Scripture encourages me to "be filled with the Spirit, speaking to yourselves.."
Well, this may be a little stretch, but I need to speak to myself today.
Self, trade in your 'thin' skin.
Quit worrying about being accepted/rejected.
Passionately pursue your worthwhile goals & dreams.
Be humble!
Your motives are not self-seeking or self-promoting for attention's sake.
You don't want to be a religious prima-donna!
Self, you got a little faith, right?
It's time to put your mustard-seed into overdrive!
Remember:
There be no going along with the crowd, the empty-headed, mindless crowd.
They've refused for so long to deal with God
that they've lost touch not only with God
but with reality itself.
But that's no life for you.
You learned Christ!
You don't have the excuse of ignorance!
Everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go.
Get rid of it!
Take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life,
a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct
as God accurately reproduces his character in you.
Get an honest job so that you can help others who can't work.
Watch the way you talk.
Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth.
Say only what helps, each word a gift.
Don't grieve God.
Don't break his heart.
His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you,
is the most intimate part of your life,
making you fit for himself.
Don't take such a gift for granted.
Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk.
Be gentle with one another, sensitive.
Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
Who Did the Will of the Father?
Sometimes when I’m praying for others, and not focused on my own needs, wants & desires, I can hear the Holy Spirit speaking to my heart. It’s kinda cool. Maybe it’s like backward-masking (playing an old vinyl record backwards and hearing(?) hidden messages); or like a sub-carrier signal piggy-backing on the main channel. Has that ever happening to you? Typically, I finish my prayers for the other person and then revisit the message.
Tonight, while I was praying for a friend who I met on Twitter, then Facebook, then in person, I received such a message. Perhaps my sharing it will inspire others.
In the movie, “The Princess Bride,” Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin) said, before Fezzik (André the Giant) came by,
“I am waiting for you, Vizzini. You told me to go back to the beginning. So I have. This is where I am, and this is where I will stay. I will not be moved.”
The phrase, “Go back to the beginning,” has stuck in my heart.
But that was NOT what I heard while I was praying. What I heard in my soul was from Matthew 21:28-31,
“...There was a man who had two sons.
He went to the first and said,
'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.'
" 'I will not,' he answered,
but later he changed his mind and went.
"Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing.
He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go.
"Which of the two did what his father wanted?"
"The first," they answered.
Perhaps you have already guessed the connection.
What do you think the Lord is impressing me to do?
“I’ll take ‘Doing the Will of the Father’ for 200, Alex”
SELAH
http://Facebook.com/FriarWade
http://Twitter.com/FriarWade
Tonight, while I was praying for a friend who I met on Twitter, then Facebook, then in person, I received such a message. Perhaps my sharing it will inspire others.
In the movie, “The Princess Bride,” Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin) said, before Fezzik (André the Giant) came by,
“I am waiting for you, Vizzini. You told me to go back to the beginning. So I have. This is where I am, and this is where I will stay. I will not be moved.”
The phrase, “Go back to the beginning,” has stuck in my heart.
But that was NOT what I heard while I was praying. What I heard in my soul was from Matthew 21:28-31,
“...There was a man who had two sons.
He went to the first and said,
'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.'
" 'I will not,' he answered,
but later he changed his mind and went.
"Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing.
He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go.
"Which of the two did what his father wanted?"
"The first," they answered.
Perhaps you have already guessed the connection.
What do you think the Lord is impressing me to do?
“I’ll take ‘Doing the Will of the Father’ for 200, Alex”
SELAH
http://Facebook.com/FriarWade
http://Twitter.com/FriarWade
Monday, October 12, 2009
Remembering St. Symeon the New Theologian today
Saint Symeon became a monk of the Studite Monastery as a young man, under the guidance of the elder Symeon the Pious. Afterwards he struggled at the Monastery of Saint Mamas in Constantinople, of which he became abbot. After enduring many trials and afflictions in his life of piety, he reposed in 1022. Marvelling at the heights of prayer and holiness to which he attained, and the loftiness of the teachings of his life and writings, the church calls him "the New Theologian."
Only to two others, John the Evangelist and Gregory, Patriarch of Constantinople, has the church given the name "Theologian." Saint Symeon reposed on March 12, but since this always falls in the Great Fast, his feast is kept today.
Only to two others, John the Evangelist and Gregory, Patriarch of Constantinople, has the church given the name "Theologian." Saint Symeon reposed on March 12, but since this always falls in the Great Fast, his feast is kept today.
Thoughts on Singing & Praying
"When a person is in a state of natural well-being, he sings the psalms with a full voice and prefers to pray out loud. But when he is energized by the Holy Spirit, with gladness and completely at peace he sings and prays in the heart alone. The first condition is accompanied by a delusory joy, the second by spiritual tears and, thereafter, by a delight that loves stillness. For the remembrance of God, keeping its fervor because the voice is restrained, enables the heart to have thoughts that bring tears and are peaceful. In this way, with tears we sow seeds of prayer in the earth of the heart, hoping to reap the harvest of joy (Ps. 126:5). But when we are weighed down by deep despondency, we should for a while sing psalms out loud, raising our voice with joyful expectation until the thick mist is dissolved by the warmth of song."
St. Diadochos of Photiki.
St. Diadochos of Photiki.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Connecting the Dots - a Perspective of Faith
Connecting the Dots
a Perspective of Faith
Have you ever felt confused on your journey of faith? I have... too many times!
I remember a story my dad shared with me many years ago.
I wish I could say I could remember it exactly how he put it.
But can’t. But it went something like this:
Calling from the pay phone, “I’m lost! Can you come and get me?”
The reply: “But, of course! Where are you?”
Looking around, “I’m on the corner of Walk and Don’t Walk!”
Lost on the Journey. It's real easy to do!
Perhaps too often we find ourselves lost in a unfamiliar section of town (or even in a new city). We know where we want to go, but we’ve lost our bearings and may even think, “Maybe I can’t get there from here.” When we call a friend for help, we are so confused we reply with accurate, but useless information.
Have you felt that way on your journey of faith? Perhaps you know of a friend who is at that point in their life right now. Here’s some useful tips that can help.
First, Calm down! Pause and pray.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your heart.
I like the way Philippians 4:6-7 reads in The Message Bible:
“Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.”
OK. So you’ve prayed. You’re taking deep breaths. You’ve set your focus on the Lord, trusting and looking to Him to come to your aid. In fact, you’ve already started thanking him for helping you (even though you don’t see any help... yet). That’s faith - looking at things you can’t see and believing that they are real. (This is different from ‘hope.’ Hope says “It’s possible!” Faith says “It’s a sure thing!”)
“But, I’m a Christian. I keep praying and praying and praying and nothing happens!”
Have you considered that maybe you’re not really praying in faith? Maybe you’re just ‘hoping & praying.’ There is a big difference. Do you know anyone who says they are praying, but still lives in confusion? Could it be that they are lost and don’t know it? Could it be that the prayers they are praying are just like saying, “I’m at the corner of Walk & Don’t Walk?”
Finding the Context.
Second, you need to understand your ‘setting’ or ‘context.’
Isolated specifics are useless, right?
Your location can be determined by identifying reference points.
No frame of reference equals more confusion!
You need information about your surroundings to determine the context. Where do you get the information? Here are several sources of information: a GPS, a map, a compass (all included on the new iPhone), AAA Auto Club, Street Signs, the Sun & Stars, people nearby who are familiar with the location, etc. Next, you will need to know how to obtain the information from these sources and determine if it is accurate and reliable. If you don’t know how to work a GPS or iPhone (or if you don’t have any batteries), it’s just a useless tool. If you ask someone in the area, but you don’t speak their language, (or they give you false information), you’re still in trouble.
Talking the illustration onto the journey of faith... You can read the Bible and pray, listen to the impression you receive in your heart and mind, and even ask other travelers whose faith journey has intersected with yours. But how reliable is the information you receive from these sources? Or better said, “How reliable and accurate is YOUR INTERPRETATION of this information?”
Hearing God’s Voice. Impossible or Improbable?
In the Gospel of St. John 10:27, Jesus says, “My sheep hear my voice...” (KJV). I like the New International Version’s wording, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” As we all know, there is a big difference between ‘hearing’ and ‘listening!” Hebrews 5:13-14 describes those who are babes or beginners in Christ, who need ‘milk’ because they are inexperienced or unskillful in the ways of God; and the mature, who through ‘practice’ or ‘reason of use’ have their senses tuned to tell the difference between good and evil.
I’m working out at the gym, losing weight and developing muscles. Many of the guys I work out with can do many pull-ups. I can barely do one! I knew I was out of shape, but never was it so evident when I couldn’t do one pull-up. Many people think that they are ‘spiritual,’ but when they attempt prayer to get results, they quickly discover that they are ‘out of shape’ spiritually. However, with practice, proper instruction and help, soon I will be able to do pull-ups just like the others. So it is with prayer and discerning the voice of the Lord. If we receive proper instruction, help and we practice, practice, practice, we can grow to discern God’s voice and will for our lives.
Connecting the Dots.
Even then we must realize that this is a journey of ‘faith.’ Many times we are still somewhat unsure about the direction we should take. The balance between knowing & not-knowing is also called ‘faith.’ So, we humble ourselves to God and pray, asking for His will to be done in our lives. We ask God for wisdom, believing that He will give it to us. Then we discuss this with our Spiritual Director and experienced Christian friends. We glean wisdom from the Church Fathers. Then we start moving.
Steve Jobs in his 2005 Commencement address at Stanford University mentioned that looking forward he had no clue on how everything would come together. But looking back he saw how the ‘dots were connected.’ A priest once said that he has come to see and know how God has been working in his life by looking in the rearview mirror. So in moving forward, we might not see how things are going to work out. (Even with the best planning, rarely does it all come together the exact way we expect it.) But we can have faith that God will continue working in our lives - even when we cannot immediately recognize it - if we look back and see that God has been working in our past.
Here’s a prayer from “Come to Me” - An Orthodox Prayer book of Spiritual Guidance from Christ the Saviour Seminary Press, Johnstown, PA.
“O Lord, I do not know what to ask of You. You alone know what my real needs are. You love me more than I myself know how to love. Help me to see my real needs which are hidden from me. I am afraid to ask for either a cross or consolation. I can only wait on You. My heart is open to You. Visit me and help me for the sake of Your great mercy. Strike me and heal me, cast me down and raise me up. In silence I worship Your holy will and Your ways which are beyond my understanding. I offer myself as a sacrifice to You. I put all my trust in You. I want nothing more than to fulfill Your will. Teach me how to pray. Pray Yourself in me. Amen.”
Allowing the words of this prayer to become woven into the fabric of our life, creates a heart and attitude - a context - in which we open ourselves to His grace and mercy to operate in our life. When this occurs, we are overcome with peace and confidence that God is indeed ‘connecting the dots’ as we cooperate with Him on this Journey of Faith.
Peace be with you!
Father Wade+
a Perspective of Faith
Have you ever felt confused on your journey of faith? I have... too many times!
I remember a story my dad shared with me many years ago.
I wish I could say I could remember it exactly how he put it.
But can’t. But it went something like this:
Calling from the pay phone, “I’m lost! Can you come and get me?”
The reply: “But, of course! Where are you?”
Looking around, “I’m on the corner of Walk and Don’t Walk!”
Lost on the Journey. It's real easy to do!
Perhaps too often we find ourselves lost in a unfamiliar section of town (or even in a new city). We know where we want to go, but we’ve lost our bearings and may even think, “Maybe I can’t get there from here.” When we call a friend for help, we are so confused we reply with accurate, but useless information.
Have you felt that way on your journey of faith? Perhaps you know of a friend who is at that point in their life right now. Here’s some useful tips that can help.
First, Calm down! Pause and pray.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your heart.
I like the way Philippians 4:6-7 reads in The Message Bible:
“Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.”
OK. So you’ve prayed. You’re taking deep breaths. You’ve set your focus on the Lord, trusting and looking to Him to come to your aid. In fact, you’ve already started thanking him for helping you (even though you don’t see any help... yet). That’s faith - looking at things you can’t see and believing that they are real. (This is different from ‘hope.’ Hope says “It’s possible!” Faith says “It’s a sure thing!”)
“But, I’m a Christian. I keep praying and praying and praying and nothing happens!”
Have you considered that maybe you’re not really praying in faith? Maybe you’re just ‘hoping & praying.’ There is a big difference. Do you know anyone who says they are praying, but still lives in confusion? Could it be that they are lost and don’t know it? Could it be that the prayers they are praying are just like saying, “I’m at the corner of Walk & Don’t Walk?”
Finding the Context.
Second, you need to understand your ‘setting’ or ‘context.’
Isolated specifics are useless, right?
Your location can be determined by identifying reference points.
No frame of reference equals more confusion!
You need information about your surroundings to determine the context. Where do you get the information? Here are several sources of information: a GPS, a map, a compass (all included on the new iPhone), AAA Auto Club, Street Signs, the Sun & Stars, people nearby who are familiar with the location, etc. Next, you will need to know how to obtain the information from these sources and determine if it is accurate and reliable. If you don’t know how to work a GPS or iPhone (or if you don’t have any batteries), it’s just a useless tool. If you ask someone in the area, but you don’t speak their language, (or they give you false information), you’re still in trouble.
Talking the illustration onto the journey of faith... You can read the Bible and pray, listen to the impression you receive in your heart and mind, and even ask other travelers whose faith journey has intersected with yours. But how reliable is the information you receive from these sources? Or better said, “How reliable and accurate is YOUR INTERPRETATION of this information?”
Hearing God’s Voice. Impossible or Improbable?
In the Gospel of St. John 10:27, Jesus says, “My sheep hear my voice...” (KJV). I like the New International Version’s wording, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” As we all know, there is a big difference between ‘hearing’ and ‘listening!” Hebrews 5:13-14 describes those who are babes or beginners in Christ, who need ‘milk’ because they are inexperienced or unskillful in the ways of God; and the mature, who through ‘practice’ or ‘reason of use’ have their senses tuned to tell the difference between good and evil.
I’m working out at the gym, losing weight and developing muscles. Many of the guys I work out with can do many pull-ups. I can barely do one! I knew I was out of shape, but never was it so evident when I couldn’t do one pull-up. Many people think that they are ‘spiritual,’ but when they attempt prayer to get results, they quickly discover that they are ‘out of shape’ spiritually. However, with practice, proper instruction and help, soon I will be able to do pull-ups just like the others. So it is with prayer and discerning the voice of the Lord. If we receive proper instruction, help and we practice, practice, practice, we can grow to discern God’s voice and will for our lives.
Connecting the Dots.
Even then we must realize that this is a journey of ‘faith.’ Many times we are still somewhat unsure about the direction we should take. The balance between knowing & not-knowing is also called ‘faith.’ So, we humble ourselves to God and pray, asking for His will to be done in our lives. We ask God for wisdom, believing that He will give it to us. Then we discuss this with our Spiritual Director and experienced Christian friends. We glean wisdom from the Church Fathers. Then we start moving.
Steve Jobs in his 2005 Commencement address at Stanford University mentioned that looking forward he had no clue on how everything would come together. But looking back he saw how the ‘dots were connected.’ A priest once said that he has come to see and know how God has been working in his life by looking in the rearview mirror. So in moving forward, we might not see how things are going to work out. (Even with the best planning, rarely does it all come together the exact way we expect it.) But we can have faith that God will continue working in our lives - even when we cannot immediately recognize it - if we look back and see that God has been working in our past.
Here’s a prayer from “Come to Me” - An Orthodox Prayer book of Spiritual Guidance from Christ the Saviour Seminary Press, Johnstown, PA.
“O Lord, I do not know what to ask of You. You alone know what my real needs are. You love me more than I myself know how to love. Help me to see my real needs which are hidden from me. I am afraid to ask for either a cross or consolation. I can only wait on You. My heart is open to You. Visit me and help me for the sake of Your great mercy. Strike me and heal me, cast me down and raise me up. In silence I worship Your holy will and Your ways which are beyond my understanding. I offer myself as a sacrifice to You. I put all my trust in You. I want nothing more than to fulfill Your will. Teach me how to pray. Pray Yourself in me. Amen.”
Allowing the words of this prayer to become woven into the fabric of our life, creates a heart and attitude - a context - in which we open ourselves to His grace and mercy to operate in our life. When this occurs, we are overcome with peace and confidence that God is indeed ‘connecting the dots’ as we cooperate with Him on this Journey of Faith.
Peace be with you!
Father Wade+
Monday, June 1, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
Global Days of Prayer - Day 10 - GLORIFY
Glory to Jesus Christ! GLORY FOREVER!
Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, Son & Holy Spirit,
Now & Ever and unto the ages of ages! Amen!
Peace be with you!
SATURDAY of the Worldwide Prayer Initiative - 30 May, 2009
Day TEN of the http://GlobalDayofPrayer.com
Prayer Specifics
Today our prayers focus giving God GLORY
“... For Yours is the Kingdom, and the power and the glory forever. Amen!”
Today we will pray...
My eyes and My heart will always be there.” – 2 Chronicles 7:16
PREPARING to consecrate ourselves as His dwelling:
Welcome His Spirit to fill you and your family and friends.
Invite Christ to make His dwelling among His people
so that His heart will overflow our hearts with His magnificent love,
in order to bring His glory to all the earth.
On Day TEN in Lakeland #LKLD and around the world,
representatives from many congregations
will gather from Noon - 1:00 PM
at the Lakeland Foursquare Church 1202 Buddwood Rd
Visit http://LakelandPrayer.net for details & Directions.
You can listen LIVE beginning at Noon EST on Blog Talk Radio.
Join Fr. Wade + & the Lakeland Prayer Network Team
by calling: (646) 727-3830
or via internet at: http://tobtr.com/s/550274
Can you take time to pray with me today?
--------------------------
Pray with your church on Pentecost morning.
Devote portions of your Pentecost Sunday morning service to united prayer.
Help everyone realize that on this day we are all praying with the world as we pray for the world.
“A Prayer for the World” will be read in unison at every
Global Day of Prayer gathering on May 31.
Is has been translated into many languages,
many of them available at
http://www.GlobalDayofPrayer.com
Central Florida Prayer Gathering - Sunday, May 31, 2009 at 6 PM in Orlando
A City wide, corporate gathering will take place beginning at 6 PM
at Restoration Christian Center / Centro Cristiano Restauración
1600 N. Chickasaw Trail Orlando, Florida 32825
(Intersection of Colonial Dr./ Hwy 50 + Chickasaw Trail).
--------------------------
90 Days of Blessing June 1 – August 29
The Global Day of Prayer can become a catalytic moment.
Those who pray together can become those who serve together,
bringing practical, transformational blessing to their communities.
To help you dream and plan about how you might become
part of the answer to your prayers, check out “90 Day of Blessing”
at http://GDOPusa.com or http://GlobalDayofPrayer.com
--------------------------
Global Day of Prayer planned through 2010
Watch http://GlobalDayofPrayer.com and http://LakelandPrayer.net
for announcements about Global Day of Prayer events.
Another GDOP event is planned for Pentecost Sunday, May 23, 2010.
If you are interested in partnering with the Lakeland Prayer Network
and other Central Florida churches and ministries,
please send an email to LPN@LakelandPrayer.net
Peace be with you!
Fr. Wade Fahnestock +
a missionary priest
The Lakeland Prayer Network
Blue Kirk Mission
Lakeland, FL
http://BlueKirk.org
Follow my updates on twitter @ http://Twitter.com/FriarWade
Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, Son & Holy Spirit,
Now & Ever and unto the ages of ages! Amen!
Peace be with you!
SATURDAY of the Worldwide Prayer Initiative - 30 May, 2009
Day TEN of the http://GlobalDayofPrayer.com
Prayer Specifics
Today our prayers focus giving God GLORY
“... For Yours is the Kingdom, and the power and the glory forever. Amen!”
Today we will pray...
- that signs of Christ’s kingdom will so fill the earth that many
- will be moved to celebrate the hope of His coming.
- that Christ’s power will be seen in the humility and compassionate service of His people.
- that Jesus would be honored openly, worshiped extravagantly and glorified globally.
My eyes and My heart will always be there.” – 2 Chronicles 7:16
PREPARING to consecrate ourselves as His dwelling:
Welcome His Spirit to fill you and your family and friends.
Invite Christ to make His dwelling among His people
so that His heart will overflow our hearts with His magnificent love,
in order to bring His glory to all the earth.
On Day TEN in Lakeland #LKLD and around the world,
representatives from many congregations
will gather from Noon - 1:00 PM
at the Lakeland Foursquare Church 1202 Buddwood Rd
Visit http://LakelandPrayer.net for details & Directions.
You can listen LIVE beginning at Noon EST on Blog Talk Radio.
Join Fr. Wade + & the Lakeland Prayer Network Team
by calling: (646) 727-3830
or via internet at: http://tobtr.com/s/550274
Can you take time to pray with me today?
--------------------------
Pray with your church on Pentecost morning.
Devote portions of your Pentecost Sunday morning service to united prayer.
Help everyone realize that on this day we are all praying with the world as we pray for the world.
“A Prayer for the World” will be read in unison at every
Global Day of Prayer gathering on May 31.
Is has been translated into many languages,
many of them available at
http://www.GlobalDayofPrayer.com
Central Florida Prayer Gathering - Sunday, May 31, 2009 at 6 PM in Orlando
A City wide, corporate gathering will take place beginning at 6 PM
at Restoration Christian Center / Centro Cristiano Restauración
1600 N. Chickasaw Trail Orlando, Florida 32825
(Intersection of Colonial Dr./ Hwy 50 + Chickasaw Trail).
--------------------------
90 Days of Blessing June 1 – August 29
The Global Day of Prayer can become a catalytic moment.
Those who pray together can become those who serve together,
bringing practical, transformational blessing to their communities.
To help you dream and plan about how you might become
part of the answer to your prayers, check out “90 Day of Blessing”
at http://GDOPusa.com or http://GlobalDayofPrayer.com
--------------------------
Global Day of Prayer planned through 2010
Watch http://GlobalDayofPrayer.com and http://LakelandPrayer.net
for announcements about Global Day of Prayer events.
Another GDOP event is planned for Pentecost Sunday, May 23, 2010.
If you are interested in partnering with the Lakeland Prayer Network
and other Central Florida churches and ministries,
please send an email to LPN@LakelandPrayer.net
Peace be with you!
Fr. Wade Fahnestock +
a missionary priest
The Lakeland Prayer Network
Blue Kirk Mission
Lakeland, FL
http://BlueKirk.org
Follow my updates on twitter @ http://Twitter.com/FriarWade
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