{"id":22314,"date":"1995-10-01T00:00:00","date_gmt":"1995-10-01T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.christianitytoday.com\/pastors\/1995\/10\/01\/needy-pastors-prayer\/"},"modified":"1995-10-01T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"1995-10-01T00:00:00","slug":"needy-pastors-prayer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.christianitytoday.com\/pastors\/content\/needy-pastors-prayer\/","title":{"rendered":"The Needy Pastor’s Prayer"},"content":{"rendered":"

My master God,<\/p>\n\n

I am desired to preach today,<\/p>\n\n

but go weak and needy to my task … <\/p>\n\n

Yet I long that people might be edified with divine truth,<\/p>\n\n

that an honest testimony might be borne for thee;<\/p>\n\n

Give me assistance in preaching and prayer,<\/p>\n\n

with heart uplifted for grace and unction.<\/p>\n\n

Keep me conscious all the while of my defects,<\/p>\n\n

and let me not gloat in pride over my performance. … <\/p>\n\n

Help me to offer a testimony for thyself,<\/p>\n\n

and to leave sinners inexcusable in neglecting thy mercy.<\/p>\n\n

Attend with power the truth preached,<\/p>\n\n

and awaken the attention of my slothful audience.<\/p>\n\n

May thy people be refreshed, melted, convicted, comforted,<\/p>\n\n

and help me to use the strongest arguments<\/p>\n\n

drawn from Christ’s incarnation and sufferings,<\/p>\n\n

that men might be made holy.<\/p>\n\n

I myself need thy support, comfort, strength, holiness,<\/p>\n\n

that I might be a pure channel of thy grace,<\/p>\n\n

and be able to do something for thee … <\/p>\n\n

keep me in tune with thee as I do this work.<\/p>\n\n

**********************<\/p>\n\n

Reprinted from Valley of Vision (Banner of Truth Trust, 1994).<\/p>\n\n

Copyright (c) 1995 Christianity Today, Inc.\/LEADERSHIP Journal<\/p>\n\n

lecurrmrj5L40345A2g<\/p>\n\n

Copyright © 1995 by the author or Christianity Today\/Leadership Journal<\/em>.\nClick here<\/a> for reprint information on Leadership Journal<\/em>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

My master God, I am desired to preach today, but go weak and needy to my task … Yet I long that people might be edified with divine truth, that an honest testimony might be borne for thee; Give me assistance in preaching and prayer, with heart uplifted for grace and unction. Keep me conscious Read more…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"tax_ctp_authors":[],"tax_ctp_books":[],"tax_ctp_categories":[154],"tax_ctp_field_guide_subcategory":[],"tax_ctp_field_guides":[],"tax_ctp_format":[131],"tax_ctp_multimedia":[],"tax_ctp_point_editor":[],"tax_publications":[643,644,156],"tax_ctp_tags":[4679,4688],"tax_ctp_topics":[],"class_list":["post-22314","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","tax_publications-1995-leadership-journal","tax_publications-fall_1995-leadership-journal","tax_publications-leadership-journal","tax_ctp_tags-prayer","tax_ctp_tags-preaching"],"acf":{"scripture_references":null},"yoast_head":"\nThe Needy Pastor's Prayer - CT Pastors<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"My master God, I am 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