What do you pray for? - Daily Devotional November 20th 2009

Daily Bible Reading - Nehemiah 8, Joel 3, 2 Thessalonians 3

What do you pray for?

Today I was challenged, challenged more than I have ever been before by 2 Thessalonians 3:1. I was challenged to look at my prayer life and examine what I pray for most of the time. The list includes, growth in the church, financial provision for the church, personal health and finances, for my family etc, etc. Although there is nothing wrong with praying for these things I realized that most of them were centered around me and not around others or God's ultimate plan to save humanity.

Paul makes a simple request to the church in Thessalonica for prayer in 2 Thessalonians 3:1, "pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored". Of all the things that Paul could of requested people to pray for he simply wanted the Word of God to succeed and touch lives. There are so many times when people ask me what they can pray for for me but I don't think I have ever said, pray that the Word of the Lord would spread rapidly and be honored. This is why I was so challenged today.

What would happen if all of us made this our daily prayer. Rather than praying for finances and relationships we actually prayed, "God let your Word spread through me today". How powerful would this be? Maybe this is what it is talking about in Matthew 6:33, "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you". If we prayed God let your word have it's way and God let your Word be honored, then God would add all the other things that we have actually been praying for.

Today as you take time to pray, what are you praying for? Be challenged as I was challenged and let's pray for the Word of God to spread through us and be honored.

Tomorrows Bible Reading - Nehemiah 9, Amos1, 1 Timothy 1-3

Dream Big
Ben