Prayer

As I was communing with God last night I was reminded of the power and importance of prayer. What we call "The Lord's Prayer" in particular. I was impressed that I don't put enough emphasis on prayer in my life and as a result see less and feel worse than I should. I was reminded of the entire scripture taken in context and with Jesus' extended teaching on the subject. My spirit focused on The Kingdom, Bread and Importunity. Jesus is the Kingdom, heaven is his heart! Jesus is the Bread. I need to step up my importunity and He'll manifest the present reality of His presence on earth through His church His body of believers.

Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” And he said to them, “When you pray, say:
 “ Father, hallowed be your name.
 Your kingdom come.
 Give us each day our daily bread,
and forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation.”

And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (Lk 11:1-13).

Grace and Peace,

Ed

THE BOOKENDS OF SUCCESS

The idea for this post came to me from an e-mail subscription to Leadership Wired a ministry of John Maxwell http://www.injoy.com/.

Great leaders understand the two bookends of success: starting and finishing. We generally think about them in terms of doing a task or project. However, what's true in our approach to projects is also true in our approach to each day. How we spend our mornings and evenings has a tremendous bearing on the course of our leadership.

Our mornings and evenings are just about the only times of the day where we can have control over what we do with our time. I try to isolate the first and last half hour of each day for my communion with God. I start my morning remembering who God is, who He says I am, and what He has sent me to do for that particular day. It is a prayerful, meditative strategy session.

I try each day to make Jesus the first one I talk to. During this time, I allow no interruptions, and I isolate myself from distractions. I do not permit myself to strategize years down the road or to project my thoughts months into the future. Rather, I narrow my focus to the upcoming 24 hours. I ask myself: "Just for today, how can I be a success?" Viewing life in 24-hour increments, I place a premium on each day. I try to make each one the best possible!

During the evening, I reflect on my day. By reflecting, I translate my day's experiences into learning opportunities. This process solidifies in my mind the lessons I've discovered or bits of knowledge I've uncovered. Reflecting also gives me the space to assess my progress on the goals I made during the morning.

Relaxation is another important part of my evening routine. I make a point to put my leisure time into activities that replenish me by refueling my energy. For me, such activities include spending quality time with my wife, reading a book, or studying Scriptures. Relaxation puts me in a good emotional state, lifts my spirits, and reminds me of the joys of life. My last half hour is devoted to time with God. Sitting or laying out in His Presence, waiting on Him, loving Him and casting all my cares on Him because he cares for me and will instruct me in throughout the night!

When I neglect to carve out time in the morning to meet with God and plan my day, I notice adverse effects. First, I don't live my day on purpose. Instead of choosing where to invest my time, I cede control of my schedule to whatever circumstances happen to arise. Second, I squander my energy. Since I don't have clear goals for my day, I float from one activity to another without getting anything done. Finally, when I skip my morning meditation, I feel overwhelmed. If I don't focus my attention, the weight of my numerous involvements begins to drag me down.

When I am not intentional about setting aside evening time to meet with God and for relaxation, I encounter negative symptoms, too. First, I get uptight. My times of reflection and relaxation act like valves that release stress from my life. If I don't guard those times, I get tense, my thoughts are more negative, and my health suffers. Second, I lose passion. My leisure times fuel me. If I am not intentional about putting time into my favorite activities, then life loses its luster. Third, I miss chances to grow. When I don't reflect on the meaningful moments from each day, I rob myself of the benefits of experience.

Yesterday is gone, and tomorrow is out of reach. That's why today matters. Leaders who value each day know the importance of starting well and finishing strong. By mastering the bookends of success, leaders position themselves to make an impact every day.

One of the greatest leaders to ever live wrote, "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success". Josh.1:8. Give God your mornings and evenings and watch what happens!

Grace and Peace,

Ed