Tuesday 12th of May 2026
In the time of Jesus, prayers that were long and carefully crafted like a performance—using complex words and often memorized—were highly esteemed. Jesus had nothing good to say about these kinds of prayers (see Matthew 6:5-8). He revealed them to be what they were: ostentatious shows of “piety.”
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The disciples saw Jesus pray, and they knew that prayer was a vital part of His life (see Luke 5:16, Luke 6:12, Luke 9:18, Luke 22:41, Luke 24:30, Mark 1:35, Mark 6:46). As they watched Jesus, they saw a contrast from the religious leaders and realized that there was so much more to prayer than they had ever considered. So, the disciples came to Jesus, asking, “ ‘Lord, teach us to pray’ ” (Luke 11:1).
Jesus modeled to His disciples (and to us) that we can pray simply in everyday language. He showed us that our prayers should be sincere and from our hearts.
Read Luke 11:2-4 and Matthew 6:5-15 and notice the following aspects of the prayer Jesus taught:
• Our Father in heaven: acknowledging your personal relationship with the Father of all.
• Hallowed be Your name: recognizing God’s holiness makes us come in reverence and respect.
• Your kingdom come: longing for God’s return and an indwelling of the Holy Spirit until He does so.
• Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven: surrendering and praying for God’s will to be done in our lives, trusting that He knows best, rather than merely praying for what we want.
• Give us this day our daily bread: asking for what we need to live, both physically (food and water) and spiritually (Jesus and His living Word).
• Forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us: repenting, seeking forgiveness, and remembering to pardon those who have hurt us as freely as God forgives us.
• Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: asking for protection and shelter from the evil in this world (Psalms 91:1-16).
• For Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen: acknowledging that all we are, all we have, and all we do belongs to God. He alone deserves our glory and praise_ (1 Chronicles 29:11)_.
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Why not pray more and turn your face to God each morning to talk to the One who loves you more than any other? What is stopping you from doing this as you know you should? Pray right now, as Jesus has invited us to. |
7: Practical Prayer — Singing with Inspiration
Growing in a Relationship With God has many wonderful steps in it. There are several beautiful hymns from which to choose as a theme due to all the changes that come along when we grow in our relationship with God. On page 31 we see that “the most powerful weapon is prayer” to help us through our growing times. Therefore, we will wish to sing
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus – Hymn 290 to keep learning every minute of the day in our journey. To help with
this journey, Lord,
Give Me The Bible – Hymn 272 to instruct even more with the Holy Spirit encouraging along the way:
Hover O’er Me, Holy Spirit – Hymn 260.
We are blessed with a number of hymns that help us with prayer:
Hymn 284 – For You I Am Praying,
Hymn 501 – ‘Tis The Blessed Hour Of Prayer, and a beautiful one to close prayer time
Hymn 658 – Heavenly Father, Hear Our Prayer. We are encouraged in our Sabbath afternoon introduction to praise God in prayer:
O Praise Ye, The Lord – Hymn 20.
Hymn 284 – For You I Am Praying,
Hymn 501 – ‘Tis The Blessed Hour Of Prayer, and a beautiful one to close prayer time
Hymn 658 – Heavenly Father, Hear Our Prayer. We are encouraged in our Sabbath afternoon introduction to praise God in prayer:
O Praise Ye, The Lord – Hymn 20.
When feeling that God is not answering our prayers, we are able to see that “sometimes the waiting deepens our walk with God, as we learn to trust Him more”:
Hymn 279 – Only Trust Him (Monday).
Hymn 279 – Only Trust Him (Monday).
“Lord, teach us to pray” says Luke 11:1 on Tuesday:
Saviour, Teach Me – Hymn 193.
Saviour, Teach Me – Hymn 193.
A precious point on Wednesday says we can Praise God in our prayer time, so we are again able to use
Hymn 20 – O Praise Ye, The Lord along with
Hymn 4 – Praise, My Soul, The King Of Heaven and then be able to give
Thanks to God – Hymn 276. So, let us always come to God, and “He can and will attend to our cry, and will let light shine into our hearts” says Sister White in Steps to Christ pp. 96, 97 in closing on Friday.
Hymn 20 – O Praise Ye, The Lord along with
Hymn 4 – Praise, My Soul, The King Of Heaven and then be able to give
Thanks to God – Hymn 276. So, let us always come to God, and “He can and will attend to our cry, and will let light shine into our hearts” says Sister White in Steps to Christ pp. 96, 97 in closing on Friday.
Please continue to search the scriptures this week to be blessed, and to bless others.
To learn unknown hymns, you will find the accompaniment music for each one at: https://sdahymnals.com/
Another great resource is for when there is a hymn you wish to sing but can’t find it in your hymnal. Go to https://www.sdahymnal.org/
2 Timothy 2:15 KJV – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
Monday: When Prayers Seem Unanswered
Daily Lesson for Monday 11th of May 2026
Perhaps you’ve prayed about something for a long time, maybe even years, and it feels as if God hasn’t heard your prayers. The Bible tells us to “ask, and it shall be given you” (Matthew 7:7), “if we ask anything according to His will” (1 John 5:14, NKJV). What is your understanding of these promises?
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Hannah is an example of a devoted woman who prayed for something very specific (1 Samuel 1:10-17). At first it seemed that God did not answer her prayers, but she persisted, and God did answer, in His perfect time and according to His will. Sometimes the waiting deepens our walk with God, as we learn to trust Him more.
Psalms 62:8 says, “Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us” (NKJV). Trust. Do we trust that He really does know what’s best, even when we don’t see an immediate answer to our prayers? Do we trust that eventually He will answer in His perfect time and way?
Sometimes our prayers may not be answered as quickly as we want or in the manner that we hope they will be. What counsel does the Bible give us about this?
• Seek God’s will, not your own (Matthew 6:10; 1 John 5:14-15).
• Consider your motives (Proverbs 16:2, James 4:3).
• Think about whether you have a cherished sin (Psalms 66:18, 1 Peter 3:12, Proverbs 15:29).
• Abide in God and in His Word (John 15:7).
• Have faith when you pray (Hebrews 11:6, James 1:6, Mark 11:24, Matthew 21:22).
• Consider the state of your heart (humble or proud) (James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:6).
• Persevere (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18).
• Forgive others (Mark 11:25-26).
• Ultimately, God sees the big picture and knows what is best for us (Romans 8:28, Ephesians 3:20, Jeremiah 29:11-13). Sometimes His answer merely is as it was for Paul: “ ‘My grace is sufficient for you’ ” (2 Corinthians 12:9, NKJV).
A key fact that determines our response to what seems like unanswered prayers is our picture of God. If we see God as distant and disinterested, our relationship with Him weakens. In such times, search the Bible for evidence of His love and care for you, and pray that your distorted picture of Him will become clearer.
