Why Join us at Renewal Prayer?

We kicked off our Renewal prayer time again this past Wednesday night at 6:00 at the Reservoir Campus (Clinton and Madison as well). We are committed to bringing our Body together in consistent times of corporate prayer for the needs of individuals, for the vision of the Body and for the kind of intercession that asks God to use us to change the world.

I hope you will make it a priority to be there every week at 6 or as soon as you can. From 6 to 6:15 every week we will create an environment where individuals can pray alone or with available Pastors and Elders. Then our leadership will facilitate our praying together over specific needs of the Church.

In a country where our individual notions and experience of God has almost shut out the Biblical concept of a community experience the natural question to come is “Why should I make this a priority?” “Can’t I just pray alone?” “Why do I need to come pray with others?” Good question. Here is my short answer:

1. You need the encouragement and environment to consistently pray for and to be prayed for in regard to the things God has called for you to be, do and pray.
2. Our praying together gives a platform for God to answer. When God answers, we get to rejoice together and His blessings are shared among us all (meaning the Body grows).
3. There is a mysterious power in us being united in the things that we pray for that blesses God. He loves unity. And He loves our voice being one in the things that we pray for.
4. Our praying together brings His presence and it allows for our experience of worship to be more participatory. God grant us grace that we would stop observing and begin tasting. The truth is we will sing and hear the word and obey at a different level of intensity than ever before because we have started with praying to our God.

So join us every Wednesday night at 6 and lets pray together.

Several years ago Steve Hawthorne wrote an excellent article entitled “God’s Way to Display God’s Glory” where he points out that our praying together corporately pushes us to be a part of a bigger purpose. I have posted a large excerpt from that article to remind us that our “asking together” matters as it gives room for God to call attention to Himself. Hawthorne writes:

“The purpose of all prayer is grandly simple by looking at it from God’s point of view: Prayer is God’s way of glorifying Himself. “And whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” (John 14:13)

How does this “glory” business actually work? As we make requests, our attention is turned to God. As God brings forth His answers, our affection can be returned to God. Having been asked, God can then be thanked. Prayer virtually rigs the course of our lives with opportunity to expressly glorify God.

Manifesting God’s glory was precisely the topic in the upper room discussion found in John 14. One follower made the audacious recommendation for God to make a direct appearance. “Show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus’ response is that such rip-the-sky-open exhibitions of God’s person weren’t required. Instead, “the word I say to you” (14:10) is enough.

In fact, He had to clarify that His word wasn’t a guarded secret for an elite few, but that believing and obeying His word was open to “anyone” (verse 23). Otherwise it seemed that Jesus was going to disclose Himself to a few, but fail to reveal Himself “to the world” (vs 22).

The gospel is indeed for all, but many who seem deaf to Jesus’ “words” will not prove blind to Jesus’ “works.” Christ made it clear that God displays such “works” as eye- openers, which move many to believe the words that He has spoken. He could be believed outright because of what He had to say, or, if need be, He could just as easily be believed because of what He had to display: “on account of the works themselves” (vs 11).

These eye-catching “works” are actually answered prayers. We may have thought that these “works” were extraordinary miracles which can only be done by Jesus. But the context makes it very clear that Jesus only began a long streak of “works” that turn attention toward God. These works, and greater ones, were to be done by Jesus’ followers, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do” (14:12).

How is it possible for ordinary believers to do outrageous miracles? By praying explicitly in His name: “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (14:13). Prayer is God’s way of putting His name on future events. If we fail to pray, and God remains faithful to act, people who experience His kindness and power are forced to guess regarding the source of the mercy. They may just as easily conclude that they have been lucky as they might guess that some lesser god or goddess has smiled upon them. God does not really want to work anonymously. May our prayerlessness no longer leave God nameless in all of His wondrous, ongoing goodness.

I have a hunch that God is about to do some of the best things He’s ever done in history. I think that He wants all of them prayed for before they take place. That way, He will be recognized and honored when He accomplishes the purposes of goodness and righteousness that He intends.

That’s why God is calling us to pray as never before, and to unite our prayers in public ways as never before. Greater works are on the way.”

Adapted from an article which appeared in “Pray! Magazine” in 1996, which was initially titled “We Shall See Whom We Seek: United Prayer is God’s Way of Displaying His Glory.” ® Copyright Steve Hawthorne 2001. All rights reserved.