Why is Prayer so Important?

My friend Lisa recently asked me a honest question, "Why is prayer so important other than Jesus commands it and it's expected of us. And why is the development of a mature prayer life so necessary? I'm just curious to know how you feel about it, or if you know of any other sources I can look into. I mean I have an idea and stuff, I just need to know how to clarify it."

Oh man woman.. you would give me a question like this, and make me think! :) First of all, as I am typing this out, I'm realizing that I have so much to learn. I want to know "why I pray" even more, and not just do things out of obligation or ritual (Jesus would HATE that, sounds an awful lot like the Pharisees!)

I want my mind to be "washed by the water of the Word" (Eph. 5:26), that I would "no longer be conformed to the pattern of the world, but transformed by the renewing of my mind" (Rom 12:2). That is why I quote scripture a lot, I don't want man's opinion, but God's opinion on things, so I am trying, humbly knowing I won't even scrape the surface, to sort out by the Word why prayer is important.

Speaking of man's opinions, let me suggest a few books for you. The Word is primary in its teaching on prayer, there's so much to dive into and learn about, but I love these two books too! Intercessory Prayer by Dutch Sheets is phenomenal teaching on prayer. It actually has a TON of scripture in it, which is why I love it. Also, Prayer by Richard Foster. This is a classic, and it has all the types of prayer, and is jam packed with scripture, easy and fun to read. This is a must own book!!

Let's see, Jesus not only commands it, He models it. Matt.14:23, Mark 6:46, (prays all night here) Luke 6:12. In these passages, He goes away to a mountainside to pray. But there is a call in the Word to a private prayer life (modeled by Jesus in those passages) and a corporate prayer life where we gather together and cry out as His body (ex. Joel 2:15-16 "Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast,call a sacred assembly.Gather the people, consecrate the assembly;").

Prayer is our lifeline. It's the way we connect to God. Think of a relationship between a girl and a guy. Let's say a guy named Peter was interested in me. How do we get to know each other? By spending time together talking. Same with God, we get to know Him by talking to Him AND (something we Evangelicals can have a hard time understanding) LISTENING to Him speak to us. Now I'm not talking the audible voice of God, but that deposit in your spirit, when you realize, "I totally didn't think of that, that was God." Prayer is our way to "remain in Him" Jn. 15. Apart from Him we can do NOTHING. Now we both know that we can do a LOT apart from Him, on our own strength without relying or trusting in Him... but will it produce anything that will last for the Kingdom of God? Nope. When Jesus comes, the quality of our work will be tested by fire. (1 Cor. 3:11-13) Anything built with wood, hay, or straw (ex. anything done by our own strength, building up our own name or wealth, even good things done when that's not what he's asking of us to do) will be burned in the fire (and will be found out as meaningless in the end -like Solomon the wisest man that lived said in Ecclesiastes, "meaningless, everything is meaningless, a chase after the wind. Fear God and obey Him." - a summary by me). But whatever doesn't burn up when He comes -what was made with costly stones, gold, or silver- (ex. fruit that will last (jn.15) this is not only souls won to Jesus like we typically think of "fruit" being, but anything produced along the way by KNOWING God through prayer, hearing His voice (jn 10) and following Him (Matt.16:24) ) we will receive reward for! It's so crazy, just think about it for a minute.

We- saved by grace, by nothing that we do, just by accepting a gift of Salvation, are adopted into God's family. Now we are Sons and Daughters of the Almighty God. Now because of MERCY (Jesus' blood poured out bearing the wrath of God for our sin) we can approach the throne of grace with confidence (Heb.4:16), and receive mercy in our times of need. And simply because we are His children, He wants to hear from us. He LOVES our voices (Song of Solomon 2:14 "Show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely") . It's a completely ridiculously extravagant honor, a privilege only given to us by Jesus' shed blood, that we CAN communicate with God. Not only CAN we, but when we do, we receive REWARDS for letting God move and work through us. WOWZERS!

Now why do we consider prayer a "must do" to somehow get "brownie points" with God? Oh God open up my eyes to see the gift that prayer really is! To get to speak to and hear the Living God speak! Help me to "pray without ceasing" with joy and thanksgiving, because it is my one true source of life! You are the One who, as we come to know you more, we begin to see that all life and truth are in! There is nothing or no one that compares!

I hope this helps! We can talk when I'm there too, I'd love to chat with you and bounce back and forth thoughts. I love your heart Lisa, so honest, so soft and eager to know Him better-- it's beautiful!

Love you!
-Amy

Learning to Trust in His Goodness

It is something that we have doubted since creation: the goodness of God.

Is He really always good? All the time?

Eve was tricked into thinking that somehow God held out on her in the garden, (Gen. 3:1-6) that there was something GOOD that He wasn't giving her and Adam.

How many times do I accuse God (maybe not by speaking, but by not trusting) of withholding good from me?

"No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly."
-Psalm 84:11b

Do I believe it? Does it show by my lifestyle, do I in all things have abandoned faith, knowing that He is good- and will not withhold good from me?

Maybe what I think to be my good, isn't really good at all.
Maybe He will show up at the last minute... to test if I really do trust Him.
Maybe He will let what I can see as good pass by for a season, letting me cling more tightly to Him as I walk through the valley.

God is good. All the time.

Things I most miss about Minnesota

Just a few images to go with the FACES that I miss, but so many more could be added here.

First of all: BLESS GOD for the changing of seasons. He is good. He knows exactly what I need, when I need it. But I thought I would do this post, as a sort of close to this past season of life, living in Bloomington MN, working with formar Bethany House of Prayer, and living on the Bethany College campus.

Things I miss most about MN:
(these are not in order, except the first one!)

1) Pictured above. And the Ring the Bell team (we need to get a picture together!) Nikki and Carrie. And so so many more!
2) Singing harp and bowl style (Thanks Dave and Jen who made it possible for me to do a impromptu harp and bowl set over Ps. 27:4 the other day when I was visiting!)
3) The way you have to drive like 20 min. to get ANYwhere, here in Ames 20 min. is the absolute FARTHEST you'd have to drive, most places are just 4 min. away.
4) The community of Bethany, you're NEVER alone, even when you are taking a nap or are alone in your room with your door shut. People always finding you, always hugging you, always encouraging you! I LOVE THIS. (97.3 % of the time..)
5) The CHILDREN and ELDERLY all around. Man, that is a treasure. Shout out to Noah (my little mosquito) and Delaney (who I am tearing up thinking about how much I love!) and Props to my adopted Grandparents Leroy and Vonnie Dugan-- man I love you guys!
6) The way Jesus is put on display in conversations... I didn't realize how much I missed it until I experienced lots of empty chatter in other places... Lift up the name of Jesus, He's all that matters, in the words of Jon Thurlow "Everything else is fading away, only Love only Love remains"
7) Pastor Matt and Dave Willcock and Bethany Church in general. What a wonderful team that is listening to what God's doing and how He's doing it, and then stepping out in obedience. I love this place.
8) Tuesday Fasting Chapel. Coming together on Tuesdays, fasting corporately, and crying out to the Lord as a community. SO IMPORTANT!! So encouraging, so shifting things, so the Lord's heart for His people!
9) Studying the Word with my friends. There's nothing like a few hours in the prayer room with friends studying the same passage, and then coming together to discuss it!!
10) Pictured above. (I know I cheated and said this one twice.. but people always make the place..) There are so many special people that live in MN-- love you all. Thanks for loving me!

Dealing with Rejection

The BHOP team is studying the emotions of God, and I choose to study the passages around the cross. I was reading today about when the Son was taunted, and just asking the Holy Spirit what was He feeling, what was this like? Matt. 27:43 is the verse I got stuck on. The Jews walking by, His very own people saying that to Him. It's crazy how David wrote about it years before the Son came to earth in Psalm 22:7-8.

I've come to think that Jesus was at perfect peace when they taunted him so harshly. Because of one thing, He was living to please His Father alone. That's why the insult was so cruel, because it put to question the love of the Father for Him, but words couldn't persuade Him-- what He knew deep in His heart. His Father had spoken audibly at His baptism Matt. 3:17 That He was well pleased with His Son. And for as much time as Jesus snuck away to a mountain to be with His Father, you know He got that established in His heart, that His Father was FOR HIM. So Jesus was empowered for ministry knowing that He was not working for the favor or the approval of His Father, for He already Had that. He was just asking the Father what He was doing, and joined in doing it on the earth, that men might know God.

That's what we need too, so desperately, to know the affection that our Father has for us. That we would be so sure of that, so secure in that, established in that, resting in that. That nothing could move us because that is our goal, and through the Son, we have reached our goal already. We are fully pleasing in every way, He is well-pleased with us, not because of what we do, but because we are His. We are bought at a price, we're now His children. Because of who we are, He loves us, with the SAME LOVE that He has for His Son. So when we face trial or rejection or praise, we can be unshaken knowing that we live for an audience of One, and we already know how He feels about us.

Book recommendation: Dealing with the Rejection and Praise of Man by Bob Sorge

Cause I'm Leaving On A Jet Plane...

I'm Going to Central Asia!

Yipi-hi-yi-YAY! I'm leaving on a jet plane, but I do know when I'll be back again. :) I'll be leaving in January to go on global internship with Bethany College of Missions for 16 months! I'm going as part of my education with BCOM, the program is one full year through the summer in Bloomington MN (which I did last year) and then a year and a half overseas, and then 4 more months in MN for a BA in Cross-Cultural Communications. I will be going as a student but also under Bethany International Ministries (BIM) as a short term missionary.

I will be doing a variety of things during my time in Central Asia. Taking classes (focusing on the Epistles, letters to the churches) learning the language, studying the culture, teaching english for about 20 hours a week, and being involved in the house of prayer that the full time workers over there have started. It excites me a lot to be involved in the house of prayer because this has to do with my full time calling as I wrote about in one of my first blogs-- to start up prayer rooms in Mus*lim countries. This calling may seem outragious and huge, so far beyond me-- but look at the God we serve, just like Him to call me to something so ridiculously beyond my ability!

So within the next six months I need to find partners that would like to support me financially to raise about $27,000 min or $35,000 max in order to be sent out in January. I will need a team of those willing to surround me in prayer as well, which I do not take as a light sacrifice. Would you just pray about how the Lord would call you to contribute to the next year and a half of my life? Thank you friends, blessings -- grace and peace to each of you today!

Enjoying Every Little Moment

I've been learning how to enjoy walking with the Lord lately. Yesterday I had a half hour in between work at Starbucks and a Bethany House of Prayer forerunner gathering meeting and I took a walk in the back 40 acres (we have a nice little path and big field right by BCOM where I love to play) and I just talked to the Lord a little bit, almost as if He was my "imaginary friend". But I giggled a little bit as I walked because it was so great, it was as if we were really taking a walk together. And just like when a couple gets to know each other, they'll do things like that, go on walks and just talk-- I felt the deep significance of my short walk with the Lord.

I talked to Him about a conversation I had with a co-worker about being on staff with the House of Prayer, and how that was different from a church. I explained to Jeff at Starbucks earlier that day, "Yeah, I realize that it might sound a little strange. (Talking about wanting to see Bethany House of Prayer go 24-7) But it's because I'm starting to see how prayer is THE most important thing I could do with my time." Then I began to ask the Lord that I would be bold in my loving God with all of my heart... unashamed of my glorious calling. Then I thanked Him for awakening my heart, thanked Him for His great love. And I twirled for a while, and then went to my meeting. I was thinking later that night about how delightful our walk was, and I realized that our little walk was a beautiful little picture of what it's like to walk in the Spirit.

How cool! He loves it when I walk with Him, talk to Him, share with Him, let Him speak His love over me. I mean, of course-- I say I have a "relationship" with Jesus, but I guess I've just forgotten what "relationship" means in many ways. Letting weights (from living according to the letter of the Law) tangle up my feet, when He calls my name, arms open wide, eyes full of compassion and love, beckoning me to come and be with Him. To take a walk with Him, get to know Him a little bit more. Oh the joy it is!

Sing to Him A New Song!

This is a video of me playing the very first song that the Lord gave me. I have only been playing the guitar for about a month, and I had just been playing the guitar for a few hours so my fingers were good and sore by the time I played this, so give me grace as you hear me stumble along.. :)

The verses we were meditating on that day in the house of prayer were:

Song of Solomon 2:4-5 (I misquoted the reference in the video)

"He has taken me to the banquet hall,
and his banner over me is love.

Strengthen me (with raisins,)
refresh me (with apples,)
for I am faint with love."

He is showing me so much about the deep impact it is on my heart to live as His beloved, as His treasured one. To have that mindset, that with one glance from our eyes, He is ravished. In all that He has as a King, in perfect unity and enjoyment with His Father and the Spirit, He is still enthralled by my beauty. And it's my gift to him in this age, while I don't yet see Him, I love Him, and at this mystery the angels look into with wonder. I will set my heart on a pilgrimage, on a journey from glory to glory, and I will love Him with all my heart by His great grace.

I pray that today He would sustain each of You with His Spirit, and refresh you with more of Jesus and reveal to your heart His great pleasure over your "weak glance" in His direction!!