Talk to Me --- Love God

My Utmost For His Highest

 

‘The key to the missionary’s difficult task is also not the key of common sense, nor is it the key of medicine, civilization, education, or even evangelization. The key is in following the Master’s orders— the key is prayer. “Pray the Lord of the harvest . . . . He owns the harvest that is produced through distress and through conviction of sin. This is the harvest for which we have to pray that laborers be sent out to reap. We stay busy at work, while people all around us are ripe and ready to be harvested; we do not reap even one of them, but simply waste our Lord’s time in over-energized activities and programs.’ CHAMBERS

 

Have you ever wondered why God would make prayer so significant to the Christian life?  In a practical sense .. what good does talking do?  Isn’t action better than talk?  My granddaughter reminded me that I don’t pay much attention to what people say until I see the proof in the way they live .. what they do.  So wouldn’t you think that doing for God would be better than talking to Him?

 

Be doers and not hearers only.  (James 1:22) Created in Christ Jesus for good works.  (Ephesians 2:10) Have you ever been focused on some task and you suddenly realized there was another person present? You might have said, “Oh, I am sorry.  I didn’t realize you were standing there.”  Awareness .. aware that God is present … aware that we are sent out by Him but not left on our own … His Spirit is in us.  Aware that there are many around us that are on the path to Hell.  The other day, before our staff bible study, I was asked .. “Why is the gate to hell so wide and the gate to heaven so small?” Doesn’t it make sense that God would make the gate to heaven wide so more people could go there?  My Haitian friends ask such good questions.

 

To have spiritual vision .. to see the fields .. we must be ‘tuned in’ to spiritual matters.  Of course, reading the Word is important, but so is communicating with the Father. Jesus set the example.  If He found it necessary, why would we not find it necessary as well.  Instead, we relegate prayer to something that can be done, but is really optional … we can get by without praying .. actually we can get by without reading the Bible … right? Well, no actually … both are critical to our spiritual health.  When the rich young ruler asked Jesus what he need to do to have eternal life, he really thought he was going to impress Jesus with his record of doing good things.  Then Jesus told him to sell everything and follow Him.  The guy left sad. Why isn’t doing enough?

 

Trust in the Lord and do not lean on your own understanding .. (Prov 3:5-6)  Prayer is vital to the Christian life and our effectiveness in ministry … we don’t have to understand it to do it … like turning on a light switch .. if you decide not to use lights until you understand how electricity works .. you may be in the dark for a long time … In the same way … spend time in prayer … draw close to the Father … and let your light shine before all men.

 

Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)