Watching a young child is so fascinating. Do they come into the world with a clean blank slate or already intelligent and already hardwired on some basic levels waiting for their body to catch up? One of the few questions that I recollect from Developmental Psychology 4 years ago, a class that proved almost too much for me. I can't say which is true, but this I know, a small child learns by mimicking others.
Talking, walking, eating, opening a door, all actions that are seen verbally or heard and imitated over time. Learning by doing.
How do you teach someone to pray who has never really prayed before? I would say the same way you teach a child how to talk or walk. You spend lots of time around them in the act of walking and talking or praying.
We have scripture yes, Matthew 6 tells us prayer should be personal, not at all flashy or religious. Luke 11 shows us that the disciples did not understand prayer, they needed to be taught. We learn there too that prayer should not be wordy, drawn out, but sincere, honest, and expressionate. And we see in John that our prayer should be a conversation, sharing our heart and hearing God's heart in reply. Prayer should be listening.
But even still all these teachings can fail to make a connection when the receiver has never grown up around the terminology or seen prayer as habitual.
I find then that prayer must be taught by example. This spring I've been drawn together with a student here at UNC-W who not very long ago encountered God and decided to pledge his life. As I'm guiding him through scripture and showing him the way, I've also been modeling prayer.
I started by praying with him as often as possible, allowing him to hear my prayers, to see prayer as a habit for me. Then I slowly began to ask him to pray. First as we were alone, then later in public before our meal. I've asked him to pray in group settings, all this of which he first approached nervously and with a "not sure what I'm doing but ok I'll give it a try" mindset.
He's made progress. He's growing more comfortable with praying in public and is beginning to volunteer to pray for others. We're still just beginning with everything it means to follow Christ, but one thing is clear to me which I have learned in this. The Way can only be taught so much, but really, it must be shown through our actions and how we live our lives.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Got __[Blank]___?
Sitting on the back deck this late lazy May afternoon, I gaze up through a tree, though I'm not taking in the tree at all. My eyes don't even catch the clouds in the sky above rolling by. Coming out here after watching some television episodes on Netflix, I decide to enjoy the remainder of the beautiful afternoon before the sun sets. I bring my Bible with me, and after flipping it open, I began reading Psalm 39-40. Different verses speak to me, and I store them away as little treasures.
But as I sit here, having read, outwardly I'm looking up at the sky, but in reality I am looking deep within me, struck by several realizations.
If this moment were captured in a single snapshot, one would describe it as perfect. And yet I know there is only peace on the surface. Within me needs, insecurities, hopes, and dreams all wait, anticipation building, but for now smothered by contentment.
Yet I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. Psalm 40:17
As men, we are taught to be self sufficient. Expected to live independently and by our own means, reliant upon nothing. And yet David, a man after God's own heart, is found all throughout Psalms crying out for God. In Psalm 42, David poetically describes his need for God like that of a deer that pants for water. David, a king, who had everything he wanted, still needed something more.
While I live, and work for the food that I eat, pay for the shelter over my head and other expenses, I still have needs that can only be met by the Father. And when I try to find purpose, and fulfillment of my own provision, I become miserable, a shell empty and hollow.
We see this captured in Jesus, who fasted for 40 days and afterward said "Man does not live on bread alone." We see this in Messiah who often went off to lonely places and prayed, who had no place to lay his head. He knows what we all must know, that we must draw close to God, to receive what we truly need. His life, in us.
Maybe this is the secret Paul referred to knowing when he wrote "I have learned the secret of being content in every situation whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." Philippians 4:12
But as I sit here, having read, outwardly I'm looking up at the sky, but in reality I am looking deep within me, struck by several realizations.
If this moment were captured in a single snapshot, one would describe it as perfect. And yet I know there is only peace on the surface. Within me needs, insecurities, hopes, and dreams all wait, anticipation building, but for now smothered by contentment.
Yet I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. Psalm 40:17
As men, we are taught to be self sufficient. Expected to live independently and by our own means, reliant upon nothing. And yet David, a man after God's own heart, is found all throughout Psalms crying out for God. In Psalm 42, David poetically describes his need for God like that of a deer that pants for water. David, a king, who had everything he wanted, still needed something more.
While I live, and work for the food that I eat, pay for the shelter over my head and other expenses, I still have needs that can only be met by the Father. And when I try to find purpose, and fulfillment of my own provision, I become miserable, a shell empty and hollow.
We see this captured in Jesus, who fasted for 40 days and afterward said "Man does not live on bread alone." We see this in Messiah who often went off to lonely places and prayed, who had no place to lay his head. He knows what we all must know, that we must draw close to God, to receive what we truly need. His life, in us.
Maybe this is the secret Paul referred to knowing when he wrote "I have learned the secret of being content in every situation whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." Philippians 4:12
Saturday, April 30, 2011
A Jealous God
The other week I was having a conversation with Matt about Genesis 3. We'd been looking at sin, how Adam and Eve responded when they sinned, how God responded, and began to dive into the consequences etc. As I was talking with Matt I explained how in the story we can tell that God was angry with Adam and Eve.
Throughout the Bible, God's response to sin is anger and wrath. He does this because he sees his creation rejecting him. With God, his anger is righteous, deserving. Where as we often think of anger as an emotion we shouldn't hold within us (James 1:19 encourages us to be slow to anger, and Ephesians 4 tells us not to hold any anger within us) anger can be righteous as we see with God (See John 2:13-22).
God is also a jealous God which is where my conversation with Matt went next. Again we saw an emotion accredited to God which we normally think of in negative terms. God is called jealous? Say what?
As I was talking with Matt I felt that there was a distinction where there was a good form of jealousy and a sinful form. Glen later filled in the picture which I had the frame for. Jealousy is desiring something that you should have. Envy is desiring something that doesn't belong to you. A man should be jealous for his wife, and a wife jealous for her husband. God is jealous for us, because he created us, and is the only being worthy of our worship.
And thus we sing "He is jealous for me." We have to be careful to realize what is ours and what is not, because in that determines whether we are in sin or in righteousness. I found myself full of envy this past week, and it threatened to tear apart some friendships I'd made. I realized by the grace of God that I was wrong in that, and I've since repented and reconciled the differences and the situation.
I pray that you will be jealous for your time with God daily, and jealous to see him receive Glory!
Throughout the Bible, God's response to sin is anger and wrath. He does this because he sees his creation rejecting him. With God, his anger is righteous, deserving. Where as we often think of anger as an emotion we shouldn't hold within us (James 1:19 encourages us to be slow to anger, and Ephesians 4 tells us not to hold any anger within us) anger can be righteous as we see with God (See John 2:13-22).
God is also a jealous God which is where my conversation with Matt went next. Again we saw an emotion accredited to God which we normally think of in negative terms. God is called jealous? Say what?
As I was talking with Matt I felt that there was a distinction where there was a good form of jealousy and a sinful form. Glen later filled in the picture which I had the frame for. Jealousy is desiring something that you should have. Envy is desiring something that doesn't belong to you. A man should be jealous for his wife, and a wife jealous for her husband. God is jealous for us, because he created us, and is the only being worthy of our worship.
And thus we sing "He is jealous for me." We have to be careful to realize what is ours and what is not, because in that determines whether we are in sin or in righteousness. I found myself full of envy this past week, and it threatened to tear apart some friendships I'd made. I realized by the grace of God that I was wrong in that, and I've since repented and reconciled the differences and the situation.
I pray that you will be jealous for your time with God daily, and jealous to see him receive Glory!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Praises and Prayer! And imported Cherry Sun Drop
Hey everyone!
First I'd like to share that I will be moving forward with an internship with Glen Titus, the campus minister here at UNC-W beginning next fall! I will be joining Glen alongside Chris Brandenburg (A graduating NC State Student) as one of two interns here! I am beyond excited to be taking the next step in my discipleship and being discipled more with regards to leadership and ministry!
I will begin the year-long internship in August. Meanwhile I will continue working at Bluewater Grill and Restaurant over at Wrightsville Beach until the end of July. Some days I go into Bluewater a little frustrated because I'm thinking about how I'd rather be meeting with students and having more intentional conversations about Jesus. Other days I enjoy working there and sharing my life with my co-workers. The experience is what I wanted it to be though, I'm learning how to interact with people who aren't living for the kingdom.
Praise God for:
Fellowship-Bryan and I hosted a potluck dinner here and most of CCF came and brought food. It was a great night of fellowship, building unity and many of us went out to the beach later were we walked for about an hour and talked/laughed more.
Wingmen-I've been especially excited to see the Guys becoming wingmen for each other, watching each others' backs, supporting one another, and growing to trust one another and be vulnerable.
A friend who made it safely to Africa where she is moving into a new phase in her life as she brings glory to God abroad and makes him famous there.
Cherry Sun Drop-I requested some through Tate's family to be repaid fincancially and they delivered 4 cases free of charge out of their love, and I've yet to meet them in person. God is good!
Please be in prayer for:
Pre-internship items. I have to figure out a budget of how much support I will need on a monthly basis to support myself. I also have to begin preparing and sending out letters for support, and seek from God to provide out of his love and the love of others the financial means to step into an internship. Thankfully after the past three months, I've seen God prove himself to be faithful as I came to Wilmington so I'm more capable of trusting in him now for this aspect.
Maintain a good attitude at Bluewater. I find myself constantly proving myself and showing that I know the duties of the job, gaining the trust of my co-workers etc.
Prayer discipleship-I've come alongside of a student who is new to the faith here at UNC-W and I've been seeking to help him take up a regular life of prayer and become comfortable praying. He's never spent much time before so often his prayers are very short and awkward. Pray that he will continue to get to know God better and find prayer to be a sweet spot for fellowship with Him and a source of peace as I do.
Stepping Out-Pray for the men here to take more hold of the calling God has placed in our lives and we would continue to step up more as leaders and especially examples in the ministry.
First I'd like to share that I will be moving forward with an internship with Glen Titus, the campus minister here at UNC-W beginning next fall! I will be joining Glen alongside Chris Brandenburg (A graduating NC State Student) as one of two interns here! I am beyond excited to be taking the next step in my discipleship and being discipled more with regards to leadership and ministry!
I will begin the year-long internship in August. Meanwhile I will continue working at Bluewater Grill and Restaurant over at Wrightsville Beach until the end of July. Some days I go into Bluewater a little frustrated because I'm thinking about how I'd rather be meeting with students and having more intentional conversations about Jesus. Other days I enjoy working there and sharing my life with my co-workers. The experience is what I wanted it to be though, I'm learning how to interact with people who aren't living for the kingdom.
Praise God for:
Fellowship-Bryan and I hosted a potluck dinner here and most of CCF came and brought food. It was a great night of fellowship, building unity and many of us went out to the beach later were we walked for about an hour and talked/laughed more.
Wingmen-I've been especially excited to see the Guys becoming wingmen for each other, watching each others' backs, supporting one another, and growing to trust one another and be vulnerable.
A friend who made it safely to Africa where she is moving into a new phase in her life as she brings glory to God abroad and makes him famous there.
Cherry Sun Drop-I requested some through Tate's family to be repaid fincancially and they delivered 4 cases free of charge out of their love, and I've yet to meet them in person. God is good!
Please be in prayer for:
Pre-internship items. I have to figure out a budget of how much support I will need on a monthly basis to support myself. I also have to begin preparing and sending out letters for support, and seek from God to provide out of his love and the love of others the financial means to step into an internship. Thankfully after the past three months, I've seen God prove himself to be faithful as I came to Wilmington so I'm more capable of trusting in him now for this aspect.
Maintain a good attitude at Bluewater. I find myself constantly proving myself and showing that I know the duties of the job, gaining the trust of my co-workers etc.
Prayer discipleship-I've come alongside of a student who is new to the faith here at UNC-W and I've been seeking to help him take up a regular life of prayer and become comfortable praying. He's never spent much time before so often his prayers are very short and awkward. Pray that he will continue to get to know God better and find prayer to be a sweet spot for fellowship with Him and a source of peace as I do.
Stepping Out-Pray for the men here to take more hold of the calling God has placed in our lives and we would continue to step up more as leaders and especially examples in the ministry.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Kicking myself right now
I've been haunted by a question recently. It's come about through my quiet times, through worship, through a recent trip to NC State where a friend and I joined their CCF for worship one night, and through a documentary I watched earlier tonight called "Beware of Christians."
Click here for the website where you can also find a trailer. It's not out officially yet, but I have DVD copies. They did an advance screening at UNC-W.
"Am I truly following Christ?" I declare that I am, and voice such as my religious views. I avoid the Christian term, because so many claim to be Christian but don't truly believe or live out the life style. But deep down, I know at best I'm only playing at following Christ. I see what he calls me to, but I lay back and say I'll take action later. I'm finding myself not being transformed in any way.
No wonder so many people in the world look at the Christian life and keep walking down the street. I reflect on my own face in the mirror and ask myself "Is this the life one man came to die for, to set me free to live?" Somewhere in the past year or so, I've misplaced the consuming fire, the abandon I lived with before. I was realizing earlier how where I am now in life and ministry is a dream come true situation wise. And yet I've not truly taken advantage of it! Aside from working to support myself (and even there I can let loose and shine) I'm free to be follow the Spirit as I feel him willing!
I'm mentally and spiritually kicking myself for remaining passive with this gift God has given me (I consider the gift above the opportunity). Well I'm waking up now, and once again I'm tearing off the clothes of mediocrity I spiritually find myself wearing.
I'm looking for a return to basics, with less emphasis on deep doctrinal study, and more emphasis on simply living, and looking hard at scripture and what that means for my life.
Will you join me?
Click here for the website where you can also find a trailer. It's not out officially yet, but I have DVD copies. They did an advance screening at UNC-W.
"Am I truly following Christ?" I declare that I am, and voice such as my religious views. I avoid the Christian term, because so many claim to be Christian but don't truly believe or live out the life style. But deep down, I know at best I'm only playing at following Christ. I see what he calls me to, but I lay back and say I'll take action later. I'm finding myself not being transformed in any way.
No wonder so many people in the world look at the Christian life and keep walking down the street. I reflect on my own face in the mirror and ask myself "Is this the life one man came to die for, to set me free to live?" Somewhere in the past year or so, I've misplaced the consuming fire, the abandon I lived with before. I was realizing earlier how where I am now in life and ministry is a dream come true situation wise. And yet I've not truly taken advantage of it! Aside from working to support myself (and even there I can let loose and shine) I'm free to be follow the Spirit as I feel him willing!
I'm mentally and spiritually kicking myself for remaining passive with this gift God has given me (I consider the gift above the opportunity). Well I'm waking up now, and once again I'm tearing off the clothes of mediocrity I spiritually find myself wearing.
I'm looking for a return to basics, with less emphasis on deep doctrinal study, and more emphasis on simply living, and looking hard at scripture and what that means for my life.
Will you join me?
Saturday, March 19, 2011
God provides
“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?" Matthew 6:25
Back at the end of last fall, after a process taking several years, I came to a decision of where I would go, what I would do. Within there was reason to answer the why.
Now there is a how.
Friday night, the culmination of many prayers prayed upon my knees, requests made to many friends, ministers, and nights spent in anxious waiting came to a conclusion with a simple phone call. A call that offered me a position with a local upscale restaurant here in Wilmington, a call that has now provided the financial means for me to continue in ministry here.
The journey to this point required more risk than I'd previously undertaken. Risk that meant total reliance upon God, or certain failure. Risk that required me to push all my chips forward and on the line. Thankfully God is a provider in our greatest time of need.
Now all the closed doors I previously found are clear. The other places I applied to that continually dragged their feet with considering applications I now know was divine provision that led me to the opportunity before me.
And a close friend also received employment at the same restaurant. Considering we applied and interviewed together, the odds of this were slim, even more evidence of the Spirit's provision in this matter.
Coming to Wilmington required me to go out on a limb of faith, trusting God wanted me here after receiving confirmation. God has since proven faithful, and my trust in him has increased.
Back at the end of last fall, after a process taking several years, I came to a decision of where I would go, what I would do. Within there was reason to answer the why.
Now there is a how.
Friday night, the culmination of many prayers prayed upon my knees, requests made to many friends, ministers, and nights spent in anxious waiting came to a conclusion with a simple phone call. A call that offered me a position with a local upscale restaurant here in Wilmington, a call that has now provided the financial means for me to continue in ministry here.
The journey to this point required more risk than I'd previously undertaken. Risk that meant total reliance upon God, or certain failure. Risk that required me to push all my chips forward and on the line. Thankfully God is a provider in our greatest time of need.
Now all the closed doors I previously found are clear. The other places I applied to that continually dragged their feet with considering applications I now know was divine provision that led me to the opportunity before me.
And a close friend also received employment at the same restaurant. Considering we applied and interviewed together, the odds of this were slim, even more evidence of the Spirit's provision in this matter.
Coming to Wilmington required me to go out on a limb of faith, trusting God wanted me here after receiving confirmation. God has since proven faithful, and my trust in him has increased.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Where is God found?
Since the second generation from creation, men have needed to call on the name of the Lord (Genesis 4:26). Since then we've needed to pursue him to find him. "God's presence is everywhere, but why can I not find him, and stand in his presence?" Because our paths wandered away from him. Our hearts turned away from worshiping a God who is creator, warrior, lover, and many other attributes. Our hearts turned to worshiping ourselves and seeking to satisfy our own desires.
We became so consumed with ourselves that God grieved even making us. He flooded the earth, wiping the slate clean, save for a few who followed his heart (Genesis 6-9). Men began to multiply again and we chose to build a tower to place ourselves in the heavens as high as God (Genesis 11:1-9), the desire that caused the first rebellion with Satan when he chose to rebel as God's holy angel (Isaiah 14:12-15).
Finding God requires setting aside ourselves.
"Why have we fasted, they say, and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?" Isaiah 58:3
Isaiah goes on to explain the words of the Lord. The people fast and seek God, but they turn on themselves. They seek him for their own means. Fasting is more than a discipline of setting something aside to spend time with God. Fasting is setting aside self, of placing God and his heart over anything else in our lives.
Isaiah 58 outlines that true fasting is caring for people the way God cares. Enough to take action. People like to remain ignorant of the downtrodden. I don't believe this is out of greed so much as it is to avoid the uncomfortableness of facing those less fortunate and being faced with a choice to change our agendas, to give up something so that others might have.
Truly finding God requires setting aside self. The friends I think of who are more filled with God's presence are those who have committed themselves to those less fortunate. Who allowed God to change their entire lives, their dreams, their careers, who follow Christ when he walks down a back alley, into the homeless shelters, to other countries where only bottled water is drinkable, electricity a rare commodity.
God is on the move, but if we set out to carry everything we currently own with us, continue to have our desires filled, well there's only so many places a Uhaul can go. God requires us to travel more lightly, promising to reward our hearts in due time if we will wait upon him.
We became so consumed with ourselves that God grieved even making us. He flooded the earth, wiping the slate clean, save for a few who followed his heart (Genesis 6-9). Men began to multiply again and we chose to build a tower to place ourselves in the heavens as high as God (Genesis 11:1-9), the desire that caused the first rebellion with Satan when he chose to rebel as God's holy angel (Isaiah 14:12-15).
Finding God requires setting aside ourselves.
"Why have we fasted, they say, and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?" Isaiah 58:3
Isaiah goes on to explain the words of the Lord. The people fast and seek God, but they turn on themselves. They seek him for their own means. Fasting is more than a discipline of setting something aside to spend time with God. Fasting is setting aside self, of placing God and his heart over anything else in our lives.
Isaiah 58 outlines that true fasting is caring for people the way God cares. Enough to take action. People like to remain ignorant of the downtrodden. I don't believe this is out of greed so much as it is to avoid the uncomfortableness of facing those less fortunate and being faced with a choice to change our agendas, to give up something so that others might have.
Truly finding God requires setting aside self. The friends I think of who are more filled with God's presence are those who have committed themselves to those less fortunate. Who allowed God to change their entire lives, their dreams, their careers, who follow Christ when he walks down a back alley, into the homeless shelters, to other countries where only bottled water is drinkable, electricity a rare commodity.
God is on the move, but if we set out to carry everything we currently own with us, continue to have our desires filled, well there's only so many places a Uhaul can go. God requires us to travel more lightly, promising to reward our hearts in due time if we will wait upon him.
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