Peripatetics: The Art of Walking

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verse 41 really hits home with me in that the christian life is not a sunday to sunday function but an every hour, every moment, lifestyle. satan roams around like a roaring lion seeking to devour those who have fallen asleep. we must incessantly keep watch and pray continuously.

posted by  victim of suburbia : 8:10 AM

 

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I still get confused when it comes to the Easter story.

I mean, I've heard the elements of the story since I was a little kid and it often becomes some sort of "soup" that I can't really figure out what happened and when it happened. You know, there was the Last Supper, and Judas left. And Peter was denying knowing Christ. And the disciples fled. And Annas and a high priest and Pilate were involved. And a criminal got freed. And there were two criminals on either side of Christ. Somebody carried the cross for Christ. I really get goofed up on what happened when Christ was on the cross and what was said. And didn't Christ was the disicples' feet and didn't Peter try to kill somebody in there somewhere, too?

That's where Dawson McAllister helps me out.

When I was a senior in high school I went to a "Dawson McAllister Conference." I think he still does youth rallies, and me and a few friends attended one when he came through town. He'd just written a workbook called "A Walk With Christ to the Cross" and the focus of the weekend rally was teaching us the time line.

What was particularly interesting is that I decided to take some teens from our church to a Dawson McAllister rally and he was doing a "15th Anniversary" tour of the same workbook that I went through when I was in high school.

The reason that he could revisit that workbook is because it was a great teaching tool...it's very well organized and breaks the last hours of Christ's ministry on earth into a very orderly timeline.

So, this week, we'll be using his timeline as our outline, and we'll use some of the Bible study methods that we used last week as our guide. Today, we'll start with Jesus on Thursday night around 6PM.

Grab your Bible and turn to Matthew 26: 19--29, and answer these questions before you move on.

WHAT time of year is it? (v. 19)
WHO is there? (v.20)
WHAT did Jesus say & WHAT was the reaction in vv. 21—25?
WHAT did Jesus do in v. 26?
WHY did He do that?
What did He do in v. 27?
WHY did He do that in v. 27-29?

We learn that it's the Passover, so that would make it the springtime...and from the context we know that it's about 33 A.D. We know that the 12 disciples are there, and they're reclining at a table. Jesus informs them that one of them would betray Him. Each one said they wouldn't be the one who did, and Jesus told them it would be the one who put his hand in the bowl with Him would be the betrayer, and that it would be better to have never been born than to be the betrayer. Judas asked if it would be him and Jesus let him know that it very well was.

In verse 26, Jesus took some bread, said a blessing and gave it to his disciples. After that we see that he took some wine from a cup, gave it to them, and after each one told them the symbolism of it. That the bread was symbolic of His body, and the wine was symbolic of blood, which would be shed for many to forgive sins. Then He told his followers that He would have no wine until he drank it with them when they were in the Kingdom. I'd imagine this made John 6: 66-68 come to life for the 12.

We've come to know this time as The Last Supper. Famous paintings (albeit littered with poor interpretations of what was really happening in that room) have been made of this moment. In fact, most churches celebrate this supper on a regular basis as a time to focus on the work Christ did for us as well as point us to the time in which we will have many suppers with Him in The Kingdom...frankly, I think of that every time our church takes communion.

This is where CORRELATION is helpful too. In fact, there's a whole book of correlations that out of print now but it's called The Life of Christ in Stereo and it has all these stories in order, pulling events from different Gospel accounts.

Added accounts are found in:

John 13: 1--20. Read it and look for time differences from the Matthew account before going further.

This account picks up after supper and before they sing the hymn in the Matthew account. Jesus got up from supper and took the attire of a slave, and then washed the disciples' feet...the action of a slave. Peter was incredulous. He couldn't imagine letting Jesus wash his feet and told Him so. Jesus told him he'd understand later, and that He must was Peter's feet or Peter could have no part in the Kingdom. Peter figured that if he had a part in the Kingdom with just a foot washing, then maybe he could get more of a part in the Kingdom by letting Jesus was him from head to toe...and Jesus said that wasn't really necessary. Jesus let them know that they were to serve one another, and even gives more details in the words used during the wine and bread.

Mark 14: 17--21 also offers some insights. It was evening, and we get a cultural concept of reclining at the table and eating...so, picture HOW they were eating. 12 people would be laying down at this table. The room dynamics were likely a "horseshoe" of three tables, with 12 men having their head where the food would be sitting and their feet furthest from the table. That's why the famous DaVinci painting is factually incorrect!

Luke 22: 7--38 gives us a lot of different insights. We get some events of earlier in the day in which Christ sends Peter to find a room so they can celebrate the Passover. It's a pretty amazing way in which he finds it, too. We also get some new insights in verse 23 that the discussion of betrayal then takes place among the disciples and who was actually going to do it. What's also interesting is that all the Kingdom talk began and they were having an argument over who might be the greatest among them (which might explain why Jesus got up and showed them a servant in the John account, and tells us something about why John was so moved by it all). Jesus has some stern words for Peter, and Jesus tells Peter that he will betray Him three times before the rooster crows. They find two swords as well.

All of this transpires during the equivalent of Thursday, 6 to 11:30 PM.

Now, for the applications, and what I'd like for the comments to be this week is what God is teaching YOU as you do your personal studies. Mine today is finding ways to serve people that I don't really like. I mean, Christ showed servanthood to His disciples and THEY WERE ABOUT TO BETRAY HIM! They were going to backstab Him, yet He loved them and taught them to serve and love one another. I guess sometimes I need to work on loving and serving those who are more difficult to love and serve...

Brent 5:47 AM

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Sunday, March 20, 2005

Don't forget, after reviewing last week's study of Observation, Interpretation, Correlation that there's a most important step: Application.

In other words, you have to apply the truths that you learned from your study and apply it to your life. This usually happens by discovering something you need to change or do or fix or create...

That's the difficult part.

The best part is that last word I used: Create.

Once you've learned lessons from God, it's very helpful to teach others what you learned. It could be to create a Bible study. It could be to compose a children's song. It could be to paint a painting of the section you studied. It could be a photograph. It could be to blog about it. A short story. I could go on for quite a while about all the stuff you could do...

But the most important part is to actually "do it." Create something innovative as a teaching tool for others. It's really your own little act of worship when you think about it.

We're going to review all these steps in class tonight by actually having you study the Bible. I'll do the correlations, but you'll be studying in small groups...so bring your Bible and a pen that works and be prepared to answer basic "5 w's and an h" questions. You might find it helpful to read through Matthew 26 through 28 as that will be the basic text we use.

And, oh yeah, based on our Palm Sunday class from last week: Do you remember when I showed you the application that comic strip artist Johnny Hart uses in "B.C.?" How he uses that strip every year on Palm Sunday as his own little worship space? He did it again today...so get your Sunday paper and check out his fine work today. It's very inspirational how he can do that...

Brent 4:39 AM

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Friday, March 18, 2005

A good friend of mine had to testify in a court of law this week. He'd never done anything like that before, so he called a lawyer to ask him how he should respond to the questions he got from the attorney.

The lawyer-friend used this example to encourage my friend:

He asked, "Do you know what time it is, Franz? (names have been changed to protect the innocent!)

Franz answered, "Yes. It's 10:15."

"Wrong!" said the lawyer friend. "You need to remember that it's going to be very simple if you only answer the question the attorney asks you when you're on the stand! The correct answer is simply, 'Yes.' If the examining attorney wanted to know the time, after you answered, they'd ask, 'Good. Then what time is it right now?' And then, you might only want to answer, "According to my watch, it's 10:15."

Well, in Luke 19, the Lawyers gave Jesus a "yes or no" type choice. Remember, the last few days we've been working through the Palm Sunday story, and we left off with Jesus heading into Jerusalem with the surrounding disciples singing a Messianic psalm. In effect, Jesus, riding into Jerusalem the week before Passover on a donkey, was being announced as the Messiah in a formal, meaningful manner.

And the Pharisees would've known it, too. That's why they say what they do in Luke 19: 39: "Teacher, rebuke your disciples."

The message is firm. Jesus, this borders on blasphemy and this parade needs to stop. You should do it, too. They'll listen to you, and well, that'll make for a very peaceful Passover week. If not, we're probably going to have to kill you...or at least a very good scourging. So, just stop them and we'll go about our festival.

It's a "yes or no" option.
It's what the lawyers want.
Pretty simple, really.

Yet, Jesus gives a cryptic answer in verse 40: "I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out." The Message reads, "If the people kept quiet, the stones would do it for them, shouting praise."

Why would He answer it this way instead of the yes or no?

The answer begins in Daniel 9: 24--27:

"70 weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to annoint the most holy place."

The interpretation, in order to save you some time, means that it'll take 490 years ("weeks" in Hebrew means "periods of 7," of which you have to see the sentence context to determine if it means weeks, months or years) for The Messiah to make everything right again.

Then in verse 25: "So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and 62 weeks; it will be built again..."

So, we keep track of time beginning with a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. Then, there will be a time frame that looks like this, (7 x 7) + (62 x 7) = y. I know. It's math, but trust me on this one. It means 49 + 434 = y. Y = 483. So, we're missing 7 years...which I'll explain in a second.

But 483 years, when broken into days, is 173,880. So, once we find a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, we can find out when the Messiah will come, right? That's what it says.

Well, in Nehemiah 2...we see in verse 7 that Nehemiah gets the king to sign a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. We learn in 2:1 that it's March/April of 444 B.C.

So, if you go 173,880 days forward, from March/April 444 B.C., you'll wind up in late March of 33 A.D.

And, Jesus strolled into Jerusalem riding a colt on exactly 173,880 days from the day that decree was signed.

That's why He didn't give a "yes or no" answer. It would've sounded more like, "Fellas, I'd love to. But, see...ummmm...this day was prophesied about 173,880 days ago--since you are Lawyers I thought you'd know that--and according to Habbakkuk 2: 10, well, if the Messiah isn't announced today...well, yeah...your reality is that you'll have a huge problem because the stones will start announcing the arrival of the Messiah. Because God's Word doesn't lie. And try explaining a lot of rocks singing that same song to your Passover crowd, while you're at it, too.

(Now, the missing 7 years that will have to take place to complete the 490 years...in Daniel 9: 26 tells us that after the 62nd week--see our math equation above--the Messiah will be cut off. And yet all the Messiah's works won't have been done yet. Well, read 9:27 and you'll see language that is similar to Revelation, and if you know anything about the Tribulation that it is 7 years long, beginning from the Rapture of the Church...so, after the rapture, that clock starts ticking,too)

So, think about it. You're holding a book near you that is accurate down to the very single DAY.

And if it's correct about that much history to that degree of accuracy, well, wouldn't it be correct about WHO Christ is and the work He did on the Cross (which we'll look at next week) for us? What can we do to apply these truths and realities?

Brent 10:05 PM

Comments:

That was a wonderful explanation...you truly have a gift. I taught that a few weeks ago to a group of men and wasn't nearly that eloquent.
-Hollywood

posted by  Anonymous : 3:31 AM

 

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After you've gone through and made your observations, and then taken some time to do some interpretations, the next step is to touch base with all the Scriptures that correlate to the text you're studying.

One easy tool to help out with this is to look at the reference verses that are listed beside the verses you're studying that tell you where the story (or words, or quotes, or other related topics) is told in other places. This works VERY well in the Gospels, and in this instance (since we're looking at Luke 19: 28--40), you can also find the story of Palm Sunday in three other places:

Matthew 21: 1--9.
Mark 11: 1--10.
and John 12: 12--15.

Take the time right now to read Luke 19: 28--40, and then write down some comparisons with the other stories. What is the same? What gives more insight? See, the different writers of the Gospels all had unique views of the same event, and, as you correlate the accounts you can get a more vivid picture of what is going on overall.

Correlation can also can help with interpretation as well. The reference verses in my particular study Bible next to verse 35 (which mentions the Messiah entering on a colt) lists Zechariah 9: 9, which reads, "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, humble, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

So, if we are paying attention to the references, we learn that the coming Messiah will enter Jerusalem on the foal of a donkey.

In Luke 19: 38, we see a quoted verse from the Old Testament. My Bible lists the quote as coming from Psalm 118: 26. In Jesus day, this particular Psalm was understood as a "Messianic" one, one in which the Messiah was discussed in detail.

Now, because you've correlated some things, you can now enrich your interpretations. So, for example, if the Messiah is supposed to come into Jerusalem on a donkey, and there's a man riding a donkey into the city...maybe that is meaningful.

Then, add to that the reality that a crowd around this guy is singing a Messianic song...well, now we've got quite a stir in this small city that is gearing up for the Passover festival (those two interpretations could've been gotten yesterday as you were looking up Jerusalem, or "after these things"). You've got a parade to announce the coming Messiah!

And this might explain the Pharisees (experts in the Law, again something you could've interpreted yesterday) and their reaction. See, they likely understood PRECISELY what was going on: They knew the Messiah was supposed to enter Jerusalem on a donkey, and they knew the song about the Messiah. And now, Jesus, who has been causing all sorts of trouble over a three-year period in and around Jerusalem, is making quite the statement.

They also know that if this statement is allowed to continue, they would have to execute Jesus. You can't go around proclaiming to be God without either being right or being executed. The Pharisees, I can assure you, obviously don't believe Jesus is right.

Hence the statement: "Jesus, rebuke your disciples." Make them stop. For your own good, sir. We get what they're saying. We get what you're doing. And if it doesn't come to an end PRONTO, you're going to die a wretchedly horrible and humiliating death. Just letting you know, sir. So, we're giving you a chance to fix this mess right now. You'd best do it if you know what's good for everybody and we can enjoy a reasonably fun Passover festival together.

And now we have Jesus answering in a very cryptic manner in verse 40 of Luke 19: "And He answered and said, 'I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out.'"

For your own study today, follow the reference chain in your study Bible from Luke 19: 40. You'll wind up in Habbakkuk and then follow your chain of verses from there. At some point, you'll wind up in Daniel 9, which will give us a lot of insight into why Jesus answered the question the way He did...

...and we'll pick up there tomorrow!

Brent 5:30 AM

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Thursday, March 17, 2005

So...hopefully you made your observations from yesterday's blog and now you can begin to make interpretations of your observation.

Just to make sure we're clear on the subtle difference, let's use a basic example. Let's say that you were in your backyard in just before you went to bed last night. This morning, when you woke up, you found a baseball sitting in the middle of your backyard. The OBSERVATION is "there's a baseball in my backyard."

The INTERPRETATION could go in a bunch of different directions, but the most obvious one is "how did that baseball get there?"

So, you might have to scroll down to review the observations we made yesterday, but a few questions of interpretation you might make based on the "Palm Sunday" (which is this upcoming Sunday, in case you weren't aware, and the reason I've chosen this passage) account found in Luke 19: 28--40.

WHERE is Jerusalem (verse 28)?
WHERE is Bethphage and Bethany and the Mount of Olives? (verse 29)
WHO were the two disciples? (verse 30)
WHAT does it mean to spread their garments in the road? (verse 36)
WHAT psalm is quoted in verse 38 and WHY would this be meaningful?
WHO were the Pharisees? (verse 39)
WHY would they ask Jesus to rebuke His disciples? (verse 39)
WHY would Jesus say that the stones would cry out if He did that? (verse 40)

Now, some of these questions would require more information than you might have just rattling around in your brain. You'll need some help.

Most good Bibles will have a series of maps in the back of them. Try to find one that is titled something like "Jerusalem in the time of Jesus" and then locate the cities. You might even find the Mount of Olives on there,too.

The two disciples are going to be discovered in other gospel accounts of this same event, so we'll leave that alone for now as tomorrow we'll be looking at correlations.

Spreading the garments in the road would be a custom of that day, so you might need a Bible dictionary...and since most people don't have one of those around, let me give you a few web-sites, that last time I checked, had free search engines and things to help you interpret some things:

Bible Online
SonicLight.Com
Bible.Org (click on study tools or pastoral helps--it even has a "net Bible" too)

At Sonic Light, you can click on Study notes, then click on Psalms, scroll down to Psalm 118, and you should be able to find out why this Psalm was very important.

In your Bible dictionary, you could look up "Pharisees" and get LOTS of information.

And if you wanted a quick answer to the questions of Luke 19: 39 & 40, you could easily use SonicLight, go to Luke, scroll to chapter 19 and find out a few things.

Now, you're really studying the Bible on your own...and you could teach a small group Bible study just on what you've learned here! Half the battle is asking the right questions and doing the research...and the confidence you gain is sort of repeats the process.

You know, you begin to study seriously, you learn a lot and you even enjoy the process, you gain confidence, you do it again, you get better at it, you get more confidence, you get better studies as a result, you gain more confidence, etc.

And...all you've done so far is observe and interpret...tomorrow we'll correlate this information with other passages and you'll see how very cool it is to see God's Word work together.

So, what's going well for you and what isn't? Feel free to comment with successes, failures, etc.

Brent 4:37 AM

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Wednesday, March 16, 2005

Yesterday we took a look at devotional Bible study...simply reading the Word of God for the express purpose of enjoying your relationship with God. It gives you a chance to slow down and focus on eternal things rather than temporary ones.

Today I'd like to look at more serious Bible study. The type you might want to do if you're preparing to teach a Sunday School class or a small group...or maybe you just have some question in your brain after reading and want to know more about something in Scripture you've read. There's no question that it's possible to have loads of questions if you're reading devotionally.

In fact, there's a fancy word for serious Bible study: Hermeneutics. It was one of the first classes on the required curriculum at seminary, and I had the privilege (and I use that word measuredly) of taking the class when it was taught by Dr. Howard Hendricks and Dr. Mark Bailey (who has since become president of Dallas Seminary).

Anyway, the first thing they did in that class was to show us a short film. It was about 30 seconds long and it depicted a man and woman at a bus stop, a car pulls up and somebody kidnaps the lady and they drive off. Afterward, they gave us a test.

About 60 questions or so. On a 30 second film.

Things like, "What was written on the license plate?" "What hand did the kidnapper hold the gun in?" "What was on the sign above the restaurant?" Very detailed questions.

We all failed the test miserably. I think I got like 15 correct.

Then they gave us the questions ahead of time, gave us 5 minutes to look them over, and showed the film again. This time, since we were prepared to look at everything, we all did much better. Scores in the 40's and 50's this time.

And it's that way with Bible study. The first thing we need to do is make simple observations. You know:

Who
What
Where
When
Why and
How

So, let's do that with Luke 19. Like reading devotionally, you'll need to get in a comfy place with plenty of room and an environment in which you can concentrate. Then don't forget to pray for God to lead your thoughts.

Unlike reading devotionally, you'll need a consistent, reliable translation. My preference is the New American Standard. The New International reads a bit more smoothly, and I think both of those are good choices. They each have their strengths and weaknesses...but they're both very good.

And then you'll dive in...just be careful not to make interpretations just yet. Simple observations.

First, read Luke 19: 28--40, but break it into paragraphs, too.

WHEN are these events taking place (verse 28...but you'd have to interpret it so just find the obvious answer and move on for right now...we'll work on interpretation tomorrow)?
WHERE are these events taking place (verse 29)?
WHO is involved in the entire story (verse 29, 31, 33, 37 & 39)?
WHAT did "He" tell them to do (verses 30--34)?
WHY did "He" tell them to do that (verse 35)?
HOW did Jesus arrive in verses 35 & 36?
WHAT did the crowd do (verses 37-38)?
WHAT question was asked in verse 39?
WHO asked that question?
WHO answered the question if verse 40?
WHAT was the answer to the question?

Then, put these events into your own words.

And you've just taken the first step in a more serious Bible study: simple observations. Keep these answers on a sheet of paper or in a notebook, and then we'll work on it more tomorrow, when we start making interpretations of our observations.

I've been told that government agents who are trained to spot counterfeit currency aren't shown a myriad of fake bills and then told to go spot other fakes. They're trained to make simple observations on a true bill to such a degree that they can spot any fake because they are such keen observers of the real ones.

You'll get better at making observations over time, too. With practice, you'll start doing it inherently...in fact, for that class I made over 150 observations from just one verse later in the semester (and I had friends make well over 250) so it is indeed a learned trait.

So, give it a shot and see how well you can make simple observations of a passage...

Brent 3:39 AM

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Tuesday, March 15, 2005

My days at Dallas Theological Seminary were coming to a close. I graduated in the fall semester and much of my classwork was completed before the Thanksgiving break, but I still had some chapel attendance requirements to meet as well as some classroom lectures I wanted to attend so I was on campus for a few days with very little to do.

I wasn't the only one, either. Several of my fellow students were in the same boat, so we spent a lot of time in the student lounge hanging out & having coffee.

One afternoon, somebody at our table asked the question, "What are ya'll looking forward to most without the demands of seminary studies over your head?" Lots of answers were thrown out there:

"I'm going to start giving my youth ministry the attention it deserves."
"I'm going to spend more time with my children."
"My wife and I are going to start going on dates again."
"I'm actually going to start exercising consistently."

And then there was one that stopped the conversation: "I'm going to read WHAT I want, WHEN I want."

We all nodded thoughtfully. Seminary students are readers by nature, and this was the first time we had thought of that. We were no longer under the deadlines. No longer under the requirements. No longer under the burden of tests.

For some reason, it was oddly exciting. We would probably have chosen to read some of those books and enjoyed them, but the fact that it was told to us that we had to read them, and by a certain time, with the extra burden of being tested (or writing a paper) that took all the fun out of it.

And the same can be true of our time in God's Word. There are two ways to read the Bible, one is to enjoy it, and the other is to study it in depth. Tomorrow, I'll focus on how to actually enjoy some detailed study, but today I want to show you some things I've learned about just learning how to spend time in the Word for the purpose of "abiding" in the Word.

First of all, make sure your environment is good for just reading. You know, that it's quiet and comfortable, with good light, and a time when your mind is most alert. For me, it's in the early morning, in my well-worn but comfy recliner with my light right above it and a warm cup of coffee. For you it might be night or right after school or sports to unwind. Just know your "peak" time.

Secondly, pray that God would help you block out all the crud in your brain that would hinder you from just enjoying what you read. Those pressures of the day ahead (or behind) or the stresses of your life or whatever mind garbage that could creep into it.

Next, have a "reading plan." It's difficult to dive into random sections of Scripture without direction, so choose a book and read through it, usually a chapter at a time. If you're looking for good book starting points, I'd go with Mark, Psalms and/or James. Once you get in the habit, you can get a little more diverse, but those are good starting points.

Have a readable version of the Bible you enjoy reading. I very much enjoy The Message, by Eugene Peterson, because it puts a new spin on verses I'm very familiar with. It puts things in very contemporary English (and sometimes goes a bit too far, but I can overlook that) and is easy to read.

For example, let's look at Psalm 23, something we're generally familiar with, in the New American Standard Version:

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul. He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me. Thou dost prepare a table before me int he presence of my enemies; Thou has anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

Now, let's look at the same verses from The Message:

"God, my shepherd! I don't need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. Even when they way goes through Death Valley, I'm not afraid when you walk at my side. Your trusty shepherd's crook makes me feel secure. You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing. Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I'm back home in the house of God for the rest of my life."

And then when I've read the passage in such a devotional way, I ask two questions: What does it say about me? What does it say about God? And then I spend some time thinking those two questions through...like, how am I like a sheep? How many blessings do I have?

Or, God gives me security and protection. Why do I fear? Things like this. I give my mind the freedom to be led by Him and try to "listen" to Him.

It's really that simple to read devotionally, and I try to do that every day...just to grow closer to Him by being still and quiet before Him.

The question today is obvious: Do you read devotionally? What practical steps can I take to be more consistent? What has worked well for me that I could share with others in the comments?

Brent 4:03 AM

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Monday, March 14, 2005

Time.

I know. We're all busy. Very busy. Warp-speed busy.

And telling you that you need to be in the Word of God on a consistent basis in corporate settings is like telling you to find around a half an hour more in your already busy day. Yet, Christ Himself said we're supposed to "abide" in His Word...literally "live" in it.

And telling you this probably conjures up images in your mind that have negative connotations. Impersonal church services. Classes at early hours. Lots of boring lectures. Difficult concepts taught by people that only have to study that stuff who don't live "normal" lives outside church. Pressure of being surrounded by people that look like they "get it" when we don't "get it."

So, combine more time demands with negative connotations...and, well, there's a reason that famous people make comments like the reality that Christianity hasn't been found wanting, but rather it's been unTRIED. Christianity is a mile wide and an inch deep. Stuff like that.

How do you overcome those connotations?

First, you have to make a decision that you're going to grow spiritually. It's like exercising consistently after a long bout of being a couch potato. At first you seem "too tired" to go to the gym and too undisiciplined to eat the right things, but once you get started, you find that you have more energy to go about your day and that you feel more alert because you're eating correctly. It's the same spiritually. You might feel like you'll lose even more of your valuable time if you make a commitment to get in the Word...but I suggest you'll find that you'll actually create more time in your day as you begin to prioritize based on eternal principles and concepts instead of allowing temporary, earthly concerns drive your calendar.

This will involve making a decision to be a part of "corporate" teaching times such as attending a church service where the Word is taught. Maybe a Sunday School class. Maybe a small group Bible study. Maybe a "seminar" type class to get specialized learning in certain areas. You'll have to make your own "soup" out of all the options for this, but it's certainly a part of your time in the Word.

So, for today...think through your daily schedule and commitments. How many of them are "eternal" involvements? How many are necessary, but "earthly" concerns? What type of balance do you have and how, if need be, can you find time to get in the Word? What kinds of "soup" are in your mix for corporate time in the Word? Does your church offer you times where you can take "seminar" type classes or more formal age-appropriate classes? What practical steps can you take to have a healthy balance in your life?

Tomorrow, we'll look at personal daily devotions and what should transpire there?

Brent 6:03 AM

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Sunday, March 13, 2005

Tonight in class, we'll be learning how to do a personal Bible study. The text we'll be using will be from Luke 19: 28--44. My hope is that you'll simply skim over the entire book of Luke (really, just flip through the pages and skim them so you'll get the "flow" of the whole book instead of a having an isolated section of the Bible to look at). But slow down and read chapters 18 and 20, too, so you'll have context when you get there.

Also, you might want to mark Nehemiah 2, Zechariah 9, Habakkuk 2 and Daniel 9 as well. Just so you can turn the pages more quickly as these verses will be used in the "correlation" part of our study. We'll have a busy Bible.

But in the Luke section, ask yourself who are the key players, where are they, and put what happens in your own words, and that should get you ready for our "lab" on how to study the Word when you're by yourself.

Brent 4:03 AM

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Saturday, March 12, 2005

When I was taking youth ministry classes in seminary, frankly, I had more experience than most of my classmates. I had been in youth ministry full-time for six years prior to taking classes (while most of my fellow students were just starting out in their ministries). I had taught hundreds of Bible lessons before crowds of varying sizes. I had taught a wide range of topics. I had been teaching many different small group Bible studies, too.

One particular class was called "Teaching Process." Yes, the class was precisely about what it was called...

Anyway, on the first day of that class, the professor asked us what was our goal when we taught our students.

People in the class offered up several different answers. It was obvious that we were all around the answer but not getting the answer...you know? We were aware of this because the teacher kept waiting for us to offer more answers.

I think I said something like, "To clearly communicate God's truth." Or something similar that would either make me sound good or get the professor to get that look on his face that one of his students got the answer correctly.

I think the professor said something like, "Yeah...we want to clearly communicate God's truth, that's certainly a good goal. But I'm thinking more about our students. What do we want to see in our students as a result of our teaching?"

To me, that sounded something like, "Wrong answer, goofball...but a nice try. You're still missing the point of what I'm trying to get." I wasn't about to try again, either.

Nobody got the answer. Finally, the professor asked us to turn to 1 Timothy 1:5:

"But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith."

It's a short sentence. It's easy to glaze over, too. Well-meaning and well-intended platitudes that no one could really disagree with. It's like a politician saying he's for lower taxes and better education and taking care of the poor: You can't disagree with it, but it seems vague enought that you don't know exactly "how" it'll happen, either. So you just say, "Isn't that nice?" and move on.

But that short, well-meaning verse refocused my ministry.

See, for my first years of ministry, I had been putting together Bible studies that I hoped were clever, and innovative and clear in what they were trying to communicate. I was trying to get students to see the beauty of the Word of God and understand that it was intended to get them to live an abundant life.

Those are good things. But they're more like the red circles around the bullseye on a target. They aren't the bullseye.

The bullseye of time in the Word...the very breath of God...the living and active Word of God...

...is love.

In this case, the Greek word agape, which means a love for which no sacrifice is too great.

So the goal is that people will choose to love God more...with a love for which NO sacrfice is too great.

And I believe that this would naturally lead to people choosing to love others more...with a love for which no sacrfice is too great.

This love is to come from three things:

A pure heart. The Message translates this "uncontaminated by self-interest." I wonder if we really thought through that and found out how self-focused we are and how much we make choices based on our selves how much we'd want to live a life with a pure heart.

A good conscience. Elements of hypocrisy erased.

A sincere faith. The opposite of this would be a counterfeit faith. A fake one. One in which we focused on what others thought instead of what was really going on in our hearts and minds and actions and dealing with those things.

See, living a life that is littered with self-interest, a guilty conscience and hypocrisy it tiring. It will wear you out. It's self-focused and won't give you time to love others or truly love Him.

And when you realize that the result of time in the Word should be, plain and simply, love. Built of the foundation of a worthy, honest walk with Him.

That one class hour that focused on this verse refocused my energies in ministry that last to this day.

A friend of mine who is in a Christian band said something like this over dinner, "Anybody, with enough practice and enough effort can have kids walk away from a concert saying, 'Wow! What a great band!' It's hard to have kids walk away from a concert saying, 'Wow, what a great God He is and He loves me, and the guys in that band love me.'"

It's the same way with a Bible study or sermon. It's easy, with enough practice and effort to have people walk away from Sunday School saying, "Wow! What a great lesson and creative presentation!" and mean it.

It's difficult to have students walk away saying "Wow! What a great God He is and He loves me, and that guy who taught it loves me, and I want to love others."

But that's the goal.

And it should be.

So the question today is how much do we really love God considering the amount of time we spend in the Word? How much do we really love others?

Brent 4:57 AM

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Friday, March 11, 2005

I grew up in what is known as The Deep South...Dixie, if you will. South of the Mason-Dixon Line, east of the Mississippi River, north of Florida, west of the Atlantic Ocean.

There is a pride in being from there, much like I've discovered that Texans have a similar pride since I've moved here. There are simply "ways" of doing things that you can't really explain to outsiders.

And there was this ideal of a "Southern Gentleman" that we were taught as young men growing up that there were things you simply did because they were sort of "trademarks" of men raised in the South. I was raised that you opened the door for women, both to cars and to buildings. You never told certain types of jokes or stories in mixed company. You shook hands firmly. You looked people in the eye. Anyone older than you was "ma'am" or "sir." You were staunchly Democratic (because, after all, the Republicans were involved in that Civil War nastiness). You went to the church of your choice and were actively involved in it. You respected your elder family members. I could go on, but suffice to say that there were a lot of ideals that were firmly entrenched in my brain at an early age.

Then, as you got older, you started to see these things a bit differently. I had a girl tell me she was fully capable of opening her own doors, thank you. The jokes and stories were told by both sexes in mixed company. You didn't shake hands much as it was more things like "high fives" or whatever else was in style at that time. You didn't judge someone as "shify" if they didn't look you in the eye. A Republican was elected both to the presidency and the governor's office in the first elections I voted in. Lots of people stopped going to church. You eventually lost respect for elders just because they were older.

One night some friends and I were talking about that...about why it changed when we got older. If I remember the tone of that conversation it had to do with "old fashioned" ideas and there was a "new" Southern Gentleman and that "times had changed" and it simply didn't work "for a new generation." We even thought it was possible that those ideals worked for a time, but now they just didn't apply in our time and in our situation.

And that's what people often say about the Bible...that is simply doesn't fit our culture. They're good ideas and all, but it just doesn't work in the new millinnium.

The Bible wholeheartedly disagrees. Check out Hebrews 4:12-13. It says, "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two edged sword, and piercing as far as the soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart."

So, let's see:

Living. As opposed to dead. So, maybe it does apply here and now if it's alive.

Maybe it's alive...but just too old. Sorry, it's also "active."

It's sharp. The Message says that it's as "sharp as a surgeon's scalpel."

It's piercing to the joints and marrow. Lots of sermons have been preached on this section, but again, The Message is very helpful as the Word "cuts through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey."

Think about these things for today. Do we really view God's Word as highly contemporary for today? If so, when we read it, do we allow it cut us like we would a surgeon...being vulnerable in that manner...letting it lay us open? Do we listen to it? Do we choose to obey it?

I know it's only one verse.

But it's the right tool for us to help us work our way through our daily life.

Brent 4:05 AM

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Thursday, March 10, 2005

The baseball coach at my high school was very big on the concept of "team." It was all very stereotypical, really. Every player knowing his role. Every player covering his responsbilility. Every player using his strengths. Every player understanding the big picture. Everybody doing what's necessary for the team to win.

That all changed after the season in 1984.

That was the year my class graduated.

He asked all the seniors to come to his office. There was plenty of time since the season was over and we still had a class period for baseball built into our school day. Sitting in his office that day...well, the tone changed a bit.

Now it was about us as individuals, he said. Most of us were going off to college and would be living on our own for the first time, and I guess he wanted to dispense advice. Since I didn't have a dad in my teen years, I looked up to this coach a great deal. In fact, I wrote the things he said that day in my journal.

YOU need to keep on eating right.
YOU need to make sure to sleep right. (He said absolutely NOTHING GOOD happens after 2AM, so you definitely need to be in by that time)
YOU need to make going to classes a priority, and when you go to class, pay attention.
If YOU do those three simple things, college will be a snap for YOU.

At the time, we all nodded. Yeah, Coach, we got it. In theory, anyway, we did have it. It was the application that was difficult.

And in retrospect, he was absolutely correct. When I went by those things, my college life was a snap. It was when I'd start violating those simple things that there would be chaos in my life and grades would slip and I'd feel all sorts of pressure. I got serious about them pretty late in my sophomore year, and once I applied them consistently, well, suffice to say that I graduated from university in 3 years. My friends made fun of my "early" bed times (like midnight, but that was early for college) and how much time I spent reading and how dedicated I was about going to class and all that.

He was just giving the best advice he could give knowing what he knew about us.

And that's what Paul, the wise, aged pastor, was giving to Timothy, his understudy at the time when they were going their separate ways. Paul knew he was heading to his death at the hands of the Roman government. Timothy would be taking over. And here's what advice Paul gave to him (from The Message):

"But don't let it [pastors who would exploit the faith for personal gain] faze you. Stick with what you learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers--why, you took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother's milk! There's nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed in one way or another--showing us the truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us."

It's really some simple little things at first glance. Very simple little edicts. But some terribly sound insights...and they're all PERSONAL to Timothy. It even starts out with something like, "don't let the reality that others are snakes faze YOU." See, it's personal.

Stick with what YOU already learned.
Stick with what YOU came to believe.
YOU learned these from YOUR teachers.
YOU took in the word from YOUR parents.

And this salvation you learned about is what all Scripture points to. I love the reality that Eugene Peterson, prolific author and translator of The Message translates verse 3:16 "God breathed." While he'll often play fast and loose with other bits of translation in that book, in this instance he stays literal. All Scripture is the very breath of God. It's alive! It's the Holy God of the universe TALKING to us!

I often hear teenagers say things like, "Well, I'd believe in God if I only knew how to get in touch with Him. If I knew what He'd say and saw it for myself, then I'd believe."

Paul is making the point that God is speaking to you. Through these sacred writings, it's like He is sitting across the table from you at the local Starbucks, telling you what He wants.

And what He wants is to show us the truth.
He wants to show us our rebellious hearts.
He wants us to correct our mistakes.
He wants to train us like a soldier to live His way.

Why?

So we can be "in shape" for the work He designed for us at the beginning of time.

How do we figure that out?

Through listening to His breath.

It may be words on a page, but they may as well be said out loud to us. Frankly, if we learn the truth, discover our rebellion, correct those areas and allow ourselves to be trained for the work God has for us to do...well, those really are simple edicts. Like the ones my coach gave me, the trick is in applying them.

But they are simple edicts.
And they are PERSONAL.

So, for today, how does this view of Scripture encourage you to want to spend more time in the Word? How can you apply those simple edicts? What practical steps can you use to get in the Word more...to "live there" like John 8:31 says?

Brent 4:39 AM

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Wednesday, March 09, 2005

The children's ministry at our church has a rack of age-appropriate Bibles that sits on a rack they can wheel from room to room as needed for various teaching needs.

Our visitor center has a crate of Bibles to lend in case you forgot yours or if you didn't know you'd need it (side not: I'm floored by the reality that certain churches have gotten to the point where they just print out the necessary verses on screens or in bulletins because they don't want anybody to be offended or foolish if they didn't bring a Bible).

Our "lost & found" shelf routinely fills up with Bibles. Every now and then I'll see one with a name of someone I know, and when I inform them, they tell me that there's no hurry. They've been using their other one and they'll pick it up next week.

Our student ministry gives away the Bibles that have been left in our youth room for three months. The boxes usually take two people to carry.

If you go to a local Christian retailer, you can be overwhelmed by the numerous styles of Bibles on the wall, not to mention the 40 or so various translations. Hardcover, leather cover, paperback, small enough for your purse, large enough for serious study, large print...and do you need a Bible cover with that, too, sir? We have about 40 styles to match...everything from NFL-football leather to businessman black leather to teenager nylon. Highlighter pack to go with that, sir?

We really have a lot of Bibles and Bible options. Maybe it's because of the reality that I work for a "Bible" church that I'm pretty serious about mine...but somebody's out there using all these Bibles, right? I mean, retailers wouldn't carry them if they didn't make money, right?

And don't get me wrong. This isn't a bad thing at all. It sounds silly in some ways, but there's no excuse for anyone in my neck of the woods not to have a Bible...and one they can read and understand.

It's just that we've come a long way from Martin Luther sitting in a room putting God's Word into the common man's hands...and having to wait on the culture's ability to reproduce it quickly enough for the masses to get their own copy.

When you think about it, it's only been about 400 years of history that mankind has had the entirety of God's Word for their own possession...and I wonder if we're not somewhat callous to that reality.

Let's take a look at Nehemiah 8.

Remember, this is at the end of a 400 year period of time that the Jewish nation had been scattered abroad and had lost their heritage. Can you imagine if 400 years went by that Americans were scattered throughout the world, and someone rebuilt the nation, had a celebration, and then waltzed out with a copy of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights and read them aloud to the assembly? It would have a great deal of meaning to the hearers, wouldn't it? I mean, we'd have some vague recollection of it all...and it would probably get a reaction with the high-minded ideals were heard.

That's what's happening here:

"And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. Then Ezra blessed the Lord the Great God. And all the people answered and said, 'Amen, Amen!' while lifting up their hands; they they bowed low and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground. [The priests] explained the law to the people while the people remained in their place. And they read from the book, from teh law of God, translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading."

Here at the celebration, Ezra, the priest, brings out the scrolls of the Hebrew Scriptures. He opens the scroll.

The entire nation rises to it's collective feet. Why? They were in reverence for what they were about to hear. Even though they were generations removed from the reality of hearing Scripture on a regular basis, they knew enough to know that this was God...the Creator of the universe...about to speak to them. They stood.

Then they celebrated the reality of God speaking to them by telling God "so be it" (that's what "amen" means). They wanted God's will to be done in and through them.

Then they worshipped Him. They bowed low.

And they hung on every word. Listening to sermons with interpretations...all day.

And I wonder if we've lost a little bit of that reverence for God's word. As if too much of a good thing makes us callous to it. We ho-hum sermons to try to get home to see the game and fail to prioritize our time in the Word personally.

So for today, let's ask ourselves how we view God's Word. Do we take it for what it is or do we have a more lackadaisical approach to it? Why is either focus the case in our lives? What can be done to change it if we are lackadaisical?

Brent 4:45 AM

Comments:

I think we have lost sight of how important and holy the Bible really is - I know I have. The question is, how do we get it back?

posted by  Anonymous : 8:25 AM

 

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Tuesday, March 08, 2005

I have always been a voracious reader. I grew up before cable television came on the scene and parents shoved kids in front of the screen to keep them occupied, so it was a necessity. Outside of Sesame Street and The Electric Company that came on in the early morning, the set was off and a book was in my hand.

I loved reading so much that I decided to become an English major at college. That's when I discovered that reading what somebody else tells you that you have to read and have it completed by the time they tell you to have it completed isn't nearly as much fun as choosing what you want to read and enjoying it at your own pace.

Lately, I've been on this kick of reading the books that I either don't remember from high school or some "classic" that I never got assigned in school. The good folks at Barnes and Noble have helped out by buying the copyrights to some of that literature and selling them at ridiculously low prices.

Hands down the best book I ever read was "The Brothers Karamazov" by Fyodor Doestoyevsky. It was an amazing story. It was brilliantly written. Even the story behind it would be worthy of a documentary on the History Channel. Over it's 1,008 pages, it moved me emotionally and made me think about my relationship to God. That's rare.

When you think about it, the Bible is an even more amazing book. It is an amazing story. It is brilliantly written. Almost every story in it is worthy of a documentary on the History Channel (and they've tried, too). Over it's pages, you'll be moved and think about your relationship to God.

But the Bible is even more amazing. The word “Bible” comes from the Greek word biblia—meaning “books.”

The Bible is compiled into 66 books: 39 in the Hebrew Scriptures, 27 in what we call the New Testament. The Hebrew Scriptures were recorded primarily in Hebrew (with parts of Ezra and Daniel written in Aramaic). The New Testament was written in common Greek.

The Old Testament can be divided into sections: History, Genesis. Government, like Leviticus. Poetry, like Psalms or Ecclesiastes. Prophecy, like Jeremiah.

The New Testament is similar. There's the Gospels. There's history, like Acts. There's letters, like Colossians. And there's prophecy found in Revelation.

The Bible has roughly 40 different authors.

The Bible was written over a period of time from (roughly) 1400 B.C. to 100 A.D.

The Jewish scholars before the time of Christ has placed the Old Testament together before the time of Christ.

The New Testament was finalized at the Council of Carthage 397 A.D., which verified a letter by Athanasius in 365.

It is incredibly reliable when compared to other writings. For example, no scholar doubts the authenticity of Caesar's "Gallic Wars" and there are 10 known copies, the earliest of which was written 1,000 years after his death. There are 24,000 known copies written within 30 years of the death of Christ or within 100 years after the death of John.

The biggest difference in a great work of literature and the Bible? The Bible has a unity all pointing to one thing: To get to know the Author. Let's face it. Doestoevsky or Stephen King don't write books so you can have a relationship with them. They write to entertain. To move you. To get you to think. Whatever.

But the Bible's amazing reality that it was written over 1500 or so years by 40 or so different authors who all have the same goal in mind: They want you to get to know God better. To get to understand yourself better.

So, for today, spend some time thanking God that we have so many available copies available to us. And let's ask ourselves why we don't use it for it's intended purpose more, eh?

Brent 4:26 AM

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Sunday, March 06, 2005

I really enjoyed the movie "Luther." In fact, if you haven't seen it, it's well worth the time and effort to rent it and watch it. My friend Adam, a Lutheran youth minister, made a joke over coffee one day that the only people who saw it were Lutherans, and while that certainly is a joke, I think most Protestants would benefit from that little slice of our heritage...we tend to be a little deficient in our church history these days.

See, we live in a land where Bibles are plentiful. I do, anyway. I mean, there are 13 in my house, in various translations, and I have loads in my office. Our church even has a large stash of them for visitors to borrow or we'll give them away to people that need them.

This is in stark contrast to a scene in the movie. Martin Luther brings an early copy of the New Testament written in German for the founder of the university, Frederick the Wise. In that time, the Bible wasn't written in the common vernacular, and people depended on priests to tell them what was in it. The masses had never seen one.

When Luther tells Frederick what it is, Frederick then warns him of the dangers. He warns him about how Rome will react...that the Pope will view it as an act of treason, that they will respond in kind. Luther tells him he can't go against his conscience. Frederick then says, "Okay, just so you know. Can I have my present now?" Even knowing the societal upheaval it would cause, he wanted his own copy.

Frederick takes it with excited, yet trembling hands. Immediately he opens it. That was a bit over 500 years ago. Over 2,000 years of church history, and we've only had it in our hands for 25% of that!

Sometimes we lose sight of that reality. We have Bibles that gather dust on our shelves. We ho-hum opening them...we unzip the Bible cover that holds our pens and highlighters when the sermon starts and then zip it all back up when it's over. They stay in the back seats of our cars.

It's a special book. With special results for the reader.

One that people literally died so we could...

...have it in our own language.
...have our very own copy.
...have the ability to read it for ourselves and make our own interpretations.
...personally know the God of the universe.

So, for today, I'd like for us all to examine our attitudes toward the Bible. Do we take it for granted as teenagers in America in 2005? Do we view it as God's Word or as a book of rules? What practical steps can we take to appreciate it more than we do? How many Christians throughout history have ever had their own copy of the Bible? What thoughts does this reality cause in your brain?

Brent 11:15 PM

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Tonight, we're going to begin looking at how to have personal Bible study. We'll begin by taking an overview of the Bible, so you might want to ask a few questions before you get there:

Why is it called the "Bible?"
How many books are in it? How many in the Old Testament? The New?
What language was the Old Testament written in primarily? The New?
Can you find classifications for the types of books in the Old Testament? The New?
Over how long a period of time was the Bible written? How many different authors are there?
Who decided what books belong in the Bible?
What evidence is there to show that we can rely on the Bible?

And ask yourself one key question:

Why would anyone die for the Bible? People have throughout history...so why would they?

See you at 6:30PM for class!

Brent 4:02 AM

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Saturday, March 05, 2005

This will be the last quote on prayer since we had our Oscar night last Sunday instead of regular Sunday School. Again, it's from Oswald Chambers.

"Physical sloth will upset spiritual devotion quicker than anything else. If the devil cannot get at us by enticing to sin, he will get at us by sleeping-sickness spiritually--"No, you cannot possibly get up in the morning to pray, you are working hard all day and you cannot give that time to prayer. God does not expect it of you." Jesus says God does expect it of us. Penance means doing hardship for the body for the sake of developing the spiritual life."--Oswald Chambers

In what ways to we tend to be physically lazy when it comes to the spiritual life? Do you agree or disagree with the idea that we can have a "sleeping-sickness" spiritual life? What are some practical steps you can be taking to develop a deeper spiritual life?

Brent 4:41 AM

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Friday, March 04, 2005

Once again, since last Sunday was our Oscar outreach night, we're using the blog space to put some (hopefully) thought provoking quotes up and have you guys interact with them. Here's today's quote:

"Every time we pray, our horizon is altered, our attitude toward things is altered, not sometimes but every time, and the amazing thing is that we don't pray more. Prayer is a complete emancipation, it keeps us on the spiritual plane. When you are at one with another mind there is a telepathic influence all the time, and when born from above the communion is between God and yourself."--Oswald Chambers

Can you think of a time when you attitude toward something changed as a result of prayer? What are some reasons we don't pray more than we currently do? Do you feel like prayer is a "complete emancipation (look it up)" or does it feel more like a drudgery? Why or why not?

Brent 4:35 AM

Comments:

i love praying, i know that that sounds churchy or what ever, but its my personal time to talk to God. i usually just talk to him about my day and thank him for all the good things that have happened. when i pray i usually get in a better mood. my out look on life sometimes changes with just a quick prayer for help from God.

posted by  Anonymous : 9:10 AM

 

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Thursday, March 03, 2005

Since Oscar night was last Sunday and we didn't have Sunday School, we're reviewing some quotes on prayer. Today we have two quotes from Martin Luther.

"I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God's hands, that I still possess"--Martin Luther

"All who call on God in true faith, earnestly from the heart, will certainly be heard, and will receive what they have asked and desired, although not in the hour or in the measure, or the very thing which they ask. Yet they will obtain something greater and more glorious than they had dared to ask."--Martin Luther

So, what are you holding in your hands right now that needs to be in God's hands? Does this quote encourage you? In what way? Can you think of anything that you need to call on God in true faith, earnestly from the heart? Does THIS quote encourage you? In what way?

Brent 4:03 AM

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Wednesday, March 02, 2005

Again, since we had Oscar night on Sunday and didn't hold a formal class, I'm finding quotes on prayer and hoping you'll respond with various insights...Here's today's quote.

"We have become so accustomed to limit the wonderful love and the large promises of our God, that we cannot read the simplest and clearest statements of our Lord without the qualifying clauses by which we guard and expound them. If there is one thing I think the Church needs to learn, it is that God means prayer to have an answer, and that it hath not entered into the heart of man to conceive what God will do for His child who gives himself to believe that his prayer will be heard. God hears prayer; this is a truth universally admitted, but of which very few understand the meaning, or experience the power."
[With Christ In the School of Prayer - Andrew Murray 1828-1917]

So, for today how do we experience the power and meaning of prayer?

Brent 4:04 AM

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Tuesday, March 01, 2005

Interacting with quotes on prayer this week, since we had our film festival on Sunday night instead of a teaching time:

"If you try and settle down before God in prayer when you have been dwelling in unrealities, you will recognize instantly the condition of things. As soon as you get down to pray you remember a letter you ought to write, or something else that needs to be done, a thousand and one little impertinences come in and claim your attention. When we suspend our own activities and get down at the foot of the Cross and meditate there, God brings His thoughts to us by the Holy Spirit and interprets them to us."--Oswald Chambers

How does seeing the "world" as "dwelling in unrealities" change your focus on the way you spend your day? How does this quote give you insight into how to overcome the tendency to have your prayers interrupted by your thought patterns?

Brent 4:24 AM

Comments:

Oswald is right. I think if we pray more often, the things of the world don't seem quite so important. If you notice, the more you're in tune with God, the more you start to see things His way...

posted by  Julie : 7:36 AM

 

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