Bonham Community Church
Sunday Sept 8
- “Prayer does not fit us for the greater work: Prayer IS the greater work.” — Oswald ChambersAre you a person that prays, or a praying person?— there is a difference…A “person that prays” is someone who prays regularly, they even pray the “Lord’s Prayer” faithfully… then they go about their day, only praying when the need arises… It’s just a part of the routine.A “praying person” intercedes for others, asks God for miracles, and WAITS to hear His voice… prayer flows out of a praying person.Newman tells a story about something a pastor friend of his said during breakfast one morning: “[He confessed] that he had become convinced that he was a pastor that prayed, but he had failed to be a praying pastor.”That caused me to look back at my life as a pastor — I have failed at being a praying pastor… My prayers have been limited to those times when I am asked to pray, in meetings, during my morning devotions (or whenever those quiet times come)…I think if we are honest, that’s where most of us are…We’ve been taught to compartmentalize… to set aside a scheduled time for prayer… to “put it in a box” so that we create a habit of prayer, and that’s all well and good, in fact, it’s great!!! but…I don’t want to be simply a person that prays…I want to be a praying person!That’s what “Calling Home” is all about!So, what’s next for us? How can prayer become more than a routine or habit in our lives?Jesus said, “When you pray…” He meant for prayer to be more than just a routine — or habit — in our lives… He intended for prayer to be something that flows from us, that is as normal and regular as talking to our family and friends… WHY? because He has a plan for us!
Luke 12:7 NIV 7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.(apparently I ran out!!!)God has a plan for you… He knows what you need, where you need to go, what you need to do in order for you to have the life He intended for you…John 10:10 (NIV)10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.So, how do we begin to live within the plan that He has for us?— By Calling Home!— By engaging in a daily ongoing conversation with Him.— By becoming “praying people”.That begins with starting our day with Him!Matthew 6:34 NIV 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.Newman — “beginning and ending our day with a divine appointment makes too much sense to be skipped… starting the day with prayer and finishing the day with prayer [keeps the conversation ongoing]”But… I would say that is not enough! We need to start our day with prayer, and take God along with us, continuing the conversation with Him throughout the day, AS THOSE TROUBLES ARISE… then, we finish our day with Him…Learning from Him… talking about the day… letting Him guide us in how to better handle the issues and celebrate the successes!Are you getting the hint of what matters?— Time —Zig Ziglar says that “love” is spelled T - I - M - E.We demonstrate our love for God (just like with our families) by making time for them.Time with God must be a priority in our lives.You see, all the problems… all the successes… all the noise and busyness of life… pale in comparison to time in the Father’s arms!We need that time!Mark 1:35–37 NIV 35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”Jesus set the example.I want you to do something… Think about your all time busiest day…That day, that overwhelming, seemingly unending, horrifically busy day… does not compare to the day leading up to this moment in Jesus’s life.Mark 1:32–34 NIV 32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.Can you imagine? You’ve had a busy day… you’re tired… you want to get some rest… to unwind… and the whole town shows up at your door wanting your help!!!What would you do? How would you react?— Travis’s wife example…What did Jesus do?— He got up and took care of their needs… That’s what He does for us!Then, He gave us an example to follow… He didn’t sleep in the next day… He didn’t avoid the people He knew would be there… instead, He got up in the middle of the night, way before dawn, and snuck away to a solitary place to pray…Jesus wasn’t a Jesus who prayed, He was a praying Jesus!Luke 5:16 NIV 16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.A praying person calls home at all hours of the day and night… they pray throughout their day, AND… they steal away to a solitary place to spend alone time with God.Do you have a solitary place where you can get alone, away from distractions, and call home?If you don’t, you are missing out!God has a message “tailor -made” for each of us… specific to this particular time in our lives… You don’t want to miss it!!!In chapter 11 of A Burning in my Bones, Win Collier shares a story of a board meeting at Christ Our King Church where Eugene Peterson was the pastor.Peterson shares how he went to the board meeting after having a particularly difficult conversation with his 5-year old daughter.She wanted him to read her a story, and he didn’t have time to do it…Peterson scraps the agenda… and confesses to working to hard, being inadequate, and hurrying all the time… ending his explanation with these words: “I can’t do it. I resign.”One board member asked him what he wanted to do, to which he gave them a list that included: being able to read his daughter a story, and concluded with “I want to be an unbusy pastor.”I can relate to his frustration and pain… This was me… (and probably still is)…But that’s not all… I can relate to the opening line of his list as well:“I want to be a pastor who prays. I want to be reflective and responsive and relaxed in the presence fo God, so that I can be reflective and responsive and relaxed in your presence.”Sometimes we are just too busy. We’re too busy making noise… working… doing all the things people (in my case, the church) demands that we do… and we forget to relax in the Father’s arms and reflect on Him…When we relax in His presence it is an opportunity for us to reflect on Him… on His goodness… on His gifts in our lives… and then we can thank Him and praise Him…This is why journaling is so good!It gives us a chance to slow down and move from distraction to reflection.Henri Nouwen wrote about 2 ministries that we need in our lives:the ministry of PRESENCE.the ministry of ABSENCE.You see, we must “learn to be present with people” and learn to practice “creative withdrawal.”Many of us are great at the first, and really suck at the last!!!This is why God tells us to “Be still and know…”Three things happen when we learn to “Be Still”:God’s voice gets LOUDER as our ears get cleaner.God gets BIGGER as our vision clears.God’s presence in our lives becomes CLOSER as we clear the “noise” and are able to see Him.Journalling helps us to do that, because as we set aside the phones, the computers, the radio and TV, we begin to clear out the noise as we write, and then we can listen for what God wants to say to us…(Skit Guys video “How We Pray”)So… What’s next??? What do we do with all of this?— Make a choice!!!Do we want to be a “person that prays”, or a “praying person”?Becoming a “praying person” takes commitment…. It takes time to build a lifestyle of prayer…. But… the rewards are immeasurable… Luke 12:7NIV2011
Matthew 6:34NIV2011
Mark 1:35–37NIV2011
Mark 1:32–34NIV2011
Luke 5:16NIV2011
Bonham Community Church
(228)563-0423
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