Prayers of the End Time Church

Today's sermon is going to be on the topic of prayer and a specific element of prayer, because prayer is incredibly important to our relationship with God. It's what we traditionally refer to as one of our basic tools, our principles of the toolbox. We have our time that we go and pull out our spiritual disciplines and apply them in our life, and it's something we must do on a regular basis. Prayer is a part of that daily. Bible study, certainly. Fasting, not daily, but it is a part of the process.

Meditation, fellowship, all these wonderful things God's given us. It's like when you take a road trip and you pack the toolbox for those needs, and you have certain tools that are go-to tools. In our spiritual toolbox are these disciplines among which prayer is certainly primary.

It's essential to our communication with God. It's how we draw close to Him. It's how we express to Him our thoughts, our concerns, our desires, our hopes, our requests. It's how we draw near to Him in this relationship. Prayer must be part of our routine on a daily basis. We're God's children, and as a father, personally, I know I have a desire daily to communicate with my children, to see them, to talk to them, and we just consider as we are the children of God the desire that He must have, with so much invested in us, to hear from us and to communicate daily.

There's times where prayer maybe can be a struggle in our lives. You know, at times we have circumstances we're walking through and we're fervent in our prayers and we have focus to our prayers, but there can actually be other times where maybe we tend to struggle even with knowing what we ought to pray for. And it's easy and convenient and helpful at times to make prayer lists, just to take topics, subject headings, and then plug your circumstance into that. If you're to do a Bible study in the topic of prayer, just kind of walk through and consider all the examples you can find in prayer.

There's quite a list you could assemble. Prayers of thanksgiving, you know, just praising God, thanking Him for what He has provided in your life. Prayers of praise and worship, honoring Him, glorifying Him as the great Creator. Prayers of confession and repentance, as in we recognize where we've fallen short in our life and our need to come before Him and confess those things and seek His forgiveness. Prayers of supplication, lifting up your needs before Him, making your requests.

Prayers of intercession for others, again, these are all topics we can find if you do a topical study on prayer. Prayers for safety and protection, prayers that seek answers to the questions we have. Prayers for spiritual understanding and for clarity. Prayers for God's guidance and wisdom when making an important decision. You know, Luke chapter 6 and verse 12 describes Jesus Christ Himself as praying all night before He went then and selected the 12. The fact that this was a major decision He would make as part of His ministry, and He drew close to His Father all night upon that decision.

And so a clear lesson in the Bible is that our prayers are important. They can span a whole range of topics, and frankly they can be very different based on circumstances, based on what we're going through in our life, based on what's happening in the world around us, and from time to time then our prayers take on varying and specific focuses. One category of prayer I'd like to focus our attention on today are prayers of the end-time church.

Again, you can walk through the Bible and find all sorts of categories of prayer and plug your circumstance into that and lift them up to God. And one of those slivers, I would say, of the whole pie are prayers of the end-time church. And that's the title of my message today. I want to look at four prayers of the end-time church, frankly just to get our mind going on how this process would work and help us to be thinking about what it is that we should be praying about as the end-time church today.

Because, again, prayers are specific oftentimes to our circumstances and where we are and what we're facing, and certainly as the church of God, our prayers can be specific to the time and the age in which we live. So if you're looking for things to add to your prayer life, then consider these end-time prayers for yourself. Prayer number one, we'll just walk through these step by step. Prayer one, pray that you may be counted worthy to escape and to stand.

As the end-time church, pray that you may be counted worthy to escape and to stand. It's actually an instruction given by Jesus Christ in the Olivet Prophecy. It's something we must all take heed. Luke chapter 21, let's begin today and see the account leading up to Christ's admonition to pray. Luke chapter 21, here in this chapter, he gives insight to his disciples regarding the sign of his coming and the end of the age.

You know, what events do we need to be watching for and considering that say, indeed, that time is near? Well, we read through the Olivet Prophecy and he gives those to us. Christ speaks of taking heed of false Christs that would come on the scene. They would arise and deceive many. He says, take heed as well, and notice that there will be wars and rumors of wars. The nation will rise against nation in that day. Earthquakes and famines and pestilence all of these events leading up then and ultimately culminating in the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the kingdom of God.

So if you go to Luke chapter 21 and we're going to pick it up here in verse 25, Jesus has just walked through all of these signs of the time to to watch for, then moves into the day of the Lord. Verse 25, he says, and there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars, and on the earth, he says, distress of nations with perplexity, the seas and the waves roaring, men's hearts failing from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the cloud with power and great authority.

And he says, now when these things begin to happen, he says, look up. You know, lift up your eyes around you. There's other places in the Bible as well that where the short phrases use look up, and it's from the expectation of there's things going on. Pay attention to what's happening around you. Know where you are, and then consider how you ought to respond. Christ says, again, when these things begin to happen, look up. Lift up your heads because your redemption draws near.

Again, these are matters pertaining to the Great Tribulation, the Day of the Lord, the Return of Jesus Christ, and there will be a generation of the end-time church brethren who will be there to see it with their eyes. Absolutely. And of course, probably every generation we saw if you went through the studies of Acts and the books of Paul and Peter, the early apostles very much thought for a majority of their life that they would see the return of Jesus Christ in their day and age. And as it became apparent that it wasn't, then and there, the expectation was still, these are the end times, and it is near, and we must get our life in order today. But there is a generation that will be there, a generation of the Church of God that will live through these things and see them with their own eyes, and we must be prepared. Jesus Christ, as we go on then, gives specific instructions which apply to those that would have the ears to hear and understand. Let's go to verse 34. Luke chapter 1 and verse 34, he says, but take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing and drunkenness and the cares of this life, and that day come upon you unexpectedly. He says, for it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, watch and pray, pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man. Jesus' instruction for us is to watch and to pray. Do very important things we must do. We must watch. We must watch, yes, world conditions. We must watch what's happening in the nations around us, but most importantly, brethren, we must watch ourselves. Watch your spiritual condition. Watch your heart. Watch your relationship with one another and with God. As you see this time approaching and you see these events that will happen, watch the world, but watch yourself. Jesus Christ also said that we must pray. Pray to be counted worthy to escape all these things which are yet to come, and pray that we can stand before Jesus Christ. Ultimately, he's talking about standing in glory at his return.

And so there's a lot for us to take into account as we reflect personally on this instruction to watch and to pray as the end-time church. Sometimes people zero in on the concept of escaping the great tribulation in a place of safety. That pray that you will be there, that that is the emphasis and the focus of the scripture. And while I won't deny, it is an important emphasis of the scripture. It's not all that it says. It's not all that our focus must be.

The main point, I believe, is the worthiness in our prayer for worthiness, in our prayer for God to show us what it is we need to do in our lives to be, in that sense, worthy. None of us are worthy of and by ourself. It is God's grace and mercy that makes us worthy, but we still have our part to play, and we must do so fervently. Pray that your life is in order as the end-time church.

Pray that you are right and in right standing with God today, and pray that you overcome this world. Because, as Jesus Christ says, if you do not, you will fall and be tripped by the snare that will capture and trip up all of mankind. Again, verse 34 says, take heed to yourselves. Let your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and the cares of this life, that they come upon you unexpectedly.

Again, indeed, the Bible contains warning after warning after warning regarding the time of the end, but not so much that the events are coming, they are coming, but that our heart must be right with God. Pray that you be counted worthy to escape and to stand. Zephaniah chapter 2 describes the day of the Lord's anger. Let's turn there. Zephaniah chapter 2 and verse 1, because it helps to give us insight as well. Again, what our response must be to these things. As the in-time church, as we see what the Bible warns us yet to come, as we see things developing in the world around us, what must our focus be and what must our response be? Again, it's the people of God. Zephaniah chapter 2 and verse 1 says, gather yourselves together. Yes, gather together, oh, undesirable nation. As the church of God gathered together, as one nation in this day and age, we're a spiritual nation, the New Testament tells us. Are we gathered together? It is a warning of the end time. Gather yourselves together. Yes, gather together, oh, undesirable nation, before the decree is issued or the day passes like chaff, before the Lord's fierce anger comes upon you, before the day of the Lord's anger comes upon you. Verse 3, seek the Lord all you meek of the earth, who have upheld his justice. Seek righteousness. Seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger. Very important words for us to look at and consider, brethren, consider the instruction and consider the consequences of either following or not following it for ourselves.

I'm going to quote to you from the United Church of God Bible commentary on these verses, because I think it's revealing and it puts the context well. It says, quote, in verses 1 through 3 of chapter 2, Zephaniah addresses an undesirable nation, calling them the meek of the earth. The latter expression would seem to denote the Church of God, particularly when we view the prophecy in context as dealing with mainly the end time. Moreover, these people are described as those who uphold God's justice or his righteous judgment, thus walking by his laws, again pointing to true Christians. It says the Church is described as a spiritual nation in the New Testament, 1 Peter verse 9 and 10, and it is certainly undesirable in the eyes of the world, as God's people are, as Jesus Christ was, despised, hated, and persecuted by the world. It says, if these Christians will gather together, Zephaniah chapter 2 and verse 1, if they'll gather together, if they will seek God in prayer, if they will study his word and seek righteousness and humility, they have an opportunity to be hidden and protected during the time of God's punishment. In line with other prophecies that describe God's faithful people being sheltered in a place of refuge in the end time, this just goes along with that, is what it's saying. Interestingly, Zephaniah's name means the eternal hides, or hidden of the eternal, which may have factored into the wording of Zephaniah chapter 2 and verse 3. So again, brethren, what we see is that the worthiness to escape is tied to our obedience, it's tied to our right relationship with God, reconciliation with God, but reconciliation with one another, as well as the people of God. And we must watch, we must pray, we must yield ourself up to that relationship and seek God's help along the way, drawing near to Him, and again, included in that package, is the prayer to be counted worthy to escape and to stand.

Again, ultimately, this is a prayer for God's mercy. This is a prayer for God's love upon us. He sent His only Son to die for us in a relationship of reconciliation, and we cannot make ourselves worthy apart from Him. It is God who justifies. But again, we must do our part as well. And as the end-time church who would, I believe, at least some among us, see the end of the age, we must be praying these things, drawing near to our Father in Heaven and seeking to do our part. In 2 Peter chapter 3, let's go there next. 2 Peter 3 and verse 8 here, the Apostle Peter reiterates the concept that knowing the times in which we live should motivate us in terms of our daily response. 2 Peter chapter 3 and verse 8, Peter says, "...but beloved do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long suffering towards us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." God's purpose, again remember, is to bring many sons the glory. And He is giving us ample time, ample opportunity. We might say, why does the Lord delay His coming? And as the sermonette recently mentioned, maybe it's because we need to be ready. And He's giving us the time, indeed, that we need. Verse 10 says, "...but the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. Both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, in light of these things, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness? How should you be living your life today in perspective of what we see coming? Verse 12, "...looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. Nevertheless, we according to His promise look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things." If that is what you look to, if that is what your focus is in and your faith is predicated upon the promises of God, looking forward to these things, you need to respond. Just be diligent. Be found by Him in peace without spot and blameless. And consider that the long suffering of our Lord is salvation. Again, we might say, why does the Lord delay His coming? God is long suffering and He is patient. And the end result of that patience is salvation. Indeed, it is what He is working out in our lives today.

So again, the future promises of God need to motivate the actions of our lives. Our ability to escape and to stand are predicated upon our diligence to be reconciled with God. And upon our prayers to that end, upon our actions actually to back up what it is we're praying for.

We don't just pray and hope and not do anything. We must indeed, brethren, do our part. Jesus Christ said, pray that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things and to stand before the Son of Man. And in doing so, let your prayer motivate again your actions and backing up that request. It's a heavy prayer that goes just beyond, you know, God let me be there in a place of safety. Again, that is an element that is set before us. But it is a prayer that we must fervently pray as the end time church of God. A prayer of mercy. A prayer of grace. A prayer as well of our desire.

And indeed, God will help us in that.

Prayer number two of the end time church. Pray for the unity of the body. Pray for the unity of the body. Again, I'm focusing on things that are actually portrayed in scriptures pointing to the time of the end and unity among the people of God is indeed one of them. As we read in Zephaniah chapter two, the people of God are instructed to gather themselves together before the day of the Lord's anger. To assemble themselves. To come together. To be reconciled. It's a very specific command, but it also contains specific timing as well. That it is what we must be doing. We also read in second Peter three verse 14 that we must be diligent to be found by him in peace. Again, the context is the end of the age. If you know these things are coming, God says, then be diligent to do these things. Be found by him in peace. Both of these passages are describing a relationship of unity that God desires to be a part of the end time church of God. It should be a part of our prayer, a part of our plea, but again a part of our action to back those things up as well. To work for unity in the church. It takes our effort. It takes God's Spirit and takes the time on our knees in prayer as well. Jesus Christ understood that. He understood the importance of prayer. We could say, well, he was God with us, right? He was Emmanuel. He was filled with God's Spirit. He could perform miracles. He could do all these things. You know, couldn't he just snap his fingers and unity would be the result of the church from his day all the way to the end of the age? Well, it doesn't quite work that way. And again, this is a relationship that goes between us and God and us and each other as well. And if we have a problem in our relationship between one another, the foundational principle is there's probably a problem somewhere in our relationship between us and God. So we must get right there first with God. We must also then seek to get right with each other in prayer is fundamental to that. Jesus Christ understood that. John 17.

John 17. This is the final night of his physical life, just following that Passover with his disciples. Christ has gone out to pray, and he's about to be delivered up for crucifixion. And in John 17 and verse 9, Jesus on his knees, fervent before his father, says, I pray for them. He says, I do not pray for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. And all mine are yours, and yours are mine. He says, And I am glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world. And I come to you, Holy Father, keep through your name those whom you have given me, that they may be one as we are. Jesus is praying for the spiritual unity of the Church of God, that we would be one in spiritual unity and agreement as he and the Father are. And that is an unbreakable bond. It is a bond that has stood the test of time, and is one that we must seek to live up to as well. Verse 18, Jesus says, And you sent me into the world.

As you've done so, I've also sent them into the world, and for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in me through their word. That's you and I today, right? Those successive generations of disciples that would believe through their word. Verse 21, That they all may be one as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us, and that the world may believe that you sent me. In the glory which you gave me, I've given them that they may be one just as we are one. I in them, and you in me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that you have sent me, and have loved them as you have loved me. What is the proof to the world that Jesus Christ actually did come to the earth and die for our sins? What would be the evidence, the open evidence of that to the world? Well, it would be the unity and the relationship that's exemplified by the church, by the body of Christ, by the fact that we would be one as he and his Father are one, in a spiritual relationship of unity and agreements, walking together in a purpose that is of the same.

The strength of relationship that's displayed among us, brethren, is what we must be praying about. But again, that starts foundationally with the strength of our relationship with God. Because if you're right with God, and I'm not right with God myself, how in the world can be then right with each other? So we each have our part to play. It begins with our relationship with God on our knees, and begins with our, then carries forward in our humility with one another. We need to be praying for that unity as the end-time church. Spiritual unity among the body was so important to Jesus Christ that he fervently prayed for it on the last night of his physical life. And the beauty of that prayer is that you and I have an essential part to play in the fulfillment. And just consider that. If there's something you could do for Jesus Christ, if he says, you know, here's my dying wish, so to speak, and you said, name it, I'll do it for you.

He said, you be one, as my Father and I are one. I mean, he's praying this to his Father. God gives us the tools to do that, right? He gives us his word. He gives us the Holy Spirit. He gives us what we need to come together in unity, but it takes our part in the process as well.

We can help to fulfill the answer to his prayer as the end-time church to be one, as he and his Father are one. It is indeed what we must be praying for. The record of the New Testament church, as then it went out following Christ's crucifixion, then in his resurrection, the apostles went out and preached. And what was the message they took? It was the gospel, but it was a gospel that was to lead to unity and oneness among the people of God. The apostle John notes that if God so loved us, we ought to love one another.

If God loved us so much, he gave his only begotten Son. Why would we not, then, in response to that relationship, love one another who have been bought with that same price? That's 1 John chapter 4 verse 11. The apostle Paul instructs us to be of one mind, having compassion for one another. Love is brothers, he says. Be tender-hearted. Be courteous. Seems to me that is Peter. Okay, I'm trying to give you... this goes across the spectrum. Okay, this is Peter. 1 Peter chapter 3 verse 8. Be of one mind, having compassion for one another. Love is brothers. Be tender-hearted. Be courteous. And finally, the apostle Paul as well again, he admonishes us to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 3. You know, the unity of the Spirit is what God gives us the ability to have, you know, but the atmosphere of peace that would create that bond and lend itself to that, we play a big part, brethren, in that process. It takes effort. It is worth fighting for, but we must indeed do our part. Pray to God for His help. Pray for His Spirit. Pray for open doors of opportunity.

Indeed, the Bible shows that the unity of God's holy people is going to be tested intensely during the time of the end. During the age leading up to the return of Jesus Christ, it's going to be tested by fire, but it must be in place. Gather yourselves together, he said in Zephaniah. Be that nation before Him. Matthew chapter 24. Take it back to the Olivet prophecy again, as it pertains to, frankly, the testing of the unity of the church. Matthew chapter 24 and verse 7.

It's a parallel account. Again, still the words of Jesus Christ. Matthew 24 verse 7, Jesus says, For nation will rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines, pestilence, and earthquakes in various places. All things are the, these are the beginning of sorrows. There is more to come, and frankly, it will build one on top of the other on top of the other.

Verse 9 says, Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. Who's he talking about? He's talking about the church. Okay, the separated people of God delivered up, killed, hated by all nations for my name's sake. So this section of passage then is talking about the church. Verse 10, it says, And then many will be offended and will betray one another, and will hate one another in the church.

Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many in the church, because lawlessness will abound. The love of many will grow cold. Again, in the church. He's talking to the church.

But he who endures to the end will be saved.

So there's a coming time when the unity of the church of God will be tested heavily. And in fact, portions of that cohesion will crumble due to the pressure that will be applied, due to, frankly, the world around us and the crumbling of the world. It will be a stressful time. We just walked through two and a half, almost three years of COVID now. That's just a ripple on the pond. It is not the tsunami. And look at the stress that it placed upon this world, and frankly, even upon the church of God in various ways. Consider at the end of the age, as these things build one on top of the other, on top of the other, the stress that will be brought to bear. And the cohesion of our unity, unless we fight for it, indeed will crumble. It's not really that surprising.

Again, what we've seen happen in our recent history, what we've seen happen in the recent history of the church. I'm talking the modern-day church of God. This concept really isn't too surprising to me. The church of God today is hundreds of different organizations teaching many different things. Our just friends here and friends over there. It's family here and family over there. And it's one of these things where we say, well, the church is scattered. It is true. The church is scattered. There are people in various places, but the church is not just scattered. The church of God is, frankly, to a degree, shattered in our current time. I was talking to a friend recently, and I said, you know, it's interesting.

If you have a split, let's just say, in the church, it's very rare. I think of it as like a plate glass mirror, you know, that's sitting here. It's very rare you can just take a glass cutter and just score a line, a clean line down that, and snap that mirror and say, here, you take a portion and I'll take a portion. Literally, what occurs is taking a hammer and just smashing it right down into the middle of that plate glass, and it just shatters in all different directions. And we've seen that, as it can occur through the decades in the church of God. Brethren, that is not God's doing, it is man.

And while we can't control everyone and everything around us, we can control ourselves.

We control our attitudes. We can control our behavior towards one another. And we can yield ourselves up as instruments of peace and unity in the body of Jesus Christ, wherever we're given opportunity. Again, pray for the unity of the body. It is going to come under attack intensely at the end of the age, but the message is, gather yourself together. Don't forsake the assembling of yourselves together. And that can include church service, but I mean also it includes just coming together as a unified body. Be found by Him in peace. Be diligent to be found by Him in peace. Indeed, as a message to the end-time church. Our track record as the modern-day church of God is not great. We can do better, brethren, and we must do better. We have to pray about it. Spend the time on our knees. Spend the time together working the relationships God has given us to build.

The time of the end will apply such pressure to the church of God that only the strongest of commitments to unity will hold together. Again, it said, many will be offended. Many will betray one another. Many will hate one another, Jesus said, but let it not be so among us. Because it's prophesied, because it will happen, we still have individual choice. And I just say, let it not be so among us. Jesus Christ will still come and marry a bride. And I don't believe it'll be a bride with multiple personality disorder. Okay, this is the church of God. Let us seek to draw together in this way. Unity was so important to Jesus Christ that he fervently prayed about it before his death. It was important to the apostles that they preached it over and over and over to the church of God. And it must be so important to us today that we fight for the unity of the church.

Seek the men fences. Seek to bridge the gap. Fix breaches wherever possible. Yield ourselves up to the Spirit of God, and he will indeed make it possible. As the end-time church of God, let us fill our prayers with pleas for peace and unity in the body, and then let our actions among one another back up the sincerity and effervancy of our prayer. Indeed, it must be a prayer of the end-time church. Prayer number three for the end-time church. Pray for the proclamation of the gospel.

Pray for the proclamation of the gospel. In Matthew chapter 24 and verse 14, Jesus stated, in this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations, and then the end will come. It'll be preached right up to the time of the end. And frankly, if you do a study on the gospel in the Bible, it is called the Everlasting Gospel, because it starts in the beginning of Genesis. It carries all the way through the end of Revelation, and the faithful people of God have always held that message and preached that message all the way from Noah, a preacher of righteousness, all the way up to the end of the age. And we are to preach it for as long as God gives us strength in the ability to do so. And when we no longer have that ability as a church, two witnesses will take that message out. An angel will take that message out of the Everlasting Gospel. It will be preached until the end. This world's in desperate need of solutions now more than ever. It's in a desperate need of reassurance that there is a better way, and that better way is coming, and they need to hear the good news of the kingdom of God. And right alongside that, they need to hear what also applies in the gospel of repentance. Turn to God. Change from your ways. Reconciliation is the message. In Matthew chapter 28, Jesus commissioned the 12 didn't need to go out and to preach that gospel to all the world. Make disciples in all nations and to instruct others to do the same. He said, teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you. He handed it to them and said, this is a pass-it-on model among my people. And the Church of God today has the very same calling and responsibility to carry forward with that message to the modern age. For as long as God gives us strength and ability to do so, we must. We must teach it with conviction.

To be clear, brethren, the gospel message is not the Church's message to the world.

That might seem like an odd statement. Of course, it's the Church's message to the world. The gospel is not the Church's message to the world. The gospel is God's message to the world through us.

It is what He has given us to proclaim. It is the message of repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. It's the message He sent Jesus Christ to pray and to teach.

Go back to the early parts of the Gospels. Jesus' ministry opens with, John was put in prison and Jesus Christ now comes on the scene preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God. And this is what He says, repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. It is a message that He put out boldly. It's a message the disciples continued at His command. And it is what we have a part to play in as well today. Pray about that, brethren. Pray as the end-time Church, because this message must continue to the end of the age, but opposition is building. It will become more difficult. It will not become easier. And we must be those who do not draw short, but push to the end. Let's look at a few scriptures that highlight the emphasis that the apostles put on preaching the gospel and, frankly, praying for the success of the gospel. And in doing so, we're going to see what we say, subheadings of prayer that we can add to our prayer life regarding the gospel at the end of the age.

Let's go to Ephesians 6 and verse 18.

Ephesians 6 and verse 18, the apostle Paul.

This is following the whole armor of God. Now, on the heels of that, being equipped to do the work of God. Ephesians 6 and verse 18, he says, praying always with all prayer and supplication. So, we're talking about this is our prayer life, right? This is what our plea and request of God is. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end, watch and pray, with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. And Paul says, And for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. Paul says, pray that I am bold with the gospel message, that I can proclaim it boldly, and even in the face of opposition. Because, he said, I'm in chains right now. I'm imprisoned for the boldness that I have towards the Word of God today. Pray for me to continue to be bold, and to proclaim the message God has given me to proclaim. There's a time for boldness, brethren.

And sometimes that boldness does come with consequences, but it must not stop the end-time Church of God. It did not stop the apostles. Frankly, they were bold unto the point of death. But we must preach this message boldly, as long as God gives us strength. Challenges are coming. In opposition to the gospel message is coming, we can see it building in the world around us. And you can see the descriptors of the end times, as the Bible describes them, building against the truth of God. If you stand up for those things, you're intolerant. You're labeled any number of things. But we must be bold, preaching what God has given us. Pray that the Church would have boldness to complain. Proclaim without complaint the message of God to this world. Colossians chapter 2.

When you get there, turn two more books to Colossians chapter 4. That's really where we're going. Colossians 4 verse 2, again, the Apostle Paul. Because remember, no matter the opposition, no matter the consequences, he said, pray for boldness, that we may carry on this work. Colossians chapter 4 and verse 2 continue earnestly in prayer. Again, this is the focus in our prayers. Be vigilant in it with thanksgiving. Meanwhile, praying also for us, that God would open us a door for the Word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, and that I might manifest it as I ought to speak. Again, this is a prayer for boldness and the proper words that must be spoken, but it is also a prayer for the open door.

Praying that God would open to us the door for the Word. It's praying that God would provide the opportunity, the avenue, the opening by which the Word would go out and reach the ears of those who needed to hear it, and that it would be effective in their preaching. There's certainly something we can all be praying about today because in our modern age of technology, we have TV, we have the streaming platforms with our church's program, we have the magazine, we have our own example, frankly, which can be the most powerful proclamation of the Gospel ever, simply living it and being that light. Pray for the open door. Pray for boldness. Pray that we can make manifest the Gospel message as we ought. Pray for the end-time church in this regard. And while you're praying, pray that the Gospel may have free course. Second Thessalonians chapter 3 and verse 1.

Second Thessalonians 3 and verse 1, Paul says, finally, brethren, pray for us. Pray that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified just as it is with you. Again, pray for that open door of opportunity. Pray for the opposition to the Gospel message that it would be relieved, that it would be lifted, that the word would go out, or frankly, that the word would go out in spite of the opposition. What happened when the early church was persecuted, right? After the stoning of Stephen, Saul was consenting to his death, and persecution went upon the church, and the result was, under persecution, they were scattered. And as a consequence, the word of God went everywhere with them. So it's not always going to be without opposition or persecution, but pray that we may run swiftly and boldly and be glorified with the true word of God. There are enemies to the Gospel, and Satan the devil is the primary enemy, and he doesn't like the message, because you see, his demise is what is tied up in that message, upon the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of that kingdom. And he will silence it any way he can. Pray for the Gospel to have free course. And in verse 2, Paul says, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men, for not all have faith. There have long been challenges to spreading the message, and there have long been challenges to the people that would carry the message.

Pray for their blessing. Pray for their protection.

In 2 Corinthians 11, verse 24 through 27, Paul outlines a number of perils he endured while preaching the Gospel. Among them he lists perils of beating, 40 stripes minus one, stoning, shipwreck, robbers, perils of his own countrymen. He says, I traveled through my own country among my own people with the Word of God, and I received peril and opposition. Same things remain true in so many parts of the world today. There are real challenges to spreading the Gospel to the world.

I was at the feast in Nigeria this year, and Dari and the family, we packed up all these supplies into their minivan for the feast site. The family got into the van. I got in the van with them. We were heading four hours out of Lagos to the feast site, and about three hours out as we traveled through this kind of remote village region, we came across an area where there's a log laying across one of the lanes of the road. And you had to slow way down to kind of get around this log and to carry on. And as we approached the log, then three men stepped out of the side, down to the opposing lane in front of us, and brought the car to a stop. And as we're sitting there for a moment, suddenly others appear, and we have about a dozen men that are surrounding Dari's car. We're on the way to the feast. We have the family, and these weren't friendly local authorities. This was a group of local thugs, and they said, you're going to pull over to the side of the road. You're going to get out of the car, and we're going to search everything you have in the car. And the point was, we will do what we please, and we'll take what we please, because there wasn't really a whole lot you could do about it. So there's a little discussion going back and forth for a time, and they said, well, you're just going to pull over here. And two of the people stepped out of the way, and if you want to talk about praying for an open road and free course, they stepped out of the way and said, pull around this log, and Dari got the nose of the car, kind of around the corner of that log, and he hit the gas. And you have now people diving out of the way to get out of the car, out of the way of the car, and this man running alongside the car with their homemade spike strip, which was two by four with nails all driven through, and he throws that out. He's trying to, you know, cast it under the front wheels of the car, flatten the tires, and Dari dodged around that, and we were on our way. But people live in this peril, continually. The word of God, Paul said, by my own countrymen, I've received obstacle to preaching of the gospel. Pray for the open door. Pray for free course. Pray that the word would go boldly. Pray for the protection of the people that would take the gospel message to the world, and pray for God to give you words of emphasis, to proclaim this message boldly as well. And pray for our example. And finally, brethren, pray for more help to get the true message out. Matthew 9, verse 35.

Matthew 9 and verse 35.

It says, Jesus then went about all the cities in the villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. We're in scattered. Verse 37. Then he said to his disciples, The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Pray for more hands in the Lord's work.

Pray for those who would have the ability and the zeal and the leadership to guide the lost sheep.

Shepherd the flock. Those that would have the ability then as well to provide and to tend the fields, to bring in the harvest, to work what it is that God is producing. We need laborers at every single level of God's operation. Pray, Jesus said, the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. He looked at these people that were wandering and scattered and weary and no shepherd. And frankly, sometimes maybe even it's a description of the Church of God. Right? Weary and scattered.

But pray for God's blessing, and pray for laborers, and pray for those who would give it their all.

In this week's Home Office update used to be called the E-News. Right? This was the first issue now came out, same Thursday email, though the Home Office update. President Rick Shabie had a personal in there, and I just want to read a few of his comments for us in the context of the preaching of the Gospel. He says, quote, in my short time at the Home Office, I've come to have an excitement and a zeal and an appreciation for God's work. Why it is so important for us to do it his way. Does the work of God in this world is a dynamic and exciting thing? Mankind is floundering and suffering as they do things their way. The awful end of their way is yet ahead of us. Yet Christ came to the earth and is eager to bring the good news of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, and he will bring peace, stability, harmony, and joy to a world that so desperately needs it. And we have been given the God-given opportunity to spread that Gospel of hope and joy to all the world that will be realized when the world learns to live truly God's way. I wonder if perhaps over the years we, as members of the Church, haven't felt as much a part of the work of God as we should. He says it is exciting here to be part of what is going on. It is inspiring to hear the comments and the ideas of others as we talk about offering God's message to the world and as we together seek Him in all that we do. Throughout this weekly update, as they would send them out then from this point forward, we want to provide information on the work around the world and on the efforts and the methods that we are exploring and using to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom through every door that Christ opens. We want you to be a part of this work and to share in our prayers and our zeal for what it is that God is doing." End quote. And as you would notice the weekly update then that comes out from the home office, what you see is they have a heading in there that's called, Pray for the Gospel, to have free course. I've written for that particular section in the past myself, and it gives you updates from around the world what's happening and what is it we can then direct our prayers to and our focus. You'll find specifics. Pray for the Gospel, have free course.

Indeed, it is a prayer of the end-time Church.

Prayer number four, and I'll keep this one relatively brief, but it's just as important, prayer number four, pray for the strength and success of one another in the body of Christ.

Indeed, that must be a prayer of the end-time Church. Pray for the strength and success of one another in the body of Jesus Christ. So many times as you go through the writings of the Apostle Paul and his letters to the Church, he expresses to them what his prayers are to them. He says, I've been praying for you, and here's how I've been praying for you. And actually, reading through how Paul prayed for the Church is, to me, is inspiring, because it's inside how we can pray for each other as well. So I just want to read through one example of that. Philippians chapter 1 and verse 3. Again, these are words of Paul's prayer to the Church of God regarding them, actually to God. And it's almost like he says, let me give you some insight into what I'm praying. And as you hear those things, and you know that those are being prayed for you, then it would motivate your actions in response. Philippians chapter 1 and verse 3. Paul says, I thank my God upon every remembrance of you. We can add this to our prayers, right? I thank God upon every remembrance of each and every one of you. And we can thank God for each other. And you believe that would go a long way towards the building of our relationships. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Paul says, always in every prayer of mine, making requests for you all with joy. For your fellowship in the Gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. Just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, in as much as both in my chains and in the defense and the confirmation of the Gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. You see, he says, we're all in this together. And you're in my prayers, and like return in other places, Paul says, pray for me as well. Verse 8, for God is my witness, how greatly I long for you with the affection of Jesus Christ. And this I pray, again, my focus, my prayer, Paul says, that your love may abound still more and more in the knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense until the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ through the glory and the praise of God. These are the things that Paul prayed for regarding the brethren, and they're things that are instructive to us. Again, as you do studies through the Bible on prayer, what is it we can then add to our prayers for one another as the end-time Church of God? Brethren, pray for the spiritual success of one another in the body of Christ. Pray for your brother, pray for your sister, that they would be there, that they would hold fast and stand strong. Pray for the patience and the endurance of all the saints. We need that to continue until the end. Pray for the comfort of one another in our times of loss.

There's going to be challenge, and there's going to be temporary loss in the end-time Church as we walk to the end of the age. Pray for the strength to carry on. Pray for the wisdom of the parents among us who are bringing up children in this backwards, crazy, mixed-up world. Pray for their success. Pray for their wisdom, their blessing. Pray for God to bless all of us with wisdom and how to navigate the things that we find ourselves facing at the end of the age. These are all prayers of the Church of God. Again, brethren, there are so many topics relevant to just this sliver, and I encourage you to go out and do your own study. What are prayers that are directly relatable to the Church of God? We're the ones living in this age. We're the ones that ought to be able to look around and see the things we need to pray about on our knees with our Father. As the people in this age, you have a unique perspective into the things facing the end-time Church and what it is we need to pray. So, I encourage you to explore all these points, add them to your prayers, be detailed, beat that incense fine, and then offer it up to your Father in Heaven as a sweet-smelling aroma. Brethren, have a wonderful Sabbath day.