Theme 2025: Pray Without Ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
The fact that God’s Word commands us to pray without ceasing reveals two significant truths about God:
- First, God wants to hear from us. Let that thought soak in for a moment. The God of this universe wants to hear from us. On the basis of our relationship with Jesus Christ, we have been granted an all-access ticket into His presence (Heb 10:19–22).
- Second, if God expects that we will ask Him for things, then it follows that He has the ability to give us what we ask. In fact, He has the ability to give us more than we ask (Eph 3:20). Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you (Matt 7:7).
Think about our most pressing needs, our most formidable opponents, or even our most out-of-reach dreams. If God desires that we bring those matters before Him, then we can be sure that He has more than enough ability to do something about them. As Jeremiah so rightly put it, nothing is too difficult for our God (Jer 32:17). Jesus said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matt 19:26).
In my observation, there are many Christians who come to church but do not have a personal encounter with the Lord. If there are too many Christians in name only and are prayerless, the church will become lukewarm in its spirit, and Jesus would spit it out of His mouth. He said: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth” (Rev 3:15-16).
The call to pray without ceasing is the ‘shortcut’ for Christians and the Church to recover the love and passion for the Lord. Hebrews 4:16 says: “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
God is moving again to add souls to His church. We cannot be a prayerless church or else we will lose our spiritual fervor. We have to strive for earnest faith. Romans 12:11 states: “never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord”. We have to resume our meeting with the Lord through praying without ceasing in order to inflame our hearts with the Holy Spirit working mightily among us to the glory of God.
Thus, to pray without ceasing, implies:
- Constancy. Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving (Col. 4:2).
- Perseverance. Rom. 12:12 - Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; Eph. 6:18 - Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints; Luke 18:1 -… that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.
To pray without ceasing is an exhortation to live in a devotional frame of mind. It is impossible to be always on bended knees, but we may be in the spirit of prayer when engaged in the responsibility of our earthly calling. Prayer may be without ceasing in the heart which is full of the presence of God, and evermore communing with him. Constant prayer is a sign of a dependence on God rather than on personal resources.
It is not in the moving of the lips, but in the elevation of the heart to God, that we pray without ceasing, and it is this that enables us to put into practice the command to pray continually. It is not possible for us to spend all our time with the words of prayer on our lips, but it is possible for us to be all our days in the spirit of prayer, realizing our dependence on God for all we have and are, being conscious of His presence with us wherever we may be, and yielding ourselves continually to Him to do his will. Such an inward state will of course find expression from time to time in prayer and intercession. Each time we pray, we come in contact with God in a profound and life-changing way.
Prayer is the root of a tree that bears spiritual fruit. We should be a tree with deep roots. We may appear to have good faith and live successfully. However, if we do not place our priority in having intimacy with God, then our root of life will be shaken. That is the reason we are asked to pray without ceasing.
The more we learn how to pray without ceasing, the more we will experience the joy of discovering the world of prayer that changes things. When we commit ourselves to pray without ceasing, we will have a true desire to pray more in our personal life, we will experience the benefit and blessing of prayer. The more we pray, the healthier our spirit will be. It makes our spiritual life stronger and firmer. We will enjoy being in close fellowship and partnership with God.
Theme 2024: Do All to the Glory of God
1 Cor. 10:31
“Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God”.
Goal: In everything our hands find to do, we do it wholehearted to glorify God.
God’s greatest concern is His glory. “The glory of God is a silver thread which must run through all our actions”. We all have the same calling: to glorify God in everything we do. This is why we are created. Scripture says God created us for His glory. Isa. 43:7 - “Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” “The people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise” (Isa 43:21).
God’s Word instructs us to “do everything for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). To glorify God is not to bestow glory on God or add to His glory, but to recognize and acknowledge His glory. The verb glorify means “to give weight to” or “to honor.”
Thus, to glorify God is to recognize God for who He really is and to respond appropriately. SCC as a church that God desires is in the making - He will continue to strengthen the church further. In 2024, we aim to glorify God in whatever we do, to work at it with all our heart, as working for the Lord and not for human masters (Col. 3:23), particularly in the area of obeying the Great Commission:
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matt 28:18-20).
How do we glorify God?
- We aim purely at His glory… (John 8:50)
- We sincerely confess our sins… (Joshua 7:19)
- We believe by faith… (Rom 4:20)
- We bear spiritual fruit … (John 15:8)
- When we live for God … (Rom 14:8)
- When we praise Him … (Psalms 50:23; 86:12)
- When we labour to draw others to God … (Gal. 4:19)
- When we live a holy life … (1 Pet 1:15-17; 2:9)
