Prayer Focus: Monday, November 7th - Sunday, November 13th

(Click here to read the introduction to "A Culture of Prayer")

Righteousness

As you pray this week, meditate on what the bible says about righteousness. May we come to experience living life out of receiving the gift fo righteousness--a relationship with God where we are fully accepted.

Below are some verses and quotes that you can meditate on. 

Genesis 15:6 | “Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.”

Romans 8:3-6 | “3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.”

Romans 10:4 | 4 Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

Philippians 3:8-9 | “8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in[a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.”

“RIghteousness: A right relationship with God (righteousness) is a gift from God that comes through atonement and cannot be achieved by observance of the law alone.”-Kenneth Bailey

Prayer Focus: Monday, October 31st - Sunday, November 6th

(Click here to read the introduction to "A Culture of Prayer")

Repentance

This week the focus of our collective prayer is on Repentance. One verse we spoke about on Sunday was 1 Peter 3:9, which says, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." He doesn't want anyone to perish--he is love after all! But what does he want us to do? Come to repentance. Apparently, coming to repentance is the way out of death--now and forever. 

As you pray this week, meditate on what the bible says about repentance. May we continue to become children that live lives of joyful repentance leading to life.

Below are some verses and quotes that you can meditate on. 

1 Peter 3:9 | "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

Acts 2:38 | Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Luke 5:32 | "I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance."

Luke 15:7 | "I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."

Romans 2:4 | "Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?"

“Repentance is not feeling bad and trying harder; it is choosing the vulnerability of relationship with God over the “safety” and pleasures of independence.” -Greg Mitchell
"Legalistic remorse says, 'I broke God's rules,' while real repentance says, 'I broke God's heart.'" -Tim Keller