A 21 Day Fast

Last time I talked about the benefits of fasting, and my reasons for wanting to do an extended fast - to draw closer to God and to seek His help getting unstuck on a number of levels. On starting the fast I wasn't sure how long it was going to be. I told almost no one, and share this story only as an encouragement to others thinking about an extended fast, or thinking that it is impossible (especially for food lovers like me!) So here is a journal of my experience...

Day 1. The past few days leading up to this I was eating so much that I wasn't overly hungry and felt good to come off the feeling of continually being bloated. Still, by dinnertime, I was rather hungry and couldn't even be in the same room as the family eating dinner. (This would continue to be the main downside to doing this.)

Days 2-3. As I had experienced the one or two times I've fasted more than a day, I was constantly feeling hungry. I could barely stop thinking about food. One suggestion I heard was to spend time in prayer any time you felt hungry. Well wow did I have a prayerful time! :) Not having to spend any time preparing or eating meals allowed a lot of extra time in prayer and Bible study. I can't say this was particularly impactful yet. My mind was still very distracted and was racing at the pace normal for type A people who hate to slow down. I was starting to wonder if tomorrow would be worse and/or if I would need to bail!

Day 4. To my surprise, I was slightly less hungry than the first two days, with just a few minor hunger pains. My weight was down 11 lbs, another surprise. But I had read enough to know this was mostly water loss.

Day 5. Wow, incredible turnaround day. Mental clarity is way up (I would later find out this is a common side effect of your body being in a state of ketosis). This is the first day I'm actually feeling good :) My energy level was very even through the whole day and night, which is unusual because I was totally used to narcoleptic needs to nap or zone out periods. That said, the physical energy is definitely low and I'm easily winded moving around or upstairs. Honestly, that has been true since I hit my peak weight leading up to this fast.

Day 6. Feeling very good and to my joy, really feeling no hunger although the stomach does growl once in a while. I saw my daughter eating something delicious and did not attack her for a bite. More like "Oh that looks good" but no craving. Weight is down -15 pounds.

Day 8. Great to fit into a shirt too tight two weeks ago (still snug) and walk into church. They had donuts for Mothers Day at church but I had no interest! My wife kinda made me pay though, she wanted to go out to a special ribs place Mother's day lunch and I had to join them but eat nothing. To my surprise, it was really no problem.

Day 9. After some reading and after feeling a little too light-headed, I realized I was getting zero sodium and probably should. So I started taking beef broth once a day. 0 calories but a lot of vitamins and 750mg Na. I also read that lots of water and enough sodium are key for fighting off or avoiding the keto flu. Speaking of keto, I've been doing a ton of reading and research and am becoming very excited about starting a ketogenic diet following the fast. It has benefits for epilepsy, mental focus, acne, and PCOS which would help our family, so we decided to try keto together after the fast. (I'll have a future blog or two about Keto.)

Day 10. Made it to day ten! After some reading and cautions from others, I decided to shift my goal from 40 days down to 21. This would end things and have us start a new diet at a very convenient point in our summer schedule. I'm really starting to enjoy the extra time in prayer and solitude each day!

Day 11. I experienced some major breakthroughs in thinking and attitude today! Especially good was a strongly renewed sense of calling and direction in ministry. Woot! An extended prayer session today also gave me great clarity on next steps needed in each area I had started the fast where I wanted to get unstuck. More prayer and details needed, but today was significant. I'm really glad at this point that I didn't stop after "just" 10 days ;)

Day 12. I can't believe I'm looking through page after page of recipes and nutrition articles without feeling even slightly hungry. When I say I'm not feeling hungry at all, I mean it. This was by far the biggest surprise so far. (Weight is down almost 20 pounds.)

Days 13-14. Continued enjoying all the time in prayer and extra time in my day. I can now join my family at meals because of the lack of hunger. Yay! My energy levels are a little low to be honest, and sometimes feeling a bit dizzy when standing up too fast.

Day 15. Big downer of a day... my father in law has passed away unexpectedly. The main focus for this and the next several days is supporting my wife and spending more time with the kids. Otherwise the fast is going smooth. Took some decaf today, as a placebo :) No caffeine, cream or any additives, just felt good to drink that warmth while reading the Bible.

Day 17. I finally thought I better start researching how to best end a fast and found a ton of very conflicting info. After wading through a lot of misinformation, I thought the following tips would be most helpful.
- Many recommend a super slow, multi-day reentry to eating, but that's really not necessary unless you've fasted so long you're emaciated. I still am packing 50 pounds more than I should.
- For the first couple of eating sessions, think small and healthy. Salad and veggies, a little bit of protein, easy on the carbs.
- Bone broth is perfect. You want to bring your electrolyte levels back up closer to normal.
- I found the videos and articles by Dr. Jason Fung to be especially helpful. His advice on ending the fast was simple: don't get all worried, just use common sense; ease back into it letting your renewed sense of hunger guide you, and you should be taking a good daily multivitamin to avoid refeeding syndrome problems,

Day 18. I'm now down just a few pounds shy of 30 and would love to reach that target and/or day 21. I'm feeling the best I have in months, hands down, with good energy and mental clarity and no cravings. To be real, I'm looking forward to eating again, but not feeling at all like I'm missing anything. My main hope at this point is that the incredible sense of the presence of God and desire for holiness remains as strong after the fast. The sense of communion is so strong, I can't even describe it. I finally understand why people who have done 21-40 day fasts just love it and end up doing this regularly. I look forward to doing this again in the future :)

Day 21!!! Made it! Super excited to break my fast joining family for dinner! I had just a tiny dinner... 8 almonds, some broccoli smothered in butter, some kale chips, and a hard-boiled egg. Doesn't sound great but wow it was amazing :) I was also thrilled to see a 30-pound weight loss. (I know, a good bit of that is water, but still... I have had to pull in the belt a few notches) I'll leave the next part of the story, returning to eating and a new diet plan, for another time. But I will say that my appreciation for food and flavors was really great.

What did I learn from my experience with fasting?

• I was shocked I could do it. As a very large person who overeats a lot, this long of a fast seemed completely impossible before I started. If not for the spiritual retreat which gave me a profound sense I needed to do this, I would never have even considered it.
• Extended fasts are very, very different from skipping a meal or a 24 hour fast. Those are good things and they too have their place, but the benefits of doing this for an extended timeframe were incredible.
• My bondage to food and overeating was gone. Busted. History. 
• My passion for ministry was restored. 
• The right direction and next steps were strongly confirmed in prayer. I was no longer stuck at a fork in the road. 
• The sense of the presence of God was profound. Distractions and temptations simply had no draw on me; I had something much better. 
• My prayer life was strongly reinvigorated. I hadn't realized just how shallow it had actually become. I would never have guessed spending a few hours in prayer, spread over the day, could actually feel normal. 
• Emotionally, I felt way less stressed, and better able to cope with events. The "peace that passes understanding" showed up :)
• It gets easier. It gets much easier after day 5. Trust me. I have seen this reported by virtually every story I've read about extended fasts, and I can confirm this. Also, people who do this routinely all say the first time is by far the hardest, and they enjoy making an extended fast on a regular basis (not always 21 or 40 days, sometimes 7 or 10).
• You can do it too! I'm utterly convinced anyone can do this; I'm really not anyone special. In fact, I would highly recommend it for anyone feeling disconnected from God, in a "blah" spiritual state, or feeling stuck especially physically or mentally. 

If you have comments or questions, please let me know! I would love to help other people enjoy the benefits of extended fasting as well. 

Review - Sun Stand Still

I'm a fan of Pastor Steven Furtick, and was very excited to get an advance review copy of his new book "Sun Stand Still" from the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. Pastor Steven is the lead pastor and founder of Elevation Church in Charlotte, NC (6000 strong and growing). He's a very talented young man, a passionate and biblical preacher, and someone who demonstrates audacious faith.

The full title of the book is "Sun Stand Still: What Happens When You Dare to Ask God for the Impossible." This comes from a passage in the Old Testament describing a highly unusual event. Joshua prayed and God caused the sun to stand still for a full extra day (!)  The theme of the book can be summed up in two words: audacious faith. In his own words...

"This book is not a Snuggie. I’m not writing to calm or coddle you. With God’s help, I intend to incite a riot in your mind. Trip your breakers and turn out the lights in your favorite hiding places of insecurity and fear. Then flip the switch back on so that God’s truth can illuminate the divine destiny that may have been lying dormant inside you for years. In short, I’m out to activate your audacious faith. To inspire you to ask God for the impossible. And in the process, to reconnect you with your God-sized purpose and potential."

I found this book to be simultaneously very easy to read, and very hard to read. It was inspiring, but at times discouraging. It was easy to read because Furtick writes heart-to-heart, in plain terms. It was hard because it's so darn challenging! He succeeds at encouraging the reader to consider a faith and a life far beyond what we can do in our own strength, and for this he is to be commended.

The difficult part for me, and perhaps for several other readers, is that much of what he talks about assumes the reader has a clear dream or vision from God, a definite purpose that perhaps seems too big to tackle. He says "Before you can pray a Sun Stand Still prayer, asking God to do the impossible you've got to set your sights on the specific impossible thing God wants you to trust him for in your life... When I use the word 'vision' I mean a "clear sense of purpose regarding what God wants to do through your life." Some people would refer to it as a calling or life mission."  Therein lies the trouble. For myself, and for many friends I talk to, there is but a faint sense of a calling or "life purpose." It's a huge great big fog cloud for many believers. I don't really have trouble believing God can and wants to do great things, and wants to act powerfully in my life, but have much less understanding about what it is He wants to do through me :)

In any case, there were a number of powerful insights I took away from the book.
- The key to being a disciple is being completely available to Jesus, i.e. unconditional obedience.
- Whatever you're good at, that's your calling. Wherever and wherever it may lead you, is holy ground.
- Every member of the body of Christ is a link in the life-change process of other people
- Furtick also hates the phrases "just a volunteer" and "full-time Christian ministry"
- The scope and impact of your vision will be determined by who you believe God is.

Probably the biggest takeaway on the nature of trying hard and/versus trusting fully in God was described in the story of Joshua in noting that in addition to this audacious prayer, he staged an all-night forced march of his army. That's a grueling task! And it led to this insight by Furtick:

If you're going to pray for God to make the sun stand still, you'd better be ready to march all night!

In other words, it calls both for giving it absolutely all we've got, but also trusting in God to do things absolutely beyond our ability in our own strength. If you've got a dream but are lacking the faith to see it come to pass, or if you just find yourself too stuck in comfort and safe prayers, this is definitely a book worth checking out.

Sun Stand Still releases TODAY, Sept. 21, 2010, and is available now at Amazon and other retailers.

(Disclaimer per FTC guidelines: as with other books I receive from publishers, the review copy is free but I'm completely free to post whatever honest opinion I have about the book, good or bad. I always call 'em like I see 'em!)

Little Prayers

This morning my wife was playing tennis with a friend and had the kids along playing in the park. One son lost a brand new (and currently favorite) toy of the younger son, and they looked and looked with no success for almost a half and hour. She called me, just to vent, and asked what to do. I prayed for her and said "Pray about it with the kids, then look quickly one last time." After I hung up I asked God to answer that prayer to find the toy jeep, not because the jeep was important, but to help the kids learn God is faithful when we seek Him in prayer. (If they instead needed to learn God isn't a magic genie, that's ok too, but go ahead and ask and leave the answer up to Him.) Not two minutes later my wife rang back "We found it!! It was right in front of our noses the whole time. The kids are yelling "Praise the Lord!" and "Hallelujah!"  I'm thankful for a God who loves us so much He's never to busy to hear our prayers, no matter how small, and to answer them -- whether directly or by turning our hearts to Him and changing our attitudes from frustration to gratitude.

Honestly, would they have found the toy without the prayer? Given where it actually was, quite possibly. But I can almost guarantee the response would have been to see frustration levels increase, with a few harsh words at the older son why he didn't remember where he put it. Instead there is a van that's full of very thankful children (and mom) who are joyful and thankful. It doesn't have to be a physics-defying miracle to be an answer to prayer. Mom didn't have to call me, but she did. Had I not been right in the middle of reading the Bible and in awe of God's faithfulness I don't think I would have said to pray when the answer looked like it would be a sure "no." I would have said the one boy needs to buy the other a replacement. They would have learned a lesson in justice instead of a lesson about grace. The world will teach them much about justice... I love when God orders things to teach about grace, and when He gets the glory.

Plan B in Nashville

Unnerving irony in that on the eve of the launch of the book "Plan B" by Pete Wilson, a major flood hits the Nashville area, home to Pete and Cross Point Church. Heartbreaking news and reports, and videos, of devastation. Many on the staff of his church have lots their homes (!)  Other Christian leaders and organizations and churches are being hammered by the floods. It was not Plan A to be wiped out by a flood. How are they responding? Here's a sample of the news, help, and praise, I've been seeing on twitter:

@pwilson - This is crazy (chill bumps)!! ive nevr seen so many volunteers who keep pouring in. luv being the hands & feet of Jesus in Nashville 2day.

@pwilson - There's a dude I've never even met sleeping on my couch. #floodsbringpeopletogether

Want to help Nashville Flood victims? Here's how... http://bit.ly/c1NN5P

If you're headed to @crosspoint_tv Bellevue bring hammers, trashbags and brooms. Thanks!!

Flood relief has started. We've sent sevrl teams out w/ water & supplies. Now going by boat 2 help sum families. http://bit.ly/c1NN5P

 @MichaelHyatt (CEO of publisher Thomas Nelson) RT @GailHyatt: Great info: So My House Is Flooded, Now What? http://is.gd/bSlrk

@MichaelHyatt Here’s a video of what we dealt with yesterday in Franklin, all around my house: http://vimeo.com/11405686

And I'm so impressed by the attitude displayed by Thom Rainer (of Lifeway) --
@ThomRainer - Turning back from FL to get back to Nash. Just learned that the Harpeth River has reached our home in the flood. Please pray.
@ThomRainer - Flood waters rising in our home. We are 4 hours south of Nash. Doesn't look good for the house. I will praise Him in all things.
@ThomRainer - Just spoke to insurance company. Confirmed no flood insurance, no coverage. God is good.
@ThomRainer - Main floor of our house spared! Significant damage to lower level but could be worse. PTL. Photo of back yard http://yfrog.com/jdr36j 

These guys aren't just praising God in the midst of the storm, they're getting out and helping others. I pray for these families, for all those hit hard by the floods in/near Nashville, and I pray that the church of Jesus Christ could be a beacon of hope and light - and helping hands.

Little moments - Big memories

The Baxter family just got back from a wonderful vacation with family at the beach. It was a great time of relaxing, celebrating Christmas, and making some memories. Playing pool, the hot tub, dinners together, Wii golf classic, board games, sneaking off for a date with my wife, and staying up late talking. I like vacations like that; not grand moments but time spent together, where running off to the beach at midnight and staring at the stars opens up sharing from the heart. And yet... one of the biggest 'little moment' of the trip was on the long and arduous ride to get there.

We were headed into a huge snow storm but it was smooth sailing until Charleston, WV. We pressed on, but at a toll both were told to turn around, as all the roads into Virginia were closed. (What??!)  There was no alternate route, just told to go back and find a hotel room. We drove back West, but nothing was open. No room at the Inn :)  At Charleston they laughed when we asked for a room and told to go another hour West. It was getting late, we hadn't eaten, and had a long trip yet ahead. The kids asked what was wrong. "None of the hotels have a room." "Can we pray that one would have a room for us?" asked Justin. "Sure!" He did, and the three other kids did likewise. Dawn made one more phone call and asked if they had a room. The receptionist said she didn't know. The power had been out all day and had just come back on - she would know when the computer finished rebooting. "Where are you?" asked Dawn. "Exit 48". We just past exit 47. "We'll be right there to see!" After getting off I-64 we couldn't find it, but took a wrong turn up a huge hill from which we could see the Sleep Inn. A couple of people decided to leave when the power went off and so they had a room! Restaurants and stores were all shut down, but Dawn found a movie theater and got us popcorn and Oreos for dinner, to go with a huge cup of Ramen noodles. Yummy! To celebrate, I made sure the boys jumped on the bed.

I'm thankful that God taught them something about prayer (repeatedly actually with some other answered prayer on the road). Did God miraculously turn on power for 80,000 people just because four children prayed? Which is more wonderful, if He answered directly at the moment, or if He chose to act well in advance? Guiding us to a wise decision to delay one day? Using a pottie break to put us within one mile of the only open hotel in a 50 mile radius at precisely the right time? Guiding us to pick up that particular hotel guide at a previous rest stop with the needed phone number? Helping us via a 'wrong turn' to get to a vantage where we could actually see the Sleep Inn? Or simply reaching out to Justin to call us to prayer at the exact time power was about to be restored? All of the above? I imagine that often answers to prayer come by means of natural causes, but God can and does guide us and act through other people. He's not constrained by time, after all. Regardless of the how, I'm thankful for God and His provisions, and for the deep sense my kids have that He loves them. Happy New Year all!!!

Abba

Abba. Father - Daddy, really. Today I'm feeling very blessed to be both a dad and a child. Last night we went to a hymn sing at church, and this morning my oldest son came in our room and asked if we could sing some of those 'old songs' together. Sure! When he was done, he ran down the stairs to play with his toys, singing 'Go Tell It On the Mountain' as he went. That woke up his two brothers, who came into our room, and wanted to sing some "hymnals" too! Thanks, Greg and Pat, for leading that hymn-sing!

I had another great blessing last night. Christian was trying to remember the nine fruits of the Spirit which he learned about Sunday morning (thanks Jeff!) For my devotional time last night, I thought I would spend some time in Galatians 5 (where the fruit are discussed). Still exploring the spiritual disciplines, I wanted to do some  lectio divina (aka 'Sacred Reading'). To quiet my heart I began with a breath prayer. "Abba, Father, be glorified." After a few minutes repeating this, I opened my NKJV Chronological Bible and turned to Galatians 5:22. On that very page guess what there was sidebar about? Was I in for a shock.

In big bold print I see... "Abba Father" (!!!)  There I found a discussion about the word 'Abba', which is the Aramaic word for Father. But it's the personal intimate word used by children. In English the closest equivalent is "Daddy". So in the process of a dad looking up some Scripture to bless his son, the Father blesses this dad His son with a moment that rocks my world, as I shift my attention out of Galatians 5 and back into chapter 4. For you see there, I am reminded of an absolutely mind-blowing truth - I am literally an heir of God the Father, creator of heaven and earth. He no longer calls me a slave, and not just a friend (awesome though that is), he calls me His heir. Here's the passage that led to the sidebar on Abba, on why knowing God is such a personal and awesome thing...

"What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir."  (Galatians 4:1-7, NIV).

We all belong to God; He made us and that is a condition common to all. Under sin, we are all separated from Him, but He longs for us to be in right relationship with Him. Because this is something we cannot do on our own, he made a way, through Jesus Christ His Son. Jesus, born of a woman, born under the law, was able to redeem (pay the price to get someone out of slavery) those of us born of woman, under the law. Not only that, as our sins are paid for by Him, the Spirit of God in Christ now lives in our hearts, and as He is in our hearts we are adopted and are now sons and daughters of God - no longer slaves but now heirs. My sons are adopted, and this is a special blessing on my life like no other, but to know that I am adopted, and loved that much more by my heavenly Father... words can't describe the joy found in this. Abba, I love you!!



God longs for you to know how much He loves you. He longs to call you friend - to call you son / to call you daughter. All that it takes to do this has already been done by Christ. Will you call on Him?

Solitude and Silence

"Silence is frightening because it strips us as nothing else does, throwing us upon the stark realities of our life." - Dallas Willard, "The Spirit of the Disciplines."

Though we were meant for community, and though communication is essential, often we saturate our lives with noise and company in an attempt to fill a void in our hearts or to avoid allowing ourselves time to think. The spiritual disciplines of solitude and silence are powerful tools for a deeper communion with God. They are also disciplines that come far easier for some of us than others - as my wonderfully charming and gregarious wife can attest! For contemplatives and ascetics, it's an essential time, both for recharging our batteries and for drawing near to God.

Donald Whitney discusses these in his classic "Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life" (Chapter 10 on this subject can be found at his web site). There he defines the discipline of silence as "the voluntary and temporary abstention from speaking so that certain spiritual goals might be sought." Solitude is related, it is "voluntarily and temporarily withdrawing to privacy for spiritual purposes... Think of silence and solitude as complementary disciplines to fellowship. Without silence and solitude we're shallow. Without fellowship we're stagnant. Balance requires them all."

Whitney gives some excellent reasons for practicing silence and solitude:
- To follow the example of Jesus
- To better hear the voice of God
- To express worship to God
- To express to God
- To be physically and spiritually restored
- To regain a spiritual perspective
- To seek the will of God
- To learn control of the tongue

Ruth Haley Barton wrote a book on just this subject, "Invitation to Solitude and Silence: Experiencing God's Transforming Presence." In it she shares some tips for this practice.
1. Identify a sacred place and time for you
2. Begin with a modest goal (the length isn't as important as the regularity)
3. Select a comfortable yet alert physical posture
4. Begin with a simple prayer expressing your openness and desire for God
5. Close your time in silence with a prayer of gratitude for God's presence
6. Resist the urge to judge yourself on your expectations in silence

Others have pointed out that solitude and silence require attention - if you don't engage the mind you'll fall asleep :)  Consider memorized Scripture, meditating on it; consider an attribute of God (as well as the fact that He is present); consider the faithful actions of God in the past (both in your life, in the church, in history); and listen in active stillness.

If you find yourself constantly in a state of hurriedness and unease... consider the benefit of silence and solitude in the pursuit of godliness (and sanity!)

Fasting and Prayer

Fasting as a spiritual discipline is intentionally abstaining from something that is good for a period of time for the sake of spiritual growth – for prayer, to humble ourselves before God, to increase our awareness of our reliance on Him. Usually fasting is abstaining from food, though it may also be from drink, sleep or sex (I Cor 7:5). The goal is never to earn brownie points, show God or our friends how cool we are, to punish ourselves, or to make God change His mind.  Isaiah 58 warns about fasting for outward show, when instead God wants our hearts.

The purpose of fasting is "to take our eyes off the things of this world and instead focus on God. Fasting is a way to demonstrate to God and to ourselves that we are serious about our relationship with Him.”  Fasting was described and encouraged in both the Old and New Testaments. Jesus says “when we fast” (not if) in Matthew 6:16-18 where He reminds us to fast in secret. Jesus Himself fasted for 40 days (Matt 4:2) at the start of His public ministry before calling the disciples. Fasting was not uncommon in the early church (e.g. Acts 13:2-3).

Campus Crusade for Christ has an excellent guide to fasting which covers why we should fast, how to fast safely, how long and what type, preparation, physical issues, and how to break your fast. There’s even some good information on fasting from the “Dummies” series: “Fasting provides self-discipline in an undisciplined age.” and “Fasting fosters concentration on God and his will.”  I would say fasting is particularly recommended for:

• Seeking a renewed commitment and fresh start in your devotion for God
  
• Seeking direction from God before a major decision or big event
  
• Seeking physical healing for a loved one or someone going through a rough situation
  
• Seeking deliverance from sin, temptation, or anything else where you seem stuck
  

If you’ve never really done any prayer and fasting, give it a try, and start small! Skip a lunch and take the hour to pray. Pray for other people, for guidance, in confession, with a listening heart. Before dinner when you’re feeling particularly hungry, take some time again to pray, to humble yourself before God, and to be acutely aware of your reliance on Him. Break the fast with a healthy meal (not a large pizza!)

Intercessory Prayer

Intercessory prayer is simply praying on behalf of other people. The Full Life Study Bible defines it as "holy, believing, persevering prayer whereby someone pleads with God on behalf of another or others who desperately need God's intervention". The Biblical basis for this is that we are a royal priesthood, and may play a role as mediator - not based in our own holiness or goodness but that of Christ.

Sometimes intercessory prayer is called "Standing in the Gap" - based on a passage in Ezekiel 22:30 where judgment came due to lack of such prayer - "Because the Lord God did not find anyone to 'stand in the gap,' to intercede for the land, He was requited to pour out the judgment due its disobedience." This is serious stuff. You can find many references in the Bible to intercessory prayer, how it is a great responsibility, how it makes a difference, how God Himself seeks faithful intercessors, and how some are specially gifted with faith and passion for this kind of prayer.

The Bible also gives several specific people who should be the focus of regular intercessory prayer:
- Leaders and government authorities (I Tim 2:1-2)
- The people of God (Joel 2:12-13; Romans 1:9; Eph 6:18)
- Our pastors and those in spiritual leadership (2 Cor 1:11; 1 Thess 5:25; Heb 13:17f)
- Our community and our nation (Ps 112:6; Jer 29:7; Dan 9:3)

Typically the intercessor doesn't just work through a list (though that can be helpful at times), instead carrying out a real burden to intercede, perhaps fasting, and with much patience and determination.

Whatever your specific approach, do not neglect praying for others, especially your neighbors and friends, those you love, those who have not heard the gospel, and those whose leadership will affect many people.

Praying through ACTS

Prayer is simultaneously simple and profound, speaking with a dear friend and coming before the Holy creator of the universe. We have in the Bible the Lord's prayer, the Lord praying for us (John 17) and a great variety of ways in which people have spoken to God, in praise and petition. We're commanded to pray without ceasing, but also encouraged not to babble on in vain repetition. Prayer is the lifeblood of our relationship with God.

In considering spiritual disciplines, bible reading and prayer are always at the top of the list, as they are both the most commonly practiced as well as key agents of transformation for both mind and heart . Of course, it would be pretty poor if either of these were merely treated as a discipline, something we had to do. Dallas Willard in "The Spirit of the Disciplines" comments "Prayer is conversing, communicating with God. When we pray we talk to God, aloud or within our thoughts... It would of course be a rather low-voltage spiritual life in which prayer was chiefly undertaken as a discipline, rather than as a way of co-laboring with God to accomplish good things and advance His Kingdom purposes."

Several forms of prayer are practiced as spiritual disciplines. Adele Calhoun describes 14 in her "Spiritual Disciplines Handbook," including: breath prayer, centering prayer, contemplative prayer, conversational prayer, fasting, fixed-hour prayer, inner-healing prayer, intercessory prayer, labyrinth prayer, liturgical prayer, prayer partners, praying Scripture, prayer of Recollection and prayer walking.

I can't even scratch the surface of the subject, but here I just wanted to share one of the earliest ideas I learned about a balanced and disciplined prayer life, the simple acronym - "ACTS". When we pray, there should be the following elements (whether one after the other, or spread out over time) -

Adoration - to worship and praise God, simply for who He is
Confession - honestly confess our wrongdoings and seek forgiveness
Thanksgiving - be grateful for what God has done, even in rough times
Supplication - personal petition and intercessory prayer for others, asking for help

We're encouraged to turn to God to supply all our needs, and to come to Him to ask for his provision, but if they only time we ever talk to God is when we want something, that's not good.

I find myself still today using 'ACTS'. In fact, can I share a part of my routine that may sound silly? In the morning I'm a slow riser - it's not my best time. I hit the snooze button at least 4-5 times. But these days instead of rolling over or worrying about what I have to do that day, I pray through ACTS. One per snooze alarm hit. When I finally drag myself out of bed to face the day, I've been praising and worshiping Him, have confessed any sins from the previous day, and have lifted up several people in prayer. Don't worry, it's not the only way I pray - He gets some quality time when I'm awake too, but for me, this is a great way to start the day :)

Review - For the Tough Times

For the Tough Times: Reaching Toward Heaven for Hope  - Book Review
Max Lucado, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2008

For the Tough Times is a short, extremely readable book that seeks to provide comfort to those hurting. Lucado addresses the heart question "Does God love me in the midst of this fear and pain?" It's not a theological answer book on why bad things happen to good people, though it does address this. Instead it calls us to that which offers the best hope of healing and comfort: prayer. It does so in a very gentle and caring way. Max inspires us - he doesn't shame or guilt us - but offers the hope that God does care, and He listens.

When tough times come, people naturally search for answers. Lucado speaks of course from a Christian perspective, but speaks in such a way that those who don't normally pray often may too find hope. Doubt and fear do not offend God or keep Him far. His love is powerful and reaches out to all who hurt.

The book is small and quite short (80 pages). Thankfully it avoids saying anything stupid (a must for any book dealing with grief and hurting people). This makes it an excellent book to give to someone you know who is hurting, when you don't know what to say. It does repackage some of his older material, the price is somewhat steep, and it's not necessarily a book you'll love if these aren't tough times right now. But it's one I will keep handy for when those times do come.

Review copy provided by Thomas Nelson Publishers.
For the Tough Times is available at Amazon and other retailers ($10.99 MSRP).

Election Day

Here in the USA it's election day, and I'll join the crowd in encouraging everyone to get out and vote. But there's something else very important you need to do today...

If you are an American you have a civic duty to vote.

If you're a follower of Christ, you have another duty - to pray. Our citizenship is not here on earth but in heaven (Php 3:20). So my prayer today? That God will usher in the candidate whose election will lead to the greatest glory for God, for the expansion of His kingdom, whether that is through the person's greatness or incompetence, whether it's through prosperity for our nation or whether for hard times that draw people to Him.

I don't think my prayer will be a popular one today, but my confidence is in God, not man.

Thanks for reading! I have two bonus tips for you!

First, in the next election look for "early voting" centers if your area has them. I actually voted last week and the place was empty, no lines at all! 

Second, if you like coffee, be sure to go to Starbucks and tell them you voted, to get a free tall coffee.

A Quiet Hero

I was speaking to a new believer last week and got to ask how they came to attend our church. One of their friends, a very quiet guy, noticed that this person was having a rather rough time and feeling low. He asked a very simple question: "Would you mind if I asked some friends of mine to pray for you? I won't give them your name or any details, but we do pray for each other regularly as a small group." The answer was "Sure! I can use all the prayers I can get right now. This seeker immediately had two thoughts - first: there's something distinctly different about this guy, I wish I were more like him. Second, I need to get myself to his church. A very short time later this person came, found acceptance and love in a way that was hard to imagine, came to 101 class and made a decision to follow Christ that has transformed their life.

When we talk about evangelism, building relationships, transforming lives... it's not rocket science. More often than you might think it takes something as simple as "Would you mind if I prayed for you?"