Greetings,
"Saying unto them, It is written, My HOUSE is the HOUSE OF PRAYER; but ye have made it a den of thieves." Luke 19:46
"If My PEOPLE, which are called by My Name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways;" II Chronicles 7:14
"And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas fro one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold HE PRAYETH," Acts 9:11
Introduction:
This is a follow up blog in regards to the previous blog on the "Prayer Life of the SBC". These articles came from discussions from Prayer Link (the SBC prayer leaders) group during the months of June - September, 2018. This was looking at ways to encourage, increase and deepen the prayer life of the SBC church, pastors and laymen. Out of those discussions came an issue of 'where do we want them to go in their prayer life?' My response was, 'In order to know where you want them to go, you need to know where they are in their prayer life." That response, triggered a reply, 'how do you determine that?'
Years ago, when Broken Before the Throne, a prayer conference, was happening, we had many pastors come, share and confess share that they had no prayer life. This usually means, that if the pastor does not have a prayer life, then the church would not have a prayer life either. The more confessions of this that happened, led to a discerning 'who was praying?' And 'how was they praying?' So from that a pursuit to talk with state leaders, associations, and pastors on what they knew of 'who was praying' and 'what kind of praying they was doing' was contrived. And out of that came a base line of where we was in prayer.
The previous blog, "Prayer Life of the SBC", showed the same gathering of info and stats on what was going on weekly, monthly, semi-annually and annually among churches, groups, association/regions, and state conventions for the prayer life of the SBC. And the bottom line of this gathering was out of 47,000 churches; over 1100 associations and over 40 state conventions, we are only seeing 12 - 15 % of these engage in corporate prayer for any length of time during a months time frame. That means that 85 - 88 % are not engaged in corporate prayer meeting.
Here is the link to the previous blog:
https://danbiser.blogspot.com/2018/09/prayer-life-of-sbc.html
How could this ever be acceptable?
So what follows is an attempt to see the problem, and correct it with the sole purpose of seeing a direct reversal of 85 - 88 % praying. Oh, what a Divine, powerful moment this would be.
The Problem:
There are two issues that I see that needs to be addressed and remedied:
1. Sin of Prayerlessness - You don't hear this one spoken of, prayed and confessed or addressed much. But at the heart of the churches plight today, it seems that from this sin all the others things flow. My firmest belief is that this sin of prayerlessness is due to several things.
--1. our failure to pray leads us to rely and trust in flesh and self; the sin of humanism;
--2. too many have prayed or know that they ought to pray and to pray rightly; 'To him that knoweth to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin."
--3. many have sampled prayer but not maintained a prayer life; largely due to the sin of unbelief; It is a matter of faith.
2. Apathy toward this sin - Apathy is a sin in itself before the Lord. We cease caring one for another, and the greater sin is, we cease caring for what God cares for. Apathy has many things that comes from it or aids in it. There is the spirit of unbelief, selfishness, and at the root, a heart issue for who's/Who's they are. 'Cast all your cares upon Me, for I care for you." and the means of casting those cares is through prayer. But a soul, a church that has apathy will not cast their cares upon Him, for they will not pray; nor do they have an inclination to pray. Selfish prayers offered about 'our agenda', 'our will' are directly opposite of empathy prayers that prays God's heart and mind. Empathy is praying God's agenda and God's will.
3. Volume - God is able to take this remnant, yea, even smaller if He so desires and bring forth great outpouring. The numbers are not the issue here. I simply use the numbers to reveal what our plight is. The above two problems I believe are the issue, not the percentages. The percentages are only reflective of the deeper sin.
The Response:
Pray.
But how to pray? Pray so as to prevail.
Examples:
1857 Prayer Movement; Jeremiah Lanphier obeyed God and began a noon prayer meeting that only began with himself. But quickly became dozens then 100's, then 1000's that were meeting daily and crying out to God. God took 1 and turned it into 1000's. This address the numbers again, but we see the issue of prayerlessness was dealt and put away.
Concerts of Prayer - 1740's - Jonathan Edwards gleaned from Scotland's pastor, John Erskine, inhis appeal to Scottish pastors for monthly fast and prayer corporately for the church. Out of this came the Great Awakening for our nation.
100 year prayer - early 1700's Zinzendorf began a prayer meeting that went on day and night for over 100 years. and out of this God brought forth His kingdoms purpose and power to do the churches work. Praying without ceasing; continue in prayer; faithful to pray.
1. Pray with purpose
God has designed through His infinite, omnipotent way for prayer to be the means that shapes, forms and accomplishes the events of history, time and His will. That is a blessing when His church realizes and acknowledges this; but a curse when His people won't pray. The purpose of prayer is to glorify God. As we are created, saved and ordained to be His', we are to be about His will and ways. He has made that means the avenue of prevailing prayer. Prayer saves souls, heals the sick, delivers the captives, overcomes evil, prevents evil, and fulfills God's desire. How careless for any of His children to neglect and abstain from prayer.
Therefore, when we enter into our prayer chamber, our quiet time before Him, let us remember how great is the privilege to pray; but how much greater is it that these prayers which are getting ready to be thought, spoken, expressed can change lives and eternity. For God to fulfill His purpose through the supplications, petitions, and intercessions of His church, of His saint. I fear we count it to lightly, this great thing called prayer. And we exercise its weight of value even less as His people. If we truly believed that our purpose in this life was to glorify God through prevailing prayer, surely we would be about it more.
But too many forget their purpose. They have forgotten prayer and turned to their own right hand, or the arm of flesh of others. They have forgotten that before God's throne, all that we need is for our prayers to be uttered before Him, and for He alone, to speak those powerful, Divine word, 'Granted'. And from that proceeds blessings, eternal purposes, Divine will and Spirit infused meaning. Only God can do this, so how much is it for us to look to Him and not to look to self or man.
2. Pray with passion
Now there is nothing worse than a corporate prayer meeting that is dead and lifeless. Having a call to pray, gathering together and then nobody knows what or how to pray, such a prayer meeting will not last long. Or to gather together in prayer and the passion, fervency and urgency be so restrained, that your wondering if they have a pulse or not. Same old words, same old phrases, 'catch' prayers that mimic what has been said for years and decades are guilty of the sin of 'vain repetition' and passion-less prayers. It only takes one person praying their agenda, contrary to the passion of the Spirit to kill a prayer meeting.Therefore it is of utter importance that our passion is not man made, emotional only and Spirit less. But let our passion of prayer be from God's heart, anointed by God's Spirit and learned from Christ example of passionate prayer. Let us see as He sees in the lives of those that are broken, lost, in the dark and hopeless. Let us see eternity at stake for billions. Let us understand the conclusion of final judgement if we continue to not pray so as to prevail.
3. Pray with priority
The idea of praying as it is convenient; or when it comes to mind is not satisfactory. Samuel Chadwick said, 'a prayer life is a life that prays.' And far too long the church has not had a life of prayer because they will not pray. There are numerous reasons given for why God's people won't pray: they've never been discipled in it; they don't have the time; they feel inadequate in praying; etc. .And our priority in prayer is not to fulfill a checklist of spiritual disciplines, but to allow and permit our spiritual intimacy with the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Our priority is to pray for that which God has ordained. Our priority to pray is because Christ prayed. Prayer must be put back into as a major priority of our churches and church disciplines. We cannot continue without it.
In each of those examples mentioned above, they were resolved to pray. They did pray, and they prayed so as to prevail. God came and did what only God could do. Our priority must be to pray. No more excuses; no more missed days and weeks and months. But to make time to pray daily. The Psalmist wrote, 'evening, morning and at noon will I lift up my cry to Thee". It seems Daniel knew this verse and made it His pattern, 'Daniel prayed 3 times a day.' May we make the priority to be a house of prayer and a people /person of prayer of that which pleases God and fulfills His purposes here on earth. May prayer become a priority again.
Resolve:
Therefore brethren, let us see our great need to be in prayer and be a people of prayer and houses of prayer;
Let us resolve to be intentional about setting times and places of prayer for our Lord's kingdom's business to be maintained and done;
Let us disdain that prayerlessness is a sin named among us in such a high percentage;
Let us confess this sin and repent of it;
Let us establish monthly times of state, associations, city and small groups of pastors and/or laymen to gather to pray each month, at least once a month for our Lord's kingdom in us and through us;
Let us set greater times of coming together as a whole annually, semi-annually and quarterly to be more intentional in the corporate prayer meeting;
Let us have as our epitaph, 'Behold, they prayed"
Brethren, this is a suggestive means that I am simply seeking to turn around our status that we become houses of prayer and a people of prayer. Would you please respond and seek the Lord to aid and help in this heavenly, spiritual pursuit for souls, our future, our Lord's kingdom and for His Great Names' sake.
I would be glad to hear from you and help in any way I can to seek means and ways to be intentional about prayer with you and for you.
Until,
dan
Started: November 5, 2018
Continued: 11/6;11/7;11/9;11/12;11/13;
Finished:
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