Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 21
April 9, 1970
NUMBER 48, PAGE 6b,7b

Will You Pray With Me, P-I-E-A-S-E?

Walton Weaver

Do you believe in the power of prayer? Of course, you do! All Christians know not only from a Biblical standpoint that God answers prayers, but they believe He has done so in their own lives. "The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working" (Jas. 5:16).

A "supplication" is a petition offered to God by one who is well aware of his own needs. "In its working" points to the manner in which the prayer accomplishes its purpose. For such a supplication to "avail" it must be asked by "a righteous man," or one who keeps God's commandments; ". . . He that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous" (I Jno. 3:7). When this prayer is offered to God it avails "much." How much we can learn probably only from experience. It is certain, however, that when prayer is so directed to God it has power or force to influence Him to supply our needs. Will you pray with me, P-L-E-A-S-E ?

Pray That Laborers Will Be Sent Forth

"Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth laborers into his harvest" (Matt. 9:38). As Jesus saw the multitudes "he was moved with compassion for them, because they were distressed and scattered, as sheep not having a shepherd." It was this deep compassion for lost souls that led Him to ask the disciples to pray that laborers be sent forth into the harvest.

"Send forth" suggests great urgency. It comes from the same original word rendered "put forth" in Matt. 9:25 and "cast out" in Matt. 9:33. A similar use is found in Mark 1:12, "And straightway the Spirit driveth him forth into the wilderness," and James 2:25, where Rahab is said to have received the messengers and "sent them out" another way. Always the thought is one of urgency, haste, constraint (Broadus). Jesus asked the disciples to pray that laborers be sent forth promptly or immediately. When we begin to pray earnestly for the Lord to send laborers into His harvest, perhaps we will begin to realize that He is sending each of us. And He is sending us NOW, if we will but go!

Pray That The Lost May Be Saved

"Brethren, my heart's desire and my supplication to God is for them, that they may be saved" (Rom. 10:1). This prayer grew out of Paul's "great sorrow and unceasing pain" in his heart for his lost brethren in the flesh (Rom. 9:2). He said further, "For I could wish that I myself were anathema from Christ for my brethren's sake, my kinsmen according to the flesh" (Rom. 9:3). His wish was the same as a prayer. The same word is rendered "pray" in other places (See 2 Cor. 13:7, 9; Jas. 5:16a). In the A. S. V. the footnote in Rom. 9:3 says, "Or, pray."

Whether Paul is saying he would wish to save his countrymen, even at such sacrifice, if it were morally possible (Vincent), or whether he is stating an actual wish or prayer which he had formally entertained, is not a question to be dealt with here. What is important is the earnestness of Paul's prayer for his lost Jewish brethren.

The great urgency today is that every creature may be reached with the gospel of Christ, and that they may be saved. All Christians must begin praying more for the souls of lost men everywhere, and they must begin working harder to take the gospel to them. Paul says, "I exhort therefore, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings, be made for all men; for kings and all that are in high places; that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and gravity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; who would have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth" (I Tim. 2:1-4). Pray for the soul of the lowest pauper to the highest king!

It is folly to pray for the lost when as individual Christians we are doing nothing, or relatively nothing, to take the gospel to them. If we are not careful we will sit at home and at the church building and offer up vain prayers on their behalf. If I have the cure for a sick man, and I also know that others have the same cure, is it sensible for me to keep it to myself and pray that someone else will get it to him before he dies? Only if it is impossible for me to reach him in time would such a prayer be acceptable.

The Christian must not only pray, he must work and pray that souls will be saved. Paul prayed for lost Israel, but he sacrificed his life to preach the gospel to her. Paul's prayer that men may be saved was not an idle prayer.

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