Faith without a promise

Years ago, shortly after Christ had laid hold of me, I found myself having faith in faith, and having faith for things that God had never said. In one instance I believed God for about three and a half years for something he had never even promised me! I don't need to tell you, then, that I was painfully disappointed and totally confused. This was during a time where I began to listen to a lot of 'prophetic' type teaching without being grounded in knowing God's voice for myself, and I had yet to learn what it meant to build firmly upon the word of God.

Today's blog post is taken from a classic devotional, Springs in the Valley (1939, 1968) by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman. It is so rich that I wanted to share it here.  I would entitle this 'True Faith' if one was needed and as you read it, you will also see why the devotional lesson resonates with me big time.

God is to be trusted for what He is, and not for what He is not. We may confidently expect Him to act according to His nature, but never contrary to it. To dream that God will do this and that because we wish that He would is not faith, but fanaticism. Faith can only stand upon truth. We may be sure that God will so act as to honor His own justice, mercy, wisdom, power - in a word, so as to be Himself. Beyond all doubt He will fulfill His promises; and when faith grasps a promise she is on sure ground. To believe that God will give us what He has never promised to give is mere dreaming. Faith without a promise revealed or implied is folly. Yea, though our trust should cry itself hoarse in prayer, it should be none the less a vain dotard if it had no word of God to warrant it. Happily, the promises and unveilings of Scripture are ample for every real emergency; but when unrestrained credence catches at every whim of its own crazy imagination and thinks to see it realized, the disappointment is not to be wondered at.

It is ours to believe the sure things of God's revelation, but we are not to waste a grain of precious reliance upon anything outside of that circle.

- Rev. C. H. Spurgeon

"Faith does not mean that we are trying to believe something that is not so; it just means that we are taking God at His word."

"Life more abundantly" is not what many think

I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

John 10:10b

There are so many who quote Jesus' words above and teach it as referring to a 'good life' by worldly standards. And many who hear this type of teaching never go on to examine this Scripture for themselves. I am not even referring to those who are blatantly covetous and seeking to get wealthy and build their personal empires. I am referring to average people who want to do what's right and truly believe that the abundant life Christ comes to give us refers to blessings of material possessions because that's how this Scripture is often explained and taught. According to what I've seen in Scripture,  this view is not merely 'incomplete' or 'unbalanced', I have to go so far as to say that it is entirely wrong.

I only intend to scratch the surface of this topic in the hope that you will be provoked enough to seriously consider what Jesus said for yourself and even study it some more. I think one of the best ways to do that is to ask you to consider what the key word in that sentence is. It's not "abundant(ly)" which is where too many teachers put the stress. The key word there is "life." So we need to go on and examine how God defines this promised "life". The Scriptures below should convince us that Jesus does not define "life" by terms which have to do with our natural existence and the material needs that come with it:

“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

Matthew 6:25

And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”
Luke 12:15

Jesus did not come to open the way for us to have an abundance of things here on the earth. Yes, some will be entrusted with many material possessions and and they will be required to produce much with it for the kingdom of God. But when God speaks of this gift of grace called "life", He speaks of an "eternal life" that transcends mortality.

1 John 2:25
And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life.

1 John 5:11
And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.

1 John 5:20
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.

The abundant life that Jesus Christ has come to give us is marked by an abundance of qualities that are only found in God, and it can be obtained only by knowing God.

For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.
Romans 14:17-18

Jesus Christ came so that we might have an eternal life that is full of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. You know when you have entered into this life because as you hear and obey His word

• you now have the ability to walk in the righteousness of Christ, to live an upright life with a clear conscience;
• you have peace that is not hinged upon what happens to you but upon your trust in what God says, and you know that it is well with your soul;
• you have joy even in trials that allows you to to reflect on His past deliverance, to hope in God for all else that comes, and you simply delight in the privilege of being called into relationship with God

This is an abundant life that does not depend in any way upon the material possessions and comforts which God may entrust to you. This abundant life never ends for the one who belongs to God. The abundant life will actually proclaim: "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21).

Ingredients of Effective Prayer (1)

Today is the fifth post in my bite-size series on praying effectively. In the previous post we looked at the text in James 5:16. The Amplified Bible says:

Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].

In this verse we also began to observe some ingredients of effective prayer: made by "a righteous person"; and "earnest (heartfelt and continued)".

It is important to understand that there are 'levels' of prayer which have to do with your level of relationship with God and your submission to, and understanding of, His word and will. However, there are fundamental principles of prayer that are necessary at any level. These are the ones which we will focus on. We will look at some texts in the New Testament and identify some of those characteristics that are foundational to effective prayer.

There are numerous examples of prayer in the Bible, much too many to go through in this setting but as you read and come upon various texts you will see that every prayer that pleased God and was effective illustrates certain characteristics. Apart from the ones that we will discuss in this and upcoming posts, you will be able to identify others in your own study of the bible and use them to shape your own prayers to God as your relationship with Him grows.


1. Prayer implies submission to a superior which defines the attitude of the one praying. It is a posture and submission of the spirit, which will often times be simultaneously expressed in the posture of the physical body.

Hebrews 5:7
Who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear

Luke 11:2
So He said to them, “When you pray, say:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.

1 Kings 18:42
So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees

God's ears are pleased to hear the prayers of the humble, those whose hearts submit themselves to His authority and greatness. This is a fundamental ingredient of prayer.

[This is the fifth post in a series on the subject of prayer. Last week we considered what is meant by the term "effective" prayer. These posts are interspersed among other blog topics so for the easy identification of related posts, look for the label 'praying effectively - series' in the sidebar. If you are just now joining in I recommend that you read the first post where I shared my reason for doing this series. I hope to share practical keys and insight into praying effectively, in bite-size blog posts which you can easily follow.]

I stand amazed, at Your feet

Sometimes, someone else's words so perfectly describe where we are, how we are, and what's in our heart that there is no need to try to come up with more. Here am I today:

"I Stand Amazed" by Glassbyrd


AND

"At Your Feet" by Casting Crowns

Next step, no blueprint

It's Saturday again and so I thought I'd wind down and blog on a random-personal note. That photo above is a view off in the distance, outside my window. It's a peaceful day and I feel good. I've got the joy of the Lord deep down in my soul, and the confidence that He is leading me into the next step that's laid out for me.

As you know, seasons changed just two days ago. Summer is over and Autumn has started for you who have seasons. I don't have those seasons, but I do benefit a little from some cold fronts and earlier nightfall (read: cooler mornings and nights). Also this past week, the Jewish and Messianic Jewish community started celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles, one of the appointed feasts of God to ancient Israel with great significance. It is also a Harvest festival and so it's a joyous occasion of abundance and reflection on God's goodness.

I personally feel that the seasonal change is meaningful for my life, this year in particular. I have stepped up my search for a new job and I feel things coming together finally. Just two nights ago I was just in bed when a much-needed idea popped into my head. It was so out of the blue and I am convinced it was a 'God thing.'

At the moment there is also a sense of urgency about things coming due, and happening, all at the same time. And then just last night, on a public holiday of all days, I received notification that my long awaited appointment for a new machine readable passport (scheduled since 2009 with nearest possible appointment date in July 2011) was moved up to just next month.

I am still praying on what exactly the details of the next couple months will look like, but also on the horizon may be a soon return to school - finally. Let me just stop and give a shout out to Becki who has also finally taken the leap of faith! May God give you much success and I know you have that go-getter attitude that will serve you well :-)  So, what I am still praying about is what exactly to return to. I have a few options but they all involve changing my field of study completely, and maybe trying to do that by jumping right to graduate school, in a new field, on the strength of work experience and proof of general academic capacity.

In the past week I've had reason to make contact with someone I never expected to have anything to do with again. Funny how life can take those interesting turns. Anyway I feel sure that I've made the right decision and that she (the person in question) will appreciate the gesture. It's also so good to know that God has done a good work in me in bringing me from a deep sense of betrayal, past the stage of cool indifference, and on to a wholesome and unaffected good-nature towards this person.

I am thankful to have come to the end of a week that had several challenges and even some heartache. Not only have I come to the end of it, but here I am with the joy of the Lord and a sense of expectation. I can definitely feel some new testimonies a-stirring.

I am learning that not only does God not provide us with a blueprint for our lifelong path, but we really don't need one. The thing about walking with God is that it's walking by faith. It's a life best steered by obedience to His word, and prayer, with waiting in between. God's scheduled pauses have a purpose though, which we will discover looking back (later on in time, or in eternity). I really cannot think of any good thing I've lost by rushing ahead of God - only things I regret. What about you?

A safe place in God

"He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge."

Psalm 91:4a

Tell God all that is on your heart, as one unloads one's heart, its pleasures and its pains, to a dear friend. Tell Him your troubles, that He may comfort you; tell Him your joys, that He may sober them; tell Him your longings, that He may purify them; tell Him your dislikes, that He may help you conquer them; talk to Him of your temptations, that He may shield you from them; show Him the wounds of your heart, that He may heal them; lay bare your indifference to good, your depraved tastes for evil, your instability. Tell Him how self-love makes you unjust to others, how vanity tempts you to be insincere, how pride disguises you to yourself and others. ~ Francois Fenelon

I have learned over the course of my life that God is safe place where I can bring every.single.thing that's on my heart. I have learned to run to Him. And I have learned to share with Him the depths of my heartaches, my disappointments, my insecurities, my hopes and my desires. One of the most life changing things I've come to know about God, is that although He is so great, immortal, eternal, so lofty, so wise; and although He rules the universe, and oversees and presides over courts both spiritual and material, He really.truly.cares for me...lighter-than-a-vapor and frail-as-a-flower 'me'.

God hedges in His own that He may preserve them, but oftentimes they only see the wrong side of the hedge, and so misunderstand His dealings. It was so with Job (Job 3:23). Ah, but Satan knew the value of that hedge! See his testimony in chapter 1:10. Through the leaves of every trial there are chinks of light to shine through. Thorns do not prick you unless you lean against them, and not one touches without His knowledge. The words that hurt you, the letter which gave you pain, the cruel wound of your dearest friend, shortness of money - are all known to Him, who sympathizes as none else can and watches to see, if, through all, you will dare to trust Him wholly. ~ Mrs. Charles E. Cowman

Sometimes I just need a friend and no one else will do. God has opens arms and heart for all who will call on Him in truth.

He has held me when I have had no more strength and have wondered how I would ever make it. He has held me when I have felt defeated by all that I had to do. When I have run to my El Shaddai, I have never come away wanting. He is my all-sufficient One. O Beloved, do you understand? Have you experienced Him as your El Shaddai? If not, He is waiting - arms opened wide - for you. ~ Kay Arthur

"The eternal God is your refuge,
And underneath are the everlasting arms."

Deuteronomy 33:27a

He made the Moon for seasons

He appointed the moon for seasons;

The sun knows its going down.

You make darkness, and it is night,

O LORD, how manifold are Your works!

In wisdom You have made them all.

Psalm 104:19-20a, 24 

There has been no electricity at my house for several hours amounting to almost an entire day. Last night as I lay in the darkness and the tropical heat, I decided to finally open the windows and risk that mosquitoes would come inside along with the cooler air. As I pulled back the curtain I was greeted with the most beautiful sight. The smokey looking clouds (from the photo above) soon cleared to reveal a gorgeous almost-full moon, with Jupiter beaming next to it. After staring at it for a while and getting lost in my thoughts of how magnificent God's creation is, I remembered I could take out my camera and capture it [see my photos at end]. Little did I know that my wide-eyed glimpse of sparkling Jupiter was also a special sighting, astronomically-speaking. Read below to find out why and be sure to peek out your window tonight for the full harvest moon!

The Harvest Moon and the blazing planet Jupiter shine all night long tonight to commemorate the first full night of the autumn season. By common practice, we use the September equinox to mark the start of autumn, and call the closest full moon to the autumnal equinox the Full Harvest Moon. In 2010, the Harvest Moon comes only 6 hours after the September equinox.

What’s special about the Harvest Moon?

If you live in the southern hemisphere, the September equinox signals the beginning of spring, and this full moon counts as the first full moon of spring.

The September equinox falls on Thursday, September 23, at 3:09 Universal Time. Converting the equinox time to North American clocks, that places the equinox on Wednesday, September 22, at 11:09 p.m. Eastern Time, 10:09 p.m. Central Time, 9:09 p.m. Mountain Time and 8:09 p.m. Pacific Time. For more on the equinox see yesterday’s program.

For the moon and Jupiter to shine all night long on any equinox, these three events – the opposition of Jupiter, the equinox and full moon – all have to happen in close conjunction. In 2010, the three events follow one another like falling dominos, with the whole procession taking less than two days time.

September 2010 presents the only time in your lifetime that you’ll be able to witness the moon and Jupiter’s simultaneous all-night appearance on the equinox. On this the first full night of autumn, watch the Harvest Moon and Jupiter as they sail westward across the sky tonight!
'Harvest Moon, Jupiter, equinox on September 23' from http://earthsky.org

Here are some photos I took by sticking my little point and shoot camera out my bedroom window [you can click on them for bigger images]. If it was this beautiful last night, tonight when the moon is perfectly full it will be amazing!

That tiny dot on the right side of the moon is Jupiter :-)

I don't know how nature affects you, but whether it's a daytime landscape or a night-time marvel, I am always quickly helped to remember that I serve the Maker of the Heavens, the Earth, the Seas and all that fill them (Gen. 1:1; Isa. 51). He can do everything, and no purpose of His can be withheld from Him (Jer. 32:17-20; Job 42:2). He has unsearchable wisdom, all power, and He loves me (Rom 8:28-39). This God can be trusted with my life and I am so thankful that I get to belong to Him. Psalm 104 tells us that God appointed the moon for seasons on the earth. As for the seasons of my life - and of all who belong to Him - He oversees and directs those personally. Aren't you thankful? I am.

"My times are in Your hand"

Psalm 31:15

13 Questions to Diagnose Your Idolatries

Here are 13 questions, adapted from an old Puritan sermon, to help us identify the idols of our hearts. I found this on John Piper’s ministry website, Desiring God :

1. What do you most highly value?
2. What do you think about by default?
3. What is your highest goal?
4. To what or whom are you most committed?
5. Who or what do you love the most?
6. Who or what do you trust or depend upon the most?
7. Who or what do you fear the most?
8. Who or what do you hope in and hope for most?
9. Who or what do you desire the most? Or, what desire makes you most angry or makes you despair when it is not satisfied?
10. Who or what do you most delight in or hold as your greatest joy and treasure?
11. Who or what captures your greatest zeal?
12. To whom or for what are you most thankful?
13. For whom or what great purpose do you work?

I have copied and pasted this list into my MacJournal, and I intend to answer these questions and continue to answer them periodically, so I can examine myself honestly and make corrections where necessary.
I hope that you will do the same. 
This is not a fun exercise. But it is necessary to know where our sinful tendencies, weaknesses and vulnerabilities lie. Satan knows them and will use this knowledge against us. We will also be unfaithful to God, and unfruitful for God, unless we are diligent to make Him our First Love and Chief Joy.

What is "effective" prayer?

May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.

Psalms 141:2

In upcoming posts we will begin to specifically discuss the ingredients of effective prayer – pleasing incense that is set before God in His throne room. Today let's consider what we mean by ‘effective.’

In the simplest terms, I believe that prayers which are answered according to what we ask are 'effective prayers'. However, this definition only fits into another, much bigger, which really determines what effective prayer is. In prayer we partner with God to bring about His will and purpose in our lives, the lives of others, and on the earth - as it is heaven. This declaration is right at the start of the first prayer Jesus taught His disciples (See Luke 11:2). An effective prayer makes request for, and obtains, what God is pleased to grant.

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
James 5:16, KJV

Let’s look at two words in that text using Strong's lexicon:

1. effectual fervent - energeō
en-erg-eh'-o
From G1756; to be active, efficient: - do, (be) effectual (fervent), be mighty in, shew forth self, work (effectually in).

2. avails - ischuō
is-khoo'-o
From G2479; to have (or exercise) force (literally or figuratively): - be able, avail, can do ([-not]), could, be good, might, prevail, be of strength, be whole, much work.

With a deeper understanding of the meaning of these two words, we can paraphrase James 5:16 something like this: An active, efficient prayer (of a righteous man) that has manifest results, exercises much force.

[The Amplified Bible puts it like this: The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].]

James went on to give us an example of this type of prayer in operation:

Elias (Elijah) was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
James 5:17-18

Can you see what we mean by "exercises much force"? Elijah’s prayer exercised the force that brought about those results (See 1 Kings 17 and 18). It had nothing to do with the man Elijah’s own capabilities. Effective prayer will access the surpassing power of God to bring it from the spiritual realm into the natural, earth realm, and accomplish what pleases Him.



[This is the fourth post in a series on the subject of prayer. Last week we considered why "prayer" is even important. These posts are interspersed among other blog topics so for the easy identification of related posts, look for the label 'praying effectively - series' in the sidebar. I hope to share practical keys and insight into praying effectively, in bite-size blog posts which you can easily follow.]

Happy people need Jesus too

I love to hear the testimonies of believers. I particularly love to hear the stories of men and women who tell how God found them and rescued them from various points of need and destruction. It encourages others to trust in God. It brings praise to Him and magnifies His glorious grace. But as inspirational as these testimonies are, some people only come away thinking that Christianity is for weak people, or that Christianity is a crutch for troubled people. Several years ago I talked to a young new doctor, who was a professing Christian from a good Christian family. I knew him while his internship was coming to an end and it was after that period, when his life seemed to be working just fine with a new personal romance and the take-off of his professional career, that he arrived at this conclusion. I guess he didn't see the need for Jesus anymore. But this brings us to an important question: Was he right? Why does it seem that so many 'Jesus people' have a story of a messed up past, childhood trauma, abuse, addiction...you name it?

The short answer, I believe, is that our weakness and pain more easily strips pride from us, and enables us to accept God's way, or makes us desperate enough to seek His help. It's easier to trust God when we have nothing else that works or satisfies. But Christianity is no crutch. What God does with weak, broken people is to heal them and also make them blessings to others - wounded healers - for His glory. His work in us is to transform us into overcomers who will inherit His kingdom. The darker our night was before Christ, the more evident to others is the change He makes when He shines on us and through us. But happy people need Jesus too.

How do we evangelize the happy, or rich and satisfied, unbelievers though? Jesus taught that for the rich, self satisfied people of this world, it is virtually impossible for them to enter the kingdom of heaven. But when his disciples were alarmed by His strong statement, He assured them that although this is impossible with men, with God nothing shall be impossible (Matthew 19:23-26). Happy people may see and feel no need for Jesus, but even ignorantly, they remain under the condemnation of their sinful nature. God loves them and desires them to come to know Him too.

It can be intimidating to try to share the gospel with someone who is happy with their life as it is. We have been taught how to share Jesus with broken people who need help and are more open to having God in their life. I think in some cases, we will prefer to wait for a moment of weakness to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. This method does often work as the Spirit draws men, but we should not limit ourselves like this. Having watched the wisdom of God in using the law to show men their need for a Savior through Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron in their revolutionary evangelistic program, Way of the Master, I am convinced that happy people can be pierced with the truth of their need for a Savior. God's own word can show them how they have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). And this is the reality to which we must appeal in these cases. We may not see fruit right away, but this is not our responsibility.

Let us all be encouraged to be obedient to share our faith even with the happy, smiling people around us. Some of them are only smiling on the outside anyway. But even for those who live the proverbial 'good life,' and even if their fortunes do not change, their soul still needs to be redeemed. "For what profit is it to a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul. Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul" (Matthew 16:26). I love the testimonies of the wounded healers, but it is just as glorious a testimony of God's grace when a happy person comes to know Christ and proclaims Him to be better than all earthly things.

I'm learning to trust

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6

There are so many Bible verses that exhort us to trust God. And so many others which prove He can be trusted. I have read those verses, and memorized them, and hoped in them, but I don't think I began to really walk in the joy, peace and freedom of trusting God until just last year. Before then, I was constantly trying to help God, always trying to connect the dots and then work things out. In fact, at one time I actually used to ask the Lord for a "blueprint" so that I could see the bigger picture first. I was also always being disappointed, because this method does not work.

I've heard exhortations to trust God too many times to count all through the past several years but it now feels like no one ever told me how wonderful and freeing this way of living is! It's like a fresh new discovery that has taken the world of trouble and worry off my shoulders. I can take everything to God and wait for Him, do what He tells me one step at a time. If I get something wrong or fail to do what He tells me, He corrects me and I repent, turning to the next right step. This is unlike my past when I would find myself miles down the wrong road because I had been trying to make my own way, or bring His word to pass by my own reasoning and planning. Now I've found that God's next step for me is really enough.

I was reflecting on this recently. I walked myself through memories of things I'd sincerely trusted God about and there is nothing He's ever failed me in. Nothing. Despite the fact that very few things unfolded or worked out 'when' and 'how' I wanted, believed, or hoped. And despite the fact that I didn't understand His working in those things until years later (and that there are some things which I never will understand on this side of eternity). All I know is that I have His peace...and I stub my toe less on life's roads. He knows how to make the crooked places straight.

God can be trusted. No one ever trusted Him and was put to shame (Psalm 22:45, Isaiah 49:23, Isaiah 64:4). Unlike love, which does not need to reciprocated to be true love, the very nature of trust points to a relationship wherein it must stand upon the character of something or someone else. God doesn't ask us to trust Him arbitrarily. He tells us who He is and what He is like in His word. He takes us through experiences in our life where we get to see Him act. He sends us the testimony of others. He is always consistent, never-changing, always faithful. God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it (Numbers 23:19)? Our trust in Him is well founded. With people, we take our chances.

People are people, with human hearts. Because of this, trust in people will often be sprained, broken, or even totally shattered by their inconsistency, put-downs, or lies and deceit, unfaithfulness, and betrayal. I have personally found a little understanding of orthopedic medicine to be a helpful here, particularly an understanding of the types of bone fractures which may occur. God requires us to be merciful when we are wronged, and we should humbly seek forgiveness with true repentance when we wrong others. However, depending on the severity of the trial and numerous other individual factors, lost trust in a person may not ever be recovered, even when forgiveness is given. It is easy to see that trustworthiness is a priceless quality. And often, it is only after being deceived, lied to, and betrayed by others (particularly once-trusted, close friends and confidantes), will one fully come to lean upon and savor the Lord's amazing faithfulness, that quality of "no shadow of turning" with Him.

Trust is the bedrock of any relationship that achieves unity of heart, mind, and purpose and goes on to be fruitful for the kingdom of God. This is what God invites us into with Himself!  We take Him at His word and see that not one word of any of His promises to us will ever fail. We abide in Him and He in us. As we come to know Him more, increasingly unshakeable trust in His unchanging character grows. We trust in Him and we will not be moved by the circumstances of life.

As a child, my mother would often do her housework while singing little hymns. I thought her voice was beautiful so I paid attention and happened to learn many little choruses this way. One of my favorites was from an old hymn written by John H. Sammis in 1887, called Trust and Obey. The link will lead you to the instrumental version of the hymn, and to end I would also like to leave you with the full lyrics which accurately describe all the things I am personally learning right now about trusting in the Lord with all my heart...

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,

What a glory He sheds on our way!

While we do His good will, He abides with us still,

And with all who will trust and obey.

Refrain:

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way

To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,

But His smile quickly drives it away;

Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,

Can abide while we trust and obey.

Refrain

Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,

But our toil He doth richly repay;

Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,

But is blessed if we trust and obey.

Refrain

But we never can prove the delights of His love

Until all on the altar we lay;

For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,

Are for them who will trust and obey.

Refrain

Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet.

Or we’ll walk by His side in the way.

What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;

Never fear, only trust and obey.

Refrain

Authority to trample...all the power of the enemy

Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”
And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
Luke 10:17-20

Jesus delegated authority to seventy disciples to preach the kingdom of God, to heal the sick, and cast out demons. They returned amazed at the power of His name to command demons. And Jesus assured them that in His name they did indeed have authority over these enemies. He also gave a promise that in executing this authority they could not be harmed. And finally He gave a sober reminder so that they would not get unbalanced or view everything in light of spiritual authority. He reminded them that they should rejoice because they had been rescued from the kingdom of darkness and its power and that through no merit of their own, they had received eternal life.

I know a lot of Christians are afraid to exercise spiritual authority like this. It's unfamiliar and unpopular. We've seen and heard excesses and downright kooky behavior evolve out of 'deliverance' ministries. Others believe that this is something that only specially anointed ministers can ever do, and some would say only the apostles of the early Church were given this authority. Most others don't really want to know more about this, whether they can or cannot, because of the fear they have of 'demons' and other supernatural occurrences.

I believe that many Christians are facing longstanding situations in their lives or lives of family members that can be more quickly overcome if they would combine their prayer with fasting, and faith in Jesus' words here. I am not only referring to dealing with demonization in people (which the disciples did often encounter) but there are various other activities, situations, and occurrences which are empowered or sustained by evil spirits. I believe that we were given authority over all the power of the enemy because God knows that we need it.

Those sent out with power  and authority in Luke 10 were not only the twelve apostles chosen by Christ, but also many others who were simply disciples, believers like you and me. The authority they had was linked firmly to Jesus and it was exercised in His name. Consider that Christ wielded such power and authority even before His crucifixion and resurrection. And now that He is seated at the right hand of God as the ultimate Overcomer with a Name above every name, for all ages, how can we have anything to fear when we place our faith in His word and His name (Eph. 1:19-22; Matt. 28:18; Col. 2:15)?

Do not be afraid then. Instead, study the Scriptures and ask the Lord to teach you what you need to know about equipping yourself with the full armor of God (Eph. 6:10-18), walking in the power of the Holy Spirit, and exercising this authority in Jesus' Name. Keep your eyes on Jesus. And continue to rejoice that your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life.

Working out our salvation: the sin factor

"And He said, "What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person."
Mark 7:20-23, ESV

How many of us, upon finding out that we had a serious disease that did have a possibility of being cured, would not let the rest of 'life' go on hold, to use all our finances, exhaust all our options, and see all the doctors we possibly could to grasp at the chance for recovery and health? Serious illness mobilizes most people to fight for life like few other things do.

Sin kills. It can be compared to a terminal disease. I sometimes worry that many Christians take sin too lightly. Grace has been used as a cover-up for sinful desires and for meddling with the world. Often we don't press into God as we should to learn to walk in the Spirit and put to death the deeds of the flesh, as Scripture commands. Yet those very things which Jesus described in Mark 7 (quoted above) are repeated in Scripture matter-of-factly as things which will prevent a person from inheriting eternal life. This is more critical than any terminal illness that could afflict the body of man. Take a look at just a few of these passages and read the highlighted parts very carefully:

Colossians 3:5-9
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 

Ephesians 5:3-6
But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous ( that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

Galatians 5:19-21
Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Revelation 21:8
But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.

These Scriptures make me downright afraid. They remind me how holy God is and why Christ's death and the atonement of His blood which the Father provided was no dramatic plan merely for theatrical effect. He had to give that much, because sin costs that much. The wages of sin are death.

Sin is not to be meddled with if you have been saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus. Believers have power in Christ to overcome temptation, they have been made free from the dominion of sin. There is no excuse. We must work out our salvation (not work 'for') with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12)...And it is precisely because of these terrifying realities of the end of sin that the apostle Paul used the phrase "with fear and trembling." We dare not drift along with only good intentions about holiness. We must be desperate for true holiness and willing to pursue it.

I asked a question at the beginning about how much a person would do to grasp at the chance of a cure if they discovered a serious illness in their body. Will you give that much to working out your salvation? If you will, God will help. His grace teaches us to deny ungodliness (Titus 2:11-14). We must obey the things He commands. Avoid sin. Flee temptation. Take no part. Guard our heart. And we must continue in obedience day after day.

It will be worth it, for eternity.

Here are three ways you can make progress starting right now:

1. Ask God for a clean heart (Psalm 51).
2. Spend consistent and regular quality time getting to know God - pray purposefully and even with fasting, praise and worship Him continually, read and do His word intentionally
3. Guard you heart will all diligence (Proverbs 4:23; Matthew 5:29-30) - be honest, quick to forgive, quick to repent; totally cut off wrong relationships, influences, and activities; let go anything else that may not be wrong in itself, but which increasingly distracts you from pursuing God as you should - at least until you grow in the discipline to handle it wisely.

Truth will cut to the heart

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12

The word of God is truth (John 17:17) and it is absolute - contrary to popular opinion. I like to say, 'The truth not-believed is still the truth.' There is a troubling trend now where even professing Christians are choosing their stance on the sinful social issues of the day, and excusing away or re-interpreting what the Bible already clearly states on these matters. What these people view as their 'enlightenment' on such issues is actually evidence of their departure from the truth, and perhaps from the faith. The truth of God delivered with the anointing of the Spirit of truth will always cut to the heart. Because truth doesn't change, it is the individual heart that must respond. There are only two real options. We must choose to accept it and change for better, or reject it and change for worse. Following are two biblical events which will clearly illustrate the two heart responses that the same truth can provoke:

(1) The apostle Peter has just finished preaching to a multitude. He plainly preached that they had indeed rejected and killed the Christ, whom God has now raised to life (with authority to give eternal life).

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
Acts 2:37-41

(2) Stephen had just preached one of the most amazing sermons clearly outlining the history of the Hebrew nation and told the multitude that Jesus Christ, who they had betrayed and killed, was the promised Messiah foretold by all the faithful prophets.

When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
Acts 7:54-58

Let's all be careful to choose the right response. Receive and do the commands of God's written word (James 1:21-25; 2 Tim 3:16-17); accept the chastening of the Lord which is for our good and proof of His love (Heb 12:5-11;Rev 3:19); and accept the admonition of Christian leaders and fellow believers who care for our souls (Prov 27:5; Titus 1:13; Heb 13:17). Let's also refuse to gloss over sin no matter where it is found, and refuse to ignore or quench the pinpricks of conscience within ourselves. Truth that cuts to the heart can also make your heart free.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.

John 14:6a

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free...Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

John 8:32,36

Why is Prayer Important?

In its simplest and purest sense, ‘prayer’ is talking to God. This is exciting when you realize that God also speaks to us. Therein lies the building blocks of a growing intimacy with God the Father, for a believer, in Christ Jesus. Prayer and communication with God is the key to staying connected to Him and growing in Him. Right communication ('right' in terms of an attitude of reverence, humility, faith etc.) with obedience 'breeds' intimacy with God.

Prayer is the heartbeat of your relationship with God. Prayer, its amount, level and effectiveness, is a gauge of the presence and power of God at work in and through your life.

Oswald Chambers said that "Prayer does not prepare us for the greater work, it is the greater work." This is a true statement which you will most likely only discover as you begin to spend time in prayer. This present age, and above all, eternity, will reveal that those whose works were greatest and most effective in God's eyes, were done by people of prayer. These were people who were truly fruitful branches that merely had their abode in the True Vine, Jesus Christ. A life of prayer and obedience is the secret to true fruitfulness that will be rewarded by God.

In summary, prayer is the medium through which you interact and build relationship with God. It is the activity through which you receive God’s wisdom, instructions and counsel and are able to proceed to declare and produce His will on the earth - as it is done in heaven. Prayer also connects you to the Source of your spiritual strength for endurance. This is vital as we encounter times of deepening darkness, and as we stand on the brink of seeing the glory of God, of His Christ, and of the Church revealed upon the soon return of Jesus Christ.

Those who know God the best are the richest and most powerful in prayer. Little acquaintance with God, and strangeness and coldness to Him, make prayer a rare and feeble thing.

E. M. Bounds

‎"Prayer is the secret of imparted power from God, and nothing else can take its place. Absolute weakness follows the neglect of secret communion with God — and the weakness is the more deplorable, because it is often unsuspected..."

A. T. Pierson

Maybe you are reading this and you are mentally assenting to it, but at the same time you really question whether prayer makes this much of a difference in a person's life. After all, perhaps you pray daily and it has been your habit since childhood (or since you began to go to church), but you do not see this radical difference in your life. What we will come to see is that the life of prayer I am referring to is more than saying prayers. It is about nurturing an ever-increasing relationship with God. It is about walking with God. This is precisely why everything else must change.

Please continue through this mini series with me. Later on I will also direct you to far more comprehensive and weighty works by saints of yesteryear who have lived, proved and died in the fruitfulness and fragrance of a life of prayer.


[This is the third post in a series on the subject of prayer. Last week we looked at what the word 'prayer' actually means. These posts are interspersed among other blog topics so for the easy identification of related posts, look for the label 'praying effectively - series' in the sidebar. I hope to share practical keys and insight into praying effectively, in bite-size blog posts which you can easily follow.]

Give evidence!

You don't need to wait till you get through the latest big trial before you can effectively encourage others with what God has already done in your own life. When you share what God has done for you, you may or may not ever know the fruit of your testimony. Sometimes there is an immediate response that we can see. Or perhaps you would have 'sown' and someone else will 'harvest' - all for the glory of God. You can never tell who will call to mind your testimony in their own trial - days, weeks, months or years later - and decide to put their trust in your Mighty God.

Your 'testimony' is evidence of who God is and what He can do. And others need it.

"And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified..."

John 4:39

"I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word."

John 17:20

The secret life of a saint

I haven't watched or listened to Beth Moore teach for a very long time. The first time I ever heard her some years ago, I was walking past my mom's bedroom where she was watching Beth Moore on LIFE Today and something she said grabbed my attention. When I'd stopped to watch and listen, I remember being transfixed for a little while. Because she was all about the word of God. As far as I could see and hear, not just a teacher, but a lover of the word of God. I came away from the remainder of that short program all shaken up. All I could think/pray was, 'I want what she has.'

Yesterday on Facebook I came across this super short clip from her most recent Wednesdays with Beth Moore program. Although I have lots of problems loading videos (slow connection right now), since it was only 1min:47secs long, I thought I'd go through the trouble. And it was well worth it. What she said has remained with me all day. This clip was able to call me to self-examination and a fear of the Lord in under two minutes. Please check this out now:



What she said right at the end had the most impact on me. What if your public life with Christ was only exceeded by your private life with Christ? I absolutely do not want to come to a state where I have more passion for Jesus as a public persona (online here at my blog, on Facebook or Twitter, at church or anywhere else), than I have when no one sees me. You know, when it's just God and me at home, in the privacy of my room, alone with my thoughts, and when I'm making choices that no one else can observe. Effectively, this means that I need to guard myself and give my heart, mind, soul, and strength to loving God more than anything else.

We must all do this. It requires cultivating a private relationship with the LORD God in very practical ways - even if some public things do not get done, even if some public appearances are not made, even if people in the public are going to be disappointed or disapproving. Our private relationship with God should actually exceed what we can fully express publicly. And you know what? This is really the only way we can publicly bear fruit which pleases God, and which remains to be rewarded by Him.

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

John 15:4

Burning the Quran

I did not intend to weigh in on this until today. As the anniversary of 9/11 draws nearer, I am hoping, and have prayed that this Pastor's endeavor will be thwarted somehow. For me this has nothing to do with tolerance because I don't really believe in 'tolerance' as it is popularly touted. Neither do I respect or consider this false religion and any of it's books in particular to be worthy of any type of protection. But I see a much deeper problem here.

After having listened to notable converts from Islam such as Mosab Hassan Yousef, Walid Shoebat, and Kamal Saleem, I've learned from their own admissions and definitions that Islam is more than a religion. It is in fact a political system that is bent on world domination and it is very intolerant. Many notable bible scholars, as well as some of these converts, believe that this 'religion' is the vehicle that the anti-Christ will use to achieve his near global reign for the allotted period of time the Bible foretells.

What does burning the Quran have to do with any of this? Well, for one thing, it is not the method Christ set out for us to deal with unbelievers. Their books have no power in and of itself. This is more of a social protest being done in the name of Christ, and I believe, erroneously so. The "burning" should take place in the lives of Christians first. I cannot help but wonder how many of the members of that church, or of those in agreement with this, have books (novels, magazines, so-called 'Christian' literature) in their homes which should be discarded. And what about going a little further and looking into their DVD and CD collections, their cable TV subscriptions and so on? And what if we went further still and examined their conversation, their habits, the way their time is spent, their service or behavior towards the unsaved neighbors around them? Is there genuine good works, fruit of the Spirit, prayer and intercession for others in their lives?

I will go so far as to say that I believe this pastor is simply being used as a pawn by satan in all of this. This act will give the radical Islamic elements 'justification' for any forthcoming hate crimes and acts of violence against Christians. Indeed, it will turn the spotlight squarely upon Christians in the West, in a whole new way (think: persecution), and fuel their agenda, perhaps after having obtained for them the sympathy of those who have been sitting on the fence until now.

This is my two cents on the subject at hand. While it is very easy for Christians to have and give their opinion, may we each also make a point of bringing this before God in our private prayers before 9/11 arrives.

Dead religion and worldliness

You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.

John 5:39-40

"It's about relationship, not religion." The message of this true slogan which is now so popular was described by Jesus a long time ago.

Religion:   
You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.
Relationship:   
But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.

Just like the Pharisees of Jesus' day, who made a pretense of long prayers and made a show of their fasting, mere religion will leave a person internally corrupt and unchanged in their hearts. Without a relationship with the Son of God it's unfortunate what lengths some people will go to to uphold a form of godliness, without having the power of it (2 Tim 3:1-7). There is a certain sort of intellectual satisfaction that may come from being able to carry on a conversation on Bible matters; or perhaps attending church and getting involved in church activities is a moral salve of sorts, or mere habit because of upbringing.

Some people know they do not know God, and know that outside of public observation they neither pray, pursue, nor spend time earnestly with God. They have some ulterior motive for which the facade is necessary. Others think they have eternal life. Perhaps they once said a 'sinners' prayer' but without true faith, which is evidenced by obedience from the heart. Consequently there is no heart-conversion or bearing the fruits of repentance, but no one has taught them the truth about this. These struggle to live in the way of a changed life. They banish the nagging evidences of an unconverted heart from their thoughts by associating with others who cheapen God's grace, or who are in the same predicament as they are. The truth is, religious people who do not know God are actually very worldly.

Worldliness refers to being increasingly conformed to the ways, values, and perspective of those who are still in spiritual darkness and separated from God - enemies of God (see Eph 2:1-3; Rom 12:2). A worldly person has their mind set on the things of this world - it is not occupied by God. A worldly person has desires for the things of this present world, which will turn them away from the God who calls them upward in Christ Jesus (2 Tim 4:10; Php 3:14). The worldly heart that remains despite the practice of 'religion' is a heart not filled with the Spirit of God. While such a person may appear to be a good person because of some things which they 'don't do', they make no true repentance. They cannot go on 'to do' what God commands from the heart.

"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world"
James 1:27 (emphasis mine)

A true religion that arises out of true conversion, will produce good works motivated by love. This is most clearly found in serving the weak, needy and oppressed - those who have no ability to repay us - for God's pleasure and glory. The verse above is often quoted with emphasis on the widows and orphans. The second part of that verse is often left out or ignored, but a true religion will also produce a holy lifestyle. God requires that His people be 'unspotted from the world', and 'without blemish', 'without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing' (see Eph 5:27).These statements just do not leave room for a mixture of worldliness and dead religion in our lives. Rather than put on a show, however, Christ has told us we may come to Him and find eternal life, and find power to become sons of God (John 1:12). This is what will make all the difference.

Dead religion is a tedious chore. It gets tiring trying to be something one is not, and trying to squelch ungodly desires which proceed from an unchanged heart. It is in relationship with God that we are satisfied and transformed. This enables us to live authentic lives without the frustration of never-satisfying performance. We will be able to give our attention to the things of God, and put the strength we must against resisting the devil and temptation. Pursuing a relationship with Jesus Christ is the antidote to dead religion and worldliness.

For more information:
~  I found a great (pdf) article online called 'What is Worldliness' by Dr. Jack L. Arnold. I recommend you download it or read it via quick view (powered by Google Docs).
~  I highly recommend the book 'Wordliness: Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World' edited by C.J. Mahaney. This is a tiny book, divided into useful sections covering lifestyle issues such as media, music, stuff, and clothes. It concludes with a chapter on how we are to love the world.

God treated my inner wince

There is a particular person that I used to be extremely close to who I will call Jane (not her real name). We met in school when I was eleven years old and were very close by the time I was fourteen. We had some friendship bumps. Like the time another friend and I realized that she had a crush on my boyfriend. And then there was tension that seemed to be produced by the fact that she looked up to me and believed I had it all together, while she was very disappointed with her own life and had various insecurities (some of which she shared with me). Even though she went abroad to live for a while and finish her education, she and I remained in close contact for that time, and up until a few years ago I had a stack of old aerogrammes and postcards that she'd sent me. Even though we were not able to keep abreast of everything as time passed, I always knew I would get a phone call from her if any big event or milestone took place.

She eventually moved back home to start her university education here. I invited her to a church I attended for a while, and after nine months and prayer and intercession for her, I had the privilege of being at church with her when she decided of her own will that she needed to go up at an altar call and receive salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. It is almost an understatement to say that I was overjoyed.

I eventually left that church as God's leading for me would have it, but she remained and I was happy that she was now a Christian. We had some mutual acquaintances from the church but as I was no longer there, they dropped off and mostly became her friends. It was shortly after this point that she no longer made any effort to get in touch with me like before. We would attend special occasion dinners together, perhaps once or twice a year, but there was no longer even phone contact. She was always busy with her new friends. This bothered me a little, but not much, because I had a lot of stuff going on too. During the few times that I would see her among a group of mutual friends and acquaintances though, I noticed an alarming new habit of hers. Whenever I started to speak, she would cut me off, or put me down or brush off what I said. Now, this really bothered me. I paid attention and I wasn't paranoid. She did this - and she did it only to me. Years passed and we didn't see each other much. We remained on each other's lists, so to speak, but with no contact. Then some obvious issues that she had came up just a few years ago after the wedding of another friend we used to share. There were remarks that were telling that there was some sort of resentment that she harbored. I just put it aside as her problem, because she was the one who had ignored some of my attempts to maintain contact with her, and hadn't made any effort to maintain contact with us from the old group of friends.

Now, I thought I was on top of this all. There were times that she would come up in my thoughts and I'd note that I was unhappy and I would pray about it. And then over the past year, after a couple more passing experiences I found myself praying a lot more specifically and forgiving her of anything that she'd done or that had offended me. I would be fine for a while and then unexpectedly, I'd see her name and picture pop up in my Facebook newsfeed and it would upset me in some way that was hard to put my finger on and only slightly perceptible. Recently, this happened again.

I was sitting at my computer and had just commented on a friend's happy status message and then a notification flashed by letting me know that Jane had also commented. And just like that, there was that inner wince. It was like a wasp's sting. Sharp and short and I shirked it off like a speck on my shoulder, but I noticed it in a whole new way. Why? Well a strange thing had been happening for about two or three months prior to this. I had been having dreams where she would be one of the characters and - no matter the scenario - I was always angry, or upset or irritated by her.

Sometimes, I would wake out of these dreams with my heart racing from the sheer emotional drama taking place in the dream. I would wake up each time and pray about it because it was so odd. There was no known unforgiveness that I was harboring towards her but not wanting to take any chances, I would tell God I forgave her anything and ask Him to forgive me for harboring any such thing. Still, ever so often, the dreams would reoccur and they were getting closer together.

It was because of this puzzling rash of dreams that the inner wince I felt at the computer that night (when I saw her name flash by in that notification) really got my attention. It alarmed me. Right then and there I said something like:

"Lord, I have been praying about this and I have been asking forgiveness and forgiving her for anything and everything I can think of, even things I'm not sure that have been done, and the dreams have continued, and now this. Something must surely be going on in my heart, or I wouldn't have just felt that way. Please show me what it is."

And then up to my mind and out of my mouth came:

"Lord, I forgive her for throwing my friendship away."

Then I thought, 'Wow. What an odd thing to say...But that was exactly what she'd done, wasn't it?'

I immediately felt better. But I waited to see if it would last. That night I didn't have any dreams of her. The next morning I still felt good. I thought I would test myself just in case. I deliberately brought her to mind and still no wince. No irritation. No nothing. Wow.

A couple days later when I still seemed to be passing the test - no more winces, no more dreams - I decided to share this praise report. That same night I had another dream of Jane. In that dream she was surrounded and busily involved in some frivolous project with a bunch of friends whom she seemed to be calling all the shots for. In the dream, she made a comment to me that seemed like another brush off, intended to be something of a put down - and I was not offended! I woke up so very happy, feeling sure that I had indeed passed the test.

I hadn't been holding any offenses that I was aware of but God knew what was in my heart. It didn't matter that this 'wince' most likely started and grew because of the unwarranted treatment that I'd received from someone who used to be a friend. He used dreams to get my attention, and He also showed me what was the matter when I got serious about dealing with it in a way that pleases Him. It has made me wonder if He has been dealing with her about this too. I may never know, but it gives me such great joy, and yet another opportunity to be amazed, at how thorough and wonderful God is at the directing the work of sanctification in a Christian's life.

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Ephesians 4:32, ESV

What does "prayer" mean?

Many terms are used in the Bible to describe prayer. The general Hebrew noun is tephillah from a form of the verb palal. The root idea is intercession. In the Greek language, the word is proseuchomai. The root idea is a vow. However, the two words can be used comprehensively for any kind of petition, intercession, or thanksgiving.

Old Testament expressions
We are introduced to ‘prayer’ in Genesis 4:26 where it is described as “calling upon the name of the Lord.” Other OT expressions of prayer are:
• To entreat
• To seek the favour (of God)
• To bow in worship
• To draw near
• To fall upon; meet for entreaty
• To cry out (for redress of a wrong)
• To ask
• To supplicate
• To appear before the face of the Lord

New Testament expressions
The NT writers used the terms:
• Beseech
• Request
• Ask
• Intercede
• Worship
• Give thanks
• Vow

[In the list above, only the last four terms were specifically used towards God only.]

A look at the various expressions of prayer clearly show that prayer is a rich, multifaceted communication with God. It is definitely more than simply asking or making requests of God.


[This is the second post in a series on the subject of prayer. Last week we looked at what prayer means to God. These posts are interspersed among other blog topics so for the easy identification of related posts, look for the label 'praying effectively - series' in the sidebar. I hope to share practical keys and insight into praying effectively, in bite-size blog posts which you can easily follow.]

Helloha!

Saturday is a casual day for me, that actually feels casual. This inspires me to blog on a less-important-more-personal note. LOL. This past week was a good week. On Monday, the Lord repeated to me something He had told me last Sunday and it was just what I needed to meet the challenges of the week. My best girl friend and I were sharing and recounting the goodness and intervention of God in our lives recently and as she succinctly put it: "One word from God can change everything." Right on.

This past week I've had wonderful moments with my family. My niece, Jade, turned 7 years old, and there was some shopping buzz in anticipation of my mom's birthday tomorrow, on Sunday. This past week, we also celebrated our Independence Day which was a quiet and satisfying day for me. And as my kids, who are actually my little sister and niece, enter a new period of their life as young adults, it's been a mixture of 'weird' and 'sad.' My kids are all grown up! This week they both overhauled their wardrobe and they've been shopping for fresh new stuff, which is quite symbolic I think. I've helped to sort, toss, and launder clothes which they didn't even remember they had. I also did make-up and I was inquired of for fashion advice. Ahh, it's great to be a girl!

This past week was also a great one of more sharing of my testimony of great things which God has done in me and my family, in bringing us a lonnnng way from what was a very dysfunctional background in a relatively short space of time. Twelve years ago, I was so discouraged and had had enough, that I was plotting nothing except how to leave home and leave them all behind, without ever looking back. Today, I am seeing answers to prayer unfolding before me in the lives of certain family members, as well as in my own. It is a humbling, joyful, and at times, overwhelming thing. God has done a lot for me in every area of my life! In speaking to a new acquaintance who candidly shared various details of her personal background, as well as her continuing challenges because of it, I had the opportunity to realize that I've been covered and upheld by God in amazing ways. God has actually "fixed" so much of my personality from the stuff I've been through that people see me or hear me and are totally surprised by some of the stuff along my path. To tell you the truth, sometimes I am too. Funny how it happens though, that sharing a less than perfect past opens someone up to share their own needs with you. Grace, grace and God's glorious grace!

Someone also wrote me recently to request prayer and shared some personal stuff with me because they said they felt they could trust me - and I hadn't even shared anything personal yet. That's brave! To these types of experiences and statements I want to say, "Lord, arise and receive Your glory!!!" (And now, I find myself also thinking of Paul Wilbur's joyous song, Let God Arise, so I will share that with you at the end of this post :-D). Another person wrote to request that I blog my testimony of how Jesus found me. I would like to say that this is a great idea for a comprehensive narrative which may likely be in the future for me. Right now though, I try to blog with my heart and so a lot of my personality, experiences and background will come through, and come up, in bits and pieces.

Enjoy this weekend and may God bless and keep you!

What does prayer mean to God?

"How do you learn to pray? Well, how do you learn to swim? Do you sit in a chair with your feet up, drinking coke, learning to swim? 
You get down and you struggle. 
That's how you learn to pray."

~ Leonard Ravenhill ~ 

I have been learning to pray by praying according to what I've discovered in Scripture about God, and about prayer. I can honestly tell you that I have seen prayers so incredibly and noticeably answered since that time, that when I thought of it, I lamented all the time I'd wasted on 'hit or miss' prayers, and wished I would have taken everything to God in this way. Above and beyond answered prayer though, learning to pray introduced me to the wonder of knowing God in an intimate way. I have had my character increasingly refined because of these times with God more than in any other way. In much the same way that Moses' face shone with the glory of God after he had spent forty days on the mountain communing with the Most High, one simply cannot habitually spend quality time with God without a noticeable transformation taking place in oneself.

This is the first of a series of posts on the subject of prayer. They will be interspersed among other blog topics so, for the easy identification of related posts, I will use the additional label 'praying effectively - series,' which can be found in the sidebar. I hope to share keys to praying effectively in bite-size blog posts which you can incorporate into your own prayer habits right away. 

Many of my notes were primarily prepared after thorough Scripture search and note-taking for my own personal purposes several years ago. Later, they were expanded by in-depth Bible study to teach to adults at a local church I attended. Today, learning to meet with God to pray and intercede effectively is an ongoing journey for me, but by the grace of God and the help of the Holy Spirit, I have been taught some things which I will be privileged to share with you.


Our prayers do not go to a jumbled mail room in heaven. Our prayers go to the throne room of God where He is enthroned in majesty and worshiped incessantly. His presence is brilliant, and 'veiled' only by light in that place! The magnificent atmosphere into which God welcomes prayer shows what honor and importance He places on our prayers to Him. Our knowledge of this should stir us to place more value on prayer also. We must come to see it as more than a duty and even more than a 'good Christian thing' to do.

And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

Revelation 5:8

The reference to incense when speaking of prayer is found again in the book of Psalms.

Let my prayer be set before You as incense,

The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

Psalms 141:2

Incense gets its particular fragrance from the ingredients which make up its composition. In the same way, our prayers must have particular ingredients to make it fitting to enter the throne room of God as a sweet-smelling incense. In upcoming posts we will prepare to delve into the ingredients of effective prayer. Begin today by just realizing that your sincere prayers are honored by the Most High God.