I'm about to say something about prayer that should get your ears pricked and your heart beating.
Prayer is essential to every Christian's walk with God; we know that. We speak of spending regular times with God in prayer. Pastors speak of spending time in devotions and being prayerful on all occassions.
I wonder though whether the church (especially in the west) is missing something. Something crucial.
I want to be frank with you right now. I don't seek to offend, but I want to lay a thought out on the line. Maybe you'll disagree, and that's probably good, because it means I just over stood the mark, and what I'm about to say is not true...
Here it is...
If we truly believed that our prayers could transform society, prayer meetings would be overflowing. 24/7 prayer rooms would be packed. Mountain tops would see Christians gathering. Homes would be places of consistent, faith-filled prayer. BUT! The fact is, that deep down we don't actually believe God really, really hears our prayers and that God intends to answer them. I mean, seriously, if we believed wholeheartedly that our commitment to intercessory prayer could change a circumstance, we would pray with greater hunger and tenacity. If people in our churches ACTUALLY believed God COULD heal the sick through THEIR prayers, you wouldn't have to pay them $100 to attend a prayer meeting (you hear my sarcasm, I'm sure).
There I've said my piece. We are missing a deep conviction inside of us, that believes God hears prayers.
Generally speaking, we don't need to convince each other, that God knows the end from the beginning. We don't even need to be reminded that God has plans and purposes for our lives. We've heard it continually. We know God loves us, and cares for us, and so on and so on.
Though do you believe deep down, that God wants you to pray, to fast, to 'press in', to cry out and intercede for your country and its people? If so, great. If not, it's time to change.
Prayer is essential to every Christian's walk with God; we know that. We speak of spending regular times with God in prayer. Pastors speak of spending time in devotions and being prayerful on all occassions.
I wonder though whether the church (especially in the west) is missing something. Something crucial.
I want to be frank with you right now. I don't seek to offend, but I want to lay a thought out on the line. Maybe you'll disagree, and that's probably good, because it means I just over stood the mark, and what I'm about to say is not true...
Here it is...
If we truly believed that our prayers could transform society, prayer meetings would be overflowing. 24/7 prayer rooms would be packed. Mountain tops would see Christians gathering. Homes would be places of consistent, faith-filled prayer. BUT! The fact is, that deep down we don't actually believe God really, really hears our prayers and that God intends to answer them. I mean, seriously, if we believed wholeheartedly that our commitment to intercessory prayer could change a circumstance, we would pray with greater hunger and tenacity. If people in our churches ACTUALLY believed God COULD heal the sick through THEIR prayers, you wouldn't have to pay them $100 to attend a prayer meeting (you hear my sarcasm, I'm sure).
There I've said my piece. We are missing a deep conviction inside of us, that believes God hears prayers.
Generally speaking, we don't need to convince each other, that God knows the end from the beginning. We don't even need to be reminded that God has plans and purposes for our lives. We've heard it continually. We know God loves us, and cares for us, and so on and so on.
Though do you believe deep down, that God wants you to pray, to fast, to 'press in', to cry out and intercede for your country and its people? If so, great. If not, it's time to change.
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