Hope

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Praying in Times of Uncertainty

Praying in times of uncertainty, such as we are currently facing in the midst of this COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, can be difficult because the actual facts of what is going on is difficult to distinguish from all of the opinions — both negative and positive.  The following photo, and text version below it, outlines some of what I’ve been praying in regard to our current situation and was written to help individuals have some “starting points” in their conversations with God as they responded to the president’s call for a national day of prayer on Sunday, March 15, 2020. 

COVID Prayer

Praying in the midst of uncertainty.

  • I pray that the virus would weaken and its spread would be halted. 
  • I pray that God would be with those who become ill and that they would seek out His presence to be their stronghold. 
  • I pray for courage and protection for those who serve our communities in ways that put them on the front lines of exposure. 
  • I pray for those who research ways to combat not only this virus, but also the many other diseases that exist. 
  • I pray that God would be made known through His children to those who are frightened and unaware of where to turn. 
  • I pray for the courage to live with joy in such a way that God’s love is spread to the fearful — especially to the children who so quickly pick up on the fears of the adults around them. 
  • I pray that our love for the most vulnerable among us would guide our decisions that may require sacrifice from us. 
  • I pray for a spirit of compassion and understanding to replace the one of judgment that seems so prevalent in today’s culture. 
  • I pray that the uncertainty and fear that seem to be battering this country would serve to ignite a spirit of love that will overcome the spirit of darkness and hatred that often gets so much air time. 
  • I pray that a heart of compassion would be awakened within God’s people in such a way that He is made visible to all. 
  • I pray that my eyes, ears, heart, and mind would be open to how He would have me respond in an individual way. 
  • And I pray for a revival to ignite within the people of God so that Jesus would be lifted up and even more people would come to Him in repentance and find salvation in Him.

Impact Prayer Ministry

http://www.impactprayerministry.com

 

In prayer,
Tom Lemler
Lifestyle of Prayer: Trust
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Lifestyle of Prayer: Trust

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“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus:  Trust

“Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand.  Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.”
Psalm 20:6-7 (NIV)

If you have ever placed your trust in something, or someone, and then felt that the trust given was misplaced or betrayed, you are not alone.  The nature of our human flesh and man-made things almost guarantees that you will not only be let down multiple times in your life, but that you will also let others down more than once.  This week our prayer focus is on Trust and some of the things it ought to produce in our life from God’s perspective.  When we put our trust in the only One who is completely trustworthy, it produces some great qualities in our life.  As we learn to trust God with our relationships, fears, weaknesses, and all the big and little aspects of our life, we begin to exhibit character traits that represent Jesus well to the world.  As you pray this week, ask God to help you trust Him with all of the things that have filled you with doubt.  Pray that you would experience His faithfulness as your trust grows each day.   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 what your level of trust is producing.

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:  Trust that Produces Strength.  Pray that God would give you a stillness in the midst of turmoil.  Pray that you would live with a lifestyle of repentance and rest because of your trust in God.  “This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: ‘In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.’”  Isaiah 30:15 (NIV)

Tuesday:  Trust that Produces Faithfulness.  Pray that you would remain faithful to the things of God which have been entrusted to you.  Pray that your faithfulness would reflect a life lived as a servant of God.  “So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God.   Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.”  1 Corinthians 4:1-2 (NIV)

Wednesday:  Trust that Produces Peace.  Pray that you would always turn to God in complete trust of the work He has done through His Son, Jesus.  Pray that God’s Spirit within you would fill you with peace in the midst of turmoil as you trust in Him.  “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.”  John 14:1 (NIV)

Thursday:  Trust that Produces Humility.  Pray that your life would exhibit meekness and humility because of your trust in God.  Pray that the people around you would recognize in you a humility that comes from your relationship with Jesus.  “But I will leave within you the meek and humble, who trust in the name of the LORD.”  Zephaniah 3:12 (NIV)

Friday:  Trust that Produces Care.  Pray that you would learn to trust God as your refuge in times of trouble.  Pray that the people around you would see God’s goodness as you trust Him.  “The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.”  Nahum 1:7 (NIV)

Saturday:  Trust that Produces Joy and Hope.  Pray that you would be filled with great joy as you trust God.  Pray that the hope He gives you through His Spirit would overflow as a witness to the people around you each day.  “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”  Romans 15:13 (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: Being Strong!

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“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus:  Being Strong!

“But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”
2 Chronicles 15:7 (NIV)

As we continue to grow in A Lifestyle of Prayer, it is important to remember prayer should be a lifestyle, not an event.  View prayer as your first priority, not as the last resort.  This week our prayer emphasis will focus on being strong according to God’s definition.  Throughout scripture God is constantly calling for His children to be strong — at times even commanding them to be strong and courageous.  The strength that God calls for doesn’t always look like the world’s definition of strength so we will pray about adopting God’s view of strength.  As you pray, look for ways that your life can show godly strength to the people around you.  Pray for the courage to live strong each day that God gives you.  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 God’s view of being strong and how that looks lived out 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:  Be Strong in Patience.  Pray that you would have strength and courage in the times that God calls you to wait.  Pray that your times of waiting would strengthen your trust in the Lord. “Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.”  Psalm 27:14 (NIV)

Tuesday:  Be Strong in Hope.  Pray that you would be strong in hope as you continually put your faith in God.  Pray that your life would help others to see a living hope that is found in a relationship with Jesus.  “Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.”  Psalm 31:24 (NIV)

Wednesday:  Be Strong to the End.  Pray that you would not become weary in doing good and that your strength in Christ would keep you to the end.  “He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Corinthians 1:8 (NIV)

Thursday:  Be Strong in Weakness.  Pray that  you would allow the strength of Christ to be seen in the midst of your weaknesses.  “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”  2 Corinthians 12:10 (NIV)

Friday:  Be Strong in the Lord.  Pray that you would find all of your strength in the Lord and live according to His mighty power.  Pray that the people around you would know your strength comes from the Lord.  “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.”  Ephesians 6:10 (NIV)

Saturday:  Be Strong in Grace.  Pray that you would experience and give grace according to the strength that is found in Jesus.  Pray that your strength would flow from the grace you have received from Christ.  “You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”  2 Timothy 2:1 (NIV)

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Lifestyle of Prayer: Hope

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“A Lifestyle of Prayer” 

 This week’s prayer focus: Hope!

“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)

“But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.  My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure.”
Psalm 71:14-15

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 on the hope that we have in Jesus Christ!  As you pray, pray that your life would reflect this hope to the people around you on a daily basis.  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 about each day’s specific focus on a characteristic of true Hope.  With that focus in mind, pray for yourself, your family, your friends, neighbors, and all the “one anothers” we’ve been praying for over the past year.  Thank you!

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

Monday: Hope of the Nations.  Pray that your hope remains in the name of Jesus.  Pray that the people of the nations would know the hope of Jesus.  “In his name the nations will put their hope.”  Matthew 12:21

Tuesday: Hope of the Resurrection.  Pray that you would always hold fast to the hope that you have because of the resurrection of Jesus.  “I stand on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead.”  Acts 23:6

Wednesday: Hope that doesn’t Disappoint.  Pray that all disappointment would be dispelled because of the hope  that you have through the love of God poured into your life.   “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”  Romans 5:5

Thursday: Overflowing Hope.  Pray that your life would overflow with joy and peace because of the hope of God’s Spirit within you.  “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”  Romans 15:13

Friday: Hope of an Inheritance.  Pray that you would clearly see  the incredible  hope that is yours through your inheritance as a child of God.   “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.”  Ephesians 1:18

Saturday:  Professed Hope.  Pray that you would always make the most of every opportunity to profess to others the hope you have In Jesus.  “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”  Hebrews 10:23