The Sweet Spot of Prayer

Two weeks ago I was attending one the small groups that meets on Sunday Evening. Continuing in the series on prayer, Jim Cymbala talked about how important it is to know the Word of God when you pray. There are a couple of reasons for this. One is to be able to pray back to God his promises to us. A second point was even more significant to me. When we know the Word of God we have a basis for our praying and our faith. Information, facts, and truth are things we live on everyday. Each day we use things that have been produced, developed, and used throughout the world. This can be even more powerful when we understand it in the spirit world. When we pray and add faith to our prayers, we don't have to approach prayer without resource. We have historical fact. solid truth, scriptural information to base our prays and faith on. If we read and know the word of God we can come to Him not in ignorance but based on solid truth. This challenges me to read the Bible more intently seeking truth and not just for the discipline of reading, but also for the foundation it gives me in prayer. How much greater prayer can be when we can use His truth to develop our prayer life and talk to God out of knowledge with his Word. Then we won't have to wonder if we are in his will, the sweet spot of prayer.

Below is something I just read from H.B. London who is with Focus on the Family. Thought you might find it interesting.

Artifact Supports Accuracy of Scripture
A small clay tablet, that was unearthed near Baghdad in 1920, was deciphered for the first time only last week. The cuneiform inscription, dating from 595BC during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon, mentions an official by the name Nebo-Sarsekim, who is also spoken of in Jeremiah 39. "This is a fantastic discovery ... a world-class find," said Irving Finkel of the British Museum's Middle East Department. "A throwaway detail in the Old Testament turns out to be accurate and true. I think that it means that the whole of the narrative [of Jeremiah] takes on a new kind of power."Dr. Michael Jursa of the University of Vienna, who has been studying artifacts at the museum for over 15 years, found the two-inch-wide tablet among the museum's collection of more than 100,000 inscribed tablets. According to Jursa, who is one of only a handful of scholars worldwide who are able to read cuneiform script, the text of the inscription is basically a receipt, acknowledging the payment of 0.75 kg of gold to a temple in Babylon.

Just got back for Dustin and Hannah's wedding. The wedding went really well. While it was outside and there was a threat of rain, it held off for the duration of the evening. There was a large contingency of people from Welcome who attended. Dustin and Hannah as well as their family expressed appreciation for our being there. Of course and Matt and Ashley participated in the wedding as well. Dustin and Hannah will be back home on Saturday.

Martha and I had planned to attend Mt Zion Wesleyan church on Sunday. I looked at their web-site and the times for the services was 9 and 11 AM. We arrived at 10 minutes to 11 only to find out that they had changed the times to 8:45 and 10 AM. It reminded me to keep our own web-site up to date. An any rate Martha and I had a leisurely drive home down through the country roads of NC and finally to SC scenic route 11.

Barbarians

I've just finished reading a book by Erwin McMannus, called "The Barbarian Way". This is the second book of his that I have read. His thesis is that followers of Christ are to be revolutionaries, people who shake things up and turn things around. He calls them barbarians. John the Baptist was one of those and so was Jesus, according to McMannus. These are people who are not satisfied with the status quo and are willing to do whatever it takes to shake things up and make a difference. I have increasing seen a movement in young adult Christians that might be considered barbarian. Its not that these people want to start trouble, they are just not satisfied. They are willing to sacrifice, do some unusual things and are not worried about what others might think. Some of them are making missions trips, starting new churches, or at least helping to start them. They are not so concerned about success in the world, but are more concerned about advancing God's kingdom than advancing themselves. There are young pastors across America who want to make a difference. They don't just want to be "cool", they want to be effective. It almost makes me feel as if I want to be 30 again. Well, not really!

This has all caused me to think about my own life. Am I to satisfied, stuck with the status quo or am I willing to be a barbarian. One who will break free of the mold and be willing to be whatever God wants me to be. Every one of the great people in the Bible (See Hebrews chapter 11) were barbarians. They walked to the beat of a different drummer. Some did incredible, sometimes ludicrous things. Others made great sacrifices and suffered tremendously all because they were taking their cues from someone higher. Jesus led these people all the way. If these were barbarians then, I want to be one. How about You?

This week I will be preaching about why we need to come to church. Its a follow-up to a discussion I had during the Wednesday Prayer and Praise service. In my quest for answers to this issue it seems that there are four things that cannot be experienced without coming together. I will explore these on Sunday. If you attended the Wednesday discussion, you have a preview what I will be sharing. The purpose of all this is to find significance in our coming together and making sure that we truly worship. Why do you worship and what Biblical support do you find for your answers?

H.B. London who is with Focus on the Family sends out a weekly e-mail to pastors. This week he shared something from book he had read that listed four things that could change your. The book is not a religious one, but nevertheless gave some good insights. I have printed it here for your perusal.

1. FORGIVE ME
The longer we let our list of personal offenses grow, the greater the bondage we find ourselves in. Sometimes, we pastors say and do things that hurt others. If you have offended someone, be courageous enough to ask them to forgive you. Who do you need to talk with? It might be a member of your own family. "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you" (Eph. 4:32).
2. I FORGIVE YOU
There are those who live with a little black book of "wrongs" around their neck — especially in the ministry. I did for a long time. Though forgiveness is unnatural, it is essential. Some of you have held on to your hurts for so long, they have become a part of your personality. People see you as damaged. Why not let a colleague help you find healing?
3. THANK YOU
Have an attitude of gratitude. A long time ago, a wise pastor/mentor told me to look for ways to thank people. I found one of the best ways to do that is to write a note — not an email, but a mailed expression of thanks. People who do not thank others soon begin to take what people do for them for granted. Who do you need to send a note of thanks to today? Do it while you're thinking about it.
4. I LOVE YOU
Because I didn't grow up with people close to me saying, "I love you," it has been difficult for me to comfortably say those "three little words." I feel it and I want to, but I often struggle. I'm really trying to do better. I love deeply, but express poorly. I dislike that in me. How well do you do?
Four things everyone needs to say — probably every day. Hope you had a good week. Be blessed and be a blessing. —HBL

Mother's Day

Sunday is Mother’s Day and I ask you to allow me to become a little sentimental.

I had some extra sky miles and so a couple months ago I few up to Virginia to see my Mom. She’s in an assisted living situation that is located in a very rural area. While is it is a great facility, there are no towns with in 15 miles. I have a sister who lives approximately 20 miles away and takes care of Mom as much as she can. However, there are many days and hours that Mom is left alone except for the other occupants. My visit with her went very well. She didn’t know I was coming and was elated when I walked into the room. She gave me a hug and a kiss that only a mom could give. I spent most of the day with her sharing pictures of the family and church members. She seemed to enjoy looking at grandchildren and great grandchildren, asking questions about various family members. When I left to fly back home I had an emptiness inside. What would it be like to be stuck in a building with no family around, and now ability to go anywhere? I’ll have to say it hurt me to leave. Before I left Mom, there was one thing she said and always says to me every time we talk.

“Phillip (always Phillip, not Phil), I’m proud of you.”

That is heartwarming and challenging. Heart warming in that a man’s greatest fan club is his parents, and challenging in that now I have to live up to it. I came away thinking I don’t want to disappoint my Mom. It’s great accountability. I thank God for my Mom. She’s the greatest.

Last night at our Prayer and Praise service I asked a question that was designed to help worshipers to examine why we come together at church to worship. Are most of the things we do in worship possible in other settings? If they are, then why must we come to a church to worship? I gave it as a homework study, Below is possibly part of the answer. This is an excerpt from Rick Warrens Ministry Toolbox that is published weekly to pastors via E-mail. Read and see what you think.

"Worship is expressing our love to God for who he is, what he’s said, and what he’s doing."
We believe there are many appropriate ways to express our love to God: by praying, singing, obeying, trusting, giving, testifying, listening and responding to his Word, thanking, and many other expressions. God - not man - is the focus and center of our worship.
God is the consumer of worship Although unbelievers cannot truly worship, they can watch believers worship. They can observe the joy that we feel. They can see how we value God’s Word and how we respond to it. They can hear how the Bible answers the problems and questions of life. They can notice how worship encourages, strengthens, and changes us. They can sense when God is supernaturally moving in a service, although they won’t be able to explain it.
When unbelievers watch genuine worship, it becomes a powerful witness. In Acts 2 – on the day of Pentecost – God’s presence was so evident in the disciples’ worship service that it attracted the attention of unbelievers throughout the entire city!
Acts 2:6 says, "... a crowd came together.” We know it was a big crowd because 3,000 people were saved that day.
Why were those 3,000 people converted? Because they felt God’s presence and they understood the message.
I believe both of these elements are essential for worship to be a witness.
God’s presence must be sensed in the service. More people are won to Christ by feeling God’s presence than by all of our apologetic arguments combined.
Few people, if any, are converted to Christ on purely intellectual grounds. It is the sense of God’s presence that melts hearts and explodes mental barriers. Worship without this yields few evangelistic results.
I believe there is an intimate connection between worship and evangelism.
In the first place, the goal of evangelism is to produce worshipers of God. The Bible tells us that "the Father seeks worshipers” (John 4:23). When we recruit worshipers, that’s called evangelism.”
On the other hand, worship provides the motivation for evangelism. It produces a desire in us to tell others about Christ. The result of Isaiah’s powerful worship experience (Isaiah 6:1-8) was Isaiah saying, "Here am I, send me!” True worship causes us to witness. … Rick Warren

Why do you come to worship? Worship has a definite purpose however I am concerned that many come out of habit. That may be why some churches are dead. They have forgotten the purpose of worship. Habit is not bad. It may help us in times of discouragement. However, for worship to be truly meaningful it must have Biblical purpose.

I am presently reading a book by Edwin McManus, called "Soul Cravings". It took me a little while to get into it, but the more I read the more intrigued I became with the book. At one point McManus talks about failure and how it can paralyzes us. If all we see in the future is failure we will be frozen in position and never grow, accomplish anything, or lead anyone else to do so. However, if we look at the future with hope and see possibilities it will give us the freedom to accomplish and achieve those goals. There have been times when I felt paralyzed, but it came because of my own poor vision. When I see possibilities I not only sense freedom, but have energy to accomplish those visions.