“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus:  Truthful Testimony!

“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”
Deuteronomy 5:20 (NIV)

“This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.'”
Zechariah 7:9 (NIV)

This week we will focus our prayer time on God’s command to not give false testimony!  I believe that at the heart of this command is God’s desire for us to be truthful with one another and truthful about one another.  We live in a time where it seems so many people and groups go to great lengths in attempts to expose “wrongdoing” by others with little concern for facts and how their accusations impact lives that may be innocent.  As you pray this week, ask God to help you examine how you use your testimony about others and about Him.  Pray that your words about others would be both truthful and loving and that your witness for Christ would give an honest representation of Him.  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, and writing down, how God would have you live out that day’s aspect of prayer.

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:  Devoted Interactions.  Pray that your devotion to one another would help you to always be truthful in your testimony about them and in your witness of Christ to them.  “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.”  Romans 12:10 (NIV)

Tuesday:  Instructional Testimony.  Pray that you would allow God’s Spirit to fill you with knowledge and truth as you instruct others.  “I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another.”  Romans 15:14 (NIV)

Wednesday:  Unifying Testimony.  Pray that your testimony about others would lead to a greater unity and agreement among fellow believers.  “I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.”  1 Corinthians 1:10 (NIV)

Thursday:  Forgiving Testimony.  Pray that you would be filled with a forgiving spirit and attitude to help you not speak falsely about others.  “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”  Colossians 3:13 (NIV)

Friday:  Sympathetic and Harmonious Testimony.  Pray that you would seek a greater understanding of others in order to be sympathetic rather than condemning in your testimony about them with a goal of harmony among people.  “Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.”  1 Peter 3:8 (NIV)

Saturday:  Humble Testimony.   Pray that you would be filled with humility as you have opportunity to speak about others and about God.  “Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'”  1 Peter 5:5 (NIV)