Category: Christian Living

Pursuing a holistic expression of Christian faith that is true to the Bible and applicable for today’s world.

Pray Once and Pray Without Ceasing

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date June 17, 2012

When we ask God for something, is it a “once and done” effort or should we pray repeatedly until our request is granted?

I think the answer is yes!

If we truly believe God hears our prayers, then we only need to ask once. (And what’s the point of praying if we don’t think he hears our every word?) To ask a second time may suggest a lack of faith.

Is incessantly pleading with God akin to children repeatedly begging their parents for candy? Just as a kid’s non-stop plea is irritating to parents, constantly begging God, must also bug him.

However, there are times, when prayers should be repeated. For example, in the parable of the widow petitioning the unjust judge, Jesus commends her persistence. Another time Jesus taught us to ask each day for our “daily bread.”

And while having enough food to eat may not be a concern for most of us, we do need God’s provisions for each new day—and it’s appropriate to make that request every morning.

There are times when we should only petition God once and other instances where we need to ask repeatedly. And part of our spiritual journey is discerning the difference.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Tags prayer

Christian Living

Do You Create for the Creator?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date June 10, 2012

I’ve never considered myself to be a creative person, not like artists and musicians or architects and engineers. While I may be good at tweaking something existing, making something new is not how I’m wired.

I’m definitely a left-brain thinker: analytical and logical, a processor of information and problem-solver. Yet, I’m also a writer—and writing is creating.

Each blog post, each article, and each book I write is the artistic birth of something not before seen; it is a new creation.

Creating things, be it art, music, buildings, devices, or even literature is a spiritual experience, be it a good spiritual or a bad spiritual. I, for one, endeavor for my creations of words to be a good spiritual.

God is a creative being. He created the universe (don’t fixate on the how, you’ll miss the point) and we are the pinnacle of his creation.

I recently tweeted: “God is the ultimate artist, creation is his masterpiece, and each of us is a work of art.”

We are made is his image, so it is inherently characteristic for us to yearn to make things—just as he made us.

As a child, I gave pictures to my mom; I now give my writing to God—and I believe he receives them with even more joy.

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Tags creative, writing

Christian Living

The Spirituality of Receiving

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date June 3, 2012

When we give something to others, there should be a spiritual element to our generosity. It’s more than just to be nice to them or to feel better about ourselves.

There’s a spiritual aspect in giving that can honor God and connect us more closely with him.

There’s also a spiritual aspect in receiving. Just as a rightly given gift should be offered graciously, it should also be received gratefully.

Doing so honors the giver and likewise connects us more closely with God, the ultimate giver of all good gifts.

I recently had some minor surgery and was on the receiving end of other’s generosity. Most prominently, my bride became my head nurse for a few days, doing things for me I’m used to doing myself.

Each act of kindness was another small gift.

Although I’m more comfortable in the role of giver, I endeavored to receive each gift well. This was to honor both the giver and the God behind the gift.

We can show God’s love by how we give—and in how we receive.

May we do both well.

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Tags biblical Christianity, generosity, give

Christian Living

What Do You Expect When You Pray?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date May 27, 2012

When some people pray, they pray expecting God will answer their prayers and good things will happen.

When other people pray, they pray expecting there’s only an outside chance God will come through; bad things are bound to happen.

When you pray do you expect God to say “yes” or expect him to say “no?”

If we pray expecting God to grant our requests, there will be times when we are disappointed.

However, if we pray with little expectation of God granting our requests, there will only be a few times when we are surprised. We must pray in faith and without doubting.

I tend to be in the first group—expecting the best from God—and not in the latter group—expecting little from him. I see God as kind, loving, and benevolent, wanting to give me good things—all I need to do is ask.

When I pray, I almost always expect God to say “yes.”

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Tags doubt, faith, prayer

Christian Living

The Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date May 20, 2012

The Great Three in One

The prophet Isaiah gives four descriptive names for Jesus. They are Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.

However, I tend to think of Jesus as Savior, Healer, Redeemer, and so forth, but not so much the names Isaiah gives.

In fact, to me, Wonderful Counselor seems more descriptive of the Holy Spirit, while Everlasting Father and perhaps even Mighty God seem to point to God the Father.

Does Isaiah have his names mixed up? Am I confused? The answer to both questions is “no.”

If we truly perceive the God who is revealed in the Bible as three persons in one, then the names given to one part of the godhead appropriately applies to all three.

Therefore, Jesus really is the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace—as are the Holy Spirit and God the Father.

They are, three in one.

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Tags God, Heavenly Father, Holy Spirit, Jesus, trinity

Christian Living

Adopting a Jewish Affinity

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date May 13, 2012

I was recently on LinkedIn and a familiar name from long ago popped up as someone I might know. At least it was a most familiar name, for in this instance my friend’s name was preceded with the word Rabbi. I was intrigued.

I knew him through work and hadn’t seen him in twenty years. I also knew him to be Jewish, but perceived him to a marginal one, perhaps even irreverently so.

Could it be the same person? I was becoming excited. Given my recollection from two decades past, the profile picture looked right. And his work history confirmed it was the same person.

But now he is a Rabbi! I scanned his summary, noting that he is self-described as “a wandering Jew.”

I can so appreciate that, wandering, searching, on a journey—a godly journey. I felt a real connection with him, an affinity, a faith affinity.

We do worship and serve the same God, albeit from a different perspective, approach, and outlook. And we are both on a faith journey.

For a long time, I’ve felt a deep faith affinity towards the Jewish people—and have wondered why God placed such a connection in my heart.

Then I suddenly realized why. I read and study about Jews every day in my Bible. Most all those who I connect within the Bible are Jews. So, it should be no surprise I feel a deep connection with those who diligently follow in their footsteps.

I have a deep affinity with Jews because they are the main characters in the book I love and read the most.

Read more in How Big is Your Tent? A Call for Christian Unity, Tolerance, and Love and discover what the Bible says about following Jesus. Available in e-book and paperback.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Tags Jewish

Christian Living

What Does an “Unspoken Request” Really Mean?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date May 6, 2012

At a church I recently visited, members shared prayer requests as part of the service. One lady raised her hand and simply said she had an “unspoken request.”

Though I’ve not heard that phrase in a long time, it was a common utterance at a church I once attended. It was almost always said by women, and it always puzzled me. What exactly was behind such a statement?

In considering how it was said, with the body language and tone of voice behind it—ranging from emotional turmoil to smug self-satisfaction—I formulated several possible interpretations:

I am too embarrassed to say this aloud.
My need is too shameful to mention.
I really have nothing to share, but want to call attention to myself.
I want to be mysterious and garner unwarranted sympathy.
My request is not appropriate to share in a large group or in mixed company.
I cannot put the pain in my heart into words.

I think at one time or another, each of these were a correct understanding of the motivation for the person who uttered this ambiguous phrase.

As for the lady who said it most recently, there was definitely a deep emotional pain behind it. I doubt if she could have said much more. In this case I was glad to pray for her—even compelled to do so.

More importantly, when we can’t form the words to express the turmoil within, God is able to understand our groan of a prayer anyway.

With him, there is no such thing as an unspoken request.

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Tags doubt, prayer

Christian Living

The Festival of Faith and Writing

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date April 29, 2012

The Connections Between Faith and Writing

Last weekend I attended the Festival of Faith and Writing conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Although the words “faith” and “writing” both appear in the conference name, I expected the benefits of attending to be primarily writing related.

While my expectations to learn more about the art and craft of writing were realized, there was also a spiritual aspect, which came as a pleasant surprise, even though only the concluding chapel service was specifically faith focused.

I’m still trying to determine why the conference was a significant spiritual experience for me. Being surrounded by two thousand other like-minded writers was surely a contributing factor.

And it being held at Calvin College, a Christian liberal arts school, certainly didn’t hurt. Or perhaps it was an answer to the prayer that my buddy Jerry and I uttered on our drive there.

What I do know is something doesn’t need to be overtly spiritual for there to be spiritual value—and the Festival of Faith and Writing proved that to be true.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Tags faith, writing

Christian Living

How Can We Hear From God?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date April 22, 2012

A good friend was all excited. He had something he couldn’t wait to share.

“God revealed something to me,” he announced. “I’ve not yet found it in the Bible, but I know it’s there somewhere.”

I completely missed what God had revealed to him because I was so taken aback contemplating his statement.

I have no doubt he heard from God—and I trust he heard correctly—but his assertion that he would find it in the Bible perplexed me.

Growing up I was taught that God speaks to us through the Bible and we speak to him in prayer. That’s correct, but it’s only part of a greater truth.

God can also speak words to us through his spirit, not in written words, but in oral words, or perhaps whispered words, words he implants into our mind.

Another wise friend told me if what we think we heard from God doesn’t line up with the Bible, then what we thought we heard wasn’t really from him. In addition to scripture, we can also run our revelations by trusted friends and those in authority over us.

If everything lines up, then we can be quite sure we heard from God.

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Tags doubt, hear God, prayer

Christian Living

What Does it Mean to Pray Hard?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date April 15, 2012

Have you ever had someone ask you to “pray hard?” I have. Often it’s for a pressing personal issue or a distressing situation—and they implore me to “pray hard.”

When they say this, I think I know what they mean—or at least I hope I do. I think “pray hard” means, “This is serious, so don’t take it lightly—and don’t forget!”

However, they could be expressing an understanding of God that might be a bit off. If by “pray hard” they mean, “put forth more effort” or “work hard to get God’s attention,” then they’re implying that our degree of effort affects God’s response.

A similar situation is when a person prays and doesn’t like God’s answer. He or she may say, “I guess I just didn’t pray hard enough.”

I think this perspective puts too much responsibility on us and diminishes God’s character in the process.

Yes, we do need to pray, but I don’t see God expecting us to jump through hoops or devote a certain amount of time before he listens and answers.

Sometimes a prayer may be a short, simple sentence. Other times it may be more lengthy or a mere groan. Sometimes we may pray for a situation just once and other times it may be every day, for weeks, months, or years.

These are all appropriate ways that God may lead us to pray, but to “pray hard” in order to get his attention isn’t one of them.

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Tags pray