“During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.”
Hebrews 5:7 (NIV)

As we continue to grow in A Lifestyle of Prayer, it is important to remember prayer should be a lifestyle, not an event.  View prayer as your first priority, not as the last resort.  The Bible says that Jesus was heard by His Father because of His reverent submission.  Yet submission is a word and topic that we tend to avoid in the church and in our personal lives because it may sound demeaning to give up our rights in preference to someone else.  Or God’s Word is pulled out to insist that women are to be submissive while ignoring the submission that all of us are called to by God.  This week we will focus on praying about submission from God’s point of view and how it is a practice we all should participate in as we seek to be more Christ-like.

“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 for a Christ-like submissive spirit and action to be always present in your life.  With that focus in mind, pray for yourself, your family, your friends, neighbors, and all those you know.  Thank you!

Sunday: Pray for your church, its staff and leadership, and for all of the preaching and teaching that takes place.  Pray for me (Tom Lemler) and the work of Impact Prayer Ministry.

Monday: Submit to Governing Authorities.  Pray that your submission to governing authorities would come from a recognition of God’s authority over all things.  “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”  Romans 13:1 (NIV)

Tuesday: Submit to One Another.  Pray that your reverence for Christ in all things would help you submit to others.    “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”  Ephesians 5:21 (NIV)

Wednesday: Submit to Discipline by God.  Pray that you would accept God’s discipline as the live-giving correction it is meant to be.  “Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!”  Hebrews 12:9 (NIV)

Thursday: Submit to Leaders.  Pray that your submission to leaders would make their work a joy.  “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.”  Hebrews 13:17 (NIV)

Friday: Submit to God.   Pray that you would submit to God in all things so that the devil has no foothold in your life.  “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”  James 4:7 (NIV)

Saturday:  Submit in Humility.   Pray that you would be filled with humility and grace as you learn to submit to the wisdom of those who are older.  “Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’”  1 Peter 5:5 (NIV)