Spring cleaning for my mind...

We just finished a series called "Too busy NOT to Pray" and as I was reading through the apostle Peter's letter to the early church and was stopped at this one verse...

"The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray."
(I Peter 4:7)

Each of us live such busy lives...working, grocery shopping, bill paying, child raising, house cleaning, church attending, phone calls, email, exercise, reading, hobbies, holidays....
All of these necessary things can quickly add to the level of complexity in our lives which can quickly lead to confusion in our minds as to what is really important and in regards to how much time we have left to accomplish everything.

We can only focus on so many things.

"The divided heart tries but the undivided heart does." Dr. Lance Wallnau

So as we begin to do some spring cleaning around our house, I'll be asking the Holy Spirit to also help me clear any clutter that has collected in my mind and heart...taking away all the things that are not necessarily even sinful or bad, but unnecessary. Who doesn't want to be able to pray with greater simplicity and clarity?

face lift

In my humble opinion, every person should consider getting a face lift.

No, I am not talking about the kind of face lift that people pay tens of thousands of dollars for only to many times end up being the talk of the tabloids or left with the thought,
"What have I done!!!"

I'm talking about a face lift that affects much more than just outward appearance. The kind of face lift that affect our internal reality. The kind of face lift that is too expensive for any person to ever afford, and yet the kind available to each of us....available for those the world would consider beautiful or homely, rich or poor, intelligent or ignorant, believing or doubting...

Those words to the song "By Your Side" by tenth avenue north really struck me a few days ago and I haven't been able to shake it. The lyrics left me with the kind of thoughts that have staying power attached to them...the kind that make you realize all at once that God is trying to speak to you.

"Why are you striving these days?
Why are you trying to earn grace?
Why are you crying?
Let me lift up your face.....
Just don't turn away."

When was the last time you let God give you a face lift?

egc3

Yeah right...you've got to be kidding me...WOW!...God, you are so much bigger than I ever thought!!!

Those were the thoughts that raced through my mind one night at a church service as my belief in prayer was totally revolutionized. As a sophomore in high school God gave me a burden to pray for several of my friends and classmates that were living without any relationship with Christ...

They were lost and didn't even know it...I did...and wanted to see that change.

I knew I was quite incapable of bringing the level of transformation that was needed in their lives so I began to pray. There were quite a few people I wanted to pray for and so I began by simply taking out an index card and filling both sides with names. Probably 30-35 people in all. I found out that in a month or so, there was going to be a service at my youth group that would be geared towards explaining the Gospel to people seeking truth. Here was my opportunity to partner with God.

These kids were awesome people who just didn't know that to find truth is to find a person...Jesus Christ.

Every night before going to bed I'd pull out my notecard and just mention their names to the Lord. I'd ask Him to open their hearts and to give me the boldness to extend an invitation for them to come with me to church. God was not only going to have to do His part, He needed to give me the courage to do mine. He kept to His end of the deal....and by His Grace so did I.

Over the next few weeks I handed out little invitation "touch cards" and then showed up to see what would happen. Our little youth group that night went from a group of 20 to a group of 40...I couldn't believe my eyes...15-20 of my friends showed up and were with me at CHURCH!!!

By the end of the night, I had the opportunity to look around the room, when everyone's eyes were supposed to be closed:) and see several of my friends, tears streaming down their faces, surrender their lives to Christ. Everything changed for me at that point. I still have doubts just like the rest of us, but for me, on that day several questions were answered in my heart:

-My Father not only hears but can direct my prayers
-My prayers are more powerful than I realize
-The Good News of life in Jesus Christ can penetrate hearts you never imagined could be touched.

Over the years, some of those friends drifted away from their relationship with Jesus, some are still walking with Him today, and one is powerfully extending God's Kingdom in areas of ministry all over the world.

A divine seed of truth is still planted in all of them. It was first planted in their hearts through prayer.

Let's see what God will do with our prayers.