"Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers." (3 John 2)
For years I have started my prayers for people and nations this way, "I pray that they would prosper and be in health in body, soul, and spirit (from our text), that You would convict them of 'sin, righteousness, and judgment' (John 16), that You would put them in the center of Your Will for their lives (Mt. 6)." You could pray these prayers for us every day, if you are so inclined. They are "breath of God" prayers, not "vain repetition!"
I was reading a headline the other day about the Air France plane which went down in the Atlantic. I have flown with Air France, and I have flown on the Airbus 330-200, which, by the way, is the model Sarah and I will be flying on this coming fall; naturally I'm interested. As I finished reading the article I just prayed, "I pray that they find them (the flight data recorders) and find out what happened." According to all info coming in at that point, this was an "impossible prayer." There are now, however, reports of finding pertinent pieces of the plane, and that the flight date recorders still might be found. Who really knows?
I knew a pastor years ago who said that when he reads the paper, many times he just utters a prayer for the people he reads about. We pray earnestly for people and situations with whom and in which we are involved, and, thankfully, many times our desires are granted. But what about those people and situations with whom and in which we are not involved, and, I might add, will never know if our request was granted? What about that depressed check-out clerk, that fellow worker, all those unbelievers you know. Your prayer just may be the only one they receive that day, maybe ever. Jesus commanded us to "do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return," no "good feeling" of knowing the result. It might not be a bad idea to pray some times--------------------- "expecting nothing in return."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray that in the Holy Spirit I will always be urged to pray for those who have no prayers. Amen.
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Keeping you informed of the truth @: www.antipasprayerforce.blogspot.com
Be sure to see the Litany of the Precious Blood on the devotional site the same site. Sarah and I are using it to take daily communion together.
"Looking Unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
