I know many Christians who measure other people's faith in decibels, and they provide Scripture for that: Luke 19:40 (if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out).
Many churches equate shouting with spirituality - if you cry out to God loudly you're a great Christian, but if you pray softly you're spiritually dead.
I know that deep communion with God produces deep emotions, but what I see in many churches is just the habit of shouting.
How do you folks interpret Jesus' words? (if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out).
Matthew 6:[SUP]5 [/SUP]And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward
.[SUP]6 [/SUP]But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.[SUP]7 [/SUP]But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.[SUP]8 [/SUP]Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.[SUP]9 [/SUP]After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.[SUP]10 [/SUP]Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.[SUP]11 [/SUP]Give us this day our daily bread.[SUP]12 [/SUP]And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.[SUP]13 [/SUP]And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
So do not pray loudly, but in secret; do not pray by repeating the same prayer over and over again as if that will force God to listen to you, but pray once and stop... knowing He has heard you. You can say the same prayer later on, but not repetitious like in a row as if making a nonstop prayer chain to get His attention. That is almost like praying in unbelief. So trust Him in prayer. Be personal with God not to be seen of men.
Hebrews 11:1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.[SUP]2 [/SUP]For by it the elders obtained a good report........[SUP]6 [/SUP]But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
For church services.....
James 5:[SUP]13[/SUP]
Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
[SUP]14 [/SUP]Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:[SUP]15 [/SUP]And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.[SUP]16 [/SUP]Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.[SUP]17 [/SUP]Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.[SUP]18 [/SUP]And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
But I doubt praying loudly or praying the same prayer over and over again non-stop shows any faith in God to hear it. So let us stop thinking small in relations to God as if God is a man Who has a hard time hearing or paying attention.