John and Kathy Deisher

One Call, One Harvest, 50 Teams

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Learning to Pray

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[A note to my readers. During this time of “shelter-in-place” I thought I would write a series of devotionals aimed for those in vocational ministry. I recently re-read Eugene Peterson’s book “Working the Angles” and thought that this would be a great time to refocus on my ministry priorities. There is some good stuff in there for those who are not in vocational ministry, but it is geared particularly to those who are. –jd–]

  • Read

Mark 6:46 “And after he had taken leave of them, he went up to the mountain to pray.”

  • Meditate

How did you learn to pray? Well, if you are like me, you learned to pray by listening to others pray. 

But, what if there were a manual on how to pray that came directly from God? What if there were a model for prayer no matter what season we find ourselves in? What if there were an instruction manual on how to respond to what God is doing?

There is! We call it Psalms.

Reading and studying Psalms is how we can learn the way to pray. It is interesting that Psalms is broken down into five parts. It is even more interesting that as you study both Psalms and the first five books of the law (Genesis through Deuteronomy), there is a correlation.

The first five books are God’s divine utterance on who we are, how and why we came to be, how he works, and how he expects us to live in relationship with him and others. The five sections of Psalms are the human answer, in prayer, to God’s divine utterance.

So in the Psalms we have the textbook for our first angle – prayer. This is where we learned how God is to be praised. There are happy times and dark times, times of blessing and times of tribulation.  And in Psalms, there are prayers for every occasion.

  • Pray

“Father, teach us to pray. If prayer is one of the foundational parts of who I am, then I want to know how to do it well. You know the way of the righteous and have set your glory above the heavens. As I learn to pray, give me ears to hear, eyes to see, and a heart to receive. Amen.”

  • Contemplate

1. Take one of the Psalms that speak to you. Re-write it in your words as your prayer to God. After you pray, listen for his response.

2. The Psalms are broken down so that you can read it easily in one to three months. Find a plan and commit to reading through Psalms multiple times this year. I read through Psalms every three months (and Proverbs monthly). Commit to reading the Psalms as a prayer during this period and see how you can develop your prayer life.

(This devotional series is based on my notes from “Working the Angles” by Eugene Peterson)

Partnering with God

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[A note to my readers. During this time of “shelter-in-place” I thought I would write a series of devotionals aimed for those in vocational ministry. I recently re-read Eugene Peterson’s book “Working the Angles” and thought that this would be a great time to refocus on my ministry priorities. There is some good stuff in there for those who are not in vocational ministry, but it is geared particularly to those who are. –jd–]

  • Read

1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

  • Meditate

Eugene Peterson writes that prayer is the central act for maintaining the essential shape of ministry. The importance of prayer for those of us in ministry cannot be overstated.

It is unfortunate that prayer has become what I do, I.e. I tell God all of the things I am facing, all of the needs I have, and how I want him to act in response to my requests. We treat prayer as if it is the initiator of something, and God’s response is the answering word. In reality, when we pray we are the answering speech to God’s first word. God has initiated the desire to come to him. All we are doing is bringing ourselves to his attention through our prayers.

So what is the purpose of prayer? The ultimate purpose of prayer is to be a part of what is going on with God. In prayer we ask, “What are you doing God in my life, in my situation, in the lives and situations of those I know and love, and how do I partner with you?”

This is a dynamic shift in thought. No longer are we asking God to be involved in what we think is our work. We are asking to be involved in what is truly his work.

And that partnership makes all the difference.

  • Pray

What are you doing, Father? Show me how you are working in my life. Show me how you are working in the lives of those I will see today. I desire to partner with you in what you are doing. Let me lay aside my plans so I can partner with you this day. Amen.

  • Contemplate

1. As you go through your day, ask, “What are you doing right now, God, and how do I partner with you.” Start with your calendar for the day and listen to how God would structure your day.

2. Are you facing a situation you have been asking God to fix? Instead, pray today that God would show you how he is working in that situation and how you can partner with what he is doing. See your trials and tribulations as a chance to partner with God and his plan for you.

(This devotional series is based on my notes from “Working the Angles” by Eugene Peterson)

Lines & Angles

By

[A note to my readers. During this time of “shelter-in-place” I thought I would write a series of devotionals aimed for those in vocational ministry. I recently re-read Eugene Peterson’s book “Working the Angles” and thought that this would be a great time to refocus on my ministry priorities. There is some good stuff in there for those who are not in vocational ministry, but it is geared particularly to those who are. –jd–]

  • Read

Psalm 103:21 “Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will!

  • Meditate

Imagine a triangle. Go ahead. I’ll wait.

Got it? Good. Now imagine that the three lines of the triangle represent the visible roles we fill as vocational ministers. Let’s label those lines: preaching, teaching, and administration.

This is what we do. This is what people see. And, in some cases, these roles are how we define ourselves.

But what makes a triangle different from just three random lines? It is that they are connected at angles. Go ahead, take a look at your imaginary triangle. See those angles? Tri-ANGLES?

I want to talk about those angles. Much of what I will be writing in the next few days comes from Eugene Peterson’s insightful book, “Working the Angles”. We want to move from focusing on those three public roles, the lines, to what connects them, the angles.

What are those angles that keep our public ministry together? They are prayer, scripture reading, and spiritual direction. They are found in our private lives. Without those three, preaching, teaching, and administration fall apart. These are angles that are the foundation of being a minister who does the will of God.

So, let us bless the Lord and do his will.

  • Pray

Father, I desire to bless you with my life and ministry as I do your will. My prayer is that I learn to focus well on these angles that hold together the roles I fill. Give me ears to hear, eyes to see, and a heart to receive your words.

  • Contemplate

1. Have you allowed your identity as a minister of God to be in your public roles, forgetting to take care of those angles? Ask for God’s forgiveness as we go through this series.

2. Take the time to begin to look at your daily schedule and see how you can begin to work on these angles of ministry.

(This devotional series is based on my notes from “Working the Angles” by Eugene Peterson)

They Grow Up

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Read Luke 2:39-40 

And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.

Meditate

It’s Christmas Eve!

As I write this morning, I remember the 19 Christmas eves we have spent in this house. This was a day of excitement. Children negotiated on how many presents they could open, snacks were purchased and prepared, stockings were shared, children were sent to their rooms and admonished not to come out until the sun was up, and I had a list of how many things I was going to have to build after the children were asleep.

19 years changes a lot. This morning, the house is quiet. It is the kid’s year to be with the in-laws so we celebrated Christmas at Thanksgiving with them. It will be a quieter, simpler Christmas. No elaborate meal to prepare. No hushed whispers as grandchildren try to sneak in to see what Santa brought. No presents with indecipherable instructions to build. Our children have have grown up.

They love God. They are smart (and good looking!). The ones who are married chose (and were chosen) well. They love each other. They love us.

We have the joy of being their parents. And we let them grow up to be men and women of God.

Joseph and Mary watched Jesus grow up. I cannot imagine what that must have looked or felt like. We know only small snippets of his childhood. What we do know is that he was aware of his purpose.

So he grew. He became strong. He became wise. He walked in favor with God.

And Mary and Joseph had the joy of being his parents. Even knowing what lay ahead, they knew he would grow up and become the Christ, the Messiah. They parented him. And let him grow.

As we draw this series to a close, we cannot leave Jesus in a manger. He came as a baby, but he ministered as a man. He grew up. He became the Savior. And he changed forever our relationship with God. With death. With each other. With ourselves.

As we celebrate this season, we grow up, too. 

Hopefully, you have grown stronger in our faith. It is my prayer that you have gained wisdom. And it is my firm belief that the favor of God is upon you. 

Merry Christmas.

Pray

“Father, thank you for Jesus. Thank you that he grew up and became my Savior, that he was willing to complete your plan and die for my sins. Thank you for his resurrection, for now I have hope. I pray blessing today over every man, woman, and child as they find you. Amen.”

Contemplate

This is the season for preparing resolutions for the new year. One area for growth is in Bible reading. While I encourage people to read through the Bible in a year, could I suggest that you read the Gospels to start 2020. Reflect on who Jesus is and how he taught us to live.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

The Heart of Worship

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Read Matthew 2:7-11 

Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

Meditate

Like most people who attend church regularly, I enjoy the time we call “worship.” I have been in churches that had full orchestras and choirs. Some have had flashing lights and smoke machines. Some have had karaoke.

I have experienced all types of music. I have stood, sat, kneeled, and a couple of times been flat on my face. Sometimes I wanted it to never end, and a time or two I might have had a thought that it would never end.

But rarely was any of that what made the time “worship.” What made it worship was the attitude of my heart. Worship was good because I had come to seek the one who is worthy to be praised.

Have I always liked the music? No. Has it been too loud sometimes? Yes. Have their been distractions? Usually. But whether I liked the music or the setting or any other thing was not what made it worship. 

Because I came to see Jesus.

I have heard people say, “I really enjoyed worship today.” Why? “I really liked the songs.”

But did you see Jesus?

Anyone can find a king in a palace.

It takes a real worshipper to find the true king in a stable.

Pray

“Father, worship is not about me. It is always about you and the King of kings. Teach me to have the heart of a true worshipper. Amen.”

Contemplate

  • Its time for Christmas music. Listen and enjoy this version of “We Three Kings.”
  • What are your biases in worship? Ask God to reveal the things in your heart that could keep you from being a true worshipper. Come expecting to see Jesus.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Your Good News is Not My Good News

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Read Matthew 2:1-6

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

“‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
    who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

Meditate

I love good news. I love wedding and baby announcements, birthday wishes, job promotions.

Many times, though, someone’s good news is someone else’s not-so-good news. Your new job (good news) means someone else did not get the job (bad news), for instance. Good news, bad news.

So, while we focus on the good news in the story of Christmas, there were some people who did not see it that way.

Herod, for instance.

It is easy to understand. After all, you are the king. Then some guys show up and ask about finding the new king. It is kind of like walking in to work one morning, and your boss walks up to you and says, “Meet Susan. She is going to replace you. Train her well. Thanks.”

Awkward.

The coming of the Christ-child is good news for many, but not all. His coming means that there is a new king, and not everyone wants to find out they are no longer king of their life.

The good news of Jesus as king means my days of being king of my life are numbered. And, I have two choices: accept him as king, or try to kill him. I can deny my need for a new king, try to discredit him, attempt to remove him from the throne or ignore him.

But he is still the new king. And he makes the rules.

That is why we sometimes struggle with accepting Jesus as our king. We don’t want to give up the throne. We want him as Savior, but the good news of a new king is not good news. It means the total surrender of my life to a new ruler.

But the old king is dead. Long live the King!

Pray

“Father, thank you for the new king. Help me to willingly step down from the throne of my life and worship the new king. Amen.”

Contemplate

Take some quiet time today to reflect on your life. Are there areas where you are still trying to be king, or have you surrendered everything to Christ? Some areas to examine are your calling, your finances, and your time. Is Christ King of your singleness? Is he king of your marriage?

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Waiting (Part 2)

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Read Luke 2:36-38

And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

Meditate

There are two kinds of waiting.

The first kind of waiting is passive. You are waiting for a friend, so you grab your phone and watch an episode of “Friends” for the 47th time. Or, you have some downtime between classes so you open Instagram and scroll through story after story. During your wait, your time is really without a purpose.

Then there is active waiting. This is the type of waiting practiced by Anna. As the years of life passed, she waited for the redemption of Jerusalem. She had lived her entire life under Roman occupation. But she knew the promise—there was a Messiah who was coming, and she was waiting for that promise.

So, she spent her days in the temple of God, worshipping, fasting, praying. Her waiting was active waiting.

Kingdom waiting.

What’s the difference? Passive waiting just waits for time to pass. Active waiting, kingdom waiting, prepares me for what will happen when the waiting has passed.

There is a difference.

Because time will pass, and how prepared we are for what takes place next will be determined by how we spend the time in-between the promise and its fulfillment.

Practice kingdom waiting so that when the promise is fulfilled you are in a place to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who are the others who are waiting.

Pray

“Father, teach me to actively wait, to prepare myself for the fulfillment of your promises. Forgive me for my idle use of time. Cause a passion to burn within me for you. Amen.”

Contemplate

Practice active waiting today. When you have to wait on something or someone, use the time actively to pray or read Scripture.

Take an audit of how you spend your waiting time. How much social media do you consume during a day? Does your social media use move you closer to God and his purposes for your life or is it just filling space? Pray about taking a social media fast for the rest of 2019.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Waiting (Part 1)

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Read Luke 2:25-35

Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law,he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
    according to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation
    that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and for glory to your people Israel.”

And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him.And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed(and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

Meditate

When I think of the word “promise” there is almost always another word that comes to mind: patience.

Maybe it is because of my childhood? My parents would say they were going to take me somewhere special, and I would say, “You promise?”. They would, but it was always a few days later before we would go. 

So I would have to learn patience. 

And that’s fine. 

Except I want to learn patience right now.

Simeon had been given a promise—he would see the Christ child before he died. How long had he had looked at every child he saw? Did he wonder with each one of them, “Is this the one?”. Were there times he doubted the promise because time and children passed without the fulfillment?

What I do know is this—he had a promise. So, when he went to the temple, he came with an awareness of the working of the Holy Spirit in his life. He was going to the Lord’s Christ.

The promise gave him a purpose.

Let me say that again—the promise of God gave him a purpose in his life.

What is the last part of the blessing he passed on to baby Jesus: “…that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed”? This moment revealed Simeon’s heart. Day after day he had stayed true to his purpose until his faithfulness brought about the fulfillment of the promise.

Do you have a promise from God? Do you want one (the Bible is full of them)?

While you are patiently waiting on the fulfillment of the promise, practice daily walking in the purpose God has given you for your life.

Pray

“Father, thank you for your promises. Forgive my lack of patience, but help me to stay faithful to the purposes you have set before me. Reveal my heart as I fulfill your purpose in my life.”

Contemplate

  • Do you have a “promise list”? This is a list of things God has promised to you. It may be things God has promised through Scripture or promises revealed through his Spirit. Begin to write those promises down. Review them often. When a promise has been fulfilled, write the date beside it. A list like this is a very visible reminder of God’s faithfulness.
  • Along with a promise list, you need to know God’s purpose for your life. Take a few minutes to read “Discovering God’s Purpose for Your Life.” It is a little lengthy, and it will certainly cause you to stop and ask some hard questions, but use it as a springboard for preparing for 2020.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.