Good Morning Friends,
“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. Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that
my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there, so that by God’s
will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed.” (Romans
15:30-32)
The Christians in Rome, along with those at
Thessalonica and Philippi and all over that part of the world, had the
opportunity to be a part of the ministry of the Apostle Paul. They could make an
impact on the effectiveness of Paul’s ministry. They could play a part in how
people responded to him and in whether or not his ministry would be hindered by
opposition. They could be Paul’s partners -- without ever leaving their homes! By
praying for Paul, they could join him in his struggle.
There was no doubt in Paul’s mind that the
prayers of others would affect his own life and ministry. He believed that God
heard the prayers of those who were praying for him and that God responded with
power in answer to those prayers. By offering the opportunity to the Romans to
pray for him, he was not just offering a token way for them to help him, but a powerful
way to be involved.
Prayer is still powerful. In some way and for
some reason, God has linked the release of His power to the prayers of
Christians. He allows us to be involved in His work and in the work of others
by our prayers.
The question is – with whom are you partnering
to spread the gospel? Who are you joining in the struggle to see the gospel
preached and see people respond?
Can I challenge you today to be a partner in
the ministry of your pastor and your church by praying for him and for it. And
how about selecting a handful of others who are involved in ministry and
praying regularly and consistently for each one of them. Preachers and
missionaries and evangelists and youth ministers and everyone else involved in
spreading the gospel need partners. God promises to release His power in
response to your prayers.
His, by Grace,
Steve
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