The HOUSE OF PRAYER ©by Kathy Black   

God's vision of His church in the New Testament was birthed on the foundation of what He showed Israel in the Old Testament.  His house was to be a place of prayer where his people stood before him day and night singing, praying, dancing, and interceding.  Prayer would be the place for dealing with the congregation’s sins, and enjoying their God.  In the Old Testament, the Israelites did not move without keeping their eyes focused on Him.  

In the New Testament, Christ says to walk with him, abide in Him, and that without Him we can do nothing.  He says that He came to fulfill the law not to abolish it.  Another way of saying this is that He came to fulfill what we could not do in and through our own humanity. 

 The pattern is the same. God wants a people to enjoy and relate to Him, every day throughout the day and especially morning and evening.   He wants a people who live a crucified life by letting Him have control of their emotions, actions, attitudes, and behaviors. A people who truly live and follow Him. This is both a mandate for individuals as well as the church as a corporate body.

Isaiah 61 says we are all Ministers and Priests to God. We are to minister first to the Lord and out of that relationship go forth to minister to others and to the world. The presence of God will remain on us, as it did Moses, when he spent time in the presence of God. 

Let each one of us examine whether or not we serve out of spending time with him before going forth into the market place, our neighborhoods, schools, or ministries.  In addition, remember to minister the gospel as you go in word and deed. 

We often say “a” house of prayer but the bible uses the preposition “the” which means to be know by.  So our churches should be known as the  Houses of Prayer.  All ministry should come out of our time spent in prayer and worship to Him. 

Scriptures to contemplate:

Matthew 21:13. And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

Mark 11:17. And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.

Luke 19:46. Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.

I King 8: 25.  LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee to day: That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place.

1 Chronicles 9:33.  These are the singers, heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites, who lodged in the chambers, and were free from other duties; for they were employed in that work day and night. (Employed in singing all day and all night--worshiping God).  This is the pattern we are to follow.  How different our churches would be if their work for the Lord were covered in worship around the clock.

Exodus 13:20.  So they took their journey from Succoth and camped in Etham at the edge of the wilderness. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. He showed Himself to be a 24-hour presence. 

Leviticus 8:32. What remains of the flesh and of the bread you shall burn with fire. "And you shall not go outside the door of the tabernacle of meeting for seven days, until the days of your consecration are ended. For seven days he shall consecrate you. "As he has done this day, so the Lord has commanded to do, to make atonement for you. "Therefore you shall stay at the door of the tabernacle of meeting day and night for seven days, and keep the charge of the Lord, so that you may not die; for so I have been commanded." So Aaron and his sons did all the things that the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses.

Joshua 1:8: "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.