Prayer for Hope Week 2

#30 Days of Prayer for Hope
##Week 2

Jeremiah 17:7 (NIV) “But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.”

Even God’s people lose focus and feel like they are being overwhelmed by the cares of the world. Job for example, cursed the day he was born. However, as for me, as we read in Micah chapter 7 as the Prophet talks about evil being done in the world we read, “But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me” Micah 7:7 (NIV).

It really comes down to who or what we are putting our trust in for our hope and joy. Are we putting it in worldly things? Like people, friends, and wealth, that will always let us down. Or are we putting it in the God who created us, the one who saw us in that secret place before we were even born (Psalms 139). God knew there would be trouble in our lives. The Prophet Micah talked about it and Jesus Himself spoke about this in the parable of the sower. He knew there would be some who lived in amongst the thorns or worries of the world that choke the hope out of us. We read in Matthew 13:22 (NIV) where Jesus is explaining the parable of the sower to His disciples, “The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.”

In Scripture Paul Teaches us in Ephesians 1:18-19 (NIV) “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength.” This actually comes from Paul’s Prayer for the Ephesians, so let this also be our prayer for this week. That with our heart enlightened we may know the Hope of His calling, so others may also see in us the riches of His glory. Let’s pray that the worries of the world will not choke out our Hope and that instead our Hope will show brightly to the world. In this we can say “as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me” Micah 7:7 (NIV).

This weeks reading is Paul’s full Prayer to the Ephesians, 2Corinthians 1:15-23

##Paul’s Prayer
###Ephesians 1:15-23 (NIV)
“Thanksgiving and Prayer For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 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. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”