I once attended Assembly of God church for a period of time. I was new to the congregation and felt like more of an observer than a belonging member when one night the head pastor was gone the associate pastor got up and asked the congregation if anyone had any praise reports of what the Lord had done for them recently. Not one single soul, including my own, stood up. Not even the associate pastor who asked the question! I marveled at this and wondered what was going on, why did none of us have anything to praise God for. Later in bed that night i continued to ponder it. It was during a time when i had been feeling unable to pray and had been homeless. But i thought how i should have gone up there and praised God that I had clothes on my body (and they were good clothes), i had food to eat, and it was good food, i had a running vehicle to drive, and the devil had not been able to take me out yet while i was driving down the road or at any other time because God had apparently protected my life even if not my rotting carcass. I thought about how much we all take for granted every day, including our refrigerators which keeps our food from spoiling, a toilet so we don't have to go outside to alleviate ourselves at 3 a.m in the middle of -20 below winters with a chest cold or flu, and so forth. I also thought about how few people claim answers to prayer (important, urgent prayers, not the kind asking for the church picnic to not be rained out) and how little power there is among Believers.

Again now i notice rarely does anyone have any praise reports, even here on "Miracles That Follow the Plow" forum.
For the most part it is prayer requests. So i ask, where is the POWER? Does anyone have any idea what is wrong?

The same thing happens in our church. We have a time of Praise Reports on Sunday night. People have to think and look for something. The praise report time usualy ends up beig Prayer Request time.

In short; we are selfish, self absorbed spoiled babies. This is another evidence that God has withdrawn His presence.

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Rick

"I am not sure how to answer your question. God has answered many prayers, does answer many prayers in my life daily. I think we tend to get caught up with thinking that God has only answered a prayer if things go exactly as we want them to."

Amen! We often have a lot of preconceived ideas of how God ought to be answering our prayers.

I also attended an AOG Church, a WOF church, and several other non denominational churches. Most of the testimonies given in these churches are from the aspect of God meeting some need. Maybe it was a healing, a financial blessing, or an answer to a problem.

Isn't it just as much a testimony when the need or problem is there, but we have given it to the Lord, and now we have perfect peace, we can rejoice in the Lord because we have given it to Him?

Isn't it just as much a testimony when although God has not removed the problem, that we have drawn close to the Lord, and His presence is made real to us, and we have a greater revelation of Jesus Christ that He is our all in all?

We should all be able to testify that no matter what we are going through that God is faithful, and that we are more than conqueors through Him who loved us.

An overcomer is one that rises above the cares of this life, one whose life is hid with Christ in God. This is a good testimony, that the world needs to see.

Mike

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Mike

Amen brother Mike. To praise God in the midst of victory is one thing, to shout praises to God from the deepest dungeon is quite another. True faith arises from what seems as ashes to the world and becomes a beautiful thing. When Paul was in the deepest part of the dungeon and begins to sing songs of praises to our Lord and God then the whole building shakes, prisons doors are flung open, prisoners are set free from bondage. No, its not more miracles that we need here in America, we need to move and have our being with the high praises of God in our mouth and a two-edged sword in our hand.

So we want to see power? Praise God at all times, let His praises be found in our mouths. The world is not impressed by men who sing and dance and shout in the midst of victory, but they are confounded when they hear the high praises of God in the mouths of those who have just lost a job, or a loved one or had a bad report from the doctor. Giving thanks for all things, being anxious for nothing, now there is real power, and very often, out of that power flows a miracle, but not as the chief object, but as a by-product of true faith............. brother Frank

CyAn, Praise be to God our Father, whom will never leave us or forsake us his children. I praise God every day for the things I use to take for granted.

1. Being our freedom. This could so easily be taken away from us, even here in the good 'ol U.S.A.

2. That as a believer in Christ Jesus, I will never be alone. For I have my God and Father which is in Heaven, Jesus my Lord and Savior who sits at Gods right hand as my mediator and the Holy Spirit which dwells in me, confirming the word with patients and long suffering.

3. My wife and children which without I would never have found love worth finding.

I am a little surprised that there were no praise reports from the congregation. When I attended the Assemblies of God here locally, there were always several. However, it has been several years since I attended an AG church.

Although I have noticed that some devout believers do not study their bibles. Do not spend time in prayer. Do not spend time with their family in devotions.

There is always a ball game or a t.v. show playing.

With all of this other stuff in our lives it is no wonder the church has no power, we are just not plugged into the source any more.

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William Cato

I have asked this question myself
'Where is the power?" HOw often we hear things in church of 'praise' reports about how needs were met but really, is that the power? It is if it is within the confines of a church, right? I think being thankful for what you have is good but is that really the power of God? If that is the power of GOd then it is no wonder, at least to me, why the church is ineffective in areas. People want to know God is powerful and that doesn't mean having all the things you need. It means things being done in your life, or in someone else's life that can't be explained in the nature.

Has someone been freed from something inside that they fought against for so long until one day they felt IT leave? Maybe someone has a home but no food and no job. They pray and somehow God speaks to someone's heart to stop by and give this person some food and maybe these even happen during the course of a whole week?

I suppose what this here is the supernatural power of God. I assume that is what this post is referring to?

I think in my own life have I seen God doing any work in my life. I know at work there is something going on because people notice I don't cuss. I notice this because I work with all ladies and everytime they get made and cuss they cover their mouths and apologize to me. What causes that to happen? I am not preachy in there. I am genuine and carry a positive attitude, most of the time though and I like to joke a bit.

What I pray for God to do to those around me, those who are christians, is to find them set apart from society but in a genuiness where people recognize something different about them but not something kooky. Does that make sense? There is POWER in that yet a person can pray all they want to and read the Word the word and that POWER doesn't come. Why does that happen?

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John

Thank you Joyful_Heart....Your post is convicting....more of Him, less of me....I look forward to listening to the message you recommended....I don't pray faithfully like I should, but I have prayed some for every member on this site - that God would do a great work in each life and family represented here. To Him alone be the glory!