“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus: Living With Confidence!

“This is what the LORD says: ‘Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD.  But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.’”
Jeremiah 17:5 & 7 (NIV)

This week’s prayer focus is about living with a confidence that can only come from God.  I suspect that at one time or another most of us have put our confidence in something that has disappointed or failed us.  God does not want us to live life in fear and doubt, but to live with confidence that is well placed because it comes from a trust in Him.  Yes, it may be easier to put our confidence in ourselves or in things we can control, but doing so will eventually always leave us feeling empty and disappointed.  Putting our confidence fully in God will always require faith, but it is a faith that will always be rewarded with His blessing.  As you pray, ask God to help you see just what, or who, it is that you tend to put your confidence in.  Pray that you would recognize your need to put your confidence in God above all else.  Pray that you would be able to live with confidence more fully each day as you allow God to increase your faith and trust in Him.  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 living with confidence as you trust in 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:  Confidence in the Lord’s Goodness.  Pray that you would live with a confidence that comes from knowing God’s goodness.  Pray that God would open your eyes to see His goodness around you each day.  “I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.”  Psalm 27:13 (NIV)

Tuesday:  Confidence that Lasts Forever.  Pray that you would seek a life of righteousness that would fill you with quietness and confidence.  Pray that the fruit of God’s righteousness in you, through a quiet and peaceful life, would result in a confidence that lasts forever.  “The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.”  Isaiah 32:17 (NIV)

Wednesday:  Confidence to Approach God.  Pray that your faith in Jesus would give you a confidence to approach God.  Pray that the freedom you have in Christ would fill you with confidence as you approach God.  “In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.”  Ephesians 3:12 (NIV)

Thursday:  Confidence that is Rewarded.  Pray that you would have a confidence in the work of God that cannot be taken away.  Pray that you would hold fast to the confidence you have in Christ as you await your eternal reward.  “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.”  Hebrews 10:35 (NIV)

Friday:  Confidence in the Lord’s Help.  Pray that your confidence in the Lord’s help would be greater than your fear of what people might do or say.  Pray that the Lord’s help would give you the confidence to overcome fear that is caused by those who oppose God.  “So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.  What can man do to me?’” Hebrews 13:6 (NIV)

Saturday:  Confidence on the Day of Judgment.  Pray that God’s love would be made complete in you so that you would have confidence on the day of judgment.  Pray that you would be diligent in sharing the love of God with others so that they could also have confidence on the day of judgment.  “In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him.”  1 John 4:17 (NIV)