“But encourage [exhort] one another day after day, as long as it is still called ‘Today,’ so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” Hebrews 3:13

A few years ago I took special notice that among the gifts listed in Romans 12:8 was the particular gift of exhortation – “he who exhorts, in his exhortation…” I had not really thought about exhortation as a distinct spiritual gifting before. I began to wonder what made a person an exhorter as opposed to a teacher, a prophet or an administrator for that matter. What precisely was exhortation, and how would one exercise exhortation according to his measure of faith – in obedience to the teaching of Romans 12:8? While I had some understanding of how the other gifts in this list functioned, I hadn’t considered how exhortation as a ministry would be actively and intentionally pursued.

As I was pondering exhortation, I began to notice how frequently exhortation takes place in the New Testament. I also began to read and listen more carefully to various teachers and preachers. I began to detect the exhortations that were happening within their teachings. Some teachers, it seemed to me, were far more exhortative in their preaching than others. As I considered all these things the specific act of exhortation began to become clearer as well as it intended effects.

In this session I’ll define exhortation, highlight its unique qualities, describe how it works, and point out the dangers of exhorting incorrectly.

The word translated “exhort/exhortation” in the English Bible is usually parakaleo which is a verb, and its corresponding noun form paraklesis. The two parts of this word are para – a prefix meaning “alongside,” “with,” or “near” and kaleo/klesis meaning “call.” The literal expanded meaning then would be something like “drawing near to summon,” or “calling to one’s side.”¹

The meaning of the drawing alongside part of the word seems fairly straightforward and easy to grasp, but what about the “call” part? The word call can have a broad range of meaning. One can call someone in many ways and for many reasons or purposes. The New Testament usage of the word kaleo is used in mundane sentences like “the island was called Malta” as well as theologically massive sentences like “and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified.” So what kind of call is in view in biblical exhortation? Because the word is used so broadly I would not want to be too narrow in defining call as it’s used in parakaleo, especially since parakaleo also has mundane uses in addition to massively meaningful ones.

One common denominator that calling has in its use within exhortation is that it has a moving force to it. The call is not a call in the wilderness. It’s used with the intent to move a person – to change their position. This can be a plea for someone to come toward us – to come to our aid, or a push – to get someone to move to a new and improved condition.

Whether the direction of the movement of the call is a pull or a push, it still insists on movement. Often, when the word is translated “beseech” or “entreat” it has a “pull” kind of movement to it. Like when it’s used of the leper in Mark 1:40 who beseeched the Lord to heal him “Lord, I am calling out to you – please come near to me – draw close to my aid, and heal me” (my very lose paraphrase). When it is translated exhort, urge, or beseech (beseech can go both ways) it has a “push” direction to it. It presses people to make some change, some improvement, from a current condition to a better one, like in 2 Corinthians 6:12, “And working together with Him, we also urge [exhort] you not to receive the grace of God in vain…” Paul draws near (through a letter) calling the believer to walk in such a way so as not to receive God’s grace in vain.

Now here is a bewildering observation. The same word used as an intense and desperate appeal for help or with such strong force and earnestness that it compels people to move and change is also translated comfort and consolation. The reason this is so bewildering to me is that the effect of exhortation – the push to move – doesn’t seem to be very comforting or consoling at all. Usually, when we are exhorted, especially if it is personally directed, it is accompanied by significant discomfort. Exhortations urge people to change or improve. And while such urging is good and bears good fruit, it’s still uncomfortable to be prodded to change. A fascinating verse in Hebrews bears out this observation. The writer says to his readers, “But I urge [exhort] you, brethren, bear with this word of exhortation…” Here, the Hebrews are exhorted to bear with exhortation. Since exhortation has a push to it, a prod, a call to improve and mature, it needs to be listened to with longsuffering and patience. It’s not easy to exhort or to be exhorted. So, if parakaleo has to be borne up under, how can the very same word be translated comfort or consolation? For example in 2 Corinthians 1:4, “…who comforts [parakaleo] us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort [parakaleo] those who are in any affliction with the comfort [parakaleo] with which we ourselves are comforted [parakaleo] by God.” How is it that in one case parakaleo can be such an intense experience that we have to be urged to bear it, while in another parakaleo is the comfort itself?

There is a sense that coming alongside to someone’s aid is a comforting and consoling thing to do. So the raw meaning of the word, in the context in which it’s used as comfort or console, might not carry its pointy or provocative sense. However, in the cases where parakaleo is translated comfort or console it is not used in a passive way. It does not simply draw alongside and place a hand on the back for comfort, or deliver a pillow (although it very well may include such practical comforts). Rather, it intends to deliver something more, something that will again move – improve the person with a comfort that raises them up. We are not just comforted in our sad condition, we are exhorted in the sense that we are comforted with hope and mercy which has a positive improving effect. And improving is moving, from a lesser condition to a better one.

The contrast of parakaleo being translated both as exhort and urge or comfort and consolation must point us to the ultimate object of exhortation. I believe that the common object toward which we must exhort or comfort is one and the same, and that since there is only one proper object for both, the contrast between urge and comfort is diffused.

For exhortation to have its intended effect it must always be oriented toward its intended object – and that object is Christ.

The call of exhortation is an upward call. Every Christian has been called – summoned by God to follow Christ. In Philippians 3:14 Paul speaks of the trajectory of his Christian walk – he says he presses on toward the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. So when we draw alongside a brother to call him to move and improve, we must check the trajectory of our urging. Am I urging him heavenward? It is important to check the direction of our urging. It is entirely possible to urge someone to a negative or downward direction. Whatever we may feel is important or urgent may become an object for exhortation. But unless we aim exhortation upward, we misapply the ministry of exhortation. And we must be careful, for if we intend to move another person, the easiest direction is the path of least resistance, and that would be the downward pull of an earthly gravity. We need to exert effort to move in an upward direction against the natural inclinations of the heart.

This upward, heavenward trajectory is not without a specific target. Heaven above is the dwelling place of God and the kingdom of Christ. Colossians 3:1 says, “If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is…” The upward trajectory of exhortation, the target we aim at is Christ. Jesus, in Luke 3:18 gave many exhortations which were called “preaching the gospel.” Barnabas, when he had witnessed the grace of God to the believers in Antioch, “encouraged [exhorted] them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord,” Acts 11:23.

The image I have in mind of proper biblical exhortation is drawing near to a brother and grasping them, as one might grab hold of a spear, and hurling them upward toward a gospel target, the bulls-eye being Christ Himself. Exhortation advances us incrementally upward toward Christ. As we exhort one another day-by-day we get little lifts along the heavenward path of faith. But we must keep the ultimate target and correct trajectory in mind when exhorting in order to do so effectively.

Now I am making the argument that all exhortation must be upwardly directed and centered on Christ. But in fact exhortation in the New Testament is used frequently and toward many targets – not always directly aimed at Christ on high. But I would make a similar argument as John Piper made in his sermon “Boasting Only in the Cross.” In it he identifies that according to Galatians 6:14 the only boasting we should ever practice is a boasting in the cross. Yet, he points out that Paul boasted in many things other then the cross including his converts, his authority and even his weaknesses. But, Piper contends, that boasting in the cross includes all the gifts and good things that were purchased for us through the cross. Therefore, we ought to make all our boasting a boasting only in the cross. While we might exhort others in many respects toward many goals, we ought to always let our exhorting be exhortation toward the Cross.

Parakaleo, whether in the form of urging or comforting, is the same thing if in our urging or comforting we are urging or comforting toward Christ. Therefore it would be just as wrong to urge someone toward a goal that was unrelated to Christ as it would be to comfort a person without the comfort of Christ. For example, I might urge someone to adopt my political point of view when the position is neither here nor there with respect to Christ, and exhort wrongly. Or, I might comfort someone in their time of need without mention of Christ, the promises of God or the hope of the gospel, and instead merely deliver an anesthetic or attempt to remove pain. If I comfort without a view toward moving the person toward the comfort that is only in Christ, I comfort wrongly. But when either urging or comforting is an urging Christward it can have a sin-weakening, Christ-exalting effect. It both moves and gives rest.

As we’ve seen, exhortation has a moving, pushing, pulling, and improving impulse to it. We’ve also seen that for exhortation to have its positive effects it always needs to be upward and Christ-centered. The next section will examine the dangers and pitfalls of exhortation. But first, I will list several examples of New Testament exhortations. Try to hear the intensity in them. The movement inherent in exhortation is not subtle. It is not casual. It is not light or suggestive. It’s forceful and urgent. Because exhortation is so intense it’s all the more important that we understand how it is to work, where it is to be directed, and the potential dangers in doing it.

“Then when he (Barnabas – which translated means Son of paraklesis) arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord;” Acts 11:23

“Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me,” Romans 15:30

“And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain…” 2 Corinthians 6:1

Hopefully you hear the urgency, the intensity and the force present in these examples. And with a view to the intensity of exhortation we will now address its dangers.

In addition to the danger of exhorting people toward the wrong object, there are other dangers that can cause exhortation to fail in its intent, and damage our own souls.

Pride – Pride is always a deadly and ever present danger for us. It comes in so many forms and in so many ways. But I think that when you mix pride with exhortation you get a particularly unstable and explosive danger. Pride mixed into an exhortation stinks of self-righteousness and arrogance. This danger exists in the very act of exhorting because of its inherent intention for one person to urge another to improve. Without great humility and sober judgment, giving an exhortation can imply that the giver has more maturity than the receiver, which actually may be the case, at least in the area in view. But exhortation can be very thinly sliced. Consider an exhortation to pray longer from one brother who prays for an extended periods of time to another brother who prays for less time but with much more faith. While the exhortation to extend one’s prayer life is good, right and helpful, the exhorter may become the exhorted with regard to exercising greater faith in prayer. Mutual respect, humility, and the willingness to speak into and hear from one another provide the healthy soil in which exhortation thrives in its soul preserving work.

Hypocrisy – Hypocrisy is a huge danger to exhortation. Even the fear of hypocrisy can disable sincere exhortation. Certainly, to exhort someone when the exhorter bears no mark of the quality to which he is exhorting is a shameful and unhelpful action. Yet one does not need to be perfect in their practice to be an honorable exhorter. In fact, often when exhorting another we end up preaching to our own souls too. Nevertheless, if we exhort someone toward a quality or practice without any personal experience, or even intention to practice, we sin in the most arrogant and contemptible manner. We must always be taking logs out our eyes. We must be pursuing the Spirit so that “you who are spiritual” may “restore such a one,” yet always humbly looking out for yourselves so that you won’t be likewise tempted.

There is maturity in the body of Christ. There are those who “are approved.” And anyone who is in Christ has grace, in some measure that can be urged upon another for their edification. To practice this, to embrace this ministry, requires humility and healthy fear of pride, self-righteousness, and hypocrisy.

Imbalance – Another danger in exhortation is to be all urging and little comfort – or vice versa. To exhort is to urge to improve. This implies that the exhorter sees something that can be improved and is able to offer helpful words to improve in this area. Sometimes there is so much to improve that the tone of the exhorter is always in the urging, beseeching mode and there is little comfort, consolation or encouragement. The ability to bear up with exhortation gets harder and harder the more frequently we are exposed to firm, urgent exhortation. If we are always having flaws pointed out and constantly being confronted to improve we might soon grown fainthearted – or hard-hearted – the exact opposite of the intent of exhortation. As one who has been frequently guilty of this particular failure, I know how hard it can be to restrain from earnestly urging people to change and instead seek to comfort or encourage them. But recognizing that whether we urge or comfort, Christ is the object, and He is the source of all improvement. I can rest in whatever form of parakaleo best fits the need of the moment.

John Piper and C.J. Mahaney make a great case study in comparing these two styles of exhortation. Do not think that I am using these two as though one is a better example than the other. They are both highly gifted exhorters. Rather they both typify their respective ends of the exhortation spectrum. When you listen to the typical John Piper sermon you get an earful of earnest exhortation. He pleads and presses you with the utmost force to grow and improve in your faith. Every sermon is a confrontation with spiritual life and death. Personally, I love it! But Piper does typify the firm urging end of the spectrum and has less of the consolation or comfort aspect of parakaleo (though there are many examples of Piper sermons that are rich in the comfort and consolation in Christ). C.J. Mahaney on the other hand blends comfort and encouragement into his messages more regularly. In fact I learned a wonderful, exhortation balancing word from listening to his sermons. C.J. often spends time commending his hearers for the faith they already have and the works they’ve already done. While the word commend is not parakaleo and it does not have the moving intent that exhortation does, it does provide a wonderfully counter-balancing encouragement to go along with his more direct exhortations. (And to be fair there are many C.J. messages that are just as urgently exhortative as Piper’s.)

Finally, I will run through a list of short observations and practical principles for applying the ministry of biblical exhortation. First I will reiterate a few rules that were mentioned in unfolding the meaning, object and dangers of exhortation. I will then add the few that remain.

Repeated observations:

1. Keep Christ the object and goal. This should be the overriding principle and internal monitor for all exhortation.

2. Beseech God for soul preserving humility. Without humility and the putting to death of pride, exhortation can have the opposite of its intended effect, and bring reproach to your own soul.

3. Hearing exhortation can be hard – be careful and balanced. Be sensitive to the degree of urging that can be borne. Be sensitive to the need of the moment. Is there a need for comforting rest in Christ, or a firm prodding and spurring toward Christ centered obedience?

4. Exhort yourself! A great way to avoid hypocrisy is to exhort yourself, and listen to, read, and pray for the exhortation of your own soul.

Additional observations:

1. The relationship between exhortation and prophecy.

   “But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation.” 1 Corinthians 14:3

   “Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged [parakaleo] and strengthened the brethren with a lengthy message.” Acts 15:32

   While exhortation and prophecy are not the same things, they are closely related. Prophets prophesy for edification and exhortation. Perhaps it would be helpful to categorize exhortation as a sub-set of prophecy. I would also suggest that what we often hear at the prophecy mic on Sunday morning [at Sovereign Grace Church] could often be categorized as prophetic exhortation.

2. Exhort with thankfulness. If you frequently feel the urge to urge, or if you are always seeing things that can be improved, balance the urging impulse with a humble, patient, faith-filled thankfulness for all the evidences of the work God has already done in the people around you. Find evidences of grace, ways to commend others and exhort them to continue in such ways all the more, “for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more…” 1 Thessalonians 4:10.

3. Exhort by the mercies of God. Romans 12:1, “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God…” Remember in all your urging and exhorting to do so with the mercies of God in mind. This will help preserve humility and kill pride in your exhortation. If God had not been merciful to us in Christ we would not have a single thing to exhort in anyone. The very possibility that one human being could draw along side another for the sake of edification and improvement is a miracle of God’s mercy and grace. And it’s an even greater miracle that this can be a comfort to them.

4. Exhort according to scripture. If we are to exhort, let us exhort with the Word. 2 Timothy 4:2, “preach the Word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.” Any conviction or concern can become a subject for exhortation. Keeping an upward trajectory and setting Christ as the ultimate target is the true aim of biblical exhortation. Using scripture as the basis of our exhortation, saturating our call with the Word, will orient our words upward and keep Christ as the end of all exhortation.

5. Exhortation and perseverance of the saints. The connection between perseverance and exhortation can be seen in Acts 14:22, “…strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging [exhorting] them to continue in the faith, and saying, ‘Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.’”

The invigorating effects of biblical exhortation are intended by God as a means of preserving the saints from the hardening effects of sin until the day of Christ. “But encourage [exhort] one another day after day, as long as it is still called ‘Today,’ so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin,” Hebrews 3:13. The ministry of Christian exhortation is an antidote for our weakness, apathy, and outright sinfulness which often and sadly diminishes our view of the glory of God in Christ. Mutual exhortation is one way to keep our hearts soft, our souls pure, and our minds fixed on the awesome glory of our God. If the doctrine of perseverance is weakened, the ministry of exhortation either disappears or is terribly misapplied. Exhortation is the muscle, grip, torque, sinew, and sweat that brings to life the doctrine of perseverance. Take away the ministry and the doctrine can simply become the right facts about how salvation works. But the daily working out of this doctrine involves in large part the practice of exhortation.

1. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Englishmen’s Greek Concordance of the New Testament

I’m an American – home of the free, land of liberty, fight for your rights – American. And I was born a New England Yankee – live free or die, don’t tread on me, toss the tea overboard – Yankee. I grew up in Connecticut and settled in Rhode Island where Roger Williams established the state on the foundation of religious freedom. Today, on top of the Rhode Island state house stands the “independent man.” He grips his spear shining in golden splendor, as he exalts the virtues of freedom and independence. He reminds all Rhode Islanders that our forebears fought and died for freedom. We Americans love our independence. Every 4th of July we celebrate how we won it through revolution. Throughout our history America has stood tall and fought for the superior virtue of freedom and independence at home and throughout the world – and we continue to fight for it to this day.

I love independence because I am an American. The word itself sounds good to my ears. It evokes the marching melodies of whistle, fife and drum. This paper, however, is a document of personal repentance regarding independence and its close cousin, self-reliance. While raw pride is a condition common to all men, in my life the roots of pride grew into the tree-trunk of arrogance, and its braches bear the fruit of independent self-reliance. More precisely, this fruit is most often in the form of ambitious invention and vain innovation.

Repenting of ambitious invention and vain innovation is tricky, which is one reason I am writing this out. It’s tricky because while sinful pride is easy to find, and arrogance is equally easily discovered, improper independence, ambitious invention and vain innovation are more easily camouflaged. It’s also tricky because while pride and arrogance must always to be fought and killed, there are proper, righteous and God-honoring ways to be independent, inventive and innovative.

I am American and because I am by nature, culture and personal appetite more arrogant and self-reliant than most, my ability to divide between self-ambition and godly aspiration is compromised. My sensibilities and inclinations are permissive toward pride and I tend to regard my love of independence in the most favorable light. Therefore I have set out to trace some of these edges in writing, and I publish them both to repentant publicly and so that my brothers and sisters in Christ may help me wage war against pride. While the fruit of pride may often be camouflaged to me, others may see it more clearly.

If independence, invention and innovation are unlike raw pride and arrogance in that they are not inherently sinful, it is helpful to differentiate exactly how they can be properly pursued. As for independence, I think it is normal and right for governments to defend and protect their territorial sovereignty and self-determination. I believe that our American form of government is a very good form of government, and many of its foundations rest on God designed principals for the establishment of justice, law, peace, security, and the common good. However, the values of freedom, liberty, and independence that may underlay government are not fitting for the individual pursuit of Christian faith. The same principals that can make for a God-honoring form of government can also become destructive if imbibed as personal virtues.

The New Testament uses the most non-independent language when it describes my relationship to the Lord. The softest of such language describes me as a servant of Christ. Being called a servant doesn’t jibe real well with my Yankee ideals. If I have trouble being called a servant, I have even more trouble being called a bondservant, that is, a slave. Nor do I like the label “prisoner of the Lord.” Yet that is what the Bible says that I am. Christ is Master and I am His slave – a blessed slave, to righteousness, having been freed from the dominion of sin – yet a true slave. I must live a life of obedience to my master’s pleasure. If I disobey I will receive His stern, yet always loving, hand of discipline to correct me. I have been bought with a price; I am not my own. This is not the kind of autonomy and independence that my American sensibilities are comfortable with.

When I was called to Christ I came to Him packaged and molded by my culture. It is not easy to divide between my inherited cultural values and the new ones which are being cultivated in me by Christ. For example, my culture has taught me to value freedom and independence through years of public school, and Saturday morning School House Rock cartoons. These fun cartoons depict the shooting of British soldiers set to catchy jingles. My revolutionary spirit is bolstered when I see evil King George, who had the gaul to tax our cup of tea. My inclination to resist dominion is reinforced when I see him – in cartoon form – laughing at us colonists from his throne in England. It makes me want to grab my musket, grab my gun, and report to General Washington. Through such influences I have been trained to abhor the mention of the words “subjugation,” “submission”, or “slavery,” – they are noxious to my freedom loving sensibilities.

But with regard to God, subjugation, submission and slavery are among the highest of spiritual virtues. Under the gospel, independence and freedom are given new names – pride and arrogance. As an American Christian I can be severely blind to how my love for independence might rot my relationship to God.

As an American, becoming conformed to the image of Christ will involve considerable repentance with regard to my love for personal independence. God must go to work on me to kill my notions of human preeminence and personal freedom. My soul must be rid of self-reliance and give way to humble, Christ-oriented faith. This is hard, and involves much putting to death of things that have always seemed good and right, but which, in relationship to God, are terribly evil. For example, when I was in high school I memorized a portion of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay on self-reliance which begins, “Who so would be a man, must be a non-conformist….” As a high school student I went so far as to call his essay my own personal bible. What seemed so noble, so right, and so good to me then now reeks of the stench of human pride and arrogance. These words reveled in the glory of man, obscuring the glory of God. It was the foolishness of a young man which boasted in arrogance and promoted the glory of self. But God, in mercy, reached down to save an arrogant one like me. I thought well of myself and called God names. I had no fear of God. I had no respect for my creator, rather I boasted in self-reliance. Praise the Lord of mercy for His grace that chose to die for such a sinful, boastful race!

God, in His inscrutable mercy, reaches down and plucks sinners like me from our self-driven race toward eternal destruction. His bewildering mercy displays the riches of His glorious grace. God ordained and established the very moment my salvation. Though His sovereign choice and effectual calling, a proud sinner bent his knees at irresistible grace. Transforming grace fell upon a happy recipient in an instant. Yet God has worked much more slowly to bring this rebel into conformity to Christ. For example, when Christ called me, I still had a high regard for Emerson and disdained the very notion, even the very word “conformity.” This distain continued for years after I was saved. My old self died with Christ, but it seems that it will take a lifetime for rigor mortis to finally set in on the corpse of my flesh. Slowly though, old polluted values like self-love and self-reliance start to stink like they should. Likewise, it takes time as my new sense of smell develops, so that the heavenly, pleasing aroma of the superior glory of God becomes far more desirable than the old smells of personal freedom. Slowly, God reveals more of my pride, kills it, and replaces it will soul satisfying trust in Christ.

The forms of pride are many and varied. Independence is one form I inherited from my culture. Self-reliance is another form, and this one I ate eagerly and cultivated even more than my culture might, because I loved it. More refined forms of pride in my life include ambitious invention and vain innovation, forms I have only recently begun to recognize.

My cultural inclinations and natural appetites cause me to stumble again and again. Identifying the sinful roots and poisonous fruit of pride, as it weaves itself into independence, self-reliance, innovation, and invention is increasingly harder for me to discern. It is easy and right to vilify sinful pride as an abstract. It can’t be redeemed it must be killed. Not much subtlety is needed – pride bad, kill pride. However, as pride infiltrates my life it gets trickier. Independence and self-reliance are well concealed targets. But putting them to death is hard because they are not always enemies and they can in some cases be redeemed for proper use. For example, as already mentioned, independence can be good is relationship to government. Self-reliance can be good in the sense that it is good for a young man to be trained up so that in due time he becomes confident enough to leave his father and mother to form a family of his own. This growth into a man who can rely on himself rather then his parents, making a living wage to support himself, is one of the objectives of his parenting throughout his life.

Now ambitious invention and vain innovation are seriously moving targets. That’s because raw pride takes every advantage it can as it tries to permeate my character and establish a foothold. When pride finds areas like invention and innovation that are potentially good and have the possibility of glorifying God, it can more easily mimic and corrupt them. There are truly good and God-glorifying ways to pursue innovation and invention, which are redeemable characteristics. Innovation has some very proper and good use – especially in commerce where such inventiveness can result in cures for illness, work for the idle, and food for the poor. Discernment of the effects of pride in invention and innovation is very difficult for me. Here is where I am torn. I am reluctant to call pride in its sinful forms by any friendly names. Pride and its fellows are my mortal enemies and I hate how they intercept my view of the glory of God and diminish my enjoyment of God’s goodness. Because pride kills in all of its sinful forms, I must concern myself with killing it wherever I discover its influence. Yet it would not be right to indiscriminately kill every impulse to inventiveness or innovation (or independence). God forbid – He gives creativity to His creatures for the express purpose of glorying Himself and blessing mankind. Therefore I must seek God’s grace daily, and I must use every means of grace to improve my understanding of God’s wisdom in His Word concerning ambitious invention and vain innovation.

I have found the book of Ecclesiastes particularly useful in learning to discern between ambitious invention and godly invention, vain innovation and godly innovation. I have observed in myself, that innovation and ingenuity have their roots in pride when they desire to create something that hasn’t been thought of before, or when it seeks to abandon something that has existed for a very long time in favor of a new idea or what I think is a better idea. The notion of creating and improving always sounds good to my American ears. And they can be, but they can also be full of deadly pride. God wants me to be humble. He wants me to see Him as the purpose behind all things. And Ecclesiastes is a wonderful book that can be used to humble prideful ambition, converting it into its proper form – godly aspiration. Ecclesiastes does this first by reminding me that there is nothing new under the sun.

That which has been is that which will be, And that which has been done is that which will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun. Ecclesiastes 1:9

Innovators like me hate that statement. The book goes on to reinforce the futility of work and ambition for all will die and whatever gains we might make will be eaten up or obscured over time. I will not be remembered.

For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise man as with the fool, inasmuch as in the coming days all will be forgotten. And how the wise man and the fool alike die! Ecclesiastes 2:16

Solomon also tells me that there are some things that God has intentionally bent that cannot be straightened, and to try to straighten these will result only in failure and fatigue – it is a grasping after wind. What God has bent, man cannot straighten. Likewise there are some things I might desire to know that cannot be discovered.

Consider the work of God, for who is able to straighten what He has bent? Ecclesiastes 7:13

…and I saw every work of God, I concluded that man cannot discover the work which has been done under the sun. Even though man should seek laboriously, he will not discover; and though the wise man should say, “I know,” he cannot discover. Ecclesiastes 8:17

I do not believe that this means God never wants us to pursue improvements. Subduing the earth is a fundamental part of fulfilling God’s will for mankind to the glory and praise of God. However, if such improvements are pursued arrogantly – as though I can unbend something God has bent, or that I can create, invent, or discover something new as though God has not already thought of everything that can be created, invented, or discovered – I commit a grievous evil against God and in the process my own soul becomes vexed.

This is another example of how hard it can be to divide between my American influences and truly Christian values. Americans value ingenuity. We are ambitious to improve upon the way all things work. We’ve “invented” electricity, assembly lines, telephones, and computers in our pursuit of innovation. I remember one episode of “This Old House” where they were demonstrating a new gutter attachment for a leaf blower. Amazing! Leaf blowers themselves are an amazing example of how thoroughly Americans are inclined to find ways to move stuff faster and more efficiently. And now to conceive of a gutter attachment – brilliant! I don’t think such ingenuity and invention is bad, quite the opposite in fact. However, the impulses to invent better mousetraps coupled with rigorous independence can easily result in a worldly ambition that supplants what might otherwise be good and godly aspiration. Selfish ambition is a grievous evil full of vanity and futility. But godly aspiration founded upon the humility of accepting my existence as a dependent creature can lead to a proper fear of God, one fruit of which is a God glorifying satisfaction and joy in all allotted work – even when one’s work is to be an innovator.

There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen that it is from the hand of God. For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without Him? For to a person who is good in His sight He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who is good in God’s sight. This too is vanity and striving after wind. Ecclesiastes 2:24-26

The idea of doing something truly new through innovation and ingenuity is a notion devoid of God – for there is nothing new to God. He is already complete and perfect. I can never improve upon God. And all the innovation of the world will never allow me to live apart from God – not that I would ever want to. He is the source and power that sustains life moment by moment. My cultural value for independence, freedom, ingenuity, and invention are not impressive to God. I have no life independent from Him. I find true freedom only in becoming a slave to His righteousness. Anything new I might discover, invent, or improve was always known to God from the beginning. Nothing has even been discovered that had not be intentionally concealed by God it in the first place.

My discovery of anything should always lead me to delight in the glory of the God that concealed it. Never should I exalt myself as an inventor – rather I should give praise to God as a revealer. God invents and may sometimes grant me the grace to discover – praise be to God! This kind of innovation can be a tremendously God glorifying and soul satisfying activity, and its effects are a bonus, which like gutter attachments, are granted for the blessing of mankind. In contrast, arrogant compulsion to un-bend the intentionally bent, or discover things that God has not permitted, or act as though we discovered something new leads only to futility, judgment, and despair.

Now I must make specific confession. For in as much as I inherited American values for independence and self-reliance, I have also inherited a love of innovation. Such loves need to be killed in their sinful forms and renewed in their God glorifying intents. God has done a measure of work in my life, which is necessarily ongoing, with regard to independence and self-reliance. Only recently has He revealed the sinful character of my ambitious desire for innovation and improvement. And this paper is part of my repentance, nailing this form of pride to the cross – and to remind me of its dangers in the future.

I must speak with great caution in this regard. I have to be very careful to speak only of my own sin, and not to excuse myself or seek to lessen blame in view of cultural influences. I must be especially careful because some of the specific fruits of this sin in my life were lived out corporately. In as much as I make personal confession of sin for things I did as part of a group, I might also infer that the group committed the same sins. I have no desire to make such accusations. Only God knows the heart. The same actions taken by different people can flow from entirely different motives. It is possible that while I participated in certain group decisions that the decisions themselves were good, that the motives of others who agreed were pure, and that only in my own sinful, self-reliant, and ambitious heart did I sin against the rule and sovereignty of God.

Nevertheless, I must confess that it was in regard to how I helped lead and guide our church that I am guilty of prideful ambition and independence. God has brought me to a place, over the past three years, of repentance and acknowledgement that the struggles, failures, and ultimate disbandment of our church were the result of the firm but loving discipline of our heavenly Father. I have suffered loss. I have been humbled. And God has been good to call me to repentance. I now reject my love for independence and autonomy with regard to the church. I think that in part, my extreme independence, and regrettable arrogance, often kept our churches isolated from the influence of the greater Christian community, to its detriment. Because I was independent and arrogant I despised other churches, spoke against what I perceived as their fatal flaws and actively resisted outside influence.

I confess that I thought of myself as part of a group of innovators whose ingenious methods and improved ways of doing church could “fix” the church at large. I hear echoes of my own words criticizing “the church” for its infirmities, rejecting out of hand, much of what my Sovereign God has done with His church throughout the centuries. I despised, thought little of, and easily disregarded the methods and wisdom of the “traditional church” in favor of new schemes. Before I continue I feel I must qualify these statements. Many, even most of the values I embraced in my church, and those that as a leader I promoted in the church were, in fact, very good, biblical, and right. I still hold almost all of them today. I value my past experience deeply and have great affection for those by whom I was taught, and with whom I later ministered.

But even though most of what I experienced was good, yet there was, on my part, a subtext running along much of these right and good values and biblical principles. In the same way that innovation can be very good, yet if ambitious invention underlies it, the efforts become dishonoring to God. Trying to hold biblical principles from an arrogant and independent spirit is simply pride hiding its true nature by mimicking something good. The prideful subtext in my heart was the attitude that we had somehow figured out how to do church right, while others churches were lost in their weaker church practices.

We had some ideas that were categorized in my mind as “radical discoveries.” And that’s where pride grabbed hold. I feel no need to itemize which ideas were of this ilk – because it’s the thought I had discovered some radical wisdom that was the folly. For God says, “And what do you have that you have not received? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” 1 Corinthians 4:7. I will never have an inventive thought about the church that God was not always aware of. If God were to happen to reveal some “new” way to pursue church or ministry, such an idea would not be new to God. If I find some clue in the scriptures that brings my thinking and practice into a new light, it came from the light that God Himself put into the Bible from the beginning. God is never amazed at my “discoveries.” They are never news to Him.

I must reiterate that what was wrong in our church was not in the church so much as is it was in my heart. The fact that I was only one of a group of elders responsible for our church does not minimize my guilt. I credit any influence or inclination in our church toward independence and self-reliance to my own fault. I fault myself because I know how much my soul loved independence and ambition. I really wanted to be a part of a revolution in church planting. I wanted to un-bend things that either God has intentionally bent, or were never truly bent in the first place – they only seemed bent from my distorted perspective.

Finally, I must again qualify my use of repentant language because not every desire to improve the church and how it operates is bad. Quite the opposite, we are all commanded to exhort one another daily. And what is exhorting if not a plea to improve and do better? Innovation in ministry that accords with humility and Christ exalting intentions is truly virtuous and pleases the Lord. Church leaders should always strive for improvement and look for new ways to be a blessing to the body. The church should strive to find new ways of proclaiming and ministering the gospel. We should pour ourselves out in entrepreneurial efforts to reach the ends of the earth with the gospel. But all things should be done humbly, trusting in God who will not let us see the whole work of God under the sun. Therefore I should be filled with godly aspirations, while always fighting against selfish ambition. Discerning between the two is not easy for me, and it requires much cross-centered introspection, mutual accountability and personal vigilance in prayer.

To you, O God, and you alone be glory throughout the earth both now and forever. Amen.

Index
1. Agrarian Language
2. The Nature of Business
3. Hiring Employees
4. Competition
5. Dealing with Conflict
6. Financial Stress
7. Marketing and Sales
8. Value of Words
9. Sharpening Your Focus
10. Persuasion
11. Managing Client Relationships
12. Making a Profit
13. Gaining a Good Reputation
14. Selling Your Labor
15. Enjoying the Benefits of Your Business
16. Spreading Out Invoices
17. Being Generous

I enjoy reading. I especially love books that unleash my imagination and inspire ideas. The puritan Richard Baxter once wrote: “It is not the reading of many books which is necessary to make one wise, but the well-reading of a few, could they be sure to have the best.” Books like Selling the Invisible by Harry Beckwith make my list of the few best business books that should be read often, and read well. But I reviewed that book in a previous newsletter. This month I’m reaching way back. While the books being reviewed in this newsletter are certainly available at your local Barnes and Noble or Borders, you won’t find them in the business section. You’ll have to head over to the religion aisle for these – they are the book of Proverbs and the book of Ecclesiastes.

The first chapter of Ecclesiastes states that “there is nothing new under the sun.” I read business and marketing books for new ideas and perspectives, but while new ways of looking at business realities can be helpful, the realities themselves are always the same. This fundamental truth is reinforced for me when I discover great business wisdom contained in these ancient books. The insights in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes top anything I’ve ever read off the business best seller lists.

A qualification in consideration of agrarian language
I hesitate to proceed directly to the insights I’ve gleaned from these two books of Solomon without first recognizing that their wisdom is written in the business language of their time, that is, the business of agriculture. For example, certain principles related to how one should treat employees or serve clients might use oxen or cattle in place of the helper or helped. Such equations can easily be misconstrued and sound offensive to our non-agrarian ears. I certainly don’t want my employees to imagine that I think of them as oxen!

But if we can get beyond the imagery we’ll find an awesome depth of insight in these old books. Below I’ve listed passages that have been particularly helpful. I’ve provided a bit of categorization, some modern business interpolation and my personal commentary about how they have helped me in business.

Understanding the nature of business

‘Bad, bad,’ says the buyer, but when he goes his way, then he boasts. Proverbs 20:14

Business is essentially transaction. It is the exchange of one kind of value for another. Businesses have products or services that customers want or need. Customers have value (money) that businesses want and need. The key to a good business transaction is that both parties benefit. The buyer gets something they could not get on their own, or at least something of greater value than if they produced it themselves, and the seller converts their expertise into profit. In this way skill, expertise, efficiency and hard work translate into mutual benefit for both buyer and seller. Such business transactions, in their pure form, are wonderfully designed for the benefit of society. (This philosophical estimation of the nature of the business transaction was clarified for me by Wayne Grudem in his book Business for the Glory of God.)

There is, however, a natural tension as the balance of benefit in such exchanges works itself out. This tension is most observable during the act of negotiation. At the conclusion of a successful negotiation both parties agree on the value of the transaction (defects not withstanding). Tensions in negotiation occur as each party naturally seeks to maximize their own benefit. Proverbs 20:14 describes this dynamic, “‘Bad, bad,’ says the buyer, but when he goes his way, then he boasts.” This proverb highlights that in negotiations, distortions and misrepresentations of value often take place. I don’t believe this verse gives buyers or sellers license to make misrepresentations! Rather, it simply observes that negotiation is commonly attended by some degree of distortion. Nevertheless, negotiation is fundamentally a good thing that benefits both parties. This bit of wisdom helps me to be patient as I allow negotiations to complete themselves. It also helps me to avoid the mistake of undervaluing my own time and services in the face of the distortions that sometimes occurs during negotiation.

Where no oxen are, the manger is clean; but much revenue comes by the strength of the ox. Proverbs 14:4

I started Newfangled out of my basement. I was the business guy, the designer, the HTML coder, the bookkeeper and the janitor. As the company grew I had to employ others. This was a hard transition and very frustrating at times. I liked being a “doer” and I did not like dealing with employee problems. But in the end, while it may be messier, and more complicated to employ others, it is necessary for profitability. At a certain point I had to make a strategic decision about my goals. Being a one man shop was very clean, but hard to make a profit. Hiring others is less clean, but ultimately established a greater potential for profitability.

I have seen that every labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor. Ecclesiastes 4:4

Competition can be a very healthy thing. Seeing someone doing something better than me does not have to make me envious, but it should provoke me to improve. Sharpening skills and improving products is a good thing. Who wouldn’t want a car with better gas mileage, or a computer with a faster processor and larger hard drive? Competition forces improvements that benefit everybody. Understanding that the “jealousy” I feel when I see someone do something better does not have to be “bad jealousy,” instead it frees me to admire a competitor’s business success and be spurred on to improve my own. I’ve been encouraged not to fear competition but value its influence on my business.

Dealing with stress and difficulty

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1

If you are going to be in business, you will have difficulty! A common source of business conflict comes when one party feels that they have not received the value for which they negotiated. This is especially common (as Harry Beckwith points out in Selling the Invisible) in service industries. How can one definitely measure the value of a service? Evaluating products can be easier. If it won’t turn on it fails to meet the conditions of the exchange. But how does one determine whether a brochure has been designed well? If the logo is printed upside down it is clearly flawed. But usually, if there is dissatisfaction with design, the reasons are more subjective. The same design can be loved by one client and hated by another. Sometimes, when design is submitted to a group for evaluation, some people love it while others might not “think it’s not there yet.” Has the exchange been met? The designer has delivered their time on the project (which is ultimately what they are selling), but the client is not satisfied. Such conflicts, though hopefully rare, are inevitable and we need to be prepared for them.

Design, as a subjective service, is particularly prone to such disagreements. Because a designer is selling their time as a skilled artisan they may feel like they’ve met their obligation, but the buyer is looking for a finished product to their liking. When the buyer is not satisfied, there is an imbalance in the exchange. Anyone who has sold design services knows that such instances are inevitable. While solutions are not always easy, they do always involve further communication and negotiation. If you realize that engaging in business, especially the design business, will have such tensions and conflicts, you can be prepared for them. The best solutions are not found in the fine print regarding kill-fees and rounds of design (though wise to include in your contracts), rather they are found by having a calm spirit when working through problems when they do occur. The best defense I’ve found against escalation in such conflicts is to always avoid harsh words that stir up anger, and instead seek gentle answers that can assuage the conflict while searching for an agreeable solution for both parties. Not only will gentle answers work better when dealing with conflict, but when successful they will add to your credibility, integrity, trust and reputation with the client. A history of such practice will positively effect your reputation within the business community. For the designer, or any seller of services, a good reputation can be worth much more than gold.

A worker’s appetite works for him, for his hunger urges him on. Proverbs 16:26

Financial stress is another common difficulty in business. I’ve yet to meet a business man or woman who has not endured at least one significant season of financial stress. I know I’ve had my fair share. Proverbs 16:26 provides a helpful piece of wisdom for such times… work hard to get out of it! But realize the times of financial stress can be the perfect time to evaluate and improve all aspects of your business. Hunger urges us on. If I am hungry I desperately want to fix whatever problems are contributing to my hunger. In this way, while never pleasant, financial stress can have a powerful cleansing, priority-setting, and focus-refining effect on your business. Hunger can become something of an ally, if you let it work on you. So, (I say to myself) if you’re having financial trouble, stop complaining and get to work!

Marketing and business development

He who watches the wind will not sow and he who looks at the clouds will not reap. Ecclesiastes 11:4

Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good. Ecclesiastes 11:6

At a certain point marketing is no fun. I really enjoy certain aspects of marketing. I like strategizing, conceptualizing, planning, creating, refining, etc. But at some point I have to get out there and start sowing. For me this means getting on the phone and making contact with small to mid-sized advertising agencies and design firms to introduce our services. I enjoy this for about 30 minutes and then my brain starts to retreat. After one full day of “sowing” I can’t even tell if I’m speaking correctly; I’m on auto pilot. I know I can’t make marketing calls all day every day, so I do it in seasons. Usually for a couple weeks, two or three times a year. But when those times draw near I am incredibly good at finding ANY reason not to do it. It’s amazing how the wind kicks up and the clouds move in. Any excuse not to make calls right now seems compelling. At such times one negative response following ten positive ones can make me want to stop. It’s hard. To help me in these times when I’m inclined to stop (or not even start!) I’ve written these two verses from Ecclesiastes on a piece of paper near my phone, and I read them when I get tired or faint-hearted about making more calls. When it gets down to the nitty-gritty of marketing it’s plain hard work, and I simply need perseverance.

If I stick to it and I do not get distracted in the morning or discouraged in the afternoon, sooner or later my efforts pay off. Making just one more call in the afternoon on a day that hasn’t been very fruitful might lead to a receptive design firm with a current project to bid on. Don’t let the clouds deter you. Keep plugging away. Who knows what you may find

With the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach will be satisfied; He will be satisfied with the product of his lips. Proverbs 18:20

When it comes to service marketing sales are always preceded by establishing trust. The buyer has to assure themselves that they will get the value they expect; that you will deliver the goods. There is only so much you can “show” to establish a level of trust needed to incubate a sale.

Trust is, in large measure, a relational commodity. The subjective and intuitive elements of establishing trust can’t be quantified by showing the client more and more pictures of past work. The buyer does need to see the product, but more importantly they need to trust the person or business behind the service to ensure they will get what they are being shown. Establishing trust is a personal dynamic. The raw material of this dynamic is words. These words include written words, referrals, recommendations, and the words that come out of your mouth when you are on the phone or giving a capabilities presentation. When it comes to marketing the quality and character of your words can’t be underestimated. The best six-color fold out brochure will be tossed aside if it’s not followed-up with a positive interaction with a personal representative from your company. Marketing has a lot to do with your words, so pay close attention to them!

If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success. Ecclesiastes 10:10

The best books on marketing will tell you the same thing – specialize in some way and focus your message. That’s what positioning is all about right? In ten years of marketing Newfangled I can quantitatively measure the difference in my efforts from the first half to the second. In the first half I tried to market “website design and development services.” Our services were limited to websites, but that was not nearly focused enough. By sharpening my axe and honing our marketing position to “fortifying advertising agencies and design firms to confidently, comfortably, and profitably provide web development services to their clients” I was able to begin effectively marketing our services. Sharpening my axe was essential. With a sharper axe I successfully marketed with significantly less effort. Having found a relatively sharp position I still continue to refine my focus. Based on my experience up to this point, it’s my opinion that there is no such a thing as an axe that is too sharp. There is always room to further refine a marketing position.

The wise in heart will be called understanding, and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness. Proverbs 16:21

Marketing is about finding opportunities, selling is turning opportunities into sales. One of the most helpful distinctions I learned in running my small company was the distinction between marketing and sales. I used to group them into the same category. But marketing and sales are very different. I keep the difference straight by thinking of marketing as the stuff I do to make my phone ring with an opportunity and sales as the thing that happens once my phone has rung. As stated before, marketing is about sharpening your axe (refining your position) and persistently sowing your message (finding opportunities). Sales is about establishing trust and persuading a prospective client that your services are best suited for their needs.

Therefore the art of sales is the art of persuasion, and persuasion is the ability to provide good, understandable, and reasonable answers to the questions a prospect has about your service. There is a strong tendency in marketing and sales to play off the consumer’s fears. The idea is to make them afraid of what might happen if they don’t buy your product or service. This can be as subtle as identifying deficiencies in the competition or as overt as blasting spam email to scare people into buying software to protect their computer from the threat of viruses. We think the stronger the words, the more powerful the persuasion. This is why there is so much hyperbole in advertising. But I take my sales and marketing cues from Proverbs 16:21. I believe sweetness of speech is more persuasive then bold overstatement.

Now by sweet speech I don’t mean fluffy words you’d use to describe puppy dogs and decorative pillows, but rather words that are sweet like good fruit. Sweet words are words that go down easy because they are true and honest. They are words that directly answer questions and provide additional information so a person can make a qualified decision. They are words that don’t go beyond what is actual and real, and that answer honestly even when the answer reveals a limitation about the product or service. Such words are rare, but when we hear them they taste sweet. I know when I have to buy a product or service, I’m much more likely to buy from a sales representative who I believe has honestly answered all my questions – even if all the answers weren’t exactly what I wanted – than from a salesman who I think is just telling me what I want to hear.

Sweet, persuasive, honest speech has wonderful long term benefits. For example, being honest with yourself and your prospect as to whether or not your services really are best suited for their need will force you to improve your marketing and sales! When they are not best suited you may either need to refine the focus of your marketing to get better, more qualified opportunities, or you may need to improve your services to meet your client’s needs. Either way an honest evaluation of how your services will meet your client’s need will force you to evaluate and improve. Additionally, keeping focused on what you do best will make you sharper and more skilled in your area of expertise. The sharper you get the better and more persuasive you will become. It’s an upward spiral.

Honesty in working through the sales process also helps avoid conflicts that result when, for the sake of closing a sale, you invite inappropriate work by over selling your services and capabilities.

Managing your client base

Know well the condition of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds; for riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to all generations. When the grass disappears, the new growth is seen, and the herbs of the mountains are gathered in, the lambs will be for your clothing, and the goats will bring the price of a field, and there will be goats’ milk enough for your food, for the food of your household, and sustenance for your maidens. Proverbs 27:23-27

Since refining Newfangled’s focus five years ago we’ve been blessed with almost 100% client retention. Up until very recently the only clients that left us were ones that, sadly, went out of business. Unfortunately though, we have recently lost two others. This has reminded me of Proverbs 27:23-27 which is about paying attention to the condition of my flocks (a.k.a. my clients). In both recent cases where we lost a customer it was because our original client contact had left and someone new came in and wanted to handle their website differently. This proverb suggests two actions to prepare for such occurrences. One is to pay close attention to the condition of your client relationships (so you won’t be caught off guard) and the other is to expect some degree of turnover and be prepared for it.

While both losses came from a change in client personnel I might have been able to avert one of them. If I had known about the change over I might have been able to re-demonstrate the benefits of our content management system. It’s quite possible that how our content management system works was never passed on to the incoming person. Their decision may have been made without knowing what they already had in terms of control over their website. Because I was unaware of this change – because I did not know the condition of my flocks – I never got this opportunity.

The other case however, demonstrates that some clients will leave, and even if you see it coming you won’t be able to do anything about it. The second client we lost was because an IT department head decided that he wanted to redo the website himself. In this case it was a technical decision that the marketing person had no control over and so there was really nothing we could have done to prevent it. As it says in this proverb, “riches are not forever… when the grass disappears, the new growth is seen.” Change is inevitable and clients – no matter how good your service or product may be – will sometimes come and go. This means that I have to always be marketing. When the grass on the hills my company grazes becomes sparse I need to be looking out for new growth opportunities. And since I have four little maidens and one young squire at home that need sustenance, I should always pay attention to my clients and look for the new growth.

The goal of making money

A good name is to be more desired than great wealth, favor is better than silver and gold. Proverbs 22:1

It is often said that the only reason for being in business is to make money. Making money is a primary and necessary component of being in business. Evaluating your balance sheet often is helpful not only to make sure you’re making money, but also to detect potential problems in the business itself. However, I would suggest that making money, while important, is not the only reason for being in business. Hypothetically, suppose you wanted to sell your business. One aspect in determining its value is called “good will.” Good will represents the value your business has in terms of its reputation, renown, and existing satisfied client base. The better the estimation of the good will your company has, the more it would be worth. Now it’s true that you can’t exactly take your good will to the bank and cash it, but I would suggest that if you’re in business for the long haul your good will is ultimately more important than the bottom line of your balance sheet in a given month. A good name for your business and the favor of your clients is both a long term asset, and a thing to be desired in-and-of itself. If you don’t get a warm satisfaction in doing a good job for your clients, and making them glad that they did business with you, you probably shouldn’t be in the business you’re in.

In all labor there is profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. Proverbs 14:23

There is always a temptation to “get rich quick.” The impulse is universal, which is probably why there are currently dozens of get rich quick offers jammed into your email’s spam folder. The dot com bubble burst of 2000 was due to extremely over inflated technology stocks. They were inflated because prior to the burst any company with a dot com in their name was receiving venture capital and was being quickly pushed to an initial public offering. Before 2000 I was constantly asked whether Newfangled was looking for investors or capitalization. At that point I never understood what my company could possibly produce that would be so valuable that it could pay off such investors. I remember reading Internet Week and Fast Company and wondering how in the world small companies just like mine were getting so much money. Well, as it turns out, most if not all of those companies are long gone, and happily we’re still plugging away. One of the things that typified those internet start-ups was the abundance of buzz words. Bo Peabody of Village Ventures recounts in his recent book Lucky or Smart that his original business plan for Tripod was liked because “it mentioned the Internet several hundred times.” Business plans were filled with acronyms and technology language. Investors were blinded with buzz and stocks soared like rockets, and crashed just as quickly (though Bo was smart enough about his luck that he cashed out before it all came crashing down). There is a time and a place for investment, even risky high gain venture capital, but it’s not for the small service business. But guess what, while the tech stocks climb and crash good ole’ fashioned hard work is always profitable. I’ll leave the rocketeering to others, give me an honest dollar for a good days work – it’s much more dependable.

Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward. Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God. For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart. Ecclesiastes 5:18

Satisfaction in one’s work is among the greatest attainments in life. It’s too bad that so many of us waste years seeking more money, more success, and more awards rather than enjoying the work and the rewards we’ve already received from our labor. I often have to make a concerted effort to pause and enjoy all the benefits I’ve gained from my toiling in business. Gladness is not automatic; I have to be empowered with the capacity to enjoy my work. This empowering comes through the means of intentionally enjoying the fruit of my labor. How fitting to celebrate a new piece of business by taking my wife out to dinner!

Dealing with money

Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth. Ecclesiastes 11:2

Here’s a practical piece of advice! Read a good book on managing finances and you’ll find this nugget restated in words about managing cash flows and keeping a reserve of savings. One way to apply this to a design business it to try to avoid the 50% down, 50% on completion rule. While this is a standard practice it would better to divide up projects into thirds, fourths, or even more portions. Getting 50% upfront is nice, but waiting six months or longer for the other 50% can be excruciating. Spreading out progress invoices can cushion your cash flow and also keep you from depending on just a few big clients or projects, which is in itself a risky thing to do.

The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered. Proverbs 11:25

I’ve been emboldened by this verse to be very free with my knowledge and expertise. I admit that there is a fine line between being generous and being foolish, and I don’t doubt that I’ve crossed that line more than once. But when it comes down to it, when I’m debating in my mind whether to share information or hold it close, I usually share it. Our March 2004 newsletter recounts the business decision I made to give away free user licenses to our content management system to every one of our clients. Additionally, we decided that we would write newsletters like this one detailing our ideas and strategies concerning everything from our process of grayscreen prototyping to our content and search engine optimization strategy. We also give away our book Client vs. Developer Wars via PDF. Why give away so much research and development and hard earned industry knowledge? Well if all the ancient wisdom from Proverbs and Ecclesiastes has benefited me in my business I figure that Proverbs 11:25, “The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered,” is dependable too.

Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. Ecclesiastes 12:12

And so with that I will end this exceptionally long newsletter. If you’ve made it this far, I thank you for your endurance. There is just so much wisdom in these two books that I just couldn’t stop writing. In fact I could write more but I must confess that I am weary and as it is I am just barely getting this out on deadline. Besides, how much better if you dive into these ancient treasures yourself. I can recommend a few other good business books, but none as rich as Proverb and Ecclesiastes.

While developing the “F” (free and formed) part of the acronym, he broke it into several sub-points relating to the formed aspect of prayer. While the free aspect of prayer is also important – our words should flow freely from our minds through unplanned and unstructured expressions – counter balancing freedom in prayer is the use of “form.” Formed prayers are structured or modeled after patterns. Formed prayers follow outlines. Formed prayers do not rely on the mind’s capacity for self-expression.

My guess, based on my own experience, is that most evangelicals rely on and value freedom in prayer more than form. People like me embrace freedom, self-expression, and “genuine” experiences. This preference is even stronger in people who grew up in dry, liturgical, religious environments, where their disappointing experience with lifeless and formulaic prayer now makes formed prayer repulsive to them. Nevertheless, I think there is great value in embracing certain kinds of form in prayer. I’m not suggesting that praying in a formed way, without an engaged heart, is valuable. But in as much as my mind is weak, and my understanding of God is shallow, using forms to help me pray can deepen and strengthen my experience in prayer.

For example, I have found that in my prayer life, if I try and start off with free prayers I easily get distracted and therefore stop praying. In the weakness of my distracted mind I can’t seem to think of much to pray about. I get stuck in ruts and find my mind wandering. However, when I work up to prayer by using helpful forms such as devotional books, prayer guides, and prayer letters, my prayers go deeper, extend themselves and become more focused.

I have found that using forms, at least at first, tends to deepen and strengthen my prayer life. This leads to free prayer, and the deepest kind of free prayer – joyful communion with God expressed in spiritual praise. Conversely, I have found that my prayer, when I start off freely, rarely leads to deep communion with God.

As a result I have become deliberate as I use forms in prayer. Scripture itself is the best form for guiding prayer. Specifically, New Testament examples of prayer are extremely potent forms that elicit and enable depth and freedom in my prayer life. For example, Paul’s prayer captured in Ephesians 3:16-19 is chock full of fuel for prayer:

For this reason, I bow my knees… that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

As I meditate on the words in this passage and begin praying them for myself and for those who come to mind, a strong current of prayer builds. There is so much depth here, so much to ask for, so many promises held out, so much to strive after, so much to attain. There is just no way that I could ever form such prayer requests from the ground of my own free thoughts.

My deepening experience of prayer, using biblical forms, led me to take down some notes. I jotted down all the New Testament scripture references I could find that contained examples of prayer. I added to my list verses that, although not prayers in themselves, taught about prayer or referred to prayer. I have been using this list as a helpful tool for strengthening, guiding, deepening and vitalizing my prayer life. Of course the entire Bible can be used this way. The Word of God is like an oil well sitting on top of an endless reservoir of fuel for prayer. I limited my list to verses that either are prayers, or speak of prayer because I have found that are the “driest kindling” for stoking the fires of prayer. Once the flame catches, just about any passage thrown in will fuel the fire.

This document is a compilation of these verses. Rather than just listing them however, I have added some organization and structure to help use them. Some interpretation was necessary in structuring and categorizing, but I tried to do as little as possible. Most “directions” are simply restatements of the verses re-written in the form of a directive. For example in the Lord’s Prayer “give us this day our daily bread,” the direction is simply, “pray for practical daily needs.” Most of these directions are self-explanatory but I have learned not to underestimate how dry, tired, and deadened my mind and spirit can become, especially early in the morning! Simple statements to guide my prayers can be helpful when my mind is prone to distraction or eager to go back to sleep.

In addition to providing simple directions, I have done a bit of grouping. Many of the verses in this list contain common themes. By grouping verses together under similar themes they can become “prayer accelerators.” I think the effect of reading a series of verses, all oriented around a common theme, work like the electro-magnets that are used to propel roller coasters. By orienting a series of magnets in the same direction, as the coaster passes by, it is accelerated to intense speeds. As I pray along a particular theme and then meditate on a series of similar verses, my prayers often get pushed along and accelerate in terms of focus and intensity.

Two Primary Categories – How and What
Conspicuously absent from my two main categories, “How” and “What,” is the “Why” category. The purpose of this list is to provide practical help for Christians who want to pray. This list is fuel for the effort of prayer not an argument to persuade people that they ought to pray or a theological rationale for prayer, although those purposes are urgent if they are lacking.

Both the “How to Pray” list and the “What to Pray” list have some verses in common. This is because many verses can be applied both ways. Nevertheless, it has been helpful to me to separate them out into the two broad themes. “How” often functions as my motivational list. It helps me orient my heart and recognize the urgency and effort necessary in prayer. It helps me get my heart, mind and spirit into position. It girds me up and exhorts me to pray. Meditating on these verses from the “How” perspective gets me moving.

Once I find that my mind, heart and spirit are engaged, I use the “What” list. The “What” list provides practical, yet very spiritual subjects for prayer. One heart-warming example of how something practical can also be very spiritual is seen in how Paul often prayed for his times of reunion with the saints. He prayed that he would see and be restored to his beloved brethren, and not only that he would be restored, but that their reunion would result in joyful refreshment, encouragement, and the impartation of spiritual gifts. Wow! That kind of praying can really go to work on a heart, building up love for the saints, and enrich meaningful Christ-glorifying fellowship.

Within the “How” and “What” lists there are my personal sub-categories. I’m certain that better, more useful categories could be developed. Regardless, I think simple categorization can be useful when we need to pray for certain things and in particular circumstances. The categories with the “How” and “What” lists are different from each other. The “How” list is broken into fifteen sub-categories. “How” are we to pray? We are to pray: alone, intimately, humbly, intensely, persistently, with belief, boldly, corporately, with praise, thankfully, alertly, happily, earnestly, desperately, and from a pure heart. The “What” list is broken into nine sub-categories. “What” are we to pray for? We are to pray for: love, God’s will, our needs (supplication), preservation, mission, direction, edification, power, and communion.

Form in prayer can provide help for God’s people, such that the incense (that is, the prayers of the saints) which will one day be presented before the Lamb will be increased.

* You can access the full manuscript of Piper’s sermon “Devoted to Prayer” on the Desiring God website, www.desiringgod.org/library/sermons/02/122902.html.

How to Pray list… | What to Pray list…

How To Pray

PRAY ALERTLY

Pray for alertness and perseverance as you pray and make petition for the saints.

“With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints…” Ephesians 6:18

Be of sound judgment and of a sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.

“The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.” 1 Peter 4:7

Back up to “How” list

PRAY ALONE

Pray privately to your Father, in secret.

“But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6:6

Arise early and seek solitude for prayer.

“In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.” Mark 1:35

Pray alone.

“But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.” Luke 5:16

Back up to “How” list

PRAY WITH BELIEF

Pray with faith that, believing in God, you will receive what you ask.

“Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.” Mark 11:24

Pray in faith that with God all things are possible.

“And He was saying, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.” Mark 14:36

Draw near with sincere hearts and in full assurance of faith.

“…let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” Hebrews 10:22

Pray with faith, not doubting.

“But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.” James 1:6

Back up to “How” list

PRAY BOLDLY

Pray in Jesus’ name so that the Father will be glorified when the prayer is answered.

“Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” John 14:13-14

Pray according to the riches of God’s glory.

“…that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man…” Ephesians 3:16

Pray at all times, in the Spirit.

“With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints…” Ephesians 6:18

Confidently draw near to the throne of grace to find mercy and help in time of need.

“Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

Pray confidently based upon the fruit of your life, which by God’s grace, is being lived out, at least in some measure, consistently with your confession, such that your life is characterized by keeping His commandments and doing the things that are pleasing in His sight.

“Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.” 1 John 3:21-22

Pray according to God’s will, with confidence that He hears us.

“This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.” 1 John 5:14-15

Back up to “How” list

PRAY CORPORATELY

Be devoted to corporate prayer.

“Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me…” Acts 1:4

Be continually devoted to corporate prayer.

“They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2:42

Pray with corporate unity.

“And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O Lord, it is You who MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA, AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM..” Acts 4:24

Pray fervently as a church.

“So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.” Acts 12:5

Gather with many to prayer in times of distress.

“And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.” Acts 12:12

Back up to “How” list

PRAY DESPERATELY

Pray when suffering.

“Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.” James 5:13

Back up to “How” list

PRAY EARNESTLY

Pray with deep genuine concern.

“For I testify for him that he has a deep concern for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis.” Colossians 4:13

Pray most earnestly night and day.

“…as we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith?” 1 Thessalonians 3:10

Pray with proper motives.

“You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.” James 4:3

Pray earnestly and continually.

“Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.” James 5:17-18

Pray anxiously waiting for the coming of the Lord.

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.” Jude 1:20-21

Back up to “How” list

PRAY HAPPILY

Pray with joy in every prayer, especially intercessory prayer.

“…always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all..” Philippians 1:4

Remembering your friends in prayer.

“I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day…” 2 Timothy 1:3

Thankfully mention people in prayer.

“I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers…” Philem. 1:4

Back up to “How” list

PRAY HUMBLY

Pray from a forgiven, cleansed, and debt-free heart.

“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Matthew 6:12

Pray with utter humility.

“But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, `God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:13-14

Pray with groans too deep for words when you don’t know how to pray.

“In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groaning too deep for words…” Romans 8:26

Pray that through groans the Spirit will intercede on behalf of the saints.

“In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groaning too deep for words…” Romans 8:26

Back up to “How” list

PRAY INTENSELY

Pray hard with fasting for power against the spiritual forces of darkness.

“But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” Matthew 17:21

Pray fervently.

“And He said to them, ‘This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer.’” Mark 9:29

Pray long and hard when facing intense circumstances and big decisions.

“It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.” Luke 6:12

Be devoted to prayer and the Word.

“But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word.” Acts 6:4

Cry out in prayer during times of distress.

“And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying…” Acts 9:11

Be devoted to prayer, keeping alert and thankful.

“Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving…” Colossians 4:2

Always labor earnestly in prayer.

“Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.” Colossians 4:12

Pray with loud cries and tears.

“In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety.” Hebrews 5:7

Pray remembering that our prayers are presented before the lamb as golden bowls full of incense.

“When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” Revelation 5:8

Pray remembering that our prayers will one day be combined with angelic incense in the last days.

“Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand.” Revelation 8:3-4

Back up to “How” list

PRAY INTIMATELY

Pray to God intimately as your abba (papa) Father. (cf. Romans 8:15)

“Pray, then, in this way: `Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.’” Matthew 6:9

Pray remembering that the Jesus loves us and gives us eternal comfort and good hope by grace.

“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace…” 2 Thessalonians 2:16

Draw near to God in prayer through Christ.

“Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 5:7

Back up to “How” list

PRAY PERSISTENTLY

Pray with perseverance in order to overcome the weakness of your flesh.

“Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41

Pray with persistence, not giving up.

“I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs. So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened.” Luke 11:8-10

Pray day and night.

“…now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?” Luke 18:7

Pray night and day.

“I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day…” 2 Timothy 1:3

Pray in the middle of the day.

“On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.” Acts 10:9

Unceasingly make mention of people as you pray. (cf. 1 Sam. 12:22)

“…how unceasingly I make mention of you, always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you.” Romans 1:9-10

Do not cease praying.

“…do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers…” Ephesians 1:16

Pray without ceasing.

“…pray without ceasing…” 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Pray constantly as you bear in mind the work of faith, labor of love, and steadfastness of hope that saint’s have in the Lord Jesus Christ.

“We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father…” 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3

Pray diligently (especially encourage widows to be diligent in prayer).

“Now she who is a widow indeed and who has been left alone, has fixed her hope on God and continues in entreaties and prayers night and day.” 1 Timothy 5:5

Keep yourself in the love of God by praying in the Spirit.

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.” Jude 1:20-21

Back up to “How” list

PRAISE GOD IN PRAYER

Pray and praise during times of distress.

“But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them…” Acts 16:25

Thank God that even though He gives us the strength to work, yet He still considers us faithful and puts us into His service.

“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service…” 1 Timothy 1:12

Lift up your hands in prayer.

“Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension.” 1 Timothy 2:8

Through Christ continually offer a sacrifice of praise.

“Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.” Hebrews 13:15

Bless our God because He is our Savior.

“…to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” Jude 1:25

Bless our God because He has all glory, majesty, dominion, and authority before all time, now, and forever more.

“…to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” Jude 1:25

Pray in an unhindered way having searched your heart for any way in which you might not be considerate and understanding with your wife.

“You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.” 1 Peter 3:7

Back up to “How” list

PRAY THANKFULLY

Pray with thankfulness in view of the grace given to the saints.

“I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus…” 1 Corinthians 1:4

Pray thankfully as you make mention of the saints.

“…do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers…” Ephesians 1:16

Pray prayers of supplication with thanksgiving for all requests.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Philippians 4:6

Pray thankfully that we’ve been qualified to share the inheritance of the saints.

“…giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.” Colossians 1:12

Back up to “How” list

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

What To Pray

PRAY FOR COMMUNION WITH GOD

Pray for joy and peace in believing.

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

Pray that God will give the saints the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ.

“…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.” Ephesians 1:17

Pray that the eyes of our hearts will be enlightened.

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints…” Ephesians 1:18

Pray that we will know the hope of His calling.

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints…” Ephesians 1:18

Pray that Christ would dwell in our hearts by faith.

“…so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love…” Ephesians 3:17

Pray that the saints will be filled up to all the fullness of God.

“…and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:19

Pray for joyful patience.

“…strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously…” Colossians 1:11

Pray that the Lord may direct our hearts into the steadfastness of Christ.

“May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.” 2 Thessalonians 3:5

Pray that the Lord of peace will continually grant us peace in every circumstance.

“Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!” 2 Thessalonians 3:16

Bless our God who makes us stand in the presence of His glory.

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy…” Jude 1:24

Back up to “What” list

PRAY FOR GOD’S DIRECTION IN YOUR LIFE

Pray for specific direction in open decisions.

“And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two You have chosen…” Acts 1:24

Pray in and around leadership and sending decisions.

“While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.” Acts 13:2-3

During times of transition commend people to the Lord in prayer.

“When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.” Acts 14:23

Pray for wisdom in making decisions.

“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5

Back up to “What” list

PRAY FOR THE EDIFICATION OF THE SAINTS

Pray for insightful questions that will help others experience revelation from God.

“And it happened that while He was praying alone, the disciples were with Him, and He questioned them, saying, ‘Who do the people say that I am?’” Luke 9:18

Pray that there would be fellowship among the saints that would result in encouragement and the impartation of spiritual gifts.

“For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established…” Romans 1:11

Strive in prayer that various ministries may be acceptable to the saints.

“…that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints…” Romans 15:31

Pray that in everything we will be enriched in Christ.

“…that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge…” 1 Corinthians 1:5

Pray that in everything we will be enriched in speech.

“…that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge… 1 Corinthians 1:5

Pray that in everything we will be enriched in knowledge.

“…that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge… 1 Corinthians 1:5

Pray that the saints will not lack in any spiritual gift.

“…so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ…” 1 Corinthians 1:7

Pray that the saints will be complete.

“For we rejoice when we ourselves are weak but you are strong; this we also pray for, that you be made complete.” 2 Corinthians 13:9

Pray that we will know the rich inheritance in the saints.

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.” Ephesians 1:18

Pray that the saints may approve things that are excellent.

“…so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ…” Philippians 1:10

Pray that we will be filled with the fruit of righteousness.

“…having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” Philippians 1:11

Pray that we will have opportunity to see beloved brothers and sisters and have opportunity to help complete their faith.

“…as we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith…” 1 Thessalonians 3:10

Pray that our hearts would be strengthened in every good work and word.

“…comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.” 2 Thessalonians 2:17

Pray that the sharing of faith might have the effect of imparting the knowledge of every good thing we have in Christ.

“…and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake.” Philemon 1:6

Pray that others may find much joy, comfort, love, and refreshment in Christ through us.

“For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.” Philemon 1:7

Pray for the saints that they will be blessed with a good conscience, and good, honorable conduct in all things.

“Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things.” Hebrews 13:18

Pray that loved brethren, who have gone out from us, will soon be restored to us.

“And I urge you all the more to do this, so that I may be restored to you the sooner.” Hebrews 13:19

Back up to “What” list

PRAY FOR GOD’S WILL IN YOUR LIFE

Pray that the name of God would be hallowed – treasured, cherished, and valued.

“Pray, then, in this way: `Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.’” Matthew 6:9

Pray that God’s kingdom would come here on earth (Maranatha!).

“Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10

Pray that God’s will be done here on earth.

“Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10

Pray that His will, not ours will be done.

“He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done.’” Matthew 26:42

Pray that Jesus’ glory would make our joy full.

“But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves.” John 17:13

Pray that we would have unity with each other and with the Father and the Son.

“…that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.” John 17:21

Pray that the world would know the glory of Christ.

“I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.” John 17:23

Pray that we would behold the glory of Christ.

“Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” John 17:24

Pray that the fruit of righteousness through Jesus Christ will bring glory and praise to God.

“…having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” Philippians 1:11

Pray that we will be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and discernment

“For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding…” Colossians 1:9

Pray that we will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord.

“…so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God…” Colossians 1:10

Pray that we will please Him in all respects.

“…so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God…” Colossians 1:10

Pray that we will bear fruit in every good work.

“…so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God…” Colossians 1:10

Pray that the saints may stand perfect, fully assured in all the will of God.

“Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.” Colossians 4:12

Pray that we would gain the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ!

“It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Thessalonians 2:14

Back up to “What” list

PRAY FOR LOVE

Pray for enemies and those who persecute you.

“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” Matthew 5:44

Pray blessing upon those who mistreat you.

“…bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Luke 6:28

Pray that the love of the Father would be in us.

“…and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” John 17:26

Pray together when departing.

“When he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.” Acts 20:36

Pray that we would be rooted and grounded in love.

“…that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love…” Ephesians 3:17

Pray that we may comprehend the breadth, length, height, and depth of God’s love.

“…may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” Ephesians. 3:18-19

Pray that love will abound more and more, in real knowledge and discernment.

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment…” Philippians 1:9

Pray that the Lord will cause an abundant increase in the love of the saints.

“…and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people…” 1 Thessalonians 3:12

Pray thankfully that the faith and love of the saints will continue to be enlarged.

“We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater…” 2 Thessalonians 1:3

Pray that the Lord may direct our hearts into the love of God.

“May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.” 2 Thessalonians 3:5

Pray for friends in the Lord who are far away, longing for joyful reunion.

“I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day, longing to see you, even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy.” 2 Timothy 1:3-4

Thank God for the love and faith of the saints toward Jesus and one another.

“…I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints…” Philemon 1:5

Pray for good health and prosperity for those we love.

“Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.” 3 John 1:2

Pray that God’s love will be multiplied to us.

“May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you.” Jude 1:2

Back up to “What” list

PRAY FOR THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH

Pray that the Lord of the Harvest will send out workers.

“Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.’” Matthew 9:37-38

Thank God for the faith of the saints becoming known.

“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world.” Romans 1:8

Pray for the salvation of the Jewish nation. (cf. Romans 11:15)

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation.” Romans 10:1

Strive in prayer that missionaries will be delivered from those who are disobedient.

“…that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints…” Romans 15:31

Pray for missionaries that they will have times of joyful and refreshing reunion with the saints.

“…so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest in your company.” Romans 15:32

Pray that the testimony of Christ will be confirmed in the saints.

“…even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you…” 1 Corinthians 1:6

Pray that the saints will do no wrong, but that they may do what is right.

“Now we pray to God that you do no wrong; not that we ourselves may appear approved, but that you may do what is right…” 2 Corinthians 13:7

Pray that evangelists, preachers, and missionaries will be given bold utterance to make the gospel known.

“…and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel…” Ephesians 6:19

Pray for missionaries that God will open up doors for the gospel.

“…praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned…” Colossians 4:3

Pray missionaries that God will enable them to speak forth the mystery of the gospel.

“…praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned…” Colossians 4:3

Pray for missionaries.

“Brethren, pray for us.” 1 Thessalonians 5:25

Pray that God would count us worthy of our calling.

“To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power…” 2 Thessalonians 1:11

Pray that God would fulfill our desire for goodness and the work of faith with power.

“To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power…” 2 Thessalonians 1:11

Pray that the name of Jesus will be glorified in us, according to grace.

“…so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Thessalonians 1:12

Pray that the word of God will spread rapidly and be glorified.

“Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you…” 2 Thessalonians 3:1

Pray that missionaries will be rescued from perverse and evil men.

“…and that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith.” 2 Thessalonians 3:2

Back up to “What” list

PRAY FOR THE SPIRIT’S POWER

Pray for miraculous demonstrations of the power of God.

“And it happened that the father of Publius was lying in bed afflicted with recurrent fever and dysentery; and Paul went in to see him and after he had prayed, he laid his hands on him and healed him.” Acts 28:8

Pray that we will abound in hope by the power of the Spirit.

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

Pray that we will know the surpassing greatness of His power toward believers.

“…and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might…” Ephesians 1:19

Pray that the saints will be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, according to the riches of His glory.

“…that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man..” Ephesians 3:16

Pray that we will be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might.

“…strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously..” Colossians 1:11

Pray with faith as you pray for healing concerning those who are sick.

“…and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him…” James 5:15

Pray that we may be healed.

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” James 5:16

Back up to “What” list

PRAY FOR THE PRESERVATION OF FAITH

Pray for protection from and escape from evil and temptation.

“And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” Matthew 6:13

Pray that our faith might not fail.

“…but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail…” Luke 22:32

Pray that we will be kept and preserved in His name.

“While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.” John 17:12

Pray that we would be sanctified by the word of truth.

“Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” John 17:17

Pray that the saints will eagerly await the revelation of Jesus Christ.

“…so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ…” 1 Corinthians 1:7

Pray that the saints will be confirmed to the end, blameless in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ.

“…who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 1:8

Pray that we will be sincere and blameless until the day.

“…so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ…” Philippians 1:10

Pray for deliverance for saints in distress.

“…for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ…” Philippians 1:19

Pray that we will attain to all steadfastness.

“…strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously…” Colossians 1:11

Pray that God will establish our hearts, keeping them blameless and holy until the coming of the Lord.

“…so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.” 1 Thessalonians 3:13

Pray for those that we see commit sins that “do not lead to death.”

“If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this.” 1 John 5:16

Bless our God who keeps us from stumbling.

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy…” Jude 1:24

Bless our God who keeps us blameless with great joy.

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy…” Jude 1:24

Pray thankfully for brethren loved by the Lord because He chose us from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.

“But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.”
2 Thessalonians 2:13

Back up to “What” list

MAKE SUPPLICATION

Pray for practical daily needs.

“Give us this day our daily bread.” Matthew 6:11

Be on the alert, persevering in making petition for all the saints.

“With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints…” Ephesians 6:18

Pray for authorities and rulers.

“First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” 1 Timothy 2:1-2

Pray that everything that we enjoy will be sanctified by the means of the word of God and prayer.

“…for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.” 1 Timothy 4:5

Back up to “What” list

Download Fuel for Prayer as a PDF (256k)