"But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers." (Luke 22:32, NLT)
You can only, "strengthen your brothers," because Jesus Christ is pleading, "in prayer for you." If we walk in this Kingdom Order, allowing the continual intercession of our King Jesus to strength us, then we will be in a position to pass on what Jesus Christ prays into us.
If anything is affirmed in our text, it is the primacy of prayer in the Church, "I have pleaded in prayer for you."
While praying this morning, I was reminded that there is just too much going on in the world to do something about all of it; but there is not too much going on in the world to pray about all of it. This is possible by praying, "with my spirit," in the Holy Spirit. Praying thus, I can literally, "go into all the world." I also pray the Catholic liturgical prayer, "For the sake of Your Sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world." It is not too grandiose in the economy of the Blessed Trinity to pray such a prayer. "Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in the earth as in Heaven."
I receive daily news from all over, "the earth," and not just CNN World or BBC World News. Open Doors (Brother Andrew) is a great source of praying for the global suffering Church. The requests which come in are heartbreaking. Every time I read one there is something in me which says, "What can I do?" I admit, I think of going to all those places; I really do. But in the reality of Biblical prayer theology, I can. Then there are the daily requests which come from our local congregation, also much heartbreaking, "impossible" stuff. Yet I can go to them in the Holy Spirit, just as I can go to my family, my neighbors, the various branches of National, State, and local governments, the economy, my local church------ "into all the world."
If you are a contributor to Frontier Harvest Ministries of Pittsburgh, AKA, Antipas Ministries, you are investing in prayer for you and yours, Jerusalem, Berlin, Washington, and "the whole world." Some may call this egotism, but it is not. It is a pattern given us in Jesus Christ, "But I have pleaded in prayer for you," and, "Thy will be done in the earth...."
You can only, "strengthen your brothers," because Jesus Christ is pleading, "in prayer for you." If we walk in this Kingdom Order, allowing the continual intercession of our King Jesus to strength us, then we will be in a position to pass on what Jesus Christ prays into us.
If anything is affirmed in our text, it is the primacy of prayer in the Church, "I have pleaded in prayer for you."
While praying this morning, I was reminded that there is just too much going on in the world to do something about all of it; but there is not too much going on in the world to pray about all of it. This is possible by praying, "with my spirit," in the Holy Spirit. Praying thus, I can literally, "go into all the world." I also pray the Catholic liturgical prayer, "For the sake of Your Sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world." It is not too grandiose in the economy of the Blessed Trinity to pray such a prayer. "Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in the earth as in Heaven."
I receive daily news from all over, "the earth," and not just CNN World or BBC World News. Open Doors (Brother Andrew) is a great source of praying for the global suffering Church. The requests which come in are heartbreaking. Every time I read one there is something in me which says, "What can I do?" I admit, I think of going to all those places; I really do. But in the reality of Biblical prayer theology, I can. Then there are the daily requests which come from our local congregation, also much heartbreaking, "impossible" stuff. Yet I can go to them in the Holy Spirit, just as I can go to my family, my neighbors, the various branches of National, State, and local governments, the economy, my local church------ "into all the world."
If you are a contributor to Frontier Harvest Ministries of Pittsburgh, AKA, Antipas Ministries, you are investing in prayer for you and yours, Jerusalem, Berlin, Washington, and "the whole world." Some may call this egotism, but it is not. It is a pattern given us in Jesus Christ, "But I have pleaded in prayer for you," and, "Thy will be done in the earth...."
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Read: A Former Revolutionary Guard says "Iran will bomb Israel @: www.apf327.blogspot.com
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Read: A Former Revolutionary Guard says "Iran will bomb Israel @: www.apf327.blogspot.com
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
