Sunday, August 27, 2006

When You Pray... Pray Like This!

Current mood: Expectant!
Category: Expectant! Religion and Philosophy

When You Pray... Pray Like This!

It's interesting to me that Jesus did not tell the disciples, "If you decide to pray..." No, he said, "When you pray..." Jesus just assumed that those who follow him would be people of prayer.

However, the more I speak to people about their prayer life, I'm finding that many followers of Jesus are not people of prayer. They listen to Christian music, cd's and tapes of great preachers, and they attend church for the most part. But when you go a little bit deeper I'm finding that many struggle with a quality prayer life.

I know this, because I too have struggled for years to maintain a consistent and vibrant prayer life... "Wait a minute... but you're a preacher!" Yep... I'm just being honest! I too have found it difficult to just sit down and purposefully, intentionally and systematically go through my prayer list. Did I say prayer list? I haven't had one for years!

Okay... either I'm a total loser as a Christian, much less a pastor, or like many of you, life has gotten busy and distracting. I'm choosing the later explanation (some may choose the former in my case!).

So, what to do... what to do? I read a quote that has helped me tremendously, "God's answer to prayer is always more prayer!" Well, I took that challenge and began to pray. I don't mean just a little bit more... I mean getting up earlier, keeping a journal, making a list, etc.

The result... God lit my fuse, fired me up, revived my spirit... I mean this thing is "off the chain!" I can't wait to get to my "secret place" and spend time filling my prayer bowls every morning (see Rev 5:8)!

Here's another good thing... it's contagious! Oh yeah... we tend to "leak" what we are full of (that can be good or bad, just depends on what you're full of!). I started preaching about prayer, teaching about prayer, talking about prayer, writing about prayer... and best of all I started really praying! The result? I've got this disease called "Prayer-itis!" I can't stop!

Okay, enough goofiness. Here's the real deal. Jesus did not offer prayer as an option. He knows that prayer is the "engine" that powers the Kingdom. Jesus not only assumed we would pray, he even told us how to pray!

In Matthew 6:5-15 he lays it out for his followers. Check out the New Living Translation... Jesus says in v5 "When you pray...", v6 "But when you pray...", v7 "When you pray..." and then in v9 "Pray like this..."

Read it for yourself... Jesus deals with motive, intimacy and authenticity throughout what has become known as the Lord's Prayer. Throughout the prayer he captures these crucial elements: Praise and adoration, Kingdom declaration, Provision, Repentance and forgiveness, Protection and Honor. Wow! This thing is loaded!

Here is a simple breakdown that has helped me through the years... even more lately! Spend time in each of these areas as a starting place.

P - Praise
R - Repentance
A - Ask (for others)
Y - Yourself


There it is... prayer made simple. The more you do it, the more you will want to do it! Try it! I triple-dog dare you! It's like eating the first Sour Cream and Onion Pringle off the top of the stack... you can't eat just one!

I hope this helps to encourage you to simply come before your heavenly Father who loves you more than you know... bottom line... He just wants to hear from you! Don't keep him waiting.

Expectant,
Pastor J

Sunday, August 13, 2006

Splash Attack!

"Splash Attack!"

My family was blessed with a vacation this last week. We spent 5 days in San Antonio, TX enjoying the River Walk, Rio Casa (great Mexican food restaurant!) and the ever famous Sea World. We had a wonderful time "doing life" together as a family.

While we were there we spent some time in the water park that is a part of Sea Word... its called The Lost Lagoon... a wonderful break from the heat and humidity of the hill country in August!

There's this great little area that is designed for children called "Splash Attack!" On this large open "structure" there is a huge bucket... I mean huge! It sits on a stand and continually fills with water. After a few minutes a bell begins to ring and children, both young and old (okay, me too!), begin to run to get underneath the bucket.

After a few moments the full bucket begins to tip and hundreds of gallons of water are dumped out upon the excited crowd gathered below! Its great fun and refreshment...er, for the kids I mean!

The Lord reminded me that this is like the bowls in heaven that are filled with the prayers of saints. Rev 5:8 Now when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

Okay, did you catch that? The bowls contain the prayers of the saints! Yeah, that means every prayer you have prayed has been saved and stored up in heaven. God loves you so much that he treasures every prayer you have ever prayed! Now that's like me keeping some of the little "art projects" my 5 year old has created (we actually have a drawer, that's specifically for these works of art!).

Here's what the Lord spoke to me as I was meditating on this: Every time I pray, yes even for the same things, I am "filling my bowls!" In other words, not one word is wasted or lost! God is storing up each one for an appointed time. I can just picture him telling some angels (I like to think of big angels!) "Okay, it's time to tip Jimmy's bowl... he needs some more help, more power, more anointing, more grace..." etc.

Now here's the bottom line: What comes out when the bowl is tipped depends on how much time I have spent "filling the bowl" in my prayer closet (prayer porch for me!). Is it going to be a trickle or a flood? The truth is, that part is up to me! How many deposits of prayer have I made into my bowls?

Is is going to be a "Splash Attack?" I can just imagine how disappointed all of us would be if the bell began to ring and we gathered in great expectation of a downpour and then just when you were ready for a great deluge... the water stopped, the bell quit ringing and the bucket sat still! I can feel the disappointment just thinking about it!

What about you? Are your bowls filled to capacity? Are you about to enjoy a "Splash Attack" or an empty bucket? It's up to you. Keep P.U.S.H.ing in prayer (Persist Until Something Happens).

Expectant,
Pastor J

Sunday, August 06, 2006

Crying Out!

Crying Out!
Current mood: Hungry for More!
Category: Life

He Cried Out all the More!

This "Prayer Thing!" I can't shake it... even if I try! For years prayer has just been hard labor for me... and now... well... its like I'm on "Auto-Pilot!" I can't stop... I'm being strangly, and wonderfully, drawn to the "secret place" i.e. the place of his presence.

Everytime I open my Bible its about prayer... does that ever happen to you? God speaks to me in themes or topics and then everything I hear, see or experience revolves around that theme or topic. On this theme of prayer... God will not let it go!

My back porch has become my "prayer closet" where I go to meet God every morning... okay, most every morning. My car has become a sanctuary... I'm turning my radio off so that I can talk with God about the stuff of life. Listen, it has to be God if I'm turning off the Bose!

God keeps speaking to me about this guy in the Bible named Bartimaeus, let's call him "Bart" for short. He was a blind beggar who had heard that Jesus was in his town. Jesus was on his way out of town when Bart heard that Jesus and this crowd (notice there is always a "crowd" bumping into Jesus) was coming by... so Bart begins to scream at the top of his lungs... "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

Now, all of us have been at Walmart or Target and some insecure teenager (could be an adult on this one!) starts yelling to their friends across the store... it's disconcerting, disrupting and even embarrassing! Just shut up! You're disturbing my peace!

In this case the crowd starts to warn Bart... "Dude! Just shut up! You're embarrassing... get a hold of yourself" (The King Jimmy Version!)! I love Bart's response... "Oh no... I am desperate... so here goes... Jesus! Son of David! Have mercy on me!"

This guy would not shut up! He understood something... Jesus was present and he was not going to miss his moment... his opportunity!

Here's the kicker! Jesus "stood still." Okay, now that you've got God's attention... can you imagine that moment? Everything goes silent, the crowd stops... I suspect babies quit crying and the birds quit chirping... Bart had Jesus' full attention!

Why? Because he refused to quit! He refused to give up even when the crowd (The Spirit of Religion) warned and threatened him! One desperate determined voice overcame the noise of the crowd... overcame the multitude of voices that were cheering Jesus on. (Interesting thought: The crowd always cheers Jesus on until a demand is placed on them as individuals).

As for me... I want to be like Bart. At the end of the day, he got God's attention, stopped Jesus in his tracks and received what he came for! He went from being a "Beggar" to a "Victor" in a matter of moments because he refused to listen to the crowd, he refused to shut up and cried out to Jesus all the more!

Here's the takeaway: P.U.S.H. Pray Until Something Happens!

Refuse to give up... refuse to listen to the crowd... and be ready to give an answer when Jesus says, "What to you want Me to do for you!"

Crying Out!
Pastor J