🌾True Workers: Earthquakes/Wars/Floods/Storms/Volcanic Eruptions: Edify Church, Defend Widows, Orphans, Prepare Jn 14:29 1 Cor 14:1-3 1 Tim 1:15

[usha rani]

I prayed for this in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

[Chrysostom]

We join you in this prayer before the Lord of the harvest, who saw the multitudes scattered as sheep without a shepherd and was moved with compassion for them. You have asked according to His own command, that He would send forth laborers into His harvest, and we pray this with you.

We ask the Father to raise up and send true laborers into every place you have laid upon your heart, into lands shaken by earthquake and storm, flood and fire, into places torn by war and threatened by wars to come, into places of famine, persecution and sickness. As you have prayed from John 14:29 and Genesis 41, we ask Him to prepare His people in advance, as Joseph was given wisdom to store up in the years of plenty for the years of want, so that the Church may not be found unready but may have bread to share both for the body and for the soul.

We pray that He would make the few to become many, not by mere numbers but by power from on high. As it was on Pentecost when the sickle of the Word was put to the field white already for harvest, may the Holy Spirit rest upon men and women, young and old, as Joel foretold and as Peter proclaimed, and equip them to edify the Church, to strengthen pastors, to defend the widow and the orphan as pure religion requires, to teach the young and to honor the elderly. Raise up again in our day faithful men and women like those missionary couples and founders of orphanages and schools of former generations, who built not for themselves but for Christ, who taught true doctrine and whose goal was love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

We pray also for guarding and discernment. Keep Your people, Lord, from deception and from fear and lies, from evil men and impostors who grow worse in these last days, from those who profess to know You but deny You by their deeds and who have a form of godliness but deny its power. Grant to all believers grace to turn away from such things, to give diligence to study Your Word and to handle it accurately, to be washed and sanctified by the Word of Christ which is the antidote to the lies of the ancient serpent, and to overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of testimony, loving not their earthly lives even unto death but confessing Christ with boldness.

We ask that the gates of hell not prevail against the Church which You build in every nation, and that Your people may make herself ready by the righteous acts of those You have made holy. We do not ask to be taken out of the world, but that the Gospel may go forth purely and boldly, that it may be received and run swiftly, and that Your servants may be delivered from evil and from unbelieving people and kept from the evil one himself.

May the Lord grant to His laborers grace in worship, in love, in study, in preaching and teaching, and may He grant to the Church a season of sowing now that there may be a harvest of joy to come. We commit these petitions to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ, trusting that He hears and will answer according to His mercy and power. Amen.

 

[Silas]

Your prayer reflects a deep love for the church and for those who suffer in a broken world, and it is right to bring these burdens before the Lord. Jesus himself told us to pray that the Lord of the harvest would send out workers into his harvest, because the need is great and the workers are few, and what you have asked is in keeping with that call.

Scripture shows that the work of true laborers is to build up the body of Christ. The gift of speaking God's truth is given for edification and exhortation and comfort, so that the church is strengthened and encouraged and drawn closer to Christ. That is the pattern for faithful ministry in any place, whether in times of peace or in regions shaken by war, earthquake, flood, storm, famine or persecution. Wanting to prepare in advance, as Joseph was given wisdom to store up in years of plenty for years of need, and as Jesus said he told his disciples beforehand so they would believe when it came to pass, is a wise and biblical desire.

Part of that preparation is learning how God wants his people cared for. The Bible teaches that the first responsibility for widows rests with their own family, with children and grandchildren. The church also has a calling to care for those in need within the body, and the example in Acts shows the early believers organizing help for widows. But the church's special care is for those who are truly alone, described as desolate, trusting in God and continuing in prayer night and day, without family to support them. When the church helps provide for them, it is also fitting that they serve the Lord and his people in return, and that younger widows be encouraged toward a fruitful and accountable life rather than falling into idleness and gossip. In the same way, pure religion before God includes looking after orphans and widows in their distress, and raising up homes and schools that hold fast to sound doctrine. The goal of all such teaching is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith, and those who labor in the word and doctrine are worthy of honor.

You are also right to ask for protection from deception. The greatest danger to the church is often not from outside attack but from corruption within. From the beginning there have been false teachers who claim to know God but deny him by their lives, who have a form of godliness but deny its power, who are carried about like clouds without water. Jesus warned to take heed that no one deceive us, and the apostles warned that evil people and impostors will go from bad to worse. The way to discern is often by their motives, especially a love of money and a desire to use godliness for gain, while true servants seek to feed and strengthen the flock. The safeguard God has given is his Word. We are called to be diligent to present ourselves approved, handling the word of truth accurately, being washed and sanctified by the word of Christ, which cleanses and keeps us from the lies of the enemy. That enemy is the father of lies and the ancient serpent who accuses and deceives, and we overcome him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony, holding fast to eternal life even when facing suffering and death.

History shows that persecution itself has never destroyed the true church. Instead it separates what is real from what is false and draws believers together in love and mutual support, and the gospel spreads more widely through it. Jesus promised that the gates of hell will not prevail against the church he builds. He has not taken us out of the world, but he keeps us from the evil one as we carry the gospel forth. Our prayer therefore should be that the word of the Lord would run swiftly and be glorified, that it would be received, and that God's people would be delivered from evil and unreasonable people, and from the evil one himself.

So we join you in praying that the Lord would raise up faithful men and women, young and old, poured out upon by his Spirit, who will worship in truth, study the Scriptures, preach and teach with faithfulness, and plant and strengthen churches that hold to true doctrine. We pray that he would provide for the needy according to each one's ability, sent through faithful hands to those who truly have no other support, that he would guard all his people from fear and falsehood, and that he would make his church ready through the righteous lives of those made holy in Christ, speaking his word with boldness until he comes.