Pastor Barry’s  “Chapter & Verse:  Day 27

January 27;   Romans 15:30;   27/260(II);   ‘Undergirding Paul’

Romans 15:30 Dear brothers and sisters, I urge you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. Do this because of your love for me, given to you by the Holy Spirit.     NLT

The Apostle Paul was one of the greatest men in the Bible.  His conversion from being a religious zealot, inspires us that regardless of who we were before salvation, the Lord and our determination, can turn us into powerful witnesses for Jesus.  Paul was ‘unstoppable.’  In             2 Corinthians 11, he lists the things he suffered during his ministry.  Nothing he went through caused him to quit.  Paul, is an incredible example to the Church, of faithfulness and dedication.  It is no surprise that the Lord used Paul to write nearly half on the New Testament and teach the Church incredibly important and powerful doctrines.  As you read Acts and the epistles (letters) written to the churches by Paul, many outstanding things about him stand out.  One quality in particular is seen in all of his travels and letters.  Paul was a man of prayer.  Here is the point I want to make about this verse.  Paul’s conversion, his faithfulness to what the Lord called him to do, the revelation given to him for the churches and his tenacity in prayer made him quite possibly the greatest man in the Bible except for Jesus.  In spite of all of this, Paul humbly requested the prayers of the Christians to help him do what he was called to do.  Paul knew he needed the help of the Church in order for him to succeed.  Too often, powerful men and women of God will not ask others for prayer.  They possibly feel requesting prayer from those they minister to would make them appear less anointed or capable.  All of us including Paul are part of the Body of Christ.  His humility in asking for prayer helped to make him who he was.