“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

Road To Unity!

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” 
Ephesians 4:2-3 (NIV)

Our Lifestyle of Prayer emphasis this week will focus on different aspects of unity from God’s perspective.  It seems nearly everyone loves the idea of unity, if people would just agree with me (what I say, what I like, what I want, what I . . .) though really we just want conformity, not unity.  Real unity comes when we decide it’s all about what God says, wants, and desires and not about me!  Use the suggestions each day, but most of all allow God’s Word to soak into your life and direct how you pray and who you pray for.  As you pray this week, pay attention to any changes and/or actions God would be calling you to make in that area.  Pray for a unity of spirit among believers in general and among your church family in particular.  As you pray, listen for what God would have you to do. Pray for the courage to walk across any made up lines which divide us from one another, even as you stay within the lines of God’s Word.  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 walk the road of unity with Jesus.

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: Road To Unity of Mind.  Pray for a unity of mind among the people of God so that the work of the kingdom is not hindered.  Pray that the Word of God would be the source for the unity of mind you seek.  “Also in Judah the hand of God was on the people to give them unity of mind to carry out what the king and his officials had ordered, following the word of the LORD.”  2 Chronicles 30:12 (NIV)

Tuesday: Road To Unity of Life.  Pray for unity in the individual families of your congregation and throughout the family of your congregation so that life together will be “good and pleasant”.  Pray that you would learn to live in unity while honoring the uniqueness of individuals.  Pray that a unity of life would help those around you see Jesus.  “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!”  Psalm 133:1 (NIV)

Wednesday: Road To Complete Unity.  Pray that your pursuit of complete unity in Christ would help others to see Jesus and the love of God in you.  Pray that love would be the foundation of your unity in a world that needs to see the love of God in you.  “I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”  John 17:23 (NIV)

Thursday: Road To Unity of Spirit.  Pray for a unity of spirit among your church family that is based on following Christ Jesus.  Pray that you would grow in endurance as God encourages and leads you to a greater unity through following Christ.  Pray that a unity of spirit would identify you as a follower of Christ.  “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus.”  Romans 15:5  (NIV)

Friday: Road To Unity of Faith.  Pray for the maturity to get along with one another as we all mature into a unity of faith.  Pray that your knowledge of Jesus would lead you to a unity of faith that results in growing into the fullness of Christ.  “Until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”  Ephesians 4:13 (NIV)

Saturday:  Road To Perfect Unity.  Pray for a Christ-like love which will hold together in perfect unity all of the godly characteristics that God calls you to “put on” in your life.  Pray about how all of the goodness of God will come together in your life as you live in the presence of others in a way that imitates Jesus.  “And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”  Colossians 3:14 (NIV)