the man in the window: September 2012

Friday, September 28, 2012

power praying and the praying ground

David Chotka quotes Tozer's turn of phrase --'The Praying Ground' in his book

'Power Praying.'

What is the Praying Ground? It is the fertile soil in which effective prayer

grows. It is the medium. Seeds of prayer cast there grow into something so

much more. But what is it.

A heart that is willing to hear.

A will determined to obey.

John said, "we receive from him anything we ask, BECAUSE

-- we obey his commands AND do what pleases Him.

1 John 3:22

Why do we get anything we ask? Because if we are living to obey His commands

and seeking to do what pleases Him, if that is our life orientation. Can we ask

for things that would not bring him Glory?

Could it be the church sees so little answered prayer sometimes because we are

no where near the praying ground?

A heart that is willing to hear.

A will determined to obey.

The praying ground.

Bruce D. Rzengota
Norwalk Alliance Church

"I have one passion: it is He, He alone." Count Zinzendorf

Thursday, September 20, 2012

MAN IN THE WINDOW -- Leaders Lead in the River

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The Man in the Window

Musings on Life and Leadership

Bruce Rzengota

Lead Pastor Norwalk Alliance Church

September 20, 2012

Leaders Lead in the River

I recently challenged my leadership team, our elders, and our workers, to try and learn what it means to pray as a leader.

We're discovering some things already.

One leader has noted that people, who in the spring were experiencing great movements of the spirit of God, are under considerable attack today.
Another noted that while he prays often, praying just ten minutes as a leader was a battle.
I'm learning that without a plan to pray, I don't do a lot of praying.

Early this morning as I met in my Prayer Place, I learned something else. I had a vision (yeah, I know I don't make that claim often) of a strong picture of prayer unfolding before me.

First, I saw prayer like I often see it. river

Prayer was like trying to wade into a mighty river of circumstances that rages and flows and trying to get God to change the course of that mighty river to fit my hopes, my requests, my dreams, my wants, my desires (you caught the my thing, didn't you). There you stand struggling against the currents flowing by.

AND. . . I admit, sometimes prayer is like that. Sometimes we do have to wade into such a river and pray for circumstances to change.

BUT. . .

Today I saw prayer different.

Today I saw the river, that same mighty river, as a torrent of God's activities, God's grace, God's movement in the land. It was the river of life surging ahead, directed and ordered by God, turning and twisting according to His activities, His desires, His wants, His dreams. Today I saw prayer as wading into that river and being caught up and flowing with what God was doing in the land.

Wow, did that change my prayer.

Wade into the river.

Rev. 22:1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.

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