Spiritual Barometer

Writing to the church of believers in Colosse Paul says, "Continue steadfastly in PRAYEr, being watchful in it with thanksgiving." ( 4:2 ESV) The first believers devoted themselves to the "apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the PRAYERS." ( Acts 2:42 ESV) "And when they had PRAYED, the place in which they (note the plural) were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness." ( Acts 4:31) Many more verses could be cited. I have come to believe that the most accurate barometer of the spiritual healthiness of any local congregation or similar group is their prayer meeting. A church can have great preaching but you can also find this in abundance on the Internet. There can be multitudes of people attending but many may be there for social reasons or not even be regenerate. There may be a great worship team but one can also listen and respond torecorded worship music. Am i thinking of a generic prayer group? In my experience most groups that actually come together for prayer spend most of their time discussing their prayer requests, which God already knows, and very little time actually praying. The vast majority of the prayer requests that I have heard in the past 45 years have to do with physical healing, which is ironic since much of the Church in America really doesn't believe that God still does that today or they have never seen this happen. Certainly testimonies of people receiving physical healing are quite rare. Take some time to examine Biblical prayers like those of Paul the apostle for the churches. Examples include Romans 15:13, Ephesians 3:14-21, 2 Thessalonians 3:5, Philippians 1:9-11 and Colossians 1: 9-12. You will discover a very different focus in these prayers. The type of prayer group that I am writing about meets regularly, in absolute dependence on God, and prays far more than the people talk to one another, and more in the manner that Paul prayed. How unusual this is. I have a fervent friend who belonged to a church of 500 or more evangelical believers who could get hundreds to other events but only seven or eight to a once a month prayer meeting. I personally know of another large church with a similar reality and other churches that have no prayer groups at all. Now I agree that individual prayer is crucial both for ourselves and those we care about but we show our true priorities when we have time for anything but prayer. It is hard for me to conceive that even our supremely gracious God takes us seriously when we don't seek Him. As Hebrews 11;^ says, "Whoever comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."