Thoughts for Life: #40 Do Pastors Pray Enough?

C. Peter Wagner continues sharing from PRAYER SHIELD, saying:

"In recent years, I have been spending a good bit of time in teaching pastors on the subject of prayer.

Whenever I bring up the subject, they frankly admit to me and to each other that they know their prayer lives are not all they should be.

Although some have first-rate personal prayer habits, and some are happy with their 22 minutes a day, the great majority are not.

Pastor Mark Littleton remarks that he does his best to stick to a consistent prayer life, 'through sick and sin.'

His exasperation surfaces when he says, 'You try it with the television on. With the television off. At home. At your office. under the beech trees in the park. In bed. You go for a week straight and don't miss once. The next week you miss seven for seven.'

Books and sermons on prayer feature a standard list of heroes of the faith who have had extraordinary prayer lives.

John Wesley rose at 4:00 each morning and spent two hours a day in prayer.

Martin Luther said, 'I have so much to do today, I will have to spend the first three hours in prayer, or the devil will get the victory.'

{Wagner goes on to relate how many others disciplined themselves to withdraw by themselves and pray.

Such men as Adoniram Judson, John Knox, John Hyde, Henry Martyn, David Brainerd, George Muller, Robert Murray McCheyne, Hudson Taylor, George Fox are a few who habitually make the all-star list.}

No one says it better than Mark Littleton. He says reading about these superpray-ers 'nearly wipes you out.'

'As holy as David Brainerd was', Littleton says, 'you get a bit tired of him lying in the snow, praying for six hours, and getting up wet. Not from the snow, though. From the sweat!'

Richard Foster speaks for me as well as for many others when he says, 'Many of us are discouraged rather than challenged by such examples.'

Enough lamenting about the current state of affairs. Few will deny that pastors and other Christian leaders in general need better prayer lives. The question now is what to do about it. I think the answer is twofold;

First, pastors need to pray more.
Second, pastors need to learn to receive intercession".

Today’s post - #40 Do Pastors Pray Enough?, in the series taken from C. Peter Wagner’s book, PRAYER SHIELD, How to intercede for pastors, Christian leaders and others on the spiritual frontlines. (pp. 80, 81) By Regal Books

Let’s pray:

Father, it is a need that we see now, that our pastors and leaders are seeking to find more time alone with You for prayer.
We ask that You help them to be successful, and ask for others to support them in finding and making private prayer time available.
May we understand their desire and need to pray, and may we be diligent in praying for them daily when we pray. We are obligated to support them with our concern, as they are in leadership, and need help in this very important aspect of their individual lives. We ask this in the Mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.

God's Blessings

As we gather round the table
We bow our heads in prayer
To thank You, Lord, for loving us
And for Your constant care.

We thank You for our houses,
Our friends and families.
We thank You for Your guidance
And for Your perfect peace.

Thanks for all Your blessings,
The big ones and the small,
Especially for Jesus
Who gave His life for all.

© Frances Gregory Pasch

(Used with permission)

Today's Bible verses: Phil. 4:6 "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving."

Ps. 97:12 AMP "Rejoice in the Lord, you [consistently] righteous (upright and in right standing with God), and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness."

Today's quote: Harry Ironside - “We would worry less if we praised more. Thanksgiving is the enemy of discontent and dissatisfaction.”

Some thoughts today:

- The Gospel is a passionate pursuit of man. Our response to it needs to be, "Here I am." The Gospel is preached all through the Bible, and finally through Jesus Christ.

- Hurtful words, arrogant and prideful hearts that respond to difficulties, can drive us away from God.

- How are you dealing with things that try to make you feel worthless? King David, in the Bible, prepared his heart before God in private. So should we. The Word of God's Truth will set us free. We are the King's kids!

{Check my post You Are Who God Says You Are, posted 11/24}

Saturday's post: What Defines You? Jean Oathout

Sunday's post: Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross Fanny J. Crosby

Tuesday's post: #41 Pastors Need to Pray More C. Peter Wagner

Thursday's post: #42 Prayer Time Must Be Sufficient C. Peter Wagner

A popular post: Praise Refreshes the Soul

"When we begin to praise God in the middle of the mundane,
He refreshes us with a new outlook on life!