I have been challenged in my prayer life and bible reading time this year. I have completely enjoyed reading thru the one year bible! I am so caught up in the stories and the stupidity of humans. Yet God still works for the good, still works his plan, still accomplishes what he needs accomplished through us. In our Sunday school class we have been listening to Louie Gigleo. He challenges us to quit praying routine prayers. Mine at night go something like this... "Dear Lord, thank you for this day. Thank you for loving me, help me to have a good night sleep....." and then I fall asleep. Now, my prayer life during the day time is much better and I journal it so I stay on track. That is the best way for me to pray. Otherwise I have trouble sticking with it and really praying. BUT... Louie says we as Christians so often pray the same thing over and over and over and over. Lord, be with us, Lord bless us, Lord for give our many sins. Lord watch over us, Lord bless us as we meet together, bless our time, our fellowship, be with us. He doesn't condemn these prayers, but he wants us to check our quick relationships at the door and begin a real one. We wouldn't say these same things over and over to our spouse. We need to talk with Jesus, God the creator of the Universe! Give HIM something more of us! Maybe just maybe say to him, "Lord I pray I bless you today. Lord God almighty, I need you to put your fingerprints in my business, make it flourish and expand but not with who I am but with who you are. Let my business show who Jesus Christ is and bless others and teach others all about you. Bless my business in that way Dear Father. Lord, we are traveling. We pray we can bless you as we travel and all we do acknowledges you. Lord God almighty I have sinned, I have spoken with a wagging tongue against ______. Lord I am weak and need to work on being stronger. Forgive me please Lord and may the Holy Spirit use me the next time I am put in that situation.
These are all examples of being specific with our Heavenly Father. The Creator of Heaven and Earth. The One that can wipe away all with a blink of His eye. We need to think of Him as EVERYTHING. Nothing else matters but what we do for him. Whether or not we get that boat, Ipad, Nook, what ever it may be we need to not worry about those insignificant things but look toward our creator and ask what we can do for him to bless HIM. Don't be complacent in your stuff and more stuff. Stretch yourselves, look for ways you are able to bless God. Buy the Nook and give it to someone that will never be able to afford one! Put the money going towards your Ipad that you can really live without towards blessing someone who will go without food tomorrow. Make Jesus enough for your life and heart.
Don't get me wrong, you can enjoy God's blessings. There is nothing wrong with doing this. Just not wait and want like I have and do for the next great thing coming your way. Bring the next great thing to the next person instead. Make it stretch you. After all, Jesus is our everything as a Christian and if he is our everything, shouldn't we give him everything in return?
