Their website says we’ll find “a laid-back, coffeehouse atmosphere” with “an unconventional setting where a blend of people, of all ages, from all walks of life, can gather and feel at home.”
This is my kind of church. It’s an outlier church in a mainline denomination.
Consider these four discussion questions about Church #15:
1. Weather permitting, the service will be outdoors. I’m excited for a chance to worship in nature, but I’m disappointed I won’t experience their typical service.
Regular attendees may appreciate a special service, but how does this impact visitors?
2. We arrive and see no hint of an outdoor service. We later learn that based on today’s forecast for ninety-three degrees, they decided to meet inside.
How well does your church deal with last-minute changes?
3. The service starts with a video. It’s an allegory that shows the importance of churches maintaining their original purpose: focusing outward and avoiding the snare of self-centeredness or adopting an inward preoccupation.
How can your church better maintain an outward focus?
4. Next is a time for healing prayer, another first on our journey, and a most welcome one.
Does your church offer healing prayer for people in need? Do you?
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.
Carefully Consider What You Ask of God Each Day When You Pray
When Jesus’s disciples asked him to teach them how the pray, he gave them a prayer (Luke 11:1-4).
Though many people recite this prayer exactly as the Bible records it (also see Matthew 6:9-13), a better approach is to use this prayer—often called the Lord’s prayer—as a model to inform our own communication with God.
One line is “give us our daily bread.” This is a curious phrase that many people stumble over. Two thousand years ago having enough to eat—even having something to eat—was a daily concern for most people.
Hunger was something they knew too well, so they would easily resonate with Jesus’s prayer to ask God to provide them with food for the day.
Some people in our world today struggle with getting enough to eat. They’ll do well to ask God to “give us our daily bread.”
Some euphemistically call this need for enough to eat as “food insecurity.” Sorry, it’s called hunger. It leads to starvation and death. Don’t minimize the lack of this basic need of life by giving it a nice sounding label.
Yet much of the world gives little thought to where their next meal will come from. Most have plenty of food stockpiled in their homes, with nearby stores selling more.
For these people—myself included—does it make sense to ask God for something he’s already provided? I think not. In fact, I suspect that thoughtlessly asking him for what he’s already given stands as an insult to his generosity.
Instead, we should consider how to adapt the phrase “give us our daily bread” to our situation today. One thought, which I followed for many years, is to ask God to “provide us with what we need for today.”
For me this became a generic request to give me the basics things I needed for the day. Instead of asking for my daily bread, I asked for the essentials for my daily life.
This focus became me asking God each morning to supply just what I needed for the day. Oh, how this limited him. It’s as if I were asking for just enough to live another day, when he was standing by, ready to do all that and much more.
All I needed to do was ask.
What if we begin each day by asking God to provide for us from the bounty of his limitless resources?
We could make a generic request for him to provide for us in his sovereign wisdom. Or better yet we could ask for specifics, requesting God’s supernatural intervention in particular situations or to meet certain needs.
These items could relate to health, finances, work, relationships, safety, favor, or any number of other things.
For some people asking God for their daily bread is a wise, necessary, and proper request. But for the rest of us, it’s time to stop saying this out of rote repetition and start making specific requests to God each day.
Consider how to apply the phrase “give us our daily bread” to your prayers each morning. Then do it.
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.
Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.” Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.
We Can Believe That God Hears and Answers Our Requests
When you pray do you think God hears you? Does he answer your prayers? All of them? The Bible says so. Consider what Scripture teaches.
God Hears Our Prayers
First, we can have assurance that God does indeed hear our prayers.
John writes that we can be confident that God will hear everything we ask for, and we will receive it. The only requirement is that we must align our requests with his will (1 John 5:14-15).
The challenge for us then is to determine his perspective and pray according to his will. But this may not be as hard as what we think. Paul writes that we already have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16).
Jesus Says God Answers Our Prayers
Jesus teaches that we can ask whatever we wish, and he will do it for us. There is, of course, the requirement that we maintain our focus on him and his word (John 15:7). But aside from that, he’ll do whatever we request.
Another time Jesus teaches that we can ask for anything in prayer. If we believe that we have received it, then we will (Mark 11:24).
Parents Give Their Children Good Gifts
These verses seem to say, that given some basic requirements, God does hear our prayers and will answer them. Yet, there are times when I haven’t received what I asked for, and other times he seemed to ignore my pleas.
Have you ever felt that way?
The problem, however, isn’t that God didn’t answer our prayers. It’s that he didn’t answer them the way we wanted him to.
Consider a child asking their parents for something. A loving parent will do whatever they can to respond to the child’s requests. Yet a wise parent will sometimes say no because it’s not in their child’s best interest.
For example, if a child wanted a steady diet of candy, we would say no, instead providing a well-balanced and nutritious meal.
Giving our kids junk food—even when it’s what they ask for—isn’t good for them. So we give them what’s best for them, even if that’s not what they want (Matthew 7:11 and Luke 11:13).
God Provides What’s in Our Best Interest
Parents, however, sometimes make mistakes when it comes to raising their kids. God, however, doesn’t. He loves us fully and perfectly.
As our loving Heavenly Father, he gives us exactly what we need, when we need it, to accomplish the best possible outcome for our lives.
We can be confident in him to do that. God does hear and will answer our prayers.
Though the answer may not always be what we want, it’s always what’s best.
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.
Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.” Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.
Paul Spent Time with God in the Spiritual Realm and So Can We
In Paul’s second letter to the church in Corinth he makes a cryptic statement about going to the third heaven. He doesn’t know if it’s an out of body experience or not (2 Corinthians 12:2).
This is the only verse in the Bible that uses the phrase third heaven. What does it mean? By looking at other uses of heaven in the Bible, we find three applications.
Sometimes heaven refers to the sky. This is the first use of heaven.
Other times heaven refers to the sun, moon, and stars. This is the second use of heaven.
Another instance refers to God’s dwelling place. This is the third use of heaven.
This means that Paul went to heaven for a time—whether in body or in spirit, he’s not sure—and then returned to earth. It seems too fantastic to be true.
I’ve not told this to too many people, but I believe I’ve also been to the third heaven. Several times. Like Paul I’m not sure if this was in my body or out of it. Though a few times I did have a physical form when I was there.
At first, I only had a fleeting awareness of my presence in heaven before returning to earth. Sometimes I’d bow at the foot of Father God’s throne, stretching out my hand to touch his foot in reverence.
Occasionally I’d succeed, but usually my straining to reach the Almighty fell just a bit short.
After that I had a couple of longer experiences in the third heaven. I can’t describe them other than to say they were glorious and euphoric. I didn’t want to leave. These occurred when I was fasting and praying.
Then one day—again while fasting and praying—I desired to visit heaven, but God said no. He explained that if he allowed me to return, I’d want to spend too much time there, which would detract from what he wants me to do here on earth. I get that. He was right, of course.
One day—when my work here is done—I will return to heaven and stay there forever. It will be glorious, euphoric, and so much more—too wonderful to describe or comprehend.
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.
Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.” Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.
Prayer is part of my daily spiritual journey—at least most of the time. Each day. before I climb out of bed, I seek God’s blessings for my day. I ask that I will write well, he will grant me favor, and he will provide what I need.
Some days these requests seem more imperative than others, that I don’t dare start my day until I’ve invited him—sometimes implored him—to join me in it. There is power in prayer, and I so need it.
I also strive to end each day with prayer, but I’m not as consistent here. I ask that I will fall asleep quickly and awake refreshed. I pray for peaceful, God-honoring dreams.
I also intend to thank him for his blessings throughout the day, but too often I fall asleep before I get that far.
Prayer also occurs throughout my day. I ask for wisdom when making important decisions and insight for dealing with problems (James 1:5). I also ask for the supernatural ability to find things I’ve lost or recall things I can’t remember.
God always comes through when I seek him in these things. Yes, there is power in prayer.
Yet this isn’t to say that my day overflows with prayer and walking closely with my Creator. Sometimes I forget to seek the Almighty, even when I need him the most. A recent ordeal illustrates this point all too well.
The Power of Prayer
On Friday I uploaded my long-awaited audiobook for Women of the Bible to an audiobook distributor. A professional narrator had optimized the files, so I anticipated I’d soon see my audiobook for sale around the world.
On Saturday, however, I received a notice from the distributor that they had rejected my files for technical issues. They listed multiple problems with every single chapter. I was dismayed, and my narrator was shocked.
On Monday I received another email repeating their determination. They reminded me that until we fixed every file to their satisfaction, my book would not be available for sale.
Perplexed, my narrator reworked his schedule to block out time later in the week to tackle the lengthy list of problems.
On Wednesday I mentioned the ordeal in my weekly newsletter. After sharing my disappointment, I wrote:
“God’s perspective is different, though I can’t yet see it. What I do sense is that God is not disappointed, which fills me with hope. I’ll cling to that.”
I concluded by saying:
“When we’re disappointed, it’s God’s perspective that matters.”
I sent the email and prayed it would encourage others who were dealing with their own disappointments.
I wasn’t expecting readers to reply, but they did. One response was from a friend providing encouragement and offering blessings and prayers for a quick resolution.
At that moment I realized I had not prayed for a quick resolution. I had not prayed at all.
n fact, over the eight months since I first started working on the audiobook version, I had not prayed for it one bit. And this was despite encountering delays and frustrations along the way.
I confessed my lack of prayerfulness and added my prayers for a quick resolution to my friend’s, along with others who were also praying.
Having not yet made any changes to the files, three hours later the distributor emailed me with a correction, saying that they had now approved the recordings, and I could move forward.
That is the power of prayer.
May we remember that there is power in prayer and pray throughout our day, rejoicing and thanking God (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
Thank you, Jesus, for hearing our prayers and answering them.
Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in e-book, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook.
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.
Now we’ll build upon that understanding and use it to inform us so that we can better pray to the Trinity.
When you pray, who do you pray to? Many people address their prayers to God. There’s nothing wrong with this, but it’s a bit impersonal and keeps him at a distance.
God doesn’t want that, and we shouldn’t either. God desires that we have an intimate relationship with him.
This should be our intent as well. One way to do this is to stop addressing our prayers to God and start talking to him using his Trinitarian parts: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. That is, our Creator, our Savior, and our Advocate.
To inform us as we move forward, consider the characteristics of each part of the godhead.
Pray to the Trinity When We Offer Thanks and Praise
God deserves our adoration and are thankful hearts. Out of gratitude for what he’s done for us, is doing for us, and will do for us we should praise and thank him.
To help make this come alive we can address our appreciation, as appropriate, to the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit.
For example, we can praise the Father for creating us (knowing that his Son took part as well, John 1:1-3). We can thank Jesus for saving us. We can thank the Holy Spirit for living in us and guiding us.
Likewise, we can praise Father God for his blessings and provisions. We can praise Savior God for his example, words, and sacrifice to save us. We can praise Holy Spirit God for living in us and guiding us.
Pray to the Trinity When We Make Our Requests
We can also use this idea of praying to the Trinity to inform our petitions. For example, James writes that if anyone lacks wisdom, they should ask God (James 1:5).
This is correct. But which part of the godhead can best grant this request? The Holy Spirit. So ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom.
If we seek a blessing, who might we ask? Go to God the Father. Ask the Father for his provisions, and he will provide.
If we desire to live a more holy life—not to earn God’s attention but as an act of worship—we might ask this of Jesus, since his life serves as an example for us to follow.
In Whose Name Should We Pray?
Jesus tells us we are to set our requests before him, asking in his name (John 14:13-14).
Some Christian traditions follow this by adding a phrase to the end of their prayers: “in Jesus’s name we pray, amen.” Of course, Jesus also tells us to pray to the Father (Matthew 6:6). Which is it? Both.
In addition, the Holy Spirit can help us when we pray. He will intercede for us (Romans 8:26-27). Should we then pray in his name?
How about all three? This may be why other Christian traditions pray “in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”
Enjoy Freedom as We Pray
This idea that we can pray to the Trinity is to free us so that we can move into a closer and more meaningful relationship with God. In doing so we should hold loosely our desire to identify the correct part of God to pray to.
If we ask Jesus for something that more appropriately should go to the Father, it’s not a problem. They are one (John 17:22).
Praying to one is praying to all three. If we get the name wrong, it’s not a big deal.
This idea that we can pray to the Trinity is not a command to follow but one option to enhance our prayers. As we pray to the Trinity, we can breathe life into our prayers if our words mired stuck in a rut.
In the same way, this can also draw us into a closer relationship with God if he seems distant. Remember, it’s not him who’s far away from us but we who are far away from him.
When we pray to the Trinity as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit we draw ourselves to God in greater intimacy. Isn’t this the purpose of prayer?
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.
Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.” Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.
Jesus fasted (Luke 4:1-2). Should we follow his example? Though his disciples didn’t fast (Matthew 9:14), he said when he returned to heaven, the time for fasting would resume (Luke 5:34-35).
In his well-known Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches about fasting. He says, “when you fast (Matthew 6:16-18).” He doesn’t say “if you fast.” It seems clear that Jesus expects us to fast. How’s that going for you?
Here are eight tips about fasting, that I’ve learned the hard way through experience:
1. The Purpose of Fasting Is Not to Get God’s Attention
If our intended outcome of fasting is to get our Lord to notice us, we’re missing the point. We don’t need to do anything special to garner his attention.
He loves us regardless of what we do or don’t do. We don’t need to earn his consideration. Fasting so that he will grant us favor may irritate him more so than win his appreciation.
2. The Purpose of Fasting Is Not to Abase Ourselves
When we fast, we do not deprive our self of food as an act of mortification. We do not seek to degrade ourselves. Fasting to produce pain accomplishes nothing of merit.
3. The Purpose of Fasting Is Not to Suffer
Fasting isn’t about us suffering as an act of devotion. Though it’s correct that as we stay true to our faith we may suffer as a result, this suffering is what others impose on us. It’s not self-inflicted.
4. The Purpose of Fasting Is Not to Gain Respect
Some people who don’t fast are in awe of those who do. But the intent of fasting is not to win the approval of others or garner their admiration.
If the opinion of others is why we fast, their esteem becomes the only outcome.
5. Don’t Fast to Achieve Side Benefits
Fasting often has positive physical outcomes. Aside from possible health benefits, fasting can produce weight loss and boost productivity. But if these become the motivations for fasting, forget about realizing any spiritual outcomes.
6. The Goal of Fasting Is to Connect with God
When we fast, we push aside the physical to focus on the spiritual. As we do, we draw closer to God and experience him in a more intimate way that might not have otherwise been possible.
7. The Goal of Fasting Is to Pray and Listen
When we fast, we can take the time we’d normally spend in meal preparation and in eating and use it to pray and listen to God. By denying our physical desires, we heighten our spiritual awareness.
8. The Goal of Fasting Is to Better Align Our Perspective with God’s
When we fast and connect with God, pray, and listen, we can better comprehend reality through his eyes. Instead of trying to get God to see things our way, we can better see things his way.
Fasting helps us to relate with the viewpoint of our Creator more effectively.
Conclusion
When done the right way for the right reasons, fasting helps us connect with God through prayer and listening to him. As we do so, we better align our perspective with his.
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.
Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.” Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.
As we move from one year to the next, may we put behind us the challenges, fear, and uncertainty of the past year and move into the new one with expectation.
Here is my New Year’s blessing for you:
May God keep you physically safe, emotionally healthy, and spiritually vibrant.
May God provide for you in abundance.
May God grant you favor in all that you do and with the people you meet.
May God grow your relationships with others, strengthening the good ones and shoring up the challenging ones.
May God draw you into a fuller, deeper, more meaningful worship of him. May you do so in Spirit and in truth.
May God lead you to those who are hurting and in need of help. May he show you what to do and give you the wisdom and ability to do it.
May God speak to you through Holy Spirit insight and endow you with Holy Spirit power.
May God give you strength to do what he calls you to do.
May God empower you to advance his kingdom.
May God speak to you as you read and study his Word. May you hear him when he speaks to you through his Holy Spirit.
May God bless you indeed!
May this new year be your best year ever.
May it be so.
Receive this New Year’s blessing in confidence, through faith.
Thank you, Father for your provisions. Thank you, Jesus for healing and saving us. Thank you, Holy Spirit for living in us and guiding us. Thank you for giving us another year of life and for the potential it represents.
May we honor you and worship you by making the most of what you have provided for us. May we celebrate you in this new year you have given us in all that we do, say, and think.
Amen.
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.
Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.” Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.
My favorite verse in the Bible is about an honorable man. His name is Jabez. What did he do? He prayed. That’s it. Does that sound boring? It could be, except for the outcome.
The result is profound. After Jabez prays, the Bible says that “God granted his request.” How reassuring is that?
This simple phrase, that God answered his request, is seemingly not profound, but it is most encouraging to me.
It’s a reminder that God hears our prayers—even our bold, audacious, far-reaching requests—and then answers them in the affirmative.
When I pray, there is often a mystery to the words I say and what they mean: when God answers, how he answers, and if he answers the way I expect him to.
Sometimes it makes sense to me and other times, not so much. During dry times, it may seem like he never answers, but there are also times when the answers are quick and obvious.
This verse is a powerful reminder to me that God does indeed hear our prayers and answer them. Just ask Jabez.
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.
Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.” Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.
Three significant actions stand out from church today:
1. Here’s What to Expect
“Let me tell you what to expect in our service.” A lady takes time to explain their worship style and reveals they take communion every week. “It’s an open communion.” I nod, glad to know.
I ponder this question every time a church we visit serves communion—and seldom is the answer clear. “You may partake whenever you want…we don’t do it all together.”
I nod again. No one in the past 46 weeks has told us what to expect. Her thoughtfulness makes so much sense.
We’ve had communion many times on our journey, but today is the first where I’m free to focus on the moment and don’t need to worry about the method.
When format overshadows substance, meaning is lost. Today, I’m truly able to celebrate the Lord’s Supper.
2. Conversation with God
Before the minister starts his sermon, he pauses to pray, turning his back to us to face the cross behind him. I appreciate the symbolism, reminding us that prayer is not an obligation to complete but a conversation with God.
3. Pray for Others
After the service a man introduces himself. I share our names and tell him about our sojourn. He asks, “How can I pray for you?”
I applaud his question. “You know…we’ve visited 46 churches and this is the first time someone’s asked us this—I really appreciate it.”
“And this is the first time I’ve asked.” We simultaneously acknowledge the work of the Holy Spirit. “…and I’m going to start doing it more often.”
He thanks me for the encouragement, and my wife and I share a concern with him. I know he’ll pray for us, perhaps even as we head to our car.
My wife and I visited a different Christian Church every Sunday for a year. This is our story. Get your copy of 52 Churches today, available in ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook.
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.
