40 Days of Prayer - Day #23

Today's reading in my devotional "Draw the Circle" was timely.  Recounting Abraham's journey of faith where Genesis 11 tells us that he set out and literally "did not know where he was going," the author, Batterson, challenges us to embrace a new sequence of faith; Go, Set, Ready.  As a contemplative person, I have a tendency to follow the sequence of ready, set, set, set and go.  Some of my past hesitations have reminded me that if I was in a Nascar race, I would be last off the starting line as I was doing one last check of my mirrors and gauges.

Too many times I have talked myself out of taking risks.  After praying about moving to plant a church for several months, I finally prayed to God, "can I do this?"  "Am I really ready for this?"  God swiftly and clearly replied, "No, but I am."  I knew we would be moving to Omaha from that moment on.  God was ready and waiting for us to take the first step.

There is nothing wrong with being cautious and wise.  But there is a difference between that and looking for excuses.  I'm ready to see God move in my life and our church like never before.  Instead of last off the line, I need a few false starts.  Honestly, I think God would prefer that with our faith.

I don't want to come up with excuses at the end of 2013.  Rather, I am looking forward to listing miracles.  We will move to a bigger space this year.  It will stretch my faith and our church like never before.  I'm not sure where, but I'm ready to move forward.  Just as I read in Draw the Circle, "If you wait until you're ready, you'll be waiting for the rest of your life."  I'm not ready for all that God wants to do in 2013, but God is.  So let's go!

40 Days of Prayer - Day #22

I meditated on a scripture this morning out of the book of Genesis.  I considered the story of Abraham and his son Isaac.  Isaac was the son that Abraham and Sarah thought they would never have.  Needless to say, Isaac was very dear to Abraham.  But God tested Abraham to see what was most important to him.  He asked Abraham to climb a mountain and sacrifice his own son.  Unbelievable.  What great faith Abraham had to climb the mountain and even raise the blade before God intervened at the last second.  Lets face it, not many people could climb a mountain with their child to sacrifice him or her.  Even with God ordering us to do so.
As crazy as this story sounds, we have to remember how well Abraham and God knew each other.  They had an amazing connection.  Abraham was referred to in scripture as "a friend of God."  This isn't a facebook kind of friend.  No, this is a deep and meaningful relationship.  As I pondered this scripture, I was challenged to do all that I can to become a better friend of God's.  God created me with a purpose and sent his Son to die for me so that I might have life to the full in this world and the next.  God is always there for me when I need Him, and He has left me detailed instructions for life in the form of the Bible.  What is asking of me?  To devote my life to loving Him and others.  He hasn't asked me to sacrifice my son.  God has asked for my time, my heart and my talents.  My prayer is that I learn to do give them to God without hesitation.  Just as a true friend would.

40 Days of Prayer - Day #21

News about the American-Iranian Pastor being sent to prison was released yesterday morning.  Since then, I have often thought and prayed for him.  As I was enjoying freedom in all that I did yesterday, Pastor Saeed was alone in a cell surrounded by people who hated him and who he believed in.  His family is back in the states praying for him and wondering when, if ever, they will see him again.  Today I thought about the words of Paul in the book of Philippians.
"And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News.  For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ.  And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear." Philippians 1:14-16
This is my prayer for Pastor Saeed.  That everything that is happening to him will spread the Good News.  Also, that all the guards would hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  And that all Christians in Iran would be inspired and gain confidence is speaking the truth.  If you are reading this, will you pray for this Pastor and the Gospel to be spread in the darkest corners of the world?

40 Days of Prayer - Day#17

I'll never forget a bus ride to school one morning when I was in first grade.  Most of the time, I was by myself.  But on this day, my 17 year old brother had to take the bus to school.  My brother sat towards the back of the bus with the older and cooler kids.  I had to hang out in the middle near a sixth grader who loved to pick on me.

If this sixth grader had any sense at all, he would have recognized my brother's size.  But like clockwork he began to pick.  Somewhere between home and school this menace decided to grab me by my coat.  Dumb move.  Faster than I can type this sentence, my brother had the bully on the floor of the bus and told him to never touch me again.  Yep, it was awesome.

Just like my brother had my back then, I know that God always has my back.  I'm reminded of the Israelites marching through the Red Sea on dry ground with the Egyptians hot on their tale.  God fought for them and single handedly won the battle.  When I pray for help, God with His army of angels is their to fight on my behalf.  So just as I had no reason to fear a bully 30 years ago, I don't have to fear the fights that are ahead of me.  God will fight for me!

40 Days of Prayer - Day 16

I read a quote this morning that really spoke to me.  A.W. Tozer wrote, "when you kill time, remember that it has no resurrection."  This is one of those quotes that produces a universal head nod.  There is no debating it.  We all waste time and lose track of time.  And none of us can bring it back.  

Spiritually, this is a point of focus for me this year.  I want to redeem as much of my time as possible.  To accomplish this, I have to prioritize and carve.  One doesn't work without the other.  I have to cut out things that are stealing my time.  Fasting will help with this but I also must be wise and diligent.  Just as Hebrews 6 reminds us, "We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure."  

2013 only has so many seconds, hours and days in it.  There are many dreams that I want to see realized this year.  And I also know that God has dreams that He hasn't even shown me yet.  I'm praying that I will redeem as much of my time this year as possible so I can see all that God has planned.

40 Days of Prayer - Day 12

Today its hard to concentrate on prayer and study.  Not surprisingly, my two year old daughter is needy.  She needs my attention, my help and my comfort.  And like most two year olds, she is persistent.  I want to help her and can stop from time to time to do so, but I do want to focus.  I need focused time of prayer and study, and I have plenty of work to do today.  Maybe doing a few things from home wasn't a great idea.

But my daughter's persistence was ironic as I read from Luke 18 today.  It's the story of the persistent window.  The widow who wouldn't leave the judge alone until he answered her cry, "Give me justice!"   Jesus used this story to teach us a valuable lesson about prayer.  Never give up!  For those who cry out "day and night," God will surely give justice.

For the prayers that I have written on my heart and in my journal, I won't give up on.  I'll keep writing, requesting.  Asking, seeking and knocking.  The heart of God is so loving and just that he won't ignore those who earnestly and passionately seek Him.  And I love that about my God!

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!