Saturday, May 14th, 2011
Today's Passage: Luke 18:1-14
Memory Verse: Luke 18:7
How many times have you heard the statement 'communication is the key'? Communication is a very important ingredient to any relationship. How do you know where to go, or what to do? How do others know how you feel, or what you know? These questions can only be answered with one word: Communication.
God is the author of communication. After all, He gave us the most elite form of it. It's called prayer. Prayer, by definition, is communion with God. Its motivation is intimate contact with the Father for the privilege of receiving instruction, worship and thanksgiving, petition, and intercession. What makes prayer different from all other modes of communication is its infallability. Phone lines can be cut, internet sites can crash, and voices can be silenced, but prayer cannot be hijacked in such ways. God has a sophisticated system of communication that we can use anytime we want or need. But are we using it? And if not, why not? How can we say we're in relationship with someone we don't talk to? Don't think you need it? Listen to these examples: David prayed before winning battles, Jesus prayed before raising Lazarus, Moses prayed before leading a nation, Elijah prayed before seeing miracles, and Joshua prayed before conquering nations.
What will your story be? As Christians, we know we should be praying. But why do some of us find it so difficult to do with regularity? Here's why. Prayer is rarely a quick-fix thing. We can't have an ATM or slot machine mentality when we do it. When we pray, we have to do it fervently (with great intensity), and habitually. Don't give up on your prayers. Just because you don't get an answer the first time you pray, doesn't mean God said no. So stay with it. The enemy will steal your prayers if he knows you aren't committed. What if you met or knew someone who didn't believe prayer worked? What would you tell them? How would you convince them otherwise? If you're going to talk about God answering prayer, you're going to have to know what you're talking about. So pray without ceasing. There's always a need to pray. Pray for your family, pray for the broken, pray for your ministry, and for stronger faith. Either way, God desires to hear from you. He also wants to speak into you. Therefore, you HAVE to allow access to Him. Prayer is that access. Use it!
Prayer (no pun intended!): Father, in a world where so many miss out on the wonderful opportunity to speak to and hear from You, I relish this chance as a privilege. Thank You so much for desiring to hear from me, and calling me to Your side through prayer. As I allow You to show me more of Yourself, please help me show others how awesome it is to know and live for You each day that I live. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Today's Passage: Luke 18:1-14
Memory Verse: Luke 18:7
How many times have you heard the statement 'communication is the key'? Communication is a very important ingredient to any relationship. How do you know where to go, or what to do? How do others know how you feel, or what you know? These questions can only be answered with one word: Communication.
God is the author of communication. After all, He gave us the most elite form of it. It's called prayer. Prayer, by definition, is communion with God. Its motivation is intimate contact with the Father for the privilege of receiving instruction, worship and thanksgiving, petition, and intercession. What makes prayer different from all other modes of communication is its infallability. Phone lines can be cut, internet sites can crash, and voices can be silenced, but prayer cannot be hijacked in such ways. God has a sophisticated system of communication that we can use anytime we want or need. But are we using it? And if not, why not? How can we say we're in relationship with someone we don't talk to? Don't think you need it? Listen to these examples: David prayed before winning battles, Jesus prayed before raising Lazarus, Moses prayed before leading a nation, Elijah prayed before seeing miracles, and Joshua prayed before conquering nations.
What will your story be? As Christians, we know we should be praying. But why do some of us find it so difficult to do with regularity? Here's why. Prayer is rarely a quick-fix thing. We can't have an ATM or slot machine mentality when we do it. When we pray, we have to do it fervently (with great intensity), and habitually. Don't give up on your prayers. Just because you don't get an answer the first time you pray, doesn't mean God said no. So stay with it. The enemy will steal your prayers if he knows you aren't committed. What if you met or knew someone who didn't believe prayer worked? What would you tell them? How would you convince them otherwise? If you're going to talk about God answering prayer, you're going to have to know what you're talking about. So pray without ceasing. There's always a need to pray. Pray for your family, pray for the broken, pray for your ministry, and for stronger faith. Either way, God desires to hear from you. He also wants to speak into you. Therefore, you HAVE to allow access to Him. Prayer is that access. Use it!
Prayer (no pun intended!): Father, in a world where so many miss out on the wonderful opportunity to speak to and hear from You, I relish this chance as a privilege. Thank You so much for desiring to hear from me, and calling me to Your side through prayer. As I allow You to show me more of Yourself, please help me show others how awesome it is to know and live for You each day that I live. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
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