40 Days of Prayer - Day #8

Sorry for missing yesterday's post.  I came down with a stomach bug that definitely had me praying, just didn't have the strength to journal till now.

Today in my devotional, "Draw the Circle," the author Mark Batterson reminds us that "God won't answer 100% of the prayers we don't pray."  Sounds like common sense doesn't it?  But we forget it all the time.  We hold back the really big prayers because we think, "what if God doesn't answer that?"  Or we just don't even see possible miracles because we accept things as they are.  Too many times I have been guilty of that.  Its the "it is what it is" attitude.

But God hasn't called us to accept the probable and dismiss the impossible.  If we have a relationship with our Creator and Savior, then we have no reason to hold back.  We need to embrace the words of Christ, "Ask, Seek, Knock."  Something I'm trying to do more everyday!

40 Days of Prayer - Day #6

Tonight I was sitting by the fire and thought of a song as I prayed.  The song is by Need to Breathe and it's called "Something Beautiful."  This is the chorus:

Hey now, this is my desire
Consume me like a fire
'Cause I just want 
Something beautiful to touch me
I know that I'm in reach
'Cause I am down on my knees
And waiting for 
Something beautiful.
Oh-oh... something beautiful.

The band, in an interview, stated that this song was written out of desperation.  They were hungry for inspiration and they weren't sure what "Something Beautiful" would be.  They just knew that they needed a "broken and contrite spirit" to see it and experience it.  That's about where I'm at too.  Praying that God would consume me like a fire and show me something beautiful in the process.

40 Days of Prayer - Day #5

One of the first concerts I attended was the Christian rock group Petra.  It was at Worlds of Fun one Summer with my family.  It was really hot and I remember that we sat way too close to the speakers.  I listened regularly to their album, "This Means War" while kickin' it in my stone washed jeans.  Totally awesome, huh?  At least I'm not reminiscing about Stryper.

Petra wasn't the most musically gifted band.  But they were probably the most passionate and had great messages in their lyrics.  I still love the song "More Power to You," but as I was praying this morning I remembered their hit, "Get on Your Knees and Fight Like a Man."  Although it wasn't exactly inclusive for today's standards, it was memorable.  I thought of it today after my devotion as I kneeled to pray in our living room.  Simply, I thought, "I need to pray till my knees hurt."

I don't have the best knees.  I've injured both in the past and now one is surgically repaired.  But kneeling before God is a symbol of surrender.  And everyday in 2013 I want to surrender to God.  I want God to have all of me so I can experience all of his plans for my life and His church.  Whether this is what Petra meant in their song or not, I can't say.  But I know that the spiritual fight for my family and God's future will require some jeans that have worn out knees - stone washed or not.

40 Days of Prayer - Day #4

I don't have to look far to see what to pray for today.  My little girl is sick for the second day.  Not serious.  When she first came down with this, I prayed over her for a few moments, but soon I accepted that it just needed to take its course.  Take her to the doctor, get the meds and help her rest.

Nothing wrong with taking meds to get better or going to the doctor (unless you ask my wife, who was there for over 2 hours yesterday).  But as person of faith I am recognizing that there are too many times where I don't let God have the opportunity to help, heal and perform the miraculous.  I want my daughter to be well and will take her to the doctor and get her the meds she needs, but I still need to pray fervently for God's help and healing touch.

There are lots of little things that I try to carry myself or try to find a fix for outside of God.  But I know I miss out on seeing a lot of little miracles because of that.  Psalm 55:22 reminds us to "Cast all your burdens on the Lord and He will sustain you."  God wants to sustain, heal, fix and carry our toughest situations for us.  But that really only happens if we let Him.  So this year I want to pray for the little things, big things and everything in between so I can look back count the many little and big miracles God was able to do.

40 Days - Day #3

Today's scripture reading reminded me that everyone has favorites.  We have our favorite foods, favorite hobbies, favorite clothing, and even favorite prayers.  I love to pray.  I never do it enough, but time with God is refreshing and life changing.  Connecting with my Creator, who loves me and listens to my every word, is something scripture reminds us is crucial to our relationship with God.  Even more, we are given great ideas and examples on how to pray throughout the Old and New Testament.  

1 Timothy 2:1 tells us, "I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them."  I love it when the Apostle Paul is so specific.  He tells us to pray for "all people."  Not just our favorite people or the people that really like us - all people.  Reflecting on this today has made me realize that this is one of the many places that I need to stretch. 

We all have relationships that are a little strained.  And we all have people who we see or think about that really don't make us jump for joy.  We all have our biases and that keeps us from interceding for certain people.  But I want that to change.  I want to extend love through prayer to all that I can.  The people I see, bump into or interact with.  No limits.  

This includes the lady who came in three times to McDonalds last Friday and complained about the McRib staining her sweater.  It includes those who have hurt me and those who aren't my friends on Facebook.  It even includes Mizzou fans.  That last sentence was tough to type.  

Prayer is powerful.  Its our way to reach up to Heaven and connect with a God who is determined to connect with us.  When I tell someone that I'm praying for them, I always get a positive reaction - whether they are a believer or not.  Because everyone hopes that God cares, which is why I need to pray for all that I can!

40 Days - Day #2

I've been getting in trouble lately.  Over the past few evenings, my wife and I have enjoyed watching the tv show "Psych."  Very funny detective show.  I'm getting in trouble though because I'm laughing so loud that its waking up my kids.  I know its inconvenient, but who doesn't love to laugh?

I relish the opportunity to laugh with a good book or movie or to hear a funny story.  Remember the last time you laughed until you cried?  Or maybe laughed till you did something else (thankfully thats not happened to me)?  Good times, right?  I remember going to the movies to see "Dumb and Dumber" and having a blast laughing out loud with a crowded theatre.  But next to me was my friend from college who was with his new girlfriend.  She was a little uptight and wasn't enjoying it.  Neither was he.  I couldn't believe that he wasn't rolling in the aisle with me.  But I didn't care.  I wasn't going to let them steal my joy and laughter.

When I was thinking about this last night, I remembered Paul's words from Philippians 4 which say, "Rejoice in the Lord always.  And again I say rejoice."  He wrote those words from prison.  If Paul can smile and rejoice in prison, how much more should I do so in my life?  This year, my prayer is to smile, rejoice and laugh more than ever.  No matter what the situation or trial, I know that I have reason to smile.  Even more, I want to help others find the Reason for life and a lasting purpose that will give them never ending joy.

40 Days of Prayer - Day #1

Very excited to begin the new year with a 40 Day Prayer Challenge.  Our church is studying the book of Hebrews together and reading the book "Draw the Circle" by Mark Batterson.  We are all looking forward to what God will do in us and through us as we take time to focus, pray and listen.

I have a lot of things that I want to pray over during these 40 days: my family, our church, my neighborhood, miracles, divine appointments and more.  But I wanted to start the journey with a blank slate and see what God is trying to do first.

Today is my day off so there's little to keep me from spending time talking and listening - other than my two year old who keeps handing me maracas and asking me to dance.  Man am I glad that only she saw my dance.  Yikes.

My first prayer time in this journey led me to one word - "new".  Scripture is full of references to this word.  In Revelation 21:5, we hear the promise, "I will make all things new."  And in Isaiah 43:9, "Behold, I am about to do a new thing."  Then there is one of my favorites from the book of 2 Corinthians - "If anyone is in Christ, they are a New Creation; the old has gone and the new has come."

God is determined to do new things in us.  To wipe away the old and usher in the new.  My prayer is that I would not cling to the old, but open my mind, heart and hands for the new works that he wants to do in my family, His church and my life.  Sometimes new is exciting while other times it can really stretch us.  Whatever the case, I look forward to the new things that God will do in 2013!