My Traveling Companion

Dear Lord; Happy Tuesday Father!

Heavenly Father,

I come to You today not in pride,

But from humility.

Not in stability,

But from within my brokenness.

Not as a man,

But as Your Child.

Walk with me Father,

And be my Strength.

I seek Your presence Lord;

Your divine touch that rights my troubled spirit,

Your radiant visage that lights my path,

Your comforting embrace that soothes my anxious heart,

And Your guiding hand to lead me.

Walk with me Father,

And be my strength.

I’m tired Lord,

And weary,

And burdened,

And fearful;

And Your voice seems quieter than usual.

Help me silence that dissent Lord,

And free my heart from those things that obscure You from me.

Walk with me Father,

And be my strength.

Draw me to You Lord;

Allow me haven in Your tender mercy,

That I might shed my soul of earthly trials,

And focus on Your will.

Though the road before me twists and turns,

My Traveling Companion knows the true path.

Walk with me Father,

And be my strength.

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Jumping In

Dear Lord; Happy Wednesday Father!

First off Lord, I want to thank You for yet another wonderful Small Group gathering at the house last night.  We’re three weeks into the “Treasures of the Transformed Life” study, and so far it’s been an encouraging and inspiring series.  And while the course material has certainly been an excellent starting point for our discussions, the tangential conversation topics that have evolved from that syllabus have been even more of a Blessing to the group.

This week’s section was called “Jumping in With Both Feet”, and focused primarily on the role of our church family in our Walk with Christ, and also how important our presence is for that family to thrive.

Without going into a great deal of detail, the chapters this past week were dedicated to helping us understand how significant a commitment to our church membership truly is.  The author draws a very distinct line between our “attendance” and our “presence” at church, making the differentiation that when we’re “plugged in” to the other members of the congregation, we open ourselves to listening, caring and aiding them when they’re in need.  In addition, when we joyfully share the unique combinations of Spiritual Gifts that we’ve each been Blessed with, we strengthen and expand the Body of Christ, which in turn aids us in growing our faith, and in showing Your light to others.  The Apostle Paul wrote of this relationship in his Epistle to the Romans:

“For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.” – Romans 12:4-8 (ESV)

Our group last night was an excellent example of what Paul described; coming together with our brothers and sisters in Christ, and sharing the encouragement, support and perspective that Your intimate presence in our lives brings about.

Heavenly Father,

All-in-all Lord, last night was another wonderful, inspired gathering, and I thank You for bringing us together once again to dig deeper into our relationships with You.  Please continue to guide us in Your will, that we may grow both as Your Blessed Children, and as members of the Body of Christ.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Eternal Prosperity

Dear Lord; Happy Tuesday Father!

In my discussions with and ministering to people over the last year Father, I’ve noticed that one topic of concern seems to rear it’s head more often than any other…

Economic fear and uncertainty.

Our country, and the world in general hasn’t seen financial turmoil like this in a very long time Lord, and it’s made many who thought they were secure and stable feel quite vulnerable.  I know in my case, this has been the most financially difficult year Shannon and I have ever faced, so I understand the concerns completely.  Unemployment is near all-time highs, the cost of gasoline, electricity and home-heating fuel has skyrocketed, and the general sense among many I speak with each day is that it’s isn’t going to get better anytime soon…

Prosperity seems out of reach.

But it’s not… We’re just looking for it in the wrong place.

In today’s society, prosperity is commonly linked with so many worldly states Father; wealth, fame, status, and beauty to name a few.  By defining our self-worth using earthly yardsticks, we’re chaining ourselves to the changing world around us:

Money is gained and lost…

Fame is fleeting…

You can’t “keep up with the Jones’” forever…

Our physical looks change as we age…

None of these things define us, unless we allow them to.

And that’s not who we are in Your eyes.  You love us Father; each and every one of us:

Whether we make millions in the stock market or live out a humble existence; You love us all the same. 

Whether we rise to stardom, or spend our days in quiet contemplation; You love us all the same.

Whether we spend our leisure time at the country club playing golf, or taking our kids to the public park to play; You love us all the same.

Whether our face adorns the cover of the latest Glamour Magazine, or we’re suitable to be the next contestant on “What Not to Wear”; You love us all the same.

You love us all the same…

Your desire is that we should all be prosperous Father, but not necessarily in the way that society describes.  True prosperity doesn’t come from the accumulation of wealth or the achievement of worldly power; those things are finite, and just of this earth.  True prosperity in our lives is found in the riches we store in our eternal home; in Your Heavenly Kingdom.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:19-21 (ESV)

True, Eternal Prosperity… It’s within our reach, we simply need to claim it by living our lives in Your service:

Giving of ourselves to help others…

Reading, studying and living by Your Word…

Joining with others in Fellowship to strengthen the Body of Christ…

Opening ourselves to You in prayer, and seeking Your presence in our lives.

Now that’s true success Father… That’s the prosperity that I seek.

Heavenly Father,

In today’s uncertain times Lord, we thank You for the one assuredness we can all cling to; Your unconditional love for us.  Please help us focus not on the transient idols of existence this world holds dear, but instead on building riches in Your Heavenly Kingdom.

In Jesus’ Name I pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Thankful Thursday: All Eyes Are On You

Dear Lord; Happy Thankful Thursday Father!

Last week Lord, I had my annual eye exam as required by Delaware law to renew the prescription for my contact lenses.  I’ve never been a huge fan of anyone poking around in my eyes, but since I switched to contacts a few years back I’ve become accustomed to the necessary ritual each autumn.  This year’s visit however, yielded a bit of a surprise for me.  When the examination had been completed, the doctor quietly informed me that she was going to have to write me a different prescription…

My eyesight has actually gotten stronger.

The doctor explained to me that it wasn’t uncommon for people’s eyesight to vary over the years, but I still feel there’s a parallel here that I shouldn’t ignore nonetheless.  My eyesight began to degrade when I was seven years old, requiring me to wear glasses from second grade on.  Since that time, I can’t remember even one eye exam where my vision has shown even a minute change for the better.  I find it intriguing that while my earthly eyes have become stronger, at the same time I’m seeing Your presence all around me with ever increasing clarity as well.

As Toby Mac stated in the song “Lose My Soul”;

All eyes are on You Lord… All eyes are on You.

Thanks for the smile Father.  🙂

Picking up where I left off on last week’s Thankful Thursday list Lord, this week I’ve been especially grateful for:

331. The opportunity I received to minister to a friend in need this week.

332. A wonderful, inspiring evening’s discussion at this week’s Small Group Gathering : “Treasures of the Transformed Life”

333. A tasty Sunday after-church brunch trying a new recipe : Cinnamon Roll Pancakes.

334. Having a weekend with a good bit of “down-time”.

335. My thoughtful Administrative Assistant bringing me two big bags of Twizzlers for Boss’ Day.

336. The comfort of Your presence when life’s situations begin to overwhelm me.

337. A wonderful photowalk with Jonathan and Aidan in Blackbird State Forest last Sunday.

338. The convictions of the Holy Spirit helping me to focus and grow as You desire me to.

339. A powerful evening of music and worship at the John Waller concert last Thursday night.

340. A successful first attempt at making homemade calzones this week.

341. Seeing the Holy Spirit growing in my wife Shannon more and more each day.

342. An eye exam showing that my vision has actually improved slightly.

343. The opportunity to be a part of Someone Else’s Story.

344. Connecting with a wide range of inspiring people and organizations through Twitter.

345. The inspirations You place on my heart each day.

Heavenly Father,

We give thanks Dear Lord, for all the many Blessings You bestow on us each day; both those which boldly announce Your glory, and those that grace our lives in silence.  Please open our eyes that we might recognize and praise You for the many gifts you bring to us, and open our hearts that we may share those overwhelming Blessings with those around us.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Drawing the Water

Dear Lord; Happy Wednesday Father!

Last night Lord, we held the second of six meetings for the Small Group Study “Treasures of the Transformed Life” at the house.  Like first gathering, it was well attended and everyone brought fresh perspective and insight to the discussion.  We even had a couple younger participants this time, and they jumped right in with both feet.  It was a productive and inspiring evening, and I felt truly Blessed to be a part of it.

This week’s focus was called “Drawing the Water”.  Continuing with the metaphor used in last week’s discussion : “Priming the Pump”, once we’ve prepared ourselves to receive Christ into our hearts by fully committing to Him, we can then begin to draw from that inexhaustible supply of Living Water that You make available to us.  The primary way we accomplish this is through the practice of prayer.

The study material discussed a number of types of prayers, methodologies for focusing our prayers and the different ways that You respond to those conversations when we do so.  Our group latched onto this topic wholeheartedly, and we had a wonderful exchange discussing the different ways we pray, things we’ve prayed for, and the myriad of ways in which You’ve answered those prayers in our lives.  It was a lively, refreshing dialogue, and I believe that everyone who attended came away with some new perspective on making our conversations with You a deeper part of our lives.

As I’m sure You can tell Father, I’m very much enjoying leading this group of people through the study.  It’s a warm, inviting, friendly gathering each week, and I think all of us have learned a great deal so far; both from the study itself, and from the wonderful input each member brings to the discussion.  I’m thankful for being a part of this endeavor, and look forward to continuing it next week.

Heavenly Father,

I come to You today Lord, with arms open wide and a heart committed to Your presence in my life.  Through Your gift of prayer, You grant us a personal audience and an open invitation to deepen our relationship by seeking You.  For that heavenly connection, and all of the other ways You come into our lives, I give thanks.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil