Wow... it's been a long time since I've blogged... a lot has happened and I sort of regret not being disciplined to type it out. However, today I am speaking to a youth group called SOUTH SIDE YOUTH MINISTRY in St. Louis. I was asked to speak on the power of prayer and also how we must remained disciplined and faithful in our prayer. Happy to talk about it. So here are some of my thoughts....
Prayer is the easiest form to get to know God and for God to get to know you. We are humans and we can talk. Prayer is merely talking to God. It is communicating knowing that He's listening. Prayer is free flowing faith expressed in words, thoughts, ideas, and even actions. Prayer is presenting who you are to God. Many times the humanity / child comes out of us as we pray for what we want. ex: God please let me do well on my test even though I didn't study. Or we can throw a temper tantrum if we don't get what we want or if something goes wrong. ex. God why the heck would you let all these earthquakes happen to these impoverished countries... what are you thinking? People are dying!!
Let me be blunt and say GOD DOESN'T MESS UP. He never has and never will. Therefore we can't blame bad things on Him because He only produces good. Prayer is a form of surrender and obedience. I played basketball all my life and I always had clear lines of communication with my Coach. This way I knew what he was looking for and how to improve. I had deep respect for him and never talked back if I disagreed with a play or call he'd make. If I did... I'd sit the bench or run A LOT next practice. I didn't exactly fear my coach but instead respected him with a high level of Trust. Through communication he knew were I was at and I knew where he was at. When he saw how disciplined I was in my obedience to listen and do what he asks his trust in me grew. Therefore he would put me in the game due to his confidence in my ability to execute the play he made.
Same thing applies to God. When you stay faithful in prayer, don't question God's authority, and work hard to develop a level of trust, God will trust you to play well on His court. Not only that he will depend on you. Almighty God will say I believe go achieve victory in my name. He will put you in when you are up against people 5 times your size. Look at David... He takes a big risk going up against Goliath. Goliath even taunts him and basically says, "I eat people like you for breakfast!" David responds with this...
5 "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down..."
David had confidence in the Lord. He knew the only reason he was strong was because of the LORD. Bam! David models a bold form of prayer. Impossible is nothing to God. However, it took time for David to build this faith... it didn't happen over night. He remained disciplined and when it was game time GOD put him in... not only that but blessed him with VICTORY.
Prayer will essentially mold us into knowing who we are in God. God's grace will be a part of our daily life. We will know God better and He will know us. The more we know God the more we can truly love God. All parties benefit.
So there's no time to delay. Let's start praying today. Share everything you are with God... concerns, hopes, dreams, whatever it may be. Build that bond of trust so when it's Game time... God will put you in and fear won't even faze you!
Here's a rap to clarify what I've mentioned above.
Many blessings,
JM
"Pray without Ceasing"
Remain disciplined
Yes it takes diligence
Faith and per- sis-tence
Wake from existence
Into assistance
Making right decisions
Working through resistance
Relying on provisions
God given precision
Just go the distance
Seek the collision
Between earth and heaven
Spiritual connection
Divine affection
Providing high direction
Extreme protection
Holy Spirit injection
With no rejection
Just the projection….. of truth
A blessing to teach God’s lessons
And do everything we can to pursue
The king of the Jews
With faith not proof
We stay in tuned
and strive to move, up
closer to the saints
that pray for us
we are a family of believe-as
He won’t leave us
nor will he forsake us
Instead makes us
Filled with his graces
So he can take us
All around the nations
Sure it takes patience
But he’s got time
He’s king for all ages
First we gotta shine
Show our God flavor
Then get in line
And follow our savior
We are not divine
But human in nature
So keep on tryin
To become braver
Then you’ll find
Abundant favor
But let’s start now
Instead of later
So lift your head
And say a prayer
