The word “pray” and its various forms appear in the Bible (KJV translation) at least 512 times throughout the Old and New Testaments. Many other times prayer is the subject matter without these specific words being used. Obviously, prayer is an integral part of knowing God.

When observing those in the Bible who were close to the Lord in the Old and New Testament, prayer was an important part of their lives. When studying the lives of those close to the Lord from our time back to the first century, the same can be said.

Is it possible that our prayer life or lack thereof, is our problem today? If it is not the root cause of the churches’ decline, it is at least right up there near the top. That doesn’t mean that Satan has defeated the church. He cannot.

“And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it[emphasis mine].” (Matthew 16:18)

It does mean that some churches have been weakened by their own failure in not knowing the Shepherd, but the true church of Jesus Christ has not.

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children” (Hosea 4:6).

God’s message is even clearer in this translation.

“My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me. Since you priests refuse to know me, I refuse to recognize you as my priests. Since you have forgotten the laws of your God, I will forget to bless your children” (Hosea 4:6 NLT).

Before proceeding, I wish to make clear that I am very aware that these verses are written specifically to Israel. I am also aware that even so, the principle can and should be readily applied to the church and to individuals who make up the church.

Is it fair to say that most prayers coming from the church today are short and self-centered? (That isn’t to say that long prayers are righteous and short ones are not, just simply that it often shows a lack of interest in communication with God.)

Do not the prayers of many saints consist of, no particular order?

·         Give me this and give me that.

·         Make it easier.

·         Make it short.

·         Make it go away.

·         I need money.

·         I need that.

·         I’ve already done this, but want your blessing.

·         Give us a lot of people at church so the tithes will go up.

·         Make him/her love me.

·         Help me pass the test.

·         Find me a job while I watch my favorite programs.

·         I want a lot of nice stuff for Christmas.

·         I’m glad I’m not like them.

Surely, you get the point. Is this not a far cry from Matthew 6:9-13, where Jesus provides us a sample prayer to follow?

Vs.9: “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.”

We recognize our Father in heaven as Holy and God.

Vs.10: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

We long for HIS will to be done on earth as it is done in Heaven.

Vs.11: “Give us this day our daily bread.”

We ask for His provision for our daily NEEDS, especially THE bread, a personal, daily relationship with Him.

Vs.12: “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”

We ask for His forgiveness after we have forgiven those who have offended us.

Vs.13: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”

We ask for His help in not yielding to temptation and to keep us from Satan’s influences. We recognize Him as the Light of the world and any light coming from us is being reflected from Him.

Are our prayers anything like this? In many cases I’m sure they are, because I too, know and have known those who cherish their prayer life with Him. Unfortunately, that is normally not the case. Most in Christendom today have a very weak prayer life, if they have one at all.

How can I say such a thing? Am I being judgmental? (It’s a big thing today to not be judgmental, so says a society that doesn’t want anyone to point out sin.) I am being very judgmental, and offer no apologies for doing so. Notice these words of Christ:

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them.

Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.

Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them” (Matthew 7:15-20, NIV).

This is just one example among many, but how can we differentiate between good and bad without judging, or being judgmental? It is impossible. We have to make a judgment, and Jesus expects us to make the correct judgment based upon His Word. Therefore, when placing churches, and their leaders, side by side with God’s Word, many do not measure up, as we see in Jesus’ letters to the seven churches in Revelation 2-3.

Characteristics of the seven churches of Revelation can be seen in various locations on the globe, but primarily in our country, the Laodicean church trumps them all. The reason, in my opinion, is because intellectual knowledge may be found in the study, but spiritual knowledge can only be found in the closet (Matthew 6:6). In other words, our hearts are humbled and fine-tuned more on our knees than behind a desk.

There is something about the prayers of the righteous that keeps us as humble servants before the Lord instead of proud peacocks before others. For example, I have heard many prayers of those who remind me of the Pharisee while some remind me of the publican (Luke 18:10).

Also, prayer in and of itself is not a guarantee of spiritual correctness or closeness with Almighty God.

Local churches are failing because Satan’s crowd has been allowed to move in and take over. Instead of the church influencing the world, the world’s influence has crept into the local churches. Prayer is a big part of this, or I should say improper prayer and no prayer at all.

Those who sit in the pews and are truly Christians are failing in their prayer life, and those behind the pulpits have done no better. It doesn’t take a mental heavyweight, as my wife would say, to see this.

When you see a church, led by a pastor that proclaims the truth of ALL of God’s Word, and that he is serious about prayer, you will see a church that is growing in the Lord, and I’m not necessarily referring to “quantity” but “spiritual quality.” God’s Word will actually be taught, instead of having to endure “sermonettes for christenettes.”

God’s men and women of old spent much time in prayer. Jesus, the Son of God, is the epitome of an example in prayer. Even though Jesus is God, He needed that special time, and there was much of it, with the Father in prayer. Since Jesus spent so much time in prayer with the Father, should we do no less?

I must admit that my prayer life needs some work, and if you’re honest, many of you will admit so too. Do you not find, as I do, that even your attitude is improved when your prayer life is active, and it sours when it is neglected?

I am especially concerned how the pulpit has been affected by the prayer life, or lack thereof, of those who stand behind it. For that matter, the wrong people have been placed behind many pulpits because of the poor prayer relationship that those in the pew have with the Father, if they have one at all.

Most of the local churches have become institutions run by man, instead of local Christians led by the Shepherd. The Holy Spirit has been totally ignored unless made a mockery by some church practices. Every truly called pastor should spend more time in prayer fellowship with the Father than most anything else and no less can be said for those, who are truly a child of God, and sit in the pews.

Bible study is extremely important for the Christian, but without real prayer, there is a danger of becoming intellectually bright and spiritually stupid. Prayer without the study of God’s Word offers the same result. When the two are combined, and given their proper importance, we then know when to, “Go ye therefore” and will do so in His power.

Grant Phillips

How low will we go before Jesus returns for His church to finish the remaining seven years of the 490 He promised Israel?

Three NFL players have chosen to “come out of the closet,” but prior to their announcement an NBA player has already done so. Isn’t it nice that he received the full support of our president and his wife? I feel a tingle going up my leg as I type!

I was reading an “advice” column, and in it a father stated that his son told him he is “gay.” The father is in complete support, but thinks his son should tell the rest of his family, especially his fiancée (female). The son doesn’t want to do that, however. How’s that for “fatherly” advice?

A few years ago a very well known Hollywood actor was chosen to play the part of a guy who pretends he is gay. To get himself into the role he decided to participate in sex with another male. What dedication.

When reading the Bible it becomes very clear that we are to love the sinner but hate the sin. However, in our society, if we hate the sin but love the sinner, we are still portrayed as hatemongers. Go figure. We can’t win.

I do feel empathy for these misguided souls. They are in over their heads in retaliation against a holy God, and either don’t know it or just don’t care. It has gotten so bad in the military that a soldier, even a Chaplin that mentions the name of Jesus could be dishonorably discharged and/or jailed. Our president and Congress, as a whole, spit in the face of God. Hollywood continues to push the envelope with its trash.

Abortion, in my opinion, is nothing more than a “politically correct” name for murder, and continues to sling the red blood of babies on a black canvass. Reading the murderous exploits of Dr. Kermit Gosnell and then hearing our president and his wife ask God’s blessings upon Planned Parenthood, turns ones stomach.

Most of the churches in this country are feel-good-gatherings promoting a lifestyle of sin that is being directed from the pulpit and joyously received in the pews.

The sports world is primarily composed of over paid spoiled brats, and the music industry has just simply gone to hell.

Each year I ask myself, “How much lower can we go?” And each year I am surprised to find that we still haven’t hit bottom. Why do I say we haven’t hit bottom? The answer is our blatancy. More and more all shame is being removed and the conscience of man is disappearing.

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron” (1 Timothy 4:1-2, emphasis added).

More and more, acts against God, which we call sin, are being shoved in the face of righteous people, and the righteous are being attacked for not accepting these acts of perversion with open arms.

Are those who are really and truly a child of God righteous? Yes they are, because they have been clothed with the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Are they perfect and without sin? In God’s eyes they are, because they rest their eternal soul upon Jesus Christ. Are they without sin in their earthly body? No they are not, but they know what sin is. They recognize it, and they turn to God for forgiveness and forsake it.

One of the most alarming factors however is the direction the church is headed. If this isn’t the Laodicean church age, I’ll eat my Stetson.

In my opinion, sin is taking over a nation that once called itself a Christian nation because the churches have failed. We have done as Israel did so many times. We have turned our eyes away from God and gone our own way…in the churches no less!

Regardless what some may say, there was a time that we were considered a Christian nation. That doesn’t mean we have always followed God. Israel didn’t either when they were obedient to Him. It doesn’t mean that most of our society are Christians and read the Bible every day.

It does mean that many of our forefathers and leaders were since then have often turned to the one true God. It does mean that as a society God’s laws were honored, and He was given respect even by many of those who were not His own.

Today, not only is disrespect shown Almighty God, but downright hatred for His name and anything He stands for.

The old saying, “give them an inch and they’ll take a mile” seems to be the norm today. Obviously, when an outrageous act is performed and there is no retribution, the next act will be even more “in your face.”

Not only is do we have no retribution of sinful deeds but barely a whisper of opposition, and guess where the opposition should be coming from? God’s people should be speaking up, but since Madeline Murray O’Hare, the churches have been silent, except for a very few lone voices from the Church. Instead of the following warning, there is silence from God’s people.

“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Romans 12:19). This verse in the New Testament is refers to God’s decree in the Old Testament as follows:

“To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste” (Deuteronomy 32:35).

How many local churches speak out against sin? How many speak out as a unit against abortion, shacking up, homosexuality, lying, stealing, cheating, and so much more that has engulfed our society? How many churches are holding their members accountable to righteous living? I guess it’s difficult to address sin when you’re doing the same thing.

Romans 1:27-32, emphasis added:

“Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:            who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served            the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”

Could this be the problem; i.e. “not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them?” I think we’re on to something here. In my humble opinion, so goes the pulpit, so goes the pews AND so goes the church, so goes the community.

How low will we go before the stench of our sinful society brings us to judgment? Judgment is coming. The question is how much judgment will we endure before it really gets bad during a time commonly called the Tribulation? You say, “I’m not worried about the Tribulation, I’m a Christian and will be raptured away before that happens.

Maybe I need to repeat what I previously said. It is true, if we really are a Christian, we will meet God either by death or the Rapture, but while we are living on this earth, are we standing up for the One Who died for us and rose again or are we just playing church? Are we warning those around us of the judgment to come?

Once something starts rolling downhill, there is a very small window of time that it can possibly be stopped, but once it builds up momentum, there is no stopping it. It’s like a car slowly starting to roll away because the gearshift was not set in park.

There is a very brief instant that it may possibly be stopped by jumping in and applying the brake, but after that, one could get seriously injured or killed. The further it goes, the faster it moves and greater the crash when it lands. In my opinion, the sinfulness of our society has passed the point of no return.

How low will we go? Think about this. The depth of filth we can attain is only limited by the imagination and inspiration of Satan’s hatred toward God, and it will run its course until God says it’s over. When that time comes, and I believe it is long over-due, it will be a dreadful time to have to face God as Judge instead of Savior.

We are witnessing public acts today that were not even in a decent person’s thoughts just a few years ago. Even more appalling than this however, are the attitude of acceptance by society in general and the indifference of those who say they are Christians.

Grant Phillips