“A Lifestyle of Prayer”
This week’s prayer focus: The Family!
“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.”
Psalm 68:6 (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 focus our prayer time on a return to the topic of the Family! When done well, the family is a vital place for people to find comfort, encouragement, instruction, and correction. That is a true statement not only for the families we are born into, but for the family of God that we belong to as His children. Pray that your church congregation is a place where each person is a valued part of the family, regardless of how they fit in their “real” family.
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: Children. Pray for children to be brought up in the fear and knowledge of the Lord in a safe and nurturing environment. Pray that each child, of any age, would honor their parents. “Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him.” Psalm 127:3 (NIV)
Tuesday: Moms. Pray that their work both in and out of the home would be filled with satisfaction and joy. Pray that they would have godly patience with their children. “May your father and mother be glad; may she who gave you birth rejoice!” Proverbs 23:25 (NIV)
Wednesday: Dads. Pray that they would be involved in the lives of their children in positive and wholesome ways. Pray that they would teach their children about God by their words and actions. “The father of a righteous man has great joy; he who has a wise son delights in him.” Proverbs 23:24 (NIV)
Thursday: Marriage. Pray that the marriages in our congregation and community would be strengthened and protected. Pray that both husband and wife would feel loved and valued. “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.” Hebrews 13:4 (NIV)
Friday: Grandparents. Pray that they would be valued members of the family and church congregation. Pray that their wisdom and experience would be passed on to the next generation. “Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.” 1 Timothy 5:1-2 (NIV)
Saturday: Single Adults. Some are single by choice, some not. Pray that each would be filled with great peace and hope as they serve God and rely on Him to surround them with healthy relationships. “I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs–how he can please the Lord. I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 7:32 & 35 (NIV)
