I want to repeat a statement I made Sunday morning. Prayer is the chief occupation of the church. Four times the Bible refers to God’s house as a house of prayer. Of course, the Church is given other important ministry functions to fulfill. But nowhere is the Church called the house of worship, the house of teaching, or the house of counseling. Those are all essential ministries of the Church. But the outstanding ministry is that of prayer.
Don’t misunderstand me. I am not saying that the Church should scrap all other ministries and do nothing but pray 24/7. I am saying that ministry without prayer is an exercise in futility. Sure, we can busy ourselves with every ministry under the Sun. But if we fail to pray, we become like those of whom Paul spoke in 2 Timothy 3:5, “Having a form of godliness but denying its power.”
I think we would all agree that the world of today is quickly approaching that of Noah’s day, “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth” (Genesis 6:5). We all realize that the spiritual and moral condition of our country is deteriorating rapidly. If you think a certain politician or political party is going to fix it, you better think again. Our cities are in trouble. Families are in trouble. God-ordained institutions are under unprecedented attack.
And yet in the midst of it all stands the Church of Jesus Christ. This spiritual bastion is the world’s only hope in the same way Abraham was Lot’s only hope. Lot had left the godly home of his uncle Abraham and pitched his tent toward Sodom. Moving to the twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot prospered and was assimilated into the pagan society. And yet Peter tells us that Lot was distressed by the depraved conduct of the wicked.
So great were the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah that God determined to wipe the cities off the face of the earth. Knowing of the impending judgment, Abraham began to intercede for Lot and his family. As a result of the fervent prayers of Abraham, God agreed to spare the cities if ten righteous people could be found. But so great was the wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah that not even ten righteous could be found. God delivered Lot and his family for Abraham’s sake, then rained down fire and brimstone, destroying the cities and all the inhabitants.
If the intercession of one righteous man could have saved those cities, what could the intercessory prayers of many righteous people accomplish? How might our united prayers impact our country? How might they change the course of events for the better? How might they alter policy and legislation? How might they affect court decisions? How might prayer impact your own family? Think about it. What could happen if the Church took seriously its chief occupation and gave itself to prayer? What could happen if only we would pray?
The Bible tells us what will happen, “If My people who 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 will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).
It’s time to pray!
Pastor Todd Weston
Don’t misunderstand me. I am not saying that the Church should scrap all other ministries and do nothing but pray 24/7. I am saying that ministry without prayer is an exercise in futility. Sure, we can busy ourselves with every ministry under the Sun. But if we fail to pray, we become like those of whom Paul spoke in 2 Timothy 3:5, “Having a form of godliness but denying its power.”
I think we would all agree that the world of today is quickly approaching that of Noah’s day, “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth” (Genesis 6:5). We all realize that the spiritual and moral condition of our country is deteriorating rapidly. If you think a certain politician or political party is going to fix it, you better think again. Our cities are in trouble. Families are in trouble. God-ordained institutions are under unprecedented attack.
And yet in the midst of it all stands the Church of Jesus Christ. This spiritual bastion is the world’s only hope in the same way Abraham was Lot’s only hope. Lot had left the godly home of his uncle Abraham and pitched his tent toward Sodom. Moving to the twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot prospered and was assimilated into the pagan society. And yet Peter tells us that Lot was distressed by the depraved conduct of the wicked.
So great were the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah that God determined to wipe the cities off the face of the earth. Knowing of the impending judgment, Abraham began to intercede for Lot and his family. As a result of the fervent prayers of Abraham, God agreed to spare the cities if ten righteous people could be found. But so great was the wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah that not even ten righteous could be found. God delivered Lot and his family for Abraham’s sake, then rained down fire and brimstone, destroying the cities and all the inhabitants.
If the intercession of one righteous man could have saved those cities, what could the intercessory prayers of many righteous people accomplish? How might our united prayers impact our country? How might they change the course of events for the better? How might they alter policy and legislation? How might they affect court decisions? How might prayer impact your own family? Think about it. What could happen if the Church took seriously its chief occupation and gave itself to prayer? What could happen if only we would pray?
The Bible tells us what will happen, “If My people who 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 will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).
It’s time to pray!
Pastor Todd Weston
