A Call to be Transformed by God

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. - 2 Corinthians 3:18

Abram’s journey may look like it’s a kind of quest, but very quickly he and we will discover quite the opposite to be true. This won’t be a call to take hold of anything other than God. Abram was clearing the road to the cross. Even though he did not know of the cross, he was willing to trust God to transform his life and to bless the entire world. Abram will spend the rest of his life learning to let go; let go of his doubts and fears, let go of all kinds of passions, to let go of his way of doing things

God’s goal is to bring Abram to a point where the only thing Abram has left – is God himself.

God is going to transform Abram in a magnificent way. The call of Abram will lead people for every generation to follow on a road to the cross.

Abram won’t get there by just being a better person; by making a few minor changes in his diet and in his health; he won’t become the person God has in mind by reading a few good books. Abram can’t answer this call with a sorta-kinda, luke-warm commitment and effort – This is going to require tremendous courage if he is going to follow where God is leading.

And the same is true for us. If God needs something from me, I need to try harder. I’ll try to read a few more books, read my bible more, say more prayers, pray stronger, pray louder…But the question isn’t about trying harder… Trying harder doesn’t deliver what it promises to deliver…Yes, you do everything you can to give yourself over the Holy Spirit. You commit yourselves to the spirit disciplines: You read, you study, you pray, you worship, you confess, you serve, you give… But none of that makes you holy. None of it gives you courage. None of it proves you to be God’s possession. Only God himself can make you worthy, make you capable, and bring you to transformation.

This isn’t about how good you are. God uses people like Abram, Jacob, Moses, David, Solomon, Samson, Peter, Mary, Martha, and Paul…What do they have in common? In an uncommon way, they gave everything in their lives over to God – their needs, their passions, their agendas, their plans, their pride, their fears, their hearts, their minds and their souls. Abram teaches us to travel, trust, and be transformed by God by spending more time letting go and giving God more of your heart, more of your time, more of your strength, more of your dreams!!!

You know I love ya, Don 

Transformed by the Great Transformer!

David C. Casland wrote:

Chuck Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship, spent 40 years helping people hear and understand the gospel of Jesus Christ. When he died in April 2012, one newspaper article carried the headline, “Charles Colson, Nixon’s ‘dirty tricks’ man, dies at 80.” It seemed surprising that a man so transformed by faith should be identified with things he did as a politically ruthless presidential aide decades earlier before he knew the Savior.

The apostle Paul’s conversion and his early Christian witness were greeted with skepticism and fear. When he began preaching that Jesus is the Son of God, people said, “Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose?” (Acts 9:21). Later when Paul went to Jerusalem and tried to join the disciples, they were afraid of him (v.26). In years to come, Paul never ignored his past, but spoke of it as evidence of the mercy of God (1 Tim. 1:13-14).

Like Paul, we don’t need to parade our failures or to pretend they didn’t happen. Instead, we can thank the Lord that through His grace and power, our past is forgiven, our present is changed, and our future is bright with hope for all He has prepared for us.

Transformed by grace divine,
The glory shall be Thine;
To Thy most holy will, O Lord,
We now our all resign. —Burroughs

 

Only Jesus can transform our life. You Know I love ya...Don

The Awareness of the Presence of God

I have been in a devotional study of the Classic Christian writers of the faith. The light that beams through the contribution to spiritual development and to the work of the kingdom opens the eyes of the heart, soul, and mind. Power, grace, a humble spirit, and listening have touched me as I have studied them in depth through the classic devotions. I am closer to the six great streams of the Christian life; “the prayer-filled life,” the virtuous life,” “the spirit-empowered life,” the compassionate life,” “the word-centered life,” and the “sacramental life” because of the writings. Each of the great streams fit into the six great traditions of the church as, “contemplative, holiness, charismatic, social justice, evangelical, and incarnation." I am a better follower because I have tasted the streams where a Christ-follower grows in faith and spiritual formation. 

 

God maneuvered opportunities for each of these classic writers to bring understanding to those. These dedicated and committed individuals are testimonies for purposeful character development. For example, Brother Lawrence demonstrates an ability to embrace a life of experiencing the presence of God in every facet of life. Brother Lawrence grants us the true goal to live out our daily devotions and prayers during every aspect of our existence.

In our course forum, I wrote about when I was an undergrad student at Pacific Christian College. I was given a small little 20 page booklet written by Don DeWelt titled, "Sweet Hour of Prayer." I read, meditated, journaled and prayed through that little booklet at least five times a week for a year. It was a simple guide yet making the commitment was a challenge. It was worth it. During that time I came to a new awareness of God in my life and his presence in my surroundings. I developed a new focal point to pray beyond the hour of the exercises to a place of praying short prayers throughout the day.

Brother Lawrence writes, “I have since given up all forms of devotions and set prayers except those which are suitable to this practice. I make it my business only to persevere in his holy presence wherein I keep myself by a simple attention and general fond regard to God, which I refer to as an actual presence of God.” Lawrence is stating that he has made it his life's practice to be in recognition of God's presence in every aspect of his existence. Practicing the presence of God helps me in understanding that my connection with God is truly a relationship.

For each of these classic writers, I have noticed a keen awareness of the presence of God in their lives. Their awareness of the Holy Spirit within them is not limited to a time or place, but that the Holy Spirit is sharing and working in my life. Many worship leaders will start a worship service by declaring that we are about to enter into the presence of God. Dr. Wayne Shaw of Lincoln Christian University and I had a conversation a few years ago about how believers should never leave the presence of God. In reality, the Holy Spirit dwells within us. In corporate worship we enter into a time of conscience awareness and recognition of God's presence within our lives, consequently a believer never exits the presence of God.

Another classical devotional contributor who grants insights for the believer in the awareness of God is Teresa Avila. Teresa lived a very contemplative life. She also reminds the believer that God is anxious for us to grow closer to him. She reverberates a message of hope in searching for God that is needed in every generation. She writes, “God is so anxious that we should grow close to him that he calls us unceasingly to approach him.”It is here a familiar awareness of God restores a quest within us of wanting to know and be known by God. 

 

Teresa also writes on how temptation separates us from God. It is our sinful nature which removes us from God's presence. She gives some solid advice on resisting temptation through a gentle approach. She states, “when you feel the beginnings of temptation, do not fight back with strenuous efforts, but rather, gently begin a time of prayer and recollection.” In other words, instead of hitting yourself with guilt for the temptation, initiate a time of clinging to God and the temptation will cease. She does not talk about how easy ti will be, but rather she addresses the relief and release that comes after the practice is implemented.

Although lacking in my own ability, the awareness of the presence of God brings order to the chaos that lives in my sinful nature. The priority of practicing God's presence restores my heart, mind, soul, and strength to a place that God intended for my creation. That I would know God as he is to be known through Christ restores my fallen life. For me, this truth is the ultimate goal of transformation.

I look forward to a new heart in heaven. I know that as Jesus transforms me from glory to glory I will experience a restored heart that is not prone to wander. I will no longer have the sinful nature. I will know sin in the past tense and the practice of God's presence will no longer be a need. I will thrive forever in God's presence. The most glorious aspect of practicing the awareness of God is that I can live the presence of God while living in my fallen flesh and experience what is to come. The experience is the opportunity to embrace the abundance of life. The abundance of life through practicing God's presence in the ordinary daily existence is but a glimpse of what is ahead in the future glory.

The prayer filled-life establishes the awareness of God in praying to him without ceasing. Julian of Norwich stated: “Just as our flesh is covered by clothing, and our blood is covered by our flesh, so are we, soul and body, covered and enclosed by the goodness of God.” The keen awareness of God also brings with it an awareness of God's goodness. His goodness reminds us that we are also to be good. The life of prayer will define a believer's action in generosity and goodness for through the gift of prayer, one is reminded how truly good our God is.

Ultimately the awareness of God and the keen knowledge that God is working in our lives brings us to a new understanding of how we should live in response to God. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “Christian Brotherhood is not an ideal with which we must realize; it is rather a reality created by God in Christ in which we may participate.” A Christian is an active servant. These great classic writers teach us to live the Christian life and remind us that faith is not a philosophy, but an active way of life. It is my goal to go out and do likewise.

As we glance out the windows that are opened through the classic devotional writers, it is God's goodness and active spirit that guide us to a better way. Therefore, we make it our goal to please him by reaching for his renewed faithfulness to us and clinging to his mercies that are new every morning. God is a good God. Thus, we go and shine as his lights to our world.

You know I love ya, Don

Richard J. Foster and James Bryan Smith, eds., Devotional Classics. (Rev.; New York: Harper Collins, 2005).

Experiencing the depths of the abundant life : Madam Jeanie Guyon

Madame Jeanne Guyon (1648-1717) is becoming a favorite of the classic writers for Spiritual Formation. A product of French high society, Jeanne was raised in convents from the age of two and a half. At ten years old, she found a Bible left in her room and began earnestly to study and memorize it. From then on, she pursued an exclusive devotion to God.

She married at 16 to an older man who left her a widow with three young children at the age of 28. With the wealth her husband had left her, she devoted the remaining 40 years of her life to serving God through personal evangelism, writing, and helping the poor. She founded hospitals and gave away much of her wealth anonymously.

She traveled throughout France and Switzerland teaching people how to pray and challenging them to live holy lives. She mainly met with people privately and avoided "preaching." All the while, she sought an ever-deeper union with God to the point that she felt God possessed her, speaking and acting through her.

So what was the problem? Well, the Roman Catholic Church at that time opposed her Quietism, which teaches that spiritual perfection can be attained when self is lost in the contemplation of God. The authorities also warned her that it was the business of priests to pray, not women, and certainly not in the way she prayed -- with intimacy, from her heart. Unmoved by intimidation and popular among all levels of society, she fearlessly used every chance to share her spiritual ideas with everyone she encountered.

Finally, the church had her arrested and sent to prison for seven years, the last two in solitary confinement in the Bastille. She continued to write, having produced a 20-volume commentary on the Bible, an autobiography, and many short works,  "The Way to
God" and "A Short and Very Easy Method of Prayer."

She shared a 25-year spiritual friendship with Archbishop Francois de Fenelon, the most celebrated churchman of that day. Their letters, over 100, have been called "one of the most precious documents for the study of mystic thought transmitted to us from the past."

After King Louis XIV released her from prison, Madame Guyon lived another 15 years, suffering patiently and glorifying God in her illnesses, until she died at age 69.

"If Madame Guyon could come to our home for a cup of coffee and conversation what one question would you most want ask her?" I know I would not be able to contain my time with her to one question. First, where does the hope in suffering grant a believer the ability to "Plunge into the very depths of the words you read until revelation, like sweet aroma, break out upon you." Where was she when she wrote these words? Did the scriptures bring a sweet aroma, because the confinement was in a place that was filled with such horrible smells?

Second, I would want to know what passages spoke to her in hardest times and in her greatest triumphs. I would want to know why? During her confinement was she allowed to have a bible with her, or did she have the words memorized. If her writings emerged from when she was confined, how did she get them out?

Third, I would ask her to talk to me about how the Holy Spirit transformed her in seeking an "inward approach" to God. Explain to me how God revealed to her the truth as she wrote to us, "You should always remember that you are not doing this to gain some understanding of what you have read; rather, you are reading in order to turn your mind from outward things to the deep parts of your being." The deep parts of my being have a tendency to groan and long for heaven and home. How does transformation in time of persecution enhance these longings.

The fourth question is that there is comfort in the name of the Lord for those that are oppressed. There is also great pressure for those under confinement and persecution to grow in their faith because it is often the only thing to hold on to. My question is, "What comfort is there in not being confined or oppressed?" It seems that I am not confined nor am I oppressed, I live in a mediocrity driven religious world that wants to coexist. What advice does she have for a person like me?

The fifth question is simply to ask her to pray for me. I would love to just sit and listen to her pray. I want to experience how she relates to God and how God relates to her. I would love to just sit and listen to her words pray over me and allow the Holy Spirit to immerse the moment. 

You know I love ya, Don

The Church's Spirituality and the 1900's

Jesus said that we are to go to all the world and preach the message the he has started. The era of the church in the west since 1900 has many interesting figures. These figures are dedicated to preaching along with bringing a renewed since of social justice. Jesus commands with the goal of baptizing the new believers and then to teach them that he had taught the early disciples. The 1900's separate themselves in that this era grabs the concept of going to all the world. Mission efforts increase and the actions of the dedicated believers is so proclaim the message throughout all the world, through all social classes, beyond race barriers, and beyond gender distinctions.

Mother Teresa seemed to cross all cultural and denominational barriers in her calling. She saw her faith and action as a dedication to God and his calling on her life. She stated, “As to my calling, I belong to the whole world. As to my hearts, I belong entirely to the heart of Jesus.” The personalities of the era look beyond their limitations and allow the Holy Spirit bring to fruition the goals that Jesus established in his great commission to go, baptize, and make disciples. God's power of grace and truth permeate the anti-God culture that emerges in the second half of the 1900's. It is this dedication and search for God on a global scale that transcends cultural barriers so that the good news of Jesus is preached.

Thomas Merton writes on these thoughts prolifically. His confessions follow that of Augustine and is a story of a worldly young man who radically changes the direction of his life so as to devote himself to God. Merton changes his perception that he is to escape the world, but that he is to serve the world as a member of it. Holt records of Merton as: “Merton saw his responsibility in that world to be wider than prayer for it.” Merton himself writes, “Christian holiness is our age means more than ever the awareness of our common responsibility to cooperate with the mysterious design of God for the human race.” It is this since of responsibility that calls and spurs us on to serve the world in which we live so as to bring a message of the good news of the gospel to those around us on a daily basis.

Alcoholics Anonymous is a great illustration to this era's endeavor to reach beyond the message into helping the world see the message. The task is accomplished in the servant attitude that is so desperately needed through out all cultures. A servant heart looks to Niebuhr’s Serenity Prayer: “God grant me the grace to accept with serenity the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference” and establishes a sense that change needs to take place and through God's grace and truth, believers present the message of Jesus for change.

Church has also developed the outreach programs in order to develop the spiritual life within the believers through the 1900s. Development of education, communication, and technology has advanced the work of the church in connecting people to Jesus and to each other. Richard Foster describes twelve spiritual disciplines that are organized into three categories. These categories are: “the inward, the outward, and the corporate disciplines.” Each of these disciplines bring about change with in the believer for the transformation of the soul. Foster writes: “The disciplines are the path of the spiritual life. This path leads to the inner transformation and healing for which we seek.” The healing of the soul and restored connection with the creator are realized in the practice of the spiritual disciplines.

Another development is in the area of equipping the believers for individual service. This was not a new development for the church, but that the equipping is accomplished through embracing of psychology and the recognition of individual talents for the purpose of propagation of the message and increased effectiveness for service. Karl G. Jung embraced this union of psychology and spirituality. His work is a major contributor for the development of Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Test that is widely used as a resource for spiritual direction and mentoring. The church in the 1900's is a church that takes the message and uses the knowledge of the psyche so as to maneuver an increased effectiveness in kingdom advancement.

The 1900's were an exciting time for the Kingdom of God. The advancement of the good news began having an greater global impact then ever before. The church in South America and Africa grew in great numbers. The church in Europe slowed down in its growth, yet the dedicated maintained a remnant of believers for the purpose of advancing the message of grace and truth. The Catholic and Protestant movements started seeing more cooperation, especially in the area of praying for unity. Believers also began serving other religions and cultures in the name of Jesus so as to win them. The words of Jesus to go, to preach, and baptize were embraced and expressed in new and creative ways that transformed lives and connected people to their creator for all eternity.

 Seeking transformation....you know I love ya, Don

Bradley P. Holt. Thirsty for God. (Fortress Press: Minneapolis, 2005).

Reformation: Catholic and Protestant!

 Martin Luther made a significant contribution to the reformation. He is usually credited with starting the reforms within the church but God used several people to bring about significant changes. These changes would divide the church for over four hundred years. Holt describes this as: “Northern Europe broke away from the South and East in a wrenching struggle that was to divide Europe for more than four hundred years." Divisions were strong and at times bloody. The results brought about change that re-established a clear path for spiritual formation and restored relationship with God.

Luther realized the problem of the church was spiritual and that this problem was keeping people from knowing God and experiencing spiritual formation. “He understood for the first time that God's righteousness was a free gift, not a human achievement” Luther never wanted to forsake the Catholic church or establish a new denomination. Luther truly sought to bring about change and reform. Luther's understanding was, “that the people are justified (made right with God) by grace through faith.” Through his understanding and the use of this knowledge as a guide and rule, Luther examined basic truths through this new lens of un-merited favor (grace) from God.

I find it interesting how as the ages of time pass through church history, we see this reoccurring need to see the church called back to a piety of holiness for God. In our previous chapters there is a reoccurring fragmentation of commitment on the part of believers. The culture seems to embrace the church beliefs, but over time the next generations reduce commitments to God. The idea that the church and it's zeal belonged to the past generation was commonly accepted. 

 

Luther calls the people to a new zeal in that “the gospel has set us free from sin, death, and Satan and that it also sets us free to serve our neighbors.” This teaching is revolutionary to Luther's time. Yet in past eras, some of the same teachings exist, including the proclamation of the Gospel and sacrifical service as a means of development in a person's walk with Christ. Holt notes: “It is in his Large Catechism that Luther sets out one of his most basic spiritual teachings that the Christian life is a daily baptism, a daily dying and rising with Christ in repentance and forgiveness.” It is a believers quest to be completely and totally immersed in Jesus Christ. The renewal call is resonate of the Jesus Prayer and that of Augustine. No doubt, Luther would have been influenced by these and many others writers of the past. It interesting that the church as a whole had forgotten or neglected to apply past experience. This could be why the saying, “those who do not know history are destined to repeat it.” 

  

In addition, Luther and Zwingli had a major disagreement over the Lord's supper. Both men are seeking reform for the church they love, and both are seeking an increase in spirituality. One would assume that a sacrament of remembering Christ and the proclamation of the Lord's Death would be a matter of unity. Surprisingly, the sacrament would be the source of division between the two reformation leaders. Zwingli brings importance to overcoming the human ignorance by teaching the bible. Holt notes that Zwingli addressed the “aesthetic, sacramental, and mystical dimensions of the Catholic tradition were put aside for the sake of a Bible-based rationalism, which was to affect many parts of the Reformed tradition.” Luther did not seek to break away from the Catholic church, whereas Zwingli was committed to reform and to the scriptures even if the break from the Church universal was necessary. Therefore, a difference in philosophy will lead in a break of unity, even over sacraments such as the Lord Supper.

John Calvin is a mystery to me. His teaching on predestination are offensive and are usually the most misunderstood. Yet many will hold to these teachings higher than the Scriptures themselves. Holt describes Calvin as: “The starting point for Calvin's spirituality was not predestination but the mystical union of the believer with Christ.”⁷ It is in this point that I would embrace Calvin's teachings. Holt also notes that Calvin “asserted that we are saved not by works but for them.”⁸ In both of these teachings there is opportunity for Spiritual formation. How amazing that we consistently allow the enemy to twist and manipulate so as to bring confusion and chaos on even the most sincere teachings. 

 

Ignatius of Loyola is becoming a favorite of the classic individuals for spiritual formation. His ideas of embracing the disciplines of the faith while allowing imagination and artistic creativity to enhance one's discernment from God is effective. He was a reformer for the pilgrimage to actual locations for spiritual formation. Ignatius was also a leader. He desires for people of the church to experience God. He wrote the Spiritual Exercises and encouraged the use of a spiritual director. Holt states: “The paradoxical feature of the Exercises is their appeal to the affections and emotions to accomplish their purpose, while remaining very rational.”⁹ These exercises and a noble attention to purity creates in a believer a clear leading of the Holy Spirit for how to follow Jesus.

The reformation era was a a tumultuous time for the church. Yet, the people of God grew and the numbers of Christ-like followers flourished through the dedication to God's revelation and to God's truth. The commitment of the body of believers was rekindled from desperate mediocrity. The hostilities of change would separate the differences of the Catholic and Protestant faiths for 400 years. Looking through the lens of history, we see a truth in piety that encourages every generation that follows. The division was great, yet God uses both, Catholic and Protestant to a renewed relationship with Him.

It is a reminder to remain faithful in Christ in all we do. You know I love ya, Don

  

Bradley P. Holt. Thirsty for God. (Fortress Press: Minneapolis, 2005). 99.

Pride is the Folly of Fools...I am one of the fools!

Catherine of Genoa reminds us of how our wisdom can puff us up and bring us to a place of confidence only to reveal that the "our" in the equation is foolish pride. There are too many times in my life that I can think of when I thought I was the one that knew the most only to quickly discover I did not know anything in comparison to others int he room and especially to God. I think Catherine would agree with the old saying, "There are always better fish in the pond."

One of these times for me was as I entered into College at Pacific Christian College. In High School, I was playing piano and organ in most every church. I usually played a wedding a weekend. It was not uncommon for me to play for one or two funerals a month. It was good money and I was pretty good at what I was offering. I also was part-time at a church as a choir director and we had shared in several fun worship offerings. The greatest part of being the hired piano/organist was that I was young and the only one around. Then, I entered into college. I was no longer the only one and the competition was much high. It only took a few days for me to realize how small I was and that I was not as good as everyone in my High School years had lead me to believe.

Another time was when I got to meet George Herbert Bush. It was a Monday Morning and I was asked to be a special ambassador for Sevier County, TN to welcome the former president to our town. He and Mrs. Bush we scheduled to watch a Lee Greenwood show that evening. I was excited. I took the day off, I got my best suit on and I headed to the regional airport for their plane to arrive. I stood next to the Governor of Tennessee and the Mayor and shook the President and the First Lady's hands as they stepped off of the plane to welcome them. It was a great day and I thought I was someone special. As I got into the car and drove out of the airport parking lot, I was overcome with conviction from the Holy Spirit. I sat there and the Holy Spirit said to me, "You didn't get that excited to meet me yesterday in services and I am the Creator of the Universe." I was cut to the heart and it changed me. That was over ten years ago, but since that day my Sunday Morning experience starts on Saturday afternoon and I make every effort to prepare and be excited to meet with God in Sunday Worship.

I know that God is with us every moment of everyday. I know that we enter into His presence only in awareness in a corporate setting during a church worship service, but that His presence is always with us. What Catherine reminds me is that our God is more than I can comprehend and when I pay attention, he reveals himself in the greatest of ways. It is like Catherine states: "God's love wills to stand naked and without any cover since it has nothing to hide."

Learning to lean on God takes every effort...doing it together is what hold us to a greater power. You know I love ya, Don

Finding the Peace and Direction!

 Last summer during our introduction to Spiritual Formation class with Dr. Jody Owens I was introduced to “The Jesus Prayer.” It is the simple words, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” It is a simple declaration of faith as well as a plea for mercy and grace. The presentation of the prayer is to follow the formula that repeats the phrase over and over in rhythm with one's breathing and heartbeat. It serves as a reminder of a believer's dependance on Jesus while also seeking a plea of Mercy from Jesus.

After Dr. Owens introduced it to the class, we were encouraged to go to a place on the Johnson Campus and experience the prayer as an offering with God. I remember that it was Thursday morning and I was able to gain access to the Glass Memorial Chapel. This was the main chapel when I was a undergrad student at Johnson. I sat in the same pew which I was assigned as an undergrad and started to recite the prayer. Recently, I have been praying for a new direction. The Holy Spirit led me to start singing as we had sung 14 years earlier and I started to sing the old hymn, “Great is Thy Faithfulness” while reciting “The Jesus Prayer” in between the verses. I surrendered to God and I laid out my desire. 

 

I began singing, “God is so good” and while I was singing the Holy Spirit interrupted me prayer. The interruption was not an audible voice, but a clear direction. The direction I received was as if God said, “If I am faithful, I have provided you with great opportunities in the past, and I am so good, then why would I stop being faithful, providing opportunities, and being good?” The amazing comfort of the prayer, the location, the renewal of the mind through his grace exposed me to how powerful “The Jesus Prayer” truly is. I discovered in those few minutes that God is a God that looks beyond my faults and failures. He is the One that has always used my service for his purposes. I also learned that I needed mercy. God's favor reminded me that it was not about “me” or my wishes but that the surrender of ministry is to surrender the “me” to God purposes in life, service, and ministry. 

 

Is there magic in the words?” Absolutely not! What the prayer does is quiet the mind, body, and heart so that the soul might be central in the prayer offered. Declaring Jesus as the son of God is a statement which contradicts the world around us. The use of this “apophatic” practice is “to direct personal encounter with God without images.” The images of the prayer are that of a blind man on the side of the road calling out to Jesus to come and have mercy on him. The use of this prayer combined with the natural rhythm of breathing with study brings the believer to a place of hearing from the Holy Spirit so as to receive and engage in divine direction. The wonderful aspect of the results is that the answer that God is faithful, that God is a great provider, and God will continue to be a good God is not new information or that it provided a new revelation. The message accomplished in my heart a divine mystery of trust. 

 

Trust is difficult when we seek independence with our lives. I certainly am not immune to an independent will. Thus, the prayer declaring that Jesus is the Son of God and then pleading for him to grant me mercy is a reversal of my independence. The learning experienced in the chapel that summer day was a reminder of my dependance on God in surrendering to him. I find a great comfort in knowing God will not bring about judgement in my prayer, instead he will offer mercy.

Holt states about the Hail Mary the following: “the mind operates on two levels: the repetition of the Hail Mary is a way of centering the attention, while the mysteries are imaginatively relived.” With my experience with The Jesus Prayer, I believe it applies even more. I do not see a need to pray to Mary. Yes, she was a special young lady. She grew to be the mother of God's Son. However, I do not see her as divine or as a deity. I do not see Holt believing that Mary should be prayed to either, he is simply explaining the Rosary and how it works. What is noted is the prayer offering of the Rosary and The Jesus Prayer produce results that focus the mind so as to reveal God's love. The Jesus Prayer certainly works in the same fashion.

Since the opportunity last summer morning in the chapel, I have had opportunities to use the prayer. At night if I cannot sleep, it is a simple tool which brings about comfort with the inevitable dosing off in sleep. I have recited in my mind as I sit in a difficult or long meeting. There is comfort in the words of declaration of faith that Jesus is the Son of God and that he will hear us when we ask for mercy. As sinners, we need his forgiveness on an individual level. The Jesus Prayer reminds the believer of his mercy, while the Holy Spirit humbles and places the believer in a submissive spirit to hear and connect with God.

"Lord Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Amen"  You know I love ya, Don

Bradley P. Holt. Thirsty for God. (Fortress Press: Minneapolis, 2005).

Temptations are Useful....the proof is in the resistance!

Now this is a quote that I can resonate with: "Our life on this earth is warfare." This was said by Thomas 'a Kempis from his writings in, "The Imitation of Christ." I agree that this life is hard and that we are at war. The temptations of this world are not to be taken lightly. These pesky temptations lead me astray and away from the God I love. I don't want anything to do with them and I certainly rebuke them out of my life. War against the temptations are the only means for survival against evil that dwells within my sinful nature. War against temptations is also the only way to fight off the evil one and his evil snares that so easily entangle my progress.

Here is quote that surprised me: "Temptations can be useful to us even though they seem to cause us nothing but pain." My first surprise was that the words came from the same man that declared war. How can you reconcile that life is a war against temptations and then state that these same temptations are good? My second surprise was in the idea that these horrible tugs in my flesh that I have tried to rid my life of are actually something that I am supposed to appreciate as useful. But, I kept reading and my thoughts were enlightened with the third quote. I see a new understanding of God's favor. Thomas wrote, "Temptation reveals our instability and our lack of trust in God; temptations reveal who we are."

This explanation helped me come to terms with never escaping temptations. Temptations are the piece to the puzzle that are not sin, but the piece to the puzzle that defines the "who" in our commitment to God. I do think God allows temptations to come our way, but I do not believe God sits on the throne planning ways to cause us to stumble. God is much like a parent watching his/her child take their first steps. God is not pushing us down, but watching to see what we will do next. So, why does he allow temptations come, because it is the means for growth. The athlete must suffer grueling struggle in order to build up muscle. The musician makes many mistakes in rehearsal for through the rehearsal the mistakes are made correct through repetition and a beautiful concert emerges. The artist struggles with colors and application in order to find a clean production of an amazing sight to behold.

Thomas has helped me come to a new appreciation for the struggle of temptation. It is for the purpose of learning to resist temptation and draw closer to God. Our resistance to the temptation is to walk with the Lord. The resistance is the proof I am serious in my faith and there in lies the value because the more I resist, the more I rely on God for my existence. The reliance on God is then complimented in (1) striving for others, (2) living as less is more, (3) living without recognition or importance, and (4) allowing God's will to completely fill me.

It is true there is value in temptation and I don't truly want to live without the existence of temptation, but I desire to live a life of resistance to temptation. You know I love ya, Don

Blaise Pascal Greatness and Wretchedness: Dr. Jeckel and Mr. Hyde

I have always admired Pascal for his contributions to math. It humbles me to think that one of the world's foremost brains on math was so dedicated to living a life filled with virtue. I am touched by the teaching on a "duel" nature. It is better for me to state that my study on the "Holiness Tradition" has also knocked me down a peg or two. There is a stark reality in these classic masters of Spiritual Formation teach on living "virtue."

Pascal states, "Our greatness and wretchedness are so evident that the true religion must necessarily teach us that there is in us some great principle of greatness and some great principle of wretchedness." I totally agree there are two elements in myself that bring great contradictions that roar in my head, heart, and strength. To what degree is this a nature, I am not sure...but I do know that both of these elements exist in my personality. I am more inclined to stated that I am a fallen creature because of my sinful heart that desires to think only of itself. It is the call of my creator that reminds me of the greatness that he created within me and that God's call is what motivates me to be more like him. It is also his call that lifts me up and heightens my awareness of what he has created me to be.

"It is vain that you seek within yourselves the cure for your miseries" was a another statement that resonated in my heart as I traveled this chapter. God has willingly united himself to me so as to bring me out of my sinful nature into a life restored to my creator. In God's willingness I experience his favor. I experience grace, while my heart is humbled and in turn he grants me a cure for my miseries. I do not have to beat myself up or denigrate my emotions because the reality is that I am unable to redeem myself. My redemption comes through Jesus Christ. He is the one the has paid my debt and I surrender my all (the great and the wretched) so that he can lift me and demonstrate where my help comes from. It is in this new relationship that I can fully experience life as one united with God by grace and not by my nature.

Therefore, I seek to find the light that Pascal refers to by the grace that God has demonstrated in uniting with me. Thus, I declare to all I meet that Jesus is the means by which we are saved. I am granted courage and strength to stand for justice, fight for those who are unable to fight for themselves, and live a generous life as he has so generously given to me because my nature (great and wretched) has taken the back set and his grace and truth is guiding me.

Learning to live with more virtue...you know I love ya, Don

Basis, Example, & Promise of Christian Spiritual Formation

Jesus is the Logos of God. Jesus as the word of God establishes all being into existence and grants the essence of life to all that exist. As I study the scriptures this reality becomes more and more apparent as the truth of Jesus as the word of God is weaved through-out each biblical story and teaching. Bradley Holt states: “Jesus is central to Christian spiritual formation. In short, Jesus is the basis, the example, and the promise of Christian spiritual formation." The understanding of the truth impresses one to live a rule of life based on the treasures of faith, hope, and love.

 

God has granted us the revelation of himself through the bible. This collection of books reminds us that in the Old Testament believers looked for the coming Messiah, and after Jesus' life, death, burial and resurrection the New Testament believers looked back to the Messiah who had come. As a result of this historical review, it is certain that mankind's ability to achieve equality with God's will never be attainable. Thus, a messiah was necessary as one who would stand in our place to pay the price for sin. The message of Jesus is just as relevant today as it was throughout all history.

The ancient text reveal that God has a plan for a restored relationship with his creation. Holt comments on God's plan with the description: “It is the grace of God that initiates our relationship to God, and it is the grace of God that energizes us to activity, not to create the relationship but to exercise it, to give the relationship the attention that gives the possibility of growth." In other words, it is the creation's task to receive the favor and the gift. It is God's love that has initiated the relationship. The question becomes are we, as believers, willing to exercise the opportunity to develop a genuine relationship. 

 

A restored relationship with the Creator is established in three essential foundational realities that Jesus is the basis, the example, and the promise of Christian spiritual formation. Jesus refers to himself as the only means to get to the Father and that he is way, the truth, and the life. Living as Jesus lived is the basis for spiritual formation and is readily received, but hard to practice. The believer must put truth under this foundational basis and live as if life depends on the truth. It is the truth of Jesus where the foundational building blocks of spiritual formation stand, but the difficulty is in the practice of such truth in our everyday living. 

 

It is harder to follow the example of Jesus in our spiritual formation than believing in Jesus as the “basis” in our spiritual formation. The willingness to be sacrificial in life, in generosity, and in listening for the goal of spiritual formation is hard. This element is where the rubber meets the road as the saying states. Holt states it as, “Jesus provides an example of spiritual practice by integrating his inner and outer life.” Jesus was willing to give of himself so as to allow God to rule as the supreme father of his inner and outer life. Jesus was willing to get up early, he was willing to listen to God even in the hardness of the cross, and he was willing to act against the fleshly desires of sin while fighting against the evil in the world. It is his commitment to habitual practice of the spiritual disciplines that Jesus uses to demonstrate the power of God. The struggle emerges in the believers' heart because it is a struggle to create a habitual practice. 

 

The third element is Jesus as the promise of Christian spiritual formation. The promise in this context is a noun. It is to seek spiritual formation through which the risen Lord is alive and working among the believers throughout history. Jesus is the declared assurance that God will be faithful to bring to completion that which he started in the first place. Holt's summation is, “Jesus is able to be the promise because he is alive today and will bring the world its consummation.” Thus, this element that Jesus is the promise is that which makes spiritual formation a reality for those who seek to establish Jesus as the basis for spiritual formation, and are willing to habitually practice the example of Jesus in spiritual formation. 

Therefore, the ancient words of the scriptures are the basis, the example, and the promise of the Logos of God. That Jesus is the word of God in the flesh and is the revealed God as creator of all life. It is the study of the Word that brings to fruition the believer's spiritual formation. I seriously doubt that the average believer takes into account how important these elements are to the growth of faith, hope and love. Yet, the elements are present in the heart of every sincere believer. The lack of awareness does not diminish the importance of each of the elements in spiritual formation. 

As a matter of reflection, the awareness of these elements heightens one's abilities in habitually practicing the spiritual disciplines. Holt provides the example that, “prayer can open our ears to hear by directing our thoughts to God and by helping us to be willing to hear, sometimes when we are too distracted or too self-centered to want to hear. Willingness and attentiveness are the attitudes we want to develop as we approach the Word.” Thus, we develop our spiritual disciplines, as in this example of prayer, by committing to an habitual practice of the discipline for the purpose of spiritual formation. Those who heard from God and wrote the books of the bible were habitually committed and passed along for our modern study the opportunity to approach God through the Word, or Logos. The noteworthy by product is the growth in a willingness and attentiveness to God. The elements of Jesus as the basis, the example, and the promise of spiritual formation reveals Jesus in each of the books of the bible. My reflection on this reality heightens my awareness in the truth of Jesus as the word of God and that he is weaved throughout each biblical story and teaching for the purpose of developing my spiritual formation.

Seeking to grow and be closer ... You know I love ya, Don

Bradley P. Holt. Thirsty for God. (Fortress Press: Minneapolis, 2005).

Are you thirsty or just gettin' by?

 The formation of one's spiritual self is not taken seriously in our post-modern lives. I can admit, it has just been recently that I have become more intentional in my spiritual formation. That is to state that my spiritual formation has relied on my daily devotional life, the sermon series at church or through the popular book I was currently reading. It is easy to assume that having a devotional life, regular church studies, and religious readings are the typical habit of the majority, yet it is more the truth to state that the typical American believer does not practice just one of the three elements.

Most clergy very rarely read books or have a study time beyond what is expected in sermon or class presentations. It is a sad commentary, but the truth is that the post-modern American church is lazy and has lost it's first love for Jesus. The average American believer lacks a Christ-like faith that is demonstrated in daily life. There is a virus among the western church that has infected believers to compromise grace and truth so as to be politically correct and avoid conflict.

Holt explains in his chapter on spiritual formation that it is not enough to read or study in order to develop a spiritual life but that it must be lived in our daily actions. These actions are to be seen and lived in order for disciplines of faith to be nurtured, grown and to be developed. Holt states how the, “Bible generally views a person as a unity of body, soul, mind, heart, and spirit.” The elements of body, soul, mind, and heart are not given an opportunity to be separated. Thus, it is important that any spiritual formation take an intentional and balanced approach. There is not any room for complacency or for lack of discipline. 

 

Holt reveals a great truth with the statement, “the complex ethical problems facing Christians today force us to listen carefully to the specialist who remind us of the context and the specifics of the Christian tradition that under girds us in making concert decisions.” Spiritual formation is reliant on the facts that ethics, integrity, dedication, and spirituality belong together. It is the fruit in which we lived that define our being in Christ. Thus, the believer who tries to refrain from discipline or development in Christ is a saved creature, yet lacks the essence of abundant life. It is in this mediocre stage of development where most of the American church lives today. 

 

Holt assesses that the modern church is very good in appreciation of God's goodness and in praise. Out culture thrives on entertainment. The modern church worship service is filled with entertainment. Normal standards includes a sermon that is easy to listen to, the music has to be upbeat and pleasant to the ear, and the technology must keep up with television standards. This high bar for corporate worship has often diminished our reality of the hardship and commitment that are a necessity in spiritual formation. Holt finds the hope for the future with these words, “Christian appreciation for the work for God needs to be matched in our day by taking responsibility for lifestyle and economics in order to preserve the creation from human destruction.” This statement needs to be taken to heart by every believer in the western church for a closer walk with God. 

 

The combination of grace and truth is the remedy which Jesus demonstrated for spiritual formation. The task at hand is to apply the combination in our daily living. This is accomplished as diversely as there are diverse amount of people on the planet. The hardship is the desire to make it a reality. The pool of information available to people is large and is a crutch that most of us lean on. We trust the sermon will be on target and assume the latest book will be theologically sound. We rely on others to take us to a place of formation while we neglect the work at hand. 

 

Another part of this combination of grace and truth is one where we tend to lean one direction or another. The modern believer will desire to be politically correct and lean heavily on grace while neglecting the truth. Another option to the modern believer is to desire to know God absolute while leaning heavily on the truth thus neglecting the demonstration of grace. This out of balance character is not spiritual formation as Jesus demonstrated. Jesus was dedicated to the truth that he was the only way, the only truth, and the only life. Jesus was also dedicated to the demonstration of grace to sinners at every opportunity. For example, the woman who was caught in adultery was guilty. Jesus tells the crowd to condemn her if they have no sin, consequently they leave in disgrace while Jesus tells the woman to go and sin no more. This is a perfect example of a balance of grace and truth.

Holt concludes with a plea that, “we must also feel empathy, a shared experience that allows the story of the past to live in us.” In reflection, I agree. Our past defines our essence in life through the experience. Thus, we can learn to demonstrate grace because of the grace that has been demonstrated on our behalf. We can also learn to live the truth of righteousness by the experiences of truth that are learned in reading, study and meditation. I agree with Holt's description of empathy as life that is demonstrated through the practice and development of the spiritual disciplines with in daily life. 

 

Therefore, I believe that the antibiotic for fighting the virus of mediocrity within our faith is to be discovered in cultivating our spiritual formation. This is accomplished in our study, commitment to daily development of reflection, and action revealed through the spiritual disciplines. I believe the result is as Holt states, “as a follower of Jesus, we must pay attention, act responsibly, and love without limits.” It is then that we will truly know the God we love.

Traveling this journey with you is amazing. You know I love ya, Don

 

Bradley P. Holt. Thirsty for God. (Fortress Press: Minneapolis, 2005)

6 Great Streams for the Spiritual Life!

Foster identifies the six great streams of the Christian life as, “the prayer-filled life,” the virtuous life,” “the spirit-empowered life,” the compassionate life,” “the word-centered life,” and the “sacramental life.” Each of the great streams fit into the six great tradition of the church as, “contemplative, holiness, charismatic, social justice, evangelical, and incarnation.” It is through the dedication and development of the streams that a Christ-follower grows in faith and spiritual formation.

“The prayer-filled life” is the first stream Foster notes on the Christian walk. This stream is to be contemplative while offering oneself to God in reverence and dialogue. It is to give special attention to loving God with supplication while committing to multiple forms of prayer in which a person offers themselves to God. The second stream is, “the virtuous life.” This second stream is “concerned with the personal moral transformation that comes through the development of what the old writers called 'holy habits'.” It is through this stream a person develops a heart and desire for holiness and living a life set apart.

The third of the great streams is “the spirit-empowered life.” This third stream focuses on the “Holy Spirit who comes alongside us and animates and empowers our efforts.” Foster refers to it as a great gift and blessing for the Christ-followers. It is this stream that develops the individuals ability in submitting oneself so as to hear the discerning guidance of the Holy Spirit. The fourth great stream is that of “the compassionate life.” The compassionate life is to demonstrate social justice in a daily walk. Foster describes it as, “a trumpet call to a freely gathered people who seek the total transformation of persons, institutions, and societies. We are to combine suffering love with courageous action.” Thus, the Christ-follower demonstrates a compassionate life in the stream of liberating the oppressed and standing firm for the Christian principles.

The fifth stream is that of the “the word-centered life” or what is also known as the evangelical tradition. This fifth stream has a double focus. The first focus is the importance of the centrality of the word of God, and the second focus is the importance of evangelism. The word and evangelism dictate a humble approach that internalizes the word of the scriptures and then courageously shares the word with all people. The sixth and final stream is the “sacramental life.” In this stream the Christ-follower uses the material world to embrace the spiritual world. Foster states that the sacramental life is to, “participate in the physical sacraments of the church and live as God's people on earth, thus eliminating any material/spiritual dichotomy.” The goal of the sacramental life is to embrace the “physical world as good and full of mystery.” Thus, the final stream is the stream that allows for the world in which we live to bring revelation of the God that created it.

A Christ-follower is to grasp each of these streams in order to develop a healthy spiritual formation that leads to a relationship with God. Each of these traditions will throw us out of balance if one stream is all a believer knows or is willing to embrace. Thus, it is critical to acknowledge the stream that comes naturally to our personality as well as recognize our traditions that direct us to a particular stream. In response, a Christ-follower will seek to develop the stream not so natural or in our tradition so as to seek balance so that the Holy Spirit can use the streams to bring transformation in the life of the believer.

The stream that I feel is more natural to me or another way of stating the stream is a default for me is the streams of a “prayer-filled life” and the “the virtuous life.” I was blessed by a sixth grade Sunday School teacher named, Joanne McManus. She wrote out personal devotional thoughts with scripture and prayers for each of her class. It started me on a devotional journey that still resonates with me today. I am a person that looks to be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is through his power and mercy that grants the strength to live everyday as if eternity matters the most.

The compassionate life is not the default stream for me. I struggle because I grew up in a family that had to work for everything. We are a group of people that strive for excellence and while we are do the striving, we are also too proud to ask for help. Thus, granting compassion is difficult because there is no excuse why another person cannot work hard and seek success. I am a person that often fights too hard for the social justice of the unborn or senior citizen, but in the end the compassionate does not strive for equality for all. My DNA does not naturally allow for grace, but my DNA does pronounce truth.

I don't view any of the streams as unattractive. I see great value in each of the six streams. On a personal note, the stream is not what is unattractive, but my lack of courage and dedication to implement the stream on a deeper level is what I find unattractive. As Paul would say, I want to do these things, yet the flesh restrains me and keeps me from embracing the action.

Just a few ways that I am implementing some of these streams is as a parent and in the Johnson master's program. I am growing in my head knowledge and in my heart knowledge. The children challenge me to be a better father. I want them to know Jesus on a personal level. Therefore, I seek to demonstrate a strong dedication to each of the streams so that I might have a healthy relationship with my God. This healthy relationship will be my guide in being a living demonstration of God's grace and truth. The master's program is causing me to look at the Scriptures with fresh eyes. There are nuisances in the text are coming forth so as to bring God's truth to fruition.

You know I love ya and together we travel these streams of life, Don

Fore More Information: 

Richard J. Foster and James Bryan Smith, eds., Devotional Classics. (Rev.; New York: Harper Collins, 2005).

Bernard of Claivaux - "Loving Self for God's Sake"

A few months ago Park Chapel leadership hosted a counseling seminar that taught that all feelings/emotions are preceded by thought. The point was that if we program and work on our thoughts our feelings/emotion will follow. He also taught that emotions were caused by our thoughts and that we acted on our emotions and not by our thoughts. Thus, the diagram is as follows:

     Thoughts to -----> Emotions to -------> Actions = positive or negative results

Let me start by pointing out that I think this may be true 60% of the time, but I will never advocate that it would be the norm beyond that. There are times that we feel and then think. I agree that it is possible to program the mind with habits and disciplines so that thought might influence emotion, but that feelings come after thoughts is not an absolute...

UNLESS...we add the dimension of "Spirit" or as Bernard of Clairvaux labels, "love" to the beginning of the equation. Thus, the equation would change with the new variable added would be this:

    Spirit to -----> Thoughts to -----> Emotions to -------> Actions = positive results

The variable of the Spirit or the Holy Spirit added to the equation grants a "loving" aspect to our living. God's Spirit changes the result every time. Bernard discusses how "true love does not seek its own interest." Thus the stages are to first, "love self for self's sake," second to, "love God for self's sake," third to, "love God for God's sake," and fourth to, "love self for God's sake." It is this fourth stage that compels us to strive and work through the other stages. It is also a reality that we live the vast majority of our mature Christian existence in the third stage of loving God because God deserves our love. Yet, there is occasion that the fourth stage of loving our self for God's sake is achieved and the result is the completion of the second equation mentioned above at the highest level.

I like to think of this fourth stage as when the Spirit jumps over thought and directly touches the emotion. It is the pure essence of God's will in our prayer and the pure delight that satisfies the soul. These moments are events that catch us, take our breath away, and then reveal God's perfection in the here and now. It is hard to explain in words but I can describe it as joy, contentment, and memory all in one essential event that may last for hours but seems like just a few seconds.

The first time this happened to me, I was hiking in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park in October. I came to a bend and clearing as I was praying and meditating when the foliage and cascade was in full roar of Fall color. It was a God moment of loving self for God's sake. Another time was when I held our first born child when he was about three months old. His eyes and mine were locked for what seemed like just a few moments that were truly hours. Another time, was when I was in prayer for our third child that was dying from heart complications. He eventually went to heaven, but I cherish that time when God was ministering and loving on me in groans and whispers. There are many times these are moments that are hard and difficult, yet in each occasion of this fourth stage I have been blessed with God returns satisfaction, contentment, and joy.

These times do not happen as often as I would like, but when they come it is truly a monumental occasion that I never forget. The moments that we are "entirely transfused into the will of God" are beyond my feeble words, but each event truly influences that equation of proactive living.