On October 17, we held a short healing service at the end of worship. We invited people to come forward and pursue their healing. We anointed people with oil, layed hands, and allowed people to pray at the altar. The Lord met us in this time and there was a strong healing anointing in the church. A number of people reported healing during the experience. (I left out names for privacy sake.) Some of those reports included:
A man sores on his hands were healed. He had sores on his hands for 3 months that would not heal. The sores were almost completely healed by the following Sunday.
A woman began driving again. After being unable to drive for 9 months, we began driving days after the healing service.
A woman with cronic migrane headaches stopped. After daily headaches, she reported a week without any headaches.
A woman healed of kidney pain. (full testimony below)
These are just a couple of the incredible ways that God is moving in our midst. I believe God is calling us to pursue even greater things in the supernatural realm. We have an all-loving, all-powerful God!
I have had kidney stones since 1997. The doctors have tested the stones and suggested that I be on a low oxalate diet, which is very hard to stay on. Every couple of years when the pain becomes so bad I go through a surgical procedure called Lithotripsy. Then I have no pain for a few months. When the stones are starting to form again, I have a dull ache on the left side of my lower back. Bearable but still an ache. One day my left kidney will probably stop functioning because of all the damage the stones and surgeries have caused. Today I woke up...my lower back was hurting more than usual. Just making breakfast was a chore. I didn't reach for a pain pill as usual..instead I went to church. During the songs in church I usually hold my daughter but today I couldn't, my back hurt to much. During the healing service you asked for people to come to the altar for healing. With my back hurting... wasn't sure if I could even kneel. So I stayed in the back of the church..praying for some relief... and other things that I have been struggling with. I realized when we stood up to sing the last song that my pain was gone. I twisted my body and bent over, the same movements that earlier that morning caused pain. It was gone. I know God has stopped my pain. It never goes away that quick with any kind of pill... God did it!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Ambulances of Healing
This week we concluded our series, "Cruisin' with Christ: Vehicles of Prayer." We talked about the vehicle of healing prayer: the ambulance. After the sermon, we had a time devoted to seeking the healing of heaven. It was a powerful time, filled with God's Spirit and there were reports of miraculous healing! Keep praying for the Lord's healing to be poured out and God's people to be restored.
Follow the link for the audio:
http://www.mediafire.com/file/qzq8ss9t8v20saz/Ambulances%20of%20Healing.mp3
AMBULANCES
My only ride in an ambulance was when I was 15 years old. I was riding one of those small BMX trick bikes when I tried to do a simple trick. I missed the trick and the handle bars went into my stomach. I feel off the bike in pain and instantly knew something was wrong. I went in the house and told my mom we need to go to the hospital. As I tried to get in the car, I became nauseated and we decided we needed to call 911 for an ambulance. The ambulance with paramedics came to our house and transported me to the hospital where I ended up having surgery for a tear in my stomach muscle. I was thankful for the ambulance that day because it quickly and efficiently transported me to the hospital so that I could be made well.
This week is our final week of the series, “Cruisin’ with Christ: Vehicles of Prayer.” This final week, we are talking about the ambulance as healing prayer. The ambulance is the vehicle of healing prayers. It carries us into the healing presence of God. While no one dreams of riding in an ambulance, we are always grateful that we have them. The ambulance is generally used to transport people who have been hurt or are in immediate medical attention. Since the ambulance began beginning used for transportation, it has probably saved millions of lives. An ambulance saves lives because of its speed, the medical supplies it holds, and the trained paramedics that operate the vehicle.
This morning’s sermon I want to share several stories about the power of healing prayer. At the end of it, we are going to have a chance to drive the ambulance of healing. We are going to seek God in prayer for divine healing. After all, the best way to end a series on prayer is to actually spend some time in prayer.
SICK CHILDREN
A couple of weeks ago Caleb came down with his first serious cold. It turned into a double ear infection and was quite miserable for everyone involved. He was in pain, his nose was running, his ears were hurting and he wouldn’t sleep. As a parent, it broke my heart. It is my responsibility to watch over him and to take care of him. I wanted nothing more than to be able to comfort him. In fact, we went to great lengths to ensure his comfort and speedy healing. A couple of nights, we stayed up much of the night holding and rocking him back to sleep. In fact, on night Michelle slept on the couch with him on her chest for a good four or five hours. As parents it pains you when your child is sick and you will do almost anything to comfort and make your child well.
In the same way, God’s heart is to comfort and heal his children. One of God’s names in Hebrew is YHWH-Rapha, the Lord who heals. In Luke 7:22, Jesus defines his ministry as the Messiah by saying, blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.” It is never God’s will for us to be sick and to suffer. He can and does use illness to bring about good but he doesn’t ever cause it. I don’t have the time to get into the reasons why God doesn’t always heal, but I will say that it is always God’s heart to bring healing and wholeness to the afflicted and the broken.
ATHLETES AND MOTHERS
Last Monday, the Akron Beacon Journal has an article in the Sport Page called, “All kinds of prayers answered for defense.” The article was about defensive linemen Kenyon Coleman. He has missed practice on Friday before the Bengals game due to injury. Instead of being resigned to missing the game Sunday, fellow defensive lineman, Brian Schaefering prayed for Coleman’s healing. The paper reported the following from Coleman. ''I'm just going to be real,'' Coleman said. ''My teammate prayed for me and that's when it turned around. You can't tell me that didn't happen, because even I didn't think I was going to play. Twenty-four hours ago, I was a scratch. So there's no doubt in my mind [it was a miraculous healing].''
On March 7, 2010, Ashley Leuis shared a story for her own personal healing. At 20 weeks pregnant, the ultrasound revealed pregnancy complications that increased the possibility of preterm labor and the loss of the baby. After receiving healing prayer during worship at the end of February, she went back for another ultrasound. At the follow up ultrasound, the doctors were baffled. The pregnancy complications that had been revealed on the first ultrasound were miraculously gone. The doctors said there was no medical explanation but Ashley knew the reason. The Lord who heals had brought healing to her and her baby to be. On June 16, 2010, a healthy Gage Robert Leius was born.
For me, these stories testify to the scope of God’s healing power. They teach us that God’s healing is for all people. God can heal everyone from professional athletes to pregnant woman to unborn babies. It doesn’t matter who you are, what you’ve done, or how much faith you have, God wants to bring his healing to you. You cannot earn God’s healing. He gives it freely and willingly.
THE WHOLE PERSON
The final story I want to share with you comes from Luke 8:43-48. The story begins with Jesus traveling through the city surrounded by people. In the crowd is a woman who shouldn’t be there because she is unclean and purity law requires her to stay away from other people. She has been bleeding for over 12 years and no doctor has been able to heal her. Nonetheless, the woman sneaks up and touches the fringe of Jesus’ robe. This act was a profession that she believed in the healing power of Jesus. As she secretly touches his robes, he is instantly healed. Jesus notices something has happened, stops and asks, “Who touched me?” Finally, the woman reveals herself and falls at Jesus’ feet. Jesus proclaims that her faith has made her well and he sends he along in peace.
The woman is made well because healing is a part of God’s very nature. He cannot help but make people who. God not only wants to heal us physically but he wants to make us whole. He heals the woman’s body, but he also restores her mind and spirit. He publically addresses her in order to restore her status as an outcast. There are other healing stories in which Jesus not only heals but forgives sins. Jesus heals the entire person: the body, mind and spirit. When Jesus heals, he does it all.
STEALING HEALING
As broken and hurting people, God invites us to seek after him. Like the woman, God wants us to pursue our healing because God’s healing is for now. Divine healing is not a passive act but something that we can chase after and even steal. We must pursue a holistic healing just as the woman receives. We don’t need to wait for God to heal. We don’t need to figure out whether healing is God’s will. Instead, we can boldly ask for it because God’s healing is for now. Jesus says, “You have not because you ask not.” Therefore, let us enter into a time of asking for healing. Let us pursue and perhaps steal the healing of heaven this morning.
A TIME OF HEALING PRAYER
CONFESSION
Let us begin this time of healing by remember the words of James 5 and confess our sins before God. “Lord we have fallen short and missed the mark. Our fallen nature causes brokenness, sickness, and pain in our lives. Forgive us of our sins and heal us.”
Hear the Good News: Christ has dided for us while we were yet sinners; that proves God’s love towards us. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven! Amen
OIL
O God, the giver of health and salvation, we give thanks to you for the gift of oil. As your holy apostles anointed many who were sick and healed them, so pour out your Holy Spirit to us and on this gift, that those who in faith and repentance receive this anoint may be made whole; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
INVITATION
God’s Spirit is present and wants to restore our brokenness. There are several ways to respond to God’s invitation to healing this morning.
#1. Around the altar are small strips of cloth that represent the hem of Jesus’ garments. Those garments remind us of the healing power of God. I have prayed over each of them and I believe they contain God’s healing spirit. As we move into a time of prayer for healing, I would invite everyone to come forward and pursue your healing. It can be physical, emotional or spiritual. We are all broken in some way.
#2. Pastor Tom and I will be available to lay hands and pray for your healing.
#3. There are people God has laid on your hearts to pray for. Some are here, others are not. Use the guideline on the screen, to pray for others alone or in small groups.
So let us spend the next few minutes seeking to reach into heaven and pull down God’s healing. Remember like the woman, we need to step out and take a risk. As we draw near to God, we can be confident that he will draw near to us.
1. Ask the person about their prayer need.
(Medical details not necessary.)
2. Ask permission to lay hands on them.
(Can I lay a gentle hand on your shoulder?)
3. Listen for the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
(Are you led to focus on one of the four areas below?)
4. Pray simply and with faith.
a. Immune system
b. Doctors and nurses
c. God’s strength and grace
d. For the miracle!
5. Check with the person to see if anything has happened.
Close with Lord’s Prayer and the singing of “Amazing Grace.”
Follow the link for the audio:
http://www.mediafire.com/file/qzq8ss9t8v20saz/Ambulances%20of%20Healing.mp3
“Ambulances of Healing”
Brimfield Faith UMC / October 17, 2010
James 5:15-17
Brimfield Faith UMC / October 17, 2010
James 5:15-17
AMBULANCES
My only ride in an ambulance was when I was 15 years old. I was riding one of those small BMX trick bikes when I tried to do a simple trick. I missed the trick and the handle bars went into my stomach. I feel off the bike in pain and instantly knew something was wrong. I went in the house and told my mom we need to go to the hospital. As I tried to get in the car, I became nauseated and we decided we needed to call 911 for an ambulance. The ambulance with paramedics came to our house and transported me to the hospital where I ended up having surgery for a tear in my stomach muscle. I was thankful for the ambulance that day because it quickly and efficiently transported me to the hospital so that I could be made well.
This week is our final week of the series, “Cruisin’ with Christ: Vehicles of Prayer.” This final week, we are talking about the ambulance as healing prayer. The ambulance is the vehicle of healing prayers. It carries us into the healing presence of God. While no one dreams of riding in an ambulance, we are always grateful that we have them. The ambulance is generally used to transport people who have been hurt or are in immediate medical attention. Since the ambulance began beginning used for transportation, it has probably saved millions of lives. An ambulance saves lives because of its speed, the medical supplies it holds, and the trained paramedics that operate the vehicle.
This morning’s sermon I want to share several stories about the power of healing prayer. At the end of it, we are going to have a chance to drive the ambulance of healing. We are going to seek God in prayer for divine healing. After all, the best way to end a series on prayer is to actually spend some time in prayer.
SICK CHILDREN
A couple of weeks ago Caleb came down with his first serious cold. It turned into a double ear infection and was quite miserable for everyone involved. He was in pain, his nose was running, his ears were hurting and he wouldn’t sleep. As a parent, it broke my heart. It is my responsibility to watch over him and to take care of him. I wanted nothing more than to be able to comfort him. In fact, we went to great lengths to ensure his comfort and speedy healing. A couple of nights, we stayed up much of the night holding and rocking him back to sleep. In fact, on night Michelle slept on the couch with him on her chest for a good four or five hours. As parents it pains you when your child is sick and you will do almost anything to comfort and make your child well.
In the same way, God’s heart is to comfort and heal his children. One of God’s names in Hebrew is YHWH-Rapha, the Lord who heals. In Luke 7:22, Jesus defines his ministry as the Messiah by saying, blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.” It is never God’s will for us to be sick and to suffer. He can and does use illness to bring about good but he doesn’t ever cause it. I don’t have the time to get into the reasons why God doesn’t always heal, but I will say that it is always God’s heart to bring healing and wholeness to the afflicted and the broken.
ATHLETES AND MOTHERS
Last Monday, the Akron Beacon Journal has an article in the Sport Page called, “All kinds of prayers answered for defense.” The article was about defensive linemen Kenyon Coleman. He has missed practice on Friday before the Bengals game due to injury. Instead of being resigned to missing the game Sunday, fellow defensive lineman, Brian Schaefering prayed for Coleman’s healing. The paper reported the following from Coleman. ''I'm just going to be real,'' Coleman said. ''My teammate prayed for me and that's when it turned around. You can't tell me that didn't happen, because even I didn't think I was going to play. Twenty-four hours ago, I was a scratch. So there's no doubt in my mind [it was a miraculous healing].''
On March 7, 2010, Ashley Leuis shared a story for her own personal healing. At 20 weeks pregnant, the ultrasound revealed pregnancy complications that increased the possibility of preterm labor and the loss of the baby. After receiving healing prayer during worship at the end of February, she went back for another ultrasound. At the follow up ultrasound, the doctors were baffled. The pregnancy complications that had been revealed on the first ultrasound were miraculously gone. The doctors said there was no medical explanation but Ashley knew the reason. The Lord who heals had brought healing to her and her baby to be. On June 16, 2010, a healthy Gage Robert Leius was born.
For me, these stories testify to the scope of God’s healing power. They teach us that God’s healing is for all people. God can heal everyone from professional athletes to pregnant woman to unborn babies. It doesn’t matter who you are, what you’ve done, or how much faith you have, God wants to bring his healing to you. You cannot earn God’s healing. He gives it freely and willingly.
THE WHOLE PERSON
The final story I want to share with you comes from Luke 8:43-48. The story begins with Jesus traveling through the city surrounded by people. In the crowd is a woman who shouldn’t be there because she is unclean and purity law requires her to stay away from other people. She has been bleeding for over 12 years and no doctor has been able to heal her. Nonetheless, the woman sneaks up and touches the fringe of Jesus’ robe. This act was a profession that she believed in the healing power of Jesus. As she secretly touches his robes, he is instantly healed. Jesus notices something has happened, stops and asks, “Who touched me?” Finally, the woman reveals herself and falls at Jesus’ feet. Jesus proclaims that her faith has made her well and he sends he along in peace.
The woman is made well because healing is a part of God’s very nature. He cannot help but make people who. God not only wants to heal us physically but he wants to make us whole. He heals the woman’s body, but he also restores her mind and spirit. He publically addresses her in order to restore her status as an outcast. There are other healing stories in which Jesus not only heals but forgives sins. Jesus heals the entire person: the body, mind and spirit. When Jesus heals, he does it all.
STEALING HEALING
As broken and hurting people, God invites us to seek after him. Like the woman, God wants us to pursue our healing because God’s healing is for now. Divine healing is not a passive act but something that we can chase after and even steal. We must pursue a holistic healing just as the woman receives. We don’t need to wait for God to heal. We don’t need to figure out whether healing is God’s will. Instead, we can boldly ask for it because God’s healing is for now. Jesus says, “You have not because you ask not.” Therefore, let us enter into a time of asking for healing. Let us pursue and perhaps steal the healing of heaven this morning.
A TIME OF HEALING PRAYER
CONFESSION
Let us begin this time of healing by remember the words of James 5 and confess our sins before God. “Lord we have fallen short and missed the mark. Our fallen nature causes brokenness, sickness, and pain in our lives. Forgive us of our sins and heal us.”
Hear the Good News: Christ has dided for us while we were yet sinners; that proves God’s love towards us. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven! Amen
OIL
O God, the giver of health and salvation, we give thanks to you for the gift of oil. As your holy apostles anointed many who were sick and healed them, so pour out your Holy Spirit to us and on this gift, that those who in faith and repentance receive this anoint may be made whole; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
INVITATION
God’s Spirit is present and wants to restore our brokenness. There are several ways to respond to God’s invitation to healing this morning.
#1. Around the altar are small strips of cloth that represent the hem of Jesus’ garments. Those garments remind us of the healing power of God. I have prayed over each of them and I believe they contain God’s healing spirit. As we move into a time of prayer for healing, I would invite everyone to come forward and pursue your healing. It can be physical, emotional or spiritual. We are all broken in some way.
#2. Pastor Tom and I will be available to lay hands and pray for your healing.
#3. There are people God has laid on your hearts to pray for. Some are here, others are not. Use the guideline on the screen, to pray for others alone or in small groups.
So let us spend the next few minutes seeking to reach into heaven and pull down God’s healing. Remember like the woman, we need to step out and take a risk. As we draw near to God, we can be confident that he will draw near to us.
1. Ask the person about their prayer need.
(Medical details not necessary.)
2. Ask permission to lay hands on them.
(Can I lay a gentle hand on your shoulder?)
3. Listen for the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
(Are you led to focus on one of the four areas below?)
4. Pray simply and with faith.
a. Immune system
b. Doctors and nurses
c. God’s strength and grace
d. For the miracle!
5. Check with the person to see if anything has happened.
Close with Lord’s Prayer and the singing of “Amazing Grace.”
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Motorcylces of Solitude
I hope your week is off to a good start. Have you gotten the chance to spend time in solitude with God? If not, hope on that spiritual motorcycle and make yourself available to God. Learn how the motorcycle transports us to God in solitude.
Follow the link for the audio of "Motorcylcles of Solitude."
http://www.mediafire.com/file/tpigdj8octi3g6v/Motorcycles%20of%20Solitude.mp3
“Motorcycles of Solitude”
Brimfield Faith UMC / October 10, 2010
Matthew 6:5-6
THE BIKER
Bikers are a unique section of society. Do we have anybody that rides a motorcycle in the congregation? Will you stand up for a second? These guys don’t generally look like bikers, do they? What images do we think of when we talk about bikers? I personally picture rough and tough looking guys. They wear leather, have tattoos, lots of tattoos, and are overall scary. The only thing scarier than a hardcore biker is a gang of bikers. Bikers and biker gangs don’t exactly have the most upstanding image. They are typically considered antiestablishment, free spirits, and the renegades of society. No mother dreams of their children growing up one day to become a biker. The biker and the motorcycle typically represents the rebel of society.
And yet not everything about riding a motorcycle is negative. Those who ride motorcycles will talk about the joys of being on the road. The thrill of running down the road and feeling the wind in your face. The peace and relaxation they feel on the bike. The freedom and excitement from the experience. Even the renegade image is been overdone and hyped up. There is something valuable to being that which the motorcycle represents: a free spirit, slightly antiestablishment and occasionally breaking the rules.
In fact, if Jesus lived today, he just might own a motorcycle, at least on occasion. While the biker image is that of the modern day rebel, Jesus very much played the role of religious rebel in his day. Jesus challenged the religious authorities of the day. He was antiestablishment at times. And he could definitely have been labeled a rough character. He hung out with the wrong crowd, touched the wrong people, and broke too many rules. Jesus embodied the spirit of the biker and essence that the motorcycle represents.
SPACE FOR GOD
The motorcycle is important in a life of prayer because The motorcycle transports each of us to God in solitude. God is inviting us to learn the ways of the motorcycle and to adopt a bit of a biker image and mentality when it comes to our prayer lives. See the spiritual life of prayer isn’t always about maintaining the good Christian persona and an appearance of holiness. For prayer to truly allow us to come closer to God, it requires getting dirty and breaking out of our traditional paradigms and boxes. What we sacrifice in image, we reap in relationship with God.
The practice of solitude is one that we are largely unfamiliar with today and yet it is one of the most ancient spiritual practices. Almost all of the major characters of the Bible had significant experiences in the context of solitude. Abraham is called to leave his family and his country so that God can fulfill the call of his life. Jacob wrestles with God in the darkness of the night. Joseph is sold into slavery and thrown into jail. John the Baptist prepares of his ministry while away in the desert. Jesus was led by the Spirit to spend forty days in the wilderness. Paul spent time in the desert before launching into his ministry. Solitude is a vital aspect in the practice of Christian faith because Solitude is the vehicle that makes us available to God through prayer.
Solitude isn’t just being alone. We can be isolated from other people and still not be in solitude. Instead, solitude is creating a space within the chaos of our lives to allow God to find us and for us to find God. Solitude is the space that allows prayer to happen and connection with God to occur. We can talk all day about prayer but if we don’t create the space in our hearts and our schedules to do it, then it won’t happen. In actuality, the practice of solitude and the quieting of our souls is a form of prayer within itself. No words need to be uttered for solitude to bring us closer to God. The act of solitude is an act of prayer within itself.
While solitude is a vital practice for the growing Christian, it does not come without its sacrifices and dangers. Just as riding a motorcycle comes with certain stigmas and dangers. Solitude must be handled with care and with guidance. I want to share to insights from the motorcycle in relationship to solitude for our benefit in this spiritual practice.
#1. Solitude sacrifices image.
Riding a motorcycle will not promote a choir boy image. Fathers do not want their daughter dating guys who ride motorcycles. Now you don’t necessarily have to get the tattoos and shave you head and grow a big grizzly beard, but riding a motorcycle will not help an image of conformity and high societal standards. Mature, responsible adults drive the Toyota Prius, not a Harley Davidson. Am I right?
Practicing solitude won’t make you look more spiritual. In fact, it might make you look less spiritual. In Matthew 6:5-6, Jesus teaches us about the rebel approach to prayer. ““And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
Essentially, Jesus is advocating the importance of solitude in the spiritual life in this passage. We must hide ourselves away if we want to pray and effectively connect with God. If we want to look spiritual and holy, then we should go on the street corners to pray. This was a practice of the Pharisees to stand on street corners during the times of prayer and even additional times. They wanted people to see they were spiritual, religious, and holy. Their intentions were not to connect with God through prayer but rather to allow others to see their devotion to God.
We have all seen people like this is our lives. People who like to advertise their religion to the world so they look good. The folks that pray a little louder before their meal at a restaurant. Or the guy who is reading his Bible at the coffee shop. Or the person who wears the tshirt with the tacky Christian saying. Or how about this… the Jesus fish on the bummer of the car. This is not to say that public displays of religion are entirely bad, in fact, they are far from it. We need to share our faith boldly to a broken and hurting world. But we need to do it out of a love for God and people, and not with a motivation of self-promotion and self-praise.
Instead, Jesus teaches us that God honors and rewards those who seek God for the simply joy of seeking God. If you want to look spiritual, solitude is not for you. But if you want to find God, solitude is essential. Now that we have some insight into the motivations of solitude, we can turn to the actual practice of solitude.
#2. Solitude has a proper season.
Many people will tell you the dangers of riding a motorcycle and they would be correct. I have to confess that I have never been on a bike for that reason. My uncle when he was younger, had a van pull out in front of him while he was riding. He went head first into the side of the van. Thankfully he was wearing a helmet, but nonetheless, he almost died as a result of the injuries. By the grace of God, he fully recovered from the accident.
The reality is that many riders don’t. The fatality rate in motorcycle accidences is much higher than if you wreck your pickup truck. While you can never ensure riding will be entirely safe, there are ways to minimize the risk and maximize the enjoyment. Wear a helmet and proper attire is one. The other is riding in the appropriate conditions. Any experienced biker will tell you that it is only safe and enjoyable to ride their motorcycle in certain conditions. Weather and the seasons play a large role in the ability to ride. On nice summer days I see a lot of bikes on the road. When it is rainy or cold, I don’t see any. There are appropriate and inappropriate times to ride motorcycles.
In a similar way, solitude should not be practiced all of the time. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven…” and it goes on to list a number of different circumstances. In verse 7 it says “a time to be silent and a time to speak.” There is a certain rhythm to solitude. I cannot tell you how much time you should spend in solitude. Instead, I can tell you that it is important to spend time in both solitude and community. Dietrich Boenhoeffer, a great author and theologian says in his book, Life Together, “Be wary of the man who spends all of his time in community. But also be wary of the man who spends all of his time in solitude.” Being a spiritual recluse is no more valuable to God than the spiritual busy person.
History has given us a great example in a group of people known as the desert monks. In the 4th Century a group of Christians withdrew into the desert in solitude. They rejected what had become institutional Christianity sanctioned by the Roman Empire and the Emperor Constantine. Their lives were astetic and simple. They lived in caves, owned nothing, and ate little. They had minimal interaction with other people. Eventually, they realized they couldn’t do the will of God isolated in the desert and they returned to the community to worship and serve the Lord. They realized that solitude alone couldn’t transport them closer to God.
THE CHALLENGE
It is important that we learn the same lesson of the desert monks, that we need both spiritual community and spiritual solitude. Therefore, we cannot approach the solitude with carelessness if we wish it to carry us closer to God. We must intentionally plan both times of solitude and times of community. We must pray on our own and with others. If we only pray at the dinner table with others present, we will miss the joys of prayer in solitude. In contrast, if we never pray with others we will also miss those joys of corporate prayer. To deepen our faith, we must grow comfortable praying alone and praying with others. If we neglect either one of them, we miss out on unique connections with God.
As a church, we want to model the importance of growing together but we also must grow in our faith outside of the worship context. If Sunday morning is the only time that you read the Bible, or think about your faith, you will not grow in your faith. You will not come to know God. And honestly you are wasting your time. Sunday morning is part of the rhythm of faith, of community and solitude. If you rarely attend worship and only practice faith in solitude, you will stray and slip and fail to grow to your full potential in God. You need both community and solitude. You do not get enough on Sunday morning to grow you into a mature follower of Jesus who enjoys the fruit of the Spirit and the Christian life. You will find faith lacking and believe the lie that it isn’t relevant for your life if you don’t practice solitude.
So I would encourage each of you this morning to take a hard look inside. Are you prioritizing regular weekly worship? Regular times of solitude and personal spiritual devotion to God? If you aren’t, why not? And what are you missing because you aren’t?
Follow the link for the audio of "Motorcylcles of Solitude."
http://www.mediafire.com/file/tpigdj8octi3g6v/Motorcycles%20of%20Solitude.mp3
“Motorcycles of Solitude”
Brimfield Faith UMC / October 10, 2010
Matthew 6:5-6
THE BIKER
Bikers are a unique section of society. Do we have anybody that rides a motorcycle in the congregation? Will you stand up for a second? These guys don’t generally look like bikers, do they? What images do we think of when we talk about bikers? I personally picture rough and tough looking guys. They wear leather, have tattoos, lots of tattoos, and are overall scary. The only thing scarier than a hardcore biker is a gang of bikers. Bikers and biker gangs don’t exactly have the most upstanding image. They are typically considered antiestablishment, free spirits, and the renegades of society. No mother dreams of their children growing up one day to become a biker. The biker and the motorcycle typically represents the rebel of society.
And yet not everything about riding a motorcycle is negative. Those who ride motorcycles will talk about the joys of being on the road. The thrill of running down the road and feeling the wind in your face. The peace and relaxation they feel on the bike. The freedom and excitement from the experience. Even the renegade image is been overdone and hyped up. There is something valuable to being that which the motorcycle represents: a free spirit, slightly antiestablishment and occasionally breaking the rules.
In fact, if Jesus lived today, he just might own a motorcycle, at least on occasion. While the biker image is that of the modern day rebel, Jesus very much played the role of religious rebel in his day. Jesus challenged the religious authorities of the day. He was antiestablishment at times. And he could definitely have been labeled a rough character. He hung out with the wrong crowd, touched the wrong people, and broke too many rules. Jesus embodied the spirit of the biker and essence that the motorcycle represents.
SPACE FOR GOD
The motorcycle is important in a life of prayer because The motorcycle transports each of us to God in solitude. God is inviting us to learn the ways of the motorcycle and to adopt a bit of a biker image and mentality when it comes to our prayer lives. See the spiritual life of prayer isn’t always about maintaining the good Christian persona and an appearance of holiness. For prayer to truly allow us to come closer to God, it requires getting dirty and breaking out of our traditional paradigms and boxes. What we sacrifice in image, we reap in relationship with God.
The practice of solitude is one that we are largely unfamiliar with today and yet it is one of the most ancient spiritual practices. Almost all of the major characters of the Bible had significant experiences in the context of solitude. Abraham is called to leave his family and his country so that God can fulfill the call of his life. Jacob wrestles with God in the darkness of the night. Joseph is sold into slavery and thrown into jail. John the Baptist prepares of his ministry while away in the desert. Jesus was led by the Spirit to spend forty days in the wilderness. Paul spent time in the desert before launching into his ministry. Solitude is a vital aspect in the practice of Christian faith because Solitude is the vehicle that makes us available to God through prayer.
Solitude isn’t just being alone. We can be isolated from other people and still not be in solitude. Instead, solitude is creating a space within the chaos of our lives to allow God to find us and for us to find God. Solitude is the space that allows prayer to happen and connection with God to occur. We can talk all day about prayer but if we don’t create the space in our hearts and our schedules to do it, then it won’t happen. In actuality, the practice of solitude and the quieting of our souls is a form of prayer within itself. No words need to be uttered for solitude to bring us closer to God. The act of solitude is an act of prayer within itself.
While solitude is a vital practice for the growing Christian, it does not come without its sacrifices and dangers. Just as riding a motorcycle comes with certain stigmas and dangers. Solitude must be handled with care and with guidance. I want to share to insights from the motorcycle in relationship to solitude for our benefit in this spiritual practice.
#1. Solitude sacrifices image.
Riding a motorcycle will not promote a choir boy image. Fathers do not want their daughter dating guys who ride motorcycles. Now you don’t necessarily have to get the tattoos and shave you head and grow a big grizzly beard, but riding a motorcycle will not help an image of conformity and high societal standards. Mature, responsible adults drive the Toyota Prius, not a Harley Davidson. Am I right?
Practicing solitude won’t make you look more spiritual. In fact, it might make you look less spiritual. In Matthew 6:5-6, Jesus teaches us about the rebel approach to prayer. ““And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
Essentially, Jesus is advocating the importance of solitude in the spiritual life in this passage. We must hide ourselves away if we want to pray and effectively connect with God. If we want to look spiritual and holy, then we should go on the street corners to pray. This was a practice of the Pharisees to stand on street corners during the times of prayer and even additional times. They wanted people to see they were spiritual, religious, and holy. Their intentions were not to connect with God through prayer but rather to allow others to see their devotion to God.
We have all seen people like this is our lives. People who like to advertise their religion to the world so they look good. The folks that pray a little louder before their meal at a restaurant. Or the guy who is reading his Bible at the coffee shop. Or the person who wears the tshirt with the tacky Christian saying. Or how about this… the Jesus fish on the bummer of the car. This is not to say that public displays of religion are entirely bad, in fact, they are far from it. We need to share our faith boldly to a broken and hurting world. But we need to do it out of a love for God and people, and not with a motivation of self-promotion and self-praise.
Instead, Jesus teaches us that God honors and rewards those who seek God for the simply joy of seeking God. If you want to look spiritual, solitude is not for you. But if you want to find God, solitude is essential. Now that we have some insight into the motivations of solitude, we can turn to the actual practice of solitude.
#2. Solitude has a proper season.
Many people will tell you the dangers of riding a motorcycle and they would be correct. I have to confess that I have never been on a bike for that reason. My uncle when he was younger, had a van pull out in front of him while he was riding. He went head first into the side of the van. Thankfully he was wearing a helmet, but nonetheless, he almost died as a result of the injuries. By the grace of God, he fully recovered from the accident.
The reality is that many riders don’t. The fatality rate in motorcycle accidences is much higher than if you wreck your pickup truck. While you can never ensure riding will be entirely safe, there are ways to minimize the risk and maximize the enjoyment. Wear a helmet and proper attire is one. The other is riding in the appropriate conditions. Any experienced biker will tell you that it is only safe and enjoyable to ride their motorcycle in certain conditions. Weather and the seasons play a large role in the ability to ride. On nice summer days I see a lot of bikes on the road. When it is rainy or cold, I don’t see any. There are appropriate and inappropriate times to ride motorcycles.
In a similar way, solitude should not be practiced all of the time. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven…” and it goes on to list a number of different circumstances. In verse 7 it says “a time to be silent and a time to speak.” There is a certain rhythm to solitude. I cannot tell you how much time you should spend in solitude. Instead, I can tell you that it is important to spend time in both solitude and community. Dietrich Boenhoeffer, a great author and theologian says in his book, Life Together, “Be wary of the man who spends all of his time in community. But also be wary of the man who spends all of his time in solitude.” Being a spiritual recluse is no more valuable to God than the spiritual busy person.
History has given us a great example in a group of people known as the desert monks. In the 4th Century a group of Christians withdrew into the desert in solitude. They rejected what had become institutional Christianity sanctioned by the Roman Empire and the Emperor Constantine. Their lives were astetic and simple. They lived in caves, owned nothing, and ate little. They had minimal interaction with other people. Eventually, they realized they couldn’t do the will of God isolated in the desert and they returned to the community to worship and serve the Lord. They realized that solitude alone couldn’t transport them closer to God.
THE CHALLENGE
It is important that we learn the same lesson of the desert monks, that we need both spiritual community and spiritual solitude. Therefore, we cannot approach the solitude with carelessness if we wish it to carry us closer to God. We must intentionally plan both times of solitude and times of community. We must pray on our own and with others. If we only pray at the dinner table with others present, we will miss the joys of prayer in solitude. In contrast, if we never pray with others we will also miss those joys of corporate prayer. To deepen our faith, we must grow comfortable praying alone and praying with others. If we neglect either one of them, we miss out on unique connections with God.
As a church, we want to model the importance of growing together but we also must grow in our faith outside of the worship context. If Sunday morning is the only time that you read the Bible, or think about your faith, you will not grow in your faith. You will not come to know God. And honestly you are wasting your time. Sunday morning is part of the rhythm of faith, of community and solitude. If you rarely attend worship and only practice faith in solitude, you will stray and slip and fail to grow to your full potential in God. You need both community and solitude. You do not get enough on Sunday morning to grow you into a mature follower of Jesus who enjoys the fruit of the Spirit and the Christian life. You will find faith lacking and believe the lie that it isn’t relevant for your life if you don’t practice solitude.
So I would encourage each of you this morning to take a hard look inside. Are you prioritizing regular weekly worship? Regular times of solitude and personal spiritual devotion to God? If you aren’t, why not? And what are you missing because you aren’t?
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Minivans, Big Prayers
I hope you are enjoying the beginning of your week. Starting it off with a Browns victory, always helps! This past Sunday we continued our “Cruisin’ with Christ” series with a sermon entitled, “Minivans, Big Prayers.” It looks at the importance of praying for and with others. We learned some important lessons about pray from the minivan. Follow the link for the audio or read the text below. Be blessed!
"Minivans, Big Prayers”
Brimfield Faith UMC / October 3, 2010
1 Timothy 2:1-6
Brimfield Faith UMC / October 3, 2010
1 Timothy 2:1-6
THE MINIVAN
Last September, Michelle and I bought a Toyota Sienna Minivan. It is deep red, spacious, practical, and drives great. When we told our friends about our purchase, it was met with mixed results. “Oh, you bought a minivan…” was probably the most common response. See for many people our age buying a minivan is a cardinal sin. It is a sign that you are getting old. Uncool soccer moms drive minivans, not hip new parents. For our generation, the minivan became popular when we were kids. Many of our parents thought that they were the greatest thing ever. I remember my parents buying a Dodge Caravan in the last 1980’s. Now that our generation is beginning to have kids, the minivan reminds us of our parents. Not that that is a negative thing, but for many it makes them resistant to the minivan.Michelle, being the pragmatist that she is, wanted to buy a van for its functionality. She said, “We have a 70 lbs dog and a child on the way. We need a minivan.” Being the smart husband that I am, I agreed. So instead of resisting the need to be hip, we bought the minivan because it made the most sense for us. We took into consideration the needs of our growing family and not just our super coolness.
Having driven a minivan for over a year, I have decided that minivans are misunderstood and underappreciated. Ultimately, I think a lot people resist the minivan purchase because it is recognition that your life is no longer your own. To drive a minivan is to take into account other people. The minivan wasn’t designed to be cool, hip or sporty. The minivan isn’t designed to optimize the driving experience. Two door sports cars were. Instead, the minivan is designed with the passenger in mind. The minivan is designed for its comfort and space, accessibility and ride.
We are in week three of our sermon series on prayer called, “Cruisin’ with Christ.” We are taking a look at the idea of prayer as the vehicle that transports us closer to God. As you have probably figured out by now, the vehicle that we are considering this week is the illustrious minivan. Last week, we talked about the pickup truck and the invitation of God’s pickup truck. As we live in a chaotic and stressful world, God invites us to dump our burdens and anxieties into his truck. When we dump our junk in, God’s junk we are then able to enjoy the ride through life with God. We can find rest and restoration.
THE CALL
The problem is that many of us struggle to dump our junk and continue to live in an overwhelmed state. We get lost in our own worlds of misery and are unable to see anything beyond ourselves. We get absorbed in self-pity and misery. We cannot see the suffering of others and we are unable to extend mercy or compassion. This leaves us unable to receive comfort as well. Yet, as we learn to ride in God’s pickup truck, we begin to see that others are in need of God’s mercy and grace. When we begin to realize the needs of others, I believe we become less resistant to that which the minivan represents. You don’t necessarily have to rush out and buy one, but you begin to acknowledge that part of your calling in life is to minister and care for the needs of others. Eventually, we are able to hear and respond to the call of the minivan. The call of the minivan is a call to pray for others.We hear the call of the minivan expressed in 1 Timothy 2. Paul writes to his apprentice Timothy and he writes to us to pray for all people. Paul wants us to consider the needs of everyone, even those we might not like as we pray. To pray for others is called intercession. Intercession is a mark of a maturing faith in Christ. It is an ability to consider the needs of others and to pray on their behalf. Intercession can happen in our personal prayer lives or it can be done with the person in need.
LESSONS OF THE MINIVAN
I would challenge us to attempt to pray with people and not just for them. So often, people will share a prayer request and I will respond with, “I’ll make sure I pray for you.” There is nothing wrong with this response, except that frequently I forget to actually pray for the need. Instead, I try to offer to pray with people on the spot. I find this can be a powerful experience for all and it encourages people’s faith. Responding to the call of the minivan to pray for others might seem easy but for many it can be challenging. Therefore, I want to look at two lessons of the minivan that can aid us as we learn to pray for others.#1. Pray with others in mind.
I don’t know about you, but I drive differently when I have passengers in my car than when I drive alone. When I am driving the minivan with people in it, I take their needs into consideration. I accelerate a tad slower. I take the turns easier. I brake smoother. I pay closer attention to the road. I ask them about the temperature. I ask them about the radio station and the volume. I want their ride to be as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.
There is nothing worse than riding with a bad driver or a driver that doesn’t take his passengers’ needs into consideration. You’ve all rode with the drive who slams on the brakes, blares heavy metal music, or doesn’t roll up the windows on the freeway. Nobody wants to ride in that person’s car.
In the same way, we want to pray with other people’s needs in mind, not just our own. In the New Century Version, verse one reads, “I tell you to pray for all people, asking God for what they need and being thankful to him.” So often, when we pray with others with our own agendas in mind. We would like them to do this or do that. To act in a certain way or to change a certain behavior. We need to consider others needs before our own in our prayers.
I can tell you from experience there is nothing having someone pray for you and halfway through you think, “What are they praying about?” There is a country song on the radio right now by Jaron and the Long Road to Love called, “Pray for You.” It is a humorous example of how not to pray. [Let’s watch it now]
In Romans 12, we are called to be a people of love. We are called to not repay evil for evil but rather do what is right. In Romans 12:21 it says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” We lived this out in prayer by praying blessings and goodness over everyone. It will be God’s love that transforms hearts and situations. Therefore, if we want to see lasting change we must pray alignment with God’s love.
#2 Lesson: Pray with direction.
There is nothing worse that driving passengers to a destination and getting lost along the way. I remember my junior year of college a certain incident when I got lost with a carful of people. We were heading to a donut shop in Cleveland late one night. It was after our InterVarsity Christian Fellowship meeting and I some new friends in the car. On the way down, I decided to share my 20 year old wisdom and tell them how girls had no sense of direction. One of the freshman girls in the car with me, adamantly disagreed. While we made it to our destination without problem, I found myself aimlessly driving the streets of Cleveland lost on the way home. Lo and behold, that freshman knew how to get us home safely. Needless to say, I learned my lesson that night… several in fact. Occasionally, I am reminded of that lesson because four years later I married that freshman girl who got me home that night.
When we pray for others, it is important that we pray with clear direction. When we pray, we are pointing people towards God. 1 Timothy 2:3-4 says, “This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” Living in a pluralistic society, we often forget or try to mineralize the exclusive claims made by Christianity. We need to remember the words of John 14:6 where Jesus says, ““I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”
Ultimately, we pray so people can be saved. There is a path and a direction to the God of the Scriptures. It is through the person of Jesus Christ. As the text says, he is our mediator. He died to give us direct access to God. God’s desire is for everyone to know him through his son Jesus Christ. There are not many ways up the mountain to God, but only one. That way is through Jesus Christ. Therefore, when we pray for and with people, we should always pray that they come to know the way home. That they know the way of Jesus Christ which leads to salvation and eternal life.
POWERFUL PRAYERS
Your prayers matter. They make a different. As we pray remember to pray with others needs in mind. To pray with direction. To pray with faith. To pray with boldness. Imagine a church where the people understand the power of intercession. Where we consider the needs of others before ourselves. The minivan reminds to transport others closer to God through prayer. People’s salvations are at stake. Whether it be your children, your parents, your friends, your neighbors, we need to pray that everyone discovers a saving relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
As we conclude this morning, I would encourage you to list several people’s names on the back of your sheets. There should be people who are far from God. People that do not know Jesus Christ. People that do not attend worship regularly. If we are going to be a church that fulfills the vision and mission of God, then we need to be regularly praying for unchurched people. If we will become a praying, interceding people, we can transform this community for the kingdom of God.
Let’s pray.
As we conclude this morning, I would encourage you to list several people’s names on the back of your sheets. There should be people who are far from God. People that do not know Jesus Christ. People that do not attend worship regularly. If we are going to be a church that fulfills the vision and mission of God, then we need to be regularly praying for unchurched people. If we will become a praying, interceding people, we can transform this community for the kingdom of God.
Let’s pray.
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