A vision needs a strategy to help it become a reality. Part of our CoJ vision is to honor God. How will that become a reality? Our primary strategy for honoring God includes worship and prayer.
About prayer – Luther called prayer “the breath of the Christian.” As humans we breathe oxygen every moment of every day. Prayer, therefore, according to Luther’s analogy, is that moment by moment personal communion with God. With that in mind, Paul’s words to the Thessalonians in I Thessalonians 5:17 take on new meaning – “… pray continually, ….” he admonished them. Commune with God through the events of each day. Acknowledge His presence in a moment of need. Whisper a word of thanks for some small blessing He brings your way. Remember, as Paul said to the Athenians on Mars Hill in Acts 17, “For in him we live and move and have our being.” Spiritually speaking, this type of personal prayer, or communion with God, is life sustaining.
So far we’ve spoken about personal prayer. Scripture also references the importance of corporate prayer. In Acts 1 while waiting for the promised Holy Spirit in Jerusalem after Jesus’ ascension, it says of Jesus’ followers in v. 14, “They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.” No doubt it was with great expectancy that they waited on God to fulfill His promise to them.
God is birthing a prayer renewal among us at CoJ. Last Wednesday five people gathered expectantly in the sanctuary at 6:45 PM, during our Family Night, to pray for the needs of our congregation and for the movement of the Holy Spirit in our midst. I spoke to one of the participants after their prayer session and she said “God is up to something good at CoJ and we want to be a part of it.” When I asked her if she was disappointed with the fact that only five people showed up to pray she said with conviction, “It won’t be just five for long, it’s going to grow!” It seems axiomatic that praying churches are dynamic, life giving, and kingdom building churches. If God has been impressing you to intercede for others and the ministry of our church, join the others in the sanctuary at 6:45PM on Wednesdays. Become part of what God is doing through the ministry of prayer.