Monday, July 7, 2008

Pray for Us


1 Thessalonians 5:25 "Brothers, pray for us."

I read this during my devotion time this morning and felt compelled to again ask for your prayers. There is nothing wrong. So many times the only time someone asks you to pray for them is when something is wrong. That's not the case today.

Well there is nothing in particular wrong. There is a great deal that is wrong. The devil is at work seeking to destroy lives, families, and the church. People are suffering from sin and sickness. Society is being contaminated with pornography, rage, greed, lust, and hate. Billions are living without Christ and face an eternity separated from the love of God.

There is a lot wrong, but these are the same things that have been wrong since the fall.

I would simply ask that you pray for me - a young pastor. Pray that I will maintain my spiritual fervor. Pray that I will love and lead my wife and children and serve them as Christ serves the church. Pray that I will lead our congregation as a good shepherd. Pray that God's Spirit will inspire and enable my preaching. Pray that I will lead as Jesus leads. Pray that I will not work in the flesh, but in a spirit of prayer. Pray that I will not allow the time I need to give to prayer to be pushed out by other important needs.

Pray for me. C.H. Spurgeon in his devotion for today explains why in more detail.

This one morning in the year we reserved to refresh the reader’s memory upon the subject of prayer for ministers, and we do most earnestly implore every Christian household to grant the fervent request of the text first uttered by an apostle and now repeated by us. Brethren, our work is solemnly momentous, involving weal or woe to thousands; we treat with souls for God on eternal business, and our word is either a savour of life unto life, or of death unto death. A very heavy responsibility rests upon us, and it will be no small mercy if at the last we be found clear of the blood of all men. As officers in Christ’s army, we are the especial mark of the enmity of men and devils; they watch for our halting, and labour to take us by the heels. Our sacred calling involves us in temptations from which you are exempt, above all it too often draws us away from our personal enjoyment of truth into a ministerial and official consideration of it. We meet with many knotty cases, and our wits are at a non plus; we observe very sad backslidings, and our hearts are wounded; we see millions perishing, and our spirits sink. We wish to profit you by our preaching; we desire to be blest to your children; we long to be useful both to saints and sinners; therefore, dear friends, intercede for us with our God. Miserable men are we if we miss the aid of your prayers, but happy are we if we live in your supplications. You do not look to us but to our Master for spiritual blessings, and yet how many times has He given those blessings through His ministers; ask then, again and again, that we may be the earthen vessels into which the Lord may put the treasure of the gospel. We, the whole company of missionaries, ministers, city missionaries, and students, do in the name of Jesus beseech you
C. H. Spurgeon, Morning and Evening : Daily Readings (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995), July 7 AM.

3 comments:

Chad said...

You got it. Our household will continue to pray for all you guys.

Anonymous said...

Praying for you right now Jason!

Maryellen said...

Our world needs more of us willing to serve and share Jesus on a daily basis. Thanks for your service and commitment. My family will pray for you. Sometimes we think our pastors have it all together and we forget that Satan is attacking you as well.