"Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As He finished, one of His disciples came and said, 'Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.'
Jesus said, 'This is how you should pray:
'Father, may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come soon.
Give us each day the food we need,
and forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
And don't let us yield to temptation.'" Luke 11:1-4 NLT
I don't know if you're like me, but at times, do you feel that we use prayer as a sort of magic trick? We go along and do things that we know isn't acceptable and then pray to get out of trouble. We want something that's really cool, we pray that we can get it or if we go ahead and get it, we have to pray to have funds to pay for it.
Is this what God created prayer for? Prayer was created so that we could talk and communicate with our Father in heaven. Not to be a magic wand that allows us to, on purpose, do unpleasing things to the Lord and then we pray and "poof" it makes them disappear. It's not the genie in the lantern that you rub and get your wishes granted.
Prayer is a very special gift that God has given us because He loves us so much and wants us to talk with Him. He made us to be a people that needs to communicate. He wants to hear our fears, needs and troubles. When we do do wrong, He wants to us to come and ask for forgiveness.
But He also loves to hear our praises and declarations of love and thankfulness. It doesn't need to come through a third party or special words. Prayer is to come from your heart and soul. An unique, intimate date that is between just you and your God.
So, how do you pray?
"So, let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." Hebrews 4:16 NLT
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
"Dry" Spells
"The LORD will guide you continually,
giving you water when you are dry
and restoring your strength.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like an ever-flowing spring." Isaiah 58:11 NLT
Have you ever run through a "dry" spell in your faith? Those times when you feel that you've experienced all you can experience or God just doesn't seem real anymore? We all do. The world is full of people that, when times are good and things are going their way, they slip into a pattern that doesn't acknowledge God at all. But the moment something bad happens--BAM--they are all over God, blaming Him for everything that ever went wrong or is going wrong, with their lives. They get angry at Him and make statements like, "Well, if this is what happens when God is in my life, I don't need it!" or "I knew it! God is just a big bully up there in Heaven, getting His jollies off by screwing with my life!"
To be honest, yesterday as I was sitting with Jordan in his hospital room and trying to process what his diabetic journey is going to mean to him and our family, I got angry. Maybe not to the extent to what those statements above went to, but I guess I felt a little betrayed by God. Here is Jordan, just starting out on life and he gets hit with this life changing event. Yes, it's controlable but it still isn't nice. LORD, we're good people, constantly trying to do Your will, serving Your people and YOU allow this to happen. How could You!?
I'm not proud of those feeling but they are all apart of the human cycle of emotional grief. I was grieving for my son and the challenge ahead of him. I was grieving for what I couldn't protect him from. But then the Lord showed me this verse, "giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength." I felt He was telling me that He understood what I was going through. After all, He is a father too. But He has not and will not ever leave me or our family. There is some purpose for this new journey and He will be with us all the way--restoring us with His words, spirit and support people He will, and has brought, into our lives.
When you are experiencing your "dry" spell, how do you respond? Do you blame God and turn your back to Him, or use this opportunity to dig deeper into His word for strength and knowledge? Do you get on your knees and pray for wisdom and lay your situation on His altar for Him to take care of or do you shun Him and handle it yourself?
"Dry" spells happen to everyone--how you handle them is the key. Turn to God, not away. If you do, your life will once again "be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring." Only it will be better and stronger than ever before!
"See, I have written your name on the palms of My hands." Isaiah 49:16 NLT
giving you water when you are dry
and restoring your strength.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like an ever-flowing spring." Isaiah 58:11 NLT
Have you ever run through a "dry" spell in your faith? Those times when you feel that you've experienced all you can experience or God just doesn't seem real anymore? We all do. The world is full of people that, when times are good and things are going their way, they slip into a pattern that doesn't acknowledge God at all. But the moment something bad happens--BAM--they are all over God, blaming Him for everything that ever went wrong or is going wrong, with their lives. They get angry at Him and make statements like, "Well, if this is what happens when God is in my life, I don't need it!" or "I knew it! God is just a big bully up there in Heaven, getting His jollies off by screwing with my life!"
To be honest, yesterday as I was sitting with Jordan in his hospital room and trying to process what his diabetic journey is going to mean to him and our family, I got angry. Maybe not to the extent to what those statements above went to, but I guess I felt a little betrayed by God. Here is Jordan, just starting out on life and he gets hit with this life changing event. Yes, it's controlable but it still isn't nice. LORD, we're good people, constantly trying to do Your will, serving Your people and YOU allow this to happen. How could You!?
I'm not proud of those feeling but they are all apart of the human cycle of emotional grief. I was grieving for my son and the challenge ahead of him. I was grieving for what I couldn't protect him from. But then the Lord showed me this verse, "giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength." I felt He was telling me that He understood what I was going through. After all, He is a father too. But He has not and will not ever leave me or our family. There is some purpose for this new journey and He will be with us all the way--restoring us with His words, spirit and support people He will, and has brought, into our lives.
When you are experiencing your "dry" spell, how do you respond? Do you blame God and turn your back to Him, or use this opportunity to dig deeper into His word for strength and knowledge? Do you get on your knees and pray for wisdom and lay your situation on His altar for Him to take care of or do you shun Him and handle it yourself?
"Dry" spells happen to everyone--how you handle them is the key. Turn to God, not away. If you do, your life will once again "be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring." Only it will be better and stronger than ever before!
"See, I have written your name on the palms of My hands." Isaiah 49:16 NLT
Monday, April 27, 2009
The Gracious Hand of God
"I felt encouraged because the gracious hand of the LORD my God was on me." Ezra 7:28 NLT
As I am writing this, my son Jordan is lying in a hospital bed. We found out last night that he has Type 1 Diabetes. Sounds scary. And it can be. For the rest of his life, he will have to be on insulin. But God is good and His grace is everlasting. What my son has, we can manage it and he can live a long and productive life. But what about the parents that have children with cancer or other uncurable situations?
When Peggy, Amanda and I were sitting in the waiting room at Valley Children's, we were surrounded by mothers and fathers who had to bring their child in here for some reason. Were their hearts and spirits all aflutter as mine was? Were they battling their fears with the knowledge that God is in control even if I feel that I am not? Did they even know God?
I praise my God that even in the midst of fears, blood tests, IV's, He is there--with His ever-present hand, graciously on my shoulder--squeezing it ever so gently, as if to say, "Yes, I know how it is to worry over a son. To love one so much that you would gladly say, please, take me, spare my son this pain. I've been there. But trust Me, Eric, father to father, I will care for our son."
When you are in a scary spot, where do you turn? Sometimes in the midst of our pain, confusion or saddness, we can't see God or what His plan is. But remember this, even when we can't trace His hand, we can trust His heart. He wants only the best for us and that may include going through some tough times.
"And praise Him for demonstrating such unfailing love to me..." Ezra 7:28 NLT
Please, as you think of Jordan, pray for him. We should be home Wednesday. I humbly thank you. Eric
As I am writing this, my son Jordan is lying in a hospital bed. We found out last night that he has Type 1 Diabetes. Sounds scary. And it can be. For the rest of his life, he will have to be on insulin. But God is good and His grace is everlasting. What my son has, we can manage it and he can live a long and productive life. But what about the parents that have children with cancer or other uncurable situations?
When Peggy, Amanda and I were sitting in the waiting room at Valley Children's, we were surrounded by mothers and fathers who had to bring their child in here for some reason. Were their hearts and spirits all aflutter as mine was? Were they battling their fears with the knowledge that God is in control even if I feel that I am not? Did they even know God?
I praise my God that even in the midst of fears, blood tests, IV's, He is there--with His ever-present hand, graciously on my shoulder--squeezing it ever so gently, as if to say, "Yes, I know how it is to worry over a son. To love one so much that you would gladly say, please, take me, spare my son this pain. I've been there. But trust Me, Eric, father to father, I will care for our son."
When you are in a scary spot, where do you turn? Sometimes in the midst of our pain, confusion or saddness, we can't see God or what His plan is. But remember this, even when we can't trace His hand, we can trust His heart. He wants only the best for us and that may include going through some tough times.
"And praise Him for demonstrating such unfailing love to me..." Ezra 7:28 NLT
Please, as you think of Jordan, pray for him. We should be home Wednesday. I humbly thank you. Eric
Friday, April 24, 2009
Doubt and Fear
"I cried out, 'I am slipping!', but your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me. When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer." Psalm 94:18,19 NLT
I had to be truthful with myself. I was stressing out over some issues. Some of the issues were ministry related. There are a lot of hurting people. Some of the issues were within my family. I was not living in the moment, but thinking way down the road. My thoughts were filled with doubts, and the doubt led to fear.
I preach faith in God. I tell everyone that will listen that Jesus loves us. I read the scriptures that affirm my faith in Christ. Yet, I had to admit that I was afraid and feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders. Do you know what I mean? Have you ever felt like it all depended on you?
I think the human condition leads us into feeling self-reliant. While God has given us seeds of greatness, our hope is really in Him. I can fall into what I call the "savior complex." I have to fix it. Then I realize that I can't fix everyone. This can be overwhelming and self-destructive.
I confessed my anxiety to my wife and the Lord. The next morning the Lord comforted me with this scripture;
"I cried out, 'I am slipping!', but your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me. When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer."
There will be many issues in life that will try to bring doubt and fear into our souls. Acknowledge how you are feeling to yourself, God, and another person. Give whatever is weighing on you completely to God. Don't continue to nurse the issue.
"The Lord is my fortress; my God is the mighty rock where I hide." Psalm 94:22 NLT
I had to be truthful with myself. I was stressing out over some issues. Some of the issues were ministry related. There are a lot of hurting people. Some of the issues were within my family. I was not living in the moment, but thinking way down the road. My thoughts were filled with doubts, and the doubt led to fear.
I preach faith in God. I tell everyone that will listen that Jesus loves us. I read the scriptures that affirm my faith in Christ. Yet, I had to admit that I was afraid and feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders. Do you know what I mean? Have you ever felt like it all depended on you?
I think the human condition leads us into feeling self-reliant. While God has given us seeds of greatness, our hope is really in Him. I can fall into what I call the "savior complex." I have to fix it. Then I realize that I can't fix everyone. This can be overwhelming and self-destructive.
I confessed my anxiety to my wife and the Lord. The next morning the Lord comforted me with this scripture;
"I cried out, 'I am slipping!', but your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me. When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer."
There will be many issues in life that will try to bring doubt and fear into our souls. Acknowledge how you are feeling to yourself, God, and another person. Give whatever is weighing on you completely to God. Don't continue to nurse the issue.
"The Lord is my fortress; my God is the mighty rock where I hide." Psalm 94:22 NLT
Thursday, April 23, 2009
The Trashing Floor
"He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.” Luke 3:16,17 NLT
In Biblical times, after wheat was harvested, it went to the trashing floor. Wheat was a main staple of people in the ancient world. The wheat kernels would be beaten off the stalks and then tossed in the air with a winnowing fork to separate them from the chaff. The heavy grain would fall to the trashing floor as the lighter chaff would blow away. We don't use the word "chaff" very much today. Chaff means, husk or worthless in comparison to something greater.
John the Baptist said that Jesus would use the power of the Holy Spirit and the fire of refinement and judgment, to separate those that would follow Him or reject Him. In Christ followers the power of the Holy Spirit and the fire of refinement is like being wheat stalks on the trashing floor. God separates from us those things and areas of our lives that are chaff. What is eternally valuable stays with us, what is worthless by comparison, blows away.
Do you feel like you are on the trashing floor? What areas of your life is God refining? What "chaff" is He beating away? It's hard to be on the trashing floor. You feel out of control. You see areas of your life falling away. When you are in the middle of the trashing floor, remember that the One who holds you, loves you. His goal is not to leave you beaten, but to remove those things from your life that are keeping you from receiving the fullness of His love and grace.
In Biblical times, after wheat was harvested, it went to the trashing floor. Wheat was a main staple of people in the ancient world. The wheat kernels would be beaten off the stalks and then tossed in the air with a winnowing fork to separate them from the chaff. The heavy grain would fall to the trashing floor as the lighter chaff would blow away. We don't use the word "chaff" very much today. Chaff means, husk or worthless in comparison to something greater.
John the Baptist said that Jesus would use the power of the Holy Spirit and the fire of refinement and judgment, to separate those that would follow Him or reject Him. In Christ followers the power of the Holy Spirit and the fire of refinement is like being wheat stalks on the trashing floor. God separates from us those things and areas of our lives that are chaff. What is eternally valuable stays with us, what is worthless by comparison, blows away.
Do you feel like you are on the trashing floor? What areas of your life is God refining? What "chaff" is He beating away? It's hard to be on the trashing floor. You feel out of control. You see areas of your life falling away. When you are in the middle of the trashing floor, remember that the One who holds you, loves you. His goal is not to leave you beaten, but to remove those things from your life that are keeping you from receiving the fullness of His love and grace.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Generation Next
"We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about His power and His mighty wonders. For He issued His laws to Jacob; He gave His instructions to Israel. He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, so the next generation might know them— even the children not yet born and they in turn will teach their own children. So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting His glorious miracles and obeying His commands." Psalm 78:4-7 NLT
I was talking to a member of our church. She has a great little daughter. I asked how her daughter was doing. The mom told me she was doing well. Then she added; "She's getting it." I knew what the mom meant. Her daughter's relationship with Jesus was maturing. She was understanding the love of Christ. She was applying the ways of scripture to her life.
Every generation faces new and difficult challenges. When I was growing up, civil rights, Vietnam, sex, drugs, and rock and roll, were facing us. Today we live in a world in crisis. The things that we have been putting our hope in are crumbling around us. Each time we turn on the nightly news, or log onto our home page, we see the continual decline of our world.
What does our youth put their hope in? What do they, the next generation, have to look forward to? What assurance of well-being do they have? The only solid, eternal solution is in Jesus Christ. Be honest. What else is there? What has, or is working to solve the problems of our world and human condition? In what ways are you investing in the youth of today?
The next generation needs something to put their hope in. That "someone" is Jesus Christ.
I was talking to a member of our church. She has a great little daughter. I asked how her daughter was doing. The mom told me she was doing well. Then she added; "She's getting it." I knew what the mom meant. Her daughter's relationship with Jesus was maturing. She was understanding the love of Christ. She was applying the ways of scripture to her life.
Every generation faces new and difficult challenges. When I was growing up, civil rights, Vietnam, sex, drugs, and rock and roll, were facing us. Today we live in a world in crisis. The things that we have been putting our hope in are crumbling around us. Each time we turn on the nightly news, or log onto our home page, we see the continual decline of our world.
What does our youth put their hope in? What do they, the next generation, have to look forward to? What assurance of well-being do they have? The only solid, eternal solution is in Jesus Christ. Be honest. What else is there? What has, or is working to solve the problems of our world and human condition? In what ways are you investing in the youth of today?
The next generation needs something to put their hope in. That "someone" is Jesus Christ.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Straight Talk
"Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy." Proverbs 27:6 NLT
I was proud of my daughter. She was burdened deeply in her heart. She had a dear friend that was making some unhealthy choices. I told my daughter that if what her friend was doing was bothering her, she should talk about it with her friend. She did. It took a lot of courage because my daughter hates confrontation. But it had to be done.
We owe it to each other to speak the truth in love. It's easy to flatter people. It's much harder to confront in love. When we do not confront, we can build up hurts, anger and bitterness. We can contribute to the self-destruction of others. Our ability to confront in love, will be our ability to mature in life.
There is a danger when we confront others. If we are not careful, we can become critical and blind to our own issues. When we are the person being confronted, we can become hypersensitive. We need to give and receive constructive criticism in love.
I have a friend. He seems to feel that it is his duty to let me know when I've put on weight. I don't like to hear it, but I need to. If I have to be true to myself, I must admit that without friends that confront me in love, I can become self-deceived and lazy.
So, are you ready for some straight talk?
I was proud of my daughter. She was burdened deeply in her heart. She had a dear friend that was making some unhealthy choices. I told my daughter that if what her friend was doing was bothering her, she should talk about it with her friend. She did. It took a lot of courage because my daughter hates confrontation. But it had to be done.
We owe it to each other to speak the truth in love. It's easy to flatter people. It's much harder to confront in love. When we do not confront, we can build up hurts, anger and bitterness. We can contribute to the self-destruction of others. Our ability to confront in love, will be our ability to mature in life.
There is a danger when we confront others. If we are not careful, we can become critical and blind to our own issues. When we are the person being confronted, we can become hypersensitive. We need to give and receive constructive criticism in love.
I have a friend. He seems to feel that it is his duty to let me know when I've put on weight. I don't like to hear it, but I need to. If I have to be true to myself, I must admit that without friends that confront me in love, I can become self-deceived and lazy.
So, are you ready for some straight talk?
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