“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

 This week’s prayer focus:  Obey!

“But Samuel replied:  ‘Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.’”
1 Samuel 15:22  (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 some things that God says about obedience.  It seems that having excuses for not obeying is nothing new.  King Saul used the excuse that worshipping God was somehow more important than obeying  God — God didn’t agree.  Pray that you would live a life that sees to be obedient to God.  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: Teach Obedience.  Pray that you would be a faithful disciple of Jesus in the way you teach others to obey all He commanded.  “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)

Tuesday: Blessing from Obedience.  Pray that you would always listen to the word of God with a desire to obey what He says.  Pray that you would be a blessing to others because of your obedience to the word of God.  “He replied, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.’”  Luke 11:28 (NIV)

Wednesday: Holy Spirit for those who Obey.  Pray that you would recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life through your obedience to God.  Pray that the people around you would know God’s presence in them through their obedience.  “We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”  Acts 5:32 (NIV)

Thursday: Obey Parents.  Pray that you would be faithful in honoring and obeying your parents — regardless of your age or theirs.  Pray that the people around you would understand how much it pleases God for them to be obedient to their parents.  “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.”  Colossians 3:20 (NIV)

Friday: Obey Leaders.  Pray that you would obey the leaders that God has placed in positions of authority over you.  “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.”  Hebrews 13:17 (NIV)

Saturday:  Obey God’s Commands to Express Love.  Pray that your love for God would always be expressed in your willingness to obey Him.  “This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.”  1 John 5:3 (NIV)