Pray

April 10, 2018

Pray

Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.

Colossians 4:4

Read: Colossians 4:2-6   

Paul begins this letter by assuring the Colossians that he is praying for their new church. He ends the letter asking the church to pray for him. Paul is helping the young church learn to take their share of responsibility for all that God is doing to advance his Kingdom, not just what God is doing in Colossae.

Paul is also demonstrating how important it is for Christian leaders to have the prayer support of the church. The pulpit in every church is a shared responsibility. The preacher is responsible for accurately proclaiming God’s Word. The people of the congregation are responsible for undergirding the preacher with prayer. If either wanes in their responsibility, the church suffers for lack of spiritual nourishment.

In the Book of James, we learn that we have not because we ask not, and we have not because we ask amiss. Paul is also teaching the young church how to pray. Here is how Paul prayed for the church:

“We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding.” “We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy” (Colossians1: 9, 11).

Here is how Paul asked the church to pray for him:

“Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should” (Colossians 4: 3-4).

My Takeaway: Paul’s prayers are not about asking God for things, or asking God to change circumstances. Paul’s prayers are about knowing Jesus, and advancing his kingdom. Here are six citations for other New Testament prayers. As you read these, consider how God may want you to pray.

Romans 15: 4b-6, 13    Ephesians 1: 16-18    Ephesians 3: 16-19

Philippians 1: 9-11    Colossians 1: 9-12    2 Thessalonians 1: 11-12

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.