E.M. Bounds, aka; Edward McKendree Bounds has been long known as a great proponent of effective prayer, and of even greater faith as a result. His teachings entitled The Essentials of Prayer have long guided young and old to the beauty and power behind the direct line to our creator.
Bounds wrote that “Augustus Caesar found Rome a city of wood and left it a city of marble”. Today, we place a great deal of pressure on our Under Shepherds to do the same in our churches, but in the spiritual vein. Sadly, we often fail to properly support this leader as he reminds us of the value in strong faith and the power of prayer.
(Psa 5:3) In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.
According to Bounds, “He is sent to get them to pray, to trust God, and to keep their eyes on God”. We all, each believer, are a part of this ministry. As we follow the preacher's lead, and the Word of God, our collective role is to change, through Christ, unbelieving sinners into solid praying and believing saints. You gotta have faith if you expect any success.
(Rom 5:1) Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
(Rom 5:2) through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.
God places great importance on the value of faith and this is the reason we need faith in order to be saved. When you have faith, you will find prayer standing right beside. Faith is your belief, prayer is your voice. It is by faith we are saved, and it is by faith that we remain saved.
Paul wrote in Ephesians that the life he lived was lived in faith, not by sight. Faith in the Son of God who loved him and gave Himself for him (and for us).
(Eph 2:8) For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God....
Let each of us capitalize on our faith by pitching in to help our Pastor, sharing the Good News, through the tremendous power of prayer. Be in prayer at all times. Its in the Book!
Have you read your Bible today?
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