Christian Soul Care Blog

Come Close to Christ

2010-06-30T10:47:00.001-07:00

"[The Lord] raised up for his people [the Christ], the praise of... the people close to his heart" (Psalm 148:14).

"People close to his heart." I am close to the Lord's heart! You are close to the Lord's heart!

Remember John at the Last Supper? He reclined on Jesus' chest and later he told the whole world again and again: "I am the disciple Jesus loves!" (John 13:23, 26; 20:2; 21:7; 21:20).

What a blessing it is when I'm meditating on Scripture and the Holy Spirit brings the Word to life in my heart like this! Words I've read many times before suddenly blossom into vibrant, new life. What a surprise! What a joy! It's as if I've never read the words before, though I've read them many times.

Oh, to be captivated by Christ all the time! Oh, to be continually drawn into the glorious realm of his kingdom of the heavens!

Linger with my little prayer poem, "Come Close to Christ." Imagine yourself with Jesus as John was you too will start skipping and rejoicing with John: "I am the disciple Jesus loves!"

Come Close to Christ
Come to Christ
Supper with the Savior
See his smile
Lean on the Lord
Hear his heartbeat
Delight to be his disciple

What a wonderful scene this is! What a prayer! As often as you can remember today try reminding yourself, "I am close to the Lord's heart... I am the disciple Jesus loves..."

Who do you know who needs to "Come Close to Christ"? Offer a prayer for him or her. "_______ is close to the Lord's heart... _______ is the disciple Jesus loves..."

It'd be good to send your friend a word of encouragement right now!

Only Read if You're Thirsty

2010-06-02T13:24:00.000-07:00

“All reading not intended for us by God is dangerous,” wrote Jeane-Pierre de Caussade in his classic devotional book of the 18th Century.

The French Jesuit Priest continued,” It is by doing the will of God and obeying His holy inspirations that we obtain grace, and this grace works in our hearts through our reading or other employment. Apart from God reading is empty and vain and, being deprived for us of the life-giving power of the action of God, only succeeds in emptying they heart by the very fullness it gives to the mind” (Section V, p. 9).

Jesus offers us his Spirit to drink: “If anyone is thirsty, let him [or her] come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him [or her]. (John 7:38).

You and I are thirsty for Living Water. We quench our thirst by drinking, not by reading about drinking.

So when you read the Bible or this article don’t read just to get through it – read to pray, read to drink in the Spirit of Christ. Some Christian writings are more helpful along these lines than others. Read the ones that inspire you to pray with the Psalmist:

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? (Psalm 42:1-2).

Everywhere we go God’s streams are available – if only we’d feel our thirst and drink! Our life and our eternity depend on this. And the lives of everyone we come in contact with depend on us being able to overflow with this Living Water.

Are you feeling thirsty for God right now? Pause… Take a deep breath… Smile upward… Drink in of the Holy Spirit all around you…

“Waves of Love” is my thirsty for God prayer poem inspired by Psalm 42.

“Reading the Classics of Devotion” is a list of good old books that elicit my thirst for God.

For more regular updates sign up for my Soul Shepherding Blog.

Don't Worry - Listen to the Birds

2010-05-24T09:50:00.000-07:00

I was thinking of Jesus’ words: “Don’t worry. Look at the birds… Your Heavenly Father cares for them. Aren’t you much more valuable than them?” (Matthew 6:25-26, PAR). (The Psalmist had a similar meditation that Jesus may have drawn from, Psalm 104:12, 17, 27-30).

And they inspired me to sit down and do some bird watching while I prayed today as I was alone with Jesus in the quiet for a few hours. As I watched and listened to what was going on above my head Jesus spoke to my heart.

Don’t misunderstand me. The Lord’s voice didn’t come to me like lightening filling the sky. And I didn’t see an angel. At first many things distracted me: lawnmowers and grass blowers, a cold wind blowing, my own concerns and worries. But I kept looking at the birds in the heavens (the lowest level of the kingdom of the heavens is the air right around us) and I kept listening.

I discovered that indeed I was alive in the Kingdom of God with the Trinity, the angels, Christ followers – ancient and present – and all of God’s creation, including the birds who were God’s messengers to me on this day.

Here’s what I heard Jesus whisper to me:

Don’t Worry: Listen to the Birds

Don’t worry: Look at the birds;

Trust my Father as they do,

Feeding each day from his hand.

Don’t worry: Listen to the birds;

Rest in my Word as they do,

Sitting quietly and alone on the Branch.

Don’t worry: Learn from the birds;

Sing with my angels as they do,

Harmonizing with the choruses of heaven.

Don’t worry: Live like the birds;

Fly with my Spirit as they do,

Responding to the currents of my Breath.

Don’t worry: Love like the birds;

Gather with my friends as they do,

Traveling in formation as my flock.

For more help overcoming worry read: Why the Birds Don’t Worry.

You can read my post, "Abba's Child", on my Soul Shepherding blog which I post on more regularly. You can sign up to receive the Soul Shepherding blog or the bi-monthly Christian Soul Care Devotional I write.

Thank you!

Bill
Director of Spiritual Formation Ministries
Crystal Cathedral

When You're Lonely

2010-05-15T07:15:00.000-07:00

I know what it’s like to feel lonely.

The worst thing is to be in a group of people and feel alone… Other people are enjoying conversation, smiling, laughing, but it appears that no one wants to talk to you and you start to feel more and more self-conscious. It seems like people are looking at you standing there all alone. You feel awkward, anxious, embarrassed, bad about yourself.

Maybe you have felt this way too.

The Psalmist did. He described himself as a lonely bird sitting atop the roof of house and waiting for the Lord (Psalm 102:7).

Time and again the Psalmist shows us how to pray our way out of loneliness and into the arms of the Lord: “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted” (Psalm 25:6; see also Psalm 142:4-5). Knowing this way of the Psalmist, “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16).

Over seven years ago I began praying in lonely places with Jesus and I experienced His presence with me – I wasn’t alone! Even in group situations where I found myself left out of conversation I learned to meditate on Scripture and carry on a secret conversation with my Lord – I wasn’t alone!

One day hiking with Jesus I watched a lonely bird and wrote a prayer poem to express how the Lord loved me out of my loneliness:

A Lovely Bird

On the hillside

A lonely bird

Apart from the flock

Standing atop a reed

Blowing in the wind

I’m longing for a friend

From the heavens

A Lovely Bird

A heart for the flock

Stooping onto my reed

Dancing in the wind

We’re singing together

The Bible is filled with promises of Comfort for the Lonely.

A Prayer for when you Minister to Others

2010-05-09T22:30:00.000-07:00

Many people after they put themselves out to minister to others feel self-doubt. Pastors may wonder if they preached a good sermon. Small group leaders may question their effectiveness. Counselors feel might feel unsure they said the right thing. Anyone who serves others is likely to ask: “Did I make a difference?”

In order to feel adequate in our ministry to others most of us try too hard. We rely more on our own wisdom and strength than on the Holy Spirit. We try to please people and base our identity on what they think of us. What exhaustion and distress this causes us! And it leaves us disconnected from God and his kingdom in the moment.

There is another way of going about ministry! Jesus taught us to cultivate a continuous secret prayer life with the Father and to consider his affirmation as the only reward that we need (Matthew 6:4,6,18). An important way to do this is to meditate on Scripture before you teach, counsel, or serve others in order to get your mindset right.

Jesus warned us that when we neglect to abide in him then we don’t bear fruit and we miss out on love, joy, and peace (John 15:1-17). Many pastors and ministry leaders suffer from stress overload or burnout because they’re not ministering out of their abiding.

I wrote a Scripture-based prayer that has helped me to abide in Christ while I minister and in all that I do. Cultivating this attitude in prayer prevents a lot of problems!

A Prayer of Affirmation for Pastors

The smile of the Father shines on me – I am approved of; [i]

I have the mind of Christ – I have important things to say; [ii]

Upon me is the anointing of the Holy Spirit – I am empowered. [iii]

Jesus is my Lord and Savior and I dwell in his kingdom of the heavens; [iv]

He is my Teacher and I am his beloved apprentice – [v]

I urge people to join me and be with Jesus to become like him. [vi]

The Word of God is alive and active and it dwells richly in me [vii]

And the Holy Spirit reminds me of Jesus’ words of truth and grace – [viii]

So I can minister the Word of life to others and it will not return void. [ix]

The Spirit that raised Jesus Christ from the dead lives in me [x]

So I do not speak with human wisdom or worldly excitement [xi]

Or rely on my own strength – I count on the power of Almighty God.[xii]

As I teach I listen to voice of God and invite others to listen to him; [xiii]

As I serve I join the intercessions of the Holy Spirit, [xiv]

Praying that we all cry out with him, “Abba Father! Jesus is Lord!” [xv]

The Lord is glorious in all things and he captivates me continually;

So I do not draw attention to myself, but to Jesus Christ alone;

Nor do I base my identity on what people say about me.

I am Christ’s Ambassador; [xvi]

My citizenship is in heaven’s kingdom; [xvii]

My message is simply: “Follow me as I follow Christ!” [xviii]

The pastors and leaders who minister to you need your prayers and encouragement. To learn more read my articles “Pastors Under Stress” and “Pastors’ Wives Under Stress.”

Good Shepherd is Looking for You!

2010-04-29T13:51:00.000-07:00

You long to be pursued in love. So do I.

“How are you… really? What do you need? What are you hoping for? How can I pray for you?” When someone expresses genuine personal interest in you it is healing. When you open up to grace it is life-giving.

But somewhere along the line we all have felt rejected… devalued… unknown… lost…

And we have learned to deny our hurts… not have emotional needs… distract ourselves from our inner pain… isolate…

We must come to the point where we cry out to God with the Psalmist: “May my cry come before you, O Lord… May your hand be ready to help me… I long for your salvation… I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant” (Psalm 119:169, 173-4, 176).

Jesus Christ answers this prayer – the first time you pray it to become a Christian and everyday that you are hurting or lost in some way. He promised us: “I go after my lost sheep until I find it” (Luke 15:4, paraphrase).

The Good Shepherd is always looking for you – to know you and be known by you, to invite you into a more personal and loving relationship. The question for you and for me – right now and every moment of every day – is are we looking to connect with Him?

Pray with me my little prayer inspired by the last verses of Psalm 119:

O Jesus, I have strayed like a lost sheep. May your hand help me…

Cry out to the Good Shepherd! Repeat the prayer of the Psalmist again and again, slowly, until it lives in you and your heart is warmed with the realization: the Spirit of Christ is indeed living in me and He is shepherding my soul in love now and always!

O Jesus, I have strayed like a lost sheep. May your hand help me…

Learning to Abide in Prayer has helped me to connect deeply with Christ’s love and to share it with others. I do it everyday. I invite you to practice with me this delightful way of prayerful meditation on Scripture.

The Bible is full of wonderful promises that God loves us in the way that a shepherd cares for his sheep. As part of a retreat I lead that is based on Psalm 23 I share Bible verses on the theme of “Walking with Good Shepherd.”

Jesus is My Refuge

2010-03-29T10:44:00.000-07:00

On Palm Sunday Jesus wept over Jerusalem because the people didn’t recognize him (Luke 19:41). Later in Holy Week Jesus cried out for us all: “O how I have longed to gather you as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings!” (Matthew 23:37, paraphrase).

Do you desire to be that close to Christ? David sought to take refuge under the wings of the Lord, snuggled up to his chest. We can “take heart” from him.

In Psalm 61:1-4 David is in a desert wilderness and he prays: “Hear my cry, O God… From the ends of the earth I call to you… Lead me to the rock that is higher than I… I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings. Selah.”

I can imagine David hiding and praying in a desert cave as the armies of Saul (or his son Absalom) are hunting him down. In his trial he trusted in the Lord as his refuge.

What difficulty are you experiencing? Make the Lord your refuge.

Take a moment to pray “Jesus is My Refuge,” my Breath Prayer inspired by Psalm 61:4. Be still for awhile… Imagine yourself under the wings of Christ who longs for you with tears… See yourself hiding in Christ your cave… Let him embrace you close to his heart…

Breathe in the precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ… Breathe out your longing for him…
Linger in the selah of the Psalmist: breathe in Se (say)… and breathe out lah…

Jesus is My Refuge
Lord Jesus Christ… I long to dwell in your tent forever…

Lord Jesus Christ… I take refuge in the shelter of your wings…
Se… lah…

Lord Jesus Christ… I take refuge in the shelter of your tears…
Se… lah…

Lord Jesus Christ… I take refuge in the shelter of your cave…
Se… lah…

Lord Jesus Christ… I take refuge in the shelter of your kingdom…
Se… lah…

Lord Jesus Christ… I take refuge in the shelter of your embrace…
Se… lah…

Lord Jesus Christ… I take refuge in the shelter of your holy name…
Se… lah…

Lord Jesus Christ… I long to dwell in your tent forever.

Abiding in Prayer is one of the spiritual exercises that helps me the most. I like to meditate on Scripture in this way for a few quiet minutes in the morning. Then as often as I can remember during the day I practice God’s presence as I do whatever I am doing by praying a line like:
“Lord Jesus Christ… I take refuge in the shelter of your wings…”

One Thing

2010-03-13T06:48:00.000-08:00

In the Bible David is called a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22). What does it mean that David had a heart for God?

David longed to draw closer to the Lord. He devoted his whole heart to God. His Psalms are filled with this holy longing of his soul for more of God.

We know that sometimes David strayed from his devotion to the Lord. He had an affair with Bathsheba and then arranged for her husband Uriah to be killed in battle! He neglected his children. He had issues with pride and anger, particularly in his reign as king. But the difficulties that David had living out his whole-hearted dedication to the Lord make him all the more appealing of a role model – we can relate to him!

I urge you to join me and “take heart” from David. Let the heat of his devotion for the Lord warm your heart. Let David’s Psalm 27 prayer kindle the fires of devotion to God in your heart.

My prayer “One Thing” is inspired by Psalm 27. Use it to focus your heart on Christ and his cross as your One Thing to live for.

I am phasing out the "Christian Soul Care Blog" and replacing it with my "Soul Shepherding Blog." 1-2 times per week I post a short prayer practice there. I invite you to sign up.

Thoughts as Incense

2010-02-25T06:11:00.000-08:00

Distracting thoughts are great enemies of prayer. They can be like buzzing bees that drive us crazy!

Today I enjoyed Sabbath time with Jesus. With My Psalms Prayer Book in hand and candles lit at the altar in my prayer room I kneeled and prayed from Psalm 118.

The Word of God helped inflame the Spirit in my heart and burn away the distracting thoughts until little by little I was centered in God’s presence and my thoughts became as incense…

It lasted awhile. Of course, the bees came back! Lord, help me to keep the fire going! Guard my mind and heart with your peace (Colossians 3:1-3).

Try centering yourself in my Psalm 118 Prayer to calm down your anxious thoughts till they rise as incense prayers to God. Enjoy God’s presence. Re-kindle the fire as often as you can.

Thoughts as Incense (A Prayer from Psalm 118:8-14)

It’s better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in myself;

It’s better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in my thoughts.

~

Distracting thoughts surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord I cut them off.

They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the Lord Jesus I cut them off.

They swarmed around me like bees; in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I cut them off.

~

I was about to fall, but the Lord freed me from diversion;

The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.

~

It’s better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in myself;

It’s better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in my thoughts.

~

Distracting thoughts surrounded me, but the fire of the Spirit in me burned them as incense.

They surrounded me on every side, but the fire of the Holy Spirit in me burned them as incense.

They swarmed around me like bees; the fire of the Holy Spirit of Christ in me burned them as incense.

~

I was besieged, but the Lord flamed my thoughts into prayers;

The Lord captivates me with his glory! He is the delight of my heart!

Devoted to You

2010-02-07T20:42:00.000-08:00

David is known as a man after God’s heart because of the way he prays. I so desire to be known as one who has a heart for God, don’t you?

You and I can grow to be more of a person after God’s heart! David shows us how in Psalm 86. In prayer dedicate each aspect of your person to the Lord. Psalm 86 is not well-known, but it’s one of my favorite of David’s prayers. It’s a prayer of whole-hearted devotion to the Lord. Let’s “take heart” from David!

Join me in praying “Devoted to You,” a prayer I adapted from Psalm 86. Linger on each line, praying it slowly and deeply to consecrate all that you are and all that you do the Lord God…

Devoted to You

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul:

Guard my life, O Lord, for I am devoted to you;

Guard my heart, O Father, for I love you with all my choices;

Guard my mind, O Jesus, for I fix my thoughts on following you;

Guard my body, O Spirit, for I give it to be your temple;

Guard my relationships, O Trinity, for I center my conversations on you.

Hear my prayer, O Lord.

~

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul:

I offer my eyes to you, O Lord, to behold your beauty;

I offer my lips to you, O Father, to speak your praises;

I offer my ears to you, O Jesus, to listen to your words;

I offer my steps to you, O Spirit, to follow your movements;

I offer my life to you, O Trinity, to honor you alone.

Hear my prayer, O Lord.

~

Learn more about how You Can Be the Disciple Jesus Loves!

Be Still as the Lake at Dawn

2010-01-26T22:22:00.000-08:00

Have you ever meditated on a nature setting as a way to listen to God? God reveals himself and his purposes for us through his creation. Praying a Psalm in its Nature Setting is a favorite spiritual practice of mine.

For instance, many times in the early morning I have met with Jesus by meditating at Woodbridge North Lake near my home in Irvine, CA.

The image of the still lake is imbeded deep in my conscious and my prayers. It draws me into the quiet. It opens my heart to listen. It centers me in God’s presence. It reflects heaven to me in surprising ways.

And it inspired my prayer poem: “Be Still.”
Be Still

Be still as the lake at Dawn

In a world that wakes to alarms and agendas:

Quietly rest so you can listen;

Breathe and open to your soul;

Wait patiently to receive what is to come,

Softly absorb the light as a looking glass.

~

Be still to know the I AM;

Let the “rush hour” pass by your silence:

The Voice whispers to create Life;

It swims and plays deep within you;

As holy feet step upon your waters

Heaven’s Face smiles upon you

– and out from you.

~

Be still as the lake at Dawn;

Be still to know the I AM;

In a world that wakes to alarms and agendas

Let the “rush hour” pass by your silence.

~

Quietly rest so you can listen:

The Voice whispers to create Life;

Breathe and open to your soul

It swims and plays deep within you.

~

Wait patiently to receive what is to come,

As holy feet step upon your waters;

Softly absorb the light as a looking glass,

Heaven’s Face smiles upon you

– and out from you.

Jesus Smiles at You!

2010-01-22T14:05:00.000-08:00

The most important thing in your life is that you see Jesus smiling at you! Then a smile will come to your face and to the people around you!

Do you see Jesus smiling at you? Do you ever pause to think about this and smile your appreciation in reply?

A smile is a powerful prayer! It can help you to overcome discouragement, worry, frustration, loneliness, or boredom – really!

Jesus welcomes you to come closer. He’s interested in how you’re feeling and what you’re doing – he enjoys knowing you and being your Friend. And to have the Lord God Almighty as your Friend is the best blessing!

Jesus opens his heart to you. He wants to encourage you and to guide you on the path of life with him. Follow Jesus and discover that, YOU are the disciple Jesus loves!

Here’s a favorite Breath Prayer of mine that I developed after my first two years of Praying the Psalms with Jesus everyday:

* “Jesus delights in me… I delight in you my Lord” (inspired by Psalm 18:19; 37:4, 23).

Breathe in (with a smile!): “Jesus delights in me…”

Breathe out (still smiling!): “I delight in you my Lord.”

Try it for a few minutes now, slowly and softly repeating it over and over…

As you go about your day breathe it in and out whenever you can remember: “Jesus delights in me… I delight in you my Lord.”

One breath. One prayer. It may seem like a little thing but it can make help you to do whatever you’re doing with and for Jesus – and to smile with the joy of the Lord!

Breathe a Prayer - it's Simple and Delightful!

2010-01-17T17:05:00.000-08:00

In my teaching, counseling, and leading of retreats I find that people greatly benefit from learning how to use a “Breath Prayer” approach to meditating on a phrase from the Bible.

A reader of the Soul Shepherding Blog asked me for help in learning to do this…

My recent post, God’s Word to Me (based on my meditations from Psalm 19), included a number of Breath Prayers. Let’s take one as example (many of the short prayers I post work like this)…

“Jesus… I smile in your light.”

This easy and joyful prayer is a deep and profound response to God’s Kingdom in our midst!

Jesus said that he is the Light of the World and that we are lights to shine for him in the world. When we trust in him his light shines on us and all around us from above, inside us to permeate our whole being, and through us to bless everyone we come into contact with. This is by the Holy Spirit (“the Spirit of Christ”).

Light is the source and sustaining power behind all life on earth. Light is what enables us to see.

Smiling to Jesus helps us to appreciate that indeed he lights on us, smiles his favor on us, 24×7.

Try slooooowly breathing in and out:

Jesus… I smile in your light

Jesus… I smile in your light

Jesus… I smile in your light

Using a Breath Prayer like this will help you to meditate on and enter into the reality of God’s glorious kingdom.

Breathe in as you whisper: “Jesus…”

Breathe out (and smile!) as you whisper: “I smile in your light.”

Pause and then repeat the prayer.

Slowly breathing a prayer helps you to meditate or marinate in God’s Word, connecting with Christ and taking his words way into your heart (which is your will that orients your whole life).

Breathing in is an expression of receiving or internalizing God’s Word and Spirit.

Breathing out is an expression of releasing tensions and controls. Also it can be viewed as overflowing with (sharing) God’s Word and Spirit with others.

For more help see my articles on Centering Prayer and Breath Prayer.

Also, I tweet a centering “Breath Prayer” from the Psalms 1-2 times per day: http://twitter.com/billgaultiere.

God's Word to Me (and to You!)

2010-01-11T11:04:00.000-08:00

Today I spent extended time alone with the Lord in prayer and meditation. Part of that time I meditated on Psalm 19 as I sat outside by a lake in the sunshine.

In Psalm 19 we are reminded that God is speaking to us in his creation and his law. If only we will be still… Open the eyes of our heart… Breathe in deep… Listen…

We see his beauty. We hear his wisdom. We know he is Love. We sense his heart reaching out to draw us close and embrace us in love. We trust his goodness transforming us into his own image. We share him with every person that we can.

O Beauty of beauties! O Wisdom of wisdom! O Word of life! O Jesus!

Let me prayer poem based on Psalm 19 help you to breathe in and out the name that is above all names…

God’s Word to Me

Jesus… You are God’s Son shining in the heavens

Jesus… I smile in your light

Jesus… You are my Bridegroom coming for me

Jesus… I hold you in my heart

Jesus… You are my Champion rejoicing to run your course

Jesus… I follow you

Jesus… You are God’s Law restoring souls

Jesus… I study and obey you

Jesus… You are more precious than gold

Jesus… I give up all for you

Jesus… You are sweeter than honey

Jesus… I delight in you

Jesus… You are God’s Word to me

Jesus… I love to speak your name

Extend your Sled Run in the New Year!

2010-01-04T12:28:00.000-08:00

“New things I declare to you. Before they spring into being I announce them to you. Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth… See I am doing a new thing. Now it springs up. Do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wilderness.” (Isaiah 42:9, 10; 43:19)

When was the last time you went sledding in the snow? Maybe it's been awhile. When I see a snow-covered hill the boy in me comes out! Over the years Kristi and I have had some exciting adventures on sled runs with our kids. Our favorite spot to sled is on the big hill in the forest right behind the cabin we go to in Lake Arrowhead, CA.

One time after an hour of sliding and shrieking with delight, David (he was 13 years old) and I decided that rather than joining Kristi and the girls in going back to the cabin to sit by the fire and sip hot chocolate we'd extended the sled run. We added a snow bank and made a groove that turned to the right and then went farther down the hill. I call it a big hill, but it's really the side of the mountain and it sent us flying. And I do mean flying! We got airborne!

But the most thrilling part was the end. That was the steepest, fastest part of the sled run and it headed straight for the street. Picture this. There we were, both of us sitting in this long sled, me in the back and David tucked just in front of me and leaning back against my chest, and we'd go soaring down the mountain and screaming with excitement, "Yeahhh!" Then at the last second David would yell, "Bail!" and we'd launch ourselves off of the sleds to go sliding and laughing into the snow bank while the sled crashed into the street below.

That was fun! And that's a picture of how I want to start the New Year. I want to extend my sled run. God has more of his life for me then I have yet learned to expand into. And he has more for you too!

Let's go sledding with Jesus! Let's improve the sled run! And let's bail out on living for own goals in our own strength. Let’s aim to live our whole lives as Jesus' apprentices – it’s the greatest adventure of life! Nothing is more fun and more meaningful.

The Apprentice Prayer

2010-01-02T18:48:00.000-08:00

I used to get up thinking about – or worrying about! – all the things I needed to do that day and rushing to get going on them. But I’ve learned to begin my day in quiet prayer. (Sometimes to do this I have to wrestle the anxieties off of me!)

Years ago I learned to offer the first words of the day to my Lord: “I love you Jesus!”

This has grown into “the Apprentice Prayer”: a simple but powerful prayer of devotion to Jesus.

I use The Apprentice Prayer to train my heart to live as an apprentice to Jesus. It helps me to rejoice in the Lord in trials, submit to his kingdom in all that I do, and listen to what God is teaching me through the events of my day. It also helps me to entrust myself and my loved one’s to God’s providential, loving care.

Begin this New Year by offering The Apprentice Prayer (or your own paraphrased version) each morning for a number of days. Form a prayer habit of the heart and you’ll be amazed at how God uses it to help you to live as the disciple Jesus loves!

The Apprentice Prayer
Jesus, I love you! Father, I adore you. Holy Spirit, I rely on you.

Lord Jesus, I seek to live as your apprentice in all that I do today. I submit myself to you and your kingdom. In all things today I pray, “Your will, your way, your time.”

Dear Father, I ask you to ordain the events of this day and use them to make me more like Jesus. I trust you, Sovereign Lord, that you won’t let anything happen to my family or me today, except that it passes through your loving hands. So no matter what problems, hardships, or injustices I face today help me not to worry or get frustrated, but instead to relax in the yoke of your providence. Yes, today I will rejoice because I am in your eternal kingdom, you love me, and you are teaching me!

My Lord, I devote my whole self to you. I want to be all and only for Jesus! Today, I love you with all my heart (intentions and choices), all my soul (personality), all my mind (thoughts), all my strength (body and energy), and all my relationships (conversations and interactions).

Today, I depend on you, Holy Spirit, not my own resources. Help me to keep in step with you.

Today, I look to love others as you love me, dear God, blessing everyone I meet, even those who mistreat me.

Today, I’m ready to lead people to follow you, Jesus.

Amen.

The Advent of Your God-Dream

2009-12-14T10:22:00.000-08:00

Advent means “come.” At Christmastime we celebrate the miracle birth of “Immanuel,” God come to be with us. Jesus Christ come to earth to show us God in human flesh is God’s greatest dream and humankind’s greatest longing.

Is there a special dream that God wants to birth through you? Are you waiting on God to come to you in a special way?

The fulfillment of the Christmas miracle came through the humble submission and trust of Mary, the mother of Jesus. She offered what you could say is the most important prayer in all of the Bible (repeated in similar words throughout the Scriptures): “Let it be to me according to your Word.” (Luke 1:26-56; 2:1-7, 19-20 tells the story.)

We don’t really accomplish anything of lasting significance apart from a prayer intention like Mary’s.

Cultivate the trust in God and submission to his kingdom purposes that Mary expressed so you too can give birth to your God-dream. Center yourself in prayer by slowly and gently repeating over and over to the Lord, “Let it be to me according to your Word… Let it be to me according to your Word…”

(You can do this Centering Prayer right now at your computer screen or you can print this page out and do it later in a quiet place.)

Breathe the Word of God in and out: “Let it be to me according to your Word…”

Let God’s Word descend from your mind down into your heart; let your thoughts go down into your intentions: “Let it be to me according to your Word…”

Name to the Lord the dream that he has given you for how you can serve him and bless others… Imagine yourself doing this… Repeat Mary’s prayer that received God’s Christmas miracle: “Let it be to me according to your Word…”

Who do you know who needs a “God with us” miracle? Name this person to God… Picture him or her… Pray: “Let it be to my friend according to your Word…”

Be Quiet to Welcome Christmas

2009-12-11T14:57:00.000-08:00

Christmastime can be so noisy and busy! Perhaps God is inviting you to make time for quiet prayer?

Zechariah (John the Baptist’s father) waited in silence ten months for the first Christmas! We might do well to pray in quiet for ten minutes! Or an hour or two.

Be still to anticipate Christ’s coming and like Zechariah you too will burst forth with joyous Christmas praise! Set aside some time alone with God and quietly pray to prepare your heart to experience Christ’s birth anew this Christmas.

To help you to quiet your heart try a Centering Prayer on Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God.” Slowly and gently repeat God’s Word to yourself… Breathe the words in and out…

Then pray for someone else to slow down and appreciate the spirit of Christmas.

Luke 1:5-25, 67-80

Thirsty for Jesus!

2009-12-07T16:18:00.000-08:00

I had too much to do today. But thank God I kept my Sabbath anyway to walk in the hills and go into quiet prayer.

I set aside ministry opportunities, but they came with me in my head! So I kept setting aside all these good thoughts for the best thoughts. I let the beauty of God’s creation and the prayers of the Psalmist draw me into Christ’s wonderful presence.

Eventually all that was left was Jesus. And in Jesus I found delight!

Later I prayed about ministry matters and then I did the work of ministry in Jesus’ easy yoke.

O Jesus! O that I would live with you in this way.

O Jesus!

(A prayer of paraphrases from Psalm 63 verses 1 and 3)

O Jesus!

My soul thirsts for you! – for your Spirit’s living waters;

My whole being from the inside out yearns for your presence;

My personality clings to you to hold me together, upright;

My inner depths look up to you, longing for your smile;

My soul cries out to you, to flow in your life now and forever.

O Jesus!

Your love is better than life! – better than any other thing;

Your presence with me is the only thing that satisfies me;

Your personality – wonderfully complete – is what embraces me;

Your deep mercy and grace is all that I live for;

Your life in me and through me to others is my greatest joy.

O Jesus!

My soul thirsts for you! – for your Spirit’s living waters;

Your love is better than life! – better than any other thing;

My whole being from the inside out yearns for your presence;

Your presence with me is the only thing that satisfies me;

My personality clings to you to hold me together, upright;

Your personality – wonderfully complete – is what embraces me;

My inner depths look up to you, longing for your smile;

Your deep mercy and grace is all that I live for;

My soul cries out to you, to flow in your life now and forever.

Your life in me and through me to others is my greatest joy.

Small Beginnings

2009-11-30T14:48:00.001-08:00

What makes for a “good day”? For me it starts with prayer.

This morning I awoke early. My thoughts started down the path of planning all I had to do and I started to feel anxious… How easy it is for me at that point to get out of bed and go to work!

Instead, as CS Lewis described so aptly, I shoved back all those “wild animals” and began to pray! I laid in bed. I grabbed an ancient little prayer and held on for dear life!

“Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me!”

“Have mercy on me, O Lord” is how Psalm 51 begins, my Psalm for the morning. This is s a favorite Centering Prayer of mine.

As I laid in bed I slowly breathed in and out the words: “Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me.” I confessed my sins. I submitted each aspect of my day to God. I interceded for people I’ll be interacting with today.

And I’m shooting up little “arrow prayers” today: “Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me!”

A simple prayer of the heart in the morning is a small doorway to a good day. It’s like the door to the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem that leads to the sacred site of the birth of Christ. I’ll never forget stooping down so low to get into this ancient church that shelters the holy ground where Jesus first touched the earth.

The same little prayer can “rebuild” a day that’s not going well. The prophet Zechariah teaches that small beginnings are crucial to great successes. It was his encouragement along these lines that helped the Israelites to complete the rebuilding of their temple after they returned from captivity in Babylon (Zechariah 4:10).

Trying to get more done in less time?

2009-11-10T21:48:00.000-08:00

I was talking with a friend who likes to drive in the fast lane. He thrives on trying to get more done in less time in order to be successful. He’s very productive… and stressed.

He doesn’t realize that he’s continually recruiting adrenaline to give him the boost of energy and confidence that he feels he needs to handle all of his responsibilities. His body’s production of adrenaline is like his own drug manufacturing plant! He has adrenaline dependence.

Other people get their adrenaline hits through extreme sports, risky behavior, or loud music.

Adrenaline is God’s gift to us. It’s meant to help us respond to emergencies and urgent needs. Used sparingly it’s a good thing. Used continually it wears down your body and diminishes your life. (Doctors have called this “hurry sickness.”) You get to the point where it’s hard to slow down and enjoy the little blessings in each day – birds singing, children playing, relaxing with a friend, prayer.

It’s difficult for people like my friend to get off of adrenaline. It feels so good! It helps them to get more done. And when they slow down (and aren’t stimulating themselves with adrenaline) they feel tired, empty, and depressed.

I myself have overcome adrenaline dependence. And I’ve helped pastors and other leaders get off the destructive habit of relying on the body’s “speed.”

Freedom comes with learning to set boundaries on work and “urgent” demands and slow down your pace of life. It can be helpful to practice slowing down your pace of life by driving in the slow lane on the road in order to enjoy music (that’s not too loud!) or to pray. Best of all is to learn the value of spending large blocks of time in silence and solitude in order to “be still” with Jesus. (Start with 30 minutes and build from there.)

Slowing down can’t be learned in a “self-help” program. You might have adrenaline withdrawals. You’ll probably feel bored, restless, or insignificant. You need to “process” your emotions with someone and to get coaching on learning new ways of coping with stress.

Rejoicing on a Mundane Monday

2009-10-26T14:09:00.000-07:00

Much of our lives includes ordinary work and chores. We all have to do things that don't excite us at work or around the house or in running errands. It's easy to lapse into feeling bored, empty, or like we are trivial. Or to complain (in our thoughts if not out loud) about what we have to do.

This was my temptation beginning my Monday.

To keep from grumping along today I picked up a special prayer rock. It's piece of the outdoor stone theatre in Sephoris Israel. Jesus may have helped to build this marvelous theatre where the "play actors" (same word as "hypocrite" in the Bible) performed.

As I've held my rock today I've thought about Jesus working hour after hour as a carpenter or a stone cutter. I've thought about my "Blue Collar Savior" smiling as he serves hard to please customers and blesses them when they complain. I've imagined him meditating on Scripture and praying while he worked.

For most of his life on earth Jesus worked an ordinary job in an obscure village, loving God and people, praying and playing with his Father, day after day.

Today, Jesus is helping me to appreciate his presence in my midst. In the words of the Apostle John: "I am the disciple Jesus loves!"

Could there be any greater cause for rejoicing than that? Even on a mundane Monday!

Why did Paul rarely quote Jesus?

2009-10-12T20:54:00.000-07:00

Recently I read an article that pointed out that the Apostle Paul only quoted Jesus three times (Acts 20:35, 1 Corinthians 11:23-25, and 2 Corinthians 12:9).

How could this be? The man who was the most like Jesus and who wrote half of the New Testament only quoted Jesus three times?

Like Jesus, Paul spoke and wrote with the authority of the Holy Spirit. He didn't "proof text" his teachings with quotes. He simply oozed Jesus!

For Paul the life and teaching of his Lord and Savior was so interwoven in his character and in all that he said and did that you couldn't separate Paul from Jesus. When people saw Paul they saw Jesus. Even today, 2,000 years later, when we think of Paul we immediately think of his Master Jesus.

Paul was "in Christ." His identity - his every breath - was about Jesus Christ: loving him and encouraging other people to love him. What a great example of being a disciple of Jesus!

May you and I be like Paul, living confidently "in Christ" and oozing the Spirit of Christ out from our pores onto people all around us!

In Jesus' Name

2009-10-05T12:39:00.000-07:00

Probably you offer many prayers "in Jesus' name." What does this mean?

To pray in Jesus' name is to pray by and for him, with his strength and for his purposes.

Names in the Bible always refer to the character behind the name. So to pray in Jesus' name is to pray with and for his character, to pray in the way that he prayed and for the purposes that he prayed.

Imagine how it would change our lives to do that!

Have you ever studied the way Jesus prayed? He often went away by himself to seek the Father alone. He used the Psalms. He was quiet. He waited to make decisions and he listened. He acted on what he discerned from the Father. He learned how to do whatever he did as an expression of prayer.

Today there are a lot of "experts" giving us advice to solve all sorts of problems (many of them are psychologists like myself). We wouldn't need most of these "solutions" to improve our lives if we simply learned this one thing: how to pray in Jesus' name.

Learning to React to Stress with Trust in God

2009-09-25T09:15:00.001-07:00

Few of us can reliably react to stress with trust in God. How do you react when you're well-being is threatened?

When someone gets angry at you are you prone to get angry back (or internalize your anger as depression)?

When you're hit with a big problem in your health or finances do you become scared (or shut down all emotion and get busy)?

When you're anxious, bored, or lonely do you overeat, use alcohol, or engage in another compulsive behavior?

How can you and I learn to become the kind of person who responds to distress by trusting and being secure in God's loving care and offering blessings to other people - even those who have mistreated us?

When a crisis or other problem intrudes whatever is inside us will come out, our inner character will be revealed. (This awareness is a gift because we see what we need to work on with Christ in our spiritual formation.) In the midst of distress is not a good time to learn something new!

Instead we need to be proactive. We need to follow Jesus' often repeated advice and learn to "watch and pray" in anticipation of a coming problem. We should know our biggest vulnerability and liability and go into training with Jesus to learn how to become a different person.

"Training" means studying to learn how to apply Jesus' gospel to our lives. It means doing spiritual exercises/disciplines. It may mean seeking counseling or spiritual mentoring/coaching.

I need a Sabbath rest!

2009-09-11T08:12:00.000-07:00

Today is my Sabbath day to enjoy spending time with Jesus. Usually this means praying in silence and solitude for a few hours and then doing some writing or sharing in spiritual conversation with friends. I've been doing this weekly all year and it's been wonderful!

The basis of the Sabbath command (which Jesus himself practiced and he taught others to follow this example) is "do no work" or "don't be productive."

This hits me where it hurts. Have you ever heard of a "workaholic" or an "adrenaline addict"? That's me! Or, it was me some years ago. I'm in recovery and am no longer controlled by ambition and hurry and feelings of inadequacy and inability to set boundaries. But I have to watch myself! Practicing the Sabbath helps me to stay in recovery from my past addiction. It's a way to slow down and look up.

However, today I couldn't resist finishing some work before starting my Sabbath! (Thank you for reading my confession!)

Keeping a Sabbath is not a legalism about keeping a bunch of rules! It's a blessing! The Sabbath is about resting and rejoicing with God and friends. It's about praying and playing. It's about slowing down and savoring. The New Testament teaches us that a Sabbath could be taken on any day.

Times like now it's too hard for me to enter into Sabbath with my computer close by! So I'm off to go hiking with Jesus. Just the two of us in the beauty of nature!

Is your Soul Replenished?

2009-08-07T19:27:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I listed to a talk that Bill Hybels gave to a group of pastors and leaders. Bill is one of the most respected pastors in the world - and rightly so. As a teenager growing up in the Chicago area I went to his church in its early years. Bill was sharing about the need for spiritual renewal in these economically stressful times.

Courageously, he confessed to being like a "Leadership-aholic." For decades as a minister he has given his all to leading others to follow Christ. And sometimes he's given too much of himself, worked too long and moved too fast, perhaps relying on adrenaline (which can be addicting) until he found himself exhausted. 20 years ago he said he wrote in his journal:

"The pace at which I'm doing the work of God is destroying the work of God in me."

Recently, he caught himself overdoing again and has been drawn by the Holy Spirit to spend more time in "slow prayer and meditation" and surrendering himself more fully to Christ. He's beginning each morning with some spacious time to connect deeply with Christ and listen to him.

He said that the best thing a leader brings is a soul replenished by God so he or she can lead others out of confidence in Christ. This means being submitted to Christ each day.

I relate to Bill's story of overworking in ministry. I find that as I pursue intimacy with Christ I am able to minister out of the overflow of Christ's ministry to me.

How about you?

Soul Talk

2009-08-01T16:11:00.000-07:00

I've been married for 23 years and most of those years I've been doing marriage and relationship counseling for others. I've learned that good relationships have lots of "Soul Talk."

To engage in Soul Talk with your spouse or friend you have to let go of trying to get him or her to do something! Much of the stress and conflict in relationships is because of expectations and agendas, trying to fix and placing blame.

When you have been disappointed or hurt by someone it's not helpful to say things like, "You shouldn't ______." Or, "I feel like you're trying to ________." These are examples of trying to manage another person. Abandon your project! Let go!

Instead, try using Soul Talk. Try inviting your spouse or friend to understand your experience or what you desire. Communicate your emotions instead of your perceptions. Take a posture of personal responsibility and vulnerability. Try saying things like, "I was hurt when you ________. I felt criticized." Or, "It'd really help me if you could set aside some time to listen to me."

Good marriages and soul friendships have lots of heart-to-heart sharing with honesty and empathy.

What helps facilitate Soul Talk in your relationships with significant others?

The King is Enthralled with You!

2009-07-20T15:47:00.000-07:00

Do you know that the King is enthralled with your personality? The Lord God who flung the stars in the sky and calls them each by name is delighted in and captivated by you! You are beautiful to him! He finds you interesting and important! (See Psalm 45, especially verse 11).

Jesus is so drawn to love us that he relates to us as Bridegroom to his bride! Wow! We can intimate with Jesus, passionately in love with him as he is with us!

How could we not honor him as our Lord and King? How could we not seek to live as servants of his kingdom in all that we do?

Pray with me - now and in the midst of whatever you're doing today, "With joy I embrace Christ in his kingdom" (Based on Psalm 45, especially verse 15).

Let the prayer descend from your mind down into your heart... "With joy I embrace Christ in his kingdom."

Keep this prayer open in a window on the computer screen of your mind. Picture Jesus shining in white robes and glowing as he embraces you in love.

This prayer puts a smile on my face! It warms my heart! In all that I do today it's helping me to look to Jesus and to follow his lead and rely on his grace.

How does this prayer effect you?

Staying Hydrated with Spirit Water

2009-07-12T17:16:00.000-07:00

Have you ever gotten dehydrated?

I went for a long jog of about 14 miles in the heat yesterday. I love to run in the hills and pray and meditate. I got a late start and it was a HOT day! I drank lots of water before I ran, but didn't have any with me. I thought if I loaded up I'd be okay.

By the time I finished jogging I was really dragging. Afterward, I drank glass after glass of water. It took me the rest of the day to get fully hydrated!

What's the lesson? It's not enough to drink lots of water all at once - you have to keep drinking water.

It's the same way in our relationship with the Holy Spirit. He's the Living Water that our souls thirst for, but we can't drink him up all at once! We need to keep drinking in his presence through prayer. That's why Paul teaches us to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

And when we're fully hydrated with the Spirit then we can become like a fountain that overflows with the Spirit to others.

Meditating on verses, thoughts, and images from Scripture - especially from the Psalms - is what helps me to keep drinking in the Spirit's living waters.

What helps you to stay hydrated with Living Water?

Your emotions: Can you trust them?

2009-07-09T10:17:00.000-07:00

Many of us struggle with our emotions and what to do with them. Our emotions effect every part of our life, especially our relationships with people and with God and our effectiveness in life.

Some people try not to have emotions because they make life difficult or seem too vulnerable. They're afraid to react to emotion. So they rationalize or just detach. Or just stay busy. Anything in order to avoid being emotional or needy. They experience emotion as overwhelming or at least inconvenient.

Other people depend on their emotion to do the things they need to do. (Usually these people are emotionally reactive too.) They try to generate emotion to get excited or get them moving. They'll use music, drugs, food, or whatever to generate the feeling they want. (This is the basis of addictions.)

Jesus models a balanced approach to emotions. He felt his emotions, but was not controlled by them. He was always aware of his feelings, but not dependent on them. The Psalmist shows us the same balance, an "honest faith."

We shouldn't confuse our emotions with our heart. The "heart" in the Biblical understanding is our will, our freedom of choice. If emotions are in the position of our heart, our center, then we're in trouble!

Can you trust your emotions? Yes and no. They are one source of discernment and energy (we call them e-motions). But we need others sources.

Always we want to be aware of our emotions. But never do we want to be controlled by them.

The Humility of the Trinity

2009-06-30T17:36:00.000-07:00

Have you ever thought about the fact that neither the Father God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit draw attention to themselves? In the Bible we don't read one of the members of the Trinity saying, "Praise me!" Or, "Look how great I am!"

In some places God may seem to draw attention to himself, but this is God as a Trinity, a holy community of love, and it's for our good that we recognize and appreciate the reality of God's goodness and beauty.

The New Testament unfolds for us some of the glorious mystery of the Three in the One and how they shine a spotlight on one another...

The Father thunders from heaven for all to hear: "Jesus is my beloved son and in him I am well pleased!"

The Son proclaims in public: "The Father is greater than all!" And is protective of the Holy Spirit, not himself, "It's okay if you blaspheme me, but don't ever blaspheme the Holy Spirit!"

And the Holy Spirit cries out from the heart and out the lips of every Christian: "Abba Father!" "Jesus is Lord!"

And on top of this, "The Lord stoops down to make you and I great!" (Psalm 18:35) The Father adopts us as his beloved children! Jesus goes to the cross to die for us! The Holy Spirit makes our bodies his temple!

Knowing God like this inspires our admiration for his true greatness, our trust in his love, and our ability to love others with humble generosity.

A Friend who Sticks Closer than a Brother

2009-06-28T17:51:00.000-07:00

The Wisdom of Solomon says, "A person with many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24). Do you have a friend like this?

The best and most faithful friend we could have is Jesus. The most important thing we can do in life is to cultivate our relationship with him. There are many ways to do this. Perhaps the most needed in our culture is to set aside a block of time simply to "hang out" with Jesus, just like you would with a friend.

"Jesus, what shall we do together today?" This is how I begin my Sabbath day, which is usually on Fridays.

Last Friday, Jesus and I went back to the ocean. We talked about many things as we walked on the beach and on the bluffs above. We sat together on a rock surrounded by water.

I prayed Psalm 131. I meditated on it and journaled from it. I imagined going to the Lord like a child just as David describes in the Psalm. I remembered Jesus saying, "Bring the little children to me" and I brought the boy in me to Jesus! I journaled from it. I sang it to the One I love. 100's of times over the course of the day I prayed a line I adapted from it: "Jesus, you are enough for me!"

Jesus wants to be our Friend! And he restores our soul when we spend time together as friends.

How do you cultivate friendship with Jesus?

Father's Day

2009-06-22T17:43:00.000-07:00

What was Father's Day like for you?

I was blessed to be with all three of my teenage kids and to be appreciated by them. The highlight of my day was my 16-year old daughter taking me on a 6 mile hike in the hills and celebrating by sharing a smoothie afterward. She suggested this because she knows how much I enjoy hiking in nature and praying. We talked about many things ranging from teenage boys to the scenery to God.

It's a special thing for a parent when your child takes initiative to say "I love you!"

I did this for my father by having him over for a meal and affirming him before my family with a number of examples of how he has blessed me in my life. (This is a tradition in our family for birthdays and other celebrations. My wife or I get the ball rolling by saying, "Let's all say something we appreciate about ________." Or, "What have you noticed about __________ that you admire.")

For you this may have been a hard day due to hurts with your father or disappointments with children.

But all of us have the same Heavenly Father and he loves us perfectly! Sadly, it's easy for us to overlook our Father God and neglect to bless him with words of appreciation, taking initiative to spend time with him , doing a special kindness for him.

I've found that God likes it when I smile and call him my "Abba" - and I like it too!

God's Love is Oceanic!

2009-06-14T14:48:00.000-07:00

I spent the last week at the ocean, celebrating my 23rd wedding anniversary with Kristi.

I love the ocean! Water as far as I can see and merging into the sky at the horizon. Wave after wave in rhythm - they never stop coming ashore and sounding in my soul.

God's love is oceanic! It's everywhere. It's the rhythm of life. It's our source of life. It sings in our soul - if we let it.

I love to be still before the ocean and breathe in deep... To listen... To feel... To pray... To be immersed in God's love...

If you don't live near the ocean go to a lake or a river, a mountain or meadow. Open your soul to God and smile in the sanctuary of his Spirit.

Simplicity

2009-05-30T13:25:00.000-07:00

Simplicity. We've lost it in our culture today.

Our lives are filled with opportunities and pressures that distract us from the One Thing that we all know matters most and is the source of all love: intimacy with God.

Oh for a simpler and deeper life! A few years ago this longing for God alone led me to my knees to pray over Thomas Kelly’s classic devotional book, A Testament of Devotion. I prayed every word, cover to cover (it’s just over 100 pages), and then fell on my face before God.

Let his words echo in your soul...
“Over the margins of life comes a whisper, a faint call, a premonition of richer living which we know we are passing by… We have hints that there is a way of life vastly richer and deeper than all this hurried existence, a life of unhurried serenity and peace and power. If only we could slip over into that Center! If only we could find the Silence which is the source of sound!”

Do you long a simpler life focused on God?

Trailblazing in the Forest

2009-05-28T08:22:00.000-07:00

While Kristi and I were in the mountains last weekend I worked on the hiking trail that I made a couple of years ago. It's a about a mile long loop that goes through the national forest property behind her family's cabin. (It ties into some dirt fire roads so I didn't have to blaze the whole trail!)

I so enjoy this trail that meanders through towering cedars, pine, and oak trees and opens into blue skies and views of Lake Arrowhead way below. And because its spring there were dogwood trees in bloom and wildflowers everywhere!

Of all the trails that I walk, hike, or jog this is my favorite because I designed and built it and maintain it! I love taking family and friends on the trail. The thought of people I don't even know using the trail brings a smile to my face. God has created us to be creative along with him and so it's no wonder that we find such joy in creating anything that is beautiful or helpful.

My hope is that others who walk the trail will appreciate nature's beauty and be drawn closer to God as I am. Beauty inspires us to give thanks and praise to our Creator. This is why the Psalms and parables of Jesus and all of Scripture are full of references to nature.

For me trails represent finding our way in life - they're symbols of prayer. For instance, the Psalms are prayer paths. And the Lord's Prayer is a basket of five spiritual trails: thanks and praise, submission to God, petition, confession, and overcoming sin.

How do you connect with God in nature? What helps you to walk the path of life with Jesus?

Root Yourself in God

2009-05-23T10:11:00.000-07:00

I love being in a forest! That's where I am this weekend!

I find it helpful to find a tree to meditate on, which I sometimes do when I go on prayer walks around the lake near my home. I look at a tree by the water and I pray Psalm 1...

"Blessed is the person who... delights in the law of the Lord and on his law he meditates day and night. He or she is like a tree planted by the stream of water which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he or she does prospers."

I want to be like that tree! Don't you? Rooted deep. Drawing up nourishment from the soil and the water. Leaves stretching out to catch the sun. Growing fruit.

To be a healthy, fruitful tree we need to meditate on God's Word, including his commandments that are holy and wholesome, good and gracious. This helps me learn to become the kind of person who obeys Jesus' teachings from my heart.

A person who is like this tree, like the Psalm 1 man, is rooted in God's love and defined by God's words of grace and truth and not by circumstances or what people say.

It's easy for us to be distressed by criticisms, rejections, and misunderstandings from people. But we can learn to be rooted in God's love. Meditating on God's Word is the way. And also to find at least one person you trust and respect who can be "Christ's Ambassador" to you, embodying Christ's love to you (1 Corinthians 5:20).

Have you ever meditated on a tree to root yourself in God?

What helps you tap into God's love such that you're not uprooted when people disappoint you?

Pausing to Breathe a Prayer

2009-05-18T14:38:00.000-07:00

I've been learning that prayer can be like breathing - something we do continuously and automatically without even thinking about it. I love using short phrases of Scripture as "Breath Prayers."

Breathing in and out God's Word as I go about my day connects me with God, adds tremendous meaning to my life, and gives me such peace. I've found that there are many "idle" spaces in any given day for prayer moments, like when I'm transitioning from one activity to the next, driving, waiting, getting ready in the morning, or preparing to go to bed at night (or laying in bed awake!).

To offer a Breath Prayer it helps to breathe in deeply and slowly, taking about 10 seconds for a breath. Learn to breathe (and pray) from your stomach - gently.
With each breath or two offer to God your short Scripture prayer.

The last couple of days I've been praying a favorite Breath Prayer inspired by Psalm 39, especially verses 5 and 11...

"My life is a breath... Selah.
I am a breath... Selah.
My life is God's breath... Forever.
I am God's breath... Forever."

(Note that the word "selah" is used in the Psalms and probably means, "Pause to reflect and pray.")

Join me in praying this Breath Prayer right now...

Breathe in deep and slow from your stomach... Hold your breath, longer than normal... Release slowly and gently... Wait to breathe longer than is comfortable to let your body feel the longing for God's Word and Spirit...

Without even using any words your breathing is expressing your prayerful intention to connnect with God...

Gently repeat this breathing prayer (You may need to practice this for it to become natural and easy and be able to experience being in the flow of the Spirit of God!)

Now, as you breathe in whisper God's Word: "My life is a breath"... Hold God's Word inside you... Release as you you whisper: "Selah"... Wait to breathe as you feel your longing for God...

Slowly and gently repeat for each phrase.

Try memorizing the prayer I wrote or one of the phrases in it and return to your Breath Prayer as often as you can during the day. Make a game of it! How many times can you remember to breathe in God's Word to you? Three? Thirty? Three hundred?!!!!

Please share your experience with us in the Christian Soul Care blog...

Live Worry-Free

2009-05-14T15:02:00.000-07:00

Can we live without worry? The answer must be yes or Jesus wouldn't have said, "Do not worry."

Do you know what he said next?

"Look at the birds!" Yes, Jesus told us to become birdwatchers! It's hard to watch a bird and worry at the same time! They flutter from branch to branch so graciously. They sing so beautifully. They fly in the sky so wonderfully.

Ahhhh! I love the birds! Thank you Lord for your peace! Jesus knew what he was talking about: the same Father God who cares for the birds cares for you and I.

Listen in on some bird talk and relax in Abba's arms...

“Said the Robin to the Sparrow:
‘I should really like to know
Why these anxious human beings
Rush about and worry so.’

Said the Sparrow to the Robin:
‘Friend, I think that it must be
That they have no Heavenly Father
Such as cares for you and me’”

Does God minister to you through birds?

A Caveman Prayer

2009-05-09T15:05:00.000-07:00

Have you ever prayed in a cave? Yesterday I did.

You may know that I've been praying the Psalms everyday for the last year and a half. I've noticed that some of David's best prayers were in a cave, like Psalm 57 and 142 (and probably others like Psalm 27 and 61).

So I figured that to be "a man of prayer" (Psalm 109:4) like David it might help if I spent some time being "a caveman" like him!

Indeed, meditating on Psalm 57 in a cave for a couple of hours helped me to connect more deeply with what it means to make God my refuge. I realized that God is more than a cave I can flee to in order to escape my troubles. In all the situations of my life I can find refuge in God through prayer, snuggling under His wings and walking in His shadow. David models for us that this is the way to awaken His dawn from deep within - in the midst of any situation we may find ourselves in.

My Prayer Poem based on Psalm 57 expresses this:

The Cave
Hidden
In a cave
Surrounded by lions
Under His wings

Alone
In the dark
Assaulted by accusations
Following His shadow

Quiet
In my soul
Troubled by hardships
Joining His prayers

Alert
In the night
Besieged by lies
Awakening His dawn

As you pray today, both in your devotions and as you go about your day, imagine yourself hidden in a secret cave with God as your refuge. What is this like for you?

Hurry Sickness

2009-04-29T18:40:00.000-07:00

Hurry sickness is rampant today in our culture. We rush from thing to thing. We try to get more done in less time. We use adrenaline (and caffeine) to pump us up and makes us feel alive and powerful.

Hurry sickness is bad for our health. It diminishes soul. And it destroys our relationships with one another and with God.

For most of my life I've done this. But I've been learning to stay out of the fast lane, to walk slower, and to pause to breathe and to pray.

In the Gospels I see that Jesus was never in a hurry - except at the end of his life when he headed toward Jerusalem to embrace his cross! (We tend to do the opposite by hurring into pleasures and achievements and refusing to deny ourselves.) Jesus always had time to enjoy people and to care for them. He always had time to pray.

What a joy it is when we learn to enjoy the moment with God!

What's your experience?

Do you see God smiling at you?

2009-04-27T16:01:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite ways to pray is to imagine Jesus' smiling at me.

As I've said before, I pray from the Psalms everyday. The Psalms are full of prayers and meditations that refer to the Lord delighting in us, shining his favor on us, or smiling on us.

For instance, today I'm praying from Psalm 138 and have been "centering" myself (returning again and again quietly and meditatively to the prayer:
"Though the Lord is on high, he smiles upon the lowly, like me and _________." (Psalm 138:6).

To help me "see" the Lord's loving, joyful smile I have put into my personalized Psalms prayer book pictures of artists' renderings of the smile of Christ. (You can google this online!)

What a blessing this simple way of prayer is for me! It lifts me eyes to heaven. It brings a smile to my face. It makes my steps lighter - even in the midst of daily stresses and challenges and pains.

Do you ever imagine Jesus smiling at you? How does this or would this effect you?

What Every Woman Needs to Know

2009-04-18T20:57:00.000-07:00

As we said previously, men and women alike need to know that we are "the beloved" of God. But masculinity and femininity have differing needs along these lines.

I believe that men need to know that they are significant, that they have something unique and important to contribute.

And women need to know that they are attractive, not just physically, but personally. Women long to hear from their father, boyfriend, husband, and, most importantly, from God!, the words that Mary heard from the angel at the annunciation: "You're beautiful with God's beauty. Beautiful inside and out" (Luke 1:26).

Let's interact on this... What do you think? Is this true in your experience? Ask a friend to read this blog and share their experience.

I made a mistake and God blessed me...

2009-04-06T16:24:00.001-07:00

Awhile ago on the Christian Soul Care Blog I referred to building a library in the loft of our home. Designing and building built-in bookcases and desks has been quite a challenge! So much measuring, cutting, staining, building...

It's a reminder of why it'd cost me upwards of $10,000 to have someone else do the work.

Yesterday, God gave me a great blessing...

I had made a mistake on my cuts for one of the base board pieces - getting those angles right, especially with a hand saw!, is difficult. So I was disappointed and frustrated when I had to set the board aside to be thrown out - along with a few others! That felt like getting a sore arm and working 30 minutes for nothing.

Of course, so much of life is like that: doing little jobs, making mistakes on things, feeling unproductive... I know that all of life is meaningful, that it's an opportunity to pray. And as I work I remind myself to pray. Sometimes on this library project I've prayed, "Lord Jesus, I want to be a good carpenter like you, to build things and people for you." But often I'm not so prayerful and just I'm just pushing through the work and getting tired, stressed, or frustrated.

So my blessing was when I realized that the "throw away" piece of wood happened to fit just right and have the angles just right for an odd section I was about to measure and cut for.

God reminded me that he redeems my mistakes and my sins; through Christ, God brings good things even out of my bad! This helps me not go into guilt or self-condemnation when I make a mistake. It's better to just run into Jesus' open arms!

What Every Man Needs to Know

2009-03-31T21:05:00.000-07:00

In my last blog I said that we all need to hear the affirmation of the Father: "This is my beloved son/daughter and in him/her I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:16-17).

I think every son especially needs to hear the words of this message from God and it helps if his dad verbalizes and demonstrates it! In this affirmation a father (or mentor) is saying to a man: "You are loved AND you are significant!" Generally, men feel loved when their significance is appreciated and respected.

I got this message from my dad in many ways. I'm thankful that as a boy I was blessed by his affection, his participation in my sports and activities, and his words of encouragement to me.

I think that there's a complementary message from God that women long to hear even more than this which I'll share in my next blog.

What do you think? Do men need to be affirmed for their significance? Can a man receive the Heavenly Father's blessing of respect without receiving it from an earthly father figure?

What Every Person Needs to Know

2009-03-24T20:42:00.000-07:00

There's a message that every person needs to hear and believe about themselves. It's what God the Father spoke over Jesus at his baptism: "You are my beloved son and in you I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:16-17)

We all need to be confident deep inside that we are loved as God's son or daughter and that he is pleased with us.

In prayer give thanks to God as you speak the word of the Father over yourself (it helps if you smile as you say this!)...

"I am a beloved son of the Father and he is pleased with me."

"I am a beloved daughter of the Father and he is pleased with me."

Maybe it's hard for you to trust these words in your heart? Why? We'd like to hear your questions.

Perhaps you need healing. Or to engage your heart with your Heavenly Father in some new ways...

Trusting a "Christ's Ambassador" (2 Corinthians 5:20) to mediate God's love to you
Learning to meditate deeply on Scriptures that promise the Father's love to you (like 1 John 3:1 or the Parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15
Listening to the birds sing over you and feeling the sun shine on your face
Extending compassion in Jesus' name to someone who is poor or needy

If you like this blog sign up to follow it and invite your friends to join you! Let's interact on matters of the soul!

Talk to Your Soul in Prayer, Part 2

2009-03-22T18:16:00.000-07:00

Eleven times in his prayers the Psalmist talks to himself with the cry, "O My Soul."

Interestingly, the eleven prayers appear in the Psalter in a meaningful order that group into three types of "O My Soul" prayers, each representing a step in an intimate prayer life. The three A's of connecting deeply with God are: Awareness, Attunement, and Appreciativeness:

Open up to God (Awareness): "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God" (Psalm 42:5, 11; 43:5)
Find Rest in God (Attunement): "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him" (Psalm 62:5; Psalm 116:7)
Give Praise to God (Appreciativeness): "Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name" (Psalm 103:1; also Psalm 103:2, 22; 104:1, 35; 146:1)

Do you pray to God in these ways?

Talk to Your Soul in Prayer, Part 1

2009-03-19T19:29:00.001-07:00

In the Psalms, the Bible's great "soul book," the psalmist talks to his soul (as if it were another person) as he prays to God. He recruits his soul to be alert before God:
“Awake, my soul! Awake harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn” (Psalm 57:8)

Praying the Psalms I discovered that eleven times the Psalmist awakens his soul to God by crying out, "O my soul!"

I have found it helpful to talk to my soul in prayer, to get myself to be alert before God so that I can connect with him and follow Christ. Praying the Psalms really helps me to awaken to God's presence.

What helps to awaken your soul to God?

A Grate-full Day!

2009-03-15T17:17:00.000-07:00

Recently at the Crystal Cathedral's Conference on Care & Kindness I attended a presentation by Robert Emmons a social scientist who has studied gratitude the last ten years. He's found scientific proof for what the Bible teaches: gratefulness is good for the soul! Grateful people - including those who are experiencing suffering and injustice - are happy, more loving, healthier, and they live longer.

And each of us can learn to cultivate an attitude of thankfulness. One important way to do this is to make a list each day of things that you're thankful for. Be creative with your list, trying to identify different things each day (you'll have to be very specific!). And make your list a prayer of thanks to God. You'll be blessed and so will others!

Something I'm thankful for today are words I read in Psalm 33 this morning: "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth" (verse 6). What a wonder that the Almighty Lord who breathed the stars into the heavens also breathed his life into our souls! Thank you Lord!

What is something in particular that are you thankful for today?

A Little but Powerful Prayer for Lent

2009-03-09T11:58:00.000-07:00

One of the things I'm doing for Lent is carrying a rock in my pocket. Sounds like a funny thing to do, huh?

It's a prayer rock. I have a number of them. I found this one in Israel at what may have been the Apostle Paul's prison cell at the palace in Caesarea by the Sea.

I use it to remind me to shoot up little arrow prayes as I go about my day: "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain" (the Apostle Paul's words in Philippians 1:21).

Sometimes I breathe in deep and slow as I whisper: "To live is Christ." I hold my breath to help me hold the Spirit and the Word in my consciousness. Then I release: "To die is gain." My exhaling a prayer helps me to let go of agendas and ambitions and to follow Christ's leadership.

The rock and the prayer remind me to turn my thoughts toward Christ and his sacrifice for me and you.

Maybe you've tried a form of Centering Prayer that you'd like to share? Or perhaps you have a way you're celebrating Lent that could encourage others?

May the Wind Lift Us

2009-03-01T20:47:00.000-08:00

I hiked up into the foothills of Saddleback Mountain this weekend with a friend. From about 2,000 feet up we looked out over the green hills, orchards, and the city of Irvine stretching out till the ocean in the distance. As we stood quietly in prayer the breeze swayed the tall grasses and rustled through the shrub all around us...

I was meditating on how the Holy Spirit is like the wind: we can't see him, but we see his effects; he doesn't speak audibly (normally), but speaks through the objects he moves. To hear God's voice is like hearing the breeze: we need to be still and quiet for awhile.

Then we saw a gift from God: two great hawks with their wings outstretched, gliding effortlessly on the wind. Of course, we thought of Isaiah's words: "They that wait upon the Lord shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31).

May the Lord help us to enter his peace, to "Be still and know that he is God" (Psalm 46:10).

Building a Life

2009-02-25T09:04:00.000-08:00

I've been building a library with desks and bookcases in the loft of our home. This includes computer workstations for our kids.

I loved designing this. I also like working with the wood. But the painting and staining and touch up is a real drag! And there are so many pieces to fit together right - a few times I've had to re-do whole sections which was quite discouraging!

Years ago I learned that the reality of completing a project is so much more difficult than the idea of it. When I start out I can see what it'll look like in my mind, but completing the project takes so long! It's hard for me to be patient with the process.

Life is the same. Moving from a dream to a reality is a process. What's helping me to be more patient and to find more meaning in the process of whatever I'm building is to put God first.

So I seek to listen to God's dreams for me, work on the project with him by being prayerful as I do it, and accept that however the project goes (it seems there are always disappointments and frustrations!) it's an opportunity for me to learn from Jesus.

May Jesus be the Master Builder in our lives and may we find meaning in assisting him.