How Can I Pray for You? Specifically?

Part of the prayer ministry at the church is to pray daily for specific people. When we left church last Sunday I began seeking what people would have me pray for them. Sometimes it seems we think we know what people need more than they do, so the people were encouraged to ask. It has really opened up some dialog with some people. Some want to keep it very superficial while others go to great detail. It is amazing what people will tell you when you ask them how specifically you can pray for them. I love the way The Message puts the introduction to the Lord’s Prayer. "Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace. (Matt 6:6, MSG). When you focus on the needs of others and when you simply and honestly as you can manage come before God it changes your prayer life. Ask someone today how you can pray for them in a specific manner. You might be surprised.

Frozen Ponds - Frozen Lives

Today is the first time I have seen a pond that was frozen close to my house. This has been the first time in the 22 years I have passed that pond that the top was frozen. Now, this is because we have experienced sub-freezing temperatures for a few days now. I began to think about these things from a spiritual and life viewpoint. The reason the water froze is because it is not a flowing stream. Yes, I know there are times when streams freeze, but just stay with me a minute. Look at our lives. How do we keep our lives from becoming frozen? I believe the Word of God, the Holy Spirit and our personal relationship with Christ keeps us in an ever-changing mode. You cannot stay the same and continue to walk closely to Christ. We are going be ever growing in our relationship with Christ. Paul wrote, “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love (Eph 4:15-16). So, don’t freeze.

What Is a Friend?

My son Luke addressed the topic of friends on his blog www.thelwproject.blogspot.com . It go me thinking and I posted the following response. I hope you will read his blog and give friendships some thought. Who are your friends? How long will they be there?

This is a deep thought. I do not know of a place where the Bible speaks of seasonal friendships. Jonathan was a great example of a friend to David (1 Sam 18:1-4). He was committed to David to the point of death. He was there no matter what. A friend loves at all time (Prov 17:7). Space and time do not separate friends. Now, I do believe we might have a messed up definition of a friend that gives way to seasonal friendships. There are those "friends" who are conditional friends and there are those "friends" who are unconditional friends. Conditional friends leave you when the conditions are broken. Unconditional friends are still there when you make mistakes, do wrong, go against them, hurt them, etc. Now, this explains why we have so few lifelong friends. Lifelong friends requires forgiveness. How many times do true friends forgive? 70 times 7! So with all that being said, I believe you have people come into your life for a season and you have lifetime friends. That statement is based on a strong definition of friend. It could be that the seasonal friends are really acquaintances. I am a friend of God and He will always be my friend.

Have You Changed?

One of the best books I read in 2009 was Crazy Love by Francis Chan. It prompts me to ask this question of you today. “If you stopped believing in God today how much different would your life look?” Has God really changed the way you live your life. Is your life more concerned with Him and others? Do you love the least? Do you love who everyone else has rejected. I have recently met a family that has changed my life. They have put me on a course to learning to love everyone. Have I arrived? No! Am I moving? Yes! Why does God tell us over and over to love one another? Because we learn we loveable by others loving us. The New Testament says at least 14 times “love one another”. Let us look different as we make a difference. “It is not scientific doubt, not atheism, not pantheism, not agnosticism, that in our day and in this land is likely to quench the light of the gospel. It is a proud, sensuous, selfish, luxurious, church-going, hollow-hearted prosperity.”[1] Be careful how you live. God told His people in Haggai 1:5 and 7 to "consider your ways". Take time to read Haggai chapter 1 today and consider your ways.

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[1] Frederic D. Huntington, Forum magazine, 1890. As quoted by Frances Chan in Crazy Love, p. 63.

It's My Birthday

Well, today is my birthday. I have had many people wish me a happy birthday today and I plan to make this day happy. I have been asked do I feel older – NO. How old are you – 47. One responded to that number with – WOW! I do not feel 47, ever how that is supposed to feel. I see people my age and I think they look old. My 47 years has been an adventure. I grew up in a family that had then had not. A family that was happy then divorced. A church centered family to a country club centered. A home with no alcohol to one that had a cabinet full. Drank my first beer at home and saw my first girly magazine at home. Was a bad teenager. Always seeking to fit in. Met my wife, had three wonderful children, built a home, youth ministered, pastored, started a church, went to college, seminary, seminary again, spent money, saved little. Been to South America, Central America, Mexico, New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Nashville, Houston, somewhere in Mississippi, New Orleans, Disney, the beach, Washington D.C., and many more places. My favorite is NYC. Would love to go to Hawaii with my wife (if someone wants to give that as a 47^th b’day present it would be nice). I have enjoyed this 47 years. I feel young. My mind still dreams. I look forward to more great adventures. There are times when life seemed hard but it really was not. There have been times when it seemed easy but it really was not. Many of the things I thought I hated I really liked. But sometime today 47 years will have been spent by Daniel Ferrell Williams. Where has it gone? More places than I ever thought it would. It has been spent with great returns. I have the greatest family, friends and memories. If you have been part of it, thanks. If not, maybe we can make that happen in the next 47. That would be 94. That has a good ring to it. How old are you? 94? No, but I am halfway there. Enjoying the ride. Working on the dash (1963 – ). Age is nothing but a number. I will LOVE and LAUGH and LIVE.

Side Effects

2 Corinthians 7:8-11

Have you ever listened to a commercial about a medication when they start taking about side effects? The possible side effects are sometimes very concerning. Some of the side effects bring a since of laughter while others bring great alarm. I heard one last night that was temporary blindness. Now that is something to think about as you take medication. We think of side effects in regard to medicines but most of the decisions we make in life have side effects. Side effects are effects other than the desired effect.

Godly repentance has so many side effects. Godly repentance is done to right a relationship with God, but look at the side effects.

The Message puts it like this in verse 11, “you’re more alive, more concerned, more sensitive, more reverent, more human, more passionate, more responsible”. Wow, now that is some side effect list.

I want to encourage you to take time to repent as you become aware of sin in your life and enjoy the benefits.

Decisions and the Devil

Just yesterday I had a person come up to me and say they had finally been able to forgive a person for something they had done. This person had been offended personally without a doubt. It was a huge step forward in life to be able to come to this point. My last word to this person was to remember that the devil would do everything possible to bring it back up in his mind. I saw this same person just a couple of hours later and it was amazing how quickly the devil acted. When this person got home they received a call. The person on the other end of the phone was unknown but wanted to let this person know that they knew who had offended and that it really did happen. Now, how does a person who does not even know a person call and bring something like this up in a conversation? The adversary is at work. Scripture tells us “for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12, ESV). The devil wants to but barriers in your way when you make a decision for Christ. This decision can be for salvation, restoration, reconciliation, forgiveness or any direction God leads you. You must know that you will be faced with opposition in these areas of your life. We must remember “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Rom 8:37, ESV).

Warren Wiersbe gave a great study of the Strategies of Satan in his book by the same title. The devil is going to:

1. Lie to you to make you ignorant of God’s will (Eve).

2. Attack your body to make you impatient with God’s will (Job)

3. Lift your pride to make you independent of God’s will (David)

4. Accuse you to make you indicted by God’s will (Joshua the high priest).

Your defense is:

1. The Word of God

2. The Grace of God

3. The Spirit of God

4. The Son of God.

This is why we must wear the armor of God (Eph 6). It is not to look like a Christian. It is to be ready for battle. Are you ready?