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Can Technology Yield a Better Prayer Life

December 21, 2008 – 6:31 pm

In short, I would say, no. There are so many things technology can do, especially with networks like Twitter, Facebook, Digg, and all the others we know and love, but I am not sure if prayer is one of them when you look at the traditional definition of prayer, communicating with God. There are sites like WeTheChurch that use technology with a basis of prayer, but aren’t they ultimately communicating with other readers about what they have already communicated with God?

How about Twitter. Prayer, praying, and pray are all pretty active on Twitter and show in the graph from Twitterscoop.

Another one I like to look at is Google trends. Anything that is technology certainly has Google’s mark on it somewhere. But this is a stretch, most of this is talking about prayer, not actually in the act of praying. The graph looks much different if we compare it with two terms most popular in the world, prayer, money, and sex.

Prayer is a conversation or communicating between us and God, right? If so, that means (for purposes of this post) that all created technology is basically a means of communication between people. It may be between our wallet and the bank or the TV station to satellite to our living rooms, but more times than not, it seems to be a means of communication between ourselves. We could stretch it and look at things like the movie Contact, or the SETI Institute (which does employ about 150 scientists) but so far we have been unable to use technology to communicate directly with God.

I have been going through a book given to me by the author called Six Prayers God Always Answers (I love the tag line, “Results May Vary”) and in one passage she talks about what constitutes prayer.

It seems our prayers well up around the things we love–a child, a spouce’s beauty, our own lives… then consider these expressions:

“God, help me. I’ll never do it again.”
“God, are you there?”
“Save me, God”
“Please God”

People thoughtlessly invoke the name of God into the mundane (”Oh my God!”) and the profane (”Jesus Christ”). Believers are offended–convinced it is disrespectful, even blasphemous. Nonbelievers toss it up to a slip of the tongue… but what if these were really prayers? … Could Jesus see these outburtsts as a cry of a wounded brother or sister? How do we know what is in the heart of those who utter such words? Do we even know our own hearts? God is the judge of these prayers.

This passage has nothing to do with technology in prayer, but it opened up my thinking a bit to what we here on earth consider to be prayer, so why can’t we use technology in prayer. We use all kinds of technology in church and prayer is a big part of church so they must come together at some point.

What do you do that you consider to be prayer. In one of the shorter verses of the Bible we read in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NASB) “pray without ceasing” or even shorter in the NIV 17 “pray continually”, so there has to be more than just the Sunday version of the Lord’s Prayer to be able to achieve this command. What is so great about prayer is that we can pray anywhere, anytime, in a ton a different ways.

We can certainly use technology to bring us to prayer with God, like writing a blog post or in a journal, (many prayers were/are written down) but they don’t communicate directly with God alone, because prayer comes from the heart.

By Scott Fillmer | Posted in Faith | Also tagged technology, walk, worship | Comments (3)

Do I Get in Synch With God as Much as My iPhone?

November 3, 2008 – 4:23 pm

Am I the only one that takes a picture of his iPhone while it is syncing and wonders how or why I don’t do this as often with God? I took this photo this afternoon while waiting on my phone and of course started daydreaming. I hate it when the things of this world intrude and seem to take precedence over our walk with God but they do, and little stupid things like this photo remind me I need to stay plugged into and in sync with God more often than with my stupid phone (yes I said stupid twice in one sentence).

What does staying in sync with God mean to you? Conversation, prayer, study, fellowship… when we sync our phones we are transferring data from a main source (usually a computer) to a device (this case an iPhone) and back again. Wouldn’t that be cool if we could plug ourselves into God and he could just transfer all the data down to us and we could send Him up all our changes we made while on the move? I think we can, and do, we just may do it in many different ways, some that other people don’t recognize, don’t agree with, or understand, but we can all still plug into God can’t we?

By Scott Fillmer | Posted in Faith | Also tagged god, iphone, techno | Comments (4)

The Speakers at Catalyst08 Conference from Thrusday // Catalyst Photos

October 11, 2008 – 9:52 am

I am still trying to process the amount of information that was presented at Catalyst on Thursday and Friday. Saying I was blessed by being there is just making a statement that doesn’t do the Lord justice, and only scratches the surface of what I was able to take away from Catalyst. Not only was I blessed by the absolutely incredible worship music and some of the best speakers in the country, I managed to meet several other outstanding photographers who were hired to shoot the event. I have never been around a group of artists that were more accepting (basically of an outsider to the event) and wiling to share their limited space with me, and in such a professional manner (thanks to all of them I met over the two days).

Long before this week, I really felt God had opened a door for me with Catalyst (although I didn’t know what) through a series of events over the last 6-8 months. Of course it wasn’t through door A (knowing the right people and actually being hired to do a shoot), it was door B, just show up and use the gifts God gave me to create as best I could. Several times I almost didn’t go, even as late as Monday before Catalyst. So I went to Catalyst with the intent to cover the event photographically as if I was hired to do so, even though I never could get a hold of the “right” people. Regardless of where it goes from here, I was deeply blessed by the event in total, and thrilled with the contacts I was able to make while I was there. It was a God sized thing.

Above are just a few I photos I grabbed from Thursday. I haven’t had a chance to even go through a small part of the images in total. Some will be posted here on my blog over the next few weeks. The four speakers photos shown above are: Steven Furtick, Seth Godin, and Craig Groeschel, Jim Collins, shown in that order. I wish I could have instantly memorized their sessions as they spoke, they were are incredible.

By Scott Fillmer | Posted in Faith, Photography | Also tagged atlanta, band, catalyst, conference, worship | Comments (13)

Creative Chaos 28 // Dear Eliot Video, 99 Balloons, and Brave Parents

September 25, 2008 – 10:00 am

This is my post for Creative Chaos // 28 (see also guidelines) over at Ragamuffin Soul for this week (which isn’t published quite yet over there but will be soon). If you haven’t participated in Creative Chaos yet there is always time to jump in. It is a great tool to learn some of the new and innovative ways other churches and groups are being creative in their faith. Even if you don’t post, just reading through a few of them is a real eye opener of what is done around the country and world in worship.

I am a little late for this video, it has been going around the Internet as of late, but I thought there might be a few of my readers that hadn’t actually seen it yet. I watched it again for about the fourth time as it was shown to the students at Auburn for Encounter last night. It hit me again when talking to a friend of mine at Encounter before the music started when he asked me if I had a son? How old is he, where does he live, what does he do. Thanks for asking Matt, I do, his name is Bryan, and his son’s name is William and he just turned three years old a few days ago (HAPPY BIRTHDAY WILLIAM).

99 Balloons // Dear Eliot Video

The first time I watched 99 balloons was with my good friend b/ in the middle of a busy day when Jack posted about it on his blog. I couldn’t really comprehend it’s worth at the time (although it did bring b/ to tears). It has been that kind of week this week and this video really goes right along with the testimony of our friend Cindy Wall but told by a 3 month old baby born with a condition called Trisomy 18 called Eliot Hartman Mooney. The name of the video is called 99 Balloons and is narrated by a father who marks off each day as it begins on video with “Dear Eliot”.

I am using it for my creative chaos post because the parents of Eliot chose to show the world how much they love their son, in the most creative way, with a really cool video and some photos. It reminded me of my son Bryan with his son William (shown above) who just turned three a few days ago. William is the coolest three year old in the world and I know if you ask his daddy he would tell you the same thing.

There is much joy in this video, especially shown through the parents, because the Lord was part of the parents life in a very meaningful way… but today, it is my creative chaos post.

By damascus | Posted in Faith | Also tagged baby, bryan, family, life, sara, video, william | Comments (3)

Cindy Wall, Called to be with the Lord Today

September 24, 2008 – 6:57 pm

I am writing this blog post right now because I am not really sure what else to do. Today I got the shocking news that Cindy Wall (of Auburn Alabama) had passed away and is now with our Lord. This is the same person that I wrote about in my last blog post, (called Skype Video Baptism from Innovate08 in South Bend to Auburn) who had blessed all of us so much through her baptism. [To see the full slideshow of photos from the baptism, click Cindy Wall Skype Baptism gallery.]

$Cindy Wall\'s Baptism$

This truly had to be God’s will and timing. Something so hard to explain and so hard to comprehend could be nothing else than God’s raw will expressed through her life, shown as a witness to us all, that there is never a good time to put off God’s work. At this point it is so hard to process the information and put into words the flood of thoughts that come to mind.

Over the past several months I have written many blog posts (like my mother-in-law Georgia Christal, musician Matthew Butler, and others like Steven Curtis Chapman, Prayers for His Family, Family Testimony, Bronner Burgess Drowns in Pool) about individuals that have come into my life in one form or another and then died, and I am then again reminded that we are NOT in charge of this world, God is. After the last few posts about Matthew Butler and after hearing from his mother and his widowed wife, I wrote Is it Really Important to Ask God Why Anymore?, and that is a little how I feel right now. Why bother asking why, it isn’t up to us, no matter how hard we try to make the world conform to our life, instead of us conforming to God’s will for our life.

Thank You Cindy for the Time You Spent With Me

I spoke with Cindy on Sunday morning about the baptism and I told her how much it really meant to the people involved, and me personally. The conversation we had was something I meant to tell her on Friday after the baptism, but I am so glad I did on Sunday.

Now, her actions to follow Jesus in baptism on Friday was something so huge, so important, that none of us could have possibly comprehended at the time. Any one person could have said no, could have decided it was to much trouble, our pastor could have said he didn’t have time (after all, he was in another state), and any number of other things could have kept the baptism from happening. Yet, the people involved, in another state, said yes, we will follow the Lord.

Much of my conversation with Cindy before the baptism was about our preconceived notions of “church” and “a baptism”, and why it doesn’t always have to be like the traditions of history. Her baptism was to be a party. She wanted her baptism to be a celebration, which meant, a party. In the same sentence, she told me she wanted her baptism to be a party, just like her funeral. Of course when you are talking to a young person, about to be baptized, the second part just flew by my ears without much notice.

She took the time to talk to me, tell me about her experiences, and invite me into one of the most exciting times in her life and to that, all I can say is thank you.

If the Lord is Pressing You to Do Something, Don’t Wait

There is no greater example of a life in submission to the Lord than this. If He is doing the same to you, don’t wait, our time here is short. It puts into perspective some of the people I interact with each day, some of the projects I am involved with, and what importance each has in my life. It does makes me think about the things I did today… what did you do? I spent several hours working with b/ this morning, and then spent the rest of the day with my wife. Not every day goes like today, but It was time well spent.

Tonight I felt compelled to spend some time and write something about Cindy’s story and the witness of faith her life now represents. Tomorrow, when I re-read this, it may not make any sense to me at all, but her life was special to many, and it was to me as well, thanks Cindy.

By damascus | Posted in Faith | Also tagged baptism, cumc, memorial, the walk | Comments (9)

Is it Really Important to Ask God Why Anymore?

July 29, 2008 – 8:33 am

It is only human nature, I guess, to ask why? We start from the moment we can talk asking why this why that. One of my biggest questions to God is always, why? Why did this person get sick, why did this or that happen, and of course, why do you want me to do that?

Sometimes when I ask, later down the road I get the answer, and really wish I hadn’t ever asked why in the first place.

Why God Why?

As was with Nehemiah, Joel, and a host of others, I have had an ongoing discussion with myself (and God) over the last several years about why I ask God why. I think part of asking God why is a lack of faith more than curiosity. Faith knowing that God knows what is best for my life, and I don’t. I know the ultimate answer, the why doesn’t matter, all things work for God’s good.

I bring it up now in a post mainly because of the summer’s events like Matthew Butler (see Matthew Butler Killed at Zion Gate) and others, and ultimately we are asking the question, why evil acts take place or why God allows these things to happen. I certainly don’t know the answer but I know what Romans 8:28 says.

Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

This is a simple verse to read, but to me, one of the most complex verses in Romans. Different versions or translations put key words in different places but some of the interesting words to look up in the NASB are “God causes” and “called”, “purpose”, “all things”, and so on. Doing a side by side comparison is very interesting.

Is Asking God Why So Important?

How do we answer this question many times when asked by a very small child… because I told you to. Do we not become annoying some times with the question ourselves? Over the years we all develop these little pet peeves and one of mine that keeps getting a little more well defined is when people ask me why other people do what they do. I can barely explain to someone why I am doing something but no way can I figure out why other people do what they do.

People [we] are strange, and they do strange things, rarely can I determine why, so, I really don’t like to be asked. But, if it annoys us, does it annoy God? I don’t think so but I don’t think we can even begin to understand how God thinks so it might be futile to ask the question here. So ultimately, is the why really important? The what, how, and when are probably more important of the little words we like, but not quite as fun I guess.

Do you ask God why? For me, I try to remember Romans 8:28 and know that “why” isn’t always the most important thing, for me anyway.

By damascus | Posted in Faith | Also tagged god, questions, romans, the walk | Comments (4)

Matthew Butler Killed at Zion Gate in Garland Texas

June 20, 2008 – 7:09 am

Matthew Butler, 28, owner of Zion Gate Recording studio along with Stephen Swan, 26, the studio sound engineer, were found shot to death outside Matthew’s studio in Garland Texas (outside of Dallas).

He was a Christian musician and owned his own recording studio and was apparently gunned down as they left after working late on Wednesday (see Dallas Morning News Article). The reason I am sharing this is that his wife, Jamie Butler, 22, only a day after the death of her husband, gave an almost uninterrupted testimony of and for her husband, live on Fox News on the Greta Van Susteren show (blog), On the Record (see entire transcript here | see video here).

I was really incredible to see and hear a live, nationally strong news corporation like Fox allow Jamie to speak, uninterrupted for the time she did. She was strong and determined, a strength that could only be given to her by God Himself. I say this after seeing someone who lost a loved one first hand. Seeing how they reacted at the time of the tragedy was horrible. For those in a different place in their life, who did or do not know the love of God that Jamie knows (see The Cry of a Lost Soul is Hard to Watch), it is a much different ending.

Butler: And so for these men out there that have done this, I would want them to know that my husband — we’re glad and ecstatic that they found them, but we want these men to know Christ and to know that no matter what, God died on the cross for them and that he will forgive them. And my husband, I know, is waiting at the gates of heaven, wanting to meet these men and saying, I forgive you, as well.

Greta let Jamie speak for almost 5 minutes (it seemed like) without saying a word. She went through his life, and his testimony for Christ, and their willingness to forgive the people who had done this. All this from someone who had just lost her husband at the age of 22.

Image caption from above: Members of Newsong: Eddie Carswell (percussion, vocals), Billy Goodwin (vocals, guitar), Michael O’Brien (vocals, piano, keyboards), Matt Butler (keyboards, organ, accordion, cello), Scotty Wilbanks (keyboards, saxophone)

I don’t think it was how I would have gone about it, but how do any of us know at a time like that. She was unwavering, forgiving, distraught, and ready to talk about how her husband’s life was lived to the fullest. I did not know him or his family but I love music, and the Lord, so when I saw the story it just made a connection with me. There have been several tragic testimonies given in the recent months. Tim Russert, and the two tragic accidents with Steven Curtis Chapman’s daughter and then the Burgess family (see my posts Steven Curtis Chapman, Prayers and Attacks on the Burgess Family? accordingly).

My prayers go out to Jamie Butler. She is busy now, and she probably has a lot of people around her, but it is the months ahead when she will need the most personal care by friends and family.

By damascus | Posted in Media | Also tagged music, news, testimony, tragedy | Comments (21)

Creative Chaos 14 // Allowing God to Work in Your Church

June 12, 2008 – 7:52 am

This is my post for Creative Chaos // 14 (see also guidelines) over at Ragamuffin Soul for this week. This is an ongoing discussion on my blog about how we can actually be prepared and allow God to work in our lives (see We Choose Not to Be Blessed, Part 1), including the church.

Allowing God to Work in Your Church

These two points here are not just expressed as what the church body (the total body of Believers in Christ) can do, but also what the church as a building full of Believers can do collectively as well. The smaller local church can be obedient or disobedient, and at the same time, can be blessed or not. All the same principles that can be applied to the individual can be applied to the church. I am so glad I am a part of a church that will allow God to work. We look at problems, issues, or needs in our own earthly way, but God looks at them in a Godly way.

Don’t Put Limits on God’s Ability to Work

Two quick examples for Creative Chaos from my church over the past month. As a local church group, thinking from our perspective down here, we had a mission trip to Uganda where we needed $10,000 to build a well for water. We came together with purpose and we collectively prayed that God would provide. We were “hoping” for $10,000, and he provided $40,000.

Then not two weeks later another need for a playground for the kinds in our church came to $25,000. Once again as a church we prayed for God to provide. We had already had donations of about $15,000 and within a week needed the additional $25,000. God provided $50,000. This church allowed God to work. Both cases my thinking in particular was limiting God and low, but up to the basic minimum. I came in with expectations and they limited God in what he could do. I thank God that I am not in charge.

By damascus | Posted in Faith | Also tagged buloba, creative chaos, funds | Comments (3)

Why Should We Pray for Senator Ted Kennedy?

June 2, 2008 – 7:46 am

I didn’t think this would ever become a topic for my particular blog but I felt compelled to write a quick post about his situation (and this is not in any way a political post, so don’t tune out quite yet). I think the terms enemy and hate are a little strong for people who live int he same country, but it is spoken that way on both sides of the aisle.

But in that same context as above. Why should we pray for Senator Kennedy who now has a brain tumor and is going to undergo surgery today? Well at the very least, it’s simple, Matthew 5:44 tells us to (like I said, I would not translate a dislike for someone political position for a personal hate or enemy status, but some do, so that is the context here).

43 You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

What this is saying to me to even those whom we disagree with, mildly or strongly, we should sincerely pray for their wellbeing. Especially when God through a situation or circumstance reaches out to us and says, pray for this person. I remember when Tony Snow was diagnosed with cancer and there were people everyone, especially on the Internet, saying the most vile and despicable things and wishing he was dead or would die from the terrible fight he was going through.

I have watched Ted Kennedy’s career during the time I was old enough to follow politics, but I have also read many historical reports about his career prior to my understanding as an adult, and although I may disagree with his political career, I think it is important to remember to pray for people like this, just as we did for Steven Curtis Chapman’s family last month.

So what go me going on this today? Well, my mother in-law, Georgia Christal, was diagnosed with a brain tumor similar to Ted Kennedy’s and she just died a few months ago. Watching and praying for her over the last three years as she battled this cancer was by far the most difficult thing she had ever done, but I can remember at one point thinking I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy.

So here is a sincere pray for you Mr Ted Kennedy. I hope the surgery goes well, they remove all traces of the cancer, the treatment is quick and successful, and that you don’t have to go through any of it again, but most of all, I pray for God’s will to be done, whatever that may be.

By damascus | Posted in Faith, Media | Also tagged news, political, surgery | Comments (0)

Blogger Small Group, James 5

May 27, 2008 – 9:05 am

This is my installment for the Blogger Small Group post (on chapter 5) and there is still time for anyone to join in if they like (see Blogger Small Group Rules/Guidlelines). Right now we are five weeks into a study on James, not need to try and catch up, just start in the same place we are and post your opinions.

Re-reading the book of James over the last few weeks has been great. James always has a real world perspective and he never holds any punches. This week was James, Chapter 5, and I thought the first section was quite appropriate for the holiday weekend we just had over here in the U.S.

This is going to be a shortened version this week since we were out of town all last week but that is probably a relief over last week.

From the Book of James, Chapter 5

In this chapter James breaks up the text into two sections. The first section titled, Misuse of Riches, and the second section titled Exhortation, meaning a call to take some kind of action. Then he ends in prayer with some great examples.

Misuse of Riches, (5:1-6)

This section brought it home for those of us living here in the United States. Perhaps that is because we just had Memorial Day weekend over here, but I think even the poorest or less fortunate over here have riches that people in other countries couldn’t imagine as a part of their normal routine of life, or riches.

Sometimes I think we (as Americans) put so much emphasis on material items that we do miss the focus of how to use some of these items to further the kingdom of God. This first section talks about how much we have, yet we use it for purposes that will fade away anyway.

3 Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is ^(E)in the last days that you have stored up your treasure!

In the NIV it refers to metals that have rusted and tarnished. Even gold and silver tarnish and are some of the most sought after metals still today. This storing up in the last days, to me, is referring to greed. How much is enough for us, how much do we actually need. Scripture tells us His salvation does not tarnish or rust.

Exhortation, (5:7-20)

I love the title to this section. Exhortation.

ex·hor·ta·tion [noun]: an utterance, discourse, or address conveying urgent advice or recommendations.

That sums up the book of James. An urgent advice or recommendation. James tells us to be patient and he then gives us the essence of patience, (v7-9), do not complain, strengthen your heart, and wait for the coming of the Lord.

James then gives us examples of patience in verses 10-13 and he ends in a prayer. This prayer is something that I have underlined in my Bible before. The need to be sensitive to others needs, and the importance of confessing our sins.

Something I take great comfort in when reading the last section is verse 16-17.

16 Therefore, ^(AO)confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be ^(AP)healed ^(AQ)The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

17 Elijah was ^(AR)a man with a nature like ours, and ^(AS)he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for ^(AT)three years and six months.

The great Elijah, was a man with a nature like ours. A nature like ours refers to the fact that he was a sinner as well. But he prayed. The bold effect above is my doing, not scripture. That is the key to me and I love that verse. The effective prayer can accomplish much, wow.

By damascus | Posted in Faith | Also tagged james, riches, small group, verse | Comments (0)

Scott Fillmer

Tag Archives: prayer

Can Technology Yield a Better Prayer Life

Do I Get in Synch With God as Much as My iPhone?

The Speakers at Catalyst08 Conference from Thrusday // Catalyst Photos