Sunday Morning Prayer
Last Sunday, Will Hagen gave a testimony on praying before service on Sunday mornings. Please read his words below and consider joining him on Sundays starting at 9:15 in the Prayer Room.
For several years now I have had the privilege of meeting with a small group each Sunday morning for prayer. We pray for many things, including thanksgiving for God's care for our church, prayer for the spread of the gospel in our nation and in our city, prayer for the missionaries we support, prayer for our government leaders and for other churches. But among these other things, our main focus of prayer is that we would encounter the Lord and experience the joy of his presence during our Sunday meetings. One of my common requests is that we walk out of these doors different from when we walked in, meaning that God would change us more and more into his image each Sunday—through encountering him in worship, in the teaching of his word, in the fellowship of the saints and through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
I want to briefly share 2 thoughts about why prayer is necessary:
1. Prayer changes God. Prayer prompts God to action that he would not otherwise take if we didn't ask him to. We see a pattern in scripture where a) God determines every one of his actions according to his sovereign will, b) he reveals his will to his people, c) his people pray that he would act according to his will, and then d) he answers their prayer. Why does a sovereign God choose to operate this way? I don't know, but scripture makes it clear that there are things God simply will not do without being asked. James tells us that “You do not have because you do not ask.” Charles Spurgeon says, “Whether we like it or not, asking is the rule of the kingdom. If you may have everything by asking in his name, and nothing without asking, I beg you to see how absolutely vital prayer is.” If we want to see God move on Sunday mornings, people saved, hearts changed, bodies healed, lives transformed and needs met, we need to ask God for these things.
2. Prayer changes us. Prayer attunes us to be aware of what God is saying and doing. We need our hearts to be prepared to encounter God on Sunday mornings. What would our worship be like if the band didn't prepare and practice beforehand? They would just get up on stage and make a joyful noise....or maybe not so joyful, just noise! What if Matthew didn't prepare his sermons beforehand but just got up and shared whatever came to mind? There's no telling what would come out of his mouth! In the same way, we need to prepare our hearts to listen, see and act on what God is doing. More often than not, I walk out of our prayer time on Sunday mornings and see God moving in ways I would otherwise miss if we hadn't just prayed.
In closing, I want to invite you to pray with us as you are able each Sunday morning beginning at 9:15 until about 9:45 in the prayer room just to the right of the center doors to the auditorium. Many people are busy with other responsibilities, so don't feel like you have to stay the whole time if you aren't able to. It's perfectly fine to slip in and slip out as needed.
Let me finish with another Spurgeon quote: “Believe me, if a church does not pray, it is dead. Instead of putting united prayer last, put it first. Everything will hinge upon the power of prayer in the church.”