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| Play-By-Play Prayer (cont.) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� What about Stephen who was such a dedicated Christian in the New Testament that he was executed by stoning rather than renounce the fact that Jesus was the Son of God?� How could a good God allow such to happen to him? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Once more we look on the other side of eternity.� Our lives on earth are but a drop in the sea compared with eternity in our final destination.� When the early church selected its first deacons, although they were all outstanding men of faith, Stephen was singled out as "a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 6:5).� 1 Corinthians 12:7-10 lists various gifts of the Holy Spirit, and faith is listed just prior to healing as a special gift. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� We have all known people who find faith so easy and, no matter what they go through, their faith never seems to waiver.� I wish I were one of them.� They inspire us.� Stephen was the very first Christian martyr.� When, at his court hearing, the verdict of guilt was being decided for declaring Jesus was actually God, Stephen cried out, "Look!� I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� He died a few minutes later by their hand.� Hebrews 11:35-38 says of such martyrs that they were "tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection.� Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison.� They were stoned, they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword....THE WORLD WAS NOT WORTHY OF THEM." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Polycarp, a student of the Apostle John was burned at the stake probably 70 years later.� In the events leading up to this he was taken into a stadium.� "When the magistrate pressed him hard and said, 'Swear the oath and I will release you; revile the Christ,' Polycarp said, 'Fourscore and six years have I been His servant, and He has done me no wrong.� How then can I blaspheme my King who saved me?' | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� "....Whereupon the proconsul said, 'I have wild beasts here and I will throw you to them, except you repent.'� But he said, 'Call for them....'� Then he said to him again, 'I will cause you to be consumed by fire, if you despise the wild beasts, unless you repent.'� But Polycarp said, 'You threaten that fire which burns for a season and after a little while is quenched: for you are ignorant of the fire of the future judgment and eternal punishment, which is reserved for the ungodly.� But why delay?� Come, and do what you will!' | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� "....Forthwith then the instruments that were prepared for the pile were placed about him; and as they were going likewise to nail him to the stake, he said, 'Leave me as I am; for he that has granted me to endure the fire will grant me also to remain at the pile unmoved.... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� "....looking up to heaven [Polycarp] said, 'O Lord God Almighty, the Father of your beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, through whom we have received the knowledge of you, the God of angels and powers and of all creation and of the whole race of the righteous, who live in your presence; I bless you for you have granted me this day and hour, that I might receive a portion among the number of martyrs in the cup of Christ unto resurrection of eternal life, both of soul and of body, in the incorruptibility of the Holy Spirit. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| �����������"....I praise you, I bless you, I glorify you through the eternal and heavenly high priest, Jesus Christ, your beloved Son, through whom with him and the Holy Spirit be glory both now and for the ages to come.� Amen' " [7] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Indeed, Romans 8:31-39 encourages us thusly:� "If God is for us, who can be against us....Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?� Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?� As it is written:� 'For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.'� No, in all these things we are MORE THAN CONQUERORS through him who loved us. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ����������� While we're at it, we may as well think about, "If God is so good, why does he allow bad?� For instance, how could he possibly stand by and let them torture and kill his own son?"� It is because of their love for us.� | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Everyone in the whole world sins (Romans 3:23).� The Old Testament is not much fun to read.� It covers some four thousand years of people trying every way possible to attain perfection and heaven for themselves.� They tried it through their wits, through their physical strength, through their intelligence, through their emotions.� They tried through having the Law of Moses and through creating their own laws to be perfect.� They tried creating gods that would save them.� They tried denying all gods and Jehovah God and even calling themselves god.� Instead of attaining salvation, they got themselves into wars, built strong nations and then lost them, and built great indestructible temples that were then destroyed. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Nothing worked for man's ever-present and ever-threatening disease of sin.� And the "wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).� Man needed a vaccine.� A vaccine can only come from someone who experiences a disease but does not die.� With the antibodies now in their blood, they can provide a vaccine so others who are weaker will live through the disease. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� So God sent a part of himself, his Son, to live on earth in the form of a man and be faced with the same disease of sin.� Jesus was, therefore, tempted every way that we are, but he never sinned (Hebrews 4:15).� But he was crucified as though he were a sinner.� God then, in a way we do not understand, took all the sins of mankind - yours and mind - and injected them into Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21).� Then Jesus bled for us and died.� He paid the price.� Satan could no longer accuse (Revelation 12:10) the world of sin because Jesus paid the price of death for us (1 Corinthians 6:20). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Then Jesus came back to life!� The disease of sin could not keep this God-Man dead.� Now Jesus was ready with the serum that came from his blood.� All mankind had to do was believe all this really happened, and then imitate Jesus' death, burial and resurrection (Romans 5:20-21; 6:3-8). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Don't you see that if Jesus had not died, he could not have proven his power over death?� He could not have proven to us that when Christians die, we too will be brought back to life?� | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� But, you may say, "If God is so good and powerful, why does he allow bad to exist at all?"� It is like up and down.� For up to exist, there has to be the possibility of a down.� Otherwise up wouldn't be up.� It wouldn't be anywhere.� And like light and darkness.� For light to exist, there has to be the possibility of a darkness.� Otherwise light wouldn't be light.� It wouldn't be anything significant.� And so for good to exist there has to be the possibility of bad.� Otherwise good wouldn't be good.� It wouldn't be anything. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� There is a church song called "Victory in Jesus."� How can we have victory in Jesus unless we have something to be victorious over?� Satan can cause people to get sick, but God can heal them.� Satan can cause people to die, but God can bring them back to life.� God can cause people to sin and go to hell, but God can forgive them so that they end up in heaven instead. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� God's glory is most obvious and powerful and wonderful when Satan tries and fails. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� You're right, God.� I got angry at you when my little brother died in that car-bike accident, and when my grandmother suffered so long with cancer, and when I lost that good job, and....� I've had trouble dealing with those times when I thought you let me down. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prayer and the Spirit World | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Another amazing thing about prayer is that it influences what is going on in the spirit world - the world of angels and demons.� Ephesians 6:12 explains, "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� We are to wear the armor of God which is truth, righteous living, readiness to face anything, peace, faith, salvation, the word of God.� And with all that, we are to pray "on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests" (Ephesians 6:18). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� To understand how our prayers influence the spirit world, let us go back to the book of Daniel.� In chapter 10, Daniel fasted and prayed for three weeks - 21 days (10:3).� Three days later on the 24th day Gabriel appeared (see 8:16, 9:21).� | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� He said that God had heard Daniel's prayer from the very first day (10:12).� But Gabriel was busy fighting the prince (angel) of the Persian kingdom for 21 days (three weeks) and couldn't come.� So Michael, one of God's chief princes (angel), helped him.� Now, with Michael holding off the prince (angel) of Persia, Gabriel could come explain what Daniel wanted to know about a previous vision. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� First, we learn that God uses his angels to answer our prayers, and although God can be everywhere at once, God's angels cannot.� So, sometimes we have to wait because larger, more critical things are occurring.� However, no one is unimportant, and God does send an angel to help. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Also, there seems to be some inference that Daniel's prayers were giving strength to God's angels so that Michael was able to come and help Gabriel.� Daniel prayed 21 days, and that is how long it took for Gabriel to break free and come to Daniel.� How amazing if this is true. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� There is another way that Christians help angels.� This is why the world was created.� It is explained in Ephesians 3:9-11: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| QUANDARY:������������������������ "To make plain to everyone the administration of THIS MYSTERY, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| EXPLAINER:� ����������������������� ....His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| QUESTIONER:���������� ����������� ....to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MEANS:��������������������� ����������� ....according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� "Rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms" ~ good and bad angels of God and Satan ~ do not understand something; it is a mystery to them.� An examination of the word "mystery" in the Bible reveals that the mystery is complete forgiveness.� The church is here to prove God does forgive, and it was made possible by Jesus and his death. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� So, we see there is a definite interaction between the spirit world and our world.� The link is prayer and salvation. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� God, that's heavy.� I wish I understood all about angels, and the fight between good and bad, but it's too hard.� Maybe you communicate with me on a higher level, like the language of angels.� Maybe that's what I've been missing. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Language of Prayer | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� There are some people who say the tongues of men and of angels referred to in 1 Corinthians 13:1 is unintelligible gibberish.� To find out for sure, all we have to do is find out in what language angels speak.� | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Genesis 16:7-12 and 21:14-18 says an angel spoke to Hagar.� Genesis 16:3 said she was Egyptian.� Therefore, the angel spoke Egyptian. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Genesis 19:10-21 says two angels spoke to Lot's family.� Genesis 11:31 says Lot was Chaldean.� Therefore, the angel spoke Chaldean. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Judges 13:2-17 says an angel spoke to Samson's parents.� Judges 13:1-2 says they were Israelites.� Therefore, the angel spoke Israeli (Hebrew). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� 2 Kings 1:3-4 says an angel spoke to Elijah.� It also says he was a Tishbite which was part of Israel.� Therefore, the angel spoke Israeli (Hebrew). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Daniel 8:16-25 and 9:21-27 says an angel spoke to Daniel.� Daniel 1:1-4 says Daniel was from Jerusalem of Israel, but now in Babylon everyone spoke in Aramaic.� Therefore, the angel spoke in either Israeli (Hebrew) or Aramaic. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Luke 1:8-20 says an angel spoke to Zechariah, John the Baptist's father.� Luke 1:5 says Zechariah was a priest of the Israelites/Jews.� However, many now spoke in Greek; this account was written in Greek.� Therefore, the angel spoke Israeli (Hebrew) or Greek. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Luke 1:28-38 says an angel spoke to Mary.� Luke 3:24f, Mary's genealogy, says she was an Israelite.� Therefore, the angel spoke Israeli (Hebrew) or Greek. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Luke 2:8-12 says angels spoke to shepherds.� Luke 2:4 says these shepherds were from Bethlehem in Israel.� Therefore, the angels spoke Israeli (Hebrew) or Greek. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Matthew 28:1-9 says an angel spoke to Mary Magdalene & others.� Mary was from the city of Magdala in Israel.� Therefore, the angel spoke Israeli (Hebrew) or Greek. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Acts 10:1-8 says an angel spoke to Cornelius.� Acts 10:1 says he was Roman.� Therefore, the angel spoke Italian. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Acts 12:5-10 says an angel spoke to Peter.� John 1:44 says Peter was from a city in Galilee, Palestine/Israel.� Therefore, the angel spoke Israeli (Hebrew) or Greek. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Revelation 5:2, etc., etc. says an angel spoke to John.� Matthew 4:18-21 says John was from a city in Galilee, Palestine/Israel.� Therefore, the angel spoke Israeli (Hebrew) or Greek).����������� | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� All of this is to demonstrate that at no time did the person angels spoke to say they did not understand.� They conversed at ease in each person's native language.� Therefore, the language of angels is the language of whoever they are speaking to.� They are multi-lingual.� They never spoke in gibberish. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� You mean, God, that you hear me no matter how much I stutter and struggle?� You understand even when I don't understand my problem or what the answer could possibly be?� I just can't ascend to where you are.� Could you lean a little lower for me?� | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Where the Rubber Meets the Road | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Praying in private is not complex.� But it is more so in public where the leader tries to represent what the others want to be praying.� But how is this possible? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Several years ago I went through a period when I wrote notes to the prayers that were being offered in church.� (God, forgive me for peeking.)� This is what a typical prayer covered:� The sick of OUR number, OUR weak members, OUR leaders, OUR worship, OUR blessings.� Another typical one was for worship, love, Jesus, serving, everyday life, next week, travelers, sermon, sins, members' lives, parents, children, wonders of the world. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� A prayer by a former missionary covered the delights of Christianity, open-hearted people, congregation, backsliders, unchurched, the general public, our feeble human efforts, missionaries, World Bible School, prayer, glory of God. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Someone from another country prayed for congregational love, being a light in the community, families, the sick, worship, the word, our sins, God's spirit. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� All these are good in their own way.� But very seldom did they get specific.� How are we going to know if our prayers are answered if we don't get specific? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� How specific are our prayers?� Do we pray for "all those it is our duty to pray for the world over"?� Our public prayers are a mirror of our private prayers.�� If our prayers are general, then our private Christian life has not become very specific and likely will not.� If we are drifting through our Christian life, our public prayers will too.� And as our prayers drift, so do the hearers we are supposed to be leading; they will drift from thought to thought on things that have nothing to do with the prayer. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� On the other end of the scale, if we have a busy Christian life in private, we need not include everything in our public prayers.� If everyone did that, we'd be praying for hours on end.� The hours-on-end prayers are for private discussions with God, and they are good.� | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� But what about public prayers?� What should God's people pray for when they are together?� | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� In the 1960s I attended a congregation in California, that learned to get specific.� I think it started on New Years Eve when the congregation decided to pray the new year in.� It seems we began praying about ten o'clock.� "Ten o'clock?� You prayed for two hours?" you might be thinking.� "What a bunch of fanatics.� Did you roll on the floor too?"� Actually we prayed longer than that. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Someone stood up front with a blackboard.� People stood who had prayer requests.� When recognized, they explained the situation and who they wished to be prayed for.� The person in charge wrote the name and the situation in a couple of words.� When the blackboard was full, he called on someone to lead a prayer for those people.� Then those were erased and we continued around the auditorium with people standing and explaining their prayer requests. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� There were all kinds of prayers regarding sickness, finances, relationships, travel, jobs, souls, thanksgiving and praise. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� If we were worldly, we would have said something magical happened that night.� But as Christians, it was something spiritual and holy and wonderful.� We got into each others hearts.� No more masks.� Gradually people began standing and sharing their own personal burdens, things the rest of us never guessed.� They began confessing a particular type of sin they needed help with.� They cried softly and we cried with them. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� But prayers were not just requests.� Some were thanking God for answers to prayer.� Some were thanking God for sending his son to us in our desperation and sin.�� Some were thanking God for the numerous things we take for granted.� How do we think of what we take for granted?� Think of people living in a country that is in famine, or war torn, or run by atheists.� Think of people who are blind, deaf, mute, lame. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Some prayers were praising God.� Isn't praising kind of like thanking?� Actually praising centers around someone's traits.� What are God's traits?� He is love.� He is life.� He is justice.� He is mercy.� He is patience.� He is might.� He is power.� He is light.� God is so large the universe cannot contain him.� God is so small he can hide within our heart.� When Satan causes illness, he heals.� When Satan causes sin, he forgives.� When Satan causes death, he brings back to life.� | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� It was hard to break up that night.� For the first time many of us had allowed others into our lives and hearts, exposing the raw and so-easily-wounded part of us.� Our masks came down.� | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� That's what happens with prayer.� The most successful marriage counselor I ever knew was a minister who has now gone to live with his Lord in heaven.� Other ministers within a hundred-mile radius or more would call him after they had tried everything they knew to keep a marriage together.� A day or two before the court date, the divorcing couple would consent to see this minister with the magic touch. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� But once again, it wasn't magic.� It was God's power that can only be tapped in prayer.� The minister did not ask them about their marriages and why they were so bad.� Instead he told them one thing.� He told them to pray together.� Then he left them alone in his apartment all night so they could have the night to pray together.� He had about a ninety-percent success rate.� Actually, of course, it was God who had such a phenomenal success rate. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� So what happened to the congregation that prayed in the new year?� The following week one of the elders got up before the congregation and said he'd counted something like seven answers to prayer since that night.� He got up the following week and said, "I've counted 29 answers to our prayers since that night."� The next week he counted 43 (or whatever the actual number was).� �� ����� Members started writing their prayer requests down and turning them in.� Someone in the office wrote the prayer requests on a large sheet for distribution.� Members began praying for these lists in private.� Wednesday night got so it began earning the name we used to call it decades ago - "prayer meeting night." |
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| ����������� And each week that elder would get up and say, "This past week we had 12 more answers to prayer," or whatever the number was for the week.� We began to understand prayer.� We began to see that prayer had to be specific in order for us to see when it had been answered.� Once we knew that, we could thank and praise God more.� | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� This was a large congregation of many hundreds, and they took whatever time was necessary to have a long session of prayer.� However, this may not be conducive to your congregation.� In that case, divide up into smaller groups in classrooms or even in various corners of the auditorium.� Dividing up by men and women is a little more conducive to closeness since men will say things among other men they wouldn't with women around, and visa versa.� Allow those with prayer requests time to explain their request.� They are pouring out their heart.� They have learned to trust. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Yes, prayer is done with trust.� Not only trust in God, but also trust in each other.� Things discussed in prayer time should never be discussed outside of that group.� If the person with the prayer request wants others to know, they will tell them themselves.� If anyone wishes to tell anyone else, the person making the request must give their permission; otherwise it is tabu. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Not Enough Time | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Some may be saying their congregation does not have time for so much praying.� It would add another half hour to their worship period.� Friends, we all know Christians are to pray for each other daily.� The early church did.� How did they know about each other's needs?� They saw each other every day (Acts 2:46)!� | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Although we have innumerable time-saving gadgets that we should have much more time than the Christians of the first-century, we keep adding more and more activities to our lives.� As a result, we have ended up with less time for each other. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� For most Christians, we are lucky to see each other once a week.� So if we are to pray for each other, and to know just what to pray for, we're going to have to take the time to do it in our public worship.� Either that, or not at all. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Congregations who have begun entertainment type worship rely on small groups to provide the intimacy for the lonely.� But, once again, with the time-poor situation of society, how many miss those groups?� And how many need it more than those who attend? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Why is it we have to have two songs, a prayer, three more songs, a scripture reading, another two or three songs, another prayer, another couple of songs?� | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Young people in Cuba were interviewed about any religion they might have in their lives in 1998 when the pope went there for a visit.� Surprisingly, many of those young people who grew up without God began flocking to church.� Why? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� One young man, age 30, said, "I needed a change in my life."� Another said, "My life was so turbulent with too much drinking, too many parties." [8]� Too many parties?� You mean partying at church as part of the worship isn't what they're looking for? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� It is a proven fact that on any random Sunday, half the members will not be at church. [9]� Why?� Probably because they do not feel attending is doing them any good.� How do you feel after you have attended a worship service?� Do you feel any more loved than you did?� Do you have any more love for the others than you did?� | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� People are feeling empty even in church.� Or perhaps especially in church.� Of all places, they come hoping the church can help fill their emptiness.� Solomon said God has "set eternity in the hearts of men" (Ecclesiastes 3:11).� | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� People's personal concerns are too vital to substitute with a perpetual party atmosphere in church worship. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Entire bookstores are being dedicated to "spiritualism."� These are "new-age" bookstores wherein books on all the religions of mankind are available.� Anything to feel spiritual.� People are so empty.� They meditate by themselves trying to find the god within them, or to find an elusive perfection.� It gnaws at everyone including you and I.� It is an emptiness only God can fill.� | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� In one of the last speeches Moses made before his death, he said, "What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?" (Deuteronomy 4:7). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Friend, when we meet for our times of worship, let us take time to touch God.� Really touch him.� And in the process, touch each other with eternity. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Second Century Church Accounts | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Justin Martyr, about 150 AD, said in Apology I, 67:� "The memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits.� Then when the reader ceases, the president in a discourse admonished and urges the imitation of these good things.� Next we all rise together and send up prayers." [10] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Tertullian, about 170 AD, said in Apology xxxix:1-5): "We are a body with a common feeling of religion, a unity of discipline, and a covenant of hope.� We meet together in an assembly and congregation so that praying to God we may win him over by the strength of our prayers.� This kind of force is pleasing to God.� We pray also for emperors, for their servants and those in authority, for the order of the world, for peaceful circumstances, for the delay of the end." [11] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Clement of Alexandria, about 190 AD, said in Miscellanies VI.xiv.113.3:� "Always giving thanks in all things to God through righteous hearing and divine reading, true inquiry, holy oblation, blessed prayer, praising, hymning, blessing, singing, such a soul is never separated from God at any time." [12] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| If you have questions or comments about this chapter, you are welcome to join our Godfind discussion group. |
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| Endnotes For This Page | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [7].� Lightfoot, J. B., Editor, The Apostolic Fathers, "The Letter of the Smyrnaeans on the Martyrdom of S. Polycarp," v. 9-14, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, 1965, pg. 112-114 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [8].� The Windsor Star, "Cuban Youth Renewing Their Ties to the Church," by Anita Snow, January 10, 1998, Windsor, Ontario, Canada. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [9].� Barna, pg. 234 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [10].� Ferguson, Everett, Early Christian Speak:� Faith and Life in the First Three Centuries, Sweet Publishing, Austin, 1971, pg. 81 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [11].� Ferguson, p. 82 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [12].� Ibid. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||