“Your incense is detestable to me.”
In the Bible incense represented the prayers of the people of God (Ps.141:2) being offered up to God as a sweet smelling savour. In the revelation of what is and will take place in Heaven, we are told that an angel added incense added to the prayers of God’s people that lead to those prayers being answered (Re. 8:1-4). But what would make the incense/prayers of God’s people detestable to Him.
In Isaiah’s day God said He would not accept their incense and listen to their prayers because of their sin. He said to them: “When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen.” His remedy to their “form of godliness but denying the power” (2 Tm.3:5) was to:“…wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right!” (Is. 1:13-17). During our latest Prayer Summit this principle of the Kingdom was taught when Doug and Margie Newton explained how the fervency of prayer must be coupled with righteousness if it is to be effective (Jm.5:16).
From 1949-1952 a great revival came to the Hebrides Islands off the coast of Scotland that ushered many into the Kingdom of God. Rev. Duncan Campbell recounts how during one of the prayer meetings that helped unleash the transforming work of the Spirit, one of the elders stood up opened his Bible to Psalm 24 and read: “Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His holy pace? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart.”
He then said, “it seems to be worthless to be gathered here night after night seeking God as we are doing, if our hands are not clean and our hearts are not pure. O God, are my hands clean? Is my heart pure?” At that moment the presence of God flooded the place and several of the men fainted or fell into a trance, with the overwhelming awareness of the Eternal. God had come to them in this wonderful and humbling manifestation. As a family of churches we are aware that an increase in prayer is critical to our renewal, but it is also critical that we lift up holy hands to God (1Tm.2:8).
Prayer Summit 3 Video
If you would like to view the video of this past Prayer Summit: “Fervency and Righteousness” (minus the breakout prayer times) you can find it on the FMCIC website under the Prayer menu, in the “Resources” box (if it isn’t in the box when you get this, check the next day).
Prayer Summit 4 – “Developing Your Local Church into a House of Prayer”
Our final Prayer Summit for this year is going to focus on practical ways we can develop the prayer ministry of your local church. It will take place online Thursday, November 19, starting 7:00 PM EDT, 6:00 PM CDT, 5:00 PM MDT, 4:00 PM PDT. This should be an inspiring time as Doug and Margie Newton and your National Prayer Team interactively discuss with you some how-tos for you’re prayer ministry:
- Vision/ Leadership/ Structure
- Prayer Initiative Examples (Congregational Prayer, Intercessory and Healing Prayer Teams, Special Prayer Times, Praying Walking)
- Praying for what we learn in Breakout Rooms
Prayer Points for our Oct. 29, 2020 National Prayer Meeting
- That God would search our hearts and reveal anything that is displeasing to Him personally, in our churches and as family of churches, and help us to repent of them so that nothing is hindering our prayers.
- That the leaders of our various ministries will have vision, wisdom, passion and power to help us bear much fruit for His Kingdom: Church Health, Leadership Development, Church Planting, Intercultural Missions, Study Commission on Doctrine, Stewardship, Administrative and Financial Services.
- That Bishop Cliff and the National Leadership Team will stay close to the heart of God and His Word, so that they will know what His will is for our movement at this time, and have the courage and wisdom to lead us in that way.
- That pastors and congregations will know how to care for their flock under these restrictive conditions and keep reaching out to their community with the love and truth of Christ.
- That we will experience a unity that is based on being one with the will of God.
