10/27/2024
This morning let’s discuss experiencing private prayer during times of public worship. I have attended many churches during my life and have felt varying degrees of private prayer being welcomed during a service. On the one extreme I have prayed loudly and demonstratively beside Pentecostal brethren, prayed private prayers in a more subdued manner in my current church, and attended "high church" in Churches where very little private prayer is evident or encouraged. However, in each case private prayer does occur… it simply erupts from embattled souls across the sanctuary as believers adorn themselves in the armor of God and enter into personal states of worship, thankfulness, and distress.
“In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,”
Ephesians 6:16-18 ESV
Listen to Pastor E. M. Bounds…
"God's people are to worship Him and pray to Him personally, even in public worship. The church is for the united prayer of God's family, but also for individual believers."
The life, power and glory of the church is prayer. The life of its members is dependent on prayer." – E. M. Bounds
People gather together in worship each Sunday (and at other times too) for several reasons but when they do, each one of them brings with him or her a personal need or desire that begs to be addressed by God. It can range from salvation to healing, to relationships, and all of the many other aspects of life that lead us to lean so heavily on God and His rescue or provision for us... But rarely do people enter the sanctuary without a need, even if it is simply an overpowering personal need to praise Him.
“How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.”
Psalm 84:1-2 ESV
All churches should make time in their services for these very personal prayers to be voiced. It strengthens our group worship and reinforces the fact that although our God is a God of nations, peoples, and churches, He is foremost a God of individual souls with a desire to know us each personally and to walk with us privately. This is reinforced in 1 Corinthians where direction is given first to the individual and then to the church...
“But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.”
1 Corinthians 7:17 KJV
Private prayer in our public worship; it has more than a place, it is integral to the very reason people walk through the sanctuary doors. Without it church becomes any other classroom or meeting place, but with it, the church is transformed into a holy place and becomes a rendezvous with God... That place where the veil between heaven and ourselves is exceedingly thin and occasionally torn asunder, so that God can speak with us through His Holy Spirit.
I spoke yesterday of three little girls who prayed with me one Sunday morning while I prayed before the church with those in need, and how I listened to their innocence and watched them as they prayed for God to heal all sick people. There, before the church, I saw personal prayer reach the mercy seat of God. Personal prayers that were offered in innocence and the full and unblemished expectation that they would not only be heard, but answered. O that we all prayed that way in church as well as in private. Our services would be transformed our my morning bible reading of Psalm 150 would be realized; listen…
“Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.”
Psalms 150:1 KJV
You
By Rich Forbes
You create in a word,
Give life in a breath,
Heal with a touch.
Send your son to conquer death.
How can I not worship
The wonders you have wrought
The depth of love poured out
The mercies I've been taught
Prayer:
Thank you Father for hearing the prayers of our church, but thank you all the more for hearing our personal prayers of the one as they rise of from churches around the world; carried within the fragrant smoke of incense, floating upon the tears of our hearts, clothed in the armor you have provided us with. Father hear our prayers before your altar, and as they come to rest at the feet of your mercy seat. Hear our prayers spoken from within the pews; hear our prayers from bended knee and hear the sound of praise as we lift each one to you. From churches across the land we raise our voice in fervent plea that your mercy would touch our troubles, and your grace deliver us. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who hears and answers prayer… desperate, longing, or needy, but always expectant of you. Holy are you who answers the solitary prayer of the one with the same promise and vigor that you apply to the prayers of the many. Open our eyes Father to the expectation you have of our churches, that they will be houses of prayer where the cares of man will be given birth, and entrusted to your care. Let every prayer be lifted from the golden bowl held in angel’s hands, and rise up on a cloud of fragrant incense… let there be many each day, but receive the one with special care. You are mighty Lord, you are strong, but before all else you are loving and good. Cradle our cares in your arms and comfort us as we pray them with your soft caress and loving fingers; a gentle kiss. Let our enemies tremble with fear before you, even as we tremble in anticipation of your touch. We praise and worship you in our secret places and our sanctuaries… hear our prayers today, and in Jesus name we offer them… Amen!
“O Lord, I call upon you; hasten to me! Give ear to my voice when I call to you! Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!”
Psalm 141:1-2 ESV
“And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.”
Revelation 5:7-8 ESV
“And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel.”
Revelation 8:3-4 ESV
Rich Forbes