Praying all day?

How is it that so often this seems to be the case?In many towns, the example of what Christians should be are the Mormons. The most active churches can often be the Jehova's Witnesses. The most services are held by the Catholics. For me, the most devout church that I've ever seen was one that went so far as to reject everthing that wasn't singing hymns alone, wasn't called a "fundamental independent Baptist", and didn't carry the KJV bible.You're right, that it's such a lost spot we seem to be in. That we have let the message of Grace replace our need to follow God in our lives. How can we be more, and inspire more in the lives of those around us?Grace and Peace...

I'm always amazed to compare Christians (myself!) to members in cults and false religions. So many members in cults are devoted. We are far from as disiplined as they. I was reading about the Freemasonaries(which is a cult if anyone doesn't know) and they have many many oaths that would cost their life if they break them. We should not make oaths but if we were to live the Bible like our life is on stake, no not only our lives but others, we would be much differnt. I think that people are so afraid to say that "works" has anything to do with a Christian life that no one does anything anymore. They just lay down and relax and call it grace. No we are not saved by works but we are saved unto good works! (see Eph 2:10)

I am an African and having gone through brother Paris Reidhead's Ten Shekels and A Shirt, I am speaking I think from a point of revelation. I have also listened to Christian colleages at work discussing. We are at loggerheads hear in Africa as Christians with such strongholds as witchcraft, false god worship and moral decay if I were to call it with that lukewarm word. And the reason why Christianity has failed in every way to break these strongholds is that we are not as devout to true religion as we ought, we are not as given to worshiping our God as the prophets of Baal are to their God.Sacrifice is common practice and as it is, it is one of the biggest virtues Jesus ever did for us to call ourselves by His name. But we shy away from sacrifice. And do you know that the prophets of Baal sacrifice every year? They slaughter beasts and they even sacrifice human beings to theirs gods. And the works that they commit in our eyes are beyond this world. And we ask why our prayers against witchcraft and other soucererships are not answered. I have noticed lately also that praying to God is not something we do as often even as the Moslems do. And we wonder why our God does not know us. We are a shame. I am sorry to say that but we contemporary Christians are a shame in the face of God. We cannot even cast out a simple sickness. We cannot even follow up on our promises to prayer requests, by which we lie in the face of God. And we ask why our God does not hear our praise to Him. I think we all can do better than Baal's priests honestly, and Jehovah God is the creator of Heaven and earth. Glory be to God

James 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

It's interesting that this weekend I had also chance to talk a little with a few muslims. I was in a van taxi and there were 4-5 muslims. They were talking in turkish (which I don't understand) but I understood some words from the conversation - Isaac, Ismail. I asked them 'What are you talking about' and they started to talk on my language and the younger one said that he is asking the older man about the origins of the muslims and christians. I had chance to share few thoughts (the drive with them was just 5-6 min. ) , but I believe this was the Lord hand that inspired me to take with me few gospel tracts, so I said to them "Do you want to read parts of the bible " and they "Yes, yes, give us, give us" I gave them all tracts that I had, most of them were the gospel of John.From my experience with muslims I have noticed that they want to read the bible, they want to know about Christ and what christianity says. Maybe from curiosity, I don't know , but many have come to Christ from curiosity.May the Lord bless them.If I offered the tracts or bibles to some 'nominal' christian here, the most often reply is "You are from some new believe, or are you JW's?'Next to me was sitting such 'nominal' christian and his respond to my suggestion to give to the muslims gospel tracts was 'Are you Jehovah Witness?' :-(

I too have a Muslim friend and he is one of the kindest persons you could ever hope to meet. He asks questions such as "How often do you fast?" and "How often do you pray?".I pray that we would be convicted enough to surrender all to Jesus, not just to feel bad. My pastor refers to this feeling bad as "cheap guilt."It's only through Jesus that the power of sin in one's life can be broken and that's not available anywhere else but only through the blood of Jesus.

It is challenging to think about but... They also are more works based, correct? They do not believe in salvation by grace through Jesus Christ.

Yeah, I totally agree, YeshuaIsMyGod.It starts with us- our conviction, and our repentance. Like it was written earlier, that we are not justified by works alone, not because works can save us, but because works come because of our faith! Do we need to have services every day? I don't think so. But what about a prayer meeting daily? I would love that! Do we get points for how many tracts we hand out? Again, no. I do believe we are rewarded for our works, but it starts in your heart!Looking at some groups, like the Mormons, how focused on doing the work of their 'god' are they? It's incredible. The family values are amazing! But their fruits are useless and in vain. We have the opportunity to serve the one True God. To be involved in the leadership of our churches, to inspire the Brothers and Sisters in Christ around us!Have y'all heard the "Revival Hymn"? This, especially when talking to the "make-believers", is a great conversation starter- it's amazing. Look it up sometime here on SI. It'll challenge you about what we really are.Grace and Peace...

Just coming in. This site has so helped me to remain focused. You're right the prayer meetings would be great. I am so busy with my pastoral work, secular work and family that I can easily get side tracted if Im not very careful. I say I want to be in more prayer meetings and the devil says WHEN.

Hey, I have a question for DCOP, and any other pastors out there.Do you specifically lead every event, meeting, etc. that your church does, or do you delegate?Within our church, some Sunday School classes are taught by Deacons, but anything other event that happens is lead by our Pastor. That's the way that our pastor feels it should be. I can understand, since it's his responsibility to "feed my sheep", but we are limited in what we can do, by when he's available.So, in the instance of even having daily prayer meetings, or even just making the church available, do you delegate things to your Deacons and Elders, or you feel the need to do things yourself? I would like to understand these logistics, or reasonings more.Tell me what you think.Grace and Peace...

It is challenging to think about but... They also are more works based, correct? They do not believe in salvation by grace through Jesus Christ. Preachparsley made that statement and I think it's important to rember that our salvations don't lie in works but that works come out of a relationship with God and are a direct fruit of what the Holy Spirit is doing in us. There are times when we have to crucify the flesh all the more because we will become slackers in righteousness if we don't , but our salvation is secured through the finished work of Christ Jesus and in us placing our faith in such work (sacrifice). Jesus is the Living Word but we are to be living epistles read by every man. Christian is what we are not something we do, it's our very nature, the very air we breathe, our entire purpose for being.

I love listening to Leonard Ravenhill. I think a huge part of that is that it's almost like a fairytale that he tells. Hours of prayer, hours of street preaching. And it's such a harsh message that he preaches- it's not tailored to be more publicly likeable. Who would accept it? Those called to serve God!I guess I look at myself, and see the foil in Ravenhill. I think, if I were to become a missionary, would my family be provided for? He would just go. No worries! He was asked when he was street preaching once why no one else does it. He said, "I don't know, except God told me to do it." That's all there was to it. No hold-back. As the Lord called him, he went.I love my church, but at times I see that we're so held back by trying to do things on our own. By planning out how to reach the most people, or worrying about the most attractive tracts to use. Even in prayer. What's that quote of Ravenhill's? "If you want to know how popular a church is, go to the Sunday service. If you want to know how popular the preacher is in a church, go to the Sunday evening service. If you want to know how popular God is in a church, go to the prayer meeting."But to have some modern-day heroes like that to look to to lead us. Again, it seems that so many who are sold-out for the Lord become missionaries in third-world countries. It might be time to get some missionaries back in the West.But to see what the life of a man who didn't just know the Lord, but who really, honestly served the Lord in everything.I don't mean to idolize Ravenhill, but I think he's a great example of what we could be, if we only let God talk, and actually listened.Grace and Peace...

I just read this, it is so sad...
Again, I don't know if this woman knows Christ, but how can it be... i will not continue typing.

We need desperately awakening!

[b]Muslims enthusiastic, Christians apathetic about end times[/b]

Pro-Israel ministry leader Jan Markell says she is frustrated that many [b]Christians are apathetic about the idea of the glorious return of Jesus Christ[/b] while Muslims, for the most part, demonstrate intense passion and fervor about their belief in the imminent return of their Islamic "messiah." She believes "seeker-sensitive" churches are partly to blame.

Markell, founder and director of Olive Tree Ministries, says Muslims around the world, particularly in Iran and Iraq, are causing death, violence, and destruction in attempts to hasten the return of the one they regard as the ultimate savior of mankind, their so-called twelfth Imam or Mahdi.

"When I look at the enthusiasm that some of the Islamic people are perpetrating for this Islamic Mahdi to return, they are absolutely adamant that there's a great day coming," the ministry spokeswoman says, "and that the Islamic messiah ... is going to transform the Earth." Unfortunately, she notes, she does not see the same kind of enthusiasm among Christians for the prophesied return of the biblical Messiah.

"Part of this is because the church has dropped this issue of Jesus Christ's Second Coming so that the church can be more seeker sensitive and not be divisive," Markell asserts. The contemporary church has set this topic aside, she says, "and therefore, the congregation isn't by nature apathetic -- they don't know anything."

Muslims, on the other hand, are going to great lengths, the Olive Tree Ministries spokeswoman points out, to try to hasten what they believe will be the return of their Mahdi, according to certain Islamic prophetic traditions. "They believe it with all of their heart," she says, "and I would just like to see Christians getting that excited for the return of the true Messiah."

[b]Markell says even though Titus 2:13 talks about the "glorious appearing" of the Lord Jesus, most Christians today are not focused on that event. Apparently, she says, many believers think earthly business comes first for now.[/b]

[url=http://www.onenewsnow.com/2007/02/muslims_enthusiastic_christian.php]source[/url]

Hi, Tears of Joy, Jan Markell is a Jewish Believer and heads a ministry called Olive Tree Views out of Minneapolis, MN. She does a radio show on KKMS every Saturday morning. Her topics are current events from a Biblical point of view. I find her show to be very informative.

her website is: www.olivetreeviews.org

Hi, Tears of Joy, Jan Markell is a Jewish Believer and heads a ministry called Olive Tree Views out of Minneapolis, MN. She does a radio show on KKMS every Saturday morning. Her topics are current events from a Biblical point of view. I find her show to be very informative.

Thank you for the information, sister.

Hi everyone.

Going back to this intial post which appears to be from quite some time ago, brother Greg shared this from an encounter with a muslim woman

"Oh, so you pray all day?" - basically she was meaning in her broken english that I was like one of her priests from her religion that is mostly devoted to prayer to God.

I have a book called [i]Iran Desperate for God, An oppressive Islamic state drives its people into the arms of Christ[/i]

The book is comprised of eight testimonies of people who have come to faith in Christ, in Iran. The last one is titled [i]The Fanatic[/i]. It is the tesimony of one former muslim girl who at a very young age became a [i]baseige[/i] which she describes as [i] almost like a military-style worship[/i] in Islam. There is also a photo in this chapter of some women of the [i]baseige[/i] who the caption says [i]have memorized the Koran[/i], and I might point out, are all holding what look like AK-47s. [i]Selah[/i]

In her testimony, the girl describes some of their devotions and she mentions long and frequent prayer. She mentions other things too.

Like

[i]mouning or grieving for the dead prophets of Islam[/i]

[i]flogging or beating themselves(the men with sticks with chains and the women with their hands only[/i]

and [i]bowing 400 times a day in 4 directions[/i]

None of this, as far as I could tell, ever brought her closer to a relationship with God. She actually says she was in a sort of prison, that is before she came to faith in Christ.

Considering all of this, and what if any comparisons we should make, I think of what Paul said firstly,

[i]For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.[/i]

We flow in completely different rivers than they do. Our progress is opposed every inch of the way by wickedness in high places, while thiers is likely not opposed at all! I'm thinking here of these rivers as that of the soul, and that of the spirit.

Consider this from an article by Jessie Penn Lewis

'" This ` soul-force ' is believed to be cultivated by prayer, fasting, and religious meditation. The Mohammedans point with pride to their gatherings for prayer in their Mosques. Consider the mass of Mohammed's at prayer in the great Jumna Mosque of Delhi, where an hundred thousand followers of Mahomet assemble inside the Mosque, with a still larger crowd engaged in prayer outside. It is here where ` soul-force ' is generated ! In the Mosques of India, which count by thousands upon thousands, where devout Mohammed's meet three times for prayer every day. It is here that the hidden springs of Islam lie. Every Mohammedan believes that the secret of world-power is in prayer, and what he believes, hepractices. They ` pray', and lo (they believe) the council of European nations is set aside. What a lesson to Christendom !"

But the author goes on to draw out the distinction between these soul powers and that of the spirit

'" Soul force " verses " spirit force ". What does this mean in England? Just this. That the same development of psychic power is taking place knowingly, and unknowingly, all round us, bringing into action forces which are at the disposal of the invisible powers of evil. " The forces of psuche arrayed against the forces of pneuma." What are the " forces of psuche " but the " natural man " drawing out of his nature latent powers which are not of the Spirit of God. And the forces of "pneuma ", what are they? The power of God Himself as " Spirit " brought into action through the spiritual man, born of the Spirit, walking after the Spirit, and praying to God on the ground of the Blood of Calvary. (See Revelation 8:3-5, as an example.)'

Here is the article if any of you want to read it

[url=https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/articles/index.php?view=article&aid=1846] SOME LIGHT UPON THE PERILS OF THE LAST DAYS [/url]