Tag Archives: prayer

Jars, pt. 1

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Today, I opened a jar of peanut butter and a jar of jelly. I put sandwiches in my kids’ lunch. Did you open a jar today? Jars are common today and were common in Bible times. In and of themselves, they had no special or holy function. They just hold stuff.

2 Kings 4:1-7 provides a wonderful little story about the prophet Elisha and a widow and some jars. I won’t put the whole story here but click here and have the text open while you read this post. I will be referring back to it many times.

The story opens with a widow and her two sons that are in a terrible predicament. The husband has died and now the two boys are about to be taken into slavery to pay off the debt. Not good. And that is just verse 1!

Verse 2. The prophet asks the widow what she has in the house. Her response seems honest enough, “Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.”

Elisha tells the widow to collect as many jars as she can. Ask the neighbors. Hit up everyone in town. Many jars were collected. Then the mother took her boys, the jars, and the little oil that they had and went into a room by themselves. Insert a miracle here. This part is in verses 3-5.

The oil kept flowing. Just as a jar would fill up, the mother asked for another one and the boys would remove the full one and bring an empty one. Can you see this little family working in that room as the oil kept flowing? Then, as verse 6 says, the mother asked for another jar and the son said there were no more jars. Then the oil stopped flowing.

Here is what I feel God revealed to me. May you be encouraged as I was.

  1. We all have problems that can be bigger than ourselves. They can overwhelm us.
    1. The widow cried out to Elisha.
    2. We can cry out to God.
  2. Even when we seem to have nothing, we have something.
    1. The widow had a small jar of oil.
    2. We have the Holy Spirit living in us. That is enough.
  3. When we think we are alone, we are not really alone.
    1. The neighbors helped the widow by giving jars.
    2. There are people in our lives that God has put there to help.
  4. As long as there are jars, the oil will flow.
    1. For the widow, the oil only stopped when the jars stopped.
    2. The Holy Spirit will flow as long I keep bringing jars to be filled.

Let those thoughts sink in until next week.jars-of-clay

“G”

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I live in Green Bay, WI. What was the first thing that popped into your mind when you read the words Green Bay?

For many, the football team that plays here would be the first thing into their minds. For others, it might be cheese. Beer? Some might even call it home. But I think we could agree that we are the most famous for the green and gold, the Green Bay Packers.

Back in July of this year, I had an amazing opportunity. Without going into the whole story, I was asked if I would give the Invocation at the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Induction Banquet!

Needless to say, my answer was yes.

My wife and I got to attend the banquet, enjoy dinner, meet some famous people and shake hands with some Packers themselves.

Big deal right? Sure, it was probably something that I will never get to do again. It was really fun! Meeting these larger-than-life people is surreal. Very tasty food also!

 

But if one is not careful, those things (Packers, banquets, fame, food etc.) can become the object of our worship. 

I believe that God created us with a built-in capacity to worship. We will worship something. The great part is that we get to choose what object, thing, or person we will worship.

Let that sink in for a minute. Click this to read a passage from God’s word.

To end this post, I want to share with you the prayer that I prayed for the Invocation. For me, reading it again is a good reminder to reevaluate what I am worshipping.

 

Thank, It is indeed an honor to be a part of Packer history so again, thank you.

We are all on a journey. Life itself is a journey. Everyday, we make stops along the way of our own journey. However, for the vast majority of those of us gathered here tonight, those stops do not include being inducted into the Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame!

It is a gift to be a great football player as such are gathered here tonight. In fact, all gifts are given to us by God and God alone. Therefore, as we honor these men tonight, let us remember to recognize that all good things come from the Father above. Let us pray.

Almighty God, we magnify you tonight. For it is by your grace that we stand here today. May we honor you because of who you are.

Arrest us in our sin.

Aid us in our shortcomings.

Affirm us in our strengths.

May your blessing rest on these inductees. Let your love abound to all who are present.

Thank you for all the work and effort that has preceded this banquet and give us nourishment from our meal.

We pray all of these things in the matchless name of Jesus, Amen.

Closing thought, “What does that G stand for again?”G on helmet

My Haiti Experience; Chosen…part 2

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The last post left us with smooth sailing along with Jonah. He was on his way to Tarshish. That was the west, the wrong way. Let’s pick up the story.

When we make choices that displease God, I think His heart gets heavy. Yes, we can make the Almighty Creator feel sad. He loves us and has the best life in mind for us. So why don’t we trust Him? Now we find Jonah in a boat heading west. He paid the fee and is feeling sleepy, so he goes below deck and naps. (1:4) But then the wind kicks up. A storm starts blowing and howling. It is described as “a violent storm.”(1:5) Even the sailors were afraid, and Jonah is found sleeping! It was bad enough that the captain had to find Jonah and ask him to pray, but he didn’t know that Jonah was in no spiritual condition to pray! (1:6)

Let me just ask one question. But before you finish reading this article, take a moment to answer this question in your own mind and heart; “Is it ever worth it to run from the Lord?”

So let’s skip to verse 17 of the first chapter. I know I jumped over some important ideas in the chapter, so when you have time, it makes a great read. This is an important verse so I will include it here. “Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.”

I think God got Jonah’s attention.

At the beginning of the story, God chose Jonah to go to Nineveh. Nineveh was a physical place with a spiritual purpose. I think that any place can be significant in God’s eyes. May I suggest that God has a reason for the fish even though Jonah was supposed to go to Nineveh? It comes to this: God chose Jonah and then sent a fish to get Jonah’s attention. Here are my thoughts on why God used the fish.

jonah2

1. It was to save Jonah’s life. He would have drowned if God did not intervene.

2. It was to serve Jonah a lesson. The intensity of our disobedience is directly related to the intensity of God’s discipline.

3. It was to show Jonah love. He could have let Jonah drown, but he didn’t. He could have called another prophet to Nineveh, but he didn’t. He could have sent fire and brimstone to destroy the wicked city, but he didn’t. Instead, God demonstrated His love for Jonah.

So here is where the “rubber meets the road.” God has chosen you and me for His purposes. If you find yourself in the fish, turn your heart back to God. Here are the first few words of Jonah’s prayer: “From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. He said: “In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry.”
God will answer. So stop going west (away) from God and head east (toward) Him.