PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER

Can I pray for you in any way?

Send any prayer requests to Gods4all@aol.com

In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

I urge you, brothers and sisters, 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 kept safe from the unbelievers in Judea and that the contribution I take to Jerusalem may be favorably received by the Lord’s people there, so that I may come to you with joy, by God’s will, and in your company be refreshed. The God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Romans 15:30-33

This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Life can be a struggle at times.

Wouldn’t you agree?

It can be tough and it doesn’t take long to realize the critical importance of having a support system in place because we simply can’t make it through on our own.

Support can come in different forms.

You can have someone to call and talk to, someone willing to listen and provide encouragement.

You may need someone to help out financially if hard times come and there has been a loss of income due to job loss or poor health preventing you to be able to work.

And it never hurts to just have people willing to pray for you, lifting you up to the Lord who makes anything possible to include helping you through difficult times.

The Apostle Paul certainly understood the power of prayer. Through his many missionary journeys, he had prayed with Christian believers he shared the Gospel with and prayed for Christians in places he had not yet had the chance to visit. Through his ministry, we see him model how important prayer is in supporting others.

Well, Paul didn’t exactly have it easy as he shared the good news of Jesus with others. He faced a lot of resistance and opposition, even to the point where his life was in danger for the cause of Christ.

So what did Paul do in the midst of this constant threat of harm?

He urged his Christian brothers and sisters to pray for him by the “Lord Jesus Christ” and “the love of the Spirit”. In doing so, they would join him in his struggle by emphasizing with him and interceding for him with the Lord.

What needs did Paul need his fellow Christians to pray over?

They included the following:

1. Keeping him safe from unbelievers.

Those who wanted to hurt and even kill Paul were obviously not in Christ. If they were, there wouldn’t be a threat. And so Paul needed protection, a covering to keep him safe from those who wished him harm, and he knew the Lord would provide for Him if he and others prayed for it.

2. A favorable receiving of contributions.

In this chapter of Romans, we find Paul sharing his future plans after departing Corinth. First, he would head to Jerusalem to drop off items donated by the Christian believers in Macedonia and Achaia. These blessings were intended to go to the poor and Paul hoped those receiving the blessings would receive them positively and with satisfaction.

3. A visit to see his Roman audience.

Once done in Jerusalem, Paul planned to sail to Spain to share the good news of Jesus with the people there but he assured the Romans he would stop and see them on the way. To that end, Paul asked for the Romans to pray for him so that he might come by way of God’s will and in joy, fresh off of bring gifts to Jerusalem’s needy. Paul hoped to be refreshed while in the fellowship and company of his brothers and sisters in Christ who lived in Rome.

Through Paul’s words, we see that it’s not only appropriate to ask for others to pray for you but vital to getting through this thing called life.

So I ask, what are your prayer needs today? How can I lift you up to the Lord in the midst of your current life struggles?

Please place your prayer concerns in response to this message.

As for my needs, please pray that I will continue to boldly proclaim the Gospel to other while maintaining a healthy life/work/ministry balance. Pray that I build in time to rest and care for the body that is the temple for my Lord’s Holy Spirit. And pray that I remain ever open to the opportunities for ministry that the Lord brings my way.

Friends, we all need support and prayer is an important part of that support. Let us ever seek to pray for one another as we each navigate this worldly life on our way to eternal life and the Lord’s kingdom glory.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to Gods4all@aol.com