Beyond the Walls is a weekly email to help Christ-followers move beyond the walls of their church buildings, homes, comfort zones, and culture to engage people where we live, work and play with the Gospel. 

For the Fame of His Name!

John Whaley
The Rooftop US

Beyond the Walls is a weekly email to help Christ-followers move beyond the walls of their church buildings, homes, comfort zones, and culture to engage people where we live, work and play with the Gospel. 

When we talk about moving beyond the walls to engage people with the Gospel, we often confine our understanding to solely speaking the Gospel into someone's life who is not yet a Christ-follower.  And the reason we do so is because of the dichotomy we have created whereby we see evangelism as what we do beyond the walls of our buildings and disciple-making as what we do inside the walls.

Nothing could be further from the truth!  When Jesus commanded us in Matthew 28:19 to "Go and make disciples", He was talking about pre-conversion discipleship as well as post-conversion discipleship.  When Jesus called the 12 to follow Him, they were not yet fully devoted followers of Christ.  He had to disciple them into understanding who He was and why He came. And then after they trusted Him as their Lord and Savior, He discipled them into understanding what it meant to follow Him.

In the same way, we disciple people into a relationship with Christ and then once they trust Him, we disciple them in how to walk with Christ as a Christ-follower.  

Disciple-making is evangelism and evangelism is disciple-making.  They are not separate and distinct disciplines.  We speak the Gospel into the lives of those who are spiritually lost so that they will come to believe and we speak the Gospel into the lives of those who are Christ-followers to strengthen them in their walk with Christ.

A great example of this is the Apostle Paul.  Throughout the book of Acts, we see him in the synagogues and marketplaces proclaiming the Gospel; discipling those who had yet to believe.  At the same time, we see Paul pouring his life into Timothy and others as he discipled them to be fully devoted Christ-followers.  

Therefore, if we are to fully obey Christ's command to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:19), we need to be speaking the Gospel into those who are spiritually dead and those who are spiritually alive.

Who are you discipling?  Who are you leading to Christ through your Gospel conversations?  Who are you encouraging in the faith through your Gospel conversations?  

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations..." Mathew 28:19

For the Fame of His Name!

John Whaley
The Rooftop US

Beyond the Walls is a weekly email to help Christ followers move beyond the walls of their church buildings, homes, comfort zones, and culture to engage people where we live, work and play with the Gospel.

Who are you?  Have you ever noticed that most of our conversations rarely begin with that question?  When we first meet a person, the most common question we ask is “What do you do?”  While there is nothing inherently wrong with that question, it does give us insight into a mindset we have embraced in the Western world – “What we do defines who we are”.

But is that true?  Not at all!  But how many of us live our lives believing that lie?  This is the reason many of us become performance-driven.  We believe that how we perform, how we succeed, what we do is the determining factor in defining who we are.

I see this played out in the church all the time.  A person comes to know Christ as their Savior and the first thing we do is begin telling them what they need to do to be a good follower of Christ – read their Bible, pray, witness, go to church, etc.  Whether intentional or unintentional, we have communicated to them that their identity as a Christian is defined by what they do.  As a result, the Christian life becomes all about checking off the boxes leading to a religious life marked by guilt and legalism.

When God created man and woman in His image in Genesis 1, He blessed them and declared that everything He had made was very good (Genesis 1:31).  God declared man was very good before He had given them one thing to do.  Their identity was a man and woman made in His image.  And since they were made in the image of the One who was Creator and Sovereign, He blessed them and called them to live a life reflecting who they were as image-bearers of God:

“And God blessed them.  And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”  Genesis 1:28 ESV

You are a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).  Your identity is based on who you are in Christ, not on what you do for Christ.  Our calling is to live out of our identity which comes out of who God is and what He is doing.

As we go beyond the walls to make disciples, we do so as image-bearers of God.  Thus, we are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14) because God is light (1 John 1:5).  Because Jesus (the One in whom we abide) is the light of the world (John 8:12). 

We walk in confidence as we go beyond the walls to dispel the darkness with the light of the Gospel because Christ, the light of the world, has overcome the darkness (John 1:1-5). 

You are the light of the world!  That is your identity!  Walk in that identity this week as you speak “the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:4) into people’s lives. 

For the Fame of His Name!

John Whaley
The Rooftop US

Beyond the Walls is a weekly email to help Christ followers move beyond the walls of their church buildings, homes, comfort zones, and culture to engage people where we live, work and play with the Gospel.

I am convinced that one of the greatest crises we face in the Body of Christ today is a crisis of identity.  “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17).  When we come into a relationship with Christ, He doesn’t make us a better person.  We don’t become the improved version of who we already are.  We become new creations!  We are given a new identity.  We are no longer dead in sin but alive in Christ (Romans 6:11; Ephesians 2:4-5).  Our bodies are now temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19).

It is through understanding our new identity in Christ that we are empowered to 'Join Jesus in His Mission' to seek and save the lost.

As you well know, going beyond the walls to engage people with the Gospel where we live, work and play require us to go beyond the walls of our…

• Fears;
• Prejudices;
• Preferences; and
• Cultures

We have to leave our comfort zones.  And that can be intimidating.  But if you understand your true identity in Christ, you can move beyond the walls with courage and confidence.

So…who are you?  In the next few weeks, we will be looking at our identity in Christ. We will especially look at those aspects of our new identity that relates to our calling to go and make disciples. 

In closing, let me leave you with a few identity statements to encourage you as you go beyond the walls this week:

• You are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14)
• You are an ambassador for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20)
• You are a Spirit-empowered witness for Christ (Acts 1:8)

Now go and walk in your true identity!

For the Fame of His Name!

John Whaley
The Rooftop US

Beyond the Walls is a weekly email to help Christ followers move beyond the walls of their church buildings, homes, comfort zones, and culture to engage those we live among with the Gospel.

Over the past three weeks, we have been looking at The Gospel Story.  As I pointed out at the beginning of this series, the Gospel Story – the story of God’s redemption and restoration – is not a story limited to the New Testament.  It is a story that encompasses all of Scripture. 

I am convinced that many Christians do not really understand why the Good News is such Good News because they have a deficient view of the Gospel Story.  They think it is the story of Jesus’ life, death, burial, and resurrection.  And it is….but that part of the Gospel Story is the climatic solution to the curse of sin and death which came into existence back in Genesis. 

So when we talk about the Gospel Story, we have to begin where every story begins…at the beginning which is exactly what we did three weeks ago.

This week, we want to look at the climactic ending of The Gospel Story:  Restoration.  Before we do, let’s do a quick review.

The Gospel Story begins at Creation.  In Genesis 1, we discover God’s original plan for all of creation and for mankind, the masterpiece of His creation.  God made man in His image to have a personal relationship with Him and gave man authority over all His creation.  The Garden was a place of perfect harmony between God and man, man and creation, and man and woman.

But then everything falls apart. In the story of the Fall, we discover the answer to the question…”What went wrong?”  Man chose to rebel against God.  In spite of God’s clear instructions, they believe Satan’s lie that God is holding out on them.  And so they eat of the tree God told them never to eat from for it would only bring death.

With the crunch of the first bite, sin made its entrance. Their intimacy with God and each other was broken. The consequences were severe – spiritual and physical death, pain in childbearing for Eve, pain in physical labor for Adam, a desire to rule over and dominate each other, and being cast out of the garden.

But their sin didn’t affect them alone.  It also impacted all of creation as it was subjected to brokenness, death, and decay as well.

And throughout the rest of the OT, we see how sin and death corrupts all of creation and man.  We see man’s futile attempts of trying to save himself, to fix what went wrong in the Garden.  And at the same time, we watch God, beginning in Genesis 3, preparing the way for the coming of His Son, the Messiah.

And so after hundreds of years and hundreds of prophecies detailing the coming of the Messiah, we see God’s rescue plan come to life as Jesus comes on the scene.  It is through His life and death and resurrection that we are rescued from the power of sin and death, making a way for us to once again have a relationship with God. 

But the story doesn’t end there.  

In Revelation chapter 21, verse 5, God makes an incredible statement. “Behold, I am making all things new.”  And with those words, we come to the climatic ending of the Gospel Story which in all reality is the real beginning for all of us who know Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior!

In Revelation chapter 21:1, we read… Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away…

In other words, everything will be completely restored.  It will be just like it was in the Garden of Eden but better.  The harmony that existed in the Garden of Eden before the Fall will be completely restored.

In Revelation 21:3-4, John writes… And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Just imagine…we will forever be with God and He will forever be with us!

And as followers of Jesus Christ, we have the incredible privilege to tell others this amazing story.  The key is understanding how to tell it well.  All of us have heard great stories ruined because the way it was told was so dry and boring. 

Therefore, it is imperative that we learn how to tell The Gospel Story in a way that is compelling…that draws people into the story.  I know what you are thinking…I am not a good storyteller. That’s okay because I am going to tell you about a wonderful resource that will help you discover a great way to tell the story – www.thestoryfilm.com.

On this website, you will find some great resources including a short film that you can share with others and an app called The Story.   What I really like about the website and the app is that you are able to translate it automatically into dozens of languages. 

I hope that these teachings on the Gospel Story have been helpful as you pursue Joining Jesus in His Mission.  If you have any questions or a story about someone you have engaged with the Gospel recently, don't hesitate to contact me.

For the Fame of His Name!

John Whaley
The Rooftop US

Beyond the Walls is a weekly email to help Christ followers move beyond the walls of their church buildings, homes, comfort zones, and culture to engage those we live among with the Gospel.

As I stated a few weeks back, we all love a good story.  We especially love stories about rescue and deliverance.  In the Gospel Story, we encounter the greatest story of rescue and deliverance ever recorded…the Story of rescue from sin and death into life and hope.

Last week, we talked about the Fall, that moment when Adam and Eve rebelled against God which opened the door for sin and Satan’s rule to come in and begin corrupting mankind and all of creation.  Because of that one decision – the decision to choose their way over God’s way – Satan’s lie over God’s truth – everything began to unravel. 

And they knew it immediately.  All of a sudden, peace and harmony was replaced with fear and guilt.  Their sense of wholeness was shattered.  And then they heard the steps of God walking in the Garden, a sound that the day before would have thrilled their souls and caused them to run into His arms.  But not now.  Now those steps frightened them and instead of running to Him, they ran to hide from Him.

But it is in His coming into the Garden, asking Adam, “Where are you?”, that we see the first step taken toward rescuing them. 

He entered the Garden to seek and to save what was lost.  In Genesis 3:14-19, God outlines for them the consequences of their sin.  And in the words He spoke to the serpent, we see the first glimpse of a coming Savior who would one day appear and crush Satan’s head.

And then in verse 21, we read, “And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.”  Don’t miss the significance of this verse. In order for God to clothe them with the skins of an animal, God had to sacrifice an innocent animal, shedding its blood. 

Someone or something had to die for their sin…to pay the price for their rebellion against God.

It is in this act of sacrifice, the innocent dying for the guilty, that God paints for us the picture of what would ultimately take place on the cross thousands of years later as the Lamb of God, the very Son of God, dies in our place so as to take away our sins and reconcile us to the Father.

For centuries to come, following this promise of a coming Savior, God would continue pointing them to that day when the Messiah would come to save them from their sins.  Through the prophets of the Old Testament, over 300 promises were written down, providing exact details of His birth, His life, His death, His burial, and His resurrection.

And then it happened.  As Paul would later write in the book of Galatians, chapter 4, verses 4-5,

"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons."

He lived a perfect life in full submission to God, a life without sin.  And then He willingly went to the cross and died an agonizing death to pay for our sin.

In 2 Corinthians 5:21, Paul stated it this way:

"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

And then they buried Him.  And for three days, His body lay in that tomb but then on the morning of the third day, the grave could no longer hold Him.  Jesus victoriously came out of the tomb!  On the cross, He had defeated sin.  And now through His resurrection, He defeated death. 

He rescued us!  Through His death and resurrection, the power and penalty of sin were broken.  Death was defeated.

And when a person comes to that place where they realize they can never rescue themselves from the consequences of sin (eternal separation from God) and they trust in Jesus alone to rescue them from sin and death, they are forever forgiven and set free to know and walk with the very One who created them…God Himself…the Author of the Story.

That’s the Good News.  But it’s not the end of the Story.  If you think the Rescue was amazing, what God has in store for all of us who have trusted in His Son will make you shout!

With that said, join us next week as we look at the climactic ending of The Gospel Story which in all reality is a climatic beginning.

For the Fame of His Name!

John Whaley
The Rooftop US

Beyond the Walls is a weekly email to help Christ-followers move beyond the walls of their church buildings, homes, comfort zones, and culture to engage those we live among with the Gospel.

Of all the stories we will share as we engage others in faith conversations, the story that must be shared is God’s Story.  The Gospel Story.

Today, we turn our attention to the second part of The Story – The Fall.  In The Fall, we come to understand why the world in which we live is so messed up.  We discover the answer to the question…”What went wrong?” 

As we saw last week, life in the Garden was amazing!  We are so surrounded by imperfection and the effects of sin, it’s hard for us to imagine a place of perfect harmony and peace and joy.  A place where God and man walked together, spoke face to face, laughed together and thoroughly enjoyed each other. 

Placed in the Garden to oversee all that God had created, man had everything he would ever want or need.  And out of His deep love for them, He gave them clear instructions on maintaining harmony in the Garden.  All they had to do was to obey this one command.

In Genesis 2:16-17, we read…”And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

One command….given out of love for their own good and protection.  This was the command that would test their loyalty and their trust in God.  It was far from restrictive for outside of that one tree, they could eat from any tree they so desired in the Garden.  All they had to do was not eat from that tree.

This is where the story turns dark as Satan enters the picture - a fallen angel who despises God and will do anything he can to disrupt the harmony and the freedom that man enjoys in the Garden.  Arriving on the scene as a serpent, this master of lies and deception engages Eve in conversation.  Distorting the very word of God so as to create skepticism and doubt in her mind, he asks her in Genesis 3,

“Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”  Genesis 3:1-5

He convinces her that God is holding out on them.  They will not die…they will become like God.  There will be no consequences to their sin.  Instead, there will be a great reward for their eyes will be opened to new revelations and insight.  They will know good and evil. They will have greater knowledge.

Thus in Genesis 3:6 we read these words…

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.”

In that one act of eating from the one tree that God told them not to eat from, they rebelled against God.  They chose Satan’s lie over God’s truth.  They had everything they needed but they chose to take more.  And in that moment, their eyes were opened just as Satan said they would be.  However, it was not what they were expecting. 

Overcome with shame, guilt and fear, they hid from the very God whose fellowship they once so enjoyed.  Sin had now entered the picture.  Their intimacy with God and each other was broken. The consequences were severe – spiritual and physical death, pain in childbearing for Eve, pain in physical labor for Adam, a desire to rule over and dominate each other, and being cast out of the garden.

But their sin didn’t affect them alone.  It also impacted all of creation as it was subjected to brokenness, death, and decay as well.

And it set into motion the downward spiral of mankind for the sin that had so infected and corrupted Adam and Eve has now been passed down from generation to generation.  As a result, every single human being is fallen at the core of their very being…born a sinner deserving eternal separation from God in hell.

Their one decision to rebel against God, choosing their way over His, has placed every one of us in a desperate state of need…spiritually, physically, emotionally, relationally, and morally.

And we have no way to help ourselves.  Is there any way out?  Is there any hope?  Can anything be done? 

The Good News is Yes!  While God removed Adam and Eve from the Garden because of their sin, He did leave them with a promise of rescue and hope.  It is that promise and the rescue that followed that we will examine next time as we continue our journey through the Gospel Story.
 

 
John Whaley
National Pioneer, The Rooftop US

Beyond the Walls is a weekly email to help Christ followers move beyond the walls of their church buildings, homes, comfort zones, and culture to engage those we live among with the Gospel.

Of all the stories we will share as we engage others in faith conversations, the story that must be shared is God’s Story.  The Gospel Story.

As we saw last week, The Gospel Story is not confined to the pages of the New Testament.  It is the grand narrative of Scripture, beginning in Genesis and weaving its way through the entire Bible.  Today, we begin taking a closer look at the four aspects of this amazing story!

It begins with Creation.  “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1)

As Creator, God steps into the beginning of this story and speaks—and His words are so powerful that they bring everything into existence.

And His creation was amazing.  With the power of His Word, He spoke the stars and planets and galaxies into existence.

And then He turned His attention to earth, creating a planet that would reflect the majesty of His glory and power as He created breathtaking mountains, vast oceans teeming with all kinds of sea life, plants and trees and flowers of infinite varieties that were exquisite, animals and reptiles and birds of all colors and shapes and sizes.  It was incredible.

And to this day, we still see the glory of God through His creation as we look up into the night skies and are amazed by the beauty of the stars.  And let’s not forget the majestic mountains, the breathtaking beauty of a sunset, or the simple wonder of a hummingbird.

I am reminded of the words of David in Psalm 19:1   “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”

But the most beautiful and mysterious of all His creation was man.  Unlike any other created thing, God made man in His image, breathing His very life breath into them.  He gave them personality, the ability to reason, and the ability to have a relationship with Him….to know Him, walk with Him, talk with Him, and enjoy Him.

By God’s design, all of creation was in harmony and was exactly the way it was supposed to be. The first man and woman had perfect fellowship with God, with each other, and with all creation.  Imagine living in a world with no fear, doubts, or worries.  No pain, sickness, or death.

Imagine knowing exactly who you are and what you were created for—with no lingering doubts or fears or concerns for the future. That’s what Adam and Eve had at Creation.

And that is what God desires for all of us.  To know Him.  To have a personal intimate relationship with Him.  To have life and to have it abundantly…a life filled with purpose and meaning.  That was the plan in the beginning.  But then something tragic happened and it is that something that we will look at next week.

Until then, I encourage you to read through and meditate on the first two chapters of Genesis.  Allow the glorious beauty and purity and harmony of creation capture your heart.  Celebrate the truth that God made us to know Him and share that truth with someone this week.
 

 
John Whaley
National Pioneer, The Rooftop US

Beyond the Walls is a weekly email to help Christ followers move beyond the walls of their church buildings, homes, comfort zones, and culture to engage those we live among with the Gospel.
 

As we consider the power of stories as we have gospel conversations with those who are not yet believers, we must not discount the importance of the person’s story with whom we are engaged in conversation.  For far too long, we have made sharing the Gospel a monologue in which we do all the talking with very little input from the one who is listening. 

This style of Gospel-sharing was reinforced in the 1970s and 80’s with a variety of Gospel training methods in which you learned how to present the Gospel with a set script filled with memorized Bible verses, illustrations, and transitions.  And though I found many of them quite helpful, I fear that we turned sharing the Gospel into a “sales pitch” where we would sit down with someone, unload the Gospel on them, and then awkwardly ask them for a decision.

The sharing of the Gospel should be a conversation interweaving our story, God’s story, and the story of the one with whom we are sharing.  And listening to their story is vital in connecting with them.  When we listen, we communicate to them that we care; that we want to know them and build a relationship with them.

It is as we listen to their story and ask questions to find out about their family, their life experiences, and why they believe what they believe that we discover ways to speak the Gospel into their lives.  We must never forget that the essence of discipleship is moving people from unbelief to belief.  In the case of the not-yet believer, it is moving them from all the things they believe about God, life, and themselves that are not true to the truth that is revealed to us in Scripture.

And that takes time.  It doesn’t happen over a cup of coffee in one conversation.  It involves listening…listening to them and listening to the promptings of the Spirit as He guides you in how to speak the Gospel into their lives.

So...who will you listen to this week?
 

 
John Whaley
National Pioneer, The Rooftop US

Beyond the Walls is a weekly email to help Christ followers move beyond the walls of their church buildings, homes, comfort zones, and culture to engage those we live among with the Gospel.
 

For the Fame of His Name!
 
John Whaley
National Pioneer, The Rooftop US

Beyond the Walls is a weekly email to help Christ followers move beyond the walls of their church buildings, homes, comfort zones, and culture to engage those we live among with the Gospel.
 

For the Fame of His Name!
 
John Whaley
National Pioneer, The Rooftop US

Beyond the Walls is a weekly email to help Christ followers move beyond the walls of their church buildings, homes, comfort zones, and culture to engage those we live among with the Gospel.
 

 
Every follower of Christ has been called by God to be salt and light beyond the walls of their everyday lives.  We are called to live distinctive lives, lives that influence people to desire knowing the God whom we love and serve.  We are to be beacons of hope, shining the light of His grace and goodness into the darkness that many of those who live around us walk in daily.

And one of the best places to be that salt and light is in the very neighborhood where you live.  Whether you live in a subdivision or an apartment complex, God has placed you in an amazing mission field!  We are literally surrounded daily by individuals and families who need to be lifted up in prayer and cared for as we become an extension of God’s grace into their lives.  Some of them do not yet know Christ and need to hear the Gospel.  Others know Christ and need to be discipled.  And all of them need to be loved.

But in order for us to do that, we have to move beyond the walls of our homes.  Unfortunately, we have succumbed to the mindset of our culture, making our homes places we retreat to after a day of work instead of becoming a place into which we invite our neighbors and from which we engage our neighborhood.  And I am as guilty as anyone of giving into that silo mentality that is keeping us from joining Jesus in what He is doing in the lives of our neighbors.

I am working on changing that in my life and I challenge you to do so as well if you find yourself living in a silo in the midst of other silos.   But that leads to a critical question:  “Where do I begin?” 

Answer:  BlessEveryHome.com.  Bless Every Home is a powerful tool that will help you to know your neighbors by name and develop a missional strategy to pray for them, care for them, share the Gospel with them, and disciple them.  And it’s free!  All you have to do is go to their website and sign up.  Once you sign up, you will be able to choose how many of your neighbors you want to adopt to pray for and begin building relationships with. 

After signing up and choosing your “mission field”, you will see a Google map showing you where each neighbor lives in relation to your home.  You will also have access to a list you can print out and each day you will receive an email with the names of five neighbors to specifically pray for by name.

In addition, you will have access to a library of great resources to help you develop a strategy in connecting with your neighbors through their Train and Grow link.

So what are you waiting for?  It is time to move beyond the walls!  Sign up this week and begin praying for each of your neighbors by name.  And as you pray, begin asking God to show you ways to connect with them.

For the Fame of His Name!
 
John Whaley
National Pioneer, The Rooftop US

Bless Every Home Introduction:

https://vimeo.com/207298856

Beyond the Walls is a weekly blog to help Christ followers move beyond the walls of their church buildings, homes, comfort zones, and culture to engage those we live among with the Gospel.

If we are to effectively live “beyond the walls” engaging people with the Gospel where we live, work and play, it is critical that we see them as God sees them.  It is critical that we are sensitive to the whispers of the Holy Spirit as He prompts us in who to engage and what to say.  It is critical that we “keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25).

And the only way that can happen is through prayer.  Not prayer on the run.  Not prayer in the car on the way to work or your next appointment.  Not prayer only when a crisis hits.  Not prayer only when we feel like praying. 

What I am talking about is daily setting aside time to press into the heart of God, seeking His face over an open Bible.  And then living each day in conversational intimacy with God out of the overflow of that daily one-on-one time with the Father.

The reality is that most Christ-followers never spend daily time with the Lord in prayer including pastors and ministry leaders.  Why?  While I could list several reasons as to why this is so, let’s focus on the primary reason.

The reason many of us struggle with prayer is that we misunderstand the very nature of prayer.  We see prayer primarily as coming to God with our list of needs and wants and the needs and wants of others. 

And while petition and intercession are vital aspects of prayer, this is not where prayer begins.  We have made prayer transactional.  God desires prayer to be relational.  The heart of prayer is communion with God.  The purpose of prayer is knowing God. 

In Ephesians 1:16ff, Paul shares with the church in Ephesus how he is praying for them.  As you read through those verses, it is obvious that the heart of his prayer is that the eyes of their hearts would be opened to how great and good and glorious God is; to know Him intimately.

And it is out of that worship-fueled communion with God that our petitions and intercessions flow as we pray with hearts tuned to His heart, His voice, His will.

So let me ask you – how is your prayer life?  Do you spend daily time with the Lord?  If not, I encourage to begin by spending 15 minutes every day with God.  Make it simple.  Sit down with an open Bible, read a devotional thought based on the Word of God (my favorite is My Utmost for His Highest), and spend time praising God for who He is, thanking Him for His love for you, declaring your love for Him, and sharing with Him the burdens of your heart. 

Develop the discipline of daily time with God.  And as you do, I promise that over time the discipline will become a delight.