The Prayer of Paul

A prayer composed from the prayers of Paul in Ephesians 1 & 3, Philippians 1 & Colossians 1

O Lord, with praise and thanksgiving, I come before you - the God of my Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father - and I ask for a Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that I can know you intimately. I ask, too, that you will illuminate the eyes of my heart so that I can know the hope to which you are calling me - the hope that is my glorious inheritance in the saints - and so that I can know the tremendous power that is available to me as a believer.

I ask also that from your store of glorious spiritual riches you will strengthen my inner man with power so that Christ can live in me by faith. I pray that I will have the superhuman ability, together with all the Christians who are rooted and established in love, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. I want to know that love by experience-the kind of love that surpasses knowledge - and I want this so I can be filled in all of my being with God himself. I realize, too, that there is a Spirit in me that is able to do beyond all I can ask or imagine. Lord, may that Spirit arise in me and bring glory to Jesus!

I pray that as I experience a fresh revelation of your love, Lord, that this love will mature in me and grow more and more in knowledge and wise insight. May I be able to recognize the highest and the best and to live blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ.

Lord, in all of this, let me see things from your point of view, something I can do through the spiritual insight and understanding you have promised to give me. Above all, let my outer life bring credit to you and let me bring joy to your heart by bearing true Christian fruit.

I ask this in the wonderful and powerful name of Jesus and I thank you that no weapon formed against me or the fulfillment of this prayer will be successful.

Amen.

Earning an M.B.A.

Dave Thomas

Dave Thomas, founder of the Wendy’s Restaurant chain, illustrates the learning value of humility in his book WELL DONE: THE COMMON GUY’S GUIDE TO EVERYDAY SUCCESS. He writes, "I got my MBA long before my G.E.D." He continues, "I even have a photograph of me in my MBA graduation outfit -- a snazzy knee-length work apron. I guarantee you that I'm the only founder among America's big companies whose picture in the corporate annual report shows him wielding a mop and a plastic bucket. That wasn't a gag" he continues. "It was a case of leading by example. At Wendy's, MBA does not mean Master of Business Administration. It means Mop Bucket Attitude. It's how we define satisfying the customer through cleanliness, quality food, friendly service, and atmosphere."

Dave Thomas got his G.E.D back in the 1990's, having dropped out of school when he was 15 years old. But he got his M.B.A. when he was 11 years and was baptized and began his journey of following Jesus. He truly took on the role of a servant, even though he was a multi-million dollar executive of a fast-growing restaurant chain. He said that Christianity was more than just a doctrine you talked about on Sunday morning. In fact, his advice was: "Live your faith. Don't wear it on your sleeve; roll up both sleeves and do something about it."

Do you have an M.B.A.? Is your attitude like that of Jesus? Are you rolling up your sleeves and doing something about your faith?

"For everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted."

Dave Thomas

Dave Thomas Bio (pdf)

The Unselfish Side of Prayer

We spend a great deal of time in every planning meeting with prayer and a worship time -



Tonight, I was reading J. Oswald Sanders' book (and I quote) re:

A great portion of Paul's prayers dealt with intercession - the presentation of the personal needs of others at the throne of grace. This is the unselfish side of prayer. Paul was constantly praying for his converts and churches.

Intercession does not have in view the overcoming of the reluctance of God, but in the claiming of the mercies of Christ on behalf of others who are in a bad situation. The spiritual development of his flock was the lifeblood of Paul's experience, as we see in his prayers of intercession.

Others, dear Lord, Yes, others,
This all my prayer shall be;
Help me to live for others,
That I may live like thee.

It was the experience of Henry Martyn that during times of spiritual dryness and depression - and who doesn't have such experiences? - he often found "a delightful revival in the act of praying for others, for their conversion or sanctification, or prosperity in the work of the Lord."

Every man at the Nashville Promise Keepers conference (and we are expecting no less than a sold out event - in every sense of the word) will truly be the blessed ones as recipients of your collective intercession and volunteer efforts.

Think of all the changed lives; the families affected that will be set in motion July 20 -21... Do you recall the first time you went to a Promise Keepers event? Someone volunteered, someone prayed over the seat that you sat in... someone "shamelessly recruited" because they knew by faith the payoff of a changed life... make that call, send that eMail, shamelessly recruit to build your teams...

This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 2Cor 9:12-14

Others, dear Lord, Yes, others,
This all my prayer shall be;
Help me to live for others,
That I may live like thee.

Blessings –

Kerry