Scriptures: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9)
On February 20, 1962, at 9:47 A.M., the spacecraft Friendship 7 rose on a pillar of fire, piloted by lone astronaut John Glenn. Leaving the coast of Florida far behind, the space capsule orbited the earth three times, traveling 81,000 miles in less than four hours. As the craft began its descent from space, mission controllers in Houston received a warning signal. A sensor indicated that the capsule's heat shield was in danger of detaching. If the heat shield came loose during reentry, the capsule would burn like a meteor--and John Glenn would die.
Because radio waves cannot penetrate plasma, the spacecraft experienced a total communications blackout--what astronauts and mission controllers call a "black hole".
The minutes crawled by and the suspense mounted in the Houston control room. NASA engineers felt totally helpless. Finally, after five minutes of silence, mission controllers heard Glenn's voice crackling over the radio: "Friendship 7 to Houston?"
Shouts of joy shook the control room. John Glenn was coming home. Although neither Glenn nor the mission controllers knew it at the time, the heat shield was absolutely firm and reliable. The fears for John Glenn's safety during his black hole experience were unfounded.
If you've ever been through a major crisis, you probably know what a communications "black hole" feels like. While you are in the pit of adversity, you feel that your world is collapsing, that your life is out of control--and that God is silent. The silence of a black hole is deafening. You feel isolated and alone. You question God's love, His care for you, and even His existence.
But even when it seems that God is distant and silent, your "heat shield" is still there, firm and reliable. In your black hole experience, God is teaching you to go deeper into your relationship with Him. You may think that your life is out of control and burning like a meteor, but in reality God, your heat shield, still protects you from the fiery forces that surround you.
(Thanks to Carole Frye and Doug Whitaker for this sharing.)
Prayer Requests:
For all those wondering where God is when going through financial, relational and spiritual hardships
Prayer:
Father, we thank You for always being there for us as our protection and guidance in all difficult and despairing life circumstances. We ask that You help us to learn and remember Your grace is sufficient for us and to share such blessings with all. In the mighty name of our Lord Jesus we pray, Amen!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
The Immensity of God's Love
Thus says the Lord: The people that have escaped the sword have found favor in the desert. As Israel comes forward to be given his rest, the Lord appears to him from afar: with age-old love I have loved you, so I have kept My mercy toward you (Jer. 31:2-3).
Easter is just a couple of weeks away now. When we get to this point in the church year, my mind always comes back to the theme of God’s incredible love for us, especially given how much we don’t deserve it. It is a reality that is so amazing, it’s all but impossible to articulate.
My meditations take me to Gethsemane and the image of Jesus struggling with the passion He is about to endure. This is the place where Jesus seems the most human to me. We have all wrestled with excruciatingly difficult decisions. We know the right thing to do, while simultaneously understanding that acting upon that decision will mean pain, both for ourselves and people we love. In light of my father’s current health situation, those kinds of decisions are becoming a bigger part of my life than I care for. Add to that the fact that I’ve lost two very close friends in the past three months. At times I feel like my world is being turned completely upside down.
The happy sentiments of “Jesus loves you” don’t give me much in the way of comfort in this context, and I question the strength of my own faith more than I care to admit. And yes, I’ve sometimes shaken my fist at God demanding to know what He’s doing, only to feel abashed at my lack of trust. I take great solace in St. Paul’s reminder that even if we are unfaithful, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself (2 Tim. 2:13). At times like this, I’m especially grateful to be in a choir, to have a vehicle to give voice to emotions that are often too profound and sublime to put into words.
We have a chamber choir at church that sings for special services, or sings sections of pieces within the full choir. The chamber choir will sing on Good Friday evening, as is our tradition. One piece that we are doing is Steve Green’s “Calvary Is the Sea.” (I hope I’ll actually be able to sing the piece this year. The last time we did it, I got so caught up in the text, I couldn’t utter a sound, much less a note, because the tears were flowing so uncontrollably down my face.) The words pay homage to the utter benevolence of God, and His abiding fidelity in the face of our infidelity:
Your broken form upon the cross, Your holy love expressed,
stirs a passion in my soul, calling me to give my best.
Refrain:
No sacrifice I could give to You could match what You’ve given me
for my everything is but a drop of dew, and Calvary is the sea.
Calvary is the sea.
If I could take the love I feel and capture it with words,
More than what my heart could give is still much less than You deserve. (Refrain)
If I should ever doubt Your love, my only prayer would be
That you would keep Your rugged cross etched upon my memory. (Refrain)
I pray that all of us will remember that we have a place to go when life doesn’t make sense. That place is the foot of the Cross.
Easter is just a couple of weeks away now. When we get to this point in the church year, my mind always comes back to the theme of God’s incredible love for us, especially given how much we don’t deserve it. It is a reality that is so amazing, it’s all but impossible to articulate.
My meditations take me to Gethsemane and the image of Jesus struggling with the passion He is about to endure. This is the place where Jesus seems the most human to me. We have all wrestled with excruciatingly difficult decisions. We know the right thing to do, while simultaneously understanding that acting upon that decision will mean pain, both for ourselves and people we love. In light of my father’s current health situation, those kinds of decisions are becoming a bigger part of my life than I care for. Add to that the fact that I’ve lost two very close friends in the past three months. At times I feel like my world is being turned completely upside down.
The happy sentiments of “Jesus loves you” don’t give me much in the way of comfort in this context, and I question the strength of my own faith more than I care to admit. And yes, I’ve sometimes shaken my fist at God demanding to know what He’s doing, only to feel abashed at my lack of trust. I take great solace in St. Paul’s reminder that even if we are unfaithful, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself (2 Tim. 2:13). At times like this, I’m especially grateful to be in a choir, to have a vehicle to give voice to emotions that are often too profound and sublime to put into words.
We have a chamber choir at church that sings for special services, or sings sections of pieces within the full choir. The chamber choir will sing on Good Friday evening, as is our tradition. One piece that we are doing is Steve Green’s “Calvary Is the Sea.” (I hope I’ll actually be able to sing the piece this year. The last time we did it, I got so caught up in the text, I couldn’t utter a sound, much less a note, because the tears were flowing so uncontrollably down my face.) The words pay homage to the utter benevolence of God, and His abiding fidelity in the face of our infidelity:
Your broken form upon the cross, Your holy love expressed,
stirs a passion in my soul, calling me to give my best.
Refrain:
No sacrifice I could give to You could match what You’ve given me
for my everything is but a drop of dew, and Calvary is the sea.
Calvary is the sea.
If I could take the love I feel and capture it with words,
More than what my heart could give is still much less than You deserve. (Refrain)
If I should ever doubt Your love, my only prayer would be
That you would keep Your rugged cross etched upon my memory. (Refrain)
I pray that all of us will remember that we have a place to go when life doesn’t make sense. That place is the foot of the Cross.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Satan's meeting
Satan called a worldwide convention of demons:
In his opening address he said,
"We can't keep Christians from going to church."
"We can't keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth."
"We can't even keep them from forming an intimate relationship with their saviour."
"Once they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken."
"So let them go to their churches; let them have their covered dish dinners, BUT steal their time, so they don't have time to develop a relationship with Jesus Christ.."
"This is what I want you to do," said the devil:
"Distract them from gaining hold of their Saviour and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day!"
"How shall we do this?" his demons shouted.
"Keep them busy in the non-essentials of life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their minds," he answered.
"Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow."
"Persuade the wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to work 6-7 days each week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their empty lifestyles."
"Keep them from spending time with their children."
"As their families fragment, soon, their homes will offer no escape from the pressures of work!"
"Over-stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that Still, Small Voice."
"Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever they drive."
"To keep the TV, VCR, CDs and their PCs going constantly in their home and see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays non-biblical music constantly."
"This will jam their minds and break that union with Christ."
"Fill the coffee tables with magazines and newspapers."
"Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day."
"Invade their driving moments with billboards."
"Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, mail order catalogs, sweepstakes, and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering free products, services and false hopes.."
"Keep skinny, beautiful models on the magazines and TV so their husbands will believe that outward beauty is what's important, and they'll become dissatisfied with their wives. "
"Keep the wives too tired to love their husbands at night."
"Give them headaches too! "
"If they don't give their husbands the love they need, they will begin to look elsewhere."
"That will fragment their families quickly!"
"Give them Santa Claus to distract them from teaching their children the real meaning of Christmas."
"Give them an Easter bunny so they won't talk about his resurrection and power over sin and death."
"Even in their recreation, let them be excessive."
"Have them return from their recreation exhausted."
"Keep them too busy to go out in nature and reflect on God's creation."
"Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, plays, concerts, and movies instead."
"Keep them busy, busy, busy!"
"And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences. "
"Crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from Jesus."
"Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family for the good of the cause."
"It will work!"
"It will work!"
It was quite a plan! The demons went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians everywhere to get busier and more rushed, going here and there. Having little time for their God or their families. Having no time to tell others about the power of Jesus to change lives.
I guess the question is, has the devil been successful in his schemes? You be the judge!!!!! Does "BUSY" mean: B-eing U-nder S-atan's Y-oke?
Prayer: Lord, forgive us for our negligent behavior, as indicated in what was a forwarded email to me. Help each one of us to carve out special time between You and each one of us. Help us to fight against the "busy-ness" of life - and include you in every decision we make.
In his opening address he said,
"We can't keep Christians from going to church."
"We can't keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth."
"We can't even keep them from forming an intimate relationship with their saviour."
"Once they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken."
"So let them go to their churches; let them have their covered dish dinners, BUT steal their time, so they don't have time to develop a relationship with Jesus Christ.."
"This is what I want you to do," said the devil:
"Distract them from gaining hold of their Saviour and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day!"
"How shall we do this?" his demons shouted.
"Keep them busy in the non-essentials of life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their minds," he answered.
"Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow."
"Persuade the wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to work 6-7 days each week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their empty lifestyles."
"Keep them from spending time with their children."
"As their families fragment, soon, their homes will offer no escape from the pressures of work!"
"Over-stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that Still, Small Voice."
"Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever they drive."
"To keep the TV, VCR, CDs and their PCs going constantly in their home and see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays non-biblical music constantly."
"This will jam their minds and break that union with Christ."
"Fill the coffee tables with magazines and newspapers."
"Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day."
"Invade their driving moments with billboards."
"Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, mail order catalogs, sweepstakes, and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering free products, services and false hopes.."
"Keep skinny, beautiful models on the magazines and TV so their husbands will believe that outward beauty is what's important, and they'll become dissatisfied with their wives. "
"Keep the wives too tired to love their husbands at night."
"Give them headaches too! "
"If they don't give their husbands the love they need, they will begin to look elsewhere."
"That will fragment their families quickly!"
"Give them Santa Claus to distract them from teaching their children the real meaning of Christmas."
"Give them an Easter bunny so they won't talk about his resurrection and power over sin and death."
"Even in their recreation, let them be excessive."
"Have them return from their recreation exhausted."
"Keep them too busy to go out in nature and reflect on God's creation."
"Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, plays, concerts, and movies instead."
"Keep them busy, busy, busy!"
"And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences. "
"Crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from Jesus."
"Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family for the good of the cause."
"It will work!"
"It will work!"
It was quite a plan! The demons went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians everywhere to get busier and more rushed, going here and there. Having little time for their God or their families. Having no time to tell others about the power of Jesus to change lives.
I guess the question is, has the devil been successful in his schemes? You be the judge!!!!! Does "BUSY" mean: B-eing U-nder S-atan's Y-oke?
Prayer: Lord, forgive us for our negligent behavior, as indicated in what was a forwarded email to me. Help each one of us to carve out special time between You and each one of us. Help us to fight against the "busy-ness" of life - and include you in every decision we make.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
A Soul is Everywhere
Scripture:
"Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. "
(John 4:25)
If you haven't already noticed, social networking on the Internet is at an all time high. Many years ago we did it on bulletin boards (BBS) over ARPANet (goverment term before WWW). Then came Internet services like Compuserve and AOL and now it is MySpace, Twitter and Facebook.
Well about around Thanksgiving my son told me that our whole family was on Facebook. Since a had some extra time over the holiday vacation I began exploring this social network. Many of my nieces and nephews are on and they now fill me in about their lives, boyfriends, activities, etc.
One of the venues of Facebook is a place called YoVille. This is a virtual world where you have your own character called an avatar and you play games and earn "coins" and buy things for your apartment and properties. It is an amazing to see how some people have so many hours to "live" in this place and buy "stuff".
At first I thought all of this was a waste of time but because I was praying that God would help me reconnect with my family back east, I took Facebook as the opportunity to do this. Then, as I explored YoVille, I realized that there were hundreds of thousands of people in that virtual city and there was not a single "church". Now don't shake your head yet.
Over the last couple of months I been witnessing in YoVille. That is right. I have figured out how to leave "message-tracts" between 30 to 50 new people everyday, I get 10 to 20 responses every day, both good and bad, and I have had many legitimate opportunities to witness and share God's Word to people who are really seeking help. In addition, I have been witnessing on the "streets" just like you might see other evangelists do in real life on the beach. And the responses are identical. There are hecklers, there are listeners, there are those who just stay there and listen, there are those who engage me in conversation. It is incredible.
The point to all this is that people are ready to recieve the message of salvation, we just have to find them and if we don't engage with them then opportunities to share the gospel will not become available. Now I am not saying that God does not "send" people to us so we can minister to them. He certainly does. I am only saying that as Christians we have a message that is far superior to any other message in the world. We know a Savior who can help people who are hurting, who can bring peace to the broken hearted, who heal the sick and even raise the dead. And millions do not even know His name.
We can't all go to a foreign country, and the Lord knows there are certainly lots of places that need missionaries, but with the Global Internet that is just at our fingertips, we can reach some of these people that need Christ that are all over the world just by finding the time to reach out to them.
If you are interested in knowing more about how I am witnessing in YoVille, send me and email and I will add you to my "crew" and we can set up a time to virtually "meet".
Prayer:
Dear Lord, Thank you for the Internet. We know there are many bad things "out there" but there also hundreds of millions who connect online everyday who do not know you. Lead people to websites that can help them and use us Lord to leverage our knowledge of the Internet to reach others for Christ. In Jesus Name. Amen
"Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. "
(John 4:25)
If you haven't already noticed, social networking on the Internet is at an all time high. Many years ago we did it on bulletin boards (BBS) over ARPANet (goverment term before WWW). Then came Internet services like Compuserve and AOL and now it is MySpace, Twitter and Facebook.
Well about around Thanksgiving my son told me that our whole family was on Facebook. Since a had some extra time over the holiday vacation I began exploring this social network. Many of my nieces and nephews are on and they now fill me in about their lives, boyfriends, activities, etc.
One of the venues of Facebook is a place called YoVille. This is a virtual world where you have your own character called an avatar and you play games and earn "coins" and buy things for your apartment and properties. It is an amazing to see how some people have so many hours to "live" in this place and buy "stuff".
At first I thought all of this was a waste of time but because I was praying that God would help me reconnect with my family back east, I took Facebook as the opportunity to do this. Then, as I explored YoVille, I realized that there were hundreds of thousands of people in that virtual city and there was not a single "church". Now don't shake your head yet.
Over the last couple of months I been witnessing in YoVille. That is right. I have figured out how to leave "message-tracts" between 30 to 50 new people everyday, I get 10 to 20 responses every day, both good and bad, and I have had many legitimate opportunities to witness and share God's Word to people who are really seeking help. In addition, I have been witnessing on the "streets" just like you might see other evangelists do in real life on the beach. And the responses are identical. There are hecklers, there are listeners, there are those who just stay there and listen, there are those who engage me in conversation. It is incredible.
The point to all this is that people are ready to recieve the message of salvation, we just have to find them and if we don't engage with them then opportunities to share the gospel will not become available. Now I am not saying that God does not "send" people to us so we can minister to them. He certainly does. I am only saying that as Christians we have a message that is far superior to any other message in the world. We know a Savior who can help people who are hurting, who can bring peace to the broken hearted, who heal the sick and even raise the dead. And millions do not even know His name.
We can't all go to a foreign country, and the Lord knows there are certainly lots of places that need missionaries, but with the Global Internet that is just at our fingertips, we can reach some of these people that need Christ that are all over the world just by finding the time to reach out to them.
If you are interested in knowing more about how I am witnessing in YoVille, send me and email and I will add you to my "crew" and we can set up a time to virtually "meet".
Prayer:
Dear Lord, Thank you for the Internet. We know there are many bad things "out there" but there also hundreds of millions who connect online everyday who do not know you. Lead people to websites that can help them and use us Lord to leverage our knowledge of the Internet to reach others for Christ. In Jesus Name. Amen
Monday, March 23, 2009
Our Refiner and Purifier
Scriptures: He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. (Malachi 3:3)
> Malachi 3:3 says: 'He will sit as a refiner and
> purifier of silver.'
>
>
> This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they
> wondered what this statement meant about the character and
> nature of God.
>
> One of the women offered to find out the process of
> refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible
> Study.
>
> That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an
> appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention
> anything about the reason for her interest beyond her
> curiosity about the process of refining Silver.
>
> As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver
> over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in
> refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle
> of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away
> all the impurities.
>
> The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot;
> then she thought again about the verse that says: 'He
> sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.'
> She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit
> there in front of the fire the whole time.
>
> The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there
> holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the
> silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was
> left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.
>
>
> The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the
> silversmith, 'How do you know when the silver is fully
> refined?'
>
> He smiled at her and answered, 'Oh, that's easy
> --when I see my image in it.'
>
> If today you are feeling the heat of the fire ,
> remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching
> you until He sees His image in you.
> Pass this on right now. This very moment, someone needs to
> know that God is watching over them.
>
> And, whatever they're going through, they'll be a
> better person in the end.
>
> 'Life is a coin. You can spend it anyway you wish, but
> you can only spend it once.'
>
> Thank you God, for teaching me to laugh again......
> but please Lord, don't ever let me forget that I
> cried.
(Thanks to Connie Holt for this sharing.)
Prayer Requests:
For all those going through fiery situations
Prayer:
Father, we thank You for making us Your children and for restoring us to the glorious image of Your Son Jesus. Help us to remember that, beyond every difficult and challenging circumstance, there's Your loving eyes fixed on us and Your gentle hands holding us. Help us to hang on tight to You so we can sooner than later reflect Your glory and bring light to this dark and needy world. In the precious name of our Lord Jesus we pray, Amen!
> Malachi 3:3 says: 'He will sit as a refiner and
> purifier of silver.'
>
>
> This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they
> wondered what this statement meant about the character and
> nature of God.
>
> One of the women offered to find out the process of
> refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible
> Study.
>
> That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an
> appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention
> anything about the reason for her interest beyond her
> curiosity about the process of refining Silver.
>
> As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver
> over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in
> refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle
> of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away
> all the impurities.
>
> The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot;
> then she thought again about the verse that says: 'He
> sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.'
> She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit
> there in front of the fire the whole time.
>
> The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there
> holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the
> silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was
> left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.
>
>
> The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the
> silversmith, 'How do you know when the silver is fully
> refined?'
>
> He smiled at her and answered, 'Oh, that's easy
> --when I see my image in it.'
>
> If today you are feeling the heat of the fire ,
> remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching
> you until He sees His image in you.
> Pass this on right now. This very moment, someone needs to
> know that God is watching over them.
>
> And, whatever they're going through, they'll be a
> better person in the end.
>
> 'Life is a coin. You can spend it anyway you wish, but
> you can only spend it once.'
>
> Thank you God, for teaching me to laugh again......
> but please Lord, don't ever let me forget that I
> cried.
(Thanks to Connie Holt for this sharing.)
Prayer Requests:
For all those going through fiery situations
Prayer:
Father, we thank You for making us Your children and for restoring us to the glorious image of Your Son Jesus. Help us to remember that, beyond every difficult and challenging circumstance, there's Your loving eyes fixed on us and Your gentle hands holding us. Help us to hang on tight to You so we can sooner than later reflect Your glory and bring light to this dark and needy world. In the precious name of our Lord Jesus we pray, Amen!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
The Gift of Silence
Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10).
In our busy, noisy world, silence can be tough to come by. Even in the precious moments when we’re not inundated with the sounds of everyday life, I’ve noticed that people are uncomfortable with silence. Sometimes there’s that pregnant pause in a group gathering and you know everyone is thinking, ”Somebody say something!” People start to fidget and you can see the discomfort on their faces and in their body language.
Given today’s economic situation and the added stresses that people have on them because of it, I believe it’s all the more important to carve out that time to just detach from the noisy world we live in, and to let the Lord bathe us in blessed silence. And we have a good example for that. The Gospels tell us that Jesus would withdraw to deserted places to pray (Lk. 5:16), to commune with the Father, to recharge the batteries, so that He could continue His mission of salvation.
A group of my women friends went on retreat this past weekend, and I can tell from seeing them since then that the time they spent in quiet and prayer did them much good. It’s feeding my desire all the more for my own annual retreat in Colorado at the end of May (T-minus 70 days and counting!). I will be going to a different place this year - a tiny farming town in southeastern Colorado filled with melon and alfalfa fields. I’ve only seen pictures of it, but I’m looking forward to being there, to shutting off my Blackberry and my laptop, and getting away from the noise of the TV, the traffic and the neighborhood leaf blowers, to just spend the time listening to the voice of the One I know loves me without reservation.
Our God is a God of peace, the peace that comes when we allow ourselves to be stripped of all the extraneous junk in our lives. Jen observed in her post yesterday how more and people are turning to prayer and to the support of their faith communities, etc., in the midst of the current economic crisis – and with good reason. The problems are bigger than any of us, and only God can help us to see our way through the struggles we’re facing. Acknowledging that we can’t go it alone is healthy. St. Paul wrote, “I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me” (2 Cor. 12:9). I have heard it said that the position of greatest power is on one’s knees. That power is found in deserted places of the soul.
The promise that God made to King Solomon is as relevant today as it was in Old Testament times: and if My people, upon whom My name has been pronounced, humble themselves and pray, and seek My presence and turn from their evil ways, I will hear them from heaven and pardon their sins and revive their land (2 Chr. 7:14). My prayer is that all of us will make time to pull way, to go off alone with the Lord, be it for a few days or a few minutes. Christ entered our world 2000 years ago on a quiet night in an obscure town called Bethlehem. He is waiting to enter our world again, through the door of every heart that will open itself to His presence, and come before Him in silence.
In our busy, noisy world, silence can be tough to come by. Even in the precious moments when we’re not inundated with the sounds of everyday life, I’ve noticed that people are uncomfortable with silence. Sometimes there’s that pregnant pause in a group gathering and you know everyone is thinking, ”Somebody say something!” People start to fidget and you can see the discomfort on their faces and in their body language.
Given today’s economic situation and the added stresses that people have on them because of it, I believe it’s all the more important to carve out that time to just detach from the noisy world we live in, and to let the Lord bathe us in blessed silence. And we have a good example for that. The Gospels tell us that Jesus would withdraw to deserted places to pray (Lk. 5:16), to commune with the Father, to recharge the batteries, so that He could continue His mission of salvation.
A group of my women friends went on retreat this past weekend, and I can tell from seeing them since then that the time they spent in quiet and prayer did them much good. It’s feeding my desire all the more for my own annual retreat in Colorado at the end of May (T-minus 70 days and counting!). I will be going to a different place this year - a tiny farming town in southeastern Colorado filled with melon and alfalfa fields. I’ve only seen pictures of it, but I’m looking forward to being there, to shutting off my Blackberry and my laptop, and getting away from the noise of the TV, the traffic and the neighborhood leaf blowers, to just spend the time listening to the voice of the One I know loves me without reservation.
Our God is a God of peace, the peace that comes when we allow ourselves to be stripped of all the extraneous junk in our lives. Jen observed in her post yesterday how more and people are turning to prayer and to the support of their faith communities, etc., in the midst of the current economic crisis – and with good reason. The problems are bigger than any of us, and only God can help us to see our way through the struggles we’re facing. Acknowledging that we can’t go it alone is healthy. St. Paul wrote, “I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me” (2 Cor. 12:9). I have heard it said that the position of greatest power is on one’s knees. That power is found in deserted places of the soul.
The promise that God made to King Solomon is as relevant today as it was in Old Testament times: and if My people, upon whom My name has been pronounced, humble themselves and pray, and seek My presence and turn from their evil ways, I will hear them from heaven and pardon their sins and revive their land (2 Chr. 7:14). My prayer is that all of us will make time to pull way, to go off alone with the Lord, be it for a few days or a few minutes. Christ entered our world 2000 years ago on a quiet night in an obscure town called Bethlehem. He is waiting to enter our world again, through the door of every heart that will open itself to His presence, and come before Him in silence.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Recession & Religion
Scripture: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" (Matthew 6:25-27)
I heard a news clip the other day that at first really annoyed me. The report indicated that the rockier the economy gets, the higher church attendance grows. I have to admit that my first emotion was indignation. Sure, as long as things are swell, who needs God? So long as we have money in the bank, all the material goodies, all the name brands indicating we own "the best" - who needs God? But as soon as crisis hits, it's interesting how God suddenly becomes important to people, and He becomes the Big Vending Machine in the Sky. When New York experienced the 9/11 tragedy, churches all over the nation became packed. But a couple of years later, attendance once again fell.
But no sooner did my initial feelings of indignation form, when I felt a "check" in my spirit. "Who am I to judge?" If you think about it - not much has changed in 2000 years since the Israelites walked through the desert. God fed them manna from heaven, led them with a cloud by day, a pillar of fire by night. They were in the Presence of God Almighty in a way we will never know! Yet, over and over, they would fall away from God and slip into sin. When it came time to suffer consequences for their wayward ways, invoking the wrath of God, suddenly they would return to their faith, devote their lives to God all over again. When they stopped being attacked by other nations, food was plenty and water ran freely - they would forget Who was protecting them from their enemies and providing them with all their sustenance for life. Back into sin they would go, becoming complacent in their faith, negligent of their religious practices, lax in their morals.
America is so much the same way. Yet again, I ask, "who am I to judge?" Yes, it's frustrating that the God I serve in good times and bad, through wealth and poverty, through life's easy paths and many trials - others have reduced Him to a vending machine, running to him only when they need something from Him.
The important thing to note is that I will never know how many people committed their lives to the Lord after 9/11, and never returned to their old, Godless lives. I will never know the seeds of faith that were planted in some people back then, and how they have been watered and fed throughout the years since, and as a result, some have drawn closer to the Lord. And during this difficult economy, I will never know how many people will turn to Christ and fully commit their lives to Him - during this crisis, and long afterwards.
I was wrong for feeling indignant. Instead, my feelings turned towards compassion and joy, for THIS is the time for all Christians to share our hope in Jesus Christ throughout these days of loss and financial hardship. While others fear for what tomorrow brings, we stand in our faith that God will guide us, protect us, carry us through. This isn't a time for pride - it's a time to share why we don't fear, because we know Who is in charge.
My hope is not in the stock market, the American economy, the job I hold, or the President of the United States. My hope is in Christ. OUR hope is in Christ.
Some people in our churches will only last through the crisis, others will commit their lives - it's up to us as disciples to share the gospel and the hope we have in Jesus Christ, our Savior. I'll leave the judging to Him. 8-)
Prayer request: For hearts to be open to the hope Christ offers, and for Him to move in a mighty way through our nation.
Prayer: Lord, we ask that you bring revival to this nation. Let Your presence and glory fill America in an undeniable way. Light hearts on fire for You, Lord. Amen
I heard a news clip the other day that at first really annoyed me. The report indicated that the rockier the economy gets, the higher church attendance grows. I have to admit that my first emotion was indignation. Sure, as long as things are swell, who needs God? So long as we have money in the bank, all the material goodies, all the name brands indicating we own "the best" - who needs God? But as soon as crisis hits, it's interesting how God suddenly becomes important to people, and He becomes the Big Vending Machine in the Sky. When New York experienced the 9/11 tragedy, churches all over the nation became packed. But a couple of years later, attendance once again fell.
But no sooner did my initial feelings of indignation form, when I felt a "check" in my spirit. "Who am I to judge?" If you think about it - not much has changed in 2000 years since the Israelites walked through the desert. God fed them manna from heaven, led them with a cloud by day, a pillar of fire by night. They were in the Presence of God Almighty in a way we will never know! Yet, over and over, they would fall away from God and slip into sin. When it came time to suffer consequences for their wayward ways, invoking the wrath of God, suddenly they would return to their faith, devote their lives to God all over again. When they stopped being attacked by other nations, food was plenty and water ran freely - they would forget Who was protecting them from their enemies and providing them with all their sustenance for life. Back into sin they would go, becoming complacent in their faith, negligent of their religious practices, lax in their morals.
America is so much the same way. Yet again, I ask, "who am I to judge?" Yes, it's frustrating that the God I serve in good times and bad, through wealth and poverty, through life's easy paths and many trials - others have reduced Him to a vending machine, running to him only when they need something from Him.
The important thing to note is that I will never know how many people committed their lives to the Lord after 9/11, and never returned to their old, Godless lives. I will never know the seeds of faith that were planted in some people back then, and how they have been watered and fed throughout the years since, and as a result, some have drawn closer to the Lord. And during this difficult economy, I will never know how many people will turn to Christ and fully commit their lives to Him - during this crisis, and long afterwards.
I was wrong for feeling indignant. Instead, my feelings turned towards compassion and joy, for THIS is the time for all Christians to share our hope in Jesus Christ throughout these days of loss and financial hardship. While others fear for what tomorrow brings, we stand in our faith that God will guide us, protect us, carry us through. This isn't a time for pride - it's a time to share why we don't fear, because we know Who is in charge.
My hope is not in the stock market, the American economy, the job I hold, or the President of the United States. My hope is in Christ. OUR hope is in Christ.
Some people in our churches will only last through the crisis, others will commit their lives - it's up to us as disciples to share the gospel and the hope we have in Jesus Christ, our Savior. I'll leave the judging to Him. 8-)
Prayer request: For hearts to be open to the hope Christ offers, and for Him to move in a mighty way through our nation.
Prayer: Lord, we ask that you bring revival to this nation. Let Your presence and glory fill America in an undeniable way. Light hearts on fire for You, Lord. Amen
Monday, March 16, 2009
The Love in Need
Scriptures: For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. (Galatians 5:6)
A little boy received a birthday gift. It was a toy racing car, with remote control. He was excited to have this gift. He played it all night. The next morning, he “drove” this toy car to breakfast. After breakfast, he continued to play till lunch, dinner, and bedtime. Then, he continued to play this toy car the next day, and the day after, and the day after, and so on.
After a couple of weeks, this car started to slow down. But the little boy didn’t care. He continued to play this favorite toy of his. After another week, this toy car stopped. It didn’t matter how he tried, the car just wouldn’t move. So he went to his father for help. His father told him it was the batteries that died. All that he needed to do was to replace the batteries. So the boy realized that the power of the toy car he had came from batteries.
In many ways, we are very much like that toy car of that little boy. Recently, I have had several opportunities to talk to a few brothers and sisters regarding marital and relationship problems and issues. I found one common theme in all the conversations was that the greatest expectation for people to enter into a relationship, especially something as significant as a marriage, is to be loved.
One of them told us that, coming from a broken family, she thought marrying a Christian man would bring her the love and happiness she always longed for. But she found out that her husband was too serious to even take her out for a dinner or a movie. As much as she tried to talk to her husband, he continued his own way. In another case, the couple got tangled with in-law problems and, with that third-party involvement, their marriage quickly turned from sweet to sour. The expectations quickly became disappointments and the longing for love became bitterness.
Some of them came to church and found the love of Christ and were strengthened and became blessings to their marriages and families. Some became skeptical of such thing called “love” and found it difficult to trust anyone who tried to help. Worse yet, they became skeptical of the love of God. Their hearts were filled with bitterness and hopelessness. On the one hand, they longed to be loved and, yet, they found it hard to trust anyone for fear of getting hurt or disappointed. I wonder how we, as children of God, can help.
We know that, as humans, we were created in God’s image. We were created with the desire to be loved and with the ability to love. In my conversations with these brothers and sisters, I found that somewhere this important part of living was left out. Either we fail to see the needs of love or we fail to respond to the acts of love. The resulting agony and void created in other people were often so great that they allowed the fillings of bitterness and the exclusion of hope.
Apostle Paul, in his epistle to the church in Galatia, reminded us that “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” (Galatians 5:6) Yes, love was that missing ingredient. In Christ, the only way to express our faith is through love. It was this love of God that brought us His salvation. It was this same love the compelled us forward to acknowledge our sins and to accept Jesus our Lord and Savior. This very same love demands us to reach out in faith to those in need of love. Without this love of God, just like that toy car without batteries, we would not be able to go anywhere or to do anything, just as Jesus said, “…apart from me, you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
Prayer Requests:
For those struggling in marital problems
Prayer:
Father, thank You for loving us with Your only begotten Son, Jesus. Help us to respond to Your love by sharing with others Your unconditional love for everyone. Bless us with Your wisdom and comfort so we can be Your hands and feet in reaching out to those in need. In the loving name of Your Son, Jesus, we pray, Amen!
A little boy received a birthday gift. It was a toy racing car, with remote control. He was excited to have this gift. He played it all night. The next morning, he “drove” this toy car to breakfast. After breakfast, he continued to play till lunch, dinner, and bedtime. Then, he continued to play this toy car the next day, and the day after, and the day after, and so on.
After a couple of weeks, this car started to slow down. But the little boy didn’t care. He continued to play this favorite toy of his. After another week, this toy car stopped. It didn’t matter how he tried, the car just wouldn’t move. So he went to his father for help. His father told him it was the batteries that died. All that he needed to do was to replace the batteries. So the boy realized that the power of the toy car he had came from batteries.
In many ways, we are very much like that toy car of that little boy. Recently, I have had several opportunities to talk to a few brothers and sisters regarding marital and relationship problems and issues. I found one common theme in all the conversations was that the greatest expectation for people to enter into a relationship, especially something as significant as a marriage, is to be loved.
One of them told us that, coming from a broken family, she thought marrying a Christian man would bring her the love and happiness she always longed for. But she found out that her husband was too serious to even take her out for a dinner or a movie. As much as she tried to talk to her husband, he continued his own way. In another case, the couple got tangled with in-law problems and, with that third-party involvement, their marriage quickly turned from sweet to sour. The expectations quickly became disappointments and the longing for love became bitterness.
Some of them came to church and found the love of Christ and were strengthened and became blessings to their marriages and families. Some became skeptical of such thing called “love” and found it difficult to trust anyone who tried to help. Worse yet, they became skeptical of the love of God. Their hearts were filled with bitterness and hopelessness. On the one hand, they longed to be loved and, yet, they found it hard to trust anyone for fear of getting hurt or disappointed. I wonder how we, as children of God, can help.
We know that, as humans, we were created in God’s image. We were created with the desire to be loved and with the ability to love. In my conversations with these brothers and sisters, I found that somewhere this important part of living was left out. Either we fail to see the needs of love or we fail to respond to the acts of love. The resulting agony and void created in other people were often so great that they allowed the fillings of bitterness and the exclusion of hope.
Apostle Paul, in his epistle to the church in Galatia, reminded us that “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” (Galatians 5:6) Yes, love was that missing ingredient. In Christ, the only way to express our faith is through love. It was this love of God that brought us His salvation. It was this same love the compelled us forward to acknowledge our sins and to accept Jesus our Lord and Savior. This very same love demands us to reach out in faith to those in need of love. Without this love of God, just like that toy car without batteries, we would not be able to go anywhere or to do anything, just as Jesus said, “…apart from me, you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
Prayer Requests:
For those struggling in marital problems
Prayer:
Father, thank You for loving us with Your only begotten Son, Jesus. Help us to respond to Your love by sharing with others Your unconditional love for everyone. Bless us with Your wisdom and comfort so we can be Your hands and feet in reaching out to those in need. In the loving name of Your Son, Jesus, we pray, Amen!
Monday, March 9, 2009
Traffic Lights
Scriptures: Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious heart. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way of everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24)
This morning, on my way to the office, I noticed that the traffic on the freeway was bad. So I made an executive decision and took a local route to come to the office. On the way, I found myself sometimes racing for a green / yellow light and sometimes pacing to avoid stopping at a red light.
I knew that traffic lights were regulators that control the flow of traffic. I had every intention of keeping the traffic law. But, somehow I just didn’t want to be regulated by these lights. Why did I drive like that this morning? As I pondered on this more, I think I didn’t want to stop. I would like to keep moving. Stopping somehow gave me a feeling of getting stuck, a sense of helplessness that I wanted to avoid.
I think that was the reason I got off the freeway in the first place. I didn’t want to get stuck in the middle of the traffic and not being able to get to the place at the time I like. I wanted to do things my way. But the sense of restlessness bothered me. So, I did a quick prayer to ask our Lord to calm my heart and to remind me that He is still in control. The thoughts of Him brought peace back to my heart.
Driving is a lot like our life. It is full of situations where we can be rushed into actions and decisions. We thought we need to jump into actions right away, but we did so without examining our hearts first, without consulting with our Lord first, and without checking the instructions He has for us first. In short, we like to have things our ways. We forgot that it was this tendency that got the entire mankind into this trouble we are in today.
Our adversary would want us to believe that there’s no time to waste on praying and on consulting with our Lord; there’s no time to waste on checking with what the Word of God has to say about things we are contemplating. It would want us to believe that we can do all things on our own. “Where there is a will, there is a way.” But it doesn’t say what that way leads to.
The problem with this picture is there’s no God in it. There’s only us and the problem / situation. Our wisdom and strength are the only resources we choose for resolution. And, as much as we believe we are working hard to take care of the problems, to bless others, even sacrificially, we find ourselves restless, helpless and hopeless. There’s no peace in doing so, nor was there joy. Just work!
Apostle Paul told us that “Do not be anxious of anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7) Note how we are not expected to be anxious in anything and to be willing to approach the Mercy Seat with prayers and petitions for everything. Nothing is the extent we should be anxieties about and everything is the extent to which we should bring to our Lord. This includes driving, parenting, building our families, serving in the church, planning for careers and retirements, and others.
I am glad that I was reminded to come back to Him and that I was reminded to stay focused on Him who alone was the source of all peace and hope we ever need. Yes, going to work on time is important. But being at peace with Him and with ourselves in all circumstances will be more important because it will be a blessing to us and to others around us, too. That’s what we all strive for, isn’t it?
Prayer Requests:
For those stuck in traffic
Prayer:
Father, thank You for the blessings and all conveniences technologies have brought us. As we sail through this journey called life, help us to remember that all tools and technologies are there so our lives in Your Son Jesus Christ can be made more visible to this lost generation. We ask that Your Spirit continue to comfort and strengthen us, make sure that the love and peace we have in Jesus can saturate and permeate in our lives so we can be Your blessings for all! In the precious name of Your Son, Jesus, we pray, Amen!
This morning, on my way to the office, I noticed that the traffic on the freeway was bad. So I made an executive decision and took a local route to come to the office. On the way, I found myself sometimes racing for a green / yellow light and sometimes pacing to avoid stopping at a red light.
I knew that traffic lights were regulators that control the flow of traffic. I had every intention of keeping the traffic law. But, somehow I just didn’t want to be regulated by these lights. Why did I drive like that this morning? As I pondered on this more, I think I didn’t want to stop. I would like to keep moving. Stopping somehow gave me a feeling of getting stuck, a sense of helplessness that I wanted to avoid.
I think that was the reason I got off the freeway in the first place. I didn’t want to get stuck in the middle of the traffic and not being able to get to the place at the time I like. I wanted to do things my way. But the sense of restlessness bothered me. So, I did a quick prayer to ask our Lord to calm my heart and to remind me that He is still in control. The thoughts of Him brought peace back to my heart.
Driving is a lot like our life. It is full of situations where we can be rushed into actions and decisions. We thought we need to jump into actions right away, but we did so without examining our hearts first, without consulting with our Lord first, and without checking the instructions He has for us first. In short, we like to have things our ways. We forgot that it was this tendency that got the entire mankind into this trouble we are in today.
Our adversary would want us to believe that there’s no time to waste on praying and on consulting with our Lord; there’s no time to waste on checking with what the Word of God has to say about things we are contemplating. It would want us to believe that we can do all things on our own. “Where there is a will, there is a way.” But it doesn’t say what that way leads to.
The problem with this picture is there’s no God in it. There’s only us and the problem / situation. Our wisdom and strength are the only resources we choose for resolution. And, as much as we believe we are working hard to take care of the problems, to bless others, even sacrificially, we find ourselves restless, helpless and hopeless. There’s no peace in doing so, nor was there joy. Just work!
Apostle Paul told us that “Do not be anxious of anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7) Note how we are not expected to be anxious in anything and to be willing to approach the Mercy Seat with prayers and petitions for everything. Nothing is the extent we should be anxieties about and everything is the extent to which we should bring to our Lord. This includes driving, parenting, building our families, serving in the church, planning for careers and retirements, and others.
I am glad that I was reminded to come back to Him and that I was reminded to stay focused on Him who alone was the source of all peace and hope we ever need. Yes, going to work on time is important. But being at peace with Him and with ourselves in all circumstances will be more important because it will be a blessing to us and to others around us, too. That’s what we all strive for, isn’t it?
Prayer Requests:
For those stuck in traffic
Prayer:
Father, thank You for the blessings and all conveniences technologies have brought us. As we sail through this journey called life, help us to remember that all tools and technologies are there so our lives in Your Son Jesus Christ can be made more visible to this lost generation. We ask that Your Spirit continue to comfort and strengthen us, make sure that the love and peace we have in Jesus can saturate and permeate in our lives so we can be Your blessings for all! In the precious name of Your Son, Jesus, we pray, Amen!
Friday, March 6, 2009
To Live is Christ!
Feel the passion of K.P. Yohannan as he describes the life-giving power of total commitment to Christ. Be encouraged and amazed by real life stories of missionaries who willingly risk their lives to preach the Gospel. God can and wants to use our lives in similar, mighty ways if we will find our life by giving it away. (53 min)
http://www.gfa.org/to-live-is-christ
Dear Lord Jesus. I want to be like you. Make me useable and use me.
http://www.gfa.org/to-live-is-christ
Dear Lord Jesus. I want to be like you. Make me useable and use me.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Prayerfully Arranged Marriage
Scriptures:
The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" (James 5:16).
James Rutz, author of MegaShift, tells a wonderful story of God's supernatural hand in answering prayer.
"I have a good friend named Barclay Tait who sells vacation real estate in Niceville, Florida. Back in 1977, he was a 36-year-old Florida basketball coach. That summer, he decided to hitch-hike to a Christian conference in Front Royal, Virginia. Arriving four days early, he went to a nearby forest and pitched his tent by a stream. On the last day, a tall, thin hiker with a notebook under his arm suddenly appeared, startling him as he read his Bible. Barclay explained that he came out there to fast and meditate.
Dave, the hiker, replied, "Well, I'm an intercessor. What would you like me to pray for?"
Feeling somewhat overwhelmed, Barclay said, "Uh, frankly, I'd like prayer for a wife." The man wrote the request in his notebook and walked on.
By 1988, Barclay, now married to Sherry, has been divinely guided to move to Asheville, North Carolina. A chance encounter in the Holiday Inn parking lot led to an invitation to join a gathering of a Christian group outside of town. Arriving just before the 7:00 P.M. meeting, the host walks in from the kitchen and stops dead in his tracks. "I know you!" he exclaims, pointing his finger. "You're Barclay Tait!" Barclay draws a blank.
"Just a minute. I have something I want to show you," the host announces. He scampers upstairs, leaving the puzzled Taits standing in the middle of the suddenly hushed room. In a moment the host reappeared with a well-worn ledger book. "See here? This is where I wrote your prayer request in column one when I met you in Front Royal in 1977: 'Barclay Tait: God's choice for a wife.'" Barclay looked down at the journal entry. It was the most detailed, methodical prayer journal he'd ever seen.
"I prayed for you for seven years," proclaims Dave. "Then in the middle of the night on December 30, 1984, God woke me up out of a sound sleep and said, 'Write in your journal, "Prayer answered." So I did. See? Here in column two, "Prayer answered.'"
Barclay and Sherry look at each other with their mouths open. They sat down, and their eyes fill with tears. Quietly, Barclay tells Dave, "That was the day we were married."
Prayer:
Lord, Please make me a blessing. I present myself to you, a living sacrifice, for ministry to the world. I pray that I would see others through your eyes of love and concern and that I would ask myself "What would Jesus do?" Please forgive me of the times I have been selfish or apathetic, for the times I have missed out on the opportunity to minister and be a blessing. I pray for all the people in my family and community who need a blessing right now. I pray for Christians around the world who need your hand of blessing right now. Lord, you know the need. You are good, all the time. I pray that in your mercy, you will will reach out in the way you know best and meet those needs, uplift those spirits, bless those souls, for your glory. In Jesus' name, amen
(Today God Is First Volume 2, by Os Hillman)
The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" (James 5:16).
James Rutz, author of MegaShift, tells a wonderful story of God's supernatural hand in answering prayer.
"I have a good friend named Barclay Tait who sells vacation real estate in Niceville, Florida. Back in 1977, he was a 36-year-old Florida basketball coach. That summer, he decided to hitch-hike to a Christian conference in Front Royal, Virginia. Arriving four days early, he went to a nearby forest and pitched his tent by a stream. On the last day, a tall, thin hiker with a notebook under his arm suddenly appeared, startling him as he read his Bible. Barclay explained that he came out there to fast and meditate.
Dave, the hiker, replied, "Well, I'm an intercessor. What would you like me to pray for?"
Feeling somewhat overwhelmed, Barclay said, "Uh, frankly, I'd like prayer for a wife." The man wrote the request in his notebook and walked on.
By 1988, Barclay, now married to Sherry, has been divinely guided to move to Asheville, North Carolina. A chance encounter in the Holiday Inn parking lot led to an invitation to join a gathering of a Christian group outside of town. Arriving just before the 7:00 P.M. meeting, the host walks in from the kitchen and stops dead in his tracks. "I know you!" he exclaims, pointing his finger. "You're Barclay Tait!" Barclay draws a blank.
"Just a minute. I have something I want to show you," the host announces. He scampers upstairs, leaving the puzzled Taits standing in the middle of the suddenly hushed room. In a moment the host reappeared with a well-worn ledger book. "See here? This is where I wrote your prayer request in column one when I met you in Front Royal in 1977: 'Barclay Tait: God's choice for a wife.'" Barclay looked down at the journal entry. It was the most detailed, methodical prayer journal he'd ever seen.
"I prayed for you for seven years," proclaims Dave. "Then in the middle of the night on December 30, 1984, God woke me up out of a sound sleep and said, 'Write in your journal, "Prayer answered." So I did. See? Here in column two, "Prayer answered.'"
Barclay and Sherry look at each other with their mouths open. They sat down, and their eyes fill with tears. Quietly, Barclay tells Dave, "That was the day we were married."
Prayer:
Lord, Please make me a blessing. I present myself to you, a living sacrifice, for ministry to the world. I pray that I would see others through your eyes of love and concern and that I would ask myself "What would Jesus do?" Please forgive me of the times I have been selfish or apathetic, for the times I have missed out on the opportunity to minister and be a blessing. I pray for all the people in my family and community who need a blessing right now. I pray for Christians around the world who need your hand of blessing right now. Lord, you know the need. You are good, all the time. I pray that in your mercy, you will will reach out in the way you know best and meet those needs, uplift those spirits, bless those souls, for your glory. In Jesus' name, amen
(Today God Is First Volume 2, by Os Hillman)
Monday, March 2, 2009
Come, just as we are!
Scriptures: For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile-the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him, for “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:12-13)
A friend of mine, who is soon to be a believer, has been coming to our church for a couple of years by now. He has been attending all kinds of fellowship meetings, going to bible studies and retreats, and giving his time and talents to help various ministries. His participations and likeable personality quickly made him one of us.
During this time, everyone in the church was wondering when he will become a brother in Christ. We talked to him a few times and, for the first few times, he always said that he was waiting for some kind of signs from God to welcome him into the kingdom. Having been in the church for some time, he had heard quite a few testimonies and had been touched by many of them. He felt that, as sound as the doctrine was to him, it would be even better and convincing to him if he could receive some kind of assurance, something like a sign or a miracle of some kind, to help him make up his mind.
Well, recently, as we approached him again, he shared something very different with us. He shared with us that praying to God and studying His Word have become part of his daily routine. He has actually seen some of his prayer requests answered. He even shared the gospel with his family, hoping they would join him in getting baptized. We were all thrilled upon hearing the news. So, we asked him if he would like to be baptized. He then told us that he had a major concern for baptism. His concern was he found out that he has not been able to forgive as Jesus commanded us.
Whenever he was hurt, mostly through someone else’ words or acts, it was more than difficult for him to get over them. More than that, there’s a voice inside of him kept reminding him of his unworthiness of receiving the title of a “Christian.” So, we began to share with him that none of us became a Christian because of our work, accomplishments, knowledge, abilities, social status, wealth, or anything else that this world offers. We became Christians entirely because of the grace of God. We told him that Jesus accepts us just the way we are and He expects us to come to Him just the way we are.
As we were sharing with him, amazing thing started to happen. His eyes turned red and tears began to fall down his cheeks. Having sensed that the Spirit was working in his heart, we started to pray for him and ask the Spirit to remove all obstacles and obstructions from his heart so he could approach the Mercy Seat without stumbling. At the end of the prayer, he expressed his desire to talk to the pastor for baptism. Praise the Lord!
His response administered to all of us around him then. It reminded me of how we are so accustomed to this worldly thinking that there’s just no free lunch. To receive something good, you will have to pay for it. My friend, though he has come to appreciate the value of salvation through the love and truth of God we shared with him, was still bound by his experience and all worldly training he has had. His final realization reminded me that, as Christians and as imperfect as we are, we need to remember that our Lord knows us just as we are. We don’t ever have to be someone we are not. He sees our true condition and will lavish His love, comfort and guidance accordingly. All we need to do is to come to Him just the way we are.
We also need to remember the priceless redemption He has for us. This is something we can never repay, but something we can return with thankful hearts and with genuine obedience to His instructions and guidance.
We are all excited to see our friend moving into the family of God. We sincerely pray that, with the grace of God, together we will grow to be Christ-like children of God, pleasing to Him in everyway!
Come Just As You Are
Come just as you are
Hear the Spirit call
Come just as you are
Come and see
Come receive
Come and live forever
Life everlasting
Strength for today
Taste the living water
And never thirst again
-- by Lewis Crystal
Prayer Requests:
For those struggling of pleasing God in his / her own ways
Prayer:
Our heavenly Father, thank You for making us Your children. Please have mercy on those who are still bound by the worldly thinking that they must earn their salvation by work of any kind. As we pray in the name above all names, the name of our Lord Jesus, please free them from such bondage. Please grant us the obedience and the sensitivity we need to follow the leading of the Spirit so we can be Your vessel in ushering others into Your presence and making them Your children. In the mighty name of our Lord Jesus we pray, Amen!
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