This week has not been a favorite of mine. So far, three days of it have been spent mostly horizontal on the couch; sipping hot tea, missing work, canceling plans, and feeling so ineffective and powerless for the Kingdom of God. But, at the same time it’s been the most exciting week. No, being sick is not exciting, but what a joy it’s been reading through each devotion and taking a deep dive with all of you into the Lord’s Prayer. I’m so thankful that prayer can be done anywhere and anytime. There is great power in the body of believers who are praying, and it’s vital that we pray for one another.
Charles Spurgeon recognized that the prayers of God’s people were essential. It’s been said that Spurgeon would give tours of his church building where the visitors would find saints gathered in the basement praying. It was there that Spurgeon would delight in calling these intercessors the “powerhouse”, “the furnace,” “the boiler room”. He said that “a prayerful church is a powerful church”. You see, in Spurgeon’s day, steam was the main power source and boiler rooms were powerhouses that drove everything from home heating systems to enormous machines in factories. While boiler rooms were never the most glamorous part of a building, they were absolutely essential.
Oh the power of prayer. I do want to draw attention to something that Jesus is very clear about. There is a kind of prayer that has no power at all. In Matthew 6:5-8, Jesus says, “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”
It is so beautiful that Jesus continued with verses 9-13 and provided a biblical pattern; one that is shaped by scripture, shapes our hearts, and reinforces the church: “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one."
The Bible is filled with scriptures and directives for intercessory prayer; praying for leaders, for enemies, for friends, for others; salvation, unity, faith, wisdom, health, healing, guidance, hope, peace, strength, forgiveness, protection, provision, and revival. In some mysterious and powerful way, God uses our prayers to accomplish his will. Through our prayers, he shows his power in the world around us, for His Glory!
I hope that you, like I, have been encouraged and spurred on to pray. Let’s be a church that prays at all times and for one another. I need prayer and I need to be praying. How about you?
Did you know that every Tuesday, the Pastors and staff pray over your requests? Why? Because we believe in the power of prayer! At the Sunday gathering we are all reminded to fill out a prayer request on a connection card. Do it! And then set a timer for 10:00am every Tuesday and join us in spirit as we pray boldly and expectantly for one another.
Charles Spurgeon recognized that the prayers of God’s people were essential. It’s been said that Spurgeon would give tours of his church building where the visitors would find saints gathered in the basement praying. It was there that Spurgeon would delight in calling these intercessors the “powerhouse”, “the furnace,” “the boiler room”. He said that “a prayerful church is a powerful church”. You see, in Spurgeon’s day, steam was the main power source and boiler rooms were powerhouses that drove everything from home heating systems to enormous machines in factories. While boiler rooms were never the most glamorous part of a building, they were absolutely essential.
Oh the power of prayer. I do want to draw attention to something that Jesus is very clear about. There is a kind of prayer that has no power at all. In Matthew 6:5-8, Jesus says, “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”
It is so beautiful that Jesus continued with verses 9-13 and provided a biblical pattern; one that is shaped by scripture, shapes our hearts, and reinforces the church: “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one."
The Bible is filled with scriptures and directives for intercessory prayer; praying for leaders, for enemies, for friends, for others; salvation, unity, faith, wisdom, health, healing, guidance, hope, peace, strength, forgiveness, protection, provision, and revival. In some mysterious and powerful way, God uses our prayers to accomplish his will. Through our prayers, he shows his power in the world around us, for His Glory!
I hope that you, like I, have been encouraged and spurred on to pray. Let’s be a church that prays at all times and for one another. I need prayer and I need to be praying. How about you?
Did you know that every Tuesday, the Pastors and staff pray over your requests? Why? Because we believe in the power of prayer! At the Sunday gathering we are all reminded to fill out a prayer request on a connection card. Do it! And then set a timer for 10:00am every Tuesday and join us in spirit as we pray boldly and expectantly for one another.