I have recently been reading Intelligent Church by Steve Chalke. How does a Church respond intelligently and biblically to our 21st century culture? The chapter I am currently reading asks, "does prayer make any difference?"Chalke quotes, E.M. Bounds, a Christian writer of a former era in affirming that prayer really makes a difference.
God has of his own motion placed himself under the law of prayer, and has obligated himself to answer the prayers of men. He has ordained prayer as a means whereby he will do things through men as they pray, which he would not otherwise do. If prayer puts God to work on earth, then by the same token, prayerlessness rules God out of the world's affairs, and prevents him from working. The driving power, the conquering force in God's cause is God himself."Call on me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not," is God's challenge to prayer. Prayer puts God in full force into God's work.
The language is archaic, but I think it reflects succinctly the biblical witness, that prayer makes a difference and significantly influences the outcome of events.
Tomorrow (Tuesday) is a special day of prayer for Hilton Church. There are designated times of prayer in the church at 7am, 12.30pm and from 8pm as part of our Stated Anual Meeting. These words by E.M. Bounds will be in my mind when I head to the church much earlier than usual tomorrow morning. Whether you make it to these times of prayer or not, I would encourage you to spend a little time praying for Hilton Church and its life and witness.
Pray that we will be an Intelligent Church, responding creatively and positively to our culture? Pray that we will be a dependent church, one which demonstrates and develops a sense of its dependence on God.
DMacP
1 comment:
Will definately keep your church and its witnessing in my prayers.
I have always realised the strength of prayer and none more so than recently. I have been quite ill and spent the last few weeks of last year in hospital and I truly believe that it has been through my own prayer and prayers from friends and family that we are getting through this. Gods answer to our prayers though is not often in the way we think it should or quick enough, and for many this is the hardest thing to cope with, but it is always there.
G
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