by David Brenneman
"Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God."
Psalms 42:11
“For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. The one who had received the five talents immediately went and did business with them, and earned five more talents. In the same way the one who had received the two talents earned two more. But he who received the one talent went away and dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money. Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have earned five more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter the joy of your master.’ Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have earned two more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter the joy of your master.’ Now the one who had received the one talent also came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed. And I was afraid, so I went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you still have what is yours.’ But his master answered and said to him, ‘You worthless, lazy slave! Did you know that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter seed? Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. Therefore: take the talent away from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’ For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. And throw the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 25:14-30.
Are you among the many who do not use what God's given you to use? Do you leave your most precious of valuable gifts to you on a shelf or worse yet dug a hole and put it under a rock? Do you remain silent or seek a voice of reason anywhere else except from where you ought to have gone first?
What am I writing about? Prayer.
Probably the single most powerful gift given to Believer's is the ability to enter into the Throne Room of God and yet its not utilized!
People wonder amongst themselves as to why the state of the world is as it is...did you think to pray?
People wonder why they're going through the things that they are...and live in a perpetual state of distress...didn't you think to pray?
Why would you take that which is most valuable and put it under a rock? Essentially that's what you have done if you're not going to see Jesus before, during and throughout your day.
Many people are afraid that if they do, that He's going to make them give up something that they love.
Really? You would rather suffer than trust Jesus to know what's best for you? Don't you realize that if that particular fear is true of you that you're saying you love that thing, whatever it might be, more than you value the words of your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?
Many people also just think they're transplants from the "show me" state. They want up-front proof of answers to prayers they haven't even prayed before they'll say anything more to Jesus. Wow. While Jesus DOES know everything that you've never asked...aren't you being incredibly disrespectful and dishonoring to Jesus? Aren't you attempting to make the Sovereign God of the Universe your servant rather than your Savior?
Many people think they have screwed up too much in life to ever lift their heads to pray. My Dear Reader, you are NOT that powerful.
For whatever reason...coming to Christ for salvation is the beginning of the most beautiful of friendships born in the love of God!
People want their world to change for the better...yet sit on the very thing that would do just that.
How was David a man after God's own heart? He talked to Him daily! How was David successful in changing the world? He talked to Jesus daily! What are you waiting for?
"Hey, you left your room this morning
Did you think to pray?
In the name of Christ our Savior
Did you sooth for loving favor as a shield today?
Oh, how praying rests the weary
Prayer will change the night to day
So when life seems dark and dreary
Don't forget to pray
When you've met with great temptation
Did you think to pray?
By his dying love and merit
Did you claim the Holy Spirit as your guide today?
Oh, how praying rests the weary
Prayer will change the night to day
So when life seems dark and dreary
Don't forget to pray
When your heart was filled with anger
Did you think to pray?
Did you plead for grace my brother
That you might forgive another who had crossed your way
Oh, how praying rests the weary
Prayer will change the night to day
So when life seems dark and dreary
Don't forget to pray, don't forget to pray" - Charley Pride "Did You Think to Pray" Author: M. A. Kidder (1876).
Jesus Christ isn't just your Lord and Savior...He's your most intimate of friends. Who cannot love you any less or any more than He does with the perfect love He does for you.
Jesus taught us to ask, seek and knock. Are you allowing your fears, your worries, your thoughts, to get in the way of the righteous life that God desires for you? You want a life that's more than you see it being? Start praying.
Prayer isn't someone reciting the same mantra over and over. It's personal. Yesterday the world tried getting millions to show their love for one another through cards, flowers, and candy. Jesus says to just come as you are. You don't need, and He's not interested in, anything but you. After we pass from this world into the eternal life with Jesus all that's going to be going there is us. Not our life we've lived.
Praying isn't elaborate. It's simple enough that a child could understand how to do it. Child like faith...think about that.
You're life in Christ always was meant to be extremely personal between you and Jesus.
Don't be that one who went away and buried what he was given.
Open your heart and talk to Jesus.
Coming to Christ was never ever to be only a "get out of Hell free" card.
Jesus cares not what's keeping us from Him other than to trust Him, push it out of the way, and do what He's wanting us to be doing.
What are you waiting for?
All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.
No comments:
Post a Comment