“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus: Living As Family!

“God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.” 
Psalm 68:6 (NIV)

As a follow-up to last week’s prayer focus about God being a Father to the fatherless, this week we will be praying about being the family God sets the lonely in.  As you pray this week, pray with thanksgiving for the family God provides in your loneliness.  Pray about how God would have you to be the family that is needed by the lonely around you.  Pray for each role that exists within families and ask God to help you be faithful no matter what season of life you are in.  Pray for a heart of compassion and consideration for each part of the family.  Pray for families to be strengthened and valued.  Pray for the families within the church and for the family that is the church.  Pray that you would know and share the joy of being set free as a part of God’s family.  Pray for discernment and wisdom to see beyond and through the divisiveness of this world so that you would love others as God loves both you and them.

“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 live as part of a godly family.

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: Children.  Pray for children to be brought up in the fear and knowledge of the Lord in a safe and nurturing environment.  Pray that each child, of any age, would honor their parents.  Pray for the wisdom to help children know they are valued greatly by God.  “Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him.”  Psalm 127:3 (NIV)

Tuesday: Moms.  Pray that the work done by moms, both in and out of the home, would be filled with satisfaction and joy.  Pray that mothers would have godly patience with their children.  Pray that your life would give your mom, and the women around you, reason to rejoice.  “May your father and mother be glad; may she who gave you birth rejoice!”  Proverbs 23:25 (NIV)

Wednesday: Dads.  Pray that dads would be involved in the lives of their children in positive and wholesome ways.  Pray that they would teach their children about God by their words and actions.  Pray that you would live in such a way that you are a delight to your father.  “The father of a righteous man has great joy; he who has a wise son delights in him.”  Proverbs 23:24 (NIV)

Thursday: Marriage.  Pray that the marriages in your congregation and community would be strengthened and protected.  Pray that both husband and wife would feel loved and valued.  Pray for the courage to live in purity in all of your relationships.  “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.”  Hebrews 13:4 (NIV)

Friday: Grandparents.  Pray that grandparents would be valued members of the family and church congregation.  Pray that their wisdom and experience would be passed on to the next generation.  Pray for the humility to treat those older than you with respect and understanding.  “Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.”  1 Timothy 5:1-2 (NIV)

Saturday:  Single Adults.  Some are single by choice, some not.  Pray that each would be filled with great peace and hope as they serve God and rely on Him to surround them with healthy relationships.  Pray that God would fill their desire as only He can — whether that desire is to stay single or be married.  “I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.”  1 Corinthians 7:35 (NIV)