By Bill Gaultiere © 2012

We say, “I love God.” But do we say this with endearment? Delight? Affection?

Maybe we’re embarrassed to show affection for God, to let our heart hang out for him. Or maybe it’s that as we go about our day we forget him — we get distracted. If we’re not careful the presence of the Lord in our midst becomes like the wallpaper that we don’t notice anymore.

Today I’ve been praying Psalm 2. I’m using a little prayer I wrote to keep offering up expressions of my love for God because he deserves my best. The Lord deserves my whole heart!

My love falls so far short of what is fitting for our glorious God, but at least I can keep stoking the embers and rekindling a flame of love for him. My abiding prayer helps. (Hint: it helps to engage your heart if you pray this with a smile!)

Blessed Refuge

We adore you, O Abba!

We kiss you, O Christ!

We savor you, O Spirit!

We trust you, O Trinity!

Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.

(Inspired by Psalm 2:2b, 7, 12a)

More Soul Shepherding

“Kiss the Son of God” is one of my favorite prayers of devotion, also from Psalm 2. This is truly a heart-warming prayer. Let it melt your heart. Let affection for Jesus inflame you.

“Abiding in Prayer” introduces this way of prayer with teaching from the Bible.

“Soul Shepherding is for you and your ministry” ~ Contact Bill or Kristi Gaultiere

“Trinity Sunday” is a day worth remembering. Of course, every day is a good day to pray to the Father, Son, and Spirit!

Trinitarian Prayer greatly enriches our relationship with God, bringing out the distinct character of each member of the Godhead and the unique and wonderful way that each one relates to us.

My favorite Trinitarian Prayer is based on Psalm 16:2 and is called “My All in All: Abba, Jesus, Parakletos.”

It emphasizes the most precious names of God that have warmed my heart. Each is so personal, affectionate, and delightful. I have experienced each as a personal revelation from God. I want to share this prayer with you:

Abba… Apart from you and your arms of love I have no good thing

Jesus… Apart from you and your cross I have no good thing

Parakletos… Apart from you and your breath of life I have no good thing

More Soul Shepherding

In my article, “My All in All: Abba, Jesus, Parakletos,” I share with you some background to this prayer and a refreshing way to pray it deeply from your heart.

In the “Spiritual Formation” section of Soul Shepherding we have more Trinitarian prayers and more encouragement for living with devotion to the Lord.

BillGaultiere, Ph.D. & Kristi Gaultiere, Psy.D. ~ http://www.soulshepherding.org

“Teach us to number our days aright,” is Moses’ prayer of wisdom for us. “Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all of our days” (Psalm 90:12, 14).

Don’t squander time. Don’t regret the past and don’t worry about the future. Live in this moment with God! The Psalmist reminds himself and us of this continually.

When we live by our own strength and for our own desires our lives shrink. Hurry, stress, insecurity, fear, and complaining become our friends. We forget that, “Now is the time of God’s favor, now is day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

In any circumstance we can participate in love, joy, peace, and all the fruit of the Spirit if we simply turn our attention on the risen Christ in our midst and step into his kingdom. What a gift of grace!

Here’s a little prayer poem I wrote to help us live in the here and now with God (it helps if you pray it with a smile!):

Here and Now

God is Love

Here is Joy and

Now is Peace

~

I am in God

Here and now

~

I am in Love

Joy and Peace

“Abiding Prayer” is an easy, delightful way of praying a beloved verse of Scripture that will help you to live in the here and now with God.

In the ministry of Soul Shepherding we help Christian leaders and servants to abide in Christ and bear fruit here and now. We do this through counseling, spiritual mentoring, seminars, retreats, and this website.

Bill Gaultiere, Ph.D. & Kristi Gaultiere, Psy.D. ~ http://www.soulshepherding.org

Jesus embraces you!

By Bill Gaultiere © 2011

The Lord Jesus says to you: “You are my friend… I have chosen you” (John 15:14, 16).

Do you know this to be true? Does God’s love for you make you rejoice? Does it make hold your head high and serve him with confidence?

As I pray the Psalms I am continually reminded that the Lord has chosen me to be his own, that he treasures me and delights to live in me. It’s true for you too! (Psalm 135:4).

When Jesus speaks he speaks for the Trinity. Think of it, Father, Son, and Spirit treasuring you as precious. “Chosen,” my little abiding prayer inspired by Psalm 135:4 will help you come to believe that God treasures you:

Chosen

Abba… smiles over me.

Jesus… embraces me.

Spirit… breathes in me.

~

I am chosen by God!

I am delighted in by God!

God lives in me!

Now set aside some time to meditate on this Biblical prayer. Write it down. Memorize it. It’s short and sweet — easy to memorize and it’ll make your soul smile!

It may be hard for you to pray at your computer. That’s why I urge you to find a quiet place so that you can pray God’s Word into your heart over and over until it really sinks in. This is the only way you can learn to live with confidence, knowing that you are chosen and delighted in by God.

“The Lord Treasures You!” is another meditation on Psalm 135:4 that I’ve written.

You’re Invited to go on Retreat with Me!

You may need help believing that the Father, Son, and Spirit love you this much.

One way I can help you is if you come on a Soul Shepherding retreat with me. Join me for our upcoming “On Cross Roads” retreat and I’ll show you the way into the intimacy with Jesus that you long for. Check out the retreat schedule on the flyer to see the variety of ways that I’ll be teaching you how to connect with Jesus through Scripture and prayer.

Bill Gaultiere, Ph.D. & Kristi Gaultiere, Psy.D. ~ http://www.soulshepherding.org

Do you remember when you were little and you always wanted to be with your daddy wherever he went? Or maybe it was your mom, big brother, or big sister? Toddlers are like little chicks following their mother around — they just want to be close to her all the time!

Imagine being like that with Jesus. I know you’re a big person now! But don’t think yourself so big that you can’t relate to the Lord Jesus like a little child.

God is Like a Loving Mother

Remember Jesus said with tears in his eyes as he looked at the people of Jerusalem who were too serious and too religious to love him with their hearts: “I have longed to gather you… as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings” (Matthew 23:37).

Psalm 91 teaches us to dwell in the shelter of the Lord like a chick finds safety and nurture under it’s mother’s wing. The chick cuddles close under her soft fathers and follows in her shadow everywhere she goes. Yes, God is like the best mother — he is that nurturing, that safe, that accessible to us! If only we would be filled with affection for him and keep returning to him in prayer.

One of the most important things that you and I can do to is to cultivate our desire for God through the Lord Jesus Christ. Intimacy with Jesus is the source of “the life that is truly life” (1 Timothy 6:19), the life we all long for, the life that never ends, the only life worth living!

A Breath Prayer

To open your heart to Christ and follow in his shadow all day long try my Breath Prayer inspired by Matthew 23:37 and Psalm 91:1-4:

“Jesus, my shelter… I stay in your shadow.”

Breathe in: “Jesus, my shelter…” And breathe out, “I stay in your shadow.”

More Soul Shepherding

My Bible-based Breath Prayers will encourage you. I included a great variety of prayers for different situations. A Breath Prayer is short enough to pray in one breath. It’s easy to memorize so you can use it to help you stay in Jesus’ shadow all day long. And it’s a verse or paraphrase from the Bible so it’s powerful enough to change your life and the lives of everyone you touch!

A Breath Prayer is a special kind of “Abiding Prayer.” You can read my article with Bible teaching to learn more about “Abiding in Prayer.”

Teaching servants of the Lord to abide in Christ so that they can be more fruitful for God’s kingdom is the distinctive of Soul Shepherding. With Christ we pastor the pastors and care for the caregivers. We couldn’t do this ministry without the partners who support us.

Bill Gaultiere, Ph.D. & Kristi Gaultiere, Psy.D. ~ http://www.soulshepherding.org

“The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him” (Habakkuk 1:13).

Why don’t we use silence to help us worship God, listen to him, and open our hearts to him? When was the last time that you were in a church service or other Christian community gathering that provided even one minute for quiet reflection and prayer (perhaps with soft instrumental music in the background)? It’s a rare experience.

Many times I’ve listened to a wonderful message and the speaker concludes by asking us a question to reflect on or pray about. But then immediately he or she does all the praying or someone sings a song — there is no quiet space! No time to listen to God. No time for personal reflection and prayer. No time to even have your own thoughts unless you can tune out the speaker or singer!

Obviously, we who are pastors and teachers don’t trust that people in our groups can keep their attention on God unless we do it for them. And we don’t know how to teach them to attend to God in silence. In the quiet we know that they’ll get restless and their thoughts will go away from God to things like:

• What are we going to have for lunch?

• What time does the game come on?

• I have to go to the bathroom

• This afternoon I need to do _________.

Truth be told many of us who are Christian leaders have the same problem! We don’t know how to deal with the inevitable distracting thoughts that come in quiet prayer either.

Probably you have had many “quiet times.” I wonder what you do with those times. If you’re like most people I talk to then probably you read the Bible. How about pausing on a verse in the middle of your Bible reading — just stop reading and “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:15).

Be still and slow down your thoughts. Savor a word or phrase or analogy from Scripture.

Reflect and ruminate on God’s words to you. Linger and listen to the Lord.

Simply rest in the loving arms of Christ and be blessed!

“Be Still as the Lake at Dawn” will help you settle into a quiet intimacy with Jesus.

“Silence and Solitude” will give you ideas about why and how you might practice these two disciplines of self-denial together.

In the ministry of Soul Shepherding we help pastors and other Christ followers to use Scripture to help them respond to the Lord’s invitation: “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). We facilitate their intimacy with Jesus and we show them how to help others in this way.

Bill Gaultiere, Ph.D. & Kristi Gaultiere, Psy.D. ~ http://www.soulshepherding.org

Everything in the spiritual life centers on the grace-movements of God’s Word made flesh in Christ, our Rock, the One whose name is honey-sweet! Our part in the spiritual life is to trust the Lord in all things with all of our self.

Psalm 81 helps us to open our hands, ears, and mouth to the Lord in prayer – literally! It helps us to engage our minds and hearts with Christ if we put our body into our praying. Try it now. Just a few minutes of abiding prayer from your heart could change the course of your whole day!

Open Up to Christ

Open your hands and trust me

I will remove your burdens

Yes, Jesus… I embrace you

~

Open your ears and listen to me

I will guide you with my Word

Yes, Jesus… I obey your teaching

~

Open your mouth wide and I will fill it

I will satisfy you with honey from the Rock

Yes, Jesus… I savor your sweet name

Praying the Psalms with Jesus is at the center of my school of discipleship. All day long it helps me to be with Jesus in order to become like him.

You’re invited! Saturday October 9th I’m co-leading a day retreat at the Crystal Cathedral with Pastor Joe Johnson.

You Can Live in Jesus’ Easy Yoke is my new book that can help to facilitate authentic spiritual conversation for you and a friend or your small group.

Bill Gaultiere, Ph.D. & Kristi Gaultiere, Psy.D. ~ http://www.soulshepherding.org

]]> http://www.soulshepherding.org/2010/10/open-up-to-christ/feed/ 0 http://www.soulshepherding.org/2010/06/come-close-to-christ/ http://www.soulshepherding.org/2010/06/come-close-to-christ/#comments Wed, 30 Jun 2010 18:49:15 +0000 Bill Gaultiere http://www.soulshepherding.org/?p=2054 “[The Lord] raised up for his people [the Christ], the praise of… the people close to his heart” (Psalm 148:14).

“People close to his heart.” I am close to the Lord’s heart! You are close to the Lord’s heart! Doesn’t this make your heart skip with joy? If you join me in this meditation and prayer it will!

Remember John at the Last Supper? He reclined on Jesus’ chest and later he told the whole world again and again: “I am the disciple Jesus loves!” (John 13:23, 26; 20:2; 21:7; 21:20).

What a blessing it is when I’m meditating on Scripture and the Holy Spirit brings [...]

Continue reading Come Close to Christ

“[The Lord] raised up for his people [the Christ], the praise of… the people close to his heart” (Psalm 148:14).

“People close to his heart.” I am close to the Lord’s heart! You are close to the Lord’s heart! Doesn’t this make your heart skip with joy? If you join me in this meditation and prayer it will!

Remember John at the Last Supper? He reclined on Jesus’ chest and later he told the whole world again and again: “I am the disciple Jesus loves!” (John 13:23, 26; 20:2; 21:7; 21:20).

What a blessing it is when I’m meditating on Scripture and the Holy Spirit brings the Word to life in my heart like this! Words I’ve read many times before suddenly blossom into vibrant, new life. What a surprise! What a joy! It’s as if I’ve never read the words before, though I’ve read them many times.

Oh, to be captivated by Christ all the time! Oh, to be continually drawn into the glorious realm of his kingdom of the heavens!

Linger with my little prayer poem, “Come Close to Christ.” Imagine yourself with Jesus as John was you too will start skipping and rejoicing with John: “I am the disciple Jesus loves!”

Come Close to Christ
Come to Christ
Supper with the Savior
See his smile
Lean on the Lord
Hear his heartbeat
Delight to be his disciple

What a wonderful scene this is! What a prayer! Connecting with Christ is the source of our love, joy, and peace. It’s the ultimate foundation for our identity and all that we do. It’s the power for us to serve him faithfully and with endurance,

Today, as often as you can remember try reminding yourself, “I am close to the Lord’s heart… I am the disciple Jesus loves…” This is a way of practicing Abiding Prayer.

Who do you know who needs to “Come Close to Christ”? Offer a prayer for him or her. “_______ is close to the Lord’s heart… _______ is the disciple Jesus loves…”

It’d be good to send your friend a word of encouragement right now!

You can read more prayers from My Psalms Prayer Book.

In Soul Shepherding we help pastors, pastor’s wives, missionaries, and other ministry leaders to come close to Christ. Abiding in Christ is what enables them to bear fruit for him. Read what pastors say about this.

William Gaultiere, Ph.D. & Kristi Gaultiere, Psy.D. ~ http://www.soulshepherding.org

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Psalm 135:4 says: “The LORD has chosen Jacob to be his own, Israel to be his treasured possession.”

That’s what it means to have the Lord as our Good Shepherd!

Let’s apply this great promise to our lives. Let’s pause to ponder, paraphrase, and pray this verse. Let’s take the words of the Lord deeper into our hearts.

Be Captivated by the Lord

Today I found myself captivated by a little prayer that emerged from this verse. I prayed it over and over throughout the day. I invite you to pause with me now to ponder, paraphrase, and pray. Open your heart to be stirred to appreciate God’s goodness to you!

The Father treasures me as his child;

Christ chooses me as his disciple;

The Holy Spirit lives in me as his temple.

~

I belong to the Father, Son, and Spirit!

I praise the Lord God Almighty!

I will serve in His kingdom now and forever!

How does this come from Psalm 135:4? Paul teaches that you and I are children of Abraham and heirs of God’s promises through our trust in Christ (Romans 9:8, Galatians 3:7). And the New Testament teaches that the LORD loves me and you as Father, Son, and Spirit. This LORD chooses and treasures you personally!

Let Your Heart be Moved

O, my friends, is your heart moved to rejoice in the Lord?

The Lord God Almighty, the Creator, the One who spread the stars in the galaxies and calls each one by name, is your Abba Father who treasures you as his own child!

Jesus Christ, the Lord who walked on water and calmed storms, the Son of God who raised the dead, the healer of the sick, the Good Shepherd who cares for the little lambs, the Teacher who is the smartest person to ever live, the Holy One at the right hand of the Father chooses you to be his apprentice!

The Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, the presence and power of God, the Intercessor for you and all of God’s people, the Spirit of Christ and the gift of the Father, lives in your body as his temple!

You don’t belong to the world, to the devil, or to any person – you belong to the Lord God Almighty and he delights in you!

The opportunity of your lifetime is to serve the Lord in his kingdom as you do whatever you are doing – now and forever!

That is GOOD NEWS! That is worth organizing your whole life around. That is worth becoming the basis of your identity.

Pray more Psalms with me.

Learn more about how to meditate on Scripture.

Soul Shepherding provides counseling and spiritual direction for pastors, missionaries, and other ministry leaders, many of whom cannot afford to pay customary fees. These pastors thank God that people like you subsidize this with tax-deductible donations.

Bill Gaultiere, Ph.D. & Kristi Gaultiere, Psy.D. ~ http://www.soulshepherding.org

Many people after they put themselves out to minister to others feel self-doubt. Pastors may wonder if they preached a good sermon. Small group leaders may question their effectiveness. Counselors feel might feel unsure they said the right thing. Anyone who serves others is likely to ask: “Did I make a difference?”

In order to feel adequate in our ministry to others most of us try too hard. We rely more on our own wisdom and strength than on the Holy Spirit. We try to please people and base our identity on what they think of us. What exhaustion and distress this causes us! And it leaves us disconnected from God and his kingdom in the moment.

There is another way of going about ministry! Jesus taught us to cultivate a continuous secret prayer life with the Father and to consider his affirmation as the only reward that we need (Matthew 6:4,6,18). An important way to do this is to meditate on Scripture before you teach, counsel, or serve others in order to get your mindset right.

Jesus warned us that when we neglect to abide in him then we don’t bear fruit and we miss out on love, joy, and peace (John 15:1-17). Many pastors and ministry leaders suffer from stress overload or burnout because they’re not ministering out of their abiding.

I wrote a Scripture-based prayer that has helped me to abide in Christ while I minister and in all that I do. Cultivating this attitude in prayer prevents a lot of problems!

A Prayer of Affirmation for Pastors

The smile of the Father shines on me – I am approved of; [i]

I have the mind of Christ – I have important things to say; [ii]

Upon me is the anointing of the Holy Spirit – I am empowered. [iii]

~

Jesus is my Lord and Savior and I dwell in his kingdom of the heavens; [iv]

He is my Teacher and I am his beloved apprentice – [v]

I urge people to join me and be with Jesus to become like him. [vi]

~

The Word of God is alive and active and it dwells richly in me [vii]

And the Holy Spirit reminds me of Jesus’ words of truth and grace – [viii]

So I can minister the Word of life to others and it will not return void. [ix]

~

The Spirit that raised Jesus Christ from the dead lives in me [x]

So I do not speak with human wisdom or worldly excitement [xi]

Or rely on my own strength – I count on the power of Almighty God.[xii]

~

As I teach I listen to voice of God and invite others to listen to him; [xiii]

As I serve I join the intercessions of the Holy Spirit, [xiv]

Praying that we all cry out with him, “Abba Father!  Jesus is Lord!” [xv]

~

The Lord is glorious in all things and he captivates me continually;

So I do not draw attention to myself, but to Jesus Christ alone;

Nor do I base my identity on what people say about me.

~

I am Christ’s Ambassador; [xvi]

My citizenship is in heaven’s kingdom; [xvii]

My message is simply: “Follow me as I follow Christ!” [xviii]

~

The pastors and leaders who minister to you need your prayers and encouragement. To learn more read “Pastors Under Stress” and “Pastors’ Wives Under Stress.”

My wife Kristi and I minister “Soul Shepherding” to pastors and their wives and other ministry leaders. We ask you to pray about the possibility that you might donate towards this ministry. (“Soul Shepherding” is a 501c3 nonprofit ministry. All donations are tax-deductible.)

[ii] 1 Corinthians 2:16

[iii] 1 John 2:20, 27

[iv] Matthew 4:17

[v] John 13:23, 19:26, 20:2, 21:7, 21:20

[vi] Matthew 4:19

[vii] Hebrews 4:16, Colossians 3:16

[viii] John 1:14, 14:26

[ix] Philippians 2:16, 1 John 1:1, Isaiah 55:11, KJV

[x] Romans 8:11

[xi] 1 Corinthians 1:17, 2:13

[xii] Zechariah 4:6

[xiii] John 10:3, 27

[xiv] Romans 8:26-27

[xv] Galatians 4:6, 1 Corinthians 12:3

[xvi] 2 Corinthians 5:20

[xvii] Philippians 3:20

[xviii] 1 Corinthians 11:1