Prayer is one of the most important expressions of our religious life and our relationship with God.

Prayer is the avenue of our faith.  And yet prayer is one of the least understood spiritual practices.   To many, it can feel mechanical, scripted and inauthentic or unfocused.

What is prayer and why do we pray?   Do we only ask for His intervening in our lives when all seems hopeless for us or when we want some special favor that only He can bestow? 

To understand prayer, we must ask ourselves why we pray at all. 

I suggest these for your thoughts.

When we study scripture, we find a multitude of meanings and associations, each contributing to the rich tapestry of prayer’s spiritual significance. Whether we seek to reach out to something greater than ourselves or perhaps realizing our own inadequacy, as Believers we want to make a connection to the spiritual.  It’s an ongoing process. 

Prayer is an expression of intimacy with our Creator. 

Prayer is more than asking for what we need.  It is a humbling experience that highlights the great divide between petitioner and Provider.  It’s a declaration of love and an expression of spiritual longing. 

In any relationship, a natural dissonance of views and experience exists between two parties.  Our views of life’s circumstances don’t always agree with others. 

In the case of the Divine, this distance is even greater.  In God’s view we were created to fulfill a Divine mission, whereas from the human perspective, we are naturally inclined to live life solely for our own benefit and pleasure. 

In prayer, we attune ourselves to the still, small voice of the Divine, which reminds us that life is so much more than a laundry list of demands and desires, and that we are each here on a sacred mission to better our world. 

We must also judge ourselves.   In this sense it is also a time of personal reckoning, a time to evaluate and recalibrate who we really are, what we truly want in life, where we are heading, and how far along that path we have come.

We are each part body and part soul.  And yet, most of the day revolves around feeding our bodily appetites, needs and drive, strengthening our ego’s sense of our own self-worth.  Left to our own devices, over time our spiritual instincts and impulses can become mechanical or even nonexistent.     What’s there for me??

Therefore, when we pray mindfully, we are filling our hearts with thoughts and dreams of what it is that we want to see and do in this world.  Such prayerful visualizations help us shift from ourselves to how I can be of use to others. 

The point of prayer is not to remind God of what we need from Him, rather, it is to remind ourselves of what He “needs” from us! 

Above all else guard your heart for everything you do flows from it.
       (Proverbs 4:23)

 The human heart is more than a physical part of our body.  On the spiritual level It is called the seat of human emotions.  It is like the electric control panel of our being. 

We might have problems with other body parts but the heart itself gives us the life we need to keep us going.  A person can still live as long as the heart continues to do its job.  But if there is a heart problem the entire body is in danger. 

The heart has been called the “king of the body” because it rules over our entire being.  Taking care of our hearts is a big thing. Popeye ate his can of spinach and look at him!  Now we are told to add olive oil to our food, eat lots of green healthy veggies and less red meat! 
We are always reading new advice on healthy living. Fresh air, and exercise and of course no smoking. 

But what about our spiritual hearts?  How do we nourish it?  Spiritual nourishment must come within us.  It’s not just our study of scripture but our interaction with others. It’s sharing the good that we can do and making life fun!  All the preaching in the world with a sad face and heart will not add pleasure to other’s lives. 

The Bible is replete with verses on “heart” nourishment.  But preaching doom and gloom is not making disciples or making both our lives and others happy.   I do believe our Lord made himself available but always with a happy heart and smile.  He drew people to Himself, not with a sad face, but with a happy heart.

So, our job is to stop the negative stuff. Keeping a healthy spiritual heart will give you a happy face.  Our healthy heart will be filled with love and faith and our actions will follow.

And on that happy note I found an old clipping of Bible questions that a Bible teacher had asked her children.  I think this will give you a happy heart and smile!

“Lots wife was a pillar of salt during the day but a ball of fire during the night.”

“The people who followed the Lord were called the 12 decibels.”

“ Solomon, one of David’s sons, had 300 wives and 700 porcupines”

“Adam and Eve were created from an apple tree.  Noah’s wife was Joan of the ark, Noah built the ark, and the animals came on in pears. “

“ Samson slayed the philistines with the axe of the apostles.

And finally…………
“Christians have only one spouse.  This is called monotony”

                                   Put on your happy heart!!

“The wicked are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous stands firm.” Proverbs 12:7

One of my all-time favorite childhood stories was “The Three Little Pigs.”  My mother was a great storyteller and made me laugh when she huffed and puffed like the big bad wolf, throwing the blanket off the bed, just as the old wolf was blowing down the houses of the little pigs.  Back then, the story was just entertainment but when I remember it again as an adult, I realize the great Biblical truths of that the story and the meaning behind it. 

The first two little pigs opted to build their houses quickly and easily, one of straw and one of sticks. They finished quickly so that they could go out and have fun!  They had no idea that the big bad wolf was watching them.   He was easily capable of blowing down each flimsy house. and the two little pigs had to save their little pig lives by running quickly to their third brother’s house.   He had taken the time to build his house of bricks.  It wasn’t luck that that kept the third pig’s house standing, but the time and effort he invested in building something strong.  So how is this story related to Biblical truths? 

Notice that in the story of the three little pigs and in real life, everyone encounters troubles that threaten to topple us.  The big bad wolf will try to blow down everyone’s house whether they are righteous or wicked.  Yet, while we all go through difficult times, we don’t all come out of them the same way. 

When someone builds their life on lies……founded on faulty beliefs and misplaced values, their foundation is extremely precarious.  If they face financial challenges, they might lose their sense of wellbeing and capacity for hope. If they encounter uncertainty in any area of life, they completely implode.  If you don’t have God as your foundation, what will keep you standing?

 We, as Believers, have built our lives on the solid foundations of faith., biblical values, morals, and teachings of scripture.  We can withstand the storms that come into our lives.  The big bad wolf will always be on the other side of the door, waiting to blow our houses down, unless we have the firm foundation and have built our houses of brick.  When we do, we will be able to weather any storm.  Our houses will stand, and we will emerge stronger than ever before. 

 ‘Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rains came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rains came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.’ (Matthew :24-27)

How are you building your house?

Good King Solomon was considered to be one of the wisest men who ever lived.  He authored several books in the Hebrew Scriptures.  The Book of Proverbs is one of my favorites.   In Hebrew it is part of the scriptures called Ketuvim or “writings”.  It is part of their “wisdom tradition” which also includes Job and Ecclesiastes
       “Whoever seeks good finds favor……..but evil comes to one who searches for it!”…….Proverbs 11:27

Do any of us really search for evil?  What are we missing here?

Many years ago, I thought it would be fun to take a psychology class.  In fact, I needed this credit to graduate.  The professor was known for his work in the field of adolescent psychology.  He also was a professed Believer, which was not that unusual back in my day.    The professor gave us an assignment. Each of us was assigned to write a paper on our adolescence years.  Both the positives and negatives of growing up and how it has affected us as adults. 

At one point during his lecture, the professor told his audience that he would project a picture on the screen for 90 seconds and instructed us to count how many shapes we could find in the picture.

A picture of a school bus carrying children on a sunny day down a tree-lined street immediately appeared and like everybody else I started to look for and count the shapes that I saw.  Then the 90 seconds were up. The photo disappeared.

The professor admitted that he was testing us.  Although he asked us to find various shapes, not one person even noticed the how many children were on the bus. 

So, case in point.  The good professor’s exercise pointed out that we only find what we are really looking for.  What we see in our lives reflects what we seek out and choose to focus on.  A person who is caught up in the negative aspects of life and is overly focused on their own problems will most likely have a difficult time seeing anything positive in life.  Such a person will find little joy in life and likely feel depressed and worthless. 

On the other hand, someone who seeks out the positive aspects of life and makes a conscience decision to focus on what is good, will see God’s blessings everywhere. Despite the problems of life, such a person will experience life as a blessing and feel grateful and happy much of the time. 

So, Solomon’s words are true.  If we look for the good in every situation, we will find it. But, if we are negative and thrive on being a victim of life, we will find validation for our victimhood everywhere. 

 Ultimately, our perspective on life determines the trajectory of our lives.  Let us choose to focus on God’s blessings and then as Solomon says, we will find even more of God’s favor.

                              Is your glass half full?  Or do you see it half empty?

                                                 The choice is yours.

                                    Happiness is Giving                                                                    ,

Every day I receive at least five to six requests for money.  Each letter is an appeal to improve a situation, provide medical supplies, feed a family, help kids in hospitals.  Each one is worthy.  They all have good credit scores with Charity Navigator. Now what to do?

Therefore, I must decide.  Each one of us must make similar choices.  Most of us have been blessed with money and we are entrusted to use it wisely. 

The Bible has words of wisdom on use of our money.  2 Timothy 3:  “People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money.” 1Tim.6:16 ‘For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.”   There are many verses which allude to the same type of desire……….the quest for riches. 

We have all sat in our Sunday pews and heard stories about the love of money. The rich man coming to Jeshua to become a disciple but refusing to give up his way of life; the man building bigger barns to hold all his goods and yet not living to enjoy it.   It’s not about the money itself, but the deep need we all feel that money will provide what we are missing in life. 

We are thankful for the wealthy who have donated millions to provide funds for symphonies; great museums; hospitals; donations for many philanthropic causes, all of which enriches our lives.  

There is nothing wrong with a nice cruise to the Greek Islands, seeing the sites of Paris at night or perhaps a vacation in Colorado.   Money can give us pleasure. God provides wonderful experiences for us to enjoy.  But in the long term, we are left with an empty purse and pictures on our phones.

But here is the really sweet secret of giving.  When one gives, one also receives in return! 

In one study, researchers discovered that those who spent more on charity and others rather than themselves enjoyed significantly greater and longer lasting happiness. (Dunn, Aknin,  Norton: Science Mag. March 2008)

Other findings include lower depression rates and less self-focus.  Perhaps we are missing something when we have not let our children realize that giving is a necessary part of being a real person.  The one that God created us to be. 

Giving money isn’t the only way to enjoy the benefits of generosity: People who are very giving in relationships, being emotionally available and hospitable, are much more likely to be in excellent health.

  According to research, the positive energy that you feel when you do a good deed has a tangible impact on your body.  In much the same way that exercise releases endorphins into your brain that makes you feel good, acts of charity generate what scientists call the “helpers’ high!”

The benefits of a generous heart not only provide you with rewards but also provide comfort to others.  Help might be needed in finding work, in prayer, in relationships.  This is all part of giving. 

A famous rabbi once said: “We are only worth with we are willing to share.” When we give of ourselves to others, we are not diminished but enriched.”

In the words of Winston Churchill “We may make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

                                                Agree?

Transparency and accountability are the new buzz words for the 21st century.  No doubt all honorable people welcome every genuine effort to stop corruption and dishonesty in whatever sphere of society—– corporate, governmental, or personal.  But is this really a new phenomenon?  Is ours, in fact, the first generation in history concerned about such issues?

In Exodus 38-40 we learn that even Moses needed a transparent accounting of the donations received towards the building of the tabernacle and the fittings and sacred vessels.  Every person became accountable for their donations plus their actions.  It was to be with a willing heart to provide funds for this tent in which God himself would be worshipped. 

Is God holding us accountable today?  Is He regarding us and our actions and what we are doing with our lives?  Do our possessions take preference over our relationship with others?

None of us can imagine God in Heaven with a big scoreboard.   Is He putting check marks for our behavior?   After all we are mere humans doing human things in this crazy world.   We give, we worship, we live under God’s grace, and we depend on our Messiah to take away our sins. 

                                    But wait………..there is more to come!
One day we all will face the ultimate accountability of our actions.  Each of us must give a full justification and accounting for the way we have lived our lives. 

                    Yes, there is a final exam.  How do we know this?

Matthew 25; Jeshua tells us that ‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.”

When He tells us that all nations will be judged, it isn’t just the Jews to whom He is speaking?.  It’s you and me.  He isn’t asking if you have been baptized; how many times you attend services; how much money is in your checking account.

‘Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was ill and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”³⁷ ‘Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you ill or in prison and go to visit you?”⁴⁰ ‘The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

⁴¹ ‘Then he will say to those on his left, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry, and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was ill and in prison and you did not look after me.”⁴⁴ ‘They also will answer, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or ill or in prison, and did not help you?”⁴⁵ ‘He will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.⁴⁶ ‘Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

I do believe that many of you reading this blog will dismiss these words.  Why?  How could a loving God do this?  After all, we have lived well; we haven’t committed a really dreadful sin; we have kept part of the Torah teachings (at least most of the Ten Commandments). Or how many times we have read though the Bible. We have never been unfaithful to our spouses.

  I’m not suggesting that we all will visit the sick or make trips to the county jail.  It’s the every day happenings and how  we make other’s lives  a little better. Should we fear a Judgement?

We will all die and make an accounting for our treatment of others; sorrows for doing things our way; repentance with a commitment to do good unto others as we would have them do to us!  The words of our Master should fill us with both joy and fear! 

            It’s time to examine our lives. . 

                                  “Doing good unto the least of these!”

You might say I have a small but powerful aversion to the word “Mother Nature.”  Leaving God out of the equation really bothers me. Mother Nature did this Mother Nature that!  What makes creation a Mother?  Creation is a product of a Creative mind, not some mindless happenstance. 

                                           Creation is a Miracle. 

“Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story that is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see” (CS Lewis)

Creation is that story we take for granted. It is our small world we see, often failing to see the “large letters” and the wonders of our universe. The new James Webb telescope has opened the world outside of our own small universe.  We can see the majesty of the Creator.       

The human propensity to take creation for granted is truly astonishing. We try to explain the wonders surrounding us.  We explain them away to help us simplify and make sense of life.  As a result, we tend to overlook the extraordinary realities of Creation unfolding before us. Our Messiah is part of Creation process.

 John writes:  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning. ³ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴ In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

Perhaps our view of the world is like the sea.  It is only when one dives in and is fully immersed that we can appreciate the world’s wonderous rich life concealed beneath its surface. Therefore, we must live fully and joyfully to see what God has given us.

Many people observe the universe but disregard its origin, Creator, and life-force. This leads them to take our created world and reality at face value, without looking beyond its façade to find a deeper meaning and significance.

We as Believers, must slow down the frantic blur of life, see beneath the veneer of the world and search for the beauties of the created order.

When reading the Gospel stories of the Messiah, we can see Him as the light of the world in the creation account of Genesis.  Seek and you will find.

When we know Him and who He is, we can see the Divine Presence of God with us (Emmanuel) and dispel the illusion of atheistic naturalism and behold the created order of the universe and the divine within each person.

We will see our world as a series of miracles that are perpetually recreated at every moment and yet never exactly the same as before! Amazing!!

                                    God is still creating!

The Sin of the Golden Calf is so well known that most of you reading this blog are familiar with the story.

Fifty days after leaving Egypt, the people camped at the foot of mount Sinai.  Moses went up into the Mountain to meet with God and receive the commandments.  When he didn’t return after 40 days the people presumed, he had died.  Now what?

Needing a replacement for Moses the people said, “Let us make gods that will go before us. To lead us, to intervene for us to be there for us. .. because this man Moses who brought us up from the Egypt, we don’t know what has become of him. “  (Ex:32)

 So, they approached Aaron, Moses, brother, who later became High Priest and demanded, “Make for us a god!” Aaron was under great pressure, but he agreed and collected gold ornaments that the people had been given by the Egyptians.

Aaron took the gold, and threw it into the fire, and voila, the Golden Calf was born.  This was a god that would lead them into the future.  It would pave their way for success into the land of promise!!

What or where is our Land of Promise?   Will our gold lead us there? Will our latest technology take us there? 

To answer this question, let’s segue into one of the most important debates of our times.  How should we as Believers use technology to our advantage?

Technology has no doubt improved our lives.  It is part of our culture, and it will only become more sophisticated with AI.  Technological advances have become so ingrained in our society that we can’t imagine living without it. 

Yet technology comes with risks.    Giving young children unrestricted access to smartphones, tablets, and the internet can be very dangerous, the contents they view could be highly inappropriate.  There are predators lurking out there.  The internet can be a perilous place.  Young lives have been lost due to bullying on social media sites. 

There is no tool more effective than the internet for spreading God’s word to the world. Through it, many thousands have come to faith in Yeshua and His teachings.  Technology can be wonderful.

But if technology becomes your replacement for faith, you have created your own golden calf. 

 If gold and your finances become your goal, realize that material possessions will never lead you into the Promised Land.    Used wisely, however, your gold will not only benefit you but also others.

            Gold and Technology are your servants and not your Masters.

                               Actions Speak Louder Than Words!

Many things that we do, and experience require a combination of emotion, sympathy, and action.  Just because we don’t feel like doing something doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t.  However, the absence of feeling can affect the sincerity of what we do.  Just because we say…….”I will pray for you”…without sincerity seems artificial at best and mechanical at its worst! It’s what you do that makes praying something more.

Mechanically helping a friend in need without empathy and interest is incomplete.  Praying, just by mouthing the words seems like a meaningless exercise.   Our prayers seem to reach no higher than the ceiling. 

But feelings don’t come automatically.  We cannot just turn the happiness switch on, or suddenly, feel love towards another person.  We often don’t feel happiness or empathy, or we feel totally uninspired and disinterested. 

To continue with the tabernacle story, we read that the High Priest had to wear elaborate clothing when serving in the Temple. These garments had to be sewn according to a very specific design and had a special purpose.  Wearing them during service was of critical importance. 

This Kohen Gadol (High Priest) had an awesome responsibility.  He served in the Temple, representing the entire Jewish nation, to ask for Divine atonement and blessing.   This required a strong focus and sense of devotion.  However, donning the garments, an action that made him “look the part,” helped his heart and mind to be in total focus.  He might have had a bad day or had heartburn from the burnt quail he had eaten at dinner, but he was appointed to the task and that meant he must fulfill his assignment, whether he felt like it or not! 

Yeshua has become our Kohen Gadol.  He represents us before the throne or mercy seat of God.  He puts on those priestly garments to become our representative and prays for us as we journey through this life and beyond.  This is part of what He does for us but with a joyful heart!  He does this willingly because He loves us. 

But how about our faith?  Prayer doesn’t come easy at times.  You are in a bad mood.  That’s just the time when prayer is needed most.  Prayer isn’t for God.  He knows what’s in your heart.  Prayer is for you!

God teaches us valuable lessons.  He is involved with our day to day living.  Our job is to unite the physical and the spiritual.  Each of us plays a part in what God wants us to be. 

So, we must consciously focus on things outside ourselves. Put on your smiley face.

                  Actions with effort create strong feelings.  Do a good act.

                                                  The heart will follow!!

We find the Exodus story is an amazing account of God’s working in saving His people. 

In Exodus 20 we read about the commandments and covenants that God made with Israel.  They are remarkable.  At Sinai, the Lord gave Moses a variety of laws that covered many aspects of life…..civil, criminal, and ceremonial, as a seamless whole.  These instructions were meant to bring this rag tag group of people into one nation, under one God and making them into a nation of holy people, devoted to the One who had saved them.

Ten chapters later God called Moses and Aaron, his two sons and seventy elders to ascend the mountain.  There, God was to present himself.  Yet we are often told that no man can see God.  What did they see?  Whom did they see?
Later, however, when Moses asks God to show him His glory, God replies, “You cannot see my face; for no man shall see me and live (Ex 33:20)

Moses sees God, but he does not see Him.  He encounters God but he cannot see God’s face.  No matter how much of God a man might see, God remains infinitely beyond his seeing.   Moses hides in the clef of a rock and God’s glory passes by.  He sees God’s back.  Is that possible?  This is a mystery that we really can’t explain, nor should we try. 

We know that Moses and all the people have seen God’s power and might.  They have seen the Cloud of Glory, and they experience His majesty. 

From this point on, the knowledge of God unfolds to His people with verbal instructions. “And God said…….” etc.  The words are recorded and transmitted from generation to generation.  

Scripture is not so much the story of our discovery of God but a God who seeks to bridge the gap between Himself and us. 

God may not be readily seen in our world, and indeed we often wonder where He is.  We want him to interfere in our lives.  We want Him to correct the wrongs that we witness.   

However, God has dialogued with us through the writings of Scripture. He engages us more fully by sending the Messiah to embody these attributes of His instructions.  Jeshua did not come to nullify the commandments.  He came to engage us more fully with the purposes that God intended for us. He fulfilled them in every way but didn’t end them.

In the writings of the Apostolic scriptures Jeshua tells us how we must relate to others and how to please God himself. 

“The Torah was given through Moses, grace and truth, came through Yeshua the Messiah.  No one has ever seen God, but the only unique Son, who is identical with God, and is at the Father’s side, He has made Him known.”
(John 1:17-18)

John is not drawing a contrast between Torah and grace, or between Moses and Yeshua. Rather he is describing Yeshua as the living Torah who embodies, the very attributes that God declared to Moses. Jeshua himself said not a dot or tittle (of Torah) shall pass until all is fulfilled.  Jeshua is the Word of God in human form!! 

                                          Can we see God?  The answer is yes!!
                                            We see him as Yeshua our Messiah.