What is Prayer?

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 NASB

"The key to this home, this heart of God. is prayer." Foster

Prayer, by definition,  is an intercession, petition, or supplication. Scripture contains many prayers of faithful leaders and followers of God, prayers for healing, direction, peace, strength, forgiveness, wisdom, security, provision. Multiple passages in the Bible reveal Jesus alone in prayer and praying for others. Prayer comes from the lips of doubters and those in need, from hearts frozen with fear and unbelievers reborn, from the sick and weary, from those in desperate situations, from sinners like me. Believers are called to prayer, to never stop praying (1 Thessalonians 5:17), to pray in the Spirit, to pray with perseverance, to pray for each other. Richard Foster in Sanctuary of the Soul calls prayer "interactive communication and communion with God".

"Prayer is change...interior transformation...into ministry..." Richard Foster, Prayer**

Prayer exceeds inward pleas in desperate times and evolves from a place deeper than need, comes from the soul's core where faith calls out to Hope! Our prayers call out to God exposing our broken hearts, our fragile egos, our emptiest places. Prayer should acknowledge complete dependence on God, and when words fail, the Spirit intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. (Romans 8:26) Spiritual posture of prayer must embody both humility and honesty, exhibit reverence for God's majesty and trust in God's mystery. Prayer should become the Christian's constant inside activity that is evidenced in outward living. Prayer should transform us into bearers of His Light. Holy Spirit, teach me to pray! ~dho

** I highly recommend Richard Foster's book, "Prayer, Finding the Heart's True Home"

How to Read the Bible ~ Part 4

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT

Bible issued to my father by US Military during WWII

Discernment of God's Voice requires a believer in Christ to seek and to study, to pray and to listen for His holy revelations. For the past three weeks the posts on How to Study the Bible have offered a general overview of how to approach a Scripture passage and various ways to read the Bible (and not intended to be an exhaustive lesson). Being in the word of God and walking with the Word of God is fertile ground for discernment. So what other resources or tools are available?

There are many translations and paraphrased versions of the Bible, as well as multiple Study Bible versions of these. A Study Bible provides cross-references of Scripture and a concordance (references to words or phrases used within the Bible), along with introductions to each Book of the Bible, commentary by Bible scholars, and other insights. Another helpful tool is a Bible dictionary which provides much information on words, names, places, and culture. Other references fall into the category of Bible encyclopedias which may provide more in depth biographies and historical contexts. (click here for a sample list of Bible Translations and Study Bibles)  

Readings of the classics and theologians of times past provide the learner with new insights and can provoke new questions. Researching writings and commentaries of Bible scholars, then and now, offers a deeper and wider perspective to Christianity. There are many authors, past and present, worthy of reading. Devotionals also help guide Bible Study. Today there are many good online sources that have tools to enhance studying God's word. (click here for some online sources: Biblegateway.com, YourVersion.com, StudyLight.org, Bible Study Tools, Google: How to study the Bible, Oswald Chambers, Priscilla Shirer) Whatever methods, most importantly the believer must seek to know God, study God's Holy Scriptures, call on the Holy Spirit for understanding, and apply the lessons. Study the Bible to embrace the promises of God, to encounter Christ, to experience the Holy Spirit. Christianity is not just knowing about God, but applying the truths to life. Christianity is living like Christ. ~dho

How to Read the Bible ~ Part 3

By Your words I can see where I'm going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path.
Psalm 119:105 The Message

In our series on discernment, I have explored some suggestions of how to read the Bible. The phrase lectio divina describes a way to read the Bible and can be translated "divine reading" but more importantly means living the Holy Word. With 4 basic components, to read, to meditate, to pray, and to live, lectio divina is more than a spiritual discipline.

"Discernment requires not only reading with the heart but being willing to put down the book we are reading to just listen to what God is saying to us through its words. Henri Nouwen

Lectio divina is a way of reading spiritually, reading without a personal agenda and with a vulnerability of heart, reading while embracing Christ and exceeding the words. Lectio divina is a living reading, a way of reading that expects a living response. To be effective, we must consider the message within these ancient words. While reading, it is important to keep the words in context, to examine the historical settings, storylines, and cultures. The Holy Scriptures are sacred writings inspired by God, filled with vivid language full of poetry and metaphors and idioms that draw the reader into God's worldview, a living document for every age.

"Meditation is a process in which you struggle with the word of God that has entered your heart." Macrina Wiederkehr

Meditation on a Scripture passage helps the reader to understand how this piece of information relates to God's character and plan for humanity. To meditate on these words reveals connections between the moments recorded then and my circumstances now, the lesson centuries ago and a message for me, personally. Listening to the word of God with the heart opens the door for spiritual communion.

Prayer becomes the language of the heart, with its deepest agonies and richest joys. Often, prayer exceeds the vocabulary of our emotions. Wordless or word-full, prayer is relational and connects us to God. Reading His word combined with prayer, refines our access to God. As Jesus intercedes, we become engaged in deeper conversation with God. In praying the sacred words, we embrace God's message, we participate in His world, we live and love more.

"Lectio divina is not a methodical technique for reading the Bible. It is a cultivated, developed habit of living the text in Jesus' name." Eugene Peterson

To live the Word of God, we must take this unexplainable God into a complicated world. We must carry this extraordinary message into our ordinary moments. We are to live God's word through the chaos and beyond the suffering, above the distractions and against the opposition. Lectio divina means living the Holy Word. ~dho

How to Read the Bible ~ Part 2

...the Spirit who is from God...not in words taught by human wisdom but in those taught by the Spirit, [teaches] combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.
1 Corinthians 2:12-13 NASB

To study the Bible for knowledge alone defeats the purpose of God providing this gift of sacred writings. To study the Bible celebrates the "process of inspiration" by which God speaks, turning spiritual thoughts into spiritual words. As the Holy Spirit infuses the words, these Living words speak spiritual wisdom full of truth and life lessons full of hope. First, to study the Bible, the heart and mind and soul must be seeking God. Approach reading the Bible with an open heart.

Isaiah 66:2

As noted last week, various tools and techniques already exist to enhance Bible Study. Rick Warren's book, Bible Study Methods, offers a dozen different ways and is another good reference if you are looking for some new ideas. These blog posts could not possibly examine all the methods; instead, I offer you general suggestions of how to approach a Scripture passage. Consider the SOAP method: SCRIPTURE, OBSERVATION, APPLICATION, PRAYER. SCRIPTURE: Choose a Scripture. Read it and perhaps write it out. OBSERVATION: What is happening in the passage? Who is present? What is the message? What lesson is to be learned? APPLICATION: What does God want me to learn? How does this change me or my attitude or my actions? What will I do to implement this into my daily living? PRAYER: Say or write a prayer to God. Ask Him to open your eyes and make your heart tender to His guiding. Pray for insight into the message He is giving you.

Personally, as I read the Bible each day, I keep a devotional journal. Sometimes I write down a Scripture, some phrase from a devotional book that speaks to me, or a thought that comes to mind when reading. On the side, I sometimes jot a note of particular prayers for that day, while I keep many prayer requests in the back of my journal. There are times I journal my heart, give voice to the chaos or the celebrations deep inside. Other times, my soul writes a prayer, either in the form of a petition or a simple plea or a heart-full praise. Sometimes, I write nothing at all. God usually has a special word from Scripture for me as I start each new journal (whenever the other one ends). I put that in the front under 'journey notes'. At the end of that journey (whenever the journal is full), I look back through, finding ancient words living on new pages, grace exposing my heart, resolutions surrounding my prayers, words revealing new insights. Between the pencil marks and pasted quotes, beside the wordless-wonder and salty-prayers, within the Sacred Texts scribbled and the coffee drips, these pages retell my journey with a Holy God. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us. 2 Timothy 3:17 The Message 
~ dho

How to Read the Bible ~ Part 1

When Your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear Your name, O LORD God Almighty. Jeremiah 15:16 

Frequently I hear, "I want to read the Bible, but I'm not sure how or where to start." Whether you are part of a Bible Study group or using a devotional guide or simply reading these sacred writings, remember these ancient and fresh, living words reveal God's truth and plan for humanity, as well as, are a source of abundant life, strength, encouragement and joy. When reading a Scripture passage consider these components: Observation, Interpretation, Application. (Kay Arthur's "How To Study Your Bible" gives great information.) Ask yourself these questions: Who's present? What's happening? What does this passage mean? How does this apply to my life? These components create an "inductive approach" to studying and understanding, to examining God's word in detail, to discovering meaning in the words. This personal message from God to us allows us to be transformed through the Living Word. (next week I'll break down these components more.) A.W. Tozer's writes, "The word of God is the breath of God filling the world with living potentiality." Remember, reading the Bible is a process requiring spiritual discipline for the purpose of developing a more intimate relationship with God. God's word still speaks through the Scriptures. Are you listening?

While there is no one-way to read the Bible, let me offer you some solid choices. The Student Bible, with study notes from Philip Yancey and Tim Stafford, outlines 3 different Reading Plans. Track 1 is a two-week at a time commitment. There are 10 sections, each designed to be read in two week periods, and to give an overview and introduction to both the Old and New Testaments. Track 2, using a 6-month guideline, allows the reader to read at least one chapter from every book in the Bible. Track 3 embraces reading the entire Bible over a 3 year period. There are also guides available that would lead the reader to complete reading the Bible in one year. Remember, whatever path you choose, the purpose of reading the Bible is not about completing a task; rather, the goal is for spiritual development.

Another approach allows for the study of "themes" in the Bible, reading passages throughout the Scriptures such as grace, the nature of God, love, moral commandments, and many, many others. Another way to read would be to read sections or categories such as The Gospels or The Epistles (letters) in the NT; and in the OT, The Pentateuch (first 5 books of the Bible), the History books (17 of these), Books of Poetry (5 of these), the Prophets (17 of these). No matter the course or track you choose, spending time in God's word is essential for spiritual maturity, but more than this, the word of God is to become part of us, part of our breathing and living and serving, part of each individual's response to God. Let your heart echo Jeremiah, "When Your words came, I ate them...". ~dho

Why Read the Bible?

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

The next few weeks let's explore why Christians need to 
read the Bible, how to read the Bible, and the process of discernment when we study the Bible. People read the Scriptures in various ways and for a variety of reasons. Some search for truth, others seek ways to judge or defend a position; some read to acquire religious information, while others come to learn God's way and hear His instruction. The Bible, the inspired word of God, is a gift from God for the people. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16)


The Holy Scriptures reveal the character and holiness of God, record the history of God's prophecies and their fulfillment, teach the way of repentance and redemption through Christ, establish the guidelines for righteous and holy living, and define hope as God's promise of eternal life. Christ's words in John 5:39 say the Scriptures "bear witness about Me." These sacred writings still speak God's prophecies and remind us today that no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). From Genesis to Revelation, these words continue to bring God's message and reveal His purpose century after century, So shall My word be that goes out of My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty,, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it  (Isaiah 55:11). These ancient writings bring faithful instruction for every new day.

With precepts and promises, prophets and parables, God's story of redemption and restoration enfolds us. The living Word of God (Christ) reaches into the world, choosing you and me from beyond the pages of holy writings and through the ever-living word of God (the Bible). Within the pages of this ancient text, we discover God's ultimate plan for humanity. Jesus Christ, His Word in the flesh (John 1:14), proclaims God's truth and love and hope for the world. Reading this holy and living book gives us a taste of eternity and the goodness of God. From In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1) to The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen. (Revelation 22:21), the beginning to the end, God presence and power is Sovereign. Will you study God's teachings and promises? Will you learn God's character? Will you recognize God's leading? Immerse yourself in the Bible and let God's love embrace your life. ~dho

**next week: How to Read the Bible

God's Way!

But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard - things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. 
Galatians 5:22-23 The Message 

After several weeks exploring the concepts of discernment and examining its purpose, the next question becomes, "What are the methods of discernment?". Reading God's word and spending time in prayer are essential activities. In order to recognize God's voice, we must know who God is and be in a relationship with Him. God reveals himself to the world through the Holy Scriptures, and communication with God comes through prayer. As this intimate, trusting relationship with God grows, we also begin to recognize God speaking through people and circumstances and opportunities. To listen to God's voice means being attuned to all our surroundings, though the noise and in the solitude. God is omnipresent, everywhere, all the time, at the same time. He is waiting for you and me!

This Scripture in Galatians describes the outward character and behavior of living God's way! These benefits of living for Christ brings unmeasured joy and soul satisfaction. Just today I read Rev. Carolyn Moore's blog post, Not Just Another Book Club (or "How To Read the Bible"). Read this and let it soak into your heart and mind and soul. THIS is the beginning of truly developing a relationship with Christ. On my blog (see the "Resources" page), I list just a few Bible translations, Study Bibles and devotional tools. Online tools like BibleGateway and YouVersion are easy to find and use. A favorite App of mine is Olive Tree; some of the downloads are free and others cost. All these seemingly infinite resources are of little value if they go unused, just as a neglected relationship with God will not grow. Choose God's way! ~dho

*** Mangrove Ministries' Facebook Page: click this link; Please share your thoughts and comments with other readers.

Testing the Voices

"...present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, and that which is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:1-2 NASB

Discernment involves learning to listen to the Holy Spirit with the ultimate goal being personal spiritual transformation. Coming to have a clearer understanding of God's priorities can expose an unrecognized spiritual talent or reveal a calling to a new ministry opportunity or inspire a new way of living for Christ. This spiritual discipline increases our awareness of God's presence and His workings within the ordinary moments of time, teaches us how to love like Christ, and renews our hope even in times of uncertainty.  To prove what the will of God is comes through dokimazo, the Greek word meaning "by testing you may discern".

Another Greek word, diakriseis, means a "spiritual judgement or understanding" and defines discernment as a spiritual gift (1 Corinthians 12:10). In breaking down this word, dia (through) and kriseis (judgment), we discover the concept of judgment that sees through appearances. This kind of discernment differentiates between the promptings of the Holy Spirit (always good) and deceptive spirits (evil intentions). Remembering spiritual gifts come from God, this gift, like all other spiritual gifts, is to be used for the good of the church and to encourage the body of believers. 

As you contemplate the spiritual discipline of discernment, identify the places in your life that are distractions, places or things that are keeping you from knowing how God is calling you to serve Him. Ask yourself, What am I willing to change? What am I willing to do to be sure I hear God's voice? Will you find a sacred space and spend time listening for God's direction? Will you choose to serve God in the ways He desires you to serve? ~dho

Ones Who Serve

You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.  
1 Peter 2:5 NASB

In continuing our discussion on discernment, we have been looking at Henri Nouwen's three components of spiritual living: solitude, community and ministry. Ministry calls each of us to live in God's presence and to share this experience with others. Scripture defines this calling as "a holy priesthood" and every believer is to respond. Like Jesus, we are to be about God's business, to be the ones who serve. Through serving, the soul catches a glimpse of the world through God's eyes.

"God is working in us to reach His highest goals until His purpose and our purpose become one."  Oswald Chambers

In the New Testament, the Greek word diakonia translates as service or ministry. As ones who serve God, the heart-intentions should be pure; the outward-offerings should be done with humility and patience. Christians are to serve each other and those whose needs are known. These sacred acts become spiritual sacrifices with one purpose: to give glory to God. With each act of service we re-confess our faith in Jesus Christ, express our willingness to be His hands and feet, share God's love. In following God's directive to love and serve each other in the name of Jesus, His purpose and our purpose become one. ~dho

links: 
OperationInasmuch.org
Snydermbc.com

Through All Of It!

I am on vacation this week with my family... but I have recently been listening to this song and find the words speak deeply to my soul. Like many of you, I have been through difficult times in life; maybe even today you find yourself attempting to survive through a trying situation. Give this song a listen, and I believe it will soon bring your soul comfort, too! God is always with us...through all of it! ~dho

"Through All Of It" by Colton Dixon (click here for video)

** next week: Ministry: as we continue our study on "discernment"!

Together ~ One Lord, One Faith

Paul, while in prison writes to the Christians in Ephesus, lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace. Ephesians 4:1-3 NLT

The word community identifies a group that shares common interests or beliefs, and in Ephesians the characteristics of unity identify the behaviors of a Christian community. These examples of daily conduct should be visible inside and outside of the community. While differences exist, division should not be the outcome, rather unity with a bond of peace. The definition of 'church' is the body of believers with Christ being the center. Both the individual and collective church should seek God's will and purpose, just as each member of its body. God has designed humanity to be relational, people in relationship with each other, people in relationship with God. The mutual prayers and support of Christian community enhance discernment.

Paul reminds this community (verse 4-5), "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope...one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father...". From the moment of Pentecost, the church of Jesus Christ becomes one body of believers, united in one faith, redeemed by one Grace, loved by one God. Chosen by God, we are His children, called to be representatives of His House, of His Truth, His Kingdom. From accountability to encouragement, from listening to praying, the body of Christ should champion each other in the understanding of God's purpose. The process of discernment needs community, as well as solitude. Called to live a life worthy of God's calling, community becomes the Christian's support system, friends, family, together serving one Lord, one faith in Jesus Christ. Embrace community! ~ dho

** in two weeks: Ministry, as we explore Henri Nouwen"s three areas of "Spiritual Living": solitude, community, and ministry .