Dawn Prayer
January 8, 2026
Dawn Prayer Exhortation Calls Us Back to the Secret Place
During our Dawn Prayer gathering on January 3, 2026, our pastor (Dr. Ed Pilapil Jr.) exhorted us and pointed to a quiet, faithful prayer life rooted in humility, reverence, and intimacy with God.
Following our prayer time, we reflected on Matthew 6:6, where Jesus instructs His followers to pray in secret rather than for display. The encouragement was not a rejection of public prayer, which has always been part of God’s work among His people, but a call to examine the heart behind our prayers. God shapes us in the hidden places, where no one else sees and where we can speak honestly with the Father.
The exhortation then walked through the pattern of prayer Jesus taught His disciples. Beginning with “Our Father” reminds us of our closeness and relationship with God, while “in heaven” grounds us in humility and reminds us who He is. We were urged to approach God with both love and reverence, recognizing His holiness and letting that reverence lead us to watchfulness as we ask Him to guard us from temptation.
As the prayer continues, we see Jesus teaching us to pray, "Your kingdom come, Your will be done." Our pastor pointed out how easy it is for us to want to control, to tell God what we want to happen. There is nothing wrong with making requests, but we must remember that His ways are higher than ours. When His plan differs from our desires, we are called to submit. Only after seeking His kingdom and will does Jesus teach us to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread." As our pastor illustrated: if children only ever come to their parents when they need something, where is the relationship? Where is the love? God invites us to come to Him not just with requests, but simply to be with Him.
Forgiveness, too, is part of daily prayer: receiving God's forgiveness and choosing to forgive others. And as we pray for deliverance from temptation, we are reminded that the battle often begins within. The enemy outside cannot overcome us if the spiritual life is strong. So we deal first with what tempts us within, asking God to deliver us.
May we be a prayerful people this year, returning often to the secret place, aligning our hearts with His, and learning to seek His face before His hand.
You are invited to join us for Dawn Prayer every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month. Our next gathering is on January 17.
God bless,
Soli Deo Gloria
Following our prayer time, we reflected on Matthew 6:6, where Jesus instructs His followers to pray in secret rather than for display. The encouragement was not a rejection of public prayer, which has always been part of God’s work among His people, but a call to examine the heart behind our prayers. God shapes us in the hidden places, where no one else sees and where we can speak honestly with the Father.
The exhortation then walked through the pattern of prayer Jesus taught His disciples. Beginning with “Our Father” reminds us of our closeness and relationship with God, while “in heaven” grounds us in humility and reminds us who He is. We were urged to approach God with both love and reverence, recognizing His holiness and letting that reverence lead us to watchfulness as we ask Him to guard us from temptation.
As the prayer continues, we see Jesus teaching us to pray, "Your kingdom come, Your will be done." Our pastor pointed out how easy it is for us to want to control, to tell God what we want to happen. There is nothing wrong with making requests, but we must remember that His ways are higher than ours. When His plan differs from our desires, we are called to submit. Only after seeking His kingdom and will does Jesus teach us to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread." As our pastor illustrated: if children only ever come to their parents when they need something, where is the relationship? Where is the love? God invites us to come to Him not just with requests, but simply to be with Him.
Forgiveness, too, is part of daily prayer: receiving God's forgiveness and choosing to forgive others. And as we pray for deliverance from temptation, we are reminded that the battle often begins within. The enemy outside cannot overcome us if the spiritual life is strong. So we deal first with what tempts us within, asking God to deliver us.
May we be a prayerful people this year, returning often to the secret place, aligning our hearts with His, and learning to seek His face before His hand.
You are invited to join us for Dawn Prayer every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month. Our next gathering is on January 17.
God bless,
Soli Deo Gloria