My dear readers,

1. "Feed the flock of God" (1 Pet 5:2)

Peter is well remembered for denying the Lord three times. But Jesus did not give up on Peter, for He loved him still, and would use him in the founding of the infant Church. By the Galilean lakeside, the resurrected Lord recommissioned Peter. Three times He challenged the disciple to feed the flock of God. Peter did not fail the Lord thereafter. What transformed Peter?

It was our Lord’s plan. After the Last Supper, Jesus told Peter: "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren" (Luke 22:31-32).

Peter’s conversion came at Pentecost, after ten days of intense continuous prayer (Acts 1:11-14; 2:1-3). Peter was a changed person. Before Pentecost, Peter said to Jesus: "Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death" (Luke 22:33). After Pentecost, Peter’s bold words became action. Peter was changed, converted at Pentecost when the Spirit came. Thereafter, Peter never again failed the Lord. True to his promise, spoken three times, Peter faithfully fed the flock of God, till his dying day.

Today, the Apostle exhorts us, "Feed the flock of God!" Nurture them, care for their spiritual needs, defend them against wolves, feel for them, protect them very well, for they are the Lord’s flock – precious beyond words. Let us do as the Apostle says. Let us "Feed the flock of God" faithfully and cheerfully, until the Chief Shepherd appears. "Be thou faithful … I will give thee a crown of life" (Rev 2:10). Feeding the flock of God … earnestly contending for the faith.

2. Grow in grace and in knowledge

God wills that every Christian should "… grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (2 Pet 3:18). Such growth comes by feeding on the Word of God which is spiritual milk, bread and meat.Every Christian who reads God’s Word daily and meditates, as the Psalmist says, "O how love I Thy law! it is my mediation all the day" (Ps 119:97), will grow. By regular reading and prayerful meditation, the Christian will grow in grace and in knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, our wonderful Saviour.

RPG is written specially to help believers, young and old, to grow to be strong and useful Christians for God’s use. It is written in simple language so that even the youngest believer can understand.

Prayer is the key to understanding God’s Word. Dear reader, pray before you read. Pray whenever you come across a difficult word or passage. Pray when you have finished reading. God bless you mightily, and make you a blessing to all in your home and community.

3. Pray with understanding

O friends, we must mature in our prayers! Think of what we are missing because we do not pray with understanding. Mere recitation of needs in a routine fashion must give way to praying "with understanding." In the Lord’s Prayer we say, "Thy will be done." How can we pray this unless we also know what His will is? And, how can we know God’s will? By His Word, of course!

Does this not give you the clue to more effective prayer? We have our Bibles. In our QT (Quiet Time) devotions, let us combine the reading of the Word and our speaking with the Lord. Our prayer communion must not be a "one way speech." Let us take time also to hear God speak to us—through the Word and the prompting of the Holy Spirit. The Word of God is also our best guide to teach us what to pray for. We are lost for words and ideas. Let the Holy Spirit help "our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us . . ." (Rom 8:26).

Let God’s Word be our daily guide in prayer. Every passage which has a relevant application should become our prayer. Let us pray God’s Word for ourselves, for in so doing we can be sure that we are asking for God’s will to be fulfilled in our lives. This is to pray with understanding. This is God’s will for us!

4. For we wrestle in prayer

A Christian who says that he has never had to wrestle in prayer truly has not entered into the prayer life. Prayer being the central and vital activity of our spiritual life, it is only natural that the enemy of our souls would direct his most dangerous and hurtful darts at our prayer life. For Satan does not like us to pray. It is said that:

The weakest Christian on his knee

Makes Satan tremble, turn and flee.

Satan understands full well that our prayers are our most potent weapons of defence and attack against him. That is why he directs his most subtle attacks at our prayer life. If he can somehow weaken or cripple our devotion to the Lord, he would have scored a crucial victory. Foolishly we are lulled into a sense of false security by his suggestion that we are quite all right. We have not committed any grave sin, we are regular in church attendance and our souls are at peace. Take your ease, therefore. Why all the praying?

Behind our complacency hides the adversary, mobilizing everything in his power to destroy our prayer life. He has a ready ally in our old Adam, our carnal nature, the flesh. The carnal mind is enmity against God (Rom 8:7). Our flesh lusteth against the Spirit … so that we cannot do the things we would (Gal 5:17). The carnal mind is ever ready to supply reasons for not praying: you are busy, you are tired, you woke up late, you may miss an important appointment, your boss is waiting, your studies are behind, you must go to the market early, wait for a better time.

Are these strange to you, dear reader? Or are they old excuses? Unless we have a strong resolve, a rock‑firm discipline, a sacred hour for prayer, our prayer life will be in ruins even before we start. Everything is legitimate: newspaper, telephone, washing, getting ready for the day’s work. But not prayer. So we wrestle! God help us.

Dear readers, yield to God. He gives the victory. Keep a definite appointment with God daily.

Yours faithfully in the Saviour’s Service,

Dr SH Tow, Sr Pastor