SaturateOnline

Often I do X (whatever X may be) so that I can get Z (Z is usually something I really, really want). Can you relate? It just makes sense right? I mean, every single other thing that I do is so that a particular outcome that I want can be achieved. But if I’m honest, when that formulaic way of thinking begins to infiltrate how and why I pray, I feel awful. I know that at best, my requests are fueled by a manipulative thought process that I typically use on everything (or everyone) else just so I can win.

And who doesn’t want to win?

But how do I win with prayer? Cause even the thought that I want to “win” seems messed up. But I think most followers of Jesus want to know how to pray and how to pray in a way that honors God.

I think one way that we mess up communication with God is by laboring over content rather that evaluating intent. Could I suggest to us that our intent is more important than any of the things we actually say or ask.

So some question I try to ask myself as I approach God…

- Am I just trying to use God?
- Have I first thanked God for who He is regardless of what I’m experiencing or want?
- Is how I’m praying consistent with how Jesus encouraged his followers to pray (for how Jesus encouraged his followers to pray check out Matthew 6:5-18)

How we approach God is so important. Do I recognize him as Creator of everything? Do I trust that he is able to do things that seem impossible to me? Do I really believe that I am loved by God and he wants to hear from me? Do I really understand that apart from Jesus, I’m incapable of no good thing? Even just reflecting on these questions for a brief few moments has a way of impacting me, of impacting my thought process, and straightening out my intent where it might be misled.

So, as you continue to pray and talk to God, don’t worry about saying everything just right or asking in a A+B=C fashion. Don’t just try to “win”. But put all your faith and trust in this person who listens, this person is able to accomplish anything, this person who wants greater things for us than we even want for ourselves and see how that guides your communication with God.

During January and February we’re walking through core areas of our 20something journey that we have to navigate well…and then answering your questions. You can listen to this past Tuesday night’s talk HERE.

I think of serving as an activity I do and then I’m done. Tonight you talked about serving as a lifestyle. How is it a lifestyle?

Paul – I think it’s a lifestyle in that it’s a natural part of our daily life. There are certain things I don’t think twice about as I go through life: Loving my wife, helping my daughter if she needs things, even simple stuff like filling up my car with fuel when the tank is empty. I eat each day, I sleep, I communicate with folks. I’d say a lifestyle of service means it’s as second nature to me as those things simply because it’s important to me, I value it, and I’m eager to serve as I grow in my relationship with God because at the core of his heart is serving us…that was modeled through Jesus’ life. Check out Philippains 2:5-11. For Jesus, it was his attitude…his lifestyle.

Emily – Like Paul said, serving as a lifestyle takes place when serving others and meeting the needs we see around us comes naturally. I think this begins with making a conscience decision to make your life about the needs of other people and opportunities before our own…taking on the perspective that others are more important than ourselves. It’s an awareness and almost training yourself, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to have your eyes wide open looking for moments you’ve been entrusted to step into and make a difference. Coupled with the verses in 2 Corinthians 5 when our motivation to serve others is to, in a very practical way, open their eyes and hearts to the love of Jesus, serving as a lifestyle is attainable.

What does the phrase “Persuasive for Christ” mean?

Paul – I think it means we live in such a way and talk in such a way, that people can clearly see Jesus through and in us. It is a life that has been changed. And that’s compelling, that’s persuasive. I don’t think it means we try to engage in arguments designed to convince others with our persuasive speech or knowledge. Our life, our actions, and the Good News about Jesus we share will be persuasive and compelling through a life of serving.

Emily – When I hear this, in my mind I immediately think of allowing our lives, through the way we choose to live, speak, act, think, interact with those around us, etc. to cause people who don’t yet know God to drawn nearer to him, simply because they see and understand something different about us because we are his. Christ has chosen his followers lives, out of all the ways he could’ve chosen to reveal himself to people, to bring the lost into relationship with him…we all have responsibility to allow our lives to represent him well.

At what point do you consider your own needs before another’s without feeling selfish?

Paul – I’d encourage you to check out Philippians 2:3-5. It’s constantly encouraging us to give of ourselves for others whether that’s time, resources, whatever. Perhaps a better question could be, how much of myself could I give away? Make sure your needs (that’s a word that could use defining…a lot of what we think are “needs” aren’t really) are met…don’t feel bad about that. But make sure you keep your head up and looking out for others just as much.

Josh – It is very important to take care of ourselves and to make sure that we don’t get to run down. But at the same time, we don’t want to be selfish by satisfying our own needs all the time. And most of the time, the things we do for ourselves, aren’t really needs at all. If we change our mindset and perspective to focus on others, big things will happen. If we are constantly putting others in front of our needs, we will be living like Christ. And if we are living like Christ, He will make sure our needs, our absolute needs, are taken care of.

Adam –  I think this is a great question. The goal of what we are talking about is heart transformation. If we are serving from a heart that is transformed for others first, then we are probably filling ourselves up with (read: taking care of our spiritual selves) enough to pour out onto others, and serve them. Let me rephrase, if you are serving people out of a place of transformation in your life, wanting to love on others like Christ loved on you, then you know you’ve taken care of your needs.

During January and February we’re walking through core areas of our 20something journey that we have to navigate well…and then answering your questions. You can listen to this past Tuesday night’s talk HERE.

How do we apply biblical standards of purity when our modern environments are riddled with sex and lust?

Emily – This is an area where I think a lot of people wrestle because our culture and environments are so riddled with pictures, music, movies, television, books, etc., that encourage or promote the exact opposite of purity. A few weeks ago, we talked about guarding your heart and part of that is fixing your eyes directly ahead, your feet on the right path, and keeping your mouth from saying perverse things. All of these things, when walking closely with the Holy Spirit will help you to have a better gauge on what around us is pure and what is not. Jason mentioned on Tuesday evening that first committing to doing what is pure and then practicing it are great starting points.

Paul – We have to first be familiar with what those biblical standards are. We can’t be committed at all if we have no knowledge of what God says is best. Once we know what God says is best then we have to be disciplined in our carrying out of those standards. The reality is it only becomes easier and easier to justify our own actions as our culture becomes more and more infiltrated by sex and lust. For many, the simple decision to prioritize and act on God’s standards is the hardest. But it’s easier to pursue purity when we value it as much as God does.

Does lust only involve using someone in a sexual nature? There’s many ways to use people without sexual intentions.

Adam – No. Like Jason said in the podcast and last night at Saturate Eight, lust can be much more then a sexual thing. For some women it could be a relationship that they are lusting over. It might play out that they give them selves sexually to someone to get that relationship, but the core of what they are lusting after isn’t physical.

Paul – No. Lust is an obsessive desire for anything. Like you said, there are many ways to use people…and that’s what we’re trying to raise awareness of and challenge our perspective on. Our hope is that we’ll choose to give value to others, to anyone, by giving them honor and appreciating them the same way that God does.

Lusting after someone’s relationship with God is sketchy right?

Emily – I think this could be an issues of semantics and how we choose to define lust. Like any relationship, each person’s relationship with God is different and unique to them based on the circumstances and journey that have gotten them to where they’re at now and how they choose to invest in the relationship. I think it’s fair and relatively safe to look at someone’s relationship with God and long for or desire the depth and/or some of the elements of that relationships and, perhaps, long to share in some of that (i.e., time spent in prayer and communicating with God, knowledge of God’s Word, etc.) while not lusting or doing anything to intentionally interfere. If you know someone who has a deep connection with God, perhaps asking them to share their story and some of the qualities of that relationship and how it has formed into what it currently  is is a good place to start. God desires each of us to connect with Him in a way that is unique to us because he longs for each of us to know him personally.

Paul – I’d say yes. Our ultimate goal ought to pursue God himself…not someone else’s interaction with him. I really believe he is able to exceed our expectations and longings…even the best ones we see in others. Long for God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

If I know I’ve lusted after someone, what are some practical things I can do to correct that and make right with that person?

Paul – If it’s happened internally (in your own mind), I don’t know that anything needs to be said to them. I’d definitely confess it to God and ask for his forgiveness as well as confess that to a trustworthy friend of the same sex who can keep you accountable and encourage to keep your thoughts in check. I’d also pray and ask God to guard my mind and fix my thoughts on things that would honor him.

This week, as our thoughts revolve around the focus of Sexuality I can’t help but think or maybe just ask myself, “Where does our sexual activity start?” No one ever just has sex…regardless of what we think or what is portrayed. The sex always starts before the sex.

Sex starts at our core. It starts in the heart. There, in that place is where I first have sex.

I see someone, someone who is beautiful not only outwardly in appearance but beautiful in their nature. The way they think, how they respond, the way they carry themselves…it all makes up part of the beautiful person. They reflect an intricate design, they reflect a well-thought-out execution by none other than God himself…the one who gives them (really gives all of us) our beauty. But then my sight and observation give way to the movement of my mind, of my heart. And it’s in that place that I choose to give them the same value God does…or use them as part of my secret ploy to fulfill my own desires and longing.

You see if I’m not cautious, if I’m not disciplined, my heart begins the sex long before my body has the sex, long before marriage where God intends the sex.

So my encouragement for myself…really for all of us: make sure that even the sex before the sex follows God’s plan for giving value to others. It’s not easy and it takes discipline…but it gives honor to God and honor to others.

So this week, continue to pray that same prayer we’ve prayed through the first few weeks of this Saturate Eight cycle, the prayer of David from Psalm 139: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”

(Photo Props)