19“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. (Matthew 18:19)
Thoughts: There is power in agreement in prayer in the church. Why is agreement important? Agreement gives a single vision with two eyes. Having two eyes gives us depth to our vision. If both eyes agree then we are not short sighted. The more who earnestly agree in prayer the more powerful the prayer is before God.
This is so powerful a statement that some (like Barnes notes) suggest that this was meant only for the disciples in the forming of the church. But the sense is that any two who are on the earth agree. The agreement must be sincere and real and deep- but this kind of agreement assures God's help. The temptation is to think that because we are saved as individuals we don't need the church. The church sometimes appears as a secondary institution. But the Bible sees the church as simply the body of Christ that is supposed to work together. Being a Christian means we are to love and we cannot love with others. Agreement in prayer puts love into the praying relationship- and God cannot stay out of that. Where love is, God is- in prayer. Jesus implies this loving relationship that happens when we agree by calling God "Father." As a father loves it when his children agree on a common request, so God loves it when we agree for the good of the church and for the glory of God.
Prayer: Lord, help me to seek to agree with others in prayer. Help me to see the need of others in my prayer life and relationship with you.
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