Devotional Blessings

     When I finished the 40-Day prayer challenge last month, I wondered if I would ever find a new devotional book to replace Mark Batterson's The Circle Maker. The whole concept of drawing prayer circles in my life was profound, and the Holy Spirit used Batterson's writings to help reinvigorate my prayer life.
     And then one morning, as I was perusing the shelves of our small church library, doubtful I would find anything to fit the bill, I came upon a devotional book by Ann Spangler called Praying the Names of God. Each day, Spangler invites readers to reflect upon a name of God mentioned in Scripture (Yahweh Yireh, Yahweh Rophe, El Shaddai, etc...). She then connects promises of God that are associated with those names in Scripture. And so now, I have a second written devotional resource that brings focus and inspiration to my morning quiet times!
     Thank you Mark Batterson and Ann Spangler for taking the time to write these devotional books.
     In the past, I had turned up my nose at devotional writers like Batterson and Spangler. I would say things like, "All I need is the Bible. I don't need these secondary writings." Or I would look at the marketing strategies surrounding such books and say to myself, "These authors are just trying to make a buck."
     Since then, I have come to value the role of secondary sources, even if the authors turn on a profit on their work. The Battersons and Spanglers of the world take the Bible and make it come alive! And there are many Christian pastors and authors out there who have the gift of writing devotional books. Not all are created equal, but there are plenty to choose from. The trick is to find writings that speak to you for a few weeks, use them for a season, and then find another author.
     Devotional authors, I have come to learn, are like friends for the journey, and who among us does not need friends?

Downgrading is Tough

     Downgrading is tough.
     A few weeks ago,  I traded in my cracked iPhone 4 for a $30 "dumb phone." All I can do now is text and talk. No more Facebook status updates at the grocery store. No more listening to ball games on the radio with my MLB app. No more Mapquest when I drive. No more Meet Mobile at my kids' swim meets (my favorite app).
     Technically, I can still check Facebook or Twitter on my dumb phone if I desire, but the graphics look like something out of an Atari 2600 video game.
    I'm telling you, it hasn't been easy, but I slowly feel like I am reaching a new normal. I don't know how long I will last, but I am looking to reap some spiritual benefits along the way.
    Technological downgrading (for whatever reason we do it) can be a blessing. We are tethered today to wireless stuff. Every free moment of the day, our eyes are glued --  our lives transfixed -- by digital data, most of it of no use for everyday life (except of course, the MLB app).
     So how can I make better use of those mindless, 30-second intervals, when I would typically click on Instagram?
     One possibility is silence. Instead of checking to see how many people "like" my latest quip on Twitter, maybe I allow my mind to have a few moments to reflect upon the day, or even lift a prayer or praise.
     Another possibility is communication. Instead of sitting beside someone with my eyes fixed on my touchpad, maybe I look my children, wife, or friend directly in the eyes as I speak with them.
     A final scenario is that I stop (perhaps for a just a few moments) the constant stream of social media advertisements.
     Downgrading is tough, but I have high hopes for the spiritual blessings that may come my way, at least until I am ready for a new upgrade.
   

Scripture and Salvation

     Following is the last installment of my personal credo. This is not to say there aren't other doctrines central to our faith; these are just a few that I believe we must be in agreement on for the Church. It is not a must that we articulate these doctrines as I have articulated them in this credo, but we need to be in agreement on the basic principles.
     As always, I invite your feedback.
     "I believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be, by the Spirit of God, the authoritative Word of God for the Church. As the cultural norms of our society shift and change, the Bible has proven over time to be, "useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness." (2 Tim. 3:16) The Scriptures are the primary means through which God instructs His Church. From the opening verses of Genesis to the closing words of John in Revelation, they tell the amazing story of God's plan of redemption for the world in Christ.
    "I believe there is one baptism for the forgiveness of sins and that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Paul says we are "dead in our transgressions and sins (Eph. 2:1)," unable to save ourselves. In baptism, whether infant or believer's baptism, we are marked with an outward sign of God's inward call in our lives. This call must be confirmed for each person, as Jacob wrestled with God at Peniel (Genesis 32:28), or as Paul's eyes were opened suddenly on the road to Damascus (Acts 9), or even as Timothy accepted the Gospel as a young man, after he was raised and nurtured in the faith throughout his childhood by his mother and grandmother (2 Timothy 5). Ultimately, it is not we who save ourselves; it is God who calls, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies us (Romans 8:30)."

The Trinity: Essential and Practical

     If you and I disagree whether Christians must undergo a baptism by immersion or sprinkling, I can agree to disagree. It is not a deal breaker for me or for most Christians, for that matter. You are my brother or sister in Christ, no matter what mode of baptism you affirm.
     If you say Jesus Christ is literally, physically present (rather than spiritually present) in the consecrated elements of bread and wine during the Lord's Supper, we can still break break together on our knees.
     There are some doctrines, though, that are essential for the Christian faith. On these doctrines, there can be no turning or wavering; they define the one, true Church.
     One of those essential doctrines is the Trinity. Following is what I believe about the Triune God:
     "There is one God revealed in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This Trinitarian formula is more than doctrine, though; it is the wonderful way through which God has chosen to the reconcile the world to Himself.
     "God the Father sent his one and only Son to the world to save the world through Him (John 3:16). Jesus is God incarnate, the eternal Word of God become flesh (John 1:14). In Christ, all the fullness of Deity lives in human flesh (Col. 2:9). And now, from the birth of the Church at Pentecost to the present, Jesus continues to live through the Church, His Body on earth. 
     "This happens through the person of Holy Spirit, who indwells each believer. Holy Spirit is a deposit, "guaranteeing our redemption." (Eph. 1:14). Ultimately, Holy Spirit will return us, in Christ, to the Father, "without stain or wrinkle or any ohter blemish, but holy and blameless." (Eph. 5:27)
     So what do you think about this short sample from my personal credo? Is what I believe consonant with the historical teachings of the Church? Is the doctrine of the Trinity just some esoteric mumbo jumbo, or do you agree that it has practical implications for our lives?

I Believe What I Believe

     What do I believe?

     Now more than ever I find it necessary to return to home base and articulate once again my basic beliefs about Jesus Christ, His Church, and what it is His Church is called to do in this world. There are so many messages we get today from our culture that claim to be truth, and it is simply not all truth.

     You can read some of my previous posts if you want specific examples of how I see fiction masquerading as truth in the world today.

     The nuts and bolts about what Christians believe is the same; what I state in this personal credo is fundamentally no different than other believers, but I have to put into my own words, so here goes ...

     "I believe that God was (and is) reconciling the world to himself in Jesus Christ, and that God has entrusted this ministry of reconciliation to the Church (2 Cor. 5:19). The world is reconciled to Christ when individuals receive new life in Christ, are joined to the Body of Christ, and participate in God’s reconciling work in the world. Apart from Christ, people in the world are, “… foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God ...” (Eph. 2:12) In Christ, people discover God’s wonderful plans for their lives; they receive a hope and a future (Jer. 29:11). 

     The Church lives out the ministry of reconciliation by proclaiming the Word of God faithfully, in word and in deed, to everyone we encounter. Jesus came, “to proclaim good news to the poor … to proclaim freedom for the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the oppressed free, (and) to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19) Whether the Spirit has given us the gifts of evangelism, healing, service, compassion, administration, teaching, or preaching (or some other gift), we each have a role to play in Christ’s reconciling work in the Church."

     In my next few posts I will share what I believe about some specific doctrines. In the meantime, I invite your feedback. Does this personal credo capture the essence of what the Church believes about ministry and mission? If you were to sit down and write your own personal credo, what would you say?

40 Days of Prayer

There is something special about the number 40. Whether it was Noah and family aboard the ark, the Israelites wandering in the desert, or Jesus fasting in the wilderness, God has used the number 40 to prepare his people to inhabit new places and ministries.

God still uses the number 40, not as a magical formula but as a model to help prepare God’s people for the fulfillment of his promises in-and-through us.

Monday (Sept. 9) begins a 40-Day prayer challenge for the congregation that I serve, and perhaps for you. What will we do for the next 40 days (ending on Oct. 18)? I suggest three things:

Read a devotional entry every day from the book Draw the Circle: A 40-Day Prayer Challenge, by Mark Batterson. (You could use a different devotional booklet if you wish, or simply read a daily Bible verse.)

Define 3-4 “prayer circles” in your life. A prayer circle is a prayer that you are 100%, without-a-doubt, wholeheartedly committed to see through over the next 40 days (and beyond). You might draw prayer circles for a ministry at GPC, a personal prayer need, or our nation.

“Pray through” these prayers and journal how you see God responding, and how God is changing you throughout the process.

I believe God has special plans for your life and mine. Join us in a 40-Day Prayer Challenge.

New Territory in Prayer

     I am working my way through the Mark Batterson book, The Circle Maker, and am pleased so far. I mean, yeah, it bothers me that he is a bit of a book hawk. In addition to The Circle Maker, he has additional Circle Maker resources for children, students, parents, classroom, etc... It is the same content repackaged and marketed a hundred ways. But aside from all this, at its core, the Circle Maker is a solid image for prayer.
     It is based on the story of a Jewish sage named Honi (apparently a historical figure from the Jewish Talmud) who, during a time of drought, drew a prayer circle in the sand. According the legend, Honi literally drew a circle, stood inside it, and refused to come out until God brought forth rain from the heavens and refreshment for his people. In like manner, we can draw spiritual circles around the different areas of our lives and pray through our requests until they come to pass.
     It is not about demanding things from God.
     It is not about putting God to the test.
     It is not about us receiving stuff from God like he is a divine candy dispenser.
     Drawing a prayer circle is about wrestling with our wants/needs in life and matching them against the will of God (testing it against Scripture). Once we are convinced our prayer request is the will of God, we should draw a spiritual circle around that prayer and see the request through. So often, we throw prayers to the sky and do not really know what we are asking. Or we pray for a season, but then grow weary and give up. Batterson encourages us not merely to "pray for" things, but "pray through" them.
     Our congregation will be using Batterson's resources for a 40-Day prayer challenge beginning on Sept. 8. I will be targeting a vision for Men's Ministries at GPC and for The Gathering, a contemporary worshiping community that I lead at GPC. I will also be drawing prayer circles for my marriage, my children, my health, and other things.
     I invite you to join us on this 40-Day Challenge, whether or not you buy the book. Let me know if you choose to partner with me on this challenge. Blessings to you!