The Treasury of Prayer

"Quite an imagery from Spurgeon: let every believer cast his mite into the treasury of prayer. We ought to give it our all in prayer. Everything we have. Our fellowship in prayer is with the Father. I have been with people who I know didn't want to be with me. How much more does the Father know!?"

In desperate times we need to be desperate in our prayers. Desperate for God to move. Desperate to hear God's voice. Desperate to see change in our world. 

Too often prayer is a last resort if at all. We go through life saying we have fellowship with the Father and yet don't speak to Him about our lives. We are to pray without ceasing. That doesn't mean that all you ever do is pray. Rather it means that you keep the lines of communication open with God all day long every day. 

We ought to remind ourselves that God is with us everywhere we go. How rude not to talk to someone you get up with in the morning and go to bed with at night! Sure there are times to sit and be quiet and not say anything. But relationships that are healthy have communication. We listen to God and we speak to God. It is a two way street. 

Take some time right now to connect with God through prayer. Don't let 'amen' be like ending a phone call. Leave the line open and talk to God as you go throughout your day. In desperation cast all you have into the treasury of prayer. 

I would love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to share how you keep after your passion in prayer. 

Day 316 - Where Battles Are Won

"I am worse off for not having prayed. My heart, mind and attitude are in line with the things of God when I pray. That is where the battle is won and the power is at."

The simplest things in life are often the most overlooked. The answers we seek are staring us in the face. Why? Maybe it is the need we feel to complicate things. It could be that if something is easy we think it isn't real. But the real simple answer to winning the battles of life is prayer. 

For all intents and purposes prayer should be easy. Prayer is simply communicating with God. Have a talk with God and He will take care of you.

 Too simple? You're right, we should make it hard or add some formulas. Maybe if we enforce long hours of prayer we will earn what we are asking for. 

The only problem with this all is that Jesus simplified prayer. He made it easy to understand too by relating it to a child who asks their parent for food. If we give our kids what they ask for when they are hungry, and we are sinful by nature, then how much more will God take care of us when we ask Him to? His nature is good and perfect! He wouldn't ever give us something evil because He can't. It would go against His nature to do so. God is good. Only good. 

So when you pray and pour out your heart to God know that He is listening. When you share your pain and your troubles He is there comforting. When you don't know what to do and you have no direction He is guiding. When you feel defeated and weak He is fighting for you and making you strong. When you are lacking and needy He is providing. 

The battles are all won in prayer. Don't try to complicate it. Talk to God about your life, all of it. Listen for His voice and follow Him. Too simple? No way. It is just How God wanted it to be so that we could do it and He would get all the glory for it. 

What stops you from praying? Have you seen God answer simple prayers? 

Day 128 - Directionally Challenged

"As a leader people don't always know where you are going or don't want to go where you are going."

My wife has a natural sense of direction. She knows inside where she is and what way she should go. She couldn't tell you North South East or West and sometimes gets right and left mixed up when giving me directions but if you were to ask her what way she could point and tell you "That way!" 

I have known others who habitually lose their car in parking lots and who have to use their alarm to locate their car by listening for the sound of the car locking through the horn or the tone. I admittedly have used this method on occasion and have started off in a direction that later was corrected by my wife's confident "That way" instruction. 

When I look at the statement from last year I see the essential quality of a leader is so simple. Point people in the direction you know they should be going and tell them "That way". Leaders lead; both in example and in instruction. You could also say in word and in deed. 

People won't know where you are going unless you tell them. Communication is key. I get so frustrated with myself when I know I haven't communicated and things go wrong. It is on me at that point. When we communicate and point out the way it helps others to have a clear vision and almost always they will reach or exceed the goal. 

If people don't want to go in the direction you are going then it is your job as a leader to get them on board. Once again it is vital to communicate. The question is one of value. Start with the ultimate value of following God. Are we following the true leader? Is it in the Bible? Once you can say yes with confidence then ask if it is a problem of leadership, vision or style. Two of those are easy to overcome. The real leader is God and if he has put me here then trust His choice and let's do this together. If it is a matter of style is there a better way or can you trust that this style will work to accomplish our goals? The last of the three is the biggest hurdle. If they have a problem with the vision then it is time to rehearse the vision, identify the outcomes and hear the objections. Don't be afraid to look at criticisms. It may help the vision get stronger. But if it is found to be negativity or undue then follow the vision and invite them along. 

What are some other obstacles you have encountered as a leader and how do we overcome them? How do you communicate vision?

Da 78 - It Just Makes Sense

"Spurgeon has such a way of thinking that just brings things together that make sense but also make you say, “Why didn't I think of that?” Like when he is talking about King Jesus and says “In the Red Sea of his own blood, our Redeemer has drowned the Pharaoh of our sins: shall he not be King in Jeshurun?” I thought to myself “Of coarse the Red Sea and blood of Jesus are a type and shadow.” It just makes sense."

The teaching gift is both necessary and appreciated. Combined with the tenacity and passion of a preacher there are those who would instruct and move the heart of the hearer with a motivation to do what is being taught. Charles Spurgeon, who I quoted above, is one of those who when you read his work, well, it just makes sense. 

A good lesson, speech, or sermon must instruct the mind, challenge the intellect, touch the heart and be easily understood and applied. It is no easy task. Many hours of preparation go into crafting such a message. 

We must never leave the Holy Spirit out of our studies though. Truly He is the Teacher of the church. If the preacher, teacher, speaker has done their job well then the Holy Spirit will do His perfectly (for He can do no less!). All that is left is for the heart of the hearer to be open to receive. Listen, believe, do...blessed. 

Who are the speakers, teachers and preachers that move you when you hear them speak? Why is it important for speaker, hearer and Holy Spirit to all be engaged in the process?

Day 66 - Agreement of the Heart

"We are not communicating on the heart level. In many ways we are responding to situations that arise and can't seem to make a plan and work it out. After a lot of arguing about the way we felt we were being treated we finally were able to express some things on the heart level and get in agreement about our direction."

It is so important to get past the surface and flesh levels and get to the heart level. If you can connect with someone on a heart level you can get a real involvement and agreement. Marriage, business, and anything else we do that involves others, and that is most of our lives, will go farther and better if we are connected at the heart level. 

It is difficult to connect because it takes vulnerability to open your heart. We know the pain of bearing our soul and having someone mistreat or hurt us. The need is still there and I believe that if we can press through the pain and pressure of vulnerability we will have stronger bonds and better outcomes. 

Communication, love and trust all play their part in this connection as well. It takes work to speak the truth in love and express what is on your heart. It takes overlooked offenses, faith and forgiveness to walk in love. Finally, it takes time and testing build trust. The great thing is that with this powerful trio of communication, love and trust you can open your heart and safely connect with someone else. That is when agreement happens and the power comes! The place of unity is a place of power!

Is there another trait you would add to my power trio in order to connect on the heart level? How has this principle helped you with relationships, marriage, business, etc.?  

Day 19 - Communication

"Communication is so vital to unity and a simple question can calm the storm!"

I remember this day. The devil went to work on a comment that was made and twisted the intent. It could have turned sour but the person who was questioning the intent was mature enough to reach out and ask what was meant by the comment. I answered the question and an offense was avoided. 

The devil will bring confusion and lies in the void of communication. But we can avoid offenses and division by confronting issues in love and believing the best. Too many people have left churches, seperated from healthy relationships and lost sight of what is important in the absence of simple communication. Don't let the devil win. Go and ask, quickly forgive and move forward together!

Have you ever had this happen to you? How did it turn out?

Day 18 - God Speaks

"What a great day in church. Mostly the message. It was powerful to see the progression as well as all the ways that God communicates His will and ways to us. It started in creation, then in our conscience, to tablets of stone, and ultimately God has written it on our hearts. Beautiful."

This message blew my mind. It was so simple and yet profound. The very fact that God would even want to talk to us is a mind blowing concept but then you see his Divine plan and progression. He doesn't complicate it. God speaks to us. He wants to talk. He listens and responds. He speaks and waits for our response. Like the Psalmist said "This knowledge is too great for me". 

Have you ever been moved when you saw the handiwork of God in creation? How is your prayer life? Are you communicating with God?