Shall I need to say more in commendation of intercessory prayer except it be this, that it seems to me that when God gives any man much grace, it must be with the design that he may use it for the rest of the family. Intercessory prayer is the sweetest prayer God ever hears. Do not question it, for the prayer of Christ is of this character. Intercessory prayer has raised the dead, for Elias stretched himself upon the child seven times, and the child sneezed, and the child’s soul returned. As to how many souls intercessory prayer has instrumentally saved, recording angel, thou canst tell! Eternity, thou shalt reveal!
You are unmindful of the debt you owe, and you are acting unworthily of your professed union with the Church of Christ if intercession is neglected by you. As with a trumpet call I would entreat you, my Brothers and Sisters, to effectual, earnest prayer for the family of the living God. Prayer is a wondrous blender of hearts and a mighty creator of love. Prayer is the most essential thing in turning sinners from the error of their ways. Then intercessory prayer will fit you for becoming God's instrument.
Paul, in saying here, "For the Scripture says," is referring, I think, to the general sense of Scripture rather than to any one passage. This is Paul's mode of argument, "the Scripture says", and we know no better. "For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, Whoever believes on him shall not be ashamed."
What is this prayer if it is analyzed and we get to the very soul of it? Well, it means, first, dependence upon God. If you are praying this prayer aright, you feel, "Lord, nobody can revive us but Yourself." People often talk about "getting up a revival." Is not that a wicked thing? The machinery for getting up a revival may often be the greatest hindrance to true godliness! A Church cannot be revived unless God revives it! Not a soul is saved, not a saint is quickened and made to grow except by the work of God. That is what this prayer means, "Lord, put Your hand to the work. Lord, revive the members of the Church. Lord, revive the backsliders. Lord, revive those who seem to live, but have grown careless. Lord, revive the Church at large throughout the whole earth. Spirit of revival, come upon us, now, for Jesus Christ's sake! Amen."
If there are but a dozen men in this, my Church, who have set their faces for a revival, we shall surely have it! Of this my heart knows no doubt. What if the Lord would call by Grace some of the children of the Church members? What a blessing that would be! Oh for salvation for our sons and daughters! Pray for them, parents! Pray for them! Pray now, and the Lord will hear you!
The Church of God needs a thousand things, but you can put them all into one if you say, "The Church of God needs her God." The favor of God is not merely something to His Church, but it is everything! The revelation of His love to His people is not simply a blessing, but it is all the blessings of the Covenant in one! Will you not, Beloved, all join in that prayer? It was, however, a very comprehensive prayer because wherever God's face shines upon His Church, note what happens. First, her walls are rebuilt. Desolations, when God shines upon them, glow into perfection! Join also in this prayer for the world's sake. If the Church has not the Lord to shine upon her, what is the poor world to do? What hope, what light, what knowledge of the Truth of God, what salvation can come to a perishing world of sinners except through a living Church?
Let us, therefore, commence with ourselves, remembering that we are a part of the Church and that our own need of revival is, in some measure, the cause of that need in the Church at large. The Church as a whole needs revival in the persons of its members. The members of Christian Churches are not what they once were. It is now fashionable to be religious, persecution is taken away and, ah, I had almost said that the gates of the Church were taken away with it! He says that he needs no revival in his soul, but he needs a revival of humility, at any rate! To me, one sad proof that the Church needs revival is the absence of that solemn earnestness which was once seen in Christian pulpits. The absences of sound doctrine is another proof of our need of revival.
What a very interesting and delightful spectacle the Christian Church will present during the coming week of united prayer! It is an everyday sight to see Christians at prayer, for Believers are to "pray without ceasing." We shall see, met together in the same House of Prayer, Brothers and Sisters holding various sentiments. The whole Church needs prayer, but especially the captains in the Lord's ranks who have to be in the thick of the fight with the shots of the enemy flying all around them! Thus prayer becomes a glorious bond which binds God and all His people together in one sacred bundle of life! And to be without prayer is to be outside that blessed bundle. The next thing I ask you to observe is the universality of prayer.
Prayer is always useful to the Church and therefore we should delight to exercise it. The fire upon the altar of intercession should never go out, neither by night nor by day! Our prayer for the Lord's people should be comprehensive. Pray for these shorn lambs, that the good Shepherd may temper the wind to them, and let this be the prayer in every case, "Save Your people." And, Beloved, this prayer may also be applied to the whole Church. I do not believe in getting up a revival by the methods which some adopt. If we are to have a true quickening it will be by the Holy Spirit given to us in answer to fervent prayer. So must we particularize at times our prayer for the Church and plead for some by name.
There is nothing evangelical about it, it is legal all through, and therefore, worthless for salvation. Sickness and sorrow of themselves are no helps to salvation. Pain and poverty are not Evangelists. Disease and despair are not Apostles. Look at the lost in Hell. Suffering has effected no good in them. He that was filthy here is filthy there.
Pastors and Preachers Seek GOD in Prayer, Daily Devotion, Preparation, Intercession for Congregation, Study of Word, Lifestyle, Sound Teaching, Visiting Families, House Churches: 
Family Drawn to Church, Jn 6:44, Heb 10:25 -- Family, Families, Members, Visitors Receive Word in Faith, by Revelation of Messiah by Father, in Humility which Saves the Soul, Jam 1:21, by saved friend's testimonies, evangelists, tracts, making house calls, "turning those who wander from truth, saving sinners, covering multitudes of sin," James 5:19-20...
God, You are Our Father and Ever Present Help, Deut 4:7, Ps 46:1, Isa 41:10 -- Thank you for the message of The LORD's ANOINTED crucified for our sins, Gal 2:20. Draw our family members to church tonight and tomorrow to hear, listen and understand what You are speaking to each one, Jn 16:13. Grant faith, repentance, salvation, knowledge of the forgiveness of sins and newness of life -- give vision, Prov 29:18, by The Holy Spirit. Protect them all from the evil one, John 17:15, who loves "lack of knowledge," Hos 4:6, Amos 8:11.
