Advent Awakening

“. . . when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.” Ps 17.15      

We are less than a week to Christmas day! This week the pink candle joins the two purple candles. Why a new color? Why break the uniformity of the purple theme? There is a good reason! The pink candle calls us to “rejoice” as we look forward to celebrating both the first coming and as we look forward to the second coming of Christ. You may recall the words from Handel’s “Messiah”, borrowing from Scripture, they boom out, “and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see Him.” Do you long for His appearing as those at His first appearing and now as we await His second appearing? Surely, it will be a mighty, awesome and terrifying day!

To behold the Lord is our great goal of life. On this side of glory, glimpses of this reality are evidences of what we term “awakenings” or “revivals”. To be “awakened” means to be arrested and alerted to a deeper appreciation of the truth, goodness and beauty of God. But the most attractive and endearing realization is that this awakening is an encounter with infinite Love. So we can say that at the birth of Christ, Mary and Joseph, lived in a home of perpetual revival! God come to dwell with His people. If architecture is frozen music, the baby Jesus was infinite love in solid form – God incarnate. He is Immanuel, the eternal Son of God manifest in time and space and as we await Christmas day we humble ourselves and also rejoice in the mighty mystery of God and His plan of salvation.

As you prepare for Christmas I would suggest that, just as the pink candle breaks out from the norm, you ask the Lord to break in to your usual routine and awaken you to a deeper experiential knowledge of His great love for you. All of us are looking for love and God wants us to know how much we are loved by Him. Maybe, like me, you might ask Him to ignite your soul with His love so that our communities will be brightened and illuminated even more by Christ’s presence in us in 2013.

Open Heart, Open Home

 “. . . and took Mary home as his wife.” Matt 1.24 

“If Jesus came to my house and knocked upon the door, I’m sure I’d be more happy than I’ve ever been before”. These are the opening words to my wife’s treasured children’s book entitled, “If Jesus Came to My House” by Joan Gale Thomas (today's colored image imitates Thomas' illustration from the 1951 publication of her book). King Jesus condescended when He placed himself in the care of two simple folk; Mary and Joseph. Though a King, He was not raised in a palace by royalty. God humbled Himself when He came in person to our world. Just think if Joseph had declined when asked to take Mary as his wife. In that culture she risked being stoned for being pregnant out of wedlock. With some heavenly coaching, Joseph opened the door and welcomed her into his home. This Christmas, we all have the opportunity to again welcome our Lord and King into our home.

The Jews had great expectations for their coming Messiah. He was to be their ruling King who would set things straight again and restore the Kingdom. But God would confound their wisdom. The Messiah came and was born in a very ordinary setting to a poor family. He was not trained up to be a famous military leader. God showed us that very often He is most present when He is most hidden! We often go looking for the credentials of worldly greatness and He shows us the path to greatness is a descending one. In His Kingdom we must descend to greatness.

Jesus has come and He will come again but this Christmas our personal challenge is to welcome Him into our hearts. Every Christmas is an invitation for us to say “yes” to Christ and to renew our love for Him. Will you not tell Him He is most welcome in your home and your heart? Embrace the Savior of the world, thank Him for the holy family that accepted the greatest invitation to express hospitality. Notice that so very often it is in the simple things and simple acts of life that He is so very present – His great love embracing us even in the unseen places of daily life.

ADVENTageous

 “Do not be afraid.” Luke1:13,30    

Advent means “coming”. Many of us are probably familiar with the fact that, beginning last Sunday, we are now in a four week period that prepares us to welcome the birth of Christ on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Hundreds of thousands of Christians all over the world observe this season of Advent and mark it as the beginning of the new Church calendar year.

 

Sometimes God speaks a word to us that is too wonderful, too marvelous, too unbelievable for us to take in. In the first century the mighty angel, Gabriel, visited the Middle East to bring wondrous and marvelous news of God’s intentions for mankind. Side by side, early in the gospel of St. Luke, is the account of the angel’s visit to two surprised individuals foretelling births of a most unusual kind - John the Baptist and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Zechariah, a priest, suddenly encounters the angel of the Lord, Gabriel, as he undergoes his priestly duties in the temple but sadly he questions the plan and wants more information and thus displays his unbelief. Now in contrast, the young maiden, Mary, hears the most astounding plans that God purposes and her response is belief. She may not have completely understood how everything would take place but she trusted God and said “yes”.  What strikes me in these two accounts is the challenge to say “yes” to God as He reveals His good purposes for us even in the face of news that seems too wonderful and incredible for us to believe.
 

Two responses and if anyone might believe the news we would have guessed it would be the mature, spiritual Zechariah. Yet, it is Mary who beautifully responds, “I am the Lord’s servant or handmaid, may it be to me as you have said”. Today we praise God for her obedience and marvel at God’s sovereign work in her life. Observing Advent, year after year, is a powerful way of not only preparing God’s people to meaningfully celebrate Christ’s first coming, the holy festival of Christmas, but it points us to Christ’s second coming as a way of renewing our anticipation of that splendid day.   

 

Resting Prayer

“So then, there remains a sabbath rest for the people of God.” Heb 4:9

The Thanksgiving holiday is often a very busy time: celebrating with family, church services, eating, watching sports, shopping, Christmas decorations, winterizing and . . . eating. By Sunday night many of us are actually thinking how nice it might be just to sit (maybe with a slice of pumpkin pie on our knee!). You might be familiar with an old hymn that has the refrain: 

 “Jesus, I am resting, resting

In the joy of what Thou art;

I am finding out the greatness

Of Thy loving heart.”

Today you are invited to rest. In fact God is calling you into a Sabbath rest! “It remains open for some to enter it”, writes the author of the letter to the Hebrews. A rest for God’s children exists but it has to be sought after and walked into. What is fascinating is that author Henri Nouwen remarks that a literal translation of the phrase “pray always” is “come to rest”. So we have this Biblical “resting prayer” that beckons us. Jesus knew this rest, He lived it out. But how do we enter into this resting prayer? Our tendency is either to take firm control and initiate something or to avoid the subject and do nothing. This form of prayer seeks to resist this tendency in order to draw closer to God.

What would it be like to find a place, maybe it is your church or a quiet spot at home, and just tell God you are there to listen and be with Him – no agenda! Eugene Peterson, the author of the Message Bible, calls this state the “middle voice”. The active voice is when we take action, the passive voice is when we receive the action of another, but in the middle voice we both act and are acted upon. It is an interesting concept and probably a practice that is not readily experienced. Try it, enter in. It is helpful because it seeks to ward off the danger of manipulation. Here our hands are open to God in a state of holy leisure where “rest” is productive. With this perspective notice how this form of contemplative prayer becomes a vehicle provided by God to find rest in Him. In this secret place we find rest for our soul and new strength.

Picture of Thanksgiving

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thess 5.16,17

It was Thanksgiving 2007 that convicted me to frame a wonderful artwork depicting Jesus receiving the grateful leper, healed and now kneeling at His feet (Luke 17.17). Way off in the background you can also see the nine other healed lepers who never stopped to offer thanks to their Healer. Am I like that sometimes? Since hanging that artwork I have wanted to purposely pursue a more thankful attitude and it has visually reminded me of the priority of thanksgiving.

In 1 Thessalonians chapter six we are told to be joyful always, to pray continually, and to give thanks in all circumstances. I like the idea of joy, prayer and thanksgiving bring wrapped together. But the “always”, or never ceasing, aspect seems daunting. Is it just an exaggeration? Is it describing the lifestyle for spiritual giants only?

Many years ago the saintly evangelist and pastor, John Wesley, connected these verses to the practical outworking of a holy life. For him these words captured what a life captivated by the pursuit of God and empowered by the Spirit of God would be marked by. And here is the key for getting close to this standard which God intends for all believers - the supernatural work of the Spirit. In fact, when we seek to live a life of active and dynamic trust in our Savior the practical outworking will be praise and thanksgiving. When we practice praise and thanksgiving we are expressing our trust in God’s goodness.

In 2012 I have been reminded of my absolute dependence on God’s Spirit for a life that pleases Him and practices His revealed Biblical will in these three primary aspects of the spiritual life – joy, prayer, and thankfulness. This Thanksgiving Holiday, celebrate the freedom you have in this country by freely choosing to give thanks to God for His mercy to us.

Hi-Fi

“And whenever you stand praying, forgive.” Mark 11:25a

The 1960’s saw the inauguration of a revolution that has “changed more lives more radically than the printing press, the steam engine, the assembly line, or the atomic bomb” states Peter Kreeft. To mark the 50th anniversary of the tiny but potent change agent in this revolution Time magazine ran an article entitled, “So Small, So Powerful, and So Misunderstood.” I am referring to the sexual revolution and the hinge-pin of it: the Pill. Coupled with a new relaxed view on contraception many bought into the spirit of the Age of Aquarius where “Love would steer the stars”. As it progressed, it was clear that this form of love was mostly a kind that was unrestricted and erotic. Popular songs promoted the revolution’s optimism: “What the world needs now is love, sweet love. It’s the only thing there’s just too little of” (1965). A generation joined with the Beatles and proclaimed “All we need is Love”.

Ironically, just two years after the Beatles produced their hit they split up – a symbol of things in greater society. Now, fifty years after the revolution began we are still watching our society being dismantled by this new sexual freedom. In order to reverse this trend a constructive love modeled after God’s directives with the mortar of fidelity must be embraced. The best school for learning about fidelity is via authentic community where God’s unconditional love and forgiveness can be experienced. Of course, simply being around people is not necessarily an indication of authentic community. There has to be an openness with trusted people despite what wrongs or sins have been committed. Humility, unconditional love and compassion must be the basis of this authenticity because pride, unforgiveness and self-centeredness will only dismantle it.

The track record of the sexual revolution appears to be increasing sexual confusion and the disintegration of relationships, especially the family unit. How can you pray freely when you are enmeshed in promiscuity? Surely, a person is more likely to hide from God. Only by loving what God loves and practicing fidelity will we be eager to seek God rather than hide. This is what the world needs now, and we will watch prayer advance when fidelity is honored!

Resentment to Reconciliation

“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34

A survey of Mel Gibson movies from Mad Max(1979) to the recent Edge of Darkness(2010) reveal a recurring theme of revenge. Of course, this is a classic emotive hook to our inclination for “payback’. But the gospel of Christ does not operate on this principle and our prayer life suffers when we harbor a desire for revenge, resentment or unforgiveness. These sinful attitudes are deadly to our lives and prayer life. If sin is a kind of disease that affects our souls, like sickness does to the body, then we need to view resentment as akin to a kind of deadly cancer. It is helpful to see sin as more than just breaking God’s law but as breaking His heart. Sin severs relationship and this is why it is deadly.

Forgiveness does not mean justifying or glossing over that which has offended you. Nor does it mean justifying one’s anger due to the offence as in the case of many of Gibson’s movies. Forgiveness means overlooking the sin and seeking to restore a bond of love. It is a spirit of peacemaking which values relationship. The next step from forgiveness is to seek reconciliation with the person who has offended you. Now, reconciliation may not be always possible but forgiveness is always an option and reconciliation always the goal.

Forgiveness is not a feeling, but a decision. We must decide to let go of the hurt and show this by extending loving mercy to the one who has hurt us. The Lord calls us to forgive affectionately, generously, and mercifully as the father modeled in restoring the prodigal son (Luke 15:20). Many people speak about forgiving but have a hard time reconciling. Maybe you know of a family who is split and one party will not communicate with the other? Is there someone you keep at arms length? Decide to take this person back to the place they were before the offence. Prayer that has wings is merciful. Christ was most wronged and showed us the most mercy. On the cross, with outstretched arms, Christ declared, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34). Outstretched arms are the symbol of mercy to those who have acted as prodigals.

Toxic Prayer

“The Lord upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down.” Ps 145:14

It’s sad, so sad,

Why can’t we talk it over?

Oh it seems to me

That sorry seems to be the hardest word.

(“Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word” Elton John)

Many popular songs center around two themes: love lost and love found. The song included today describes the pain of love lost and what appears to be the inability to apologize that has ruined the relationship.

Our topic is unforgiveness and with it the toxicity of not consistently practicing a lifestyle of forgiveness. A fruitful prayer life is contaminated by unforgiveness. When a person has been hurt the natural (sinful) reaction is to recoil and refuse to try to talk out the pain and disappointment. The deeper the bonds of intimacy the more penetrating is the pain of alienation caused by these offences. The more serious danger is to harbor a grudge and refuse to even be open to forgiveness and reconciliation. Unforgiveness flourishes when pride, arrogance and self satisfaction are cultivated. Guard yourself!

To some degree the reaction of unforgiveness can be a way of punishing someone for offending us. But who ends up getting punished? In this state we pass on the verdict to ourselves as our relationship with a forgiving God is given a cold shoulder (Matt 11:24-25). Night enters and a deadly darkness is allowed to take hold of us which severs us from God’s forgiveness and freedom in worship of Him (Matt 5:23-24). Save yourself!

The Scriptures warn us that when unforgiveness sets in it gives permission for the “tortures” to start their vexation (Matt 18:34). These tortures are not people but inner mental, emotional and spiritual punishers. Enter fear, loneliness, rejection, depression, insecurity, frustration, self-hatred and endless re-runs of justifying self-talk. Then, in our bankruptcy, we are left with bitterness and resentment – not a pretty place. Spare yourself!

Much of the spiritual life is focused on one goal: mastery of our inner reactions. Though the greater the intimacy with a person the greater the likelihood of painful offences occurring what is also true it that our ability to know that person is enhanced by a forgiving atmosphere where we can be vulnerable. Marriage should offer this and our relationship with God certainly invites it. Keeping short accounts with God and man is the key to spiritual self-mastery.

Prayer Without Love is a Myth

“. . forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you.” Col 3:13

If you were to ask 100 staff at a Christian social working mission for a study topic for their spiritual edification what response do you think you would get. I asked this question and the answer was surprising. The majority desired a study on the topic of “forgiveness”. Recently, the need to master this subject was brought home again when I heard of a pastor who had been involved with pastoral counseling for 20 years and remarked that, according to his observation, 90 percent of all problems are rooted in unforgiveness. The personal devastation of harboring unforgiveness is so toxic is it any wonder that Jesus pounded the message of forgiveness home with vivid emphasis.

Jesus suffered terribly from words and deeds that sought to destroy His character. His response teaches us how to respond to suffering. To excel in handling suffering is to learn to forgive as Christ taught us. It is inevitable that we are going to get hurt, the question is how will we respond. When the apostle Peter suggested that we forgive seven times he did not give a bad answer but Jesus ramped it up even higher by correcting him and making it “seven times seven”. This was like saying we are to forgive indefinitely times indefinitely. A tall order, but Jesus made the consequences for failure equally extreme.

Jesus taught (Matt 18:34,35) that failure to forgive would mean torture or severe punishment! The main point: the kingdom of God is a matter of forgiveness. Jesus underlines this point in His blood and we will be judged on how we who have received this blood-wrought forgiveness practice it. Seems extreme, was Jesus exaggerating maybe? Well, turning to Matt 6:14:15 we see Jesus choosing to expound on only one area of the teaching he has just delivered via the Lord’s Prayer. Again, He picks up on the necessity of forgiveness by reiterating: “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses”. It is that important.

I will continue this important subject next week but I hope you have been reminded of the necessity to practice Christ-like forgiveness. One might be lead to say that the hardest part of being a Christian is forgiving but it is central because the spirit of forgiveness is the spirit of love. Suffering and forbearing love energizes prayer.

Ardor for Adoration

“. . . let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.” Heb 13:15

What image of God motivates your prayer life? Could it simply be the One whom we go to in order to supply what we need or the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ? The prime act of prayer should be loving adoration of God. Now, adoration has been defined as having two sides: thanksgiving and praise. What is the difference and does it matter?

At a glance, it is hard not to find a Psalm that does not rise to thanksgiving: “O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” (Ps 106:1). The life of Christ or even the evidences through the apostle Paul’s writing testify that both were grateful people who lived in a spirit of thanksgiving. In fact, we can say that the signature of the Christ filled life is thanksgiving (1Thess 5:16).

If we were to make a distinction, however, praise lies at a higher plane than thanksgiving and if we examine our prayer life we might find that, unfortunately, it is not as frequently practiced. So, take this week’s prayer message as a coaching encouragement rather than a guilt trip! In his classic work, “Prayer”, O Hallesby states that “when we give thanks, my thoughts still circle about myself to some extent. But in praise my soul ascends to self-forgetting adoration, seeing and praising only the majesty and power of God, His grace and redemption.” Praise to God means loving Him for who He is and not just for the benefits He bestows on us personally.

This might interest you: when a person gets caught up in praise the Bible speaks of this euphoric or intense praise as “blessing”.   When we “bless” God we express jubilant praise. One notable example is found in St Luke’s gospel which concludes with the crescendo of the thrilling words of the people remaining in the temple “blessing God”. It must have been like a revival meeting where God was so real to the people, and His loving heart so tangible, that they were caught up in ecstatic praise. We were made to, “Bless the Lord, O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name.” (Ps 103:1) Spend some time in adoration this week!

Divine Protection

“I proclaimed a fast so that we might humble ourselves before our God, and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions.” Ezra 8:21

It equates to about a 48 hour journey by car, plane, taxi, and bus. This is the combination of transportation that my eldest son had to undergo recently in order to be reunited with his wife as he traveled from our family home here in Nebraska to Uganda. That makes for a lot of connections and a lot of possibilities for things to go wrong. In an age of jet travel when we can boast of “dinner in New York and lunch in Paris”, unfortunately we could also add “luggage in Amsterdam” – oops! Travelling across the globe then travelling into a third world country that appears to operate on a more organic and haphazard set of rules than we in the west are accustomed to makes for a high level of stress. Imagine grabbing a mini bus taxi, designed to seat 8, and finding yourself one of 14 passengers buzzing down the highway and dodging anything in your way! Although our son was only responsible for himself he did have precious cargo in the form of several suitcases and money that he needed to guard and ensure it all arrived at his destination intact. Would he make it?

Our Scripture passage today references Ezra’s leadership as he faced a long and potentially dangerous journey through some pretty formidable terrain. It is part of the account of the children of Israel returning to Jerusalem from their time of captivity in Babylon. Not only was it a long journey of about four months but it contained the risk of bandits and thieves upsetting the safety of the travelers and looting their possessions.  Ezra faced a choice to counter this threat. He is offered military protection from the foreign king but declines and chooses to radically trust in “God’s gracious hand” (v.22) to protect them. Ezra strategically and specifically directs the people to join him in petitioning God for their safety with fasting. And the Lord delivered them. Oh, by the way, my son made it too.

For most of us it is easy to trust in God for our day to day travel here in Nebraska. Cars are reliable and roads are good – risks are low. Yet could it be that God is waiting to deliver us from bigger and more formidable dangers that are ravaging or seeking to ravage our nation. I think of the threat to our religious freedom or the redefining of marriage. Might God be calling us to petition Him with fasting for safe passage?

It is not Good for the Fast to be Alone

“While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting.” Acts 13:2

I live in Nebraska but I love the sea coast. Maybe that is the Aussie surfer in me whose youth was filled with annual vacations at the beach. Walking along a gorgeous sandy beach is a taste of heaven: the water lapping methodically at the shore, your bare feet tracking in the wet sand, and the refreshing salt breeze on your face. At the coast there is space and a quiet that soothes the heart. In a place like this I naturally think of God.  A natural reaction to this kind of beauty is to want to share the experience with someone, either directly with a companion or indirectly by recounting it through Facebook or the like.

Fasting is not meant to be alone, it exists to have a spiritual companion. The Scriptures remind us that we are commanded to fast and pray, or to seek the Lord with fasting. The act of fasting creates the environment for these other spiritual activities to thrive. Do you realize that it is impossible to really love the Lord and not adore Him. Fasting detaches us from the pull of the earth and enables us to rise to heaven more freely in our prayer life. Fasting is like a walk on the beach with God as our companion. God loves to be with us and to share with us. It is our prayer life that develops this adoration and fasting adds passion to it. You are what you pray!

Love for God’s creation or love for God intensifies our hunger to know about the object of our love. Love intensifies knowledge. In a spiritual sense,  fasting humbles us so that knowledge may increase and prayer then moves into adoration. Prayer forms us as people because this venue brings us into intimate contact with God. There are other spiritual benefits to fasting as well. Many people speak of a heightened liberty in intercessory prayer and worship, greater insights into Bible study, new awareness of personal sin, or clarity for seeking direction. Think of Moses who received the commandments of the Lord, a tangible expression of the holiness of God, in a climate of fasting and waiting on the Lord (Deut 9:9-10). Fasting gives us a new kind of appetite.

Fasting for Joy

“Rejoice in the Lord always.” Phil 4:4

To the question, “Where would we be without women?”, a sarcastic male has unfairly replied “Back in the garden of Eden!”  A closer look at the Genesis temptation reveals the significant place of our physical appetites to lead us astray and particularly that of food. Last time I made mention of prayer and fasting. I want to focus on the subject of fasting today.

In recent decades the subject and practice of fasting has enjoyed renewed attention. Its benefits are many and if you are not familiar with the subject you may be surprised at just how many Biblical references, let alone historical references, we could assemble to reinforce the point. For instance, we are told that Elijah, Esther and David practiced fasting and Ezra and Nehemiah proclaimed fasts in times of crisis. In the New Testament our Lord is a prime example and it is clear that He expected His disciples to fast (Matt 6:16). Paul should be listed and the life of the young Church and its missionary endeavors refer to the importance of fasting.

What is fasting and why fast? Going without food and perhaps even water may be the first answer that comes to mind but fasting is broader. It is a form of expressing “gospel poverty” in which we model the simplicity of life and the single-eyed passion of our Lord as he expressed the "zeal of the Lord". Primarily, fasting revolves around food and water but a helpful definition comes from Ronald Dunn who says: Fasting is the voluntary abstinence of satisfaction from certain physical appetites, for spiritual reasons.

Also, consider that behind the fasting and the quest to model Christ’s life is the motivation of happiness. Our bodily appetites pander to pleasure but our hunger for something deeper and more lasting is the longing for joy. Joy springs from beauty, goodness and truth. Over indulgence in the things that make for pleasure produces adverse physical consequences (e.g. intemperance, addictions, and boredom) but there are no ill side effects from joy. Stop and look at a flower in bloom and contemplate the genius of our creator God. Joy! Fasting is a form of recalibrating the soul because it opens us to appreciate heavenly realities. The more joy, the greater is one’s health as a person.

Nebraska For Life

“But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” Matt 17:21

Huskers will play 12 games this season and maybe 2 more if you count a red-white game and a bowl game. That adds up to 14 games. Now just for a math project imagine these were 14 games played at the Husker stadium in Lincoln and they filled the present stadium to capacity; a total of 81,000 spectators. Let’s now come up with the total attendance: 14 x 81,000 = 1,134,000 people. Now that is a lot of people in attendance!! The mind boggling and rather depressing fact is that this is just a little under the number of people, babies in the womb, our country records killing every year through surgical abortions. And by the way, Planned Parenthood is the nation’s number one abortion provider. From 1970 to 2010 PP reported performing 5,649,048 abortions. Folks, the numbers are staggering but they get worse.

There is truth in the statement that, “All of history is changed based on our sexual decisions". Now, I do not want the Big Red stadium to be now a symbol of the dead, but rather to act as an illustration to motivate each of us in Nebraska to support life by opposing Planned Parenthood establishing more abortions mills here.

Starting next Wednesday, September 26, and extending till November 4 many communities will be entering a 40 day period of prayer and fasting centered around the issue   of the sanctity of life. Christ taught us that some evils can only be driven out by combining prayer with fasting and down through the ages there have been significant breakthroughs when this has been adopted. I would encourage you to consider how you might sacrifice to express your concern for our state and our nation.  Since the 1960’s we have entered a time of silent genocide in our land. Just the surgical abortion business alone records 50,000,000 abortions since our government legalized it 40 years ago. Please pray and consider fasting; our country’s future is at stake. Let’s pray for an end to abortion and for a culture that values life no matter who is President.

Burning Tornado

“I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying for me.” Rom 15:30

“It would be too dangerous to try to get here, JUST PRAY.” These were the frantic words Bonnie, a member of Broken Bow Berean Church, uttered as she faced the impeding devastation. Late last week Bonnie and her husband Tom fought to save their home and lives as they came to grips with the frightening realization that a wildfire, which was sweeping across hundreds of acres of parched farming lands near her home, was threatening to destroy everything in its path.  From their country home they could see the flames and smell the smoke of the advancing predator. By late afternoon they were busy removing furniture and valuables from the residence which they had just completed building a year ago. Now the fire was just half a mile away; their fate looked inevitable as they faced the foe alone.

It was a burning tornado! Like a red hot blowtorch the raging flames were consuming trees, grass, crops and buildings. Nebraska is now the driest state in the nation and the fire that was raging up by Anselmo was one of many that have broken out as the state battles extremely dry conditions. The landscape is so parched and sunburnt. Oh, do we need rain!

Tom and Bonnie’s pastor acted as a life-line. Though he could not physically get help to them because of the life-threatening conditions, he offered to pray for them and to get the Broken Bow Berean's praying. An email went out to all members and Pastor Larry personally called 40 plus people and relayed the news of Tom and Bonnie’s predicament. The result, in this case, was a stunning display of mercy and grace to the couple and their new home. But it was also a clear indication that God had miraculously intervened - the fire had jumped the road, the last barrier, which stood between their home and the inferno and just stopped. Stopped! The wind direction reversed and the fire was starved. Coincidence? I don’t think so. God graciously answered the cries for help in a mighty display of His sovereign power. He also reminded me, and most probably many others, that corporate prayer is potent to change history.

May your church be encouraged to pray and don’t hesitate to cry out to the Lord when the fires that seek to consume your lives are coming at you and look for others to pray and intercede for you.

Bright Idea

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” Ps 119:105

Listed as one of the 100 inventions that shaped world history, the electric light bulb was invented in 1879 by Thomas Edison. The bright glowing filament within the glass bulb was the product of channeling a consistent flow of electrical current through the specially designed circuit. It was this silent, invisible current that was the source of the bright glow that has changed our lives and now led to a myriad of other electrical inventions. Likewise, it is the inner life, our thoughts/prayers and desires, that most affect the outer life, our words and works. The observation has been made that when we look at the words and works of Jesus we can summarize them as visible manifestations of His prayer life. In St Luke’s gospel (Chapt 11) we have the record that the disciples watched Jesus praying and asked if He might teach them to pray. How glorious a request! They noted the correlation, I am sure, that it was His life of prayer that was connected to His dynamic ministry. So where did Jesus learn to pray, and what did he pray? Most probably it was within His home life. At His mother’s knee and together with His earthly father, it was the influence of His godly parents that shaped his devotional life. And like other Hebrew boys, he learned to pray the Psalms. Praying this portion of sacred Scripture was the school of prayer.

Can I suggest that to follow Christ in His school of prayer means getting used to reading and praying the Psalms as source of scriptural devotion. When we open up the 150 Psalms contained in the OT we see that it largely means to follow in the footsteps of King David who we know authored at least seventy-three of them. Under his tutelage we learn to honestly acknowledge the highs and lows of the Christian walk and to be able to express those feelings and grow through them. Our Christian life is very much like a pilgrimage and the psalms of ‘ascents’ allude to this journey onward to the great goal of arriving at the House of the Lord. We journey to our heavenly home and should regularly reflect on this joyful theme in our prayer life. Talking of joy, the Psalms are also reminders to give thanks and to live in a spirit of thanksgiving.

Vibrant, heartfelt prayer is like electricity that lights up a life to shine the life of God to our world.

Prayer by the Book

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” Ps 119:105

What do coffee with a friend and developing a deeper prayer life have in common? In our prevailing culture, coffee houses are more than places simply providing coffee drinks. They have become essential ‘homes of fellowship’ for many of us who dwell in a fast paced and increasingly impersonal suburban life that does not offer many places of community intersection. A coffee house has become what has been called a “Third Place” or a place that allows for meaningful connection with people third only to our work place and home. We are wired for community and we need some form of recognition in our daily life.

After years of evangelistic preaching to people all over the world, Billy Graham has said that loneliness is one of the greatest problems people face today. We all need community. If a certain coffee house is a place we frequent regularly, then the staff will probably know our name and second guess our order before we have had time to express it. If we meet a friend for coffee we have time to share our lives and enjoy a refreshing hot drink. Prayer with the Scriptures open before us is like having coffee with a friend. It is a soothing experience like chatting while sipping coffee in a cozy setting.

Even to slow down and take just one verse and carefully examine it, like sipping your coffee and examining the flavor and aroma of the brew, transports us into a deeper awareness of God. It enlivens our hearts to converse with God because of the things we are observing and reacting to through God’s holy Word. In this state we are more likely to speak to our Father, heart to heart, and more likely to draw closer to Him. God is so personally interested in you and longs for this level of communication. How can I develop a deeper prayer life is more about asking how can I love God more. So, find a special place, open the Book and ask Him to meet you through your reading today – receive His love for you.

Whose Authority?

“And I (Jesus) will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.” John 14:13

I read of a story that spoke of a Dad who took his daughter and two sons to the County Fair and went ahead of them to stand in line and buy a batch of tickets for the rides. Shortly afterward, the man was standing near the gate to the Tilt-A-Whirl where he held the roll of red tickets ready to distribute them to his children who were waiting in line for him. First, he was met by his daughter holding out her hand into which he placed a ticket.

Next, to his surprise, a small boy, whom he did not know, stood in front of him holding out his hand. “Wait a minute, who are you?” the man thought to himself. Not wanting to hold up the line of people formed behind the small boy, the father became noticeably irritated but just as he was about to confront the boy his son stepped forward and said, “Dad, this is my friend. I told him you would give him a ticket too”. Without hesitation the father tore off a ticket and handed it to the small boy. It was not because the father discerned he deserved a ticket or that he had planned to give tickets away to strangers that day. He offered the ticket for one reason alone.

What made the difference was that the small boy held out his hand pleading “in the son’s name”. The father made good the word or promise of the son to the friend in need. It was because of the son that the boy received. In this story that Ronald Dunn’s tells in his wonderful book, “Don’t just stand there Pray Something!” we gain an insight into the principle of why we ask “in Jesus Name” to receive from our Lord. We are to come to the Father through the Son and on the Son’s authority – a legal union as well as a loving union.

What’s in a Name

“And I (Jesus) will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.” John 14:13

What names will you remember from the 2012 London Olympics? Michael Phelps and Gabby Douglas caught the nation’s attention early on but later, as the focus turned to the track and field events, we could not help hearing the name, Usain Bolt. His speed was breath-taking and with his numerous victories he proclaimed himself a “living legend”. I am sure the mere mention of his name will bring powerful associations for many years.

Today, many Christians follow the tradition of finishing their prayers with the words, ”in Jesus Name”. So what is so special about praying in the name of Jesus? Is it a secret pass word like “Shazam”? Does is turbo charge an ordinary prayer to send it like a (Usain) bolt of lightning into the presence of God? Well, of course, I say this rather jokingly as God cannot be manipulated. The issue is more a matter of authority. It is important to understand this so we are careful to use this authority thoughtfully and appropriately.

If I have a million dollar check with Warren Buffet’s signature I can take it to the bank! In a similar way, a Christian is allowed to operate under the mighty authority of Christ when submitting his prayers. We designated to be  “ambassadors” or representatives of Christ and we have delegated authority and heavenly backing. Christ generously gives the Christian free use of His Name at all times and for any desire. What a blessing! The privilege is an indication of our union in Christ’s love and His confidence in us. Here is the secret to the power of praying in his Name - it is dependent on the union we have with Christ as to the effectiveness of our prayer. The Name and the Sprit of God are one and our life must be conformed to the Spirit so that we are praying consistently with the will and character of God. When we pray with God’s best interests in mind, then we are in full accord with the intention of our Lord to pray in His Name. Prayer in the Name of Jesus is like gold  – now you can take that one to the bank!

Try it You’ll Like It

“And I(Jesus) will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.” John 14:13

Food can be a contentious issue in a child/parent relationship. How many times does a parent attempt to coax a child to explore beyond their usual diet with the words, “Try it, you’ll like it.” In a similar way we can declare: To know Him is to love Him. Stop and read this statement again. Understand that there is no other logical conclusion possible. To truly know God causes our heart to love and adore Him. If we do not love Him then we do not really know Him!

Jesus teaches us that the fundamental principle of His love for us is reflected in the nature of prayer. In particular, that aspect of a father to child kind of relationship.  St John’s gospel contains the astounding principle, repeated seven times for reinforcement, that God desires to answer prayer – “ask and you will receive”. You see, prayer is invited so as to obtain a Kingdom oriented answer. God reveals Himself as an attentive and sensitive father who seeks to direct and coach the efforts of His children toward His greater good. All He requires is for us to consult Him and bring Him into the picture. It is in the discourse of prayer and its answer that the flow of love between the Father and His child can be experienced tangibly.

Also, we should see that prayer becomes the prime vocation for the believer in order to accomplish God’s program on earth. But like an Olympic athlete, this purpose is not accomplished without disciplined determination, training and practice. Yet, the simple child-like principle of asking and receiving is never lost in any stage of development. We can conclude that the secret to the spiritual life is to make yourself little and dependent like a child. The danger is to become big and independent.

The child asking and the Father giving belong to each other in the heavenly economy and most simply define prayer. It is humbling to admit that God must lead and we must become lesser. God is always greater. He is great but He is also perfectly good and this is so comforting.

Call unto Me

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Phil 4:6

A hospital chaplain was doing his rounds. A new patient, a young boy, had entered the ward who was dying. The chaplain visited with him and asked if he might sit by his beside to chat. The patient nodded in approval but asked that he not sit in the chair close to his bedside.

The next day the chaplain visited again. The boy’s health was deteriorating. They got talking about Christianity and the Chaplain was happy to find the boy had a strong faith in Christ. As they talked the dying boy spoke about his prayer life. He said he talked constantly to God. He liked to imagine his Heavenly Father with him in the room. In fact, he imagined Him sitting in the chair beside the bed and that is why he preferred people not to sit there. The chaplain nodded and smiled as he listened to the boy’s story.

The next day the chaplain made his rounds but was met with an empty bed when he came to visit the boy. Enquiring with the nurse he was told that the frail boy had died during the night. The nurse reported, “It was a little unusual. We found him looking very peaceful but his head was resting on the chair beside the bed.”

Reflecting on this story, we should be reminded that God is so present in our earthly journey and nothing should be beyond the scope of prayer. Prayer should be the most natural activity, almost as basic as breathing or conversing with a friend. As with the dying boy in my story, whatever our concern you can be sure it is the concern of our loving God. If it is big enough to lose sleep over, or be anxious about, it’s big enough to pray about. Worry about nothing, says the apostle Paul, and pray about everything. Nothing to everything, now that is an open ended invitation!

En-thused Prayer

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence.” Heb 4:16

The Midwest has experienced a relentless series of days with scorching heat this summer. It has now reached a level of concern such that one of our local Christian radio stations invited it’s listeners to join with the host to pray that God might intervene and break the drought as farmers become anxious for their crops. Many problems can be alleviated without turning to God in prayer but we cannot activate the heavenly sprinkler system!

Hopefully it does not take a crisis to activate our prayer life. Our prayer life does reveal what we truly believe about ourselves and God. We can conclude that our grasp of the Christian faith will rise only as high as our prayer life. With this in mind we can say that a robust prayer life indicates a robust faith, a weak prayer life reveals a weak faith and no prayer proves no faith. Our prayer life reveals our dependence and joy in God. Are you enthused to pray?

To be enthused for prayer is critical to a happy life. The etymology of the word “enthused” actually contains a clue to what this is and how to achieve it. The word is a combination of “en”, to “put into” plus “thused” from the word “theos” or God. An en-thused prayer life has invited God to come in and activate and energize a life of conversation with God.

An enthused prayer life is the opposite of a drought in our prayer life. To encounter God is the key to energizing this life. A spiritual drought is broken when God rains down and refreshes our weary soul and we respond in new faith. Any sin is confessed as we sweep the house clean to enjoy His company. Prayer acts as the channel of blessing for this purpose - uplifted hands to our Heavenly Father that gladly receive His love.

Boda-Boda Taxis

“God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Luke 18:13

Exhilerating but frightening. That is how I would describe many of my recent experiences during a trip to Uganda. Take, for instance, a taxi ride where you entrust your life to a motorcyclist who weaves through traffic like a surfer winding up and down a wave. Tucked behind the taxi driver you sit with the mixed emotions of enjoying the scenery flashing by and longing for an imminent safe arrival.

Unlike the States, life in Uganda is operating at a different level of expectations and standards and you are forced to accommodate to the pace and conventions. Truthfully, I found myself praying a lot as so many things that needed to be accomplished did not carry with them the confident outcomes I am accustomed to assuming. Quite often, short prayers were the order of the day and short prayers that were repeated. This is what I voiced as I held on to the seat of the motorcycle and watched the blur of my surroundings rush by in a flurry of color and sound.

I believe that this kind of simple prayer format is another way of expressing our unceasing act of love toward God and keeps us living in Jesus. Like the tax collector we can pray with humility and dependence, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner”. As simple as that! This short sentence is a sincere, effective, and profound statement. In fact, when you consider it, this prayer is the solid foundation of all prayer. We should never lose track of the fact that we come into God’s presence due to His mercy. We are sinners accepted by grace. We do not saunter in with a “Hey, God” attitude but with a penitential attitude fully resting in the divine love and mercy of our Heavenly Father. When you are at a loss to know what to pray or the circumstances are so stressful that words are not coming together this “Jesus Prayer” is a life saver. It is like jumping in a taxi with God as the driver. You have respite and refuge and it is the prayer that maintains that reality as you entrust yourself to God.

Splash

“The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God.” Gal 2:20

Splash! Summer is here. Some of you will take your first swim for the year very soon. How will you enter the water? Will you run and dive with great gusto? Will someone take you by the hand and wade with you as you tentatively test the waters? Will someone push you in and abruptly speed up the whole process? Who’s initiative will get you there – yours or someone elses? Now switching gears let me ask, “How do you enter a life of prayer?”

Before we might consider different forms or postures in the practice of praying, we must recognize a fundamental truth. This is that God takes the initiative in approaching us first. This means our desire to pray is a response to God’s loving nudgings and beckonings. Like an email, God ‘sends’ and we ‘reply’. Our main task is to be eager to respond to His “emails”. We need to expect that He desires to have a relationship and is constantly seeking us.

When we embrace this understanding of a God who loves us and is looking to communicate with us we rightly enter into a life of prayer – “SPLASH!” With this perspective we become fully immersed in the waters of prayer. In this place our heart’s desire is to love Jesus more and more. He is the life preserver we cling to as we frolic in the waters of prayer. Our constant active offering of our love to God, held secure in the arms of Jesus, by the power of the Spirit, keeps us in a good place. Love to God is essential or our life will diminish in prayer and increase in self trust.  Christ is what keeps our prayer life buoyant. A child finds a swimming pool a magically enticing place; may we find a life of prayer to be the same.