PRAY IT! B|Neighbors

Do you have your eye on people you haven't even met yet (and might never meet)?  Can you envision things that you might never see, personally?  Paul certainly did, and we can see that in 2 Timothy 2:1-2, where he writes to Timothy. 

"Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus.  You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses.  Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others." 2 Timothy 2:1-2 (NLT)

Paul has his eye on Timothy.  What a beautiful example of discipleship.  As our B|Neighbors series has progressed we have been able to track fun relationships:  Barnabus encouraged Paul.  Paul admonished Peter.  Rufus' mother was a mother to Paul.  Paul disciples Timothy. 

Paul has his eye on Timothy, sure, but he also has his eye on OTHERS... others that Timothy is supposed to invest in, teach, and pass along the message of Jesus.

How big is your biggest picture?  How clear is your closest detail?  Both are needed in discipleship as we are willing to invest in others in a specific and personal manner, as well as be continually mindful of those that influenced and affected by those we have influenced and affected.

As with everything, it all needs to come back to Jesus.  We're not going to get close to having our eye on others if our eyes are not also on God.  We're not trying to multiply carbon copies of ourselves (how dreadful!), or our best idea of church, we're motivated to reproduce followers of Christ and a Christ-centered body of believers.

Prayer is integral in maintaining the daily presence with God needed to make any worthwhile impact for God.  And prayer is integral in discipleship efforts as well.

"The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit.  These were his instructions to them:  'The harvest is great, but the workers are few.  So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.  Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves."  Luke 10:1-3

As we prepare our hearts and minds for this Sunday's message, let us focus our prayers on continued daily presence with God.  We need God to speak to us.  God to go before us.  God to send us.  God to instruct us.  We need to pray.  We need to ask.  We need to go.  We need to obey.  We need to be mindful. 

The more we walk with God, daily, the more He helps increase our love for Him and our compassion for others.  If the thought of having your eye on others is overwhelming or perhaps even unappealing, the best place to start is having your eyes on God and having an open and prayerful conversation with Him. 

Dear God,
Please continue to draw us close to You, daily.  We need You.  Please help us be individuals that "get it" as well as a church that "gets it" - gets that we need You, gets that we need others, and gets that we need to encourage, admonish, be family, and disciple in Holy Spirit-led ways.
Amen.

PoC|Coverage is tonight at 6pm.  Join us as we come together in prayer and care!

Pastor Celia