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“Daddy, how much farther?” It’s the single question hated most by moms and dads on a trip. Our girls loved to watch The Little Mermaid, so Denalyn and I used the movie as an economy of scale. “How long, daddy?” they asked. And we’d respond, “About as long as it takes you to watch The Little Mermaid three times!” And for a few minutes it helped. But sooner or later they’d ask again and we’d say, “Just trust me. Enjoy the trip and don’t worry about the details. I’ll make sure we get home okay.”

Sound familiar? In John 14:1-3 Jesus says, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me. . .I will come back and take you to be with me. . .” Most all of his words here can be reduced to two: Trust me! A healthy reminder when it comes to anticipating the return of Christ!

From When Christ Comes

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If you summarized your emotions regarding the return of Christ what word would you use? Discomfort…denial…disappointment…or hope? Maybe your word is discomfort. After all, the Book of Life will be opened, and names will be read. How could the thought of His return bring anything but discomfort? Maybe it’s denial? We prefer answers and explanations, and the end of time seems short on both. Or how about disappointment? A mother-to-be wants to hold her baby; an engaged couple want to be married. A soldier overseas wants to go home before he goes… home!

Discomfort. Denial. Disappointment. All possible feelings. But here is the one feeling Christ wants us to have– trust! Jesus says, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God and trust in Me” (John 14:1).

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Do you want to see a father’s face go ashen as he discovers three words on the box of a just-bought toy: Some assembly required. What follows are hours of squeezing A into B, bolting D into F, and hoping no one notices if steps four, five, and six were skipped altogether. I’m convinced the devil indwells the details of toy assembly. Somewhere in perdition is a warehouse of stolen toy parts.

Some assembly required. Not the most welcome sentence but an honest one. Life is a gift, albeit unassembled. The pieces don’t fit. When they don’t, take your problem to Jesus. He says, Bring your problems to Me!  In prayer, state them simply. Present them faithfully, and trust Him reverently!

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Psalm 34:8 says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” A glimpse of God’s goodness changes us. If He is only slightly stronger than us, why pray? If He has limitations, questions, and hesitations, then you might as well pray to the Wizard of Oz.

Psalm 68:5-6 says, God is “a father to the fatherless. He sets the solitary in families; He brings out those who are bound into prosperity.”

Pray with me!

Dear God. Today remind me today that you protect me. Be my father and defender. Defend those who’re weak and afraid and feel forgotten. Show up in their lives today. Thank you for giving me a spiritual family that can never be taken away. I pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.

At any point you’re only a prayer away from help!

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A lot of us make unnecessary messes. But we can change that. May I make a suggestion? Before you face the world, face your Father. Take this pocket prayer:

Father, You are good. Your heart is good. The words might come slowly at first, but stay at it! You are always right. The weather’s bad, the economy is bad; but God, you are awesome!

Don’t underestimate the power of this moment. You just opened the door to God and welcomed truth to enter your heart. Who knows, you might even start to worship. Is your world different because you prayed? In one sense, no. But you are different. You have peace. You’ve talked with your Father.

Here’s a prayer challenge for you!  Every day for four weeks pray four minutes; and get ready to connect with God like never before!

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Most people have small thoughts about God. In an effort to see God as our friend, we have lost his immensity. In our desire to understand him, we have sought to contain him. The God of the Bible cannot be contained. With a word he called Adam out of dust and Eve out of a bone. He consulted no committee. He sought no counsel. He has authority over the world and…He has authority over your world. He is never surprised. He has never, ever uttered the phrase, “How did that happen?”

God’s goodness is a major headline in the Bible. If He were only mighty, we would salute Him. But since He is merciful and mighty, we can approach Him. If God is at once Father and Creator, holy—unlike us—and high above us, then we at any point are only a prayer away from help!

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When my eldest daughter was 13, she flubbed her piano piece at a recital. The silence in the auditorium was broken only by the pounding of her parents’ hearts. She hurried off the stage, threw her arms around me and buried her face in my shirt. “Oh, Daddy.”   That was enough for me. At that moment I’d have given her the moon and all she said was, “Oh Daddy!”

Prayer starts here. Prayer begins with an honest, heartfelt, Oh, Daddy! Jesus invites us to approach God the way a child approaches his or her daddy. So my challenge for you is this:   Every day for four weeks, pray four minutes. Then, get ready to connect with God like never before.

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Jesus invites us to approach God the way a child approaches his or her daddy! And how do children approach their daddies? When a five-year-old spots his father in the parking lot, how does he react?

Yippee! was screamed by a redheaded boy wearing a Batman backpack as he ran to his dad.

Pop!” Over here! Push me!—yelled another little boy wearing a Boston Red Sox cap who scooted straight to the swings on the playground.

You know what I didn’t hear? Father, it is most gracious of thee to drive thy car to my place of education . Please know of my deep gratitude for your benevolence. For thou art splendid in thy attentive care and diligent in thy dedication.”

I heard kids who were happy to see their dads and eager to speak to them! God invites us to approach Him in the same manner. What a relief!

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Jesus downplayed the importance of words in prayers. We tend to do the opposite. The more words the better! We emphasize the appropriate prayer language, the latest prayer trend, the holiest prayer terminology. Against all this emphasis on syllables and rituals, Jesus says in Matthew 6:7, “Don’t ramble like heathens who talk a lot.” There’s no panel of angelic judges with numbered cards.

Wow, Lucado, that prayer was a ten. God will certainly hear you! or

Oh, Lucado, you scored a two this morning. Go home and practice!

Prayers aren’t graded according to style. If prayer depends on how I pray, I’m sunk. But if the power of prayer depends on the One who hears the prayer, then I have hope.

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Religious leaders loved to make theater out of their prayers. The show nauseated Jesus. In Matthew 6:6 He said, “When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who cannot be seen. Your Father can see what is done in secret, and He will reward you.”

The words surely stunned Jesus’ audience. The people were simple farmers and stonemasons. They couldn’t enter the temple, but they could enter their closets. What was the point?  Jesus is low on fancy but high on accessibility. You need not woo him with location or wow him with eloquence! It’s the power of a simple prayer.

Join me every day for four weeks to pray four minutes…a simple prayer. Then, get ready to connect with God like never before!

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In Matthew 6, Jesus prayed: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

A prayer that begins. . . May I not view you as a distant father, but as one who has come to earth and understands the challenges and temptations of my life. Be near me today, whisper reminders that you’re close. My friends need you today as they make difficult decisions in their workplace and in their families. Show them you are closer than even their earthly fathers. Thank you for hearing me and listening to my pleas. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray this, amen.

Here’s my challenge for you! Every day for four weeks, pray four minutes; and get ready to connect with God like never before!

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Prayer really is simple. Resist the urge to complicate it. Don’t take pride in well-crafted prayers. Don’t apologize for incoherent prayers. No games. No cover-ups. Just be honest—honest to God.

Climb into His lap. Tell Him everything that is on your heart or tell Him nothing at all. Just lift your heart to heaven and declare, Father…Daddy!  We have stress…fear…guilt…grief, and demands on all sides; sometimes all we can summon is a plaintive, “Oh, Father!” If so, that’s enough. Your heavenly Father will wrap you in His arms!

Here’s my prayer challenge for you. Every day for 4 weeks, pray 4 minutes.  I think you’ll find yourself connecting with God like never before!

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We prayer wimps fear mis-praying. What is the expected etiquette and dress code for prayer? What if we kneel instead of stand? Jesus answers in Matthew 18:3 when He says, “Become as little children.” Carefree…joy-filled…playful…trusting… and curious. Trust more—strut less.

God prefers this greeting, God, you are my Daddy, and I am your child! It’s hard to show off and call God Daddy at the same time. It’s impossible, in fact. Remember that prayer doesn’t depend on how you pray. The power of prayer depends on the One who hears the prayer!

Here’s my simple prayer challenge for you: Every day for 4 weeks, pray 4 minutes. And just be honest—honest to God. You will experience prayer like never before.

Before Amen

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Yes, I’m a prayer wimp—but a recovering prayer wimp. Not where I long to be, but not where I was. This simple, easy to remember, pocket-size prayer has become a cherished friend.

“Father, You are good. I need help. Heal me and forgive me.

They need help. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Jesus’ disciples faced angry waves and a watery grave. You may face angry clients, a turbulent economy, and raging seas of stress and sorrow. Let this simple prayer punctuate your day. As you begin your morning…“Father, you are good.” As you commute to work or walk the hallways at school…“I need help.” As you wait in the grocery line and recall others…“They need help.”  Keep this prayer in your pocket as you pass through the day. Prayer is simply a heartfelt conversation between God and His child.

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This much is sure: God will teach you to pray. Don’t think for a minute that he is glaring at you from a distance with crossed arms and a scowl, waiting for you to get your prayer life together. Just the opposite!

In Revelation 3:20 Jesus says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and eat with you, and you will eat with Me.”

Jesus waits on the porch. He taps. . .and calls. He waits for you to open the door. To pray is the hand of faith on the door handle of your heart. The happy welcome to Jesus that says, Come in, O King, come in!  The kitchen is messy, but come in. I’m not much of a conversationalist, but come in.  Before amen—comes the power of a simple prayer! God changes His people through such moments.

From Before Amen

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Before amen—comes the power of a simple prayer! Jesus set a compelling prayer example. He prayed before He ate. He prayed for children. He prayed for the sick. He prayed with thanks, and with tears. He had made the planets and shaped the stars, yet He prayed.

Here’s a prayer for us today!

“Father, you’ve made me your child through your Spirit. In your kindness you have adopted me and delivered me from sin and death. Remind me today what it means to be your child.

It’s so easy for me to live every day on my own terms. Help me live it in light of your grace.

Thank you for accepting me as I am but not leaving me the same. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Here’s my prayer challenge for you! Every day for 4 weeks, pray 4 minutes. Then get ready to connect with God like never before!

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Prayer isn’t a privilege for the pious, nor the art of a chosen few. Prayer is simply a heartfelt conversation between God and His child.  When we invite God into our world, He brings a host of gifts: joy, patience, and resilience. Anxieties come, but they don’t stick. Fears surface and then depart. I’m completing my sixth decade, yet I’m wired with energy… happier, healthier, and more hopeful! Struggles come, for sure, but so does God.

My friend, He wants to talk with you. Even now as you hear these words, He taps at the door. Open it. Welcome Him in and let the conversation begin. Here’s my challenge to you! Every day for 4 weeks, pray 4 minutes. Then get ready to connect with God like never before!

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Mark 1:35 says, “Jesus went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.” This dialogue must have been common among His friends:

“Has anyone seen Jesus?”

“Oh, you know. He’s up to the same thing.”

“Praying again?”

“Yep. He’s been gone since sunrise.”

Jesus would even disappear for an entire night of prayer. Prayer for most of us isn’t a matter of a month-long retreat or even an hour of meditation. It’s a conversation with God while driving to work or waiting for an appointment.

God will teach you to pray. We speak, He listens. He speaks, we listen.  This is prayer in its purest form. God changes His people through such moments. May I challenge you? Every day for four weeks, pray four minutes. Then, get ready to connect with God like never before!

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We can’t even get the cable company to answer us, yet God will?  The doctor is too busy, but God isn’t?  We have our doubts about prayer!

Jesus raised people from the dead. But a “How to Vacate the Cemetery” seminar? His followers never called for one. But they did ask Him, “Lord, teach us to pray.” Might their interest have something to do with the jaw-dropping promise Jesus attached to prayer? “Ask and it will be given to you.” When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, He gave them a prayer. Could you use the same?

Father, You are good.

I need help. Heal me and forgive me.

They need help.

Thank You.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

Before amen—comes the power of a simple prayer. Punctuate your day with it!

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When I pray, I think of a thousand things I need to do. I forget the one thing I set out to do– pray! Can you relate? But wouldn’t we all like to pray. . .More? Better? Deeper? Stronger? With more fire, faith, or fervency? Yet we have kids to feed, bills to pay, and deadlines to meet. We want to pray, but when? We want to pray, but why? We have our doubts about prayer, our checkered history of unmet expectations, and unanswered questions.

We aren’t the first. The sign-up for Prayer 101 contains familiar names like John, James, Andrew, and Peter. The first followers of Jesus needed prayer guidance. Join us in a prayer challenge. Every day for four weeks, pray four minutes. Then get ready to connect with God like never before.

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