Acts 17-18; Psalm 127

Many of you may recall the TV show ABC’s Wide World of Sports along with its tag-line:  “The Thrill of Victory and the Agony of Defeat.”  Apostle Paul may have felt that way as he lived Acts 17-18:

·     Thessalonica – where his teaching was so well received that his epistles could teach on deeper subjects like the second coming.

·     Berea – where they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day (Acts 17:11)

·     Athens – where the Gospel was rejected even though the Athenians spent “their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.” (Acts 17:21)

·     Corinth – where Jesus changes the lives of many (1 Cor 6:9-11).

·     Ephesus – where his teaching caused riots (Acts 19:23-41).

Pastors (including our Pastor Tony) experience the same “rollercoaster ride.”  Imagine these phone calls in succession:

·         Pray for my husband; he is sick.

·         We are getting married; would you counsel us?

·         Come quickly; my mother just died.

·         It’s a boy (or girl)!

For Nehemiah, Paul, and Pastor Tony, “the joy of the Lord is their strength.”

Ps 127:1

Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.

Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. NIV

Throughout Paul’s epistles he only requested prayer for 3 things:

·         The Word: looking for the right words, boldness and clarity along with opportunity

·         Deliverance from unbelievers and wicked men (Romans 15:30–33, 2 Thessalonians 3:1–4)

·         That his work be acceptable to the saints (Romans 15:30–33)

HAVE YOU PRAYED FOR YOUR PASTOR LATELY?

~John Skrabak