“pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored” 2 Thessalonians 3:1-3
Praying and reading God’s Word go hand in hand. You can’t really have one without the other. It’s like a two-passenger bicycle, which is much harder to stay the course when there is only one person peddling. To be persistent in our prayer life and to improve it, we can pray Scripture back to God. Praying God’s Word builds our faith. It brings God’s power into our praying. Praying God’s promises predicts the answers. You know when you pray God’s Word, you’re praying His will. It’s a cure for our self-centered “me...me...me...list.” Instead, it places the focus on God instead of us.
PARAPHRASE PRAYING:
Paraphrase Praying means read God’s Word and pray it in your own words.
“Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith. But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.”2 Thessalonians 3:1-3 (NIV)
For example, we could pray the above Scripture, 2 Thessalonians 3:1-3, in this way:
Father, we pray that you would use World Radio to spread the Gospel of Christ quickly,and that Your Word be honored and obeyed. May your name be held up high for You are holy. You are the one and only true and living God. Thank you for delivering the World Radio speakers from perverse and evil men for not all have faith in You. You prepare a table for the World Radio speakers before their enemies. You protect them as they hide in the shelter of Your wings. You, oh God, are faithful and You strengthen the speakers of World Radio. May the Gospel be heard in every nation upon the earth, for all Nations belong to You. It is through Christ, by His sacrifice, power, and authority we pray. Amen.
PURPOSEFUL PRAYING
To pray with purpose is to pray God’s will through His Word.
Prayer and evangelism are linked together! Jesus was filled with compassion for people when He saw that they were harassed and helpless and at that time Jesus told his disciples:
“The harvest is truly plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the Harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field.” Matthew 9:37-38 (NIV)
It is God’s will that all men be saved. With famine, disease, wars, natural disasters, and chaos stalking the earth, the world is in desperate need. However, the world's greatest need is spiritual. The world needs to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ from his Word. The power is in the Gospel. (Romans 1:16, 1 Corinthians15:1-4; Romans 6)
When God answers our “Paraphrase Praying” and “Purposeful Praying” it will spread the Gospel more rapidly around the globe.
Here are a few prayer points to encourage your times of prayer:
• Ask God how you might be used to go into the entire world.
• Pray that the thousands of issues of World Radio News that go out every other month will spark an interest in missions around the globe.
• Pray that each speaker for World Radio will be dedicated to preaching God’s truth with grace and love.
• Prayerfully consider the possibility of supporting World Radio on a monthly basis.
• Please pray for an abundant financial outpouring to enable World Radio to establish radio programs in more nations and languages of the world.
• Pray for World Radio/WFR Relief Staff:
o Ben Adkins, Director of World Radio/WFR Relief
o Randy Kirby, Elder, White’s Ferry Road Church of Christ
o Mike Kellett, Minister/Elder, White’s Ferry Road Church of Christ
o Alan Robertson, Minister/Elder, White’s Ferry Road Church of Christ
o William (Bill) H. Smith Jr., Elder, White’s Ferry Road Church of Christ
o Dianna Teel, World Radio Speaker Relations
o Carolyn Jo Gower, World Radio Donor Relations
o Lisa Robertson, WFR Global Executive Assistant
o Pray for World Radio Speakers:
* If you would like a listing of the speakers please contact
• Carolyn Jo Gower. Email: jgower@wfr.org
• WORLD RADIO/WFR RELIEF, an outreach of the White’s Ferry Road Church of Christ
o 3201 N 7th St, West Monroe, La. 71291
o Ph: 318 396 6000 Ext: 250
o www.wfrchurch.org
o www.wfr.org
