The Prayer Room…Words of knowledge/a series/ Proverbs 23:12: “Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to words of knowledge.” This morning as I am sitting here in front of our computer, the Lord has laid some words of knowledge upon my heart and I have been pondering these words and like David of old “as I mused, the fire burned.” It is burning now deep within my soul.
I want to address a situation that is extremely apparent to me and I’m wondering if some of you who I hope will take the time to read this feel as I do. This is primarily to Pentecostals although not exclusively. Is it me or do you feel the same way as I feel and that is the fact that so many of our Pentecostal churches are dwindling in size, that they are on a down hill slide? Our youth groups are very few in numbers and even our Sunday schools(or whatever name you want to call them by) are also dwindling even in this past year and there are great empty spaces? There seems to be a great falling away in most of our local churches with the exception of a few who offer some programs that appeal in whatever way to entice folks to attend. But are these programs what we need? A change in pastors often mean a drastic change in programs. And this is not meant in any way a criticism of pastor’s or church leaders. I well remember a time when the Sunday School dept. was the largest dept. of the church; when the youth groups were large groups.
It seems that the largest group these days are those whose hair is turning from grey to white like mine is or it is getting very thin like mine is (it’s the only part of me that is getting thin) So two responses to this situation comes to mind; what is the problem and what is the cure?
We are facing in my opinion the demise of many churches just like that which happened in many main line churches 40 to 50 years ago. When our movement was flourishing. I believe our movement was flourishing because of the prayer room. We need to reestablish the prayer rooms in Pentecost. The Holy Ghost was poured out on the day of Pentecost because the disciples had just spent 10 days in the prayer room. We used to pray as a congregation before service and after service in the prayer room. Saturday evening was spent in prayer in the prayer room. I remember so vividly my experience in receiving the mighty Baptism in the Holy Ghost in the prayer room. Let us reestablish the prayer room, first and foremost in our hearts and then in our homes and in our assemblies. It is the answer for today’s situations like family breakup, for deliverance from sinful habits, for whatever the need is. We need corporate prayer and we need to encourage one another through prayer and the best place for it is in the prayer room. It is the answer for any Bible believing church in our city and in our province and in our country. It doesn’t matter how young you are or how old you are, or whether you stand, sit, or lay prostrate on the floor. It only matters that we return to the prayer room and seek God together and offer up sweet incense to Him through our prayers.
Oh God, in the name of Jesus I pray, place it in our hearts the desire to return to the prayer room as a corporate body to pray.
I want to address a situation that is extremely apparent to me and I’m wondering if some of you who I hope will take the time to read this feel as I do. This is primarily to Pentecostals although not exclusively. Is it me or do you feel the same way as I feel and that is the fact that so many of our Pentecostal churches are dwindling in size, that they are on a down hill slide? Our youth groups are very few in numbers and even our Sunday schools(or whatever name you want to call them by) are also dwindling even in this past year and there are great empty spaces? There seems to be a great falling away in most of our local churches with the exception of a few who offer some programs that appeal in whatever way to entice folks to attend. But are these programs what we need? A change in pastors often mean a drastic change in programs. And this is not meant in any way a criticism of pastor’s or church leaders. I well remember a time when the Sunday School dept. was the largest dept. of the church; when the youth groups were large groups.
It seems that the largest group these days are those whose hair is turning from grey to white like mine is or it is getting very thin like mine is (it’s the only part of me that is getting thin) So two responses to this situation comes to mind; what is the problem and what is the cure?
We are facing in my opinion the demise of many churches just like that which happened in many main line churches 40 to 50 years ago. When our movement was flourishing. I believe our movement was flourishing because of the prayer room. We need to reestablish the prayer rooms in Pentecost. The Holy Ghost was poured out on the day of Pentecost because the disciples had just spent 10 days in the prayer room. We used to pray as a congregation before service and after service in the prayer room. Saturday evening was spent in prayer in the prayer room. I remember so vividly my experience in receiving the mighty Baptism in the Holy Ghost in the prayer room. Let us reestablish the prayer room, first and foremost in our hearts and then in our homes and in our assemblies. It is the answer for today’s situations like family breakup, for deliverance from sinful habits, for whatever the need is. We need corporate prayer and we need to encourage one another through prayer and the best place for it is in the prayer room. It is the answer for any Bible believing church in our city and in our province and in our country. It doesn’t matter how young you are or how old you are, or whether you stand, sit, or lay prostrate on the floor. It only matters that we return to the prayer room and seek God together and offer up sweet incense to Him through our prayers.
Oh God, in the name of Jesus I pray, place it in our hearts the desire to return to the prayer room as a corporate body to pray.
posted by Randall | 6:51 a.m.
3 Comments:
hi,Randall
I think you are right about the
prayer room. We are getting so use to watching the clock that the Paster will not go over the time even alittle bit.If people are there just because it is sunday and that is were they spend from 10AM. to 12 then why bother.
We need people who are willing to
spend the time praying for our
pastor and the service, we need to
start praying for our youth,for
young familys because they will be
the ones to take over from us old
folks.How will they keep sunday school and bible study groups going
if they never know what they are.
Programs will not keep them only
prayer will.We need to pray that they will get so hungery that they
will want to spend more time at chunch not less.
I am not just talking about the young, we have older members that
know how important prayer is and do not come to sunday school of bible study just because it will take up an hour of their time,but we also have our faithful ones that
can not get out to these things but
are home praying.Thank God. If we are able we should be going to every thing that is going on at chunch,and praying at home for our chunch family.
I totally agree with your post. I think that its just the day and age we are living in, unfortunately. There is too much going on and so little time......and it shouldnt be that way. If anything, we should be praying more to fight for our family, relationships and the world. I remember those days of prayer meetings too, Randall. I grew up going to them and there was nothing like them in the entire world. We used to say that we would just stay there and never go home. I remember feeling that way. I could just stay in His presence all night. We need that again, for sure. I also remember being at the church on a Sunday night til almost 11 pm and spending almost every day of the week at some kind of meeting at church. Im guilty of not attending as many meetings anymore because of the children, but thats not a good enough excuse. I think we all need to examine our hearts and Im sure Jesus will deal with the rest. Good blog Randall!!
How sad it is that we find it so unnecessary to spend time with our GOD.How sad this must make HIM...HE spends all his time carring for you & me....don't we care.....shouldn't we show HIM.
Coffee
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