Post by Fletch on Jul 6, 2009 23:14:30 GMT -8
1 Thessalonians 5:25-28 (New International Version)
25 Brothers, pray for us. 26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. 27 I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Today I want to refresh your memory about the subject of prayer for ministers. I implore every Christian household to grant the fervent request of the text first uttered by an apostle and now repeated here. Brothers, the work of a Minister is Solemnly momentous, involving happiness or sorrow to thousands; they treat with souls for God on eternal business, and their word is either a savor of life unto life, or of death unto death. A very heavy responsibility rests upon them, and it will be no small mercy if at the last they are found clear of the blood of all men. As officers in Christ's army, they are the especial mark of the enmity of men and devils; they watch for their halting, and labor to take them by the heels. The sacred calling involves them in temptations from which we are exempt, above all it too often draws them away from their personal enjoyment of truth into a ministerial and official consideration of it. They meet with many knotty cases, and their wits are at a non plus; they observe very sad backslidings, and their hearts are wounded; they see millions perishing, and their spirits sink. They wish to profit us by their preaching; they desire to be blessed to our children; they long to be useful both to saints and sinners; therefore, Brothers, intercede for them with our God. Miserable men they will be if they miss the aid of our prayers, but happy they will be if they live in our supplications. We do not look to them but to our Master for spiritual blessings, and yet how many times has He given those blessings through His ministers; ask then, again and again, that they may be the earthen vessels into which the Lord may put the treasure of the gospel. The whole company of missionaries, ministers, city missionaries, and students, do in the name of Jesus beseech you;
"Brethren, Pray for us."
25 Brothers, pray for us. 26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. 27 I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Today I want to refresh your memory about the subject of prayer for ministers. I implore every Christian household to grant the fervent request of the text first uttered by an apostle and now repeated here. Brothers, the work of a Minister is Solemnly momentous, involving happiness or sorrow to thousands; they treat with souls for God on eternal business, and their word is either a savor of life unto life, or of death unto death. A very heavy responsibility rests upon them, and it will be no small mercy if at the last they are found clear of the blood of all men. As officers in Christ's army, they are the especial mark of the enmity of men and devils; they watch for their halting, and labor to take them by the heels. The sacred calling involves them in temptations from which we are exempt, above all it too often draws them away from their personal enjoyment of truth into a ministerial and official consideration of it. They meet with many knotty cases, and their wits are at a non plus; they observe very sad backslidings, and their hearts are wounded; they see millions perishing, and their spirits sink. They wish to profit us by their preaching; they desire to be blessed to our children; they long to be useful both to saints and sinners; therefore, Brothers, intercede for them with our God. Miserable men they will be if they miss the aid of our prayers, but happy they will be if they live in our supplications. We do not look to them but to our Master for spiritual blessings, and yet how many times has He given those blessings through His ministers; ask then, again and again, that they may be the earthen vessels into which the Lord may put the treasure of the gospel. The whole company of missionaries, ministers, city missionaries, and students, do in the name of Jesus beseech you;
"Brethren, Pray for us."