“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus: Refreshed!

 “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you — even Jesus.” 
Acts 3:19-20 (NIV)

This week’s prayer focus is on being refreshed.  If you followed along on last week’s focus on being satisfied, being refreshed will seem like a natural follow-up.  We all have times, even in living a satisfied life, when we become weary and find ourselves in need of refreshing.  God sends out the refreshing streams of His Spirit through our relationship with Jesus.  But the refreshing is not just for us.  We are refreshed by God, and others, so that we can be an instrument of refreshing in the lives of the people around us.  As you pray, ask God to fill you with the humility to seek Him for times of refreshing.  Pray that you would not only be refreshed, but that you would listen to God for ways to refresh others.  Pray that you would experience the refreshing power of God through your times of repentance.  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 each day about living a life that is refreshed by God in response to your repentance.

Sunday: Pray for your church staff, the preaching and teaching that takes place, the church leadership, the volunteers that are helping in so many areas, the spiritual and financial health of the congregation, and the work of the missions ministry of the church.  Pray for me (Tom Lemler) and the work of Impact Prayer Ministry.  

Monday: Refreshed with Rest.  Pray that you would value rest and find ways to make it a regular part of your schedule.  Pray that you would help others to find times of rest in their life.  “Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest and the slave born in your household, and the alien as well, may be refreshed.”  Exodus 23:12 (NIV)

Tuesday: Refreshed by God.  Pray that you would spend time with God for the purpose of being refreshed.  Pray that your life would soak in the abundant showers that come from God.  “You gave abundant showers, O God; you refreshed your weary inheritance.”  Psalm 68:9 (NIV)

Wednesday: Refreshed through Generosity.  Pray that God would fill you with a spirit of generosity that refreshes others.  Pray that you would be refreshed by God as you share with others, and they share with you.  “A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.”  Proverbs 11:25 (NIV)

Thursday: Refreshed Spirit.  Pray that your spirit would be refreshed through your relationships with people.  Pray that you would be a source of refreshing to others and that you would honor those who excel in this gift of refreshing.  “For they refreshed my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition.”  1 Corinthians 16:18 (NIV)

Friday: Refreshed Heart.  Pray that the broken-hearted would be refreshed by the love of God which you share.  Pray that you would be filled with joy because of the refreshing God does through people.  “Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.”  Philemon 1:7 (NIV)

Saturday:  Refreshed Memory.  Pray that you would look for the reminders of God’s truth to refresh your memory.  Pray that you would be diligent about reminding others of the refreshing that is found in remembering the works of God in their life.  “So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have.  I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body.  2 Peter 1:12-13 (NIV)