Pray with shameless audacity

I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭11:8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I was reading this verse last week and wondered if I really believed this? If so, do I pray with "shameless audacity?"

I love that this verse says that when I ask God for something, "He will surely get up and give me as much as I need." What I NEED.

Every Monday, I pray for my small group that I love.❤️I was visiting with a member of the class last night and I was telling her how I divide my days into specific prayer needs. For example, Monday is set aside specific for this class. Tuesday is set aside for our Compassion kids that we sponsor and my Mississippi family. Wednesday is for our sons and their families and so on.

She remarked that it sounded like I was not praying for myself. I assured her that me, me, me is at the top of my prayer list most days! However, I want my prayer list to be so much more than me.

Another thought about prayer. If I ask you about your prayer life, I would ask you specifically, "When do you pray?" Like when is it marked on your calendar each day to spend time in prayer? If you struggle to come up with a time, maybe begin to put a specific time for prayer each day. Obviously, pray more than that time but have a specific time carved into your day and pray with "shameless audacity!"

Our prayer life tells us so much about what we believe about God. I am not asking Mark for what I need. He is a great guy but he simply does not have the ability and wisdom and money and generosity to give me "what I need." But God does. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. His wisdom trumps all wisdom. His strength is unsurpassed. Let's pray like we believe that.

“But then a black mood from God settled over Saul and took control of him. He was sitting at home, his spear in his hand, while David was playing music. Suddenly, Saul tried to skewer David with his spear, but David ducked. The spear stuck in the wall and David got away. It was night.”
1 Samuel 19:9-10 MSG

If you remember the story of Saul and David, you will know that God blessed David and he became greater and greater than King Saul. The people praised him. His daughter loved him. His son, Jonathan, was his best friend. Saul was eaten up with jealously to the point where he wanted him dead.

Before we think this story has no application in our life, ask yourself this question. Is there any one person that you are jealous of their marriage or their physical appearance or their financial situation or their successful ministry or their life in general? Before you quickly say no, ask God to reveal if there are any friends at all that you resent their success.

What I have observed in my 60 year old life, there are always people who you tend to compare yourself to. You want to put yourself above them or below them. The comparison game is such a wearisome game where there are no winners and you are the loser. Saul lost everything when he compared himself to the successes of David. He could have been his biggest fan and helped him, instead of try to harm him.

The best way I have found to cure the jealously problem, is to be that person's prayer warrior. Pray for their success to become greater than yours. Jonathan could have been jealous of David's life. Jonathan was a smart guy. He wanted David to succeed more than himself.