Passion isn't just about lust or sex, though that is what some think when I use the word. Passion is ardent love, abounding enthusiasm. Passion makes a person do 'crazy' things! It's much more common among the young than the old. Usually those with the most to lose in terms of wealth or reputation are more guarded in their expression of passion, carefully concealing their desires and/or dreams. I know I risk offending some of the more sensitive among my readers by using that slang term, 'crazy.' Please give me some latitude, as I'm not making fun of anyone who struggles with mental illness, OK?
Anyway, back in 1992, a man named H. Ross Perot (remember him?) launched a run for the Presidency as an Independent candidate. He got almost a fifth of the votes cast in the general election! He was driven by a dream, a passion to change the nation, that was so unrealistic that he used the old Patsy Cline song, "Crazy" as his campaign song for several months. It was a great way to state the obvious - "this campaign flies in the face of all expectations, a quixotic effort. You see, Perot was the anti-candidate. He wasn't telegenic, nicknamed "hand grenade with ears" by those outside of his campaign. His voice had an irritating squawky tone and a Texas drawl. He was terribly plain-spoken, folksy, and simplistic. But he had passion, plenty of it. (It didn't hurt that he tons of money to finance his own campaign, either!) He didn't play it safe and millions admired him for his 'crazy' passion to be the President of the United States!
Are you passionate about anything? Now, a follow-up - is that about which you are of strong emotion or abundant enthusiasm really worth your passion?
Many who claim to be Christ-followers, live a calculated experience of little risk; a dutiful ritual, practiced at minimal involvement, with the hope of gaining a guaranteed entrance to Heaven - at the moment of a hopefully far distant death. In other words, they are 'buying' a kind of eternal life insurance policy. I don't know many people other than insurance agents who are passionate about life insurance! I know I'm not. Of course, I send my premium payment faithfully, month by month, but I am not in any rush to file a claim. I don't spend a lot of time thinking about my policy, re-reading it, or going over how my surviving family will use the funds that the company promises to send them when I die! I just make the payments to keep the policy in force.
Sometimes I get the feeling that 'insurance' is the concept that many people have about Christianity- making the 'payments' to keep the 'policy' in force, for that inevitable appointment. Jesus said something quite different! Here it is -
"A religion scholar stood up with a question to test Jesus.
“Teacher, what do I need to do to get eternal life?”
Jesus answered, “What’s written in God’s Law? How do you interpret it?”
He said, “That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence— and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself.”
“Good answer!” said Jesus. “Do it and you’ll live.”" (Luke 10:25-28, The Message)
Jesus was not suggesting that any of us can 'earn' a place in Heaven with good works, no matter how passionate we may be about them! He was pointing out that passion is required to really know the quality of life now that will lead us to a forever life with God! Jeff Vines says, "There are plenty of passionate people in this world. But what separates us from an erroneous religious system which dominates our worldly culture is not our passion, but our truth. Passion does not determine truth, but truth of Christ when authentically and genuinely embraced always results in passion."
When a Believer has really taken hold of God's grace, when the Spirit has shown him his sin and God's love, the seed of a passionate love is planted in that one's heart. Jesus acknowledged that when a woman who had been given back her life, forgiven and restored from a life of depravity, came and poured her tears on His feet, wiping them with her hair. The self-righteous ones in that room pointed out her disgustingly passionate behavior. Jesus told them that the real problem was their own lack of a sense of need! He then observed, "She was forgiven many, many sins, and so she is very, very grateful. If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal.”
Are you a little crazy for Jesus?
Do you know what He's done for you, let that love touch you deeply so that you live radically for Him - loving Him with 'all your heart, soul, mind, and strength?'
May God deliver us from our dutiful, risk-free, religious rituals. May the Holy Spirit cause us to love Him in a way that does not calculate risk and return, that causes us to abandon ourselves to the pursuit of Him so that we will enter into forever life right here, right now!___________________
This is the air I breathe,
This is the air I breathe,
Your holy presence living in me.
This is my daily bread,
This is my daily bread,
Your very word spoken to me.
And I, I'm desp'rate for You.
And I, I'm lost without You.
© 1995 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Music Services) CCLI License No. 810055
Friday, March 31, 2006
Thursday, March 30, 2006
A Personal Savior
Once upon a time, I regarded emotion as a sign of weakness. The strong did not cry, nor did they laugh too much. It was best, I thought, to live above one's emotions. Life was about thinking clearly, learning the 'right' concepts, and seeking to be self-sufficient. Then, I grew up! Perhaps some would say, I became more human. In truth, the Spirit of God healed me and gave me a new heart. Through some painful experiences I learned that emotions have real purpose. I endured a bout with depression that was caused, in part at least, by my refusal to express my emotions in a healthy way. In spite of being raised in a church tradition that is known for emotional expression, I was reluctant to let my faith touch my heart. My Christian faith became much deeper when my heart was restored, for I discovered that God is not just a Concept to learn; He is a Person to know. I was no longer afraid of people who were actually passionate about God and my relationship to God was transformed from dutiful obedience to genuine love for Him.
If asked, most Americans would say that God is a Person. The Bible, from which we learn about Him, is rich with personal language about Him: God loves, God provides, God is our Father. But despite acknowledging the theological truth, many do not relate to God as a Person. God, for many, is an Idea, a distant Force, or a remote Figure- unknown. They may recite an orthodox creed, go through accepted rituals, and even live by a moral code as an expression of their Christian religion, but it is all very sterile, very intellectual, and bloodless!
Reading through the Gospels which tell the stories of Jesus, the Man who came to live among us and to show us the face of God, we see a real Person who was fully engaged with those around Him. He was a true Friend to real people. He empathized, loved, shed tears, and shared jokes! And He said, "I and the Father are one." John writes, "The only Son, who is truly God and is closest to the Father, has shown us what God is like." (John 1:18, CEV)
What does this mean for us? It means that we can share our lives with God, that we can know Him, relate to Him; yes, really love Him! Those without faith may mock us, or think that we being childish - rather like the little girl having a tea party with an imaginary friend. But we will know Him and sense His Presence because, though He is invisible to us, He lives with us, by His Spirit! This will change how we live.
In the Word, we are told that "we have a great High Priest who has gone to heaven, Jesus the Son of God. Let us cling to him and never stop trusting him. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin. 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." (Hebrews 4:14-16, NLT) In a world that is depersonalized, where we often feel like a number or a function, where we live in multiple environments each making different demands of us; there is One who cares for us, who loves us, who knows our greatest fears, our secret dreams, our hidden sins, our public successes, and our heart! He loves us and desires that we love Him. He is our Personal Savior- accessible and understanding.
So what's your need today?
Is it for guidance? Is it forgiveness? Is it empowering to tackle some new task?
Is it strength to stand up to evil, to make a Kingdom difference? Is it just for Someone to care and share your joy and/or sorrows?
Come to the Savior! He is our Friend.
Find a quiet place and talk with him in prayer, making it personal.
Then, wait; listen, and receive the grace that He promises to those who love Him.
___________________________
What a friend I've found,
Closer than a brother;
I have felt Your touch,
More intimate than lovers.
What a hope I've found,
More faithful than a mother;
It would break my heart
To ever lose each other.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus -- Friend forever.
What A Friend I've Found
Smith, Martin
Copyright: 1996 Curious? Music UK (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
If asked, most Americans would say that God is a Person. The Bible, from which we learn about Him, is rich with personal language about Him: God loves, God provides, God is our Father. But despite acknowledging the theological truth, many do not relate to God as a Person. God, for many, is an Idea, a distant Force, or a remote Figure- unknown. They may recite an orthodox creed, go through accepted rituals, and even live by a moral code as an expression of their Christian religion, but it is all very sterile, very intellectual, and bloodless!
Reading through the Gospels which tell the stories of Jesus, the Man who came to live among us and to show us the face of God, we see a real Person who was fully engaged with those around Him. He was a true Friend to real people. He empathized, loved, shed tears, and shared jokes! And He said, "I and the Father are one." John writes, "The only Son, who is truly God and is closest to the Father, has shown us what God is like." (John 1:18, CEV)
What does this mean for us? It means that we can share our lives with God, that we can know Him, relate to Him; yes, really love Him! Those without faith may mock us, or think that we being childish - rather like the little girl having a tea party with an imaginary friend. But we will know Him and sense His Presence because, though He is invisible to us, He lives with us, by His Spirit! This will change how we live.
In the Word, we are told that "we have a great High Priest who has gone to heaven, Jesus the Son of God. Let us cling to him and never stop trusting him. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin. 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." (Hebrews 4:14-16, NLT) In a world that is depersonalized, where we often feel like a number or a function, where we live in multiple environments each making different demands of us; there is One who cares for us, who loves us, who knows our greatest fears, our secret dreams, our hidden sins, our public successes, and our heart! He loves us and desires that we love Him. He is our Personal Savior- accessible and understanding.
So what's your need today?
Is it for guidance? Is it forgiveness? Is it empowering to tackle some new task?
Is it strength to stand up to evil, to make a Kingdom difference? Is it just for Someone to care and share your joy and/or sorrows?
Come to the Savior! He is our Friend.
Find a quiet place and talk with him in prayer, making it personal.
Then, wait; listen, and receive the grace that He promises to those who love Him.
___________________________
What a friend I've found,
Closer than a brother;
I have felt Your touch,
More intimate than lovers.
What a hope I've found,
More faithful than a mother;
It would break my heart
To ever lose each other.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus -- Friend forever.
What A Friend I've Found
Smith, Martin
Copyright: 1996 Curious? Music UK (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Caring like He does
Every Sunday School kid quickly learns the shortest verse in the New Testament - "Jesus wept!" It comes in handy when the teacher asks for a quick recitation. But those two words give us a profound insight! John records the story for us in the 11th chapter of his Gospel. Jesus was called to the home of his friend Lazarus who had died. When he arrived in Bethany the dead man's sisters were angry with him for not showing up earlier to heal their ailing brother. The crowds that gathered whispered about Him - “This man healed a blind man. Why couldn’t he keep Lazarus from dying?” The Master's response to all this was not detached serenity, nor did He chide His critics for lack of faith! According to John, He was deeply moved by all the pain, the confusion, and the doubts. He cared, not professionally, but personally!
In another passage that is found in Matthew's Gospel, we read - "Jesus made a circuit of all the towns and villages. He taught in their meeting places, reported kingdom news, and healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives. When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. “What a huge harvest!” he said to his disciples. “How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!” " (Matthew 9:35-38, The Message) He saw their bruised and hurt lives and His heart broke!
Problems, pain, and predicaments are part of life! Sometimes they just arise... we have no idea why; sometimes they come our way because of our choices. Good people - including you and me - make dumb decisions, become victims of the 'system,' get deceived by life's vanities, are mesmerized by devilish lies, and too often choose short-term relief over long-term healing. In my calling as a shepherd for God's people, my phone rings often and I hear a voice saying - "Help me!" Sometimes the caller has created a mess for herself, snarling life into a tangled web. Other times, the difficulty and/or pain has just dropped on the sufferer out of the blue, uninvited. Some of the situations are relatively easy to resolve, needing only a little counsel. Others appear to have no earthly answer or remedy. Still others are so packed with suffering that it makes me catch my breath and thank God for His grace!
Jesus loves us! He is not a god hiding in the shadows, playing games with us. He is a Friend who comes alongside of us in our suffering. Even when it is our sinful choices that have brought us pain, He does not turn away saying, "you made your bed, now sleep in it!" Instead, if we turn to Him, He forgives and leads us into recovery and healing, into hope and new life. He doesn't always take away the pain. He doesn't always give us the miracle we think we need. He gives us grace, wisdom, and patience!
This love of Christ for us, inspires love for others in us, according to John. "We love each other as a result of his loving us first." (1 John 4:19, NLT) Genuine love that is like that of Jesus, does not let us turn away from those in pain. It does not let us judge others as unworthy of care, leaving them in their predicament! It requires that we weep, that we give when we think that we have no more to give, that we stay engaged with the foolish, the fallen, the stubborn, the stupid. It demands that we offer our hand to the unlovely, the critics, and yes, even to those who take advantage of our love. My prayer is that we will learn to be like Jesus, understanding that sometimes the best expression of love is just to 'cry with those who cry!'
It's a broken world out there. Some of you are reading that only to respond - "Out there? No way, Pastor. My life is broken!"
I want you to know - Jesus cares - really, He does. And, I hope that you have someone who loves you with His kind of love - gentle, empathetic, and engaged.
Think on this today -- "My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn’t know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can’t know him if you don’t love." (1 John 4:7-8, The Message)
In another passage that is found in Matthew's Gospel, we read - "Jesus made a circuit of all the towns and villages. He taught in their meeting places, reported kingdom news, and healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives. When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. “What a huge harvest!” he said to his disciples. “How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!” " (Matthew 9:35-38, The Message) He saw their bruised and hurt lives and His heart broke!
Problems, pain, and predicaments are part of life! Sometimes they just arise... we have no idea why; sometimes they come our way because of our choices. Good people - including you and me - make dumb decisions, become victims of the 'system,' get deceived by life's vanities, are mesmerized by devilish lies, and too often choose short-term relief over long-term healing. In my calling as a shepherd for God's people, my phone rings often and I hear a voice saying - "Help me!" Sometimes the caller has created a mess for herself, snarling life into a tangled web. Other times, the difficulty and/or pain has just dropped on the sufferer out of the blue, uninvited. Some of the situations are relatively easy to resolve, needing only a little counsel. Others appear to have no earthly answer or remedy. Still others are so packed with suffering that it makes me catch my breath and thank God for His grace!
Jesus loves us! He is not a god hiding in the shadows, playing games with us. He is a Friend who comes alongside of us in our suffering. Even when it is our sinful choices that have brought us pain, He does not turn away saying, "you made your bed, now sleep in it!" Instead, if we turn to Him, He forgives and leads us into recovery and healing, into hope and new life. He doesn't always take away the pain. He doesn't always give us the miracle we think we need. He gives us grace, wisdom, and patience!
This love of Christ for us, inspires love for others in us, according to John. "We love each other as a result of his loving us first." (1 John 4:19, NLT) Genuine love that is like that of Jesus, does not let us turn away from those in pain. It does not let us judge others as unworthy of care, leaving them in their predicament! It requires that we weep, that we give when we think that we have no more to give, that we stay engaged with the foolish, the fallen, the stubborn, the stupid. It demands that we offer our hand to the unlovely, the critics, and yes, even to those who take advantage of our love. My prayer is that we will learn to be like Jesus, understanding that sometimes the best expression of love is just to 'cry with those who cry!'
It's a broken world out there. Some of you are reading that only to respond - "Out there? No way, Pastor. My life is broken!"
I want you to know - Jesus cares - really, He does. And, I hope that you have someone who loves you with His kind of love - gentle, empathetic, and engaged.
Think on this today -- "My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn’t know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can’t know him if you don’t love." (1 John 4:7-8, The Message)
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
The Will of God
Little Janie (not her real name) had spent 3 of her 4 years with my Mom and Dad, the only parents she knew. The State of NJ placed her with them when she was an infant because her mother was incapable of parenting and her father was in prison. They loved her and eventually hoped to adopt her until yesterday when a judge decided that NJ law required that Janie be taken from their loving care and placed in the custody of a relative. With the bang of a gavel, the child's life was completely re-defined - all she knew and loved swept away. It was a sad day for us all.
The dilemma that I worked to resolve was about acceptance or resistance. Was I to accept this as the will of God or resist this as an expression of evil that needs to be over-turned? There is no obvious answer! That Janie has a relative who wants to care for her is probably a good thing. That she loses the relationship with people with whom she has bonded is a terrible thing. Will she be taught to love and serve God by her new family? That's unknown. So, in my confusion I prayed, "Lord God, help me to know how to think, what to pray."
Some Christians might say that since it has happened, it must be "the will of God!" That's a little too easy for me to believe! I am not a fatalist and while I know that God reigns as King of the Universe, I also believe that He has given humanity the privilege of choice. I cannot ignore the reality of pain and suffering; the frustration of the perfect purposes of God that is all too evident in the world around me, which is the a result of the work of the Evil One and people who rebel against God. Just because something happens, does not make it God's will.
That said, let me circle 'round to affirm the omniscience of our God. He knows what is happening. He helps us while events are unfolding. He is capable - amazingly so - of taking the circumstances of life and bringing them into line with His purposes. The 8th chapter of Romans teaches us to trust Him, even as we work with Him, to see His plans brought to completion. "...the Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don’t even know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray. ... we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." (Romans 8:26-28, NLT)
In the Bible, James tells us that even as Christians we must intentionally live in the will of God. Consider this - "Look here, you people who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what will happen tomorrow? For your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you will be boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil. Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it." (James 4:13-17, NLT) He reminds us that when we make our own plans without prayer, without seeking the Lord's guidance, we may fall into the sin of living outside of the will of God!
My questions about little Janie remain unanswered at this moment. But, even in my sorrow, I am at peace! Why? Because I choose to trust, to pray, to rest in the power and wisdom of the One who invites me to let Him lead. Here's another word from James that shows us how to live while we work out our understanding of God's will - "Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near." (James 5:7-8, NIV)
Plant good seed.
Pray for God's gracious rains.
Patiently wait!
See the harvest of good fruit that glorifies God.
____________________
Spirit of God- Descend upon my heart,
wean it from earth,through all its pulses move.
Stoop to my weakness mighty as Thou art,
and make me love Thee as I ought to love.
Hast Thou not bid us love Thee,
God and King?
All, all Thine own --soul, heart, and strength and mind.
I see Thy cross -- there teach my heart to cling,
O let me seek Thee and O let me find.
Teach me to feel that Thou art always nigh,
Teach me the strugglesof the soul to bear ---
To check the rising doubt,the rebel sigh:
Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.
Teach me to love Thee as Thine angels love,
Only holy passion filling all my frame.
The baptism of the heave'n descended Dove,
My heart an altar, and Thy love - the flame.
Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart
George Croly
Copyright: Public Domain
The dilemma that I worked to resolve was about acceptance or resistance. Was I to accept this as the will of God or resist this as an expression of evil that needs to be over-turned? There is no obvious answer! That Janie has a relative who wants to care for her is probably a good thing. That she loses the relationship with people with whom she has bonded is a terrible thing. Will she be taught to love and serve God by her new family? That's unknown. So, in my confusion I prayed, "Lord God, help me to know how to think, what to pray."
Some Christians might say that since it has happened, it must be "the will of God!" That's a little too easy for me to believe! I am not a fatalist and while I know that God reigns as King of the Universe, I also believe that He has given humanity the privilege of choice. I cannot ignore the reality of pain and suffering; the frustration of the perfect purposes of God that is all too evident in the world around me, which is the a result of the work of the Evil One and people who rebel against God. Just because something happens, does not make it God's will.
That said, let me circle 'round to affirm the omniscience of our God. He knows what is happening. He helps us while events are unfolding. He is capable - amazingly so - of taking the circumstances of life and bringing them into line with His purposes. The 8th chapter of Romans teaches us to trust Him, even as we work with Him, to see His plans brought to completion. "...the Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don’t even know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray. ... we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." (Romans 8:26-28, NLT)
In the Bible, James tells us that even as Christians we must intentionally live in the will of God. Consider this - "Look here, you people who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what will happen tomorrow? For your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you will be boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil. Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it." (James 4:13-17, NLT) He reminds us that when we make our own plans without prayer, without seeking the Lord's guidance, we may fall into the sin of living outside of the will of God!
My questions about little Janie remain unanswered at this moment. But, even in my sorrow, I am at peace! Why? Because I choose to trust, to pray, to rest in the power and wisdom of the One who invites me to let Him lead. Here's another word from James that shows us how to live while we work out our understanding of God's will - "Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near." (James 5:7-8, NIV)
Plant good seed.
Pray for God's gracious rains.
Patiently wait!
See the harvest of good fruit that glorifies God.
____________________
Spirit of God- Descend upon my heart,
wean it from earth,through all its pulses move.
Stoop to my weakness mighty as Thou art,
and make me love Thee as I ought to love.
Hast Thou not bid us love Thee,
God and King?
All, all Thine own --soul, heart, and strength and mind.
I see Thy cross -- there teach my heart to cling,
O let me seek Thee and O let me find.
Teach me to feel that Thou art always nigh,
Teach me the strugglesof the soul to bear ---
To check the rising doubt,the rebel sigh:
Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.
Teach me to love Thee as Thine angels love,
Only holy passion filling all my frame.
The baptism of the heave'n descended Dove,
My heart an altar, and Thy love - the flame.
Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart
George Croly
Copyright: Public Domain
Monday, March 27, 2006
Praying together...
I love prayer time more than any other part of our Sunday worship gatherings! When I extend the invitation to people to come for prayer, anywhere from 20-30% of the congregation makes their way down to the front of the church. There I see extended families stand with their arms around each other. Tears fall freely as hearts are open to God's presence. As I, and other elders from the church, move down the line anointing people in the Name of Jesus, symbolically calling on the Spirit of God to bring healing, hope, and restoration - I see the light of faith come in the eyes of those who are standing there! Sometimes the crush of the weight of the human need standing in front of me breaks my heart, and I too, begin to lead in prayer only to find myself too choked with emotion to speak because I know that it is a cancer diagnosis, a pending divorce action, a threatened lay-off, a heart broken by disappointment - that people are bringing to God. The connection that is formed by the Spirit of God, the pure love that fills the room at that moment, is indescribable.
What a holy moment: people bringing their needs to the Almighty God. To someone seeing this with human eyes it might appear to be foolishness, just an exercise in wishful thinking. To me it is an intersection of Heaven and Earth, amazing, powerful, and unbelievably life-giving. The Bible says, "Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with." (James 5:16, The Message)
Do you pray with others? To be honest, I find prayer meetings distasteful if they are allowed to become displays of piety, filled with pathetic attempts at feigned spirituality, where some feel the need to go on and on, stringing Bible phrases and church clichés together in long, boring speeches to God. Jesus says, “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered only by repeating their words again and again." (Matthew 6:7, NLT) Some of the most powerful prayers I have ever been part of had few, even no words. A wordless hunger for God's Presence, a humble silence before Him, brought people together and the Spirit of God connected them together with a divine 'electricity.'
Even Jesus knew the value of shared prayer. On the night before He became the Sacrifice for the sins of the world, He was crushed by the knowledge of the way of Cross that lay before Him. The Lord of Glory made this request of his friends - "They came to an area called Gethsemane. Jesus told his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter, James, and John with him. He plunged into a sinkhole of dreadful agony. He told them, “I feel bad enough right now to die. Stay here and keep vigil with me.” (Mark 14:32-34, The Message) Somehow Peter, James, and John failed Him that night, falling asleep when just needed them to be with Him. They missed the opportunity to experience the Presence of God.
When your pastor says, "let us pray," don't allow your mind to wander off. Don't just go to sleep. Instead, join your heart with others. Pray earnestly for the needs presented and your own needs as you enter in to His love. Ponder this amazing promise - “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:19-20, NIV)
Let us pray!
What a holy moment: people bringing their needs to the Almighty God. To someone seeing this with human eyes it might appear to be foolishness, just an exercise in wishful thinking. To me it is an intersection of Heaven and Earth, amazing, powerful, and unbelievably life-giving. The Bible says, "Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with." (James 5:16, The Message)
Do you pray with others? To be honest, I find prayer meetings distasteful if they are allowed to become displays of piety, filled with pathetic attempts at feigned spirituality, where some feel the need to go on and on, stringing Bible phrases and church clichés together in long, boring speeches to God. Jesus says, “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered only by repeating their words again and again." (Matthew 6:7, NLT) Some of the most powerful prayers I have ever been part of had few, even no words. A wordless hunger for God's Presence, a humble silence before Him, brought people together and the Spirit of God connected them together with a divine 'electricity.'
Even Jesus knew the value of shared prayer. On the night before He became the Sacrifice for the sins of the world, He was crushed by the knowledge of the way of Cross that lay before Him. The Lord of Glory made this request of his friends - "They came to an area called Gethsemane. Jesus told his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter, James, and John with him. He plunged into a sinkhole of dreadful agony. He told them, “I feel bad enough right now to die. Stay here and keep vigil with me.” (Mark 14:32-34, The Message) Somehow Peter, James, and John failed Him that night, falling asleep when just needed them to be with Him. They missed the opportunity to experience the Presence of God.
When your pastor says, "let us pray," don't allow your mind to wander off. Don't just go to sleep. Instead, join your heart with others. Pray earnestly for the needs presented and your own needs as you enter in to His love. Ponder this amazing promise - “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:19-20, NIV)
Let us pray!
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