Day 9
Today…common misconceptions about prayer, purity, and purpose.
Prayer: To spend 30 minutes a day with God for 21 Days…
One of my favorite authors, Ros Rinker said, “Prayer is a conversation between two people who love each other.” The thought of prayer being a really fun, intimate, revealing, exciting, comforting two-way conversation is one reason I enjoy my hour with the King each day. I know He’s waiting for me. I know He has something to tell me that I’m not going to hear from friends or family. I know that no one loves me like He does—I’m not that easy to love. I know that I will feel Him during my appointment—actually feel something change or soften or break within me. I know that He will correct me…and if I will listen well and respond quickly, He will forgive me and provide me an escape. And I know if I spend my time with Him, both talk and listening (by reading His Word), I will get a specific idea for something to do, say, or undo! If you have misconceptions about prayer and Bible reading…get rid of them! Make an appointment with the One who loves you more than anyone…
Purity: To keep your eyes and actions pure during this 21 Days of Personal Revival.
In my research and writing of my new book (out in October) called Sacred Obsession was so personally exciting for me. My former boss (and president of YFC/USA and Taylor U), Jay Kesler sat me down last fall and gave me 3 books: Sin and Temptation by John Owen, Religious Affection by Jonathan Edwards, and Real Christianity by William Wilberforce. These books are each over 300 years old! (Of course, the previous fall, students gave me books about Finney and Moody—19th century revivalists.) My education into the history of revival uncovered a great exploration about God’s desire for men and women to be pure and holy. This is not a popular 21st century message. Yet each author (often they were theologians, educators, politicians, and pastors) discussed the call upon a Christian’s life included a complete surrender to and indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit…who gives us the power to overcome our flesh or temptation and the desire to please God above ourselves. I encourage you to get a copy of these books. You’ll discover that every culture faces severe temptation…every Christian is his or her own man or woman in front of God. Pleasing God, rather than striving to be holy, becomes the joyous path to holiness.
Purpose: To bring one person to Christ during this 21 One Day Personal Revival—to actively share and pray for lost.
In my studies of past revivals, the great prayer meetings and changed lives that occurred among Christians during revival seasons…always resulted in great numbers of conversions of the unsaved. In my own limited experience, I spent last year encouraging prayer and prayer rooms on college campuses. Over the summer, God seemed to impress upon me to push out, move out, and reach out of our prayer rooms into dorm rooms, and class rooms with the Gospel. That is the Great Commission—yes? So in my very limited knowledge and experience, I believe God is asking us to take Him out to those who are lost, broken, failing, even dying. Take Him to the masses, don’t keep Him to ourselves! Speak of Him. Offer to pray for others that He might come down on them. Stand for Him in places where He is misunderstood or ignored. (That only happens when we’ve received our marching orders from Him and our hearts are clean before Him. The pattern then follows…prayer prepares the heart to become pure and empowered to fulfill God’s purpose in our lives.
As always, I am truly fired up by your pursuit of God. If I can encourage you in a specific way, don’t hesitate to ask.