How to Study the Bible

There can be little doubt among Christians that the Bible is the beginning place for spiritual information and growth. Our prayer lives are important, but we must never take for granted the Holy Scriptures as we learn about God and his will for our lives. The Bible serves as the foundation stone for everything else that we believe, do or value. We have spent time discussing the importance of reading and studying God's word, and we have considered some tools that will assist us in understanding the background and meaning of the Bible. Now let's consider how to study the Bible.

To begin with we need to reiterate the importance of reading the Bible. In the words of the famous Nike ad, “Just do it.” You do not need to learn everything before you start reading the Bible. Just start reading it. There are a lot of aids at this point. Find a schedule that will work for you. There are many online resources to help with this. In addition, we have a schedule that we are following as a congregation for 2012. Choose something and get started.

Now that you are started, ask yourself the following questions about your reading each time you read.

• What does this passage say? Decide what it is that the Biblical author is trying to communicate. You can do this by using some resources that will assist you in understanding. A study Bible or a commentary might be helpful. It could be that you will want to read the passage in some different translations. Start by reading the passage slowly. Ask the big questions: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? Learn what is happening and what is being said in a passage before you move on.
• How does this passage apply to me? Bible study is perhaps the most important thing that you can do on a regular basis. But the value of that study is severely limited if you don't follow it up by learning what you should do about it. The Bible calls us to action. It is a great source of information, but more importantly it is a book of instruction. When studying God's word think about what you should do because of what it says. How does a passage affect you? How should you think?
• Why is this passage important? To begin with we need to understand that all the passages in the Bible are important. Some are more or less relevant to us than others, but all are equally a part of God's word to us. With that disclaimer out of the way, pray about the significance of a passage. Not how important it is compared to other passages, but rather, answer why it is important to you. What is God trying to teach you with this passage? What is it's significance in my life?

There was a Christian song that was pretty popular several years ago. The hook of the chorus was “Read the book; don't wait for the movie.” That should be our approach to the Bible. We need to jump in and have a go. Hopefully you are now feeling more prepared to do that.

Famous Last Words

Much has been made of the final words of people, particularly famous people. John Adams, for example, said, “Thomas Jefferson still lives.” Except that Jefferson died the same day- July 4, 1826. Others have not had such famous last words on earth, but are remembered for things they said upon leaving. Douglas MacArthur promised, “I shall return,” as he left the Philippines. The classic film, Casablanca, ends with Humphrey Bogart’s character, Rick, saying, “I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

And so now I am facing the prospect of offering some final words. However, I am sure that I have nothing new, original or especially profound. We have loved living in Howe and serving the church Howe and Pretty Prairie United Methodist Churches. You are great people and we love you. But the opportunities for saying things to you all are dwindling now. There are a few sermons left, there are some conversations, but this is the last article. Let me offer to you some basic, foundational words that you will be familiar with by now. In the coming years, I encourage you to practice the Four Most Important Things.

1. Bible Study. Spend time reading God’s word. Study it. Memorize it. Read about it. Discuss it. Time spent with God in his word will never be wasted time. Get to know God in a new way. We are currently in the midst of a one-year campaign to read the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs. I hope that you will not stop just because I am not here to remind you.

2. Prayer. Learn to devote time to God. Talk to him. Listen to what he has to say. Ask advice. Request help. Get to know God in new ways. You will find if you spend time with God, you will always have enough time. He will make the time productive and a blessing to you, every time.

3. Fellowship. Learn to enjoy the company of other Christians. Spend time with the people who love God. They will support you in your faith and walk with God. You can support them in their times of trial and difficulty. Together the people of God can stand against temptation and become powerful instruments of God’s grace and healing.

4. Ministry. Always remember that following Christ is not the end of the line. We are to study, prayer and fellowship to know the Lord, but the result of all these things is that we reach out to and care for those inside and outside the body of Christ. In a very real sense we are the hands and feet of God on earth.

One more thing- the United Methodists who worship at Howe and Pretty Prairie churches have a great opportunity coming up. The United Methodist Church is organized as a “connectional” system. One way that this works is for us to demonstrate the value of our connection. Our churches do not have to struggle and search for leadership. Our new pastor will arrive next month. We know that Jean Ness is competent, trained, educated and experienced in all areas that will make her an effective pastor. By receiving her, sharing in her ministry and caring for her family we demonstrate to the world, and to ourselves, that we serve a great God who is bigger than our differences and changes that the world may consider to be insurmountable.

God bless you all.

Basic Christian Stuff: The Christian Year

There are some things that we Christians all share in common. We all believe that Jesus is the Son of God that God created the earth and that prayer is an effective mode of communication with the Almighty. There are also some things that are not observed universally in the church. Each denomination, each arm of the church has particular emphases or doctrines that we hold. For example, we United Methodists are in the Wesleyan- Arminian theological segment of the protestant church. This means that we believe that all people are given the ability by God to choose their own destiny. Calvinists, on the other hand, believe that our destiny is determined before hand by God. This is often called “predestination.” We are still in the same part of the Christian tradition, but this is a significant distinction.

Another area of similarity in the church is the Christian Calendar, or the Christian Year. Orthodox Christians, those who live and worship in the East, celebrate holy days on a different schedule than western Christians do. That is one difference. Another is that evangelical, Pentecostal and independent churches tend to observe only certain parts of the Christian Calendar.

For mainline churches, United Methodists, Presbyterians, American Baptists, Episcopalians, Lutherans, Disciples of Christ and United Church of Christ members, there is more to the Christian Year.

The Year begins with Advent and the celebration of the coming of Christ. For four weeks we prepare for the birth of Christ and at Christmas we share in and celebrate the birth. Epiphany is celebrated each year on January 6. It is a celebration of the visit of the kings to the baby Jesus. You will notice that there are twelve days (of Christmas) between Christmas day and Epiphany.

Following Epiphany is a season that we call Ordinary Time. This is a prelude to Lent which begins on Ash Wednesday. For 40 days, not counting Sundays, Good Friday or Maundy Thursday, Christians reflect on their lives, make sacrifices for the sake of Christ and prepare for the resurrection on Easter Sunday. The Easter season continues for seven weeks until it culminates with the celebration of Pentecost. On Pentecost we remember the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2. After Pentecost we return to ordinary time. There are other days that are special within ordinary time, like All Saints Day. All Saints Day is the first Sunday in November.

There are other things about the Christian Year that you should note:

• Thanksgiving is not a Christian holy day. It is essentially a secular observance to remember the grace and providence of God.
• There is a schedule of Scripture readings that coincide with the church year. The lectionary has four readings for each day.
• There are also colors to represent the seasons and days of the Christian year.

It is good for Christians to know and celebrate the times and seasons of the church year. By doing so, we will enhance our celebration of holy days and be reminded of all the works of God.

Who Do You Love?

Too many people have misplaced their allegiance. Rather, I should say that too many Christians have misplaced their loyalty. When we should be completely in love with Jesus, we are in love good things, right things and even beneficial things. But they are not the most important thing.

• We are too in love with the church. We often mistake our love for the church for faith in Christ. The church is a great institution. I love it. I am committed to it and will live in and serve it for the rest of my life. But I must be careful that my primary commitment is not to the church.
• We are too in love with tradition. How often we think that the service of the church is the most important thing. Too often we get offended because the liturgy is changed, or the worship style is modified. Our traditions are important, but they must never be the most important thing to us.
• We are too in love with our moral position. There is a lot of vitriol and animosity in the political world these days. Unfortunately, it is spreading to the church as well. We know what we believe and what the truth is, and anyone who disagrees with us is less "appropriate" or right. We must always remember that Jesus is the founder and creator of our moral position.
• We are too in love with "good works." Although acts of justice and mercy are necessary parts of our Christian commitment, they can never be the most important element of our faith. Too many people believe that doing things is enough in the realm of faith.

Never forget who we are to love. The Christian must love Jesus first and most. Do not be distracted by moral, traditional or other "good" things. Focus on Jesus and your love for him.

Went to a Garden Party

Ricky Nelson, that iconic philosopher of 1950's era teeny-boppers, made a profound observation in his 1972 hit song Garden Party. He said, "Ya can't please everybody, so ya got to please yourself." How is that for summing up life?

Nelson wrote that song in response to fans who expected him to continue singing "Hello Mary Lou" and his other hits from the 1950's. He moved on, however. He stretched. He wanted to grow. His answer to those who wanted him to always be Ricky Nelson, Ozzie and Harriet's boy, was that he was his own person.

In a recent post I discussed the importance of various relationships. This is a very similar topic to me. Who do you plan to please? Who do you need to please? Ricky Nelson was all about pleasing himself. The current crop of pop music stars are all about pleasing everyone else (so that they can sell records). But which is right.

• Pleasing myself. If I focus only on pleasing myself, I will miss many of the greatest blessings in life. I will become ingrown and not get the joy of relationships with others that can be extremely beneficial and fruitful. For as I seek to please only myself, I will alienate others who are much less concerned with my pleasure.
• Pleasing others. When my biggest concern is what others think and how I can make them happy, I may shortcut my own ability to be happy. If I do not know myself, or what I am supposed to be doing, how can I be truly fulfilled?
• Pleasing God. Here is the million dollar answer. When I spend my time and energy pleasing God, I will be personally fulfilled because God's plan for my life is to please him. I will be in good standing with others, because God will give me favor with others. I will be concerned with their wants, needs, desires and expectations.

The bottom line is that when I please God, I will win all the way around. In Matthew 6.33 Jesus says that if we seek God's ways first, everything else that we need will be taken care of. I'm for that.

Right Relationships and Responsibilities

I have been thinking a lot about what are the most important things in life. I have been trying to evaluate my own life, priorities and beliefs. It has occurred to me that even though I have cultivated many good and relatively close friendships, and even though I have a multitude of acquaintances who I am friendly with, and even though I love my family immensely and enjoy intimate conversation and sharing with all of them, I have some deficiencies in my relationships.

I need someone with whom I can share my inner thoughts and struggles without fear of judgment or reprisal. My wife- and other family members- is disqualified from this position because she is living through the same struggles as me. I think that I need to be intentional about developing and maintaining mutually supportive and sustaining relationships in the following categories.

• A relationship with God. For me this one goes without saying. The very foundation of my life and priority system is based on the values that I receive from my spiritual life. The first thing I do each day needs to be to spend time with God.
• A relationship with my family/spouse. These are not the same, but somewhat similar. I need an intimate and strong support system. Family can provide specific checks and accountability that no one else can. Likewise, my family nourishes my emotional life like no one else.
• A relationship with friends. This is the most tricky. These friendships run the gamut of experience. I need friends to socialize with, friends to share my heart with and friends to challenge me professionally, spiritually and intellectually.
• A "pressure-valve" relationship. The one thing that is missing in my life is a relationship with someone that I can 'blow-off' to. I need someone who will not think less of me if I struggle or stumble. I need someone that I can complain to who will not judge me or be offended at me. I need someone that will listen with an open heart, and whom will not worry me.

This is a very personal list, but get this: Everyone needs these relationships. I do not believe that any of them are optional. Look around. Start your search for these people in your life. Let me know how you do. You can be sure that I will report to you.

Getting Control

Here is a paradox: Americans strive their whole lives to be in control of their lives. We are trained from an early age that the American dream is to be independent, wealthy and successful. We want to control our own destiny and make our own decisions. However, the Christian faith teaches us that we can only be successful (and faithful) if God is in control of our lives. What a conundrum.

I have been working with a person who has never been in control of anything. She is scared to be in control because for her first years her parents were in charge. Later she was in a relationship where her mate was in charge. She has learned to let things happen to her. What a travesty.

We should all be in charge of our own decisions. We should be assertive and not wait for things to happen to us. I must confess that I have not arrived at this point. But here are some suggestions for people of all ages and backgrounds.

• Don't put things off. Take advantage of every opportunity to resolve conflicts and disputes. When you wait for someone else to resolve things, they are in charge of them.
• Regularly evaluate your life, your values and your purpose. Make sure that you are spending your time doing the things that will give you control. Don't waste your time on "trifles."
• Be aggressive, but graceful. Take advantage of your position in life, but not to the disadvantage of others. Your goal should be to control your life, not someone else's.

The second part of that paradox is just as troubling. God needs to be in control of our lives. We must voluntarily include him in all our decisions and preferences. We need to take his desires into account and do them.

Eventually, as you grow in faith, you will learn that what God wants will become almost indistinguishable from what you want. That is when you know that God is in control.

My Kids

So, my only child has completed her first semester of college. She did pretty well overall. Academically there is room for improvement. Socially she made the transition to independence exceedingly well. From the time Molly was born I believed that when she moved away my life would get simpler. I thought that I would lose interest in young people. I would get too old and out of touch to understand them, or for them to understand or be interested in me. I was wrong.

I have always had an interest in young people. (By young people I mean those who are in their teen years all the way through young adulthood.) There have been many young people that have been important to me- and I pray I was important to them- throughout my life. These people have become like my own children. Many of them I stay in touch with to this day.

These kids- "My Kids," I call them- have all responded to my life, ministry and teaching in positive ways. Additionally, they have all been young people that I liked, and like, very much. I could make a list of them, but I am sure that I cannot faithfully do that. Someone would be offended that I included them on my list, and someone else would be hurt that they were left off. There is no way I can win at that point.

However, I can list some common traits of these people, and our relationships.

• Everyone of my kids has been a part of my leadership life. That is, I have had the honor of being a "discipler" if you will. I was in a place of authority and they willingly followed.
• Everyone of my kids is still very important to me. I love them. There is not a one of them that I would hesitate to call in a time of need.
• They are or have been involved in my life beyond our "professional" experiences. Life has been shared.
• I love my kids. My kids love me.
• There is great respect between us.

So far there are about 12 of these special kids. I am always on the lookout for number 13.

The Four Most Important Things

One of the themes of my life has been what I call "the four most important things." I believe that these things are all essential to a successful life. You cannot grow and succeed as a human, and certainly not as a Christian, without these four elements in your life.

Careful attention must be paid to each one. There is not one that is more important than the others. Likewise, you should not try to start with only one of these things. You must jump in with both feet and get a little bit of all of them.

The Bible is full of admonitions and examples on each of these things. History is full of accounts of people whose lives are enriched by these four items. You will find the same to be true for you.

• Bible study. Even if you are not a Christian believer, the Bible is the greatest piece of literature ever produced. Western civilization has been formed by the stories and teachings of the Bible. Whether this (USA) is a Christian nation or not, it is hard to understand our history and culture without a basic knowledge of the Bible. And for the Christian it is even more important. To know God, you must know what is in his book.
• Prayer. No one should be without prayer. There should be time everyday devoted to prayer. In prayer we build a relationship with God, even as we get in touch with ourselves. Prayer is not a recitation of our wish list for God to fulfill, but a way for us to establish communication with someone greater than ourselves.
• Fellowship. It is important that people spend time with one another. Humans were built to be in relationships. We are social beings. Christians, especially, need the support that can only be gained from other Christians. Surround yourself with like-minded people when you need to accomplish something (a team), or overcome something (support group, 12-step group). Fellowship is crucial.
• Ministry. Take all of the good stuff in your life, and share it with someone else. The only way to survive is to reach out to others. Feed the hungry. Care for the sick. Shelter the homeless. Clothe the naked. You will be surprised at how much you gain from doing just a few simple things for someone else.

What I Believe About the Bible

Many of you are aware of the high view I have of Scripture. I read it, study it, and meditate on it on a regular basis. I have made a commitment to read the Bible through every year for the rest of my life. I am committed to teaching others the Bible and helping to nurture in them the same love for God’s word that I have. It is with that in mind that I offer the following thoughts about the Bible.

• The Bible is inspired by God. It was written, copied, translated, carried, distributed and read by humans, but God was behind the whole thing from the very beginning.
• The Bible is encouraging to readers. If you allow yourself to spend even the shortest amount of time with the Bible, you will find that you can be inspired, challenged and comforted by its words.
• The Bible is consistent with itself. It took hundreds of years for the Bible to be written. Dozens of authors were used in its composition, and yet the Bible is consistent from front to back in doctrine, history and theology as well as lifestyle guidelines and commands.
• The Bible speaks to all who will listen. Although God still speaks to individuals, he continues to use the Bible to get his message across. If you want to hear from God, read his word.
• The Bible is a significant historical document. To get a full view of ancient history, as well as a context for modern life, be sure to read the Bible.
• The Bible shows us how to live. Rules for conduct, worship, relationships, morality and more are all contained in the Bible. It is not only an historical document, it also is a guidebook.
• The Bible has changed our world and shaped our culture. Hospitals, universities, children’s homes, governments and more were all created in response to God’s word. The Bible has had more impact than any other book, ever.
• The Bible teaches us about God. To know what God thinks, who he is, what he wants, or where he is from, read the Bible.
• The Bible is the biggest selling book of all time. New translations and versions come out every year. And every year more Bibles are sold than any other book.

I could go on, but I think that you get the gist of it. Read the Bible! Do it now!

The What? of God

There is a lot of confusion in the world about God. And confusion about God is necessarily a bad thing. I recognize that fact, and yet I am afraid that I often add to the confusion. I make pronouncements about God in writing, on line, while teaching and even in conversation, and as clear as I believe that I am in my mind, I am sure that what I communicate is not as understood.

For one thing, there is nothing confusing about God. He is completely consistent in every way. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. There is no shadow of turning in him. That means that what was true about God is true about God. What is confusing about that?

We get confused, I believe, when we begin to listen to what people say about God, rather than what God says about himself. With the end of eliminating some misconceptions and easing confusion, I propose the following thoughts.

• The will of God is to make the world a better place. Jesus came to do his Father's will and also said that he was on earth to seek and save the lost. He encouraged his followers to treat everyone fairly and the same. He emphasized the Great Commandment, also known as the Golden Rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
• The work of God is to fulfill the will of God. This means that even as Jesus was about doing 'his Father's business,' we should be participating in it as well. It would do us all well to love mercy, do justice and walk humbly before God.
• The word of God is contained in the Bible, but that does not mean that he no longer speaks. God speaks on a daily basis to those who are willing to hear him. We violate God's word when we do not listen to or for his voice at all, or when we listen only to what he has said in the past. (Please note: I do not believe that God ever speaks against what is revealed in the Bible. If you hear from God, be sure to compare that message for consistency with the Bible.)
• The way of God is a conscious lifestyle, not a once-a-week meeting. Living God's way should have an effect on everything that you do every moment of every day. The way of God is a constant, regular decision to do what Jesus would do no matter what the consequences.

With Apologies to Dr Coleman

I believe that it was in the 1960's that Robert Coleman wrote his classic book, The Master Plan of Evangelism. That work, foundational as it is for evangelism, discipleship and leadership training, has varied in its influence on my life and ministry. Right now, I cannot think of doing ministry any other way. It is the most practical and effective model for ministry development.


It is based in the ministry pattern and strategies of no less than Jesus himself. I have tried to adopt this way of developing leaders into my own work, in and outside the church. The mission trips that I have led have been built on these principles.

• Potential leaders need to experience the ministry to which they are being called. They should know the ministry from the inside. It is best if a ministry leader is first a ministry recipient.
• From those who are involved in the ministry, leaders are recruited. Potential leaders should be men and women (and young people) who exhibit the fruit of the ministry and passion for it.
• Leaders must be trained for ministry. Basic discipleship, leadership principles and fellowship basics need to be foundational to this sort of training.
• This step is the most crucial. New leaders must be given the opportunity to lead while still under your supervision. They need to be given tasks to complete, studies to lead, program to oversee, etc. All of this should be completed while above the safety net of your supervision.
• Finally, these new leaders need to be given assignments for ministry and deployed to do the work. The most frustrating thing is to be excited about a project, prepared and trained to complete, and then to be left with no responsibilities. Put your people to work.

How to Survive

It is interesting to me how many fears and phobias have been identified in recent years. People are afraid of everything. I suppose to some degree everyone is afraid of something. People are afraid of the dark, of spiders, of heights, of water, of being outdoors, of snakes, of mice, of small places, of large places, of crowds, of loneliness, of fire, of sharks, of the elderly, of young people, of cities, of trying something new, of God, of tradition, of the unfamiliar, of the quiet, of guns, of motorcycles, of the Amish, of clowns, of ________ (you can fill in your own fear.

Although we know that most of our fears are unfounded and silly, we harbor them nonetheless. We support our fears and even encourage them. Often we seem to be proud of our fears. We brag about how foolish they are. And yet we keep on fearing.

Our vocabulary is filled with cliches about fear and the lack of fear.

• Have no fear
• Be bold
• Carpe diem
• Live the adventure
• Have fun all the time
• Do not worry about what other people say, think, gossip, or do where you are concerned
• Live to be happy and for no other human

The Christian faith is based on two things, fear and faith. Both of these have been somewhat misused through the years. We have tended to encourage people to be afraid of the wrath of God at the expense of a clear and fair picture of God's love and grace. We also want to chastise each other (and ourselves) for our lack of faith.

Here is what I think. Faith in itself is a gift from God. You cannot manufacture it yourself. Faith in God does two things. First of all, it eliminates most of the fears in your life. The Bible teaches that fear does not come from God. It is opposed to God. Faith in God will keep you from fears and phobias that paralyze and trouble you.

The second thing that faith does is to help you to have a healthy fear of God. Fear of God, in this context at least, should be interpreted as an awesome respect, or a submissive and complete love for God. We should not be living in terror that God is going to wreak havoc on our lives. But rather, that our love is a response to the power and love that God has for us.

So, the bottom line is this: Fear God and nothing else!

Dream Big... Big Dreams

Dreaming is a dangerous proposition. If you make to big of a deal out of your dreams, it can be embarrassing when they do not come to pass. You can also get into big trouble from those around you when you have big dreams (remember Joseph and his brothers?). If your dreams are to small they are less risky, but they are also less fun to accomplish. So how should you dream? What are some guidelines? Here are a couple of suggestions:

• The first thing to consider in your dreaming is 'How big is your God?' Dreams are never too big if you are a child of the infinite Lord of the universe. If, however, you believe that God is small, limited or uninterested in our affairs, your dreams will need to be very small.
• How much time are you willing to give to your dream? How much energy will you devote to it? How committed are you to your dream? If you truly desire a thing, and are willing to work hard toward it, it will come to pass.

I believe that there is nothing that cannot be accomplished by a godly person with a big God who has a big dream. Dream on.

My Three Things

A couple of years ago I read a book by Steve Sjogren that really had a profound impact on me. The book, The Perfectly Imperfect Church, proposed that most churches try to do to much. Every church wants to be a mega-church, or at least compete with one. We feel as though we have to provide all the same programs and activities as the large church, or we are doing something wrong. The problem is that no one can do everything. No church, especially a small, or medium sized one, can meet every need.

At this point, Sjogren suggests that every church focus on three things that it can do. There should be three ministries/programs that any given church should get involved with and pursue. Most churches do not have the resources or personnel to carry out much more than that. To that end, Sjogren says, every church should confine itself to only a few things.

The natural corollary to that is that no person can do everything. However, every individual is created by God to do something. God has gifted every human to do work in and for His Kingdom. To that end, each of us should be seeking our purpose, our calling. Many leaders would have you believe that all Christians have a generic, one-size-fits-all calling. I do not buy this. Jesus loves me and he has called me. I have specific gifts and interests that no one else has. My purpose, my calling is special to me.

So I had a mid-life crisis and prayed a lot. I thought that if my life was half over I should make sure that I was doing God's work for the second half. After months of study, pray and counsel, I think God showed me what I am supposed to be doing for the rest of my life. Here it is:

• For the rest of my life I will be teaching the Bible and encouraging people to love the Scriptures as I do.
• For the rest of my life I will be working toward the renewal of worship, particularly in my congregation(s) and denomination.
• For the rest of my life I will be raising up leaders for the church, particularly young people for the purpose of reaching young people.

Because of this focus, I will evaluate all that I do. To the best of my ability my activities will be able to fall under one of these purposes. I will endeavor to give my life to the purposes for which I have been called.

Why I Want to Change the World

A couple of years ago I felt really impressed (by God, I think) that I was supposed to change the world. Right away I dismissed the thought. It is foolishness for one person to change the world. After all, I am only an ordinary pastor of two tiny churches in an out of the way part of a relatively small state in a denomination that seems to be beyond its prime. What could I do? What can one person do to change the world? Or, for that matter, can the world be changed? Does the world need to be changed? And how do we know how to change it?

Before I got too discouraged about this problem, I thought about it. I considered whether or not the world could be different. I thought about how much influence I might be able to have. I wondered how best to move toward improving the world. And that’s when it hit me, I can’t do everything, but I could do something. In fact, if everyone did something we could change the world, for the better, in short order.

So I made a decision that the world could be changed and that I should do something about it. Here is what I am doing (and what you should be doing too?):

• I am being intentional about being a better person. I will be kinder and more thoughtful in my relationships with all people.
• I am thinking about the effects that my actions and decisions have on other people. Remember George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life? He learned that even insignificant things can have great consequences. The same is true for all of us. Not only that, we are being reminded every day that our decisions not only effect other people, but also our world and the people who will inhabit it in the future.
• I am trying to remember every day and all the time that God loves all people. Every person is an individual for whom Jesus died. I need to love them as such and share my faith with them.
• I am working toward becoming an outward-focused Christian. That is, everything in my life is not always about me. I should be living completely for God, and therefore for other people.
• I am attempting to be more generous. This includes sharing my time (I have less of it for myself than ever before), my energy (I am constantly looking for ways to serve), and my resources. It is amazing the places that you can share if you are open to it.
  

I have no illusions that I will someday be remembered as a great evangelist, missionary or world-changer. I am still just a normal guy. But hey, if all us normal guys would get together and work for the cause of Christ, the world would get changed, for the better.

Focus Your Prayer Life

Here are a few steps to help you develop, deepen and focus your prayer time. Many of the complaints that people have about prayer are answered, or can be remedied by following these steps.

1. Keep a journal of all answers to prayer. Earlier I suggested writing your prayers. This idea is very similar. When we keep a record of what God is done, it encourages our continued prayer and faithfulness. Answered prayer begets faith. Faith begets more answers to prayer. Remind yourself regularly of the effectiveness of prayer.
2. Start a prayer ministry at your church. An intercessory prayer group would be a great place to start, but getting several people together for prayer is sometimes difficult. Try a prayer wall. Provide sticky-notes for individuals to write and post their prayer concerns and answers to prayer. Watch how your prayer life gets charged and your congregation experiences a fresh renewal.
3. Pray for other people. Do not be so consumed with your own needs that you forget to pray for other people. Especially pray for those you have problems with.
4. Be silent so that you can listen to God. We usually spend too much time telling God what we want or need. Be sure that when you are praying you listen to what God is saying.
5. Pray with the Bible. The Scriptures can be a great source for prayer material. In fact, much of the Bible is already written in the form of prayer. Use the Bible as a source and a guide for your devotional and prayer life.
6. Get a prayer partner. Find someone that you can share with, pray with and be accountable with.
7. Learn several models for prayer. Some of my favorites are:

• ACTS- Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication
• PRAY- Praise, Repent, Ask and Yield
• ABC- Adore, Believe, Confess

You will be on your way to a more fulfilling and exciting prayer life when you work on a few of these steps.

The Christian's Mandate

I recently read an article entitled The Preacher's Mandate. It was essentially a call to faithfulness in ministry. I think that the concepts are transferable to the lives of every person who calls Jesus Lord. So, I offer the The Christian's Mandate.

• Pray like nothing good will happen if you do not pray. Pray like everything depends on God to act.
• Work like nothing good will happen if you do not do it.
• Do everything like you were doing it for God himself.
• Do not look for a personal message from God, but rather the message of God.
• Do not be satisfied until you are helping to bring the Kingdom of God. When you are helping to bring the Kingdom of God, do not be satisfied until it comes.
• Remember that your life is always on display. You are a testimony to God's work in your life. Be an example of Godly living.
• Prepare your heart with the Word of God. Be ready for every struggle that may come into your life.
• Make Jesus the highest priority in your life. When you do this others will see your commitment and be won to Christ.
• Always maintain a Christ-like attitude and lifestyle.
• Work to show other people Christ in your life. Doing this you will be showing less of yourself.
• Exhibit true humility at all times. Do not be full of yourself, your accomplishments or possessions. Remember that Jesus is your all in all, and the source of your being.
• Trust that God's will is the best possible action for your life.
• Maintain an attitude of concern and love for all people at all times. Work to never lose your patience, your temper or your testimony in any of your relationships.
• Do not use people to further your agenda, life or career. God loves others as much as he loves you.
• Share Christ with other people, not what you think about Christ, or what someone else told you about Christ.

Why I Write My Prayers

Many of you who are reading this know that I often write my prayers. In fact, I try to make it a regular, if not daily, habit. My procedure goes as follows:

1. I read my Scripture passages for the day. This year I am following the reading schedule that we are doing together as a congregation. I am staying a little bit ahead, and I am doing some reading for sermon preparation. Otherwise, I am reading the same things as you each day.
2. I then read a short passage (5-10 pages) from a devotional book. Right now I am reading a collection of pastoral prayers for worship.
3. When I have finished this reading, I open my spiral notebook and fill my page for the day. More about what and why I write coming up.
4. I then work on Scripture memorization, other prayers, etc.
5. Finally, I read a chapter from a book that will help me professionally. Currently I am reading a book called Great Preaching. (I may not be able to do it, but I can sure read about it.)

This is a daily ritual for me. There is no question in my mind or heart that this discipline makes a great difference in my personal spiritual life. But, why do I write my prayers?

• I write my prayers because it gives me a record of my relationship with God. I can look back at my dated petitions and answers to prayer. I can see when I have struggled, and how God has answered my prayers.
• I write my prayers because it is a great discipline. I date each page in my notebook. By doing this I know when I have been faithful and when I have not. Although I do not write all my prayers, and I do not write every day, I know that I am in spiritual trouble when I miss several days in a row.
• I write my prayers because it gives me time to hear God. I write more slowly than I talk. When I write I give God my prayers and he sometimes speaks to me before I am finished.
• I write my prayers because doing so opens up new avenues of prayer, praise, worship and repentance. My prayer may start on paper, but it often ends sometime later in intimate moments with my Lord.
• I write my prayers because it gives me balance. I can see if all my prayers are self-centered petitions. I can then make adjustments so that my relationship with Jesus will flourish.
• I write my prayers because it is a testimony to my family. People around me can see that prayer is important to me because they can actually see me doing it.

I do not believe that writing is the only way to pray. I do believe that it is helpful for me. Maybe it can be helpful for you as well.

The Problem with Peer Pressure

I think that I am now in a position to solve all the problems of the world. Well, I won't be able to solve them, but I think I know the answer to all the problems in the world. Okay, maybe that is still to lofty a statement. I do believe that I have hit on something that, if dealt with in the lives of individuals, will help a lot of people. Peer Pressure.

That's it. That is the problem that is wrecking your life and mine. Peer pressure is the thing that is making the people around you intolerable. Peer pressure is the thing that, maybe more than anything else, is making you do things that you do not want to do. And you thought you were through with peer pressure when you hit your eighteenth birthday.

Humans were made to be in community. Even the bold and creative among us are at heart conformists. In fact, we not only are conformists by nature, but also by training. Our western educational system of grading and socialization teaches us to fit in. We are taught and then rewarded for coloring inside the lines, for drawing our letters and numbers the same way, and in some cases, for wearing the same clothes. We are trained to live with and expect peer pressure. Sometimes it is even comforting.

Since we are made to be in community settings, and since we are trained for the same thing, it becomes natural for us, no matter what our age, to try to fit in with what everyone else is doing. We are susceptible to peer pressure.

This is not a problem until we take this to it's logical conclusion. We want to fit in so badly that we lose track of ourselves, our own personality, beliefs or values. It is in exactly this sort of setting that we get the mob mentality. I may disagree with your plan to lynch someone, but I want to be a part of the group. I do not want to be ostracized. I do not like Hitler, but everyone else is going along...

Are those examples too extreme for you? What about your relationship to God? Is it possible that there are times when you think of yourself and your comfort before you think of God's will? Could it be that God wants you to grow and stretch in a certain area of your life, but you are worried that you might look like a religious fanatic?

You see, peer pressure never leaves. The concerns, the pressure to conform is always there. Each of us must decide for ourselves whether we will follow God, that is, follow what is right or follow the crowd.