Obtaining a Gospel Orientation to God and Life

In this blog season, I am attempting two things. First, I am attempting to promote prayer, and secondly, which is a subset of prayer, I am attempting to promote prayer by first laying a gospel foundation.
1. In this post on deconstruction, I am looking the book of Galatians and challenging all of us to see if we do not need to deconstruct and then reconstruct our life toward God. Do we take a legal appraoch or a gospel approach to our God?
2. I encouraged the same new look at our posture toward the Lord in this post on Roamns 7:1-6
3. Last night I posted on the emergent church scene. These folks are attempting to look at their Christianity quite differently. I am not squarely in this camp by any means but I certainly feel their pain so to speak.
4. In the few minutes I have here this morning I would like to share a little bit from my expereince on obtaining a gospel oriention throughout the day.

Yesterday, I picked up my guitar in my personal prayer time for the first time in many years. For some reason , I convinced myself that there was too much ego in my music, and I stopped using music in my personal devotion. BIG MISTAKE. Anyway, yesterday after learning a new song, I found myself singing this song all day. This effect from morning prayer is the pattern of day and night meditation.

First, we have a time of focus then the day is filled with a reflection on that focus.

MEMORIZATION is key here!! I was trying to memorize the song, and, then, my brain went to work all day and turned the song over and over in my head.
This pattern is key to having a good day. A time of focus and memorization will effect the rest of the day in a positive way.

We often try to "pray as we go", but the pray as we go thing doesn't work unless there is a time of focus first.
So this is big point one.

Big point two is how to get a gospel orientation.
So many people rag on modern or contemporary worship songs because they are so self-centered. I say hogwash!! Self-centered worship is totally fine. "Lord, I want!! Lord I want!! Lord I want!" Is a great gospel orientation!! Here is what I mean. In the song I was learning, "Power of Your Love", it says:

"Lord, I come to you let my heart be changed renewed...
Hold me close, let your love surround me"

To some this is self-centered, feel good, worship. AMEN!!! The gospel is about God changing me so I can be a better person. If I don't beg a little and receive, how can God get the Glory? That is what grace is all about. Deconstruct a little. It is time we change our way of thinking!!

The moral to the story is that through this worship song and through a time of worship in general, my heart is moved to a Gospel, receiving, orientation towad God. I know this happens because it makes me "humble, holy and happy". When this happens, I always say in my heart. "Praise the Lord, I am back" Meaning back in a gospel orientation of hope and expectaion and joy and power.

God Bless,
brad