Successful people know the value of time. They know that whatever will be done will be in the context of time, so they guard the passage of every moment. They also know the importance of protecting other people’s time as well. So they don’t get into frivolity but rather cut the chase without wasting the time of others. This must have been what informed Larry Lea’s interaction with the legendary Church Growth pastor, Dr. David Yonggi Cho. When he met him, he simply asked what was Cho’s secret to building the largest church at the time. “I pray and I obey”, Yonggi Cho replied. In those five words is found the secret of success for every child of God.

There is a strong connection between praying and hearing God…Hearing and obeying remain the most valid spiritual formula to getting things done in the kingdom.

When Yonggi Cho said, “I pray”, it boils down to saying that he was accustomed to hearing God. There is a strong connection between praying and hearing God. Prayer subdues the flesh and awakens our spiritual ears to hear what God is saying. The next most important thing is to follow through with obedience whatever the Lord has said. Those who operate with these two will notice how simplified the quest for success becomes. We referred to the story of a widow yesterday. What bailed her out of indebtedness was hearing God’s word through the prophet and obeying. In our text, Mary admonished the people to do whatever they were told. Hearing and obeying remain the most valid spiritual formula to getting things done in the kingdom.