Answers in Prayer... Coincidence? I Don't Think So!

Last Sunday an old friend came to mind. He was my very best friend through most of High School and my first year in college. We were like Mutt and Jeff, we were just always doing things together. Our college years separated us and for the last 20+ years, I have not heard from him. I made several attempts to find him but failed each time.

This past Sunday something different happened though. You see I have been putting a lot of study in to prayer (the TWO-way conversation between myself and God Almighty). I've known about talking TO God for a long time... all of my life really; but it only recently that I have come to know about seeing how God 'talks' to me.

Back to my friend. I lifted up a prayer for him last Sunday. I didn't know where he was, or even if he was living. I just felt the need to pray for him so I did. On Tuesday evening I got an email on my Blackberry from my friend! He simply said that he found my email address with a Google search on the Internet and he was wanting to say 'hi'!

He is completely on the other side of the country and now married with a young daughter. Since that first email on Tuesday, I have now seen pictures of his daughter and have spoken to him for close to an hour. What a wonderful conversation it was! I look forward to others and hopefully to once again rekindling a friendship that had long gone cold.

There are so many that would say that this was just coincidence... I thought of him and he emailed me. I am truly coming to understand the incredible power of God though. He wants and desires to have a two-way relationship with us. Yet so many times we treat Him as if He were a genie in a bottle. When we want something, we go and ask and plead with Him for it.

No, this wasn't coincidence. Yes, it was answered prayer but answered prayer sometimes is 'no' also. If we are in a right relationship with God, He indeed answers all our prayers. What I'm trying to relay to you today is that you focus first on your relationship with God and following Him wholeheartedly throughout each day. Secondly... look for the multitude of ways that God speaks to you. It may actually be audible. It may be a thought in your mind. It may come as advice from another. It may even come through a donkey speaking to you (see Numbers 22:27-31. This is a riot. I can only imagine what Balaam was thinking)!

Don't limit God in your mind and in your heart. He is without bounds or limits. His ways are not our ways and its 'OK' to not understand or find reason to the ways that He speaks to us. Just enjoy the conversation with your Creator.

Carpe Diem!

5 C's That Can Change the World (One is CONNECT)

In church last night the 5 C's came up yet again. These 5 C's are being continually brought up because Jesus was the perfect model to change the world around us. His model can be condensed to 5 C's. They are:

1. Commit - to be a growing follower of Jesus.
2. Celebrate - and live the fulfilling lifestyle.
3. Connect - to others in personal vibrant relationships
4. Communicate - the good news to everyone everywhere
5. Contribute - your time, passion, talents and possessions

I didn't like it at first when these were mentioned. Not sure why but I guess that it was probably conviction on my part. I was convicted that one of these C's was something that I didn't do and really didn't care to do.

Connect.... my bride of 26 years and I are relatively quiet people. Oh, we're pleasant around others but we enjoy each others company and are just ... well, satisfied with that. Oh yeah, I connect to my little family just fine. My two daughters, my son (in-law... whatever that means) and my daughter's boyfriend all 'connect' just fine. But this is going beyond immediate family and now I'm getting out of my comfort zone.

Throughout each day that Jesus walked this earth, he showed us the way to have vibrant and meaningful relationships. He had twelve others that followed Him and communed with Him. We catch very brief exchanges between this group in the Bible but I have often thought of what the everyday conversation sounded like. Imagine the laughter and the serious discussion times in your mind. I often have done just that. How was this connected community cultivated?

I would imagine that on top of the list would be transparency with all except Judas who obviously was not totally transparent. Lots of fellowship would have taken place, eating and just plain having fun together. They worshiped together and you know, even just wasted time together.

Do you remember some of the close friends that you had in middle (junior) high or high school? Do you remember the calls that you made to them? Could they have gone something like mine did? "Hey, Lawrence... what 'cha doin'?" "Just sitting... nothing much. How about you?" "Not a thing here. Just watching paint dry."

Why do we remember those relationships so much? BECAUSE THEY WERE MEANINGFUL IN OUR LIVES! My high school buddy Lawrence knew all about me. We went through good times and bad times together... ups and downs and we were always there for each other. That is what 'Connect' is all about.

If your church works at connecting people to each other in small groups or cell groups, please consider taking advantage of this. God did not place us here on this earth to tackle life all on our own. I'm still learning this but it is starting to sink in and I look forward to the day that I can call one or two guys on a fairly regular basis and say "Hey, what 'cha doin?" only to hear them say "Nothing... how about you?"

Blessings!