It is highly significant and instructive that the great Apostle Paul, who was used so mightily of the Lord for the spread of the Gospel in the 1st Century, never ceased to ask God’s people to be praying for him. He understood the sobering realities of the spiritual battle he was engaged in, he understood his own inadequacy for the task, and he understood the indispensible need for God’s people to pray for him if he was to be found faithful. Hear his pleas to this end:
“…and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” (Eph. 6:19,20)
“Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you; and that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith.” (2 Thess. 3:1,2)
In this same way, and for the same reasons, I plead with you to continue to pray for myself and the other men who serve in leadership at RCG. All of us – Smokey, George, Sean, Eric, Pastor Steve, and I – desperately and continually need your prayers!
To spur you on in this blessed task, I commend to you an excellent booklet entitled “A Plea to Pray for Pastors”, by Gardiner Spring. You can “google” the title, and find the booklet online. Consider this excerpt from the booklet, apply it to all of us, and then pray, pray, pray!
And who and what are ministers themselves? Frail men, fallible, sinning men, exposed to every snare, to temptation in every form; and, from the very post of observation they occupy, they are an easier target for the fiery darts of the foe. They are not trite victims the great Adversary is seeking, when he would wound and cripple Christ’s ministers. One such victim is worth more to the kingdom of darkness than a number of common men; and for this very reason their temptations are probably more subtle and severe than those encountered by ordinary Christians. If this subtle Deceiver fails to destroy them, he cunningly aims at neutralizing their influence by quenching the fervor of their piety, lulling them into negligence, and doing all in his power to render their work burdensome. How perilous is the condition of that minister then, whose heart is not encouraged, whose hands are not strengthened, and who is not upheld by the prayers of his people! It is not in his own closet and on his own knees alone, that he finds security and comfort, and ennobling, humbling, and purifying thoughts and joys; but it is when they also seek them in his behalf, that he becomes a better and happier man, and a more useful minister of the everlasting Gospel!
Nothing gives a people so much interest in their minister, and interest of the best kind, as to pray for him. They will love him more, respect him more, attend more cheerfully and gain more profit from his ministry, the more they commend him to God in their prayers. They feel a deeper interest in his work the more they pray for him; and their children feel a deeper interest both in him and in his preaching, when they regularly listen to supplications that affectionately commend him to the throne of the heavenly grace.
For your joy and His glory,
