“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus: Learning to Give!

“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'”
Acts 20:35 (NIV)

This week’s lifestyle of prayer emphasis will focus on learning to give.  Just as the Bible teaches that we know love because God first loved us, we can learn to give because God first gave to us.  Too often we don’t give — not because the need isn’t present, and not even because we don’t have the resources — but simply because we haven’t learned to give.  God’s desire is that we learn to give with the purpose of blessing others and in so doing we discover we too are blessed.  When we follow the example of Jesus we learn to give what we know, we learn to give what we have, and we learn to give what God provides.  As you pray this week, ask God to help you be a learner when it comes to giving.  Pray that your practice of giving would be a blessing to you, and to others, as you reflect Christ in your giving habits.  Pray that your recognition of God as the provider of all good things would help you learn to give more freely.  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 as you learn the blessing of giving.

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: Learn to Give Thanks.  Pray that your awareness of God’s righteousness would teach you to give thanks.  Pray that God’s work in your life would teach you a lifestyle of gratitude.  “I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.”  Psalm 7:17 (NIV)

Tuesday: Learn to Give Generously.  Pray that you would follow God as you turn from a wickedness of taking to a righteousness of giving generously.  Pray that God would teach you to recognize all that He has put into your life for the purpose of you sharing it with others.  “The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously.”  Psalm 37:21 (NIV)

Wednesday: Learn to Give Now.  Pray that you would learn to recognize the moments of opportunity in giving.  Pray that God would help you do an inventory of your life so you know what you can give now.  “Do not say to your neighbor, ‘Come back later; I’ll give it tomorrow’– when you now have it with you.”  Proverbs 3:28 (NIV)

Thursday: Learn to Give Sound Answers.  Pray that you would be a student of God’s Word so you would be able to give sound answers.  Pray that God would help you to discern what is true and reliable as you answer those who seek hope.  “Have I not written thirty sayings for you, sayings of counsel and knowledge, teaching you true and reliable words, so that you can give sound answers to him who sent you?”  Proverbs 22:20-21 (NIV)

Friday: Learn to Give Grace.  Pray that you would learn to give grace to others in the measure that God has given it to  you.  Pray that you would understand the power of transformation that comes through the giving and receiving of grace — even to those who are your enemy.  “If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.”  Proverbs 25:21 (NIV)

Saturday:  Learn to Give Careful Attention.  Pray that you would give careful attention to all that God has put under  your care.  Pray that you would learn from God how to be responsible in giving attention to that which needs it so that you and your family will be prepared for the coming of Christ.  “Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds.”  Proverbs 27:23 (NIV)