Kopp Disclosure
(John 3:19-21)
@#$%
Reading the Bible
more than reading books about the Bible is the best way to get to know God and
know how to honor Him simply
as Source, Starter, Sovereign, and Savior.
Reading books
about the Bible more than reading the Bible always ends up with more confusion
than knowledge and more willfulness than wisdom.
Reading the Bible
more than reading books about the Bible causes a simple theocentric conclusion:
"God said it. I believe it. That settles it."
Reading books
about the Bible more than reading the Bible always ends up with a complex,
egocentric, and two-feet-planted-firmly-in-the-air compass without a needle:
"I know that's what Jesus and the Bible say but I think..."
As I have begun
to read the Bible more than books about the Bible, I have discovered God gave
it to us because He wanted to communicate rather than confuse; noting
communication to enable holy communion is God's way while confusion, borrowing
a line from the Rolling Stones, has another source devoid of divine light to
guide: "Confusing is my game! Can you guess my name?"
Prayer comes to
mind.
Despite the many
complex, confusing, and conflicting definitions, formulas, and acrostics for
prayer, prayer is simply talking
to God about everything;
or as my pastor Harold explained after separating myself from God and everyone
else by degrees, "It's
talking to God about what's on your mind and taking time to listen to what's on
His mind."
Surely, our talking to God will get
around to acknowledging Him as Source, Starter, Sovereign, and Savior
(adoration), admitting how we've messed up (confession), appreciating and
applauding Him for not holding it against us (thanksgiving), and asking help
for others and ourselves (supplications).
Surely, our talking to God will often
rely on Matthew 6:9-13 as a perfect guide for prayer: "Our Father, who art
in heaven,..."
Surely, our talking to God will
ultimately understand His Gethsemane prayer (Matthew 26:39) as perfect holy
communication with Him:"Not my will, but Yours be done."
Just as surely,
our talking to God will
not always include all of those elements all of the time in some kind of rigid
religious mumbo-jumbo-simple-Simon-says ritualism so disdained by Jesus for
being motions without meaning: "When you pray, do not go on and on,
excessively and strangely like the outsiders; they think their verbosity will
let them be heard by their deities. Do not be like them. Your
prayers need not be labored or lengthy or grandiose - for your Father knows what
you need before you ever ask Him."
Prayer is simply talking to God simply.
Prayer is real,
honest, timely, and true without the posings of 21st century reincarnations of 16th
century Elizabethan King James Version language; recalling how a friend
responded to the person who was offended by his earthy language in prayers,
"Listen, lady, I wasn't talking to you!"
Again, simply,
prayer is simply talking
to God simply.
Psalms come to
mind.
They are
authentic to the moment, emotion, aspiration, adoration, anticipation,
acknowledgment, admission, affirmation, supplication, or anything else in
anyone's heart, mind, and spirit.
The book is so
popular because there's a psalm for every occasion, circumstance, struggling,
and happening.
Whenever my
prayers seem a little stale or dry or unfocused or just downright down and just about out or
I'm in a situation, challenge, concern, care, burden, opportunity, or whatever
else life or even God throws my way, I just start simply reading psalms simply until I start simply talking to God simply about whatever,
whomever, whyever,
wherever, and whenever as guided by one or more into intimacy with Him.
Then it/He
happens; or as the psalmist promised, "God inhabits the praises of His
people."
Just being with
God - simply talking
to God simply - enables
an intimacy with Him that satisfies the motivation for simply talking to Him simply.
I cannot explain
it/Him.
Everyone can
experience/express it/Him.
To borrow a line,
just do it and He does it.
Supernaturally.
As the first
psalm guides, it/He happens when we dive into our relationship with Him.
Again, it/He
cannot be explained; but everyone can experience/express it/Him.
Jesus was very
simple about the process and product of such prayers: "Seek first His
Kingdom and His righteousness and then He will take care of everything else
that's concerning you."
The positive
proof of that process and product is seen throughout Psalms; for no matter what
the occasion, circumstance, struggling, or happening, confidence in God's care
sooner or later and definitely in the end punctuates the prayers: "I am
confident I will see the Lord's goodness...Put your confidence in Him, and He
will follow through with you."
Anyone who says
God does not does not.
I think of people
who say they do not hear God when they pray.
They remind me of
my first two team-teaching professors of pastoral care - Lapsley and Hanson -
who often said, "When in doubt, don't! When anything you say may get
in the way, shut up!"
Catch the drift?
People who say
they do not hear God when they pray need to listen more and talk less; or as my
pastor explained prayer that's so purely illustrated by Psalms, "It's
talking to God about what's on your mind and taking time to listen to what's on
His mind."
Simply talking to God simply.
Like Psalms.
@#$%
...to be continued...
@#$%
Blessings and Love!
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