October 23, 2016 by Tom

Lifestyle of Prayer: Refuge!

“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus: Refuge!

“But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.”
Psalm 5:11-12 (NIV)

This week’s prayer focus is on the refuge we have available to us in Christ. Each day we will pray about some aspect of the refuge God has promised to be for those who draw near to Him. As we consider God as our refuge, we will also pray about how we should reflect His character by being a refuge for those in need. Throughout scripture God has given His people instruction to care for the foreigner, the alien, the stranger — the refugee, if you will — but he also calls for His people to seek Him for wisdom in knowing the difference between those in need and those being deceitful in their claims (i.e. Joshua 9). As you pray this week, trust God to be your refuge in all of your times of need as well as in your times of contentment. Pray that you would live in such a way that your life would show others the true value of seeking refuge in God. Pray that your compassion would outweigh your cynicism when it comes to providing refuge for those in need. Pray that God would fill you with wisdom that would be able to see truth.

“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 pray each day that your life would be lived in a way that takes refuge in God and shares that same refuge with those in need.

Sunday: Pray for your church staff, the preaching and teaching that takes place, the church leadership, the volunteers that are helping in so many areas, the spiritual and financial health of the congregation, and the work of the missions ministry of the church. Pray for me (Tom Lemler) and the work of Impact Prayer Ministry.

Monday: Refuge From Pursuers. Pray that you would recognize all forms of danger that pursue you. Pray that you would find refuge in God when that which pursues you tries to separate you from Him. “O LORD my God, I take refuge in you; save and deliver me from all who pursue me.” Psalm 7:1 (NIV)

Tuesday: Refuge From Oppression. Pray that you would be able to endure any oppression because of the refuge you have in God. Pray that you would be one who provides a refuge for those around you who are oppressed as you share with them about a God of refuge. “The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.” Psalm 9:9 (NIV)

Wednesday: Refuge From Shame. Pray that your relationship with God would be a refuge from shame as you live in righteousness. Pray that you would share a message of righteousness that would be a refuge from shame for others. “In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness.” Psalm 31:1 (NIV)

Thursday: Refuge From Condemnation. Pray that you would live as a servant of God who is redeemed from condemnation. Pray that you would not be one who condemns those who take refuge in God. “The LORD redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him.” Psalm 34:22 (NIV)

Friday: Refuge From the Wicked. Pray that you would be rescued from the wicked as you take refuge in God. Pray that the people around you would experience the refuge of God when the wicked come against them. “The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.” Psalm 37:40 (NIV)

Saturday: Refuge From Death. Pray that you would have confidence in the refuge you have from death that has been provided through Christ. Pray that you would proclaim the message of hope that God has provided a refuge from death. “When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down, but even in death the righteous have a refuge.” Proverbs 14:32 (NIV)

October 16, 2016 by Tom

Lifestyle of Prayer: Victory!

“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus: Victory!

“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
1 Corinthians 15:57-58 (NIV)

This week’s prayer focus is on not just the victory we have in Christ, but how we ought to live victorious lives each day. Living in a college town I do not have to follow sports to know if the local football team wins or loses on a particular weekend — the entire atmosphere of the area is different based on whether the fans feel part of something victorious or something defeated. But it’s not just in sports that our lives reflect our identification with being, or not being, victorious — most churches I visit give off a clear impression of whether the body as a whole feels victorious or defeated. Yes, there are losses that may be noticeable but they don’t have to define us. Loss of people. Loss of influence. Loss of finances. Loss of freedoms. Loss of peace. Loss of joy. The list could go on, but the point is that when we focus on the losses, we tend to forget that God has already declared us victorious and calls us to live like victors! As you pray, ask God to help you always remember the victory you have in Christ. Pray that you would live as one who has claimed the victory that God desires to give His children.

“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 pray each day that your life would be lived in a way that represents the victory you have in Christ.

Monday: Victory For the Faithful. Pray that you would cling to the victory that awaits those who walk in blameless ways. Pray that God would guard your path as you walk in faithfulness to Him. “He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.” Proverbs 2:7-8 (NIV)

Tuesday: Victory Through Wise Counsel. Pray that you would live victoriously because of the quality of counsel you surround yourself with. Pray that you would always seek advice from God first and be sure your human advisers give godly advice. “For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure.” Proverbs 11:14 (NIV)

Wednesday: Victory By the Lord. Pray that you would live with an understanding of where true victory comes from. Pray that your preparations for battle would always understand that it is the Lord who will be able to give victory. “The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD.” Proverbs 21:31(NIV)

Thursday: Victory For Justice. Pray that your hope for justice that prevails would rest fully in Jesus. Pray that your life would reflect the heart of Jesus as you seek victory for justice. “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory. In his name the nations will put their hope.” Matthew 12:20-21 (NIV)

Friday: Victory Over Death. Pray that you would live a life that reflects your knowledge that the power of death has been defeated. Pray that you would be able to grieve as one with great hope, knowing that the victory over death has been won by Jesus. “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 1 Corinthians 15:55 (NIV)

Saturday: Victory That Overcomes the World. Pray that you would live each day in with a faith that overcomes. Pray that the appearance of success in the world would not distract you from true victory that is found through faith in Christ. “Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” 1 John 5:4 (NIV)

October 9, 2016 by Tom

Lifestyle of Prayer: Prosperity!

“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus: Prosperity!

“Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways. You will eat the fruit of your labor;
blessings and prosperity will be yours.”
Psalm 128:1-2 (NIV)

This week’s prayer focus is on prosperity from God’s perspective. As with many things, it is difficult to find balance when you hear people, even Christians, talk about the topic of prosperity. I know Christians who believe that God desires to prosper them financially and it is only a lack of faith that would keep that from happening. I also know Christians who believe that God has called them to a vow of poverty and any accumulation of material possessions would be a sin. But what does God’s Word say? We actually find examples of each type of person in scripture but more importantly, we find God’s view of the prosperity He desires for us has a greater eternal perspective than we often pay attention to. As you pray, ask God to show you how He has already prospered you. Pray that you would fully seek the things of God and in so doing, you would have a prosperity that lasts for eternity.

“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 pray each day that your life would be filled with the qualities necessary for prosperity from God’s perspective.

Monday: Prosper Through Obedience. Pray that you would spend time knowing, and keeping, God’s commands. Pray that you would prosper in obedience to Him. “My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.” Proverbs 3:1-2 (NIV)

Tuesday: Prosper Through Generosity. Ask God to give you a heart of generosity that notices, and responds to, the needs of others. Pray that you would experience the generosity of God, and others, in your times of need. “A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.” Proverbs 11:25 (NIV)

Wednesday: Prosper Through Righteousness. Pray that you would pursue a righteousness in Christ that leads to an eternal prosperity. Pray that you would pursue righteousness above any temporary prosperity. “Misfortune pursues the sinner, but prosperity is the reward of the righteous.” Proverbs 13:21 (NIV)

Thursday: Prosper Through Instruction. Pray that you would be one who listens to godly instruction. Pray that you would trust in the Lord to prosper you in the correct way as you follow His instruction. “Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.” Proverbs 16:20 (NIV)

Friday: Prosper Through Understanding. Ask God to fill you with the wisdom that He promises to give. Pray that He would give you the understanding necessary to use wisdom well. Pray that your love of wisdom and understanding will give you God’s view of prosperity. “He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; he who cherishes understanding prospers.” Proverbs 19:8 (NIV)

Saturday: Prosper Through Contentment. Pray that you would learn to be content as you trust God to provide your greatest needs. Pray that you would seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness as you trust Him to bring a proper prosperity to your life. “A greedy man stirs up dissension, but he who trusts in the LORD will prosper.” Proverbs 28:25 (NIV)

October 2, 2016 by Tom

Lifestyle of Prayer: Endurance!

“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus: Endurance!

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:1-2 (NASB)

This week’s prayer focus is on endurance. Jesus is not only the author and perfecter of our faith, He set the example of enduring all things because something better was coming. God has surrounded us with faithful witnesses who have shown us how to live life with endurance. Endurance as we journey through this life is a big deal because Jesus has said it is those who are faithful to the end who will receive the crown of life. As we grow in endurance, God has not only given us an example but has given us the tools necessary to endure with great faith. As you pray, ask God to give you all that you need to endure whatever your day brings. Pray that your faithful endurance would lead you in paths of righteousness.

“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 that you would be filled with the endurance that God desires for you.

Monday: An Enduring Fear of the Lord. Pray that you would always hold fast to a healthy fear of the Lord. Pray that a proper fear of the Lord would lead you to follow God’s commands. “The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous.” Psalm 19:9 (NIV)

Tuesday: An Enduring Inheritance. Pray that you would keep your mind and eyes focused on the inheritance that awaits those who belong to God. Pray that your blameless walk would lead you to an enduring inheritance. “The days of the blameless are known to the LORD, and their inheritance will endure forever.” Psalm 37:18 (NIV)

Wednesday: Trusting Endurance. Pray that your trust of God would endure through all things. Pray that your faith would not be shaken by the troubles which you face in this world. “Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.” Psalm 125:1 (NIV)

Thursday: Truthful Endurance. Pray that your words and life would speak truth which endures forever. Pray that you would reject the temptation of momentary untruthfulness. “Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.” Proverbs 12:19 (NIV)

Friday: Hope-Filled Endurance. Pray that you would work with endurance because of your hope in Christ. Pray that you would remember and honor those who have lived lives of hope-filled endurance through their faith. “We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 1:3 (NIV)

Saturday: Patient Endurance. Pray that your obedience to God’s commands would help you learn to endure patiently as you wait for the day of Christ’s return. Pray that your faithfulness would fill you with a patient endurance as you serve others. “This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God’s commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.” Revelation 14:12 (NIV)

September 25, 2016 by Tom

Lifestyle of Prayer: Perfection!

“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus: Perfection!

“Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.”
2 Corinthians 13:11 (NIV)

This week’s prayer focus in on perfection — not that we have already obtained it, but that we are being made perfect in Christ! While we are often told that perfection is not a reasonable goal, that is only true when we allow mankind to define perfection rather than God. When God defines perfection; it is not only a reasonable goal, it is a goal each believer must keep in view as they press on. Perfection from God’s view is that each of us would become more and more like Christ in all we do and say. As you pray this week, ask God to help you see perfection from His point of view rather than the world’s. Pray that you would not become weary in the process of becoming perfect. Pray that your pursuit of Godly perfection would be done in complete humility and not become a stumbling block of pride.

“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 aspect of living a life of perfection that honors God in everything you do.

Monday: A Perfect Way. Pray that God would give you the strength to walk in a perfect way each day. Pray that the people around you would see Christ in you by the way you live. “It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.” Psalm 18:32 (NIV)

Tuesday: A Perfect Law. Pray that you would view God’s law as being perfect in all situations. Pray that your pursuit of living according to God’s perfect law would refresh your soul. “The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.” Psalm 19:7 (NIV)

Wednesday: A Perfect Peace. Pray that God would give you a perfect peace in all circumstances as you hold fast to Him. Pray that you would learn to trust God in all things as He fills you with a peace that surpasses understanding. “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3 (NIV)

Thursday: A Perfect Example. Pray that you would always look to God as the only perfect example of being perfect. Pray that your faith would help you believe that God’s command to be perfect is something that can be done. “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:48 (NIV)

Friday: A Perfect Unity. Pray that the love of God within you would draw together all good things in perfect unity. Pray that your love for others will keep all of the Godly characteristics within you working in unity. “And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Colossians 3:14 (NIV)

Saturday: A Perfect Gift. Pray that you would recognize, and honor, the true source of every perfect gift. Pray that you would recognize life, your life and the lives of others, as being a perfect gift that has come from above. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17 (NIV)

September 18, 2016 by Tom

Lifestyle of Prayer: Humility!

“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus: Humility!

“Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land,
you who do what he commands.
Seek righteousness, seek humility;
perhaps you will be sheltered
on the day of the LORD’s anger.”
Zephaniah 2:3 (NIV)

This week’s prayer focus in on the humility that God calls us to have as His children. Throughout scripture, God calls us to humble ourselves and to live in humility with one another. When we voluntarily humble ourselves, God promises to lift us up in ways that we could never do on our own. True humility is not thinking less of ourselves than we ought to, but it is thinking of ourselves according to our relationship with God. When we have an accurate view of God and how we relate to Him as His children, we can then have an accurate view of ourselves and of others. As you pray, ask God to help remove all traces of pride from your life so that you can live in complete humility. Pray that you would daily humble yourself as you ought and allow God to lift you up to the position He has created for you.

“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 living with a humility that honors God in everything you do.

Monday: Humility that Leads to Honor. Pray that you would seek humility that leads to honor rather than seeking honor for yourself. Pray that a fear of the Lord would give you the wisdom needed to humble yourself before God. “The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor.” Proverbs 15:33 (NIV)

Tuesday: Serve with Humility. Pray that you would serve the Lord with humility in everything you do. Pray that your humility would carry you through any testing that you face. “I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews.” Acts 20:19 (NIV)

Wednesday: Unselfish Humility. Pray that humility would drive selfishness far from you. Pray that your view of others would be positive because of your life of humility. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3 (NIV)

Thursday: Humility that Brings Wisdom. Pray that you would seek to live with a humility that brings wisdom. Pray that God would fill you with the desire to reject all forms of pride as you live a life of humility. “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” Proverbs 11:2 (NIV)

Friday: Humility that Comes from Wisdom. Pray that godly wisdom would lead you to doing good deeds in humility. Pray that others would see godly wisdom in your life by the way you live with humility. “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.” James 3:13 (NIV)

Saturday: Humility with One Another. Pray that you would live with humility in your relationships with others. Pray that you would put on humility each day in order to receive grace from God. “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)

September 11, 2016 by Tom

Lifestyle of Prayer: Don’t Give Up!

“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus: Don’t Give Up!

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”
James 1:12 (NIV)

While Jesus did say that whoever does not give up everything he has cannot be His disciple, there are “things” that the Bible tells us not to give up. Our prayer focus this week will look at some of those things that we are to hold on to as we continue our journey in life. As we choose to give up everything that is about self as we surrender to Jesus, we also hold fast to everything that is Jesus in our life. God calls us to a life of faithfulness which means we live in a constant pursuit of Him without ever giving up. So, while we give up every selfish desire and everything that is not of God, we hold fast to all that is good and everything that God puts within us for our benefit and for the benefit of others. As you pray, ask God to embolden you by His Spirit to surrender everything of you to Him and to hold fast to everything of Him that is in you.

“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)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you in pursuing Him without giving up.

Monday: Don’t Give Up on God. Pray that you would hold fast to God and His Word, even when the nation around you seems to have forgotten and/or rejected them. Pray that you would not give up on doing the work of God that He has called you to. “For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach and without the law. But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.” 2 Chronicles 15:3,7 (NIV)

Tuesday: Don’t Give Up Praying. Ask God to help you to pray when you feel like giving up. Pray that you would be faithful in going to God in prayer in all times and about all things. “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” Luke 18:1 (NIV)

Wednesday: Don’t Give Up Doing Good. Pray that you would always do good as a reflection of God’s goodness in you. Pray that you would turn to God for His refreshing when you begin to feel weary. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9 (NIV)

Thursday: Don’t Give Up on Godly Doctrine. Pray that you would pay attention to how you live and not give up on sound doctrine. Pray that you would never give up on sharing your life, and the sound doctrine you live, with others. “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” 1 Timothy 4:16 (NIV)

Friday: Don’t Give Up Meeting Together. Pray that you would be an encourager as you remain faithful in meeting with other believers. Pray that you would look for opportunities to meet together with others, both to be encouraged and to encourage them. “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25 (NIV)

Saturday: Don’t Give Up on God’s Will. Pray that you would remain faithful in doing the things scripture teaches are the will of God. Pray that the promises of God would help you remain committed to doing His will. “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” Hebrews 10:36 (NIV)

September 4, 2016 by Tom

Lifestyle of Prayer: Working For The Lord!

“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus: Working For The Lord!

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)

This week’s prayer focus will be about our need to work — but not just a need to work, a need to work for the Lord. When we are in the midst of the daily grind of life, it is easy to lose sight of who we’re really working for. Or perhaps we lose sight because we’ve never given thought that we might be working for someone other than our boss or the company that issues the paycheck. God calls us to consider everything we do as working for Him. Because we’re working for Him, there ought to be a wholehearted effort put into our work. As you pray, ask God to help you see how to do your daily work for Him. Pray that you would keep your eyes and mind focused on the eternal reward that awaits you, even as you earn the temporary reward of a paycheck. Pray that the volunteer work you do would be done with excellence as you do it for the Lord.

“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)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you accomplish all of your work, knowing that it is for Him you labor.

Monday: Required Work. Pray that you would not lose sight of God’s requirement of belief in Jesus. Pray that the people around you would understand the importance of believing in Jesus. “Then they asked him, ‘What must we do to do the works God requires?’ Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.'” John 6:28-29 (NIV)

Tuesday: Helpful Work. Pray that you would see the value of helping the weak. Pray that the people around you would see by your example the great blessing of giving. “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'” Acts 20:35 (NIV)

Wednesday: Tested Work. Pray that you would pay close attention to what your life is being built with. Pray that the people around you would come to know work that stands up to the testing of God. “His work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. 1 Corinthians 3:13 (NIV)

Thursday: Effective Work. Pray that you would not give up on effective work. Pray that the people around you would come to know Jesus because of the effective work you are doing. “But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.” 1 Corinthians 16:8-9 (NIV)

Friday: Powerful Work. Pray for the humility to allow God’s power to work in you. Pray that the people around you today would recognize the powerful work of God as they see His work in you. “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” Ephesians 3:20 (NIV)

Saturday: Good Work. Pray that you would be a student of God’s Word so that you are prepared for the good work He desires for you to do. Pray that the people around you see God’s Word at work in you. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

August 28, 2016 by Tom

Lifestyle of Prayer: Honesty!

“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus: Honesty!

“Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares. If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city. Although they say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ still they are swearing falsely.”
Jeremiah 5:1-2 (NIV)

This week’s prayer guide will focus on some aspects of honesty that God expects us to have as His children. While Jesus taught us to “let our yes be yes and our no be no”, we have become very good at justifying why our promises are not absolutes. Daily, we hear huge sweeping promises from politicians that we know have no ability or intention to keep them and we’ve learned to shrug it off and say, “That’s just the way they talk.” Unfortunately, it is not just politicians. God’s people have become very good at saying whatever it takes to gain support for their particular project while feeling no commitment to following through with the content of their words. Honesty is vital, because without it we will never realize the need we have for a Savior. It is also vital because it is the foundation for which trust is built not only among believers, but between believers and non-believers. As you pray, ask God to fill you with a desire for honesty and a conviction in the situations where you are less than honest.

“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)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you live a life of honesty that is a blessing to others.

Monday: Honesty in Measurements. Pray that you would be honest and impartial in your dealings with others. Pray that God would help you to see, and change, any areas where you deal differently with people because of who they are. “You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.” Deuteronomy 25:15 (NIV)

Tuesday: Honesty with Finances. Pray that you would have complete integrity as a steward of the King’s resources. Pray that your honesty in managing finances would lead others to trust you. “They did not require an accounting from those to whom they gave the money to pay the workers, because they acted with complete honesty.” 2 Kings 12:15 (NIV)

Wednesday: Honesty of Intentions. Pray that your honesty would be deeper than appearances as you live with honest intentions. Pray that you would never have a pretense of honesty simply for your own gain. “I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things have I given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you.” 1 Chronicles 29:17 (NIV)

Thursday: Honesty in our Testimony. Pray that you would be honest in the words you speak about others. Pray that the testimony you share about Christ in your life would be an honest portrayal of His power to transform. “A truthful witness gives honest testimony, but a false witness tells lies.” Proverbs 12:17 (NIV)

Friday: Honesty in our Words. Pray that you would be honest in the words you speak to others. Pray that your honesty would be shared in a way that brings value to those who hear your words. “Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value a man who speaks the truth.” Proverbs 16:13 (NIV)

Saturday: Honesty in our Answers. Pray that you would always give honest, and loving, answers to the questions you are asked. Pray for the wisdom to be able to not give an answer when no one is asking for one. Pray for the courage to give answers that are honest even when it is awkward. “An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.” Proverbs 24:26 (NIV)

August 21, 2016 by Tom

Lifestyle of Prayer: Inheritance!

“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus: Inheritance!

“He said to me: ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.’”
Revelation 21:6-7 (NIV)

This week’s prayer guide will focus on some aspects of the inheritance we have as children of God. While the word “inheritance” makes most people first think of money and possessions, as God’s children we have an inheritance that is greater than what any amount of money could buy. Just as so much of who we are and how we live is inherited from our parents, our true identity in the heavenly realm is inherited from a Father who loves us. As you pray, ask God to help you live according to the inheritance you have in Christ. Pray that you would understand that, while free to you, the cost of your inheritance was the blood of Jesus. Pray that you would share your inheritance as freely as you have received it. Pray that your inheritance in Christ would have more value to you than any other inheritance you may receive. 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)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you use the inheritance you have in Christ as a blessing to others.

Monday: An Inheritance of God’s Kingdom. Pray that your treatment of “the least of these” around you today would cause the King to welcome you to the kingdom. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.’” Matthew 25:34 (NIV)

Tuesday: An Inheritance that is Guaranteed. Pray that the presence of God’s Spirit within you would give you assurance of the guarantee God has made regarding your inheritance. “Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession — to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:13-14 (NIV)

Wednesday: An Inheritance from the Lord. Pray that you would be diligent about the work you do as you look to God for His reward as you serve Him. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)

Thursday: An Inheritance of Salvation. Pray that you would live with an awareness of how you may “entertain angels unaware” and of how they minister to you. Pray that their presence would remind you of the salvation you have inherited through Jesus. “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” Hebrews 1:14 (NIV)

Friday: An Inheritance that Lasts. Pray that you would live with the knowledge that your inheritance from God is one that will remain for eternity. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade — kept in heaven for you.” 1 Peter 1:4 (NIV)

Saturday: An Inheritance of Blessing. Pray that you would be a blessing to others, especially those who mistreat you, as you inherit a blessing from God. “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.” 1 Peter 3:9 (NIV)