"And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” [Matthew 9:35-38 ESV]
Lord and Master of the Harvest,
In the plenty of the Harvest, help me grasp the significance of the cross and the size of the church that is yet to be built through Gospel advance to the unreached and unengaged.
The laborers are still few, but the majority are living among reached peoples. Help me expose this imbalance and embrace my influence through earnest prayer and encouraging participation. Use me to mobilize the multitude of workers in my own church and city, looking to you in humility and submission, so that they will go with a sense of urgency and pray for those who have gone before them.
Send laborers who will preach so that in hearing, the unreached may believe and call upon the name of the Lord and be saved.
Prepare laborers with articulate language and an understanding of culture so that they may be clear and trustworthy in their proclamation and demonstration of the Gospel, the discipleship of new believers, and the forming of new churches.
Provide for each laborer through the dependent prayer and generous people you will gather around them to partner in the advance of the Gospel and the fruit of the harvest.
Prove each laborer faithful and fruitful through the power of the Holy Spirit who will strengthen them daily and embolden them to expose with light the darkness that stands against them.
Grant each laborer wisdom through the Word and the leading of the Spirit to navigate the complexities and challenges of serving the life-giving message in the hard places and lonely paths they will follow to reach every tribe.
Sustain each laborer to faithfully complete the work that you have called them to and then multiply the fruit of each believer and church beyond them as you do abundantly above all that we ask or think.
Reward each laborer and their faithful partners with the treasures laid up in heaven as a means of motivation and a measure of their exultation of your grace and glory, having finished the work for us when you declared on the cross, “It is Finished!”
For every laborer, Your glory alone!
Amen.
In the plenty of the Harvest, help me grasp the significance of the cross and the size of the church that is yet to be built through Gospel advance to the unreached and unengaged.
The laborers are still few, but the majority are living among reached peoples. Help me expose this imbalance and embrace my influence through earnest prayer and encouraging participation. Use me to mobilize the multitude of workers in my own church and city, looking to you in humility and submission, so that they will go with a sense of urgency and pray for those who have gone before them.
Send laborers who will preach so that in hearing, the unreached may believe and call upon the name of the Lord and be saved.
Prepare laborers with articulate language and an understanding of culture so that they may be clear and trustworthy in their proclamation and demonstration of the Gospel, the discipleship of new believers, and the forming of new churches.
Provide for each laborer through the dependent prayer and generous people you will gather around them to partner in the advance of the Gospel and the fruit of the harvest.
Prove each laborer faithful and fruitful through the power of the Holy Spirit who will strengthen them daily and embolden them to expose with light the darkness that stands against them.
Grant each laborer wisdom through the Word and the leading of the Spirit to navigate the complexities and challenges of serving the life-giving message in the hard places and lonely paths they will follow to reach every tribe.
Sustain each laborer to faithfully complete the work that you have called them to and then multiply the fruit of each believer and church beyond them as you do abundantly above all that we ask or think.
Reward each laborer and their faithful partners with the treasures laid up in heaven as a means of motivation and a measure of their exultation of your grace and glory, having finished the work for us when you declared on the cross, “It is Finished!”
For every laborer, Your glory alone!
Amen.
Read other articles in this series: Lord of the Harvest
Lord of the Harvest: Part V
Mar 22, 2024 2 min · Steve B “And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he… Read More
Lord of the Harvest, Pt. IV
Jan 19, 2024 3 min · Steve B "And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he… Read More
Lord of the Harvest, Pt. II
Sep 15, 2023 2 min · Steve B “And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he… Read More
Lord of the Harvest, Pt. I
Aug 18, 2023 1 min · Steve B “And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he… Read MoreAuthor
Steve B
Steve served as a church planter, pastor, leadership developer, missions trainer, and in missions leadership over the 37 years prior to stepping into the leadership of MɪssɪᴏSERVE Alliance. Steve is married to Terri Jo and they have four adult children and 13 grandchildren.
Steve served as a church planter, pastor, leadership developer, missions trainer, and in missions leadership over the 37 years prior to stepping into the leadership of MɪssɪᴏSERVE Alliance. Steve is married to Terri Jo and they have four adult children and 13 grandchildren.