Prayer: The Gate » Conversation

Like the Wind

Erin Slusher — Mon, 24 May 2010 13:10:03 +0000

This weekend was 50 days after Easter and marks another change for the beginnings of Christianity. It is Pentecost. I like the words in the song, “Come Holy Spirit like the wind.” It is an amazing experience in prayer when the Holy Spirit is invited and comes like the wind. It touches your spirit. You are certain it has happened. You are never the same. Let the Holy Spirit touch your life, now and always.

The Spirit Within Us

Erin Slusher — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 20:01:42 +0000

Romans 5:5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Photo by Chrissy Oldham

There is a spirit within us that is never poor, yet I think sometimes we go hungry because we are afraid to ask for what we want. We fear we may be inadequate. We fear there may be some powerful world-changing gift we have, and therefore we are responsible to utilize it. Is there a huge audacious idea you caught a glimpse of that could make a positive impact on humanity? What holds us back? What keeps us from acting on the large, or small important things? Our fears. What if we are wrong? What if we fail? We can’t see too far ahead. Usually that is a good thing.

Father God, guide our steps. Help us live in faith. Help us each to know we are capable of sharing the great and wonderful gifts you have given us. We invite the Holy Spirit to dwell within us and connect us to you. Let us each be a force for good. Let us encourage each other and bring out the very best in all that surrounds us. Amen

The Nature of God

Erin Slusher — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 16:24:10 +0000

: Photo by Christine Oldham

I am at peace with my view of the nature of God. I have wrestled with my theology, but for a while my desire has been to simply be in an open and growing place in my relationship with God.

My theology reveals what I believe to be the nature of God to me. For me, the nature of God is:

Alpha and Omega – God is the beginning and end. There is nothing before God.
The Omni’s – Omniscience (all knowing) Omnipotence (all powerful), Omnipresent (everywhere simultaneously)
Holy
Uniqueness – God is like no other
Spirit
Immortal
Alive
Supreme – God is the supreme being
Transcendent (universal)
Immanent (within us)
Personal
Theistic ( not necessarily Deistic) Deistic is the absentee father or distant God. Theistic is the relationship God.

I recently discovered the blog post of a man who is doing the ultimate church hopping this year in visiting 52 churches in 52 weeks and living to write about it. He wrote the other day that he wants a church to reveal the nature of God to him.

Certainly the stories and parables of the bible reveal God’s relationship with his people and his enemies. God has been love, compassion, vengence, dangerous, creative, salvation, living words and many things.

That is not the church, although it is reflected in the people who make up a church and it is reflected in relationships. I am assuming we are talking about a theistic God. So church hopping does not develop relationships. Church hopping is not committed, not involved. It is stand back and watch without attachment approach.

Let us pray today to understand the nature of God. Let us pray to continue to develop our relationship with God and his Son. Let us pray for each other today and perhaps be a reflectionof grace and of the Nature of God.

Balance

Erin Slusher — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:08:51 +0000

June 4, 2009 morning walk Garden of the Gods, balanced rock

I believe our spiritual walk is important to the balance of our lives. I also believe we must develop the other facets of ourselves, the physical and intellectual, relationships, and career as well.

Sometimes I find myself making huge lists to cover all the points and bases. Then I find myself staring at the list with that glazed donut-like film over my eyes thinking,” now what should I make myself do next?” in an effort to GTD (get things done). I get so obsessed with wholeness, productivity and list checking that I am not living.

LORD, let me find my way to your truth again. I know there is much to do each day, but help me to find the balance I need in my life that I may be nurtured and grow as a person. Help me be the best I am capable of being, while experiencing the wonder and mystery of life with all the joy my soul can hold. Amen.

Are You There God?

Erin Slusher — Mon, 18 May 2009 17:04:10 +0000

Sometimes we go along thinking the Spirit of God is somewhere else. Where? Who knows?

1 Corinthians 3:16 Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

Dwells is such a comforting word for me. The spirit dwells, abides, rests, in me. God is never far away.

When I pray, I invite the presence of the Holy Spirit to be known. I wait a moment or two and allow myself to feel the presence of God to become predominant in my awareness. In attempting to describe it, there is a fullness in my spirit, a warmth in my spirit, not like outdoor temperature heat, but the power of God. Anxiety passes away, peace and stillness take it’s place.

When I listen for communication from God, it is a nudging in my spirit at times. I have heard distinct words, but more often it is an enlightenment or feeling. There is a small intuition, a thought within you; and in your heart you know it is Holy and it is God. You know with all certainty that God is guiding you, especially when you have invited him and are expecting it. It is an exciting and beautiful thing.

Holy and powerful God, reveal yourself to me this day. Allow me to know the purpose you have for my life. Allow me to hear your voice and understand the nature of you, and my relationship with you. I am grateful for the Spirit of God that dwells within me. Let me experience the spiritual awakening that transforms life from ordinary to extraordinary. Amen

Three Actions for Conversational Prayer

Erin Slusher — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 18:20:54 +0000

You want to hear God’s voice. We all do. So often prayer time is quick and we rejoice, or petition and then rush on to the next thing on our list. If you want conversation, and to hear God’s voice, there are several things you can do to allow this to happen.

1. Set aside 45 minutes for an appointment in prayer. When we feel rushed and under pressure to move to the next task on our list, we are reacting and not relaxed. If you schedule a hair cut, or an appointment with your tax person you block out that 45 minutes and stay present for what is going on. Keep prayer like this as well. Find a quiet place for your appointment.

2. Invite God to join you. Invite the Holy Spirit to fill you. Reverence may be a little out of style at this time, but I believe it is important to formally issue the invitation. I wait upon the LORD at this point. I may begin praying, but wait and invite and feel the presence of God. You will feel it, you will know. If you have never done this before, it may take a little practice. Have some grace and patience with yourself here.

3. Listen. I say this outloud in my prayer, “I shall hear what the LORD God will speak to me.”. Then allow time for a response. That is what conversation is. Try to focus on one topic at a time. You may be coming to prayer with a lot on your heart, but deal with one issue at a time.

If you feel you are not hearing God, set another appointment. Give it a chance and persevere. You will get better at it, and more sensitive to hearing God’s voice.

This is such a worthwhile activity. People who practice this type of prayer, get kind of addicted to it. It is OK if you want to set an appointment every day. God is always there, all you have to do is show up.

You may not hear the answers you wish. Your prayers may be answered in a different way than you expect. Be open to God’s will and blessings in your life.

Pray and Fear Not

Erin Slusher — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 19:23:13 +0000

Sometimes I think we don’t want to pray, especially conversational prayer because we are afraid. We think God may ask us to change careers, do some missionary work…something we don’t want to or are afraid to do.

We get comfortable with the way things have worked. Maybe they weren’t great, but they worked. So let’s not rock the boat. But in times like these, the boat is being tossed and thrown all over the place.

If we are willing to get out of the boat, we might even walk on water.

God, help us to hear your voice. Let us be willing to go forward with the changes. Help us to find the meaningful work, the gifts and the purpose that allows us to be more than we ever thought possible.

Thank you for the blessings, the opportunities and the lives we touch day to day. Amen

Turning It Over To God

Erin Slusher — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:18:20 +0000

As you can see, I’m still working through the Mark 11:24 thing. “Believe you have received it and it shall be yours.”

We can easily let our obsessions, worries and wants to take over our prayer life. It is easy to fall in the rut of asking the same thing every day. I have heard it said that once you plant the row of seeds, you don’t want to keep digging the row up every day, or the crop won’t grow. And so it is with our prayers (sow it is with our prayers?…)

How do we turn it over to God? How do we “believe we have received it”?

I am finding this requires a conversational style of prayer. Not a “drive by”, as I do on many busy mornings. “Hey God, thanks for the day…got to run…bye”.

Conversational prayer takes some time, and as with any conversation it goes both ways. So get quiet, invite God to be with you in this moment, feel the presence of God, listen for his voice. Then at this point I am letting my request be made known to God, and letting him know that I place it lovingly in his hands.

Now is the time to begin thinking of it as done. I think this is the place in time that I have to transition my thinking and feelings where I believe my prayer has been answered. And this is where we need to find that unwaivering faith. If we can get that faith right down into our very souls, we can “believe we have received it”, even if we can’t see it right this second, we walk by faith and not by sight.

Blessings to you all this weekend, and may you have the faith that moves mountains.

Newsong

My Defense

Erin Slusher — Wed, 28 May 2008 13:47:48 +0000

The news is depressing. Housing prices are down 14%. Jobs have been tough to come by. Food may be in short supply in many places and the cost has shot up. I have been praying for several friends to find great jobs and that they will prosper and find that thing they were born to do.

For those who pray today, remember those who need work so they find meaningful, fulfilling, great paying jobs.

I like to read Psalm 27 out loud when I’m anxious about anything. King David was a songwriter and praying man and his words inspire me. He had his problems and anguish comes through many of his songs, like the songs of today. But strength in his spiritual beliefs and unadulterated joy shine through his writings as well.

The Psalm starts out with “The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread? (NAS Version)

I love that! So when things look bad and I get sick of hearing how bad it is, I say those 2 verses out loud and I’m convinced that I am not defenseless. God is the defense of my life. He can be the defense of all our lives.

Erin