“With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints, and pray in my behalf, that speech may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak." (Ephesians 6:18-20)

God’s word clearly shows that faith and prayer are essential for us Christians. First, Paul the apostle said: “For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” (Romans 4:3) Also, James said: “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord” (James 1:5-7)

And most importantly, let’s remember what our Lord Jesus Christ said: “If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.” (Luke 17:6) Then Jesus later adds: “Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8) Well, let’s hope and pray that he does brothers and sisters in Christ, for without faith we can’t please God.

“Now he was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart" (Luke 18:1)

According to Jesus, we should always be in an attitude of prayer. Paul the apostle said the same thing by saying: “Pray without ceasing.” (1Thessalonians 5:17). Jude as well said: “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." (Jude 1:20-21) And finally we have James telling us to: “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.” (James 5:16)

So, through faith and prayer we can partner with God and change not only our own lives, but the lives of others as well. But as mentioned earlier, our lacking in this can have a negative effect. We can see this to be true when the disciples asked Jesus why they couldn’t cast the devil out of a man’s son. For Jesus said: “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.” (Matthew 17:20) However, Jesus also said: “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.” (Mark 9:29) Therefore, the disciples couldn’t cast the devil out because of their lacking in both faith and prayer. Thankfully, Jesus came to their rescue and delivered the man’s son.

“And he said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest’.” (Luke 10:2)

Here above, we have Jesus telling us to ask God to send out fellow Christians to share the Gospel. For the world is full of lost souls who are in desperate need to know God’s saving grace. Therefore, we need to bring the message of the gospel to them so that they may have eternal life as well. And let’s also remember that Jesus himself prayed not only for his disciples, but for those who will believe their report. For Jesus said: “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” (John 17:20-21) So again, this is a call for action on our part today as well.

Paul said to Timothy: “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” (1 Timothy 2:1-2) So, first and foremost, we as a church are to pray for everyone. This would not only be for loved ones and friends, but for government officials and for those who hate us and mistreat us as well. For Jesus said: “But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:44-45)

For it’s true that our God is a miracle working God who can open the eyes of the most stubborn heart. Therefore, let’s take the time to always be in an attitude of prayer, asking God to work and intervene not only in our own lives, but the lives of others as well. Amen.

(Below is an excerpt from: Torrey, R.A. “The Power of Prayer.”)

“You will find these seven words in James 4:2, the seven closing words of the verse, ‘Ye have not, because ye ask not.’ These seven words contain the secret of the poverty and powerlessness of the average Christian, of the average minister, and of the average church.”

“Why is it, many a Christian is asking, ‘that I make such poor progress in my Christian life? Why do I have so little victory over sin? Why do I win so few souls to Christ? Why do I grow so slowly into the likeness of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?’ And God answers in the words of the text: ‘Neglect of prayer. You have not, because you ask not.’”

“Why is it, many a minister is asking, ‘that I see so little fruit from my ministry? Why are there so few conversions? Why does my church grow so slowly? Why are the members of my church so little helped by my ministry, and built up so little in Christian knowledge and life?’ And again, God replies: ‘Neglect of prayer. You have not, because you ask not.’”

“Why is it, both ministers and churches are asking, ‘that the church of Jesus Christ is making such slow progress in the world today? Why does it make so little headway against sin, against unbelief, against error in all its forms? Why does it have so little victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil.’”

“Why is the average church member living on such a low plane of Christian living? Why does the Lord Jesus Christ get so little honor from the state of the church today? And, again, God replies: ‘Neglect of prayer. You have not, because you ask not.’”

So, how much time do we on a personal level spend in prayer? Or, even on a corporate level as a church, how often do we get together and go to prayer before God? Could it be true, that we Christians put other church activities and agendas before prayer? For according to God’s word, prayer should not be a weekly or bye weekly thing for us Christians, but a daily activity. For I can tell you from my own personal experience that there is nothing more important than our time in prayer. For even in my own life, I felt the results of brothers and sisters in Christ praying for me. And let’s remember that it was our prayer to God that helped changed our own lives in the first place.

So, I encourage all of you to go through the bible and read for yourselves the prayers of God’s Saints such as Solomon, Daniel, Hannah, Abraham’s servant, and Nehemiah to name a few. For all of these through faith, not only impacted their own lives, but the lives of others as well. And most importantly, let’s not forget about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ: “Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 5:7-10)

Yes, Jesus was heard and became victorious, and let’s praise God for that. So, if Jesus being our Lord and Messiah needed to pray to God the Father, shouldn’t we his disciples be doing the same on a daily basis? God help us always to be a people of prayer. Amen.   

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“Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.” (Colossians 4:15)

Some people may think that a church is the building which holds all its occupants. However, the opposite is true. For a church is an assembly of people who are gathered together in one place or another. This would include a beautiful cathedral, someone’s house, a barn, a rented building, or even out in an open field. For the word church in the Greek means a “gathering” or an “assembly” of people. For we read in the book of Acts: “And Barnabas went forth to Tarsus, to seek for Saul, and having found him, he brought him to Antioch, and it came to pass that they a whole year did assemble together in the assembly, and taught a great multitude, the disciples also were divinely called first in Antioch Christians.” (Acts 11:25-26) So that word “assembly” in the Young’s Literal Translation is the same Greek word translate as “church” in the King James translation. So again, whether it’s translated as a “church” or the more understandable word “assembly,” we see that it’s not a building but a gathered of people. 

So, anywhere us Christians are gathered together we would have a church. And within these gatherings we should be seeking God and immersing ourselves in prayer and worship. Also, our time together should be to encourage one another to be the salt and light that God called us to be. For there is a world of people out there who need to hear the gospel message. Now, this time of gathering can easily take place in someone’s home or even in a small rented building. And because these groups are smaller, we can have more interaction as we study the Bible. Also, within these smaller groups, personnel prayer needs can be easier met as well. Not to mention that a small, rented building has a cheaper overhead with less staff and not some big mortgage to be meet. This is even more true when you’re meeting in someone’s home. Therefore, a church shouldn’t look like some social club with its live band and key motivational speaker that talks for an hour, takes your money and out you go.

Now, please don’t get me wrong. I’m not encouraging anyone to immediately abandon their traditional church. For this could be difficult, especially if you have already established some relationships with fellow members. Also, there may be those traditional assemblies that gather during the week in separate groups or in people’s homes. These same groups can focus on prayer and group interactions as well. However, because of mortgages and a large staff relying on money, I do believe a church that gathers in a smaller rented building or in members’ homes is an ideal church to be in. I say this because I do find that some larger organized church’s water down the truth. Now, whether this is intentional or not, it's keeping people from hearing the full truth of God word. For if the word did get preached as it should, some leaders may end up not only losing a good portion of their attendees, but even being asked to leave as well. 

Below are some scriptures concerning Christian assembling in people’s homes:

• And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. (Acts 1:13-14)
• And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. (Acts 2:46-47)
• As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. (Acts 8:3)
• Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ. (Romans 16:3-5)
• Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house. (Colossians 4:15)
• Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellow laborer, And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in thy house: Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Philemon 1:1-3)
• Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. ... And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying. (Acts 12:5-7, 12)

Let’s remember that our forerunner, Jesus Christ didn’t pull any punches when it came down to speaking the truth. For at one point his preaching drove almost all his disciples away. For he said: “He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.” (John 6:56) This of course offended many for we also read: “When many of his disciples heard it, they said, ‘This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?’” (John 6:60) And what was the outcome? “After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Do you want to go away as well?’ Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.’” (John 6:66-69) Therefore, let’s make sure we’re not in a church that’s more concerned about the quantity of attendees than quality of the message being preached. For our message shouldn’t be watered down to appeal to the masses, but one that will prick the hearts of many, even if some do walk away.

So, let’s be bold and preach like the apostle Peter who said: “Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shall we do? And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:36-38) Yes, by him preaching the truth, many were saved.

Now, a church should be an active group of people who are practicing the gifts of the Spirit. Therefore, our coming together is not for social entertainment nor to have our ears tickled. For our coming together is for the building up of our faith as the Paul the apostle said: “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-13)

So then, the church exists to equip one another with the tools and strength needed to spread the gospel to the world. This would be true even in the face of persecution and possibly even death. Because if we’re not being persecuted in one form or another, then are we really living our life according to the bible (yes, I’m preaching also to myself as well)? Paul said to Timothy: “But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra - what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” (2 Timothy 3:10-12)

We should also be a church that encourages each other, for apostle Paul also said: “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” (Colossians 3:15-17)

Therefore, let’s make sure that we as a church are not watering down the gospel to make it more appealing, comfortable and safe. So that being said, I encourage you to read through the New Testament, especially in the book of Act. There you will find an active church who was preaching the grace of God, even when faced with persecution. Yes, even our forerunner Jesus Christ suffered persecution and even died for our salvation. For: “We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 6:19-20) 

Below are a few scriptures of an active church:

• Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. (Acts 2:38-41)
• As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word. (Acts 8:3-4)
• And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren. Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands. (Acts 14:1-3)
• And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. (Acts 17:2-4)

So, if you’re in a church where you can get easily lost in the crowd; where you sing a few songs, hear an hour-long sermon and out the door you go. Then I would encourage you to consider finding a new Church. I say this because, this IS NOT the church we see proclaimed in God’s word. For Paul the apostle himself commanded: “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Timothy 2:1-6)

Therefore, our time together should be spent in prayer to God our Father. This we should do on behalf of others and ourselves as well. Also, we should be giving thanks to God for his mercy and grace which he bestows upon us through our Lord Jesus Christ. This should then be followed by worship and a message of exhortation, encouraging us to be bold in the faith. Now something to consider: Imagine if an unbeliever stepped into your church and found you praising God along with weeping and pleading for your families, congregation, community, governing leaders, our nation and for all those that are lost in this world. Then he sees you encouraging one another to go out and share the love of Christ with the community around you. Wouldn’t this unbeliever realize that God is alive in you and in this place?  

Some basics that we should expect from an assembly of the Saints:

• To focus mainly on prayer with some worship and reading of God’s word.
• The leaders (which should be only men) are to make sure things stay decent and in order.
• Avoid all gossip and anything that may cause discord among fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
• Never let food be the main focus or reason for the gathering.
• Avoid naming your assembly which is an error of organized churches of today. If any distinction between groups is necessary to aid in location, then ether use the current address as reference or the names of the main occupants of the house.
• Allow children to be part of the reading of scriptures as well as getting involved in prayer and worship.
• Avoid talking about the things of this world such as sports or other empty pursuits of this life. For we should be encouraging each other with words that builds up our faith in God instead of this world.

What we should expect from one another:

• And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. (Mark 12:30-31)
• To believe that there should be unity among all true believers, here and around the world, and that without walls of division. (John 17:21)
• Pray for one another to be bold in the faith in order to spread God’s word around, even in the face of persecution and death.
• Pray for needs such as sicknesses for ourselves and for family and friends. Please, avoiding being burden with worldly requests such as what car or house to buy. For let’s remember that there are brothers and sisters in the world (and maybe in your own group) that don’t have neither house or car.
• To lay hands on those who are sick, anointing them with oil as the scripture says for us to do.
• To stand on God's Word and believe that he speaks to this generation just as it did to those in the past. (James 1:22)
• To never lean on our own understanding of things or get caught up in our own theology. But stand on God’s word and be led by his Spirit. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
• To believe that all the gifts of the Spirit are available for us today (1 Corinthians 12:7-11)
• To encourage each other to endure persecution and suffering. (2 Timothy 3:10-12)
• To remove anyone in the assembly who have been warned and yet are still living in sin. (1 Corinthians 5:9-11)

The bible is clear that women cannot be Leaders (Elders) in the assembly of the saints. For we first read: “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.” (1 Corinthians 14:34-35) Next, we read: “Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.” (1 Timothy 2:11-14)

The bible is also clear on what should be the standard for these leaders in the Church. For we read: “An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.” (1 Timothy 3:2-7, Titus 1:5-9)

Now, those who are leaders should keep the gatherings organized and focused on Christ. For when Christ ascended on high: “he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-13). Also, leaders are to remove anyone within the assembly that refuses to put away their sin after being warned. (1 Corinthians 5:9-13). I know this may be hard to do, however it is necessary because: “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” (Galatians 5:9)

And yes, leaders should also bring us words of exhortation and encouragement from God’s word as well. However, it’s the Holy Spirit (not the church leaders) who teaches us all things. For Jesus himself said: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26) As well as: “It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.” (John 6:45) Also, John the apostle said: “But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie - just as it has taught you, abide in him.” (1 John 2:27)

Therefore, we are to test everything including what our church leaders say to us. This is what those of Berea did, for we read: “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:11) Pray to God that we all be as noble as they.

Many of the requirements of the Elders are to be the standard for the Deacons. First, we read: “In the same way, deacons are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. … “Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.” (1 Timothy 3:8-10, 12) And then we read: “I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deaconess of the church at Cen'chre-ae, that you may receive her in the Lord as befits the saints, and help her in whatever she may require from you, for she has been a helper of many and of myself as well.” (Romans 16:1-2)

Now, unlike the requirements of the Elders, a woman can serve as a deacon in the church. For we read: “The women likewise must be serious, no slanderers, but temperate, faithful in all things. (1 Timothy 3:11) *Please note: many translations read “wives” instead of women. This is because there is no specific word for wives in the Greek. Thus, this word can mean any women in general. However, because this requirement of an obedient wife is not placed upon the Elders, we have bibles that reference this to mean women Deacons in the church. This I believe is the right translation according to the word of God.

So, if you haven’t already, I hope and pray that you would find a church that would bless you. And if you’re already part of a church, I hope you’re in one that reflects the ones laid out for us in God’s word. For Jesus told us to: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15) Therefore, let’s make sure we’re in a church that encourages us to do this. Amen. 

God bless you as you seek to do his will.

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