April 30th

The Closet Connection

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as Hit is in heaven...Amen. Matthew 6:9-13

How's your prayer life these days? Is it filled with life and life abundantly, or is it on life support?

You know, prayer is not how we think if it, like sitting on Santa's lap and giving him our wish list. No, prayer should be about God's thoughts for you, not your thoughts for Him. It should be about you coming into His presence and being overtaken, overwhelmed by His thoughts for you, filled with His dreams for you, filled for His visions for you, filled with His plans for you.

Prayer is to step you out of this world and into this eternal realm of God's purpose and destiny. It's a destiny in which you now are letting go and letting God fully take over your life, your marriage, the raising of your kids; letting Him have His way fully and completely with you.

It was about fourteen years ago that something absolutely transforming happened to my life. It actually happened in a little room that used to be off to the side in the church sanctuary, a small storage closet.

Dr. Bill Bright was the president of Campus Crusade and we had the privilege of having him come to Horizon. Between the services that weekend, Bill Bright invited me to go into that closet with him. In that small room, he looked at me and he said, Bobby, are you praying?

Wow. I'm like, Well, Bill, I pray.

He goes, No, I mean like really praying. Because, Bob, I just really sense the presence of the Lord in this church and He wants to show up and mightily move through this ministry, but He needs to have all of you. Are you praying? Are you fasting?

Long story short, I started praying. I called a small group of leaders to a forty day fast. Since that time, we've gone from two services a week to nine a week and from a fulltime staff of one or two to 152. We have a school that is packed full. Our sermons are broadcast on the radio all over the world.

All because Bill Bright taught me to pray, and to really pray. Because God is faithful and He has great big plans for Horizon, and without Him, none of these things would have happened.

God has great big plans for your life. Who knows what would start happening around you if you simply really prayed?

Prayer Lord God,

Thanks for the big plans You have for my life! I come to You today to hear from You about those plans, and whatever they are, I want them. Please come and have Your way in me and teach me to pray until Your plans become my reality.

Amen