Praying with Purpose
The Lord has been dealing with me in the area of my prayer life. For someone who used to do a lot of praying, I have come up somewhat lacking. I figured with all of the extra time I had, I would be an awesome prayer warrior. This lasted for a short time. Not because I was that busy. It was just because I was in a rut. I get up in the morning to start Matt's coffee, go back to bed and get up right before he leaves and then when he leaves, I turn on the TV and listen to the ministries all from the couch or I go back to bed. The Lord said I needed to step it up a notch. While I was at the Women's Conference at church the pastors daughter was speaking about, how growing up their family prayed together at night before going to bed, they gathered in the living room to pray and how she has continued that with her own family. I thought I used to do that, but I have gotten lazy about that, now I just watch the news and head for bed and IF I think about it I say a prayer in the bed. That isn't good enough.
Monday when I called a friend of mine, she said that the Lord had impressed on her to pray about a situation at the church she goes to. She was going to walk around the church to pray. That Monday it was cold, so she didn't do it and as she began to talk the Lord said this is your oppertunity to pray with a purpose and also to get some exercise. So I mentioned to her that I would go with her. I could go everyday but Tuesday, because I had class. She had mentioned going about 11AM. Perfect!!!
In praying about how to pray for the situation. She had told me about I kept coming across a verse in Revelation to the church of Ephesus "I know thy works and thy patience and how thou canst not bear them which are evil, and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles and are not, and has found them liars, and has borne and hast patience and for My name's sake hast laboured and hast not fainted. Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love." I find that a lot of churches have lost their first love, their vision. Church is not a country club for saints or for the wealthy, it is a filling station for the saints, so they can go into all the world and preach and teach to gospel to those who have lost their way, to those who are brokenhearted and hurting, to those who are discouraged. We need to conduct ourselves better than those in the world do. Church is not a place where back room deals are made so you can serve on a committee, so you can get your way , because you have influence in the community. Or because you want to impress the pastor so you can be appointed to a higher position. Church isn't about you anyway. It's about Jesus.
Today's church is in a sad state, because they have the answer. God will move in any situation when God's people unite together in prayer. We want to handle things in our own strength. God's strength is made perfect in our weakness. There are people in church that truly have a servant's heart to do God's will. There are also others who feel that life has not afforded them the social status they want, so they use the church as a means of making them feel important. Then there are others who because of their social status think they can run the church as their private corporation. When either of these things happen people are hurt, cast aside as nothing, unless they agree with thoughts of the one who has placed themselves in charge. You must remember, church is not about you, it's about Jesus. You are not in charge, God is. Changes will come, by prayer and fasting.
As we pray about this church and others, let's pray that God's will is done in each of them. Not say it's God's will because it is the popular decision. I am glad that my friend contacted me. It kind of gave me a purpose and a cause to pray. Lets continue to pray for our nation, as well as the body of Christ.
Monday when I called a friend of mine, she said that the Lord had impressed on her to pray about a situation at the church she goes to. She was going to walk around the church to pray. That Monday it was cold, so she didn't do it and as she began to talk the Lord said this is your oppertunity to pray with a purpose and also to get some exercise. So I mentioned to her that I would go with her. I could go everyday but Tuesday, because I had class. She had mentioned going about 11AM. Perfect!!!
In praying about how to pray for the situation. She had told me about I kept coming across a verse in Revelation to the church of Ephesus "I know thy works and thy patience and how thou canst not bear them which are evil, and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles and are not, and has found them liars, and has borne and hast patience and for My name's sake hast laboured and hast not fainted. Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love." I find that a lot of churches have lost their first love, their vision. Church is not a country club for saints or for the wealthy, it is a filling station for the saints, so they can go into all the world and preach and teach to gospel to those who have lost their way, to those who are brokenhearted and hurting, to those who are discouraged. We need to conduct ourselves better than those in the world do. Church is not a place where back room deals are made so you can serve on a committee, so you can get your way , because you have influence in the community. Or because you want to impress the pastor so you can be appointed to a higher position. Church isn't about you anyway. It's about Jesus.
Today's church is in a sad state, because they have the answer. God will move in any situation when God's people unite together in prayer. We want to handle things in our own strength. God's strength is made perfect in our weakness. There are people in church that truly have a servant's heart to do God's will. There are also others who feel that life has not afforded them the social status they want, so they use the church as a means of making them feel important. Then there are others who because of their social status think they can run the church as their private corporation. When either of these things happen people are hurt, cast aside as nothing, unless they agree with thoughts of the one who has placed themselves in charge. You must remember, church is not about you, it's about Jesus. You are not in charge, God is. Changes will come, by prayer and fasting.
As we pray about this church and others, let's pray that God's will is done in each of them. Not say it's God's will because it is the popular decision. I am glad that my friend contacted me. It kind of gave me a purpose and a cause to pray. Lets continue to pray for our nation, as well as the body of Christ.
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