“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

Loving With Truth!

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.”
Ephesians 4:15 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will focus on loving with truth as we continue a series about being loved by Jesus so we can love like Jesus.  When we know the truth of God’s Word, we are prepared to speak that truth to others.  Truth is important to God and therefore ought to be important to us as his children.  The way we love people, especially those who may be labeled by society as outcasts, ought to be centered in the truth of God’s love for them.  As you pray this week, ask God to help you grow into a fullness of His truth.  Pray that the truth of God’s love for you would fully shape the way you love others.  Pray that you would not sacrifice truth to the gods of convenience, expediency, favor, or political correctness.  In living and speaking truth, pray that you would always do so in love.

“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 loving people with truth.

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:  Speaking Truth.  Pray that your love for God and people would guide the way you speak truth.  Pray that you would be one who always speaks truth because that is what resides within you.  Pray that the people around you would know God’s love through the truth you speak.  “LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?  He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart.”  Psalm 15:1-2 (NIV)

Tuesday:  Learning Truth.  Pray that you would be a continual student of God’s Word as you learn truth from Him on a daily basis.  Pray that the truth you learn from God’s Word would guide your love for all people.  “Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.”  Psalm 25:4-5 (NIV)

Wednesday:  Walking in Truth.  Pray that you would be known by the people around you as one who walks in truth no matter what.  Pray that a continual awareness of how God views your life would help you to be faithful to Him as ’the Way, the Truth, and the Life”.  “Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth.”  Psalm 26:2-3 (NIV)

Thursday:  Protected by Truth.  Pray that you would know the protection of having your life centered in the truth of God.  Pray that the truth of God’s mercy would direct the way you love others with mercy.  Pray that God’s protection would be known by those who experience His mercy through you.  “Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD; may your love and your truth always protect me.”  Psalm 40:11 (NIV)

Friday:  Guided by Truth.  Pray that you would seek God’s truth for your source of guidance in all things.  Pray that your love for others would be guided by the truth of God’s love for them.  Pray that God’s love through you would guide others to Him.  “Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.”  Psalm 43:3 (NIV)

Saturday:  Judged in Truth.  Pray that you are always prepared by the blood of Jesus to be judged in truth by God.  Pray that your love for people would lead you to be truthful with them about the day of God’s judgment.  Pray that the judgments you make about others would be truthful.  “They will sing before the LORD, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth.  He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his truth.”  Psalm 96:13 (NIV)