From the Word:  Mindset for prayer (from I Peter 4:7-11)
”The end of all things is near; therefore be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.”  (I Peter 4:7 NASB)

Lord, may I do what You want me to do in this regard! I want to serve You in all things, and prayer is a key.  Even in my phone call the other day prayer was mentioned as a key element in seeing You bring into being things that do not exist.

Why does Your Word not present my daily concerns as a higher priority?  HA!  The wisdom of Your word!  It must be because You speak to us about the things that are truly important - being sound in judgment, being sober in spirit, being fervent in love (vv7-8).  And I want to align my thinking with You and Your Word (isn’t this being “sound in judgment”?) in order to serve You and trust You with my life and my usefulness in Your Kingdom.

How important it is to keep myself immersed in Your Word!  Only then will I be able to trust my judgment as I face (and fend off) the wisdom of the world, which is foolishness in Your sight (I Corinthians 1:20).  I want to have Your mind, Lord; I want to take every thought captive to obedience to You, and for my desires to be driven and based upon a desire for goodness (II Thessalonians 1:11).  If my desire was for goodness, then I would pursue You with greater energy and determination, wouldn’t I?  Am I doing that, or am I puttzing around with concerns of insignificance and ending up with a life of mediocrity and little impact?

Lord, I want to be compelled by a desire for obedience and goodness, and to see my desire lived out in works of faith with Your power!  But it must start with prayer.  And to be in the right mindset for prayer, I must be sound in judgment and sober in spirit.  Which comes first? I think desire comes first.  My desire for goodness will direct my focus and my energy to be sound in judgment and sober in spirit.

O for prayer to be a high purpose and calling for me, as it was for the twelve in Acts 6:4.  And yet, who am I to think that I shouldn’t be one who frees up others in order for them to be devoted to prayer and the ministry of the Word?  May I simply have a servant’s heart, Lord, as vv10, 11, to serve others as a good steward of Your grace, and serve by the strength which You supply.  May my service be honoring to You and help others in both tangible and eternal ways! Amen.

Please pray with us:
I just finished praying through several email updates from friends who are currently serving on the foreign mission field.  There was a time in my life that I imagined I would “be spending most of the rest of my life overseas,” as I used to say.  I am thankful that through the years there have been a steady stream of missionaries visiting our local ministries who cast a vision and heart for those who have never heard the name of Jesus. 

I was reminded earlier this week how focused The Navs have been on missions in other parts of the world.   On The Navigator’s Prayer Blog the most recent post has to do with the transfer of responsibility of the position of the Director of our U.S. International Ministries Group (USIMG).

Please pray with us that we will keep our hearts focused on needs in other parts of the world, even if we don’t go ourselves.  “For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.”  “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” (Luke 19:10; Matthew 28:19).