Brethren, Pray for Us

In this part of the sermon: Martin delves into why Paul, a spiritual father, would prioritize the request 'Pray for us.' He argues that this reveals Paul's profound selflessness and his deep, inward sense of…

Martin recounts his misunderstanding of the Southern phrase 'y'all come back,' initially taking it literally rather than as a mere expression. This illustrates how Christians might use 'pray for me' as a casual phrase without genuine earnestness, contrasting it with Paul's intense request.

Well, it's sort of like the little phrase, and some of my southern friends will appreciate this, that if you're a good southerner, and whenever anyone's been wherever you are, whether it's in the store, a corner store, for a loaf of bread, or in your home, the last thing you say as they go, is, y'all come, y'all come back.

8:27 - 8:41 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Paul believed that if those people hundreds of miles away in Thessalonica would pray things would happen there at Corinth that otherwise would not have happened.

Martin criticizes the view of God as a 'celestial bellboy' who grants selfish or trivial requests, citing examples of an actress praying for an immoral role or a football player praying for a touchdown. This highlights the abuse and misunderstanding of prayer's purpose and efficacy.

that will make them feel better because he's saying pray for us. Pray for us. Now why do I underscore this? Well for the simple reason that some in their reacting against this concept of God that makes him a celestial bellboy to whom we may snap our fingers at any moment and have him come and drop his little goodies prayer has been looked upon as primarily an exercise which has benefits in the one who prays.

18:19 - 18:49 Read in full sermon

The point: Attend regularly stated prayer meetings, pleading for blessing and expecting God to hear and answer.

The analogy of a diabetic ceasing to take insulin is used to explain prayerlessness. It suggests that a prayerless believer either thinks they don't need prayer, lacks confidence in its power, or is willing to risk spiritual ill-health, mirroring the diabetic's choices.

don't go asking questions and I like that spirit that's the spirit of the apostle that's the spirit that permeates the word feed your heart upon the great promises look at the examples of answers to prayer my second exhortation then is to be a praying people we must maintain these three things third thing that I want to say by way of observation from this text is that a prayerless state is a revelation of a loss of these convictions when a child of God loses the spirit of prayer it's because somewhere he's lost the conviction of these three things his utter dependence upon God his implicit con...

37:57 - 39:27 Read in full sermon

The point: Pray for your minister, recognizing it as the greatest service you can render to make his ministry effectual.

Martin tells the story of a minister whose preaching lost its blessing as his congregation stopped praying. When he declared he had 'lost his prayer book' (meaning the people's prayers), and they resumed praying, the blessing returned. This illustrates the direct link between congregational prayer and ministerial effectiveness.

people and God was pleased to multiply the blessing and outsiders were coming to the church and there was a period of refreshing then the crowds began to dwindle and people were listening to their pastor with less blessing they found they came dry and went away dry and they were grumbling about it and saying something's happened to the preacher and one day the preacher stood and he said I'm very much aware of what all of you are saying and it's absolutely true you are coming dry and going away dry the crowds are dwindling and he said it's because I lost my prayer book and the people looked at ...

42:26 - 43:55 Read in full sermon