||
                 ||||||||
                    ||                       How beautiful on the mountains
                    ||                       are the feet of those ... who
                    ||                       proclaim salvation, who say to
                                             Zion, "Your God reigns!"
          Pastor RALPH & GENE ANN WOOD                  --Isaiah 52:7 (NIV)
          E-mail:  randg.wood@encode.com
          FRESH MANNA, 15/04/1998 ...................... COLOSSIANS 4:12-13
          {12} Epaphras, who is [one] of you, a servant [Gk., slave] of
          Christ, saluteth you, always LABOURING FERVENTLY for you in
          prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will
          of God. {13} For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for
          you, and them [that are] in Laodicea and them in Hierapolis.
                                                 --COLOSSIANS 4:12-13 (KJV)
             Now, Epaphras was a prayer warrior!  It was Epaphras who had
          first preached the gospel to the Colossians [COLOSSIANS 1:3-7];
          hence, he seems to have founded the church there; and some think
          he was still the pastor.  However that may be, Paul was in prison
          at some distance from Colosse; and now, it would seem, Epaphras
          had gone there to report on the situation in the church-- strong,
          but in serious danger from Gnostic-like heretical teachings.
             Perhaps this danger spurred on his zeal.  Or maybe, just his
          responsibility as the founding evangelist and now-absent pastor.
          At any rate, Paul says he was always "AGWNIZOMENOS", "AGONIZING"
          in prayer for them.  Scholars tell us this is a word you would
          use to describe engaging in an athletic contest, fighting or
          struggling (with weapons), competing for a prize, contending with
          an adversary, endeavouring to accomplish something.  Different
          translations of COLOSSIANS say Epaphras was striving, wrestling,
          combatting/labouring earnestly, labouring fervently, remembering
          them earnestly, praying fervently for them.
             Wright comments, "Epaphras has a vision for the church in
          Colosse.  By his prayers he is working hard to bring this vision
          about."  Calvin comments that Epaphras is a good example of a
          pastor helping the church through prayer, even though at a great
          distance away from their location.  And indeed, Epaphras was also
          praying for all of the other churches in the Lycus River valley!
             Epaphras' great example motivates -us- to wrestle in prayer.
          Do we know someone lost in unbelief?  Then let us pray for that
          person to be saved-- prayer is a mission!  Do we know people who
          might accept our offer to pray for them?  Let us pray for them,
          bring God's love and power to bear on their situations-- prayer
          is a ministry!  And, like Epaphras, let us give fervent, earnest
          prayer support to:  the whole Church; our own part of the Church;
          one another, within our own networks of fellowship; and, to all
          of our witness, ministries, missions!   --RLW
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