Praying Bold Prayers

What did you pray for last week? Anything that would really make a difference in your life or in the world if you were to see an answer to that prayer?

There is the story in Numbers 11 of Israel in the wilderness. God was providing manna for them but that was getting kind of old. They longed for tastier food - for meat! Moses came before God and God asks Moses a question: "Is the Lord's power limited?" After the people's plea and Moses speaking to God, there is an abundance of quail that appears that is three feet deep! It is because we know that God can do great things that we pray with confidence.

Are you praying bold prayers? Are you praying for what involves growth in God's kingdom? We might be doing a lot of praying for our own personal comfort when we also need to be praying for the Gospel to reach those who are unchurched.

Think, too, of Jesus' high priestly prayer in John 17. He prayed that his followers who believed in him would be one. That is a bold prayer!

My message on Sunday continues in the book The Circle Maker by Rev. Mark Batterson, to help us go deeper into our praying. I believe we need to overcome the hesitation and the fear of really praying bold prayers.

Circle Your Dreams with Prayer

This Sunday I begin my five week series on "Growing in Your Life of Prayer." My series will be based on the book The Circle Maker by Rev. Mark Batterson.

God has given us the privilege of prayer and we do pray because of the promises in Scripture. Our Lord said, "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." (Matthew 21:22) In giving us this promise, we understand that we have a relational God - one who made a covenant with Noah and every living creature and gave us the rainbow as a sign of the covenant.

We pray because we believe and lean on the promise of God.

I will be using the story of the two blind men who approached Jesus and asked for mercy. Jesus asked them: "What do you want me to do for you?" Did Jesus even need to ask? Jesus asked this question because he wanted the men to articulate what their needs were. We also need to spell out our desires before God.

Take a look at your prayers. Are you praying for what is in your heart? Maybe you don't have because you simply haven't approached God to ask in prayer!

Open yourself up to this wonderful avenue God has given you. Your dreams can become a reality if you believe in an all-powerful God!

Proclaim Jesus as Lord

Conversations about God can be very vague. In fact, people in such a discussion may not even mention the word "God" and instead speak about a higher power or a supreme being. Much in conversation can be quite nebulous. However, when we mention Jesus, everything seems to change. He is the image of the invisible God. We now know more about God's character and being through Jesus.

This coming Sunday is Transfiguration Sunday and invites us to look at Jesus being with his inner circle of disciples and who becomes transfigured. They behold him in all his glory; thereby, witnessing the glory of God.

The apostle Paul in writing to the Corinthians said: "For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus' sake. For it is the God who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." 2 Cor. 4:5-6

Jesus is to be lifted up and not ourselves. As much as we might like to boast about a strong faith, ultimately Jesus is to be held high.

The phrase "Jesus is Lord" was probably the first creed of the church, which is an expression recorded for us in the New Testament. If we do proclaim Jesus as Lord, it has profound implications for us in terms of our own living and whom we serve.

My sermon on Sunday will focus on the implications of this kind of confession, having us look at intellectual, moral, political, vocational, and global dimensions.

Running to Win the Imperishable Wreath

Have you ever felt like you were doing so many things and getting nowhere? There was plenty of activity, but no real clear focus to what you are doing? You couldn't see where you were headed? You were caught up in an "activity trap."

Ministers have to deal with this in their work as well as folks in other lines of work. In addition, it comes to all of us in our individual lives. We can be caught up in a flurry of activity and find ourselves getting nowhere. We need meaning and a focus in what we do.

This Sunday, my sermon will help us to examine our lives to make sure that we do have a focus. I will be using the words of the apostle Paul: "So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air" (1 Corinthians 9:26). Paul was using the metaphor of a race (and boxing) for the Christian life. He wanted to win the race of the Christian life and to receive an imperishable wreath. The apostle also felt the need to exercise self-control.

Think about your own life. Do you have a clear focus in how you are living and where you are headed? Do you get swept away with every fashion and craze that come along? Are you focusing your life on Jesus Christ and the life that he desire for you?

In the end, this focus is what will matter and give direction and meaning to everything else in our lives.