Thoughts on prayer
This past weekend we started a new series simply called "Prayer". In preparation for this series I quickly realized that I have so much more to gain in this area. Do I talk with the Lord? Yes. Do I even take time to listen for His voice? Yes. Is it a top priority in my life? I would have to say...No. That fact has really convicted me. In order for my relationship with the almighty to grow deeper & more intimate (which is something I deeply want), I must make prayer a priority. If you've noticed in my sidebar, I have put one of my favorite books, "Secrets of The Secret Place". It was actually the reading of that book that began me on my journey to a closer walk through prayer. Now, all these months later, after reading it, I find myself slipping out of the discipline.
Okay, Okay, enough of the confessional. Confession is good for the heart, but I wouldn't be telling you this if I didn't strongly believe that many of you are right there with me. We love the Lord, we follow his teachings, we are even beginning to love our neighbors. That's a big one! Yet, we still lack the intimacy that we so greatly desire. I know exactly what it is for me...LIFE. I let the things of this world take over my schedule. On top of that, I have the added challenge of working in the church. It's very easy to see everything that I do as a direct part of my personal relationship with the Lord. Though there is some truth to that, I often find myself accidentally substituting my job for true relationship. For me, I have to do what doesn't come naturally...get with Him in the morning. Man, am I sooooo not a morning person. This is why I get up at 5:30 on Sundays. It takes that long to be coherent by the first rehearsal at 8:00. I will say though, as Bob Sorge put it in "Secrets of The Secret Place", there really is something special about the morning. Jesus prayed in the garden early in the morning. The past few months have been really good & getting better every day. I challenge you. Let's not reduce our prayer lives to giving thanks at the table & an occasional shower song. Let's vow to start our days on our faces. Let's be honest, not taking the time for prayer is really pride. It's me saying, my stuff is more important than you Lord.
"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you."
-James 4:10
Darrell wrapped up our first service on prayer with a great story. Prior to that I shared a song that God gave me in my prayer journey. Take a listen & see what God is speaking to You.
Grunting & Pointing
Draw Me
Labels: Draw Me, Grunting and Pointing, Prayer
posted by Me at 9:17 AM
2 Comments:
Shower songs? I’m supposed to have shower songs? Does it have to be in the morning? What time? How loud? What if I’m a bath person, can I do bath songs instead?
Prayer is a great mystery to me. I’m still chewing on this thing John Piper said:
“God ordains that prayers cause things to happen that wouldn’t happen if you didn’t pray. It’s a staggeringly glorious privilege that a sovereign God folds our prayers into his causality. If I am offered the privilege and don’t bring to pass events in the universe that would not take place if I didn’t pray, I’m a colossal fool. God beckons us to share in the running of the universe.” WOW!
Pastor T, you’re always so honest! I’m not worried about you, though, like I was recently when I misunderstood something you said and thought you were having trouble trusting God! (I knew that didn't sound right!) The fact is, in all my many years, I’ve never heard of a single person who was satisfied with his/her prayer life, including the greatest saints of the ages. I don’t think we ever will be, until we see Jesus face to face and find out what real intimacy is.
Hey, wouldn’t it be cool if you (the whole staff, for that matter) could have an hour of quietness every morning, from say 8-9 a.m? Johnna could field calls, and she could tell people looking for you that you’re in a meeting, which would be TRUE! :)
Of course, you might have to shut off the computer--that’s the toughest part for me! :) When I was in Israel, our hotel in Jerusalem actually unplugged the computers in the lobby on the Sabbath!
Thanks for posting the song so we could hear it again! It had an unusual anointing on it Sunday and deeply ministered to me. I hope you'll teach it to us congregationally.
Well Kathy, I DO HAVE bath song, well actually bath prayers! Everynight. Its the only place in my house that I am alone and can give my whole self to Him. My family knows DO NOT ENTER while mommy is soaking. ha
Then I have time with God in the mornings and then turn on Joyce Myers (channel 39 at 7:00 A.M.) for a lesson. This has become part of my schedule everyday. I've even been known to shut my door at work or go to the restroom and pray too-I love my time with God!!!! Its like an addiction.
But, Mark like you said, I can always improve on this part of my life. Prayer time is more than saying grace before meals -
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