Prayer For The Church To Be Sanctified

What is a Sanctified Church? (with pictures)

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• Written By: Mary McMahon
• Edited By: Bronwyn Harris
• Last Modified Date: 06 June 2019
• Copyright Protected: 2003-2019 Conjecture Corporation

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While all churches are technically sanctified, because “sanctification” means making something holy, when people use the term “sanctified church,” they usually mean a specific branch of Pentecostal Christianity.

The sanctified church movement was born among the slaves of the Americas, and it reflects a distinctive cultural and religious tradition which began when slaves were first introduced to Christianity in the New World.

Today, many such churches have a large black congregation, although people of all ethnic origins and races can be seen at worship in such churches.

Certain individuals may receive a blessing from God known as sanctification, which makes them into vessels for the Holy Spirit.

These individuals are used to spread the Word of God on Earth, in a variety of ways which may range from glossolalia to dancing. Glossolalia, incidentally, is a fancy way of saying “speaking in tongues.”

Services in a sanctified church are often quite noisy and exuberant.

Members of the congregation are encouraged to express the Holy Spirit as it moves them, so people may dance, clap their hands, sing, speak, go into trances, or engage in a wide variety of other behaviors which are viewed as sacred gifts from God.

The minister usually preaches a sermon which focuses on saving individual souls and spreading belief in Christ through good works, and these churches often meet for revivals, mass-baptisms, and other events.

In many cases, a sanctified church will identify as non-denominational, welcoming people of all creeds to worship or visit services to learn more.

Christians from more conservative sects sometimes frown upon the exuberance of these churches, preferring to see more dignified services and rejecting the idea that individuals can become filled with the Holy Spirit.

However, many aspects of the sanctified church are actually very true to the roots of Christianity, such as the idea that everyone should participate in preaching and spreading the world of God.

People who are interested in observing services are usually welcome, as long as they are respectful.

In a sanctified church, it is considered conventional to dress nicely for church, to assist people if they appear to be losing physical control while acting as vessels for the Holy Spirit, and to join in hymns and shouts of “amen” with the rest of the congregation.

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Источник: //www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-sanctified-church.htm

18 Things to Pray for Your Church

Have you ever been reading your Bible and noticed how Paul prays such rich, kingdom-saturated prayers for churches?

• For the church in Thessalonica: “To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power” (2 Thess. 1:11; see also 1 Thess. 1:9–13).
• For the church in Colossae: “We have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Col. 1:9–10).
• For the church in Ephesus:  “I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him” (Eph. 1:16–17; see also 3:14–21).
• For the church in Rome (Rom. 15:14–33) and the church in Philippi (Phil. 1:9–11).

Of course, there’s far more where this came from. See Don Carson’s excellent book on the topic, Praying with Paul: A Call to Spiritual Reformation (Baker) [excerpt], as well as TGC’s corresponding eight-session group study curriculum (LifeWay) [announcement | excerpt].

Leading the Charge 

It’s comparatively easy for you and me to pray for ourselves, our families, and our friends. But how can we learn how to pray more fervently and consistently for our local churches?

For one, we just need to start doing it—and encouraging others to do so.

To help with that, here are 18 things you can pray for your church. They aren’t as rich as Paul’s since I wanted to keep them simple and -length. (Also because I’m not inspired.) Still, perhaps you could print out this article and pray two or three of the points below per day for the next week—maybe in your quiet time, maybe at the family dinner table.

Also, consider copying and pasting your favorite prayers below into or , led by the phrase “Pray for your church: . . .” Don’t insert my handle or TGC’s. You don’t have enough room, and it’s not the point. The point is to use your social media platform to encourage others to pray for their church.

Who knows? One day in glory, perhaps we’ll see all the good accomplished from believers being more deliberate about praying for their churches.

What to Pray For

1. That we would have unity amid diversity—loving those with whom we have nothing in common but the gospel. 

2. That a culture of discipling would form in which making disciples is viewed as an ordinary part of the Christian life.

3. That faithful elders would use Scripture to train members to do the work of ministry.

4. That a hunger for studying the gospel would form among membersso that they can guide and guard one another in it.

5. Thattransparent, meaningful relationships would become normal and remaining anonymous strange.

6.The preaching of God’s Word—that it would be biblically careful and Holy Spirit imbued.

7. Thatelders would remain above reproach,kept from temptation, complacency, idols, and worldliness.

8. Thatthe church’s songs would teach members to biblically confess, lament, and praise.

9. Thatthe church’s prayers would be infused with biblical ambitions, honesty, and humility. 

10. Thatadult members would work to disciple teenagers and not just leave it to programming. 

11. That the church’s primary teachers grow in dedication to God’s Word even when no one’s watching. 

12. That it would grow in beingdistinct from the world in love and holiness, even as it engages outsiders.

13. That members wouldshare the gospel this week—and see more conversions!

14. That members would beprepared for persecution, remembering to love, not curse, their persecutors.

15. Thathopes for political change would be outstretched by the hope of heaven.

16. That giving would be faithul, as well as joyful, consistent, and sacrificial. 

17. Thatmore members would use their careers to take the gospel to places it’s never been.

18. Thatmembers would be good and do good in their workplaces this week.

Can you think of something I didn’t include? Then pray it and share it! This is hardly the “official list” of the 18 most important things to pray. They’re simply what one guy thought of while sitting in his office chair.

The point is for all of us to start praying more intentionally for our churches, and to encourage others to do the same.

Church Membership • Healthy Church • Nature of the Church • Prayer

Источник: //www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/18-things-to-pray-for-your-church/

Is the “sinner’s prayer” a legitimate way to get saved?

If you’ve been in the American church for any amount of time, you are probably familiar with the concept of the “sinner’s prayer.

” Basically, a preacher asks people in the congregation to repeat after him if they are interested in having Jesus Christ come into their hearts and save them.

The prayer will generally go something this: “God, I know I’m a sinner, and without you I am destined for eternal punishment. I repent of my sins. Please forgive me and come into my heart. Be my Lord and Savior. Amen.”

Poof! If you’ve repeated this prayer, then you’re now magically saved, right? Well, not exactly. It doesn’t work a flu shot.

Our Heart Versus Our Words

People will often point to the fact that when they repeated these words, they “meant it” and therefore, it has to be legitimate. Well, maybe or maybe not. The problem is, the words that come our mouths can often be at odds with what’s actually in our hearts—even if we feel they are the same.

People can be swayed very easily by their feelings, whether it be the lovey-dovey atmosphere created by the powerful preaching, dim lighting, or soothing music.

Either way, the Bible warns us in Jeremiah 17:9 that human hearts are deceitfully wicked…who can know it?

Sinner’s Prayer

There is not one place in the Bible that tell us that repeating a formulaic prayer will grant us salvation.

There is not one place in the Bible that tell us that repeating a formulaic prayer will grant us salvation. A simple man-made prayer does not have special abilities. However, these prayers often contain a lot of correct elements that clue us in on how to actually find Jesus. Using my sample prayer, let’s break it down a bit.

“God, I know I’m a sinner, and without you I am destined for eternal punishment.”

The first step toward real salvation is acknowledging and understanding fully that we are sinners. This is more than saying “I’m not perfect” or “I have done wrong at least once in my life.

” Everyone in the world could admit to that! No, this means recognizing that we have broken God’s law and that as sinners, we are broken beyond repair. This is letting go of the secular idea that we are essentially “good people” who slip up sometimes.

Rather, it’s a realization that our sin nature leaves us in a very grave situation. We are rotten to the core, and there’s nothing we can do about it on our own. In light of a fully just God, we deserve hell.

Do you really believe that? Or do you look at other people around you and say that you are comparatively “good”? Do you secretly think, “If God turned me away from heaven, that would be unfair!” If you feel this way, you are not ready.

“I repent of my sins.”

Do you really? In addition to genuine remorse for your sins, are you ready and willing to do whatever it takes to turn completely away from that lifestyle? Do you see those things in a different light now, as dirty and serious? Or do you cling to your desire to dabble in sin, do enough “good” to cancel out the bad? Do you wish to be saved but have no desire to be sanctified?

Do you think this way? “Of course, I want to go to heaven! But while I’m here on earth, I don’t need to be a saint or anything. I’ll live it up because Jesus loves me and forgives me.”

If this is your mentality, then you are not genuinely repentant. Someone who is ready to be a Christ-follower may slip up time to time, but they do not brush it off as if it were nothing. When they slip off the narrow path to life, God comes for them and they continue fighting their flesh. If this is not you, you are not ready.

“Please forgive me and come into my heart.”

Now, let’s say he or she comes up to you and says, “Please forgive me.” You look at them, and they are not truly sorry, nor do they have any intention of trying to improve themselves in the future. They just want the fight to stop so you can cook them dinner or give them other benefits. Would you forgive them?

In the same way, God is not interested in idle words and empty gestures. As Paul Washer once said, “the greatest heresy in the American church is that if you ask Jesus to come into your heart, he will definitely come in.

” No, this isn’t how it works. If Jesus sees your heart and you are not ready or willing to do what it takes to make it work, he will not come in.

He does not force himself upon you just because of some words you’re repeating in an instant of conviction.

There’s a reason why many will come to the gate and say, “Lord, Lord,” only to hear Jesus say to them: “I never knew you.” (Matthew 7:21-23) How do you know this isn’t going to happen to you?

“Be my Lord and Savior. Amen.”

People often think about Jesus as their savior, but that’s it. They are glad he will whisk them away to heaven and save them from the flames of hell, but they forget about the other requisite part.

He has to be LORD.

Most people in America will call themselves Christians, but they are the furthest thing from Christ-followers. They prayed a prayer and called him “Lord,” yet they live their lives as they see fit.

When someone is your LORD, that means he is your master. You are his servant/slave. Does your mentality really reflect this at all?

Do you gloss over the uncomfortable portions of scripture that do not appeal to you, but rather focus heavily on God’s grace and love? Do you profess to love God but fail to live out his commands? John 14:15 tells us that if we love Him, we are to obey.

If you have the (surprisingly common) mentality of “I’ll follow, but only when I really agree,” then Jesus Christ is not your Lord. ANYone will follow someone’s commands if they fully agree with them already. Are you willing to obey even when you don’t fully understand or it rubs you the wrong way?

If God is not your Lord, then He is not your savior. Please don’t fool yourself.

If God is not your Lord, then He is not your savior. Please don’t fool yourself.

So…

If everyone who calls themselves “Christian” is capable of deceiving themselves and feelings are an unreliable measure, then how in the world can you know if you are really saved? Well, the Bible says that a good tree will bear good fruit (and a bad tree will bear bad fruit…and be cut down and thrown into the fire) – Matthew 7:17-19. It exhorts us to examine ourselves (2 Corinthians 13:5) to see if we are in the faith. The test is not whether we prayed a prayer one time in our life, but rather whether our lives are truly changed and on the narrow path in this world. Are we being sanctified? Are we convicted of our sin and repenting continually?

Granted, change is a gradual process for most people, but the trend should be unmistakeable over time. If you were “on fire” for Christ for a short period of your life but have fallen back to a secular lifestyle, there is a possibility that you are the second or third (unsaved) soils in the Parable of the Sower.

James calls faith without deeds useless and dead. “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?” (James 2:14)

If we are living our lives just as we were before, or we appear just the world around us, then this is a serious symptom of a “dead” faith. This doesn’t mean that you are simply living a feeble Christian life, but rather, it means you are not His at all!

In conclusion, reciting the so-called “sinner’s prayer” has no magical powers on its own (though it does have some useful elements in it). This is not the way to test if you are a Christian.

The true test and evidence comes in the way you walk and talk, the way you think.

Is it conforming to God’s Word, or do you still belong to the world? Remember that you cannot serve both the world and God; it’s one or the other.

In fact, if you are truly a child of His, chances are at some point, the world will hate you or find you foolish (e.g., Matthew 10:22; 24:9; John 15:19). If the world finds you perfectly agreeable, then raise the red flags…there’s something wrong

Источник: //www.changingthefaceofchristianity.com/opinions-and-editorials/is-the-sinners-prayer-a-legitimate-way-to-get-saved/