Building Relationship

FYI Facebook friends–in light of the events of the last few weeks I have published my Back 9 posts on my personal wall. I have done this for two reasons:
1) some people have inboxed me saying they can no longer find the Back 9 page and I have no idea why.
2) Many people who are my friends are not Back 9er’s and therefore not on my Back 9 page. Everyone wanted updates on Brewer, our eldest son, so I decided to post on my personal wall.

Eventually I will take these kind of “spirit-filled” posts back to my Back 9 page. So if you are interested, search for Back 9 Ministries and “Like” the page. It should pop up on your newsfeed…I hope! You can also subscribe through the website, back9ministries.org. The website will send posts directly to your email account.

For now I will continue posting on my personal page. I want to keep my personal Facebook page social and I hope that I have not upset any of my friends who don’t care for my spiritual side. You can unfriend me if necessary. I will love you anyway.

It sometimes bothers me when people say, “Prayer works!” I’m not sure what they mean. I am hoping they don’t mean that praying to God is like “rubbing a bottle” with God being like a genie who blinks and gives you what you pray for. Prayer to me is, yes, talking, making requests and praising God but it is also listening to Him as well. All GREAT relationships are a “two-way street” of communication so I believe the first priority of prayer is for building a STRONG relationship between me/you and God.

As I have developed my “prayer life,” it has become so vital to me. If I don’t get enough time to pray and sit and listen, I am miserable…and empty…and feel lost. As I have grown in my PERSONAL relationship with God I have realized that, just like in any other relationship, no one can build it for you. YOU have to build your own relationship with God. Our kids can’t inherit my relationship with Christ. I can’t give them that.

In my Back 9, this is my daily, overriding prayer for our children…that they would have a deep, strong relationship with Christ and would go to Him with things way before they come to me. Often times now, when they ask me what I think, I will say…”What did God say to you?” I want them to understand…HE is their source for EVERYTHING…and He will show them and wants to show them. Of course God tells us in scripture to seek “wise counsel,” but first and foremost…I want God to be their Go To PERSON!

I love the scripture that says, “With God all things are possible.” So true. But we need to understand while all is “possible,” it might not be “His will!” Scripture also teaches that “nothing is too hard for God.” Very true as well. But often times when we pray and make requests known to Him, it isn’t that anything is too hard for Him, it’s just that it may not be His will.

As I pray for anything and I talk to God about everything, I always want to end with, “If it be YOUR WILL!” Knowing in my heart, if I don’t receive the things I have asked for, then I know God has a different plan. A better plan. When all is said and done, not my will but His is what matters.

I’m not saying this kind of praying is easy but going to God in prayer and acknowledging that He is God and, of course, that we want His best, even if it doesn’t make human sense to us is where we need to be/stay in our prayer lives. I am constantly praying to God and I praise Him, but I ask for things as well. I intercede for others in their requests and desires but I realize I do not really know what is God’s best, according to His plan, for all.

I just know He is a loving God who sent His Son to pay for the sin of those who receive Him as Lord. There is no greater act of love. Knowing this kind of love has been given to me gives me freedom to make my requests known to Him….trusting Him….no matter what His answer is. He tells us to bring everything to Him. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God,” (Philippians 4:6).

Prayer is something we must all do individually…to build, strengthen and deepen our relationship with Christ. It becomes very personal and it is there that our TRUST of His heart and His ways can give our soul rest and reassurance NO matter His answers.

“The right way to pray is to stretch out our hands and ask of One who we know has the heart of a Father.” ~Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“Do not work so hard for Christ that you have no strength to pray, for prayer requires strength.” ~Hudson Taylor

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