We are in a season of prayer at Crossroads, interceding for our nation and our national leaders for these 40 days leading up to the elections on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. We are also going to experience prayer challenges in weekend worship for the next 4 weeks. ‘Faithfulness in prayer’… ‘for your family,’ ‘for our church’ and ‘for the nation.’ In keeping with the spirit of this season in our ministry, today I want to reference a verse in Colossians 4:12, “Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.”
We know very little about Epaphras. To us he is one of thousands of anonymous heroes who played a part in the expansion of the church during the first century. However, this verse gives us a glimpse into his character. He was a man of prayer who understood that, even at a distance, he could affect lives through intercession and petition on their behalf. According to Paul’s testimony, he carried out this prayer ministry with tremendous fervor and intensity, revealing a passion that is not often seen even among Christians. With prayer we can touch lives in ways that are impossible through activity. Many believe the real work of the ministry is attending meetings, teaching and counseling. Richard Foster, in his book, Prayer, reminds us that, “If we truly love people, we will desire for them far more than it is within our power to give them, and this will lead us to prayer. Intercession is a way of loving others.”
Pray with me… Our loving Father, give us more of a conscience, more of a heart and more personal discipline to pray purposefully, intentionally and intensely for our family, our church family as well as our national leaders. In the name of Jesus, amen.
Blessings,
Pastor Ken
No comments:
Post a Comment