Prayer Problems

March 3, 2010 (no. 303)

I envy people with strong prayer lives–those folks who pray regularly for extended periods of time. It seems like if you love God, surely you want to communicate with Him. But after a few minutes of prayer, I usually struggle to focus. Even though I love God, my mind wanders.

I recently tried something new. Every day, I wrote “PRAY” on my “to-do” list. Maybe I needed to be more intentional about building prayer into my routine. This worked well for a few weeks, but then it seemed like I kept saying the same things. It also seemed forced. And so it fizzled.

How concerned should I be about this deficiency in my spiritual life? Although I’m not happy about it, God knows I’m trying. And the One who created me knows my personality and heart. We’re all different and don’t always worship God in identical ways.

Nonetheless, I’m not giving up! Here’s my new idea: Every Friday, I’m scheduling a block of quiet time for prayer. Just once a week. And before I pray, I’ll jot down all the things I want to pray about.

I’ve done it twice now. So good, so far.

But, you better keep me in your prayers. J

“Be joyful always; pray continually…” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17

Following Esau

February 24, 2010 (no. 302)

Like many siblings, Jacob and Esau were very different and didn’t always get along. Do you remember when a hungry Esau returned from the fields and found Jacob cooking stew (Genesis 25:27-34)? “Quick, let me have some of that red stew!” he demanded.

Jacob shrewdly smelled an opportunity to capitalize on his brother’s impulsive nature. “First sell me your birthright,” he responded. The birthright was Esau’s inheritance, yet he foolishly agreed. Esau simply couldn’t wait for satisfaction, he wanted it NOW. So he traded away his inheritance for a meal. How foolish!

Are we following in Esau’s steps? Are we most interested in short-term gratification and material pleasures that make us feel good today? How do we spend our valuable time? Is our life comprised primarily of fun and stimulating activities that don’t matter much in the scheme of things?

If the long lines I saw at Best Buy this weekend are an indication, the answer is clear. I’m not saying Best Buy is evil, but do we also invest in things that matter to God? Do we strive for spiritual maturity? Do we spend lots of quality time with our families? Do we help the sick, poor and disadvantaged?

I know our culture offers tantalizing options. But do you want to be like Esau?

We Are Family

February 17, 2010 (no. 301)

In Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, his concern for fellow believers is clear. He calls them his “children” and refers to himself as a “father” and “mother” (2:7, 2:11). The family language continues throughout the letter as Paul repeatedly calls them “brothers.”

Paul’s message was clear: You are not alone in your spiritual journeys. Indeed, Christians should be like a close-knit family that encourages, supports and loves each other.

Today, many experience this very type of “family” at their local church. Unfortunately, many churchgoers don’t enjoy this type of relationship with fellow congregants. Further, a lot of people have become disillusioned with church and prefer to practice their faith at home. The result? Too many Christians lack the support network that is instrumental in their faith journeys.

Do you regularly meet with fellow believers to learn and grow in your faith? Share personal struggles in life? Encourage accountability? Pray, serve and worship together?

The Bible emphasizes the importance of belonging to a community of believers. If you have strong connections in a wonderful church, that’s awesome. If not, find another way to interact with believers. We are truly meant to be “brothers and sisters” in Christ. 

Who Dat!

February 10, 2010 (no. 300)

Before the Super Bowl, the people of New Orleans decided to host a big parade for the Saints regardless of the game’s outcome. At least one TV commentator questioned such a move. “What kind of message does this send? That it’s okay to lose? This isn’t a good sign.” (I’m paraphrasing)

I guess the commentator didn’t understand unconditional love. Nor did he get how it makes people feel when they’re the recipients of such love. Did you notice how many Saints talked about their fans and city as confetti rained down in Miami? Over and over and over. These players truly cared about the people of the Gulf region.

Some people don’t understand God’s unconditional love, either. Others don’t think much about it. But for those who do…my, oh my. We feel it in our hearts and bones. This causes us to be eager to do meaningful things for our great God. We want to make a difference. And we're promised that the rewards will be great in heaven (1 Cor 9:25).

I wonder what color the confetti will be there.

Black and Gold, I bet!

Check out this example of conditional love. LOL

http://www.indystar.com/article/20100208/SPORTS03/2090305/

The Temptation of Success

February 3, 2010 (no. 299)

I just finished reading a biography of Billy Joel. His personal life seems to offer yet another example of success messing somebody up.

Why is this so common? For starters, you have money to buy whatever you desire (not necessarily a good thing). Then everyone says how great and wonderful you are. People even line up to have sex with you. And, consequently, few mortals handle this well. Music legend Dick James once remarked, “The artist on his way up lives with failure, magnificently. I’ve never yet met one who could live with success.”

Last week, I overheard someone vociferously criticizing Tiger Woods. Of course, his alleged behavior is wrong. But I thought to myself, “You have no idea what it’s like to be Tiger Woods.” Beautiful women were always eager to please him. And, without question, he failed this test. But think about the millions of married men who don’t have beautiful women chasing them…and they also fail the test.

What’s my point? Our country rightly celebrates success, but success is dangerous. And while many of us call on God during tough times, we also need His help when life is great. Experience shows even modest levels of success make us vulnerable.

Wherever life takes you, turn to God for help.

“Man is tested by the praise he receives.” (Proverbs 27:22)

Fasting

January 27, 2010 (no. 298)

I’ve never been a fan of fasting. Without question, it’s an important spiritual discipline for many people. Jesus even talked about it. It just doesn’t help me become more spiritual. Grumpy, yes. Spiritual, no. But that’s me. If avoiding food draws you closer to God, then by all means, fast!

Here’s an idea, though, that may be beneficial for everyone. In his book Divine Commodity, Skye Jethani writes, “Perhaps a new form of (fasting) is warranted: the media fast. The benefits of unplugging from the media for a predetermined amount of time are too numerous to list, but let me mention just two.” He then describes how our minds are affected by advertising (yes, it makes us covet worldly pleasures). Next, he provides a necessary reminder. Imagine if we shut off TVs, computers and video games for a while and spent this time growing our faith. Studying the Bible. Reading a good Christian book. Joining a small group at church. Getting involved in a service project.

Many of us claim we’re too busy for such activities. But are we, really? With a media fast, I bet many of us would be shocked at how much time is freed up.