Uninhibited Prayers

Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

This text (Ephesians 6:19-20) was pivotal in our most recent post (A Bold Blog). We had asked for you to pray for boldness, and not just for yourself but for us too. In fact, Paul, when writing to the church of Ephesus, unashamedly asked that they pray for his boldness.  To be honest, this completely b-l-o-w-s my mind! Paul is one of the most courageous Christians in the Bible and he still asks for prayer.

 

It was C.S. Lewis who suggested that we pray because we are helpless. Paul understood that prayer was what kept him going, not just his personal time of prayer, but the prayers of others backing him in his adventures. We understand this too. We understand that without time spent in prayer we can't do anything. Without your prayers we can't do anything.

 

Thank you for your prayers.

 

Paul's circumstances were less than ideal. He was in chains. Nevertheless, he did not let the Roman shackles hold him down. He did not allow the chains to inhibit his ministry. Sometimes our circumstances can cripple us. We become afraid, all we see are limitations or obstacles. Paul could very reasonably have just wimped out and served his time, instead he used his time to serve as "an ambassador in chains." That's just amazing!

 

Someone once said that prayer is the only form of omnipotence God grants a man. Our dreams don't fly high enough and our imagination is not as limitless as we think, but in our prayers - in our prayers - we can move mountains! Through prayer we can achieve the impossible. 

 

Please continue to pray for us, as we pray for you.

 

 

 

 

A Bold Blog

Missionaries are always asking for something and I want to stay true to my calling. I want to ask you for something.

Don't worry, I'm not asking this only for myself, I'm also asking it for you.

 

Frankly, I think I have a decent amount of authority backing me up on my request. No, it's not because I'm a missionary or anything as ridiculous as that. My authority is based on the fact that whenever someone shares something from the Bible there is an inevitable request - or demand - made.

 

In fact, if someone shares something from the Bible and there is no demand made on you, well, then I'd have to question the sensitiveness of your heart or the authority of what was just shared.

 

Every time God communicates He is making demands of us. Maybe that's why missionaries also get a pass on asking you for a thing or two.

 

Right now, my demand is based not only on Scripture but on the testimony of Paul, one of the biggest missionaries of all time. Here is what he says in Ephesians 6:19-20

 

Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

 

You ready? Here it is. My request is that you pray for boldness. We need to stand boldly for the person and the truths of Jesus Christ.

 

When I was younger (17 or 18) I had a job at an amusement park. It was a pretty sweet job. I enjoyed working there. While I worked there, I often got to speak in Spanish to the visitors who passed through. One day a co-worker asked me how come I spoke Spanish so well. Seeing as how she was kinda pretty (as in gorgeous), I fumbled about trying to come up with a non-dorky answer. Something impressive to show just how James Bondsy I could be.

 

I told her that I was born in Uruguay.  I told her I grew up speaking Spanish.  That was all true. I told her it was because my parents were diplomats; that was a lie. My parents were actually missionaries; but that was embarrassing. It was totally not the James Bond effect I was going for.

 

She seemed impressed, but at the same time she wasn't too impressed since she never really spoke to me again during the rest of the summer. Meanwhile I felt horrible.

 

I was ashamed of the Gospel. The complete opposite of Romans 1:16, a verse I'd had to memorize for Sunday school while I was growing up.

 

Clearly, just memorizing a verse that told me not to be ashamed of the Gospel was not enough. Being a Missionary Kid (MK) didn't cut it either. Growing up and becoming a full-fledged missionary wouldn't really cut it either.

Here's a little secret. I can't do it alone. Yeah, memorizing Scripture is great. Growing up in a Christian home with role-model parents is a bonus. And choosing to follow the Lord into missions is one of the best decisions of my life. But those things in and of themselves won't make me bold.

I can't depend on myself for boldness. That kind of contradicts the whole point. Like Paul, I need to go to God. I do that by prayer. Secondly, I need to go to you. God's people praying on my behalf for boldness will not only encourage me but it will also serve to spur me on.

If Paul needed others to pray for him to be bold, who am I to think I've got what it take on my own?

So here it is. Here is my request (authorized by Scripture): Please pray for me to be bold.

Pray for our boldness and ask the Lord how you can be bold in furthering the Gospel with us.