Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: You are listening to the Recovering Fundamentalist Podcast, where faith and real life collide in a world full of noise, division and debate.
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[00:00:10] Speaker A: With honest conversations, bold truth, and a.
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[00:00:15] Speaker A: Whether you're questioning, growing, or just trying.
[00:00:17] Speaker B: To make sense of it all, you've.
[00:00:19] Speaker A: Got a seat at the table.
[00:00:21] Speaker B: Let's join JC Groves for today's episode.
[00:00:24] Speaker A: Let's go.
[00:00:38] Speaker B: The Recovering Fundamentalist Podcast starts in three. You know what makes women stupid is.
[00:00:42] Speaker C: Colin, Jesus was not a bartender.
[00:00:47] Speaker B: You have lost your mind.
[00:00:50] Speaker C: Long tongue.
[00:00:51] Speaker B: Heifers have given me a lot more trouble than heifers wearing britches, and you know that. Say amen right there.
[00:00:56] Speaker A: 1.
[00:00:57] Speaker C: Let me tell you something, bozo.
[00:00:58] Speaker B: They'll be selling Frosties in hell for this. Boy puts on a pair of pink underwear.
I sucked my thumb till I was.
[00:01:05] Speaker A: 14 years of age. Hey, everybody. Welcome back to the Recovering Fundamentalist Podcast. I'm your host, JC Groves, and this is episode number 193, the Power of Prayer. And I'm really glad that you're tuning in today. You know, for so many of us coming out of fundamentalism or legalism, or even for many of us who grew up in church or around Christian circles, for so many, prayer has been a performance, a script, a duty, something that you did out of fear or guilt or even obligation. But what if prayer is more than that? What if it's not about polished words or perfect posture, but about connection, presence, transformation?
Today on the Recovering Fundamentalist Podcast, we're having a conversation that I believe is going to breathe life into your soul, into your prayer life. We're talking about the power of prayer, not in the context of legalism or performance, but in the context of freedom. Joining me today is someone who is living this out in a powerful way. He's a friend, a mentor, a fellow brother in the ministry. His name is Danny Hesterly. He's one of the leaders at Pray Chattanooga, a movement that is uniting churches, communities, and everyday people around the simple, bold act of prayer. So whether prayer feels awkward, unfamiliar, a performance driven thing to say, the right words, maybe it's even painful for you, this episode is for you. Because prayer isn't about just getting God's attention.
It's so much more than that.
With that being said, let's get into it. Check this out.
[00:02:53] Speaker C: In this modern age in which we live, we've learned to harness the power of the atom. But very few of us have learned how to fully develop the power of prayer. We have not yet learned that a man is more powerful on his knees than behind the most powerful weapons we have ever developed. We have not learned that a nation is more powerful when it unites in earnest prayer to God. We have not discovered that the answer to our problems can be through contact with God.
When the disciples came to Jesus and asked, lord, teach us to pray, the Savior answered their request by giving them his model petition, the Lord's Prayer. The Lord's Prayer, however, was only the beginning of his sacred instruction. In scores of passages, Christ offered further guidance. And because he practiced what he preached his whole life was a series of lessons on prevailing prayer. One of the most amazing things in all the Scriptures is how much time Jesus took out for prayer. He only had three years of public ministry, yet Jesus was never in so big a rush. But what he had time to spend hours in prayer. He prayed before every difficult task confronting him. He prayed with regularity. Not a day began or closed on which he did not unfold his soul before his Father. How quickly and carelessly. By contrast, we pray snatches of memorized verses hastily spoken in the morning, then goodbye, God for the rest of the day until a few closing petitions at night. This is not the prayer program that Jesus outlined. Jesus pleaded long and repeatedly. It is recorded that he spent entire nights in fervent appeal. How little perseverance and persistence in pleading we show. The Scripture says, pray without ceasing. This should be the motto of every true follower of Jesus Christ. Never stop praying, no matter how dark and hopeless your case may seem. Seen, our Lord frequently prayed alone, separating himself from every earthly distraction. You Christians that are listening to my voice, select a room or a corner in your home or in your yard, where you alone can regularly and privately meet God, that quiet, secluded soul. To God, praying in which you come to the mercy seat for divine blessing on your home and country can be the strongest secret weapon. Its most powerful spiritual defense can be prayer. As we continue to watch the prayer life of Jesus, we notice the earnestness with which he prayed. The New Testament records that he cried out with a loud voice that in the intensity of his supplication he fell headlong on the damp ground in the garden, and that he pleaded until his sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood.
Too often we use petty little petitions, oratorical exercises, the words of others, rather than the cries of our inmost being. Too often when we go to prayer, our thoughts begin to roam. We insult God by speaking to him with our lips while our heart is far from him. How then Dare we treat the King of Kings with disrespect and disdain? There is one more lesson that Jesus would teach us, and that is the victorious assurance that God answers every true petition. Skeptics may question it, humanists may deny it, and intellectuals ridicule it. Yet here is Christ's own promise. Ask in prayer, believing ye shall receive.
Trust that promise with all your soul today. Build your hope for time and eternity on that divine fact. God answers prayer. Your Father possesses everything. He can supply all your wants according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus, the vauded might of dictators, the glory of empires, but passing gestures to him, he can defeat each enemy of your soul and defend you from every danger. With God, nothing shall be impossible. No task is too arduous, no problem too difficult, no burden too heavy. For his love, the future with its fears and uncertainties is fully revealed to Him. He understands how much affliction and sorrow you need to help purify and preserve your soul for eternity. Turn to him and you can say, with Job, he knoweth the way I take when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
No, ladies and gentlemen, we are not the masters of our own souls. Do not put your will above God's will. Do not insist on your way. Do not dictate to God. Do not expect an immediate answer in the way, the place, and the manner that you're demanding. Rather, learn the difficult lesson of praying as the sinless son of God himself prayed. Not my will, but thine be done.
[00:07:29] Speaker A: What a good word from a great pastor. Of course, that was Billy Graham talking about the power of prayer. Well, I've got a good friend on the episode with me today. You heard me talk about it in the intro. His name is Danny Hesterly. And, Danny, welcome to the Recovering Fundamentalist podcast.
[00:07:47] Speaker B: JC I am just excited, ecstatic to be here with you.
[00:07:53] Speaker A: I knew having you on here, we're going to hear some encouraging, powerful words because that's what you like to do.
[00:07:59] Speaker B: Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
[00:08:01] Speaker A: Well, Danny, we have known each other for quite a while. I was actually trying to think the first time I met you. I honestly don't remember. It's just like you've just always been there, you know, part of life. But as a pastor, you know, as a campus pastor, as a college pastor, and now as a pastor, you've been that consistent friend that has really always pointed me towards Jesus. Always an encouraging word. Even in moments when life wasn't so encouraging for you, you were able to encourage me and always Pointing us back to prayer. So I'd love for you to just introduce yourself to my family here on the Recovering Fundamentalist podcast who you are. Give us a quick back story of who Danny Hesterly is.
[00:08:42] Speaker B: Yeah. Again JC thank you so much for having me on the show.
Like, likewise.
I'm a huge fan of you and how you have walked faith faithfully over the years in, in just leading your family college ministry.
Also be a campus pastor and leading your current church now. What a joy to see that. But yeah. I'm from a small town in Southern Illinois, about 5,000 people. I grew up there most of my life and nothing but corn and beans for days. Like literally you, you, you go to the south, there's beans, you go to the north, there's corn, dirt roads. I mean, yeah, this a lot of fun and just had a really, just great childhood. Mom and dad, they were the kind that took you to church every time the door was open. And unfortunately my mom also helped clean the church which even.
And you know, back then no one thought of anything wrong about bringing your kids who were like elementary age to work and clean and receive no Amen. Yeah, they did it right. And so I was at church a lot.
Grew up knowing and loving the Lord. Went to school at Eureka College for a couple years and ended up playing college football. Was, it was a, was a dream of mine. Ended up getting hurt my sophomore year and transferred to Lee University.
And man, my life, my life from that point on since 1999 has just been this wild ride of following after the things of God and spent some time teaching. Spent a year in Alaska where I would teach throughout the, throughout the week and on the weekend would travel by bush plane and teach Bible in the villages. There was a pastor here in our city for a number of years and yeah last four years been serving at this organization called Pray Chattanooga. That really helped me understand that I thought I had a pretty okay prayer life and I realized just how yeah non existent it really was when we really begin to study through scripture and how that's applied to our lives and I'm sure we'll get into that later. But, but I've had, I've had a, I've had a good life. My mom and dad are, I credit them to, to a lot of who I am today, but also people like you, JC and other, other people that I have in my life that has really helped help sharpen and kind of shape me as, as a, as a Christ follower.
[00:11:08] Speaker A: Amen. Well, let's talk about Pray Chattanooga before we jump into the episode, how and why did Pray Chattanooga start? What is the mission the.
This movement?
[00:11:18] Speaker B: Yeah, so Pray Chattanooga, originally the Chattanooga House of Prayer, we've kind of rebranding phase the last year or so, but one of the. The founding members had a. Some type of sickness, some type of illness ended up getting prayed for and got healed. And out of that was like, maybe there's something to prayer. Maybe it's. It is powerful. It healed him and he really felt the Lord saying it's, it's. This is something you need to start here in Chattanooga. And so, so that started about 13, 14 years ago and really just started with just some, some people just gathering for times of prayer, times of seeking the Lord. And over the years, it's really kind of morphed into this, this ministry that is helping to, to shape individuals, groups of people, churches, our city, our communities around one. One primary focus and that is prayer. And we do of ways, whether it's through retreats, resources or networks, then that's primarily what I do is I travel to different parts of our. Of our city, even go down to Lafette, which I'm not from Lafayette, but if you're from Lafayette, you know it's Lafette, right. I'm travel. I travel down there and meet with groups of pastors and encourage them to pray. And I'm sure I'll share a story later on about just the power of prayer and just that can.
Showing up and being consistent in these, in these, these ministers or pastors lives and praying for them has done. Done a great work. And so, so Pray Chattanooga. Yeah, Growing prayer is. Is really our main focus.
[00:13:01] Speaker A: That's awesome, man. I. I love what I love about Chattanooga House of Prayer or Chat Pray Chattanooga. That's what it's called. I always keep the names mixed up even more. But what I love is that there's something powerful about people uniting across churches, denominations, differences to simply pray to call on God. That's kingdom right there. And you know, one of the things that I saw this played out the most powerfully. One of the ways that I saw this play out very powerfully is when I was serving as pastor in Salt Lake City, Utah, every Tuesday I would get together with other pastors and we didn't agree theologically on a lot of stuff. There were some Lutherans, some Methodists, some Baptists, some. There was a. There was a Pentecostal in there, which I think there was like two Pentecostal churches in all of Utah. But you know what? We got together and did we got together and prayed. And the thing that I saw was that we were praying in Jesus name. And theologically we were different in certain areas, but we loved Jesus and anybody that loved Jesus in that area. Utah's a crazy world, man. We would get together and we were just like, oh my goodness, somebody that loves Jesus that will pray in Jesus name, you know? And it was just this interesting thing that I saw played out in front of me, how prayer was the great unifier and we were praying to Jesus. But I've also been in circles and a lot of people that listen to this podcast will be able to understand this where the prayer is done more.
It shows your level of spirituality. You wax eloquently, you say big words, you go on and on in diatribes and pray in King James language and things like that. And so there's this performance based reality to prayer, but there's so much more than just saying words. I believe it was DL Moody that said every great move of God can be traced back to a kneeling figure. Of course, we read in history of revivals of how a few just call on God in the power of prayer. So let's talk about the power of prayer and get into that a little bit. What do you feel, Danny?
What is prayer all about? What makes it so powerful? And I'm not just talking about in theory, but how. Have you seen this work in your life?
[00:15:25] Speaker B: Yeah, it's interesting that you, you talked about how sometimes in those circles where level of education, years in ministry, the type of prayer I can't help but think about, the Pharisee, right, is praying this elaborate prayer right next to him is this sinner who can't even, who's fumbling through words, who can't even. Doesn't really feel like worthy to even speak to God. And so one of the things that I've begun to, to understand and learn through my time here at Pray Chat, but I think there's a part of me that always kind of knew that because my mom, I can't talk about prayer or the power of prayer without my mom being introduced into that story. Because there are so many times growing up as a kid, I mean, so many times where my mom would come to me, my sister, my brother, and say, Danny, Nani, T.J. mom's going to go into her room and she's going to pray. And I do not want you to bother us or bother bother me. And we would just sit on the couch and for, I don't know, man, an hour, an hour And a half. My mom is in there now. I don't know what she's saying because my mom's Korean, but I know, man, she is just knocking on heaven's door with these prayers over. Over her family and for God to work in her life. In her life. And so I know prayer is powerful because I've seen it firsthand. And so for me, it's kind of like, I think my mom tapped into this, and I think I'm beginning to understand this, that the power of prayer is rooted in God's presence, not in our performance.
[00:16:59] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:16:59] Speaker B: And so. But. But often it's like how many times I've been in prayer, prayer rooms, prayer circles, with people, they don't want to pray out loud because they feel like they're. They're.
They're not good prayers.
They're not eloquent like you were saying earlier. And so, like, we think that we have to have a certain spiritual pedigree or have the right words. But prayer is powerful because God shows up and he's in that. That presence and with his people lifting needs or just praying blessings on the Lord, not because of anything that we said that that was right.
Tyler.
Tyler Statin, I believe, is his name. I've been reading this book called Praying Like Monks Live Like Fools, that type of thing. So it's a really fabulous book. He says, I think God meets us not in our effort, but in our honesty. And I think about that passage where Jesus is talking about the Pharisee and then the sinner, right? And the Pharisee has got all the words. And you would. You would hear that. You would hear that prayer be like, my goodness. All of the. All of the history that was probably prayed, probably some of the psalms kind of came out in that prayer, but it was all performance.
The posture wasn't a posture of humility. And you have the sinner or whoever that was praying in honesty. And I think God loves when we are honest. And so, like, God's presence is what we're searching for when we come to him in prayer. But sometimes, man, getting wrapped up in our performance, like, maybe God didn't hear me because I didn't say the right things. Or maybe I've had a kind of an off day. I need to wait till another time where I actually feel righteous.
[00:18:57] Speaker A: Right, Right. I'll tell you, I'll be transparent here. I got invited a few years ago to pray for the National Day of Prayer here in Ringgold. And, man, you want to talk about feeling like a mule among thoroughbreds I mean, I'm sitting up here on this platform with 20 other pastors, and we're all praying over different things. And it almost felt like, I know this, and I'm not saying that they were trying to, but it was almost like everybody was trying to out pray each other and, you know, say the better thing, do the biggest words, you know, get the crowd up.
Yes. You know, and I was like, one of the last ones. I think I was even still a youth pastor when this was happening. And I just got up and I just talked. I was like, God, here we are. And I just used normal words that I would get done. And this guy came up after me. He's like, man, I need to hear you pray, man, I need to hear you pray. And I was like, hold up. I wasn't talking to you. It wasn't for you.
But there are. Danny, I think there are times where we will hear people pray, and there is worship while hearing them pray. I think about the guy that prayed at Trump's inauguration, that brother from Detroit, man, he brought it, son. I was ready to run through for real, you know, I can't remember who. He said, I'd swing out over hell on a rotten grapevine and shoot hell with the water pistol, you know, I mean, like, hey, man, but like, his love it. It was. It was performance and it was big, but that's who he is.
But then there's also the people that nobody will ever hear them pray out loud. I think of one lady, her name's Maria Sarbo.
I don't guarantee you. I guarantee you there's nobody on this podcast that listens to this will know who this woman was. I used to mow her yard when I was in middle school, and every day she'd come out, she'd give me a bottle of water and a $50 bill every weekend when we'd mow it, or every other weekend. And then she would hand me a index card with the things that she prayed for me over that month, and she would hand it to me and said, this is what I've been praying specifically for you.
She did that for years. She passed away my second year that we were in Youth Ministry, 2007, 2008. And it was just like, man, I don't have that lady praying for me. There was just comfort in knowing that that lady was praying for me. You know, nobody will know who she is, but she's doing what you said, knocking on heaven's door. You know, she's going before my nanny, Peggy Sturgill. Every Sunday she'll walk in, she's like, John Calvin, I prayed for you tonight. You know, and there's people that will pray, the big prayers that people will hear, but there's also the fervent prayers, the ones that continue on. And I love what you said. Prayer, biblical prayer, power of prayer. It's not performance, it's not repetition. It's just continually coming before the throne. Danny, why do you feel like prayer is essential for spiritual growth and for healing and for recovery?
[00:21:52] Speaker B: Well, for one thing, I mean that's a really great, great question. JC I think when we understand that part of our prayer life is becoming co laborers with God. And what I mean by that is when you talk about the prayer as intercession, there's something when prayer moves from praying for yourself, which I believe you need to be praying for yourself. You need to be praying for things against temptation. Pray for focus in your spiritual life. So praying for yourself, that is not a selfish thing. I think it becomes selfish when you only pray for yourself. I think that's a problem. But there's something unique that happens when your prayers move from yourself to praying for other people. I mean, just like you was talking about the lady you mowed yours for. And I'm pretty sure that you weren't the only, only person who got index cards right. Probably dozens and dozens does of over all the years. I mean there's probably people before you were even born that she was. Yes. And I'm thinking she, we think, oh, I can never be that person. Like those are, those are specific people that have the, the gift of intercession, that type of prayer life. But when I look at scripture and I look at my mom, look at my great Grandma Johnson, I look at just even my own personal prayer life as of recent for people had a friend that I was praying for today and I let him know and it lifted him up. And so what ends up happening is we begin to stand in the gap with him for the needs of his people. And so I would say intercessory prayer is the future breaking into the present. Meaning the things that you're praying, praying in advance for is, is coming into the present in whatever situation or circumstance that a family member, a co worker, a friend, whoever that is, it's like it's part of that we belong to the Lord. And because we belong to the Lord, there is this belonging to one another. Because Jesus prayed for us in John 17 as a great, great example, we are to stand in the gap to pray for one another. And when you do that, I guess the spiritual perspective, it tends to shift what it does instead of, well, I kind of think through growing in Christ like it's, it's not like this ascension right to a certain status, but it's actually growing in, there's this depthness that takes place when you are praying on behalf of, of others.
Like when we look at prayer as a spiritual weapon, it, it's in, in past, present, I'm sure in the future it shaped cities, it brought healing, it undergirded persecution with this power. And so I think that plays in with our, our, our own spiritual growth.
Especially when it comes to praying for the needs of other people.
When, when you're exhausted, when you feel powerless, when you feel what sometimes your words feel like they're just, just falling two feet from your mouth or can they even reach, are they reaching the Lord?
And we, and we know, when we know, we know it does. There's something about again, like we said earlier, coming to the Lord in honesty. And what that does, it starts breaking down barriers. It breaks down the spiritual barriers that you have either learned or you have grown accustomed to. You've had patterns, but slowly as you begin to pray, as you begin to pray for one another, this growth, this internal growth begins to take place that I think can't happen outside of prayer.
[00:25:54] Speaker A: Yeah, I think the performance based faith prayer being essential for spiritual growth and healing, we would think if we're in that mindset, that my spiritual growth and my healing and as I'm growing my prayer are going to get longer, they're going to get more deep, they're going to get wordier. You know, I don't think that necessarily is true. In fact, I know that's not true. I think, you know, some of us, we carry this baggage where it's something we were forced to do. And so we think long, wordy King James style monologues are the growth aspect and we can fake it and make it appear that we're super spiritual. But what you're talking about is authentic and life giving. I mean, I think back in the Bible some of the most powerful prayers are, look at Peter, he's sinking. He says help me. You know, I mean he just, in Jesus, that's the shortest prayer in scripture and he's rescued in that moment. You know, I think it's not this outward display of the words that I can say, but it's this life giving, authentic, faith filled language that we talk to God through. And it gives us an opportunity to connect with the Father. And I love that. I love it. Danny, I'm interested. What does your personal prayer life look like today? You said you're growing in that. What. What does it look like?
[00:27:15] Speaker B: Yes. And so there is a spiritual practice that I do. I don't do. I don't do it every. Every night, but I try to do it because when you got. You got kids and you got. You got family. Yeah, right.
[00:27:28] Speaker A: They.
[00:27:29] Speaker B: They tend to take. Take some time. And I think one. I think it's important for them to see you pray. I think it's important for them to.
To model that, of course, pray over them.
And so that is. That is one thing that I have done consistently for my family, especially my son and my daughter, every day before school. And this has happened since kindergarten. And so my son is just got done with his sophomore year, getting ready to be a junior. So from kindergarten to 10th grade, my daughter just finished 8th grade. So kindergarten to 8th grade.
I have not, and I can say this confidently, have not missed a day of prayer over my family.
And so that is. That has been a pattern that I have, like. So my son started. Started to drive. He's driving to school, which I'm like, that's incredible, dude. Has increased my prayer life, brother.
No one, no one told me, hey, when you have a kid who's driving, you're stressed. Like, I'm not a very stressful, anxious person.
[00:28:28] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:28:28] Speaker B: But now I got a kid on the road here in Chattanooga, which has got the world's worst road construction. I'm like, geez Louise.
[00:28:36] Speaker A: But, yeah, our state bird is a yard is a traffic cone.
[00:28:40] Speaker B: Yeah, man.
So I think sometimes out of.
Out of your current season will help create certain. Certain moments of prayer, which that definitely has. I mean, but I told my son, when he drives to school, I take my daughter to school and I say, hey, you may not hear me, but you know that I'm praying for you. He's like, yeah, Dad, I appreciate that. And so I pray for my kids every day, but at night, one of the things that I do, it's called the examine. The exam is just a really simple. And I've simplified it because a lot of these, like, early church practices that have been passed down for generation, generations, they.
They are. They are rooted in. In tradition, but also very, very you. You. You can make it how you want. So, for example, for the. The daily exam, it's very simple. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes each night. What I'll do is I'll start off with blessing the Lord, then I'll go into confession, and then I will go into, here's where I saw you in my day. Here's the highs and here's the lows. And we do that at the dinner table often with the kids. Hey, what's one great thing to happen today? What's one challenging thing? And so I'll do that with the Lord, and then I will go into a time of praying over. I've got like, a list of my family members and friends and things that I know that they're going through, and I'll pray for those. But I don't spend a ton of time, you know, I mean, like, like, for example, the times I've prayed for you.
You're right. Like I said earlier, it's not this long, eloquent prayer that I'm spending 15, 20 minutes on, J.C. but I've got. I've got 10, 15 other people that I'm trying to get. Get through and pray for, to be very honest and, but also to be very specific. And then I say, lord, going into my next day, here are some of the things that I may be concerned about or, or that I can't wait to see or celebrate. If my son's going to have a soccer match or my daughter's going to go to a dance comp, I'm praying into that.
So as I wake up the next day, I've already got a kind of a foot forward into my prayer time. So that takes 10, 15 minutes. And then I close my eyes and I go to sleep and I wake up the next morning and pray for my kids and my wife and then that night. But also too, like, I'm also like, the whole idea of, like, pray without ceasing. Like, I'm, I. I'm constantly just kind of in the mindset of prayer. Now you could say I work at Pray Chattanooga. That's kind of what you do. And my daughter's like, well, dad, don't you get paid to pray? I'm like, well, I mean, it's a little bit more complicated than that, but, yeah, I guess, I guess in some way, in the simplest form. But what it has done, it is, has. Has created consistency and discipline around prayer.
[00:31:28] Speaker A: Yeah, I want to speak directly to those that are listening who are part of this community where prayer may feel distant or even triggering.
They're. They're looking to, to grow deeper in their faith and that prayer is just something they do when they need to pass a test or they pray for their food or at church once a week, you know, or they need something.
I think there's easy ways to start a prayer life. Not just praying prayers, but a prayer life. And that's honest prayers, silence and listening, scripture guided prayers. Pray while walking and driving, journaling silence, honest one sentence prayers. There's walking and praying. I tell you, Danny, one of the things that I have done, it's been 10, 15 years ago now.
I read a book by brother Lawrence.
[00:32:21] Speaker B: Second shout out to a mom, let's.
[00:32:23] Speaker A: Go Practicing the presence of God. And he talks about in that book how he wants to practice the presence of God. And he said, sometimes I don't have the words to say. There are sometimes where my human dialect cannot adequately put into word form what I'm trying to relay to the heart of God and what I'm trying to say to God and worship God. And he has this concept of being before doing. And this has actually helped my prayer life because it's not in the words that I'm saying, but it's in getting alone with God in my silence. Because my world is not quiet. There is never silence in my life. I'm constantly hearing something, recording something.
There's just six kids, you know, it's just never silent. And so what I've had to do is intentional be time, be being before doing.
And I'm telling you, when I first started, it was awkward. I couldn't go very long because I wanted to make the presence of God happen. I wanted to make hearing God's voice happen. And so I've had this, like, literally sit in silence, no music, no. No agenda, no words, no prayers, no Bible scripture, and just sit and listen. He, and I always am reminded Elijah, he wasn't in the wind, he wasn't in the rain, he wasn't in the fire, he wasn't in the earthquake. He was in that still small voice.
But God whispered because he was near. God whispered because he was close.
And when I stop and I pause and I just begin to praise in the silence when I sense his presence there.
And it has helped me in my prayer life more than anything. I prayed for patience three years ago. And the radio in my truck quit working and I've never got it fixed. And so I literally, anytime I get in my truck, it's just silence. My AC doesn't work either. So I have no fan blowing either and no heat. It's either hot or cold. And it's quiet in my truck. It's horrible.
[00:34:30] Speaker B: There's no lukewarm, right?
[00:34:31] Speaker A: There's no lukewarm, baby, we're hot. Or cold. Amen. But what I'm learning in that is my spiritual growth. I can look back and just seeing. It's not that I'm saying better words, but it's. My season of praying has continued to grow. Adoration, thanksgiving, request.
Just being in his presence, that has been life changing for me.
[00:34:55] Speaker B: Love that.
[00:34:56] Speaker A: I think for those that are listening today that, let's be honest, it's not in the quantity of your praying or the quality. It's in the honest calling out to God. And I think we miss that disconnect because praying has just been, thank you, God, for the food or the sinner's prayer. Hello. How many times have we said that? I feel like I need to get a tattoo on that. Lord, I know I'm a sinner. Forgive me of my sins, Come into my heart and save me. You know, like, we just have these, like, these shotgun prayers that we're used to.
But I'm hoping and praying, I'm hoping and praying that people will learn to pray to get in. And we have this great example in scripture where Jesus taught us to pray. Our father who are in heaven, hallowed be your name. That's thanksgiving. It's praise. Your kingdom come, your will be done as on earth as it is in heaven. Like, he teaches us how to pray there. And I think there's sometimes when we don't have the words to say, we just pray what he told us to pray, and that really helps us go there. What are some other practical steps that you've taken, Danny, to get life?
[00:36:02] Speaker B: JC that is, that is so good. I'm so, I am so glad you shared that because, because we, we know that if you're, if you're a Christian, you've probably struggled with having an active, consistent prayer life. And I think what you were saying, some of the things, what, what I, what I, what I'm hearing is this desire to pray really is a desire to be with God. If you desire to be with God in community, with Father, Son, Holy Spirit, in union, right, with, with his mission, his purposes, then you're, you're living this life of, of prayer. And that, and that looks different for, for, for many people, but I think we've just been taught or have learned that there's, there's really only one way to pray, and that's with my voice.
And we don't, we don't, we forget that it's about our posture of our heart.
It's being in the presence of God, but also in the presence of other people. How many Times I've been in a prayer room with a group of people and I don't feel. Back in the day, I felt like I would feel the pressure to pray because I feel like I had to say something. But now there are many moments where. Many times where I don't even pray.
There's something that someone's praying or something that someone is saying that is ministering to me. God is using that. It's like he's creating this, this, this bridge between how. I don't really know how, how to express what I'm feeling, but for whatever reasons, this person is praying in a way that I am just jiving with. And so, I mean, some, some easy ways to, I guess, make space for a life of prayer. And I think that's, that's. You have to make space. It's not going to be easy because we live in. Everything is so saturated with noise. I mean, that's so funny about your truck. I love it. The fact that you haven't done anything with it because you know if you get the radio fixed, you're going to listen to it. I mean, who wouldn't? And so knowing that's, that's, that is a conscious effort.
[00:38:06] Speaker A: Praise and worship, though.
[00:38:07] Speaker B: Yes. Southern Gospel, of course, man. Yes. I love it. But we realize that making speech base is going to take effort and it's going to take time to figure out what works for you. And so for me, it's kind of like, like I have my morning rhythm of praying for my family and my, my children. I have an evening rhythm of walking through the exam. And it's just a simple practice. But that, but that, but that didn't really start till 4, 4 years ago. I started. Started that rhythm.
You can have something called like breath prayers, and that's something where you kind of a little bit kind of like what you're saying. It is this idea of like, as I'm breathing in, I am acknowledging. I don't know, I'm acknowledging that, that God is with me. As I'm breathing out, I'm acknowledging that God is going before me. It's just coming and going. I mean, there's multiple ways breath prayers work, journaling. Some people, they are phenomenal writers. They may not be eloquent speakers, but the way they write, they can write down their prayers. I mean, we have a whole book called Psalms that's written down. And I think what you said earlier is like, if we don't know what to pray, go to. Go to the book. Go to. Book of Psalms. Yes. If we don't pray the Lord's Prayer, I felt like that, yes. Start there and doesn't. Because you're talking about a lifelong journey. Right.
Hoping that I live to be 80, 85 or whatever. It's like I'm hoping that when I'm 60, when I'm 70, I have a better understanding and a deeper, deeper affection and love towards God. This desire has grown. And as I desire, as that desire grows, me wanting to be with the Lord and to commune, to talk, to be. I mean, early on, when me and my wife were dating, man, how many times? We would just drive. We would just drive. We didn't say nothing. But there was something comforting just being in each other's company, in each other's presence, I feel like.
But it just. It takes time. It takes practice. It takes having conversations. What's your prayer life look like? I like that. I'm gonna try it. Nah, man, I. I gotta. I gotta have the radio on. I can't sit in silence. That is totally. Okay.
You can find, I guess what is that anchoring opportunity moment to whether it's like, you know what? I get my coffee in the morning before I take my first sip of coffee. I thank the Lord.
Yes. That's amazing. Thank you, Lord, for this day. I acknowledge that you are sovereign overall. And I want to step into the plans you have for me today.
[00:40:57] Speaker A: Yeah, that.
[00:40:57] Speaker B: What? That took 10 seconds. Drink my coffee, go on my day. Yeah, live. Live a Christ following life. I mean, there, there's, there's, there's. There's so many practical ways. You can. And you can Google it, you can talk to your pastor, other. Other people within your. Your. Your circle of influence or whatever, your friends, and just share best practices. And I think that's such a great thing. I think the listeners, I mean, even if they're. There's a couple just practices that we talked to today that that would be. Be very, very applicable in their life.
[00:41:32] Speaker A: I got a book for Christmas. It's called Every Moment Holy, and it's prayers, liturgies for every moment of life.
[00:41:38] Speaker B: I love it.
[00:41:39] Speaker A: They take it to the extreme a little bit. I'm not gonna lie. I mean, there's a. There's a prayer before you change a tire. There's a prayer before you drink your coffee. There's a liturgy for. For waking up. There's a liturgy for getting in your car. There's a liturgy for writing a letter. And I'm like, okay, we're taking it a little bit extreme here. But when you think of every moment holy in everything I say and everything I do.
Do it all for him. And so it's finding that. That. That phase of. Not. Not that phase, that. That process of every moment holy, like we're. We're in a constant state of prayer. That's why it says prayer without ceasing, like it's just a constant conversation. You know, Danny, I was thinking just looking up some verses about prayer in Scripture, and I think these are very powerful too. These are the promises we can hold on to when we. When we go to the Word, when we talk about prayer. I go to Philippians 4, 6, and 7 that says don't worry about anything. Instead, pray about everything.
Tell God what you need and thank him for all that he's done. And then you will experience God's peace which exceeds anything that we can understand. His peace will guard your heart and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. That. That shows us right there that prayer replaces anxiety with peace. What about. Prayer is a part of a lifestyle of faith, of gratitude and joy. We'll go to 1st Thessalonians 5, 16 and 17. It says, Be joyful.
Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for those who belong to Christ Jesus. I think another thing is that prayer isn't weak. It's powerful and it's effective. James 5:16 tells us that if we confess our sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed, the earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Hey, we're on a roll. Watch it. How about, even when you don't know what to say, the Spirit intercedes for us. Romans 8:26. And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for, but the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. That's good.
[00:43:51] Speaker B: Come on now.
[00:43:52] Speaker A: Jesus, he reminds us that prayer is about a personal connection, not a public performance. What we've talked about here, Matthew 6, 6. But when you pray. You quoted this a minute ago. When you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything will reward you. I love that. And here's one more. How about we pray with confidence, knowing that God hears us. Confidence. That's the word. First John 5:14. And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. Man, that's the Word. And there's so many we could go on and on and on with Bible verses that talk about prayer and calling on the Father. And this is what I love to hear. That's how we praise Him. You know, it's a form of worship. My kids ask me questions all the time. There's why questions. There's questions of misunderstanding. There's questions of concern. There's praise, there's joy, there's thankfulness. That's how our Heavenly Father wants to hear us, and we connect with him through prayer. That's good.
Danny, what is next for Pray Chattanooga?
[00:45:00] Speaker B: Well, we're always looking for.
Oh, yeah.
[00:45:05] Speaker A: What'S next for you?
[00:45:06] Speaker B: Well, within pre Chattanooga, there are. There are always retreats that are happening centered around various spiritual disciplines and retreats that we host with, with individuals, personal retreats, or with. With church, church groups or sometimes pastoral staff.
Those are always fun because they're going to. Most of them are going to experience something that they've not experienced before. So our retreats are three to four hours, and we spend some time kind of talking about, here's who we are, here's what we're doing today. Then they break off into groups of sometimes two. If it's a smaller group, they'll just get by themselves and they'll go to one of the prayer rooms in our facility. And let me tell you, we'll say, you're going to spend the next hour in, in the prayer room. And they're like an hour. And I said, well, you're going to come back and we're going to talk through. Through a few things. And it never ceases to amaze me how fast that time goes, but how, how valuable these pastors and these people have said that, that, that time, that, like, intentional time, that set aside kind of, this is what we're here for. So we have retreats that are coming up.
We just finished up with leading prayer teams at J Fest. We had the National Day of Prayer.
I mean, there's always.
We got a prayer event that we're hoping to host in July at the courthouse with people from the state of Tennessee. So, I mean, we're always looking to engage where prayer is happening.
And sometimes it just, it comes up, hey, in three weeks, this group of people are coming, or they want us to come and share about prayer and really help them understand what prayer is. Because I just don't know if we teach enough on it.
[00:47:01] Speaker A: Sure.
[00:47:01] Speaker B: And so we get to be a part of those things.
[00:47:03] Speaker A: That's awesome. We have a lot of people that are listening, pastors, folks that Run ministries. If they want you to come speak about prayer, how can they connect? Join in with what you're doing. And just because it's Pray Chattanooga doesn't mean they can't come from outside of Chattanooga and be part of what. What is happening at Pray Chattanooga. Tell them how they can connect and join in.
[00:47:22] Speaker B: No. Yes. So our website is praychattanooga.com there you can go to one event, you can see kind of what's laid out for the next few months, but also there's a place there to connect with us, to sign up. Hey, I got some questions. We love to either A, come to facility, or B, we come to you. And both of those options are equally blessed and we love doing that. Being at our facility does give a little bit of unique approach just because of the way the facility is designed. Every room is purposed with artwork.
Like what you saying earlier. We do have air conditioned, so that's nice.
But there's. We try to limit. Eliminate distraction. But yeah, I mean, it's very easy to connect with us on, online.
[00:48:13] Speaker A: Yeah, that's good. Well, Danny, as we close out, I think it would be very fitting for you to pray for us, for our listeners, for those that are wanting to connect in prayer. Give us a final encouragement about reclaiming that healthy prayer life. And then will you pray for us as we close?
[00:48:29] Speaker B: I. I sure will. Thank you, J.C.
man, I feel like at some level that is kind of where I've been the last four years being on staff at Pray Chattanooga. There is this kind of reclaiming of, one, my spiritual identity, but also two, having a better understanding about what. What prayer is, how it can impact not only my life, but the people that I'm praying for, but ultimately my relationship with the Lord. And so if. If you're. You're listening and you're like, man, my prayer life is just subpar.
I don't pray often.
I would like to learn to pray, to pray more. I think what we've said earlier is recognizing where you're at in your spiritual journey I think is very important and very, very, very needed.
But if you don't know if there's some trusted people in your life, just ask them.
When, when you see me, when you're around me, what is like my spiritual temperature? Like, because. Because they're gonna be able to see because they, they got a. Like a first person view of you and of your life.
Be around some trusted friends and talk about the spiritual things. I think that's been so healthy and helpful for me and I think there is this. This blessing that comes when you're. You're trying to engage and grow in the Lord and you're trying to understand who. Who the creator of the universe is and how he's created and wired you to commune and be.
Be a part of his. His good story.
And I think prayer is. Is a massively important component to. To reaching the lost and us growing in Christ.
But not to be discouraged. Don't be discouraged. If you're not where you think like your prayer life should be.
Just. Just start. Begin small. And as. And as you.
As you begin to grow that desire to be with God, then the desire to be with him grows and your prayer life grows. Not like we said earlier. And I'll pray after this. It's not the link, the length of your prayer, right? It's like, now I've been a Christian for 20 years, and now my prayers are one hour. It's like, I don't. Yeah, I've never.
My mom. My mom's the only person I've heard pray that long.
But at the same time, yeah, I mean, just spending time with the Lord is so vital. So that's what we're gonna do. We're gonna spend some time with Lord, just a few moments in prayer.
Lord, you're good. And I'm so thankful. I'm so thankful. Thankful for this day, Lord, you made it. The sun rose and we're breathing. And I know our bodies are designed to just do that, but God has got to say thank you for that. Thank you for sending your son Jesus to do the unthinkable right to die for our sins and to make the path to heaven very, very clear and very open, very. For those to put their trust in you. Thank you for JC and the podcast and the listeners, Lord. I said to bless them right where they're at with their own personal journey and following after you.
If a listener is just like my journey, I've kind of taken an off ramp and kind of detoured.
Lord, I pray that on that detour, Lord, you. You would remind them that. That you're there. There. You're there, too.
Where could we go to escape your presence? And that's what we want. We want to be in your presence. I know sometimes it can be discomforting, make you kind of. Kind of make you feel a little bit uneasy, because when we're in your presence, you reveal things in our lives.
There's always this challenge to be more like your son, Jesus. And sometimes that's hard, Hard.
And I pray, Lord, for, for opportunities where, where we're able to. To just come to grips terms with. With. With our own sin. And knowing that, knowing that your grace covers us. And I'm so thankful for, for that.
Lord, I pray that as we, as we grow in knowledge and, and wisdom in this, in this walk of faith, right, I pray that our desire to be with you would. Would.
Would grow. It would deepen.
And as we walk daily in pursuit of your holiness, I pray that.
[00:53:06] Speaker A: Our.
[00:53:07] Speaker B: Lives would be this salt and light. You say in Matthew 5 that the good deeds that you've prepared for us, like you, like Paul said in Ephesians 2, those good, those good deeds, Lord, things that you prepared long ago would. Would impact for.
For your kingdom. So Lord, help us, Lord, help us, Lord, to stay close to you. Help us, Lord, to not be afraid to say help. Like what JC was saying earlier, help me. What Peter was saying to Jesus, help me. And I think, Lord, help us. Help us learn and understand the power of prayer. That's not about performance like we've said, but it's about being in your presence. Jesus, we love you and we're thankful to be your sons and daughters. In Jesus name I pray.
[00:53:56] Speaker A: Amen. Danny, thanks for being here with us today, man.
[00:53:59] Speaker B: I appreciate it, brother. Thank you so much.
[00:54:01] Speaker A: Awesome. You know, as we've talked about prayer today, not as a ritual, not as religious checkbox, but as real raw connection with God who sees us. I can't help but think of how many of us have carried the weight of performance based Christianity. Maybe prayer was something you were forced to do or ashamed into doing more of. But the truth is, prayer is a gift. It's not about having the right words. It's about showing up. It's about being honest. It's about surrender and trust and intimacy with a God who is not impressed by our vocabulary, but is moved by your heart. If you walked away from prayer because of how it was weaponized or misused, I get it. But today, this is your invitation to return to rediscover the beauty of talking to the Father who listens, who cares, and who still moves mountains. Don't overthink it. Just start one sentence, one moment, one whisper in the middle of your chaos.
Thanks again to Danny for joining us from Pray Chattanooga and reminding us that prayer doesn't just change things, it changes us. And until next time, keep asking the hard questions. Keep walking in grace. Keep praying honest prayers. You are not alone. And if this conversation has encouraged you, share it with a friend. Remember, prayer isn't religious. Task. It's a relational invitation. You don't have to pray like you used to. You just have to come as you are. Thanks for listening to the Recovering Fundamentalist podcast. Until next time, keep walking in freedom, keep wrestling with truth, and don't forget the power of honest prayer. We'll see you next week. Love you, kids.
[00:57:10] Speaker B: Sam.
