The Need For Praying People! 7-19–26

Welcome to the word for the week. There are times when we have to get straight to the point. I need to “piggyback” from a point during Sunday’s message for clarity. I said there are far too many people who spend far too much time posting on social media. I added the far too many here but you will see why. The problem is not the act of posting. The problem is focus. You need to focus in this season. Too many people have too many things going on. Social media is not the place you vent. You cast all of your cares on God because He cares for you. Social media is not where you reach out for prayer. You call for those who know God so that the two of you can walk in agreement. Social media is not where you post things about your life. You do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.

I need to be honestly blunt before I can be honestly nice here. Nobody cares about what you have going on in your life when they are not assigned to pray for you. Those people who click the like and love buttons do so because it is convenient and perceived to be kind. How many of them can you honestly say are praying for you? So let me explain how things should work in the body of Christ. You and I fit somewhere in this space. Rather you are a hand or a foot, you fit in somewhere. We, meaning those of us who are in Christ, are to pray for one another. Nothing tells us to take our concerns outside of the body. If you are the foot in distress then it would be wise to inform the rest of the body something is going on with you. After all, they have a real reason to pray because if you give out then the rest of the body will fall. Nobody wants that. Others outside of the body will not understand that because you have to be a part of the body to recognize your place and need for others within that same body.

When you go outside of the channels assigned by God you are also going outside of His will. Jesus spoke in parables for two reasons. One is so outsiders would not be able to understand. The second reason is because parables would only make sense to the people of God because they  have the ability to understand the things of God. Be honest about this next question. How many times do you see people who post their problems on social media for masses of people who will not pray and yet not mention a thing to the people who will pray? To be more blunt, how many of you reading this are guilty of soliciting prayer on social media and yet you make no mention of that need to your spiritual leaders or the ones you attend church with? The real problem is that you are posting in a space that is polluted with countless distractions and expecting to be cleaned up. It is like taking a bath in dirty water and expecting to be good to go afterwards.

We, those of us in the body of Christ, are in a season where prayer is not optional. Far too many things are happening to all of us. If you are not going through something right at this very moment in time you need to question where you stand with God. This season is not unique to just a few of us. It is something that the body of Christ needs to prepare for. We are the salt of the earth but if we lose our flavor how can the earth be salted? That is paraphrased for clarity. The world does not understand the attacks of the enemy because the world cannot fight an enemy they are joined with. If you are serious about a breakthrough in your life you are going to need to get serious about who you go to for prayer. No, you cannot ask random people to pray for a special need. You need people who understand struggles because they have been there too. You need to get your focus on the things of God and not on what brings attention to you. You need to think on those things that are pure. You need take those problems from out of a space that is designed for socialization and you need to take them to people who will still be praying long after you have gotten weary. In plain English, you need to take your troubles to God and the prayer warriors He has assigned in your life. Hiding hurts. Honesty helps. Which one is your choice?

May the Lord continue to bless and keep you in His grace,
Bishop Carlos J. Lennon