SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 8/28/2014 7:47 AM
My Worship Time Focus: A Request for Prayer
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: 1
Thessalonians 5:25
Message
of the verses: “25 Brethren, pray
for us.”
We begin our final journey from 1
Thessalonians as over the next four Spiritual Diaries it is my plan to finish
our study by looking at Paul’s final requests that he has for the
Thessalonians. We will look at the
request of them praying for him as a pastor, and also he encourages them to
show affection for one another, and it is his desire that they submit to the
Word of God, and then we will look at his final benediction.
We can look at the following verses
from some of Paul’s other letters to see that he asks his flocks to pray for
him: Romans 15:30; 2 Cor. 1:11; #ph.
6:18-20; Col. 4:2-4; Philemon 22. As we
think about Paul asking for prayer for himself we can conclude that as
believers we also need to pray for our pastors, as they too are men called by
the Lord to do the job of being the under shepherds for the Great Shepherd to
lead and to guide His flock.
As we look at the word “brethren” we
know that this is a common word used by Paul and other NT writers to show that
there is no one being left out, for all believers are brothers in the Lord,
showing that we are all a part of the family of God.
Now when Paul uses the word “us” he
is talking about all those who were with him when they came to Thessalonica
including Paul, Timothy and Silas, and they had all faithfully taught them the
truth of the Gospel, and Timothy had returned to see how they were doing.
When we look at the ministry of the
apostle Paul as seen from the book of Acts and also from his letters to the
different churches that he founded and also wrote to we know that Paul led a
life that was very difficult. As soon as
he became a believer in Jesus Christ as seen from Acts chapter nine we see that
the Lord had set him apart to preach to the Gentiles and that the Lord told Ananias
“"Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the
Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; 16 for I will show him how much he
must suffer for My name’s sake."” (Acts 9:15b-16) Now when we look at 2 Corinthians chapter
eleven we see all of the things that did actually happen to Paul in his service
for the Lord.
John MacArthur in his commentary
from 1 Thessalonians writes “Paul’s requests for prayer suggest a number of
matters that believers especially ought to remember when they pray for their
pastor. First it is important to pray
for the pastor’s safety. In his second
letter to them, Paul told the Thessalonians, ‘Finally, brethren, pray for us
that the word of the Lord will spread, rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you; and that we will be rescued
from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith’ (2 Thess. 3:1-2; cf. Rom.
15:31a).”
“Second, believers ought to pray for
their pastor’s wisdom in service.”
“Third, believers should pray that
their pastor’s future plans and priorities are consistent with God’s will for
him.” “Pastors have desires and visions
for future ministry and, like Paul, they need the encouragement that can result
from believing prayer—that God in His providence will fulfill those plans.”
Fourth, Christians need to pray for
their pastor’s effectiveness in preaching the Word of God.”
“Finally, the flock needs to pray
that God would spiritually strengthen its pastor and allow him to minister with
integrity. Gardiner Spring solicited
prayer for spiritual strength this way:
‘Brethren, pray for us, that we may be kept from sin; that we may walk
carefully, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time [Eph. 5:16]; that our
hearts may be more devoted to God, and our lives a more impressive example of
the Gospel we preach; that we may be more completely furnished for our work and
our conflicts, and put on the whole armor of God [6:10-17]; that we may be more
faithful and wise to win souls, and that we may discipline our body, and bring
it into subjection, lest having preached to others, we ourselves be cast away
[1 Cor. 9:27].’ (‘A Plea to Pray for
Pastors,’ 9; emphasis in original).”
I believe that prayer is a remarkable privilege that
believers have, as God has allowed us to be a part of what He is accomplishing
on this earth, and when one thinks about that one may just be ah-inspired for
this privilege.
Spiritual
meaning for my life: I am thankful
that I can learn more effective ways to pray for our pastor. When I think about praying for our pastor’s
safety it was almost a year ago that our pastor fell from a tree and could very
well have lost his life, but God had mercy on him, his family, and our church
as he was rushed to the hospital and after being there for sometime he was able
to come home and eventually back to the pulpit to preach the Word of God. I am thankful for the answer of many prayers
for his recovery.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Be better at
praying for our pastor and assistant pastors each day.
Memory
verses for the week: Colossians 3:1-7.
1
Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things
above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on the
things that are on earth. 3 For you have
died and you life is hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is our life is revealed, then you also will be
revealed with Him in glory. 5 Therefore
consider the members of you earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion,
evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6 For it is because of these things that the
wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience; 7 and in them your once
walked, when you were living in them.
Answer
to yesterday’s Bible question: “Cut off
his ear” (Luke 22:50).
Today’s
Bible question: “Who said ‘Sun, stand
thou still upon Gideon’?”
Answer
in our next SD.
8/28/2014
8:42 AM
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