Christian life

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Lifestyle of Prayer: Examine!

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“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus: Examine!

“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances.  But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 (NASB)

This week’s prayer focus is on the need to examine, and be examined.  The Bible teaches that we are examined by God and also need to examine ourselves.  Sadly, many people spend more time examining the food and drink that goes into their body than they do the things that they allow into, and out of, their mind and soul.  It is through prayer and rejoicing that God calls us to examine everything carefully.  This instruction is not only about examining, but about doing so according to the will and power of God.  It is about determining the difference between good and evil so that we will choose to cling to that which is good and reject all that is evil.  As you pray, ask God to fill you with His wisdom as you examine everything with great care.  Pray that you would pay attention to God’s examination of you that He does for your benefit.  Pray that you would spend time with God to honestly examine yourself according to His Word.  Pray for a unity of spirit among believers in general and among your church family in particular.  

“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 spend time praying each day about the life you have in Christ.

Sunday: Pray for your church, its staff and leadership, and for all of the preaching and teaching that takes place.  Pray for me (Tom Lemler) and the work of Impact Prayer Ministry.  

Monday:  Examined By a Holy God.  Pray that you would live each day with an awareness that God is paying attention to you.  Pray that your life reflects Jesus in a way that you pass God’s examination of you.  “The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD is on his heavenly throne.  He observes the sons of men; his eyes examine them.”  Psalm 11:4 (NIV)

Tuesday:  Examine Your Attitude.  Pray that you would examine your words and actions carefully as they reveal your inner attitude.  “You have planted them, they have also taken root; they grow, they have even produced fruit.  You are near to their lips but far from their mind.  But You know me, O LORD; You see me; and You examine my heart’s attitude toward You.”  Jeremiah 12:2-3a (NIV)

Wednesday:  Examine Your Mind.  Pray that a careful examination of your mind would reveal a pattern of thoughts and actions that honor God.  Pray that your mind would direct you in deeds that deserve a good reward.  “I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.”  Jeremiah 17:10 (NIV)

Thursday:  Examine the Path You Are On.  Pray that you would examine the path of life you walk each day.  Pray that your careful examination of your ways would always return you to the way of the Lord.  “Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD.”  Lamentations 3:40 (NIV)

Friday:  Examine Your Relationship With Jesus.  Pray that you would examine yourself carefully in regard to your relationship with Jesus.  Pray that you would be refreshed because of your examination and communion with Jesus.  “A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.”  1 Corinthians 11:28 (NIV)

Saturday:  Examine Your Faith.  Pray that a careful examination of your faith will fill you with the confidence of Christ in you.  Pray that you would cling to God in faith so you would never “fail” that test.  “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you — unless, of course, you fail the test?”  2 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV)

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Lifestyle of Prayer: Life In Christ!

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“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus: Life In Christ!

“And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.  I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”
1 John 5:11-13 (NIV)

This week’s prayer focus is on the life we have in Christ.  As we reflect on the lessons learned from the events leading up to, and including, the resurrection of Jesus, it is good to examine  how well our life reflects the price that was paid.  Most of us have things that we protect and value because of the worth that we have given them.  We may even have things that we like to display for others to admire and appreciate because of how much they mean to us.  Nothing should have more value to us or be appreciated in a greater way than the life we have in Christ.  As you pray this week, ask God to help you more fully understand the treasure that has been given through the eternal life you have in Christ.  Pray that you would know and practice appropriate ways to not only protect that treasure, but to display it in ways that attract others to Jesus.  Pray for a unity of spirit among believers in general and among your church family in particular.  

“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 spend time praying each day about the life you have in Christ.

Sunday: Pray for your church, its staff and leadership, and for all of the preaching and teaching that takes place.  Pray for me (Tom Lemler) and the work of Impact Prayer Ministry.  

Monday:  A Worthy Life.  Pray that your life would bear good fruit because of the life you have in Christ.  Pray that you would live a worthy life through the fruit God produces in you.  “And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.”  Colossians 1:10 (NIV)

Tuesday:  A Respected Life.  Pray that God would help you to stay focused on the work He has created for you to do.  Pray that you would live your life in Christ in a way that is respected.  “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.”  1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 (NIV)

Wednesday:  A Good Life.  Pray that you would seek a good life defined by a wisdom and understanding that comes from God.  Pray that your daily tasks would always be done with humility.  “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.”  James 3:13 (NIV)

Thursday:  A Supplied Life.  Pray that you would look to God to supply all that you need to live a godly life.  Pray that you would daily worship God as your supplier of everything good.  “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”  2 Peter 1:3 (NIV)

Friday:  A Proclaimed Life.  Pray that your daily experience with the life of Christ in you would lead you to proclaim this life to others.  Pray for the courage share what God is doing in your life.  “The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.”  1 John 1:2 (NIV)

Saturday:  A Sacrificial Life.  Pray that you would always remember the great sacrifice that Jesus made on your behalf.  Pray that you would live that same spirit of sacrifice in your interactions with the people around you.  “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.”  1 John 3:16 (NIV)