Greetings,
The following is an explanation to the requested change to my previous blog post, 'Call to Prayer and SBC Response".
I was contacted by Chris Schofield, executive-director of Prayer Link for the SBC yesterday, February 8. I had written and worked on the blog posts mentioned for several days and sent it out February 5, Tuesday. The requested change was that it was not to be written that Prayer Link had endorsed this blog post, or had anything to do with it. And it was requested of me to remove Prayer Link from the blog. This blog was sent to many of the SBC state executives, my prayer partners and church leaders, in and across the prayer life of the North American denominations. And it was feared that with Prayer Link mentioned in it, that it would be viewed that Prayer Link had endorsed this blog, calling for prayer and concerts of prayer.
I agreed to remove Prayer Link from the blog and have communicated its correction. Now there was only one reference that I used to Prayer Link, showing that this all began because of a task force organized by Prayer link. IN the opening paragraph of my blog post, I sought to lay how these stats of the prayer life of the SBC was arrived at. That last summer, I was on a task force of Prayer Link seeking to understand SBC prayer life. In conversations among these brethren, it was asked, 'where do we want this task force to take the prayer life of the SBC?' My response was, 'in order to know where you want them to go, you have to know where they are.' One asked me, 'how do we determine that?' My reply: "you go ask them what they are doing in regards to prayer.' Gather the information and get a feel where we are in our prayer life as SBC, as states, associations and churches.
They said they did not know how to do that. I took upon myself to set an example of this, by beginning to contact as many SBC leadership officers and enquire what they were doing personally, as states, associations and leaders. It centered on this one question,
"in a month's time, are you, your church/churches/ group meeting for at least 1 hour of prayer?"
Looking for one thing out of 42 state conventions, 47,000 churches, over 1000 associations - Are we praying corporately for one hour, once a month. And from the small census that I was collecting, I found that 12 -15% were at least praying one hour per month corporately. Meaning that 85 - 88% were not praying 1 hour corporately per month.
How could any pastor, church leader, Christian, state leader, SBC leader not be convicted, and bothered about this?
Are you willing to accept this? Is this not sin?
Most that are in leadership and have served the Lord faithfully for years understand that prayer is key to our relationship to the Lord. It is necessary for intimacy with the Lord and the service to His kingdom. All things done in this world are done through prayer. but if prayer is not done, God permits and allows for Satan, flesh and evil to have their way. The one thing the Christian church can testify to and know that prayer is powerful and changes things for pleasing in God's sight. But prayer that is not done, is disobedience and a clear surrender to allow Satan to have his will and way with our loved ones, nation and future.
For most, when I speak urgently and fervently about this great need to pray, most in the church are in full agreement with me on these things. I have never believed that their minds or hearts were hardened against prayer. But as has been revealed throughout 2000 years of church history, it is simply about steadfast, persevering, faithful, day in and day out just doing it! Prayer is hard for people. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Almost all agree it must be done, it needs to be done. but the reality is, that it is not done.
And because it has not been done, for a very long time, evil and sin have risen and increased and come in like a flood. Never have we seen it like this in our nation. and the church, who has the power of God through prevailing prayer can alter that and defeat that. But because we delay and disobey the heavenly calling of prayer, we forfeit the ground to Satan.
There are 672 hours in a 30 day month; 168 hours in a week; and what is being asked for in a month's time is 1 out of 672 hours to be given to corporate prayer.
Does this seem unreasonable? How much could be done in power of our Lord if we would just obey and do it. One hour of corporate prayer, not by 12 - 15% but by 85 - 90% engaged in
Until,
dan
Started: February 8, 2019
Continued: 2/9;
Finished:
No comments:
Post a Comment