The early church was founded upon prayer... It was the life-blood of the first disciples of Christ... Woven into the fabric of the early believers DNA was a necessity for prayer - but not a business-as-usual approach... No, they sought out prayer as the POWER behind each endeavor: evangelizing the lost, persevering through persecution, equipping the saints...
We would be wise to consider their approach & model their example... If we want to have a resemblance to our beginnings, we don't need better books with the latest church growth ideas or more dynamic preachers or the newest worship fads... We simply need to follow their example and become a people dedicated to prayer.
Take some time and consider the following passages, allowing yourself to meditate on each narrative regarding the purpose & power of prayer in the early church...
- Acts 1:24: They prayed before selecting a new apostle.
- Acts 2:42: The new believers "devoted" themselves to prayer...
- Acts 3:1: Peter and John were going to the temple at the time of afternoon prayer.
- Acts 4:24: When Peter and John were released from confinement, they "raised their voices together in prayer to God."
- Acts 4:31: After a time of prayer, the place where they were meeting was shaken.
- Acts 6:4: The apostles delegated service needs so they could focus on "prayer" and the "ministry of the Word."
- Acts 7:59-60: Stephen prayed (for his persecutors) that the Lord would not hold their sin against them.
- Acts 8:22: Peter said to Simon to "repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord..."
- Acts 8:24: Simon also asked for prayer in return.
- Acts 9:11: While Saul was blinded in Tarsus he was praying (makes sense!).
- Acts 9:40: Peter... "got down on his knees and prayed."
- Acts 10:2: Cornelius was a man who "prayed to God regularly."
- Acts 10:4: Cornelius' prayers and gifts to the poor went up to the Lord as a memorial offering...
- Acts 10:9: Peter went up on the roof to pray.
- Acts 10:31: Cornelius' prayers were confirmed, as he was told, "God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor."
- Acts 11:5: Peter was in the city of Joppa...praying.
- Acts 12:5: Peter was kept in prison, but the church was "earnestly praying to God for him..."
- Acts 12:12: Peter went to the house of Mary...where "many people had gathered and were praying."
- Acts 13:3: "After they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them (Paul & Barnabas)" and sent them on their mission trip.
- Acts 14:23: Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.
- Acts 16:13: During a time of travel, they "expected to find a place of prayer"... They sat down and began to speak & share with a group of women who had gathered there.
- Acts 16:16: On their way to "a place of prayer" they were met by a slave girl...
- Acts 16:25: About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
- Acts 20:36: Paul knelt down and led a group of people together in prayer.
- Acts 22:17: When Paul returned to Jerusalem he was praying at the temple...
- Acts 26:29: Paul replied, "short time or long - I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains..."
- Acts 27:35: Paul gave thanks to God before a crowd of people...
- Acts 28:8: While on an island, Paul visited with the father of an official there and placed his hands on him and healed him through prayer.
Quite an impressive list! Will the church you attend be a PRAYING CHURCH?
YOU can make that happen...
Mike
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