(A Praying Church)

Acts 12:1-5 (GW) About that time King Herod devoted his

attention to mistreating certain members of the church.

[2] He had James, the brother of John, executed.

[3] When he saw how this pleased the Jews, he arrested Peter

too. This happened during the days of Unleavened Bread.

[4] After capturing Peter, Herod had him thrown into prison with

sixteen soldiers in squads of four to guard him. Herod wanted to

bring Peter to trial in front of the people after Passover.

[5] So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was praying very

hard to God for him

THE WORD OF GOD FOR THE PEOPLE

OF GOD

VERY BRIEFLY I WANT TO REASON

WITH YOU ON THE THOUGHT

(A PRAYING CHURCH)

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS IF THERE HAS EVER BEEN A TIME

WHEN WE AS A BOBY OF BAPTIZE BELIEVERS NEED TO BE PRAYING

NOW IS THE TIME

WITH THE SINFUL CONDITIONS OF THIS

SIN SICK WORLD WE ARE LIVING IN

IT`S PRAYING TIME

BECAUSE PRAYER IS A KEY INGREDIENT

IN THE CHURCH RELATIONSHIP WITH

GOD

BECAUSE PRAYER IS HOW THE CHURCH

COMMUNICATE WITH A HOLY AND

DIVINE GOD

AND WITHOUT PRAY THERE CAN BE EFFECTIVE

COMMUNICATION

AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND

THAT IN THE EARLY CHURCH THAT CORPORATE PRAYER WAS THE STANDARD

AND THE EARLY CHURCH GIVES US AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THE CHURCH SHOULD BE TODAY

I KNOW TIME AND METHODS HAVE CHANGE

BUT GOD`S INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING THE CHURCH STILL REMAINS THE SAME

YOU SEE WE HAVE GOTTEN SO CAUGHT

UP IN ANNUAL DAYS AND FUND RAISERS AND SELLING CHICKEN PLATES

THAT WE WANDERED FAR AWAY FROM

THE EXAMPLE THE EARLY CHURCH SET

BEFORE US

THERE USE TO BE A TIME THAT WE`RE

EXCITED ABOUT COMING TO PRAYER

MEETING

BUT NOW THE ONLY TIME WE COME IS WHEN

ADVERSITY SHOWS UP IN OUR LIVES

BUT I REMEMBER AS A LITTLE BOY HOW

SOME OF THE OLD SAINTS

WHOSE GONE ONTO GLORY WOULD MEET FROM

HOUSE TO HOUSE FOR A OLD FASHION

PRAYER MEETING

AND WHEN THEY CAME TOGETHER

THEY DID`NT COME TO JAW JACK AND GOSSIP AND TALK SOMEONE DOWN

BUT THEY WOULD GET DOWN ON THERE

KNEES AND LIFT THERE HEARTS TOWARD HEAVEN AND PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER

THERE CHURCHES AND THERE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE

AND THE REASON WHY IS

THEY KNEW THAT IF THEY HAD A HEART TO PRAY THAT HEAVEN HAD AN EAR TO HEAR

AND THAT THE PRAYERS OF THE RIGHTEOUS AVAILETH MUCH

BUT NOW WE ARE LIVING IN A DAY AND

TIME THAT THE ONLY TIME WE MEET IN

EACH OTHERS HOMES

IS TO PLOT SCHEME AND TALK ONE ANOTHER

DOWN

INSTEAD OF GETTING DOWN ON OUR KNEES

PETITIONING GOD AND LIFTING OUR

BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST UP

BEFORE THE LORD IN PRAYER

BUT IN THE TEXT BEFORE US WE FIND A

PRAYING CHURCH

A CHURCH THAT PRAYED UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPEN

AND YOU DO KNOW THAT PRAYER CHANGES THINGS

AND THAT IT`S POWER IN PRAYER

CAN I B0RROW A SKINNY MINUTE AN

TELL YOU WHAT I`M TALKING ABOUT

YOU SEE

MOSES PRAYED AND GOD SPARED

ISRAEL FROM JUDGEMENT

JOSHUA PRAYED AND GOD MADE THE

SUN STAND STILL

SOLOMON PRAYED AND GOD GAVE HIM

WISDOM

JONAH PRAYED AND GOD DELIVERED

HIM OUT OF THE BELLY OF THE BIG

FISH

IT`S POWER IN PRAYER

BECAUSE PRAYER IS A VEICHILE THAT

GOD USES TO CHANGE AND TRANFORM

OUR LIVES

AND I NEED TO PULL OVER AND DROP A

PRAISE TOKEN IN THE PRAISE METER

AND LET YOU KNOW THAT IF YOU WANT

TO SEE THE CHURCH YOU ATTEND

GROW AND BE A PRAYING CHURCH IN

2018

YOU NEED TO QUIT FOCUSING ON WHAT

EVERYBODY ELSE IS NOT DOING

AND HELP THE CAUSE BY BECOMING A

PRAYING MEMBER YOURSELF

IN OTHER WORDS YOU NEED TO SEND

UP SOME TIMBER

AND GET SOME BEND KNEE IN YOUR

LIFE

AND I DID`NT SAY BEND GAY - I SAID

BEND KNEE

I`M REMINDED OF A STORY OF A LITTLE

OLD LADY THAT CAME TO HER PASTOR

AND SAID

BROTHER PREACHER WHAT ARE WE

GOING TO DO ABOUT ALL THESE VISION

FIGHTERS AND COMPLAINERS IN THE

CHURCH

THE OLD PREACHER RUB HIS HEAD AND

LOOK AT THE OLD SISTER AND SAID

SISTER THE ONLY THING I CAN TELL

YOU IS THAT

WE GOING TO HAVE TO GET A LOT MORE BEND KNEE IN OUR DAILY WALK WITH THE LORD

THE OLD SISTER SAID BEND KNEE

WHERE DO YOU BUY THAT AT

THE OLD PREACHER TOLD HER SISTER

YOU CAN`T BUY IT IT`S A GIFT FROM GOD

AND ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GET DOWN

ON YOUR BENDING KNEES AND HAVE A

LITTLE TALK WITH JESUS

AND TELL HIM ALL ABOUT YOUR TROUBLES

AND I WONDER IF THERES ANY PRAYER

WARRIORS IN THE HOUSE WHO WILL TESTIFY