Prayer Group That Met in Solomon's Colonnade

Acts5:12,13 "And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon's Colonnade. 13No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people."

Notice the word 'dared' in that description of the early church prayer group? I was wondering what did the people find in this prayer group that made them scared to join them even though they thought highly of the group?

I speculate that the prayer group that met in Solomon's Colonnade was at a different plateau in their praying. I belive that this prayer group did not pray for board exams and fine weather rather they must have interceded for men and wrestled with the devil (like Epaphras did). They must have praised God for being counted worthy to suffer. This must have baffled the onlookers. Their prayers must have been with power unlike the usual prayer meetings that we attend. They must have put their whole lives behind their prayers. They must have got exhausted after their prayers. Their prayers must have been without the flowery words and eloquence that we like, rather it must have been with groanings and unintelligible utterances (like that of Hanah's). Their prayers must have created havoc in hell. They must NOT have prayed for finances. They must NOT have prayed for church buildings. They must have prayed for men. They must have prayed for courage. They must have prayed for the resurrection power. Oh how foolish our prayer meetings look in the light of this one?

I believe that the prayers made by this group was out of the world. They must have learnt it from the Lord himself as some of them witnessed the Lord's Gethsemane prayer. Mere men must have been so afraid to join them. The very sight must have given them a complex.

Or it could be that 'their righteousness reflected the world's corruptness' as somebody put it. I belive that these God-consumed men were so out-of-the-world. So otherworldly that the worldly men wouldn't dare join them.

Can that be said of our prayer groups? Can that be said of my prayer group? No!

A Man Consumed by God

If you were thinking that there is no ‘human sacrifice’ done in the 21st century, you are wrong. There is human sacrifice done these days. Yes, Christianity advocates human sacrifice. Paul in his letter (Rom12:1) to the Roman Church writes thus “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices…”.

There’s not much written about the events in Stephen’s life. But there’s one event that finds its place in the book of Acts. Its his death. Paul for his exhortation in Romans12:1 must have been inspired primarily by Christ’s sacrificial death and I strongly believe that this inspiration must have been seconded by the haunting memories of a death he witnessed some days before he was met by God on the road to Damascus. Yes, Stephen’s death must have inspired Paul when he wrote his letter to the Roman Church. This young man Stephen, knowing that he may not come out alive from that preaching assignment, placed himself on the altar as the sacrifice. God answers by fire. The same God who consumed the drenched sacrifice on Elijah’s altar on Mount Carmel, answered by fire this time too. That’s why I belive Stephen’s face shone like an angel’s. This is New Testament theology demonstrated. In the olden days God consumed the animal sacrifice as a proof of his existence (IKings18:36,37). Today he consumes human lives and shows the world the proof of his existence. Stephen was a man consumed by God.

The sacrifice on the altar is helpless and dead. It cannot move from the altar. When it is brought to the altar it is killed. When Paul said “offer your bodies as living sacrifices..” he must have meant this, that we ought to be come to the altar helpless and dead. He goes on in the next verse (Rom12:2) to say “ be dead to the ways of the world”. He begins (Rom12:1) by saying “ by God’s mercies…”. You cannot do it on your own because you are helpless. You cannot thrive in the ways of the world because you are dead to it. This is the kind of ‘Living’ sacrifice every Christian ought to be. When God consumes a sacrifice, the world will know it (as they did on Mount Carmel). When God consumes a man, the world will know it as they did on that trial as Stephen stood to deliver his last sermon (Acts6:15).

Peter’s Healing Meeting

I’m making an attempt to get a peep into Peter’s sermon notes for the sermon he delivered when he healed a cripple at the Beautiful gate. Here’s how he started…
#1. Acts3: 12 - …as if by our own power or godliness…
#2. Acts3 :13
You handed him over…
You disowned him…
Vs 14 - You disowned the Holy and Righteous One …
You killed him
#3. Acts3 : 19 – Repent, then, and turn to God…

Today’s Healing meetings…
What a contrast from the one mentioned above. Our meetings are orchestrated to draw crowds. We call those who have been healed, to the stage and do a talk show. Usually the lines that the hosts say will go along this one “ God heard Pastor’s prayer and healed….”.
But Peter shouted “…as if by our own godliness…”.

We make a big spectacle of the healing, but Peter made a big spectacle of their sins (You handed him, …disowned him, …killed him).

We are interested in filling the pews for our next meeting and so we say “Do you want to be healed also… come to the meeting/watch this program…” But Peter was interested in filling heaven and that’s why he said “Repent, then, and turn to God…”.

Jesus pronounced woes on the cities that did not repent on account of the miracles done there (Matt 11). Let’s hear some MEN being as plain as Peter was. Let’s hear some ‘Woe unto you Korazin’ (Matt 11:21).

Repentance - The missing theme

In Matthew 11 Jesus pronounces 'woes' on the unrepentant cities. He had done miracles and had healed the sick in these cities. Now he was expecting repentance. Jesus' healing ministry had a purpose - It was repentance. Today one thing that seems to be missing in the healing ministries is this - the emphasis on repentance. Let's hear our healing ministers shout 'woes' on our cities because we don't repent.

The death of a man of God.

If you want to see the death of a man of God then read Acts chapter 7. What a contrast to today’s so called prophets.

Look at Stephen driving the crowds crazy. Hear Stephen expose their hypocrisy. I can imagine the high priest driving his index fingers into his ears to try and stop those convicting potent words of Stephen. Imagine the crowd gnash their teeth at Stephen’s cry. Imagine the bulging vein on Saul’s neck line. They couldn’t take it anymore. Stephen, full of the holy spirit, told it like it was. Can you smell their anger in the air? Can you hear the commotion? Can you hear the thud of the stones hitting flesh? Can you hear Stephen’s convicting words mingled with their vicious abuses and the rising dust? Can you hear the preacher’s words flavoured with pain? Can you hear Stephen’s “forgive them Lord” as they drag him out. Oh what a scene.

This is the funeral of a true prophet. There would be no politicians in the scene. There would be no celebrity homage. There would be no TV coverage. There would be no pomp and glory. No one to eulogise. It would be a different scene than the death of today’s star evangelist. It’s a different dimension altogether. Hell would breathe a sigh. Heaven would give a standing ovation. The King of Kings would rise to receive his knight.

Where are the Stephens today? Where are the preachers who would preach till they’re stoned? Where are the preachers who would tell the people what they need to hear and not what they want to hear? Where are the Stephens whose death would raise Pauls? Where are they?

No man is greater than his prayer life - Ravenhill

One cannot find much information on the life of Leonard Ravenhill. You can find details of any big preacher's life on the internet. But Ravenhill's is not possible. Its because he shunned popularity. He turned down offers to publish his life and ministry. Even Keith Green's Biography, who was Ravenhill's close associate and was greatly influenced by him, does not bear much about Ravenhill. Among the little we know about him there's one line said by a woman who was a member of his congregation.... " That man could pray". Can this be said of our preachers today? Can this be said of us? Ravenhill was the best deomonstration of his own Theology. "No man is greater than his prayer life."

God's Men - Dead Men.

When God came shopping for a front-man to introduce Jesus to the world he found his man in John. John’s attire was out of fashion. John’s diet was outrageous. John’s residence was out of town. If our youth group met John the Baptist today they’d say “get a life, man”. In other words he was 'DEAD'. Jesus calls him the greatest prophet to have ever walked on the planet. When God wanted to take Christianity to the gentiles he found a thoroughbred Jewish Pharisee named Paul. Paul’s pedigree and certificates had no bearing on the gentiles. But his name created havoc in hell. When God wanted to reach the Jews he called an impulsive, illiterate fisherman and names him the Rock (Peter). God’s men were always out-of-fashion (they didn't fit the bill), obnoxious (not pleasant to hear) and otherworldly (they were eternity men). In other words they were boring dead men. They were totally sold out to God. They had nothing to do with the world. God’s men had no possessions to hold on to. They had no reputation to guard. They had no ambition to fight for. They had no organization to establish. Their only goal was Christ. Perhaps Paul’s t-shirt bore this line “For me to live is Christ”.

Dying to Program

Today we are preoccupied with ourselves and our programs. We are so into thinking of what we can do that we miss out on what God can do. We are looking to impress. We are looking for recognition. Brother, if there is no fire in your preaching and if there’s no power in your singing then its time you packed your bags and waited upon God. God is not interested in your program. God is not interested in your organization. God is interested in the lost. We have men living beyond their vision. We have men holding on to office. No wonder most churches are dead. No wonder there are crowds but no God.

Just like in the Laodecian church (of Revelation) God is standing outside and knocking. He is not inside but outside. Today we are interested in our programs. We pray for gadgets and power supply. We pray for favourable weather conditions. We pray for the musicians and preachers. But alas we take it for granted that God will be there. No wonder we have good musicians and bigger crowds and NO God.

We are interested in our organizations. We take great pains in building dynasties at the expense of fire. We make plans with the organization in mind. Holy Spirit’s leading is nowhere in our agenda. Leonard Ravenhill used to say that “No man can live beyond his vision”. Yes, look at John the Baptist. After a training of 20 long years in the desert his ministry was just for six months. He was the best preacher in town. He was the voice of God after almost 400 years of silence. Crowds came from all over the place to hear him. He even attracted the Pharisees, spiritual superiors of the time. They even wondered if he was the Christ. Did he try to set up an organization? No, instead he introduced Jesus to his disciples (Joh1:37). Did he try to establish his baptism? No, instead he spoke about Jesus’ baptism (Matt3:11). He accomplished his mission and got out of the way. Look at him say this in John3:30 ”He (Christ) must become greater; I must become less.” That’s dying to program brother.

Paul says “for me to live is Christ..”. His ambition was Christ. It was not his ministry but Christ. Not his writing career but Christ. Not his preaching but Christ. Not his church but Christ. Here’s a man completely sold out. Give me one man surrendered such. We ought to be ashamed at ourselves. I am.

Prayer

I don't know how many times I must have read these lines, but it pricks me every time. It makes my eyes go moist and makes me look for a place to pray. When in office it makes me long for the prayer closet. I wish it does the same thing for you.

Excerpts from the book 'Why Revival Tarries' by Leonard Ravenhill...

The Cinderella of the church of today is the prayer meeting. This handmaid of the Lord is unloved and unwooed because she is not dripping with the pearls of intellectualism, nor glamourous with the silks of philosophy; neither is she enchanting with the tiara of psychology. She wears the homespuns of sincerity and humility and so is not afraid to kneel! No man is greater than his prayer life. The pastor who is not praying is playing; the people who are not praying are straying. The pulpit can be a shopwindow to display one's talents; the prayer closet allows no showing off. When a man who has crept along for years in conventional Christianity suddenly zooms into spiritual alertness, becomes aggressive int he battle of the Lord, and has a quenchless zeal for the lost, there is a reason for it. (But we are so subnormal these days that the normal New Testament experience seems abnormal.) The secret of this "jet-propelled fellow" we have just mentioned is that somewhere he has had Jacob-like wrestling with God and has come out stripped, but also "strengthened by the Holy Ghost!"

The secret of praying is praying in secret. A sinning man will stop praying, and a praying man will stop sinning. We are beggared and bankrupt, but not broken, nor even bent.

Prayer is profoundly simple and simply profound. 'Prayer is the simplest form of speech that infant lips can try', and yet so sublime that it outranges all speech and exhausts mans vocabulary. A Niagara of burning words does not mean that God is either impressed or moved. One of the most profound of Old Testament intercessors had no language - 'Her lips moved, BUT HER VOICE WAS NOT HEARD. No linguist here ! There are groanings that cannot be uttered.

Are we so substandard in New Testament Christianity that we know not the historical faith of our fathers (with its implications and operations), but only the hysterical faith of our fellows ?

Prayer is to the believer what capital is to the business man.

Can any deny that in the modern church setup the main cause of anxiety is money? Yet that which tries the modern churches the most, troubled the New Testament Church the least. Our accent is on paying, theirs was on praying. When we have paid, the place is taken; when they had prayed, the place was shaken !

In the matter of New Testament, Spirit-inspired, hell-shaking, world-breaking prayer, never has so much been left by so many to so few.

For this kind of prayer there is no substitute. We do it - or die !

Sold Out to God!

One reason why we don’t yet see men being used as Paul was used is that we are still preoccupied with some petty stuff rather than being sold out to God completely. Paul says in Galatians 6:17 that he is branded for Christ. Read IICorinthians 11:25-29. Look at the man’s back who bore flogging and beating. See the scars from the stoning he endured. Look at his frail body that has weathered many a shipwreck. Look at him kneeling there hungry and cold yet praying for the churches that they may be strong. Can anyone be more surrendered to God? Can anyone burn with more passion? Can anyone overflow with more love? No wonder Paul was known in hell and the demons were terrified (Read Acts 19:15). Paul died to his preoccupations when he came to Christ. Paul died to his personality when he was led as a blind man to Damascus where he waited for Ananias to come and heal his eyes. Paul died to public opinion when his conversion made headlines in Damascus. He died to security when he preached the gospel that made his own countrymen conspire against him. Paul’s only aim was that Christ be preached. He had no personal agenda. Paul died to fame. Look at him preach to the top socialites of his time King Agrippa, Bernice and Festus. The sophisticated King Agrippa was so moved that he was afraid he’d become a Christian. Is our preaching so passionate or is it trying to impress people. We are mired in mediocrity because we are reluctant to die to our preoccupations. I sincerely pray that I go to my own funeral every day. Amen!

God Is Raising A Remnant

Yesterday was a glorious day. I went to this camp-fire event organized by the local CSI church youth group. It was a fun event and I went there reluctantly as I did not fit in with the crowd. The final event in the agenda was a small sharing time. A brother shared from the Bible and his own life. After this he starts praying.... And there is an immense anointing of the spirit. I was shocked with this as it was a 'CSI' youth group. The Presbyterians are not usually gung ho about the Pentecost experience. Here was a small presbyterian group praying in the Holy Spirit and some speaking in tongues. For some time now I have been praying for the anointing. Today, though wanting to be anointed, I was quite skeptic at first and thought God would work in a different way in me. I was not totally convinced of the violent shaking experience that some were having that day. I wanted some thing clean and neat. But I was wrong. To hell with my ideas. As the praying session wore on one of the brothers who were leading stopped and turned right towards me (closing his eyes) and said that God was telling him of a young man who was having doubts about what was happening. I was amazed at this and was hell sure it was me. My doubts vanished that moment and I asked to be filled. Shaken violently and pleading for the fire to come down on me then and there, I was anointed. Glorious anointing. A very bad day for hell. A tragedy for satan.

God is raising a remnant in unexpected places. To hell with our sophisticated ways. God is looking for men who would be totally sold out to him. If you come to him you are risking personality, pedigree and public opinion. If the Pentecostals are pre-occupied with prosperity and hero worship God will raise fire-brands from unexpected places. He is doing that in South India. While the pentecostals are busy with building bigger buildings and praying for blessings there is a small remnant scattered seeking revival. An unimpressive bunch who are not after blessing but burning. A group of ordinary men who are seeking fire rather than power. A league of prophets who would not tickle your ear but kindle the fire.