Hello friends and regular readers,
I just returned from a conference put on by the International House of Prayer (IHOP for short, not to be confused with the pancake place, which is tasty) in Kansas City called the "One Thing Conference," and I wanted to share some praises, some awesome things God has done, a trick I think I just learned and a very specific prayer request that has major implications on my work in Costa Rica.
First, God made a huge breakthrough in knowing Him intimately and prayer through this conference. By the time I left, I had spent the entire month until then in long work hours, absence of my spiritual community, and waning in prayer. But 4 days of 9 hours of worship and sermons daily makes for a lot of "quiet time," and over 120 straight hours spent worshipping and praying with brothers and sisters who are on the same ride as you are makes for quite an awesome sharpening experience. God is not boring at all. He is magnificent.
God, in making these breakthroughs has prepared me for my mission in Costa Rica. EMI provides ministry orientation in the Springs, cultural orientation in Atenas, but God gave me life in missions orientation at the 2011 One Thing Conference here. He set the ground work and a working and living model for spiritual strength in life and missions. That model is simple, profound, and at first and at times hard, but totally worth it. Prayer. Personal and corporate prayer elevated above all else because intimate love for God is the first and greatest commandment and love for others is the second. "All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments." By the time Jesus said this statement, scriptures fell into two main groups, the Torah (law), the Nevi'im (Prophets). The Kethuvim (the writings), although was considered by many as scripture, was not canonized until the second century A.D. so when Jesus says "all the law and the prophets," he is not talking about the ten commandments, Leviticus, and Isaiah and Jeremiah. He is saying, to the Jews, that all scriptures hang on these two commandments. We were created to be in community and intimate love for God. This does not exist without prayer, which is the fuel to this blaze of love for God.
This is my prayer request - that I would talk with God daily and in great proportions from now until eternity, and that this prayer be made my greatest priority, my first work daily and in my life, and that it be fruitful in the Spirit. My time with God will increase my love for God, and increase the powerful works in my life and mission, as well as allow me to walk in power the line God has given me.
My trick - After many attempts in keeping a prayer journal (and falling off), I have noticed a pattern. It starts off great. I make a list, start praying, and it's great the first week. After about a month, my requests list is getting old. The list gets to seven pages and I can't seem to overcome how overwhelming it seems to pray through seven pages of prayers with the zeal I had when I first had them down. Anyone out there with an amen and want help? I think I may be onto something. Over the conference, God gave me some large, umbrella categories to pray for, my prayer group from Vanderbilt (I love you all, and miss you), ending human trafficking, my friends I'm living closest with, family, my mission to Costa Rica and EMI, just to name a few. I write these down as a semi 'table of groups' of prayer. Then, in my prayer time, I write down whatever group God leads me to pray for, and the subsequent prayers that come. The key difference is to record my prayers as they come, not for the purpose of praying over them again, but as an open ended record kept. If God leads me to pray a specific prayer again, I do not return to it, but write it again, emphasizing God's emphasis on that prayer. The list grows, but you're always at the front of it, free to go back to review, but setting your eyes ahead for what God wants to lead you to pray next.
I just started this today, so I cannot give testimony to its function, but if this seems great to you - go for it. Come back and give feedback, ask questions and explore. The point however, is to record and remember my prayers, as well as getting me to pray daily.
I love you all, and remember to pray for me to pursue God wildly in prayer.
God's love
Brad
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