A Life That Counts for Something - Part 3
We all want a life that counts for something. Living upward (passionate spirituality), inward (radical community) and outward (missional zeal) is key to LIving a Life that Counts for Something greater than power, prestige and possessions. That is how Jesus lived. If a man who altered the course of human history, performed miracles, conquered death, started a movement that has lasted over 2000 years and has had global impact thought living UP, IN & OUT was key, then who are we to alter the “Triangle of Reformation"?
In my previous entry I shared how we are given the “Opportunity of a Lifetime” but that the “Lifetime of the Opportunity” must be stewarded well so we reap the full rewards of the opportunity. In Luke 19 Jesus said, “Occupy until I return.” Be fruitful and prosperous until I come back. In the Apostle Paul’s second letter to the church located in Corinth he said, “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.” [1]
Our opportunity is to proclaim and demonstrate God’s love for people, his peace towards them and that God is not counting humanity's sins against them. What an amazing opportunity. However, stewarding our upward relationship with God, living in passionate spirituality is key. We can’t fulfill the Great Commandment or the Great Commission without UP.
One of our greatest resources for occupying the upward opportunity is PRAYER. Here are some things Jesus said about prayer.
Matthew 7:7, “Ask, & it will be given to you see, & you will find; knock, & it will be opened to you.” [1]
Matthew 21:22, “And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” [1]
Mark 11:24, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, & it will be yours.” [1]
John 14:13-14, “Whatever you ask in my name, this will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” [1]
Andrew Murray, in his book Teach Us to Pray says, “Jesus never taught His disciples how to preach, only how to pray. He did not speak much of what was needed to preach well, but much of praying well. To know how to speak to God is more than knowing how to speak to man. Not power with men, but power with God is the first thing. Jesus loves to teach us how to pray.” [2]
So in Luke 11 Jesus teaches us about prayer. That will be the subject of the next several entries. We’ll talk about prayer and how it is a mina that we steward and invest, reaping the full reward of our UPward opportunity.
Questions for putting this into practice: Do you desire to pray?
[1] THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
[2] Murray, Andrew (2011-03-23). Lord, Teach Us To Pray (pp. 3-4). Kindle Edition.