Ramblings

A Horse's Opinion About Spurs

2008-11-17T12:44:00.006-05:00

Several of my recent conversations with students have centered around encouragement. In Hebrews 10:24-25, there is two types of encouragement mentioned. We are told to encourage one another not to neglect meeting together. This is the type of encouragement when someone puts their arm around your shoulder and says, "Keep up the good work. I'm here for you. Please don't give up." We all love to give and receive that kind of encouragement. The second type of encouragement is a little different.

In verse 24, some versions say provoke, stimulate, motivate, or encourage one another to love and good deeds. Perhaps the best translation though is "to spur." The word in this passage is an equestrian term. It refers to how one makes a horse move by driving spurs into the horse's sides. I wonder what the horse's opinion about spurring is? While spurring is not very comfortable to a horse, it sure does motivate him to move. There are times in our Christian walk where we need an arm around the shoulder. However, there are also times when a swift kick in the sides is needed to move us to action. I know that God has "encouraged" me in both ways. Both types of encouragement are Biblical and necessary. I guess its time to meet with some folks to give and receive a little spurring. OUCH! My prayer is that it will result is greater love and good deeds, in my life as well as theirs.

Inhale

2008-09-12T08:00:00.003-04:00

Last night I spoke to the students of South Georgia College about prayer. We are going through a series on Christian basics. There are few topics I feel less qualified to speak on than prayer. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for prayer. I affirm its neccessity in the Christian life and even practice it myself. Even though I am fairly consistent with my daily prayer time, I still feel woefully inadequate at it. I once heard someone say that you could tell the spiritual temperature of a church or Christian group by how many would show up for a prayer meeting, especially if all you were going to do at that meeting was pray. I think they are dead on. Most of us believe in it, but we are horrible at practicing it.

When you think of a "prayer warrior", who comes to mind? Is it one of the little old ladies at your church? The greatest person of prayer that I have ever had the opportunity to meet and talk with was T.W. Hunt. I heard he was going to be passing through our town and I invited him to speak with my students at a lunch meeting. To my surprise, he showed up early that morning so that he could spend time encouraging me, a campus minister he had never met. He was one of those people that when he walked into the room, the presence of God was so thick with him, yet he so humble and gracious. I have longed for that in my own life, and have fallen so very short.

Prayer is to our spiritual life what breathing is to our physical life. Without it, we spritually suffocate and begin to die and become ineffective. Breathing requires two things, Inhaling and Exhaling. Do this, begin to exhale. Keep going. Don't stop. Keep exhaling. Keep going. Keep going. Don't stop. Keep going. Kind of hard to breathe with only exhales. When we bring our christmas list of requests to God, it is like spiritual exhaling. We need to bring our requests and needs before the Lord, infact we are commanded to. But how often to we inhale Him? If your prayer life is like mine, I spend too much time talking to God (exhaling), and not enough time listening to and receiving from Him (inhaling). My prayer time tends to be too short with little inhaling. Now is the time to breathe in deeply. A former president claimed to have never inhaled, that may have been true both physically and spiritually. However, now is the time to inhale. This time, I hope we all will be accused and stand guilty of inhaling. Inhale deeply!

Here We Go

2008-09-11T10:08:00.006-04:00

Well, here we go.

This is my first foray into the world of bogging. I have entitled my blog "Ramblings" for that is what it will consist of. I'm not sure what I will write about or how often. I do not begin this blog out of a sense of needing to share some great wisdom or insight. I don't feel I can contribute much to the global dialogue. I'm not interested in pushing social or political agendas, beliefs or causes. And I really do not care if anyone reads this.

So Why Blog?

Some of the richest times in my walk with God have been when I have journaled the journey. I have lost that discipline along the way, and desire it back. Actually, it was the Lord's gentle 2x4 upside my head that has motivated me. This blog has become a tool of accountability for me and my relationship with Christ. My desire is faithfulness to Him. So, if you have somehow found this blog, I'm glad to allow you to peer into my journey with God. Just don't expect too much, and please excuse the mess.