MAY 28

Praying for a Worthy Walk

Bible Reading: Colossians 1:9-14

Grant Richison said of this prayer: “Paul begins with a prayer for the Colossians that touches all the bases of their need. This is one of the greatest prayers of the Bible.”  There is so much here to instruct us in the kinds of things we should pray about for ourselves and others.  But a simple outline of the prayer goes something like this: 1) prayer that we may know the will of God (1:9); prayer that we might walk in a worthy manner (1:10); prayer that we might be empowered by God in all (1:11-12).

I once heard someone say that for the Christian, “success is knowing and doing the will of God.”  There’s truth in that. F. E. Marsh said it this way: “The will of God – nothing less, nothing more, nothing else.”  When it comes to knowing and doing the will of God, prayer plays a vital role.  Recall how Jesus taught His disciples to pray “Thy will be done” (Matthew 6:10).  Remember also how Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).  It is as Warren Wiersbe said: “We surrender our wills to God through disciplined prayer. As we spend time in prayer, we surrender our will to God and pray, with the Lord, “Not my will, but Thy will be done.” We must pray about everything, and let God have His way in everything.”

I had an experience years ago where God worked to move my heart through prayer in an amazing way.  I praise and thank God as I look back at it, marveling at His ability to lead me along in prayer.  I was working at Trojan Nuclear Plant in a lucrative salary job as a Training Specialist.  We had two of our kids at that time and were living in Columbia City in a lovely newer home.  Laura and I were very active in the ministry at St. Helens Community Bible, where I was serving as an elder.  It would seem that we had everything we wanted and that life for us was just as it should be.   

All was well, except for the nagging thought that God had something else for me to do.  God was tugging at my heart, and the thought of preparing myself for pastoral ministry kept entering my mind.  So, I was praying about the matter.  Day after day over a period of many months I prayed about it.  I wrestled with God in prayer: “God, there’s no way I can support my family if I were to quit my job and head off to Bible School!”  I’d try my hardest to tuck the thought away, only to have it pop out again.  God was working through my prayers to change my heart and move me to make a dramatic decision.

After many months of this, I finally decided to resign my job.  My boss was shocked, but then graciously offered to keep me on part-time to help out with the costs I’d incur at Western Seminary.  G. I. Bill funds helped with tuition costs also.  Some coworkers and a few family members decided that I was crazy to do what I was doing.  All I could say to them was that I was doing what I sensed that God wanted me to do.  My coworkers and I didn’t know it at the time, but a decision to permanently close the Nuclear Plant would soon be forthcoming.

God provided for all our needs in amazing fashion throughout my Bible training at Western Conservative Baptist Seminary in Portland.  I graduated in the spring of 1990, just in time to receive a call regarding the need for a pastor at Lewis and Clark Bible Church.  The church ultimately called me to serve as pastor and God kept me there for the next twenty-seven and ½ years. So, on that June 1st, 1990, Sunday I preached on the Supremacy of Christ in that big sanctuary to a huge crowd of twelve people!  On that day, and for the twenty-seven and ½ years that followed, I never doubted that God had called me to serve as pastor in that place.  But none of that would have happened if God hadn’t been at work in me “to will and work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).  God worked through my prayers, and the prayers of others, to move my heart that I might know and do His bidding.

If you are a believer in Christ, you’ve been saved and gifted to serve Him in some fashion, in the good works He’s prepared ahead of time for you to do (Ephesians 2:10).  Are you even now struggling to find your place or role in that?  It’s impossible to steer a bike that’s not moving. The best way to get your heart moving in God’s direction is to pray. Likewise, this prayer is helpful for any of us to pray at any time for anyone, touching on many important aspects of walking in a manner which is pleasing to the Lord Jesus!

Success for the Christian is Knowing and Doing the Will of God, and Prayer Plays a Huge Role in Both

TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days;
let them flow in endless praise,
let them flow in endless praise.

Take my hands and let them move
at the impulse of thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
swift and beautiful for thee,
swift and beautiful for thee.

Take my voice and let me sing
always, only, for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
filled with messages from thee,
filled with messages from thee.

Take my silver and my gold;
not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
every power as thou shalt choose,
every power as thou shalt choose.

Take my will and make it thine;
it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne,
it shall be thy royal throne.

Take my love; my Lord, I pour
at thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be
ever, only, all for thee,
ever, only, all for thee.

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Author: looking2jesus13

Jerry L. Conklin was born and raised in Hillsboro, Oregon. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served for six years in the Navy’s Nuclear Power Program. He was assigned to the USS *Omaha* (SSN-692), a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine, where he served as a reactor-plant electrical operator. His military service took him to ports and locations throughout the world and provided extensive technical training, leadership experience, and an enduring appreciation for those who serve in the Armed Forces. Following his Navy service, Jerry earned a bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Technology from Thomas Edison State University. He worked at the Trojan Nuclear Plant near Rainier, Oregon, first as a reactor operator and later as a training specialist. After sensing God’s call to pastoral ministry, he left the nuclear-power industry and earned a master’s degree in theology from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary in Portland, Oregon. Jerry served for twenty-seven and a half years as senior pastor of Lewis and Clark Bible Church in Astoria, Oregon. During those years, he preached and taught the Scriptures, provided pastoral counseling, performed weddings and memorial services, trained church leaders, and served individuals and families throughout the community. He also served as a fire department chaplain and participated in a variety of community ministries. After retiring from full-time pastoral ministry, Jerry and his wife, Laura, moved to Heppner, Oregon. There he served for approximately four years as a chaplain with Pioneer Memorial Home Health and Hospice, providing spiritual and emotional support to more than 150 patients and their families. In 2023, the Oregon Association for Home Care honored him as its Chaplain of the Year. Jerry also helped establish South Morrow County Seniors Matter, a nonprofit organization created to address the needs of older adults following the COVID-19 pandemic. As chairman, he worked with community leaders and volunteers to develop a weekly senior meal program, a monthly veterans’ lunch, and other activities and services. The organization served hundreds of seniors, mobilized more than 200 volunteers, and received statewide and national recognition. In 2025, Jerry was named Heppner’s Man of the Year, and his community service was later recognized by United States Senator Jeff Merkley. International missions have also been an important part of Jerry’s ministry. He has made ten trips to Uganda, where he has taught at pastors’ conferences, preached in churches, participated in Bible-school graduations, distributed Bibles and Christian materials, and encouraged local pastors and ministry leaders. He developed the discipleship booklet *First Steps with Jesus* to help new believers understand and grow in their faith. Jerry is the author of numerous books, Bible studies, devotionals, and teaching resources, including works centered on prayer, Christian hope, spiritual growth, and the person of Jesus Christ. His decades of preaching and teaching reflect his commitment to presenting biblical truth clearly, practically, and faithfully. Jerry and Laura were married for nearly forty-two years and raised four children. They were also blessed with three grandchildren. Laura passed away in August 2025 following an eight-and-a-half-year battle with cancer. Jerry currently lives in Hillsboro, where he helps care for his elderly father. He continues to preach, teach, write, and serve others through pastoral and community ministry.

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