by George | Oct 22, 2020 | Community News, Devotional, Newsletter
Improved Praying
“And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!'”
Luke 18:13
I want to learn how to pray better… What about you?
If you want to learn about something. You go to the expert.
Wouldn’t you agree that Jesus is the expert on prayer?
In the parable recorded in Luke 18, Jesus is contrasting two individuals prayers.
First up is the Pharisee, the religious guy. He’s received religious training. He should KNOW how to pray. But, Jesus said the Pharisee was basically talking to himself.
“The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.”
Luke 18:11
We find his prayer ludicrous, thinking we would never pray like that.
But, am I thinking something like that in my mind? Are my prayers only centered on me?
We’ve talked about 2 Chronicles 7:14 before. “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
In the verse today, the tax collector is humbling himself, praying, repenting of his sins, and seeking God’s face.
He’s doing prayer the right way: FROM THE HEART!
His prayer is:
Short
Specific
Sincere
May I truly learn to pray like that!
by George | Oct 19, 2020 | Community News, Devotional, Newsletter
Misplaced Concern
“But the LORD said, “You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?”
Jonah 4:10-11
The cat killed a hummingbird. I didn’t think this was possible. Hummingbirds move so fast. The average hummingbird flaps it’s wings 53 times per minute and they travel around 30-45 MPH.
The cat is a stray that hangs out in the woods behind our apartment. We started feeding it a few months ago because he seemed hungry.
This morning, my wife was in the kitchen, and glanced towards the window. She saw the cat jump, and quickly ran outside. The cat had indeed killed the hummingbird and carried it to the side of the apartment. I came outside after she told me and angrily chased the cat in the woods.
I’m not a violent person but I wanted to kill the cat. (My wife had a proper perspective on this and said the cat was acting out of natural instincts.)
I was also mourning the loss of a beautiful hummingbird.
Then I could hear in my spirit, that I was angrier at a cat for killing a bird, and sorrowing for the loss, when there are so many in the world who are suffering. I need to show that kind of concern for them.
This brought to mind the story of Jonah. He hated the people of Ninevah because they were so cruel to the nation of Israel. He reluctantly went and preached to them, and they repented of their sins. God spared them, and Jonah was really angry.
God caused a plant to spring up to give Jonah shade, and then let a worm destroy it overnight.
Jonah became furious and wanted to die.
God showed Jonah that his compassion was misplaced. He was more concerned about a plant that died than the multitude of people who were in need of God.
During this pandemic and time if social conflict, am I more concerned about how this has affected me? That I can’t go and do the things I’m used to doing?
May we all be more concerned, compassionate and love those in need, more than anything else. The first thing we can do is to pray. Then, ask God to show us how we can help.
by George | Oct 15, 2020 | Community News, Devotional, Newsletter
Know the Condition of Your Flock
“Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds,”
Proverbs 27:23
Looking at Facebook memories this morning, I came across a post from a year ago. I had posted several photos of our ministry volunteers, expressing appreciation for them.
So, I reposted it, thinking that it would make each one of them smile.
A little while later, my wife asked me, “Have you checked on Robert?” “What about Cynthia?”
I honestly told her it had been a little while since I had checked on them.
Solomon reminds us to
“Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds,”
Proverbs 27:23
Of course, this applies to shepherds looking after sheep and can be applied to a Pastor and his flock.
But, each one of us has a circle of family, friends and acquaintances.
Sometimes the Lord brings someone to your mind. It may be that He wants you to reach out to them. Perhaps they are having a bad day, and need a prayer spoken, a need met, or a kind word.
Proverbs 16:24 reminds us that:
“Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.”
Your kind words might be just what the doctor ordered!
Recently, I drove down a road where a hospice patient of mine had lived. I thought of his widow and wondered how she was doing. But, the thought soon left my mind, as my mind was preoccupied, driving to my next destination.
A few weeks later, she died. I regret that I didn’t check on her.
OK, no more excuses!
After I write this, I will reach out to the folks I haven’t talked to in awhile as God directs me.
Who’s with me?
