Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
Ephesians 4:25-5:5 ESV
Before you begin to pray, take a deep breath and quiet your thoughts. Focus on being in the presence of God. Thank God for hearing your prayers. Then reread the scripture we will study next Sunday, Ephesians 4:25-5:5. Read it slowly, recognizing that God is speaking to you through His Word. If God puts something specific on your heart, pray about that today.
Thank. Paul gives specific guidance on how to live at the end of Chapter 4 and then summarizes his thoughts in verse 5:1 by saying, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.” Thus, we can look at the character traits Paul praises and know that they describe God. God speaks the truth, does not sin, values honest work, speaks only in ways that are good for building up and giving grace to those who hear. God is kind, tenderhearted and forgiving. Wow! Today, pick one of those attributes of God and thank Him for it!
Adore. Let’s also praise God for His character. How blessed we are to have a God that is kind, tenderhearted and forgiving!
The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
Psalm 145:8-10 NLT
The Lord is good to all, and His mercy is over all that he has made.
All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your saints shall bless you!
Confess. Reflecting on God’s character reveals where our own character falls short. Confess to God the areas where you choose to sin rather than strive to live a Godly life. Remember, your confession is heard by our God who is kind, tenderhearted and forgiving!
Others.
| CU Church: Pray for the people “behind the scenes” at CU Church: the parking team, those who provide security, our amazing secretary (Julie), the people that break down and set up equipment for our services, our photographer/videographer/media team (Noah, Carrie), our sound technicians and set up team (lead by Rick) and the men and women who serve at our welcome center. Thank God and ask Him to bless those who serve! |
| Community: Pray for the hungry and those living in poverty in our community, especially the children who go to bed hungry each night. Pray that they will be seen and ministered to. Pray that God will help each of us at CU see them and step in to help where we can. |
| Global Church: Pray for the hungry and those living in poverty around the world. Pray that we have eyes to see them and hearts to find ways to help. Pray that their physical needs are met so that they may lift their eyes from their earthly circumstances and hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And let us remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 25:35-36, “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’” |
Self. God is listening. He loves you. Pray for any specific needs that you or your family have.