Intentional Encouragement

     I have to say that once in a while the Lord reminds me of some simple truths that I have known and taught for years, but have let slip in practice.      I taught recently on James 4:1-3.  As I prepared and taught the Scriptures, I was reminded of a couple of important truths about prayer.      First; God is more ready to answer than we are to pray.  For all of the struggling we do to make sure things go the way we think they should...for all of the fighting or arguing or scheming or whatever else we do to try and get things accomplished; what we really need to do first (and in the middle, and last) is pray.  "You do not have because you do not ask."  Why is that so hard for us to grasp?  Why do we spend so little time in prayer?  Why do we make all of our plans and preparations and then ask God to bless it?  Perhaps the reason we do not have is that we have not really asked God.      Second (and more difficult) is the matter of our motives.  "You ask and do not r

     I know the title of this blog is "Intentional Encouragement," and I plan to end this on an encouraging note, but I was teaching this past Sunday on some doors to consider in the New Year when a passage struck me once again as it does every time I read it.  The main point was the door of fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ and with our Heavenly Father.      As I pursued what it takes to really enjoy fellowship with the Father, I talked about the words spoken to the church in Laodicea in Revelation chapter 3.  In the 20th verse, the church is told "I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot.  Would that you were either cold or hot!  So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth."      If you are a follower of Jesus, I suspect that one of your desires in this New Year is to give some consideration to your relationship with God.  Would you remember please that moderation is not something God wants from