Thursday, September 17, 2015

“…let this be the first rule: that we be disposed in mind and heart as befits those who enter conversation with God.”  John Calvin

“The key to good lawyering is sincerity. Once you can fake that, you have it made…”

Authentic. Genuine. Real. 

Such terms that are bandied about when we discuss religion, faith, and worship. It brings to mind Francis Schaeffer’s “true truth”, expressing the need, in these days of debased language, to further define an otherwise clear term. 

But our prayers as a whole, and prayers for revival, should reflect our poverty and powerlessness before a God who is forgiving and gracious.

When we are sincere in our awareness of this before the Lord, we won’t need to fake anything.    

But perhaps our attempts to improve our prayers, and make them more acceptable to God, are misplaced. If my prayers are listless and unimpassioned, perhaps they reveal a heart that is self-assured and content with itself.    

Our own brokenness should enlighten us of our culture’s need for a Savior. Reflecting on God’s grace to us should encourage us to pray for others. The New Testament provides many examples of sinners, freed from the shackles of their sin and suffering, who spread the Good News of forgiveness and hope. Blind men, demon-possessed, tax-gatherers, and self-assured rabbis all responded by calling others to salvation.  

When we pray for revival, we call upon God to extend to others the grace we have so freely imbibed.  

A heart that does not have a passion for others to come to Christ, nor a willingness to pray to that end, might itself be in sincere need of revival. Jesus’ entire ministry was in order that those who were lost in the kingdom of darkness might come into the light of salvation and light. 

Therefore, let us follow the example of our Lord and Savior. 

Sincerely.

Ralph Lehman, Men’s Prayer Coordinator (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
T. M. Moore, Principal (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Prayer Resources for a Movement of Men at Prayer
“Men of the Church: A Solemn Call” can be downloaded for free by clicking this link. Hand this brief paper to every man you know, and urge them to join you in this movement of Men at Prayer.

Order additional copies of If Men Will Pray and begin challenging your friends to take up this daily work of seeking the Lord with greater consistency and power.

Finally, our latest resource for prayer is the book, Restore Us!It’s available at the bookstore, and is our guide and resource for enlisting you and your friends in praying daily for revival.Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.