Mike wrote:Is that your take on the meaning of "two or three are gathered together in my name..."?
But re prayer.
"5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, ENTER INTO THY CLOSET, and when thou hast SHUT THY DOOR, pray to thy Father which is IN SECRET; and thy Father which seeth IN SECRET shall reward thee openly. 7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him."
gess hoo wrote:The only folks you need to put together for prayers John is, God to listen, Jesus to mediate and the Holy Spirit, indwelling, that you may pray in the Spirit.Which means that it is a good job that they are omnipresent, ain't it John.
John UK wrote:If two go out to preach the gospel, should they pray together first or separately in their closets?
Feeblemind wrote:Any bible bereans....
This is most interesting stuff!
After all, we should not want to waste time mouthing words without purpose, especially if it involves disobedience. Now I do not yet understand exactly what prayer is, and I am willing to learn; but surely, as you say, our blueprint for it must come from the scriptural plan, not a tradition or other man-made concoction.
If two go out to preach the gospel, should they pray together first or separately in their closets?
[URL=http://www.christiandoctrine.net/doctrine/outlines/outline_00095_when_prayer_is_a_crutch_web.htm]]]when prayer is a crutch[/URL]
Any bible bereans intersted in reading the above and answering the points with scripture to show the necessity of a midweek corporate prayer meeting? Helps answer the topic.
John UK wrote:On New Years Eve at 11.00pm a friend and I began a time of prayer....
And although I know we can enjoy prayer meeting away from the church house, still that is the place where genuine fervent church-wide prayer meeting of much intercession ought to be going on as people humbly meet together IN HIS NAME to be about His business.
Pastors IMHO ought to repent big time and lead their congregations back to having a real prayer meeting. NOT a heartbreakingly worthless one as Paul Washer discribes here on SermonAudio in one of his messages.
There may be erroneous thinking that has contributed greatly to the prayerlessness of 'our churches' it is this: similar to pagans church members have wrongly looked at prayer as the means of getting what we want from God RATHER THAN looking at prayer as SERVING GOD coming to Him as His beloved children asking for His mercy, for Him to do what He longs to do in the lives of others...certainly that includes things such as their SALVATION and every right thing for their well being as their lives are delivered from Satan and into His perfect will.
As it turned out, the Lord drew near to us and filled us with his peace and joy, and drew us further into prayer. Even at 12.20am, neither of us really wanted to stop praying, because the fellowship of the Lord was so sweet.
Even the firecrackers did not interrupt this communion with God.
Question:
If two saints can be led of the Spirit into 50 minutes of prayer, why on earth does the local church only allow about 30mins of midweek prayer for between ten and eighty saints?
Is there no-one left on earth who takes prayer seriously? Or is the entire church so backslidden that prayer-meetings are become a mere form, an empty shell, a worship with the lips but with hearts far from God? A ritual no better than the Catholic Mass or the televangelist rant?
Beloved, I only say these things for encouragement; I learnt something on NYE - that if saints will discipline themselves to do some serious praying, God will take note and act.
Let's have longer PM's at church!!
To which I have to consider how many churches actually have a "church prayer meeting" and not just a prayer meeting at church for those who are not involved in other activities such as children and youth programs, choir practise, and a mid week Bible study?
