If you had to pick between unbelievably bold or boring, which would describe your prayer life?
I just got finished listening to an amazing sermon by Andy Stanley. I encourage you to listen to it (http://www.northpoint.org/- Go to sermons and click on the 1.7.07 message “Asking Big”). I am going to require the staff to listen to it this week. Andy does a tremendous job of laying out how God wants us to pray.
The challenge I received from it is what I am passing on to you today. How do you describe your prayer life? Is it important? Do you have such a passion for something that you desperately need God’s blessing and intervention? Are you attempting to accomplish something so great for God’s Kingdom that unless God shows up, you are done for? Do you have the courage and faith to ask God to make your life count for eternity?
I have to spend a good amount of time each day in prayer. I’m not going to say how much because to some it will seem like a little and to others it will seem like a lot. The time I give to prayer seems like a lot to me. I have to schedule it in my day and I treat it like an appointment because unfortunately it will get pushed aside with busy work if I don’t.
While I am praying, I am desperate these days. I am desperate for God to revive Living Hope so that we can see thousands of people in South Central Kentucky get to God. I am desperate to see hundreds more Hopers connected in small groups. I am desperate to see Hopers give their time, talent, treasure, and temple to God as He has commanded in Scripture. All of this hinges on God. I can only preach and prod the people of Living Hope with what God’s Word says. God will have to produce the growth.
Each time I pray I find my blood pressure rising and my eyes lighting up. I picture what would happen if we saw hundreds saved, hundreds more growing in Christ through small groups, and the mission work that could and would be done if God’s people at Living Hope were willing to be obedient.
What about you? What are you desperate for? Is it bold or boring?
Take some time and think about it. If you have something you are truly passionate about then be bold and post it. I promise I will join you in prayer for at least one week and look forward to seeing how God answers the prayers you share.
Please join me in prayer for what I am passionate about – seeing people Get to God, Grow in Christ, and Give to Others!
6 comments:
This is powerful topic! I listened to Andy Stanley's sermon on Asking Big.He stated that we focus on the mundane things in our prayers and not the Big things. I am in agreement with this. We can get into the habit of praying for things like for our needs to be met and others. Although there is nothing wrong with this; I believe that God is looking for people who will seek him for the big things in prayer because he is a Big God! If we believe that all things are possible with God, then our prayer life ought to signify this. Andy Stanley focused on Luke 11; Jesus taught the disciples how to pray, and the story about the friend who came at midnight to borrow some bread and was persistent and then received it. Also in Luke 18, the widow who came before the judge and wanted justice, because of her persistence in coming before him, she got it. In my younger years as a Christian, I was taught that when we go to God in prayer, we are not to ask for the same request over again because it showed lack of faith and trust in God to answer our prayers. It wasn't until I went through a rebellious stage in my life, that my mother told me that she prayed for me everday and night for God to change me and use me for his Glory.Over time, I returned unto the Lord. I thank God for her persistence in prayer for me because it has helped me be where I am now in God. I also find myself doing the same thing for my son. I have been praying boldy, Luke 15 ( story of the prodigal son) and believing BOLDY that God will soften my son's heart and that he will come to his senses and return unto the Lord for about 1 year now.This year at Christmas time, he came to church with me and I am seeing a change in him for the good! His heart is softening up and he has found a church that he attends on a regular basis and he is reading his bible more. I thank God for showing me the fruits of my labor in prayer for him even though it took awhile ( it seems that way to me, but God is not on my timetable),I refused to stop praying for him (even when I couldn't see any results) because I already knew what persistence in prayer could do because of my mother doing it for me.Because I have seen a lot of answers to my prayers, I am very bold and will continue to be in my prayer life because I stand on Ephesians 3:20. I have always had a passion for lost souls in this country and beyond, so Pastor Jason, I join you in prayer for seeing people get to God, grow in Christ and give to others.Pastor Jason , continue preaching the word because according to 1Corinthians 3:7, it is God who gives the increase!I close with Luke 18:1,that says,"men (and women)ought to pray and not lose heart."
Estella,
Praise God for you and your prayer life. You are an ispiration to us all. I will pray with you for your son this week.
I heard exactly what you heard from Stenley's sermon. We've got to base our life and prayers on the Big Stuff. Not that God doesn't handle the small stuff too. God wantst to do Big Stuff. He's a big God.
Wow!!! Awesome Blog---Pastor Jason--From day one, I have always seen Christ shining through you, and as a man after God's own heart! You grabbed my attention when you wrote, "I picture what would happen if we saw hundreds saved, hundreds more growing in Christ through small groups, and the mission work that could and would be done if God’s people at Living Hope were willing to be obedient." God has put this on my heart to show you what you are wanting to picture. Picture this truth--God wants you to see how even this small piece of what you have already sewn in just this one person has continued to grow for HIM. I want you to be encouraged that since my membership to Living Hope over a year ago, I was taught how to grow in Christ and give to others. Even though I was saved at the age of 9, it wasn't until I reached Living Hope that I began to "Get God". I volunteered work in Children's ministry, and soon after stepped out of my "comfort box" to step out into missions to disciple children and families in the gulf, during which time (with God working through me), I taught children to pray who had never prayed before, and gave out first time bibles. To take a lost generation and hold their hands in prayer is not anything I could ever put into words. But that is not the best part. The best part is that from witnessing your excitement in growing and giving to God's Kingdom, I took that energy, and have since taken that to numbers of people in my own family and still working in my community with unbelievers who are coming to believe at this time who didn't know how to get to God or Grow in Christ! It was from this seed you and the church planted that has grown into adding to and glorifying God's Kingdom. Absolute Amazing Grace! My husband and I pray for your ministry to continue changing others just as it has expanded our lives and is still changing those from the generation of children in the gulf to the unbelievers here in our very own community! Continue to be just as you are---Intentional, Relational, and you are making a Kingdom Difference!!!----Emily Carder
Jason,
I listened to the message as I told you earlier in an e-mail. What you said in your blog got my attention. MAke an appointment to have your prayer time. I feel like I have just tossed a heavy load. Hadn't thought of that before. Thanks pastor
Pastor Jason, my "Big" prayer echos yours. My heart's desire is for each member of the Living Hope family to be so "on fire" for Jesus that we simply cannot keep ourselves from sharing Him with others. I pray that God use Living Hope as a vessel for the love, grace and mercy of Jesus Christ - to impact our community and world for His glory, not for ours.
A part of that prayer for more servants to emerge from within our church family. There are so many reasons people do not serve - not enough time, don't know how, someone else is going to do it, the list goes on and on. While we do not "need" to, nor can we, serve our way into heaven, service should be a natural outpouring of our love for Jesus. What breaks my heart is that so many are missing out on the blessings God so richly provides when you do take the time to do His will through serving, using the gifts He gave you. He made each of us with a unique combination of gifts, abilities, personality, heart and life experiences just so that we could fulfill His purpose for us during our time on earth. We each need to trust Him to lead us where He wants us, but we have to do our part too - follow Him. Sometimes that means trying out different areas of service to see if it feels like a good fit or not.
Thank you, Jason, for consistently and continuously challenging us to do and be our best for our Lord.
Church our "ask big" is to be done raising our support (100% monthly) with Campus Crusade for Christ by June 30 and able to report in time for a summer project. After 1 year we are currently at 34%. This can only be done by God himself. Please be in prayer for my wife an I about this. Thank You.
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