Convicted

I know this isn't exactly farm related, however, I was preparing to teach at church Wednesday night and was definitely convicted. God is funny that way, you pick a topic to teach on thinking it is harmless, and whamo! He smacks you when you're not looking. I thought I'd share with you folks what I learned, enjoy.


A lesson on prayer:
As human beings, do we always judge kindly, justly, and truly in all that we do? Do we always act out the "Golden Rule" (love thy neighbor as thyself)?
Each and every one of us, being God's saints, have a peculiar distinction. That is the ministry of prayer. This is the secret to our power. Because we cannot judge kindly, justly and truly, we need help from outside. Prayer is enjoined by Christ to enable us to act in all these things according to the Divine will. Prayer is our ability to secure the feeling of the law of love, to speak according to the law of love, and to work in harmony with the law of love.
God can help us, He is a Father. We need God to help us to act in this way: (read Micah 6:8)
We cannot act brotherly, or wisely, or even nobly yet judge truly and justly in every matter while acting charitably, without the help of God. How do we receive His help? (Prayer, Matt 7:7)
It takes complete turning over of ourselves, a "giving in" wholly to God (Rom 12:2, 12) This is followed by (Rom 12:13) The gifts and graces found in v 13 are centered in prayer.
Read Col. 4:2. The word "continue" has a root that means to hold fast and firm, to give it constant attention. This denotes strength. It has a connotation of a strong man holding and squeezing something and nothing can wrest it from his grasp. This should be our attitude toward prayer and our prayer life. Daniel exhibited this "grasp" on prayer when: (read Dan. 6:10)
Read Acts 6:4. Here we find Constance, courage and perseverance. The Apostles had a deep concern for their prayer life. They felt it must be conspicuous and controlling. Their prayer life had to take precedence. Prayer cannot have interruptions, must be incessant, with no block of stumbling in our desire, the spirit in which we pray or in the act of doing it. This does not mean that we are to be constantly on our knees or even audibly speaking. But the spirit is always in the act and communication of prayer. (see James 5:16).
Or prayer should have such a sense of need that they cannot be denied. It needs a fixed determination, an urgent determination that will not let go and never faint (I Thess. 5:17) (see also Luke 22:41-44.)
Was Christ, who is to be our example, a powerful intercessor? He was, and is, our Comforter, a faithful Guide, a gifted Teacher, a fearless Advocate and a devoted Friend. The second comforter, the Holy Spirit, gives all these same things with the same tenderness and sweetness of Christ. (Heb. 5:7). Christ now resides at the right hand of the Father, there always to pray for us. He is that kind of intercessor. Since this is so, then how true it is that the Holy Spirit represent Jesus Christ as the Christ of prayer. This Holy Spirit does not seek solitude and quiet to pray, rather, He resides in the deep, dark reaches of the human heart to urge us to prayer and teach us the need and methods in which to perform prayer. The Holy Spirit quiets the self-will, until in will, in mind, in heart, and by mouth, we pray only what He prays (Rom. 8:26-27).

So, to summarize, my prayer life is severely lacking. I have failed to give myself over to the Holy Spirit, being transformed, opening my self up to listen, which is as much a part of prayer as anything. I am taken by the cares of a job, home life, farm life, pride, self will, you name it, that keeps me from a successful prayer life. This is not an easy task, to put these thing away, as we are commanded (Eph. 4:22), but, thank the mighty God we serve, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Php. 4:13

The challenge for us all is this: how is our prayer life? Be honest with yourself and, by all means, pray about it!