Reflecting upon last weeks message, I realized that there was one critical part of growing in your relationship with Christ.  And that element is DISCIPLINE.  To many this word can cause anxiety because of the negative connotation that it can imply.  You can relate it to punishment, to the military, to a number of other things that are not encouraging.  But the truth is that being disciplined in your Christianity is one of the most positive and encouraging things you could do.

Think of it this way.  If you play any sport there will be a desire to excel and to win games. However, the only way to do that is to practice.  If you want to win, there must be disciplined practice where you build your skills and your fundamentals. In your Christian walk, there should be a desire to be holy, for He is holy, therefore, there needs to be discipline in your walk.  That means be disciplined in (to name a few) reading the Word, fasting, meditation, and prayer.  When you practice these you will be equipped and prepared for when your faith gets tested, when the rubber meets the road.  And you know that there are many times that happens in your life.  When that happens you will be able to have victory and walk in a manner worthy of Him.

With that said, I am encouraging you to establish a DISCIPLINED PRAYER LIFE. Start with 5 minutes a day.  Wake up 5 minutes earlier, go to sleep 5 minutes later, take 5 minutes off of the television or Facebook, and give that time to the Lord.  When you do that you will experience and change and see God bless in unimaginable ways.

On top of that I want every one of you to use this blog to POST PRAYER requests, POST PRAISES of how God is moving.  As a body, we need to know how to pray for each other and to hear the blessings that the Lord bestows. It brings encouragement and support.  So, establish the discipline of prayer in your life and be ready to grow in your faith!  God Bless!