Praying for the Church

[Kansasdad]

When you look at how God teaches us to pray in the bible it is almost always about praying for the believers, not about praying for the un-believers. A strong message is that we are to get the Church body right with God and then God will call the un-believer to the church. If we are right with God, the un-believer will want to have what we have. The best way to "recruit" is to spend more time with God, and leave the recruiting to God. Being HIS vessel not the self serving vessel of man. What do you think?

God Bless,

Kansas Dad

[yomotalking]

When you look at how God teaches us to pray in the bible it is almost always about praying for the believers, not about praying for the un-believers.  A strong message is that we are to get the Church body right with God and then God will call the un-believer to the church.  If we are right with God, the un-believer will want to have what we have.  The best way to "recruit" is to spend more time with God, and leave the recruiting to God.  Being HIS vessel not the self serving vessel of man.  What do you think?

God Bless,

Kansas Dad

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes...it's food for thought, isn't it.

And yes...praying for the Church is important.

It strengtens it.

And God is pleased, when His Church is strengthened.

[Christ's Free Servant]

When you look at how God teaches us to pray in the bible it is almost always about praying for the believers, not about praying for the un-believers.  A strong message is that we are to get the Church body right with God and then God will call the un-believer to the church.  If we are right with God, the un-believer will want to have what we have.  The best way to "recruit" is to spend more time with God, and leave the recruiting to God.  Being HIS vessel not the self serving vessel of man.  What do you think?

God Bless,

Kansas Dad

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There is a passage of scripture the Lord spoke to me through recently that kind of answers this question. It is the one about the fishermen who were fishing all night but caught nothing and then Jesus told them where to throw their nets, and Peter's response was that they had been fishing all night, "but because you say so we will do it," or something like that. And, the result was that they caught more fish than their boats could hold. They were professional fishermen, only in their own strength they were not able to catch anything that night. Not until they threw their nets where Jesus said to throw them did they catch any fish and then it was Jesus who provided the fish, not them.

We are commanded to go and "make disciples," and that when the Holy Spirit comes upon us that we shall be witnesses, but I don't know of anywhere that it tells us it is our responsibility to bring in the fish. Our job is just to throw our nets where HE tells us to throw them and it is HIS responsibility to supply the fish. If we are being obedient to the Lord people will notice, but that is no guarantee of "fish." We just have to do what God tells us to do and leave the results in his hands. And, yes, we need to be praying for the church very much, because we don't see a lot of separation between the church and the world anymore which is why "fishing" has been kind of a lost art. But, the Lord will supply the fish when he is ready if we are just willing to obey him in whatever he asks us to do. His timing is perfect!

[kittylover0991]

Amen! I must say, yes we really do need to be praying for our churches, and for our pastors, and the members of our churches that they woudl grow in the Lord and not to try and conform to this world.

ANd servant.. i can;' resist.. they said "At thy word, i will let down teh net".. it was the theme at our missions conference about a year ago

God will provide the fish. We need to be planting the seed, and God will give the increase. We need people to sow, and people to reep.

Oh yes, being an example of the believer, we must, for if we dont', they will just say we are a bunch of hypocrites like the rest of them

We need to be praying for the saved in our churches.. and we need to be praying for the Lost

[jesussaves]

Yes, we need to be holding each other up in prayer as the Word says in

Ephesians 6:18, "praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perserverance and supplication for the saints."

That was written right in there with putting on the whole armor of God. We have an adversary. We need to pray without ceasing for the Church, eg. Body of Christ.

Jesus told us to pray that we enter not into temptation in Mark 14:38, Luke 22:40.

In Matthew 6:9-13, we are given the model prayer. Jesus uses our and us to let us know we are not just praying for ourselves individually, but for each other as well.

In Mark 11:24, the Lord tells us," ...whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them." So, when we pray, in Jesus name, earnestly and fervently for the salvation of someone, we can expect the Lord to move in their lives. The Lord was teaching on mountain moving faith here.

Jesus told us to pray for the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers in

Luke 10: 2.

In James we are told that if any is afflected let him pray. Look at Paul and Silus as they sat in chains. They prayed and offered up songs to the Lord.

And ofcourse we need to always pray for the sick, those who have needs and those in bondage.

There is something we need to make sure of when we pray. If we have sin in our life or have anything against anyone, we need to forgive them before we pray and ask the Lord to forgive us.

2Chronicles 7:14 'If My people, which are called by My name will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and forgive their sin, and heal their land."

We are admonished to love and pray for our enemies, in Matthew 5:44.

There are also those times that the Holy Ghost will impress upon us to pray for a certain thing. It is very clear at those times that we will see exactly what we pray for come to pass.

Living in an attitude of prayer, communicating with the Lord all through the day, is the place that our faith begins to flurish like the mustard seed. And it is the place that we can lay it all at the Lord's feet. Sometimes we have to press in hard.

"The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." James 5:16

Know what is truly amazing. James uses Elijah as his example of effectual, fervent prayer. (James 5:17-18). Elijah prayed until he saw his prayer come to pass. He was looking for the answer before he it came into view. (1Kings 18:44)

"Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not yet seen."

Yes, we need to pray always for the church. We need to pray in an attitude of expectancy, knowing that our God is an Awesome God, and He hears and answers our prayers.

In all things, Father, Thy will be done.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

[Artemus Prime]

Agreed...and I would submit to you that the problem is not that there's not enough "answered" prayer; rather, that there's not enough offered prayer...

AP

[kittylover0991]

Amen Artemus!