VEHICLE No. 1 [PRAYER]
The Bugatti Veyron Super Sport is one of the fastest production cars on the planet. It will go 267 miles per hour, and for the small price of $2.4 million, it can be yours. The Bugatti performs in a way few people on earth will ever experience. Put a 3-year-old in the driver’s seat, though, and a soccer mom in a minivan could outrun it. Why? Because the vehicle can only perform when the operator knows how to operate it.
Many people today avoid operating the PRAYER vehicle because they assume they don’t really know how it works and think it probably won’t perform the way it ought to due to their lack of ability or understanding. Ever sit down to talk to God, then stutter and mumble and give up because you don’t have a clue what to say or where to start? Ever feel like prayer is just too difficult for you to operate? Well, if you have, you’re not alone. Jesus’ best friends had very similar struggles with operating this first spiritual vehicle.
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’” Luke 11:1-4 (NIV)
First off, know that God is your Heavenly Father and you can talk to Him about anything, anytime, in any way you want to. But if like the original followers of Jesus, you want a little structure to your prayer life, then you can use the above passage as a kickstarter.
- Start by praising God and asking for His will to come into your life.
- Talk to God about what you want and need.
- Repent of your sins.
- Ask for forgiveness and guidance each day.
Before you know it, you’ve been talking to God about some life-altering things. Remember, God is your Heavenly Father, so you can talk to Him about anything and everything. But if you’re at a loss for words, this passage will help you get this vehicle out of the driveway and onto the road. Collectors of rare cars often have daily drivers and Sunday strollers. Daily drivers get used all the time, but Sunday strollers are so nice that they only come out of the garage on special occasions and sunny Sunday afternoons. Unfortunately, many people today treat PRAYER like those Sunday strollers. It only gets used on the weekends for church, and on very rare occasions. Simply put, that’s not good enough when it comes to prayer, not if you want to get top performance out of this vehicle. Prayer was given to us by God to be used on a daily basis.
Movement Day 11
TO DO
- Praise and thank God for some of your blessings today.
- Repent of sins if necessary.
- Ask God to help you forgive others, guide you through your day, and avoid temptations today.
- Talk to God about what you want and/or need today.
- It’s time to get serious about making this type of talking to God a daily practice, so get out your calendar and put in a 10-minute block for daily PRAYER. This movement is essential for your spiritual forward progress!
TO READ
- MATTHEW 11
- PROVERBS 11
- Write down one thought.
TO REMEMBER
The vehicle of prayer does not run-on good intentions or wishful thinking. It is fueled by discipline. Decide today that prayer will be a daily practice and put it in your calendar before you move forward. Set aside a time and place where you can spend some time each day talking to God. As prayer becomes a habit, you’ll quickly see that your relationship with God is headed in the right direction.
VEHICLE No. 1 [PRAYER]
Today concludes our daily thoughts about Vehicle No. 1: PRAYER
Talking to God will change things in your life, it will change you, and it will take you closer to God than you may have ever been before. Start with a goal of talking to God for 2 minutes a day and watch where this vehicle will take you!
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