Called Out

I'm struck by these words from Karl Barth today:

This week, I am committing to spend an hour every day in the Prayer Room at Indian Creek as a time of personal dedication, consecration, and worship. I truly believe with all of my heart that prayer is the the single most under-valued tool in the arsenal of a Christ follower.

It is our way to connect with Father. It is one of the main ways that God brings our heart into alignment with His.

One of the things that I know about my life is this: no matter how much I pray, more is always a good thing. I don't say this in a legalistic or shame-based way, it's just that I'm not sure that I could pray too much in my life.

The beautiful thing is that I can pray at any time, in any place. Stopped at a red light . . . pray. Walking away from a conversation . . . pray. Heading into a meeting . . . pray.

I don't think God is concerned with whether our prayers fit a certain template or pattern. Ultimately, God simply wants to have a personal relationship with you and I. And prayer is a key component of that.

If you're in the area, I highly recommend checking out the Follow Me 24/7 Prayer Journey at Indian Creek. Reserve an hour for yourself. I think it'll be time well spent.

Against insurmountable obstacles and without a clue as to the outcome, the trusting heart says, 'Abba, I surrender my will and my life to you without reservation and with boundless confidence, for you are my loving father.'
-- Brennen Manning --

Where are you at in trusting God these days?

This has been a huge area of growth for me over the past few months and weeks. I am at a place in my life where I long to put my full trust in the Creator of the Universe. I believe that in His hands is the best place for my life to be. I want to hold nothing back, keep nothing in reserve.

God has given me a dream and a passion to help people find their way back to Him. Honestly, the dream is much too big for me to be able to accomplish or attain on my own. After all, only God can redeem and restore that which is broken. That being said, I believe He wants to use people like you and I in the process. If . . . we are willing to surrender our lives, place them in His loving hands, and trust Him.

As I pray about what God is doing at Indian Creek Community Church as we become one church that meets in multiple locations, I believe that God is calling each of us into this type of trust and surrender in Him. Gary wrote a bit about this on his blog while in China a few days back.

At Indian Creek, we are firmly in the Cycle of Faith. Where are you in the process? Have you caught a fresh vision? Have you bumped up against reality? Have you consecrated yourself? Are you living in provision?

Where are you?

Today I am captured by a thought:

Why don't I ask God for bigger things?

Is it possible for me to outdream God? Is it possible for me to dream of impossible scenarios for Him?

What if God is waiting for me to ask before He provides?

As a dad of a 2 year old, I can wrap my brain around this pretty well. There are times when Jonathan wants something; for the sake of simple reading, let's call it a drink. I know Jonathan wants the drink. I want to give him the drink. In fact, I know that he probably needs the drink. But, as a dad, sometimes I make him ask for it. There are a TON of reasons that I might do this. I may want him to learn to say "please" or to work on his language skills. I might want him to experience his dad as one who provides for him when he asks or needs something. Maybe I just want him to slowly begin the process of humility, learning to ask for help.

Do you think our Heavenly Father would ever take that kind of approach with us?

It occurs to me today, that he might. So, I flipped open my Bible and found a couple of familiar passages that are inspiring me all over again.

Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him. -Jesus, Matt. 7:7-11

You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. - James 4:2-3

So, I'm going to start asking for big things. Obviously, my motivation and heart needs to be pure. But, I'm going to ask all the same, and ask God to refine what is not made of pure gold.

God, this is me asking again. I believe you are ABLE! Amen, so be it.

This morning I found myself praying a familiar prayer. I'm going to try to meditate and reflect on this one today. It was penned by a man known as St. Francis of Assisi. I truly believe that if we were to pray this prayer with genuine desire, amazing things would happen in our lives.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred . . . let me sow love
Where there is injury . . . pardon
Where there is doubt . . . faith
Where there is despair . . . hope
Where there is darkness . . . light
Where there is sadness . . . joy
O, Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled . . . as to console
To be understood . . . as to understand,
To be loved . . . as to love
For it is in giving . . . that we receive,
It is in pardoning, that we are pardoned,
It is in dying . . . that we are born to eternal life.

Amen - so be it.