My friends, let us continue to pray faithfully to Him. Read and meditate on his Words. Seek fellowship with other believers and bring the gospel to life for those who haven’t heard it yet.
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— 4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. Colossians 4:2-4
Many of us start the New Year with resolutions or goals, perhaps a new Bible reading plan. But how long do you stick with it? For my part, I’ve never been into new resolutions because I cannot control the outcome or events that will strengthen or test my faith. What I’ve done over the recent years was to take verses that would comply me to be moved by the Spirit and live by it. As the apostle, Paul said, “Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord.” We can only achieve this by living by His word and praying that He gives us wisdom and understanding.
And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:9-14
My verses last year were: Be strong and courageous (Joshua 9:6). This morning’s saying by Charles H. Spurgeon is precisely how I want to start my new year. What verses or words will you anchor in your heart and live by it for this coming year?
“Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;”— Colossians 4:2
It is interesting to remark how large a portion of Bible is occupied with the subject of prayer, either in furnishing examples, enforcing precepts or pronouncing promises.
We scarcely open the Bible before we read, “Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord;” and just as we are about to close the volume, the “Amen” of an earnest supplication meets our ear. Instances are plentiful.
Here we find a wrestling Jacob—there a Daniel who prayed three times a day—and a David who with all his heart called upon his God. On the mountain we see Elias; in the dungeon Paul and Silas. We have multitudes of commands, and myriads of promises.
What does this teach us, but the sacred importance and necessity of prayer? We may be certain that whatever God has made prominent in his Word, he intended to be conspicuous in our lives. If he has said much about prayer, it is because he knows we have much need of it.
So deep are our necessities, that until we are in heaven we must not cease to pray. Dost thou want nothing? Then, I fear thou dost not know thy poverty. Hast thou no mercy to ask of God? Then, may the Lord’s mercy show thee thy misery! A prayerless soul is a Christless soul.
Prayer is the lisping of the believing infant, the shout of the fighting believer, the requiem of the dying saint falling asleep in Jesus. It is the breath, the watchword, the comfort, the strength, the honour of a Christian.
If thou be a child of God, thou wilt seek thy Father’s face, and live in thy Father’s love. Pray that this year thou mayst be holy, humble, zealous and patient; have closer communion with Christ, and enter oftener into the banqueting-house of his love.
Pray that thou mayst be an example and a blessing unto others, and that thou mayst live more to the glory of thy Master. The motto for this year must be, “Continue in prayer.”
Charles Spurgeon
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