EPAPHRAS – A MAN OF PRAYER

By: Rev. Arnel Tan

“Epaphras, from your city, a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident of the whole will of God. “ Colossians 4:12 NLT

While most servants of God race and rush to the lime light, this man Epaphras stayed in communion with the Light of the world. Yes he preachers, but more than anything else he prays. He really prays! He never called himself a man of prayer, he simply prayed. Like the Master his prayer life did not go unnoticed from the eyes and admiration of his colleagues. Paul, testifies of him as a man who agonizes in prayer.

Anyone who desires the ministry of prayer must fast from the praise of men and to be totally confident only in the approval of God. Prayer in the life of Epaphras is so modeled in grace that he need not pressure people to be like him. By his testimony and commitment to pray God stirred hearts to desire to be men and women of prayer. Oh how we need more men and women of prayer in the church today, who like Epaphras will not pressure or make people guilty but would wholly pour out his heart in prayer.

Compare to our long litany of spiritual insights and our subtle ways attempting to “change” other people praying for them proves to be a million times better and a million times God honoring. In prayer all attempts to transform others stops, to give way for God to do the reviving, changing and awakening. One salient point to remember is Epaphras modeled prayer in grace not using prayer as a pressure for others to tow the line. It is God who stirs hunger for prayer in the hearts of His people not our long sermon on prayer.

Finally, to desire to be a man or woman of prayer is to relinquish tendencies to subject others to our dictates. Prayer is rest and release when everything is truly surrendered in the Sovereign hands of God. Actually in prayer the Lord makes us realize that we are not in control, and the real blessing of all is that the Lord takes away the desire to be in control! May the Lord stir in us deep hunger for prayer!

Working for God's glory!

“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men” Colossians 3:23 KJV

This is a very strong and a timely reminder to all of us children of God especially to those who are in the Ministry like me. We need to pray and ask the Lord to help us apply these words of the apostle in the realm of our work today. When you commit yourself to work for somebody you are, in a sense, selling yourself as a slave for the hours involved.

Employers cannot control the rest of your life, but they do have a right to control your life during your working hours. These words therefore have direct reference to us. We are not to work only while the boss is watching. As the apostle says, whatever we do, we are to work at it "with all our heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism."

His appeal, of course, is very clear. We are to work "as unto the Lord." That is to be our motivation. It is the Lord Christ we are serving. Every employee ought to write that down and put it somewhere where he can see it during working hours. "It is the Lord Christ I am serving." Do not ever work for anyone else, as a believer. Work only for the Lord. Your employer may pay your salary, but it is the Lord for whom you are working. If you do that both the quality and the quantity of your work will improve, because you are working out of gratitude and love to the Lord. Love, of course, is the greatest driving force in life. What a change this will make in your job! Thank God for His reminder today! Amen!

YOUR WORK MATTERS TO GOD

By: Rev. Arnel Tan

“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men”

Colossians 3:23 KJV

Unemployment is not just an economic issue it is also about character issue. God is so involved in your work. In the strictest sense of the word He is the real One who hires and fires. If you are employed today consider this instruction of Paul. By the way this instruction is addressed not to the general crowd but only to those who have found their new life in Christ. If you are unemployed today consider this as a spiritual preparation now so when the Lord grants you your work, you will excel for God’s glory!

The word “whatever” suggest that all kinds of work that does not violate the standards of God is acceptable to the Lord. Whether you are a plumber, a CEO, an inventor or etc, God desires to walk with you in your routine. Believe it with all of your heart it does make a difference when you dedicate your work to God. Living the new life in the work place is our worship to God too. It means do it heartily! Christ like excellence is not being the best but doing your very best availing of God’s strength. Remember that the reward of man is second it is God’s reward that is lasting. Man’s reward is short live and will soon be caught in the cob webs of boredom and performance. God’s reward is lasting it makes you depend more to the Lord than your self.

Work is an extension of worship but be warned not to worship your work! God rested on the seventh day, shouldn’t we rest too? To become workaholics makes us people who depends on our work instead of God. This is also another form of PRIDE. Ministers are not exempted for there is not difference between secular work and ministry work when it comes to making it acceptable to God. It is not accident that you are in the work God gave you especially if you sought God in fervent prayer. It is also a wise advise that you consistently seek God and listen to His voice as you pray and study His words, diligently discerning if God still want you to stay in your work now. If He says God adjust your sail to the direction He leads you. Remember it is impossible to please God without faith.

Lastly don’t forget the Paul’s words that work is done excellently not unto men but unto the Lord. So wherever your company assigns you don’t look at the position or the power along with it rather look to Jesus the One who walks with you in your work place. Start your day with a quiet prayer that you may learn to be wise as you seek God. Leave your work with a thankful heart and again in prayer commit yourself to God that you may not come home an angry person. Enjoy your work today for your security is in the Lord of the work!