"When God intends great mercy for His people, the first thing He does is set them a-praying." I want nothing more than God's mercy for our church, so I want to join God in setting you a-praying.
Leonard Ravenhill influenced me as a young man. I read excerpts from his book, Why Revival Tarries. He hits close to home when he says, "A man may study because his brain is hungry for knowledge, even Bible knowledge. But he prays because his soul is hungry for God." I teach theology at Western Seminary, so I care about knowledge. But the church is more than knowledge. Together, our ambition is to hunger after God. So we pray.
Our December prayer focus will be to pray 15 minutes a day for the week of December 2-6. I hope you will find out that 15 minutes is doable. I hope you will also discover that 15 minutes is not enough time.
I think you will enjoy and benefit from this prayer focus. I will send daily encouragement by email and/or text to help you. We'll have activities to complete each day, we’ll pray for our country during election week, we’ll have a teaching on the theology of prayer, and we’re planning giveaways at the end for those who participate. Please sign up below.
I believe God intends great mercy for the people of New Life Church. Please join me in prayer!
15 Minute Prayer Focus
Select below whether you'd like to receive texts or emails or both.
Events
Thursday, December 5, 12:00 p.m., Zoom Call to pray with our Global Outreach partners, Brian and Judy Cochran.
Monday
Luke 1:46-55
And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever."
Meditation Questions:
Do you think of this as a prayer?
What are some of the great things God has done for you?
If you were to write 5-6 lines of praise to the Lord, what would you say?
Tuesday
1 Samuel 2:1-10
And Hannah prayed and said, "My heart exults in the LORD; my strength is exalted in the LORD. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation. "There is none holy like the LORD; there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God. Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble bind on strength. Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn. 6 The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. The LORD makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts. He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and on them he has set the world. “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail. The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; against them he will thunder in heaven. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king and exalt the power of his anointed."
Meditation Questions:
Would you say Hannah’s vision of God is bigger/smaller/or the same size as yours? How does that impact the way she prayed? Or, the way you pray?
What three things stand out to you about this prayer?
Wednesday
Isaiah 9:6-7
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
MEDITATION QUESTIONS:
Spend a moment and think about each of the names in verse six. Which means the most to you today?
How does this Advent meditation help you pray?
Theology of Prayer Seminar
Thursday
John 1:1-18
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.'") And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
MEDITATION QUESTIONS:
This isn’t exactly the Christmas story. How does John’s start to his gospel introduce us to Jesus?
What is in this intro to Jesus that makes you think God will answer your prayers?
friday
James 5:13-18
Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months, it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.
MEDITATION QUESTIONS:
In what circumstances should we pray?
Describe the power of prayer. (16-18)
Please pray for New Life Church:
Unity:
This Sunday is our annual Business and Elections meeting. As much as Jesus values unity, we don’t want to assume it or pretend we have it. Our unity is not something we manufacture but results from our belief in the gospel. Pray that our faith in Christ will unify us and that our unity will manifest in our meeting and life together.
Worship:
Pray that our experience of Christ during Advent will be life-giving and will cause us to love him more.
Mission:
Pray that the Lord would send out New Life Church into the harvest (Matthew 9:37-38).
