Have you ever requested prayer from people you don’t really know? Because we are afraid to admit our own frailty or to suggest we are in need of prayer; we don’t make a prayer request. If we do, we say it more as a catch phrase than with a genuine heart. We might take the chance to call in to a prayer hotline; because, we think at least then we are reaching people with more faith than our own. Yet, do we ask someone whom we disciple to pray for us; admitting our own need for prayer? That is exactly what Paul, the great Apostle, did in His letter to the church at Colossae. Watch what happens with one simple prayer request!
Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. Colossians 4:1-3
SETTING the SCENE
Paul wrote the letter to the Church at Colossae to address the dangerous theological errors that were surrounding and invading this young church. At the time of his writing this letter, Paul had never been to Colossae. He heard of the church and their struggles from Epaphras. When he wrote this letter, Paul was imprisoned in Rome under guarded house arrest. Despite being surrounded by guards; he, by permission, had visitors and wrote letters. At one point, Paul referred to Epaphras as a fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus (Philemon 1:23). I am not certain if that was the case at the time that this letter was written or not; although, this is most likely the case since Paul sends salutations on behalf of Epaphras to this early church. (Colossians 4:12).
Paul’s main purpose in this letter was to teach them and to admonish them against false doctrine which was seeping into their church. Despite this, Paul took the opportunity to ask them for prayer. Paul’s imprisonment laid heavy upon his heart; because, his greatest desire was to preach the gospel to as many as he could. Those numbers were limited by his arrest. Although, all of Paul’s letters demonstrate his strong faith; he was also human. His heart’s desire was evident in this prayer request.
THE PRAYER REQUEST
Continue in prayer with thanksgiving, always. Furthermore, please pray that I might have the opportunity to spread the gospel to more people. I am a willing prisoner. Jailed because of preaching the gospel; I am a willing prisoner. Yet, I need your prayer. Please pray that opportunities open so I might lead more to Christ. Also, pray that I might continue with fortitude and that God give me the words that I should speak. Pray that doors of hearts open to understand and receive that gospel message.
Listen to the almost agonizing desire of Paul not to waste a moment of his life. His greatest passion is to spread the gospel with urgency of spirit. Oh, that each of us wanted this to be our greatest desire.
ANSWERED PRAYER
Certainly, Paul was not aware at the time how God would continue to use his words to spread and teach the gospel of Christ to so many generations. Our understanding of the gospel would indeed be limited were it not for the Pauline letters; including those written from his imprisonment. Furthermore, it appears that Paul was released for approximately 2-3 years. During that release, he furthered his ministry outreach and met with the church of Colossae personally. Paul, then, was imprisoned and killed as a martyr for Christ in 65 or 66 AD. God opened a door of utterance for Paul to a larger audience than Paul could have ever imagined; because, his letters have remained a backbone to our theology even today.
A NEWER EXAMPLE-DWIGHT L MOODY AND THE WORDS OF HENRY VARLEY
Dwight L Moody had traveled with Henry Varley in 1872. Then in 1873, Mr. Moody relayed to Henry Varley how much of an impact he had on his ministry. This puzzled Mr Varley because he did not recall any profound statements. Mr. Moody then reminded him that he had said,
‘Moody, the world has yet to see what God will do with a man fully consecrated to him?’
Not the actual sentence,” I replied. (Henry Varley)
“Ah,” said Mr. Moody, “those were the words sent to my soul, through you, from the Living God. As I crossed the wide Atlantic, the boards of the deck of the vessel were engraved with them, and when I reached Chicago, the very paving stones seemed marked with ‘Moody, the world has yet to see what God will do with a man fully consecrated to him.’ Under the power of those words I have come back to England, and I felt that I must not let more time pass until I let you know how God had used your words to my inmost soul.”
As taken from Mr. Moody’s Full Consecration by Henry Varley and published in The Institute Tie December, 1902
As years went by, those words became the heart and soul of everything Dwight L Moody did.
“The world has yet to see what God can do with a man fully consecrated to him. By God’s help, I aim to be that man.” DL Moody
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
How amazed Paul must be by how God used his words through all these generations. Neither did Henry Varley recognize the impact God would have on Dwight Moody nor all the Christians inspired by this thought that God embedded in the heart of Mr. Moody, using the voice of Mr. Varley. God answers the simplest of prayers overwhelmingly.
My prayer and my prayer request is this. “God, here I am. Use me to your Glory. Transform my words in the hearts of men, so they might see You clearly.”
CONCLUDING TWEETS
[tweetthis]God,transform my words in the hearts of men so they might see You clearly [/tweetthis].
[bctt tweet=”I humbly ask 4 your prayers 4 my ministry that the gospel might touch minds & transform hearts” username=”effiedarlene”]
[bctt tweet=”The world has yet to see what God can do with a man fully consecrated to him. DL Moody” username=”effiedarlene”]
Photo by permission: © Phil Mc Kay/Licensed from GoodSalt.com
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2017
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