“For The Sake Of Your Prayers” – 1 PETER 4:7-11

We have come a long way walking with Peter together. As his life and ministry come to a close, he senses the need to draw us close and give final instruction to us. At the same time, the prophet Peter is warning Christians of the looming judgment upon Jerusalem – and event that would rock the early church if they were not prepared and thinking clearly. It’s amazing how the inspired Word functions as a timeless instruction manual whose “old words” can always speak to me today.

The end of his life is “at hand” …

The end of the Temple is “at hand”…

The end of my time on earth is “at hand”…

What’s on Peter’s mind? A disciple’s prayer life. Hmmm.

These final instructions that have no expiration date so long as the universe still exists concern my daily walk with God in prayer.

More to the point, Peter cautions about the things that will hinder the prayer life of a disciple. Just might be important. It might even be life-changing.

For the sake of my prayers a disciple of Jesus must be self-controlled. Why? The spiritual discipline of prayer requires, well, discipline. One aspect of this admonition is to develop the self-control to “make time” for prayer. Effective prayer is a way of life, not an item on your “To Do List”. The other aspect of this admonition, then, is the clutter of life and the troubles that ensue tend to push prayer out of our day. Discipleship calls us to prioritize our lives so that our fellowship of prayer with God tends to push out all of the other stuff.

For the sake of my prayers a disciple of Jesus must be sober-minded. Why? Day after day, year after year, a disciple walks by faith. Each new challenge and each fork in our path require choices to be made and decisions to be taken. Either we will make these choices alone or we will seek counsel. When we seek counsel, that counsel will be neutral or ungodly sources or it will be godly sources. As we seek godly counsel, it will come from fellow disciples or it will come from God. When it comes from God it will come through His Word and by answered prayer. A disciplined disciple thinks “Prayer-first” because of a clear mindset that spiritual wisdom and understanding come from God.

Walking with clear thinking and godly priority alongside Peter, he opens the door for us to see what the life of a prayerful disciple entails.

A disciple with a vibrant prayer life loves the brethren sincerely. My love for you “covers” your wrongs against me. It works the other way around. In no way is Peter giving a license for me to sin knowing if I “love enough” it’ll be okay. Life is filled with trouble and challenge. Whether it is the chaos in the wake of Jerusalem’s destruction or the chaos of life in our time, the truth remains the same. A disciple must be prayerful toward God and loving toward others to overcome.

A disciple with a vibrant prayer life enjoys the company of the brethren and invites them into his life. My self-control and sober-mindedness allows me to do so both in deed and with the right spirit. A willingness to take in others is a hallmark of a disciple because this is what God expects of His children. Check yourself. Think it through. Be prayerful. Love sincerely. Whether it is the displacement from the carnage of war or the disruptions of life in a fallen world we need one another. Open up!

A disciple with a vibrant prayer life shares his blessings. A lack of self-control results in hoarding and covetousness. A lack of sober-mindedness fogs our decision-making and leads us to withhold from others in time of need. Whatever blessing we possess given by God’s grace, it was given for us to bless others. Needs are created by major events affecting many and by “minor” events affecting relatively few. The need and the solution is still the same. A disciple meets needs when we find them.

A disciple with a vibrant prayer life points all things back to the divine giver of all good and perfect gifts. Our words are God’s words as He has given them to us. Our gifts are God’s gifts as He has given them to us. Our unity is God’s handiwork do the world will know we belong to Him. Give the credit to our sovereign God!

Whether facing great catastrophe or personal catastrophe, the disciple is always prepared if we pray without ceasing.

If those prayers are hindered, the problem is on this end.