Day 1: Abide in Me

John 15:5: "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abided in me, and I in him, the
same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." These simple words,
yet so powerful. I realized that just as a branch can't flourish without being connected to
the vine, we too can't truly thrive without being connected to Christ. He is the source of
life, the source of strength, the source of everything we need. The words "abide in me"
urged me to seek a deeper connection to His love and grace. His words offered a
comforting reminder that I'm not alone in this journey. He's always there, ready to
guide, empower, and sustain me. The vine, strong and resilient, nourishing the
branches, allowing them to grow and bear fruit. And just like those branches, I am
meant to flourish, to bear fruit, to bring along good works. But this fruit isn't something I
can produce on my own. It's a gift, a result of abiding in Christ, of allowing His love to
flow through me, transform, empower me to be the best version of myself. The words
"without me, ye can do nothing" remind me that I can't achieve anything truly worthwhile
without His guidance. I am reliant on Him, on His love, on His wisdom, on His grace.
This realization filled me with both humility and hope. Humility because I recognized my
dependence on him, my need for his constant presence in my life. Hope because I
knew that with Him by my side, anything is possible. His words became a light, a
promise of strength, a source of inspiration for the days ahead.

Day 2: Teach us How to Pray

On the second day, we learned about prayer. The lesson used Luke 11:1 as a memory
verse. One of Jesus' disciples asked him to teach them how to pray, just like John
taught his disciples. I thought about how important prayer is. It's a way to talk to God.
We can share our joys and worries. God listens. He cares. Prayer feels like a
conversation. It's not just words. It's about our hearts. I learned that prayer is
personal. There's no right or wrong way. It's about connecting with God. We can pray
anywhere, anytime. We need to listen, too. God speaks to us in different ways. Prayer
helps us grow spiritually. It strengthens our faith. It brings peace. It gives us hope. It
reminded me of the importance of prayer. I want to pray more often. I want to listen
more intently. I want to feel God's presence. Prayer is a powerful tool. It can change
things. It can bring comfort and healing. I'll talk to God about everything. I'll trust in His
love. I believe in the power of prayer.

Day 3: Be Specific
The third lesson was about being specific in our prayers. We talked about Matthew 6:7-
8. This verse says we shouldn't repeat words endlessly like some people do. They
think saying things many times makes God listen better. But God already knows what
we need before we even ask. So, we shouldn't be like them. We should be clear and
direct. Specific prayers are more powerful. It's about focusing our thoughts. It's about
being honest with God. We can tell him exactly what's on our hearts. We don't need
fancy words. Simple words are fine. God understands our hearts. Being specific helps
us to pray with intention. It helps us to focus on what we need. It's easier to thank God
specifically, too. We can thank Him for specific blessings. Specific prayers show
gratitude. It's a way to show appreciation. It helps us to recognize God's work in our
lives. I learned to be more mindful of my prayers. I'll try to be more precise. I'll focus
on my needs and wants. I'll express my thanks clearly. I want to connect with God more
deeply. Specific prayers help with that. I want to have a better relationship with God. I
believe specific prayers help.

Day 4: Unanswered Prayers and Faith

It’s the fourth day and it’s Sabbath day. This day makes me question myself: why do
some prayers seem to go unheard? Does God not care? Is my faith weak? Maybe I'm
not praying right. Or maybe there's a bigger plan I don't understand. It's confusing.
Sometimes, it feels like God is distant. But I still believe. Faith isn't always easy. It's
about trusting even when things are hard. It's about patience. It's about perseverance.
I need to keep praying. I need to keep believing. Even if I don't see answers right
away. God's timing is different from mine. Maybe the answer is "no," or maybe the
answer is "wait." Or maybe the answer is something I haven't even considered. I need
to keep my faith strong. I need to trust in God's plan. It's a journey of faith. It's not
always easy. But it's worth it. I'll keep praying. I'll keep believing. I'll keep trusting. The
topic taught me that unanswered prayers don't mean God isn't listening.

Day 5: Hallowed be Your Name

The fifth lesson was about letting our good deeds shine, so others praise God. The
memory verse was Matthew 5:16. It says our good actions should show God's
goodness to others. We're like lights, showing God's love. Our actions speak louder
than words. Kindness is a good way to shine. Helping others is another way. Being
honest shows God's truth. Forgiveness reflects God's mercy. Patience shows God's
enduring love. These actions are like a light. They attract others to God. People see
our good works and wonder why. They see God's love in us. It's not about boasting.
It's about living a good life, being a good example, showing God's grace and sharing
God's love. It's about being a blessing to others, making a difference, influencing others
positively and about living a life that honors God. It's a way to glorify God. It's a way to
make the world a better place, being a witness for Christ and living out our faith. It's not
always easy. Sometimes, it's hard to be good. But it's worth it. It brings joy, peace,
fulfillment, and blessings. It makes a difference. It inspires others. It's a powerful
testimony. It's a simple way to serve God, to live our faith daily and to be a light in the
world. We should strive to do good work. We should let our light shine brightly. We
should glorify God in all that we do.

Day 6: Your Kingdom Come

Sixth day, the lesson was about God's kingdom being inside us. The memory verse was
Luke 17:21. It says God's kingdom is within each of us. It means God is always with us.
He's not just somewhere far away. He lives in our hearts. He's part of us. This brings
comfort, hope, and peace. It changes how we see things. We carry God's kingdom
wherever we go. We are His representatives. We are His ambassadors. So, we
should show His love, share His grace, and spread His message. We live His
teachings. This is our responsibility. It's not just about going to church. It's about living
our faith daily. It's about our actions, words, thoughts, and hearts. It's about how we
treat others. It's about being a blessing to others, spreading kindness, showing
compassion, being forgiving, being patient, being honest, being joyful, and about living a
life that pleases God. It's about being a light in the world. It's about being a beacon of
hope. It's about being a source of strength. It's about being an example to others. It all
starts within us. We are the kingdom of God. We are His children. We are His
representatives.

Day 7: Your Will be Done on Earth as it is in Heaven

The seventh topic was about God's will and how it relates to our lives. The memory
verse was Jeremiah 29:11. It says God has good plans for us, plans for peace, not
trouble. This is comforting. God wants good things for us. He doesn't want us to
suffer. He wants us to be happy. He wants us to prosper. His will is good. His will is
perfect. His will is loving. Sometimes, we don't understand His will. Things happen
that seem unfair. We face challenges. We experience hardship. But God is with us.
He's guiding us. He's protecting us. He's working for our good. Even when things are
difficult. We need to trust Him. We need to have faith. We need to believe in His plan.
We need to surrender to His will. This doesn't mean life will be easy. It means we'll
face challenges with peace. We'll have strength, hope, and faith. We'll know God is
with us. We'll find peace in His presence. We'll find comfort in His love. We'll find
strength in His power. We'll find hope in His promises. God's will is always for our
good. Even if we don't see it right away. We need to trust His timing, His ways and His
plans. We need to be patient. We need to have faith. We need to believe. We need to
trust. God's will is good, loving and perfect. Let God's will be done in our lives, families,
communities, and world. Let His peace reign. Let His love prevails. Let His will be
done.

Day 8: Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread

The eighth day was all about daily needs and trusting God to provide. We talked about
asking God for our daily bread. This isn't just about food. It's about all our needs. It's
about trusting God to care for us. He provides for our physical needs, emotional needs,
and spiritual needs. We need to trust Him that He'll provide. We need to have faith.
Sometimes, we worry. We fear we won't have enough. But God is faithful. He always
provides. He may not provide in the way we expect. But He always provides. It's about
surrendering to His will and trusting and letting go of our worries and fears. It's about
knowing He cares and He's with us. We should thank God for what He provides. We
should appreciate His blessings, for His love and His care. We should trust in His
provision. We should have faith in His promises and believe in His goodness.

Day 9: Forgive Us Our Debts as We Forgive Our Debtors

The topic was about forgiveness. We learned about forgiving others, as God forgives
us. Forgiveness is important. It's a key part of our faith. God forgives us our sins. He
shows us great mercy. We should show the same mercy to others. Forgiving isn't
easy. It takes effort, humility, and willingness to let go. Holding onto anger hurts us.
Forgiveness sets us free. It frees us from bitterness, resentment, and anger. It allows
us to move on, heal and to grow. Forgiveness is a gift. It's a gift that we should also
give to others. It's a gift we give to ourselves. It changes our hearts, lives, and
relationships. It brings peace, healing, joy, and freedom. We should strive to forgive.
We should forgive even when it's hard. We should forgive even when we don't feel like
it. God forgives us completely. We should do the same. Forgiveness is an act of faith,
love, mercy, and grace. It can transform our lives, relationships, and the world.

Day 10: Do not Lead us into Temptation

Lastly, on the 10th day, the lesson was about temptation and asking God for strength. It
was Day 10, January 25th. We talked about the phrase, "Do not lead us into
temptation." This isn't about God causing temptation. It's about asking for help to resist
it. We all face temptation. It's part of life. Temptation can be small things. It can be a
big thing. It can be anything that pulls us away from God. It can be anything that harms
us. It can be anything that hurts others. We need God's help to resist temptation. We
are weak on our own. We need His strength, guidance, protection, and grace. We
need to pray for help. God wants to help us. He wants us to overcome temptation. He
wants us to live a good life, to be strong, faithful, obedient, righteous, good, kind, loving,
merciful, compassionate, forgiving, and wise. We need to be aware of temptation We
need to be prayerful. We need to be humble and dependent on God.
 Northern Luzon Adventist College

Reflection
on 10 days
of Prayer
Submitted by:
Dores Ann A. Marata
HUMSS – 11 GAD