October 20, 2019 by Tom

Lifestyle of Prayer: Doing God’s Will (Week One)!

“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus: Doing God’s Will (Week One)!

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Romans 12:2

This week will be the first of two weeks that our prayer focus will be on not just knowing God’s will, but actually doing it. It seems that whenever the topic of God’s will comes up in a group of any size, it invariably centers around an uncertainty of knowing God’s will. It becomes so easy to get caught up in the things we don’t know that we fail to do what is known. Over these next two weeks we will be praying about how we will do some things that God clearly says is His will. As you pray this week, ask God to help you to do the good you know you ought to do. Pray that you would be faithful to God’s Word as you walk through the mysteries of life. Pray for the courage to not let what you don’t know keep you from doing what you know is right. Pray that your daily walk with God will transform your heart and mind so you will accurately test and know His perfect will. Pray for a spirit of unity among brothers and sisters in Christ as we grow in our love for one another. Pray each day for the individuals of your congregation and for the body of Christ as a whole.

“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 understand and do His will.

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 the work of Impact Prayer Ministry.

Monday: Choose God’s Will. Pray that you would choose to do God’s will as you examine the teaching of Jesus. Pray that the teaching you receive from others would be according to God’s Word and that you would test the words of people in order to choose what is right. “If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.” John 7:17

Tuesday: Proclaim God’s Will. Pray that God’s Spirit would give you the boldness to proclaim the will of God. Pray that you would examine the scriptures daily to know the certainty of the truth you proclaim. Pray for peace to replace the fear that keeps you from fully proclaiming the will of God. “For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.” Acts 20:27

Wednesday: Pray by God’s Will. Pray with thanksgiving for a Spirit who intercedes through our prayers according to God’s will. Pray that a searching of your heart by God would reveal a presence of His Spirit and a desire to do His will. “And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.” Romans 8:27

Thursday: Give by God’s Will. Pray that your giving of yourself to God and to others would be done in keeping with the will of God. Pray for a heart of generosity that comes through a life fully surrendered to God and a desire to do His will. “And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will.” 2 Corinthians 8:5

Friday: Rescued by God’s Will. Pray with gratitude and rejoicing that it has been God’s will to rescue you from sin and the present evil age. Pray about how you will carry the message of God’s rescue to others. “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.” Galatians 1:3-4

Saturday: Obedience as God’s Will. Pray that your obedience to those over you would be done in the same way as you obey God according to His will. Pray for the integrity to live a life of obedience no matter who is or isn’t watching. Pray that your obedience will help others see Jesus. “Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.” Ephesians 6:6

October 13, 2019 by Tom

Lifestyle of Prayer: Growing In Fellowship!

“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus: Growing In Fellowship!

“We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.”
1 John 1:3 (NIV)

Our prayer emphasis this week will focus on growing in fellowship. While most Christians are aware of God’s desire that we have fellowship with Him and with one another, we often leave growing in that fellowship to chance with little training or practice in the things that would draw us together. As you pray this week, talk with God about how your fellowship with Him can grow. Pray that you would desire a greater fellowship with God as the foundation of all of your other relationships. Pray that you would grow in both the desire and practice of living in fellowship with those who share your faith in God. Pray that the fellowship you experience with other believers would attract others to pursuing God and having fellowship with Him. Pray that your fellowship with Christ, and with one another, would prepare you for an eternal fellowship. Pray for a spirit of unity among brothers and sisters in Christ as we grow in our love for one another. Pray each day for the individuals of your congregation and for the body of Christ as a whole.

“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 grow in fellowship with Him and with the people around you.

Monday: Fellowship In Worship. Pray that you would know and practice the things which are important as you gather with others to worship God. Pray that your devotion to God would be reflected in the things you are devoted to doing as you worship. “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2:42 (NIV)

Tuesday: Fellowship With a Faithful God. Pray that you would know the faithfulness of a God who calls you into fellowship with Himself. Pray that you, and those around you, would respond faithfully to the calling of God to join with Him in fellowship through His Son, Jesus Christ. “God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.” 1 Corinthians 1:9 (NIV)

Wednesday: Fellowship Through the Holy Spirit. Pray that you would live with an awareness of God’s Spirit living in fellowship with you each day. Pray that you would allow the working of the Holy Spirit to bring you into greater fellowship with God and with one another. “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” 2 Corinthians 13:14 (NIV)

Thursday: Fellowship Of Grace. Pray that you would realize the grace offered to you by God, and by others, as they accepted you into fellowship. Pray that you would trust God’s grace to work in the lives of others as you join them in fellowship and make them feel welcome. “James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me.” Galatians 2:9 (NIV)

Friday: Fellowship Of Suffering. Pray that you would know the value of joining in the fellowship of Christ’s suffering. Pray that a fellowship in the suffering of Christ would keep you aware of the sufferings of others. “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Philippians 3:10-11 (NIV)

Saturday: Fellowship With One Another. Pray that you would know fellowship with others as you walk together in the light of Jesus. Pray about how the complete cleansing of sin by Jesus should bring you into fellowship with one another. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7 (NIV)

October 6, 2019 by Tom

Lifestyle of Prayer: Chosen By God!

“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus: Chosen By God!

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
Colossians 3:12-13 (NIV)

Our prayer emphasis this week will focus on living as one chosen by God. If you are wondering if that is you, the answer is yes! God has chosen all as He issues the invitation to come to Him through His Son, Jesus Christ. It is up to each one of us to decide if we will accept His choosing, or reject it. While we do nothing to earn being chosen by God, our response to God’s choosing ought to result in a transformed life that exhibits growing characteristics that represent Jesus well. As you pray this week, be thankful that you have been chosen by God. Pray that you would grow in your desire and practice of “being dressed” like Christ. Pray that your practice of putting on the things of Christ would help you get along with others. Pray for the courage to live as one called by God as you represent Jesus in a world that desperately needs to see and know Him. Pray for a spirit of unity among brothers and sisters in Christ as we grow in our love for one another. Pray each day for the individuals of your congregation and for the body of Christ as a whole.

“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 live as one who has been chosen by Him.

Monday: Chosen To Be Compassionate. Pray that God’s compassion toward you would lead you to have compassion for others. Pray that you would live as one chosen by God to be compassionate to everyone who chooses to return home to God. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” Luke 15:20 (NIV)

Tuesday: Chosen To Be Kind. Pray that the Lord’s kindness to you would be your example in how you treat others. Pray for the courage to treat others with kindness, especially when you disagree. Pray that a practice of kindness would guide how you instruct others. “And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.” 2 Timothy 2:24 (NIV)

Wednesday: Chosen To Be Humble. Pray that God would help you to accurately examine your motives. Pray for the humility that considers others to be better than yourself. Pray that you would represent God well as you reflect the humility that has been shown to us by Jesus. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3 (NIV)

Thursday: Chosen To Be Gentle. Pray that being chosen by God would lead you to a life of gentleness. Pray that you would grow in gentleness as you grow in your relationship with God. Pray that the people around you would see God at work in your life as you live with a gentleness that is obvious to all. “Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” Philippians 4:5 (NIV)

Friday: Chosen To Be Patient. Pray for God’s help in overcoming the human frustrations that accompany dealing with people . . .including yourself. Pray that you would learn to be patient with everyone, especially those who are struggling in their life. “And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” 1 Thessalonians 5:14 (NIV)

Saturday: Chosen To Be Forgiving. Pray that you would live each day with an awareness of the forgiveness you have in Christ. Pray that God’s grace extended toward you would lead you to be a person who forgives others. Pray that you would know the freedom that comes through forgiving and being forgiven. “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)

September 29, 2019 by Tom

Lifestyle of Prayer: Better Things!

“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus: Better Things!

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:41-42 (NIV)

Our prayer emphasis this week will focus on pursuing better things. For me, this story of Mary and Martha serves as a consistent reminder to choose what is better when life has me “worried and upset about many things”. It doesn’t necessarily take bad things to distract us from that which is better — it just takes busy things. The better things God desires for you will always revolve around knowing Christ and making Him known. As you pray this week, ask God to help you examine how distracted you are. Pray that you would be accurate in your evaluation of what keeps you from the better things. Pray for the courage to set aside unnecessary good things that have become a distraction from the better things. Pray for wisdom in doing the good things God has called you to while not losing your pursuit of the better things. Pray that you would be one who encourages others in their pursuit of God. Pray for a spirit of unity among brothers and sisters in Christ as we grow in our love for one another. Pray each day for the individuals of your congregation and for the body of Christ as a whole.

“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 pursue the better things He has for those who are His.

Monday: Better Knowledge. Pray for the wisdom to pursue God in a way that gives you a better knowledge of Him, not just a knowledge about Him. Pray that knowing Christ more fully would be a daily “better thing” that you pursue. “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” Ephesians 1:17 (NIV)

Tuesday: Better Attitude. Pray that God would help you examine your attitude toward others — all others. Pray for the courage to look out for the needs of others above your own as you choose to live with a better attitude — the attitude of Christ. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3 (NIV)

Wednesday: Better Hope. Pray for God’s help in seeing and understanding the various things that drive the hope that you live with. Pray that you would exchange all of the lesser things of hope for the better hope found by drawing near to God. “The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.” Hebrews 7:18-19 (NIV)

Thursday: Better Promises. Pray that your life would always be built on the better promises which come from Jesus. Pray that your reliance on the better promises of Jesus would result in better promises by you to others. “But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.” Hebrews 8:5 (NIV)

Friday: Better Country. Pray that you would never lose sight of the better country to which you have been called. Pray that your life would help others see, and know, a country better than any on earth awaits those who belong to God. “They were longing for a better country — a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.” Hebrews 11:16 (NIV)

Saturday: Better Suffering. In a world full of trouble, pray that the suffering you experience would not be the result of evil done by you. Pray that you would learn a “better suffering” that comes from doing the good God has called you to even when the world around you disapproves. “It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.” 1 Peter 3:17 (NIV)

September 22, 2019 by Tom

Lifestyle of Prayer: Revelation Blessings!

“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus: Revelation Blessings!

“Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near. ”
Revelation 1:3 (NIV)

Our prayer emphasis this week will focus on some blessings that can be ours if we take to heart the message God has given us in the book of Revelation. As with any book, starting at the beginning facilitates a better understanding of what comes in later chapters. In the opening of this book, God declares a blessing to those who read the words of Revelation and He expands that blessing in the lives of those who absorb the words and take them to heart. We do this by living according to what is written. As you pray this week, ask God to help you look for the promised blessings in the midst of His Word. Pray that you would understand the times in which we live as you seek to share the blessings of Christ with others. Pray about how you present God’s Word to others — both in the way you speak and in the way you live. Pray that you would not become distracted from the promised blessings of God by things you don’t understand. Pray that the people around you would turn to God and receive His blessings. Pray for a spirit of unity among brothers and sisters in Christ as we grow in our love for one another. Pray each day for the individuals of your congregation and for the body of Christ as a whole.

“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 the blessings that belong to those who read and practice His Word.

Monday: Blessed For Eternity. Pray that you would know the comfort of God’s blessing as He gives rest to the faithful. Pray that you would be found in Christ when your life on earth ends. “Then I heard a voice from heaven say, ‘Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.’” Revelation 14:13 (NIV)

Tuesday: Blessed By Being Ready. Pray that you would live with an awareness of the impending return of Jesus. Pray that you would live life each day clothed with a readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. “Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed.” Revelation 16:15 (NIV)

Wednesday: Blessed To Be Invited. Pray that you would realize the blessing that comes through the invitation of God to all who would respond. Pray that you would share the true words of God as you share His invitation with others. “Then the angel said to me, ‘Write: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’ And he added, ‘These are the true words of God.’” Revelation 19:9 (NIV)

Thursday: Blessed By Christ’s Resurrection. Pray that you would know the blessing that was accomplished through the resurrection of Jesus. Pray that you would live a resurrected life in the holiness that God desires. “Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.” Revelation 20:6 (NIV)

Friday: Blessed By Obedience. Pray that an expectation of the return of Jesus would increase your desire to be obedient to His Word. Pray that God would help you know and understand His Word as you seek to do what He says. “Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book.” Revelation 22:7 (NIV)

Saturday: Blessed By Being Cleansed. Pray that you would live as one whose life has been cleansed from the stains of sin by the blood of Jesus. Pray that you would recognize the filth of this world and the cleansing that is needed each day. “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.” Revelation 22:14 (NIV)

September 15, 2019 by Tom

Lifestyle of Prayer: A Place To Belong!

“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus: A Place To Belong!

“Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’”
Matthew 19:14 (NIV)

Our prayer emphasis this week will focus on having a place where we belong. Most of us have times in our life when we struggle with feelings of not fitting in or knowing where we belong. The enemy is good at creating division and feelings of exclusion, but God has a lot to say about where we belong as His children. To all who feel pushed aside and excluded by those who feel they are more important, Jesus calls us to come to Him as a little child and know that we belong in His kingdom. As you pray his week, pray that your sense of belonging would be restored and refreshed as you approach God with the heart and faith of a child. Pray about how you view others, especially those who are different from you in some way, and ask God to help you value the way He has made them. Pray that God would use you to help others know that they too belong. Pray that the church gathering you participate in would always be a place where all who approach God as a little child can belong. Pray for a spirit of unity among brothers and sisters in Christ as we grow in our love for one another. Pray each day for the individuals of your congregation and for the body of Christ as a whole.

“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 live as one who belongs and to accept others as those who belong.

Monday: Belong to Jesus Christ. Pray that you would recognize the value you have as one who has been called to belong to Jesus. Pray that the people around you would know you as one who belongs to Christ. Pray for the courage to help others have a desire to belong to Jesus. “And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.” Romans 1:6 (NIV)

Tuesday: Belong to One Another. Pray that you would live as a valuable part of the body of Christ as you belong to one another. Pray that you would value others as a member of the body you are a part of. Pray for the humility needed to practice this reciprocal belonging to one another. “So in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” Romans 12:5

Wednesday: Belong to the Lord. Pray that your life would be lived for the Lord in all that you do. Pray that the people around you would know you as one who belongs to the Lord. Pray for the wisdom to help other see how they can belong to the Lord. “If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.” Romans 14:8 (NIV)

Thursday: Belong to the Day. Pray that your actions would express to others that you belong to the day because you have put aside the deeds of darkness. Pray that the people around you would know you as one who is self-controlled. “But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.” 1 Thessalonians 5:8 (NIV)

Friday: Belong to God. Pray that you would declare the praises of God as you live as one who has been chosen to belong to Him. Pray that the people around you would hear from you how belonging to God has transformed your life. “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9 (NIV)

Saturday: Belong to the Truth. Pray that your heart would be at rest as you belong to the truth. Pray that the people around you would know rest through an acceptance of the truth. Pray for discernment to share truth in ways that help others find peace and rest in Christ. “This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence.” 1 John 3:19 (NIV)

September 8, 2019 by Tom

Lifestyle of Prayer: The Church!

“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus: The Church!

“To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ — their Lord and ours.”
1 Corinthians 1:2 (NIV)

This week’s prayer guide will be focused on praying for the church. As Paul writes to the Corinthians, he defines the church as being the people who have been set apart in Christ Jesus for a life of holiness. When the New Testament writers mention the church it is done in both the context of a local gathering of believers and also as the bride of Christ encompassing all who are in Christ world-wide. How we live as the church locally will generally determine how we see the church globally. As you pray this week, ask God to help you grow in a desire to see the church become what He wants. Pray that you would understand that He is the one that adds each member to the body, meaning they all have value and belong. Pray for the courage and humility needed to set aside your plans for the church in order to hear and follow God’s plans. Pray about how you represent Christ to others within the church so that together your witness to the world would be untarnished. Pray that “your church” would become Christ’s church and in doing so would consider the needs of all generations, races, income levels, and any other groups the world wants to divide us into, as being equal. Pray for a spirit of unity among brothers and sisters in Christ as we grow in our love for one another. Pray each day for the individuals of your congregation and for the body of Christ as a whole.

“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 live as a functioning part of His body, the church.

Monday: A Church Which Prays Earnestly. Pray that God would help you examine accurately just how earnestly you pray for others. Ask God to help you to grow in a lifestyle of prayer that turns to Him in the midst of problems experienced by yourself and by others. Ask God to put people in your life that pray earnestly for you. “So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.” Acts 12:5 (NIV)

Tuesday: A Church Which Sends From Within. Pray that you would be involved in helping the church send people out to share the good news of Jesus. Pray for an openness to God’s Spirit should you be one whom He is preparing to be sent out. “Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas.” Acts 15:21 (NIV)

Wednesday: A Church Which Makes Known the Wisdom of God. Pray that you would live life with the wisdom that God promises to give freely to all who ask. Pray that your relationships with other believers would be such that God’s wisdom would be proclaimed throughout the heavenly realms. “His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 3:10 (NIV)

Thursday: A Church With Jesus As the Head. Pray for the humility to accept Jesus as the head of all things. Pray that all decisions made, both individually and with others, would be done so in submission to the headship of Christ. “And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.” Colossians 1:18 (NIV)

Friday: A Church With Proper Conduct. Pray for the wisdom to know how a person of God ought to live — both individually and in relationship with others. Pray that the conduct within the church would be built upon a foundation of truth. “If I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.” 1 Timothy 3:15 (NIV)

Saturday: A Church That Helps People With Real Needs. Ask God to help you care for those who are your responsibility. Pray for wisdom to understand, and help, those who are really in need. “If any woman who is a believer has widows in her family, she should help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need.” 1 Timothy 5:16 (NIV)