CONFESSION OF SIN
Bro Eli Soriano taught us again today on the subject of prayer. He explained to us that confessing our sins will make our prayers to be answered. According to James 5:14, we should confess your sins one for another and pray one for another. We should practice the confession of sins to the priest. I learnt an important lesson from the point. That is, we should confess to the one we offend and we should pray for one another.
James 5:16 (KJV) Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Apart from confessing to the one we offend, should confess our sins unto God. God is the one who judges our minds and our actions. He is the One who will hear and answer our prayers. It is to Him we should run to for forgiveness of sins. We should plead for mercy from God's hand. So, when we confess our sins to those we offend, we should pray to God and confess to Him and ask for His forgiveness. The person who is offended should also pray for the person who offended Him, asking forgiveness for Him.
THE PRAYERS OF THE RIGHTEOUS
The prayers of the righteous avails much. When a righteous man prays, God hears. God delights to hear the prayers of the righteous. The prayers of Daniel availed much when he prayed for his nation. God answered him from the first day he started praying. The prayers of Elijah also prevailed. He prayed that there should be rain for 3½ years and it didn't rain. He also prayed again and there was rain.
When we pray as righteous people, there won't be need for repetitions of words because God hears us right from when we started praying. While we are yet speaking, He will answer us.
Another thing I learnt from this is that God expect me to stand in the place of intercession for my family, my country and my friends. This is so because God will hear me when I pray.
THE HOUSE OF GOD
Prayers are also done in the house of God which is the church. Bro Eli Soriano brought to our attention that not all the places call church is really church. Some of those centers are merely human business centers. The house of God is the church of God. Anything short of this is not the house of God which is the church.
ORDERLINESS IN PRAYERS
Praying in order is important in the gathering of brethren. We should have one mind in the church. When we come to pray it is right that we adopt discipline during prayers. Kneeling down is one of the ways to exercise discipline during prayers.
