SERMON - PRAY IN CHURCH, AT HOME AND, IN PRIVATE

Pray in Church,

At Home and,

In Private

I have sent several sermons out with the subject of those sermons being ‘prayer.’ Each of us has a reason to testify to the power of prayer. Prayers are powerful and are our way of giving praise, worship, thanks, and showing our love to God. They are also our way of making known our needs and voicing our petitions to God. We pray in church, in our homes with family, and we are to pray in private. Prayer is to be continual and given to our Lord with the confidence of getting an answer.

Many fail to see an answer when it is given. The answer may be ‘yes,’ or ‘no’ or ‘in My time.’ Whatever the answer, you can rest assured your prayer will be answered.

In these days, when more and more people that refuse to acknowledge God as their Lord and Master, we often are asked to prove His existence. This demand of proof is always voiced with a great deal of derision and disdain for our feelings. The asking for proof of God’s existence is nothing new. Throughout the Bible there were many that demanded proof. Even when such proof was given, by God Himself, the proof was denied as to the existence of God.

Look at the Pharaoh of Egypt. He demanded proof of God’s existence to rely upon to free Israel. No plague, drought, infestation or any hardship could change his mind even though he was advised ‘before hand’ that God would indeed visit such malaise upon him and his nation.

Even earlier when God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah He had advised of the power of His wrath to be unleashed unless lives were changed. We all know the results that ensued.

As a community, in what is identified as ‘corporate prayer,’ we pray as a group in church services. The church gatherings result in charitable acts, sharing of testimonies, learning God’s Word and a place of fellowship. What is often missed is the fact that a church is first and foremost to be a ‘house of prayer.’ All too often prayer time is limited to a time schedule and done in such a manner as to confuse the new Christian in attendance.

Prayer in a church gathering is not the place to pray as you voice your failures and anguish of your weaknesses and is certainly not the place to tell of your sinful lusts and pleas voicing repentance. Prayers in church are to be prayers of praise, thanksgiving and prayers for understanding. Prayers in a church gathering are to be communal prayers. Prayers for healing are strong when voiced with the Elders of the gathering.

Then there are prayers we voice in a family situation. All too often family prayers are only offered at meal times or in times of great need. Prayers in a family setting should be offered as frequently as possible without being overbearing. I say this as I have witness a family praying with the prayer being intoned seemingly for the purpose of my hearing it! Prayer is to God and, not to be seen as voiced as proof of worthiness.

Recently I had occasion to pray with my wife for her health purposes. Her statement to me was, “Immediately after we prayed I felt under God’s protection and lost my fears.” I am one that is in prayer constantly and her statement resulted in my saying, “I know God is with us and will fulfill our every need.” Then I asked her, “Did you remember to thank Him?” Happily her answer was “Yes.”

There is an old adage…”A family that prays together stays together.” Trust in the Lord, He rewards His faithful. Pray as a family unit and make sure to allow your spouse and children to voice their wishes and prayers as well. What better time could you imagine to have a child learn how to communicate with God? It is a sad fact that very few Christian families pray together as a unit. Establish a time, daily, and sit at your dining table, join hands and enter into prayer. Make sure to say a ‘thank You’ for gifts received.

The place to pray your prayers and confessions of wrongdoings is a place where you are alone. Just you and God are to be involved and this is your time alone with God.

Matthew 6:6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you and pray in secret. Then your Father who knows all your secrets will reward you.

The thing to remember is that praying to God, when alone with Him; everything is between you and God. You must realize that He knows your every secret and you can hide nothing from Him. Voice your intents to repent and sincerely mean them. Confession is good for your soul and you can rest assured He will forgive your every trespass. As I have said before and I repeat…there is but one sin our Heavenly Father will not forgive and that sin is ‘blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.’

We all must realize that even when we are faced with situations of illness, pain, danger and hardship, we cannot place blame on God for these travails. We must…I repeat MUST place our faith in God and rely on His mercy. No situation, however seemingly dire, can be allowed to come between us and God. Pain and suffering are temporary, God’s love is eternal.

(Closing prayer)

Almighty God, our Redeemer, our strength and love comes from You. Lord we thank You for all that You give us and pray that we be made worthy of all that You provide.

Father, when we come to You each day of prayer, we ask that You accept our praise and our worship and grant us peace with our fellow Christians and peace from those that doubt You as well. Allow us the wisdom to deal with such people and the words to sow the seed and Good News so as to enlighten their hearts and minds. Lord, water the seed we have sown.

There are so very many that demand we show proof of Your being. Lord, grant us the wisdom to deal with such demands so as to be seen as people of faith and true Christians.

Lord, there are those amongst us that need Your powers and enlightenment to properly speak with You. Grant us those needs so that when we enter into Your mighty presence we are there as servants seen as worthy of You and Your love.

Lord, we thank You  for Your many blessings and for the love You have bestowed upon us.

We pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ, who is One with You and the Holy Spirit, One God forever and ever,

Amen. Amen and amen.

-- 

Pastor Lee S Gliddon Jr
God's Word Christian Ministry
Conservative Patriot http://conpats.blogspot.com