Resources

Here are three reasons it is good to be devoted to our weekly prayer meetings. Every Wednesday night we deliver a short doctrinal or experiential message on prayer to the congregation. We want to teach our people about prayer. Most people struggle with their prayer life. We are here to help clarify how to pray and why to pray and to relieve the struggle as much as we can. So, come to prayer in order to be “devoted to the apostles' doctrine,” and be taught from the scriptures about prayer. For example, at our last prayer meeting, I opened to Luke chapter 6 to explain the role of faith in the authority of God in prayer. I explained the story of the centurion who had a servant who was sick and dying. The centurion explained how he trusted the authority of the Lord in answer to his prayer. He was a man under authority, and he delighted to be under the good authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. He acknowledged that in order for a prayer to be answered, all the Lord needed to do was to, “say the word.” If you are feeling disconnected from people in your local church, hearing prayers is a way to be connected with the people. In prayer, people say things they are convicted of in their own hearts. You will find that people pray the things that they are comfortable speaking in public. If you want to know the thinking and the feeling of the people in a local church, you will hear it in their prayers.  You will hear doctrine that is upon their hearts. You will hear what is weighing on their hearts. You will hear of their concerns. We can actually get to know one another better by hearing the prayers of the saints. In a sense, we can become better friends. We appreciate what they have prayed, and we say amen to the prayers. In my own experience as a pastor, every time we get together and pray, I learn something about someone that I did not know before. I have a greater sense of how our people are thinking and experiencing when I go to prayer. When you pray you realize that you are out of your depths. It is very common, that when we consider praying publicly we experience a spiritual struggle.  This struggle takes place in the privacy of their hearts.

Mike Davenport explains in this video that we see in Scripture examples of how fathers produced godly seed. We see their descendants after them living their lives for God as was taught in Scripture. Fathers should have a generational mindset, understanding that their choices today will impact generations to come. Revelations 2:4-5 (NKJV) - "Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent."

Malamulo Chindongo explains in this video that fathers are to raise their children in the admonition of the Lord. They should always be pointing their children and their family to Christ. A big part of that involves faithfully reading and studying Scripture together to examine what God has commanded. Ephesians 6:4 (NKJV) - "And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord."

Anthony Mathenia explains in this video that in Scripture, we see that families experienced blessing when they obeyed the things of God. Conversely, if they disobeyed God, they brought judgment upon themselves and their family and even their descendants. What kind of course are you setting for your family? Are you leading them according to the ways of God? Deuteronomy 28:1-2 (NKJV) - "Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God."

Trent Moody explains in this video that there is bound to be disagreement with others within a church. We need to understand that when we come into a church, we need to get rid of the "My way or the highway" concept. Christ calls us to serve, to humble ourselves, and to extend unconditional love towards others. Romans 12:16-18 (NKJV) - "Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men."

Steve Hopkins explains in this video that when we open the Scriptures with our families, you are going to see who God is and who man is. You will see how man is depraved and in need of a Savior. You will learn about Christ, who came to earth to save. Times of family worship should be a non-negotiable. We shouldn't read Scripture and pray simply because we feel like it. Deuteronomy 6:7 (NKJV) - "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up."

Trent Moody explains in this video that Scripture explains how Zacharias and Elizabeth served the Lord and trusted Him. After they faithfully prayed for a son, Zacharias saw a vision of an Angel who told him that his prayers were answered. Their son was John the Baptist. We see a moment of joy for this couple who was faithful to the Lord and were in constant prayer. Malachi 3:10 (NKJV) - "'Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,' says the Lord of hosts, 'If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.'"

Gary Powers explains in this video that if a mother is discouraged, it is important for her to keep her eyes on Christ. Depend on Him and you will find strength and encouragement. That is the same for any person. When we are feeling discouraged with life, we can trust in the fact that He is all sufficient. 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NKJV) - "And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

In this webinar, we discussed really practical issues families are facing. We examined financial pressures and what families can do to protect themselves, how to deal with quarantine overload, and the impact on the culture of the family staying home. We spoke about pressures COVID can place on marriages and the use of time and education. This time, our focus was on the opportunities of the situation. If you would like to learn more about other practical issues, see my articles on our where we are collecting answers to matters of quarantine, visiting the sick, the doctrine of plague and much more.

What is the benefit of memorizing Scripture and hymns? Pooyan Mershahi explains in this video that if families could learn and memorize hymns, it would be a wonderful thing. They could praise God no matter where they are. No matter where we are, we can praise God. Children can be involved. Children who cannot even read are able to sing God's praises because they have learned various hymns in the home. Ultimately, when we help our children to memorize Scripture and hymns, entire families can glorify God. Colossians 3:16 (NKJV) - "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."

What can we learn from Christ and the Church? Jason Dohm explains in this video that marriage is a picture of the sacrificial love of Christ for the unsaved and how He laid down His life for us. The husband is called to be like Christ. Husbands have to be aware and humble that they are sinful and will sin against their wives. They are not infallible and must be quick to apologize and repent. Accordingly, so much grace is needed within a marriage. A husband and a father can do much harm to his family and to his children if he acts in an ungodly, prideful manner in his marriage. Ephesians 5:25-27 (NKJV) - "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish."

How can we as parents help to facilitate generational faithfulness to God? Kirk Smith explains in this video that generations will perish if there is no vision. He tells his children that he hopes and prays that each generation of his family will continue to grow in godliness and build on the previous generation. To facilitate generational faithfulness, parents must point our children back to Christ. Only He can radically change a generation from sin to following God and empower them to continue serving Him throughout generations. Psalm 78:5-7 (NKJV) - "For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children; that the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children, that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments."