What Now?

My parents had a saying when I was little. If my sister and I would go on about something great we did and try to get praise or a response from them about what we did, they would say, "I guess you already have your reward." What they meant was since we were praising ourselves for what we did, and shouting it from the rooftops, that was our reward. They understood the Biblical principle of pleasing God instead of gaining praise from others. Jesus talks about this in Matthew 6 when He illustrates how we should pray. Instead of praying in a way that is hollow, pompous, flashy, and flamboyant, we should pray in private so we are focused on God and not ourselves. Jesus doesn't criticize public prayer, but does condemn our showiness as we pray. Our focused prayer acknowledges God's needed reign in every facet of life and society. Then Jesus lets us know that God sees everything, and when He sees you pray in private He will reward you. If we worship in private it will be exhibited in our public praise. 

The Fast is over but our Prayer life isn't! One of the benefits of 21 days of Prayer and Fasting is the routine of your Prayer life. When you finished that last day of the fast and woke up the next day, did you ask yourself, "Now What?" What do I do now that I am finished fasting? Do I go to a buffet and stuff myself full of food, do I drink gallons of soda and coffee in one day, or do I take my new focus on God and the motives and values of being a Christian and continue them every day I wake up? Just in case you're really thinking about which answer it is, it's the last one. The spark has been lit inside of you, and now that your inside is decluttered and alive in Christ, your outside will show it. Your routine has changed and it is no longer about pleasing the world, but now everything is about pleasing God. 

The real work starts the day after the fast is over. You are full of life, and now it's revealed and shows in how you live everyday. People will see the fruits of your commitment, the results of your labor. Your witness will display the greatness of God and His love for everyone. My prayer for you is that you continue the routine of Prayer in your life. Don't throw it out of your daily activity once you receive your breakthrough. God is still working and wants to continue working in your life. Allow Him to take you farther each day. Do what the above picture says. WAKE, PRAY, SLAY!