Much Prayer, Much Productivity

In the last few weeks, I have been challenged over and over again on the importance of prayer. It seems every outlet I am plugged into for spiritual and personal growth is telling me that more than leadership skills and creative ideas; more than Bible study and ministry books; more than time management and time off, I need to invest time in prayer. Essentially the mantra is "much prayer, much power."

This is often a difficult principle to understand. After all life and ministry demand so much of my time. Family needs fun, and concern, and laughter and conversation, and activities, and down time together; events need planning, sermons need writing, students need discipling, worship list must be made, and meetings had. The schedule seems to indicate that the budget for prayer is minimal.

Recently I heard a former Johnson and Johnson executive say that most people do not reach even 80% of their potential capacity for accomplishment. When I consider that statistic, I am reminded of a story I once heard. When John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist church was asked how he was able to accomplish so much with all his preaching and writing. His response was, "I have so much to do that I spend several hours in prayer before I am able to do it."

Perhaps we have missed the secret to accomplishing great things in faith, ministry, even life. Much prayer, much productivity. Prayer is not the cursory conversation we check off our list in the morning. It is more than the source by which we accomplish great things. As Oswald Chambers said, "Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work." No significant spiritual victory is realized until it is first won in prayer. Prayer without ceasing is the secret to realizing God-given potential.

Let this ideal be in our hearts and minds as we look at our full calendars and packed schedules: Much prayer, much productivity. Remember the words of Jesus, "Apart from me, you can do nothing." John 15:5

Wisdom Hides in Plain Site

Wisdom often hides in plain sight. So often in my life I look for wisdom in the writing of great teachers, preachers, philosophers, and thinkers. I expect their words to be the most profound, to have the most impact, even to effect the greatest change in my thinking or living. However, I recently had an experience which reminded that wisdom does not have to be mined from texts but gleaned from conversations.

Though it may seem contradictory to my last thought, I quote Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Every man is my superior in some way, and in that, I learn from him." Recently I had the opportunity to take a road trip with a relatively new friend to watch a baseball game. From 4:30pm to 2am I had the undivided honesty of my new friends perspective on so many facets of life. As he spoke on finances, marriage, ministry, baseball; told stories from his childhood and young adult life; I could feel myself growing in some way. The mixture of street smarts, life lessons, and faith proved to be a well spring of knowledge for me. As someone who loves to talk, I thoroughly enjoyed listening. I offered thoughts, he offered perspective; I offered questions, he offered practical truths. There was nothing formal about the conversation — just two friends enjoying a road trip.

Even more than what my friend said, I was excited by what he evoked. From our conversation arose thoughts and insights — wisdom, if you will allow me to use the term — from my own heart and mind. Things I never knew I understood, phrases I have never uttered, vantage points I had never seen began to take shape.

I have ruminated over the conversation many times in the last few days and have concluded that wisdom hides in plain sight. It has potential to arise in the most casual of conversations. It can even be provoked to arise within our own hearts. The question then is not, how do we gain wisdom, but are we noticing it? And if we do, are we careful to follow it?

Everything I know about worship I learned from an Irish Rockstar

As I sit stirring the sugar into my coffee this morning I am reflecting on a teaching a I once heard from a worship leader in one of America's largest churches. The teaching was titled, "Everything I Know About Worship, I Learned From an Irish Rockstar.".

Of course, the title is a reference to Bono, the lead singer of U2. This worship leader was in no way saying worship should be a concert or that worship leaders are the rock icons of their churches. In fact, if you attended this worship leaders more than 10,000 member church, you wouldn't find loud music, theatrical lighting, or any hint of a perfomance atmosphere.

What this worship leader was referring to is the experience of worship. In his opinion Bono is gifted at drawing his audience in and making them part of the show. The parallel is that we as worship leaders are lead people not in an act of worship but in an experience of worship. We endeavour to bring people to a place where we on earth have an audience with heaven. We experience our God through worship and we are engaged by our creator. So, as I prepare to play guitar for my church my hope is that I can lead the people of my church experience God.

The Furious Longing of God

Three days ago while purchasing a devotional for a friend, I came across a book with a unique title from a familiar author, "The Furious Longing of God" by Brennan Manning. To be honest, I originally read the title as "The Furious Longing FOR God," and thought I may be able to use it as fodder for a sermon series in the coming year. It was not until I placed the book on my night stand next to my new copy of "Streams in the Desert" did I realize I had miss-read the title. I can tell that now, 136 pages later I am thankful for the of.

As I journeyed with Manning through the text, i began to see the love of God in a whole new way. Manning does not give new, greater insight into any particular passage of scripture, or expound and exegete a red letter phrase as to revolution ones view. Actually it is all as simple as my mistaken reading of the title, because for me "of" made all the difference. What I began to see as I read is that the furious longing of God is you and me. He so desperately longed for us that he came to this, taking on flesh - that is Jesus. The same furious longing which brought Christ to Earth drove him to the cross. God's love for you and for me is intense, fierce, relentless. We are the furious longing of His heart. It is the furious longing of God that leads us to the furious longing for God

"...He first loved us"

Thoughts from a Parking Ticket

Today I had the displeasure of drving an hour to fight an underserved parking ticket. It was underserved because we actually paid for parking. We received the ticket because the officer did not see the receipt properly displayed in the window. The officer did not see the receipt because we did not display it properly. Despite the headache of the trip, I am thankful for what I hope will helpful thoughts and conversations for all of us to have.

Thought 1: People are mean when they are right. I watched today as 120 people yelled, swore, huffed, snipped at the one man who dared say they were wrong - the prosecuter. It made me think of how often Christians are right. We state how right we are in spiritual terms like "God told me," "I feel," or even "the Bible says." While what is said is often right, the attitude is very wrong. Litterally we are so right, we are wrong.

Thought 2: Time needs to be redeemed. As I sat waiting for my turn to plead my case I was racked with thoughts of what needed to be accomplished today and thoughts of how court was the last place I wanted to be. I was convinced that, given an oppotunity to be heard I could be aquitted of the crime my resting Civic had committed. However that opportunity would not be afforded to me until the after noon. I chose to pay the fine rather than the time. Time is something we can never get back. How many of us stress more about wasted dollars than wasted moments? I pray that my family and I come to value our minutes over money, and experiences over possesions. I can always make more money. I can't always make more memories.

Thought 3: Proof must be displayed. The crime which I stood accused of was not that I did not pay the parking fee. Rather, it was that I did not properly display the proof that the fee was paid. I wonder how often that is the case our day to day lives. How often do we carry the name, love, and grace on our hearts but never display him in our lives. Proof is meaningless if it is not public. When we fail to display the proof of what Christ has done in our lives to the world, we fail to display the reality of Christ's lifechanging power.

Renown

I know too many famous people. To be honest, I help make too many people famous. Movies, television, sports, music — I am entertained by all of it. I quote the funny lines from the movies, talk about the great plays, and sing the catchy songs. With this great knowledge of popular culture, I impress my peers and sometimes myself. On the surface, these all seem very innocent. One-liners from the office, Brett Favre's great game, and Creed's comeback tour are fun to discuss, though all for different reasons. But as I prayed this morning, I wondered if I am making Christ famous?

In the book of Joshua we have the story of Israel taking Jericho. However, before they cross the Jordan River, Joshua sends two spies to check the area out. They are hidden by a woman named Rahab and this is what she says to the spies,

"We are all afraid of you. Everyone in the land is living in terror. For we have heard how the Lord made a dry path for you through the Red Sea when you left Egypt. And we know what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River, whose people you completely destroyed. No wonder our hearts have melted in fear! No one has the courage to fight after hearing such things. For the Lord your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below." - Joshua 2:9-11

Before the spies arrived, the people of the land had heard about great things God had done. "For we have heard how the Lord..."

Look at the response, "For the Lord your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below."

If you know the history, you know that God called the nation of Israel for the purpose of making His Name great among the nations. The people of Israel did not always see it that way. Often grumbling through trials and demonstrating ingratitude for blessings. They even doubted God's word and strength. Despite all the trials and wandering, God's purpose for them was to raise His renown among the nations of the earth. Could it be that our lives are meant to do the very same thing? Could it be that our lives should point to Christ, should make Him famous? Absolutely. Our lives are mode God will use to raise His renown on the Earth. People will know of God before we speak of Him by our lives. It is our lives that will confirm or deny the Christ we preach. Let us work to make God famous.

Where Heaven Meets Earth

Today I spent the morning at " the gathering," an organization that works to feed hundreds of people everyday in the Milwaukee area. I watched as students served almost three hundred men, women, and children breakfast. I was really proud of the students.

What was most interesting to me was the variety of people who came through. Some shuffled through the line, their heads down, ignoring greetings. Others laughed and joked walking into the hall as if the were walking in to their favorite diner and seeing old friends. Some spoke of being on their way to work. Others looked as if the memory of last months layoff continued to replay in their minds. Some felt entitled to be there, others thankful that we were there. Among the faces and conversations two men stick in my mind.

The first was angry. When greeted with good morning, his response was "Whats good about it?" On the surface he seemed angry at me for being there - how dare I be happy. I don't think that was the case. I do think he was angry. He was angry because he didn't want to need this place. He was angry at circumstances. He was angry because he wanted to pay for a meal, not be given a meal. He was angry because he didn't want help, he needed it and it hurt.

The other man was a man named Greg. He had long blonde hair and from a distance I thought he was a she, which seemed to be the way he wanted it. Greg was kind, soft spoken. The yellow tinge to his eyes suggested health issues. Greg called almost everyone by name. He committed my name to memory upon hearing. He ate his breakfast with people all around him. He stopped volunteers just to ask how they were and to say that he loved them - not in weird way but in a sincere, familiar way. Greg was thankful. To Greg this morning was more than breakfast, it was time with family.

As the angry man and Greg run through my mind, I try to imagine what has led each to this point. The loss of a job, maybe a home. Disconnection from family because choices made or lifestyles lived. In each instance the burning question is what can Jesus do for them right where they are. I know he saves their soul, but they still need to eat, to be loved. I believe Christ's greatest gift to them and to us, second to salvation, is the church. For the man who was angry, the church is a place of hope, to get help, to resource him with friends and neighbors who can love him and carry him through tough times. To Greg, the church is a family. A place to be loved and to give love. To both, it is a place of transformation. A place were sin is exchanged for salvation; pain exchanged for healing; despair exchanged for hope; death exchanged for life. It is the place where heaven meets earth.

Freedom in my Proper Perspective

There are many issues which are greatly debated regarding Christian living. From what movies Christians should watch to what it is permissible to eat or drink to which extra-curricular activities are allowed and disallowed. To be clear, I am not speaking about things that scripture clearly condemns. I am talking about issues of preference, culture, or even conviction. After all, Paul says, "Everything is permissible for me — but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me — but I will not be mastered by anything. (1 Cor. 6:12) He then rephrases the idea this way a few chapters later, "Everything is permissible — but not everything is beneficial. Everthing is permissible — but not everything is constructive." (1 Cor. 10:23) So as Christians we have tremendous freedom.

As I have read, prayed through, and meditated on Romans 14 and 15 this week I have been challenged to view my freedom in perspective. Firstly, is the matter of conscience. Romans 14:14 says "...but if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong." And if verse 23, "...If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning." We must understand that personal freedom cannot usurp personal conviction. Though matters of conscience are just that, when we choose to violate our conscience, we have not stepped into Biblical freedom but into the very Biblical definition of sin.

Secondly, I must see my freedom in light of those who view me experiencing my freedom. Culture plays a large part in this. We must understand our freedom in the cultural context of those we live among. There are those among us who would argue that what we view as freedom is a sin. How then are we to handle this issue? "Don't tear apart the work of God over what you eat. Remember all foods are acceptable but it is wrong to eat something if it makes another person stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble. You may believe there's nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself an God. Blessed are those who don't feel guilty for doing something they have decided is right." (Romans 14:20-22)

When we are among believers who hold different views of our freedoms we refrain from that particular freedom. We refrain because we love Christ and we love our brothers and sisters. However, if we feel strongly that a certain thing is wrong, but our brother or sister feels freedom to practice the activity — provided it is not expressly forbidden by scripture — we should give them room to experience their freedom without our protest. "Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don't. And those who don't eat certain food must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them." (Romans 14:3)

It is not our place to bring conviction or freedom to another's life. That role belongs to the Holy Spirit alone. It is our role to honor Christ with our freedoms and convictions. "For we don't live for ourselves or die for ourselves. If we live, it's to honor the Lord. And if we die, it's to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord." (Romans 14:7-8) "May God, who gives this patience and encouragement help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus." (Romans 15:5)

Theater Thoughts

Right now I am sitting at the movie theater. It is, for the most part a normal experience. However, it is within this atmosphere that I see a need to help some our communities young men. So here are my thoughts in no particular order...

- the cute girl you feel the need to shout at and embarass as she walks in... Yeah that's probably why she is not here with you.

- It's great that you are excited about the movie but dressing up as the movies characters does make the movie better, nor does it make you look cool.

- Parking lots are for cars not close dancing and romancing.... Seriously, she deserves better than that if she is willing to be here with you.

- Cat calls and whistling are not appropriate, especially when you work for the theater.

- Just because she is sitting alone doesn't mean she is here alone. Girls, especially pretty girls, do not go to the movies alone... Now that big man wants you to get out of his seat

Just some thoughts.

Borrowed Beliefs

I recently heard John Maxwell say, "Borrowed beliefs have no power." I have been thinking about that statement and can't help but wonder if many of us hold to powerless faith because we are only borrowing our beliefs. If it is true that belief affects behavior, then many of us do not really believe what we profess because our actions do not align with our beliefs.

Most of us have established a moral code by which we live. We make choices, many times, based on this belief system which distinguishes right and wrong. The problem comes when right conflicts with convenience. When what is right ceases to be convenient for us, often times we choose wrong. By choosing wrong — be lying, cheating, stealing, whatever — we may better our position, avoid trouble, or even help someone else, but on a soul level, we communicate to the watching world and to ourselves, our beliefs are negotiable. I don't own what I believe.

In the book of Acts, there is a story of a man named Steven. Steven had the guts to stand before a group of angry and powerful men and declare what he believed to be true. When their angry grew to violence toward him, he did not back pedal or qualify his beliefs. He stood in the face of violent men and continued to communicate — with his words and his actions — that he believed what espoused so deeply, that it was unshakeable. Steven died because he owned his belief and it could not be changed.

Do we believe anything so strongly that we would die before we let it go? Or is our integrity sacrificed on the altar of convenience? Do we own our beliefs or are they just borrowed?

Happy Father's Day

I have been fortunate to have many great men influence my life. My own father has been an example of what it means to love your children through hard times in life, sacrificing ones own comfort to provide for those you love and care for. For that I am eternally grateful. I pray that I am able live up to the example he has set out for me in that way.

I learned from my dad the value of time spent. He taught me to throw a baseball, to duck walk down the cereal aisle, and how important taking care your family is.

I'm thankful for my dad. I am also thankful for the men of God that have spoken into my life.

1 Corinthians 4:14-15 reads: "I do not write these things to same you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me.

It is with this verse in mind that I say thank you to men like Pastor Todd Pope and Pastor Rick Gannon who have been the greatest influences in my life. They have been examples of Pastors, husbands, fathers, and men of God. I am honored that they took interest in me and invested their lives in me.