As I said in my previous post, I will be taking information from D.A. Carson's A Call to Spiritual Reformation and sharing it with you in hopes that we can all become better men and women of prayer. Carson argues, "The one thing we most urgently need in Western Christendom is a deeper Knowledge of God, We need to know God better." What better way to get to know God than to spend time talking with Him in prayer?
In his first chapter, Carson gives seven lessons for someone who wants to really learn how to pray. I will address the first two in this post and then the last five at a later time.
1. Much praying is not done because we do not plan to pray.
That means we must self-consciously set aside time to do nothing but pray. In our world, this is not something that is done very often. We are so busy that we pray as we remember to. We must set aside time during the day that is designated just for prayer. What we do throughout the day reflects our priorities. Prayer must become a priority if we are going to get to know God on a deep and intimate basis. Wise planning will ensure that we spend time in prayer often even if just for short periods of time.
2. Adopt practical ways to impede mental drift.
This is one of my biggest hindrances to my prayer life. When I pray my mind begins to wander to things that I have to do, places I have to be, the TV show I watched last night...you get the point. This is a discipline that I need to learn. Try vocalizing your prayers. This does not mean saying them just to be heard but saying your prayers out loud will get you out of your own mind and allow you to focus on the words that you are saying. Another helpful thing is to pray Scripture back to God. Read the Psalms and pray for the things David and the other Psalmists prayed for. This will help keep you on track with your praying. Journaling is how some people impede mental drift. If you are writing out your prayers, it leaves less time for daydreaming.
You can greatly improve your prayer life if you will combine just these first two principles. If you will set aside time to pray and adopt practical ways to impede mental drift, your prayers will become more meaningful and in turn allow you to grow closer to God.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Learning to Pray (Part 1)
Danish philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard, once said, "Prayer does not change God, but changes him who prays." I have been thinking much of prayer for the past couple of weeks. I have been looking at the prayers of Paul and comparing them to my own. I have found that what I often pray about and what Paul prayed about are, for the most part, far away from one another.
I long to have the type of prayer life that Paul had. I want to be known as one who is always in prayer for the things of God. When I think about the majority of my prayers, there is no way that God could use those to change me. I am all too often praying for physical needs of people. There is a time and a place for that type of prayer but if that is what dominates your prayer life then something needs to change. Paul made it a point to pray for the spiritual more than the earthly needs of the people he loved. This earth is going to pass away but the spirit will remain for eternity. Which is in need of more prayer?
Prayer is the great instrument that God has given men to make us more like Him. It is when we pray that we feel the closeness of God. Of course God is omnipresent and is always with us but we feel closer to Him when we are in communion with Him. So when we talk about getting closer to God, what we really mean is that we realize more and more the closeness of God. Again, prayer changes us, not God.
One of the best books that I have ever read on prayer is called A Call to Spiritual Reformation: Priorities from Paul and His Prayers. Over the next couple of weeks I will be taking some of the information about how to pray from this book and sharing it with you. I pray that God would use this information to transform the way that you pray so that God can use your prayer times to make you more like himself!
I long to have the type of prayer life that Paul had. I want to be known as one who is always in prayer for the things of God. When I think about the majority of my prayers, there is no way that God could use those to change me. I am all too often praying for physical needs of people. There is a time and a place for that type of prayer but if that is what dominates your prayer life then something needs to change. Paul made it a point to pray for the spiritual more than the earthly needs of the people he loved. This earth is going to pass away but the spirit will remain for eternity. Which is in need of more prayer?
Prayer is the great instrument that God has given men to make us more like Him. It is when we pray that we feel the closeness of God. Of course God is omnipresent and is always with us but we feel closer to Him when we are in communion with Him. So when we talk about getting closer to God, what we really mean is that we realize more and more the closeness of God. Again, prayer changes us, not God.
One of the best books that I have ever read on prayer is called A Call to Spiritual Reformation: Priorities from Paul and His Prayers. Over the next couple of weeks I will be taking some of the information about how to pray from this book and sharing it with you. I pray that God would use this information to transform the way that you pray so that God can use your prayer times to make you more like himself!
Friday, March 11, 2011
Why Study the Bible Together?
Kevin Blalock and I are teaching a class together for University of Life on Sunday nights at Ridgecrest Baptist Church. The class will focus on the book of Ephesians and is designed for students and their parents. It is our desire to see students and their parents come together to learn the Word of God. I have actually met some resistance from both students and their parents when approaching them about attending this class. The excuse is usually the same, "my kid doesn't want me in there" or "my mom or dad wouldn't come to that".
I think it is crucial in this day and age to have parents and students in classes together inside the church. As youth leaders we only have a limited amount of time with the students on a weekly basis. We want to equip parents to be talking with their children about spiritual things at home. What better way to stimulate spiritual conversations than talking about a class that you are taking together at church? What better way to begin memorizing (yes, I said it!) Scripture together than by working on a passage that you are studying together at church?
Most of the people I hear making the excuse that they are not wanted in the class are simply assuming that is the case. More and more research is showing that teens really want a closer relationship with their parents than any generation before them. They may resist at first but if you really want to see your teenagers fall in love with Jesus, you need to live out your faith in front of them. Being in a class together with them and letting them see you pour over the Scripture is one way to show them that your faith is authentic.
Some of my most favorite memories of my mom are from coming downstairs in the morning to eat breakfast and seeing her reading her Bible and writing in her prayer journal. When she passed away one of these was given to me and from time to time I read over it. It warms my heart to know that she was praying for me and my family. Knowing that she had an authentic faith makes me strive to have one also.
Whether you usually attend Ridgecrest or not, this class begins on Sunday night at 5:00. It is my prayer that you will seriously consider being there with your teens and actively participate in their faith formation!
I think it is crucial in this day and age to have parents and students in classes together inside the church. As youth leaders we only have a limited amount of time with the students on a weekly basis. We want to equip parents to be talking with their children about spiritual things at home. What better way to stimulate spiritual conversations than talking about a class that you are taking together at church? What better way to begin memorizing (yes, I said it!) Scripture together than by working on a passage that you are studying together at church?
Most of the people I hear making the excuse that they are not wanted in the class are simply assuming that is the case. More and more research is showing that teens really want a closer relationship with their parents than any generation before them. They may resist at first but if you really want to see your teenagers fall in love with Jesus, you need to live out your faith in front of them. Being in a class together with them and letting them see you pour over the Scripture is one way to show them that your faith is authentic.
Some of my most favorite memories of my mom are from coming downstairs in the morning to eat breakfast and seeing her reading her Bible and writing in her prayer journal. When she passed away one of these was given to me and from time to time I read over it. It warms my heart to know that she was praying for me and my family. Knowing that she had an authentic faith makes me strive to have one also.
Whether you usually attend Ridgecrest or not, this class begins on Sunday night at 5:00. It is my prayer that you will seriously consider being there with your teens and actively participate in their faith formation!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
The Gospel Demands...Radical Sacrifice
I have been thinking through and meditating on Romans 12:1-2 this past week. I have always loved these verses because they paint a clear picture of what a Christian is supposed to look like. Verse 1 tells us that we are supposed to be a "living sacrifice". Verse 2 goes on to tell us to, "not be conformed to this world".
These are great ideas but I fear that many in the church today have missed what Paul is getting at. If you look at those in the church and those in the world, there is very little difference in the way we look. We have, all to often, become conformed to this world, with a little Jesus on the side. "American Christianity" looks completely different than Christianity in the past. We need to be reminded of what Jesus said the cost of following Him was going to be.
Luke 14:25-28 says, "Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?
This was Jesus' pitch to the people who were following him. Hate your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters and yourself in order to be a follower of Him. As if that wasn't enough he went on to say if you will not take up the most brutal form of torture, willingly, you cannot be his follower.
This sounds distinctly different than "walk an aisle and pray a prayer" that we, for the most part, have reduced salvation to today. I am in no way saying that you have to earn your salvation. Jesus is not saying here that we must physically hate those who are in our families, but the love that we have for Christ should be so strong that any other type of love pales in comparison. There is a superior love that Jesus is calling these people to and that is a love for the Divine. The foundation of our satisfaction must be in Christ.
Our satisfaction should not be found in the size of our bank accounts, the size of our 401K, the grades that we make, the friends that we have, our satisfaction should come from Jesus and Jesus alone. Things will not satisfy; Jesus will.
These are great ideas but I fear that many in the church today have missed what Paul is getting at. If you look at those in the church and those in the world, there is very little difference in the way we look. We have, all to often, become conformed to this world, with a little Jesus on the side. "American Christianity" looks completely different than Christianity in the past. We need to be reminded of what Jesus said the cost of following Him was going to be.
Luke 14:25-28 says, "Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?
This was Jesus' pitch to the people who were following him. Hate your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters and yourself in order to be a follower of Him. As if that wasn't enough he went on to say if you will not take up the most brutal form of torture, willingly, you cannot be his follower.
This sounds distinctly different than "walk an aisle and pray a prayer" that we, for the most part, have reduced salvation to today. I am in no way saying that you have to earn your salvation. Jesus is not saying here that we must physically hate those who are in our families, but the love that we have for Christ should be so strong that any other type of love pales in comparison. There is a superior love that Jesus is calling these people to and that is a love for the Divine. The foundation of our satisfaction must be in Christ.
Our satisfaction should not be found in the size of our bank accounts, the size of our 401K, the grades that we make, the friends that we have, our satisfaction should come from Jesus and Jesus alone. Things will not satisfy; Jesus will.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Fun with the Language
Do any of these get on your nerves like they do mine? I can't stand it when someone gets "are" and "our" mixed up when writing. It is almost as bad as people who don't know when to use "there" or "their". The English language is not that hard...
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Mentoring
I took a class this past semester with an amazing man of God, Alvin Reid. Dr. Reid would always say, "there is no way you can care about the many if you don't care about the one." I am seeing more and more that the church is in a great need of older, mature, Christians to mentor younger Christians.
Titus 2:1-8 says, "But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us."
This passage is a clear picture of a mentoring relationship that is taking place. Paul is urging Titus to teach the young men everything that he has been taught. He is urging Titus to have older women teach younger women. Titus himself was mentored by Paul. I tell you all this to ask you one question: Is there anyone in your life that you are trying to help "grow-up" into a mature believer in Christ?
I would love to see the student ministry here at Ridgecrest taken over by the mature believers in the church. I long for the day when there are volunteers who have a heart for young people who are willing to take a few out to lunch, take a few out to the golf course, take a few out shopping and just use their lives and their words to show how important Jesus Christ is in their own lives on a daily basis.
If you are willing to do this, let me know either on here or in person. I can find some students who are longing for a meaningful relationship with an adult and get you together with them. If you want more information on this before you commit to it, I can provide that for you as well.
I close with a simple prayer: Lord, I beg for Ridgecrest to have a Titus 2 type student ministry. I pray that you would tug at the hearts of our volunteers to be there for the students more than just during church times and on trips. I pray that they would be burdened for the students day in and day out and be willing to do something to help them grow in their walk with you! In Jesus' name, Amen.
Titus 2:1-8 says, "But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us."
This passage is a clear picture of a mentoring relationship that is taking place. Paul is urging Titus to teach the young men everything that he has been taught. He is urging Titus to have older women teach younger women. Titus himself was mentored by Paul. I tell you all this to ask you one question: Is there anyone in your life that you are trying to help "grow-up" into a mature believer in Christ?
I would love to see the student ministry here at Ridgecrest taken over by the mature believers in the church. I long for the day when there are volunteers who have a heart for young people who are willing to take a few out to lunch, take a few out to the golf course, take a few out shopping and just use their lives and their words to show how important Jesus Christ is in their own lives on a daily basis.
If you are willing to do this, let me know either on here or in person. I can find some students who are longing for a meaningful relationship with an adult and get you together with them. If you want more information on this before you commit to it, I can provide that for you as well.
I close with a simple prayer: Lord, I beg for Ridgecrest to have a Titus 2 type student ministry. I pray that you would tug at the hearts of our volunteers to be there for the students more than just during church times and on trips. I pray that they would be burdened for the students day in and day out and be willing to do something to help them grow in their walk with you! In Jesus' name, Amen.
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