(In case you are wondering, this is a reblog. Trying to catch up after a busy and challenging week - thanks for your patience!) You’re probably thinking, “You forgot a word, Doug. It’s ‘Thank God it’s Friday.” Actually, it’s intentional. I know the popular phrase (and the restaurant bearing that name). I want us to … Continue reading Thank God Friday!
Month: August 2013
Lord, I Believe. Help My Unbelief!
(This is an ongoing series about prayer in Whole Life Worship)
One of the most profound prayers in the Bible is found in Mark 9. A father watches helplessly as his son is being tormented by demonic powers. Jesus’ disciples cannot cast it out. Jesus comes onto the scene, having just been transfigured in glory on the Mount. But instead of casting out the demon, Jesus engages in a casual conversation with the father. The demon tosses the boy like a rag doll by now, and Jesus makes what appears to be an “unconcerned” comment to the father, “Everything is possible for one who believes” (v. 24). To which the father cries out to Jesus in desperation,
“I believe. Help my unbelief!”
In this prayer we see several things. First Jesus is neither casual nor unconcerned in this story. His actions are intentional. He is trying to draw out the…
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Desire: Cosmic Shell Game or God’s Pathway?
Have you ever played the shell game where you have to guess which shell contains the nut? Sometimes it seems like the pursuit of our desires can be like a cosmic “shell game” where we gauge our circumstances, watch the movements of opportunities, and take a wild stab at it – only to find an … Continue reading Desire: Cosmic Shell Game or God’s Pathway?
The Godly Pursuit of Desire
Yesterday we discussed the sticky wicket of “desire.” Though the True Desire is good and godly, our pursuit of it, outside of God, leads to darkness – placing us in bondage to lesser desires and further away from what our hearts truly long for. Obviously, the key to pursuing True Desire is God. The Psalms … Continue reading The Godly Pursuit of Desire
The Sticky Wicket of “Desire”
The last two blogs have got me thinking a lot about “desire.” This is a topic that I’ve learned a lot over the past several months (thanks to Ruth Haley Barton and some other amazing authors), and I still have a ways to go. What I notice is that desire is something that people don’t … Continue reading The Sticky Wicket of “Desire”
What If We Got What We Wanted?
Yesterday’s topic was about contentment: worshiping God’s goodness and sovereignty which leads to contentment in any and every situation. Today I want to explore the converse idea of: “What if we got what we wanted?” The other day I met with Felix, my good friend of over twenty years. Felix is a very, very talented … Continue reading What If We Got What We Wanted?
You Get What You Get, So Be Thankful for It
As many of you know, my wife, Letty, teaches Kindergarteners. With these “young-uns” one has to come up with quick, memorable statements to help them adjust their thinking (what the Bible calls “renewal of the mind”). When a 5 year old has difficulty when getting a blue balloon instead of a red one or has … Continue reading You Get What You Get, So Be Thankful for It
Misunderstanding the Jesus Prayer
A couple of months ago I blogged about the “Jesus Prayer” (May 15, 2013). After posting that blog, someone requested to be removed from my blog (ouch!). There wasn’t any reason stated for this request, but I think it might have to do with the subject of the Jesus Prayer. After getting over the initial … Continue reading Misunderstanding the Jesus Prayer
What Passionate Worship Looks Like
Over this past week, I’ve looked at Six Spiritual Habits that help us get bearings on our movement toward spiritual maturity. As I mentioned, this is neither an exhaustive list nor is it “Gospel truth.” It is just another way of staying intentional in following Christ. I like the “Habits” because they represent a pretty … Continue reading What Passionate Worship Looks Like
I’m Gonna Let It Shine
One of my favorite nursery worship songs is “This Little Light of Mine.” The little kids love to sing the verses, “Hide it under a bushel? No!!” and “Won’t let Satan blow it out, I’m gonna let it shine!” It’s a great song. But it’s really hard to do in real life. I have to … Continue reading I’m Gonna Let It Shine
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