How to Pray

The workers are few, said Jesus as he turned from the distressed masses to the dozen men around him. Our job is to pray fervently for more people to come and help, as we are moving boldly to be involved with the harvest.

We Pray to See What Jesus Sees

John 4:35 NASB95

“Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.

Jesus did not see the masses of people as obstacles to His plan but as the reason for His plan.

The Lord has truly brought the masses to our doorsteps.

We see problems and challenges, Jesus saw ministry opportunities and eternities that were hanging in the balance.

Addiction, latch-key children, parenting and marriage struggles

How can we meet people in their need and share with them from there the way to the cross?

The people we encounter are the very reason for our continued presence on earth.

Our lives on this earth are about our sanctification and the world’s evangelization.

God’s concern is not for our happiness but our holiness.

We are not here to take care of our families, earn a living or enjoy the fruits of our labors.

Jesus left a place where there were no needs, where there were no obstacles, where there was no pain, suffering or abuse to go to the place where that was all that people knew.

Our only mission, our only call, our only job is to know Him and to make Him known.

We Pray to Care as Jesus Cares

Jesus has demonstrated His compassion by the way He has responded to the needs around Him

Think of the people we have encountered in these two chapters. The leper, the centurion’s daughter, Peter’s mother-in-law, the wanna be disciples, the disciples in the boat, the demon possessed men in Gadarene, the paralytic, Matthew— the author of this book, the tax collectors, John’s disciples, the synagogue official’s daughter who died, the woman with the issue of blood, the blind men, & another demon-possessed man.

He didn’t just feel for the people, He got His hands dirty.

He ignored the critics and embraced the critical

We must do the same.

Yes, we pray for God to send the workers into the fields, and then we realize, the very same people Jesus told to pray for workers in the fields are the ones Jesus sent!

We Pray to Go as Jesus Sends

Immediately after talking about the need, Jesus sent the disciples out.

Who to Tell