Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Nazarene Publishing House [The Foundry Publishing House] in Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Saturday, 5 August 2017 - The Furnace Room" by Fred Prince - 2 Thessalonians 2:13—3:52 Thessalonians 2:13 But we have to keep thanking God for you always, brothers whom the Lord loves, because God chose you as firstfruits for deliverance by giving you the holiness that has its origin in the Spirit and the faithfulness that has its origin in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our Good News, so that you could have the glory of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.
15 Therefore, brothers, stand firm; and hold to the traditions you were taught by us, whether we spoke them or wrote them in a letter. 16 And may our Lord Yeshua the Messiah himself and God our Father, who has loved us and by his grace given us eternal comfort and a good hope, 17 comfort your hearts and strengthen you in every good word and deed.
3:1 Finally, brothers, pray for us that the Lord’s message may spread rapidly and receive honor, just as it did with you; 2 and that we may be rescued from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has trust. 3 But the Lord is worthy of trust; he will make you firm and guard you from the Evil One. 4 Yes, united with the Lord we are confident about you, that you are doing the things we are telling you to do, and that you will keep on doing them. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and the perseverance which the Messiah gives.
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Clifton Lotter profoundly affected the pastor I would become. I was a green-as-could-be rookie pastor. He was a successful farmer. He was also a student of God’s Word, and had sat under the teaching of some great pastors. His greatest impact didn’t come from the conversations we had, or from the insight from God’s Word he shared as he taught. The greatest impact came every Sunday morning. As I stood up to preach, he would walk out of that small sanctuary, go down the steps into the basement of that church; would make his way to the furnace room where he had a chair waiting for him. That chair was positioned right under the pulpit in the sanctuary. It became his altar. As I stood to preach behind that pulpit, he would be sitting under that pulpit praying.
I’m sure the growth we experienced had more to do with the prayers he was lifting than the preaching I was doing. I am also absolutely convinced the growth I experienced personally can be traced right back to a man who was committed to praying for a young pastor who needed encouragement and not criticism.
How often do you pray for your pastor?
Hymn for Today:
Clifton Lotter profoundly affected the pastor I would become. I was a green-as-could-be rookie pastor. He was a successful farmer. He was also a student of God’s Word, and had sat under the teaching of some great pastors. His greatest impact didn’t come from the conversations we had, or from the insight from God’s Word he shared as he taught. The greatest impact came every Sunday morning. As I stood up to preach, he would walk out of that small sanctuary, go down the steps into the basement of that church; would make his way to the furnace room where he had a chair waiting for him. That chair was positioned right under the pulpit in the sanctuary. It became his altar. As I stood to preach behind that pulpit, he would be sitting under that pulpit praying.
I’m sure the growth we experienced had more to do with the prayers he was lifting than the preaching I was doing. I am also absolutely convinced the growth I experienced personally can be traced right back to a man who was committed to praying for a young pastor who needed encouragement and not criticism.
How often do you pray for your pastor?
Hymn for Today:
"Take Time To Be Holy" by William D. Longstaff
1. Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word.
Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak,
Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.
2. Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone.
By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.
3. Take time to be holy, let Him be thy Guide;
And run not before Him, whatever betide.
In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord,
And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word.
4. Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul,
Each thought and each motive beneath His control.
Thus led by His Spirit to fountains of love,
Thou soon shalt be fitted for service above.
Thought for Today:
And pray for me, too, that whenever I open my mouth, the words will be given to me to be bold in making known the secret of the Good News,[Ephesians 6:19].
Please Pray:
That many people in South Africa will come to know Yeshua the Messiah and receive the fullness of the Ruach HaKodesh.
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