WITH THIS IN MIND

2 Thessalonians 1:3-12
3 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. 4 Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. . . . 6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with His powerful angels. . . . 11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of His calling, and that by His power He may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. 12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.


Most of us base our actions on what we know. We decide to grab an umbrella based on a weather forecast or a glance out the window. News of a big sale sends us to the mall. We make a special effort to speak kind words to a friend we know is struggling. Everything we do, including prayer, is based on observation and information.

So how does what we know affect what we say in prayer? What should we have in mind about God and the people we pray for? Second Thessalonians 1:1-12 is a great guide for what to think about when we intercede for others.

When the apostle Paul thought about his Christian friends in the city of Thessalonica, he had two things in mind: their circumstances and God's power.

Those faithful believers were going through the fire of persecution, but Paul knew that God would bring them justice and relief when Jesus returned--which he believed could be soon.

What he knew gave structure and power to his prayer: "With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of His calling, and that by His power He may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ" (vv.11-12).

One problem with our praying is that we spend more time discussing it than doing it. So the rest of today's devo is up to you. Before going on to something else, fill in the blanks and pray for a friend:

Friend's Name: ____________________________


What I know is going on with this person today:

_________________________________________


What I know about God as it relates to my friend's need:

_________________________________________

Lord, with this in mind, I pray that You would . . .

_________________________________________


so that Jesus Christ may be glorified. Amen. --Dave McCasland


DESTINATION POINTS

* How could writing specific prayers for others help me to be more effective in my praying?
* What's the most important thing for me to keep in mind about God today?

LINKS:
Unlocking the Power of Prayer
http://www.christianitytoday.com/tc/2002/006/1.32.html

bottom line: Pray with the right thing in mind.

soul journey