Is this church?

I was talking to a sister on the phone and she was telling me about a ladies prayer breakfast that she went to.

There were over 1000 ladies present, it was held at a hotel. Some, who wanted to go, could not, because all the tickets had been sold.

She said it was a good message and testimony by the speaker.

She said, but for the breakfast, some who were there would not have come.

She also told me about a prayer meeting she used to go to. There was food before the meeting, after which they prayed.

The sister that I was speaking to said they should not be having food, because it was a prayer meeting. The meeting was being held at another sister's house.

After they stopped having the food, the attendance dropped from 40-50 people to just 4.

Is this church? Is this what church today is all about, numbers and not souls, not growing in God?

Food glorious food! If that is all people will attend these meetings for, no wonder we do not have revival.

...lazy gluttons, Titus 1v12.

'Whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their mind on earthly things', Phil 3v19.

I don't see how we are any different to the world in this, do you?

God is looking for sacrifice, broken and contrite hearts, not flesh pleasing, soulish, self deceived so called 'Christians'.

God help us.

God bless.

You are correct in what you say. I have seen many times when we call for a time of prayer and fasting only a small handfull show up, however if there is a feast called everybody shows up and brings some extras. It is a sad commentary on the condition of the church, and you are right it is no wonder we don't have revival.

There is a competition here in the UK for people to send in their own personal recipes for tv chefs to try, and to pick a winner for the best one.

What has that got to do with all this?

One man who entered said 'food unites the soul and the body'.

I picked up on that. I know it can be disregarded because he evidently wasn't saved or anything, but the statement caught my attention.

Why would Jesus fast for 40 days before starting His ministry if it wasn't important?

Why in the book of Acts do we read of the apostles fasting, as did others, Cornelius for one, yet today it is almost unheard of in the church.

On occasion, in our church, we will have some food, mostly at Christmas, but not every week.

A pastor from India who preached in our church said on a Saturday, they fast after lunch until after the Sunday morning service, and they do not have anything to eat after the service.

There is great growth in the church in India, my husband went there in February this year and saw for himself what was taking place.

It's sad that the church in the west has to put out food in order for people to come.

Why is that?

And why on earth can we not pray?

If we are praying, either God is ignoring us, or we are praying wrong, which is possible, James 4.

God tells us to present our bodies a living sacrifice. Since when was over eating a sacrifice? Not eating, over eating?

Still, we should not have to use gimmicks to get people to obey God.

It seems we have learnt nothing from the Bible, how God dealt with the children of Israel.

Man cannot live by bread alone.

Let us endeavour to feed on His word, and pray, regardless of how we feel.

Fully pleasing Him.

God bless.

Eating with other believers is a form of fellowship, however it should not take the place of prayer and fasting. We need to fast on a pretty regular basis, accompanied by prayer.

We need to seek God that He will raise up men with a fire shut up in their bones to preach the uncompromised word. We need those like Finney and Jonathan Ewards and others who will convict us with the truth about out complacency and self-indulgence. We in the USA pamper our flesh and that is why it is so very alive. [color=0000CC]

1Cr 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring [it] into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. [/color]

[color=0000CC]Luk 2:37 And she [was] a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served [God] with fastings and prayers night and day. [/color]

[color=0000CC]2Cr 6:5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; [/color]

[color=0000CC]2Cr 11:27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. [/color]

The fact that preachers who are stand-up commedians draw the biggest audiences is a sure sign that the majority of "believers" today don't want the ones that will break their hearts and make them cry. This is why we need to fast and pray that this trend will be broken over the church. It seems the only thing that makes a difference is tribulation like 9/11 or Katrina. When people are reduced to basics they are willing to stop an listen for a moment. However as we have seen sometimes it is a short moment.

Oh, how often I have wondered at this issue myself. Not that there is anything wrong with eating and "fellowship";

BUT I had a grand picture of this last fall when Keith Daniel came to a local community here to preach and the church building that the people had rented were having that same evening a male meeting: "wild game feed" - the parking lot was FULL!! BUT, the church auditorium was sparse.

Now it certainly doesn't matter to me how many there are in any meeting, numbers do not count! Only spiritual content and desire, weather that be one or many. And there was certainly plenty of content that evening, it was a blessed time that I will always treasure in my heart;

BUT my heart was sorrowful for those attending in the other room, who did not hear words of warning and edification; they did not see the tears of someone who was so wounded by mere churcheology, starving and nearly faint from lack of true food and so overwhelmed at real spiritual food that she was overcome!

They did not see the look on the faces of those that haven't been convicted for years, who felt satisfied previously in mere church attendance.

They did not see the God of heaven come down and breathe on a small group of people and stir their hearts.

Every person gets to choose, and what they ingest even as what they wear is a reflection of that which is inside. Some may just want a bowl of porridge, some may want a feast, some may want clear fresh water- warm fresh bread and the true fellowship between the Father and the Son and His offspring.

To me, eating is ok, I enjoy sharing a meal with others. PRAYING is essential! More importantly, I want my heart prepared, I do not want to get "carried away eating and drinking.." and not be ready for the Master's arrival.

"Verily, Verily I say unto you, Ye seek Me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled. labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you; for Him hath God the Father sealed." John 6:26,27

Goldminer wrote:

Eating with other believers is a form of fellowship, however it should not take the place of prayer and fasting. We need to fast on a pretty regular basis, accompanied by prayer.

I agree fully. Prayer and fasting should be regular not only when believers come together - but on a personal level as well.

I recall when we lived in Adelaide going to an assembly who had a "Fast and Testimony Sunday" each mothh. Everyone was supposed to fast from 6pm the night before. After the Sunday morning meeting they all used to go to a local eatery and gorge themselves silly. Like they had never eaten before. We went once, but only once. It didn't seem right....

There is nothing wrong with an assembly coming together and sharing a meal. Good fellowship, more often than not a working bee!! Everyone singing as we work........ After meetings we have a cuppa and a biccy together......