Great Blog article I came across...
The Pastor and His Prayer Life
In First Timothy 2, Paul exhorts Timothy (and therefore all pastors) to be a man of prayer. When I went off to Bible College in 1998 my father-in-law gave me the very same exhortation. He said, "Scott, make sure you study hard, but more than anything be a man of prayer." I found that studying hard was easier to do than to commit my life to prayer (and it is still that way). Satan has no problem with us studying in the flesh, even when we are studying God's Word. Prayer is hard work; in fact it is war. Studying can lead one to think highly of oneself; prayer is humbling. This is why studying God's word should always be coupled with prayer. Paul, being a man of prayer, understood this and gave these inspired words to young Timothy and to all men who are called to the pastorate. The wise apostle gives Timothy at least four truths concerning the pastor and his prayer life.
1. Pastors are to pray for everyone.
"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people" (1 Tim. 2:1). This seems so obvious that it shouldn't have to be stated. But Paul did not think so. He tells Timothy that if he is going to be effective and God-centered as a pastor, he must "pray for all men." Pastors are called to bombard heaven for everyone that they come across. This destroys any myth that pastors only work on Sundays (if anyone really believes that anyway). The work required from a pastor in prayer alone is a full time responsibility. This may be why there are so many weak pastors and weak churches out there today. This may be why I am weak and not as effective as I could be in the gospel ministry of Jesus Christ.
2. Pastors are to pray for our leaders.
"for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way" (1 Timothy 2:2). Christians have the tendency to do more lobbying against our leaders than praying for our leaders (I'm not saying all lobbying is wrong, but what good does it do if we aren't praying?). All leaders in our government and every government in the world receive their power from God Himself (Romans 13:1). As pastors, are we praying for George W. Bush? Nancy Pelosi? Dare I say it...Osama Bin Laden? This does not mean that we deny evil acts done by leaders. Remember, Jesus commands us to pray for our enemies. You must recognize people as your enemies in order to pray for you enemies. However, we are to pray for our enemies nonetheless. This is especially true when they are leaders in government. Pastors are to be an example to their flock in this regard.
3. Pastors are to pray worshipfully.
"I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling" (1 Timothy 2:8). My father-in-law recently had a discussion with me about churches that encourage their members to hold hands when praying. He said, "The Bible doesn't tell us to hold hands, it tells us to raise them!" Why is this? I am a Baptist, and I love to raise my hands during prayer and singing as well. Prayer is to be worshipful. Holding hands carries with it the idea of fellowship (there is nothing wrong with fellowship); but the priority in prayer is worship, not fellowship. Prayer is when God's people, both individually and corporately, communicate with their loving Father through the Mediator Jesus Christ. Paul is reminding Timothy that he is the worship leader of the church. Hear me on this. I don't care if your church has a staff member with the title "Worship Leader." The Pastor is the worship leader in God's eyes. It is the pastor that is responsible and accountable before God for the worship of a local church. This begins with a worshipful prayer. Pastors are to live this in private as well as model it from the pulpit.
4. Pastors are to pray with an attitude of repentance.
"lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling" (1 Timothy 2:8b). This is not rocket science. How can a man of God lead the people of God in prayer, how can he have an effective prayer life if his heart is filled with anger and quarreling? He cannot, of course, rid himself of these things with his own willpower. It is only through repentance that comes from God Himself and trusting in Jesus and His cross that the pastor can pray with repentance. Pastors should not be afraid that their people know they are sinners (this doesn't mean you have to tell every single church member every single sin you commit); but it does mean they need to know that their pastor is not "superman." They need to know that pastors need the exact same grace that they need. They need to know that the prayer life of a pastor is hindered when there is no repentance. Again, pastors are to model this from the pulpit and live it from their lives.
I do not consider myself to have arrived as a "man of prayer." I don't write about this because of what a great prayer I am. Many times, as a Christian and a pastor, I am ashamed of my prayer life. I feel like R.C. Sproul when he said that he did not write about God's holiness because he was a holy man, but because he was so unholy. Pastors and their people, let us pray together for each other that we will become men of prayer as we lead God's sheep. Soli Deo Gloria!
The Pastor and His Prayer Life
In First Timothy 2, Paul exhorts Timothy (and therefore all pastors) to be a man of prayer. When I went off to Bible College in 1998 my father-in-law gave me the very same exhortation. He said, "Scott, make sure you study hard, but more than anything be a man of prayer." I found that studying hard was easier to do than to commit my life to prayer (and it is still that way). Satan has no problem with us studying in the flesh, even when we are studying God's Word. Prayer is hard work; in fact it is war. Studying can lead one to think highly of oneself; prayer is humbling. This is why studying God's word should always be coupled with prayer. Paul, being a man of prayer, understood this and gave these inspired words to young Timothy and to all men who are called to the pastorate. The wise apostle gives Timothy at least four truths concerning the pastor and his prayer life.
1. Pastors are to pray for everyone.
"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people" (1 Tim. 2:1). This seems so obvious that it shouldn't have to be stated. But Paul did not think so. He tells Timothy that if he is going to be effective and God-centered as a pastor, he must "pray for all men." Pastors are called to bombard heaven for everyone that they come across. This destroys any myth that pastors only work on Sundays (if anyone really believes that anyway). The work required from a pastor in prayer alone is a full time responsibility. This may be why there are so many weak pastors and weak churches out there today. This may be why I am weak and not as effective as I could be in the gospel ministry of Jesus Christ.
2. Pastors are to pray for our leaders.
"for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way" (1 Timothy 2:2). Christians have the tendency to do more lobbying against our leaders than praying for our leaders (I'm not saying all lobbying is wrong, but what good does it do if we aren't praying?). All leaders in our government and every government in the world receive their power from God Himself (Romans 13:1). As pastors, are we praying for George W. Bush? Nancy Pelosi? Dare I say it...Osama Bin Laden? This does not mean that we deny evil acts done by leaders. Remember, Jesus commands us to pray for our enemies. You must recognize people as your enemies in order to pray for you enemies. However, we are to pray for our enemies nonetheless. This is especially true when they are leaders in government. Pastors are to be an example to their flock in this regard.
3. Pastors are to pray worshipfully.
"I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling" (1 Timothy 2:8). My father-in-law recently had a discussion with me about churches that encourage their members to hold hands when praying. He said, "The Bible doesn't tell us to hold hands, it tells us to raise them!" Why is this? I am a Baptist, and I love to raise my hands during prayer and singing as well. Prayer is to be worshipful. Holding hands carries with it the idea of fellowship (there is nothing wrong with fellowship); but the priority in prayer is worship, not fellowship. Prayer is when God's people, both individually and corporately, communicate with their loving Father through the Mediator Jesus Christ. Paul is reminding Timothy that he is the worship leader of the church. Hear me on this. I don't care if your church has a staff member with the title "Worship Leader." The Pastor is the worship leader in God's eyes. It is the pastor that is responsible and accountable before God for the worship of a local church. This begins with a worshipful prayer. Pastors are to live this in private as well as model it from the pulpit.
4. Pastors are to pray with an attitude of repentance.
"lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling" (1 Timothy 2:8b). This is not rocket science. How can a man of God lead the people of God in prayer, how can he have an effective prayer life if his heart is filled with anger and quarreling? He cannot, of course, rid himself of these things with his own willpower. It is only through repentance that comes from God Himself and trusting in Jesus and His cross that the pastor can pray with repentance. Pastors should not be afraid that their people know they are sinners (this doesn't mean you have to tell every single church member every single sin you commit); but it does mean they need to know that their pastor is not "superman." They need to know that pastors need the exact same grace that they need. They need to know that the prayer life of a pastor is hindered when there is no repentance. Again, pastors are to model this from the pulpit and live it from their lives.
I do not consider myself to have arrived as a "man of prayer." I don't write about this because of what a great prayer I am. Many times, as a Christian and a pastor, I am ashamed of my prayer life. I feel like R.C. Sproul when he said that he did not write about God's holiness because he was a holy man, but because he was so unholy. Pastors and their people, let us pray together for each other that we will become men of prayer as we lead God's sheep. Soli Deo Gloria!
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