Convenience Kills

I. Convenience often does not save us in the most important ways.

I have come to the place in my life where the number one excuse I have for not doing something is simply inconvenience.

I love to bicycle but many times I talk myself out of going because I have to put my bike carrier on the jeep, make sure the tires are inflated, make sure I have water, then drive to the nearest trail. This adds about 20 to 30 min to my ride.

I like to workout but there are a couple of issues I have there too…I am not a morning person. 5:30 am is probably the time I need to be up so I can be in the gym by 6 to 6:30. That way I can be done in plenty of time to get ready for the day without having to hurry.

I would like to eat better but that means doing research and buying ingredients and foods I do not have then taking the time to cook it not even knowing if I am going to like it or not.

I know that all of these excuses seem trivial…never the less these often keep me from doing what I know I need to do. This leads to me not having the results I say I want for my health.

You could say that my pursuit of convenience over health is killing me.

We all know people whose pursuit of convenience blinds them to the beauty around them.

In our desire to save time, energy and money we often forfeit what is truly important. This is true not only in our everyday life but in our spiritual life as well.

It could be said that our pursuit of convenience over truth is killing us.

Easy answers, minimal effort, and great blessings are often the Goal of prayer.

Yet, prayer that changes us inside cannot be accomplished when it’s convenient…Prayer has to be a priority even when it is hard.

Intro into the Passage : 10.....

10 But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God. 11 Then the officials went together to Daniel’s house and found him praying and asking for God’s help. 12 So they went straight to the king and reminded him about his law. “Did you not sign a law that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions?”

“Yes,” the king replied, “that decision stands; it is an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.”

13 Then they told the king, “That man Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, is ignoring you and your law. He still prays to his God three times a day.”

14 Hearing this, the king was deeply troubled, and he tried to think of a way to save Daniel. He spent the rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament.

15 In the evening the men went together to the king and said, “Your Majesty, you know that according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, no law that the king signs can be changed.”

16 So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him, “May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.”

17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed the stone with his own royal seal and the seals of his nobles, so that no one could rescue Daniel. 18 Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and couldn’t sleep at all that night.

19 Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’ den. 20 When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?”

21 Daniel answered, “Long live the king! 22 My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.”

23 The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God.

Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

Daniel Did not flaunt his prayer He simply did not abandon it

His Enemies tried to use his faith to advance themselves

His enemies used pride to trap the king. (The King reluctantly let his pride win)

Daniel accepted penalty for faith.

Daniel trusted God…Not a scratch on Him

It would have been more convenient for Daniel to simply give in to this law and skip prayer…I means it was only 30 days.

This would not have even crossed Daniel’s mind. Daniel was not trying to make a political or social statement here…Nor was Daniel praying that the King would not find out what he was doing. Nor was he calling down fire on those that would do him harm.

He was simply doing what he always did three times a day…praying to give thanks to God. The results was God honored the relationship between Daniel and God.

The true results of prayer in not that you get what you think you want. The true result of prayer is the strengthening of your inner life which leads to the strengthening of your relationships with God and with other people.

All of the great spiritual teachers from the disciples to Modern day spiritual giants have all made prayer the Main business of their lives. For the same reason.

They all knew and know that unless there is a deep relationship with God that starts on the inside there will be no power or protection on the outside.

God does nothing but in answer to prayer —-John Wesley—

He believed this so much that he devoted at least 2 hours to prayer every day. Not because he needed to perfect his praying…but so he could develop his relationship with God.

He knew that in order to be able to see answers to his prayers he had to be in such relationship with God that Wesley would in fact know what to pray.

The reason many prayers go unanswered has nothing to do with how you pray?

The reason we so so many unanswered prayers is because the prayer request itself has become more important than the relationship with God.

During a Family meal, we don’t focus on the act of  communication or using the right words, but we focus on who we are talking to.

During a Family meal, we don’t focus on the act of  communication or using the right words, but we focus on who we are talking to.

Focusing on the method of prayer “is like looking at the windshield instead of through it. It freezes you.”

We do not pray to get what we want. We pray to give God what He wants...Us!

Us.

During this season of Easter God did everything He did not so you could have eternal life. But so He could have relationship with you and me.

As we develop our inner relationship with God our prayers become more meaningful because they are filled with thanks.

They become more meaningful because as we draw closer to God the mind of Christ begins to become our mind.

As our mind is transformed our prayers become realities because we are praying God’s will and not ours.

Let’s respond to this message by taking some time right now with eyes closed and heads bowed focused on seeing Jesus.

Picture in your mind Jesus after He has risen from the dead looking at you with eyes of piercing Love. Imagine the awesomeness of that moment…you can’t think of one thing to ask Him. All of your troubles, all of your striving all of your pain simply fall away as if they never had any effect on you.

In that moment you like Daniel will only be able to say thank you…Keep this moment in mind as you prepare to come to the Table.

Would you receive both Communion and the benediction at this time.

Guide us in the path of discipleship,

so that, as you have blessed us,

we may be a blessing for others,

bringing the promise of the kingdom near

by our words and deeds. Amen.

Slide

After you receive communion you are free to go into the world as a seeker of God not a seeker of convenience.