Luke 22:31-34 - "But I Have Prayed For You"

Today, before we before we go back to our regular pastor chats and Bible study on Luke 9, I want to give a report and update on my recent overseas trip to a Southeast Asia country.   I was met at the airport at 4am by two dear pastor friends and fortunately we went directly to a hotel nearby for some rest. On Monday afternoon the 14th, we begin a great week of wonderful ministry. Over the week we meet in 8 different locations with 401 local pastors. We were on four domestic flights, an overnight train ride, and hundreds of miles by taxis and car to get to our meetings.   One day, I also had the opportunity and honor of dedicating 3 deep clean water wells for Global Partners in Peace and Development, in three very poor areas for some precious people who have very little access to clean water on a regular basis. I wish you could see the joy on their faces as the clean water was pumped to the surface. This also gives the local pastor there the opportunity to show Christ’s love to all the people living in that area!   Very late one evening after 9pm, in another location, I was asked to speak at a believer’s meeting in a rural village. Afterwards at about 10:30 we were invited to the pastor’s home for a full course Asian meal! Most of all, after the meal, they desired that we pray specifically over several people and their needs, and pray blessings over their families, home and ministry.   I wish I had words to describe the excitement and joy of meeting with the 401 pastors in our 8 meetings. In each one I was honored and received a very warm and exciting welcome with loud music and singing! They were so excited and encouraged that we were there to share with them the love of Christ from the believers in America! The meeting all started with singing, prayer, and introductions.   The Lord blessed me with a different text and message for each meeting. I initially was told that I could preach the same message at each meeting because they would all be different pastors, but the Lord led me to do otherwise. But at each meeting, what encouraged these pastors the most, was that I was committed to find believers in America who would pray for them specifically.   In every meeting I shared that the most important responsibility of a pastor is to be faithful! “Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.” (1 Corinthians 4:2). God has given pastors the highest calling of anyone on earth to be a steward of His local body of believers. It is a higher calling than to be the president of America or any country in the world! And with this calling, God has promised to endue us with His presence and grace to fulfill it. But being a pastor is not and easy task! There will be great responsibilities to care for each precious soul that the Lord entrusts to us! There will also be tremendous opposition from Satan and demonic forces! And we desperately need the prayers of others to be faithful.   That is what Jesus told Peter in Luke 22:31-34. Jesus didn’t tell Peter, “I have prayed that you be successful”. He didn’t pray that Peter would not fail. He called Peter by name twice, “Simon, Simon”. Jesus is interested in individuals and knows us all by our name! He warned Peter of the devil’s attack. But then Jesus said one of the most powerful words of encouragement a pastor can hear, “But, I have prayed for you!”   My friends that are reading this today, I told the pastors that I would connect them with someone in America to pray for them. In every meeting I took every pastor’s picture and his personal information to share with you. I shook their hand and gave them the promise of your prayers. I meet with 401 pastors and will be returning to meet with the other 200 pastors in our fellowship there later this year!   Will you be willing to join us in this great ministry of prayer that will bring the greatest blessings on this great ministry in reaching their nation for Christ? Please email me at [email protected]   God bless!