Pray For Us

From John Piper

That's a clear, straightforward plea to the church at Thessalonica by the apostle Paul. "Brothers, pray for us." I love its simplicity. It is emotionally understated. Can you hear the depth of need this apostle feels for God's help? " . . . on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren . . . in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure" (2 Corinthians 11:26-27).

We hear it again with more vehemence in Romans 15:30. "Strive together with me in your prayers to God for me." Here is a great man. He has great gifts and great experiences with God. He is a brilliant intellect. He is a valiant spiritual warrior. He is a chosen instrument of God. And he pleads for prayer. "Pray for me." "Strive with me in your prayers to God for me."

Why? Two reasons:
1. BECAUSE WHAT COUNTS MOST IN THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY CANNOT BE ACCOMPLISHED BY MAN LEFT TO HIMSELF.
2. BECAUSE GOD HAS SET UP THE WORLD SO THAT (a) MORAL TRANSFORMATION AND (b) MINISTRY TRIUMPHS COME BY PRAYER.

Bring the triumph of GBC by prayer oh God!

Think of Others

From Oswald Chambers:

How long is it going to take God to free us from the unhealthy habit of thinking only about ourselves? We must get to the point of being sick to death of ourselves, until there is no longer any surprise at anything God might tell us about ourselves. We cannot reach and understand the depths of our own meagerness. There is only one place where we are right with God, and that is in Christ Jesus. Once we are there, we have to pour out our lives for all we are worth in this ministry of the inner life.

As you pray today, pray for others -- pray for all those working to make GBC happen -- wish the best for others before you do for yourself.

Sacrificial Thanks

Jer 17:26 - "They will come in from the cities of Judah and from the environs of Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the lowland, from the hill country, and from the Negev, bringing burnt offerings, sacrifices, grain offerings and incense, and bringing sacrifices of thanksgiving to the house of the LORD.

When you thank God for something, does it cost you anything? The tradition of giving thanks is the tradition of acknowledging indebtedness. God's blessings cost Him something, your thanks should cost you something. Thank God sincerely, meaningfully and sacrifically. Be grateful for the blessings He hs granted GBC.

Before...

Isa 25:1 - O LORD, Thou art my God; I will exalt Thee, I will give thanks to Thy name; for Thou hast worked wonders, plans {formed} long ago, with perfect faithfulness.

Think about that, your prayer requests were answered even before they were asked -- even before the world was fully formed. GBC has been ordained for a very long time now. When you thank God for answered paryaer, thank him not just for today, but for all the yesterdays that He prepared for that answer as well.

Lay It Down

From Oswald Chambers

If I am a friend of Jesus, I must deliberately and carefully lay down my life for Him. It is a difficult thing to do, and thank God that it is. Salvation is easy for us, because it cost God so much. But the exhibiting of salvation in my life is difficult. God saves a person, fills him with the Holy Spirit, and then says, in effect, "Now you work it out in your life, and be faithful to Me, even though the nature of everything around you is to cause you to be unfaithful." And Jesus says to us, ". . . I have called you friends. . . ." Remain faithful to your Friend, and remember that His honor is at stake in your bodily life.

Res Ipsa Loquitor

Make Supplication For Me

Exod 8:28 - And Pharaoh said, "I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away. Make supplication for me."

Even the ungodly, even the enemies of God recognize the need for prayer -- isn't that what you draw from this verse. We pray for friends and family -- we pray for those we love, but do we pray for those that despise us. Make no mistake. There are those that do and will despise GodBlogCon, they will be threatened by it. Pray for them today. Ask God to bless them and give them peace.

A Tiny Seed

From The Upper Room Devotional:

Today Jesus asks us, "How many loaves do you have?" Jesus longs for us to give him whatever we have to offer and to watch him multiply our "tiny seed" into abundance. -- Janine A. Kuty (Virginia, U.S.A.)

Prayer
Father God, help us remember the miracles you work with tiny offerings. Give us faith to offer you what we have. In Jesus' name. Amen.

What a great lesson -- no gift is too small to offer to God, no prayer to meager. As you pray today, give God what you have and watch Him make the most of it.