The Time Is Now - Developing A Lifestyle Of Prayer

JO. What is God's attitude toward your honorable dreams (Psalms 20:4, 21:2, 37:4-5, 145:19)?

11. Read Proverbs 13:12,19a. Your very psychological andspiritual makeup is designed around dreams. In what specific ways might your Father desire to delight your heart?

Those who dream the most also pray the most and do the most.Those who see the invisi­ ble do the impossible. Despite what they say, the reason most people don't set measurable goals is fear of failure and of the pain of disappointment. Some live in a rut and call it faith­ fulness. But in Jesus' parable (Matthew 25: 14-30), it was the servants who took risks of obe­ dience and multiplied their talents who were called faithful. The one who played it safe out of fear was called wicked and lazy. Here's the hard reality: Disappointment is painful.The greater the dream, the greater the disappointment if it isn't realized. Many believers, in an attempt to avoid pain, have effec­ tively eliminated almost all hope, desire, and dreams from their life.There is a certain secu­ rity in this, but these feeble souls rarely attract anyone to their faith. "It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat." -Theodore Roosevelt The Next Step You've come a long way! Turn to "Twenty Steps to Daily Prayer" (page 147) and take your next step of prayer growth.