Praying a 'Paul Prayer' for Easter

I try to take time every day to spend reading the Bible and praying just for me. As much as I'm reading and studying for messages, teaching opportunities, etc... I want and need time for me and Jesus to talk, not just for what I can share with others. It helps me focus and stay grounded, and I have always struggled with keeping it regular in my life. I'm doing better these days, and calling it my Priority Time instead of my Quiet Time has helped, but that's a post for a different day.

I was reading in Colossians the other day, and Paul asks for the church folk there to pray for him. Pray that he would get opportunities to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with folks. Then, in chapter four, verse four he says, "Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should." That has really resonated with me this week.

I need to proclaim the message of the Resurrection as clearly as I should. Clear enough that folks understand that this is the hinge issue of the entire Christian faith. That this one event is the focal point of all of history. That this one piece of the puzzle is what makes the rest of the Bible and the rest of life itself make any sense. I need to get that point across as clearly as I should, so that there is no mistaking what we believe.

We as Christ followers don't believe in the philosophy and teaching of a man, or the crazy stuff he said. We believe that Jesus died a public death and was raised to life again in front of witnesses who, in turn, gave their lives for what they saw. It is powerful, life changing truth, and it needs to be spoken clearly.

So pray for me, that I might proclaim the truth of the Resurrection this weekend as clearly as I should. And pray for all the other preachers who are going to do the same thing. And pray for the musicians, the greeters, the servers, the parking attendants, the children's workers, and the singers to all do the same thing: to proclaim the powerful truth of the Resurrection as clearly as we should. This is too important to be unclear. It's too powerful to let it slip by. It's too vital to miss. Pray that I and my co-laborers in Christ will all proclaim it as clearly as we should!!

God bless, and may Easter bring effective ministry to us all in Jesus' most powerful name!