Just to make it today…

I can’t believe how 80s I am.

Every time I think, or hear, the phrase “You’ve got to pray,” I envision MC Hammer pants. That can’t be healthy.

But, here we go… You’ve got to pray (just to make it today… wow, it is an illness).

Communication is essential to any relationship, and without it the relationship will wither and die. Or, at least go into a period of hibernation until the spring thaw.

What is communication? When we think about prayer this is the bigger question, because I think we have too often pigeon-holed our definition a prayer to being a close-eyed, bowed-head recitation of our forgiveness requests followed by a listing of our most common wants disguised as needs.

Where’s the interplay? Where the dialogue? Where’s the relationship?

That definition of prayer would never fly as real communication in marriage. Garuntee you. Try it. Wait, don’t try it. I don’t have any counseling slots left, and you’d need it after that.

Tags: Bible, James 4, Matthew 7, MC HAMMER, prayer, Psalm 5, Spiritual Growth

Set apart, or SET apart

Barnabas and Saul Sent Off 13 In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Ac 13:1-3 This is where I was studying this morning for my own devotional time. I thought I’d be clever (this almost never works out for me) and do a quick word study. I know that the word ‘holy’ means to be set apart, so, I thought maybe that the Holy Spirit’s command to ‘set apart’ Saul and Barny (yeah, we’re that tight) was a derivation of that Greek root for holy. If it is, then cool, I’ll look super smart someday preaching that and very insightful to boot. Problem is, it’s not the same word. DRAT! Even when I used other English versions, the Greek never changed, how can this be? Apparently my clever reserves are running low.

Tags: Acts 13, Bible, called, Isaiah 43, Matthew 7, ministry, mission, set apart