Lifestyle of Prayer: Faith

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“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

 This week’s prayer focus: Faith!

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
 Hebrews 11:6 (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 pray about Faith! Each day our prayer time will focus on an aspect of our faith and how critical it is to our relationship with Jesus. God says that it is impossible to please Him without faith, so we probably ought to focus more attention on what it is, how to have it, and how to share it.  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 praying each day focused around the various elements of faith that God calls us to — and has put within us.  With that focus in mind, pray for yourself, your family, your friends, neighbors, and all the other “one anothers” we’ve been praying for over the past weeks.    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: Growing Faith. Pray that your faith in God’s ability would be seen as great from His perspective. Pray that the people around you today would be impacted in a positive way because of your growing faith. “The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!'” Luke 17:5

Tuesday: Saving Faith. Pray that you would have a greater practice of a faith that saves you. Pray that the people around you today would experience a faith in Christ that saves them. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8 (NIV)

Wednesday: Powerful Faith. Pray that you would see how your faith in God has equipped you to powerfully do His will. Pray that the people around you today would experience the power of God at work in their life. “Who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,  quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.” Hebrews 11:33-34 (NIV)

Thursday: Uniting Faith. Pray that your faith would be both the bridge and glue that unites you with other believers. Pray that the people around you today would see a greater unity among Christians because of their faith. “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)

Friday: Communicated Faith. Pray that you would grow in faith through the hearing of God’s Word. Pray that the people around you today would be open to hearing God’s Word so faith can grow in their life. “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17 (NIV)

Saturday: Active Faith. Pray that your faith would cause you to care for people as you should. Pray that the people around you today would not only hear of faith, but they would see your faith in action. “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” James 2:17 (NIV)

Lifestyle of Prayer: Growing Up FAST!

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“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

 

 This week’s prayer focus: Growing Up FAST!

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.  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.  There is one body and one Spirit — just as you were called to one hope when you were called — one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” 
Ephesians 4:1-6 (NIV)

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

A Lifestyle of Prayer should be just that — a lifestyle, not simply an event.  View prayer as your first priority, not as the last resort.  It is my prayer that these weeks of “topical” prayer guides have been training and equipping you in the practice of prayer. 

This week’s prayer focus is based on a 5th & 6th grade camp theme that I put together, “Growing up FAST!”.  The idea came from Luke’s use of one verse to tell of Jesus growing up from age twelve to thirty.  Each day our prayer focus will be based on a characteristic that God wants us to grow in as we share the good news of Jesus with others.   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, 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.  

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 for a life that Grows Up FAST!.  Pray this for yourself, your family, your friends, neighbors, and all the other “one anothers” in your life.  Thank you!

Sunday: Pray for Tom Lemler and the work God is doing through Impact Prayer Ministry.

Monday: Grow up like Jesus.  Pray for godly wisdom and spiritual stature that will show God’s favor on you and lift up Jesus to all who are observing you.  “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”  Luke 2:52

Tuesday: Grow up Faithful.  Pray for the courage to remain faithful to the truth of God’s word no matter what.  “It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth.”  3 John 1:3

Wednesday: Grow up Accepted.  Pray for a clear recognition of how Christ has accepted you and then pray for the strength to accept others in that manner.   Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”  Romans 15:7

Thursday: Grow up Surrendered.  Pray for an openness to God’s Spirit revealing any area in your life that you have not yet given up, then surrender it to God’s control.  “In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.”  Luke 14:33

Friday: Grow up Trained.  Pray for the humility to be trained in the things of God for the purpose of training others.  “A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.”  Luke 6:40

SaturdayGrow up ! Exclaiming.  Pray for a boldness in proclaiming the good news of Jesus with excitement and enthusiasm as you should.  “When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, ‘Surely he was the Son of God!'”  Matthew 27:54