contentment

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Lifestyle of Prayer: Enough!

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“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus:  Enough!

“Since the people began to bring their contributions to the temple of the LORD, we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare, because the LORD has blessed his people, and this great amount is left over.”
2 Chronicles 31:10 (NIV)

How often have you said or thought, “There just isn’t enough to _______”?  Many people spend their entire life believing they’ve been short-changed somehow.  They can give you a list of things they would have done or accomplished if only they had enough — enough time, enough money, enough courage, enough compassion, enough wisdom, enough _______.  This week’s prayer focus is on some things that we can have enough of through our relationship with Christ.  When we live life believing we have enough, we learn to share as God wants us to.  When we share, the people around us who are in need have enough because of God’s provision.  As you pray this week, ask God to help you recognize the “enough” He has given and spend time listening for how He would have you use it.  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 each day praying about who Jesus is according to scripture and about who He is in your life.  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:  Enough for Each Day.  Pray that you would recognize the provision that God supplies as being enough for your day.  “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.’”  Exodus 16:4 (NIV)

Tuesday:  Enough to Satisfy.  Pray that you will see what God has given you as being enough to fully satisfy.  “The LORD will reply to them: ‘I am sending you grain, new wine and oil, enough to satisfy you fully; never again will I make you an object of scorn to the nations.’”  Joel 2:19 (NIV)

Wednesday:  Enough Trouble for Each Day.  Pray that you would seek God’s kingdom and righteousness in a way that helps you overcome the trouble that each day brings.  “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”  Matthew 6:33-34 (NIV)

Thursday:  Enough to Be Like Your Teacher and Master.   Pray that you would be filled with a humility that seeks to be like Jesus.  “A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.  It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master.”  Matthew 10:24-25a (NIV)

Friday:  Enough to Be a Disciple.  Pray that you would recognize full surrender is what is enough to be a disciple of Jesus.  “And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.  Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?”  Luke 14:28 (NIV)

Saturday:  Enough Wisdom to Judge Disputes.  Pray that you would be filled with wisdom that is enough to help fellow believers get along with each other.  “I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers?”  1 Corinthians 6:5 (NIV)

 

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Lifestyle of Prayer: Feasting!

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“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

 

This week’s prayer focus:  Feasting!

“On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine — the best of meats and the finest of wines.  On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever.  The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth.  The LORD has spoken.” 
Isaiah 25:6-8 (NIV)

Yes, you read it correctly, this week’s prayer focus is on feasting!  Many of us have probably done quite a bit of that over the past few days, with more likely on the way as the Christmas and New Year’s Holidays approach.  When we think of our spiritual life and food, most often it is fasting that comes to mind so we prefer not to connect food with our prayer life.  While fasting should have great importance in the life of each Christian, feasting is also a tool given by God that can bring joy and benefit into the lives of believers and those around us if we pay attention to God’s instructions about feasting.  As you pray this week, ask God to help you feast with joy and purpose as you honor him with your feasts.  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 each day praying about, writing down, and doing 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: Feast of Celebration.  Pray that you would understand, and have, the Father’s heart in celebrating the finding and restoration of those who are lost.  Celebrate the lost who return home.  “‘Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.  For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.”  Luke 15:23-24 (NIV)

Tuesday: Feast of Contentment.  Pray that you would understand the feasting of contentment that comes from living with a cheerful heart.  “All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.  Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil.”  Proverbs 15:15-16 (NIV)

Wednesday: Feast of Joy.  Pray that your desire, and practice, of feasting would bring joy not only to yourself, but to those around you as well.  “Be joyful at your Feast — you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites, the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns.”  Deuteronomy 16:14 (NIV)

Thursday: Feast of Remembrance.  Pray that you would always remember the purpose behind the various feasts that you celebrate.  Be sure to teach about the reminders God has given. “Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread, because it was on this very day that I brought your divisions out of Egypt. Celebrate this day as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come.”  Exodus 12:17 (NIV)

Friday: Feast of Giving.  Pray that you would be filled with a heart of giving in the way you feast.  “But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”  Luke 14:13-14 (NIV)

Saturday:  Feast of the Kingdom.  Pray that you would always live a life surrendered fully to Christ in preparation for your place at the feast in the kingdom of God.  “People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God.  Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”  Luke 13:29-30 (NIV)

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Lifestyle of Prayer: Contentment!

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“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

Special focus this week:  Making the Most of Every Opportunity

While much of the world’s attention is on the horrific events in Paris, it is not the only place or people in this world experiencing loss of life at the hands of terrorists.  As you pray for Paris and the recovery of the many who are wounded physically, as well as the many more who are wounded emotionally and spiritually, pray that you would be the light of the world wherever you are.  In doing so, the true message of the peace that can only be found in Christ will be seen and heard by those who need it.  Pray that you would make the most of every opportunity because the days that we live in are evil.

This week’s prayer focus:  Contentment!

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, and you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field or his male servant or his female servant, his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
Deuteronomy 5:21 (NIV)

This week we will focus our prayer time on God’s command to not covet!  I believe that the very heart of this command is a need for each of us to learn contentment.  Contentment is a very godly character quality but one that is difficult to live — especially in a culture that is so focused on convincing people that they need what others have and they need more.  As you pray this week, ask God to help you rejoice in the happiness of others.  Pray that you would learn a spirit of contentment that comes from a complete trust in God.  Pray that the things of this world, and the things that others have, would not become a snare to you.  Ask God to teach you how to be content with what He has given and strive to make the most of it for His glory.  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 each day praying about, writing down, and doing 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:  Contentment from a Fear of the Lord.  Pray that you would have contentment through a life lived with a fear of the Lord.  Pray that  your fear of the Lord would be such that you can rest contented.  “The fear of the LORD leads to life:  Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.”  Proverbs 19:23 (NIV)

Tuesday:  Contentment with Your Income.  Pray that you would learn to live within your means and be content with the pay you have agreed to.  “Then some soldiers asked him, ‘And what should we do?’  He replied, ‘Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely — be content with your pay.’”  Luke 3:14 (NIV)

Wednesday:  Contentment in All Circumstances.  Pray that your relationship with Christ would teach you the secret of being content in all circumstances.  “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”  Philippians 4:12 (NIV)

Thursday:  Contentment with Godliness.  Pray that you would seek to live a life of godliness and experience great gain as you become content with godliness being the center of your life.  “But godliness with contentment is great gain.”  1 Timothy 6:6 (NIV)

Friday:  Contentment with Basic Needs.  Pray that you would have God’s view of necessities and learn to be content even if that is all you have.  “But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.”  1 Timothy 6:8 (NIV)

Saturday:  Contentment with  God’s Presence.  Pray that knowing God is with you would bring you great contentment.  Pray that the allure of money would not distract you from finding contentment with God’s presence.  “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”  Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)

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Lifestyle of Prayer: What Do You Have?

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“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

 This week’s prayer focus:  What Do You Have?

“For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?”
1 Corinthians 4:7 (NIV)

As we continue to grow in A Lifestyle of Prayer, it is important to remember prayer should be a lifestyle, not an event.  This week our focus will be on praying about what you have.  Sometimes we need to stop and examine just what it is we have, that God has given us, so we can better understand how to use it more effectively in the purpose for which it was given.  As you pray this week, spend time allowing God to examine and reveal more fully what it is you have and how He wants you to use it.  Continue to pray for the work of our supported missions.  Continue to pray for the family.  View prayer as your first priority, not as the last resort.  Continue to use the prayer guides/lists from the past weeks.

“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 what you have and about how God wants you to use it.   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: Where Did You Get What You Have?  Pray that you would always recognize the source of what you have is God and be thankful to Him.  “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”  James 1:17 (NIV)

Tuesday: What is In Your Hand?  Pray that God would help you see the value and usefulness of what you hold. “Moses answered, ‘What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you’?’  Then the LORD said to him, ‘What is that in your hand?’  ‘A staff,’ he replied.  Exodus 4:1-2 (NIV)

Wednesday: What Do You Have Available?  Pray that God would open your eyes to the resources He has made available.  “Elisha replied to her, ‘How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?’  ‘Your servant has nothing there at all,’ she said, ‘except a little oil.’  Elisha said, ‘Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few.’”  2 Kings 4:2-3 (NIV)

Thursday: What Have You Verified?  Pray that you would spread the news of Jesus because of all you have verified Him doing in your life.  “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?”  Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see.”  Matthew 11:3-4 (NIV)

Friday: Do You Have Enough?  Pray that you would trust God to be enough for all circumstances.  “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”  Philippians 4:12-13 (NIV)

Saturday:  What Will You Do With What You Have?  Pray that you would be faithful in using what you have for the benefit of others for the purpose of building up the kingdom of God.  “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”  Hebrews 13:16 (NIV)