Solomon tells us that “a happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing” (Proverbs 17:22, AMP ). God undoubtedly has a sense of humor; we need only look at some of the animals He created (it’s hard not to smile at the sight of a hippo, a monkey, or a puppy). Or think of some of the married couples you know: don’t you think God was smiling at the wedding as He looked ahead to the interaction of the wildly different personalities that will be living together?Posts Tagged ‘prayer’
Lazarus, Night of the Living Dead, and the joy of surrender
Just in case I was uncertain about focusing on humility right now, the Holy Spirit provided ample confirmation Thursday afternoon. I was a little discouraged and decided to read Oswald Chambers’ Utmost and Martin Luther’s By Faith Alone. Here’s what I found —
Luther, writing about Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac, says, “Of all the sacrifices we can make, the one most acceptable to God is this: getting rid of sin, living a holy life, obeying God, and killing our corrupt nature.” I love how Luther finishes: “This is very painful and unpleasant for us to do.”…
action: first steps
In yesterday’s post, I talked about the need to pray for our culture, and I promised to offer some ways to act…
marked with an X
One area of prayer that I know I need to grow in is prayer for the nation, or more broadly, prayer for our culture. I’m a U.S. citizen, but through the Internet I can easily read the blogs of writers in the UK, Africa, Australia, anywhere in the world. And likewise, I can be influenced by thought and materials from anywhere. It’s a given — almost a cliché — that we live in a global culture, but it behooves me to consider this influence and extend my prayer to cover all the peoples and nations that can and do impact my life.
Through the kind of confluence that the Holy Spirit is so good at creating, this need for broader prayer was brought into sharp focus this morning. Let’s see if I can bring together the various threads and make it into a whole…
my retreat: first thoughts
My retreat was successful, though not without its difficulties. I decided to go on a retreat at the last minute — too late to schedule a room at St. Bernard Abbey, up the road in Cullman, Alabama (I highly recommend a retreat there; when I went 2 years ago, the brothers were gracious and the setting peaceful). I was able, however, to get a room at Ross Bridge again, through the help of our friend, but I realized it was foolish for me to leave Teddie and the kids at home while I stayed at a hotel when all I wanted was quiet. So, Teddie took the children out to the hotel on Saturday afternoon so that they could enjoy the pool, and I stayed home. Then, I went out to the hotel on Sunday afternoon, and they came back to the house so that they would be ready for school on Monday…
saving with your own hand?
One of the lessons of David and Nabal is that if we wait, God will bring justice. When Abigail intercedes with David, she says, “the LORD has restrained you from saving with your own hand.”
How often do we — do I — seek to save with my own hand? In an argument, do I defend myself, or trust for the Holy Spirit to bring perspective to the other person? When I’ve been wronged, do I, like David, “strap on my sword” (1 Sam 25:13), or do I wait on God?
I’ve had varying success with this since I learned the principle of waiting on God, but lately I’ve found it more of a challenge, so this seems like a good time for a refresher. Here are some verses to consider…
help with anger
This article is targeted toward mothers, but the tips and perspective it offers work equally well for fathers:
- Be accountable to someone
- Evaluate your parenting goals
- Evaluate your expectations of your child
- Evaluate your expectations of yourself
- Raise your level of resistance
I especially appreciate the author’s focus on prayer and Scripture:
As I continued reaching out to God, he showed me the seriousness of my sin. After confessing it, I began devouring the Scriptures. I clung to God’s promise in Philippians 1:6 that he always works to perfect us. God’s unconditional, gracious love held me up and moved me forward.
I frequently prayed through Psalm 139:23, 24, asking God to show me any “offensive way” in my life. I clung to the promise in Psalm 46:1 that God is ever-present in trouble. I claimed the promise of 1 Corinthians 10:13 that no temptation is too big for me to be victorious over. I saturated my mind with God’s Word. As I read and prayed, God showed me things about myself that needed to change. And he led me to new solutions and steps to take with my child.
Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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