Happy New Prayer...

I've been trying to figure out what to do for the new year. I was going to post a video from our New Year's Eve celebration at Southpoint. It was so much fun!

But, it didn't seem fitting somehow. So, I waited. Now, after this morning, I know...

I'm a guy that responds to challenges. Always have. I don't know if it's just a byproduct of my sex or how I'm wired. Don't tell me I can't do better... Me no likey...

This morning, Pastor Russ had a really great challenging message about prayer. I met Pastor Russ briefly on New Year's Eve. He asked how we found Southpoint (they've been experiencing exponential growth the last four months) and I told him the hard facts: Internet search, website, visit. But that wasn't the whole truth. I was looking for heart. Authenicity of the heart. I sensed it immediately with Pastor Russ the weeks I heard him speak. I've been thirsty for a challenge for a couple years. Some would say that I should just motivate myself and that is valid. But, like I said, I need challenges...

Back to heart. I've not been real proud of my heart lately, especially the last six months. This has been my responsibility and I've not responded well to it. I've not dealt properly with things that changed around me. I put my feelings for people I truly love interfere with what I was sure God really wanted me to do. Please don't read too much into that, it was more situational than personal.

Eventually, I knew that God would reveal the next step and place for my growth. It has been so long that I have seen God moving within and without me. I wanted to be in a healthy place so that I could grow. I am not naive. I know that we are all fallible. I know we are all imperfect. Just as sure am I that God blesses when he feels like it. Not when we deserve it or earn it. There are a lot of people out there that can't understand why God isn't blessing them because they are closer to Him than people that are experiencing a blessing. There are a lot of sinful people that go farther into ministry or other "christian" endeavors than some much better people.

God blesses based on what HE wants and needs to do rather than what WE think. We are all in places and face things that help us to become what he wants us to be.

God has been pressing me in the area of prayer. In my life as a Christ follower my prayer life was and is pretty poor. I talk to God throughout my day, so I do pray, but I don't focus it like I should. More "shotgun" than "rifle" would be a good description. As I immerse myself into Southpoint I was looking for God to confirm some of these things.

Today Pastor Russ started his next series. His vision for Southpoint is much like SouthField, my old church. Impact. Let's not grow by transfers, let's impact Jax for Christ with new believers. He believes that is just around the bend and only needs what we can do...Pray. Concerted, focused, specific prayer. That applys to time, effort, and follow through. It is good to be listening again to someone who loves to challenge and say things that the world would consider controversial.

I'm embarking on this with purpose. I haven't any excuses not to. My reading in the Word took me to a study on the Lord's prayer and prayer in general this morning. As I sat waiting for the service to start I prayed that I would have a heart for prayer. Real, effective, passionate prayer. Pastor Russ' series is called "I'm M.A.D.". It's his heart for our church. M.A.D. stands for Making A Difference and his call to prayer for our church is the beginning of that belief. Prayer has preceded every great move of God. It still does.

So, "Happy New Prayer" is appropriate. I want to pray in new ways, with a new view of it, and with a love for it like Christ had. Day and night the disciples of Christ were with him. They saw him walk through crowds that wanted to kill him, perform miracles, and know everything about them. They also saw that he was human and like them in so many ways. Only one thing was different. Jesus prayed. He prayed like no one they had ever seen and probably like no one WE have ever known and seen.

I want to be more like Jesus. I'm counting on him to help.

Happy New Year, everyone!!