Week 2 - 40 Days of Prayer


   I can honestly say,  "what a week it has been."  I know that many of you are as intrigued as I am with this 40 day campaign about prayer.  We often think we have a good prayer life but I'm finding that there is a more intimate relationship to be had with the Lord as we grow deeper and deeper in our prayer life.  As I have spent time this week in our study guide I found a number of really great passages that I mediated on and felt the Lord's presence as I was meditating.  One such scripture was in my message this weekend; Ecclesiastes 3:11 - "God has planted eternity in the human heart" - that means that our creator wired us for prayer!  Prayer is a conversation, not a ceremony - a relationship not a ritual.  We sometimes get caught up in the ritual and ceremony and don't have the "park bench" conversation with God that we need.  God's delays are not always God's denials.  He wants us to wait on Him.  After all He is the "creator of the universe" - I think He knows what is best for us.
     As we grow in our prayer life we begin to see that He wants us to want what He wants FOR us.  Isaiah 30:18 says; "The Lord waits for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion."  God loves it when we talk to Him.  If I'm interested in something God is too.  Jeremiah 29:11-12 - "I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future. Then you will call my name. You will come to me and pray to me and I will listen to you."  God wants to hear from us.  He wants us to give Him the good and the bad.  There is nothing off limits when we talk to God.  God wants us to come to Him with a sincere, honest, real and authentic heart. Hebrews 10:22 - "Let us come near to God with a sincere heart and a sure faith..."  God wants to answer our prayers. Jeremiah 33:3 - "Call to me and I will answer you.  I will show you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own".  James 4:2 - " You do not have, because you do not ask God."