When You Pray for your Church
Richard Bradley
Philippians 1:9-11
9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-to the glory and praise of God.
Before a full-time chaplain was engaged, individual Congressmen took turns opening sessions of the Congress with prayer. Finally a permanent chaplain was appointed. One day he was late in arriving, and when time came for the session to begin, he was not there to pray. An older congressman stepped to the front and prepared to pray.The Speaker of the House hit the desk with his gavel and asked, ''By what right does the gentleman pray?'' The volunteer answered the Speaker, ''By the right of any sinner, sir.''
In this text, Paul named four things he prayed for when he interceded on behalf of the church at Philippi. Do you pray for your church? I hope you do because without our people praying we'll never be the church God wants us to be.
WHEN YOU PRAY FOR YOUR CHURCH, PRAY THAT IT WILL BE AN AFFECTIONATE CHURCH (Phil. 1:9)
9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound (''to super abound'') more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,
No congregation loved God, Paul, and one another more than the Philippian church. But Paul felt a church could never have too much love. So he prayed for them to ''abound yet more and more'' in affection. The idea here is that of a church which is ever increasing in its love for the lost and the brethren.
Mother Teresa of Calcutta once was asked, ''How do you measure the success of your work?'' She looked puzzled for a moment and then replied, ''I don't remember that the Lord ever spoke of success. He spoke only of faithfulness in love. This is the only success that really counts.''
WHEN YOU PRAY FOR YOUR CHURCH, PRAY THAT IT MIGHT ...
Richard Bradley
Philippians 1:9-11
9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-to the glory and praise of God.
Before a full-time chaplain was engaged, individual Congressmen took turns opening sessions of the Congress with prayer. Finally a permanent chaplain was appointed. One day he was late in arriving, and when time came for the session to begin, he was not there to pray. An older congressman stepped to the front and prepared to pray.The Speaker of the House hit the desk with his gavel and asked, ''By what right does the gentleman pray?'' The volunteer answered the Speaker, ''By the right of any sinner, sir.''
In this text, Paul named four things he prayed for when he interceded on behalf of the church at Philippi. Do you pray for your church? I hope you do because without our people praying we'll never be the church God wants us to be.
WHEN YOU PRAY FOR YOUR CHURCH, PRAY THAT IT WILL BE AN AFFECTIONATE CHURCH (Phil. 1:9)
9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound (''to super abound'') more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,
No congregation loved God, Paul, and one another more than the Philippian church. But Paul felt a church could never have too much love. So he prayed for them to ''abound yet more and more'' in affection. The idea here is that of a church which is ever increasing in its love for the lost and the brethren.
Mother Teresa of Calcutta once was asked, ''How do you measure the success of your work?'' She looked puzzled for a moment and then replied, ''I don't remember that the Lord ever spoke of success. He spoke only of faithfulness in love. This is the only success that really counts.''
WHEN YOU PRAY FOR YOUR CHURCH, PRAY THAT IT MIGHT ...
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