comfort

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Lifestyle of Prayer: Suffering!

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“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus:  Suffering!

“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.”  
1 Peter 4:12-13 (NIV)

As we continue to grow in A Lifestyle of Prayer, it is important to remember prayer should be a lifestyle, not an event.  View prayer as your first priority, not as the last resort.  Jesus stated that we would have trouble in this world but we should not be overwhelmed, rather we should take heart because He has overcome the world.  This week our prayer emphasis will focus on praying about suffering as a Christian.  In our prayer time we will seek to learn how to rejoice in the suffering we experience because of our relationship with Christ.  As you pray, talk to God not only about your suffering but about how you can help and encourage others who suffer.  As you pray, 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.  

“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 how you view the suffering that you and those around you experience.  Thank you! 

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: Counted Worthy to Suffer.  Pray that you would not be ashamed of living with the name “Christian”.  Pray that your relationship with Jesus will always be worth more to you than avoiding suffering.  “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.”  Acts 5:41 (NIV)

Tuesday: Rejoice in Suffering.  Pray that you would rejoice as you trust God to produce good things in you through your suffering.  “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance.”  Romans 5:3 (NIV)

Wednesday: Share in Suffering.  Pray that your suffering for the sake of Christ would help you realize that you will also share in His glory.  “Now if we are children, then we are heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”  Romans 8:17 (NIV)

Thursday: Comforted in Suffering.  Pray that you would be comforted in your suffering and that you would be a comfort to others in their suffering.  “And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.”  2 Corinthians 1:7 (NIV)

Friday: Fellowship With Christ in Suffering.  Pray that you would see suffering for the sake of Christ as a fellowship with Him in His sufferings on your behalf.  “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.”  Philippians 3:10-11 (NIV)

Saturday:  Obedience in Suffering.  Pray that you would follow the example of Jesus and learn obedience to God through the suffering that you experience.  “Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered.”  Hebrews 5:8 (NIV)

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Lifestyle of Prayer: Comfort!

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“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

 This week’s prayer focus:  Comfort!

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV)

As we continue to grow in A Lifestyle of Prayer, it is important to remember prayer should be a lifestyle, not an event.  View prayer as your first priority, not as the last resort.  This week we will focus our prayer emphasis on some ways that God comforts us and on the purpose of His Comfort!  As children of God, He comforts us not simply so that we are comforted but so we have a greater capacity to comfort others.  Pray that you would courageously take the message, and practice, of God’s comfort everywhere you go.   Pray each day for the individuals of the church congregation you attend as well as for the body of believers that meet together.

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 each day praying about, and writing down, how God would have you live out that day’s aspect of prayer.    Thank you!

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: Comfort when facing Death.  Pray that the guidance and discipline of God would bring you comfort when the shadow of death surrounds you.  Pray that the people around you would be comforted by the presence of God when they mourn.  “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”  Psalm 23:4 (NIV)

Tuesday: Comfort during Suffering.  Pray that you would be comforted by God’s promises during times of suffering.  Pray that you would share God’s promises with the people around you who are suffering.  “My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.”  Psalm 119:50 (NIV)

Wednesday: Comfort in God’s Laws.  Pray that your knowledge of, and obedience to, God’s laws would bring you comfort.  Pray that you would comfort others through God’s laws.  “I remember your ancient laws, O LORD, and I find comfort in them.”  Psalm 119:52 (NIV)

Thursday: Comfort through God’s Love.  Pray that God’s love would fill you with great comfort.  Pray that you would have opportunity to share God’s love with others to bring comfort to them.  “May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant.” Psalm 119:76 (NIV)

Friday: Comfort through our Relationship with Christ.  Pray that you would experience overflowing comfort through your relationship with Christ.  Pray that they comfort you have received will overflow into the lives of others.  “For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.”  2 Corinthians 1:5 (NIV)

Saturday:  Comfort through Forgiveness.   Pray that you would be comforted by forgiving and being forgiven.  Pray that your forgiveness of others would be a comfort to them.  “Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.” 2 Corinthians 2:7 (NIV)