Pre-Service Prayer in Apostolic Churches?

[Rhoni]

Originally Posted by Rico

If you wait until you get to church to crucify your flesh and get your flesh under subjection, you are completely wasting your time.

Quote:
Originally Posted by theoldpaths
In the OT, the high priest could only enter the holy of holies once a year, but had to follow certain steps before doing so such as (may get some of these wrong or in the wrong order or may forget some)...

- sacrificing at the brazen altar (type of repentance and/or crucifying the flesh)
- washing at the brazen laver (type of baptism)
- burning incense at the golden candlestick before the veil (type of offering up praise - i.e., worship)

The point was that he HAD to do these things BEFORE he was ready to enter into the presence of God and HEAR from God's word.

Sometimes apostolics ask, why do we do the things in a church service that we do? Is it just tradition or is there a bible example?

Pre-service prayer is like crucifying the flesh and getting the flesh under subjection. My personal experience is that when I go to pre-service prayer, I find it easier in the service. During worship my flesh does not feel so heavy and worship is easier and I also get more out of the preaching of the word of God. Also the word of God teaches us that no flesh shall glory in his presence. The flesh and Spirit war against each other, but by prayer we give the Spirit the upper hand.

Worship is like offering up the incense which was another step that had to be done BEFORE being ready to hear the word of God.

We are priests now in the NT.

Rico,

I think I will have to agree with Old Paths on this one: I think we need to come into God's presence with thanks and praise, then repent and cleanse our hearts and minds, wash them through regeneration of the Spirit to allow us to usher in His holy presence and allow Him to have His way in the service.

Blessings, Rhoni

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Rhoni

Rico,

I think I will have to agree with Old Paths on this one: I think we need to come into God's presence with thanks and praise, then repent and cleanse our hearts and minds, wash them through regeneration of the Spirit to allow us to usher in His holy presence and allow Him to have His way in the service.

Blessings, Rhoni

I think Rico's point is that we should have already done that, why wait until an hour before church starts?

And are we praying FOR the service or are we repenting? Repentance doesn't take an hour long pre-service prayer meeting