benefit! This issue of Transformations! deals with the issue of prayer. Most people are used to prayer meetings beginning and ending with someone talking to God. It is the growing conviction of many intercessors and pray-ers in general, that real, effective, on-target prayer first begins with listening to God. Then we will gain a conviction of what He is wanting to do. I remember Mike Bickle saying that prayer, is really simple and basically offensive to the mind since it is really like this: You go be quiet in a room, listen intently as to what God wants you to tell Him, then tell Him! And that's it.

This thesis, as well as 94 others, can be found at http://www.95theses2000.org. PLEASE, PLEASE send feedback. I hope to publish the book (of which these are an extract) sometime this quarter, and would love to hear your thoughts on each thesis.

Thesis #3: Hearing God’s Voice Via Listening Prayer And Cultivating An Obedient Response Reflex, Must Be At The Center Of Our Individual And Corporate Prayer Activity.

There are many kinds of prayer, but only one is the most effective, while at the same time, the most difficult. There are prayers of intercession, petition, Scripture, and praise. These all have their time and place in our lives. But listening prayer stands by itself, largely because it is the one which first makes the bulk of its time listening to God first, rather than filling the time with our words. Personally, it is one of the hardest things in my life to sit still and listen to God. John Alley, a leader in Australia refers to listening prayer as the “key to the age.” He claims that being able to hear God on critical issues at critical times will make the difference between life and death for many in the coming days. In a series of messages delivered by John in Toronto in November of 1997, he spoke loud and clear as to how the Church generally follows Jesus, but rarely hears His voice. In the Gospels, we see how Jesus usually spoke to the masses in parables. When asked by the disciples why He spoke in such clouded fashion, He replied in Matthew 13:13, “Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.” Jesus further explains that one reason we cannot hear what God is saying is because our hearts are not inclined to obey what we hear. Listening prayer postures our heart to not only hear the Lord, but also places us it in a position to obey whatever the Lord says. Much like the seven churches in Revelation, God continually implores His people, ”He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” You say, “What do you mean, who has an ear?” Of course I have an ear! But do you have a listening ear (which implies an obedient heart)? Our Lord is speaking all the time, but few have learned to quiet and posture their hearts to really hear His voice. My experience and observation in the Church is that the vast majority of the time we (including myself!) talk, plan, and scheme while tossing up a few token, “Oh God, please bless our plans” kind of prayers and then proceed with whatever we please. Rare is the person or the assembly that fasts, worships, and listens before charging ahead with ministry activity. Keep in mind the words of Jesus to Martha as He responded to her criticism of Mary who was sitting at His feet listening to Jesus, “But the Lord answered and said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only a few things are necessary, really only one, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.’"

Let’s take time to listen to the Lord. Remember, God doesn’t usually shout at us; He whispers. Be still and know that He is God! As we cultivate the reflex response of obedience, He will tell us more. As with raising children, quality time is born out of quantity time.

To continue receiving Transformations!, do nothing. You have received this one because you are on a list of folks who indicated that you want to be on it, or you are a close enough buddy that I thought you should be! If you do not wish to receive future issues of Transformations! simply send an email to mailto:mail@95theses2000.org with “unsubscribe” in the subject section of the message. Feel free to distribute this E-Letter freely, especially to intercessors, leaders, prophetic folks and anyone who has a heart for restoring vibrant, New Testament church-life, so that we might fulfill the Great Commission. If you know anyone who would like a subscription, either forward this E-Letter, or give them the email address mailto:mail@95theses2000.org If someone has passed this E-Letter to you, and you want to subscribe to it, simply send an email to mailto:mail@95theses2000.org with “subscribe” in the subject box, along with any thing else you would like to add, such as location, a brief history of your walk with Jesus, vision for ministry, etc. We will pray and prophesy over as many as we are able, but cannot always respond to everyone in a timely fashion. If you would like to submit an article for possible inclusion in a future E-Letter, first take a look at the subject categories on the site http://www.95theses2000.org. Try to stick to those categories. Try to keep the article short and to the point. Stay practical and positive (when possible!). A couple pages is all many people can take time to read. To correspond with myself, email mailto:bob@lund.com. I’ll try my best to answer, but please be patient. A brief biographical sketch of myself is on the site at http://95theses2000.org/bobsbio.htm, just in case you want to know about the site author and publisher of this E-List.

To the Glory of our Lord Jesus Christ and the revelation of His saints in the year 2000! To those in hiding, we say, "Come out, come out, wherever you are!"