The Last and Hardest Lesson

"Wait, and you shall realize the joy of the one who can be calm and wait, knowing that all is well.  The last and hardest lesson is that of waiting.  So wait.  I would almost say tonight, 'Forgive me, children, that I allow this extra burden to rest upon you for even so short a time.' I would have you know this, that from the moment you placed all in my hands and sought no other aid, from that moment I have taken the quickest way possible to work out your salvation, and to free you."

Those words came to me on October 30, 2009.  They originally were "heard" by someone who was intentionally listening for God's voice and they were passed on to me in a time of great need.

The time of waiting continues.  Specifically what I was waiting for, and what I am still waiting for, is for a particular loved one to be healed and freed.  I am often very impatient and want to take matters into my own hands!  Also, many feel the same sense of urgency and I'm also waiting for the resolution of issues in our church and the reconciliation of those who are just having a hard time.

Still, often, I am tempted to stop waiting and to, instead, take matters into my own hands.  So tonight, another someone who listens for God's voice gave me a copy of a piece entitled "Life Principle 14: God Acts On Behalf Of Those Who Wait."  I hope these words will be as much as blessing to you as they are to me tonight.

    Why does God so often ask us to wait?  Let's consider five major rewards of waiting.

    1. We discover God's will and purpose in the things that most concern us.
    "The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks him" (Lamentations 3:25). God does not string us out to tantalize us. He does not dangle carrots in front of our noses to lead us along. He does not say, as do so many earthly parents, "We'll see." No. Right now, even as we wait, God is working all things together for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purposes (Romans 8:28).
    2. We receive supernatural energy and strength.
    God invites us to claim His promises.  "He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint" (Isaiah 40:29-31).
    God promises that as we wait on Him, he will supply us with supernatural energy.  While our impatience makes us weary and worn, actively waiting on Him  energizes us...

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AUTHOR'S SURPRISE - this is beyond strange... I did not write this today. It just appeared here. It looks familiar though... My guess is that I wrote this at some previous time and somehow dated it way in advance thinking that I'd finish it by the time it automatically posted. I can tell it was in process because I only finished transcribing two of the five points. If you don't understand that it's because you don't blog! In any case, I'm utterly amazed. An hour ago I chose to take a week off from Facebook so I can spend some time waiting and listening to God more carefully. Then I came back from church to the parsonage, talked with my wife for awhile--she's at family camp down at Okoboji with our sons--and for some reason decided to look at the blog. And lo and behold here is this posting that comes out of some point in the past. The incredible thing to me is that not only is it still applicable (though I have gotten a bit better at "waiting" in the past few months), it's just the confirmation that I needed and it comes at precisely the correct time!  Wow!  I am so thankful for the Lord's amazing work! Thank you Jesus. Now I wait for the healing that I (and others) have prayed for for such a very long time.  I wonder when I wrote this?  I'm so curious!

Okay - so I did a search for the original piece that I was transcribing way back when and found the other three rewards of waiting.  They are all true.

    3. We win battles.
    When we rush God’s plans or do things our own way, we end up defeated. But waiting on Him will ensure our victory and keep us from foolish and precipitous acts. Proverbs 20:22 says, “Do not say, ‘I will repay evil’; wait for the LORD, and He will save you.”
    4. We see the fulfillment of our faith.
    The Lord says, “Those who hopefully wait for Me will not be put to shame” (Isa. 49:23).
    In the end, we’ll never be embarrassed if we choose to wait on God. It’s always the wise thing to do. When others encourage us to forge ahead, we need to remember the Lord’s plans and timing are always best. He knows our strengths, weaknesses, and preferences better than anyone else—even better than we know ourselves. And only He can predict the future.
    Don’t let circumstances tempt you to take matters into your own hands. God has a purpose for all you experience. Ultimately, you will be honored—whether during your life or after it ends—if you remain faithful to Him (1 Cor. 4:5).
    5. We see the Father working on our behalf.
    Isaiah spoke of a God “who acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him” (Isa. 64:4). What a wonderful promise! While we actively wait, He actively works. Think of this: Every single day, we have the greatest Mediator working on our behalf.
    Although waiting can be one of the more difficult things in the Christian life, it is not wasted time. During periods of waiting, God teaches us lessons we couldn’t otherwise learn. In such a season, He sifts our motives, strengthens our faith, and may even change our circumstances. His purpose is to keep us in step with Him as He prepares us to receive the answers we need to hear.

Ephesians 1:11 says that the Father “works all things after the counsel of His will.”

What are you currently waiting on God for?

What do you see Him doing in your life as you wait?

Peace to you all in Jesus' name.

www.equalsharing.com

So What Happens Now?

Tonight--well, technically, LAST night--it being after 1:00 a.m. Thursday now, our church talked and sang and sweated through a "special congregation meeting" with a vote on whether or not to disaffiliate from the ELCA.  The vote was taken shortly after 7:00 p.m. and a half hour later the vote was announced--with 111 voting "yes" to leave the ELCA and 116 voting "no." 

Later I got a text from a friend: So what happens now? 

I replied: Well... We keep praying... No quick decisions... I wasn't wanting this vote... It turned out about how I thought... Don't know what is next.  Thank you for asking.

And that's the truth. God holds the future! We are not in control! God is good! Praise God for that! God, and God alone knows "What's Next."

After spending some sweet time with friends late into the evening, we came home and I saw that my daughter Naomi had already written in her blog tonight.  Her blog is called "Simply Shalom."  She began by quoting a Roman Catholic priest and author, Henri Nouwen from his book In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership. 

"We are not the healers.
 We are not the reconcilers.
 We are not the givers of life.
 We are sinful, broken, vulnerable people who need as much care as anybody we care for."

That is so true, Naomi.  We simply submit ourselves to God and rest in His care.  Naomi went on to say:

Tonight my parents’ church voted on whether or not to leave their denominational affiliation. I was there to vote too. (I am a member, my dad is the pastor… but I do not really call it my church because I only lived there for one year.) The resolution to leave the ELCA did not pass–the vote was pretty much split 50-50, but needed a 2/3 majority to pass. But this means the congregation is split 50-50 on this subject and probably on many other related topics as well. (I wrote about this conflict before in my post “Washing Feet for Unity.“)

Our synod bishop* was there and she said to my dad (the pastor), “This just means you’ll have to work on reconciliation.” And my dad said, “Sometimes reconciliation is not possible. People are not only in conflict with one another. They are in conflict about a principle.” (see the ELCA social statement on human sexuality that was adopted in the 2009 churchwide assembly here.)

After this "vote" which showed that we are quite different from one another, and even when we cannot be FULLY reconciled, we can still can be kind to one another.  We can care about one another even when we disagree about things that are hugely important.

But even Jesus was not fully reconciled with everyone during his time on earth--we'll see that as we read from Luke 9:51-62 assigned for this coming Sunday.  There are times for many things under heaven.  There are times to "scatter" and there are times to "gather."  There are extended times of uncomfortable feelings and outright disagreements. There are things no human being can control.  Even leaders are simply too broken and weak to do much of anything sometimes.  We can follow Jesus' example.  We can love and forgive.  But we can't make someone make up.  Even Jesus didn't do that.

I hope everyone will stick together, but that's not something I can make happen.  So, when I think again about my friend's question, "So what happens now?"  I have to say, only God knows.  And tonight I'll leave it in God's hands.

If you wonder what happens now -- Ask God!  Pray, believe, and do all you can to live at peace as the Word of God commands you in Romans 12:9-21.  Breathe and trust our God.  He holds the future.  We do not.  When we surrender to God, He will work things out.  All we do is trust and obey.

On another dear "friend's" facebook wall I was reminded of these verses tonight:

Jesus said,
"Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
(Matthew 11:28-30)

That's the promise I will rest in tonight.  I have a promise from Jesus--an excellent promise of his eternal love that holds me even though I don't deserve to be held.  I'm rambling, I'm tired, I'm disoganized.  But I am so thankful that my Lord holds me anyway. Praise the name of Jesus forever!

I want to be with Jesus.  I hope you will too. Only as we are "yoked" or "connected" to Jesus can we find peace, or, as my daughter would say, "Simply Shalom."  Good night.

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*My daughter promoted Pastor Linda Pedersen to bishop!  Her official position is "Synod Minister" and she serves as assistant to Bishop John Anderson here in Southwestern Minnesota.  Naomi's blog post from tonight, pictured above, is called "We are not the reconcilers." Click the colored words for links.

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Meditating on God's Word

About a week ago or more a member of our church who has been a great prayer partner for me dropped off a photocopy of a devotional reading entitled "What the Bible Says about the Thrill of Obedience." It was read at staff meeting this morning by our office manager since the person assigned to do the devotion today was unavailable.

The devotional was deeply meaningful for me, especially because another prayer partner had texted me about being awakened at 4:30 this morning with a clear sense of God's direction for something he or she had been praying about.  He or she asked me to pray that God would confirm the word that he or she had perceived was from the Lord.  Perhaps God is confirming it through this devotion.

The devotion speaks of the Lord continuously moving us "through a variety of circumstances" as He works our His purpose for our lives.  Though we can never allow experience to override God's written Word in the Bible, as we live in submission to and in agreement with that Word we can pray for the Holy Spirit to guide us through all of our ups and downs.  One of the readings assigned for this coming Sunday confirms this also, as Elijah waited through wind, earthquake and fire to hear a gentle whisper (דְּמָמָה דַקָּה׃) from God (1 Kings 19:12).

The devotion we read this morning is based on Isaiah 31:21 -- see that verse in context below.

¹⁹ Truly, O people in Zion, inhabitants of Jerusalem, you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when he hears it, he will answer you. ²⁰ Though the Lord may give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself any more, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. ²¹ And when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it." ²² Then you will defile your silver-covered idols and your gold-plated images. You will scatter them like filthy rags; you will say to them, “Away with you!”

²³ He will give rain for the seed with which you sow the ground, and grain, the produce of the ground, which will be rich and plenteous. On that day your cattle will graze in broad pastures; ²⁴ and the oxen and donkeys that till the ground will eat silage, which has been winnowed with shovel and fork. ²⁵ On every lofty mountain and every high hill there will be brooks running with water—on a day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall. ²⁶ Moreover the light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, like the light of seven days, on the day when the Lord binds up the injuries of his people, and heals the wounds inflicted by his blow.

Here's the devotion about the thrilling adventure of obedience:

    '...God intended our walk of faith to be a thrilling adventure, motivated by our love for Jesus Christ.  Obedience is about discovering God, not about avoiding unpleasant consequences.  That is why John can say, "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.  And His commandments are not burdensome" (First John 5:3).
    When we place our trust in the omnipotence of the Lord and act on His prompting, life becomes exciting.  We need not be afraid of the future because God already knows the outcome of our obedience--and we can trust His promise that He does everything for our good (Romans 8:28).
    Walking in faith is so thrilling because each step leads to a fantastic blessing from Almighty God. The Lord continuously moves through a variety of circumstances toward His overriding purpose for our lives. If we back off from obedience because of a mistaken desire for safety, we deprive God of the opportunity to demonstrate His awesome power in us. Small choices may seem insignificant, but they lead toward a lifetime of walking with God.
    As God's children, we should ask Him what He wants us to do every day. "What would you have me say here, Lord" or "What is the best decision now?" We must learn to listen to our heavenly Father and remain sensitive to the quiet voice that prompts us throughout the day. Isaiah says: "Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' whenever you turn to the right hand or to the left."
    When we keep our minds attuned to Him, we will begin to understand the significance of some decisions we might otherwise barely notice. Ultimately the awareness will lead to a lifestyle of walking with the Lord and receiving His best for us.'

As you look to what is ahead of you--what is your next step of obedience?  Keep your mind attuned to God by meditating on His Word, and then ask Him to speak and confirm what He has said.

www.equalsharing.com

For the Children

As we move forward to next week's vote, the most important people to think about are the children.  I encourage you to read the following two chapters of the GOSPEL OF MATTHEW and then to spend time in prayer.  We will be meeting for prayer tonight here at church at 6:30.  There are special promises, according to Matthew 18:19-20, that come along with us when we gather for prayer with others.  Also, pay close attention to the matter of repentance and forgiveness.  If you hold anger in your heart toward someone, now is the time to go to that person and work it out.  That's in this section of Matthew also.  We do this, not only for ourselves, but for our children and the generations to come.  See you tonight at prayer.

THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” ² He called a child, whom he put among them, ³ and said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ⁵ Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

⁶ “If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea. ⁷ Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to the one by whom the stumbling block comes!

⁸ “If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and to be thrown into the eternal fire. ⁹ And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into the hell of fire.

¹⁰ “Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven. ¹² What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? ¹³ And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. ¹⁴ So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.

¹⁵ “If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. ¹⁶ But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. ¹⁷ If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. ¹⁸ Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. ¹⁹ Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”

²¹ Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” ²² Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.

²³ “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. ²⁴ When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; ²⁵ and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. ²⁶ So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ ²⁷ And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. ²⁸ But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ ²⁹ Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ ³⁰ But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. ³¹ When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. ³² Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. ³³ Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ ³⁴ And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. ³⁵ So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” 

19 When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. ² Large crowds followed him, and he cured them there.

³ Some Pharisees came to him, and to test him they asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause?” ⁴ He answered, “Have you not read that the one who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ ⁵ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? ⁶ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” ⁷ They said to him, “Why then did Moses command us to give a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her?” ⁸ He said to them, “It was because you were so hard-hearted that Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. ⁹ And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for unchastity, and marries another commits adultery.”

¹⁰ His disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” ¹¹ But he said to them, “Not everyone can accept this teaching, but only those to whom it is given. ¹² For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.”

¹³ Then little children were being brought to him in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them; ¹⁴ but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” ¹⁵ And he laid his hands on them and went on his way.

¹⁶ Then someone came to him and said, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” ¹⁷ And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” ¹⁸ He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; ¹⁹ Honor your father and mother; also, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ²⁰ The young man said to him, “I have kept all these; what do I still lack?” ²¹ Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” ²² When the young man heard this word, he went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

²³ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴ Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” ²⁵ When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astounded and said, “Then who can be saved?” ²⁶ But Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”

²⁷ Then Peter said in reply, “Look, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” ²⁸ Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man is seated on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹ And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold, and will inherit eternal life. ³⁰ But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.

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No Other Aid

Here's a link to the audio from Sunday's sermon - click here.  This is a further meditation on that same journey to "The Third Floor."

The situation of the two widows (in 1 Kings 17:17-24 and Luke 7:11-17) is desperate beyond anything I've ever experienced... but one thing they have going for them--the loss of their husbands and children is something other people could understand.  Often, like in Luke 7, the whole community turns out in sympathy.  Pastor Ken Klaus said the same thing early Sunday morning on The Lutheran Hour.  Everyone can understand that kind of grief.

There are other griefs, however, that bring us to the "second and third floor" of our lives in a way that are more difficult to understand.  In the past 9 months or so, for example, I have wept at times with a depth of sadness that even I don't comprehend.  And others--well, how can they understand if I don't?  "Why is he overreacting?"  "Is he losing his mind?"

I tell people not to worry.  I let them know that sometimes the best way for me to hold things together is to let myself fall apart for awhile.  Even in the depths, I have learned to trust in God.  When I am in the depths I have a hard time reassuring others, but I know I'll be okay.  I know that because of experience, but even more I know from trusting God's Word.  Psalm 30 is a great example of that.

When I feel waves of sadness coming over me, I have very literally gone to the second or third floor of our home to be alone with God.  It's not that I would not welcome an understanding arm around the shoulder or a listening ear, it's just that some things are so deep that the only one who truly understands is my Father in Heaven, God Himself.  Perhaps you have experienced moments like that--when feelings are beyond our human ability to explain.

I want to encourage you to seek an understanding someone to come alongside you.  The situations that "no one can explain" are truly rare.  Often we might need to talk with a listening, praying, caring person who has been equipped for ministry as a pastor or counselor or prayer minister.  Don't go all alone with a heavy heart to the "prayer closet" too soon.  Don't go there alone for long when you are overcome with grief or trouble.  Share your journey with a trusted Christian elder who can guide you.

But, when there truly is no other aid, go and pray alone.  Pour out your heart to God.  Bring your Bible or a Christian devotional book.  Ask God to speak to you.  Let him push you, if he desires, to share your grief with another.  But when there is no other aid, go to God the Father directly.  Pour out your complaint in sighs and groans and cries too deep for words.  In Jesus' name, God will hear.  He will understand.  In Jesus Christ, God has been there too.

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Spiritual Battle (part 3)

As I've been reading through the battles of Joshua, I recognize this truth:  The key to success in spiritual warfare is surrender.  Surrendering to God.  Letting Him have his way.  Submitting to Him means success.  Resistance to His will means failure.  This happens over and over again.

This means, in the spiritual battles today, God's people never manage or manipulate or try to "run" things to ensure success.  If we rely on any human strength, if we rely on our own schemes and plans, we will fail.  Success never comes when we do things with power.  We surrender to God as we surrender to His Word.

So we pray, pray pray.  Tomorrow night we meet for prayer at 6:30.  It's the most important thing we do.  Submitting to God in prayer.  If we want God's Will to triumph in our lives, there is nothing else we can do.

We read from Psalm 119 tonight at Baccalaureate.  As we gathered with our high school soon-to-be graduates and their families, as we wish success for them, we realize that it only comes in submitting to the Lord and His Word.

Here's the Psalm:

⁹⁷ Oh, how I love your law!
    It is my meditation all day long.
⁹⁸ Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies,
    for it is always with me.
⁹⁹ I have more understanding than all my teachers,
    for your decrees are my meditation.
¹⁰⁰ I understand more than the aged,
    for I keep your precepts.
¹⁰¹ I hold back my feet from every evil way,
    in order to keep your word.
¹⁰² I do not turn away from your ordinances,
    for you have taught me.
¹⁰³ How sweet are your words to my taste,
    sweeter than honey to my mouth!
¹⁰⁴ Through your precepts I get understanding;
    therefore I hate every false way.
¹⁰⁵ Your word is a lamp to my feet
    and a light to my path.
¹⁰⁶ I have sworn an oath and confirmed it,
    to observe your righteous ordinances.
¹⁰⁷ I am severely afflicted;
    give me life, O Lord, according to your word.
¹⁰⁸ Accept my offerings of praise, O Lord,
    and teach me your ordinances.
¹⁰⁹ I hold my life in my hand continually,
    but I do not forget your law.
¹¹⁰ The wicked have laid a snare for me,
    but I do not stray from your precepts.
¹¹¹ Your decrees are my heritage forever;
    they are the joy of my heart.
¹¹² I incline my heart to perform your statutes
    forever, to the end.

Whether we are high school graduates or older or younger, when we do not conform to God's Word, we fail. We can debate any issue, but we must do so on the basis of God's Word, or we will fail. Success only comes in submission and surrender to the Lord through His Word--the Word as centered and known most clearly in Jesus Christ. I know no other way.

*REMINDER added Thursday, June 3 - "Spiritual Battles" are NEVER against other people.  The main "enemy" is our own fear and anxiety, and our own reactions to those feelings.

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Reasonable But Beyond Our Sight

It's late at night after the second day of the "prayer school."* On Tuesday we moved on from the basics of prayer to teaching on "spiritual warfare" prayer against evil forces.  Not only did we learn, we also prayed.  We prayed about things I've never spent much time thinking about.  We prayed for divine protection in the realms of the spirit.  We prayed prayers that take the "binding and loosing" authority from Matthew 16:19 quite literally.  I'm still running it all through my theological filters.

Here are a few quick thoughts before I go to bed--thoughts directed at my own skeptical self and at others who doubt the reality of things beyond what we can see with our own eyes. Though some of these things I'm learning here may be hard for me to accept when I get back home, there are reasons to pay attention to spiritual reality and learn how to deal with it:

1.  Anyone who prays is betting that there is a "spiritual reality" beyond what we can discern with our senses.

2.  Anyone who trusts Jesus as his or her savior from sin and its consequences is a believer in spiritual reality.  Otherwise trusting in a 2000-years-ago sacrificial death and resurrection would make no sense.  Christians believe that changes were made in the spiritual realms because of what Jesus did.

3.  The scriptures clearly state that Jesus and his disciples believed in the reality of spiritual beings such as God, angels, the devil and demons.  Can we throw out those beliefs and remain true to the Christian faith?

4.  When we experience unexplainable goodness or, on the other hand, has come up against situations where evil seems to be deeply entrenched, it is not unreasonable to think that we are encountering spiritual realities of goodness or evil.

5.  If God is "personal," that is, if God is anything other than a mindless "force of nature," and if God creates people with personalities, it's not unreasonable to think that God could also have created other personal beings, beings that may, like God himself, not have physical bodies, but, instead, be spiritual in nature.

6.  If prayer makes a difference in the lives of people here on earth, why couldn't it also make a difference among those who we cannot see?

I'm asking these questions because we're learning at this "prayer school" about prayer that deals with things far beyond the things we think about on an every day basis.  This world view takes the Bible seriously.  I'm still working this through, still praying and discerning, but I'm not ready to throw it out.

Of course, as we were warned in a presentation before Tuesday's main teaching, it's easy to put too much emphasis on angels and demons.  It's only part of the story.  But, if the scriptures and Jesus are correct, it's not a reality that we ought to ignore.

What do you think?  Comment below or email me anytime.

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*see yesterday's post

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Time to Pray

This coming Sunday the assigned gospel is from Jesus' prayer as recorded in John 17.  Jesus here is praying that we would have the kind of relationship with him that he has with his Father.  Jesus spent a lot of time in prayer.  In fact, the Bible says he is praying now, interceding for us, coming before God the Father with our needs!  So, if we're going to have the same kind of relationship with him as he does with his Father, doesn't that mean we will spend time in prayer too?

I'm spending this week at a prayer school* and prayer retreat up at Mount Carmel Bible Camp near Alexandria, MN.  It's a nice getaway... I'm considering it "continuing education" which is a part of my job... the prayer school is being led by Pastor Bjorn Peterson, currently on the staff of the ELCA's Grand Canyon Synod's Prayer Ministry.

But this prayer school and retreat is much more than education, and far more active than a retreat.  If this first day of this prayer school is any indication, things will be happening here.  Here, we won't just learn about prayer, we will pray.  Because we know prayer is important for Jesus, it's time well spent.

So, please let us know how we can pray for you this week.  Call me or text 763-291-3499.  Send an email -- I'll be checking email occasionally.  You can connect with me by facebook too.  Is anything making you feel anxious or afraid?  Are you weary or burdened?  Let us pray with you.  Don't try to go it alone.  Jesus is praying that we would be united with him in the same sort of relationship that he has with his Father.  And that means praying together--or at least sharing our concerns so we can pray together over the miles when we must be apart for now.

The peace of the Lord will come and be with you as you join with others to pray, in Jesus' name.

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*The prayer school is focused on "Strategic Level Intercession and Warfare Prayer" based on Ephesians 6:10-20 and a Christian spiritual interpretation of the the Old Testament books Joshua and Judges where warfare plays such a central role.  It's the first prayer school on this topic that Prayer Watch International has ever sponsored in the United States.  We'll be having a different week long prayer school at our church next week, May 17-22.  The focus of that week is Listening--Listening for God's "voice" in scripture and through the Holy Spirit.  You're invited to come for all or part of the week.  Let me know if you would appreciate some financial aid to help you attend.

Prayer and the New You (part 2)

Today is the national day of prayer. We had about a dozen community members, students, staff & teachers in prayer at the high school earlier this morning. This evening we will have our regular time for prayer at 6:30. Then those who desire will go at 7:00 to the Elim Mission Church for a time of prayer as a community.

As an introduction to prayer we read Luke 11:1-13 and at the end Psalm 16 which begins:

Protect me, O God; I trust in you for safety. I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; all the good things I have come from you.” (Good News Bible)

Though this world is still ruled by the powers of evil, and though all creation is corrupted and broken, all creation and every creature is still precious to our wonderful Creator.  And though we human beings are responsible for the "fall" into sin and evil, God's love has never given up on us.*  In fact, in His mercy, because of what Jesus has done, God gives us the opportunity to leave the past behind and to become new every day.

When we do become new through forgiveness and trust, we are really new!  We may not feel new.  We may not look new.  Like Jesus, we may look quite "normal."  But we're not.  And because we're not, there are times when we won't fit in.  There are times when we'll be under attack because, in some way or another, our newness comes shining through.  The old darkness hates the new light.  So, because we are new, we may actually feel worse than we did before!  And that's another reason we need to be in prayer.

Protect me, O God; I trust in you for safety. I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; all the good things I have come from you.”

When we are new we cannot rely on old methods of protection.  The Bible makes it clear, over and over again, that we cannot rely on anything other than God.  People who trust in themselves or in the powers of this world will stumble and fall.  But when we trust only in the power of the Lord our God, we will rise and stand firm (Psalm 20:7-8).  And, when we pray, we trust in the power of God.  Prayer helps us trust.  Prayer helps us believe.  Don't pretend you can live as a new person in this old world without prayer.

Once again I encourage everyone to come for a day or more to the Prayer School we'll be hosting here at our church from May 17-22.  If you can't do that, just come tonight or any Thursday evening at 6:30.  It's good to get together and pray, to pray for God's protection, and, of course, to pray that others also will become new through repentance, forgiveness, and the all inclusive love of God.

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*Last night Nate and I shared part of a video with our youth that presents God's love in the first person.  It's six minutes long.  You can watch it by clicking here.

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Prayer and the New You

Praying and preparing to preach and pray this week, I'm in the book of Revelation.  Here we have a complex vision that God gave to the Apostle John when he was imprisoned on Patmos.  In Revelation we see earth's history from God's point of view, a war between good and evil which ends with total joy, total peace, total beauty.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth... and I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

I encourage you to meditate on this section of the book of Revelation by clicking here.  You won't understand it all, but you will get a sense of how glorious you will be in the end when you are joined to Jesus Christ.  For the holy city, the new Jerusalem, the "bride" of Christ--that is you--when you are joined to Jesus Christ.  When you are joined to Jesus you are beautiful beyond description.  You are a jewel in the holy city.  When you are joined to Jesus, you are a precious gift of God. Words fail in describing how excellent you are in the eyes of God.

Of course, your beauty is not your own doing.  Your own goodness is nothing but filthy rags. But when Jesus, your groom, claims you by God's Word and Holy Spirit, you are made new.  At the end of all things your glory will be revealed, not as anything you are in yourself, but as a part of the glory of God coming down from heaven.  Your goodness, your beauty, it comes "down out of heaven from God."

Will you trust Jesus for your beauty today?  Will you give up your search for your own beauty?  Will you come to the Lord in humble prayer, asking that your heart and your eyes be healed so you can see yourself as God sees you?  Will you ask others to pray for you and with you?  When you are sick at heart or sick in body, God has a promise for you.

Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. James 5:14-16

It's that sort of prayer that God is calling us to at our church during these days.  Some of us feel far from the Lord.  Some of us feel far from beautiful.  So we come, as God commands, to His Word and in prayer, clinging to his promises.  Promises that transform and change us when we pray.  In prayer, God's beauty shines.

Come to church every Thursday evening at 6:30 p.m. for prayer.  Or call us or other mature Christian friends (elders) who will pray with you at another time.  There is a special blessing when we get together in the name of the Lord.  This Thursday we have a special time of prayer--the National Day of Prayer.  Here in the Dassel-Cokato area we have times of prayer at the schools (7:30-7:45 a.m.), at the Cokato City Hall (12:20-12:40), and at the Elim Mission Church from 7-8:00 p.m.  The morning prayer at the schools (7:30-7:45 a.m.) will be at Dassel Elementary (next to the music room), at Cokato Elementary (music room), and at the High School (in the choir room just off the main commons).

Though God is perfect, prayer never is.  But still, stumbling or profound, God honors us when we come humbly to him in prayer, seeking his eyes, his heart, his purposes.  As we keep praying together, God will raise you up!  In the end, joined to Jesus, you and I will be jewels, precious, beautiful, the bride, the city of God.

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God's Will Be Done

A part of our Lord's Revelation to John the Apostle that we'll be reading at worship tomorrow morning:

21 ¹Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. ² And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; ⁴ he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the former things have passed away.” ⁵ And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.” ⁶ Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.

What does that mean?  There is a lot that can be said.  But, just to whet your appetite, here's part of a commentary by Brian Peterson, Professor of New Testament at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia, SC:

God will wipe away every tear (verse 4a). This is surely one of the most moving images in scripture. The connection to the former things passing away (verse 4b) is crucial here. The promise is not only that God will wipe away any tears that might happen to linger on our cheeks after that Last Day, but that God will reach back through time to wipe away all the pained tears ever shed.

God will not just comfort us and help us to forget the bad things, but God will redeem the whole sorry story of human history. This is part of the deep hope of apocalyptic texts: salvation cannot come for me, in its full sense, as long as the terrible effects of my sins continue to ripple through the world... The promise here is that the chain reaction of human sin will be ended, and all the tears will be wiped away. The tears that God must wipe away are not only the tears we shed, but also the tears we cause.

We do not need to wait until we get to heaven.  The time for deliverance is now!  Lift up a suffering friend or family member to the Lord tonight!  If you can, go to them with others that care.  Gently touch their heads or shoulders and pray that they will know how precious they are in God's eyes.  Pray God's best now.  And keep praying.  This is God's will, made possible when Jesus took our all our sins to his cross and rose victorious to give us a new life.

Will you pray with me?

Father God, come and begin wiping tears now through your precious promises.  Through your Holy Spirit, come and do your work.  Your will be done on earth as in heaven. Bring suffering ones we name before you out of the scarred past and into the light of your presence now.  Give them a glimpse of your forever and ever love.  Begin and continue and complete your healing work. In Jesus' name.

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Leaving the Building

Two weeks ago at the SW MN Synod Assembly several of us went to Gloria Dei Lutheran Church where we learned Doorway Evangelizing.  People from Gloria Dei has been praying for people in their neighborhoods and we went out to knock on some doors.  We brought a treat and asked "Is there anything we could pray for you?"  We did something similar last Sunday here in Cokato.  We met at 10:00 in the church library for prayer, asked the Lord to lead us, then went out with pieces of Karen Ake's birthday cake and a prayer request slip.  In both cases, people were blessed.  We'll try it again tomorrow.  Meet in the library for prayer at 10:00.  Some will just pray, others will go out.

It's good to invite people to church.  But it's even sometimes more helpful to just go to where they are.  Take a look at the following video and let me know what you think.

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Asking your prayers for my family

My dad's brother David Thorson died this morning at the nursing home in Fridley where he had lived for many years. David served in the Air Force about 60 years ago where he was injured. Since then he has lived on disability. My dad's sister Betty has cared for David over the years and we are very thankful for her. David was very generous with me and my sisters and brother. I will miss him. He has suffered much but now, thanks to the grace of God, he is rejoicing and whole in the presence of Jesus.

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May 17-22 Prayer School

After prayer group last night we were talking and the outcome was that I extended an invitation to Pastors Karl Kruse and Bjorn Petersen to lead a week long "Prayer School" called Heart to Heart with God at our church from Monday. May 17 through Friday, May 21 (8:30 - 5:00 p.m.) and then 8:30 to noon on Saturday, May 22.

The main leader is Pastor Bjorn Pedersen.  Pastor Bjorn graduated from Concordia College (Moorhead, MN) in 1968 and 1971 from Luther Northwestern Seminary. He lived in the Alexandria, MN area--working there as a banker and as a part time preacher.  On Sunday, April 27, 1986, God gave him a vision of prayer for the worldwide body of Christ, described in scripture as Christ's bride.  For ten years, from the late 1980s until 1997, he served as Pastor of Prayer at Community Church of Joy in Glendale, Arizona.  During that time he provided many prayer growth opportunities, including the College of Prayer with nearly 100 different courses. In 1997 Pastor Bjorn launched Prayer Watch International. Bjorn Pedersen is also the author of the book: “Face to Face with God in Your Church: Establishing a Prayer Ministry” published by Augsburg-Fortress. 

The Heart To Heart With God Prayer School focuses on Waiting on the Lord, Learning to Recognize His Voice, and Obediently Doing What He Says.  In the John 10 scripture for the upcoming Good Shepherd Sunday on April 28, Jesus says "My sheep hear my voice."  This shepherding analogy means that ordinary human beings who trust Jesus are given the ability to hear Jesus and be led by him.  Those who attend this prayer school will learn through experience how hearing God's voice can be a part of our every day lives.

On the Prayer Watch International Website Heart to Heart with God is known as "Prayer School Three" but there is no reason to take the first or second before the third. Here is a further description of what you can expect:

"Heart to Heart with God is designed to develop a deeper and more personal relationship with Jesus. ...Prayer is a relationship between God and His people. The relationship is greatly enhanced by meaningful communication.

"Prayer is meant to be a dialogue. Meaningful prayer needs to include times of listening to what God wants to share. In order to effectively listen, believers need to recognize the voice of God and how He speaks. Heart to Heart with God also trains believers in how to journal what is received during listening prayer times. There exist, however, hindrances to hearing and recognizing God's voice. After God has spoken, He will confirm His message. How does He do that? All of these areas are major courses in Heart to Heart with God. Add to this learning important principles of guidance, recognizing false guidance and knowing God's will."

THE CURRICULUM

• Orientation and Overview
• Preparation: Establishing a Strong Prayer Foundation 
• Prayer Journaling Training and Practice (processing) 
• Applying the Theory to Daily Life and Ministry
• Graduation and Commissioning: Go and do it!

More details will be forthcoming.  Contact our church office at 320-286-5964.

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Hearing God's Voice

"My sheep hear my voice." (Jesus in John 10:27)

Tonight I got an email from a member of our church who will be doing the children's message on April 25.  Everything we do in worship is guided by the scriptures, so I looked at what is assigned for that day (The Fourth Sunday of Easter) and the words "My sheep hear my voice" stood out right away. Picked up a bulletin from church and those were the same words printed on the cover.  Went over to the church member's home, planned the children's message in about 5 minutes flat, spent a little time with the husband and wife and was back at home in 45 minutes from the time I got the email.  And I did not feel like I was in a hurry.

Amazing things can happen when we are open to hearing God's voice.  I believe God is ready to guide us every day when we are ready to obey.  We get used to his voice by spending time in the scriptures and with people who are likewise immersed in God's Word.  As we read the Bible we focus our attention most on Jesus, striving to learn from Him who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  The Bible is a library, not a book, and it's good to start with the most important parts--Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  When we hear his voice often, we can recognize it also in the rest of the scriptures, and our spiritual ears and hearts are open to his call in the rest of our lives.

For the children's message on the 25th we'll have some parents speak while their children's backs are turned.  The children will recognize their parents' voices because they are used to them.  So it is with the voice of our Lord.  Spend time with Jesus in scripture, in friendship and in prayer, and you will recognize his voice more and more.

From the time I was a small child God spoke to me through my faithful, loving parents.  They taught me the heart of Jesus over and over again until it has just become second nature to me.  God gave me my wife to help and correct me, and her wisdom has often kept me from going off in wrong directions.  She was likewise raised with the voice of Jesus from her parents in her ears and in her heart.  Now, it seems, not a day goes by without hearing God's call. 

What experiences have you had in listening for and obeying God's voice?   How have you been trained to hear that precious voice?  Are you seeking guidance today?  How can we pray for you?  Comment or email me so we can share!

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