“And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the Word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31).

It is a beautiful Seth Thomas mantle clock that is proudly displayed on Grandpa’s shelf. Grandma frequently dusted the old clock, and almost everyone that came to their home admired it. It had been in their family for many years. There was just one problem, however; it didn’t work! The mainspring had been broken for decades, and the old mantle clock had not kept time for over forty years. The source of its power was broken.  Likewise, it is possible for churches to appear beautiful on the outside but to not really be working. While churches don’t have a mainspring, they do have a source of power. It is found in being together to collectively pray. That’s what described the early church, according to Acts 4:31. Sadly, many prayer meetings, which should be the highest attended service, are typically the least attended service. Is there power in your church? If so, probably it can be traced to faithful attendance and commitment to prayer.

For today: We need to be people of prayer. A church that prays is a powerful church.