Here's Another Reason Not To Skip Church

# 57 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 2:3-8, “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, 7 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle--I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying--a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. 8 I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; (1 Tim 2:3-8) One of the great things about the writings of the Apostle Paul is that he is never far away from interjecting the Gospel. Oftentimes in mid thought, he suddenly breaks out in the explanation of salvation and the role that Jesus gave him in presenting the story. Of course the reason he breaks out here is to underscore the importance of the prayers of the church to the salvation of souls! He says in v8, “I desire therefore (and the therefore is “there for” because of the role of prayer in salvation of souls) that the men pray everywhere!” These prayers, which we have been talking about for the past several days are a vital part of the way we should be doing church if for no other reason, that they are “good and acceptable to God our Savior.” The word “good” here means “beautiful,” and “acceptable” is the idea of being greatly welcomed! Imagine that! When we rightly pray as churches, when we hold “oratory chapel,” we are sending up something that God regards as beautiful and something that He gladly accepts! One can't help but think of Noah's offering of which is said in Ge 8:21, “ And the LORD smelled a soothing aroma.” and also the golden bowls of incense mentioned in Re 5:8, “golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” God gathers up (accepts) the beautiful, sweet smelling prayers of the saints and stores them in precious gold containers! God's love of the prayers of His saints is mentioned in the first and last Books of the Bible, and may this “sacrifice of praise,” never be far from our lips or removed from our times of corporate worship.