This post comes to you from Norcross, GA as we are here for a Ministry Partner Development (MPD) conference. It’s nice to get away for a few days while gaining insight on effective principles regarding our partnership development. We are looking forward to returning to Orlando refreshed, re-energized, and refocused.

During last night’s initial meeting, the speaker gave a talk titled “Prayer and MPD.” Though the principles of the talk were quite simple, I realized very quickly how much more we could and should be seeking and petitioning God for our financial support. Five questions were posed, and I want to share them so you can also do some self-evaluation regarding your own vocation, needs, desires, or goals.

Five Questions to Ask Yourself:

1. Am I Praying? 
    
2.  Are others praying for me (or with me)?
   Do you have people in your life that know your needs or goals, and are committed to praying for/with you?
3. Am I fasting? 
   The times I have heard most clearly from God were the times when I fasted.
   “If we don’t feel strong desires for the manifestation of the glory of God, it is not because we have drunk deeply and are satisfied. It is because we have nibbled so long at the table of the world. Our soul is stuffed with small things, and there is no room for the great. If we are full of what the world offers, then perhaps a fast might express, or even increase, our soul’s appetite for God.” – John Piper
4. Are we praying specifically?
   Is there a co-worker you are praying for? Are you praying for certain milestones to be accomplished with your work? Be specific with your prayers. Answered prayers are more visible when we are specific.
5. Are we praying prayers of faith?
   “Prayer is simply faith, claiming its natural yet marvelous prerogatives — faith taking possession of its illimitable inheritance.” – E.M. Bounds 

I’ll leave you with this quote from E.M. Bounds regarding the possibilities of prayer. If we truly grasp this like we should, we may see God move in much bigger ways in our life.

How vast are the possibilities of prayer! How wide is its reach! What great things are accomplished by this divinely appointed means of grace! It lays its hand on Almighty God and moves Him to do what He would not otherwise do if prayer was not offered. It brings things to pass which would never otherwise occur. The story of prayer is the story of great achievements. Prayer is a wonderful power placed by Almighty God in the hands of His saints, which may be used to accomplish great purposes and to achieve unusual results. Prayer reaches to everything, takes in all things great and small which are promised by God to the children of men. The only limits to prayer are the promises of God and His ability to fulfill those promises. ‘Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it.’  - E.M. Bounds

Dang.