Lord I pray...

Lord I pray that you will impact the church.  I know that the church is used in so many way and it is the people that are the real church.

Lord I pray that Your people would become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.  I pray that they would seek you earnestly.  I pray that the Word of God would hold true in their lives.  I pray that it would not become a book that sits on the coffee table and collects dust.

Lord I pray that when Your people are confronted with the truth, they would accept it and apply it to their lives.  I pray that their minds would be cleared from excuses, reasoning, and lies.  I pray that they understand there is no error in You.  You are a holy God and the One that is to be worshipped.

Lord I pray that Your people will cease from questioning their faith in You.  I pray that they see the victories in their lives both big and small.  That the origin of victories is because of Your love for them and their attitude towards You.

Lord I pray that repentance is not just a word in the dictionary.  I pray that Christ followers would embrace it daily.  They would see Your need in them.  I pray that conviction of Your truth is real.  I pray they would acknowledge faults in their own lives and DO something about it (change their mind).

Lord I pray that You would give people direction.  Your people are lacking direction and are being corrupted by people, distractions, hurts and pain.  Your people know better and I pray that You would intervene in their lives.

Lord I pray that Your people would realize they are not perfect.  Father, even those who acknowledge imperfection in their own lives refuse to accept that other are imperfect as well.  Help us not to point out imperfections, but help us to point them to live within You.

Lord I pray that you would separate those who say they know Christ to those who truly live for Christ.  I pray that we take seriously the testimony that has been instilled in us.  That we are ambassadors for you in speech, attitude, relationship and actions.  When we fail you, convict us immediately.

Lord I pray that you would move within the leadership of Your church.  I pray that your leaders would be humbled and that pride would not enter their hearts.  Lord I pray that leaders are seeking your vision for their ministry. Lord I pray that leaders would develop other leaders.  I pray that teamwork and vision direction would be most important to them.

Lord I pray for the lost.  I pray that we have a passion developed for them.  I pray that we never forget that we were once lost, but not found.  Lord, I pray that we would accept the lost into the Church.  I pray that we would not judge or point out their errors.  I pray that we love them.  I pray that we share Jesus with them not just in words, but in actions.  I pray you would open our eyes to the hurting people.  People who have no hope when they die.

Lord I pray for a revival in the Christ follower.  I pray that following You is the only way to live.  I pray that Christians don't view Church as a hobby or something to do, but that it is indeed critical in our lives.

Lord I pray for me.  I pray you would use me for Your glory.  I pray that You would give me the words everyday I step on the stage to declare Your word.  Help me to connect to all people groups and show them how they can apply God's word to their lives.  Let me hear You with clarity.  Make my mind open to you.

I love you Lord.  Thank you for Jesus.

Waldo

Always In A Hurry

I have been riding the train to work for over 15 years.  In those 15 years, you get to see the same people who do the same thing day after day.  In one particular case, I have always observed this lady running from the parking lot to catch the elevator.  She has her purse and other bags with her.  She is huffing and puffing while running in her sandals.  When we get up to the top, she hurries down the bridge huffing and puffing, running in sandals with her bags to her side.  She doesn't want to miss her train.  She is always in a hurry.

Seriously though.  If you know what time your train leaves, if you know how far you live and how hard it may be to find a good parking spot, wouldn't you plan a little better?  Wouldn't you get up earlier, have your lunch ready the day before and your clothes ready?  Wouldn't you do everything you can to arrive early enough to get on your train?

But yet, when it comes to living for God we keep hurrying our lives.  We try so much to do so much things that when we come to God's train, we just hop on and our exhausted!  Wouldn't it be best, if we slowed down?  If we took the time to dedicate praying to God.  If we took the time to read God's word.  If we took the time to see how far apart we may be from living a godly life.  We don't always have to be in a hurry.  The Bible says:

Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize.  ~ 1 Corinthians 9:24

I enjoy what Paul says in that last sentence "Run in such a way to win the prize."   There is a way to live our lives.  There is a way to demonstrate who we are in Christ.   But let me ask you this, are you running in a way that honors God in your life?  Let me put it this way:  What ways are you not honoring God in your life?  Is it partying?  Is it an obsession with music, tv shows?  Is it an addiction?  Are you living in such a way that the prize of receiving the fullness of Christ in your heart is absent?  Do you think about things that are ungodly?  Are you trying to rationalize your actions?  Are you lazy?  There are many more that I could have written about, but you know that the God who knows what you are doing still loves you and wants to change you.

Let me end with this.  I went in the elevator this morning and I heard this lady shout, "Hold the elevator!"  You know who it was?  It was that same lady.  But this time she walked and didn't run.  She got off the elevator when we arrived at the top and walked across the bridge.  She had arrived early today.  Better prepared and less stressed.  This is just one day.  We see how she will be tomorrow.  How about you?