How much do you pray?

   

“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayer.” (Acts 2:42)     “Remember, no one has time to pray, he has to take time from things that are valuable to understand how necessary time for prayer is. The thing that acts like thorns and stings in our personal life will go away when we pray; we won’t feel the smart anymore, because we have got God’s point of view about them. Our devotion as saints is to identify ourselves with God’s interests in other lives. God pays no attention to our personal affinities; He expects us to identify ourselves with His interests in others.” Oswald Chambers (Glory)      I received an email update from The One Cry Movement that included an article by Del Fehsenfeld III on prayer. Here is what Del, senior editor for Life Action Ministries’ Revive Magazine, had to say about a conversation he had with Matt Bennet, founder of Christian Union:    “How much do you pray? Matt’s’ eyes stayed fixed on me. I felt my face flush slightly, and a series of justifications raced through my mind. I had given years to catalyzing spiritual vitality in my ministry vocation. Why was he singling me out? But Matt wouldn’t let me off the hook until I answered the question. ‘Del, when and how often do you pray?’ I had never been asked that pointed of a question related to prayer. Bible study, small groups, moral accountability, church attendance, service—all had been emphasized. But a life of prayer?     I tried to cover for the alarming and surprising answer that welled up within me: My prayer life largely consisted of distracted prayers during personal devotions, hurried sentence prayers during the workday, public prayers during meals, at church meetings, at my children’s bedtime. Oh, and an occasional season of intense prayer in response to a crisis.     Suddenly, the stark reality hit me like a ton of bricks. My prayer life was pathetic! Weak. Random. Irregular. Inadequate. Quite frankly, embarrassing.Matt could sense my discomfort. He wasn’t condemning, but he wouldn’t drop the issue. ‘I’ve been asking a lot of Christian leaders around the country the same question.’ He said quietly, ‘and your response is similar to every individual I’ve spoken to.’ Prayer is clearly not a way of life for many Christian leaders. The proof is in our calendars.’ Matt went on to tell me many things that day. About the morning and evening prayers that characterized the rhythm of Jewish life in the Old Testament, and appears to have remained the practice of the apostles and the early church. (Dan. 6 :10; 1 Thess. 3:10; 2 Tim. 1:3) ......About the remarkable relationship historically about the practice of extraordinary prayer and the outpouring of the Spirit in revival.......     My head was spinning, and honestly I could barely listen. Two questions were hammering in my brain: “ Why don’t I pray? “And even more troubling, “ Why hadn’t I even noticed?” I left that day determined to explore and develop new rhythms of prayer. Since then, I have put concentrated periods of corporate prayer with several Christian coworkers into my schedule due the work week. My wife and I have initiated and continue to fight for quality times of family prayer as a core aspect of our family. And prayer is becoming a natural part of what happens when we gather with friends for meals and fun.      In the process, I am learning that almost anyone, even a non-Christian, is usually encouraged by a sincere offer to pray for them. In all of this I consider myself to have just begun. A life of prayer is renewed on a daily basis. But I can say this: what began as a conviction became a choice that has become an adventure and a delight.    Prayer is a gift, a context for living our lives for God. Prayer is a portal, a means of experiencing God’s presence, provision, and power. And prayer is a partnering—it’s a way that the rule and reign of heaven is established in and through our actual lives. So let me ask you—Matt style: How much do you pray? PRAY  1.Lord fill me with Your Spirit today and give me a desire to spend more time today in prayer with You. 2.Help me to be faithful to rise up early, to truly spend time seeking to know You better and to close out my day fellowshipping with You. 3.Help me to spend more time with my wife/husband, my children, my fellow saints, and with strangers who need someone to pray for them.

We are Abrahams' seed

“For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 8:28-29)   There are many parts of the Old Testament that are difficult to read and understand but there are also parts that are so full of truth and promise that they are a joy to read every time. One of those passages that thrills me is Isaiah chapter 43. It was written for the nation of Israel but in light of Paul’s letter to the Galatians above it includes those of us who are in Christ also! We “are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.”   “But now, thus says the LORD, who created you O Jacob, And He who formed you O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;” (Isaiah 43:1-3a)   God, speaking through the prophet Isaiah, tells us that He is the One who has created us. He is the One who formed us in our mother’s womb, and He is the One who has redeemed us! He calls us by name and we are His! He will be with us through every trial and every peril. He is our Savior! (Praise be to God!)   Isaiah continues: “Since you were precious in My sight, You have been honored, And I have loved you; Therefore I will give men for you; And people for your life. Fear not, for I am with you.” (Verses 4-5a)   God says we are precious in a His sight! We have been honored by Him and He loves us just as a father or mother loves their child. He has paid a ransom to redeem us with Christs’ death on the cross and He is with us every day of our lives!   There’s more!   “‘You are my witnesses,’ says the LORD, ‘And My servant whom I have chosen, That you may know and believe Me, And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the LORD, And besides Me there is no savior.’” (Verses 10-11)   We are to be witnesses of how great our God is. We are His chosen servants! We serve the only God that ever was or ever will be. There is no other savior!   “But you have not called upon Me O Jacob; And you have been weary of Me, O Israel.” (Verse 22)   God then reminds Israel and reminds us that we do not spend enough time with our God in prayer and fellowship and we become weary of serving the One that we owe our very lives to. We cannot forget that He not only created us but has delivered us from sin and adopted us as His precious children.   Finally God, through Isaiah, reminds us:   “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins. Put Me in remembrance; Let us contend together; State your case that you may be acquitted.”(Verses 25-26)   He has blotted out our sins, He has thrown them in the deepest sea and remembers them no more! He pleads for your fellowship with Him and He has already acquitted us of our unfaithfulness! What an awesome God that loves us with an incredible love we will never fully understand. Read the entire chapter if you have time and you will find even more things to rejoice in with your Maker, Redeemer, Savior, and Lord.   PRAY    1.Thank You Jesus for reminding me today that You are an Awesome and loving God that has redeemed me from the pit and adopted me as Your child. 2.Thank You for loving me first and pursuing me until I agreed with You that I was a sinner in need of a Savior. 3.Help me today to spend more time in Your Word and in sweet fellowship with You.