Learning To Pray

James 5:16
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

Tomorrow night will be our 5th session of "Doing the Stuff:101".
We've laid a foundation for the simple truth that we all have been commissioned to be the arms, legs, voice and heart of Christ here on earth.
We have been given the authority and power to do His works.
This comes through the inner working of God's Holy Spirit in each believer.

I find it strange that society, and even the church, places great emphasis on intellect when it comes to the kingdom of God. Now, I'm not against seminaries or colleges. I'm not against someone trying to better themselves for kingdom work. What I am against is the very thought that a person is a second class (sometimes even third class) believer because they don't have a degree. Such thought and behavior creates a division in the body of Christ. We wind up with the "have's" and the "have not's". To be honest with you, I hate the term "Lay" people. Most churches use it to describe those who are not ordained or licensed to pastor. I don't see it that way....We are the body of Christ. We all have a roll to play in this kingdom work that has been given to us. 

Seems to me that Jesus kind of laid down the principals for who can work in His kingdom.
Matthew 5:13 - "You are THE salt of the the earth."
Matthew 5:14 - 'You are THE light of the world."
Kind of funny that Jesus didn't say that we were these two elements if we have a college degree. He stated the kingdom principal that all who come to Him has the authority and power to influence and bring change to their corner. As Wimber so aptly stated..."Everyone Gets To Play".  

Tomorrow night, at DTS:101, we will begin to look at prayer.
What is it? Why should we utilize this idea of communication with God?
Why does God answer some prayers, while others seem to float around in the atmosphere unanswered? Of course, in our case, when we talk about prayer, we are referring to the communication between us and God as we are serving others. Praying for the sick. Praying for those who are oppressed and under bondage. What we aren't doing is learning a new way to make our shopping list of needs to God work more effectively so we can get everything we think we need. 

Always keep in mind that when I refer to "Doing The Stuff", I am referring to our role in the kingdom work of Christ. It is all about us serving the people we come in contact with everyday. We are learning to get outside of our own self so we can reach out, in the name of Jesus, and bring healing to a hurting world. Sounds lofty doesn't it? Well, to be truthful, it is. I'm telling you that if you pray for one person and see them healed, or come to know Jesus, you're hooked. It is a Holy Spirit high unlike anything you've ever experienced.

DTS:101 -- tomorrow night.
7 p.m.
Downtown Gadsden on Broad Street - Between 4th and 5th streets.
See you there.

God on you...
michael b.