Christians who neglect prayer have distorted their priorities. Many believers pledge to pray whenever they can find the time. Yet, seeking Christ becomes less important to them each week than washing the car, cleaning the house, visiting friends, eating out, shopping, or watching sports events. They simply don\u2019t make time to pray.<\/p>\n
People were no different in the days of Noah and Lot. Their top priorities were eating and drinking, buying and selling, marrying, and caring for their families. They had no time to heed the messages of God\u2019s impending judgment, so no one was prepared when judgment fell.<\/p>\n
Nothing has changed over the centuries. For many Christians today, God remains at the bottom of their priority list, while income, security, pleasure, and family are at the top.<\/p>\n
Beloved, the Lord does not want your leftovers, those little bits and pieces of time when you only have a moment to make a quick prayer request. That isn\u2019t a sacrifice of prayer. The prophet Malachi wrote, \u201cAnd when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favorably?\u201d (Malachi 1:8, NKJV).<\/em><\/p>\n Malachi was saying, \u201cYou\u2019re bringing just any old farm animals to sacrifice in God\u2019s presence, careless, thoughtless, secondhand gifts. Try giving those kinds of offerings to your governor, and see what happens!\u201d<\/p>\n God expected his people to go through their flocks carefully, examining every animal and choosing the most perfect specimen for sacrifice to him. Likewise, God expects the same from us today. He wants our quality and unrushed time to be a priority.<\/p>\n I once met with the pastor of one of America\u2019s largest churches. He was one of the busiest ministers I had ever seen. He told me without apology, \u201cI have no time to pray.\u201d What he really meant was he gave no priority to prayer. When I visited his church, I sensed no moving of God\u2019s Spirit in the congregation. It was one of the most spiritually dead churches I had ever preached in. How could there be any life if the pastor didn\u2019t pray?<\/p>\n Make prayer a priority in your life above all else, including family, career, and leisure time. Today, make a sacrifice of prayer!<\/p>\n