Daily Power Poles: How to Pray the Psalms

By Dr. Bill Gaultiere, Crystal Cathedral's Director of Spiritual Formation

Did you know that 90% of Americans pray every day? And most say they'd like to pray more often, but don't know if they are praying effectively. This is true of me. I bet it's true of you, too.

That is why God gave us the Psalms-all 150 of them! The Psalms teach us the spirit and language of prayer for whatever situation. Whether we're worried, sad, angry, blessed, oppressed, working, resting, complaining, or grateful—whatever our concerns are for the people we know or for ourselves—there is a Psalm to help us to pray with positive faith.

Jesus used the book of Psalms to help him pray. He sang them in times of celebration. He prayed them in times of trouble. He quoted from them often. Jesus taught us, along with his disciples, to pray the Psalms.

The great Christian leader Martin Luther said that the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) is actually the Psalms in miniature. Jesus, in his infinite wisdom, distilled the whole book of Psalms into one short, powerful prayer! Each line of Jesus' famous "model prayer" can be understood to represent five of the main types of prayer in the Psalms: thanksgiving and praise, submission, petition, confession and forgiveness, and overcoming trials.

I have learned to turn to the Psalms every day. Here's what I do that you may want to try:

• Pray the 150 Psalms sequentially, one or
two each day.

• Keep your favorite one(s) handy and pray
them as needed.

• Inspired by them, paraphrase them, write
"prayer poems," or draw pictures.

• Memorize a Psalm, and say it or sing it aloud.

I pray the Psalms morning, noon, and night and I use phrases from the Psalms to "re-center" myself in God's presence all day long. Most importantly, I pray the Psalms with Jesus Christ in mind, remembering how he lived, prayed, taught, and died.

I encourage you to make the Psalms your school of prayer, using them, one by one, to allow God to lead you in some fresh, new ways to pray in the midst of your daily life.

To learn more from Bill about the Psalms, prayer, and other ways of growing closer to Jesus, go to www.hourofpower.org ► "Ministries" ► "Come & Grow."

Be a "Power Pole," Sharing His Love With Others

By Dr. Sheila Schuller Coleman

One night years ago during high school youth group, we discussed the high price Christ paid for us through death so we could live forever. Surrounded by friends, I came to the full realization-and bittersweet majesty-that Jesus had died for ME! If you or I had been the only person to believe in him, he would still have made the sacrifice so that you or I could live abundantly on earth and eternally in heaven.

Today, as I remember what he did for me and for you, I envision the cross as his "power pole" from which he emits the loving promise of eternal life straight into hearts that are open to believe. Have you made that link with Jesus? Have you allowed that promise to bond his heart to yours? If so, you may want to help others connect with Jesus in the same way.

It really isn't hard to share about Jesus. You don't need to moralize or coerce, but simply share with others a personal story about how Jesus touched your heart or changed your life, something similar to the story I shared about my revelation during youth group.

As you do, in many cases their curiosity will open the door for you to take the next step-to invite them to church or Bible study, or to pray with them as they accept Jesus into their lives.

The Psalmist speaks of his excitement about sharing with others the truth about God when he said, "Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds . . . I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come" (Psalm 71:17-18b, NIV).

Like the Psalmist, you can become a "power pole"-connected to the cross of Jesus on one end and to your friends and loved ones on the other end-as you share the stories of his "marvelous deeds," enabling them to accept a new and eternal life filled with his power through hope, grace and love . . . forever!

The PSALMS . . . timeless, affirming encouragement for ALL ages.

By Jim Coleman,
Crystal Cathedral Creative Director

I was sitting in church recently listening to Dr. Robert H. Schuller read the morning scripture. In the opening sentence from Psalm 18:2 he emphasized, as only Dr. Schuller can, "The Lord is my rock!" At that moment, a tiny girl sitting behind me on her mother's lap repeated aloud, "My rock!" She spoke in a childlike yet loud and firm tone. As I turned around to look at the toddler, her mother and I exchanged smiles. Then, towards the end of the reading, when Dr. Schuller said it once again, the little voice behind me repeated the words, "My rock!" I heard her say those words a couple more times during the hour-long service. It was amazing... and a marvelous illustration of how impressionable our minds are and how important it is to fill up our hearts and our heads with positive spiritual values.

Can you imagine the difference it might make in your life if you heard Dr. Robert H. Schuller reading the Psalms in your home, car, or office every day? Maybe you, like this little girl, would discover the positive value of repeating and embracing the timeless, affirming encouragement given to us by God through the Bible in the life-enhancing book of Psalms.

Across the country in Pennsylvania another viewer wrote, "I don't know where
to begin to thank you for the Hour of Power. I often feel depressed, but when I listen to your program I am always strengthened and find the courage to press on. Your music and weekly speakers are wonderful!"

A viewer from Germany wrote, "Your program has helped me a lot when faced with difficult times in the past. I watch Hour of Power on TV and watched it on DVDs as well. While your ministry is facing difficult times, I'm praying for you. I would like to thank you and your staff for the good work."

Yet another viewer wrote, "The statement, 'You saved my life,' greatly applies to me. I can never thank you and God enough for your Hour of Power television ministry. I have been watching your program since I was 24 years old; I am now 54. I can't imagine my life without you."

As you can see from these comments, the Hour of Power is a powerful source of God-inspired hope and encouragement to persons everywhere . . . it's a power-line on a power-pole positively charged with spiritual energy for your soul and millions of others, as well.

Just as the Hour of Power positively charges your life, so too, your financial gifts recharge this ministry . . . making it possible for the Hour of Power to stay on the air. Without you, the power would be cut and the Hour of Power would not continue its 40-year+ commitment to being a power-line of positive faith.

Yes, you are important to this world-televised ministry. We know times are tough so, this month, we've put together a special hope-generating gift just for you. We have created, for the first time in our 40-year television history, an audio CD that features Dr. Robert H. Schuller reading the Psalms from the pulpit of the Crystal Cathedral. A graduate of Princeton Seminary once said that Dr. Schuller sets the model for the powerful presentation of scripture reading. So, we have taken 26 Psalms, all read by Dr. Schuller, and put them on a 74-minute CD just for you to listen to morning, noon and night . . . over and over and over again. Hear the true power, the true hope, the true timeless and encouraging gift of God as communicated in the cherished pages of the Bible in the Psalms.

Please write, call, or go online today to request and receive the inspiration of Dr. Robert H. Schuller reading the Psalms. Include as generous a gift as you possibly can so, together, we will keep the power of the Hour of Power positively charged and sending out to you God's spiritual energy, truth, and love!