Category Archives: Prayer

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February 10, 2017

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Church & Worship, Faith & Hope, Holy Spirit, Knowing Him, Love & Works, Prayer, Salvation: A New You, Sharing Our Faith

FANS OR FRIENDS?

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. [John 15:13-15 (NLT)]

img_1540-cropc7-vertwebI have a young friend who’s quite a sports fan. Not only can he spout statistics for his favorite baseball and football players, he can recite the biographies of the top American Ninja Warriors as well. He knows about several athletes and yet none of them know anything about him or would recognize him on the street. I don’t know which team he favored for last Sunday’s Super Bowl but I’m sure he knew who led in kicking and punting or kick and punt returns. Enthusiastic fans do more than know the stats—they often wear team jerseys and may even paint their faces. The prevalence of blue and red shirts on Sunday made it clear the fans at our church favored the Patriots. Considering all the whooping, hollering, high fives and fist bumps that occurred later that day while watching the Super Bowl, you’d think the fans were the ones scoring the points. Using the pronoun “we” for their favored team, they moaned about calls, trash talked the opposition and analyzed plays as if they were on the field. Although fans can dress like their favorite team member, know the stats for the players, and watch every game, they’re not on a first name basis with any of the team. Neither friends nor acquaintances, they’re just fans.

There’s nothing wrong with being a fan. It binds us with other people and gives us a sense of belonging. It’s a way to capture a little feeling of glory and achieve victory when we can’t attain it ourselves. If nothing else, it gives us something to talk about with strangers. There is, however, a big difference between fandom and friendship.

Are we fans of Jesus or are we His friends? Rather than stats, do we quote Bible verses? Rather than games, do we attend worship services? Instead of hosting a tailgate, do we serve at church? Rather than buy team merchandise, do write a check for a good cause? While all are worthwhile, none of these make us anything more than fans. Knowing Bible verses, worshipping, serving at church, and even tithing are no substitute for a relationship with Jesus. It’s not enough to know about Him or to do for Him. He wants us to be His friends rather than His fans; He wants to know us and for us to truly know Him.

Unlike fandom, Christianity is not a spectator sport. God wants fellowship with us; he wants to know us personally. Prayer is what takes us from fandom to friendship. In prayer, we summon all of the enthusiasm we have for God and use it to speak with Him. While few of us will ever meet or eat with Ninja Warrior Joe Moravsky or the Patriots’ Tom Brady, Jesus welcomes us into His heart every day and invites us to break bread with Him regularly. We’re only a prayer away from Him. We can celebrate an athlete’s victories or we can celebrate God’s grace with the one who was victorious over sin and death!

Fan or friend—which one is it?

What a Friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry Everything to God in prayer! [Joseph Scriven]

So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. [Romans 5:11 (NLT)]

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February 2, 2017

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Attitudes & Behavior, Challenges & Difficulty, God's Plan, Love & Works, Obedience, Patience & Perseverance, Prayer, Spiritual Gifts

GOOD INTENTIONS

This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. [2 Timothy 1:6-7 (NLT)]

flowerFor two years, I was part of a women’s ministry. One of its purposes was to host a web site for twelve Christian writers. We were a diverse multi-generational group and the site offered hyperlinks to our individual blogs. All were women who felt they’d been called by God to expand His kingdom through their writing. We regularly shared our prayer concerns with one another and a month rarely passed without one or more women requesting prayers for their writing or asking for divine inspiration. Sadly, the ministry disbanded this past year, in great part due to the lack of writing by most of the authors.

When God calls us to a task, He will provide us with the talent, tools, situation, time, assistance and spiritual gifts necessary for that task. The one thing He won’t provide is the finished product. He expects us to do the labor and, as powerful as prayer is, it is no substitute for work. When speaking about the value of hard work, retired NBA star Ray Allen said, “God will give you a lot of things in life, but he’s not going to give you a jump shot.” When writer Jodi Picoult can’t write a good page, she revises a bad one, pointing out that “You can’t edit a blank page.” If we want a good jump shot, we’ve got to practice; if we want a page filled with words, we’ve got to sit down and write them; and if we want to do God’s work, we need more than good intentions or even prayers.

God gave man the gift of work, a sense of purpose, in the Garden. After the fall, however, thistles and thorns appeared and man’s work became difficult. Work was still good; it just wasn’t easy. When faced with a garden full of weeds, we can wait for divine intervention and pray they’ll disappear or, while praying, we can put on our work gloves and start pulling them out!

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. [Thomas Alva Edison]

Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct. [Galatians 6:4-5 (NLT)]

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January 30, 2017

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God's Grace & Love, Miracles, Patience & Perseverance, Prayer, Today: Make it Count, Trusting God

OPEN THE DOOR

Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. [Matthew 7:7-8 (NLT)]

img_0220webOur pastor once told the story of a recently married parishioner. After a long day of travel, he and his new wife finally arrived at their hotel. The groom hoisted the bride in his arms and opened the door to their deluxe suite. It had a beautiful view of the beach, a small kitchenette, and an elaborate entertainment system. What it didn’t appear to have was a bed! They finally checked the sofa and discovered it was a hide-a-bed. They were exhausted and, deciding it was too late to complain, the newlyweds unfolded the bed and settled in. Like most hide-a-beds, this one had a thin mattress and two supporting bars that seemed to dig into whatever part of the body was downward. The couple tossed and turned and, needless to say, their honeymoon night did not meet their expectations.

The following morning, the irate groom went to the front desk to complain. The desk clerk inquired if he had opened the door right by the entry. “You mean the closet?” asked the groom. “No,” replied the clerk, “I mean the door to the bedroom!” Feeling foolish, the groom returned to the suite, opened the door, and found a beautifully appointed bedroom. Flowers were on the dresser, a now warm bottle of champagne sat in a cooler, and chocolates lay on the pillow. These gifts, along with a king-sized bed, had been waiting for him behind a door that he’d never opened.

Whether the Pastor’s story is true or just a Sunday sermon parable doesn’t matter. What’s important are the questions it leaves us to answer. Have we been thwarted by closed doors when all we needed to do was open them? Are there opportunities we’ve missed simply because we weren’t looking for them? Have we concluded the answer is “No!” before we’ve even asked? Have we settled for less when God has given us more? Have we been disappointed simply because we didn’t take the time to look for hidden blessings?

If we don’t seek them out, we’ll miss the many gifts God has given us. What door is waiting to be opened today?

Heaven is full of answers to prayers for which no one ever bothered to ask. [Billy Graham]

For they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand. … But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears because they hear. [Matthew 13:13,16 (NLT)]

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December 28, 2016

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Church & Worship, Faith & Hope, God's Word: The Bible, Knowing Him, Prayer, Salvation: A New You, Sharing Our Faith

NOMINAL FANS

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Don’t look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don’t fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention. [Matthew 7:13-14 (MSG)]

Northwestern University’s football team is in the Pinstripe Bowl and I’ll cheer on the team at a bowl party this afternoon. I’m not really a football fan but I’ll look and act like one today. I’ll wear a purple and white NU Wildcat t-shirt, cheer when everyone else cheers, wave a purple pompon, and even sing the fight song. Since I know next to nothing about football and don’t even know who they’re playing, I’m what could be called a nominal fan. I’m only going because I went to Northwestern fifty years ago and we’re new members of the local NU alumni club, sponsors of the event. Although my husband likes football, our real motivation is to meet people and make friends. We probably won’t give Northwestern or their team another thought until the next alumni event.

My type of fandom is what being a “nominal” or “cultural” Christian is like. Nominal Christians are the people who attend church simply because they did when they were growing up, society expects it of them, or they want to meet some new people. They’re the people who call themselves Christian because they’re not Jewish, atheist, Hindu or Muslim. Nominal Christianity is often based on faulty logic: “Christians are good, I am good, therefore I am a Christian” or “Since Christians go to church and I go to church, I must be a Christian.” Nominal Christians may know and observe Christian holidays, but they don’t know Jesus. Although they bear the name of Christ, Jesus has no bearing on their lives. Nominal Christianity certainly is easier – it doesn’t require a changed life and things like repentance, forgiveness or loving your enemies. Nominal Christianity, however, doesn’t offer salvation and eternal life.

As I walked through the park taking photos before our Christmas Eve service, I wondered about the more the 4,000 in attendance. Were they believers, firm in their relationship with our triune God? Were they seekers trying to find their way in this troubled world? Were they new to the faith and anxious to learn more about their Lord and Savior? Were they nominal Christians or “birth and resurrectionists,” attending church because that’s what one does on Christmas Eve, or were they curious tourists, there just because of the good reviews on Yelp?

It’s not my business to judge the depth of anyone’s faith, but I wondered if Jesus ever enters their thoughts until the next time they enter a church, whenever that may be. Are their only prayers the ones said at a worship service? Is reading or hearing God’s word a Sunday only event? I remembered our new pastor’s words when asked about the future of our church. He didn’t want to see us just grow larger; he wanted us to grow deeper. The first place to start is in our own lives with a careful examination of our faith and relationship with Jesus. Do we take a minimalist approach to God or are we in a deep and long lasting relationship with Jesus? Evangelist Billy Sunday said, “Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you an automobile.” Let’s remember that calling ourselves Christians doesn’t make us Christians any more than wearing a team jersey makes me (or anyone else) a football fan.

Cultural Christianity is not saving faith. [Trevin Wax]

Knowing the correct password—saying Master, Master,” for instance—isn’t going to get you anywhere with me. What is required is serious obedience—doing what my Father wills. I can see it now—at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, “Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.” And do you know what I am going to say? “You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don’t impress me one bit. You’re out of here.” [Matthew 7:21-23 (MSG)]

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December 6, 2016

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Church & Worship, God's Word: The Bible, Knowing Him, Prayer, Salvation: A New You, Wisdom & Guidance

WRITTEN JUST FOR YOU

Open my eyes to see wonderful things in your Word. I am but a pilgrim here on earth: how I need a map—and your commands are my chart and guide. I long for your instructions more than I can tell. [Psalm 119:18-20 (TLB)]

hibiscus -Filled with law, wisdom, history, prophecy, poetry, gospel, and letters, the Bible is the basis of our faith. None of us, however, were alive in 1400 BC when Genesis was written or at the end of the 1st Century when Revelation was penned. We’re neither Jews in Judah, Egypt, Israel, or Babylon nor 1st Century Jewish or Gentile converts in Rome or Greece and we have little in common with the Bible’s original audience. Although Scripture is timeless, that difference in time and culture makes us think of Scripture as impersonal and its words as general instructions dedicated to the community of faith at large. There is, however, nothing impersonal about God’s message to us and we are not faceless nameless members of His family. Scripture penned thousands of years ago was written specifically for you and me today. There is a personal relevant message for each one of us every time we read its words.

This was made evident several years ago when our Pastor had several people share their impressions of the same Psalm. While there was no dissension about its meaning, they each found an individual message that pertained specifically to their lives at the time. The Bible is more than a message of love to all of mankind; it is a personal love note written specially to each of us. The very same verses may remind one person of his value when they reassure another of her forgiveness. While Scripture is like a general’s orders to his troops, it is also a directive sent specifically to each one of his soldiers. Some are sent to battle and others are told to wait. Scripture may be an atlas to guide us all as we journey through life but it is also a road map drawn to lead us each to our unique destinations. Some might be told to take the direct route when others are sent the long way. Scripture is an encyclopedia of life, but it is also an instruction manual designed for my specific situation just as it is for yours. I may be told to listen and you may be told to speak. While it is a Rules of the Road for all drivers, it also is a driver’s ed course taught expressly for each of one of us. Some of us have more difficulty stopping while others don’t yield well.

Today, try reading the Bible as if the words were written just for you and you alone. Instead of asking, “What does this mean for all of us?” try asking, “What does this mean for me?”  I admit this is much easier to do with Proverbs and Psalms than with Chronicles or the many genealogies of the Old Testament. Nevertheless, hidden in your reading, you’ll find a message meant just for you. God sends each of us a personal shout out in His word. Read it, think it, pray it, and then claim it; His word is yours!

For the Lord grants wisdom! His every word is a treasure of knowledge and understanding. He grants good sense to the godly—his saints. He is their shield, protecting them and guarding their pathway. He shows how to distinguish right from wrong, how to find the right decision every time. For wisdom and truth will enter the very center of your being, filling your life with joy. [Proverbs 2:6-10 (TLB)]

For whatever God says to us is full of living power: it is sharper than the sharpest dagger, cutting swift and deep into our innermost thoughts and desires with all their parts, exposing us for what we really are. [Hebrews 4:12 (TLB)]

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November 8, 2016

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Attitudes & Behavior, Church & Worship, Family, Friends & Fellowship, God's Promises, Holy Spirit, Love & Works, Prayer, Sharing Our Faith

OFFERING PRAYERS

calico asterAlso, the Spirit helps us with our weakness. We do not know how to pray as we should. But the Spirit himself speaks to God for us, even begs God for us with deep feelings that words cannot explain. God can see what is in people’s hearts. And he knows what is in the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit speaks to God for his people in the way God wants. [Romans 8:26-27 (NCV)]

In yesterday’s message, I wrote that a friend prays and yet I’m amazed how rarely that actually happens. Yes, a friend may pray for someone but how often do we, as friends, pray with that someone? Twice when visiting someone in hospital, a chaplain has dropped in to visit. Twice, the chaplain spoke briefly with us and then turned to leave without offering a prayer. Twice, I was the one who asked for prayer—one time for a prayer of thanksgiving and the other for one of strength and healing. Afterwards, I wondered why these hospital chaplains didn’t offer to pray with us. Isn’t prayer part of their job? As I started to point my finger, I saw three fingers pointing back at me and had to admit that I’m not one for offering spur-of-the-moment prayers either. I asked God not to allow me to leave a prayer unoffered or unsaid.

Last month, shortly after the second hospital incident, I was talking with a recently widowed friend. A trip with flowers to the cemetery had left her sad and teary-eyed. We hugged as I departed. I’d only taken a few steps toward my car when the Holy Spirit convicted me: “Here’s your opportunity—pray with her!” I turned back to my friend, held her hands and lifted her needs up to the Lord. I wasn’t eloquent and couldn’t remember any Bible verses; whatever I said was unremarkable, but that didn’t matter. The Holy Spirit knew my friend’s needs and lifted our prayers heavenward.

I’m a writer, not a prayer warrior, and offering prayer  is way out of my comfort zone. My comfort, however, is not high on God’s priority list. Last week, while taking pictures in the park before worship service, I stopped to chat with a young woman who’s started attending our church. I know little about her except that she’s new to the area, belongs to a friendly Dalmatian, and is job hunting. As I stooped to get a photo of her dog, I asked how the job search was going. Answering that she’d not gotten the job for which she applied, I replied with a few encouraging words. When I stepped away to continue taking pictures, I realized my work was not done. Turning back, I asked, “Can we pray?” We held hands and I offered a quick prayer that God would lead this lovely woman to the right job opening. There was nothing memorable or eloquent about my words; they were, however, heartfelt and sincere.

It’s easy to say, “I’ll pray for you,” but a bit harder to actually do it. For many of us, it’s even harder to pray with someone right then and there, but isn’t that what all Christians (not just hospital chaplains) should do?  The sincere agreement of two believers in prayer is powerful and effective because the Holy Spirit is with them, guiding their requests. Our prayers don’t have to be eloquent or deeply profound; they just have to be said.

Rich is the person who has a praying friend. [Janice Hughes]

Also, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about something and pray for it, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.  This is true because if two or three people come together in my name, I am there with them. [Matthew 18:19-20 (NCV)]

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