The Brightest Star in the Sky

Dear Lord; Happy Tuesday Father!

You know Father, with the multitude of Blessings You surround me with each day, I find it both fascinating and wonderful that when I allow my thoughts to drift and ponder those many gifts, my wife Shannon’s face is always the brightest star in the sky.  Of course Lord, I’m by no means discounting the other miracles You’ve placed into my life, but the longer that she and I are together and the more we go through, the more I realize that Your intentions for marriage are truly foundational.

And although I would never presume to comprehend Your scope on the subject Father, over the time that I’ve been married to Shannon I do believe I’ve come to understand some of the fundamental reasons why You’ve brought us together…

You desire that we should have intimate companionship.

Although obviously sex is a piece of this Lord, it’s not entirely to what I’m referring.  We’re Blessed with many relationships throughout our lives, but when we honor the divine nature of marriage by nourishing, encouraging and sharing completely with one another, it provides an amazingly deep, intimate connection that only You could have designed.

Marriage confronts us with the fact that we’re generally self-centered beings by nature, and helps us learn to place others first.

Our flesh wants.  It’s that simple.  From the first minute we become aware of ourselves, we’re driven by our earthly shells to seek gratification in the basic and flawed attempt to find happiness.  In many ways, it’s the ultimate paradox; to find the peace and contentment that a relationship with Jesus offers, we must first learn to see past our selfish natures and give of ourselves with a joyous heart.  In the same respect, for our marriages to live and thrive we need to learn to place our spouse, and our union, ahead of ourselves.

By joining us together as man and wife, You draw us closer to You through that union.

When we’re brought together through the union of marriage, we’re in fact taking on a third member of the family… You, Lord.  Through Your ordainment of a couple’s commitment to one another, You connect through that Blessing in an amazingly powerful way.  While it’s obviously important for each of us to seek and nourish a personal relationship with You Father, it’s no less important to cultivate and maintain a deep connection with You as a married couple.  By keeping You as an integral part of our marriages, we bring ourselves closer to one another in the process.

“And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” – Ecclesiastes 4:12 (ESV)

Heavenly Father,

Through the gift of marriage Lord, You draw us together in example of Your love for us.  Please help strengthen our commitment to one another, and to glorifying You through our nourishing of this holy union.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Thankful Thursday: Bring the Fire

Dear Lord; Happy Thankful Thursday Father!

Well Father, November is upon us once again, and with its onset our thoughts begin to turn towards the upcoming holidays.  For many, this month is a time to focus on those things we’re thankful for; to count our Blessings, and recognize the multitude of gifts You bring to us each day.

And while I’m all for any occasion that directs people’s attention towards thanks and praise, my prayers for this season of Thanksgiving reach much further Lord.  As Your Children open our hearts to You Father, as we look past the day to day struggles and trials that attempt to disguise Your Blessings, and pause for a moment to consider Your many gifts…

Bring the Fire Lord…

Ignite Your Spirit within us…

Blind us from the world, and draw us to Your side…

For when we dwell in the Holy Spirit Father, EVERY day becomes Thanksgiving.

I pray for that revival Lord; for Your Spirit to overwhelm us all, and to bring us together in Your Holy Name.  Open our hearts Father, and light the flame of Christ within us.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

Continuing our Thankful Thursday tradition Father, this week I’d like to lift special praises to You for:

361. The encouragement and prayers of a good friend yesterday.

362. The opportunity to deliver a testimony on my “Thoughts on Giving” to the congregation last Sunday.

363. Warm, cozy blankets on chilly evenings.

364. A fun evening spent with friends at a “Haunted Trail” event last Saturday.

365. A wonderful evening with Shannon and the kids at Ewell’s St. Paul UMC’s Fall Festival on Monday.

366. A tasty new recipe for Crockpot Chicken Tacos.

367. My children still delighting in being woken up each morning by visits from the “Tickle Monster”.

368. Sharing my “Bubble” with You.

369. Your not-so-subtle reminders where I need to keep my focus.

370. Enjoying watching old X-Files episodes with Jonathan.

371. A new Keurig B60 WR coffee machine as a free warranty replacement for our defective unit.

372. Positive signs of increased maturity and growth in my children.

373. Our central heating system firing right up after 8 months.

374. One full year of “Emails to God” here at PhatherPhil.org.

375. A powerful spiritual meeting with a local Pastor this morning.

So many Blessings Lord… So many wondrous gifts.

Heavenly Father,

We thank You Lord, for the many Blessings You bestow on us each day; both those that light up the sky with Your radiance, and those that grace us in the stillness.

Open our hearts Father… Bring the Fire.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Meditations Monday: Thoughts on Giving

Dear Lord; Happy Meditations Monday Father!

This weekend Father, I think you may have left the freezer door open a bit… 🙂

It was downright cold here in Delaware the last couple days!  This time of year, we’re usually hovering in the mid-to-high 50s, but the last two days we saw the mercury dip into the high 20s more than once.  Add to that some rain/sleet mix Saturday night, and it was a wonderful weekend to spend inside, all warm and toasty…

Although, we didn’t.

Saturday evening, we braved the wintry weather and joined a group of our friends for a “haunted trail” event that one of the families had constructed on their 50 acre farm.  In the rain, sleet and the muck they carted the kids around on a tractor-driven hayride through a mile-long wooded trail filled with “things that go bump in the night”.  We were cold, we were wet, we were muddy, and we had an absolutely wonderful evening.  🙂

Sunday morning, as usual, we attended the contemporary worship service at Ewell’s St. Paul UMC, where I was Blessed to be asked to participate in the service.  I read passages from both 1^st Kings and Malachi, and then delivered a testimony on my thoughts about financial giving and stewardship.  When I was first asked by Pastor Kris to address the congregation on this, I spent a good bit of time thinking and talking with You about exactly how I wanted to make my feelings and beliefs known, and in the end I was pretty pleased with what You and I came up with.

Therefore Father, for this morning’s Meditations Monday, I’d like to share that testimony:

Good morning.

In a few moments, we’ll have the opportunity to exercise our financial stewardship role, and provide our offerings to the church.  Before we do though, Pastor Kris has asked me to share my thoughts on giving with you.

As you know, Shannon and I are relatively new to the congregation, and we’ve been exceptionally thankful for the outpouring of fellowship, kindness, and acceptance we’ve received since we began attending services here.

Before finding our home here at Ewell’s, it had been quite a few years since we’d attended church regularly, so the thought of giving financially really was one that we hadn’t considered in great detail.  Once God had placed in our hearts that we’d found our family here however, supporting that family and it’s endeavors became an important consideration for us.

Like many of you, the economic turmoil has taken a heavy toll on our family the last couple of years.  More than a few months we’ve barely scraped by, wondering how we’re going to make ends meet.  So when we first started placing funds aside each week for the offering, we felt that pinch even more so.

And yet, I can honestly say that we feel richer today than we ever have before.

We give joyfully; and find that when we do, Christ fills our hearts even more so.  The knowledge that we’re supporting God’s works through our gifts is a powerful motivation, and exactly what Jesus led us to do.  We’re called to be stewards of God’s gifts to us; to use those Blessings in our lives to further His work here on earth.  And yet, as we give these offerings in His Name, we’re also building true wealth in a place where stock market crashes, the IRS, and the credit card companies simply can’t get to it.

In Matthew Chapter 6, Jesus made it very clear where we’re meant to do our “banking”.  He said:

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (v.19-21)

As we give of ourselves, we’re making deposits into the one account that’s truly eternal, and in the process we’re sharing our Blessings with others through the outreach and programs the church sponsors. 

The Bible says God made us in His own image.  Therefore, by design, we’re created to be givers.  So as we make our gifts today, it’s important to remember that when we give of ourselves, we’re actually doing exactly what we’re intended to do.  By sharing the financial Blessings God has lovingly and graciously bestowed on us, we’re also fulfilling one of God’s primary desires for our lives; to reach out in His Name, and use His gifts to Bless others.

I very much appreciate the opportunity we’ve been given through the church to share our Blessings with others, and for being a part of such a wonderful, giving family here at Ewell’s.

Thank you all so very much, and God Bless.

Heavenly Father,

I thank You Lord, for another wonderful weekend spent in the company of my family, good friends, and our church family.  As we begin the week, please place in our hearts a renewed sense of giving; reaching out and sharing our many Blessings with others as Christ’s example showed us to do.  Lead us in service Father, that we may glorify Your Name in our decisions, our words and our actions.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Thankful Thursday: Freed From My Bonds

Dear Lord; Happy Thankful Thursday Father!

And yet again Father, we come to the Thankful Thursday edition of PhatherPhil.org.  To be completely honest Lord, this has been a painful and stressful week for me on a number of fronts.  Ten years back, this kind of week would have seen me sleepless, highly agitated, and very likely drinking too much in an attempt to numb the angst.  Thankfully Father, You’ve freed me from those bonds;

The misconception that I have to rely on my own strength to solve my problems…

The chains of trying to use alcohol, food or other distractions to “fill the hole” that I was feeling…

The overwhelming sense that I was truly all alone in my trials…

So although this week has brought along with it a number of challenges Lord, my spirit is much more at ease knowing Your presence is with me.  I’ve felt that soothing embrace around me as I’ve struggled this week Father, and for that I am truly thankful.

Picking up where I left off on last week’s list of Blessings, this week I’m especially grateful for:

346. The fellowship of our church family.

347. The indescribable “God High” that I have following our Small Group gatherings.

348. Fresh, still-warm egg salad sandwiches.

349. Getting a significant jump-start on our Christmas crafting projects last weekend.

350. A wonderful, unexpected discussion of faith I had with a client last week.

351. Time spent teaching my boys about woodworking last weekend.

352. Finding a deli nearby my office that makes amazing subs and sandwiches.

353. Finding a good, free Twitter client that works on my PC, my Mac, my tablet and my phone.

354. The complex intertwining of souls that You grace my life with.

355. YouVersion offering a 48-hour period this weekend where I can download NIV and NLV translations for offline viewing.

356. The wide variety of inexpensive or free eBooks available online.

357. Your reminders to me each day that I’m always in Your loving embrace.

358. Neighbors that gave up their last three sheets of printer paper so our kids could finish a school project.

359. Eternal Prosperity.

360. Having a marriage where no matter how crazy or stressed things get, we’re able to cut through it all and support each other.

Even when the clouds loom above us Father, Your many Blessings cut through that haze every time.  🙂

Heavenly Father,

We thank you Lord, for the multitude of Blessings You bring to our lives each day; both those that announce Your presence with abandon, and those that quietly Bess us from the shadows.  You are indeed a loving, giving Father, and I rest securely knowing that whatever path You lead me down, that Your grace will ensure my steps land on sure footing.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Jumping In

Dear Lord; Happy Wednesday Father!

First off Lord, I want to thank You for yet another wonderful Small Group gathering at the house last night.  We’re three weeks into the “Treasures of the Transformed Life” study, and so far it’s been an encouraging and inspiring series.  And while the course material has certainly been an excellent starting point for our discussions, the tangential conversation topics that have evolved from that syllabus have been even more of a Blessing to the group.

This week’s section was called “Jumping in With Both Feet”, and focused primarily on the role of our church family in our Walk with Christ, and also how important our presence is for that family to thrive.

Without going into a great deal of detail, the chapters this past week were dedicated to helping us understand how significant a commitment to our church membership truly is.  The author draws a very distinct line between our “attendance” and our “presence” at church, making the differentiation that when we’re “plugged in” to the other members of the congregation, we open ourselves to listening, caring and aiding them when they’re in need.  In addition, when we joyfully share the unique combinations of Spiritual Gifts that we’ve each been Blessed with, we strengthen and expand the Body of Christ, which in turn aids us in growing our faith, and in showing Your light to others.  The Apostle Paul wrote of this relationship in his Epistle to the Romans:

“For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.” – Romans 12:4-8 (ESV)

Our group last night was an excellent example of what Paul described; coming together with our brothers and sisters in Christ, and sharing the encouragement, support and perspective that Your intimate presence in our lives brings about.

Heavenly Father,

All-in-all Lord, last night was another wonderful, inspired gathering, and I thank You for bringing us together once again to dig deeper into our relationships with You.  Please continue to guide us in Your will, that we may grow both as Your Blessed Children, and as members of the Body of Christ.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil