M.@.D. (Men at Discipleship): The Ministry Highlight of My Week
Starting in January 2006, I began meeting with several men of our church each Tuesday morning at 6:30 am. We've shared our faith stories, prayed, and discussed our spiritual journeys. These past few months we've gone through the book by Larry Crabb (SoulTalk). We've talked about forsaking the false gospel of religion for the true gospel of an authentic relationship with Jesus Christ. This relationship is not based on what he gives us (He is not a vending machine) but we love and worship him because he is God. Our number one desire means we must be totally obsessed with fellowship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
We are now continuing this discussion by interacting with Larry Crabb again (through his book, The Papa Prayer). The men who are meeting (including me) will be learning that to have powerful prayer we need to move from praying "God, give me the life I want" to "God, let me know you better."
Men of Middleborough, join us on Tuesday mornings at 6:30 am. We'll have a styrofoam cup for you!
posted by doctoroger @ 4:44 PM
11 comments
11 Comments:
Thanks Jeff. It's almost like having you still here! Keep checking in. You are definitely part of the group!!!
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
We had our second study on relational prayer this morning.
We talked about relational prayer as prayer that leads to personal transformation. Often times we pray for others to change, or circumstances to change. What we need to do is come to our heavenly Father, enjoy him, and as we relate to him, he will change us.
Since prayer is conversation, we're not the only ones speaking. We need to listen too.
Biblical prayer involves relating to God, worship God, thanking God, interceding for others, and then, petitioning him.
"Petitionary prayer is supposed to come after relational prayer," writes Larry Crabb.
What do you think?
More next Tuesday!
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
We had another full house this morning and a great time of sharing and praying.
Larry Crabb says that "relational prayer is the center of all true prayer. The power of petitionary prayer depends on the centrality of relational prayer." Read John 15:7-8.
If we don't start with our relationship with God, we pray false prayers that are me-centered. Our worship becomes blapshemy because we reduce God to our "errand boy." Our thanksgiving becomes an expression of entitlement. Our intercession is for our self-interest. We pray that others are changed so live is easier for us. And our petitions, even legitimate ones, are fueld by the attitude of a demanding spirit.
We need to pray the true prayers of the relationship-centered. We start by drawing near to God and listening to his voice. (This morning we practiced the discipline of silence!) We worship by bending low and submitting to God. We can thank God in every circumstance, even when things don't go our way. When we intercede for others we ask that God's kingdom comes through them. And when we do make petition or requests, we do so with the mind of Christ, and we ask and receive according to his will.
See you next Tuesday.
I found another site for you men. Check out www.thepapaprayer.com. You can sign up to get a newsletter from Larry Crabb that will encourage you as we contine our study of relational prayer.
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Here's a good prayer that Larry Crabb and his wife pray almost every morning: "Lord, help us to recognize and resist the evil one. Draw us closer into yourself and to each other."
We must realize that we need to get "deprogrammed" from the way we've been taught to pray: "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" Crabb writes, "Prayer without relationship--that's what our praying so often amounts to."
How about some responses from you? What is the purpose of prayer? Respond here. If you were there this morning, I'll know you were listening, if you weren't, I'm curious what you think. I'll check in a few days and write some more.
See some of you next week. Bring someone with you!
Tuesday, September 5, 2006
What's the purpose of prayer? Larry Crabb says that "the chief purpose of prayer is to get to know God."
One of the tests of truly biblical prayer comes during times of emptiness. Then we'll know if we're more interested in getting to know God or receiving his "goodies."
Jesus told his disciples that they shouldn't pray with the meaningless babbling of pagans (Matthew 6:7). How do pagans pray? In antiquity they would cry out to their gods for victory over enemies, good harvests, and fertility! In other words, "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!"
Is that the way we pray?
Rather than demanding prayer, that we're filled up, we need to pray that God's kingdom purposes will help fill others up around us.
God is not a vending machine. I liked what Carl said this morning. If we don't get what we want from a vending machine, we bang on it, get angry and feel cheated.
Without a proper understanding of prayer, we will treat God like a vending machine. If we don't get what we want when we want it, we will get angry and walk away.
We are in relationship with God, not because of what he gives us, but because of who he is! The sovereign, almighty King of the Universe and our Father in heaven.
Tuesday, September 13, 2006
We talked about the first part of the PAPA Prayer—the “P!”
We are to present ourselves to God without pretense. Larry Crabb writes, that we are to “begin with the realization that you are talking to the holy God who invites you to call him “Father.”
We talked about the balance between transcendence and imminence. Transcendence means God is so “wholly other” that he is beyond our comprehension. In Isaiah 55:9 we read, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” We are approaching the Creator of the Universe.” But God is also imminent---he is close with us. He is our Papa, our Abba and our Friend.
Crabb suggested we might pray like this, “Father if it weren’t for your grace, you couldn’t stand the sight of me. But Jesus died, so here I come. I’m believing that you’re sitting on the floor wanting me to be with you.”
“Sitting on the floor,” I imagine is supposed to convey the picture of a Father who gets down and loves being with his child.
Remember, we’ve been talking about relational prayer, where our desire is to be with God, know him more rather than coming to him as our vending machine.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
We continued looking at how we are to pray relationally.
Again, the "P" means to present yourself to God without pretense. We moved on to the "A"--Attend to how you're thinking of God. Are you coming to the sovereign of the universe or to a cosmic vending machine?
The second "P" challenges us to purge ourselves from anything that blocks our relationship with God. John Piper writes, "No man stands on the edge of the Grand Canyon and says, 'Aren't I something!'"
Self-obsession is the root of everything that blocks our relationship with God.
The second "A" reminds us we need to Approach God as the "first thing" in our lives. There's nothing wrong with making requests, but they are "second things." We must first rest in God, trust in God, seek to please him and reflect on him.
I mentioned that the cover of this week's TIME Magazine talks about the health and wealth gospel. Jesus told us that in this world we'd have trouble. If we are taught that all is to go well, we are being taught a false gospel. Any thing that goes well here and now is an added bonus. Remember, we're not in heaven yet!
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Tuesday, September 26, 2006
This past Tuesday we talked about a new paradigm for prayer. The old paradigm is for the self-absorbed. The point of prayer in the old paradigm is to get something from God.
The new paradigm is the relational prayer we've been talking about these past weeks. The point of this prayer is to get to know God better.
Larry Crabb gives us an example of the PAPA prayer in this new paradigm:
"God, I'm feeling excited about the possibility of knowing you better. I see you as more eager to be close to me than I am to be close to you. I love that!
But the desire to change some things in my life is really strong. I know that's OK. But I think it's stronger right now than my desire to know you better. And that's not OK. I don't know how to change that.
So I come to you just as I am. I don't know what else to do. But I believe you'll do the work and show me my part. I want to know you more than I want anything else."
Wow! That's praying. Next Tuesday I'll be in NY but Carl will be taking charge! Go Carl!
Monday, November 13, 2006
Well, I have neglected this page. We finished up our study of the PAPA Prayer last week.
In speaking with Carl, even while he was laid up in the hospital, we talked about the time he had to practice this way of relating to God.
Remember the formula:
P=present yourself to God without pretense. If you need to express yourself, even if it's negative, remember God already knows. Acknowledging it will help you move on.
A=attend to how you're thinking about God. Are you thinking of him like a vending machine, a cruel tyrant, a kind old grandfather? Or, are you thinking about him as your trascendent Creator and your loving Father?
P=purge yourself of anything that blocks your relationship with God. Are you living in fear? Pride? Sin is going your way rather than God's way. Deal with it as you come to your Father. Or better yet--let him deal with it.
A=approach God as the "first thing" in your life. Discover the sound of God's voice and come to him with an empty heart. You will hear him and he will fill you up.
Starting tomorrow, we will begin a new study based on the book by Dietrich Bonhoeffer--"The Cost of Discipleship." I will look forward to doing a better job keeping up with this blog.
Blessings.
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