Who are you praying for by Travis Moffitt

There is a question that has been heavy on my mind this week: How much of my prayer time is spent praying for me and my needs and how much is spent praying unselfishly for others?  Don't get wrong, I do pray for other people.  But when I take inventory of those others I find that they are typically people in my immediate life circles.  I pray for my wife and my son.  I pray for my extended family and ministry co-workers.  What I'm asking is how often do I spend quality time praying for others who can not or do not give something back to me.  How much of my prayers, either directly or indirectly, are "me" focused and how much are truly "them" focused?

On the mission field this seems much easier.  When I'm in Honduras or in a prison, I'm there for the people who live there.  I arrived at that place to give to someone who can not give back to me.  That's the point.  Praying for that person is a natural part of the service.  Buy when I'm home and facing the normal everyday challenges of my life, I question how often does that person come to mind, or heart, or become the subject of my devine petition.  This is the challenge of seperatoon.  Out of sight out of mind; out of prayer.

Another challenge is the challenge of judgment.  Yesterday I observed a father dealing with his young son.  I must say that I did not personally approve of his actions.  Being a new dad myself, I began to think, "How could he treat his son that way?   I will never do that to my son."  What incredible judgement.  Instead of simply praying for that man I began to decide how much of a better father I must be.  Lord please forgive me.

Mother Teresa once said, "If you judge people, you have no time to love them."   

I believe we could also say that if we love people, we have no time to judge them.  What better way to show love than to simply pray.  When we unsefishly lift up another person in prayer I believe we are expressing one of the greatest forms of love we can display.  Not to mention the fact that it sets our heart right in our view of the other person and ourselves.

If Jesus is our model then we must ask, "How is Jesus praying today?"   The Bible teaches that Jesus now sits at the Fathers right hand making intercession for us.  What an amazing thought.  The idea that Jesus is praying for me right now is amazing.  I am certainly not in a position to give anything back to Him.  His gifts to me are everything and all that I have to offer is nothing, yet He speaks to the Father on my behalf.  Asking for my provision, covering my sins, lifting me up before my God.  I thank God everyday for His kindness.  His prayers sustain me.

How Do You Pray by Travis Moffitt

I read a recent statistic that while most of the US population knows about Twitter, only a very small percentage of the population actually uses it's short message service. That was a surprising fact as it seems lately everybody and their grandmother is tweeting their every step. I myself am accustomed to posting my latest blog, ministry activity, photos of my son, and where to get a good meal.Sure seems like a lot is being said in 140 characters or less.
 
I wonder though, how many of the millions of tweets out there actual equate to a genuine and heartfelt message?  I wonder in our masses of short statements, if we are actually touching another life or just talking?
 
I wonder the same questions for our prayers?  Don't get me wrong, I don't believe that prayers have to be long to be meaningful. They just have to be from our hearts. When we pray, even a short prayer, God desires that we actually open ourselves up to Him. He craves the deepest places in us so that He can live through us.
 
Jesus understood this. Jesus prayed this way. On the cross Jesus cried out to God, His Father, "About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”–which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)
 
While this brief message would fit the requirements of Twitter, it packs more honesty than any tweet I've ever read. Jesus was crying out from His most genuine place of need. He was being totally honest in His prayer. There was no sugar coating this one. He didn't add any knowledge of life or scripture stating the God would never leave Him. He didn't try to justify His feelings. He simply cried out.
 
When was the last time you cried out to God?  What was going on in your life the last time you simply and most honestly exposed your heart to you Heavenly Father?  Maybe this week. Maybe never. God desires a genuine relationship with each one of us where we can be free to expose our hearts without fear or shame. If Jesus could be so vulnerable, then surely we can as well.
Travis Moffitt

The Spirit Is Willing by Travis Moffitt

41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
There are several reasons in the Bible given as cause for prayEr  We are to pray for the sick.  We are to pray for our needs.  We are to pray for God's will to be done on earth.  We are told to pray without ceasing and we are told to pray in the Spirit.  Here the disciples are instructed to pray so that they do not fall into temptation.  When I was reading this passage I began to wonder what temptation specifically Jesus was speaking of. 

 

In the next few verses we see Jesus dealing with a temptation of His own.  It's an odd thought to me to think of our Lord being tempted.  The Bible tells us however that He was tempted in every way.  So what was His temptation here.  I believe it was to leave the ministry.  Look at His prayer: If there be another way, let this cup pass from me.  In other words, "Father, I know this is a good work and know that you have called me to it, but I also know that it is about to reach it's most difficult moment.   If there is another way then let's explore some options."

 

I know this was a struggle for Jesus because He went  back and prayed this same prayer 3 times.  This was not a one and done decission for Him.  He wrestled with this next step for some time and with some great anguish, to the point that His sweat was drops of blood. 

 

Jesus knew that victory in the fight ahead actually lay in His prayers at that moment.  He also knew the same was true for His beloved disciples.  He knows the same is true for you and I.

As we love one another and reach out to this world, the temptation is sure to come (in fact for many it's already arrived) to look for another way.  A few passages later, when the mob arrived the disciples responded without the decisive prayer battle having been won.  Peter pulled a sword and sliced off an ear. Judas offered the kiss of betrayal.  The others stood amazed an then they all scattered.  Jesus, having already won, offered Himself freely.

 

What will you do when times are tough in your walk with the Lord?  What will I do?  We face challenges daily here at WVIW.  Challenges that are new and seemingly more difficult than ever.  We must pray that we do not fall into temptation.  

 

The truth is that our Father has called you and I me to a great work.  He has called us to gather His people together and then GO.  GO to a world that is lost and dieing dying without Him.  To GO to Neglected & Forgotten People.  Whether they are locked in a prison cell or living on a beach in the remote reaches of the earth.  We are called to Reach them with the Gospel. 

At WVIW we believe that our greatest and most challenging days lie ahead.  We believe also that the same God who called us has also already made a way to victory.  And that way is through prayer. 

 

Will you join us?  Will you keep watch with us for an hour?  We will pray for you, and we invite you to pray for us and together we will offer ourselves to the world without reservation.