Is Your Prayer Basket Empty?

Dear Sister,

When I tell you prayer works, I mean it. God has totally flipped the climate and culture of our school! A first-year principal came in with a new set of eyes on the same old vision. This principal knows that she can't compromise the standards of Christ in the midst of a rigorous schedule and overwhelming demands. She takes it one day at a time and she has a few prayer partners in the school to keep the school year moving.

As for our teachers, I am pressing to train the Christian teachers on how to examine themselves in the light of God's Word. As it is written, "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?" (2 Corinthians 13:5).

Think about it. Do you realize the significance of the Christ, the Son of the Living God, living in you? You have access to the name above every other name. Do you call on Him or do you spend more time contacting others? There is certainly nothing wrong with reaching out to others but do you call upon Jesus first and foremost? To develop your conversations with the Lord, you must consult with Him over the matters facing you in education -- including your faith, hope, and love.

On a scale of 1 to10, how are you feeling about the direction of your Christian experience in your classroom? Is your walk with the Lord growing from week to week or do you feel a declining sense of accomplishment? Challenge yourself, with Christ, to move up the scale from quarter to quarter. Start collecting your prayers in a basket and watch the basket fill up day after day. Each prayer represents your conversations with the Almighty God and the One who grants peace, wisdom, understanding, and knowledge to both the teacher and the student. An empty basket represents an empty prayer life and absolutely no communication with the One who is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work (2 Corinthians 9:8).

My sister, you know you're in Christ Jesus when you operate in God's will and ways in your classroom. You simply agree with God's word, wearing obedience like a school ID around your neck. He says, "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit... hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:16-21). Your response, "YES SIR!"

Do not let laziness be named among the few of you that call on the name of the Lord. Hold each other accountable before God.

If we fail, the Lord will simply assign our task to another. But who wants to fail the One who gave His life for ours?

At the end of each school year, we turn out the next generation of laborers in our cities, states and the world. Let's work with the Lord Jesus to produce students who unknowingly have been shaped by the power of prayer and our Christian conduct.

Your sister in Christ,

Vanessa