“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus: Obedience!

“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross!”
Philippians 2:5-8 (NIV)

Most adults seem to like the command where God says children are to obey their parents.  We like it because we tend to unconsciously add two small words to it.  We tend to read it, “[Little] Children obey your [good] parents in the Lord, for this is right.”  Yes, there are limits when it comes to obeying people — “We must obey God rather than men” — but obedience is a trait that God expects all of His children to exhibit.  This week, as we pray leading up to Resurrection Sunday, we will be praying about following the example of Jesus, who “became obedient to death — even death on a cross.”  As you pray, ask God to help you examine your current level of obedience and reveal how you need to grow to become more like Christ.  Pray that you would value the choice of obedience in your life and in the lives of others.  Pray that the results of your obedience would help the people around you see Jesus more clearly.  Pray each day for the individuals of your congregation and for the body of Christ as a whole.

“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 pray each day for God’s help in understanding the importance of obedience in all aspects of your relationship with Him.

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: Obedience That Is Steadfast.  Pray that God would help you to maintain a steadfast obedience to the decrees of God.  Pray that your times of doubt would be replaced by a steadfast commitment to obeying the laws of God.  “Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees!”  Psalm 119:5 (NIV)

Tuesday: Obedience In Your Thoughts.  Pray that God’s Spirit would guard  your mind so that every thought is obedient to Christ.  Pray for the wisdom to see through the arguments and pretension that would lead you away from obedient thoughts.  “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”  2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)

Wednesday: Obedience That is Wholehearted.  Pray that you would pursue a wholehearted obedience to the teachings of God in order to escape the slavery of sin.  Pray that you would help other know they do not have to remain a slave to sin.  “But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted.”  Romans 6:17 (NIV)

Thursday: Obedience to Leaders.  Pray that your obedience would be a joy to the leaders who have authority over you.  Pray that you would recognize the advantages that come, both to you and your leaders, when you obey.  “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: Obedience to the Truth.  Pray that you would be able to express pure love for others because of your obedience to the truth.  Pray that you would allow God to purify your life by your willingness to obey His truth.  “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.”  1 Peter 1:22 (NIV)

Saturday:  Obedience to God’s Commands.  Pray that your love for God would be expressed in your obedience to His commands.  Pray that the command to walk in love would be the foundation for your obedience.  “And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.”  2 John 1:6 (NIV)