Prayer

I heard a wonderful commentary on prayer today.  It was actually a sobering realization - that perhaps the American church is rather lukewarm - that perhaps we don't really believe that God can or will do what He says He can and will do.  I've always noticed that mid-week prayer meetings were some of the most poorly attended services at church, and many churches, including my own, do not have regular, organized prayer times any more.

But if we believe that prayer is our wonderful privilege and right as a child of God, what could keep us from Him?!  Charles Spurgeon said in his book Morning by Morning,  "Prayer is the struggling speech of the believing infant, the war cry of the fighting believer, and the requiem of the dying saint falling asleep in the arms of Jesus. It is the breath, the password, the comfort, the strength, and the privilege of a Christian."
Isn't that beautiful? You know, many times, our situations are not changed by our petition. But at the same time and just as equally often, our situations are changed and wonderfully so! Prayer is actually about God, and every time we pray, we have the opportunity to see God move on our behalf and for His glory.  It's amazing!

This year, 2013, the Moody Church has started a prayer blog to direct purposeful prayer, in unity. It's called "Pray with Me".  Here is the link: http://www.moodychurch.org/news/category/pray-with-me/.

What would this world, this country, this community ... my home ... look like if we prayed together? prayed in unity? prayed with understanding?

I mentioned hearing a great sermon at the top of this blog post.  It was Erwin Lutzer speaking at last year's Founder's Week at Moody.  The theme for that week was "the Hope Within Us". Dr. Lutzer's message is specifically entitled "Jesus at the Door".  In the sermon he purports that the church of Laodecia was self-deceived. In verse 17 of chapter 3, God says they are "not realizing", which Lutzer says means they were "blind to their true reality". Jesus says, you "know not that you are wretched and beggarly and ... blind".  He concludes that Jesus' perception of the church is totally different than ours.  Take a little time to listen to this sermon.  Wouldn't it be horrible if Christ said of our church that He feels squeezed out of our church and is on the outside knocking? Oh! no!! let's be humble and sincere. Let's return to our first love.  Here is the link to January 30 Today in the Word: http://www.moodyradio.org/brd_programtoday.aspx?id=35654