Answered Prayer

Stephanie and I try to model prayer for the kids whenever we can. Stephanie is especially good at stopping an activity and instructing the kids to pray about ‘this’ or ‘that’ throughout their day. I thought I would borrow a play from her play book tonight.

As I was buckling the kids into their car seats after some shopping at Cub Food tonight I noticed a man having trouble starting his car. Sounded like a bad starter. So I stopped what I was doing and I asked the kids to pray for the man and ask God to start the car so the man could get home. And I kid you not – before they were even done praying the car started! How awesome is that! Jacob happily remarked, “God helped him!”

And I believe that he did. God heard our prayer and he responded. For my kids. And for me.

He’s Only Going To Use Me More

Steven Furtick is sharing some quotes on his blog that have impacted his life in powerful ways. Here is an except from a recent post…

As Clayton was trying to talk me into moving to Boiling Springs and living off my speaking honorariums and love offerings instead of taking one of the 3 offers I had to go make a salary at some pretty large churches, he said something that pushed me out of the boat:

“Steven, the best is yet to come in your life. God is only going to use you more.”

Anyone who has been through a major life transition recently can relate to the intense fear that threatens to paralyze you as you try to figure out what to do next.

I related very much with this post because, gosh, I live in that fear almost everyday. After all that my wife and family and I have been through during the last 16 months, I find myself constantly wrestling with questions of doubt and feelings of despair regarding what to do next. I wonder how/if God is ever going to use me again. I don’t know most of the time what things to pursue or where God’s hand may be involved.

My trust in God’s goodness is high it is just that there are times when I really hate not being able to see all the pieces put together in the puzzle. And I feel like I have all these abilities and talents locked up inside myself and I can’t figure out how they are all supposed to come out. There are days where I feel like I’m floundering back and forth in a fog-filled sea, not really sure which shore I should be headed for to dock.

But I find hope in how Steven ends the post….

I thank God for Clayton, who reminded me at an all-important crossroad in my journey to anticipate that the best is always forthcoming as I follow Christ in faith.

If you are stuck in a portal of uncertainty right now, be encouraged.
God’s calling on your life has not diminished.
Jesus has gone before you and prepared a future of blessing and impact.

He’s only going to use you more.

And he’ll use me more.

But maybe he could do it sooner??????????????

Gauging Your Heart for Those Outside the Faith

Since I became a pastor I always supported the idea of loving people far from God. I believed and taught about the importance of the Great Commission; I sincerely encouraged people to befriend and care for those outside the family of faith. And yet drumming up internal passion for lost people was something that I struggled with personally. I had the knowledge (knowing that we should love people) but I was lacking in the practice (actually doing it). And I was bothered by it.

It is an important practice for me to constantly be looking out against my own apathy. If I get complacent I will drift towards self-absorption. I will become more concerned with my own comfort and enjoyment in life than I am with the eternal state of others’ souls. I will forget to extend to others the great grace and rescue given to me.

Casey points out 4 questions that Dan Kimball asks himself to gauge the condition of his heart for lost people. These are convicting questions to use for personal evaluation and journaling.

1. Am I numb or neutral to people outside the church?
2. Do I intercede daily for people outside the church?
3. Who am I praying for now who is not a Christian?
4. When is the last time I had coffee or dinner or gone to a movie and just hung out with someone who is not a Christian?

How are you doing with this stuff?

Jim Wallis and Greg Boyd

Bethel has the Jim Wallis and Greg Boyd conversation available online. You can click here to access both the video and audio files.

Too bad more people can’t watch this before the election ends tonight. I’d love to watch this with a group of people and have a conversation. Anybody interested should leave me a comment.

Jim Wallis and Greg Boyd audio and video link