That was a cool reputation that John had.  The disciple that He loved.  Well, God is no respecter of persons.  Why did Jesus love John so dearly?  Because John loved Him, John sought the heartbeat of God.  That’s available to each and everyone of us.  “I am the vine, you are the branches.”  The moment we become truly regenerated, the moment we become the true children of God, a pruning process will immediately begin.  Isn’t that what He’s saying?  “Get ready, there is going to be some pruning.”  Well, that’s uncomfortable, but it’s the only way we can bring forth more fruit.  Can we say it another way?  We need to grow up and stop being so adolescent and think that the world is all about us.  To take a phrase, of course, that is so used today in society, this “entitlement mentality,” we are not entitled to anything but, thank God, He’s given us grace and mercy because He loves us.

So, we cave in when the slightest adversity comes?  What happens when you get the news of that great tragedy of the death of your child for whom you’ve been seeking God and crying out to God and fasting?  “Surely, fasting will do it.  Surely, hours and hours of prayer will do it.”  Do what?  Get you your will or God express His will?  Effectual praying is all about knowing what the will of God is.  Prayer is all about the access to the throne of God where we can have communion and intimacy with our Father.  When Jesus gave us the model prayer, He said, “Pray this, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.  Thy kingdom come.  Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”  Amen?  That’s what prayer is all about.  Saying, “God, here I am.  However You can use me to establish Your Kingdom, here I am, just do it.  Whatever needs to be done in my life.”

You know, one of the great ministries to the world’s system is patience, the patience that’s in us.  “Why aren’t you shaken about the economy?  Why aren’t you shaken about the election?”  People are still stressing, they’re like, “I’m gonna shave my head.”  You know, well you’re acting like you need a lobotomy.  We’re not to lean to the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, the lusts of other things; amen?  Those don’t influence us who are seeking the kingdom of God first.  People look at us and it’s discernible.  “Aren’t you worried about this?”  Now, we’re not Alfred E. Neuman.  Mad magazine.  “What?  Me worry?”  We don’t worry.  “We’re not anxious for anything but in everything through prayer, supplication, with thanksgiving, we’re letting our requests be made known unto God and the peace of God that passes all understanding comes and keeps our hearts and our minds through Christ Jesus.”  Amen?  In everything, we’re praying.  In everything, we have peace.

Want a quick barometer on your prayer life right now?  How peaceful are you?  How much rest are you in?  “Well, there’s sickness.  I have wayward children.  Our marriage is a little rough right now.  I think I’m going to lose my job.”  In everything, give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ.  So, we know when our prayer life is being affected by how much we can be at rest, how patient we are.  You remember the word, “patience” doesn’t just mean endurance or how long we endure a situation?  It also speaks of consistency.  How stable are we in the midst of this?  We’re not tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine.  “A double-minded man is unstable in all of his ways.  Don’t let that man think that he should receive anything from the Lord.”  What is double-mindedness?  It’s going back into taking things into our own hands again, thinking of somehow, we’re going to devise another method to solve this problem that we’re in as though God is not involved in it.