I've been going through a rough season at the moment. I've been going through own my weblog archives as well as the prayer journals I've kept over the years, and I have to say that after three years since God laid a burden on my heart, I can't hep but feel frustrated that such prayers are not being answered.

I visit the local christian bookstores in my city, and the bestseller lists are filled with entred self-help nonsense, seeker-sensitive church growth strategies and the postmodern heresy that is the Emergent Church.

I look at the websites of churches to see being preached and taught. Usually it's some series that promises to bring out "encouraging and relevant life principles." Whatever happened to holiness? Where's the call to repentance? Why are preachers ashamed to speak of the sinfulfulness of man in contrast to the perfection of God?

I see the young people that visit these churches and see that when it comes to the Bible, they are practically illiterate. There is no desire for holy living, no desire to see others saved; and when asked to define the gospel, most of them prove to be inarticulate. Tragically, the majority of these kids come from pentacostal and charismatic churches, places where the holy Spirit is supposed to be active in the lives of believers, but instead all their is is excess and emotionalism.

I try to sit down and have a good theological discussion with someone yet am asked to keep it down, to keep it private out of fear of stumblng someone. But whecomes obvious that after months of bible study and prayer you have decided to take a stand on an issue, no one wants to talk anymore.

Whenever I approach church leaders to express my anguish, the response I'm given is "You're too negative"; "You're too critical"; "You're being methodical and legalistic". Sometimes I honestly think that if an elder were to exposed on the charge of gross personal sin, he/she would probably receive more sympathy than the one who comes forward in humility and brokeness, crying out "We need revival!"
To those whose hearts are not truly set on God, such cries are answered with the thought "who are you to criticize us and say that all the hard work we've put into this has been a waste?"

I try to be patient and gracious, but at times I feel tempted to simply give up and ask myself "Is this really worth it? Or am I just being preferential? What if this isn't really a burden from god, but just my own flesh crying out for appeasement?"

I know that I'm not alone in this. So I ask: if anyone can testify of change in their church where there is resurgence in prayer, in discipleship, in people getting saved? Where the Pastor steps up to the pulpit and begins his sermon with a heart-felt "I'm sorry... but this is what I should have done from the beginning and I confess to the sn of ommission"?

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Benjamin Valentine

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Cornelius

I can really feel the sadness here. All that I can offer to this thread is that it seems to me that both your grief and your expression of weary but determined hope is an encouragement to those of us here on the forum. Regarding your question as to whether you are simply wanting yourself to be appeased, it is a blessing to me that your post resisted indulging in bitter sarcasm and cycnicsm towards the church. That would certainly be a form of self satisfaction.

Many of our own churches do seem to fulfill Philippians 3:19. ... whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. Yet, brethren somewhow me must encourage each other to remain pure without becoming hardhearted, and hopeful without becoming complacent. I have to admit that I often walk the line of fellowship by means of a zig zag back and forth trying to avoid either resentment or apathy.

In the end I reason I've not resisted enough to write these people off. I'm just getting started to really intercede for the churches in my area. I haven't earned the right to 'give up'. I'm not sure even Paul ever gave himself that luxury...so who am I to even contemplate it?

Blessings,

MC

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Mike Compton

That is an excellent observation Heartsong.

Often what we see as a lack of 'effect' may only be a misguided expectation of how long something will take to happen or where to look for it.

I was thinking a few minutes ago, that I can answer most definately YES to the original question. My own dad a few years ago brought hundreds of men together from several different churches for weekends of fervent prayer which resulted in outreach to our city of Lancaster. So noticable was the stirring that the religous community had mixed feelings about my dad...some pastors welcomed him and others shunned him. One morning he was praying so fervently at a Christian campground tabernacle that the church people complained that he was disturbing their morning quiet. I'm a little embarrased to admit that in the past few years I've forgotten those days. But the men with him loved him...and there was revival in their hearts.

My problem is that I have an extremely short memory.

Perhaps another problem we have to overcome is looking for an event that is so conclusive and sensational that it retires us from the need for further prayer. For instance, it is a common enough, if unfair complaint that revivals don't last. Perhaps this is because we often view prayer as a means to an end and not a fulltime spiritual calling. When we see some kind of arrival of the Spirit, we celebrate and relax.

And perhaps another challenge for us is our own schemes on what we want God to do...and of course if we are looking at one door when he is coming in the other so to speak we might just become discouraged before due season.

I have another answer to prayer to share here...my own son. In the past few weeks his 'Christian conscience' has been so aroused as to cause me to change from being just the disciplining father to the convicted brother in some of our conversations. By the grace of the life that lives in him, he is showing dept, wisdom, and strength that I certainly can't take credit for. The spirit of God is moving on him. Indeed, to Heartsong's point, I might have been looking for some 'ripple' or 'wave' in the church congregation and been missing it when it comes in my own household!

In the end think I often imagine that my prayers are only like a little penny, and I need to pray over and over again with the hopes of saving up enough to buy a tiny expensive morsel of God's favor. This, I believe, is a very misguided picture. Instead, God attends to every prayer of the righteous mightily, but when I pray I am not always privvy to see what is happening beneath the waters in his economy.

Blessings,

MC

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Mike Compton

Compliments, I've tried today to wrap my head around some of the things you stated.

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Mike Compton

Grace to you intrcssr83!
I know, oh so well, your feelings as I've been there myself. As far as words of encouragement I guess I don't have much to say but just somewhat of a praise to God for something I see Him doing amongst a small group of young people (most of which are my closest friends). Starting in mid-December two friends of mine and I started getting together every Monday night to pray for revival. Just three of us. Now, the interest in this little Monday evening prayer meeting has gained such interest that we're getting too big for the living room we've been meeting in and we're even seeing whole families gaining interest in joining us as we seek God to send a revival to our area. It's something I've longed to see and be a part of for years, and I'm so over-joyed I can't express it! God is putting a burden on our hearts corporately and I believe God will move in our area in the future. How soon I don't know. But I know that He will. Keep praying! Even if God hasn't answered yet it's because He has a reason for it. Trust HIM! God is faithful.

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Jeff Mollman

Sometimes the act of praying is the success. The Holy Spirit loves to proclaim the glory and excellencies of Christ. If that is HIs primary purpose then all I do that is in line with that purpose and that is Scriptural is glorifying and that is enough really. I understand the frustrations expressed in "lack of results" but I question the premise. There are different measures of success that have very little to do with changes to a fallen world.

I would just like to encourge you by letting you know that A group of my brothers and myself have experienced by the grace of God personel revival in our own lives which has led us to meet on Monday evenings at a house to pray for revival in our local community.Slowly but surely God is moving we are witnessing a lot of prodigals returning to church and our whole lives have changed not by anything that we have mustered up but by the grace of God.Praise the Lord .