www.scatteredchristians.org
Another Sermon for the Starving Bible Believing Christians All Over the World Wide Web
2005 - Touchet Baptist Church, Touchet, Washington - Pastor Mike Paulson - 2005
Expounding the way of God more perfectly - Acts 18:26 - with the Scriptures Rightly Divided - II Timothy 2:15

What Is It To Be a Christian Today?
- Paul's "DO's" -
The "Power" of Prayer?
Continuing a series on what Christians ought to do BECAUSE they are saved, not to be saved!

The real power of the Word of God
is being replaced by the false power of prayer.

A "spirit-led" 'powerful 'presence' energy-force led' modern mystic and perverted Christianity!
Seeing the Message bible putting forth such a false spirit led walk to the Purpose Driven, ALPHA crowd, etc.- all obviously New Age demonic design - and the continued direction away from the King James Bible in almost every church these days - including more and more Bible Believing churches (they don't see it yet!), we see more obviously than ever, the growth and direction towards the one-world religion with their 'one' approved bible that HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE TRUTH OF THE REAL CHRIST!

The real Christ is not the Master Jesus - He is not the Green Hope - We are not "light bearers", as the Purpose Driven Bible says!  The real Christ is not wearing a lotus wreath!

Another Jesus, etc.
Remember Paul warned about 'another Jesus' & 'another spirit' & another gospel!  It is coming down faster than ever before, eh!

We see "Jesus" even on national TV now - prime time!
More and more movies about "Jesus" from Hollywood!
(and they are obviously wrong - and are about the devil wanting to be like the most high... the antichrist - but only to the King James Bible Believers - and even many of them are deceived with IMAGES instead of following WORDS!
(comment on The Only Authorized Picture of Christ book from Russ and Riplinger)

Anyway...


An Increase of False Teaching on Prayer

Have you noticed an increase in "PRAYER" and the talk of the POWER of PRAYER?

Prayer books/sites
It is everywhere in the bookstores, websites, etc. by the thousands....
Folks - PRAYER is not the unifying factor of Christianity.  We all can not pray together - there is no prayer power for those gathered around the flag pole!

Bottom line
Again, we see Pentecostal flavour in this prayer push!

Fellowship with the antichrist!
Not only do people hear from the spirit of antichrist in their modern bibles, now they are talking back to the spirit of antichrist with their 'prayers' - AND if those prayers are answered, then OF COURSE it must be from God - WRONG!

E.M. Bounds - Prayer Author
A very popular book series on prayer!
However, the guy was a pentecostal styled Methodist-Episcopalian preacher who, in his day, was secluded and unknown.  (see notes)

As all this Pentecostal New Age Modern Purpose Driven prayer bahooy grows, so does E.M. Bounds.  He seems to have led the modern pack of prayer power!

His book series includes Power Through Prayer; The Weapon of Prayer yet one should notice the lack of Scriptural support in his books and a misuse of wrongly divided prayer application from the few Scriptures he does refer to!  HIs books are based on his experiences, not the Scriptures!

No wonder the Bible Believers are so gullible these days to this Modern Direction away from their own KJB and still talk the talk of being 'spirit-led,' into all this modern rock and bluegrass music in their churches.  They have all been encouraged to read E.M. Bounds in their personal studies!


No, I am not bashing Prayer - I am only desiring for us to know the truth about Prayer!
PRAYER IS POWERFUL, but it is not a POWER!

Here - these are two prayers that are 'best sellers' with the Modern Christian

Prayer of Jabez - I Chronicles 4:10  And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!  And God granted him that which he requested.
Prayer of Repentance -II Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

"Repeat those and act on them, and God will change your life."  You hear that statement all the time!!!!
You hear the Prayer of Jabez from the modern Christian and II Chronicles 7:14 from the Bible Believers!

They may make good preaching, but they are not TO us today - not at all!

Ok, but what about all those prayer examples in the Gospels and Acts, etc.?  Simple - still, TO the Jews!

Lack of response your fault?
Are the lack of responses to all those prayers listed above possibly the reason so many are disgruntled and discouraged and disappointed about being a Christian today?  Kinda like, WHERE IS GOD - I HAVE BEEN PRAYING!!!

And you say, God HAS answered your prayers?  All of them?

What about those who say He doesn't? Do you say it is their fault?  Not God's will?
Tell that to a parent who lost their child - someone with cancer - in a wheelchair - lost their job and can't find one - a parent with horrible kids..., etc.  Where is the power of prayer in their life?

Prayer as a distraction!
Is it possible that this fake 'power of prayer' is just another pentecostal mystic aged last days smokescreen and distraction designed by the devil to keep folks out of the Word of God and to ACT like Christians are suppose to act - not just praying, but doing!!!!

Are those TO us today?  If so, how are the answers to your prayers?
It seems that things are still pretty rough these days!

What Gives?

I'll tell you!

We just need to look to Paul's teachings about true prayer today - and it is NOT the power that it was in the early church Great Commission days / Old Testament days.


Ok, so what does Paul teach on prayer?
I am glad you asked!

Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy,
that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering,
for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
I Timothy 1:16

1.  We can't do Acts for our example - Paul was preaching Kingdom of God and doing Kingdom of Heaven 'signs' because of the Jews being present!

2.  We don't even know HOW to pray, so God even takes care of that!
Romans 8:26

3.  We are to pray without ceasing!
This is simple - the Christian today has Christ IN HIM and he is in Christ - so it is a 24/7 relationship - a constant fellowship.  See Revelation 3:20!

No fancy prayer meetings are necessary (not wrong, but not necessary).
No pray chains of power (not wrong, but no power there).
No special private secluded prayer sessions in your closet are required (not wrong, and a good idea, but you can't do them 24/7).

Our prayer life is to be without ceasing!

Romans 1:9  For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;
Romans 12:12  Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
Ephesians 1:16   Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
Colossians 1:3  We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
Colossians 1:9  For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, ...
Colossians 4:12  Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers...
I Thessalonians 1:2  We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;
I Thessalonians 3:10  Night and day praying exceedingly...
I Thessalonians 5:17  Pray without ceasing.
I Timothy 5:5   Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.
II Timothy 1:3  I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;
Philemon 1:4  I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers,

The powerfulness of prayer today is in our closeness with Christ 24/7!

We don't have to wait for Communion Sunday - we can commune with God 24/7!

Our prayer life is there to draw us closer to God...
...NOT to be some powerful praying prayer warrior telling God what to do
and making Him change His ways, controlling 'nature,' etc.

This world still belongs to the devil - and we are still swimming - or - floating!

Quit floating and praying - jump in and swim with that Book -
and God will direct your ways and you will stay close to Him through it all!

His ways are not our ways - His thoughts are not our thoughts, but if we stay close with Him, our ways and our thoughts can be more and more like His!

And remember, it is NEVER Christ that quits talking - it is us!

He talks to us through His words - John 14:26; John 16:13-15 -
- all through the Holy Spirit in the King James Bible!


That is too simple - and almost too marvelous...
...but so true today!

Don't desire Alzheimer's Prayer Power!
That is not for/to today - you are going back to the childhood days of the church.

Don't play the modern prayer game!
It is a false teaching of the coming Antichrist!

Stick with Paul in that King James Bible - not the Purpose Driven Alpha Creeks Great Commission Bahooey!


Tonight:  So following Paul's example, how is that we should pray?