Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting

[subllibrm]

Me thinks it's not the lack of the popularity of Jesus that keeps them away, it's the prayer part.

I believe you may be on to something.

II Chronicles 7:14 -

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

That is a great verse that I believe is misunderstood and misapplied in our culture. First it was a promise to Israel and any application to the church would be of "principle" rather than "promise" IMO. Second it is regularly used to decry how "they" are messing up the country.

When His people (the church/body/bride of Christ/us) who are called by His name (Christians/us) follow this instruction as a directive to us and not "pray it at" the world around us then God will hear and fulfill the promise/principle. Instead we line up against everything and everyone and blame them for the shape of our society. Truth is, everything sinful "out there" is also in the church and that is how this verse should be applied.

IMO this verse and it's popularity and misuse arose along with the politicization of the American church. Just as Joshua was foolish to make the peace treaty with the Gibeonites the church was foolish in getting entangled in politics. The reason that the society around us sees us as irrelevant is that we prostituted ourselves to the Republican party hoping to do politically what we didn't have the faith to do scripturally.

I have said it before, am saying it again and will say it as often as needed. The church in america has sold it's spiritual birthright for a bowl of political porridge. The bride of Christ is guilty of adultery/harlotry/idolatry in America. That is what needs to be confessed per the verse above.

 

[subllibrm]

Me thinks it's not the lack of the popularity of Jesus that keeps them away, it's the prayer part.

I believe you may be on to something.

II Chronicles 7:14 -

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

I have seen many shy or embarrassed to pray corporately. I have often wondered how often they pray alone.

Wow! You really believe that a shy person has spiritual issues? I am more likely to wonder about the guy who prays with great pomp and show. But that's just me.

 

[subllibrm]

You can tell how popular a church is by who comes on Sunday morning. You can tell how popular the pastor or evangelist is by who comes on Sunday night. But you can tell how popular Jesus is by who comes to the prayer meeting.

Author Unknown

Me thinks it's not the lack of the popularity of Jesus that keeps them away, it's the prayer part.

"For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them."

Rejecting the gathering does in a way reject our master.

If we knew the physical body of Jesus Christ would show up on Wednesday I assume the Church would run out of room. Yet, He does show up on Wednesday - and many reject the opportunity to pray together with our Lord Jesus Christ.

Your logic is flawed in many ways...but let me just deal with two.  1. Just because a group of people meet at a building called a church, does not necessarily mean that they are meeting for actual biblical prayer and thus does not necessarily mean Jesus will be there with them.

2.  If the two or three thing is correct, then why wouldn't Jesus be with me and my wife as we pray together not only on Wednesday Night, but also every night?

BTW---Just for the record I pastor a church that has Wednesday evening Bible study and prayer...but certainly don't judge the quality of someone's relationship with God by whether they show up every Wednesday evening at the church building!

Yeah, especially if they are at home watching TV or at the movies.

Do you alway jump right to the worst assumptions? I guess it make s it easier to judge and feel superior if you assume they don't have a good reason to not be there.

 

[subllibrm]

While sitting in prayer meeting it may be of value to ask God to not allow you to become smug and self-satisfied that you are there. Worth considering. :-\

 

[wtyson]

Always a great time in the Lord's house!

You're going to Temple?  Does God's presence dwell in that building or in you the people?

You know what I mean troublemaker.

lol

 

[wtyson]

While sitting in prayer meeting it may be of value to ask God to not allow you to become smug and self-satisfied that you are there. Worth considering. :-\

Amen right there!

The same could be said of those at home in their recliners.

 

[subllibrm]

Always a great time in the Lord's house!

You're going to Temple?  Does God's presence dwell in that building or in you the people?

You know what I mean troublemaker.

lol

We made ours even better. It's a big tent made of badger skins and there is this one little area no one is allowed to go. ;-)

 

[subllibrm]

While sitting in prayer meeting it may be of value to ask God to not allow you to become smug and self-satisfied that you are there. Worth considering. :-\

Amen right there!

The same could be said of those at home in their recliners.

I would love a recliner. But my arm chair is pretty nice too. 

 

[Tim]

Me thinks it's not the lack of the popularity of Jesus that keeps them away, it's the prayer part.

I believe you may be on to something.

II Chronicles 7:14 -

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

I have seen many shy or embarrassed to pray corporately. I have often wondered how often they pray alone.

Wow! You really believe that a shy person has spiritual issues? I am more likely to wonder about the guy who prays with great pomp and show. But that's just me.

I didn't say shy. I said embarrassed, as in intense discomfort.

 

[wtyson]

One of our men suggested recliners in the back...sleeper cells are everywhere. lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ransom]

Wednesday night prayer service takes place at the same time as choir practice, so whether or not I'd like to attend it is moot.

 

[sword]

Wednesday night prayer service takes place at the same time as choir practice, so whether or not I'd like to attend it is moot.

Its none of my business but I was just wondering?

WHY WOULD THEY SCHEDULE THEM AT THE SAME TIME, WHY NOT BACK TO BACK>

 

[subllibrm]

Me thinks it's not the lack of the popularity of Jesus that keeps them away, it's the prayer part.

I believe you may be on to something.

II Chronicles 7:14 -

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

I have seen many shy or embarrassed to pray corporately. I have often wondered how often they pray alone.

Wow! You really believe that a shy person has spiritual issues? I am more likely to wonder about the guy who prays with great pomp and show. But that's just me.

I didn't say shy. I said embarrassed, as in intense discomfort.

Umm, you quoted yourself saying shy.

But even if that isn't what you meant, how do you know that the reticence you have seen is intense discomfort with speaking to God rather than intense discomfort with speaking in front of you?

 

[Tim]

Me thinks it's not the lack of the popularity of Jesus that keeps them away, it's the prayer part.

I believe you may be on to something.

II Chronicles 7:14 -

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

I have seen many shy or embarrassed to pray corporately. I have often wondered how often they pray alone.

Wow! You really believe that a shy person has spiritual issues? I am more likely to wonder about the guy who prays with great pomp and show. But that's just me.

I didn't say shy. I said embarrassed, as in intense discomfort.

Umm, you quoted yourself saying shy.

But even if that isn't what you meant, how do you know that the reticence you have seen is intense discomfort with speaking to God rather than intense discomfort with speaking in front of you?

I did say shy ... wow

Whatever .... what do I know?

 

[ALAYMAN]

Do you alway jump right to the worst assumptions? I guess it make s it easier to judge and feel superior if you assume they don't have a good reason to not be there.

Maybe your assumption about his assumption is wrong.


It could be that he wasn't saying that there's no legitimate reason for intentionally absenting one's self from the Wednesday service, but rather he was talking about those who NEVER see the need to gather with their church other than Sunday morning at 11AM.

 

[subllibrm]

I did say shy ... wow

Whatever .... what do I know?

Lol

Not a problem. We all have those days. 

 

[subllibrm]

Do you alway jump right to the worst assumptions? I guess it make s it easier to judge and feel superior if you assume they don't have a good reason to not be there.

Maybe your assumption about his assumption is wrong.


It could be that he wasn't saying that there's no legitimate reason for intentionally absenting one's self from the Wednesday service, but rather he was talking about those who NEVER see the need to gather with their church other than Sunday morning at 11AM.

It could be that that is exactly what he was talking about.

And I have yet to understand why anyone worries about the motivation or lack thereof in another person's walk with Christ. Engage with that person regarding that issue. If it is a problem then deal with the person and make the case to them why they should attend. Of course doing so may lead to the destruction of the assumption.

So I am not impressed by the declaration of insight into another person's motives on a web forum. Even less so the extrapolation of that conclusion into a one size fits all lament of why people do or don't do something.

 

[ALAYMAN]

It could be that that is exactly what he was talking about.

And I have yet to understand why anyone worries about the motivation or lack thereof in another person's walk with Christ. Engage with that person regarding that issue. If it is a problem then deal with the person and make the case to them why they should attend. Of course doing so may lead to the destruction of the assumption.

So I am not impressed by the declaration of insight into another person's motives on a web forum. Even less so the extrapolation of that conclusion into a one size fits all lament of why people do or don't do something.

One size fits all?  Isn't that an assumption on your part?  Seriously, who said that KJV1611 was making a blanket condemnation of all who miss Wednesday services?

And it doesn't take any real genius of observational powers to note that people have time for all sorts of things but never find time for Sunday evening or midweek service.  They know that the church is meeting, but willfully absent themselves for a variety of worldly pursuits.  That isn't judging motives.  That is making a simple observation.  Spurgeon did it.  Tozer said the same.  Macarthur, Mohler, etc, etc, ....

 

[Ransom]

WHY WOULD THEY SCHEDULE THEM AT THE SAME TIME, WHY NOT BACK TO BACK

Because everyone would either have to leave work early, or be at church until midnight.

 

[subllibrm]

WHY WOULD THEY SCHEDULE THEM AT THE SAME TIME, WHY NOT BACK TO BACK

Because everyone would either have to leave work early, or be at church until midnight.

So your church puts work and sleep ahead of God!?!?!?