|
|
May I suggest that we need to pray more? The rush of workaday, and the tension to be busy by obligation at the church house, make our adversary dance for joy. Why? Because he knows that prayer is our power with God. Busy is not a worthy objective of any saint. Here is the standard:
1
Corinthians 4:1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and
stewards
of the mysteries of God.
2 Moreover it is required in stewards,
that a man be found faithful.
Faithful-- in prayer first.
Colossians
1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray
for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will
in all wisdom
and spiritual understanding;
Who do you know that needs to be more filled with the knowledge of God? Are your pastor's sermons shallow? Pray for him. Do you know a saint who has little knowledge of the Word of God? Pray for them. Do you feel I fail to use the Word enough on this Web journal? Pray for me.
I knew a preacher who went to his first church, and he was really young and green. The deacons began to meet Sunday mornings at 5 AM and pray for the man and the church fellowship. One deacon told this preacher that they were praying for him because he was not a very good preacher.... that he was not getting much out of the Word, and they wanted him to be used of God. The preacher was loved by those men, and he went on to have a very powerful ministry, with souls saved, saints matured, indeed, he was used mightily of God to bring deliverance from devil possession of many people. He gave full credit to those deacons who NEVER stopped praying for him.
Now, is there someone you have picked, maybe a bit at random, whom you have prayed for, AND you told them so? Could you make a covenant to pray for some Christian until they or you die and go to be with the Lord?
Also, how about picking some hour of the day, any hour? On that precise time you stop and pray for a friend, your spouse, your kids. And, tell them so. "Sweetie, every day at exactly 8 AM Daddy is praying for you, and I will not stop praying for you until I die." Nothing could do more to bring an unsaved daughter to Christ, and nothing could give a saved daughter more comfort and power.
Now, go do it.
After thought to pastors--
Are you praying? Are your men praying? Do
you pray much on Sunday morning, or do you imagine that your sermon is the main
event? Is your church house a house of prayer, or is it a house of busy? Do you
really give prayer the central time and emphasis on Wednesday evening? Or, has
Satan taught you that your Bible teaching, or visitation, even soul winning, is
more important than the people praying? Do you teach children to pray? Do your
youth, especially the young men, pray with zeal and articulate speech? Do your
old men pray between Sundays? Do your widows pray as a ministry? If not, it is
because you don't call them with prayer requests, AND THEN check back and let
them know how their prayers are being answered.
Preacher, do you have an hour during the day when you stop to pray? Don't waffle around now you rascal-- if you cannot answer that one, admit it, fall on your knees and beg this God you claim to love to smite your cold heart with zeal for prayer. No revival? There it is-- real simple-- no need to call an evangelist-- just hit the carpet, knees down, and revival will come.
Now, YOU go do it also-- Lead on your knees-- How about an altar call this Sunday morning to just pray for one another, and you lead the way? :-)
MORE QUIET PLACES
