It's become a Christmas traditioj for me, The Star of Bethlehem. With an astronomy program Rick Larson smakes a good case for the time of Christ's birth as marked by the brightest heavenly object ever. But more than that, his researches identify the likely date of His conception on Rosh Hashanah of 3 BC and the likely date of the arrival of the Magi in Bethlehem when the "start" stood still over the house Jesus was living in. He also shows what was going on in the sky at the time of the Lord's death on the Cross.
Thursday, December 23, 2021
Here's the Puzzler About Why Our Corporate Prayers Fail
Steen Lee's talk was about how we don't pray with enough fervor or desperation. He played clips from others who see the problem the sqame way. His talk was a call to protracted committed fervent prayer in this time of worldwide destruction of society. The puzzler is why he had a group praying daily for a year and as far as anyone can see so far there is no fruit. Things continue to degenreate.
Does qa lack of fervor explain it?
Leonard Ravenyhill exhorted us to pray for revival for years and years. I know people followed him. Nothing came of it that we could point to. No revival.
I wondered why. I speculated that maye the fact that he accepted the charismatic movement as genuine could have been an impediment. Lack of fervor? Doesn't seem likely.
Kay Arthur called for prayer by her Bible study leaders and members across the ation. There was no fruit we could point to there either. Again why not?
There was a huge prayer gathering in Washington D.C. I thik in the sujmmer of 2020 though I may be misremembering. No fruit to report from that one either. I don't know enolugh about it to speculate on the reqasobns myself, but I don't hae any problem exdplaining the lack of success of the prayer breakfasts in Washington and George Bush's prayer in the Natiobnal Cathedral after 9/11, It's simple. God isn't going to honor ecumentical prayer. Believers and unbelieers cannot pray together and expect success.
I've prayed my heart o7ut for revival from time to time. Nothing has come of it that I can see.
I do think the abandonment of women's covering our heads in prayer is likely to be a big factor, but there may be other factors.
Just as we can ask why these efforts have failed we can also ask why some succeeded. Jonathan Edwards called for extraordinary prayer for the revival of religion in his day and the Great Awakening was the fruit of that. How long did it take between his call and the fruit? I don't know.
The last real revival I can think of was the one in Saskatchewan in Canada in the 70s that was set in motion by Pastor Bill McLeod. HYe got his church members to sign up to pray for revival at particular fifteen minute intervals around the clock, and he himself prayedd fervently for his church and for revival every morning. It was't long before people came under Holy Spirit conviction for tvarious sins and the revival was underway. Over the next few years it grew to thousands. It seems to have been a genuine revial.
I do't count the charimastic "revivals" such as the "TAoronto Blessings which was the Laughting revival, or the Brownsville revival. Certainly not Lakeland.
Why did Saskatechewan succeed? Why are we not able now d3espite what seemes to me to be some sincere and fervent efforts having any success at all?
That's the puzzler. That's the question. The first things wee need to pray for is an ansswer to that question. Is it anyt of the rasons I'vve suggested abover,. Is it the lack of fervor Steen Lee talks about> Is it that we've gone too far and now have only God's judgment to face?
It's a question that needs to be answered.
Does qa lack of fervor explain it?
Leonard Ravenyhill exhorted us to pray for revival for years and years. I know people followed him. Nothing came of it that we could point to. No revival.
I wondered why. I speculated that maye the fact that he accepted the charismatic movement as genuine could have been an impediment. Lack of fervor? Doesn't seem likely.
Kay Arthur called for prayer by her Bible study leaders and members across the ation. There was no fruit we could point to there either. Again why not?
There was a huge prayer gathering in Washington D.C. I thik in the sujmmer of 2020 though I may be misremembering. No fruit to report from that one either. I don't know enolugh about it to speculate on the reqasobns myself, but I don't hae any problem exdplaining the lack of success of the prayer breakfasts in Washington and George Bush's prayer in the Natiobnal Cathedral after 9/11, It's simple. God isn't going to honor ecumentical prayer. Believers and unbelieers cannot pray together and expect success.
I've prayed my heart o7ut for revival from time to time. Nothing has come of it that I can see.
I do think the abandonment of women's covering our heads in prayer is likely to be a big factor, but there may be other factors.
Just as we can ask why these efforts have failed we can also ask why some succeeded. Jonathan Edwards called for extraordinary prayer for the revival of religion in his day and the Great Awakening was the fruit of that. How long did it take between his call and the fruit? I don't know.
The last real revival I can think of was the one in Saskatchewan in Canada in the 70s that was set in motion by Pastor Bill McLeod. HYe got his church members to sign up to pray for revival at particular fifteen minute intervals around the clock, and he himself prayedd fervently for his church and for revival every morning. It was't long before people came under Holy Spirit conviction for tvarious sins and the revival was underway. Over the next few years it grew to thousands. It seems to have been a genuine revial.
I do't count the charimastic "revivals" such as the "TAoronto Blessings which was the Laughting revival, or the Brownsville revival. Certainly not Lakeland.
Why did Saskatechewan succeed? Why are we not able now d3espite what seemes to me to be some sincere and fervent efforts having any success at all?
That's the puzzler. That's the question. The first things wee need to pray for is an ansswer to that question. Is it anyt of the rasons I'vve suggested abover,. Is it the lack of fervor Steen Lee talks about> Is it that we've gone too far and now have only God's judgment to face?
It's a question that needs to be answered.
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