Opus 2024-139: Christian Cliches: Pray and Change

I keep hearing that “Prayer changes things.”  While I accept the general idea I don’t see it as a guarantee given by the Bible.  The change is a choice of God, not the petitioner.  

You want a couple of examples?  Start at the top.  Take Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane just before He was arrested.   

(Mar 14:36 KJV)  And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

It seems pretty clear He is asking for plan B.  At the same time He knows it isn’t going to happen.

Not enough for you?  You are a hard sell.  Next, take the apostle Paul.  Yes, the Paul who said,

(1Th 5:17 KJV)  Pray without ceasing.

Paul is well known for his thorn in the flesh.  He was not excited about it.  He asked God to remove it.

(2Co 12:8 KJV)  For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

He asked three times.  God said, “No” three times.

Too many people think that prayer is a “to-do list” for God.  Yes, there are verses that can be understood that way but they have qualifiers.

So pray.  Expect God to answer.  Accept the reality that “no” is an answer.

homo unius libri

Opus 2021-312: Two Pronged Focus for Prayer

I said earlier that I don’t understand prayer.  I find much prayer monotonous repetition.  I like to refer to the Lord’s Prayer for examples of how I should pray.  I find it helps to use it as a template for my prayer adventures.  But there are other indicators on how we should pray.  Read the context of Paul’s admonition to pray which I quoted last time,

(1Th 5:16-18 KJV)  Rejoice evermore.  Pray without ceasing.  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

I take this seriously.  When I have my morning day-starter of worship I try to begin and focus with those two ingredients:  Rejoicing and thanks.  Not only does it help my attitude but it reminds me of all the things that God is doing.

We live in a blessed bubble of history.  Compare what you have to do to get a sandwich.  After driving in an air-conditioned car to an air-conditioned grocery store, you walk into your air-conditioned house and put it all together.  Go back a few centuries.  You would need to start by plowing the ground to plant the wheat.  You can use your imagination to take it from there.  If you focus a little bit you can come up with a few material things yourself.

If you know what it is to trust in Jesus you also have the added assurance of God’s presence in your life and a blessed eternity.  As we anticipate Thanksgiving and approach Christmas you can focus on the forgotten message,

(Gal 4:4 KJV)  But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Be thankful that you know to whom we are thankful.  Be excited because you have heard about the events that Christmas celebrates.  Rejoice in the knowledge that if there are no toys to buy this year you still know about the greatest Gift.

Blessings.

homo unius libri

Opus 2021-311: Time to Double Down

I don’t know if you believe in prayer.  I don’t understand prayer.  If God is omnipotent and omniscient, what difference does it make if we pray?  I don’t have an answer to that.  The question is on my list for my first sit down with Jesus in eternity.  But I don’t need an answer because we have been told to pray.  Paul sums it up for us.

(1Th 5:17 KJV)  Pray without ceasing.

I don’t know about you but I was pleased with the outcomes of many recent elections.  I will be even more pleased if the numbers hold up.  Never doubt the ingenuity of Democrats when it comes to stealing an election.  I like to think this is in answer to prayer.  I have seen God answering prayers in other areas.

It is time to double down.  We need to pray for those who have been newly elected.  We need to pray that they would follow the path of righteousness.  I don’t have any idea where they are spiritually but we need to pray that they move in ways that encourage righteousness.  The battle is not over for the soul of America and the future of the world.  We need to keep manning the ramparts of prayer.

And while you are at it, don’t just pray for President Trump.  We need to drown our current president and his cohorts in prayer.  Remember how God continually used the pagans of the Middle East to bring Israel into line.  He can use the pagans of modern America too.

So keep at it.  Pray without ceasing.

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Opus 2016-299: Election 2016: A Call to Prayer

There are so many things that can be said about the election, the results and where do we go from here.  I will probably say many of them but the key thing I think Christians need to remember is that we need to be more zealous in prayer than ever before.  An often quoted statement that evidently predates Thomas Jefferson is “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.”  I don’t recall off the top of my head a snappy Bible quote to back that up unless it is,

(1 Thessalonians 5:17 KJV)  Pray without ceasing.

I believe we are to be involved in the political process.  One of the dangers of that is believing that real answers will be found in politics.  God has worked through every political format.  He will continue to work that way.  He can harden hearts and enlighten minds.  He can knock people down and lift them up. 

Donald Trump will need our constant prayers.  His advisors and choices will need divine intervention.  Rejoice or mourn at what happened last night, the future requirement is clear.  To that end let me add one more verse.

(Galatians 6:9 KJV)  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

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Opus 2015-70: Do We Have a Prayer?

What is prayer?  What does it mean to pray?

I offer a simple definition:  Prayer is communicating with God.  Like many simple definitions the application gets more complex.

The popular conceptions of prayer take certain forms.

For most people the only prayer they come in contact with is done by a minister, from the pulpit.  Sometimes those prayers are written and carefully prepared ahead of time.  Sometimes they are reading prayers that have been written by others.  Then you have memorized prayers such as “Now I lay me down to sleep....”  And of course we have emergency pleas during a crisis.

I have participated in all those but I think that the most meaningful prayer is an offering made based on our personality and with a goal of communication. 

Some people are gregarious.  When they communicate with God they prattle on just like they would at lunch with a friend.  While it might drive the reticent crazy, God sees the heart and truly understands the mind.  He also has forever. 

I am more introspective.  When I am comfortable with someone I can sit for extended periods of time and say nothing.  I can just enjoy their presence.  I think of how it is when I visit my children.  Just being in the same house is a joy.  Watching them do what they need to do is satisfying.  Seeing them off to work is fulfilling.  At times we can get involved in long, intense discussions.  Other times we exchange a few words.  To me that is an example of how prayer works.

Since prayer is communication it also has a listening module.  I think of it as a conversation.  God speaks to me during prayer.  On rare occasions it is a very clear word or two.  Usually it is by impression or ideas that come to mind.  Sometimes it is a scripture that is remembered.  Like any message though, it requires listening.

This explains why Paul can say,

(1 Thessalonians 5:17 KJV)  Pray without ceasing.

Prayer is a constant awareness of God’s presence and care.

homo unius libri

Opus 2013-3: Links: Response to “Denominations”, part 1 of 2

Recently at Gorges’ Grouse there was a post on Denominations.  It is worth reading if you have not done so yet.  I might nit pick but on the whole he has good points.  My basic thoughts here are taken from a note I wrote myself a couple of years ago.  As I was reviewing old ideas his post got me thinking this would be a good addition to the discussion.

In the study of theology you have different objectives.  One the one hand you have “systematic” theology.  Another emphasis would be “Biblical” theology.  This would seem to be redundant but it is a necessary difference.  There are certain teachings that are a required part of orthodox Christianity that you will not find in the concordance.  One is the teaching of the Trinity.  The world is not in the Bible but you do find both the statement that there is one God along with the divinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  That would be "systematic."

There is also a difference between theology and straight Biblical teaching.  For instance, how do you deal with the teaching about the filling with the Holy Spirit?  In my background, the Church of the Nazarene, we have a doctrine to explain it.  We call it “entire sanctification.”  This is theology saying there is a work of grace by the Holy Spirit subsequent to regeneration by which we are filled with the Spirit and sanctified entirely.  That is a theological statement.  Most denominations would disagree with the way the Nazarenes state it.

How does this work out in teaching the Bible.  The Bible says we are to be sanctified wholly.

(1 Thessalonians 5:23 KJV)  And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

No believer would claim it does not say this.  We simply disagree on what it means.

One is theology, one straight Bible teaching. 

To be continued...

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