“A Lifestyle of Prayer”
This week’s prayer focus: The Goodness of Justice!
“Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
Micah 6:7-8 (NIV)
As we pause this week to remember the life of Dr Martin Luther King Jr, we will spend time praying about the goodness of God’s justice. As we remember a pursuit of equality with liberty and justice for all, we recognize that this way of life was first God’s calling for all of us. God’s idea of justice is to make things right between us and Him and between us and one another. As you pray this week, ask God to help you see any areas of injustice that you have contributed to or allowed to continue by not acting or speaking out. Pray that you would walk in humility as you “do justice” because it is good and pleases God. Pray for the courage to stand alone if necessary in order to maintain justice. Please continue to pray for one another in the midst of these confusing and changing times. Pray for discernment and wisdom to see beyond and through the divisiveness of this world so that you would love others as God loves both you and them.
January Prayer Focus: “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ.” Philippians 1:9-10 (NIV)
“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 for God to help you know, and share, the goodness of His justice.
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: Justice Which Brings Blessing. Pray that you would know and share the blessing of maintaining true justice. Pray that you would look to God to know what is right, and ask Him to give you the courage to consistently do it. Pray that the people around you would know the goodness of justice through the blessings it brings. “Blessed are they who maintain justice, who constantly do what is right.” Psalm 106:3 (NIV)
Tuesday: Justice As a Light To the Nations. Pray that you would live and practice a justice that is based on God’s Word. Pray that your sharing in the justice of God would lift His light to all those around you. Pray that you would share the true justice that is found in God’s Word. “Listen to me, my people; hear me, my nation: The law will go out from me; my justice will become a light to the nations.” Isaiah 51:4 (NIV)
Wednesday: Justice That Does Not Fail. Pray that you would never tire of doing what is right and just. Pray that you would be involved in helping godly justice flow continually like a mighty river. Pray that the people around you would know of God’s unending justice because they see it represented in you. “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” Amos 5:24 (NIV)
Thursday: Justice With Mercy and Compassion. Pray that your administration of justice would be true and right as you use mercy and compassion as guides to how you treat others. Pray that your motives would be pure as you seek true justice above any desire for revenge. “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.’” Zechariah 7:9 (NIV)
Friday: Justice For Those Who Cry Out to God. Pray that you would experience the justice which comes from God as you live as one chosen by Him. Pray that you would be available to God for the purpose of providing justice to those around you who continually cry out to Him. “And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?” Luke 18:7 (NIV)
Saturday: Justice In God’s Judgment. Pray that you would be prepared for the justice found on the day of judgment. Pray that your relationship with Christ has made you ready for His judgment. Pray that you would know the certainty of God’s justice made sure by the resurrection of Christ. “For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17:31 (NIV)