A Pastor's Prayer for God's Precious People

Colossians 1:9-14 (NKJV)

9For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him,  being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

Introduction: Paul was a missionary by calling but a pastor by heart. Nowhere is this truer than in the letters he wrote to churches. He sets an ideal of what it's like to be a pastor when he prays for God's people. in this passage, he reveals 3 things about his prayer:

1. The Distinction of his prayer. A prayer that is
   • Focused
   • Thankful
   • Unceasing
2. The Reason for his prayer
   • Saving faith
   • Supernatural love
   • Sustainging hope
3. The Petition in his prayer
   • For spiritual wisdom
   • For worthy walk
   • For fruitful work
   • For joyful witness
   • For thankful worship

TIPS for prayer

1. Set a time
2. Don't be too ambitious 
3. Use the words of others
4. Be quiet and listen
5. Use ACTS fashion
   A - Adoration
   C - Confession
   T - Thanksgiving
   S - Supplication

Good Stewards of God's Manifold Grace

1 Peter 4:7-11 (NKJV)

7But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 8And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” 9Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 10As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

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Stewardship is the acknowledgement that all that we are have are from God and are to be used for the benefit, not only of ourselves, but also of others and for the glory of God. we are stewards of life, time, treasures and talents. the challenge for us is to be good stewards of God's grace. There are 3 truths to consider from this passage:

1. The universality of God's grace.

2. The variety of God's grace.

3. The responsibility for God's grace

If we are going to be responsible stewards let's do it:

i. Seriously
ii. Prayerfully
iii. Lovingly
iv. Sincerely

Evangelism: Hard but worth it

Romans 1:14-17 (NKJV)

14I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. 15So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.
16For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

The Most Desirable Prayer Request for the New Year

1 Chronicles 4:9-10 (NKJV)

9Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” 10And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested.