“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus:  Excel!

“But just as you excel in everything — in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us — see that you also excel in this grace of giving.”
2 Corinthians 8:7 (NIV)

What are some things that you are good at doing?  Are there things that others say you excel in?  How much work, or effort, is usually required to excel in a given area?  This week’s prayer focus will use a list of things that Paul states the Corinthian Christians excel in, or need to excel in.  Paul’s letter was not only written to the Corinthians, but as scripture it is useful to us for training in all righteousness.  As you pray this week, ask God to give you His grace and the courage necessary to excel in the things that matter to Him.  Pray that you would be diligent applying each day’s topic to your life with the work necessary for you to become good at it.  Pray that your pursuit of excelling in these areas would come from the very source and foundation of all things excellent — Jesus Christ.   Pray for a unity of spirit among believers in general and among your church family in particular.  

“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 about each day about the things that God wants you to excel in through the power of His Spirit within you.  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:  Excel in Faith.  As you pray for God to increase your faith, look for the situations He will give that requires your trust of Him to grow.  Pray that your trust of God would cause others to know you as one who excels in faith.  “The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’”  Luke 17:5 (NIV)

Tuesday:  Excel in Speech.  Pray that God would put a guard over your mouth so that your speech is pleasing to Him.  Pray that your speech would bring about good days for you and for the people around you in this life and the life to come.  “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.”  1 Peter 3:10 (NIV)

Wednesday:  Excel in Knowledge.  Pray that your life would be lived in pursuit of a greater knowledge of Christ.  Pray that your excelling in knowledge would not puff you up but would help others know Jesus.  “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever!  Amen.”  2 Peter 3:18 (NIV)

Thursday:  Excel in Complete Earnestness.   Pray that there would be nothing fake about your pursuit of God and relationship with Him through Jesus.  “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”  Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)

Friday:  Excel in Love for One Another.  Pray that you would daily learn from the love that Jesus excelled at.  Pray that you would desire to excel in your love for Christ and for one another.  “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”  1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)

Saturday:  Excel in the Grace of Giving.  Pray that a recognition of God’s ownership of everything would help you to excel in the gift of giving He has placed in your life.  “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”  Luke 6:38 (NIV)