Skip to main content

The Priority to Ministry - Prayer

What are our priorities?

It would seem that we may be the most "stressed out" generation ever. Living life in the fast lane is not a pleasant way, nor the most effective way to serve the Lord. Too often, we equate busyness with ministry, thinking the more busy we are, the more effect we are. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth.

Hilary of Tours shared in the final analysis that our rushing around in the ministry is, "irreligiosa sollicitudo pro Deo." Or, "a blasphemous anxiety to do God's work for Him." Or as I would interpret it, "we are just too busy."

Eugene Peterson wrote in his book, The Comtemplative Pastor: Returning to the Art of Spiritual Direction that there are two reasons why pastors are so busy (and I might add this goes for all christians, not just pastors).

1. I am busy because I am vain. I want to appear important. Significant.

2. I am busy because I am lazy. I indolently let others decide what I will do instead of resolutely deciding myself. C.S. Lewis once said that only lazy people work hard.

So what is the answer?

Since I quoted Peterson, we will examine what is first on his list of priorities. The answer is simple:

PRAYER

Peterson said, "I want to do the original work of being in deepening conversation with the God who reveals himself to me and addresses me by name. I don't want to dispense mimeographed hand-outs that describe God's business; I want to witness out of my own experience. I don't want to live as a parasite on the first-hand spiritual life of others, but to do personally involved with all my senses, tasting and seeing that the Lord is good. (The Contemplative Pastor, pp. 18-19)

IS THIS BIBLICAL?

The membership covenant of the Church of God of Prophecy is a commitment to "accept the Bible as God's word, to believe and practice it's teaching rightly divided, with the New Testament as our rule of faith, practice, government and discipline. And to walk in the light of it to the best of your knowledge and ability." Therefore, everything must be placed under the magnifying glass of the Scriptures, not our tradition customs or cultural biases. This is our ONLY safe position.

1. In Acts 6:1-4 we find the apostles making the commitment, "We will devote ourselves to prayer, and to the ministry of the word." Notice that both of these are important spiritual disciplines, however, it is PRAYER that is the primary focus, even before the study of the word. In fact, we cannot fully study the study the Scriptures unless we approach it from a prayerful attitude.

2. Ephesians 6:13-19 reminds us to "Pray at all times, with an alert attitude for all the saints. It is a weapon in our arsenal for spiritual warfare.

3. Hebrews 4:15-16 reminds us to "Draw near with confidence," knowing that our intercessor Jesus Christ is there, and He will help us according to His abundant (notice NOT sparingly) grace and mercy.

4. James 4:2 reminds us that we "have not, because we ask not." This places the responsibility squarely on the shoulders of the believer to PRAY!

5. Philippians 4:6-7 declars that we should not be "anxious, but to share our requests with God so that His peace can overshadow you and help to bear the load of the difficulties of life.

FINALLY

Do you find yourself in a tough spot today? Are you facing something that there seems to be no answer readily available to you? Are you afraid, alone, tired, burned out? Then PRAY. Are you carrying a heavy load and is seems no one is helping or even notices your burdens? Then PRAY.

As the first of our CORE VALUES of the Church of God of Prophecy, it should never be said of us that we "talk" about prayer, or that we "preach" about praying, or we "teach" prayer...but rather let it be said that we ARE a PRAYING people, consecrated and dedicated....that we practice what we preach.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Come Down From That Ivory Tower

Hebrews 11 has become known as the "Hall of Faith." The reason is quite simple. The writer spends a great deal of time giving a role call of the heroes of the faith. After all, this chapter is about faith, and what better way to teach faith than to illustrate with some real-life examples. Mos of the people in this chapter are well-known, at least by anyone who spent time squirming in a Sunday School class as a small child, or who watched the late-night movies on the local channels featuring their stories. Who were they? Abel, Enoch and Noah. Abel pleased God with his excellent offering, Enoch was so close to God that he actually walked with God to the point that one evening, while walking God said to Enoch, "we are closer to my house than we are yours, so why don't you just go home with me?" Of course, Noah built an ark (according to God's instructions) that saved mankind from total destruction. Then there was Abraham...the father of the faithful. He...
10 comments
Read more

A question about your church...

This last few days I have been in the State of Kentucky. I came here with my wife, whose father was having medical tests as of the results of a probable heart attack. He seems to be doing well (as of tonight) and is scheduled for one more test, then hopefully he will be released and further treatments to bring him to health. While this is a scary moment for my wife's family it has also been a time to step away from the daily work and observe others around us. Since Debra's father is a pastor (Church of God of Prophecy, Central City, KY) there have been visits from the State Presiding Bishop, Scott Gillum, area pastors and of course some of his church members. It is heartening to watch the love and concern that is show by those visiting. There has also been quite a few of Debra's extended family here, along with her younger brother and his family. I've watch the nurses and technicians at the Owensboro Medical Center demonstrate concern and what seems to be good care...
5 comments
Read more

On my way to a resurrection

Someone asked, "Are you on your way to another funeral?"  My answer was, "No, I am on my way to a resurrection."  Tonight, after having preached my sister's funeral, two church members funerals and visiting a friend whose brother had passed away, I had a little quiet time in my home office.  As I often do, I reach for an old book  I've found that some books written long ago can speak to my heart.  This time, it was a book published in 1946.  This passage from J.B. Chapman touched my heart, hope it does yours too.  Victor Hugo exclaimed, "The frosts of seventy winters are on my head, but the springtime of eternal youth is in my heart." "Sometimes we look at the gray hair of a ripening saint, and say, "Old man, the frosts of many winters are on your head."  But he answers, "That is not frost.  I am getting ready to wear the crown of life, and my hair is taking on tint agreeable to the color scheme."   We say, "Ol...
2 comments
Read more