Tag Archives: Prayer

Are Questions Ever Bad Part 2

Posted on
Reply

I want to pick up on my last post and offer another thought on the subject. We were considering how to avoid the danger of cloaking anger, fear, frustration or mistrust in the form of a question in our prayers. First I suggested that you start your prayer with silence. Next I want to encourage you to:

Replace the word “why” with the phrase “what now

I recently turned 30 and so my annual check up is due soon. While I’ve yet to meet someone who actually enjoys getting a physical (and if you enjoy getting a physical you need to see a doctor…pun intended) there are certain parts of the physical that still intrigue me. Take for instance when the doctor checks you reflexes. He taps your knee in just the right spot and our leg responds with a jerk. It’s where we get the idea of a “knee jerk” reaction to something.

The word why is often our knee jerk response to God when things go unexpectedly bad in our lives. We barge right into the thrown room of God demanding to know why all this or that has happened. Many times behind our why lies the smouldering embers of anger.

So many times when we ask why what we are really asking is why not another way. And this is important. I’ve rarely asked God why when things went according to my plans. But, when I’m clearly not the one in control, I find why flying from my lips quicker than a major league fast ball. Even more troubling is that many times our demand to know why masks a distrust in one of two areas. Either we believe because of what has happened God is not good and loving or we believe that because of what has happened God is not all powerful.

Honestly, have you ever been tempted to think that….say that….pray that?

Let me challenge you to keep talking to God about the challenging things going on in your life. He wants the dialogue. But try replacing a few of the why’s with what now. When we ask what now we are acknowledging the fact that God is still, and if fact has always been, in complete control. We are saying that, despite the pain we might be facing right now, God is still good.

More importantly, we are giving God an opportunity to speak instructively into the most intimate and perhaps painful moments of our lives.

Are Questions Ever Bad?

Posted on
Reply

Have you ever asked a question you knew was leading you, at break-neck, James Bond movie car chase, speed, into trouble? I know I have. Interestingly Bond’s car and my ego have often paid an equal price when the deed was done.

Christians ask all sorts of questions when they pray and that’s good. The Bible encourages us to take our needs to God. But is a question ever more than just a question?

Sure.

Jesus loved entertaining questions when He was on earth. He answered all sorts of them. Yet there were times when he absolutely shut down the one asking the question. So was Jesus rash? Did he like some people and not others? Was he temperamental? Were there days when he just had enough? More importantly how can we know our question will be well received when we come before Jesus in prayer today for the hundredth time?

The key is in the posture of our heart.

The truth is yes, there are times when questions are bad. I believe that many of us have been pushed, in moments of desperation, to use the question mark as a weapon. In the pain and confusion of life Job lashed out at God with a question: “Your hands fashioned and made me altogether, And would you destroy me?”. He could not, at that moment understand God’s plan and so he lashed out at God. God’s was not silent, but offered this response: “gird up your loins like a man; I will ask you, and you will instruct Me. Will you really annul My judgment? Will you condemn Me that you may be justified?”

So how do we avoid the danger of cloaking anger, fear, frustration or mistrust in the form of a question.

In moments of intense pain, fear, or worries start your prayers with silence.

Our words are a reflection of our heart. So if we are to be truly silent before God out heart has to be silent, not just our lips. Have you ever noticed that, many times, the heart goes on talking even after our mouth is shut. Being silent before God means being quiet in soul and body. Psalm 62:1 says “My soul waits in silence for God only; From Him is my salvation.” There is something about quiet that helps us become fully present before God. Further, when we understand, like the Psalmist, that our salvation…indeed our very existence is sourced in God, only then do the issue at hand truly come into focus.

The next time you’re tempted to lash out at God with one of those “this really isn’t a question” question take a moment to be silent…you may find you’re answer even before the question is asked.

Set Free. Part 4. Spiritual Forgery

Posted on
Reply

The Victoria and Albert Museum of Art and Design in London is a globally known and respected art museum. In fact, it’s one of the best. But tucked among the famous works both old and new is a very unique gallery. It’s the forgers’ gallery— a collection of fakes so expertly created that they are considered “museum worthy” knockoffs.

These works fooled all but the most expert connoisseurs of art. Yet, despite their believability, they weren’t genuine works of art. They were imposters. They were in and of themselves nothing. Because they were not real, original or inspired, they were worthless. Although many of these worthless knockoffs produced great price because they fooled the eye, in the end the legitimacy of each (or lack thereof) was discovered.

In Galatians 4, Paul talks about the danger of spiritual forgery. He stresses to the Galatian church the true goal of the message of Christianity: that Christ is formed in us. (Galatians 4:19) The Galatian church was receiving a different message from others about the true goal of the Christian message, and it was deceiving them. It looked similar to them, but when scrutinized by Paul, it was shown to be a fake. Paul said, “They eagerly seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you will seek them.” The goal of these spiritual forgers was to have the Galatians buy into their message. The problem was that their message was not true.

Forgeries have long existed in art and in church. Our goal is to become knowledgeable enough about our faith to spot imposters. We do this by studying the Word of God, and by allowing Christ to be formed in us as we understand and act on His words and ways. The more Christ becomes part of who we are, or is “formed in us,” the more we will be able to spot a fake. We become who we follow, so spotting a spiritual forgery can be a matter of life and death.

Community Questions:

How can memorizing scripture help us spot a fake?

What are some current or past forgeries that have caught you off guard?

What are the implications of 2 Timothy 4:1–4 both, on the reality of forgeries and the responsibility of believers?

Walking with God….no really!

Posted on
Reply

It’s not a metaphor. It’s a discipline.

The pace and ease of our world has made prayer a challenge for young and old alike. Let me offer one way to get your prayer life moving…literally.

In every town I’ve ever lived I have had access to biking or walking trails. Having a passion for rollerblading, these trails are a true gift. Without the worry of cars or uneven sidewalks I’ve zipped along many trails during my time. A few months ago I found a profound new use for these trails. I came into a season of life where I had a bit more free time than I was used to, so one day I decided to go for a walk. Walking by myself is something that’s out of my normal routine so as I was walking I began to pray. The praying and the walking went on for some time. Before I knew it, I’d gone further down this particular trail than I’d ever gone before. I’d gotten lost with God.

I so enjoyed the walk that I began to make a habit of it. The combination of creation, solitude and activity blended together offering me a great opportunity to both speak to and hear from God.

Let me challenge you to change “Walking with God” from a very cliche metaphor into a powerful appointment. As you begin let me offer you a few suggestions to help get started on the right foot.

First, pick a trail that surrounds you with God’s creation. Go online to your cities web site and search around if you don’t already know the location of a trail.

Second, as you begin your walk, set out with a distance in mind. One mile out and then one mile back. This will help you break up your time into different areas of focus for prayer.

Third, starting walking AND talking. I usually spend the first portion of my walk with God talking. I’ll go to him with my worries and concerns first. I’m usually never lacking in this department. Then I usually turn to things I need to confess (another area that is never lacking). As I finish the first leg of my trip I usually start worshiping God. Sometime, if there aren’t many people around I’ll sing. At other times I’ll just thank God for certain things He’s done in my life.

If I’m walking two miles I’ll turn around at the one mile mark and start heading back. The journey back is much quieter than the journey out. I’ve gotten everything off my chest and now it’s time to listen. God speaks, and as I progress, sometimes it’s in silence while other times I find myself in dialogue with God on the promptings He’s laid in my heart.

Prayer is not boring, it’s invigorating. Prayer is personal, powerful and intimate. So tie those laces this week and walk with God…REALLY!

Community Questions:

What are some creative ways you’ve made prayer meaningful in your life?

Where is a good place in your community to walk with God?

Speak Up!

Posted on
Reply

Once, in Jr. High, I got caught cheating on a math test. In my embarrassment I tried to hide the fact from all of my friends. Conversely when my wife and I got engaged we were ecstatic. We wanted to tell everybody that we we’re getting married and did. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to recognize that we talk about what excites us and minimize what embarrasses us.

The funny thing is we rarely herald a failure. Equally rare is a conversation about something that  might go wrong. We often wait for the best results before we trump up our successes, for few of us want to shine light on our failures.

This may be a natural response to the world around us, but should we treat God this way? Praising Him when He comes through for us and sweeping Him under the rug when we feel He’s let us down? This isn’t a new struggle either.

David was a shepherd. One day, after bringing some supplies to his brothers who were in battle, David steps up big for God and kills the giant Goliath. Pretty awesome. David, with God’s help, delivers. He then goes on to have a very successful, but brief, career in the army of King Saul. But it’s not all roses for David. Soon he finds himself out of favor with Saul. Why? Because God decides that David should be king in place of Saul. With that decision made, David is forced to live the prime years of his life as a fugitive. He’s hunted down, consistently on the run and always in danger. It gets so bad that at one point David even has to fake insanity just to survive.

It may seem to many of us that God did not show up for David. No one would have faulted David if He had just complained about the challenges he faced in life. But listen to the words He wrote in Psalm 71: “As for me, I will wait continually, and will continue to praise God. I will tell about your justice, and all day long proclaim your salvation, through I cannot fathom its full extent. I will come and tell about the mighty acts of the sovereign LORD. I will proclaim your justice -yours alone.”

David’s life was full of highs and lows. But throughout, David consistently praised God and expected God to do great things; and God did. We need to consider two points highlighted in David’s life.

First, circumstances should not dictate how much or how little God comes up in our day-to-day lives. If God is your God then make sure those around you know.  Work hard to ensure the praise of God trumps your daily complaints at the water coolers in your life. Whether you’re dropping off the kids at dance class or taking the car to the repair shop find a note of praise-even if it’s hopeful praise- not criticism, to share with those around you.

Second, we need to expect God to show up. I’m amazed that David wrote this Psalm at all. This is a guy who went through some crazy stuff during his life, yet He always expected God to show up. He lived in such a way that if God didn’t show up He would not have made it. Do we do the same? When life brings us difficulties, do we react by inviting God’s presence and power?

It’s time to start talking more, about what God has done and what we’re trusting Him to do in our daily lives. I hope your praise of God trumps the complaints of life and that your message to others is one of good news.

Community Questions:

Why is it dangerous to trust our response to our immediate circumstances?

What does it look like to live expectantly before God?