The Obsessed...Talk (Part 1)

Pray continually... (1 Thessalonians 5:17 NIV)

People who are obsessed with God, talk with God.  They talk with Him all the time.  They don't make a show of it - praying so everyone else can see them in prayer.  They simply, consistently, talk with Him.

Their prayers are not selfish, either - asking for comfort, lack of pain, or personal gain.  They talk with Him about what is important to Him.  Their conversations revolve around aligning their minds, hearts, and actions with His picture, design, and plan.  They talk with God the way Jesus taught us to talk with Him.

"This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.' (Matthew 6:9-13 NIV)

Their relationship with God is respectful, knowing the relationship isn't at all equal.  They know that when they differ in opinion on a subject, God's opinion counts.  They know that when they come up with different plans to approach some problem, God's plan is right.  They know they can approach Him and talk with Him without fear, but he is still "Father in Heaven...Holy...Holy...Holy."

Obsessed prayers talk with Him about His priorities, His task list, and His plan for the day - not theirs.  They want His Kingdom to come here on earth...so they ask Him to remove distractions from fulfilling their part of His plan: food, water, shelter, clothing, etc.  They want to stay focused on Him and only Him.  They know that we are sent to go and make disciples of all people, so they ask God to forgive them where they fall short and they forgive people so they can reach out to the very people who wronged them.  They never want the devil to win, so they draw near to God, fight the real enemy, and set the captives free.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. (Ephesians 6:18-20 NIV)

We Might Not Be Here Tomorrow

We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet Him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 NLT)

You're not the only one who might not be here tomorrow.  Your spouse might not be here.  Your parents, siblings, children, and/or grandchildren may not be here tomorrow either.  There may not be a "here" tomorrow.  There will be a day when everything around us is burned up and a new heaven and a new earth are restored.  Your house, your car, your computer, your smartphone and any other possessions you have amassed in your lifetime are only good for one thing: kindling.

Now concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don't really need to write you. For you know quite well that the day of the Lord's return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, "Everything is peaceful and secure," then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman's labor pains begin. And there will be no escape. (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 NLT)

The idea of an "end of the world" may not sound very good to you, but it's true.  We just don't know when it will happen.  It could happen...now.

But you aren't in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won't be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don't belong to darkness and night. (1 Thessalonians 5:4-5 NLT)

Well...we're still here.  The moment of His return hasn't happened yet.  But the moment will come.  So, how will you live in light of the fact that there may not be a tomorrow here in this life?

So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk. But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation. For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out His anger on us. Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when He returns, we can live with Him forever. So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:6-11 NLT)