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New Year, New Look

December 30, 2022 / / 0 Comments

Coming to the blog roll this year are going to be a few additions both old and new! The year ahead is going to be focused on growing in three distinct areas. Spiritually, relationally, and in areas of service to those around you. We’ll take time to honestly evaluate our spiritual health. We’ll spend time evaluating the health of our relationships, just because someone is in your circle doesn’t mean they have to stay in your circle! And then we’ll look at those outside our circle and how we can be better humans in this world that is in desperate need of good humans!

The first thing to change is the theme layout of the blog. Nothing major just a shift in color, layout and images. Sometimes a quick surface change helps get the mojo running to make the more significant changes going as well!

The layout was chosen because it’s simplistic. The header image is not my property but a pic of that will likely replace this one eventually. The reason for this stock photo is the calm and quiet that it demonstrates. One goal for this blog site is to provide a place for honest reflection on life and allow space to challenge the status quo.

Another change is that we’re bringing back the Music Monday posts! This was a fun way to hear new songs and use them as small devotions or whatever you choose!

I’m also going to start adding back in a book review at least monthly. I got off track with my book reviews over the past couple of years but we’ll bring those back here as well.

Finally, there will be a section for practical tools to use in your walk of faith. Things for bible study, relationship tools, parenting and family tools. I’m even going to provide some discipleship tips for church leaders and members alike.

I hope that your 2022 ended with a wonderful celebration of all the amazing things God has given you! I know that 2022 was a great year for me! As I’ve said in another post, a great year doesn’t mean everything went “right” but that you can see the right in everything that happened.

Christmas Through A Different Lens

December 22, 2022 / / 0 Comments

Away in a manger. Silent Night. O Holy Night. Joy To The World. These songs will fill our churches over the coming days. They are filled with joy and wonder, awe and excitement. The lights on the trees remind us that Jesus is the light of the world. The porcelain manger scenes show the precious baby Jesus surrounded by Mary and Joseph and those innocent shepherds and generous wisemen. It’s a pretty calming thing to consider.

As much as I love these sights and sounds of Christmas, I think they might be missing something. There’s a part of the story that is often unseen and perhaps the old adage out of sight out of mind applies here. Some of you may know this about me and others probably not. I’m a huge fan of the book of Revelation. As a matter of fact, I read it every year in its original Greek language. And spend numerous hours translating it to English with all of the nuances that accompany its original intent. There is so much richness in Revelation that we miss.

Now you’re probably wondering what in the world this has to do with Christmas. To be honest, everything! The book of Revelation is the backside of the Christmas story. It’s the unseen part of the nativity. What we see as a silent and holy night was nothing close to silent when seen through the lens of Revelation. Quiet on the surface but deadly in the shadows. Violence bled into the outlines of that night, but I bet we won’t talk about that one.

The final book of the Bible is often ignored or dismissed because it’s just too hard to understand. Perhaps it is but it’s filled with imagery that might help us see the world around us and even our peaceful holiday specials with a little different detail. Take this example for instance.

There is a scene described in Revelation 12 that focuses on a woman ready to give birth. She’s in the final stages of her pregnancy. She’s crying out in pain. But she’s not the only one in this picture. Lurking in the distance. Hiding in the shadowy parts of the scene is a dragon. A red dragon with fangs poking through the sides of his jaw line. The scaly beast is snarling and growling. Saliva drips from his mouth. He’s had the taste of blood and now sees an innocent and helpless child as his next tasty morsel.

The woman is so weakened by her pregnant state that she can’t defend her child. All she can do let the natural course of events occur. The child will be born. There’s no stopping it. The dragon is poised for the opportune moment. This little baby may be small but it will satisfy the dragon’s hunger in an indescribable way.

Then the child is born. The crying child is welcomed into the world. Not into the claws of the dragon, but he is snatched away and taken to safety…at least for now.

This sure doesn’t sound like the same Christmas story we preach in our churches every year! It isn’t the silent night we thought it was. The imagery here isn’t calm and meek and mild as the manger scene shows. It’s violent. The scene is terrifying to say the least. Death lurks in the shadowy corner. If you read on, you’ll see that war erupts at the birth of this baby Jesus.

In 2023 I’ll be walking a group through the book of Revelation. This is one of the images that has always stood out to me. The beauty and horror of Christmas. The snarling silent night filled with death and war and violence.

While we hang stocking on our fireplaces looking for presents, in the shadows a war was waged. The real story of Christmas is most certainly about the birth of Jesus. The shepherds were there to be sure. But when Jesus was born the plan promised from the foundation of the world was put into action.

This Christmas as you celebrate the holy night in the little town of Bethlehem perhaps you can pause and see into the shadows. Keep your eyes open for where the dragon was hiding. He’s no longer there. He’s been defeated. He’s been conquered by that innocent, helpless child. His birth meant the beginning of the demise for that powerful dragon.

It’s Christmas friends! Light the candles. Put up the tree. Celebrate with family and friends. Not only was a child born. But the road was paved for the defeat of the greatest enemy we would ever have to face. That’s the story of Christmas! That’s the reason Joy filled with World at Christmastime.

A New Thing Is Coming

December 21, 2022 / / 0 Comments

A new year typically brings all sorts of new things. We try that new diet that we’ve read is all the rave. We venture back into the gym for a new routine of workouts. We try on those new running shoes to give the treadmill a try. There’s all sorts of things we pick up at the start of a new year in hopes of forming a healthy trend or habit. We even start reading new books or start bible reading plans or change our sleep routines.

I’m not one to make New Year’s Resolutions for many reason. The biggest reason is that all too often these New Year New You kind of goals end up being broken in just a few short weeks! Being a workout enthusiast it’s easy to see how fast people stop coming to the gym so soon after the near year starts. But this year might be a little different.

No I’m not going to set some unrealistic expectation or goal for the year. I’m not going on a diet. And for goodness sake, I’m not training for a marathon. I am however going to start something new.

As 2022 came to an end, I made the intentional decision to restructure my workload. I had to say no to a couple of things so that I could say yes to a couple more. One of my passions has always been to work with churches and pastors and leaders to help them see the world through a new set of lenses. In an effort to do that, I went through the John Maxwell leadership training program, worked on getting a coaching certificate, and built an array of resources that have helped me understand a variety of challenges that ministry leaders and non profits face.

A new thing will hit the blog and my calendar in 2023. I’ll be working on intentional resources to help congregations see their community with different lenses. I’ll be working on materials for congregations to use to help create an intentional strategy to move people to a deeper level of commitment and engagement in the life of the church.

I’m super excited to see how this move will allow me to better come alongside churches, leaders, and followers of Jesus to help them take strides in living the Kingdom life today! Stay tuned…

Getting Things Closed Up

December 19, 2022 / / 0 Comments

As we head to the end of another calendar year, it’s inevitable that some things in our lives must come to an end. Maybe it’s the New Year’s resolution we set for 2022 that you have one more week to fulfill. Maybe it’s a job you’ll be leaving. Maybe it’s a lot of things that you really don’t want to relive. However you slice it, 2022 is coming to an end in just under two weeks. And it’s time to start making plans to close this chapter. So what needs cleaned up in your life?

As I look back 2022 was a pretty good year. We bought a new house on over 12 acres. We got the puppy I’ve wanted for years. We added a pet bunny to the property. I’ve learned how to manage an in ground pool. Demolished a load wall and totally remodeled the kitchen. Welcomed many new faces to our worship family at the church I serve. Grown some great friendships. Been so blessed to have the Army son home several times this year while having the non-army son still living with us for a bit. Worked with some great people at the local church and the state version, aka the Ohio District. All in all it’s been a pretty good year. And none of this to talk about all the gains in my workouts and health through the year.

But as we close the door on this year there are some things that I won’t be taking with me. A few friendships that I thought were solid ended up being more toxic and one sided than healthy. Those will stay in 2022 and prior years. I’ll also be leaving my job with the Ohio District behind me. While this work was a passion of mine it just wasn’t a good fit. I don’t do well in micromanaged situations where there are high expectations but low authority. Just not a healthy recipe for success. So as this year ends, I walk away from the position for which I’m passionate in an effort to pursue other options that are more effective and efficient and that actually are getting positive work done.

A challenge when closing a year is to make sure you properly process the things you’re leaving behind and why you’re ditching them. For me it was simple, the things I’m leaving behind were draining me not filling me. Whether it’s the relationships that are toxic or the job that just doesn’t fit, you can’t stay in a situation that is killing you slowly. Ok so a little overdramatic I get it. But the longer you stay in a situation that is just bad, the lower you’ll be dragged down and the harder it will be to pull yourself out. So it’s ok to close a chapter.

Take some down time as you end this year and reflect on the good, bad and even the ugly. Be ok turning the page and ending a chapter. Be willing to stop one thing in an effort to start a new one. Be confident that leaving a bad situation where you’re being broken down is perfectly fine and actually a sign of maturity.

Happy final weeks of 2022 friends. It’s been a ride and I can’t wait to see what’s on the other side of the ball drop this year!

What Do I Do With My Child?

December 13, 2022 / / 0 Comments

So I think as parents we’ve all been there. Our child says or does something and we don’t know how to respond. They say whatever comes to their mind whenever they feel like it. They can’t sit still and are disruptive when we’re in groups of people. There’s a feeling of embarrassment when they just can’t seem to get it together. We wonder things like why won’t my child just sit still?

Well let’s look at the last line there to get started. Why won’t my child just sit still? You want to know the answer? Because they are a child! I know that sounds less than caring and possibly that I’m making fun but I’m not because I’ve been there too. But they are children and they have no idea how to sit still. We haven’t taught them that yet.

And for that massively disrupting behavior you fear your children are making, yeah it’s really not as disrupting as you likely believe. As a matter of fact, most of the distracting noise you hear isn’t really noticed by many others around you in large group settings.

Now I’m a pastor of a church, you know the place where people come and everyone sits as quietly as they can for a duration of time while the pastor talks. Yeah not the most conducive atmosphere for a child, especially your child who can’t sit still – right?! Actually wrong. Really you couldn’t be more wrong on that one. Church is the best place for you to take you child if you feel he is unruly or that she won’t sit quiet or he won’t listen or she can’t stop fidgeting.

Sure there are some of those people who are a bit on the judgmental side who take issue with any noise other than the noise they make. But by and large those gathered as the church have mostly been right where you are. They’ve had the nerves going crazy and the red face moments when their child made too much noise. Give yourself and your child some grace. Church is the place where you are surrounded by parents of all ages who can lend a helping hand if you need it.

Ok so enough commentary. Let’s get to a few tips and tricks learned by hard experience.

Set Expectations

I know that sounds a bit odd especially if you’re talking about a pretty young child or infant but setting expectations is really important. Set your own expectations and theirs! Set the expectation for yourself that you child is a child and will make some noise and that’s ok. For your child, set the expectation of what the situation you’re going into means. To use the church example from earlier, let them know that we’re going to sit and listen when we go in. We’re going to use our inside voice, and use yours when you tell them that.

Sit Close

I know this one runs completely contrary to how we normally think and act but if you sit closer to the front they can see what’s going on. And kids are curious little creatures. If they can’t see, then they’ll likely let you know by making too much noise. Sit in the front third of the room and when you sit down explain what you’re seeing.

Explain Things

Now’s the time to play a little game of I spy with your child. Tell them the colors you see and what might be different than the last time you were there. Point out people you know. What do the symbols mean? Why are they there? What’s about to happen? Who are some of the people around you? Something kind of key here is to introduce them to other people, which means you might have to arrive a little earlier so make sure you plan accordingly.

Keep Them Involved

Even from a young age involve your child in what’s goin on. Things like we’re going to sing a song now to let’s fold our hands to pray are great ways to let them be a part of the worship experience. I remember as a child my parents helping me follow along with the songs as we sang them out of the hymnal. These are all ways to help your child stay connected to the service and be more engaged.

Praise Them For Getting It Right

When the service is over and you are headed to your car, make sure to tell them how great they did. There is even a place for rewarding good behavior after successful trips out like this. Nothing huge or over the top but a stop at the local ice cream shop after 4 straight weeks or watching a new movie with the family or a new coloring book are some options. Pretty much anything that will let your child know that this is the right behavior and it is appreciated.

Grab And Go But Don’t Play

Ok so there will come a time when you have to practice what I call the grab and go technique. This is when the child becomes inconsolable or has a loud outburst that you just can’t get under control quickly. In this case you have to simply grab them and go out. The grab and go is important but what you do when you go out is equally important. It’s the tendency of many parents to go out and let them just play with toys or run around to get the wiggles out, but this sets a bad precedent actually. Your child is smarter than you realize and if when they don’t behave the way you expect they get to go out and play are you sending the right message? They’ll quickly learn that all I have to do to get out of this place is to act like a little terror and I get to go play! When you take them out, stand by the windows that let them see what’s going on. Keep the same expectations of quiet and calm as you did when they were sitting inside. Then when they calm down and the atmosphere allows it, bring them right back in.

I get it. None of this is easy. You’re going to have to work at it pretty hard. But it’s not impossible by any means. Parents across time and space have been doing this and fighting the same battle you’re fighting right now. Stick with it. If you need a hand, ask for some help from those around you who’ve been through this stage of parenting. You’ll be surprised at how much collective wisdom is out there!

Three Words To Help You Be Thankful

November 28, 2022 / / 0 Comments

This year for Thanksgiving we did something a little different. Instead of looking at the normal bible verses, we dove into a psalm. You know one of those passages that looks like a poem and acts like a poem but sometimes doesn’t feel very much like a poem?

We all know that we have things in our life for which we can and should be thankful. From the family that surrounds us and the friends who challenge us to the house in which we live and the car we are able to drive – there are things all around us for which we can be thankful! And if we’re being truly honest, we are probably not as thankful as we should be nor as often as we should be.

Enter the three words of Thanksgiving. And no we’re not doing one of those cheesy thanks-living kind of deals either. These are three words that actually help us see the world around us with a more thankful heart. If you’d rather listen to this one, you’re welcome to scroll to the bottom to grab the link to hear this message instead of reading it.

Joy is where we start. If you begin your thanksgiving with joy, you won’t regret it! Psalm 100 starts by telling us to make a joyful noise. This isn’t about happiness. It’s not about our circumstances but it’s despite our circumstance. Our happenings can not determine our level of joy! Joy is more a way of looking at life. It’s about character. It’s about watching for God to show up, not focusing on the days when I felt alone. Regardless of my circumstances, I know God is still present. That’s what joy is all about.

The second word for Thanksgiving is gladness. Since gladness isn’t something we talk about all that often in our daily lives, another way to look at it is to burst out in laughter. Could you imagine a life where you just found so much enjoyment that you simply crack up in random spouts of laughter. When we have great gladness in our hearts and we live with joy and exuberant laughter, we can’t help but find something for which to be thankful.

Finally, our thanksgiving wouldn’t be complete without leaning on God. It’s all about dependence. When we truly find ourselves dependent on God and not taking matters into our own hands, worrying continuously about the struggles in our lives, wonder if anyone will love us, fret over whether or not we will make it through this terrible situation – then we’ll be able to see life through a different lens. When we lean on God and rely on him to provide for us, thanksgiving comes naturally.

The three words that should guide us in how to be thankful: joy, laughter and leaning. When we have these three things working together in our lives then thanksgiving will be all around us. It will change our perspective and help us see the wonders of how great we already are blessed in spite of the troubles we face.

Be thankful! Find joy! Laugh out loud. Lean on Jesus.

A Lutheran Psalm?

November 22, 2022 / / 0 Comments

Now there really isn’t such a thing and that’s something of which I am fully aware. But if a Lutheran were around in the Old Testament, I’m pretty sure this is something they would have written.

Psalm 46 is pretty well known for many reasons. It has some very familiar parts to it. From the refuge and strength section to the ever famous be still and know that I am God line, this psalm is packed with some pretty powerful hidden gems!

As we start looking at this psalm, we need to start with the stage notes for this psalm. That’s what I call the details given in the heading of a psalm. It starts with some details that help us understand what this psalm is all about. Here are the details: For the choirmaster to the sons of Korah according to the alamoth, a song. So the first and last parts are simple to understand. I mean a song for the choirmaster is pretty self explanatory. But what about this whole sons of Korah and alamoth bit?

If you do a little bible exercise, you’ll see that the sons of Korah were responsible for the music in the temple. It’s like they were the temple musicians or what we today call the praise team. Don’t shoot the messenger here just read the books of Chronicles and you’ll see for yourself. Then there’s this whole alamoth thing.

Here’s where we learn a little bit about how to understand the Bible. It’s something called principles of interpretation. In this case the best rule of thumb is to let the verses we do understand help us with the ones we can’t. So again back in the books of Chronicles there is a reference to the alamoth as being an instrument. Some scholars have said it was probably something stringed. The image I tend to get is of a very early version of a crude guitar of sorts. So there you have it. This psalm is a song that was used in worship by a group of people called the sons of Korah and played on a special instrument, just like our modern praise teams.

Now for the meat of the psalm. There are a couple key thoughts that we should look at. First there’s the idea of refuge and strength. This is super cool because the psalmist tells us of some pretty nasty circumstances. It seems as if he’s pretty much describing what we call tornados, earthquakes and hurricanes. In the face of these horrific catastrophic events, the psalmist says the he knows something that changes how we react to them. He won’t be afraid because he knows that God is always around. He’s right there in the middle of the tornado. He’s riding the waves of the hurricane. He’s holding the ground firm in the shakiness of the earthquake.

As the psalmist continues, we move from devastation to provision. The very things that should have brought fear and peril are now turned to strength and sustenance. Instead of things falling apart and the world crashing to bits, here we see God bringing rest and peace upon the earth. The powers of the world are warring with one another but all God does is open his mouth and the world melts into a situation of pure calm.

As the psalm, aka song for worship, comes to a close we’re reminded of this amazing phrase to be still. But I think we might have heard this phrase with less power than probably should be there. If we look at this verse within the context of the whole psalm, it’s less calming a baby with a quiet lullaby. Rather, this is a direct command to stop. Rest. Calm. Let God be God. It’s a powerful statement. It’s God taking the lead and telling us to sit down and back off. You can hear his voice raise and get stronger.

You see the psalm here is a reminder that God is always with us which means we don’t have to fear. But we still do. We let the world around us dictate how we live and what we think and how we act. So God has to stop us in our tracks. He raises his voice and tells us to knock it off and be still.

There you have it. A praise song from the Old Testament reminding us of God’s power and might and provision. And a strong reminder that God will put us in our place whenever needed to let him do his role as God.

One Way With Many Entrances

November 16, 2022 / / 0 Comments

Now this is going to be a bit hard for some of you to handle and I get that. I know that my way of thinking and approaching life isn’t for everyone. And that’s a good thing actually! So a word of caution for those of you who can’t or won’t digest the whole article before forming an opinion, I’m going to encourage you to simply close the article and move on. 

Alright, if you’re still with me, here we go. The Bible says that Jesus is the only way to heaven. And I firmly believe that. So let’s get that straight right out the gate. I do think that the narrower the path and the more clear cut the direction, the better off we humans are! Knowing that Jesus is the only one who is capable of setting us up for salvation is pretty great if you think about it. You don’t have to wonder if you’ve done enough. You don’t have to question if you have the right attendance at church or have said the right prayer enough times. It’s done. Finished. Complete. No more to be added by you! Pretty cool right? 

While I will not argue with Jesus being the only way to heaven, I often get the impression that there are some people who think they have some kind of special sauce when it comes to connecting people to Jesus. There is only one way to heaven, but there isn’t only one way to Jesus. Trigger a flurry of emotions because it sounds like I’m bashing the church or challenging your way of thinking. 

Perhaps I am challenging your way of thinking. Maybe I am coming at this a little strong. But from my perspective it seems as if we’ve put the wrong thing in the most important place in the bus as the church. I’ve seen this far too often in the over 20 years I’ve served as a pastor. The church thinks that the world needs us in order to know salvation. 

When we value something so much that we want everyone to be a part of it, we can easily make it to be the most important thing when it’s just not. Now before you come unhinged here I am going to be very clear and probably a little more blunt than some would like. Just so there is no question, yes I am saying that the institutional church and corporate worship are not the most important thing in the life of the follower of Jesus. They are very important but they’re not the most important thing in life. 

Think of it this way. Jesus very much is the only way to heaven. But the local church is not the only way to Jesus. We can argue whether this local expression of church is better than another local expression of church, but that’s not the point. The point is – can someone access knowledge of salvation without connecting to a local expression of the church? Short answer: yes absolutely they can and often do. 

I’m a picture guy, so indulge me for a minute. Consider a freeway system as a mental picture. A large freeway with on ramps all over the place. Now this analogy will break down because that’s what analogies do, but stick with me for a little bit. I live outside of Columbus, OH and often travel to Cleveland. There is one major freeway that connects these two bigger cities. Let’s pretend that freeway as the only way to Cleveland. Now that same freeway that connects Columbus to Cleveland has many entry points. We call those on ramps. That means that even though this one major freeway connects Columbus to Cleveland, you don’t have to get on the freeway in Columbus in order to make it to Cleveland. You can enter in Sunbury, Mt. Gilead, Mansfield, or Ashland to name a few.

It’s the same with Jesus and Salvation. Jesus is the only road that will take us to salvation. Nothing else will get us there. But there are multiple ramps that will get us onto the roadway of Jesus. The local church is one major ramp that leads many to a place where they can get to know Jesus and understand salvation. But there are many people in the world who will never set foot in an institutional church who we’ll see in eternity. 

Church is massively important to the ongoing growth of the follower of Jesus. But it’s not the only way that someone can come to know and grow in Jesus. The challenge of the local church is to find creative ways, in addition to Sunday morning worship, that they can use to connect their community to the one way road of Jesus that leads to salvation. 

So there you have it, there is one way to heaven but there’s not just one way to Jesus. 

A Different Way To Worship

November 14, 2022 / / 0 Comments

I should probably start this post by admitting that I tend to live outside the box in a lot of areas. I do things different than some would like. Not everyone will agree with me and that’s ok. Not everyone will like what I have to say and again, you’re welcome to your opinion. If your skin is thin and can’t handle a little challenge, then you’re welcome to stop reading and close this page.

As a pastor, part of my job is to lead worship. What I call worship is the time we spend together as a church family or congregation. We sing songs, read Bible readings, pray, encourage one another, and share life experiences in an effort to grow stronger in our lives as followers of Jesus. I’m writing this from my over 20 years of experience as a pastor. I truly value the many differences we have in the way we go about worshiping but even in our differences I feel something is lacking.

l recently preached a message about worship from the perspective of Psalm 98. I’ve included the message in the YouTube link below. But the point of this post is to summarize the key points of the message. I would argue that worship has three points for us to check off. I refer to them as looking, lifting and surrendering.

Looking

When we begin our time together in worship we start by looking up. This is a recognition that all of our time together finds its meaning from God. We look up to the God who created all things, sent His son to save all of mankind, and now lives in the world through His people. We look up because we are looking to the one who saved us. According to Psalm 98, we look to God for has already worked our salvation. Even in the middle of the Old Testament, even before Jesus was born the writer to the Psalms says that Looking up is great but it’s often where many of us stop in our time together. But worship is about more than just on looking even if it’s at the God of all.

Lifting

When we fully encounter God in this moment we are then left with an option. We can let that be the end of our worship or we can lift up in praise to God. Worship has two key points that are like a good dance. God is the lead. He’s the primary actor in worship and we are called to faithfully respond. After hearing, seeing and experiencing all that God has done for us, we lift up praise to him. And this is where I feel we miss something pretty key.

The way we praise is often restricted. It feels as if we have some sort of fear over how someone else will react to the way in which we praise. But worship is not about our neighbor’s reaction, it’s a recognition of our salvation. So why do we let what someone else might think change how we worship?

Ok so hear me out. I think humankind was built for worship. I think we worship all the time and probably don’t even realize it. Some worship food with a simple yum that’s delicious after a meal. Others worship their favorite sports team as they gather in the stadium. Others worship while they watch the sunrise or the sunset. Still others worship their career or family or friends. We all worship something, someone, all the time. Our worship has degrees. We don’t bow down to the perfectly cooked burger but we sure to make a big deal out of the pregame rituals for our favorite team! You see worship is all around us.

I think the more we know the one we’re worshiping the more intense our worship becomes. Imagine going to a football game to watch a team you’ve never heard of, in stadium you never seen. You probably wouldn’t go head over heals as they take the field. It’s just not the way it works. But if a Buckeye fan walks into the Shoe and hears the band taking to the tunnel, marching across the field, sees the team come crashing through the end zone – that fan will erupt in joyous accolades! I know I do.

But what about worship? We seem content to let worship be so sterile and so somber that it’s devoid of life. From the invocation to the benediction, from the opening song set to the sending message we are in the midst of people who are worshiping the same God. When we look up and take in all that God has done, we really can’t help but explode into some volcano of praise. Instead in our institutional worship settings it’s almost as if we suffer from some form of constipated praise. Refusing to let the praise come forth.

Maybe it’s a hand raised. Maybe it’s an amen in the middle of the message. Maybe it’s closed eyes and a head bowed low in recognition that we’re not worthy of His presence but grateful for it! I’m not saying there’s one way to worship that’s better than another, actually just the opposite.

Worship is about recognizing the goodness, mercy and grace of God. We look up in awe of all He’s done. Then if we truly encounter a God that big and that mighty, then we sure as hell ought to raise our voices and our hands and throw caution to the wind as we give Him the praise he’s due.

Surrender

As we close this out, I want to say a couple words about worship as surrender. When we recognize the goodness of God, lift up our praises to Him, we must also take a moment and set our agendas aside. It’s about surrender. Worship is the recognition that we are not God. He died to save us, without our help. He rose to grant us eternal life, with a word from us. We return in praise for all He’s done then we surrender. We lay our pride aside to follow His will for our lives.

If our worship is lacking any of these parts, regardless of how they look, are we really worshiping a God as great as we think?

An Ongoing Conversation

November 10, 2022 / / 0 Comments

Over the past several posts we’ve tackled the topic of prayer. We looked at reasons we don’t pray. Why those reasons don’t really hold water as a legitimate argument. And why prayer is so important. The point of this post will be to hopefully show how simple prayer really is when we get right down to it.

We’ve dabbled in this a little in previous topics but here the goal is to get into some practical ways that prayer can be part of the everyday life of a follower of Jesus. So let’s jump right in!

The Obvious

So the most obvious times for prayer are before meals and at bedtime. And to be totally honest most of these prayers are pretty canned. We love to use the ones that everyone says all the time. The most popular are the Come Lord Jesus prayer before meals and at night time we gravitate toward the Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep prayer. These are the most widely used prayers by so many people. But are they too easy?

Some people have a problem with these simple prayers. Some say they demean the power of prayer or lessen its value. But I love the power of an oversimplified prayer! It makes prayer super accessible to children. When we gravitate toward these prayers, that I call canned prayers, we allow our minds to have something to fall back on as we age. I’ve had the honor of being near people in some of their darkest moments. I’ve sat by the bedside of faithful men and women as they’ve moved into their final moments. It’s wonderful to see how in these moments, it is the simplest of prayers that fall out of our mouths. It’s these easy phrases and commonly echoed thoughts that our minds recall in these hard times.

The Big Prayer

There’s a prayer that almost everyone knows. We might not say it daily but we pretty much all know it and could likely repeat it if needed. We call it the Lord’s Prayer or the Our Father. It’s the prayer in which Jesus taught his disciples how to pray. But contrary to popular belief it’s not a prayer we necessarily have to pray.

The purpose of the Lord’s Prayer is that Jesus gave his followers a simple model or formula for prayer. In this daddy of all prayers, we see some pretty simple things we can put into our prayer lives as well. From the relational starting point (Our Father) to the recognition of his power and position (who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name) this prayer stands as a wonderful example of keeping God where he deserves to be kept and being mindful of his love and care for us (give us this day our daily bread).

I strongly encourage everyone to know the Lord’s Prayer. You should even be able to recite it. But I don’t think that this should necessarily be your go to prayer. I think you should take this prayer for what it was intended: a caution for those making prayer a show and a model for the simplicity of prayer.

A Simple Approach

The memorized prayers that we’ve mentioned already are great and they each have their place, but if this is our sole focus in prayer we miss the spontaneity and conversational nature of prayer. Is prayer an event in which we participate or a lifestyle that we live? The simple answer should be yes!

Prayer needs to be more than just a set of words for special occasions. It needs to be more than an emergency response to a bad day. Prayer should be a conversation that leads us through life. Here’s the approach I recommend in prayer. Again this is not a legalistic, must do it this way kind of thing. It’s just a suggestion for how it works best for me.

Start with a simple thank you. A friend of mine starts his morning prayer with the phrase Good morning Father. How cool is that! Get things started with a simple reminder that it’s good to be alive!

What do you need today? Then at some point in your day make sure to express your concerns or needs. The Lord today I need prayer is my go to for this one. I like to start my day with this kind of prayer so I have the rest of the day to watch for the answer to show up.

Random thoughts as they come to you. This is the best part of the simple approach. And honestly this is what brings prayer to life for me. It removes the structure and fear of prayer. When we just throw random thoughts and concerns at God throughout our day, it lowers our guard to the point where we can see God as the one who’s with us all the time.

This simple approach to prayer is designed to show that anyone can pray at anytime. You can do it while you’re driving down the freeway or stopped in traffic. You can pray this way at work or at home. You can have eloquent words or just random thoughts that make no coherent sense. You can have something specific you’re asking for or you can just talk about what’s on your mind. This is the heart and soul of prayer. It’s what makes prayer such an amazing and integral part of the life of the believer. If we could pray more like this, we’d quickly realize just how accessible God is and just how easy it is to do this thing we call praying.

So whether you pray the canned prayers or use the big daddy of prayer or just throw random thoughts at God, the point is to keep the connection alive.

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