Prayer Simplified

Prayer Simplified.

Prayer and Bible study always seemed to me a near daily formal “30 to 60 minutes quiet time.” And that has been helpful to me.

 Very.

But of late I’ve seen the significance of consistent and constant  communication  with the Father.  It isn’t a very long prayer. In fact it is only two words, broken by space between. “Help” is the one word half. This one word typifies not only asking people for help, but it is what I beg God for throughout the day.

·        If I see a challenging situation where I may fall – “Help.” I haven’t broken any bones lately, but falls do hurt!

·        During the actual fall, there is a split second when two or three “Helps” are discharged. As I hit the ground there is usually a second half of the prayer: “Thanks! I just missed that nail sticking up out of that board. Thanks, Father.” Or, “Thanks. That hurt. But I can’t feel anything broken.”

·        It may be 1 a.m. and I’m stuck between my walker and recliner (like last night). Have been trying to free myself for a couple hours. Can’t. ”Help, God “ hasn’t brought any results. Either God is not listening or gone on lunch break, or He says, “Ray, learn from this. Kill any pride you are carrying and call your wife for her help. I know your thoughts are ‘you don’t want to disturb her sleep’ but she can go right back to sleep.’” A very loud, ”Theresa, help,” brings her from the other end of our home. She untangles my feet from the over-turned walker and my catheter cord that is wrapped around my leg.  I quickly become disentangled. A little more pride crucified.

God is definitely chipping away all that fleshly pride and “self” in me and He is conforming me to the likeness of His Son. . I received from Him a better gift than what I had asked for.

               “Help” and “thanks.” Prayer simplified

Coram Deo captures the essence of the Christian life. This phrase Coram Deo is a Latin phrase translated "in the presence of God"; the idea of Christians living in the presence of, under the authority of, and to the honor and glory of God.

“He walked with God”…at the basketball game when the ref makes a bad call….when in disagreement with my wife…. when someone important makes fun of my stuttering…. When a child or grandchild is blatantly disobedient. Is my response one that could come under the label “He walked with God?”

In God’s omnipresence I am always under the observation of God, understanding that He is my biggest cheerleader. “Yea, Ray, let’s go with it. All the way.”  Or, “Ray, let’s not do that.  Yes, that will bring temporary pleasure. But it isn’t worth it in the long run.”

Coram Deo. There is no place that we can escape His penetrating scrutiny, nor His  grace-filled, loving regard for us as His children. And 2^nd Timothy 3:16-17 captures the very essence of this concept of God. The value of His Word: “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. ¹⁷ God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.”

Living under divine sovereignty involves more than a reluctant submission to sheer sovereignty that is motivated out of a fear of punishment. It involves recognizing that there is no higher goal than offering honor to God. Our lives are to be living sacrifices, oblations offered in a spirit of adoration and gratitude.

At the age of 12, it seemed as if God was calling me into the ministry. I fought that call for about  a year. At that time I was stuttering profusely and could see myself in a pulpit making a fool of myself  with all the stuttering.  How embarrassing would that be!  Afte wrestling God for a year, I relented, gave God permission to use me as He chose – willing to stutter for Him, and the Call left me.   I didn’t realize the ministry He had chosen for me was not behind a pulpit but with a basketball and later as a counselor and writer.  

This is my challenge for now. Being willing to “go out weak” instead of ending my life going out strong in the way that I’d hoped to. That seems to be what God has in mind for me – stripping me of performance pride, fully aware of Paul’s words: “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it (thorn in the flesh) away from me. ⁹ But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Coram Deo …standing naked as it were before the face of God.

Adapted from Ruth Myers, Enjoying God Anew - 31 days of praise   and from R.C. Sproul, Ligonier Ministry

Thank you, my loving and sovereign God, that you have been with me and carried me from the day of my birth until now. When Parkinson’s disease assaulted my brain about 12 years ago, You were there. When stuttering interrupted my speaking fluency 71 years ago, you gave permission for that. And of late, a double hernia that needed surgical repair. A twisted spine that needed titanium screws. Brain surgery with a computer inserted in my chest, sending messages to my brain. And God, You were there when I wrapped my 4-wheeler around a tree, causing severe nerve damage in my leg.    All for which I grew subtlety bitter and cynical. I repent and am grateful for your grace and mercy which forgives me.

 

WILD RIDE - part 2

When, through reading Scripture or a loving friend’s confrontation, the Lord points out an area of our life that needs growth, what do you do? Feel guilty and ashamed? I hope not, because He is not a judge that condemns but a loving father that encourages us  to face the wrong within ourselves and then provides the power to make changes that we all need to make.

“Like what,” you ask. “The worst is Spiritual pride” I say. ‘I’ve memorized several books of the Bible. How many have you?  I am  in church every Sunday. And you?’” A pride that insinuates that I’m more spiritual than you are.  UUUGGGLLY!  God says,”I will share my glory with no man.”  Besides, who enjoys  being  around a person who puts you down?

Back to my story.    Could this life change be being exposed so that I would know more clearly how devastating are my fears and insecurities that abound. That is not trusting God.  Sin. Self-centeredness, which keeps me focused on self rather than on God and others.

Could all this trouble also be to remind me of how I need to put to rest all my performance-orientation? Work hard for approval. Notice me. Tell me I’m okay. If I can accomplish this fete, I will be somebody. (Self-esteem issues that makes for relationship challenges because the focus is not on loving others, but  on my achievement.)

Be careful to see sin in your life. Call it what it is. Don’t sugar coat it or blame  someone else. Repent and ask God   to change you, to transform you into the image of Christ (Roman 8:28-29). If we go by the name “Christian” meaning Christ-in-one. Do our attitudes and behaviors reflect Christ? Can our life pattern be “becoming like Christ?”

Frankly, I’m having  trouble rejoicing in this tough time as I expounded on in part one. (The prospect of having to wear a catheter the rest of my life (just found  that out just before this writing); my strength, especially in my legs is going south along with balance issues, means I walk with a walker; pain is a constant bed partner; not being able to drive is a bummer; goals of building another barn are laid aside; and on and on with an “organ recital” available. And seemingly, God doesn’t care.

The future looks tenuous and vague, “not the going out strong” I had  thought  of and prayed for. My only hope is found in Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all peace and joy as you trust in Him. So that you ( I )may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”  My circumstances don’t have to dictate my joy or peace of mind.

My focus must not be on circumstances but on Abba Father who tells me:

·        He is sovereign – all powerful.  As I give attention to Scriptures that support that belief system, I remind myself that the situation in which I find myself was either caused by or allowed by God for my good and His glory.

·        That He loves me so much that when He sees me “He dances and whirls around” and the Bible is replete with many other expressions of God ‘s love for His children.
As Sarah Young  says in her book Jesus  Today, “Because I (God) am  sovereign. I am ultimately in control of everything that happens to you and to others. This knowledge is sometimes hard to swallow … in the face  of catastrophes Amid such carnage some people conclude that only a cruel God could be overseeing a world like this.

·         “When you are struggling with mysteries of this sort, come  to Me,” God says. “Express yourself freely to Me, trusting that I care and understand. Then subordinate your finite mind  to My infinite intelligence. Relinquish your demand to understand and rest in my compassionate presence,…”

·        That I am to build a trust in Him  that is inseparable. What  I can achieve ”in and through you is proportional to how much you depend on  me,” says God. (J. Young)

·        James 1:2-4  Dear brothers and sisters,^[a] when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. ³ For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. ⁴ So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. 

When I don’t accept  this as God’s word for me, I get resentful and cynical  . Not a pleasant sight nor position. But do you see how God is stripping away the spiritual pride? Praise the LORD!!!!

                       When, through reading Scripture or a loving friend’s confrontation, the Lord points out an area of our life that needs growth, what do you do? Feel guilty and ashamed? I hope not, because He is not a judge that condemns but a loving father that encourages us  to face the wrong within ourselves and then provides the power to make changes that we all need to make.

“Like what,” you ask. “The worst is Spiritual pride” I say. ‘I’ve memorized several books of the Bible. How many have you?  I am  in church every Sunday. And you?’” A pride that insinuates that I’m more spiritual than you are.  UUUGGGLLY!  God says,”I will share my glory with no man.”  Besides, who enjoys  being  around a person who puts you down?

Back to my story.    Could this life change be being exposed so that I would know more clearly how devastating are my fears and insecurities that abound. That is not trusting God.  Sin. Self-centeredness, which keeps me focused on self rather than on God and others.

Could all this trouble also be to remind me of how I need to put to rest all my performance-orientation? Work hard for approval. Notice me. Tell me I’m okay. If I can accomplish this fete, I will be somebody. (Self-esteem issues that makes for relationship challenges because the focus is not on loving others, but  on my achievement.)

Be careful to see sin in your life. Call it what it is. Don’t sugar coat it or blame  someone else. Repent and ask God   to change you, to transform you into the image of Christ (Roman 8:28-29). If we go by the name “Christian” meaning Christ-in-one. Do our attitudes and behaviors reflect Christ? Can our life pattern be “becoming like Christ?”

Frankly, I’m having  trouble rejoicing in this tough time as I expounded on in part one. (The prospect of having to wear a catheter the rest of my life (just found  that out just before this writing); my strength, especially in my legs is going south along with balance issues, means I walk with a walker; pain is a constant bed partner; not being able to drive is a bummer; goals of building another barn are laid aside; and on and on with an “organ recital” available. And seemingly, God doesn’t care.

The future looks tenuous and vague, “not the going out strong” I had  thought  of and prayed for. My only hope is found in Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all peace and joy as you trust in Him. So that you ( I )may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”  My circumstances don’t have to dictate my joy or peace of mind.

My focus must not be on circumstances but on Abba Father who tells me:

·        He is sovereign – all powerful.  As I give attention to Scriptures that support that belief system, I remind myself that the situation in which I find myself was either caused by or allowed by God for my good and His glory.

·        That He loves me so much that when He sees me “He dances and whirls around” and the Bible is replete with many other expressions of God ‘s love for His children.
As Sarah Young  says in her book Jesus  Today, “Because I (God) am  sovereign. I am ultimately in control of everything that happens to you and to others. This knowledge is sometimes hard to swallow … in the face  of catastrophes Amid such carnage some people conclude that only a cruel God could be overseeing a world like this.

·         “When you are struggling with mysteries of this sort, come  to Me,” God says. “Express yourself freely to Me, trusting that I care and understand. Then subordinate your finite mind  to My infinite intelligence. Relinquish your demand to understand and rest in my compassionate presence,…”

·        That I am to build a trust in Him  that is inseparable. What  I can achieve ”in and through you is proportional to how much you depend on  me,” says God. (J. Young)

·        James 1:2-4  Dear brothers and sisters,^[a] when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. ³ For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. ⁴ So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. 

When I don’t accept  this as God’s word for me, I get resentful and cynical  . Not a pleasant sight nor position. But do you see how God is stripping away the spiritual pride? Praise the LORD!!!!

                       When, through reading Scripture or a loving friend’s confrontation, the Lord points out an area of our life that needs growth, what do you do? Feel guilty and ashamed? I hope not, because He is not a judge that condemns but a loving father that encourages us  to face the wrong within ourselves and then provides the power to make changes that we all need to make.

“Like what,” you ask. “The worst is Spiritual pride” I say. ‘I’ve memorized several books of the Bible. How many have you?  I am  in church every Sunday. And you?’” A pride that insinuates that I’m more spiritual than you are.  UUUGGGLLY!  God says,”I will share my glory with no man.”  Besides, who enjoys  being  around a person who puts you down?

Back to my story.    Could this life change be being exposed so that I would know more clearly how devastating are my fears and insecurities that abound. That is not trusting God.  Sin. Self-centeredness, which keeps me focused on self rather than on God and others.

Could all this trouble also be to remind me of how I need to put to rest all my performance-orientation? Work hard for approval. Notice me. Tell me I’m okay. If I can accomplish this fete, I will be somebody. (Self-esteem issues that makes for relationship challenges because the focus is not on loving others, but  on my achievement.)

Be careful to see sin in your life. Call it what it is. Don’t sugar coat it or blame  someone else. Repent and ask God   to change you, to transform you into the image of Christ (Roman 8:28-29). If we go by the name “Christian” meaning Christ-in-one. Do our attitudes and behaviors reflect Christ? Can our life pattern be “becoming like Christ?”

Frankly, I’m having  trouble rejoicing in this tough time as I expounded on in part one. (The prospect of having to wear a catheter the rest of my life (just found  that out just before this writing); my strength, especially in my legs is going south along with balance issues, means I walk with a walker; pain is a constant bed partner; not being able to drive is a bummer; goals of building another barn are laid aside; and on and on with an “organ recital” available. And seemingly, God doesn’t care.

The future looks tenuous and vague, “not the going out strong” I had  thought  of and prayed for. My only hope is found in Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all peace and joy as you trust in Him. So that you ( I )may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”  My circumstances don’t have to dictate my joy or peace of mind.

My focus must not be on circumstances but on Abba Father who tells me:

·        He is sovereign – all powerful.  As I give attention to Scriptures that support that belief system, I remind myself that the situation in which I find myself was either caused by or allowed by God for my good and His glory.

·        That He loves me so much that when He sees me “He dances and whirls around” and the Bible is replete with many other expressions of God ‘s love for His children.
As Sarah Young  says in her book Jesus  Today, “Because I (God) am  sovereign. I am ultimately in control of everything that happens to you and to others. This knowledge is sometimes hard to swallow … in the face  of catastrophes Amid such carnage some people conclude that only a cruel God could be overseeing a world like this.

·         “When you are struggling with mysteries of this sort, come  to Me,” God says. “Express yourself freely to Me, trusting that I care and understand. Then subordinate your finite mind  to My infinite intelligence. Relinquish your demand to understand and rest in my compassionate presence,…”

·        That I am to build a trust in Him  that is inseparable. What  I can achieve ”in and through you is proportional to how much you depend on  me,” says God. (J. Young)

·        James 1:2-4  Dear brothers and sisters,^[a] when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. ³ For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. ⁴ So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. 

When I don’t accept  this as God’s word for me, I get resentful and cynical  . Not a pleasant sight nor position. But do you see how God is stripping away the spiritual pride? Praise the LORD!!!!

                        

March Madness Year around

The young man kneeling is my grandson, Dominick Scoleri, Orlando, that justs finished a perfect season - no losses and final tourney champs. He was MVP. Why does  that excite me? He's got my blood. And though I'm approaching 75, I continued to play until  Parkinson's put an end to that.(Which sent me to the showers after my 3 on 3 Alabama State championship, 60 and older victory.)

 If Dominick aka Dom the Dominator, keeps his  priorities right, he will be a great one.

WHAT A TRIP

Wow, what a wild ride. The journey began a few months ago when I shared with you the challenge God had leveled at me from James 1:2-8 – Rejoice in the tough times. Don’t try to squirm out of your challenges. See them as building blocks for personal growth.

 CONFESSION TIME! I AM STILL STRUGGLING with this sin in my life. Some would say “this isn’t sin” To which I say, ”bull durham! Anything  I’m not cooperating with in what   God commands is sin.

               I have often said, “Before you can see personal growth, you must first see what needs growth.” And it is amazing the lengths to which God will engineer events to accomplish this task. For me major surgeries in the past few months; increased Parkinson’s symptoms, especially since the brain surgery (DBS), standing and walking balance has gone kaput; Double Hernia surgery last week; stuttering blockages are longer and more prolific. I’m even stuttering when speaking with our dog now.  Theresa and I have squabbled more in the last few months than in our first 11 years of marriage; the continual leg and foot pain from the ATV accident two years ago;  and just the jostling of everyday life.

All this ordained by the Lord to make me aware of my need for HIM TO LIVE  HIS life through me  and to face ungodly attitudes and thought process that made me less of a person than I want to be. Or, I can get into self pity and resentment toward God. And that has been my M.O. Not  proud of it at all. ‘but in the past, I’ve had to learn a lesson myself before I could teach it. ‘     

I’m far  from getting a “passing grade”.  That’s why you haven’t heard from me for 7 months. I’ve holed up like the former LA cop wanted for murder. Withdrawn!

Some would say I have a wrong view of God. He doesn’t cause evil or the kind of things I am referring to. My argument is “God is sovereign – all powerful. He may not have caused these things but He certainly could have prevented them.” Bottom line: God is in charge working in all things for my good.

               I knew that in my head, but hadn’t internalized sufficiently to prevent anger at God and becoming cynical about prayer. “ Who am I to be mad at God – Who knows all about me – what is best for me, etc.”

  Those of us who desire to be strong Christians, at times find it difficult to see our sins of attitude that prompts our  two-faced behavior. Mine? Pride. Selfcenteredness – prompted by insecurities. Fear, among a host of others. How do I typically deal with such?   I can even hide from myself through hard work, keeping busy – even good church activities can provide an escape for us when we don’t want to face debilitating insolences within.

The most interesting event took place after one of the surgeries. MY family and friends say I “lost my mind.” Like one that flew over the cuckoo’s nest. I was out of it – for a week. Reaching for things that were hanging in the air – that weren’t really there; displaying venomous anger to my mother who has been dead four years and displacing it on Theresa. I saw strange creatures interacting with me, yelling at them because I thought they were of the devil. (I can still remember that component.) One week of this craziness and I snapped out of it. Why? What happened to trigger it or what caused me to snap out of it. Don’t know. The doctors don’t either.

               When trying to figure out what happened, one doctor thought it could have been triggered by lack of sleep and some speculation on the side effects of the pain medication I was taking at the time. Our children were so afraid that I wouldn’t come back that they began looking for a nursing home that would accommodate me. If you were encouraged to pray for me at that time – THANKS! I must again confess that I have become bitter toward God and cynical about praying for my physical issues. There appears to be many miraculous, Scriptural promises I should be enjoying. Nada. Nothing.  Three more major surgeries in three months. I carry my “bathroom” with me  - a catheter.) The stuttering and Parkinson’s and much more. “God, why don’t you do something about this?” Now I’m sure there are people worse off than I  am. But it would sure be nice if I could be free of some of this pain - emotional and physical.

               It seems as if God is saying to me as He did about Lazarus in John 11, ”Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. NO, this is for the glory of God. I will receive glory through this.”

               Now, I can’t see how God is receiving any glory through all this. If I could, I wouldn’t have to resist depression so hard. What keeps me going is that I know God loves me (though it doesn’t feel like it at times). And a portion of that love is “tough love.” A love that stirs up my comfort zone – making me more aware of that which needs change in my life for growth in Him. …self-centerednesss, insecurity, spiritual pride, seeking approval through performance – all must be gone if I’m going to experience the Christ-life. Filled with His joy, peace of mind and contentment. Focus on God and others. Not on myself.

What are you facing about yourself that needs growth? We can face our weaknesses and not be over-whelmed by them because God is in the life-changing business. He doesn’t  condemn us or judge us. He lovingly says,”Don’t hang on to that wrong (sinful attitude or behavior.) It is hurting you and others close to you. Repent. Let’s work on getting rid of it.” 

More tomorrow.