Dr. Glenn Clark founded the organization Camps Farthest Out (CFO) in 1930 as a retreat and prayer movement. The camps were designed to help people focus on life transformation through meditation, prayer groups, and devotions. He called it a "laboratory for miracles," a place to step away from the distractions of everyday life and learn how to personally experience the Kingdom of God. One of the things he encouraged leaders to do was to pray for each of their people by name. When asked why he suggested that, he answered, "All I know is that something happens when you pray for your people that doesn’t happen when you don't." Today let's consider a brief passage, taken from Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians:

We constantly pray for you that our God may make you worthy of his calling. (2 Thessalonians 1:11)

When my wife Pam and I were Youth Leaders, we prayed each night for the kids in our youth groups and we prayed for each of them by name. Why? Because we loved them and wanted each one of them to grow up into a fruitful relationship with God. We knew that God loved them too, even more than we did, and that He wanted to answer our prayers for them. In today's passage Paul reminds the congregation at Thessalonica that he and his team constantly pray for them. It's a great blessing to watch God act in the lives of the people for whom we pray, isn't it? Pam and I still pray each night for people we hear about or know and we pray for them by name. Are you praying for anyone today? Let me encourage you to do it. It's such a joy to watch God answer those prayers. God will act—if you ask Him to...and that is very Good News!