prayerurn:uuid:fcf0e74c-1b2b-b401-2f68-85970c92a9d82008-10-30T11:58:08-04:00prayerPray with persistence – Matthew 7:7-8urn:uuid:de606f87-d569-2676-25ca-c0f82c87cbcc2008-10-29T11:47:37-04:00“Ask” relates to desire, “Seek” relates to purpose, and “Knock” relates to persistence.
Unless you go around knocking on random doors, you usually knock with the expectation that someone will answer the door. Depending on the circumstances, you might knock for a long time waiting for a response. Or, you might finally decide that no one is home. I believe this exhortation explains the two reasons our prayers appear to go unanswered – it is not God’s timing to answer our prayers or it is not God’s will to answer our prayers. Let me first talk about God’s timing.
In our instant coffee/microwave/fast food/Internet society, we have grown accustomed to having everything now. And we want our prayer life to work the same way. Pray today and get a response an hour later. As I mentioned in an earlier article, I refer to this as the “Cosmic Vending Machine”. Put in a prayer, get out a blessing. And if we put a prayer or two in, or maybe even a dozen, and we don’t get the blessing, we assume our Cosmic Vending Machine is broken. Which means we assume God doesn’t care about us, God doesn’t answer prayers any ore, or God doesn’t exist.
God does exist and He does answer prayers. I believe that sometimes He has us wait for an answer because He is either trying to teach us something or help us improve our character.
By way of an example, think about when you were 14 and you were looking forward to driver’s education class. Maybe you had older siblings or older friends who were driving and you couldn’t wait to join them. But, somewhere a group of wiser, more experienced adults decided that it would be in the best interest of society if young adults waited until they were 16, not 14, to drive. In the same way, I believe God has us wait for His timing because He knows the best time to answer our prayers.
I’ll finish this thought on praying with persistence in my next post. ]]>Fellowship – Is your group or church dead or dyiurn:uuid:29c8f4e4-a0fd-da8e-001d-3f623dc3e8612008-10-24T14:01:37-04:00
Writer Gal,
You brought up so many excellent points that I thought your comment deserved a thread of its own.
Regarding relationships – you are so right! God definitely designed us for relationship. Christians need to be in relationship with non-believers so we can share God’s love, compassion, and mercy with other people.
Christians also need to be in relationship with other Christians so we can pray for each other, encourage each other, admonish each other, and exercise our spiritual gifts? Have you ever met someone who possessed all the spiritual gifts (teaching, healing, prophecy, etc.)? Of course not. God have each of us a gift or two so we could use that gift in support of the Christian body. This is what Paul is talking about in 1 Corinthians 12.
I like your point about small groups/Bible studies/friendship groups that isolate themselves. On a larger scale, this applies to churches too. If your group/church never invites in new people, how can you let your light shine in the world? How can others learn more about God in greater depth? And if groups and churches don’t send out people – multiply into other groups and other churches – how will their be room for new people to join?
I like your use of the word “stagnation”. I refer to isolation in groups as “stale air syndrome”. Have you ever noticed how your apartment or home collects odors when the windows are all closed? And have you noticed that people get colds more often in the winter? That’s partly due to the temperature change, but it’s primarily due to increased bacteria growth because bacteria grows best in stagnant air spaces.
The same thing happens in groups and churches – of you don’t send people out and invite new people in, your group becomes spiritually, emotionally, and mentally stunted in its growth. You learn few or no new ideas, you get no fresh perspective, and you get no infusion of new energy. You also build no excitement or expectation when your group/church isn’t building toward something bigger than itself.
So, yes, inclusivity is vitally important to the healthy fellowship of groups and churches.
Have you ever been in a stale or stagnant group/church? What did you do to get “fresh air” into your group/church?
Dana ]]>Pray with purpose – Matthew 7:7-8urn:uuid:60423178-da2b-d4a7-f181-ece05e0b391b2008-10-24T11:53:05-04:00
Sure, we might regularly send our laundry list of wants up to Heaven in hopes of an answer, or maybe an occasional “Thank you” or praise, but do we have a purpose in mind when we pray? Are we praying with the intent of engaging God in conversation, or are we just checking off another chore on our Spiritual To Do List?
I think Luke 15:3-10 can shed some light on the “Seek and you will find” part of Jesus’ exhortation in Matthew 7:7-8. In Luke, Jesus tells the parable of a shepherd who leaves his 99 sheep behind to look for the one sheep that is lost. He also tells the story of the woman who loses one of her ten silver coins and begins to search for it by turning on a lamp and sweeping the entire house.
Have you ever lost your keys, purse, wallet, or other valuable item? How much time and effort did you put into finding the lost item? And how much relief and joy did you feel when you found the lost item?
I don’t think we should pray to God just to fill time or check-off some religious ceremony we feel obligated to complete. I believe that when Jesus tells us to “Seek and you will find”, He is saying that if we pray with purpose, if we pray with the belief that our prayers will be answered, and we pray with intensity to follow God’s will for our lives, God will answer those prayers.
What do you believe? ]]>Pray with desire - Matthew 7:7-8urn:uuid:e69ecbfd-c65e-3425-c3ac-2cc24ec460632008-10-15T11:53:58-04:00
Prayer is a two-way street of communication. You talk to God; God talks to you. So, when you talk, He listens. And he wants to hear what is really on your heart. The more you open up to Him, the closer your relationship with Him can become.
By way of example, I had been in a state of denial about my desire to be married for about four years. From 1996 to 2000, I asked God to help me find someone I could share my life with, but if it was His desire for me to be single, then just give me the strength to be single.
That’s a hedged-bet prayer at best, and not very honest. Most of my friends were married and having children, and I was tired of being “left behind”. More than just want to not be alone, my real desire was to have someone I could share my life with. I wanted someone whose life I could pour into, enrich, and make happier. In a good marriage, it’s not what you get out of it, it’s what you unselfishly put into it.
One day, I “snapped”. Without much forethought, I began praying, “God, I have had it. I am mad, I am upset, and I and tired of being by myself. I have worked long (more than 10 years) and hard to prepare myself to be a good husband. I an ready to share my life, I don’t want to be alone, and I am angry about my situation. I want you to change things for me and change them now!”
I am not suggesting you immediately sit down and start shouting at God. What I do suggest is that you get honest with God. Tell Him what is really going on in your life, what’s wrong, and what you’d like to change. He will listen to that prayer. He might not answer it in the way you like, but praying honestly will bring you closer to Jesus and give you a more fulfilled life.
BTW, within a week, I met a woman that I began to date, I asked her to marry me, she said yes, and we just celebrated our seventh wedding anniversary. God hasn’t answered every prayer the way I would like, but I know that He has answered every honest prayer. ]]>God listens to prayers - Matthew 7:7-8urn:uuid:3747a9c7-3ace-7161-b6b2-3e2e860832722008-10-13T12:16:31-04:00
To he who asks it shall be given.
To he who seeks, shall find.
To him who knows, it will be opened.
For years, I just looked at this as three closely related thoughts, but I’ve learned that when Jesus sometimes says a thing three times, He is emphasizing that what He is saying is very important.
Jesus is talking about prayer in this chapter. In these two verses, He is saying that we can completely trust in God to listen to our prayers.
For example, do you ever ask for something without wanting it? Probably not. If you are asking for something, you usually do so with the expectation you will receive what you ask for. If you seek something, and seek it long enough with enough focused effort, you will find it. Most of the time, when you knock on a door, you expect someone to open it.
So, in my opinion, when you pray, you can be assured that God hears you.
I’ve had several instances of praying for something earnestly and receiving an immediate response from God. Most of the time, I pray for months or years before I see the effect of my prayers. On some prayers, I am still waiting. But, I can know because the Bible is true, that God hears all of my prayers.
How about you?]]>What do you get out of real fellowship?urn:uuid:40e7fa87-a010-3699-df5d-95ac5a5c7eee2008-09-18T16:08:41-04:00
• Receive increased blessings
• Provide encouragement
• Provide admonishment and reproof
• Grow our own patience
• Provide for material needs
• Witness to others through our service to one another, our integrity, our honesty, our concern, and our love for one another
Can you think of any others? What do you get out of the time you spend with other Christians?]]>What is Christianity all about?urn:uuid:8b48d579-bb3b-1c08-84ca-083d1a1acf132008-09-16T22:44:24-04:00
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVJqRLU3J0I ]]>How do you keep your Bible study fresh?urn:uuid:60d8f02a-e2a1-c783-273a-c7d38d9633de2008-09-08T12:10:33-04:00
For me, I try to vary the way I study. Sometimes I study a book, Next time I'll study a character. Sometimes, I've even pulled out an atlas and just studied one place mentioned in the Bible.
I think another key aspect to Bible study is reading with the expectation that God will speak to you. Reading the Bible is not about accumulating knowledge, like when reading a text book, but in building a relationship, like reading a letter from a friend.]]>How do you keep fasting from becoming a routine?urn:uuid:4eb67df5-6377-8474-0fa2-08a5cef4ed4f2008-09-08T12:07:37-04:00Why do you fast?urn:uuid:ff1610b8-ae91-66af-50d0-57529b7493492008-08-28T08:04:48-04:00
I know many people who have fasted. After the fast, they talk about how hungry they were by lunch and how faint-headed they felt by dinner time. Some have talked about how they have a deeper understanding of sacrifice and suffering. Those who participate in group fasts have talked with me about the activities that went on during the fasting period.
And while I believe that all of these people fasted for sincere reasons, I believe they fasted for the wrong reasons.
To me, the purpose of fasting is to develop a deeper relationship with God. I think where some people miss the value of fasting is they try to fast on their own strength instead of relying on God’s strength. Instead of focusing on sacrifice, they should focus on receiving. And while there is precedence for corporate fasting, fasting should primarily be a private matter.
Why do you fast?
How do you fast?]]>How do you study the Bible?urn:uuid:b0448fe3-7d62-d2f1-8cfc-e0cc3603c3a62008-08-22T11:13:25-04:00
Book study
This is one of the best ways, IMO, to get to learn the Bible, especially for new Christians. Read one book at a time. Most Bibles include some type of introduction to the book that provide information on who wrote the book, who was their audience, when did they write it, why did they write it, and so on. I highly recommend reading this first before diving into the book, especially the longer ones. Also, having an atlas on hand can help, especially when reading the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). Having a Bible dictionary is great for looking up weights, measures, and names.
Topical study
It's easy to find topical studies at bookstores or online. Topical studies are great for demonstrating how well integrated the Bible is - that how a topic is discussed in one place is consistent with how it is discussed in another place. The down side of this type of study is that it is easier to take verses out of context. But, topical studies are a great way to find out what the Bible has to say on the issues that you are dealing with today.
Character study
Select a person in the Bible and read everything about that person. We can learn much about our own relationship with God by looking at the relationship other people had with God. The Bible is filled with flawed people - every one of them (except Jesus) was a screw up in one way or another. I also like character studies because it's a great way to get to know some of the "supporting actors". For example, take a minute and think about all the things you know about Peter. Really, take a minute. Okay, now take a minute and think about what you know about Andrew. Take five minutes. Having trouble coming up with something? Andrew is a great character study, IMO, as is Aaron and Jonathon.
What are some of the ways you study the Bible? How do you take notes on what you study? Is there anything you do to help you get more out of your study?]]>What is "fellowship" really?urn:uuid:431cc210-979f-462b-4160-70504bbc4e962008-08-22T08:12:59-04:00 "Fellowship is like when non-Christian people get together, just without all of the drinking and cursing."
This comment is funny for its seeming lack of depth, but is our own experiences with what we've called "fellowship" so much different? What really separates the time we spend with Christian friends from the time we spend with those who don't yet know God? What did God really intend for us to experience when we meet with other Christians?
To understand what God intended for us when we have fellowship with one another, we must first agree on a definition of "fellowship". The original languages of the Bible is usually a good place to start.
"Fellowship" is the English translation of he Hebrew stem hbr, which was used to express several ideas. These include: - a common or shared house, binding or joining, a companion, or a wife (in her role as a companion). Interestingly, there is no place in the Old Testament where the Hebrew root hbr is used to describe one's relationship with God. Obviously, our fellowship with God is of a different nature from that of our relationship with other Christians.
The Greek stem koin- provides a more amplified definition for "fellowship". Beginning with the base term "common," the Greek root koin- was used to express ideas such as friendship and the sense of bonding and closeness which the members of social, religious, and philosophical organizations shared with one another. Other words and concepts that are derived from this Greek root include communicate, distribute, contribute, participate, share, partnership, intercourse, associate, and companion.
These are active, not passive verbs. We can imply that fellowship is not merely the act of being in the presence of other Christians. We can choose to be present in the midst of fellowship, but unless we participate, communicate with those around us, and share our thoughts and feelings, we will be "on the outside looking in". Developing fellowship with other Christians is a process that we must actively pursue if we are to received its benefits.
What do you think is God's purpose for fellowship? ]]>Does prayer work?urn:uuid:ba7adcfe-fdf8-02a1-50b4-353fa6a9fb5e2008-08-18T12:33:03-04:00
I know some people who absolutely, unfailing believe in the power of prayer.
I know more people who absolutely, beyond the shadow of a doubt "know" that it doesn't.
But most of the people I know want to believe that prayer always works, but they are unsure that it doesn't because they're prayers seem to go unanswered.]]>Why write a blog?urn:uuid:a288a81c-a8a5-d75c-4539-d992681989452008-08-14T11:42:50-04:00Mostly so I could discuss with other people, "What are the essential elements of a healthy spiritual life grounded in Jesus Christ?" I consider those essentials to be: