BUILDING ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN (5)

Now we come the important component of Prayer

PRAYER  (for the Believer)

Again, we spent time on this important component in the 8 essentials to daily prayer series. It is a topic that we need to be regularly reminded about. The old hymn said “Tell me the story often, because I forget so soon”. Either we get lazy and undisciplined, or think we can live the Christian life in our own strength, or especially we have not seen prayer as “the intimate communication between two lovers”. James reminds us that “the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man (or woman) avails much. Let me remind you that Prayer involves:

Confession

Surrender

Thanksgiving

Praise

Worship

Intercession

Petition

Listening

This is not a formula but there is a clear progression. Let me emphasise, if you have sin in your heart God is not listening (Ps 66.18) that is the starting point, we have talked again in this series on surrender, then we must develop a thankful and praising heart, this will produce a spirit of worship (loving and kissing), then we put the spotlight on others, then ourselves, then so important, learn to hear the voice of God. Let us never forget

PRAYER CHANGES THINGS

PRAYER (in the church)

So few churches have prayer meetings anymore, even though they are potentially the powerhouse of the church, and when churches did conduct prayer meetings, they were the least attended of any service. Some churches even had Missions prayer meetings, but these too have since well and truly died. Is it any wonder why we are not seeing revival in our day, we are simply not desperate enough to sacrifice time and energy (and maybe a few meals) to wrestle with God for our community and our nation. Every revival in history has been born out of continued earnest prayer.

Sadly, there are some churches that I have attended that there is hardly a single prayer offered during the Sunday morning celebration. Church is not meant to be a concert and the congregation are spectators. Every believer should be a participator. All the above keys should be part of a service. Sadly, although it is very important that everything we do is excellent in a service, we can so concentrate on the excellent and forget what it is all about. We are meeting with the King of Kings, to worship him and to hear from him, and to equipped to be a man or woman of God and to serve the Lord effectively.

LORD BRING YOUR CHURCH  BACK TO THE PLACE OF PRAYER