“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus: Purpose!

“Many are the plans in a man’s heart,
but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.”  
Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will focus on finding greater meaning in life through a better understanding of God’s purposes.  It is easy to get so invested in our own plans and ideas that we become frustrated when our plans are thwarted so that God’s purpose will prevail.  Our life as a Christian ought to be a continual surrendering of our self so that God’s good will and purposes can be easily fulfilled in us.  As you pray this week, ask God to help you live a surrendered life.  Pray that you would constantly look to Him as the one to define your meaning and purpose as you walk this earth.  Pray for the courage to pray, “Not my will but thine be done.” — and mean it.  Pray that you would learn to rejoice in the accomplishment of God’s purposes even when it goes against what you had planned.  Pray that God would fill you with the humility and wisdom to constantly grow into the likeness of Christ so that your desires would become more in line with the good purposes of God.  Pray for an openness in listening to God, and to others, as you seek plans which are better than your own.   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 and live according to His purpose.

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: Fulfilled Purpose.  Pray that you would live with confidence in a God who will fulfill His purpose in you.  Pray for a willingness to wait upon the Lord when if feels like His work isn’t being completed according to your timetable.  “The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever — do not abandon the works of your hands.”  Psalm 138:8 (NIV)

Tuesday: Eternal Purpose.  Pray that your life would fulfill the eternal purpose of God as you live with, and share, a wisdom that can only come from Him.  Pray that you would look to Jesus and lift Him up as the key to knowing the wisdom of  God.  “His intent was that the manifold wisdom of God should be made known according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Ephesians 3:10-11 (NIV)

Wednesday: Common Purpose.  Pray that you would join with others in having a common purpose based on each of you taking on the attitude of Christ Jesus.  Pray for a life of joy for you and for those around you as you live with unity by each of you becoming more Christ-like.  “Make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.”  Philippians 2:2 (NIV)

Thursday: Good Purpose.  Pray for a submissive spirit that expects the good purposes of God to be at work in your life.  Pray for the humility needed to see God’s plans and purpose as being above your own and always for your good.  “For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”  Philippians 2:13 (NIV)

Friday: Communicated Purpose.  Pray that you would live in such a way that others would know of God’s purpose at work in your life.  Pray that you would see the purpose of God at work through the lives of the people you read about in the Bible, and through the lives of faithful people around you.  “You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance.”  2 Timothy 3:10 (NIV)

Saturday:  Unchanging Purpose.  Pray that you would hold fast to the unchanging nature of God as you discover His purpose for you.  Pray that you would be bold about sharing the unchanging purpose of God that desires all would come to know Him.  “Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath.”  Hebrews 6:17 (NIV)