Prayer Therapy...

Some notes from a book called Prayer Therapy... using for myself and for my clients. Enjoy reading...

1. Remember: your work and your struggles are not unholy. Pray and God will come to you just as you are.

2. Pray always, but schedule special times too. The spirit, like the body, needs formal exercise.

3. If you want something, ask yourself. "Do I want what God wants?" God wants your true good.

4. Bring your anger to prayer. Hot metal can be molded.

5. Pray when you are worried. Prayer puts everything into perspective.

6. If for any reason, you cannot pray, relax. The desire to pray is already a prayer.

7. When you feel sad or sorry, weep. Tears are a prayer of the heart.

8. If prayer makes you passive and indifferent, it isn't prayer. True prayer will bear fruit in care and service.

9. When you don't like someone, pray for them. Prayer reveals the hidden God.

10. Pray when you feel lonely. Prayer puts you in the company of angels.

Trying to trust You more...

I find that in so many ways I trust You - trust You fully - like diving into unchartered waters but being okay. Stepping out of the boat towards you Jesus and being okay. But then there are parts of my heart that struggle so much to trust You. Perhaps these are places and memories of loss - where some fears have been realized - where even today I feel easily triggered and threatened.

Yet seeing that You are good and so sovereign. Trusting in Your perfect love for me every moment of everyday? I'm not there yet Lord, but I want to be. I feel so fragile in my heart sometimes. And yet a warrior at other times.

Thank you that You meet me where I am and call me out from where I've been so that I can soar with You - anchored more and more securely in Your love. I want to gaze at You more - to keep my eyes fixed. To respond Yes when you say... "Look My way My Love."

excerpt from a poem I wrote..."Help me to trust You and not be afraid. Learn to let go when I fear the unknown."

I need Your Perfect Love to wash my fears away... again.

Taste and Trust

(from God Calling)

O taste and see that the Lord is good. Psalm 34:8

He is good. Trust in Him. Know that all is well. Say "God is good. God is good." Just leave in His Hands the present and the future, knowing only that He is good. He can bring order out of chaos, good out of evil, peace out of turmoil. God is good.

I and My Father are one. One in desire to do good. For God to do good to His children is for Him to share His goodness with them. God is good, anxious to share His goodness, and good things, with you and He will do this.

Trust and be not afraid.

For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. Psalm 100:5

Just to know...

Pouring out my heart before You. Giving You myself and my heart again. Letting Your perfect love wash away my fears, Jesus. Answering Your call to come away with You. So, hold me Jesus and wrap me in Your arms of Love.

Lyrics from Just to Know

Just to know that I can come and
Lay at Your feet
Just to know that I won’t be denied
Just to know that I can call You my home
Just to know….

Just to know all my hopes rest in Your heart
Just to know You won’t forget
Just to know that I am on Your mind
Just to know….

Just to know that You are always near
Just to know all Your promises
Will stay, right here.

Just to know that I won’t be alone
Just to know that You can hold me
Just to know in You I find my home
Just to know,
Just to know."

Written by Rita Springer and David Ruis

Found on Rita's album entitled "Effortless"

What does it mean to 'fear' the Lord?

So I'm sitting in chapel today at the graduate school I'm attending... and the professor speaking brings up the verse, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom". (Proverbs 9:10). A verse that I wholeheartedly agree with and a verse I have read and heard often, so in my Berean ways and wanting to search out the truth - a question comes to mind. "What does it mean to fear the Lord?" I've heard it preached out of a place and spirit of intimidation and being 'afraid' of God and possible punishment - but I'm not satisfied in my spirit with that way of interpreting that verse... so I dig a little deeper and this is what I found...

To modern ears the word “fear” is almost wholly negative. We usually associate it with threat or perhaps with some negative experience like pending punishment or diminishment. And yet, over and over the Scriptures lift up the value of the “Fear of the Lord” and encourage us in this regard. As you may already know or at least suspect, the word “fear” has different senses or meanings.

Distinctions -St. Thomas in the Summa, drawing on the Fathers of the Church as well as ancient philosophy distinguishes different kinds of fear based on the object of that fear. So, to begin there is worldly fear (wherein we fear some evil or threat from the world), and there is human fear (wherein we fear some evil or threat from others) (II IIae 19,2 & 9). Now neither of these fears concern us here since God is not the object of these fears. Our concern here is the “Fear of the Lord,” wherein God is the object of fear.

Now as to the Fear of the Lord, here too a distinction is to be made between servile fear (fear of punishment) and filial fear (whereby a son fears to offend his father or to be separated from him) (II, IIae 19.10) Now it is not servile fear but filial fear that is the Gift of the Holy Spirit and which Scripture commends. Hence, when Scripture says we should “Fear the Lord” it does not mean that we should run and hide because God is going to punish us, but rather that we should receive the the gift of the Holy Spirit wherein we dread to offend God or be separated from him. This, I hope you can see, is a very precious gift. And although the word “fear” tends to elicit negative reactions, I hope to show you that the Biblical world experienced the Fear of the Lord as a very great and highly prized blessing.

But first we have to be clear to emphasize that the fear towards God comes in two ways but only one of those ways is considered the Gift of the Holy Spirit and rightly called “The Fear of the Lord.” Scripture therefore has to be read with some sophistication. It is important to know which kind of fear is being discussed to understand the text. Consider a few examples from the New Testament:

1. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 Jn 4:18) – Here is described servile fear (fear of punishment). The text teaches us that Love puts sin to death. And, since we no longer sin, we no longer fear punishment. Servile fear of God is not evil or wrong but it IS imperfect since it has to do with the imperfection of sin. Ultimately we are to be free of servile fear and hence it is seen as a negative thing even though it can have some salutary effects. For example, fear of punishment can be a motive to avoid sin. But it is an imperfect motive since it does not come from our love of God but more from our love our self and our comfort or well-being. Servile fear is not therefore commended by Scripture but neither is it condemned.
2. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father (Rom 8:15). Notice again that servile fear is something to be freed of. This freedom comes by the Holy Spirit who replaces our servile fear with a filial fear, fear born in love of God that experiences him as Abba. So Holy Fear needs to replace servile fear.
3. Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord. (Acts 9:31) Obviouslyhere, Holy Fear is described, not servile fear. The early Christians are being encouraged by the Holy Spirit and this elicits in them a Holy Fear, a fear born in love that dreads offending Abba, the Father they love.
4. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king. (1 Peter 2:17) Note again the connection of fear to love. In the context of our love for the brethren we are told to fear the Lord. But the context here clearly suggests that fear is being used as a synonymn for a higher form of love. In other words, as much as we should love the brethren, even more so we should love God and that love is described as the “Fear of the Lord.”

What is the Fear of the Lord? Alright then. But what does it really mean to ”Fear the Lord?” Ah! I am mindful of the words of St. Augustine when he was asked to describe the inner life of the Trinity. He said, “If you don’t ask, I know. If you ask me, I don’t know.” In other words, fully defining the Fear of the Lord is problematic since it is deeply tied to love which is also hard to define in a mere words. If I were to define love to you as “a movement of the appetitive will toward a desirable good or person” you might want to strangle me for being such a geek! “Don’t ruin love by defining it like that!” you might say. Words sometimes get in the way. But with that caution in mind let me advance a few thought on the Fear of the Lord.

1. The Fear of the Lord is rooted in our relationship to God as his adopted Children. As we have already discussed, the Fear of the Lord is not servile fear (having to do with punishment) it is filial fear (the dread of offending or being separated from God).
2. The Fear of the Lord is rooted in our love for God. We really love God, with all our heart! He is Abba, Papa, Father. He has given us everything and we deeply love and reverence him. The thought of offending him fills us with dread! We cannot bear the thought that we have offended God in any way, we love him too much.
3. The Fear of the Lord is rooted in our admiration for God. Through this gift of Holy Fear we hold God in awe. We are filled with wonder as we contemplate his glory and all he has done. This wonder and awe, inspire deep respect in us for God and an aversion to offending him. We respect him too much to ever want to mar our relationship with him.
4. The Fear of God is rooted in our desire for unity with God. Love seeks union. We instinctively know that sin mars the union of love and can even sever it. We thus come to fear sin that creates distance between us and God. Because we desire union with God, the gift of Holy Fear causes us to fear ever losing the intensity of that union.
5. The Fear of God is rooted in our appreciation for God’s Holiness. God is Holy and the gift of Holy Fear strikes within us a deep awareness of this holiness as well as a deep understanding that we must be made holy before coming into his full presence. The gift of fear helps us to appreciate that we do not simply walk into God’s presence in the spiritual equivalent of jeans and a T-Shirt. Holy Fear inspires us to be clothed in holy attire, to get ready to meet God. Just as we might bath and wear fine clothes to visit a world leader, we reverence God enough to be robed in righteousness by his grace before we go to meet him. Holy Fear makes us serious about this preparation

Thoughts on HOPE....

HOPE

~ Heaven kissing earth

~ Anticipation for God's intervention

~ A holy gaze into the holy unseen realm breaking forth and bearing fruit into the present reality.

~ A fixed gaze on the beauty and majesty of Jesus of all He truly is - not just in Name but as an active Presence in my life.

~ Prayers Answered...from prayers prayed - in a moment of desperation in the desert.

~ Desires Fulfilled - the ones You have planted in my heart. Thoughts and requests whispered to a Father from a daughter. Brought to fruition in Your perfect timing and love.

~ Knowing that You have not forgotten me or passed me by.

~ Knowing that You are for me.

~ Being surprised by Your love - not because I've 'earned it' but simply as an outpouring of Your grace.

"O satisfy us in the morning with Your loving-kindness, that we may sing for JOY and be GLAD all our days. Make us glad according to the days You have afflicted us, and the years we have seen evil. Let Your work appear to Your servants and Your majesty to their children. Let the favor of the LORD be upon us; and confirm the work of our hands." Psalm 90:14-17