Are You Fully Charged? Charging?

I set my phone to charge last night. Or, at least I thought I did.

When I connected my phone to the cord, my device emitted a small beep.  This noise, along with a tiny light and a slight vibration, indicated that the device was connected to the power cord.  I left the phone on my nightstand and went about my evening routine without a second thought.

When I got up the next morning, I checked my device – UGH 3%!  With a full day ahead of me, a drained phone battery definitely would not work!

After a thorough investigation, I quickly discovered what went wrong.

Check the power source.

I knew that in certain areas of our home, some of the outlets were connected to the light switches on the wall. When the light switch is in the ‘on’ position, power flows from the switch to the outlet.  Anything plugged into that outlet receives power.  I took a look at the switch, and the power was on.  So that wasn’t the problem.

I then examined the device. The indicator displayed a lightning bolt beside the battery icon suggesting that the device was, in fact, receiving energy. That was strange because even though it looked like the device was receiving power, the battery still did not receive a full charge overnight as I had expected.

Check the connection.

Just when I thought I had checked everything, I took a closer look at the end of the power cord.  I discovered that the end piece that connected to my phone was broken.  This damaged segment, as minuscule as it was, played a major role in the failure of my device to fully charge.  Because I did not notice this seemingly minor detail, I forfeited the benefit of a perfectly charged device.

Small Breaks in Our Faith Walk

How many times do we, as Team Jesus, think that we are doing all of the right things when it comes to our walk with God?

Attending church every Sunday? Check!

Volunteering and serving the community in love? Check!

Supporting the vision of our ministry leaders? Check!

It appears that we are ‘good Christians’, and to the outside world we are doing everything right.  We feel like we have done our due diligence and our consciences are clear. But, when we survey our lives we may have spent a lot of time for God, but zero time with God.

Like the dying cell phone, we have the appearance of being connected to our Power Source.  Though our little lights are shining, we’ve been so busy with our own agendas and our daily routines, we hardly notice that our prayer life has been lacking and set aside.

A Time to Get a Prayer Through

Honestly, Team, when was the last time you prayed? I mean, really prayed?

Was it for an emergency?

Perhaps there was a crisis situation?

Did life catch you off guard?

Recharge Your Prayer Life

The concept of ‘getting a prayer through’ speaks to us being AWOL in our relationship with God.

If you’ve recently found yourself spiritually drained, here are a few ways to recharge your prayer life.

Set an appointment.

Make meeting with God in prayer the first priority of your day. Set an alarm on your (fully charged) cell phone as a reminder of your new daily appointment.

You would never think to stand up a business associate – so do not skip this most important time with God.  Before you speak to anyone else, take the time to talk to God first.  Remember, time spent with God is never wasted!

Prepare a Place.

Set a designated meeting place for your time of prayer.  To ensure that you are not distracted, prepare the space ahead of time. Make the space somewhere comfortable and inviting.  You may want to have your Bible, a notebook and a few writing utensils and highlighters available. You may use these supplies to record the thoughts and ideas that you receive from God during your time of prayer.

If you don’t know what to pray for, Romans 8:26-27 reminds us that the Holy Spirit will make intercession for us.  The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness and will guide us in our prayer.

A Formula for Prayer

Try following the ACTS model of prayer. This acronym is a simple way to help you grow in your prayer life.  Follow each letter to accomplish one specific aspect of prayer:

Adoration

Open your prayer with admiration and reverence. There are many chapters in Psalms that will assist in this part of your prayers.

Confession

This is where we admit to God our failures and short-comings.  Though He already knows them, it is during this time that we acknowledge our need for God’s power to change our hearts. When we ask for His forgiveness, He is faithful to forgive our sin (1 John 1:9).

Thanksgiving

Expressions of gratitude for God’s faithfulness are always in order.  The recognition of what God has done in our lives opens our hearts to gratefulness.

Supplication

This is where we lay our requests before the Lord.  We pray for our needs as well as the needs of others.

Practice praying out loud.  This will help you stay focused and alert while you are in prayer. And, don’t forget to give God space to speak to your heart while you listen.

Even though you may not have been faithful in prayer in the past, the word of the Lord in Deuteronomy 4:29 promises us that if we seek the Lord we will find Him. Contrary to what you may believe, God is not angry with you. Just as you are searching for God, He is also seeking you.  John 4:23 reminds us that God is looking for true worshippers.

So, What’s the Play Call?

Our lives demand that we stay alert and that we operate for God at 100%.

Turn the power on through prayer and be sure to double-check your connection!

What are some things that cause a disconnection from our Source?