Praying For You
That is the title of a book I read some years ago. Tryon, Howard A. Jr., Praying for You. Kregel: Grand Rapids, 1996. It was a good book that opened up my thinking about ways God might use me to minister to people in my community.
The heart of the book is the simple question "Is there anything I can pray about for you?" Or some variation of that question. If you're in a restaurant, before blessing your food, turn to the waitress and ask "We're about to pray. Is there anything you'd like us to pray for?" Immediately, many other opportunities come to mind. Just asking people if you can pray for them seems to open them up to want to talk. That talk can lead to many ministry opportunities.
Once, as I pastored in Nebraska, our Director of Missions took us to a town in Kansas to go door to door. The stated purpose was to gather canned goods for a newly opened food pantry. We were also feeling out people as prospects for a new church start in the area. Unknown to us, the night before was the town's prom night. One of the young high school students, having made a bad decision on his way home, tried to pass an SUV where he should not have and met a tractor-trailer head on. It was a small town and everyone was either related or very good friends with everyone else. As we stepped into the town that morning, eternity was close to everyone's heart. As we asked the question, "is there anything we can pray about for you?" People opened their hearts and we did real ministry work that day in that town. One question opened up a world of ministry.
I have found that many times people want to talk and this simple question is a way to open up lines of communication. Ask a friend this week ... "I am headed for prayer meeting tonight. While I am there, is there anything you'd like for me to pray for?" Or how about "I take time every evening to spend a few minutes alone talking to God in prayer. Is there something in your life I can pray for?"
God is good oftentimes to use these encounters to open the doors of people's hearts to eternal things. People open up and we get the chance to tell people of the importance of a life changing encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Keep it in mind my friend, as you go out and about your daily routine. You never know who is waiting for you to pray for them. Maybe God brought you into their life at the very moment they need you. So find out. Ask them ... "Can I pray for you?"
That is the title of a book I read some years ago. Tryon, Howard A. Jr., Praying for You. Kregel: Grand Rapids, 1996. It was a good book that opened up my thinking about ways God might use me to minister to people in my community.
The heart of the book is the simple question "Is there anything I can pray about for you?" Or some variation of that question. If you're in a restaurant, before blessing your food, turn to the waitress and ask "We're about to pray. Is there anything you'd like us to pray for?" Immediately, many other opportunities come to mind. Just asking people if you can pray for them seems to open them up to want to talk. That talk can lead to many ministry opportunities.
Once, as I pastored in Nebraska, our Director of Missions took us to a town in Kansas to go door to door. The stated purpose was to gather canned goods for a newly opened food pantry. We were also feeling out people as prospects for a new church start in the area. Unknown to us, the night before was the town's prom night. One of the young high school students, having made a bad decision on his way home, tried to pass an SUV where he should not have and met a tractor-trailer head on. It was a small town and everyone was either related or very good friends with everyone else. As we stepped into the town that morning, eternity was close to everyone's heart. As we asked the question, "is there anything we can pray about for you?" People opened their hearts and we did real ministry work that day in that town. One question opened up a world of ministry.
I have found that many times people want to talk and this simple question is a way to open up lines of communication. Ask a friend this week ... "I am headed for prayer meeting tonight. While I am there, is there anything you'd like for me to pray for?" Or how about "I take time every evening to spend a few minutes alone talking to God in prayer. Is there something in your life I can pray for?"
God is good oftentimes to use these encounters to open the doors of people's hearts to eternal things. People open up and we get the chance to tell people of the importance of a life changing encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Keep it in mind my friend, as you go out and about your daily routine. You never know who is waiting for you to pray for them. Maybe God brought you into their life at the very moment they need you. So find out. Ask them ... "Can I pray for you?"
posted by John | Friday, February 20, 2009
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