-September 30, 2020-
Good morning, happy Wednesday,
-Praying For One Another As Paul Did-
“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”
(Philippians 1:9-11).
The Apostle Paul was a man of prayer. He prayed for the saints he loved in the various churches and he wrote to them in his epistles. He prayed earnestly, fervently, and faithfully for them. He also was very specific in his requests for them. Prayer is also such a blessing in terms our spiritual warfare and in our communion with the Father through His Son Jesus Christ.
We pray in the name of Jesus and according to the will of God. We lift up the needs of our fellow believers and for the salvation of the lost. We pray for our nation, our government leaders, and our spiritual leaders. We also lift our own needs to the Lord. The greatest regret most of us will have in life is that we did not pray enough. Prayer is hard work and the devil will oppose every step of the way.
Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:18, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” We need to set aside a time and a place to pray, and be committed and devoted to it daily.
When Paul prayed for the Philippians, he asked the Lord to grant them four specific things for their spiritual good and growth:
1. That their love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment. Love is the greatest virtue and we can never have enough love for each other. Paul prays for their love to abound even more and for them to have both knowledge and discernment. Discernment is the ability to see what is true and right in every situation.
2. That they may approve the things that are excellent. Paul spoke of these things in Philippians 4:8 that we should meditate on. We should hold high standards for ourselves and other believers; always thinking of the best and looking for the best in others. None of us are perfect but we should strive for excellence in all things.
3. That they would be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ. Paul prayed for the saints to be sincere until the Lord comes. Sincerity is so lacking today for it seems so many have poor motives. Being without offense is to treat everyone honestly, justly, and fairly, without hypocrisy or partiality.
4. That they would be filled with the fruits of righteousness. Righteousness is being right with God and with one another. It is something we are in Christ and something we live out in our lives in a practical way. It is practicing what we preach and living an abundant life.
May the Lord help us to pray for one another and love each other with a sincere love that show the life of Christ put into practice. When we pray God will answer. To have strong, effective lives and churches we need to pray consistently, faithfully, and passionately for one another. We are only as strong as we are together in Christ.
Have a blessed day in prayer. Things always go better when we pray. Stay safe and healthy.
Dean
Dean Allen's Daily Devotional 