Bondslave for Prayer

Colossians 4:12-13 Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greeting, always laboring earnestly for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God. For I bear him witness, that he has a deep concern for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.

Epraphras is not a name you hear much of. Under Paul’s direction, he evangelized the cities of the Lycus Valley in Phrgias and founded the churches of Colossae, Hierapolis and Laoicea. He was obviously a dear saint in the Lord. Paul refers to him as fellow bondslave and fellow prisoner. He may have suffered imprisonment with Paul at one time. I looked up ‘bondslave’ in the New Testament Dictionary because it was underlined in my Hebrew-Greek Bible and in this context it means followers and ministers of Christ. But the thing that really impresses me about this saint is what Paul wrote about him– he always labored earnestly in prayer! How beautiful to know one so connected to the followers and ministers of Christ would be laboring so earnestly in prayer for you!

He was a man with whom Paul must have been accustomed to praying, and clearly the apostle knew of his zeal from personal experience. But notice what Epaphras prayed for – that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. That's my prayer for each one of us.

The Intercessory work of the saint through prayer is the work behind the scenes, the silent ministry that most of the world knows little of, yet more powerful than any weapon on earth unleashing power from above that makes demons tremble. I also looked up ‘laboring earnestly’ and it is defined as to exert oneself, to strive earnestly. Prayer is not a passive past time. It takes action on our part to exert oneself and strive earnestly. I have to admit, I cannot say all my prayers of intercession could be described as prayers of earnest labor. So often, we dash off a quick little ‘post-it note’ of a prayer for someone or something and feel we’ve done our part. We too quickly say, “I’ll pray for you” and, though we probably mean it at the time, we shuffle it into the pile of other “I’ll pray for you(s)” and it gets covered under something of an umbrella prayer over the pile. I felt a deep ache in my heart when I heard a popular and mainstream ministry put all the prayer request they received in large baskets and prayed over the baskets. I’m sure the vast amount of requests made that seem logical and practical but it certainly doesn’t seem like laboring earnestly in prayer for those entrusting their needs to them. Just my opinion.   

In this day and age, with the winds of spiritual warfare swirling all around – when faith will be tested to the extreme – my prayer is that you and I will stand perfect and complete in the will of God and learn what it really means to labor earnestly in prayer. With so many of us under severe attack, never neglect the power of prayer – for this ministry counts so much more than you may realize, not only here on earth– but also, where it really counts…in heaven.

I Shall Not Want

Psalm 23 (HGSB) The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the path of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me. Thou dost prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; Thou hast anointed my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

From the imagery, the beautiful word pictures David writes, we can see his thoughts had returned to the secure time of his boyhood when he himself was a shepherd who totally cared for his sheep and in whom his sheep could completely trust. What a vivid, comforting thought for him to conceive of the Lord as his shepherd, "The Lord is my shepherd." In these words, we see his satisfaction in the care of the great Sheperd of the universe, the Redeemer and Preserver of men. With joy he reflects that he has a shepherd, and that shepherd is God. A flock of sheep, gentle and harmless, feeding in verdant pastures, under the care of a skilful, watchful, and tender shepherd, forms an image of believers brought back to the Shepherd of their souls. The thought is just as vivid and comforting today to the Christian who, in the midst of the turmoil and frustrations of life, fully understands the Lord is his shepherd also, and therefore, he shall not want.

The greatest abundance is but a dry pasture to a wicked man who relishes only what pleases the senses; but to a godly man who by faith tastes the goodness of God, though he has little of the world, it is a green pasture. The Lord gives quiet and contentment in the mind, whatever the lot is. We are blessed with the green pastures, let us not think it enough to pass through them, but let us abide in them.

The consolations of the Holy Spirit are the still waters by which Believers are led, the streams which flow from the Fountain of Living Waters. Those led by the still waters of comfort, walk in the paths of righteousness. The work of righteousness is peace. In these paths we cannot walk, unless God lead us to them and in them.

Discontent and distrust proceed from unbelief and an unsteady walk is the consequence. Let us then simply trust our Shepherd's care, and hearken to his voice. The valley of the shadow of death may denote the most severe and terrible affliction the psalmist ever could come under. Between the flock on earth and that which is gone to heaven, death lies like a dark valley that must be passed in going from one to the other. It is but the shadow of death: the shadow of a serpent will not sting, nor shadows of a sword kill. It is a deep, dark and miry valley; but valleys are often fruitful, full of comforts to God's people. We walk through it: we shall not be lost in this valley, but led to the mountain on the other side. Death is a king of terrors, but not to the sheep of Christ. When we come to die, God will rebuke the enemy; He will guide us with His rod, and sustain us with His staff. The gospel comforts the saints when dying, and underneath them are the everlasting arms.

The Lord's people feast at His table on the provisions of His love. Satan and wicked men are not able to destroy our comfort when we are anointed with the Holy Spirit, and drink of the cup of salvation which is ever full. Past experience teaches us to trust the goodness and mercy of God will follow us all the days of our lives, and it is our desire and determination, to seek happiness in the service of God here, and enjoy His love for ever in heaven. While here, the Lord can make any situation pleasant, by the anointing of His Spirit and the joys of His salvation. We shall not want!

Waiting on the Lord

Psalm 25:4-5 Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me: for You are the God of my salvation; on You do I wait all day.

What do you do when you don’t know what to do? When life comes crashing down around you, pelting you with heartache, disappointment, pain, and confusion, where do you go, to whom do you turn?

Almost everyone you know will have an opinion about how you should feel or what you should think and how you proceed. Opinions are like bellybuttons, every one of us has one. Some gather more dust than others but largely, they play little role in an adult life. Let others worry about their own bellybuttons.  

For me, I’ve come to know that when I do not know what to do next, the only wise thing is not to do anything. Jerk-knee reactions are born out of fear and highly charged emotions. So I wait. I wait for my God to give me direction and intent of purpose. I’ve already confessed confusion, and confusion is not of God, so why make decisions when it is obvious my state is not from God?

I know and believe my steps are ordered by God, so any sudden moves off the path He has me on would be foolhardy. I will stay the course of His planning until He changes that course. I will wait for the wisdom and guidance I know he will send me. I will stand on the knowledge of His love and purpose for my life. I will wait on the Lord and not be swayed by bellybuttons.

James 3:17 (HGSB) But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruit, unwavering, without hypocrisy.

That is the wisdom for which I wait. I know God has my best interest at heart above anything we can comprehend. His ways are higher than our ways and we cannot always understand or know His reasons. But this I do know, “…on You do I wait all day.”

Earthquake

2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Our national Capitol experienced a thundering earthquake. It came as a surprise out of nowhere. I don't know if any of you have ever experienced an earthquake, but they are very scary. I personally have not, yet I thought about them often when some of our kids and G-kids were living in San Diego.

Out of nowhere came a sudden loud roaring sound, followed by a shaking of all four walls, and all the contents within banging against them for what seemed like an eternity. These are things being said by those that did experience it event. We are blessed that little damage was done compared to the potential for damage and death. This earthquake caught so many off-guard because that area has no record of earthquake activity to speak of and, let’s face it, it was in the bosom of America’s governing seat. It revealed a weak spot in our land we had not even considered possible. Yep, America has clay feet. The pedestal we’ve lived upon for so long has swayed with impending doom and cracked under the strain.

There is Biblical commentary to address such but I want to focus on a more personal level; how, we as individual Believers, deal with the earthquakes of our lives.

While not an earthquake on the Richter Scale, I had a near death experience when I was brought down by an anaphylactic shock incident on a mission trip. I had a severe allergic reaction to an unknown food item. My body was going through a violent reaction, definitely of earthquake proportions, and my organs were shutting down. The ER doctor said I would not have made it if it had taken even 5 minutes longer to get me to the hospital. I was fully aware I might not live through the ordeal. So many things go through your mind when you're in the midst of a life-threatening experience. Mostly thoughts of the ones you love. That and where you stand with the Lord.

Rather like watching the scene as an observer, I had a conversation with the Lord while my body dealt with the assault. I told Him I was okay with it if this was the day He chose to take me home…and I was. I did ask Him to hold off just a bit if He would because my husband would have a huge ordeal on his hands to get my body and the team out of the country alone. The thing I remember the most, aside from the insidious things my body was going through, was the peace I felt inside. I knew my position in Christ and took comfort in Him.

Even in the midst of craziness, chaos, distress, crises beyond our control, we as believers must rest, trusting that we're safe in the loving arms of the Father. The world around us may be going to pieces but when you know, truly KNOW, you are held in His arms, there is peace beyond our comprehension.

Is your world being shaken right now? Know that God is holding you today. No matter what you're facing, you can trust Him fully to cover you and protect you. Relax in His sheltering arms.

Gideon

Judges 6:12 And the angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!

Judges 6 begins with an angel talking to Gideon saying, “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor!" However, in this passage Gideon isn't feeling very valiant — he's consumed with his circumstances — how poor his family is and how he's the least of his fathers' house. He doesn't feel he's done anything worthy of being called valiant, yet the angel still addresses him "mighty man of velour!"

Gideon is not the only one who struggles with feeling anything but valiant, though, is he? All of us struggle with feelings of failure and defeat from time to time. But we must remember that we are part of the Lord's army — and in the Lord's army we do not depend upon our own strength. We depend upon the power of the Lord. We depend upon the victory that He has already won.

I’ll admit, I’m feeling somewhat ‘Gideon-ish’ this morning. My body feels as weak as a newborn kitten rather than that of a warrior. It is in times like this I rest in the knowledge of His assurance and victory over sickness because I sure do not feel like a mighty woman of valor on any front. People, this is why I encourage you so often to spend time reading and studying the Bible because we need to stand on what we KNOW over what we FEEL. I know Christ bore those stripes for my healing and that trumps the way I feel every this time.

Our feelings are wishy-washy. They change with the wind, or at least circumstances and we cannot depend on our feelings to be rational or unbiased or mature or wise. This makes it all the more important that we know where we stand in Christ and what the Word says about who we are in Him rather than listening to how we feel.

Call out to Jesus. He stands anxiously awaiting our call. He wants us to walk in His power, not our own. Let's give him our circumstances today and strive to rely on His strength to conquer them!