The question posed tonight was: If God already has everything planned, why do we pray?
First of all, testimony is so important here. Sharing those stories like we did tonight testifies to what God is doing and can do. Let's keep that up. Make testifying a part of your daily life. May it become such a natural part of our conversations with the world, that salt and truth come forth from our mouths!
I pose the question above because it has been posed to me. When it's posed, let's have a ready answer for the "hope we profess." The first answer may just be, when I prayed for this _______, God stepped in and made a way. Testimony can change lives.
Then let's turn to Scripture. 2 Chron 7:14: If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and will heal their land."
Here we see that prayer MATTERS. Prayer opens the gate for God to move. Sometimes, I think, He is just waiting for us to ask - so we will know it was Him.
Let's look at James 5. A great chapter. Verse 13 and following....the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well. So here we see that sometimes (according to His will) it is the prayer in faith that brought the healing. Again, prayer MATTERS. God is allowing us here...even inviting us to be a part of His work so we will be blessed. What a pleasure. He wants to use us as vessels so He can get glory. Prayer confesses our faith, and that pleases God.
In Acts chapter 4, Paul and John prayed boldly....and "after they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly." God responded to the passion in their hearts spoken forth from their mouths. God responds to prayer. We may not always see it, but He is faithful.
Speaking our faith outloud releases the faith from our hearts. It takes courage to say something outloud sometimes doesn't it? Because the spoken word is powerful. Even more powerful is speaking God's Word! So let's start praying Scripture! We can always pray boldly from His Word because His Word is truth.
Take home from tonight - "You have not, because you ask not." James 4:2
Let's ask for a sunroof! If a sunroof is not in His will, then His will be done. Just as Christ asked for the cup to pass but drank from it still. But let it not be that we missed out on an opportunity for a great testimony because we thought our want or need was too big or too small to mention. He already knows you want it. Let's give Him the chance to surprise us with goodness and give us a testimony. God is waiting to hear from you.....
8/17/2009
8/10/2009
What Are We Offering Him?
Yesterday in worship, were were singing that song about coming back to the heart of worship.
It's all about you, Lord.
As we were singing, I pictured myself coming before him with completely empty hands. I had nothing to offer him. Nothing, at least, that was tangible or measurable. The picture was of me going before him naked of any accomplishments or titles or knowledge. It was just me and him. The person I was before the God He is. I actually felt the moment of approaching him and in my mind I saw everything behind me - only He and I together.
Surprisingly, I still felt welcome - though I had nothing to bring but myself. That must come from knowing Him. I know He loves me, and I know I'm welcome in His presence. But this moment brought things into focus. The picture zoomed into my heart. I saw a heart with some areas of hurt and pride and self. It needed work. But who I was and who I am was still presentable to Him, because He knew anyway. He really does accept us as we are. It's just that when we come closer to the light - we see more clearly what we look like inside.
What "thing" are we trying to offer Him? What action (or choice not to act)? Let it instead be our hearts, examined.
The wonderful thought here it that because of Christ and Him alone can I approach that throne of grace. If not for Christ - who would I be today? He made the way for me to even have the ability to change for the better, seek a holy God and have relationship with my Creator. Praise the Lord - who is Jesus Christ. It is Christ who offered Himself...so that we would have something to offer of worth - a redeemed, sanctified, heart made new.
It's all about you, Lord.
As we were singing, I pictured myself coming before him with completely empty hands. I had nothing to offer him. Nothing, at least, that was tangible or measurable. The picture was of me going before him naked of any accomplishments or titles or knowledge. It was just me and him. The person I was before the God He is. I actually felt the moment of approaching him and in my mind I saw everything behind me - only He and I together.
Surprisingly, I still felt welcome - though I had nothing to bring but myself. That must come from knowing Him. I know He loves me, and I know I'm welcome in His presence. But this moment brought things into focus. The picture zoomed into my heart. I saw a heart with some areas of hurt and pride and self. It needed work. But who I was and who I am was still presentable to Him, because He knew anyway. He really does accept us as we are. It's just that when we come closer to the light - we see more clearly what we look like inside.
What "thing" are we trying to offer Him? What action (or choice not to act)? Let it instead be our hearts, examined.
The wonderful thought here it that because of Christ and Him alone can I approach that throne of grace. If not for Christ - who would I be today? He made the way for me to even have the ability to change for the better, seek a holy God and have relationship with my Creator. Praise the Lord - who is Jesus Christ. It is Christ who offered Himself...so that we would have something to offer of worth - a redeemed, sanctified, heart made new.
8/09/2009
Unbroken Circles
I have a hero in the faith - her name is Corrie Ten Boom. I read her book, Tramp for the Lord, in high school the first time....and many times since. I picked it up today when I wanted a fresh look at a life lived for the Lord in the area of forgiveness.
What amazes me when I pick this book up each time, is just how much God is up to all over the world. We see something new in the faith or sense Him doing something in our midst, and I'm reminded that He has been moving mightily all over the world since time began.
David talks a lot about the message of James 5:13 - confessing our sins one to another so we can be healed. It's the message of horizontal confession and forgiveness. God forgives...but we may miss the healing if we do not confess our sins to someone in the faith and release that accountability.
Corrie talks about the broken circle. She shares a story about her nephew praying and praying for something to break free in a friends' life. It just never would. The Lord spoke to her nephew about 1 John 1:7-9 and gave him this leading: If Christians walk in the light, then the blood of Christ cleanses them from all sin, making their life a closed circle and protecting them from evil. But if there is unconfessed sin in that Christian's life, the circle has a gap - a hole, if you will, where evil can more easily entangle us. Her nephew finally asked the friend about any unconfessed sin. When that sin was confessed - liberation came.
The message of James 5:13 has been going on a long time. Open confession. Open forgiveness. Then healing comes. God's Word has been working in the lives of people since He created the world. His message is the same - and it works. Now that we would learn to live in that realm of constant confession - and openness before the Lord and those in the faith we trust.
Help us, Lord, to confess what has been unspoken. Help us to forgive what has been weighing us down. For where your Spirit leads us, there is freedom.
What amazes me when I pick this book up each time, is just how much God is up to all over the world. We see something new in the faith or sense Him doing something in our midst, and I'm reminded that He has been moving mightily all over the world since time began.
David talks a lot about the message of James 5:13 - confessing our sins one to another so we can be healed. It's the message of horizontal confession and forgiveness. God forgives...but we may miss the healing if we do not confess our sins to someone in the faith and release that accountability.
Corrie talks about the broken circle. She shares a story about her nephew praying and praying for something to break free in a friends' life. It just never would. The Lord spoke to her nephew about 1 John 1:7-9 and gave him this leading: If Christians walk in the light, then the blood of Christ cleanses them from all sin, making their life a closed circle and protecting them from evil. But if there is unconfessed sin in that Christian's life, the circle has a gap - a hole, if you will, where evil can more easily entangle us. Her nephew finally asked the friend about any unconfessed sin. When that sin was confessed - liberation came.
The message of James 5:13 has been going on a long time. Open confession. Open forgiveness. Then healing comes. God's Word has been working in the lives of people since He created the world. His message is the same - and it works. Now that we would learn to live in that realm of constant confession - and openness before the Lord and those in the faith we trust.
Help us, Lord, to confess what has been unspoken. Help us to forgive what has been weighing us down. For where your Spirit leads us, there is freedom.
8/08/2009
Pride - Continued
"Humility is manifested in an indifference to our intellectual, emotional and physical well-being and a carefree disregard of the image we present. No longer concerned with appearing good, we can move freely in the mystery of who we really are, aware of the sovereignty of God and of our absolute insufficiency and yet moved by a spirit of radical self-acceptance without self-concern.
Humble people are without pretense, free from any sense of spiritual superiority, and liberated form the need to be associated with persons of importance. The awareness of their spiritual empitness does not disconcert them. Neither overly sensitive to criticism nor inflated by praise, they recognize their brokenness, acknowledge their gifts, and refuse to take themselves seriously." - Brennan Manning, from Ruthless Trust.
You know that statement about embarrassing your sin before it embarrasses you. It fits here. The more puffed up we allow ourselves to look, I think the more we better brace ourselves for the fall. That is where the liberation he talks about can come into play. How freeing to stop worrying about what other people think, and to bring our whole self and heart into the light of Christ - where all truth is revealed - and He loves us still.
When did the worry over the approval of men begin, Lord? Where does that hunger inside us for admiration come from? And how, in my flesh, can I truly mean it when I say - have all the glory - let YOUR NAME be lifted up and may I never receive the praise. Elizabeth Elliot talks a lot about dying moments. If this can be one moment, followed by many more - I might just make room for more of you.
Humble people are without pretense, free from any sense of spiritual superiority, and liberated form the need to be associated with persons of importance. The awareness of their spiritual empitness does not disconcert them. Neither overly sensitive to criticism nor inflated by praise, they recognize their brokenness, acknowledge their gifts, and refuse to take themselves seriously." - Brennan Manning, from Ruthless Trust.
You know that statement about embarrassing your sin before it embarrasses you. It fits here. The more puffed up we allow ourselves to look, I think the more we better brace ourselves for the fall. That is where the liberation he talks about can come into play. How freeing to stop worrying about what other people think, and to bring our whole self and heart into the light of Christ - where all truth is revealed - and He loves us still.
When did the worry over the approval of men begin, Lord? Where does that hunger inside us for admiration come from? And how, in my flesh, can I truly mean it when I say - have all the glory - let YOUR NAME be lifted up and may I never receive the praise. Elizabeth Elliot talks a lot about dying moments. If this can be one moment, followed by many more - I might just make room for more of you.
8/04/2009
The Pride Issue
I think we need to get down to the heart. The word pride is not the issue. Sure, I am going to say I'm proud of my husband, my parents, a child. Until the Spirit or the Word convicts or confirms that being wrong - we will say it. We were taught that having pride in what we do and being proud of those we love is a good thing. Right or wrong, God knows our hearts.
In addition...let's look at Scripture. Paul tells the church at Corinth - "I have great confidence in you; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds." See....let's just take a look-see because many times - no matter how specific our question - God can address it with Scripture. We see here that there is a difference between having pride in ourselves or others compared to being full of pride that leads to destruction.
This lesson is about us. Suzy posed the question: "Isn't pride the biggest problem of all Christians?" Maybe. I might pose a different question today: "Is pride MY biggest problem?" The pride of self-indulgence, self-glory - the hunger for me to be higher and stronger and more recognizable.
Haven't we seen what fame can do to a person? It's amazing how we seem to even begin to crave more information about the famous. Sadly - many people in the limelight have been ruined by that fame.
Let us go back to applying this question to our lives....."Does God look mighty in the circumstance or do I?" We really don't want the latter too often. It's tiring. We cannot always meet the standards we set or others set for us. Let us have the courage of Paul to accept those thorns in the flesh that seem to humble us. And let our daily prayer include, Lord, clothe me with humility.
I would love us to talk about going to the cross. Dying to self doesn't sound like much fun - but what if it meant true resurrection? What does it mean to you that for those who are in Christ, life does not end at the cross?
In addition...let's look at Scripture. Paul tells the church at Corinth - "I have great confidence in you; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds." See....let's just take a look-see because many times - no matter how specific our question - God can address it with Scripture. We see here that there is a difference between having pride in ourselves or others compared to being full of pride that leads to destruction.
This lesson is about us. Suzy posed the question: "Isn't pride the biggest problem of all Christians?" Maybe. I might pose a different question today: "Is pride MY biggest problem?" The pride of self-indulgence, self-glory - the hunger for me to be higher and stronger and more recognizable.
Haven't we seen what fame can do to a person? It's amazing how we seem to even begin to crave more information about the famous. Sadly - many people in the limelight have been ruined by that fame.
Let us go back to applying this question to our lives....."Does God look mighty in the circumstance or do I?" We really don't want the latter too often. It's tiring. We cannot always meet the standards we set or others set for us. Let us have the courage of Paul to accept those thorns in the flesh that seem to humble us. And let our daily prayer include, Lord, clothe me with humility.
I would love us to talk about going to the cross. Dying to self doesn't sound like much fun - but what if it meant true resurrection? What does it mean to you that for those who are in Christ, life does not end at the cross?
8/04/2008
Love
“One of [the Pharisees], and expert in the law, tested him with this question: ‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’
Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.’”
Our love for God is given priority. Even as we are called to love others, we will love them best by first loving God. His love transforms us. To love Him will be to obey Him, and through obedience and surrender, we can love others more purely because our hearts are sanctified and at peace.
And then we see the second commandment. The one Jesus so clearly portrayed in his life on earth. It is honoring to God and touches his heart like no other offering we set forth. It is love for others. Do we struggle with that request? Are we ever empty? Then let us ask God for His agape love to fill our hearts for those we deem unlovable. This is the greatest call of all: to love. It is the purest motivation for service and the most pleasing act we can perform as humans.
Paul lived as a servant and followed the man who was and is the Lord. He came to see that all our works, and even the good intentions of our hearts fall to the ground next to the cross, if we did not love. But in fact, if we love, we will act.
There are almost as many references in the Bible for the word Love as for the word Lord. It is neatly curious to consider the connection between John 3:16, in which we clearly see the purest form of God’s love, and that of 1 John 3:16, through which we see the other side of love.
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.”
In a world that searches for concrete answers for every question, here is one truth we know: love is never wrong. Should we serve out of love, that service will not be wasted. Should we give or go, restrain or act – if it is with love, it is honorable to Him and for the greater good of people.
John also tells us love drives out fear. Here is the road to freedom. Love is from God, and He does not give a Spirit of fear, but of love. He has freed us through his love. It frees us to live and dance and love others joyfully.
Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.’”
Our love for God is given priority. Even as we are called to love others, we will love them best by first loving God. His love transforms us. To love Him will be to obey Him, and through obedience and surrender, we can love others more purely because our hearts are sanctified and at peace.
And then we see the second commandment. The one Jesus so clearly portrayed in his life on earth. It is honoring to God and touches his heart like no other offering we set forth. It is love for others. Do we struggle with that request? Are we ever empty? Then let us ask God for His agape love to fill our hearts for those we deem unlovable. This is the greatest call of all: to love. It is the purest motivation for service and the most pleasing act we can perform as humans.
Paul lived as a servant and followed the man who was and is the Lord. He came to see that all our works, and even the good intentions of our hearts fall to the ground next to the cross, if we did not love. But in fact, if we love, we will act.
There are almost as many references in the Bible for the word Love as for the word Lord. It is neatly curious to consider the connection between John 3:16, in which we clearly see the purest form of God’s love, and that of 1 John 3:16, through which we see the other side of love.
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.”
In a world that searches for concrete answers for every question, here is one truth we know: love is never wrong. Should we serve out of love, that service will not be wasted. Should we give or go, restrain or act – if it is with love, it is honorable to Him and for the greater good of people.
John also tells us love drives out fear. Here is the road to freedom. Love is from God, and He does not give a Spirit of fear, but of love. He has freed us through his love. It frees us to live and dance and love others joyfully.
Grace Goes On
So many of us sit on the other side of the ravine and let every possible thought stop us from crossing that bridge of grace.
“That’s not my bridge; it’s for someone else.” “I didn’t build it.” “What I have to carry across won’t hold.”
And we live in the cage that is falsehood, choosing to give up because we can’t believe grace is that good. To accept something so great for nothing is foreign to those of us who rest our pride in our own accomplishments.
Yet the grace of God calls us out to meet us where we are. God is the lover of the most unlovable. His grace is for the weak and the strong, because both need it. Without His grace, we cannot cross the ravine, no matter what we do.
Our excuses for settling on the other side of the ravine not only steal our joy, but begin to cover the work done on the cross.
The joy we wait for can only come when we accept that we are as needy today of God’s abundant grace as we were on the day we came to the Lord, and that His offer is the same today as it was on that great day. Freedom comes in knowing our daily life in Christ is as much about grace as our salvation was.
God chose us when we were His enemies. (Rom. 5:10) How much more grace does he offer those who are in Christ! His love does not wait for our works. He is still the great lover of every soul, “browsing among the lilies” and seeking the heart of every soul as his passionate love pursuit.
So let us come with empty hands and honest hearts to receive the grace God so desires to pour out. Let us hold his promises as true – for there is, thank the Lord, no condemnation for those who are in Christ. (Rom 8:1) No matter your place, the offer stands.
Grace is what made us who we are in Christ, and it will be daily grace which leads us home.
“That’s not my bridge; it’s for someone else.” “I didn’t build it.” “What I have to carry across won’t hold.”
And we live in the cage that is falsehood, choosing to give up because we can’t believe grace is that good. To accept something so great for nothing is foreign to those of us who rest our pride in our own accomplishments.
Yet the grace of God calls us out to meet us where we are. God is the lover of the most unlovable. His grace is for the weak and the strong, because both need it. Without His grace, we cannot cross the ravine, no matter what we do.
Our excuses for settling on the other side of the ravine not only steal our joy, but begin to cover the work done on the cross.
The joy we wait for can only come when we accept that we are as needy today of God’s abundant grace as we were on the day we came to the Lord, and that His offer is the same today as it was on that great day. Freedom comes in knowing our daily life in Christ is as much about grace as our salvation was.
God chose us when we were His enemies. (Rom. 5:10) How much more grace does he offer those who are in Christ! His love does not wait for our works. He is still the great lover of every soul, “browsing among the lilies” and seeking the heart of every soul as his passionate love pursuit.
So let us come with empty hands and honest hearts to receive the grace God so desires to pour out. Let us hold his promises as true – for there is, thank the Lord, no condemnation for those who are in Christ. (Rom 8:1) No matter your place, the offer stands.
Grace is what made us who we are in Christ, and it will be daily grace which leads us home.
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