“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus: Be Merciful!

“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
Luke 6:36 (NIV)

After two weeks focused on being a good neighbor, this week’s prayer guide will center in on the quality that defined being a neighbor in the story of the Good Samaritan — showing mercy.  It can be easy to live with two sets of standards (and that’s another issue to pray about) when it comes to mercy.  The mercy we expect, and need, from others is often far greater than the mercy we freely extend.  Yet, God’s standard is Himself.  His desire is that we learn to be merciful to others, and to our self, in the same way He is merciful.  The more we understand and accept God’s mercy, the more we will know the mercy He wants us to extend.  No one ever deserves mercy — it really wouldn’t be mercy if we deserved it.  As you pray this week, thank God for being a merciful God.  Pray that you would pay attention to  how you do, or don’t do, at showing mercy.  Pray that God would help you to be a more merciful person each day.  Pray that your recognition, and acceptance, of God’s mercy would lead you to be a more merciful person.  Pray for a spirit of unity within your church congregation and within the body of Christ as a whole.  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 to help you be merciful to others, just as He is merciful to you.

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: Be Merciful In Forgiveness.  Pray that you would live with the freedom that comes from being forgiven by God.  Pray that you would show mercy to others as you forgive them just as you have been forgiven.  “Yet he was merciful; he forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them.”  Psalm 78:38 (NIV)

Tuesday: Be Merciful To One Another.  Pray that you would be thankful for God making things right between you and Him through the mercy He has extended.  Pray that you would follow God’s example in extending mercy and compassion to the people around you.  “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.’”  Zechariah 7:9 (NIV)

Wednesday: Be Merciful In Service.  Pray that you would know the mercy of God that has called you into His service.  Pray that you would be diligent in your ministry to others as you serve because of the mercy of God.  “Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.”  2 Corinthians 4:1 (NIV)

Thursday: Be Merciful To Receive Mercy.  Pray for an awareness of how God’s mercy frees you from the judgment you deserve.  Pray that  you would show mercy to others, even when your first reaction is to pass judgment.  “Judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!”  James 2:13 (NIV)

Friday: Be Merciful In Abundance.   Pray that you would seek God as the source of receiving an abundance of mercy and peace through His love.  Pray that you would be merciful to others as you share with them the abundance of God’s mercy, peace, and love.  “Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.”  Jude 1:2 (NIV)

Saturday:  Be Merciful To Doubters.   Pray for an awareness of how God’s tender mercies have helped you walk through all of your doubts.  Pray that you would have patience with those who doubt as you share with them a mercy that comes from God.  “Be merciful to those who doubt.”  Jude 1:22 (NIV)

Extra Prayer Focus:  Pray for Impact Prayer Ministry as I look to God for the resources needed to supply a request from a prison chaplain to put a prayer-based devotional book and Bible reading calendar into the hands of 750+ inmates for Christmas.