Prayer is the difference between "God's" leader and a "godly" leader.

Notice those are two very different things. Many people talk a great deal about prayer but actually do very little of it. Most people are absolutely willing and eager to do the work of the ministry...but few will pray.

Why is that?

EM Bounds said, "We step into our closets and we can hide nothing from God. We can take no credit for our success and can have no pride." Or maybe one of my more favorite qoutes from Leonard Ravenhill, "No man is greater than his prayer life. The pastor who isn't praying is playing. The secret to praying is praying in secret. The sinning man will stop praying and the praying man will stop sinning."

Think about it for a second...

How can you lead people in God's direction if you haven't spoken to Him to know what direction you should be going? This is where the tough get going! If you can't lead in prayer, you won't be able to lead people in life.

Pastors hear this challenge from Pastor Gerald Brooks, "If your stage time exceeds your prayer time, your failing in your ministry." OUCH!

Pretty simple and straight forward...If your spending more time on YOU than GOD, how spiritual do you think you're going to be? I know praying isn't easy...most of the time it's a battle! I've spent a great deal of time in prayer just battling the fless. You know what I'm talking about...the "laundry list". We're busy as leaders...we feel that if we aren't busy, we aren't making a difference. However, what could be more important than our time with the Father? We've got to LEARN to LEAN on the Lord and that is a learned attribute...

Let me share with you some insight on leaning;

A few years ago I used to spend time quite a bit a time with an elder of the church I was attending. This man was a man of prayer and wisdom. One of my favorite stories he would tell is how he was in a bind with a certain situation. This situation required a great deal of prayer. After praying for hours and hours...He looks up at me and says, "Do you know what the Lord said concerning the issue? Absolutely NOTHING!"

How many of you relate to that story?

Everyone should be able to relate...we've all prayed, searching for an answer, to hear nothing. However, this elder later explained what he learned. He said, "Sometimes prayer is not about getting an answer. Sometimes prayer is about just learning to lean on God for support!"

Listen...As leaders, wheter God speaks or doesn't speak to us, we still must daily go before the Lord in prayer. Prayer is SO important! If you aren't praying as a leader, you won't survive the ministry.