Preach The Word! Declare The Gospel!

2 Timothy 4:1, “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 5But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

The commission of Christ is one that we must accept individually and collectively as the Church. So today, we have either embraced His call or settled for something less than complete surrender. Without total abandon for Christ, we introduce the arm of the flesh into a spiritual body. The result is the creation of a humanistic social order rather than the Body of Jesus Christ. Jesus will reach the world through a Spirit filled, Spirit inspired and Spirit empowered Church. Our success will be determined by how well we have followed His instructions. It is for this reason that I offer this prayer for all engaged in the Harvest of souls.

“Lord, You have given me such an enormous responsibility. That which I accept willingly. However, I realize how much I am dependent upon you. I feel the helplessness of this frail human soul. I ask you in all humility to cause me to rise to the task. I need your intervention in every effort with every step I take. Open my heart to Your Holy Spirit! Help me to hear your voice. I don't want to miss your cue. Help me to be ever aware of where I am and where you are. I need your abiding presence every step of this journey. I can't go without your direction, approval and support. I don't want to be sounding brass and tinkling cymbal. I want to speak your WORD. Your WORD will go forth with power and authority. Your WORD will convict hearts and change lives. Your WORD will prepare our hearts for eternity.

Father, I pray for the Church, Your Church. Help us to cast off the works of this human flesh. Help us to return to the days of old where we walked in the power of Your Holy Spirit. Renew in us an intense desire to experience a fresh wind of Your Spirit. Burn away the sin and selfishness that we embrace so easily. Help us to see ourselves as You see us. Help us to be void of our own agenda and to know and execute Your will daily in our lives. Help us to see vividly that Your cause is most important and our goals are secondary, subject to what You desire. Purge us and wash us clean of all our human ambitions and replace them with Your high and lofty goals. Fill us up with Your person that there is no room for ME. Father we offer this prayer in the name of Your precious Son, Jesus. Amen!”