Charisa Stories

Tag: Jesus

  • Sit! Stay!

    It was 10 years ago that I was in the process of writing Stay: Lessons My Dog Taught Me about Life, Loss, and Grace. I had learned so many wonderful lessons from our sweet canine friend Hannah. After her passing we rescued a puppy that we named Maggie. She was a challenge compared to her predecessor. But Maggie has grown into a sweet and treasured companion. This is an excerpt from one of my favorite chapters in the book about a lesson I learned from Miss Maggie.

    Maggie is a Labrador puppy mixed with some other mystery DNA. She is a bouncing, wiggling, sixty-pound bundle of unrestrained energy. Whenever she sees a new person, she cannot stop herself from jumping. Oddly enough, some people do not enjoy sixty-pound creatures hurdling pell-mell into their personal space. Weird. So we either need to fix this bad behavior or become hermits.

    Today we enrolled Maggie in puppy training classes. One of the first things the instructor, Tony, said was both apparent and profound. 

    “First of all, you have to teach her to sit and stay. When she is sitting, she can’t jump and misbehave.”

    Thank you, Captain Obvious. Wait a minute. Is this another lesson for me in my discipleship-by-dog journey? Maggie needed to learn to sit to avoid committing doggie offenses. I need to sit too, in a spiritual sense. The truth is, when I abide (the biblical version of “sitting”) in Christ, I am empowered to resist sin.

    But how can I abide? What does that even mean?

    The first time I heard the word abide used was in a lesson taken from the Gospel of John in the King James Version, the Bible I read growing up. 

    Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (John 15:4-5, KJV)

    I knoweth not about thee, but verily I was confused. When I looked up the definition of abide later, it helped clarify what it meant. Abide: 1) to accept something or someone unpleasant; 2) living somewhere; 3) to remain or continue. That was it—to remain or continue—or in Maggie’s terms, “to stay.” Other Bible translations have captured that nuance of abiding or “staying” in Jesus. 

    Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 
    (John 15:4-5, NLT)

    Jesus’ message to His followers is to simply remain constantly aware of who we are and where our strength and dependence must be found. It’s tempting and easy to make it all about us instead of Jesus; Satan will always seek to engage us in bad and/or good things if either one takes our eyes off Jesus. If I am wholly absorbed in spiritual things apart from Christ, things I do more to impress others and hope those wonderful deeds will ensure my salvation, I am engaging in good, but not life-changing endeavors. 

    We are branches that need to be connected to the Vine. We are not to be independent vines but dependent branches of the life-giving Vine.

    I think that we misunderstand the phrase “apart from me you can do nothing.” Of course I can do something and often even significant things apart from Jesus. I can have success, make money, and maybe achieve fame. But there is one significant thing that we absolutely cannot do apart from Christ: produce fruit that pleases God. The branch cannot produce fruit when it is disconnected from the vine. 

    Jesus is the true Vine, and if I am joined to Him I will produce fruit. He doesn’t say I might produce fruit. He doesn’t say I could produce fruit if the circumstances are right. Or that I will occasionally bear fruit. Jesus says that if I remain in Him I will produce much fruit. If I don’t remain in Him, I become barren and worthless to Him and His Kingdom.

    How do we produce the fruit that Jesus is describing? By not allowing our relationship with Christ to be broken, for us—the branches—not to be severed from the Vine. Our connection to Jesus is not a one-time or yearly or monthly or weekly or daily synchronization. It is not like the intermittent syncs I perform between my computer and phone to update information. It is a continuous awareness of our connection to Christ. That connection allows the fruit of the Spirit to grow abundantly in us and become a part of who we are. The apostle Paul describes exactly what kind of fruit that is.

    The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23, NLT)

    By remaining in an unbroken connection with Christ, we begin to take on His character and produce that kind of fruit. But it can only happen if we “stay” constantly in that relationship.

    Want to read more lessons from my rescued canine friends? Click here to check out Stay: Lessons My Dogs Taught Me about Life, Loss, and Grace.

  • The Most Needed Parable of Jesus in this Culture?

    I can’t remember a more contentious cultural climate in my lifetime. Followers of Christ are wondering how to make a difference in an unfriendly environment. I think modeling a parable related by Jesus is desperately needed today. You probably know the story well.

    One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”

    Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?”

    The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

    “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!”

    The religious “expert” should have quit right there. Instead he did what many of us try to do when Jesus tweaks our hearts. We look for the loopholes.

    The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

    He was hoping to put boundaries on his personal responsibility. The Greek and Hebrew definition of neighbor would have been someone nearby or that they associate with. That clarification would have eliminated Samaritans, Gentiles, and foreigners. That was the answer the scholar was hoping for when Jesus blew the lid off his selfish hope.

    Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.

    “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.

    “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’

    Jesus always looks on the heart. He knew exactly what the man was doing so He presented a scenario that had no nuance. The man was robbed and stripped so he could not be identified by his garments. He was simply a man in dire need. A priest would have known the law of love in God’s teaching. He chose to not get involved. He could have rationalized that touching the a potentially dead man would have made him unclean for priestly duties. A Levite or Temple assistant also walked by without helping. To be fair to both of them stopping to help could have put the Priest or Levite in personal danger. So the easy thing to do was look away and keep walking. The one who stopped and risked everything was reviled in that culture as an unclean sinner. The Samaritan not only put himself at personal risk but also gave unselfishly from his own resources to make sure the victim would be cared for. His gesture was an extraordinary example of compassion and kindness. The kind of mercy that turns heads. And then Jesus asked the uncomfortable question.

    “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.

    Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

    The religious expert couldn’t even bring himself to call the man who was a good neighbor a Samaritan. He simply called him the “one who showed mercy”. Jesus drove home that there is no one outside of the mercy and compassion of God and therefore there should be none outside of our own caring.

    The parable Jesus told is a vital one for Christians in our contentious society. Followers of Jesus need to show kindness and compassion to the neighbors we are comfortable with and especially to those we are are uncomfortable with. We can not look away when we encounter any person in need no matter what their color, status, beliefs, or behaviors might be. We are called to compassion and only that kind of faith will cause change.

    My friend Chris Taylor has gone to be with Jesus. He made this parable so practical in real life. His take on helping others will always be in my heart. Chris had this simple but profound approach to loving your neighbor.

    “If I can help someone I don’t need to think or pray about it. I just do it.”

    That is exactly what Jesus was saying to the religious expert. Don’t rationalize why you can’t help your neighbor. If you can help then you do it. That is how Christianity got an early foothold in an antagonistic culture.

    Professor E. Glenn Hinson writes, “The early Christians impressed the culture with high moral standards and their practice of charity for all, regardless of social status” (emphasis added).

    Today’s church could earn a doctorate in cultural impact just by integrating those two qualities into the fabric of daily life.

    That is the kind of faith that makes a difference. We are past the point of legislating, arguing, and litigating change. How can you risk loving and having compassion for those who oppose you? By remembering the gift of grace that you received from a merciful, loving, and exceedingly patient God. Over two-thousand years later we still describe those who go above and beyond as Good Samaritans. We need God to raise up an army of those selfless servants to impact this culture. Volunteers are needed today.

  • A Recipe for Revival


    When I got serious about following Jesus there was a song we sang regularly at gatherings.

    We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
    We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
    And we pray that our unity will one day be restored
    And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
    Yeah they’ll know we are Christians by our love

    What a difference the body of Christ would make in today’s contentious world if we believed and lived these very simple words.

    We are one in the spirit.

    There should be no separation by wealth, color, talent, or power. We are one in Jesus.

    We pray that our unity
    will one day be restored.

    We are still praying that today. It is not a difficult concept to understand how important unity is to achieve any goal. Can a team of self-centered football players win a championship? A team needs to have one unified focus to achieve success. How much more important is unity in the body of Christ as we seek eternal goals? Certainly one of the enemies primary strategies is to create disunity. The frustrating thing is how we can become disunified over issues that would be incredibly embarrassing and humbling if Jesus appeared in person and asked what our problem was.

    “Well, uhhhh, we were arguing about how the church should respond to (fill in the blank).”

    I can picture the person squirming as Jesus looks into their eyes and, even more uncomfortably, into their hearts. When we forget the forgiveness, love, patience, and grace of God we lose our unity. And social issues become giant chasms of division that cause people to run away from our message.

    My friend Pete Jung shared a quote with me from John Alan Turner that is also uncomfortably convicting.

    “It’s hard to convince people that a God they can’t see loves them, when a church they can see doesn’t seem to like them.”

    Ouch.

    Paul wrote to a divided Corinthian Church with an admonition. But he began by reminding them of their blessings.

    4 I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. 5 Through him, God has enriched your church in every way—with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge. 6 This confirms that what I told you about Christ is true. 7 Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. 9 God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (I Corinthians 1:4-10, NLT)

    We have been given extraordinary gifts of grace. Spiritual gifts. Forgiveness. Partnership with the Father through Jesus. And then he outlines how we should respond in unity.

    10 I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.

    How will they know we are followers of Jesus in a life-changing way? Jesus makes it clear.

    35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (John 13:35, NLT)

    That is how the early church changed the culture and that is the only way Christians can impact the divided world we live in. It ain’t happening through Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook. Jesus is the ultimate influencer and His words are eternal.

    “Your love for another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

    Love for one another and unity in Jesus is the recipe for revival. And they will know we are Christians by our love.

  • Lessons Along the Rocky Road


    I love how life experiences can teach you new lessons or reinforce lessons learned. Joni and I just returned from a week long retreat in Colorado at a beautiful B&B that I highly recommend called The Silver Lake Lodge.

    Less that a mile away from our awesome retreat was the trailhead that leads you to Saint Mary’s Glacier and the beautiful lake beneath it. We looked at the trail description. The hike was approximately 3/4 of a mile to the lake and the hiking app listed it as moderate. On our first full day in Colorado we decided to make the trek. The sign at the base of the trail was a bit sobering.

    But we sent a text asking our kids to pray for us and the location of our wills. Immediately we were taken aback at how rocky the trail before us appeared.

    Okay. This is doable. Just step carefully and take your time. This is not a race to the top.

    Pretty quickly after starting the ascent our lungs reminded us that we were at 10,500 feet. We stopped periodically to catch our breath. During one of these stops we met a young family from New York state. We took photos of their family and they returned the favor. They encouraged us that altitude adjustment struggles is an issue for all ages.

    They plowed on ahead and we moved slowly up the trail. At one point we grew discouraged. There were no markers to indicate you were on the right track and no info on how much further you had to go. We faced a particularly steep and rocky path. It was the most disheartening moment of the hike so far. Just as we discussed our next step an energetic young couple returned down the trail. We asked if this rocky road was the only way up.

    “Oh no. Just go around this way. It is a tiny bit longer but a much smoother trail.”

    We followed their excellent advice and continued the climb. Again there was no indicator of our progress. We kept wondering how much farther? Is this worth it? What were we thinking?

    Then it happened again. As we pondered our status a young woman came down the trail. Joni asked the dual question. How much further and is it worth it?

    “You guys don’t have much further to go. And yes, it is SO WORTH IT!”

    Her encouragement and energy was the fuel we needed. We finished the hike and discovered the magnificent beauty of the lake and glacier. It was so worth it!

    We reveled in the moment and decided to hike on up to the glacier. When we made it there Joni surveyed the scenery and on the other side of the slope was the young family from New York waving and cheering for our success.

    Later we reflected on the lessons learned. Having a dream to see the overwhelming beauty of God’s creation was a worthy goal. What we didn’t plan on was how rocky and steep the road would be at times. Isn’t that how life so often plays out? Unexpected things happen that discourage our hearts.

    There was no clear direction to get us there or to let us know our location on our journey. Joni and I marveled at the “coincidence” we encountered at the two most difficult moments. A couple shows up to show us a better path. Then another person arrives to encourage us that we were nearly there and the effort would be worth it. We laughed at how these God moments are so amazing. Some might think it was mere coincidence. We have experienced so many times in our life journey together when God sends the perfect person, community, or event to get us through a hard time.

    Scripture talks about the process to find the best path. In Psalm 119 we read this.

    Your word is a lamp to guide my feet
    and a light for my path.

    God’s Word gives direction and light in the darkness. Perhaps the best road map is found in Proverbs.

    Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
    do not depend on your own understanding
    Seek his will in all you do,
    and he will show you which path to take.

    Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT

    The big lesson? Perseverance and trust got us to the top of that trail and the reward was overwhelming. We marveled in quiet worship at God’s creative genius. This is but a tiny indicator of the reward awaiting our trust in God. He will be their for every step as we navigate the rocky roads of life. Someday we will hit the end of the trail and be speechless as we step into the presence of our Lord and Savior. I often imagine family and friends who have climbed the trail ahead of us cheering and rejoicing at our arrival.

    This journey is not easy. Never will be. One of the big mistakes we make in sharing our faith is making it seem like all troubles are over when you embrace Christianity. That is not in the contract. We will still have problems and heartaches and even tragedies. But we have a hope on that rocky road that is sustaining and powerful. Someday we will get to that beautiful destination. This was just a teaser for that magnificent moment in our future.

  • A Desperate Need in the Church


    Not all of us have experienced the joy of Psalm 133.

    “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” (Ps.133:1, NIV)

    There is no more powerful community than a group of believers who live in unity. Nothing levels the playing field like Jesus when we genuinely follow Him.

    In Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians he offered the benefits of honest community. “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.” (1 Thessalonians 5:14)

    Interesting that the challenges from Paul are listed from easiest to hardest. I can admonish the idle all day long. I am pretty good about encouraging the fainthearted. On my good days I help the weak. But be patient with them all? Come on Paul. Do you know these people?

    But that is the beauty of community. It is messy and beautiful. Frustrating and fulfilling. It is life. And it is best lived together with other messy, beautiful, frustrating and fulfilling saints who still are quite capable of sinning.

    And that tees up the biggest need for community as found in Galatians. 

    Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important. (Galatians 6:1-3)

    That seems like such an important passage in this culture as I contemplate the devastating and heartbreaking toll of sin. I know. That word will get you canceled by many today. But there is no other word that describes what I am seeing today. Sin says that there is more that you must get in any way you can. Sin says that you deserve to be happier. Sin says that God does not really have your best interest at heart. I hate those lies from Satan that we continue to believe.

    People are desperate to find community and belonging and they often find it in the wrong places. I see precious men and women (sometimes boys and girls) lose their lives because they found identity in groups that promised family and acceptance but delivered heartbreak and abuse. These souls likely had found that dynamic of acceptance nowhere else in their experience. All of us want to find someone who will accept us for who we are. These lonely souls found identity in a group that provided provisional acceptance but not safety. 

    Lest we jump to judgement (as we are so skilled at doing) we should wonder what leads these men and women to pursue a group that can ultimately lead to depression, sadness, and even death.

    I am sad that we have too often failed to create a community that does not flinch at inappropriate language, clothing, and behavior. Do you think Jesus would look at an inappropriate t-shirt slogan or at the heart? Would He hear the ugly words of a hurting person or the desperate tone of their need? Would He condemn the sinner or embrace them and whisper gently in their ear that there is a better way? Of course there are consequences to sin. Is that ever more clear than when we turn on the news every day? But the truth is that all of us are sinners. 

    I spent 40 years in live television. It is a high energy world of edgy emotions and honest language. That was my work community and I loved them. It was not always a safe place for the easily offended. But it was a real place with real people willing to hear your story when you didn’t step back in self-righteous offense.

    Jesus put no requirements on being with Him. We are ones who have often not communicated the liberating joy of the Gospel. We attach the strings instead of shouting that all we need to bring to Him for salvation is our sin and need. Jesus has done the rest.

    I am a flawless child of God. Not because of anything I have done, am doing, or will ever do. It is because of what Jesus did for me on the Cross. Paul makes it pretty simple.

    If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.(Romans 10:9, NLT)

    We must begin to concentrate on that message of what Jesus has done for us. Whether your sin inventory fills multiple volumes or a post-it note is irrelevant. We all need the Cross. Only the finished work of Jesus makes us flawless.

  • Silence is Golden

    I love to watch Maggie when she is overseeing her backyard domain. Sometimes she goes to the fence and lets out a couple of deep-throated barks to let some perceived threat know that she is on duty. Or she patrols every inch of the yard, sniffing as if it is her first and not her one-thousandth time to do this.

    But the routine I love most is when she lies in the yard with head high, surveying her kingdom in silence. She is completely dialed in, listening for any disturbance that might need her attention. Maggie is most able to take in her world when she drops the barking and growling.

    Well played, Maggie. You are doing something most of us humans have a difficult time mastering—simply being silent and observing God’s world. 

    There is hardly ever a complete silence in our soul. God is whispering to us well-nigh incessantly. Whenever the sounds of the world die out in the soul, or sink low, then we hear these whisperings of God. He is always whispering to us, only we do not always hear, because of the noise, hurry, and distraction which life causes as it rushes on.

    Sounds like our lives, doesn’t it? And yet that observation was written in the mid-1800s by hymn writer Frederick W. Faber. More than a century and a half later, it hasn’t gotten quieter. It is hard to imagine that the sounds of the world are not exponentially more cacophonous today. Perhaps the bigger issue isn’t that the world is noisier and more distracting than ever. The relational danger may be our ability to pull into the cocoon of noise-canceling headsets and remove ourselves completely from our surroundings. Sometimes it helps concentration to limit the noise. The challenge is to not let headphones and earbuds become another impediment to finding  sacred moments.

    I remember walking up to one of my younger television crew members and going through a very well-thought-out description of what we needed for the broadcast that night. I waited for his confirmation, but instead he turned, pulled out well-hidden earbuds, and looked surprised.

    “What?”

    I had no idea he was in another world while I was talking to him. He had no idea I was lurking right next to him and talking. It was no big deal. We laughed, and I repeated the instructions. Going forward, I did determine to first make eye contact with whomever I was talking to for the best results. It made me think about how often we miss moments of laughter or relational opportunities when we retreat from others.

    Yesterday when I took Maggie for a walk, I instinctively reached for my phone and headset. Typically, I listen to music along the way. I can get lost in music, which is not a bad thing. But today I knew I needed something else. I needed to be quiet, reflective, and prayerful about some things that were troubling my soul.

    To be honest, some tunes from my rock-and-roll days would have been a much-preferred course. But I knew I needed to think and pray. So while Maggie excitedly sniffed and explored, I prayed for a person who has been challenging. Did I want to do that? Hardly. But I knew it was important, and I needed quiet to allow the Holy Spirit to speak to my heart. There is something healing and helpful in praying for those who oppose us. It reminds me that God is the One in control. When I trust that, I can relax.

    It will also come as no surprise that the Owner’s Manual addresses our need for silence and solitude.

    Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.
    He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.
    (Psalm 62:5-6)

    Perhaps the most consistent role model for the need for solitude and silence was Jesus.

    Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
    (Mark 1:35, NIV)

    Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
    (Luke 5:16, NIV)

    Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them.
    (Luke 6:12-13, )

    Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain
    by himself.
    (John 6:15, NIV)

    Jesus understood the need to recenter and reconnect with the Father. He understood the power of quiet to be able to hear the voice of His Father. How can we think we are able to function spiritually and emotionally without occasional silence and solitude? Finding periods of quiet is different from seeking a day or extended time of Sabbath that we explored earlier. This is not something I am accomplished at. In the past when I was alone, I needed the television in the background or music in my ears. I am learning that sometimes I just need silence. Silence that used to make me feel a bit unsettled is now becoming a welcome respite to think and pray. A.W. Tozer said that “only after all the noise has spent itself do we begin to hear in the silence of our heart, the still, small, mighty voice of God.”

    That requires us to slow down, give up our perceived control, and simply be quiet. I can tell you it does not come naturally in this culture.

    Being alone and quiet so you can hear the still voice of the Holy Spirit is about a heart attitude more than location. For me, there is one really important benefit of reflective quiet in the presence of God: it interrupts my typical prayer time of delivering a monologue to God. I was taught to make my requests known in prayer after a little perfunctory praise. I went down my list, and I was done. One-way conversation. I am outta here!

    Forcing myself to be quiet gives me a chance to look inward. To see where I might need to allow the light of God’s grace to shine on some dark area. I allow myself to be fully in the moment and not worried about tomorrow. I allow myself the time to reflect on who I am and how the Father looks at me. It clears my mind to clearly think about what needs to be done. I remind myself that I don’t have to constantly manage and be in control.

    Psalm 46:10 is a familiar verse.

    Be still, and know that I am God!

    The Hebrew word for “be still” might be better translated as “cause yourselves to let go” or “let yourselves become weak.” Sitting quietly with my Bible open to a psalm invites the quiet voice to speak. Often there is nothing but stillness. Isn’t that how a good relationship works? When you feel relaxed and protected with your spouse, you can have periods of silence that actually speak volumes about how you feel about each other. It is in quiet solitude with God that I am wholly present and available to Him. Is there a better indicator of affection  than  undivided attention?

    If my mind is left unattended, it is like Maggie as a puppy. It runs randomly and without restraint. I have had to learn to slow down, unplug, and be still. And I have had a major surprise: I am really enjoying it.

    It is a lesson I intend to build on. God is powerful enough to teach an old dog new tricks. I invite you to find a place to be quiet today. In the sounds of silence, God may very well meet you there.

    GOD’S TAKE

    For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.

    (Psalm 62:5, ESV)

    A DOSE OF GRACE

    Find some time to give God your undivided and silent presence. Start with five or ten minutes. It may feel awkward. Simply tell God that you desire to be in His presence. Tell Him that you want to be attuned to His direction or correction. But most of all, tell God that you simply want to receive His love. Remember there is no condemnation if your mind wanders. This will take some practice, but it is worth it.

    Want to read more or find out how to connect more fully with God in 21 days? Click here to check it out.

  • Training Camp for Christians

    I love football. The opening of football training camps gets my juices going. I watch some of the greatest athletes in the world getting ready to play a highly skilled game. So what do they start with every summer at training camp?

    Footwork and technique drills. Coaches demanding constant repetition of fundamental skills. The best teams are the ones that most consistently execute the most basic fundamental aspects of their craft.

    Legendary Coach Vince Lombardi famously began each training camp by gathering wide-eyed rookies and grizzled veterans around him. He would begin by holding the pigskin in front of him and solemnly proclaiming an indisputable truth.

    “Gentlemen, this is a football.”

    From that rather rudimentary start he would detail the importance of understanding the fundamentals of the sport. I can learn something from that approach. When I first came to faith I was so excited to learn the fundamentals of faith. How do I study the Bible? How do I pray? How do I grow in my faith? But something seemed to happen as I accumulated some seasons under my belt.

    I forgot the fundamentals.

    I started looking for the latest trend in faith. Which trendy Christian leader should I emulate next? I defined myself by movements instead of by Jesus, the Cross, and His finished work. For me football training camp is another reminder that I desperately need the fundamentals of faith.

    Fundamentals are best taught by those who have the gift of teaching and complete knowledge of the skills required. You hope you can find an expert to teach you. That is exactly what the disciples did when they came to Jesus and asked for His help on how to pray. They had watched Him pray. They knew how important prayer was to Jesus. Now they asked him to teach them how to pray. Here is Luke’s “play by play” of that moment.

    One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

    He said to them, “When you pray, say:

    “‘Father,
    hallowed be your name,
    your kingdom come.
    Give us each day our daily bread.
    Forgive us our sins,
        for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
    And lead us not into temptation.” (Luke 11:1-4, NIV)

    Over much of my fumbling, bumbling Christian journey I would skip straight to the “give us our daily bread and forgive us our sins” parts of that prayer. I managed to miss the most important fundamental of this insightful prayer contained in the opening words.

    I get to relate to God as my Father! That privilege comes only from my relationship with Jesus. Noted preacher Haddon Robinson stated that in the entire Old Testament God is only called Father seven times and it was always in respect to the Nation Israel. There is never a recorded instance where any individual dared to address the Sovereign God as Father.

    Now Jesus comes on the scene and Robinson writes about the amazing contrast.

    “When you turn to the New Testament, however, 275 times or more we are told directly or indirectly that when we bow before the sovereign majesty of the universe the word that should come easily to our lips is Father.”

    That is a fundamental game changer! I can come to the God of the Universe who knows my sin, my weakness, my failures and call Him Father! Are you kidding me?

    I also tended to zoom by the next fundamental. 

    Hallowed be your name. 

    Prayer starts not with a shopping list of what I want God to do but instead with worship and recognition of who God is. We are coached by Jesus to remember how great God is and to recognize that His ways are not our ways. We are taught to remember that His holiness is perfect and His grace is our hope.

    Hallowed be your name.

    When I learn those fundamentals the rest of the offense falls into place. He is my Father who loves me and wants the best for me. If the answer is no that is an answer. That may mean my request will be answered later. It may be answered differently. It may not be answered at all. But through all of those responses I trust that He is holy, powerful, and present. Embrace that fundamental truth this week.

    Today’s blog is an excerpt from Waking Up Slowly, a 21 day journey to grow closer to God and one another.