Praying in Faith

My Bible reading plan has me in 1 Chronicles (and other place) right now. Although the first few chapters are mostly genealogies, there are encouraging bits and pieces here and there. First Chronicles 5:20 states, "And when they [the  Rubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh] prevailed over them, the Hagrites and all who were with them were given over into their hands, for they cried out to God in the battle, and he granted their urgent plea because they trusted in him."

Notice that the Chronicler attributes their success not to their ability or size of their army, but to the Lord's response to their prayer. What makes this remarkable is that he has already described the army. He states they were "valiant men who carried shield and sword, and drew a bow, expert in war, 44,760, able to go to war" (1 Chr. 5:18). Their power to prevail was not rooted in their own power.

Whether the army they fought was bigger, we are not told. But the battle must have been intense. Notice that it says they "cried out to God" and that "he granted their urgent plea." The battle wasn't a walk in the park. These were valiant men, experts in war. They were able and willing, yet their pleas to God were urgent. I don't imagine them to be cowards curled up in the fetal position in a foxhole asking God to get them out of trouble. These were men who were in the heat of battle praying for strength or wisdom or both.

Their prayers won the day because they trusted the Lord to answer. The author of Hebrews states, "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him" (Heb. 11:6). Paul touches on the importance of the Word to our faith. He states, "For 'everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? . . . So faith comes from hearing the, and hearing through the word of Christ" (Rom. 10:13-17).

Reading Scripture, studying it, meditating on it, memorizing it, hearing it read, taught, or preached has the potential to grow our faith--if we act upon it. As faith grows, prayer grows. I am convinced that a person's prayer life is directly proportional to their faith in God. If you believe there is a God, and that he rewards those who seek him, then you will seek him. You will not only seek him in weakness, but even when you feel absolutely capable of handling by yourself.

Truths to remember:

1. There is God.

2. He answers prayers prayed in faith.

Will you call out to him in prayer? John says, "And this is the confidence we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him" (1 John 5:14-15). Let 2016 be a year of faithful prayer.

Why Isn't It Working?

I have heard many Christians say, "I've been praying. I wonder why it isn't working." An atheist would scoff, and say it is because there is no one there to hear our prayers. But how is the believer to respond?

If we buy into what some churches are teaching, we might conclude that God's greatest desire for us is our happiness. There are many professing Christians today who believe God doesn't want us to suffer hardship or want. They believe that God will remove every obstacle from their path so they can march to heaven on an easy path. Within this kind of thinking, unanswered prayer leaves the believer confused.

However, the Bible teaches a different way of understanding. We are promised tribulation in this world. The rest we yearn for is still yet to come, so we plod along relying on our Lord. God's great desire for believers is their holiness, not their happiness. Hardships teach us perseverance, and perseverance, when we have learned it well, produces faith.

It doesn't take much to make a child (or some adults) happy. You just have to give them what they want, when they want it. Holiness requires more. To be holy, one must often go against their own nature. They must deny themselves some of their desires. It takes effort, but holiness is what God demands from all people. Once the taste for holiness is required, it brings happiness. But until we do the hard work of waiting, learning, and growing, we will never experience lasting holiness or happiness.

With this backdrop, let us return to the opening question. Why do some prayers go unanswered? Charles Bridges, a pastor in the 1800s, addressed as similar question his book, The Christian Ministry. While his initial question was more concerned with why ministry isn't always as fruitful as one would hope, his answer applies here. He stated,

But why is this promised blessing withheld?--"Even so; Father; for so it seemth good in they sight." Yet we must not slumber in acquiescence without self-inquiry. Do we fervently seek and cherish this influence? Do we actively "stir up the gift of God which is in us?" Above all, does our pulpit set out that full exhibition of our Divine Master, which alone commands this heavenly blessing? The encouragement of prayer and faith are always the same. God is indeed absolutely sovereign in the distribution of his blessing; but by his command to seek, he has pledged himself, that we shall not seek in vain. Having freely promised, he will faithfully perform. Let all means be used in diligence, but in dependence--in self-denial, but in self-renunciation.

So the simple answer to our question is that God doesn't answer because he has chosen to hold back. The reasoning may escape us in the present (and possibly in the future), but we must push forward. When every effort has been made, every motive examined, every sin confessed, yet there is no discernible reason for our lack of success, we must trust in God's sovereign wisdom. He is worthy of our undying trust, even when we don't know what he is doing.

St. Louis Partnership

I recently went to St. Louis for a vision trip. The Kentucky Baptist Convention has partnered with local St. Louis Baptist associations to provide assistance with church revitalization and church planting. The plan is to help established churches experience renewal, to help new churches experience encouragement, and to help plant new congregations throughout the St. Louis area.

This project is important to me. I was born in St. Louis and although I have lived in Kentucky for more than 30 years, I still think of St. Louis as where I am from. I have family in the city (and the surrounding area). The 15-county area around the city has about 2.8 million residents. An estimated 2 million of them are spiritually lost.

The Gasper River Association of Baptists, here in Butler County, is considering participating in the Kentucky-St. Louis partnership. I went to investigate on behalf of the association. There is a lot of work that needs to be done. I hope we can be a part of it for years to come.

Lord Be My Helper

Do you ever have the broken feeling? You know the one. It feels like the rest of the world is marching forward, but you're just spinning your wheels. You watch as others celebrate the victories you wished you had. You know you should rejoice with them, but you can't help but wonder what is wrong with you.

Maybe you feel like your prayers aren't being heard, or worse God has chosen to leave you in your rebellion.

You feel your soul shrinking by the hour. The light of hope wanes, and the darkness begins to close in on you. You feel alone in a crowd, and have to struggle to get through the day. You're always worried that people will see your brokenness, and reject you.

You hunger for change, but dread that it will take you to places you don't want to go. Or worse, if you attempt to change, you'll only fail (again). So you fold your expectations away, put them in a box, and stuff them in the darkest corner of the closet of your heart.

You just keep messing up. You're starting to wonder if you were ever truly saved. Why hasn't Jesus stepped in to save the day? Even as the words enter your mind, you know they are wrong, but you can't stop thinking them.

You feel like you're backed in a corner. There is no one who can help you. If you tell anyone, they only confirm your worst fears--you are a deceived hypocrite without any hope of salvation.

What if that broken feeling was meant to make you stop running? What if it was meant to bring you to a place of surrender? What if God is really telling you, "Stop flopping around, I have got you. I won't let you go."

The truth is there are people to whom you can talk. The Lord has not nor will he forsake you. There comes a time during those broken moments when we have to stop thrashing around in our self-pity and limited perspective. We just have to yield to the wisdom of the Lord, and cry out, "Lord, listen and be gracious to me; Lord be my helper" (Psalm 30:10).

Seeking God's Help

"Lord, I call on You: hurry to help me. Listen to my voice when I call on You. May my prayer be set before you as incense, the raising of my hands as the evening offering. Lord set up a guard for my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips. Do not let my heart turn to any evil thing or perform wicked acts with men who commit sin" (Psalm 141:1-4, HCSB).

This is a psalm of David. David was a man after God's own heart. He would do whatever God asked of him. David was a man who wanted what God wanted more than what he himself wanted (most of the time). Yet David prays this prayer.

It is hard to imagine a pursuer of God's heart needing to pray this prayer. Typically, our culture views genuinely faithful people as a class apart. Our instinct is to see them as having it all together, and having altogether different struggles than our own. But David challenges that perception.

David fervently worshiped the Lord. He faithfully pursued the glory of God, and yet we read of David committing adultery with the wife of a close friend, ordering the execution of that friend, and giving himself over to his pride.

If we allow this passage to challenge our perceptions, it may teach us an important truth: those who most diligently pursue God's heart are, most usually, those who have ceased from trusting their own. To put it another way, those who recognize the evil that exists in their own hearts look to God to change them.

Here David speaks with urgency. He desperately needed God to show up, and keep him from doing something he would regret forever. Apart from the Lord's intervention, we are incapable of pursuing his heart or heeding his will.

David probably knew the craftiness of the human heart better than most today. Yet, even he could be taken it by it. But he knew the Lord could not, so he asked him to shield his heart. Hopefully, we'll wise up and follow David's example.

How to Pray for Fellow Believers

For this reasons, since the day we heard about you, 

we have not stopped praying for you

 and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will

 through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 

And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord 

and may please him in every way: 

bearing fruit in every good work, 

growing in the knowledge of God, 

being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that 

you may have great endurance, 

patience, and 

joyfully giving thanks to the Father, 

who has qualified you 

to share in the inheritance 

of the saints of light.

Colossians 1:9-12

Praying for Arnold

Like most boys in the '80's, I grew up watching Arnold Schwarzenegger films. His powerful physique was matched by his heavy Austrian accent. Whether he was playing the "bad guy" in Terminator, or the "good guy" in almost every other film, he exuded toughness. His menacing edge was blunted by comedic one-liners that often lightened the mood in otherwise dark and violent movies. I loved watching him punish the bad guys.

I have kept up with Arnold through the years, reading articles here and there. Thanks to the VCR, Arnold was a big part of my childhood. Having spent so much time with him in my formative years, I have thought of his as a friend. Of course, I realize that he doesn't know me, and in light of recent revelations, I realize now that I never knew him either.

Schwarzenegger was always larger than life. I viewed him as a hero. The characters he played always seemed to have a moral code, and I assumed that it was the same code I lived by. In hindsight, his characters lived by a "might-makes-right" code of ethics. You can hear that ethic echoed in most of his interviews. It's the will to power.

Over the years, I hoped that his marriage would last. I hoped that he and his bride would be able to navigate the dangerous waters of celebrity. After all, he was my friend. As silly as that may sound, I hurt for his wife and children. I hurt for the others he has dragged into this firestorm of shame and disgrace.

As I read the headlines, I am reminded of past interviews I have read. Interviews where he openly questioned the existence of God, and ridiculed those of faith. Read through biographies, old interviews, or other resources, and you will discover Schwarzenegger's self worship. He has been, and apparently still is, highly impressed with himself. To hear him tell it, he is the determinate shaping force in his life.

I wonder what he thinks of the shape of things now. He doesn't have the strength to heal this rift, but it can be healed. For that to happen, he will have to find a strength that he has yet to display--humility. The only hope for salvaging his family is for Arnold to find salvation. Schwarzenegger must humble himself, acknowledge God's existence, and seek God's forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

He is no different that anybody else. His sins are more visible only because there are dozens of individuals who dedicate their lives to ferreting out "the truth" of celebrity lives. Should a mob of unscrupulous investigators descend upon any one of us, terror would seize us. I don't write these words in order to condemn Arnold Schwarzenegger, but voice my hope for his redemption.

There is a lesson in this tragedy: we cannot hide sin indefinitely. It will always come out. It is always destructive. The season of pleasure sin promises is always followed a season of death. How many dreams were killed by this infidelity? How many hearts torn in two? These are questions that, most likely, went unasked ten years ago.

But these are questions we must ask daily. When temptation strikes, will we be prepared? Will we terminate temptation? Or will temptation terminate our dreams? We must be vigilant, watch, and pray because temptation has promised, "I'll be back!" Pray of the Schwarzenegger family. Pray for your family, too. May God open eyes to the greatness of his glory through this tragedy.

The End of the Road

Have you ever wanted to quit praying for somebody? Maybe you were like, "Lord, they're just not worth it." Or "They're hopeless. Why bother?" Yes, I know that seems like such terrible thing to say. Even if we don't voice our frustrations with their lies and lack of repentance, we often (silently) stop praying for those who rub us the wrong way. But is that biblical. Is it ever right to stop praying for someone?

1 John 5:16-17 helps us answer that question. John speaks about a sin that doesn't lead to death, and the remedy for that situation is prayer. When we see a believer wondering in sin, we pray and God grants them life. This promise hints at restoration. However, John warns that there is a sin that leads to death. Here he doesn't instruct us to pray which implies that he doesn't intend for us to.

We are not to pray for those who sin the sin that leads to death. We are left wondering the exact nature of that sin. Unfortunately, we do not possess the same level of familiarity with John's teaching that the early church had. They would have understood the context of this from previous lessons John had taught. We are left to guess, but not wildly.

There have been several attempts to understand John's meaning. Some have understood the sin that leads to death is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. That sin is unpardonable, but the context of this passage doesn't lead us to immediately conclude that John had it in mind. Other have suggested that John was dividing sin into categories of degree (later called mortal and venial). Some have thought that John was speaking about sin that brought immediate consequences. Others have thought that he was thinking about apostasy, or falling from the faith. The immediate contact suggests that he may have been thinking about idolatry (see 1 John 5:18-21).

It may have been that John was warning the church about idolators. The presence of idolators among God's people has a corrupting influence. John is saying don't pray for those who abandon Christ to follow false gods. They have choose their path, they must learn the hard way.

It would appear that there is a time to stop praying for individuals who sin the sin that leads to death. However, it is not clear exactly what that sin is, or how we will know when they are practicing it. Here are some practical implications from this passage:

• Our gut-level instinct (default position) should be to never stop praying. In 1 Samuel 12:23, Samuel explains that failure to pray for God's people would be a sin against God. Prayer is an ordained means to God's ends. God has appointed prayer as a vehicle through which to move his people. If we neglect it, we are being disobedient.

• It is possible that not praying for an individual leaves them in Satan's hands. In 1 John 5:18-19, John speaks of the evil one and of the fact that he can touch those who are not God's children. Paul speaks of handing people over to Satan in 1 Corinthians 5:5 and 1 Timothy 1:19-20. The individuals mentioned by Paul in those passages were caught up in unrepentant sin. However, he doesn't speak of praying for their restoration, but rather of their being handed over. Paul's goal was redemptive, not destructive.

• We should only stop praying for someone when God tells us to stop. Jeremiah 7:17 speaks of an event where God commands Jeremiah not to pray. Unless we have an equally clear command from God, we shouldn't quit praying. We might be led to pray a lifetime for someone before God opens their heart. But if God tells you it is time to quit praying, quit praying. Until then, persevere in prayer.

We may never get to the end of the road in prayer. God may have appointed us to pray for those individuals for whom no other is appointed. If we stop prematurely, we sin against God, and it might also be that we are leaving them in the devil's hands.

Praying in Earnest

I'm thinking about Jesus praying in the garden. There he was crying out to his Father for the strength to do what must be done. Although we are not told Satan was present, we can see Jesus being tempted. In Luke 22:39-46, we see the seen.

Jesus warns his disciples to pray "that you will not enter into temptation." It may mean that they are to ask God to keep them from being tempted. Or it may mean that praying will keep them from giving into temptation. They are to be watchful, vigilant.

Jesus sets the example. As he is being tempted to find another way, he yields to the Father. He prays, and the Father strengthens him through an angel. Then he prays more earnestly.

The disciples were to pray, but failed. They slept why Jesus prayed. Jesus rebuked them, and commanded them to pray. They should have been praying for the strength to stand with Jesus, but they didn't.

If we are to escape the power of sin, it will take prayer. In Christ, we have the Spirit's help when we pray. He enables us to do the work set out for us. When we need strength, we only have to ask, and he will give it to us. Temptation will come. We must prepare ourselves by praying for deliverance.

An Encouragment to Continued Prayer

Despair not because you do not get an answer immediately. 

While you are speaking, Jesus is listening. 

If he delays an answer, it is only for wise reasons, 

and to try if you are in earnest. 

The answer will surely come. 

Though it tarry, wait for it. 

It will surely come.

J.C. Ryle--A Call to Prayer

Praying in Jesus' Name

What does it mean to pray in "the name of the Lord?" or in "the name of Jesus?" Sometimes, we treat those statements as if they are just the tag that comes at the end of our prayers just before the amen. We'll pray and then conclude, "We asked these things in Jesus' name." In John 16:23-28, Jesus tells the disciples that a time was coming when they would ask in his name, and the Father would give them what they asked.

Praying in Jesus' name means that we are praying in a way that is in sync with his character and motivation. When we pray this way, we are praying for the same things Jesus wants. It is to pray in a manner worthy of Jesus. How do we do that?

Here are five quick suggestions:

• Approach with humility. We don't approach God in our own righteousness, but the righteousness that comes through Christ.

• Approach with desire for God's glory. In John 17:1, Jesus prays for his glory, that he might glorify the Father. We should want to bring him glory as well.

• Approach with a commitment to do his will. In Matthew 26:39-44, We see Jesus praying, and submitting to the Father's will. He sets the pattern.

• Approach with an expectancy that leads to rejoicing. 1 John 5:14-15, tells us that we can be confident that our prayers are heard when we are praying according to God's will.

• Approach with confidence. We are loved by God because he has made us his children (see Gal. 4:6; Rom. 8:15). Hebrews 4:16 urges us to boldly approach the throne of grace. In Christ, we are free to approach the Father.

Wise Words on Prayer

In biblical times, 

extreme circumstances drove people to their knees 

more often than they do today, 

not because we have fewer extremes today, 

but because we are too arrogant (or ignorant) 

to recognize our helplessness in the face of them.

--Terry C. Muck, Liberating the Leader's Prayer Life

Spending Time with the Lord

Have you ever spent a day in prayer? How about a half of a day? How about a few hours? Have you ever prayed for an hour? Talking about prayer can be intimidating. Most of us have struggled at one point or another in our spiritual walk.

Sometimes, the day sweeps away our good intentions and it is night before we can pray. Sometimes, we rest our weary heads upon our pillows, begin to pray, and discover with the morning alarm that our prayer time was cut short. Some days, things are just so hectic we can only snatch a couple of minutes of prayer at at time.

How do we spend an extended amount of time with the Lord that is both fruitful and invigorating? Here are some ideas:

• Find a time and place that is right for you. When are you most alert? When do you have the most free time? Do you have a place were you can pray in private, that is comfortable (but not too comfortable)?

• Have a plan. You can see a sample plan here.  Consider these elements:

• Prayer. If you are new at praying, find a pattern that will help you get started. There are several acronyms that can help you (ACTS and R.I.G.H.T. H.E.A.R.T. are good ones).
• Read the Scriptures.
• Meditate.
• Pray the Scriptures.
• Journal.
• Sing or play music.
• Read devotional material. 

• Here are some tools you can use:

• Music. Use CDs or MP3s. Listen to music that brings you into a worshipful place. You can also use a hymnal to aid you.
• Bible. Your Bible is an essential tool. It enables you to hear from God, as you talk to him.
• Pen/Paper/Journal. The pen helps to record insights and promise that spring to mind during your devotions. Journaling can be helpful in remembering specific prayers the Lord has answered.
• Prayer list. Keep a list of people and things you are praying for.
• Prayer Guide. There are several guide the can help you spend an extended time in prayer. Check out this one, this one, this one, and this one.
• A Good Devotional Book. There are a lot of excellent Christian books you could read that would help you grow closer to the Lord. Knowing God, Desiring God, The Holiness of God, and Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life are all good places to start.

Unwavering Confidence in the Lord

Habakkuk 3:1-19 records a prayer of the prophet Habakkuk. He was a man teeming with questions. When he saw the injustice around him, he wondered where God was. He wanted to know why God had not yet acted to end it. God, in his grace, met Habakkuk, and offered him answers. These answered first confused, then terrified, and finally subdued the prophet.

In the end, he had to make a choice. Would he trust the God he knew? or would he reject him? The prayer recorded in Habakkuk 3 gives us the answer to that question. He chose to trust God. He says, "LORD, I have heard of report about You; Lord, I stand in awe of Your deeds. Revive Your work in these years; make it know in these years, in Your wrath remember mercy!" (Hab. 3:2). In essence, he is saying, "I know who you are. You are the Holy One of Israel." It is a declaration of trust.

Habakkuk 3:3-17 capture a terrifying vision of God--the Sovereign Creator, the Righteous Judge, the Mighty Warrior. In his wrath he will punish the nations, in his mercy he will rescue his people. The image is so terrifying that leaves Habakkuk crushed under the weight of it. He stands with heart pounding, knees knocking caught somewhere between terrified and awestruck. It is as if we witness him lost in the glory of the Lord.

Finally, peace washes over him, perhaps as he realizes that God does not intend to harm him. He stands, cool as a cucumber, with unwavering confidence in the Lord.  He says,

Though the fig tree doesn't bud
and there is no fruit on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will triumph in Yahweh;
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation! (Hab. 3:17-18, HCSB).

 This prayer can teach us about prayer in general. It teaches us to approach with an awareness of who we are approaching, to approach with reverence, and to approach with anticipation. It teaches us to approach God as he is, in all of his holiness, and not as we want him to be. And it teaches us to trust, even when we don't fully understand what God is doing.

A Plan for Improving One's Prayer Life

I am preparing for the coming new year by thinking through some changes I want to make in my life.  Although there are several areas I hope to improve in this year, there are two critical areas I plan on attacking this year.  Those two areas are my health (my weight in particular) and my prayer life.  While I have a vague notion as to how I will address my health issues, I'm not quite certain as to how I will approach that situation yet.  I'll have more to say about that issue in the days and weeks ahead.

However, I do have some idea how I plan on improving my prayer life.  I have been gathering resources for months (years), and I'm currently working on a plan to improve my prayer life during the current year.

First, I want to learn about more about prayer and how to pray more effectively.  I plan on reading The Complete Works of E. M. Bounds on Prayer.  I hope to read Isaac Watts' A Guide to Prayer this year too.

Next, I am working on a prayer calendar that will help pray through the church each month.  I am borrowing the system from Brian Croft from Practical Shepherding. You can view the article here.  I will also be praying daily for lost people that I know.

In addition, I am going to be working my way through other resources so that I am continually praying for missionaries at home and abroad, for the persecuted church, and for unbelievers.  One of the resources I will be using this year is the book, Operation World.  I will also be using the following websites to inform my prayer life: The Prayer Connection (NAMB); Prayer (IMB); Operation Bended Knee (KBC); and Voice of the Martyrs.

The final step in my plan is simply setting aside time each day to pray.  I want prayer to become an integral part of my life.

I plan on keeping you posted on my progress.  I hope that you will find these resources helpful, and I hope you will pray for me throughout the coming year.  May God bless you and keep you.

Four Keys of Revival

I'm thinking about message preached tonight during revival.  Bro. Paul Parks preached out of 2 Chronicles 7:12-25.  It is a fairly common Scripture for revival services.  I couldn't even tell you how many times I have heard it preached during revivals.  But something struck me at the outset of the message--maybe we hear it so often because we never do what it says.

It brought to mind the story of a young preacher in his first church:

During his trial sermon he preached a fiery message of "Repent! Repent! The kingdom of heaven is at hand."  The message was so powerful that he was voted in unanimously.  The next Sunday he preached the same message, "Repent! Repent! The kingdom of heaven is at hand."  The crowd had largely forgotten what he had preached on the previous Sunday, so they thought he did a wonderful job.  He preached the same sermon the next Sunday.  And the next.  By this time the people had caught on, and were concerned that he only had one sermon.  They charged the deacons with the task of sorting out the matter.

When the deacons approached the young preacher, he was cordial.  They said, "Preacher, we can't help but notice you keep preaching the same sermon."  "Yes," he said. "I do."  One deacon asked, "Do you have different sermons?"  "Oh, yes," said the young preacher. "I have many sermons."  Another deacon responded, "Wouldn't you like to preach a different sermon?"  "Yes," he answered, "I would love to preach a different sermon."  The Chairman spoke up, "Well then, why in the world don't you?"  "That's simple," said the preacher, "when you obey this message, I'll move on to the next."

I'm sure this story never happened, but it does make an important point.  There is a danger in assuming that we understand something simply because we have heard it before.  Hearing is just not enough.  We are to be doers of the Word, not hearers only.  During Jesus' earthly ministry  many heard his teaching and were astounded by his authority.  However, they never combined their hearing with obedience.

Bro. Paul did an excellent job of opening up the passage to explain the four keys of revival.  In order to experience revival of the magnitude of the First Great Awakening, God's people must humble themselves, pray, seek God's face, and turn from their wicked ways.

• The first key is to humble one's self.  Humbling one's self is the process of expunging all the pride in our lives.  It means we have to tackle our fear of man.  If you have ever asked, "What will people think?" (or some variation), then you fear man.  Humbling one's self, means we put down all pretenses (masks), and acknowledge who we really are.  A person is sufficiently humbled when they acknowledge their spiritual bankruptcy before God and man.  In the Bible, this humbling is often signaled by the tearing of clothes, the putting on of sackcloth, and the covering one's self in ashes.  It was a public display of brokenness.

• The second key is to pray.  Prayer was (and is) an essential part of Jesus' ministry.  In fact, Jesus' disciples were so impressed by his prayer life they asked him to teach them how to pray.  If prayer was (and is) essential to Jesus' life, shouldn't it also be essential to our lives?  We need to move beyond quick prayers over meals, rote prayers that repeat the same things over and over, formal prayers that use big words that we don't normally use, and weak unbelieving prayers.  We should to relearn and practice the postures of prayer: standing, kneeling, lying face down on the floor, etc.  We need to be so burdened that we learn to weep freely when we pray.  We need to pray with our hearts, minds, souls, and strength.  God has appointed prayer as a means to transforming hearts and lives in our world.  We must not neglect it any longer.

• The third key is to seek God's face.  It is a terrifying thing to come face to face with God.  If a person, in their sin, were to see God face to face they would die.  The holiness of God would strike them dead (see Ex. 33:20).  So why does the Lord instruct his people to seek his face?  The ultimate blessing is to have God's face shine upon you (see Num. 6:23-26).  Although Moses never actually saw God's face, God is said to have talked face to face with Moses, as a man talks to his friend (Ex. 33:11). This passage means that Moses communed in the presence of God.  In Moses' time, God's presence was displayed in a pillar of cloud/fire.  In our times, God's presence is mediated through the indwelling Spirit.  We are always in the Lord's presence.  We can speak to him as a child to his father, a servant to his master, and even as a friend to his friend.

• The fourth, and final, key is we must turn from our wicked ways.  Sin is a part of the human condition, and has been since Adam's rebellion.  However, believers in Christ are dead to sin.  Sin no longer has mastery over us.  James does an excellent job of explain the mechanics of sin (see James 1:13-15).  Paul goes farther, and explains the reason why we still continue with sin (see Romans 7:15-25).  But in Christ, through the power of the indwelling Spirit, we must make a break from sin.  To make the break, we must stop the sin, repent of it, confess it to the Lord and other offended parties, make restitution (where necessary), and continually seek the Lord's assistance.  He doesn't expect us to do it on our own, because he knows we are incapable.

So when will we see revival?  I guess when we start seeing God's people, who are called by his name, humbling themselves, praying, seeking his face, and turning from their wicked ways.  Until then, it's hard to say how much lasting change we'll experience.  May God grant us obedient hearts!

A Word on Prayer

Charles H. Spurgeon wrote:

The minister who does not earnestly pray over his work must surely be a vain and conceited man.  He acts as if he thought himself sufficient of himself, and therefore needed not to appeal to God.  Yet what a baseless pride to conceive that our preaching can ever be in itself so powerful that if can turn men from their sins, and bring them to God without the working of the Holy Ghost.  If we are truly humble-minded we shall not venture down to the fight until the Lord of Hosts has clothed us will all power, and said to us, "Go in this thy might."  The preacher who neglects to pray much must be very careless about his ministry.  He cannot have computed the value of a soul, or estimated the meaning of eternity.  

Hmmm. Ouch! These words have been a thorn in my side for nearly a week.  They just keep digging deeper and deeper in.  Have have met very few people that feel they pray enough, and those who have thought so, were sorely mistaken.  Pray for me, that I would give prayer the attention my ministry mandates.

Reasons to Pray

Psalm 86:1-17 is said to be "a prayer of David."  As we look at this prayer of David, we are able to see several reasons to pray.  We need to pray because:

1. We are poor and needy (see Ps. 86:1).  Most likely, David is speaking about his spiritual poverty and his need for grace.    Even if he were speaking solely of his physical or material poverty, it could still be applied to his spiritual condition.
2. We are devoted to the Lord (see Ps. 86:2a).  The Lord has set us apart for his own purposes.  We are his prized possession.
3. We are his trusting servants (see Ps. 86:2b-3).  We continually cry out to the Lord, because we know him to be the kind of God who hears his people, and responds to them.  Perseverance in prayer is the result of an abiding trust in God.
4. We want to experience a greater joy (see Ps. 86:4).  The Lord is the source of our joy.
5. He is forgiving, good, and abounding in love (see Ps. 86:5).  These three attributes overlap each other.  God's forgiveness is available because he is abounding in love and good.
6. He will answer (see Ps. 86:6-7).  God delights in answering the prayers of his saints.  He desires to bring about his purposes in their lives.  
7. There is no god like him (see Ps. 86:8).  God continually reminds his people, through his prophets, that  all other gods are false idols.  They are worthless because they cannot see, speak, act, hear, etc.
8. We want to see God glorified (see Ps. 86:9-10).  One of the central desires in all our prayers should be the glory of God.  We were placed here to reflect God's glory.  We should desire to make his name known among the nations.
9. That we may learn to fear him (see Ps. 86:11).  David asks the Lord to teach so that he may walk in his truth.  This request is parallel to the request for a unified heart.  Fear of the Lord is reverential living that seeks to honor God through obedience.
10. He has delivered us, in love, from death  (see Ps. 86:12-13).  God delivered us from the wages of sin, by punishing our sin in Christ Jesus upon the cross.  God delivers us from death, through Christ, because he loves us.
11. We are under attack (see Ps. 86:14).  David is writing about wicked men who are seeking to destroy him, but our war is not against flesh and blood.  We are under attack from the world, the flesh, and the devil.
12. He is who he is (see Ps. 86:15).  Reflecting on the Lord's revelation to Moses, David reminds us of who God truly is.  He is the merciful and gracious one, who is slow to anger and abounding in love.  Prayer is the natural response to God's nature.
13. For the strength to serve (see Ps. 86:16).  We need the Lord's enabling if we are accomplish the tasks he has set out for us.
14. That we would be vindicated (see Ps. 86:17).  The goal of David's request was for a humbling of his enemies.  Without humility they stand in jeopardy, because "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

So here is a list of reasons you should pray.  If you don't pray, can you honestly say you've got one good reason not to?  What other reasons to pray can you think of?

Filling the Empty Cup

Sometimes I feel like a empty cup, yearning to be filled.  I realize that this a symptom of my shallowness, and not a sign of unfathomable depths.  David's cup ran over, and he was a man who lived deep and wide.  He knew that the inexhaustible riches of God's grace could never dry up.  There is no moment in David's life where he truly lacked confidence in God's provision.  Even in the moments where David appears to express doubt his immediate response is to call himself to renewed trust.

I can think of a few reasons we might feel "empty."  The first reason that springs to mind is grief.  It is natural to the human condition to feel a sense of emptiness in the face of a loss.  This feeling of emptiness is not sinful in and of itself.  If permitted to turn into despair of bitterness, it can become sin.  The second reason we might feel empty is that we have labored long and hard with very time for rest.  In these moments, feelings of emptiness are mostly likely symptoms of exhaustion.  The last reason for feeling empty is a failure to commune with God through prayer and Bible study.  The less time we spend with God, the emptier we feel.  Other reasons for feeling empty may exist, but I would like to look at the third reason a little farther.

There is a temptation to live in the shallow end of faith.  Because we lack self-discipline, we find Bible study to be dull and boring.  Often, Bible reading can take tremendous amounts of intellectual energy and yield meager results.  This experience generates frustration which in turn creates a pattern of neglect.  However, reading is a skill that diminishes with neglect.  The old expression, "If you don't use it, you lose it," applies to the skill of reading and its sister discipline, thinking. We read through passages without any sense of their historical setting, their relation to other Scripture, or how we should respond to these timeless truths.

Prayer is little different.  Most of our praying barely moves beyond the rote prayers of childhood.  We have lost the sense of majesty that prayer should instill in our hearts.  He have the privilege of speaking to the Creator of the Universe, our gracious heavenly Father, and yet we treat it like is inconsequential.  We reason that we don't really need to pray, because God knows what we are thinking anyway.  Although he does know our every thought, he still commands us to pray.

I think most people want to only want to wade into the mercy of God, because they are afraid that if they jump into the deep end of faith they'll lose themselves.  To a point, they are right.  However, it is only in losing their lives that they will find them.  The solution to this feeling of emptiness is to fill ourselves up with God.  Or rather, to allow God to fill us up with himself.  We do this by staying in the Word, not to learn about God, but know him.  Along with the diligent labor of studying God's Word, we must also make much work of prayer.  We must become the kind of people who move past simplistic praying, and who are instead transformed through prayer.

What about you?  Do you feel empty?  Are you spending time each day with God in his Word and in prayer?  If your cup is empty, pray: "Lord, here is my cup. Please fill it up."

A Grieving Heart

I can't seem to shake this sadness.  It feels as if there is a tornado raging in the space between my heart and my gut, ripping my soul to shreds.  But the pain is not mine.  I keep thinking of the heartache now endured by people close to me.  Loss. Broken dreams. Tears.  In reality, it would be unnatural, unholy not to feel this sorrow.  It is impossible to watch one we love being wounded so deeply, and not be affected.

I yearn for their comfort.  I desperately want some insight into the reasons behind these events, but I am certain that I will probably never really get those answers.  This time of darkness will most certainly serve a more noble end, although we cannot see that end just yet.  To paraphrase Joseph's statement to his brothers, "Satan meant this for evil, but God meant it for good."  Death is not a good thing.  It is not what was intended in the original design of humanity.  Death enter the world through Adam's rebellion.  But just as Adam's sin brought death, so Jesus' death brings life.

In seeking to comfort some grieving souls today, I reminded them of what the psalmist said in Psalm 46:1, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."  They were, and are, also a balm to my own heart.  As our refuge, the Lord is a place in which we hide and find protection.  He shields us from the effects of Adam's sin, and from the effects of our sins as well.  As our strength, he enables us to endure under the burden's of life, because he has promised us many great and precious promises.  He cannot break his promises.  As our very present help, he walks with us, dwells in us, and works through us to bring about his glory.

My heart is heavy for the hurt my friends are enduring, but hope resides there as well.  I know his love for them is unquestionable.  He demonstrated his love for us through Christ's death on the cross.  My faith is not shaken, but my heart is stirred.  I have found myself more prayerful, more reflective.  I keep praising the Lord for the grace he has so clearly shown us, and I keep asking him to give me the wisdom to trust his grace even when I can't see it as clearly.  I also keep praying for those who are hurting, knowing that God is with them and loves them with a love greater than mine.