Does God Answer Prayer (Part 3)

I feel the need to answer two common reasons why people don't pray:  

• I feel like prayer is not for me
• I don't have time to pray - I am so busy

For those who feel like prayer is not for them - I simply have to say that Jesus Christ spent a great deal of time in prayer (you can see this as you read through the gospels - especially Mark and John) and Jesus was God in the flesh!  

He felt compelled to pray to stay in a close relationship with His Heavenly Father.   So as imitators of Jesus - this should be a large part of our lives and should help us to stay in tune with our Heavenly Father!  

Additionally, the Word of God teaches us that our prayer is a fragrant and pleasant aroma to God.  He enjoys them as he would enjoy a pleasant smelling candle!

In answer to the idea that you are too busy to pray - I want to propose that maybe you just see no value in it therefore you choose not to do it.  

I find a principle to be so true in my life and in the lives of those I spend much time around.  This is the principle:

You find time, in fact, you MAKE time, for what is important to you!

When something seems to be of value to me or seems to be important. I make time to see it happen. My wife is important to me - therefore, I make time to spend time with her.  I put many things of lesser value aside to be with my bride!  I say "NO" to many things in order for Cari and I to be together and enjoy activities together!

I thoroughly enjoy hunting and being outdoors.  When the right seasons come around. I adjust my schedules as much as possible to spend time in the woods enjoying the beauty of the creation of God while hunting for food!

I completely love that I actually get paid to spend time leading the Osceola Grace family.  I know that ministry has its struggles but it has so many more rewards as we grow together and see others come to faith in Jesus and choose to follow Him with their lives! 

Therefore - I want to make time in my schedule for people.  To pour into them and to encourage them and to do life together with them!

We have time for what is important to us.

Sometimes when my son, Clint, hears someone say something that he thinks may not be completely true or an exaggeration he says, 

"I am callin' Shenanigans!"  

That means that he is saying that he does not believe you and there is more to the story or you are just not being honest.  It is sort of like saying - "Prove it!"  Because if he calls "Shenanigans" on you he then expects you to do what you say.

So, if you say that you are not praying because you are too busy then I want to call "Shenanigans" on you.  

I would like you to prove to me that you are too busy - that you do not have any time in your schedule to spend some time praying.  Because if we look at your schedule and find that there are not extra minutes in the day for you to pray - I will help you say "NO" to a few things so that you can say "YES" to a personal conversation with the God of the Universe - Your Heavenly Father - who wants to hear from you. In fact, He longs to hear from you!

Don't waste time doing all of the busy work - get to your knees and pray to God!