CHOOSE: TO INTERCEDE

Choose to learn from Scripture as you seek to pray for others.

John 17 is called by many as the "High Priestly Prayer." According to Justin Taylor, Desiring God, (10/2/07) this chapter on Jesus' prayer has "only about 650 words, takes only 3 minutes thirty seconds to read aloud but will take an eternity for use to fully understand it."

I, certainly do not fully understand it, but my aim is to learn what God has for me to glean at this season of my life. Reading the scripture in my Ryrie Study Bible gave insight and a few gems.

My goal is to learn from Jesus' intercession for us to aid me in interceding for others.

#1 for me is the Lord Jesus referring to believers as a gift from the Father to Him. Five times this "giving" is repeated. (vs. 2, 6, 6, 9, 24) 

#2 is that Christ is praying for those (believers) given to Him. 

That's enough for me to dwell on for a while. I, as a believer, am a gift from Father God to His Son Jesus, and Jesus prays for me. That's huge to share with others who need encouraging and to pray that  they too live out that truth, as One of His.

Now, I have been offered a "loan" of a book by a local pastor and I look forward to his insights on John 17 as well as other prayers of Jesus as well. 

SABBATH SNAPSHOT : sal-TEA and luminosi-TEA

Today, brother Buddy and I (via Ma Bell) discussed the availability of devotional books---from Sarah Young and Billy Graham to Mrs. Charles Cowman's, Streams in the Desert. So many choices. So many varying lengths.

At Blackberry Farm last week I came across a new one, new to me, at least. Salt and Light by Memphis CUMC pastor, Shane Stanford, had only 25 entries. Could be used during Advent. (Seems perfect for our friends who have taken those 3 week river cruises over these last few years.) Not overwhelming. Refreshment from a new perspective in a given time period that would fit with those travel plans----as 4 days would be left over to cover the 2 travel days bookending the trip.

Also a good starting point for folks trying on "quiet time" ideas. Written with Dr. Ronnie Kent, two perspectives are given on the "devotional" experience. My favorite part was the emphasis on God's Presence!

Division, of 4 "alliterative" sections,----Watch, (Recognizing God's Presence, 1 Corinthians 1:3-9) Wait, (Being in God's Presence, 1Peter 3:8-15a) Witness (Sharing God's Presence, Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11, & John 1: 6-8, 19-28) Worship (Celebrating God's Presence, Luke 1:26-28 & Romans 16:25-27) gives an overview to the reader and are seen as the natural progressions of our relationship with God. (p.12)
Consistency of time in word and prayer are given, along with life objectives and things to consider and principles to live by.....along with a "warning"---"If you have a time with God each day to prove your devotion to Him, It will not work!

 I appreciate an honest man of the cloth.

rou-TEA-ine

But all things should be done decently and in order. (1 Corinthians 14:40, ESV)

Routine enhances order---at least these days that is true in my life.
Is that an aging thing? A "sot in your ways," control issue. Is it hereditary?

Certainly a cuppa rou-TEA-ine is preferred by lots of my family members, especially my brothers. It was modeled by our parents, whom you could set your clock by. As Daddy aged I watched him put his day in order more than ever, as if routine helped him keep a handle on things, that were trying to slip away.

Walking with Ellen has been a part of my exercise routine for over 24+ years. It's a routine that goes beyond physical exercise because I never know what gem I will glean from her. This morning was no different as she shared a Shane Stanford "jewel" from her last night's CUMC Bible Study. A reminder that being in His presence is a "spiritual routine" one should not neglect.
"One's joy is directionally proportional to the amount of time spent practicing the Presence of God in the midst of all his /her circumstances."
That's certainly biblical---Fulness of joy comes from being in His Presence. (Psalm 16:11)

The Bible----a great threshold that leads one into God's Presence.

A 3/2/10 original “Tea with Thee” blog, described my best “routine” for  morning quiet times----"like my tea---steeped just right, not rushed. An ordinary cup of tea, my daily Jesus Calling reading, simple scripture verses at my fingertips----ordinary beginnings can make a day extraordinary."

Now,  I would add.....a cuppa "rou-TEA-ine" in His Presence over flows into joy for a truly extraordinary day, regardless of the circumstances.

SABBATH SNAPSHOT : "med-TEA-tations" for 5th Sunday of Lent

Prayers for Memphis pastors are a part of our church's monthly intercessory prayer program, "Warriors on the Wall."  This month the featured pastor-friend of our pastor is Christ Methodist's Shane Stanford, so it seemed appropriate to share some of his Lenten insights from his book, Mosaic, on this fifth Sunday of Lent.

His alliterative headings keep the flow of each chapter very consistent---Rebellion, Restlessness, Regret, Rejection, Responsibilities, Resources, and Relationships for each of the six Sundays.

The one on "Regret" really spoke to my heart. 

Regret is heavier, more encumbering.......when allowed to grow and take hold, it will choke not only our potential but also our joy. (p. 27) But Stanford's scripture selections and meditation insights takes one to the "place of confidence, our place of no regret." (p.33)

With selected scriptures and the same study format in each chapter, (Reveal, Reflect, Refine, and Respond) one is taken from revelation to insight for practical application. In other words, hope is always given showing how God can use all these "broken" pieces of our lives to conform us to the image of His Son.

Mosaic has provided quite a journey for many Christians......aiding their soul searching med-TEA-tation times as Easter approaches.

"Flexibili-TEA" " a Re-Brew

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16, KJV)

Sometimes "light shining" requires a little flexibility and a lot of trust. Yesterday's letter from Shane Stanford to his congregation at CUMC bore witness to that truth. After many weeks (44 ?) of treatment at Mayo, Shane said the results were disappointing. But....he concluded his letter with the Matthew 5:13-16 exhortation.

Pastor Stanford knows what it's like to live an upside down, inside out version of life. He's dealt with an HIV-positive lifestyle since age 16. He, as all of us, had a choice to make both then and now. 

Even at that young age and through his seminary years, Shane knew he had a choice: he could feel sorry for himself, or he could live as faith-fully and boldly as possible. Choosing how to live out that grace would be the key to making his life matter. (Positive Life)

Was this most recent diagnosis what he had hoped for? Certainly not. But God....through Shane will continue to achieve His best plan for both the Sanford's and their large church family. For Shane, the new plan will be very similar to the old plan. "I plan to continue leaning on the only real source of strength I have ever known—Jesus." is how Sanford puts it.

"More importantly," he states, "I believe that God has only begun to use this journey for His Glory!"

Note the sheep which is still right-side up.

Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be "bent out of shape," even when their world seems to have been turned upside-down. Not a beatitude...but at "tea-attitude" of flexibili-TEA.

“P”erfect “P”airing

7/5/11….and I’m not talking golf here. Today I received 2 books that have really piqued my spiritual interest. One by a pastor. One by a pray-er, as in one who prays. Unable to decide which one to read first, I dove into both and began to extract “plums” from each.

A Positive Life is written by Shane Stanford, who is set to become the senior pastor at Christ Methodist this month. It’s basically “his” story of living with HIV (from a transfusion) and how it taught him the simplicity and contentment of a life shared in a community of laughter and love.

• Positive Life plum---God’s healing passes understanding; it gets down on the floor with us and wipes away our tears and holds us, especially when the aches and pains of life seem too much to bear. (Positive Life, p.44)

Paul Miller’s, A Praying Life: connecting with God in a distracted world, is the focus of a 5 week book study that Kathy T. is leading in the east Memphis area for a group of like-minded women. She was drawn to the book on Fellowship Memphis’ pastor, Bryan Loritts recommendation as more than another “how to pray” type book.

• Praying Life plum---What does an unused prayer link look like? ANXIETY. (caps are mine) (A Praying Life p. 70)

With pink highlighter in hand, I’ll keep you posted as I partake of more of these powerful, though personal, plums/treasures.