Heaven without Jesus

Jesus, I want to love you so much I desire you more than this earth. I want my heart to desire you and not simply the things you give me through the cross or the things you promise in my heavenly home. I want to know that my heart would want nothing of heaven's beauty if you were not there. I want to know that you would not need to wean me from this earth the hard way because I would happily leave any comfort this world offers me to be with you. I want my heart to be more concerned with what you are to me instead of what you did for me. I want your cross to daily be more than a utility and instead focus on the beauty of the One who died  upon it. I want to stay awake and long for your coming instead of being comfortable and sleepy where I am.

I want all these things and regret that my heart does not always often live and act the same way.

You are my greatest love, and I want to live in such a way that I do not lie.

Prayer is the Relationship

It seems I do everything else more than I pray when I should be praying more than anything else. And being a pastor just means I have gone pro at this misdirection. Many of us are excellent organizers, promoters, strategists, leaders, but we are poor pray-ers. Many of us rely on our gifts and talents instead of God who gave those gifts and talents, and that reliance and power is in prayer. Where there is little prayer there is little power.

Prayer is not an element of our relationship with God. Prayer IS your relationship with God. [Tweet That]

Do I want a powerful new relationship with God? Do I hunger and thirst for deeper spiritual filling and vibrant ministry. I can go nowhere God is not already (Ps. 139:7-12). I cannot escape his presence, but I can entirely miss him.

God, allow my heart to be affected by this word.

Instant

"For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary." -Galatians 6:8-9

My tendency in prayer and seeking God is to sow now expecting to reap now. How often I have prayed with hopes God will answer my prayer immediately? How often I have sought after God in an instant and grown tired of waiting for him to answer?

When you plant a seed (sow), you do not get the fruit (reap) that night with a little water. You get the final product after months of daily watering and cultivating.

Seek God and His Spirit today.... and tomorrow and every day

You will reap what you sow in prayer and spirit but you must keep praying and seeking for something you will one day reap when God says it is ready