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Monday, April 28, 2008

#15 – Prayer Walking

This form of prayer is ancient. It can be either a listening prayer (God talking) or a speaking prayer (you talking).

Walk slowly around your room or garden, hands behind your back, or folded in prayer mode at your chin, or turned open to the sky. Contemplate. Listen for God in every breath, every step.

Or, walk a designed path like a labyrinth or layout your own path. Stop at times along the way to pray. Pray by the tree for shade, by the pond for refreshment, by the store for sustenance, etc.

Or, walk tall in the Lord around your neighborhood, your courthouse, your school, your workplace praying for friends and strangers whose needs come to mind as you walk.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

#14 - Pray Holding Hands

Touch is a powerful form of prayer.

Holding hands can bring healing, comfort, encouragement, direction and help. Touch, as in hands joined together, is strong ministry, whether the prayer of those thus joined is spoken or silent.

Reach across your table. Hold hands. And Pray.
Take a neighbors hand, even a strangers hand, and maybe feel the hand of God.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Sit and Smile - Way to Pray #13

My sister, Judy, tells of a friend on a spiritual pilgrimage to find peace in her soul. The friend tried several forms of prayer and meditation. Unsatisfied, she happened upon an Eastern mystic who told her she was trying too hard. His advice: Sit and Smile. My sister’s friend found spiritual peace. The smiling is the hard part, I think, especially if the upward turn of the lips truly reflects actual delight in one's heart.

The world is so rough. Yet, how natural it should be for sheep in Jesus' flock who know the Shepherd's voice to Sit and Smile and be filled to overflowing.

Sit!

Smile!

Go ahead. Do it.

Turn up the corners of your mouth.

Take a deep, relaxing breath. And smile from the inside out.

Now, that's a prayer.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

God's Truth from the Mission Field

In the Rick Wood article Are We Proclaiming a Defective Gospel? Rick is addressing the question whether the church equips new Christians to deal with hard times, and how the mission field might help us consider this question. He also asks whether there might be a connection between a weak Gospel and so many dropping out of church.

I believe in Mission. Always have. Why? Many reasons, but ONE most importantly.

God is greater than my mind can fathom. (Ok, so I have a small mind.) And God is more expansive than my country and my culture can possibly comprehend. (Ok, so I can't help but be prejudiced.)

From these and others thoughts I conclude that when I know God only as a protestant American I know way too little of God. (Ok, so I'm an idolator?)

I'm not satisfied knowing "my" God. I want to know the true and living God.

International friends and fellow servants of God have helped me see God more clearly.

1. EXILED FOR GOD.
A Palestinian pastor who fled the terror of fundamentalist Christians in Lebanon directed at him because of his cooperation with Muslims.

2. COMMITTED AT ANY PRICE
A pastor from Ghana with a congregation of thousands. He traveled by taxi 30 minutes to mimeograph meeting agendas, walked an hour in the pre-dawn to attend daily Bible study, faced down the President of Ghana on discrimination issues, and though it was of no interest to him personally, came to America to study pastoral care of the elderly as his local seminary had no one qualified to teach the subject.

3. REAL DELIVERANCE
A Sudanese man, one of the Lost Boys with whom I stood during worship to sing Amazing Grace. Do you recall the words? Through many dangers, toils and snares; I have already come; 'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.

Are we, am I preaching a soft Gospel that keeps the comfortable happy? Or. Are we, am I spiritually equipping the saints to remain victorious in Christ while enduring the cruelist hardships this life has to offer? I'm doing some soul-searching here. Join me on the journey. Add your comment. Dale

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

#12 - Thank You Prayers

There are 4 rules in the Bible about thank-you prayers. First, you should always give thanks to God. Second, you should always give thanks to God. Third, you should always give thanks to God. Are you seeing a pattern yet? Fourth, you should thank God for everything.

These are hard rules, I know. But try, nevertheless. If you're like me, you don't thank Him enough. Even for the little things.

How many things can you thank God for in 60 seconds?

Ready, set, go!