Presby-Musings

I am finishing up my sermon series on Finding Spiritual Direction this week. It's been a good series, I think.  People have told me so.  I want it to be.  God knows I need to know which way I am going, and what God is up to in my life. I imagine there are lots of people who feel the same way.  Especially with the world being what it is right now, and all.  The last sermon in this series is all about finding spiritual direction in community.  I have this question that I need to ask... "Could the way that we show we know Jesus be found in how we act toward each other?" And here's another question that follows the first question... "How does that help us find spiritual direction?" I have been reading I John 2:3-11 for my sermon text this week.  I've read it six ways to Sunday.  Here, you can read it, too. 3 We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. 4 The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he comm...

Sometimes prayer feels like a crap shoot. Sometimes it feels as though God is only listening about half of the time, and only about half again is listening for the purpose of actually helping me out. Sometimes I feel as though that prayer is the last thing that I need to do to solve a problem.  Sometimes I wonder why I am even praying at all when it doesn't feel as though it makes a difference one way or another.  I mean, if God is going to do what God is going to do...  than what's the point? Jesus prayed a lot.  It seemed to work for him.  But then again, he had a more direct line to God than anyone, and he sort of thought the same kinds of thoughts that God was thinking.  I'm pretty sure that  his disciples were fairly envious of Jesus' prayer life and the way he always seemed so confident about the effects of prayer.  That's why in Luke chapter 18 we get this: Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should alw...