This is Darren Kuhn with the Masculine Journey Podcast, where we search the ancient paths to find ways that God brings light into a dark world and helps set men free from the struggles that we all face on a day-to-day basis. Your chosen Truth Network Podcast is starting in just a few seconds. Enjoy it. Share it.
But most of all, thank you for listening and for choosing the Truth Podcast Network. And now, here's James. We're going to start with a bit of a story on today's encouraging prayer.
So, James, take it away. Well, Robbie, there's an old fable that's told about a meeting of mice. A larger number of them are assembled when a mouse with excellent rhetorical skills stands on two feet and clears his throat. Something, he says, must be done about the cat.
Yes, the others agree. The cat won't stop eating us. No, he won't, responds the rhetorical mouse.
It is in his nature to hunt us, but the question is, will we be hunted? No, the other mice roar in unison, if it's possible for a mouse to roar. Something must be done, the mouse goes on. What the cat needs is a bell.
Then, whenever he stalks us, we will hear him coming. Well, as soon as he said it, cries of brilliant and inspired arose from the other mice, and then they all began to shout in unison, bell, bell, bell, bell. Silence, the rhetorical mouse responds, lifting his paw. There is just one more thing, he says. Who is going to put the bell on the cat?
Not a word was heard in response, and one by one, each mouse slowly walked away. So, a moral to this story, right? Sometimes it's easier to say something is a good idea than it is to actually do it. And if that were ever true of anything, it certainly seems to be true of prayer, James. Prayer may be easy enough to talk about, but sitting down and doing it, that can be another matter.
So today, we're going to look at how we can actually take the time to pray. But we're going to do this carefully. So James, are you going to put the bell on the cat? Are you calling me a rhetorical mouse, Ronnie? That's actually a great point.
The rhetorical mouse didn't agree to do it either, did he? As we go after this topic today, the last thing we want to come off as are people who have it all together. Prayer is a challenge for all of us, and we have to be real about this, because unless we're humble about it, then you've got to wonder whether our hearts are right when we pray at all. Look at me, Lord, I'm praying again. That sounds a little too close to a parable Jesus told about a praying Pharisee, and it didn't end well for that guy. So, as a matter of fact, that's one of the challenges of this broadcast, not doing acts of righteousness before others, you know, not just talking about it. What we really want to do is just get down to business with prayer, and before this broadcast slash podcast is over, we need to pray that we can.
That's a great idea. So what do you think we can do to really help us make time to pray, especially when we feel like we don't have enough hours in a day or even in a work time? Well, I think the best starting point is to understand that God is waiting for us. He loves us.
He longs for us to be with him. So this is actually the greatest privilege of our lives. Think of Jesus' words here, come to me and I will give you rest. The right perspective isn't, oh, I have to pray, but oh, I get to pray.
I really like that. It also reminds me of the difference praying makes in my day. If I start a day by just jumping in without taking time, which actually happened to me yesterday, I can't believe it. It rarely ever does, but it did happen to me yesterday.
It seemed like the whole day was uphill, especially by the time I got done with work, I couldn't believe the difference. I think one of the main reasons for that is that Jesus promised that he and the Father would make themselves at home with us if we walk with him. So there's this peace and this order that comes, and it's difficult to explain unless you're spending that time in prayer as you start the day. And if you don't, it's just like fielding pop flies, you know, you're running from one thing to another.
Yeah, I think it's really important to add that this doesn't have to be hours at a time, right? Being in prayer for an extended time is really good. But if you think that's the only way you can pray, you know, it may never start. I'm so glad that we're talking about this because I think a lot of people shy away from prayer because they have that picture in their mind. They hear about that guy who, oh, you know, he got up and spent three hours in the morning with the Lord. I just can't do that.
So they never start. I was talking to a young mom this week who was wrestling with this very thing, and I think the key is just do it. Even if it's only for two or three minutes, make this the priority of the way you begin the day. And one of the reasons this matters so much is it's another way of making sure we're not just running our own lives. We need to begin the day by saying, I want to live for you today, Lord, but not for me.
I'm for you, so please help me. And just starting from that standpoint of dependence makes a world of difference. Really, this is something we get to do. God is waiting for us because he loves us. Our lives will certainly be more at peace, and we'll be closer to Jesus in them. But what else can we do to take the time?
I'd say there are two other really basic things that we can do that will help. And the first is learn a short verse that will inspire you to pray. Usually you'll find it's a verse you already know because God has just used it to really speak to you, and you've already taken it to heart. One of my favorites is Psalm 18, one, I love you, Lord, you are my strength. And when I start with that one sometimes, it's like, well, do I mean it?
You know, do I really love him? I love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, mind, you know. Or another verse could be Jesus' words, peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. Or, come to me, you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. And go over a verse like that in your mind and heart, and just let that lead you into the Lord's presence, and you'll find it doesn't take long.
So what's the second thing? Well, the second thing is work on learning to pray spontaneously. When someone says to you, please pray for me about something, do it right there on the spot if you can. Ian Bounds, a great author on prayer, wrote about Charles Spurgeon. He glided from laughter to prayer with the naturalness of one who lived in both elements. With him, the habit of prayer was free and unfettered. So it's that living in both elements, you know, that's a great place to be. When we learn to pray in the little things in the moment, then I think we're getting closer and closer to where God wants us to live.
I've never heard that about Spurgeon. That is so helpful for me. I hope it is for our listeners today. And James, before we go, we're going to pray about this, so why don't you start and I'll finish. Alright, let's pray. Lord, we cannot do this unless you help us, but thank you that this is the very thing you want to do. Holy Spirit, fill us and help us and lead us in this. Lord, help us to think clearly and make this the greatest priority of our lives because you are the greatest priority of our lives. Help us to just learn to be with you more and more. And Jesus, I pray that you would bring a reminder somehow.
Say, hey, Rob, you remember me? Bring that to our hearts so that we would remember to pray and remember to spend that precious time. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. Amen. You can hear more from Pastor James by visiting his website, jamesbanks.org, or by visiting Peace Church in Durham, North Carolina. May God bless you and encourage you as you pray.
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