Prayer, Awakening, & Harvest
Dearly Beloved of Our Lord:
May our Lord’s wonderful love fill your heart throughout the year and may this be an especially fruitful time in your walk with our Lord Jesus Christ.
Supplications, Prayers, Intercessions, and Thanksgiving
1I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. 7Whereunto I am ordained a preacher… 8I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. (1 Timothy 2:1-8)
As Paul wrote to Timothy he instructs us in what is to be “first of all” as we walk with our Lord Jesus Christ. Supplication is mentioned first and this involves humility on our part. To supplicate is to humbly entreat, beg or to ask humbly. When we seek His face we humble ourselves and are dependent on His mercy and grace in our prayer. As we come to Him in supplication and prayer we can experience the heart of our Father “4Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”
When we pray concerning various situations and needs which we or others may have, we can easily be drawn into intercession on behalf of others. Our call to intercession is often a call to “stand in the gap” on behalf of those whose minds have been so blinded by the god of this world that they do not even see the destruction which is at the door. (See Ezekiel 22:30) We daily experience the burden of intercession throughout the day but it is most intense when we are in downtown Portland in the city gates @the Square – Portland’s Living Room. When we are there we stand in intercession for Portland and for the Pacific Northwest. We cry for mercy and for genuine awakening in the church and throughout the region. This is possible when we begin our time with the humility of supplication because we also are in need of His mercy and awakening.
Thanksgiving is very important to living in His love, joy, and peace. We are thankful for His mercy, for the cross. We are thankful for His resurrection, ascension, and return as we look forward to the new heaven and new earth. Thanksgiving releases the great joy of our Lord’s victory and makes intercession work deep into our own hearts so that we can know our Father’s heart when He sent His only Son, Jesus, to be the intercessor for us all.
When we pray according to His will we see that we are to pray for all men and especially for those in authority. This is because of our desire “that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” It is easier to bring the gospel to people when we are living peacefully in godliness and honesty. “5For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” We want to effectively proclaim the gospel remembering our Father’s goal – 4Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” (Jesus is The Truth and the Holy Spirit is The Spirit of Truth – John 14:6; 16:13)
We want those in authority to govern with wisdom and integrity so that we can effectively preach the good news of the Kingdom and to be able to freely meet together in peace without the threat of violence. Our intercession is that Portland, Oregon, the Pacific Northwest, and our nation may be so ruled by those in authority that the church can “know Him and make Him known” effectively each and every day and each and every way – 24/7. These words of Paul (1 Timothy 2:1-8) will be guiding us throughout the year. We want to live a life of supplication, prayer, intercession, and thanksgiving “lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.”
Laborers in our Lord’s Harvest
Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 36But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. 37Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”
1And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease… 5These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. 6But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.” (Matthew 9:35-10:8)
Jesus asks us to pray specifically for a certain group of brethren. He asks us to pray for the laborers in His harvest. Note that Jesus does not ask us to pray for the harvest but for the laborers. This has caused us to change the way we pray for people who need to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. We pray to the Lord of the Harvest that He send a laborer to that particular person. Every person has specific needs and will receive the testimony of some and not receive from others so we ask our Lord for the laborer to be sent who will be received. Note that the specific laborer comes not in word only but in power.
5For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake. (1 Thessalonians1:5)
As we go we declare the presence of His Kingdom and we do the works of His Kingdom which he gives us to do. This usually involves some form of healing – healing in the spirit, healing in the mind or emotions, and healing in the body. The laborer in His harvest declares His Kingdom and reveals the power of His Kingdom through the works of His presence by the Holy Spirit. This is a call to humility and obedience as we labor in His harvest.
He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)
We are asking for your prayers as we labor in His harvest during these difficult times. We speak with and pray for many people who are often greatly distressed. Many are hurting emotionally, mentally, and some are broken-hearted. Some are very physically ill and unable to obtain medical help and need prayer for physical healing. We often come home tired and cold at the end of the day at the Square; Portland’s Living Room. We deeply appreciate your prayers and supplications on our behalf. And we thank you greatly for your financial sacrifice and giving which allows us to continue. May you have a most blessed and fruitful year.
~ Ron & Karen
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