28/07/09 14:37
July 28, 2009
“Pray Without Ceasing”
Blessings Folk!!
As most you you know, we do a weekly, local television program called “Prayerline.” It is a “call-in” program...folk call us and we pray together.
You can watch previous episodes here…
http://www.wcqt.com
http://www.dalemoore.tv/page2/page2.html
One of our calls this week was particularly revealing.
It came at the very end of the program...only had a couple of minutes…you can view the call here...
...well...it is not ready yet…
...I’ll forward a link/post on facebook/youtube later...
There is so much to address...will do so over a couple of days…
First, she was recovering from an intense medical procedure.
This must be remembered.
Second, she had never viewed the program before.
Third, apparently she was being exposed to a “new style” of prayer…?
It is revealing that the first thing she desired to know is “what denomination you are.” Why do we always want to run to man-made distinctions and divisions rather than the Lord?
I do not pretend to know why she asked the question.
Perhaps she would have felt better if we were from her denomination...this is likely. Later in the brief conversation (which was a little confusing...had a bad connection) she mentioned her affiliation. I told her that I came from the same and was an alumni of the flagship seminary. Her vocal countenance and words softened.
Perhaps she wanted to a rationale for her feelings of “being offended”…
I don’t know.
But this I do know.
She associated prayer with a particular environment and behavior.
In and of itself there is nothing wrong with that.
But, if we take the next step and take offense on behalf of God then we have a problem.
(Never allow yourself to “be offended” on behalf of God.)
Prayer is simply conversation and communion with God.
This particular program is very conversational...we speak with God as we are speaking with one another...we take notes as we pray...check the internet prayer requests as we pray…we pray with our eyes open...we pray with our eyes closed.
She thought we were being irreverent and flippant in prayer.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
We know that in the Lord we live and breath and have our very being.
Yes, there is a time to pray “in the closet.”
Yes, there is a time to pray “on the mountaintop.”
Yes, there is a time to pray corporately in quietness.
Yes, there is a time to pray corporately...loudly...all at once...every voice lifting up his voice unto the Lord.
The Lord says it best…
“Pray Without Ceasing”
Blessings Folk!!
As most you you know, we do a weekly, local television program called “Prayerline.” It is a “call-in” program...folk call us and we pray together.
You can watch previous episodes here…
http://www.wcqt.com
http://www.dalemoore.tv/page2/page2.html
One of our calls this week was particularly revealing.
It came at the very end of the program...only had a couple of minutes…you can view the call here...
...well...it is not ready yet…
...I’ll forward a link/post on facebook/youtube later...- the lady had never viewed the program before…glad she joined us...
- she told us that she was recovering from a particular medical procedure…
- she then asked what “denomination” we were...
- she then proceeded to tell us that we were being flippant/irreverent in prayer and therefore she was offended..
There is so much to address...will do so over a couple of days…
First, she was recovering from an intense medical procedure.
This must be remembered.
Second, she had never viewed the program before.
Third, apparently she was being exposed to a “new style” of prayer…?
It is revealing that the first thing she desired to know is “what denomination you are.” Why do we always want to run to man-made distinctions and divisions rather than the Lord?
I do not pretend to know why she asked the question.
Perhaps she would have felt better if we were from her denomination...this is likely. Later in the brief conversation (which was a little confusing...had a bad connection) she mentioned her affiliation. I told her that I came from the same and was an alumni of the flagship seminary. Her vocal countenance and words softened.
Perhaps she wanted to a rationale for her feelings of “being offended”…
I don’t know.
But this I do know.
She associated prayer with a particular environment and behavior.
In and of itself there is nothing wrong with that.
But, if we take the next step and take offense on behalf of God then we have a problem.
(Never allow yourself to “be offended” on behalf of God.)
Prayer is simply conversation and communion with God.
This particular program is very conversational...we speak with God as we are speaking with one another...we take notes as we pray...check the internet prayer requests as we pray…we pray with our eyes open...we pray with our eyes closed.
She thought we were being irreverent and flippant in prayer.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
We know that in the Lord we live and breath and have our very being.
Yes, there is a time to pray “in the closet.”
Yes, there is a time to pray “on the mountaintop.”
Yes, there is a time to pray corporately in quietness.
Yes, there is a time to pray corporately...loudly...all at once...every voice lifting up his voice unto the Lord.
The Lord says it best…
1 Thess 5:17
Pray without ceasing.
KJV
Every word we speak has power.
Power to bless, or, power to curse.
Let us choose today to speak forth only the blessing of the Lord.
Pray, without ceasing.
Blessings!
Today’s reading from the “So That’s Why?” Bible consists of pp. 1149-1154. Press on.