“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

 This week’s prayer focus: Prayers In Luke!

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

A Lifestyle of Prayer should be just that — a lifestyle, not simply an event.  View prayer as your first priority, not as the last resort.  It is my prayer that these weeks of “topical” prayer guides have been training and equipping you in the practice of prayer. 

This week we will focus on some aspects of prayer that are recorded for us in Luke’s gospel.  We will look at the elements of prayer that Luke noticed in the life of Jesus.  Use each day’s focus to pray and seek God about where, how, and why you pray.  As you pray, listen for what God would have you to do.  

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Ephesians 6:18 (NIV)

Please spend time praying each day focused the element of prayer suggested.  With that focus in mind, pray for yourself, your family, your friends, neighbors, and all the other “one anothers” we’ve been praying for over the past weeks.  Thank you!

Sunday: Pray for Tom Lemler and the work God is doing through Impact Prayer Ministry.

Monday: Secluded places.  Pray that God would draw you to places where distractions are removed as you seek fellowship with Him.  When you find yourself alone, use the time to pray.  “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”  Luke 5:16

Tuesday: Extended prayer time.  Plan times when you can spend extended time with God in prayer.  Pray that communication with God would become so natural and desirable that a night in prayer would be enjoyable and even seen as normal.  “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.”  Luke 6:12

Wednesday: Clear focus.  Ask God for undivided focus when you pray, even when others are around.  Pray that your prayer life would be genuine conversation between you and God.  “Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, ‘Who do the crowds say I am?'”  Luke 9:18

Thursday: Mountaintop prayers.  Pray that your pursuit of God would lead you to the mountaintop with Him.  Pray for courage to leave the ordinary to pursue an extraordinary relationship with God.  “About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray.”  Luke 9:28

Friday: Exemplary prayers.  Pray that God would use your prayer life to draw others to learn, and practice, genuine communication with God.  “One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.'”  Luke 11:1

Saturday:  Consistent prayer.  Pray for consistency in your prayer life.  Pray for a faith that would pursue God without giving up.  “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.”  Luke 18:1