The God who speaks - Mar. 29, 2005

Hello all! I thought I'd send out The God Who Speaks a little early rather than a little late since I'm off on a trip for the next four days.

In the wake of Easter Sunday, I've been seeking Jesus about how to "live the life." I think what He showed me, largely through Brian and Della Headley, is that the key that opens the door from the Cross event into the Resurrection life is SURRENDER. Letting go. Not trying harder, not pulling myself up with the bootstraps of my best human effort, but rather, confessing that the strength of my own will has simply worn out (picture an elastic band that has lost all its elasticity!). So... I'm done. Where does that leave me?

Galatians 2:20! Crucified with Christ. And yet I live! Okay, but it's not really me. It's Christ, living inside, borrowing my eyes, ears, mouth, hands, feet, heart... and I just live, believing He'll live through me.

I've made this practical by praying through the hymn, "Take my life and let it be." Or you can also use the U2 song, "Yahweh," from their last album. And then here are the listening prayer questions that I follow up with. Why not give these a try!

1. Jesus, borrow my eyes. Where should I look? Who needs to see your kindness in my eyes?
2. Jesus, borrow my ears. What or who would you like to listen to?
3. Jesus, borrow my mouth. What message needs to come out? To whom?
4. Jesus, borrow my feet. Where should I be going with them?
5. Jesus, borrow my hands / arms. Who needs a hug? How can I serve?
6. Jesus, borrow my heart. Fill it with compassion. But for whom? For what?

Lord, "let them move at the impulse of Thy love!"

And then I just proceed to live, believing He'll answer... and the answers are amazing. People begin to comment, "I was just asking God why no one touches me, and right then you came up behind me and put your hands on my shoulders." Or, "I just told you my darkest secret and I saw only mercy in your eyes." (And I think to myself, 'That's lucky. I wasn't even thinking about that!')

And the really crazy thing is that Jesus flips it around! Suddenly I can see His love in others' eyes. I can feel His hand in their touch. I can hear His voice from their lips! And they aren't even trying! No striving--just the resurrected Jesus borrowing our lives. Now THAT would be some fun.

If this newsletter or any of our books has made a difference for you, please consider inviting others into the life of Listening Prayer. God bless,

Brad Jersak

The God Who Speaks - Mar. 18, 2005

Today's God-who-speaks newsletter will comprise of just a few very important questions.
All of them relate to what God says He requires of us in Micah 6:8, which says, "He has shown you, oh man, what is good and what the Lord requires of thee. But to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God."

It seems to me that for listening prayer to move beyond personal pietism and extend out into the world of "Love one another" and "Love your neighbour," we might ask God some questions that are close to His heart:

Lord, what is it to "do justice"? How would you have me do justice?
Lord, how is it that we "love mercy"? To whom would you have me show mercy?
Lord, would you give me a working definition of "walking humbly"? How does that look to you?

Along those lines, I spend considerable time pondering the remarriage of spirituality and justice. In fact, I helped start a free magazine on that topic for those who are interested (www.clarion-journal.ca). It's my heart that the larger Body of Christ would see this connection.

God bless as you listen to His voice today.

Brad Jersak

p.s. along these lines, I was able to pass a copy of Clarion to Bono and his wife yesterday (that was fun) with a request for an interview on this topic. For those who are willing, please pray for a call back.

ciau

The God who speaks - Mar. 1, 2005

"For freedom Christ has set you free"

I found a really powerful quote from the journals of E.B. White. It has to do with freedom, especially from fear. I wish I had included this in Fear No Evil, but alas, too late. So here it is:

A friend of mine has an electric fence around a piece of his land, and he keeps two cows there. I asked him one day how he liked his fence and whether it cost much to operate. "Doesn’t cost a damn thing." he replied. "As soon as the battery ran down I unhooked it and never put it back. That strand of fence wire is as dead as a piece of string, but the cows don’t go within ten feet of it. They learned their lesson the first few days."

Apparently this state of affairs is general throughout the United States. Thousands of cows are living in fear of a strand of wire that no longer has the power to confine them. Freedom is theirs for the asking. Rise up, cows! Take your liberty while despots snore. And rise up too, all people in bondage everywhere! The wire is dead, the trick is exhausted. Come on out!

That's something to ponder--no, even better--that's something to engage with God on. Today, let's ask the Lord to show us anywhere that the enemy has been confining us with an already "dead wire." We might pray something like this:

1. "Lord Jesus, what have you already freed me from that I still need to leave behind?"
2. "Lord Jesus, what have you already freed me for that I could begin to experience or enter?"

So friends, let me exhort you as well... come on out!

Brad Jersak

p.s. Thanks for tuning in everyone. I know it's a little early to mention it, but I'll be sharing on the topic of FEAR NO EVIL on It's a New Day sometime around April 1, 4, 5 (three days). Your prayers would be greatly welcomed. As usual, please consider refering this blog to others who you want to encourage in listening prayer.