“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus: Responding To God’s Mercy!

“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.”  
Daniel 4:37 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will focus on responding to God’s mercy and goodness with lessons learned from a somewhat unlikely source — the king of Babylon.  While it can be easy to cheer when God punishes the wicked, many question why God would then turn around and lift up the very people who were brought down by their own pride.  Yet God’s mercy is good news to all of us when we truly look deep within ourselves with the same view that God has, and then see how we have needed both the discipline and restoration that God offers.  As you pray this week, ask God to give you a clearer view of His love for all people.  Pray that you would not become bitter when God opposes your pride, but would welcome His discipline as the means of bringing mercy and restoration.  Pray that your response to God’s goodness would lift Him up in the eyes of those around you.  Pray that you would learn to imitate God as you extend mercy to others in the same measure it has been shown to you.  Pray for a spirit of unity among brothers and sisters in Christ as we grow in our love for one another.  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 acknowledge His goodness and mercy in the midst of discipline.

Extra Prayer Focus for the Week:  Impact Prayer Ministry & ICOM.  Tom Lemler will be traveling to Kansas City this week with an Impact Prayer Ministry display for the International Conference on Missions.

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: Praise God.  Pray that God’s mercy would lead you to live a life that praises Him.  Praise God for the healing and salvation that God brings even in the midst of the discipline you need.  “Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.”  Jeremiah 17:14 (NIV)

Tuesday: Exalt God.  Pray that you would be one who lifts God above all else in your life.  Pray that the restoration that comes as a result of God’s discipline would lead you to exalt Him always.  “But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, ‘Let God be exalted!’”  Psalm 70:4 (NIV)

Wednesday: Glorify God.  Pray that you would glorify God as one who keeps his promises throughout all generations.  Pray that God’s mercy in the midst of discipline would result in the giving of glory to Him.  “Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy.”  Romans 15:8-9 (NIV)

Thursday: Imitate God’s Righteousness.  Pray that you would always acknowledge, and accept, the “rightness” of God in His discipline of you.  Pray that you would be one who proclaims God is right and then seeks to live according to His righteousness.  “Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.”  1 John 3:7 (NIV)

Friday: Practice Godly Justice.  Pray that you would learn from God about how to practice true justice.  Pray for the courage to do what you can to make things right for those who are oppressed.  “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.’”  Zechariah 7:9 (NIV)

Saturday:  Walk Humbly.  Pray for a heart that considers yourself accurately as a valued servant of God.  Pray for the humility needed to not think too highly of yourself, or too poorly either.  Pray that you would find joy in lifting up others rather than yourself.  “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”  Luke 14:11 (NIV)