Paul desired that every Christian would pray for his ministry. The larger the number of Christians praying and the greater the volume of prayer, then the more people would be blessed and would rejoice and praise God when their prayers were answered.
Paul had never seen the Romans when he wrote to them, but he called God as his witness "how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times" (Rom. 1:9-10).He begged them, "I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me" (15:30). (Google image, The Apostle Paul )
To the Corinthians he wrote that he always thanked God for them and was praying for their perfection (1 Cor. 1:4; 2 Cor. 13:9). He asked them to help him by their prayers (2 Cor. 1:11).
He wrote the Ephesians that, from the time he heard about their Christian faith, he had never stopped thanking God for them and remembering them in his prayers (Eph. 1:15-16). He asked them to pray for him (6:19-20), giving them several specific prayer requests.
To the Philippians he wrote that every time he remembered them he thanked God (1:3-4), and that he depended on their prayer (1:9). To the Colossians, whom he had never seen, he wrote that from the day he heard of them he had not stopped praying for them (1:9) and that he wrestled in prayer for them and the people of Laodicea (2:1). He requested their prayers, to (4:3).
As Paul wrote the Thessalonians about his prayer for them, he used such words as continually (1 Thess. 1:2-3), and constantly (2 Thess. 1:11). In both letters he requested their prayer support (1 Thess. 5:25; 2 Thess. 3:1). He wrote Timothy, "Night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers" (2 Tim. 1:3), and told him how people ought to pray (1 Tim. 2:1-3, 8). In his letter to Philemon, Paul mentioned that he remembered him in prayer (vv. 4, 6) and was depending on his prayers (v. 22).
Paul was the greatest missionary of all time. What, then, was the secret of God's blessing on his ministry? It was the prayer of God's children. To Paul this intercessory prayer was absolutely essential. He knew that the only way to plant New Testament churches was by prayer and fasting on his part, and the prayer of fellow Christians saturating his work.
There is no other way to harvest. If Paul could visit our churches today, I am sure he would say: Pray for harvest. Pray for the harvest workers. Pray for the new believers. By your prayer, you can become involved in world harvest.
Father, we read that the Apostle Paul desired that every Christian pray for his ministry. He believed that the more people prayed, the more people would be blessed and rejoice and praise God from their answered prayers.
Although he hadn't seen some of the Christians he'd been told about, he still urged them to pray for him, as then they would join him in his struggles by praying to God for his ministry.
Paul also wrote to the Philippians, Colossians and the Thessalonians about his prayers for them, that he'd not stopped praying for them. He was wrestling in prayer for them and he requested their prayers for him.
Being Your greatest missionary of all times, we learn that the secret of Your blessing on Paul's ministry is the prayer of Your children for him. To Paul, intercessory prayer was absolutely essential. He knew that the only way to plant New churches was by prayer and fasting on his part, and the prayer of fellow Christians saturating his work.
Your mandate for us today is the same: pray for harvest; pray for harvest workers; pray for new believers; and to prayerfully become involved in world harvest. May it be that we will become more involved with our church's outreach through our steady, daily prayers. In Jesus' name we ask this. Amen
Today's Bible verses-
~ Do you find yourself pleasing the Lord one moment, and complaining the next? Let’s have undivided minds as we speak, to carefully order our thoughts on what we should be thinking at the time.
Today's question-
What does the Bible Say?
Jude 3 tells us "to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints." The importance of believing this faith we find stated in the Bible, is what's at stake today. Ungodly men are turning the Word of God into anything but the authoritive Word it is by adding opinions that are false.
The North Country Christian Fellowship Center Churches,
located in the St. Lawrence county of NY,
broadcast their Sunday services at 10 or 10:15
You can view past services too.
Prayer is so critical now in these times
ReplyDeletePray. Pray, pray
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