Prayer

I pretty much love my church here in Raleigh.

On Sunday, our pastor talked about prayer. He talked out of Psalm 27:4-8 (well, that is where he began, but he also mentioned other great texts in the Bible, too).

"Prayer is the language of desire; it is the offering of our desires to God." Gardiner Spring

The pastor talked about how a lot of our prayer is out of duty. And that isn't good because every single time, something you are passionate about will win out over duty. What would it look like if we were passionate and truly desired to pray?

Well, it would be easy to do everyday. It wouldn't be like the pulling of teeth to get someone to just bless the food at a meal. No one would rush to put their finger on their nose in hopes that they didn't have to pray in front of everyone. In fact, it would be the opposite. People would rush to say "Me! I will talk to the creator of the universe. Me! I will talk to my Saviour!"

Think of that. What a great treat we have to be able to talk to God.

I also thought another interesting thing the pastor mentioned was when he said to look at our prayers. What is dominant in your prayers? That is what has taken ahold of your heart.

whoa.

what is dominant in my prayers? It is something I am looking at and examining. I want to know because I know what they my heart to be fully devoted to God... but I am not sure that my prayer life reflects that.

Well, those are my ramblings in response to an awesome sermon on Sunday. I really am looking forward to Part II this week. Maybe you will get my response to that next week sometime!

Heaven without God?

So, every other Wednesday I go to the Gathering at Providience Baptist Church. It is their singles ministry. And I have to say, I really like it! Ok, so I'm like that annoying Freshman at CRU who sneaks in right as they start worship and leaves right after it is over (no talking to people, no making eye contact with people, etc). But, I ENJOY it! The speaker is great and, well, I think that God is totally working there.

Well... last night was no different. Currently the series is Sex and The Glory of Jesus Christ. Now, why is he giving a talk on sex to a bunch of singles who aren't have sex anyway? Well, because it is totally relevant to the world we live in and because the greater picture is how sin can rule our life and how we should be living for Christ.

Last night's topic was Dealing with the Guilt of Sin. And all he, the main speaker, said was really good. But the part that was most convicting to me, and just made me stop and think was when he posed the following question to us:

If I got to heaven and had all my friends and family, there was no pain, and everything was perfect, would I be satisfied if there was no Christ?

1 Peter 3:18 says:
"For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,"

Christ didn't die to bring us to heaven. He died to bring us to God! The difference between heaven and hell is that God is in heaven and absent from hell.

How many times do I miss that point? Yes, I will see loved ones when I get to heaven, and that is great... but I will be with God! That is the point. That is what is so great. And it is our sin that separates us from God and it is through Christ's death on the cross that I can have a relationship with Him.

So... maybe I need to start asking myself that more often... if I got to heaven and God wasn't there would I be satisfied. My answer should always be no. But is it always no? What am I living for?

Times like these that I am thankful that God reminds me and convicts me... brings me back to Him.