the house of prayer

Most folks have no idea what the purpose of a church is because they have never visited one.  Many who belong to a church or a vision cannot tell you why that church or vision even exists.  It gets worse, some pastors can’t tell you exactly what the purpose of their church is.  A Catholic priest will tell you the purpose of their church is to celebrate the mass.  Very few understand the “mass”, it was once done in Latin which created a great atmosphere for taking a nap.  Maybe Jesus the Lord of the church can tell us what He intended His church to be!
 
Mathew 21:3 And Jesus said, My house (church) shall be called the house of prayer (worship) but you have made it a den of thieves.
 
When Jesus went into the community church He found it full of animals that men were selling for the offerings.  They took the purpose of the church and used it to make a fast buck.  Even to this day men are using church traditions to make money for themselves.  Some sell beer, coffee and popcorn to enjoy during the “service”.  One man solicited a certain monetary gift in exchange for a special prayer.  One time a couple of televangelists had a large ministry and they cried and bawled, until good hearted Christians sent them millions.
 
James 5:14 Is any sick among you?  Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over them and anoint them with oil.
 
If a church is a house of prayer then the sick can come and get prayer for their healing.  If a church practices the science of religion there are no affective prayers for anyone.  Bible prayers are a form of worship because they come from the Word of God.  Man’s prayers are a combination of what they think God says and what they want for themselves.  When I was a Catholic once a year the priest would take two candles and lay them near your throat, then he would “pray” in the name of saint blaze.  It accomplished nothing but it satisfied the desire for something “religious”!
 
Galatians 5:4 Christ is become of no effect (useless, void) unto you, whose ever of you justified by the law, you are fallen from grace.
 
The law was the “religion” of the day, the Jews believed that if they obeyed the commandments they would qualify for a place in Heaven.  The Apostle Paul preached Jesus to them and they all said the sinners prayer.  Some orthodox Jews came in among them and convinced them to reenter the law, thus they kicked Christ and His grace out of their church.  They went back to their Old Testament prayers that had expired, when Jesus gave the believers a better covenant founded on better promises.
 
Fortress of Joy is a house of prayer, not one prayer but all prayers Jesus died to give us.  Every member of Fortress of Joy should be praying for and about everything.  A life not founded on prayer is a life that is at the mercy of nature.  In our house God is worshipped, intercession is made for the lost, the sick receive prayer and nothing is left to change.  We are a house of prayer and every prayer of every member is important, thank you for your faithfulness.