Uncommen: TransformedSample

Prayer

Prayer is our petition to God. It is our addressing our Abba Father the intimate details. Prayer was the tool of Old Testament prophets, and Christ modeled it as His dependence upon the Father. Prayer defines the unique personal relationship between Jesus and his Father. Prayer touches our inner soul and opens a communication pathway with the Spirit. What happens when your inner soul is touched? What does a step toward loving your enemies look like today?

Inner Soul

Is it essential to move the Gospels from head to heart for transformation? Read Luke 6:27 “But to you who are listening, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you” and meditate on the Scripture for a moment, then ask God to touch you and reveal what it might be saying to you. Too often, Scripture becomes ingrained knowledge or information gathering that develops an over-reliance on the method without diving into an intimate relationship to spark a response from God to immerse ourselves in the Scripture fully.

Become Open and Available for Transformation

It is essential to make ourselves open and available to God. Through practice, Scripture will penetrate to our very depths. Eventually, Scripture reveals what we are incapable of knowing on our own due to our natural defense mechanisms. We genuinely encounter an intimate and unique relationship with God through Scripture through openness. “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

Becoming open to the Lord’s will and direction changed my life. It was not on my accord as my works failed me often. At the lowest point in my career, when I had lost most of my possessions, marriage and business partners had embezzled substantially. I surrendered my life, saying, Lord take the wheel, I no longer want you to be my co-pilot, be my pilot. You, Lord, are in charge. I am open to Your will. I will listen. I am ready to leave my safe discomfort to challenge. God changed and transformed me, making the word of God active and alive in and through me. I can say to friends, that guy you knew ten years ago is no longer me. Today I am no longer the guy they knew yesterday, as transformation is an ongoing process, daily intimate Scripture changes everything. You may find an area with a deep sense of correctness of the text but question yourself that there is no way I can do this? God is working on you and me.

Uncommen Questions:

1. How would you rate your prayer life from 1-10, one the lowest and ten the best?
2. What feeling of discomfort arises to love your enemies or those least like you?

Uncommen Challenge:

You may find an area with a deep sense of correctness of the text but question yourself that there is no way I can do this? God is working on you in a way that you have yet to recognize. God is revealing these areas, and your wisdom is growing. Read Galatians 3:13-14 and pray over the questions.

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.” (Galatians 3:13–14)