Epaphras Prays Podcast

Many of the most insightful and enduring lessons we learn concerning prayer come from Andrew Murray. I love this excerpt from his work With Christ in the School of Prayer, the Twenty Sixth Lesson: I have prayed for you. It has been lightly edited here:

But I have prayed for you, that your faith fail not. --Luke 22:32

I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you. --John 16:26

He ever lives to make intercession.--Hebrews 7:25

All growth in the spiritual life is connected with the clearer insight into what Jesus is to us. The more we realize that Christ must be all to me and in me, that all in Christ is indeed for us, the more we learn to live the real life of faith, which, dying to self, lives wholly in Christ.

We learn first from Murray that the Christian life is not a feeble or failing struggle to live right, but the resting in Christ and finding strength in Him as our life, to fight the fight and gain the victory of faith.

This is specially true of the life of prayer!

How clearly this comes out in the last night of His life. In His high-priestly prayer (John 17), He shows us how and what He has to pray to the Father, and will pray when once ascended to heaven. And yet He had in His parting address so repeatedly also connected His going to the Father with their new life of prayer.

The two would be ultimately connected: His entrance on the work of His eternal intercession would be the commencement and the power of their new prayer-life in His Name.

Praying In His Name and Power

Praying In Union and In Unison

I Have Prayed For You

It is to the fruit-bearing branches of the Vine; it is to disciples sent into the world as the Father sent Him, to live for perishing men; it is to His faithful servants and intimate friends who take up the work He leaves behind, who have like their Lord become as the seed-corn, losing its life to multiply it manifold;--it is to such that the promises are given.

Brothers and sisters! Let us each find out what the work is, and who the souls are entrusted to our special prayers; let us make our intercession for them our life of fellowship with God, and we shall not only find the promises of power in prayer made true to us, but we shall then first begin to realize how our abiding in Christ and His abiding in us makes us share in His own joy of blessing and saving men.

O most wonderful intercession of our Blessed Lord Jesus, to which we not only owe everything, but in which we are taken up as active partners and fellow-workers! Now we understand what it is to pray in the Name of Jesus, and why it has such power. In His Name, in His Spirit, in Himself, in perfect union with Him. O wondrous, ever active, and most efficacious intercession of the man Christ Jesus! When shall we be wholly taken up into it and always pray in it? Amen

Are you one of those who feels like praying all the time? Or, instead, do you only pray when you feel like it? Do you ever pray when you just don’t feel like praying?

Says Spurgeon: If you do not pray except when you feel like praying, you will not pray much, nor pray when you most need it. My brethren, when you do not feel like praying, you ought to pray all the more, and go to the Lord to help you to pray.

We do many things because we feel like it, like having an ice cream cone, going for a walk in the park, or watching a game on TV.

We also don’t do things when we don’t feel like it, such as mowing the lawn, paying bills, calling a friend, or yes—praying.

It is a very common human trait to do things we like and avoid things we don’t. We move toward pleasure and away from pain. And such is prayer for many, we avoid it until we cannot.

But listen to Jesus, who tells us to take heed (to pay close attention to something) that we are to watch and to pray - which includes even when we don’t feel like it.

Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. Mark 13:33

This sounds like work, doesn’t it? And like work, praying takes effort, labor, struggle, time, focus, energy. Certainly it can, for Epaphras was said to be always laboring in prayers. This is perhaps why it is so avoided by too many today.

To pray without ceasing isn’t so much referring to a length of time praying, but a frequency and a consistency of our praying. How often is our praying? It is only daily over the evening meal? Or only in the morning before setting out for the day? It is even that often? Do you primarily pray when facing a certain difficult person or task?

Or do you pray three times daily, like Daniel, who was committed to praying even when it was unlawful by the kings decree?

We must get rid of the icicles that hang about our lips. We must ask the Lord to thaw the ice-caves of our soul and to make our hearts like a furnace of fire heated seven times hotter.

C.H. Spurgeon

Years ago, my co-worker would say, “Well there’s nothing to do but do.” And so we picked up our tools and went back at it, not because we felt like it, but because there was nothing else but keep at it until the job was finished.

Often, when we tackle a task — even grudgingly, isn’t the sense of satisfaction upon completion all the sweeter? When the lawn or laundry is done, and there is a brief respite in the cool shade, does not the sense of the accomplishment seem even larger?

It is the same with our praying. The hardest part is the beginning of the thing, but the process will bring a sweet peace, a hope, and an awareness of the Lord’s love that we end with a knowing his promises are Yes and Amen.

Remember: your lack of feeling like praying while you’re in prayer is perfectly normal. Our faith in God’s promises is built, not on emotion, but on trust. The best time to pray is right now. There is no better time for praying than this very moment.

So let me ask you:

What are we waiting for?

Photo by Vladislav Klapin on Unsplash

When we are faced with crises, a difficulty, or suffering, what is our response?

What should it be?

Too often my first response isn’t to run to the Lord. Instead it’s fear, frustration, or fretting. All too easily we all get upset and react out of emotion, letting feelings drive our thoughts and actions. Stress responses, like anger, short-term focus, and adrenaline rising, we just want to run away or be rescued from it.

In short, our primary crisis mode is very human. But for the children of Almighty God, we have a loving heavenly Father who is a strong tower, and the righteous run to it. The sheep of His pasture have a Good Shepherd who tends His flock, leading us to green pastures and still waters.

Our first response may not be to return to the Father’s house, but our second should be.

In the Old Testament book of Nehemiah, he returns to Jerusalem to lead the people of God tp repair the city’s broken walls. In chapter 8 we read:

So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month...v 6, And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground...v 13, And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to understand the words of the law...v 18, Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.

Then in chapter 9, v 1-3, Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them. And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers. And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshiped the LORD their God. (ESV)

What is a Godly response?

Reading His Word, praising, praying, and repenting.

See Numbers 16, when Moses and Aaron fell facedown and said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, when one man sins, will You be angry with the whole congregation?” because of the rebellion of the sons of Korah.

Read 2 Samuel 24 when God sent a plague upon Israel from that morning until the appointed time, and seventy thousand of the people from Dan to Beersheba died. And David saw the angel striking down the people, he spoke to the Lord.

In Job 1 we find that in one single day, Job lost his children and his possessions. What did he do? Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped!

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we should in like manner in our day, gather together the children of God and cry out to Him.

These recent years we have seen crises after crises, including riots, wars, famines, hurricanes, fires, floods, and sickness. The world’s response is altogether different than Christians should have. But far to many of us have acted more like the world than as those who follow the One who even the winds and the seas obey!

We ought to throw open the doors of our sanctuaries and call the assembly of the saints! Gathering in twos and threes, tens or dozens to cry out to the Lord, reading His Word, praising, praying, and repenting for our sins and the sins committed by the nations against the Lord and His anointed (Psalm 2).

If we would assemble and cry out for mercy and grace, then perhaps the Lord Almighty, the Maker of the heavens and the earth, the One who oversees all the affairs in his creation and who knows even the sparrow who falls to the ground — the only One capable of stopping a plague, would intervene on our behalf!

The world’s authorities play god, but we call on the Living God.

It took 10 plagues for Pharaoh to relent, let’s up hope we don’t need that many. Call the pastors, the elders, the ministers and laypeople, the old and young, the weak and the strong, the faithful followers of Christ — and like the young man in Luke 15:18, return to the Fathers’ house to call upon the Lord, that perhaps He would intervene and avert evil.

Even if a large gathering doesn’t happen, gather just 2 other faithful and meet in a home. Let there be thousands and thousands of such meetings each week and day all across the land.

Let us show the world that the Lord, He is God! Amen.

'Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.' Jeremiah 33:3 NKJV

God has ordained prayers as our means of communicating to Him, for His ears are open to their cry. (Psalm 34:15) We are to call on Him and ask of Him that He may answer. David is confident that God hears, for he says, “The LORD will hear when I call to Him.” (Psalm. 4:3).

The Bible has many promises that the Lord will hear our prayers and answer them. Indeed the Lord promises, “It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer;And while they are still speaking, I will hear.” (Isaiah 65:24). The Lord has promised to not only hears our prayers, but that he will graciously and lovingly answer them for our good (Romans 8:28).

“Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.” (John 9:31)

In prayer we must not look to the merit of man, but to the grace of God. Only in this we should copy after Elijah, that he prayed earnestly, or, as it is in the original, in prayer he prayed. M Henry

Almighty God listens to our prayers because He has promised to.

Elijah is one of our Bible heroes: He called down fire from heaven, and challenged the priests of Baal. By prayer he stopped rain for 3-1/2 years, then also by prayer started it again. And with prayer he revived a widows son who had died. You can read more about Elijah in 1 Kings 17-18.

But, says James, “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly…” James 5:17

This man of God was much like us. In other translations of this verse, he was: subject to like passions as we are, as human as we are, a human being, even as we are, a man of like nature with ourselves. He got discouraged, hungry, tired, upset, scared.

In other words, the great prophet was merely human, and could be frail, fragile, and fail — yet he was also a righteous man whose fervent prayer was answered by the Lord. Elijah’s heart was in tune with God’s, and he was much used of the Lord.

We learn through James that the Lord will use ordinary people to do (or pray) extraordinary things. He used Moses, who said he was not eloquent, and Jeremiah who said he was too young. His anointed king was just a shepherd boy. Likewise he chose hot-tempered Peter, and willful Saul. God indeed uses the foolish things of the world to shame the wise.

So then let us not be discouraged that we don’t have a big name or following, or that we are not some super-spiritual giant. Nor doubt our simple, persistent, feeble praying has not been heard. Instead may we be encouraged that we have a nature like Elijah’s, because we too can pray effectual fervent prayers that avail much!

Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving: Colossians 4:2

From the sermons of Charles H. Spurgeon:

It is interesting to remark how large a portion of Sacred Writ 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.

Do you want nothing? Then, I fear you do not know your poverty. Have you no mercy to ask of God? Then, may the Lord's mercy show you your 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 honor of a Christian. If you be a child of God, you wilt seek your Father's face, and live in your Father's love.

Pray that this year you may be holy, humble, zealous, and patient; have closer communion with Christ, and to enter often into the banqueting-house of his love. Pray that you may be an example and a blessing to others, and that you may live more to the glory of your Master.

The motto for this year must be, Continue In Prayer.

Yes, brothers and sisters in Christ our Lord! Like the waters from mountains high, running ceaselessly through valleys low, prayer flows without end to it’s destination.

May you continue daily be steadfast—that is to be firm, sure, secure, strong, stable, solid—in praying always with all prayer, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. Amen

For decades, actually several centuries, the people of God endured hardships while enslaved to Egyptian masters. Finally, after much groaning, they cried out to God for help. By now, they had to have been desperate for rescue and deliverance. And so they called.

And when they did, God heard and responded. The people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help … And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant. Exodus 2:23-24

Are we that desperate in our day? Are we aware how dire our circumstances and cry out for help?

Some, but not enough. We are too independent and self-reliant for that. We are ignorant of our situation, preferring to be engrossed in activity or entertainment. We rely on political solutions, hoping it won’t get too bad and perhaps get a little better. We just don’t know what to do. Maybe we attend a fellowship that seeks a new way, one more modern in it’s theology, and all good with adapting to the world around us.

But for those who see the signs of the times, we need to be desperate for the Lord’s intervention, and cry out for His help. Otherwise we are just treading the same ground and making bricks without straw, and the world outside our door falls into more wickedness and more depravity—away from the way of salvation.

This means we must pray, and pray more, both privately and corporately.

In our personal daily prayer times, we seek the Lord on our own behalf and that of our family, friends and neighbors. In our churches, we need prayer meetings, where we seek the Lord for each other, praying for the people of God near and across all the lands.

All of us can pray and should. We cannot leave this to just a few that feel an unction, calling or passion for it. But at least weekly, we all should be in a meeting with others. The people of Israel, and where two or three are gathered, says Jesus, he is among them. God heard THEIR groaning.

When we do this, God hears us as he did then and remembers his covenant. He will remember and act, but will not until and unless we ask!

Remember Jairus? He was desperate, for his daughter was sick to the degree that he sought the Healer. When he found him, Jairus fell at his feet and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” Mark 5:21-23

And the next verse tells us that Jesus went with him.

You see: Jairus implored him earnestly.

That’s desperate. That’s what we need. Men and women of faith in our day who seek the Lord and implore him earnestly.

Not casually or occasionally, but regularly and earnestly.

God will hear us when we do and he will remember. He will deliver, in his way and in his time and in answer to our prayers—for we are here for such a time as this.

This is what God’s people need to be reminded of now, just as they did then: God hears our groaning, God knows our circumstances, and He will act. Not one of His promises will fail. —Alistair Begg

Praying for the People of God from the Word of God

Righteous Father, today we pray like Epaphras, who was a servant of Christ Jesus, we are also always struggling on your behalf in prayers, that we may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. Make us perfect and complete. Amen

Episode Description

Join us in prayer as we pursue peace through intercession for God’s people, using powerful passages from Romans 14 and 15.

Prayer Focus

* Peace - Building harmony in the body of Christ

* Endurance - Strength to persevere in faith

* Unity - Oneness among believers

* Joy, Peace & Hope - Overflowing in God’s abundance

We sit quietly at your feet and look to you, Father, coming to you with cares and worries and requests and casting them all on you with thanksgiving, for you care for us…knowing that you are the uncreated maker of heaven and earth and you oversee all things and all the affairs of all the creation for all of your dear children.

Scripture References

* Romans 14:19

* Romans 15:5-6

* Romans 15:7

* Romans 15:13

Add your Prayer or Amen

One quiet night long ago, humble shepherds tending their flocks were the first to hear the glad tidings of great joy. Angels suddenly appeared in the sky to herald the good news of a Child lying in a manger, the Savior who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:9-11)

Then after the angels sang and left, the shepherds went to see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to them.

Can you imagine? The announcement of the Word became flesh and dwelling among us is first told in the countryside to poor shepherds. The Good Shepherd of all was first seen by those herding sheep. The Lamb of God visited first by ones tending the lambs.

And what did they do?

Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. Luke 2:17-18

Let’s pray this same news spread far and wide this Christmas season! Pray for the message of Christ to be heard all across the land! Ask for those who believe be like these herdsmen and proclaim His coming widely known!

You see: Many are those who disbelieve because they have never truly heard the good news, only about it. Many others misbelieve because what they have heard about Jesus is twisted myth not Truth.

Plenty of well intentioned people will get all caught up the festivities of the holiday. There will be parties for toasting, marshmallows for roasting and caroling out in the snow. All well and good, but void of the real reason Jesus came. He was born in a manger to bear a cross—for us!

Hallelujah, Amen

Here are 7 Prayers for Salvation of Unbelievers

* Pray the Word of the Lord run swiftly and be glorified - 2 Thessalonians 3:1, we pray the Good News would travel across the land, to every town, church, street and house; that as it does, it would be light in the darkness.

* Pray for ears to hear the message of the angels, for faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God - Romans 10:17, we pray for the Gospel to be heard by those whose hearts are hardened to it.

* Pray for open doors - Colossians 4:3, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ…so we knock in order that the door would be opened to us.

* Pray that words may be given us, that we would speak as we ought to about Jesus - Ephesians 6:19, for opening our mouth to boldly make known the mystery of the gospel as Paul prayed.

* Pray for harvesters sent to the harvest field - Luke 10:2, for the harvest is great but there are few harvesters, so pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

* Pray saving faith be given - Ephesians 2:8, that by grace they would be saved through faith, and that not of themselves; it is the gift of God. We ask for the Good Gift of God be given.

* Pray that God would grant them repentance - 2 Timothy 2:25-26, so that they may know the Truth and come to their senses. May this repentance lead to understanding the truth of the gospel so they escape the snare of the devil.

This season, if we would pray and make widely known what we have seen and heard, then many-many more will marvel in our day. Make this Christmas be one in which those around us become “born again” with the realization of Jesus and the real reason He was born, that He is a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

How many would come to know the Lord this season? And to God be the glory, Amen!

Prayer Notes:

* Psalm 107:32 - Let them exalt Him in the assembly of the people and praise Him in the council of the elders.

* Psalm 111:1 - Hallelujah! I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart in the council of the upright and in the assembly.

* Psalm 34:9 - Fear the LORD, you His saints, for those who fear Him lack nothing.

* Colossians 4: 2-4 - 2 Devote yourselves [persist] to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; 3 praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth [proclaim] the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; 4 that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.

* Acts 14:27 - When they arrived, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them, and how He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.

* 1 Corinthians 16: 9 - because a great door for effective work has opened to me, even though many oppose me.

* Jeremiah 17:7-8 - 7 But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him. 8 He is like a tree planted by the waters that sends out its roots toward the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes, and its leaves are always green. It does not worry in a year of drought, nor does it cease to produce fruit.

* John 14:27 - eace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid.

All Scripture from Berean Standard Bible

If we audited our prayers, what would they sound like?

Back in my radio days, we’d tape ourselves on air. It was a scoped session of when our microphone was on, and we listened back to review. Then our boss or consultant would listen with us. These “air-checks” usually involved finding things we did wrong or needed to improve on.

It was either humbling or encouraging (usually both), but necessary to help us get better. Athletes watch tape of their performance to do the same, public speakers watch videos of their speeches to see ways to improve.

What would a review of our prayers reveal to us?

I imagine we’d be pretty surprised to hear how often we pray from wrong desires.

(James 4:1-3)

Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?

Conflict with others (and in ourselves) comes from desire – a wanting of something we do not have. Someone has what we covet (breaking the 10th Commandment) and yet we want so much we plot and scheme to win it, steal it, or take it by force.

You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war.

We are certainly at war within ourselves -- the lusts of the flesh and desires for pleasure are warring within us. Often we believe we will be satisfied when we get something we want. But coveting will inevitably lead to conflict.

Why don’t we get what we desire?

Yet you do not have because you do not ask, says James.

You do not have. For all of our desiring, striving, and plotting, we do not have. Or what we do have doesn’t satisfy, and we want more. “The whole history of mankind shows the failure of evil lusting to obtain their object.” (Spurgeon)

You do not ask. We want, but fail to go to the Father. Instead, we rely on means rather than prayer. We must remember God does not give unless we ask. And if we have only a little bit of God, likely it is because we have asked little.

“Remember this text: The Lord says to his own Son, ‘Ask of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.’ If the royal and divine Son of God cannot be exempted from the rule of asking that he may have, you and I cannot expect the rule to be relaxed in our favor. Why should it be?” (Spurgeon)

This is how vital prayer is! We get nothing without praying and get everything by it.

But when we do pray, we can ask with wrong motives.

We may indeed ask Father, but James says You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

You do not receive. Believers ask God, but we don’t get because we ask with wrong motives. Asking always for things we covet is selfish praying. My child asks for a cookie, not because he is hungry for nutrition, but desires a treat.

What do you ask? Something to make life a bit easier, a bit better, a bit less painful? Aren’t these what those in the world also strive for? Do you desire a bigger house, nicer car, more health, better looks, an easier time at work, more respect, love, peace, and so on? Is your asking really just to get ahead in the world, or at least keep up with the neighbors?

“When a man so prays he asks God to be his servant, and gratify his desires; nay, worse than that, he wants God to join him in the service of his lusts. He will gratify his lusts, and God shall come and help him to do it. Such prayer is blasphemous, but a large quantity of it is offered, and it must be one of the most God-provoking things that heaven ever beholds.” (Spurgeon)

Here’s the thing: We are not praying to get God to do our bidding – no, it is to get ourselves aligned rightly with His word, will and ways. If we ask amiss (or wrongly, with wrong motives in some versions) we only want what will give us pleasure, to spend it on our passions or waste it on our desires.

This is similar to the squandering of the Prodigal son.

What are we supposed do instead to pray aright?

Listen to Jesus:

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. John 15:7 NKJV

And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 1 John 3:22 NKJV

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 1 John 5:14 NKJV

In short: we pray the Word.

Praying isn’t just asking God for what we want or need. We seek to pray the will of God—for ourselves and His people. Using promises contained in His Word, we pray these back to God, asking Him to fulfill His own Word:

That His kingdom come, and His will be done...that we be mature and standing firm in all the will of God...that we be alert, standing firm in the faith, being strong and doing all we do in love...that we be salt and light...that we love one another and serve one another...that we proclaim the mystery of the gospel, preach, teaching and making disciples...that we have knowledge of His will...that we know the word and keep His commandments, and so on.

If ye prayed aright, all your proper wants would be supplied; the improper cravings which produce "wars and fightings" would then cease. (Fausset)

No, we do not want to audit our prayers. We do want to make sure our prayers are not with wrong desires or wrong motives. We do this by praying the Word of God.

When we do pray for earthly things, be certain it is asked subject to His will—not for merely our gain, but for His glory.

I hope this helps your praying, it has mine, even though I don’t pray this way enough.