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Why We Need to Pray God’s Story

by | Sep 25, 2018 | Gospel living, Prayer, Spiritual Growth

Why We Need to Pray God’s Story

Beginning to Pray God’s Story

Is this series on spiritual graces encouraging and refreshing you? I hope so. Today I want to offer some hope to energize your prayer life. Here is my story: On a cold January night 40 years ago, I sat on a hard rock, looked up at the starry sky and spoke a simple prayer, God, I need help! That was my feeble attempt to acknowledge my desperate need for a Savior. I had only an inkling of how deep my sin nature ran and how impossible it was to earn my own salvation, but God heard these three little words and moved powerfully through them.

Continuing to Pray God’s Story

For years after I called Christ Savior, I handwrote lengthy prayers in a journal and talked to Jesus all day long. “What’s the answer to number 3 on this Calculus test? Or, if you won’t give me the answer, could you just show me how to do it?” (You might say such a request either reflects my shallow faith or my deep understanding that Jesus is the Redeemer of all things, including Calculus!) My #prayer story: Desperation had become dullness. Passion had become passivity. What's your #story with #prayer? Share on X More years went by.  One day I acknowledged that my prayers had become a rote presentation of a laundry list of prayer requests, mostly about someone’s distant relative. Desperation had become dullness. Passion had become passivity. I knew I was supposed to pray as a Christian, but I was struggling to find the energy and the words. I needed to learn to pray all over again. Then I discovered a very important key to prayer:

4 Ways Understanding God’s Story (The Bible) changes our prayer; prayer changes our understanding of God’s Story.

  1. God’s Story helps us remember there is a bigger story. If life is only about the here and now, our little story, if there’s nothing more beyond what we can touch and see, why would anyone pray? Such nearsightedness is perhaps what leads people to “send positive thoughts” rather than the go-big-or-go-home act of prayer.
  2. God’s Story shows us how to pray:What should we pray about? God’s big story shows us that we should pray many things, including these:
  • Thanking our Creator (Phil. 4:6).
  • Harmony in relationships, with God and with others (Eph. 4:2-3).
  • Confession of sin (1 John 1:9).
  • Grieving that things are not as God created them to be (Psalm 88).
  • Redemption of people and this entire cosmos (Romans 8:23).
  • Christ’s return and the wonderful end of the story which is really just the beginning of real life (Revelation 21:1-5).

3. God’s Story gives us a basis for praying. Pray for restoration of broken things. Not broadly. Right here, right now. Lord, restore my understanding of Calculus because you are a restorer of broken things.

4. God’s Story informs our prayers through specific stories.For example, “Lord, don’t let me be cynical like Sarah was when she believed you wouldn’t provide her the promised child!” (See Genesis 18:12). Or, alternatively, “Lord, let me be like Sarah, laughing hilariously at your surprising ways — bringing improbable babies after the story seemed long over.” (See Genesis 21:6).

Try this exercise to pray God’s story!

Take 5 minutes. Write down a situation in your life or the life of someone you know, perhaps something you’ve been praying for. For each of these questions, you will need to write short simple sentence or phrase answers. Connect it to the Big Story of Scripture. Here are some sample questions you can ask to do this:
  • Where do you see the image of God? Where is there shalom (wholeness, peace, harmony, beauty)?
  • What brokenness exists?
  • Is someone moving toward another god to make life work?
  • What redemption has taken place? What redemption are you praying for?
  • What prayer for future restoration might you pray?

A Prayer about Praying

Lord, God, it is pretty astonishing that you’ve not only allowed us, but welcomed us into your presence, to talk with you personally about the things that matter to you and the things that matter to us. We confess, too many times we are simply too busy running our own lives to stop and talk with you about them. We confess, we are often confused about how or what to pray. Help us, Lord, to enjoy this great privilege you have given us as our heavenly Father. In Jesus’ name and by your Spirit, we pray, Amen!

Bible Study: 3 Ways to Stick to It

by | Sep 18, 2018 | Bible study, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

Bible Study: 3 Ways to Stick to It

Bible study reveals God’s glory…

In the previous post in this series on developing Spiritual Graces, I shared the first two tips for “buying a camera” — that is, choosing a Bible to study. Admittedly, buying a camera is not THE most exciting part of photography:-)!

To learn photography, we’ve got to pick up our cameras and actually take some pictures. The camera lens reveals beauties of the world that I wouldn’t have seen without it. In the same way,

  • to discover the glories of God (Ps. 119),
  • to remember the wondrous deeds he has done in Christ (Ps. 96:2),
  • to learn what it means to live in the grace Story he has written,

we need to look through the lens of the Bible.

3 practical ways to develop a rhythm of Bible study:

3. Create a ritual.

Ritual, while some think it means “dull and dry,” is actually a story word.

The Bible suggests that ritual is essential to living out our calling. God’s people gathered regularly to remember and re-tell God’s Story of grace, because when they did, they lived in the freedom and hope the gospel brings. (When they didn’t, they forgot how powerful he was and did ridiculous things like running away in the day of battle. (Ps. 78:9))

To learn photography, we've got to pick up the camera and take some pics. To discover God's glory in the Bible, we've got to pick up the Bible and read. Share on X

Here are some ideas for creating a Bible-reading ritual:

  • Set up a sanctuary. Years ago, my place was a laundry room with a small desk, a Bible, a journal, and church bulletins with prayers and songs. Others have created space in a comfy chair, anywhere outdoors, an area of a cubicle, and a storage closet (yes, I know a mom who claimed that spot and occasionally disappeared there during frenetic days:-).
  • Make it a place of delight. Remember that this is a time of reading, seeing, hearing, the Story of who our delightful God is and how he delights in you. What delights do you want to bring to or leave in your space? A steaming cup of coffee, a cold glass of iced tea, photos of friends, a special journal?
  • Make an appointment. Enter it in your reminders or on your calendar as a recurring event. Look at your day and decide when the best times are: before bed, early in the morning, on a long commute, during afternoon naps (children’s that is:-)!

4. Make a plan/use a plan.

Sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. Remember that the Holy Spirit will work in you through your reading, so be encouraged and choose something. Here are some really helpful ideas:

  • Go through a portion of Scripture:the gospels, the Psalms, the first five books of the Old Testament. You will begin to see how the story of God’s grace develops.
  • Use a designed plan:There are so many good ones out there, and with smartphones and other technology, it can be easier than ever! Here are two I like:
  • The YouVersion: I don’t love the name, but I like having the plan on my phone:-).
  • ESV Reading Plans: Lots of different options to reveal how the redemption story can be found throughout Scripture.

5. Study in community.

Extraverts may like this one better than introverts:  Christianity was never meant to be a solo religion, and the Bible was never meant to be read completely in isolation! Here are a few ideas for community study:

  • at lunch: lunchtime study group to discuss what you read that day.
  • meeting regularly with a friend to study a particular book.
  • attending a local Bible study or even one online.

When we read the Bible in community, we help one another remember gospel truths and challenge one another to live in them through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Free Bible Study Planner Pages

Since I know a lot of folks are into planners these days, and since writing out some of your Bible study notes can be an excellent way to develop a good Bible study habit, this month I designed some planner pages for you, along with the top 6 ideas for developing habits. Subscribe now to get yours!

One last thing about Bible reading: prayer:

Some of you may be wondering why I haven’t mentioned prayer, since Bible reading and prayer go hand in hand. I totally agree, so please stay tuned to read more about what many think is the second hardest spiritual grace: prayer.

 

A prayer about Bible study:

Lord, you created order out of chaos. We need you to create order in our lives so we can stick to a plan to engage your Word on a regular basis. Give us workable plans, good community, and a place of delight, so that we might begin this joyful ritual of spending time with you in your Scripture. In the name of Jesus, the living Word, we pray. Amen.

Photo credit: Photo by madeleine ragsdale on Unsplash.

Bible Reading: Helpful Tools for Healthy Habits

by | Sep 11, 2018 | Bible study, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth

Bible Reading: Helpful Tools for Healthy Habits

Last week, I began a series on how spiritual disciplines become spiritual graces.Today, we look at Bible reading, the beginning place of spiritual graces.

What’s so hard about reading the Bible?

The Bible itself promises us that we will be transformed by reading, meditating, praying, and discussing it (Deuteronomy 8:3; Hebrews 4:12). Yet, Bible reading is probably the spiritual grace Christians struggle with the most. Why?

Two main reasons we struggle are…

  • our worldly selves are more comfortable with the quick-fix, self-promotional stories culture tells. Guess what? The evil one wants to keep it that way!
  • Or, we really really do want to start reading our Bibles more, but we just don’t know how to go about it. Let me tell you a little story to illustrate.

What are your reasons for reading or not reading the Bible regularly? #Biblestudy #gospel Share on X

A story to illustrate…

Every fall, I used to decide to improve my photography skills. I have a nice camera, but it often sits quietly, sadly on my shelf. It has lost its capacity to make dangerous discoveries of God’s exotic world, simply because I don’t touch it.

Usually, I would say, “Okay, I’m really going to do it this time.” I would get out my books about photography, maybe even take part of an online course. Before I knew it, my mind was on overload with all the things to know about apertures, shutter speeds, and ISO’s. By the time I went to take a photograph, I was so paralyzed, I could hardly hold the camera.

Then one year, I did something different. I asked my husband, who is a semi-pro photographer (as in, it’s not his day job, but it could be), to give me some assignments. He watched and taught me as I put on the correct lens and placed the camera on the tripod. Once I was ready, questions answered, he led me to the yard and told me to take pictures of one flower from different perspectives. Later, we discussed it, and I came to understand more about photography.

The point is…

Bible reading doesn’t have to overwhelm you!

I hope these suggestions will get you started, not bog you down with too much information. Today’s post will focus on (ha, get it!) choosing a camera and knowing a little bit about it. Next week, we’ll go out to take some pictures.

1. Learn what the Bible is.

 [People] know that God has provided His Word as heavenly food for daily consumption, but morning by morning, as folks wake up to find God’s Word sitting on the chair-side table covered with dust, they wonder: What is it? and What do we do with it?” Jimmy Davis, The Cruciform Life

The Bible is the one true love story.

It tells us who God is and how he’s made the world, including us. It tells us about how Adam and Eve sinned, trying to take life into their own hands and do things their way, doubting that God was really good. And it tells us how God loved his creation so much that he sent his holy Son as a divine human to die so that we could live in loving relationship with him and one another again. Every historical account, chronicle, law, poem, and prophecy in the Bible points us to God’s work of redemption and grace.

2. Use a good study Bible.

I know. Lots of people tell us not to read commentaries. I agree that it’s important to read the Bible straight-up, but at times, good notes can help us push past the confusion to learning and living The Story in real life.
Here are several of my favorites:

3. Read in different translations:

You have more opportunities than ever to do this in the age of the internet:

Four good translations for various purposes:

  • ESV: a translation that sticks very closely to the original languages while keeping it readable for 21st century readers.
  • NIV84: The original New International Version also correlates closely with original languages and is perhaps slightly easier to read than the ESV.
  • NLT: This translation is a “dynamic equivalent” — it conveys the tone and sense of the original communicators in a highly readable style.
  • The Message: is not a strict translation but is more poetic and like reading a well-written story.

Three places to find these translations:

Ready to practice your Bible reading?

Click on any of the above links, and read John 1:1-5. After reading it, write one short sentence or even a few words about what you read there. You could do that in the comments, somewhere on your phone. Or even on Twitter:-)!

A Prayer about Bible Reading

Lord, we thank you for sharing your majesty, holiness, kindness, and unfailing love with us through your Word. We are awed that as we read, you help us know you better! And that’s not all, as we engage your Scripture, you actually work in us by your Spirit to grow us more and more into the likeness of your Son! Please help us begin good habits of exploring your lovely gift with great joy and deeper understanding. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

5 Story Quotes to Make You Think

by | Aug 21, 2018 | Gospel Coaching, Gospel living, Learning Story

5 Story Quotes to Make You Think

I’m a story lover — are you?

If you read the Living Story blog regularly, you know that it is all about that story — that is, the Story God has written into his cosmos and into our lives.

Enjoy these 5 favorite story quotes along with some reflection questions to help you think about how you are living your God-authored story. If you enjoy them, be sure to share them!

01

Eugene Peterson

Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places

How do you think a story can be an act of hospitality?

02

Dan Allender

To Be Told

What redemption story might God be telling with your life?

03

Scotty Smith

Restoring Broken Things

What role do you play as a carrier of God’s Story?

04

Rachel Remen

Kitchen Table Wisdom

Schedule a time on your calendar to tell and listen to good stories!

05

Madeleine L’Engle

Walking on Water

What does your story reveal about who and what and why you are?

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A New Kind of FOMO

by | Jul 24, 2018 | Gospel living, Learning Story, Spiritual Growth

A New Kind of FOMO

A different kind of FOMO

FOMO: Fear of Missing Out, defined by Merriam Webster as the “fear of not being included in something,” is a thing.

Ever since my daughter, counseling student Mary Elizabeth Blake, shared with us the dangers of social media, I’ve been paying more attention to its effects on me. According to psychologists, social media can cause crippling social and psychological problems, including a sense of isolation and loneliness, negative self-image, and jealousy, among many others. Social media also gives rise to FOMO, because people observe others having a great time and believe that they are missing out.

In continuing this month’s theme of freedom, I thought about a new and different kind of FOMO available to us as Christians: the Freedom of Missing Out. This kind of FOMO, which roots itself in our identity in Christ, gives many benefits without all the negative side effects.

With the new FOMO, Freedom of Missing Out, we get to miss out on some of the anxiety caused by traditional FOMO…

Fear of Missing Out stirs up some of the worst toxins in our hearts, the kinds of things Scripture warns us are dangerous to our souls:

Comparison:

What happens in your heart when you see a friend’s Instagram post of her gorgeous self with her gorgeous boyfriend/husband/children in some gorgeous, exotic place? According to psychologists, what happens to many people is they compare themselves negatively to that person and feel less valuable.

What if, instead, we were to “set our minds on the things above” (Col. 3:23) and revisit Genesis 1, that tells us – yes, this means YOU –

You are created in the image of God. You are blessed by God. The Creator of the Universe has given you a task to do – “Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge!” (Gen. 1:26-28, The MSG).

Envy

The other thing that happens when we see our friend’s social media post showing off the shiny new car, new shoes, new jewelry, they just acquired, is we start to feel that devilish-est of emotions – envy.

According to 1 Corinthians 13:4, love …does not envy, so when we feel envy, we are murdering love. Envy eats contentment for lunch and tosses the remains in the trash. Because I am so vulnerable to the attack of envy, I am now trying to pay attention to how I respond to others’ good fortune and to be sure to count my own blessings before I start wishing I had others’.

In this new kind of FOMO, we will discover the freedom and joy we have in God and one another Share on X

Things we will NOT miss out on with the new FOMO:

On the other hand, the new kind of FOMO, the Freedom of Missing Out means that we will not miss out on things that are essential to a healthy soul:

We will not miss out on …God:

It occurred to me that we should actually have a healthy fearof missing out on God. Just yesterday I read this verse:

Be still in the presence of the Lord, And wait patiently for him to act. Ps. 37:7

When we enjoy the freedom of missing out on the many allurements social media holds out to us, we discover how our souls prosper and flourish in the presence of the Lord. Before his face, we bask in his delight, his grace, his forgiveness, his plans and purposes for us.

We will not miss out on…

True Community:

Don’t get me wrong – I love my “Facebook community,” but the images and words are no substitute for sitting across the table from a good friend or gathering with a group of friends and strangers alike to celebrate a wedding. Because God made us with bodies, because Christ appeared in the flesh, we must not forsake the joy of being together, face to face.

Dear friends, what would this world become if we lived into this new kind of FOMO, this Freedom of Missing Out and Fear of Missing Out on God and one another??

I just wonder…would psychologists start writing articles about this strange phenomenon of people enjoying new freedom because they have   dared to forfeit opportunities in the world in order to gain their souls? Mark 8:36

A Prayer for the Freedom of Missing Out

Lord, you know how our hearts, how we are so easily tempted to compare ourselves with others, forgetting how expertly you have crafted us. You know our needy, greedy proclivities towards envy, towards wanting things others have while forgetting the many benefits you have bestowed. Help, we cry, help. Help us to satisfy our hearts in you and enjoy the Freedom of Missing Out on cheap substitutes. In Jesus’ more-than-enough name, Amen.

Whatever Happened to Wisdom?

by | Apr 17, 2018 | Bible study, Gospel living

Whatever Happened to Wisdom?

What is wisdom?

What I need, I thought as I read Mary Elizabeth Blake’s posts about social media, is a wise tongue. I have begun to be more intentional about how I post, how I comment, and how I spend time looking at people’s pictures and posts with or without commenting. Thinking about a wise tongue made me think about wisdom itself – what is wisdom, and does anyone even want it anymore?

It turns out, based on an internet search, that many people in the 21stcentury think of wisdom in terms of “mindfulness,” which apparently means being attentive to what’s going on in the here and now. There are even entire conferences devoted to wisdom, Wisdom 2.0, for example. The stated purpose of the Wisdom 2.0 conference is to help people learn how “to live with greater wisdom, purpose, and meaning, while using technology in ways that create a more open and healthy culture.”

When I read that, I thought, “Hoo-RAH! I don’t have to shell out 1000 bucks for a conference to get this wisdom! I have a book that’s been around since before time began that teaches me how to live life in the here and now AND the hereafter! Not only that, it points me to the One who made all of that possible!”

Free wisdom!

You probably have it too, or you can read it for free! It’s the book of Proverbs, smack dab in the middle of the Bible. Have you read it lately? I am re-reading it and finding a lot that applies to my here-and-now-and-everafter life.

Consider these five verses and how they might help us grow in wisdom, purpose, meaning, mindfulness, and healthy relationships:

  1. On paying attention to the here and now in order to learn something, in this case, to work hard:

You lazy fool, look at an ant. Watch it closely; let it teach you a thing or two.

Nobody has to tell it what to do.

All summer it stores up food; at harvest it stockpiles provisions. Proverbs 6:6-8, The MSG.

(Don’t you just love how Proverbs speaks bluntly J!).

  1. On finding a strong sense of purpose:

Whoever goes hunting for what is right and kind

Finds life itself – glorious life! Proverbs 21:21, The MSG

  1. On finding meaning in life:

Leave your impoverished confusion and live!

Walk up the street to a life with meaning. Proverbs 9:6, The MSG

  1. On loving someone who is hurting:

 Wise words are like deep waters; wisdom flows from the wise like a bubbling brook. Proverbs 18:4, NLT

  1. On interacting with anyone, anytime:

 Your kindness will reward you, but your cruelty will destroy you. Proverbs 11:17, NLT

The good news of Proverbs is that there is wisdom for daily life; the better news is that there is One who is living wisdom, who sacrificed his life for us so that we might also live wisely:  Jesus.

Wisdom challenge:

Read or re-read Proverbs with Jesus in mind, and pray that you may live and love wisely in God’s story of grace.

Prayer:

Lord, God, we thank you for your wisdom and teaching on how to use words gently, kindly, and wisely. Help us to give life with our words and actions as you have taught us to do through your Servant, Jesus. In his life-giving name we pray, Amen.

 

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