Today's Obligatory Post

A member of our church died today...and I have nothing fresh to offer to the discussion of Methodism.
I'm just mourning the loss of someone who was in the process of becoming my friend. We got to first base...then it was rained out.
I only wish I had more time to grow to know her. But I'm happy with what I have of her memory. She told me only two weeks ago that I - never mind - it's not about me...goodbye friend to be.
I'll miss you, as will the many who have more reason to be left empty than I.
It's always sad to lose a member of a congregation...but even more difficult for those who can claim a personal, long-lasting relationship with the recently departed.
I pray for them. I pray for those who knew, intimately, what I only had a glimpse of.
Goodbye, dear Sister, and may God richly bless your eternal soul.
Humbly.....
Marty

Communion Reflections

If every experience of recieving the sacrament of holy communion is the same every time, then it can lead to becoming routine and meaningless. How terrible that would be if we only saw Jesus the same way, all the time. Don't get me wrong, as I know that he is a constant. But if we fail to see His constant revelation in our lives, then we miss the opportunity to get the most of every time we dine/commune with Him. He is forever God made man, but we should always be seeking to know Him better, and learn more from Him every time we are invited to His table.

The key word is: Invited. When a host invites us to a banquet, do we rehash the same old stuff? Do we tell the same stories we've told time and again? If we want to be invited back, we don't. If we want our company to be as compelling as the invitation suggests, then we should feel honored to bring something new, something fresh to the banquet. So it is with holy communion. We're not the same as we were the last time we were invited. Nor, has our host revealed everything that can ever be known about Him.

A good host is engaging. A good guest is engaging. Do we interact in a fresh manner with the very presence of God, in Jesus Christ, every time we come to His banquet? If we want it to be a dinner that we'll be talking about the next day...we should.

We Done "Plunged into Contemplative Worship"

Tonight was the first night of our new contemplative worship prayer meeting. We practiced the Lectio Divina prayer method and it had its awkward, uncomfortable moments. That's a good thing!

We had only 5 to attend (but with three telephoned regrets and expressed desires to come next week). There was some baggage carried into the prayer; one had had her feelings hurt and didn't think she would be able to get anything out of it. Another just got through chewing out someone for letting kids run rampant through the sanctuary, messing things up, throwing offering envelopes everywhere and throwing the pew pencils all over the place. One brought an attitude of work-overload, one completely ready to see what it was all about...and one who didn't seem to have a care in the world.

At the end, all anger was gone, all hurt feelings were gone, anxieties about work demands, gone. It was wonderful to see the evolution in attitudes as we meditated upon the following verse:

1 Corinthians: 14, 1
"Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy"

As the facilitator, I was first to share what the scripture revealed to me. Following, each managed to find something different in that scripture that spoke to them, and shared. It was amazing how 5 people could find 5 totally different messages in a 15 word verse.

I'll volunteer what God spoke to me through that verse.

• Prophecy is the gift of being able to share what God has revealed to you, and compelled you to share.
• In order to share what God reveals one has to be able to hear the voice of God.
• To hear the voice of God one has to listen for His voice.
• To be able to listen for His voice one has to be able to recognize His voice. The sheep would only follow their shepherd, because they recognized his voice.
• To recognize His voice one has to be able to discern it from all the other voices.
• To be able to discern it, one has to know it when it is heard.
• To be able to know it when it is heard is to have a familiarity with it.
• To have a familiarity with God is to have something in common.
• To have something in common is to follow the way of love, and in that following, be able to recognize pure love when it presents itself. But none of this is possible without submitting one's will to be showered in the undeserved grace and love of Our Lord.
• God wants me to submit to Him in all that I do.

I took from the contemplation that I need to be submissive in all that I do for God to work moreso in me and through me. In a similar manner, each there found something in them that needed to be put right before the almighty. And when we left, each was carrying with them a new, fresh insight as to how scripture can work internally to constantly make us new creatures, revived members, of the Body of Christ.

This prayer meeting moved from an awkward uncomfortableness (with the prolonged minutes of silence) to a new level of comfort, in reflecting upon the word of God. We will all spend more time in quiet meditation, and contemplation, of what The Word can do to enhance and improve our walk.

It was good...very good. Praise God!

Bishop Will Willimon's Weekly Message

Over the past year I've come to discover that there are many people in Methodism who try to keep up with Bishop Will Willimon. Being in the North Alabama Annual Conference, I look to our bishop's weekly messages for insight and inspiration. This week it's addressed to clergy. Here is a link to his message, for those who desire to know his current thoughts:

http://www.northalabamaumc.org/bishop_column_recent.asp

Frankly, I think he is right on! His message is meaningful beyond our conference.
Brother Marty

"Please Pray for Me"

What do you do when someone says "please pray for me"? Seriously...what do you do?

• Do you write their name down on a piece of paper and add them to your church prayer list?
  
• Do you make a mental note to remember them the next time you pray?
• Do you say "I will" and forget the minute you leave their company?
• Do you take them by the hand, then and there, at that very moment, in front of God and everybody, and pray for them?
• Something else?

We're probably all guilty of saying we will, and we don't - at least at some point in our lives. Circumstances don't always make it possible to pray for someone as we intend to. It may be a parting request expressed as the one needing prayer hastily moves on. It may be because the request comes in the midst of a busy and hectic time. For whatever the reason, the request for prayer sometimes gets shuffled out of our conscience.

When someone asks you to pray for them, what do you do?

I reflect on this because Sunday we visited a sick relative in the hospital and asked if there was anything we could do for her. She said: "pray for me". We prayed, then and there. Later in the day I got to thinking about the people who've asked that I pray for them, and realized how many I've not - for whatever reason - prayed for.

When someone asks you to pray for them, what do you do?

The Plunge into Contemplative Prayer

Today, there were three who came to say they would not be there at the next week's prayer meeting, as they were other-wise committed to things on Tuesday night. But of those who heard, and listened, there was a commitment to come. I look forward to sharing what comes of this event.
God Bless all followers of Jesus Christ!
And thank you for your prayers!
Marty

We're Taking the Plunge into Contemplative Prayer

At our Wednesday night communion service I introduced the 11 people there to Lectio Divina prayer. Five shared their revelations from the scripture. There was a sparkle in their eyes as each related what that particular scripture passage meant to them. I consider that sufficient positive response to start a contemplative prayer service at our church.

Our pastor is enthusiastic about it and will give me some pulpit time in the morning to make the invitation. Mind you, we are an older congregation, but older doesn't always mean "stuck in our ways". I'm hopeful that some of our more senior, as well as those younger members, will join in.

If you read this...please pray for us, that we'll grow as a congregation to know the deeper revelation of Christ through this prayer service.

Thank you,
Brother Marty

A Methodist Pastor Who Heals

At our cluster charge conference for 2005 I met a pastor of a congregation in very rural Alabama. I was tipped off that he was into the healing ministry. His church has a healing service every third Thursday, and the community has grown to acknowledge it's presence. I engaged him in conversation and he was like a kid in a candy store, relating the following experience to me.

He had gone to visit one of the shut-in's in his congregation. When he knocked on the door, she opened the door and said, "You are sent here for me". He was somewhat bumfuzzled (who wouldn't be) and she said, you need to heal me. He invited her to come to the monthly healing service but she insisted that he put his hands upon her then and there. He told me that it was amazing! He said: "I don't know or think that this is proper...but if you insist....ok". He related that when he put his hand on her abdomen, he prayed, and he felt a heat, and was assured that she was recieving the healing mercies of the Holy Spirit. She broke down and cried, and said a word of thanks.

This pastor shared his astonishment that he'd never before felt heat in his hands but at that time, with that person, the work of the Holy Spirit was awesome. She was healed!

Is this "country bumpkin stuff" or is it real?

I believe.

She Hugged Me

At our weekly Kiwanis Club meeting, another group was meeting at the same place. There was one in the group for whom we'd held a healing service in the past and we hugged. I asked: How are you doing...and she said...Great!
She had suffered from a terrible arthritic malady that had her virtually bedridden at one point. She came for a healing and has been up and about ever since.
Coincidence...or God-incident? I don't know...but I know that I'm pleased to see her up and about.
Praise God!

Going Back to Our Roots

In the healing ministry, it is typically one-to-one or in small groups that healing prayer is ministered. As a result of these intimate shared experiences, a "small group" identity develops. In reflecting upon this small-group identity, I reacquainted myself with the beginnings of the Methodist movement, and found inspiration in the following work by David Hunsicker:

JOHN WESLEY:
FATHER OF TODAY'S SMALL GROUP CONCEPT?

The dynamics of small group interaction is the wellspring from which true growth occurs. It is the collection of individuals who share intimately what Christ is doing in their lives that creates a "buzz" that attracts others who are seeking. They see a certain "something" happening in the lives of the small group members that evokes a curiosity and longing to know more.

Are we creating and cultivating small groups in our churches that attract seekers? If not, we should be.

It is My New Years Resolution to Blog Daily

With that said, I offer up my daily perspectives of a walk with Christ.

I'm a member of a weekly bible discussion group, that meets at 6am on Thursdays. Today, we didn't get to our study, as everyone had something personal to share. It was uplifting. We didn't focus on the lesson from "A Purpose Driven Life". As I shared an interview with Rick Warren, given by a relative who is a member of that church. It was wonderful to learn that he has given back his entire salary from day one, to the church he founded. I'm in a position of wonder for his purpose. I'm taken aback by my loathesome perspectives of his position on many things. I feel like I know him better.
Rick Warren is a man of God. We may hold him in contempt, but we fail to understand his walk with our Lord. We fail to see his humanity. I'm personally, moved.
In Christ I pray that some come to understand.
Marty

What Does Holy Communion Mean to You?

I don't know what anyone else perceives during the communion experience. I don't know because rarely do we share. But I know what I experience. I did a little tally and I believe that in my life I've only experienced the sacrament of communion about 1000 times. There are those who've experienced daily communion and totally dwarf my experience. There are those who've only had it once a quarter and that adds up to a hundred or so times. Some even less…some much more. But I am curious as to what people experience at this most holy time of communion with Our Lord.

For me, my perspective is somewhat skewed. Being raised Roman Catholic; all those weekly communion services were bizarre by Methodist standards. I believed that I was actually eating the body of Christ…and becoming one with Him. The notion of actually eating Christ's body was at once strange…and at the same time, wonderfully comforting. I think only a Catholic would understand. But having grown to adopt a Methodist perspective, I see Christ as the host of a great dinner banquet, at which I'm a privileged guest. If I may, let me share.

Communion is, to me, Holy Communion. It is an opportunity to dine with Christ, at His behest, and be in His company. Upon receiving the elements, there is awe, an undeserved place of position, at the side of Christ. It's as if He says, "I invited you, so enjoy and be part of the conversation". But Jesus doesn't want a bunch of baggage brought to the table - NO - he wants joyful participation. That is my perspective of receiving the sacrament, one of joyful participation.

In our UMC liturgy for communion, we say a prayer of confession prior to receiving the elements. At the point of confession, that is where our sorrowful faces need to be. That is where our inadequacies need to be placed at the foot of the cross. At confession, that is where the sadness and personal shortcomings need to be put to rest. From that point on, it is a time of gratitude for being invited to dine with Our Lord. From that point on, there is an excitement about being a special guest. From that point on, we should be totally ready for a great experience, one that cannot be replicated anywhere under any means. Outside of communion, how often does God invite us to be one, with Him?

In our congregation, we refuse to have sad faces at the communion rail. Those are left at the point of confession. When we say the words on page 12 of the UMC Hymnal: "In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven", we accept it - we embrace it - we carry it through the remainder of the liturgy. And at that wonderful moment where the elements are administered, when we actually eat the bread/body, and drink the wine/blood, we are there…there with the disciples at Christ's table.

It is from this moment that extraordinary demonstrations of the love of God are experienced. Prayers are answered, healings are administered, and communion with the triune God is experienced.

If communion Sunday is just another Sunday…but one with that "going to the alter stuff" included…then it is shallow. If communion Sunday is a time of celebration, a time of humble gratitude, a time of empowerment through the presence of Christ through the Holy Spirit…then that is what communion should be all about. At least to me.

What is a Methodist?

In the past week I had occasion to speak with a Roman Catholic regarding what a United Methodist is. In this same past week, I had occasion to speak with a Baptist about what a United Methodist is. Today I came to the conclusion someone once shared and I burst out laughing when I recalled it.

Don't know who said it, but thanks for putting it so well:

"A Methodist is too Catholic to be a Baptist, and too Baptist to be a Catholic"

That sums it up...yea...right!

Contemplative Worship

I was raised Roman Catholic and still loved many of the traditions and aspects of worship from the faith. One of my heroes was Thomas Merton, a contemplative monk. As a teen I was fascinated by how he (and contemplatives as a whole) were able to find a deeper relationship with God. But we're told today in many Christian arenas that such practices as breath prayers are non biblical and are actually new age mysticism..."of the devil"!

When I read these attacks on contemplative prayer, I look to the source. Typical opponents are people who have either found Christ after being new agers, or have converts from new age in leadership positions in their congregations. Seems they want to throw out the baby with the bath water!

Those speaking against the practice of breath prayers quote Matthew 6:7,8

"And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions, as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore, do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask him".

I agree! If all a breath prayer is is repeating "vain repetitions" then there certainly is biblical grounds for not practicing it. Breath prayer, however, is NOT vain repetition, with many words, supplicating God to answer one's needs. It is seeking God's grace and mercy, through constant conversation.

The Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." is the classic breath prayer. But we can make our own breath prayer. From The Breath of Life by Ron Delbene, The Upper Room in 1992:

The breath prayer is a short prayer of praise and petition, only 6-8 syllables in length.

Here is a way to create your own personal breath prayer.

Sit in a comfortable position. Close your eyes. Remind yourself that God loves you that you are in God’s loving presence.

With your eyes closed, imagine that God is calling you by name. Hear God calling you by name and asking you, “(Your Name), what do you most want?”

Answer God with whatever comes directly from your heart. Your answer might be a single word, such as peace or love or forgiveness. Or it could be a phrase or brief sentence, such as “to feel forgiven,” or “I want to know your love.” Because your prayer is personal, it will naturally arise from your present concerns and conditions in your life.

Next, focus on your favorite name for God. How do you address God? It could be Jesus, God, Creator, Shepherd, Spirit, etc, whatever name feels most comfortable for you.

Combine your name for God, with your answer to the question of what you desire. For example:

Desire
Peace

Address God
Jesus

Possible Prayer
Dear Jesus, let me know your peace.

Use this prayer many times throughout the day. Some suggestions: while waiting in line, when fear or anxiety strike, when sitting in traffic, when feeling stressed and overwhelmed, just before answering the phone at work, while washing dishes, during your workout, when leaving home in the morning, etc. The more you use it the more it becomes a part of you.

This is surely one technique. Of late, however, our morning Upper Room devotional provides the inspiration for my breath prayers. There we find a passage of scripture that has impacted someone's life in such a manner that it is deemed worthy of being shared with the entire faith. At the end of each devotional, a simple sentence or phrase reveals itself, worthy of day long contemplation.

How is breath prayer and contemplative worship applicable to a call to the healing ministry? Another time, another post.

What Are Your Spiritual Gifts?

If you've never taken the Spiritual Gifts Assessment on the UMC.org site, you may be interested in doing so. It doesn't take long and is designed to help identify the strength's (and weaknesses) that we individually bring to the Body of Christ.

http://archives.umc.org/interior.asp?ptid=1&mid=2268

It sure did help me to discover why I lack a flair for certain things LOL!

Do You Have Your "Beer Goggles" On?

Funny how when you're under the influence of something you see the world as others don't. The country song about the man having his "beer goggles" on makes a very profound theological statement, in a back-handed way. You see, he sees everything from the perspective of being under the influence. He thinks things are possible that others don't readily agree with. He thinks he can sing when he can't. He thinks he's on top of the world, when he isn't.

Mark 6:5 tells us that Jesus could do no miracles in his home town. Why is that? These people knew Jesus from when he was a child. They knew his family and knew more about him than any of the people Jesus would encounter in his ministry. You see, the Nazarenes didn't have their "beer goggles" on. They only saw Jesus the man. They didn't see Jesus-God.

In the healing ministry it is necessary to have our "Holy Spirit" goggles on. And when we're fully under the influence, we see things that other people don't. Things happen that otherwise wouldn't. We see miracles happen that others don't. That is, unless the others have their "Holy Spirit" goggles on as well.

Do you have your "Holy Spirit" goggles on? If not....let me tell you a story about when God came to earth...let me tell you about Jesus. You see, it started like this.......

A Simple Touch

How often do we stop and realize that a simple touch is all that's needed to lift someone's spirit? As I accompany my wife to the assisted living center where her mother is a resident, I make it my business to make physical contact with every resident there. It hadn't always been that way.

Over a year ago something happened that brought me to understand the difference between touching someone and not doing so. Prior to that day I merely walked in, tended to visiting with Maw, and nodded to someone if their eyes met mine. But that day was different. When we came into the center it was lunch time. Maw didn't look very enthusiastic about eating and so I tried to lift her spirits. I said: "Hey Maw, that stuff looks good enough to eat!" At that moment, the other 15 residents burst out in laughter. All eyes and ears were on me and my big mouth. Maw even brightened up and started to eat.

After lunch as I was walking towards the door I became overwhelmed with guilt. Guilt that convicted me of keeping the light of our lord to myself for the past year every time I went there. Guilt that convicted me of not brightening up someone elses day because I was too selfish to share a moment of my time with anyone other than family. That day, that moment, changed my life in a big way.

On the next visit, and each subsequent visit to this day, I greet everyone individually as I see them. And I make it a point to touch them, on their hand, shoulder, side of their face, whatever opportunity presents itself for each individual. And guess what. They smile, their eyes glisten, and they say "Thank You".

Since that day I've delivered many a morning devotion, afternoon sermon, and personal prayers for individual residents. I'm no longer that man who comes to see Maw. I'm the preacher man, the funny man, and the healing man.

I started this post to reflect upon how we can make a difference in the lives of others by a simple touch. But I just realized that it is the one doing the touching who's life is changed, changed by a simple touch.

Thank You for Your Testimony

As I read the testimonies of Susan and Doodlebugmom, I'm so wonderfully moved. Moved as a Christian connecting with fellow followers, but moreso, moved by the sharing of personal situations where God has worked, silently, behind the scenes, in the lives of so many people. Isn't God great?
I can, and will, share more of what God does in the healing ministy as I have personally witnessed, but for now, let His glory be uplifted by the testimonies shared here.
God Bless All Followers of Jesus Christ!
Brother Marty

Coincidence or God-incidents?

Reflecting upon the instances where someone has asked for healing prayer and healings have occurred, one tends to ask: "is this just a coincidence that they were healed?" By that I mean, would they have gotten better without having come for healing? After all, most of the time when someone has a need to improve their state of health they are simultaneously under the care of a physician or in some state of medical treatment. Thrown into the mix is an incident of healing prayer. Makes ya kinda say Hmmmmm.

As I've previously stated, I don't check back to see how well God has performed. I don't call or visit to see what changes have taken place. But let me share what happened in July of 2006 and the followup call I received 4 months later.

I was attending my newphew's funeral in Michigan and while at the funeral home one of my sisters asked me to pray over her daughter's knee. She had been suffering from a chronic kneecap detachment and had to use crutches throughout most of the previous school year. The management at the funeral home provided us with a quiet, secluded area for prayer. My sister, her daughter and I prayed for a healing - whatever healing God would provide, be it a healing of the attitude about the affliction; a healing of the ability to deal with the pain; a healing of the kneecap itself...whatever manner of healing God would provide would be gracefully accepted. We prayed that God would enter into the situation and we accepted that whatever His will was, we would be grateful for Him hearing our prayers. We had tears in our eyes and smiling faces as we prayed. God is so good!

While at work one day in mid November the phone rings. It was my sister (who NEVER calls me at work) bubbling over with enthusiasm. She told me that ever since we prayed over her daughter her knee kept getting better and better. Plus she said that her daughter joined the swim team at the beginning of the school year and is the fastest butterfly swimmer on the team. We both praised God together on the phone. I came home and discovered a voicemail message she had left prior to digging up my work number exclaiming how great God is and thanking me for praying with them.

Coincidence? God-incident? I say God-incident.

There tends to be a lot of anecdotal evidence of healings with very little WOW-factor involved. By that I mean, how often do you hear of concrete, scientifically studied healings taking place? In fact, when intercessory prayer has been clinically studied there seems to be no apparent difference in the recipient's condition versus those for whom no prayer was given. But in those studies it wasn't personal. By that I mean, the people being prayed for never met those offering the prayers. The scientific method would yield skewed results if there were personal interactions between those praying and the one's being prayed for. So, when someone tells of knowing that someone has received a healing through prayer, if you look for proof you may not find it. It could easily be dismissed as coincidence.

The fact is there are WOW-factor healings that take place. CNN, NBC, ABC or CBS just never seems to have a reporter there when it occurs. But when you talk to honest, God-loving people who relate their personal experiences regarding healings, and you look them in the eye as they relate, there's no denying what they believe.

Albert Einstien is quoted as saying that if you don't believe in miracles, you'll never see one. If you believe in miracles, you'll see them everywhere.

I believe.

God Leads - We Follow

On New Years Day I walked into our local WalMart and was greeted by the "greeter". You know the employee of which I speak. This "greeter" is wrecked with pain and stays crouched over all the time. She looked at me as I walked in and smiled...then I butt in with "Hi! Happy New Year". Next I walked about 10 to 15 feet then just turned around and walked up to her and bent over and hugged her. I stood there afterwards just looking at her. She stood up straight and told me that she had a bad back. I told her that I felt rediculous parking in the handicapped parking place and walking in with a little limp. I said that I saw her and was overcome with guilt. I stood there next to her for about 30 seconds, quietly, looking at each other occasionally, then I walked away.

All I know is this: I went to WalMart to buy some stuff we needed. After walking in, "something" brought me back to the lady that was greeting everyone. I've never hugged the greeter at WalMart before...but on Monday, I did.

She stood up straight when talking to me, smiling as she spoke. It was awkward. Again, after about 30 seconds I walked away. If that act brought only a minute of relief, then I'm happy that God used me for that purpose...at that time.

Miracles happen every day...if only we look for them.

Brother Marty