Series The Sacrifice of Growth

How deep is your prayer.

Colossians 4:2 NRSV

Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving.

Talk about the sermon series and why growth is a sacrifice.

The sacrifices of growth we will be hearing from God on has to do with Spiritual Discipline and the levels that come with the discipline. Spiritual disciplines exercise our spirit, mind, and emotions so that we become closer to God. They help us see His will for our lives more clearly so that we can live the life He desires for us. The more we practice these disciplines, the better we get at them, and the stronger we make our faith.

Today I want to share with you a thought to help us begin to examine our own discipline walk with Christ. I want us to think about today, how deep is your prayer?

In our scripture today we are reading a letter from Paul to the people of Colosse giving instruction on how the home is to live in Christ, how they are to live in Christ and not to conduct themselves like those they live around by wisely and having a speech of grace. Verse 2 tells of of one spiritual discipline that is the most important one you need to have in order to hear from God what he want you to do and how he requires you to live as a follower of Christ. How deep is your pray?

Prayer is the closest you will get with Christ as this is part of a relationship that takes time and should not be rushed if you want to hear from him. The same way we hold conversation with someone we are connected to and care for you will spend hours talking about any and everything. We must devote ourselves to prayer in order to live a life unto God. This is a sacrifice of growth. Growth is not an easy process at times especially when it come to Spiritual discipline and the commitment it takes to stay on task daily and to stay alert to what God is doing and how he is moving while always giving thanks even when our situations seem bleak.

So why do we start our with prayer? Why is it important to have a prayer life that goes deeper thank a five minute prayer? Pray is important in the discipline because this is the only way we have to communicate with Jesus and the father. It is a must that this be a part of your life daily and set aside at least 1 hour of our 24 hour day to speak to the Lord and not just speak but to listen and watch with your natural and spiritual eyes what God is saying to you to do.

This life of prayer will open up the windows of heaven so that we may see the goodness of the Lord. Prayer makes us stronger in our faith so that we may live amongst the world with power and a steadfastness to proclaim the word of the Lord. When we prioritize prayer and make it a conscious effort to find a place of solitude this sacrifice of growth will become like second nature. I ask again, how deep is your prayer. We can no longer if we want to grow deeper in God give him shallow prayers or prayer of urgency. When we allot time to God in prayer they are stored up in the heavenly realm so when we call on our Father he will hear us and come to see about us and send his angels to come and cover us. We can’t withdraw from prayer and never make any deposits. Prayer is a deposit of relationship with Jesus. This is signs of adoration to the Lord and only to him. It has nothing to do with you or with, it has all to do with the love you truly say you have for Jesus. He died so that we may live in right relationship with him and follow his teachings that he taught the disciples who later became the Apostles of Christ to teach us how to live and grow in Christ.

This is our first Sunday after the resurrection of Jesus Christ and now we travel to Pentecost. In the journey to the birth of the church the people of God went through some sacrifices of growth. It did not feel good and they did know what was coming next. Yet they knew to pray to the Father and follow his commandments that had been given to them.

How deep is your prayer? Are you willing to sacrifice at least 1 hour to Christ in prayer and the study of his word so that you will now how to live in him and give him all praise when you hear or see the works of God manifest itself in your life? Let’s go deep church in our prayers to God and let’s watch him move in ways that will blow our minds. I don’t know about you, but I am looking for God to answer some prayers. I am not worried about for the word tells us in Philippians to be anxious for nothing but through prayer and supplication, giving thanks unto him. I am looking for miracles to take place when I pray to God and him to move when he hears my voice cry out to him with joy, pain, and even tears. I believe the God I serve is the God of all hope. He is a God that will never fail you, yet you have to give him something work with and that sacrifice of growth today is in your prayer. It is not going to be easy but it is a mandate and a discipline that has to grow within you with the help and the power of God. This is a discipline we cannot take for granted. So I challenge you this day and everyday up until Pentecost to set a side an hour a day or if you do more than that already increase and watch God release whatever as you bound. Sickness, depression, stress, worry, money issues, family issues, marital issues, children issues. Sacrifice yourself unto God in prayer and watch your growth.

How deep is your prayer!