Have A Talk With God

When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.  Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!  Matthew 6:7-8

People who know me say that sometimes I talk with myself.  Often it is in response to something that I did not do as well as I should (Gee Kent.  That was brilliant), and other times it is for self-motivation (Come on, Kent!).  Someone told me after a workout session at the gym that they enjoyed hearing me talk out loud because it actually motivated them.  People at work would say that they enjoy hearing me speak noting that I have ‘the gift of gab’ you could say.  I’m always humbled to hear that because I was pretty introverted growing up (maybe closet extrovert closer to the truth J).  Lately, I have been challenged to be more prayerful both openly and behind closed doors.  This is not to say that I do not have conversations with God.  In fact, that’s where I’m good.  Yet, what I am referring to is the heart wrenching, totally vulnerable, completely transparent talk with the awesome, Alpha and Omega, all knowing one true living God.

Prayer life is more than just the Lord’s Prayer.  It’s a habit of confessing struggles, thankfulness, failures, and hopes.  It is a total unveiling of those things that you love and those things you struggle with.  It should mirror your life as a Christian; evolving, ever growing, painful, and filled with joy.  A little advise to those of you who feel like you do not know what to say to God.  Don’t get caught up in the order and what are the right things to tell him.  Today’s verse is not meant to discourage.  It’s to encourage that you might not have it all right today, but with each day, you will get better.  My father use to be a man that could pray on anything, and I would marvel the words he would use never ever thinking I could hope to sound like him.  Then one day, I sounded just like he did as the Holy Spirit began to take my words and turn them into His.  Trust God that as today’s verses state, He knows what you need even before you ask, and your goal is to just reach out to Him with an open mind, heart, and spirit.

Prayer changes things.  These are not just idle words to convince one of what God can do.  They are a reminder that you cannot expect change without putting in the work.  Do not focus on where you are in your prayer life.  Focus on the relationship you have with God and your willingness to open up to Him.  Then and only then will you see God truly work within your prayer life and everything else.  How is your prayer life?  If yours is good, how can you make it more heart felt and intentional.  My prayer is that no matter where our prayer life is, we learn to better have a talk with God.  Amen.

The Case for Vulnerability - Pt. 1

That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  2 Corinthians 12:10

A group I was in had a conversation about the topic of ‘vulnerability.’  This is a topic that I am very passionate about.  I am so passionate about it that I wrote about it once in a devotion a couple of years ago.  That did not get a lot of traction not only as a devotion but also in the conversation.  A lot of it has to do with how it has been defined as many people define vulnerability as weakness.  I once thought that way.  Then I found out something.  The less vulnerable I made myself to others, the less authentic I was.  I became less caring and dare I say dishonest.  Not just with others but more importantly myself. I believed I could handle everything.  “You can’t break me,” I thought.  What’s worse, I placed that framework on others.  Thus I became less forgiving and more judgmental.

Shortly after being born again, the script began to change.  Rather than try to hide my vulnerability (very trusting and emotionally caring such that it could be taken advantage), I opened my heart up to those who I knew.  Did this mean I was disappointed at times?  Yes. In fact, one of my greatest disappointments happened very recently where I ended up losing a friend.  However, it has not changed my willingness to be emotionally vulnerable.  Why? Because all of a sudden, I have a group of people who have become my closest friends, most passionate defenders, and most authentic relationships that one could ever have.  They are people who bring joy in my life, and while this sounds all warm and fuzzy, we actually have fights and disagreements!  But there is so much love and respect we have for each other that the bitterness never lasts.

I have thus come to realize that loving God requires utter and complete vulnerability.  Vulnerability does not make you weak.  Contrary to that thought, you gain strength when shown at the right time.  You will find that you become resilient in the face of uncertainty.  You find love in the midst of a great deal of pain, and trust me, you will have pain.  If you end up being vulnerable to those who matter the most, you all of a sudden realize you are courageous willing to put yourself out there where others are unwilling to and being more authentic than ever.  You find comfort knowing no matter how bad it is, God is with you, and from that, there is nothing you cannot overcome.

God loves us no matter what the world sees in us.  Someone once said, “Vulnerability is about showing up and being seen. It's tough to do that when we're terrified about what people might see or think.”  We must overcome this because it does not matter.  What's important is that showing vulnerability and owning that we are indeed weak alone but strong through Christ can indeed strengthen not only our faith but also how others view us.  What vulnerabilities do you have that you can tell to God?  How can you show strength through to others through your vulnerabilities?  My prayer is that we begin to make the case of being utterly and completely vulnerable to God.  Amen.  More on this next week!

Thurs Devo: Free to Serve

I’m in a Revelation Bible study this year. It’s been a real joy to focus on so many different attributes of the Trinity that John writes about. In fact, I found it interesting that John greets the churches to whom he is writing and then immediately stops to praise Jesus!

Revelation 1:4-8       ⁴ John,

To the seven churches in the province of Asia:

Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, ⁵ and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, ⁶ and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

⁷ “Look, he is coming with the clouds,”
    and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;
    and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”
So shall it be! Amen.

⁸ “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

John knows that the churches are undergoing severe persecution. The fact that he starts his letter by reminding them of who they serve (and why) must have been encouraging. It’s encouraging to me! My problems can seem big or overwhelming, but when I am reminded of who God is and all Jesus did for me to free me from my sin, I’m compelled to continue to worship and serve Him out of gratitude.

I’m not freed from sin to serve myself, but to serve the Almighty Alpha and Omega who will reign forever, after all the troubles in this life are over.

Knowing how much God loves you and all He has freed you from, how are you compelled?

Alice

From Beginning to End

“I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.”  Revelation 1:8

(This is Pt 6 of 8 – Turning the Tide – Representing God to a World that Misrepresents Him)

One can never truly understand the worth of the end of a journey unless they know where the journey truly began.  For example, my youngest daughter has a positive magnetic personality with her classmates, and is a bundle of joy in my life.  But in the beginning, I was unsure if she would ever fit in with children her age because of a learning disability.  There were days she was in tears trying to understand how to say a word, and my wife and I would be frustrated trying to teach her things.  I tear up just thinking about those days because today she speaks as well as I do.  Understanding where she started gives me a much greater appreciation for where she is now.

Many in the world question when the world truly began and whether God created it.  In my life, I was once one of them.  However through experiences and circumstances, I know with certainty God is real, and furthermore, I know He has been there watching over me even before I was born.  While many around us question whether He exists, it is the fact they ask the question that should remind them of His very existence because it is deep inside their very fabric (i.e. The Holy Spirit).  How do we awaken the Holy Spirit within others to realize this very fact?

God has always been there, and it is that which we begin to chip away at the belief that He does not exist.  Revelation 1:8 is the very statement of God’s power.  He was here before we were thought of, and will be here to rule again someday.  We say this in our head trying to make sense of it, but yet, that is not what makes it real.  We do not know of God’s existence because of imagery or actual recollection of Him.  However, there were always things that happened in our lives that remind us someone was always there with us.  It is like that sense when we are about to do something wrong that says within us, “Don’t do that!”  It is those unexplainable things that have happened in our lives that when we put God in the equation suddenly makes sense.  The truth is that everyone has those moments.  Everyone has the Holy Spirit already within them, and if someone (insert you) is willing to simply say, “Yes, there is an answer to what is going on in your life,” one by one the world when know the truth; God has been there all along.

There is such comfort in knowing that we serve a God who is always there for us.  While none of us knows what our future holds, we boldly move forward knowing that whatever happens, God will take care of us.  In a world that questions His existence, we know better, and if we are willing to share that with them, they too will believe as well.  How can you help remind others of God’s existence?  What experiences assure you of God’s sovereignty today and beyond?  My prayer is that we remind others of their life’s journey to know that God has been there all along . . . from beginning to end.  Amen.