The document discusses prayer in the early church based on several Bible passages. It describes Jesus teaching his disciples how to pray. It recounts how Peter prayed and brought Tabitha back to life in Acts 9. It mentions other instances of disciples kneeling in prayer from Acts 20, 21 and Isaiah 1. It emphasizes that prayer was an important practice in the early church and can be a powerful tool according to passages like James 5:16 and Martin Luther's quote.

2. Luke 11:1
One day Jesus was praying in a
certain place. When he
finished, one of his disciples
said to him, “Lord, teach us to
pray, just as John taught his
disciples

3. Luke 11:1
One day Jesus was praying in a
certain place. When he
finished, one of his disciples
said to him, “Lord, teach us to
pray, just as John taught his
disciples

4. The Practice of the
early Church

5. Acts 9:36-37
In Joppa there was a disciple named
Tabitha (which, when translated,
is Dorcas), who was always doing
good and helping the poor. About
that time she became sick and died,
and her body was washed and
placed in an upstairs room.

6. Acts 9:40
Peter sent them all out of the
room; then he got down on his
knees and prayed. Turning
toward the dead woman, he
said, “Tabitha, get up.” She
opened her eyes, and seeing
Peter she sat up.

7. Acts 9:40
He took her by the hand and
helped her to her feet. Then
he called the believers and
the widows and presented her
to them alive. This became
known all over Joppa, and many
people believed in the Lord.

8. Acts 20:37
When he had said this, he
knelt down with all of them
and prayed. They all wept as
they embraced him and kissed
him.

9. Acts 21:5
But when our time was up, we
left and continued on our way.
All the disciples and their
wives and children
accompanied us out of the city,
and there on the beach we
knelt to pray

10. The Perspective of
the Early Church

11. Isaiah 1:13;15
Stop bringing meaningless
offerings! Your incense is
detestable to me. When you
spread out your hands in
prayer, I will hide my eyes
from you; even if you offer
many prayers, I will not listen.

12. Psalm 95:6
Come, let us bow down in
worship,
let us kneel before the Lord
our Maker;

13. 1 Chronicles 29:20
…they bowed low and fell
prostrate before the Lord and
the king.

14. The Power of the Early Church
Therefore confess your sins
to each other and pray for
each other so that you may be
healed. The prayer of a
righteous man is powerful and
effective. James 5:16

15. “None can believe how
powerful prayer is but
those who have learned
it by experience.”
Martin Luther

16. Psalm 34:17
The righteous cry out, and the
Lord hears them; he delivers
them from all their troubles.

17. Vance Havner
“The problem is the
situation is
desperate and we
are not.”