prayer

A Prayer Picture

1406823625000-emojiThe other night my 17 month old son, Nathan, climbed up on his brother’s bed, picked up the devotional Bible we use at night, and clasped his hands together ready to pray. He modeled a lesson we should each emulate. We should be ready and prepared to pray.

Recently, I preached on the subject, “Making Disciples through Prayer.” While it is true that prayer is a struggle for many of us, it is too important an aspect of Christian living to remain a weakness. Is prayer a weakness for you like it has been at times in my life? If so, let me offer some encouragement.

The believers in the first church were “devoted to… prayers” (Acts 2:42). The church in Acts was a praying congregation. Throughout the book prayer takes center stage as the “activity” of believers and the church together. In order for us to be faithful, growing followers of Jesus, we must pray.

Notice the believers were devoted to prayers (plural), not merely prayer. I understand that to mean, they prayed in multifaceted ways—privately, publicly, personally, corporately, together, separate, in church, in their homes, in large groups, in small groups, etc. The picture of a praying church in the book of Acts declares to us that growth in our prayer lives should happen in a variety of ways.

  • We should seek to improve our private prayer lives by devoting more time to prayer, keeping a prayer journal and tracking God’s answers, interceding for others regularly, meditating on Scripture as the basis for praying, etc.
  • We should seek to improve our corporate prayer lives by making prayer an important aspect of our church experience, by spending at least as much time praying in a prayer meeting as we do taking prayer requests, by praying specifically and significantly in our regular worship gatherings, etc.

May I commend to you several ideas that have helped my prayer life:

  • Find a prayer journal and track specific requests and specific answers. I use the PrayerMate app on my iPhone to assist me in keeping track of ongoing prayer requests.
  • Read books on prayer. I’m currently reading two books that I would heartily commend: Praying the Bible by Donald Whitney and Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God by Timothy Keller. I would also commend The Hour that Changes the World by Dick Eastman or good Christian biographies that follow the lives of prayer giants such as Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret.
  • Find a prayer mentor. We all need mentors in life. Our spiritual lives are no different. Ask someone you look up to spiritually for tips and thoughts about prayer.
  • Begin a prayer group or accountability group. I’ve met with several friends over the years to encourage and challenge one another and to pray. There are few activities more blessed to do together than prayer.

Growing in your prayer life does not mean that you must become a prayer giant overnight. Rather, it means that you admit where you are weak, and pursue growth regularly. Would you join me in this challenge to develop our prayer lives?

 

 

Spring is for Growth

istock_000011742381xsmallIf it were not that Spring wreaks havoc on my allergies, it would be my favorite time of year. Springtime is the season for new growth. In a sense, Spring can be an analogy for our spiritual lives. We need times that refresh and renew us in our relationship with God. My post below will look at a few ways we can spur on our spiritual growth using Spring as an analogy.

  1. Spring follows winter. In the part of the country where I live, we generally experience four seasons. While our winters are mild, they do give us rainfall, snow, and cold weather that puts plants into dormancy. We all have, and sometimes even need times of winter in our spiritual lives. These seasons reinforce for us our need to grow and provide us a basis for growth. Without winter precipitation, Spring could not arrive in all of its green glory.
  2. Spring is natural. I know, I know, some of you are thinking, “But if only my spiritual growth just happened. It seems so difficult to consistently grow.” While our spiritual growth is more supernatural, than natural, the concept still fits. As Spring arrives without our help, so our spiritual growth is supposed to take place. God designed us and purposed us for growth. I believe not growing in Christlikeness is more unnatural for the believer than growing.
  3. Spring needs resources. You may think I’m being contradictory. While Spring is natural, it is not alone in its arrival. Spring flowers, plants, and grass grow because of rainfall and sunlight. Nourishment encourages Spring’s arrival as God designed nature to work together. Likewise, we need nourishment from the Son (through His written Word) and from fellowship with our Father (through prayer). These are just some of the resources God purposed for our spiritual growth.
  4. Spring brings life. I love looking at the beauty of God’s created world. Flowers that bloom, grass that turns from brown to bright green, leaves that sprout on trees, and even the insects and animals that seemingly swarm with life during the Springtime are testaments to God’s creative genius. Want to have and spread spiritual life? Then, you and I must pursue spiritual growth.

You may not feel like you’re in the Spring of your relationship with God. You may feel dry and dormant, wondering what is going on in your life. You may feel as if you’re wilting under the burning heat of a spiritual summer. Or you may be cold with a wintry blast of discouragement. Spiritual seasons in life are just as natural as the seasons of our year. How do we respond? I would advise that you pursue the God who wants you to grow. Let him speak to you through his Word. Talk to him in prayer. Build relationships with other believers who will encourage you. Make it a point to be in church. Share Christ’s love and story with someone else. In other words, apply the resources of a spiritual Springtime in your life whether you feel like its Spring or not. God desires your growth even more than you do. He won’t let you remain stagnant for long. Spring is here. Let’s pursue our spiritual growth during this beautiful season.