Talk Is Cheap - And Precious!

Sunday morning I began a series of lessons about God's Tools. These are the things that God has given us to help us grow spiritually, which is growing relationally with Him. I did a similar series in TN about seven years ago, and while the list is the same, the presentation will be very different. The biggest reason is because I've changed. Yes, I know the truth doesn't change, but our ability to understand, interpret, and communicate it does. It's called growing - at least that's what I hope it's about for me. I began with what I think is the most important tool in my list of twelve (I really believe there are fourteen tools, but one is angels, whom I conveniently merge with the Holy Spirit, and the other is TOO scary for some people to classify as "TOOL" when they've seen it as the goal for too many years - makes you wonder doesn't it?).
Prayer is the most important tool God has given us as we develop a deeper relationship with Him and with Jesus. Why? It's our communication with Him. Like I've said many times, without communication there is no relationship! That's true with family and friends, but also with God. In fact, I really think the word "prayer" as been so institutionalized and formalized by doing church, that most people see it as a religious rite or sacrament and not the simple talking to God that it truly is.
One of my sub-points was "Our relationships are only as strong as our ability to keep communicating!" Stop talking and you stop the relationship. We know that, and that is why it is so immature to show our anger or dissatisfaction with someone by giving them "the silent treatment." Do you really want to destroy the relationship? Of course not - it's just a petty way to make someone notice that we are upset. My most famous, and most used, saying also explains why it's so destructive. If you don't communicate you speculate! Speculation is almost always wrong!
So the question is, are you communicating with God or just speculating about Him? If you're not talking - the relationship is dying. Don't let that happen. Talk to Him. He sent a text message two thousand years ago and He's waiting for a rely!