Calling Out to God #30

In II Chronicles 6 we find King Solomon doing a very public thing: dedicating the Temple for the worship of the LORD.  In chapter 7, he, along with the leader and people witnessed when fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. Besides all the music, speeches and sacrifices, there was a week-long feast, then a solemn assembly before God. He then sent everyone home. That night, God did a very private thing: 

12 Then the Lord appeared to Solomon in the night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice.13 When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, 14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. 16 For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time. 

God heard Solomon's prayer, requesting God's presence and blessing on His people. God says: "It's nice of you to ask. Now here is what I choose to do. I choose to be here. I choose to watch and wait and listen and always be available. I also choose to remind you I am here when my people choose to forget me; I choose to do things to get your attention when they go astray; I choose to either withhold or pour out My mercy on the basis of your response. The ball will be in your court. What will you choose to do? Pray or stay away? 

Calling Out to God #29

Psalm 95 is known as the Great Call to Worship, where we are called to come together and see the Great Creator as our Great Savior:

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;
    let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
    let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
3 For the Lord is a great God,
    and a great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth;
    the heights of the mountains are his also.
5 The sea is his, for he made it,
    and his hands formed the dry land.
6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
    let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
7 For he is our God,
    and we are the people of his pasture,
    and the sheep of his hand.
Today, if you hear his voice,
8     do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah,
    as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,
9 when your fathers put me to the test
    and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.

The Great Creator who made the mountains is the rock of our salvation, worthy of both praise and thanksgiving. What we rarely get to are the last two verses, which are introduced by this phrase: Today, if you hear his voice, - notice he says "if". Can you hear God's voice calling you to come talk with Him. Since this is a corporate call to worship: can we hear God's voice calling us to worship and fellowship with Him? Or are we developing a hardness of heart, where all we do is complain about God, to God, and forgetting His work as Creator and Savior, we stop listening to God and seeking His face.  Can we hear Him? Can He hear us? Or have we stopped talking to Him? 

Calling Out to God #28

As Peter prepares to conclude his letter to these fellow believers who were suffering persecution for their faith, he has just exhorted them to choose the path of humility over pride. He then says:

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 

In a way, Peter is talking about the way we live and the way we pray.  We are to humbly bow before Him in prayer, submitting our lives to His plan.  We are not to live in anxiety, but bring all our cares and fears to Him. We are to live with an awareness, and pray with our eyes wide open, because the Devil, the author of pride is looking for every opportunity to make us think and act like "it's all about me." But it's not just me; fellow believers worldwide are suffering for their faith - most of them much more than me. We need to approach life, and pray with this attitude: "this too shall pass." The eternal plan of God is just that: eternal.  God is the God of Grace, who gives us the ability to do what we cannot do on our own: to change. He is the God of Glory - He has a Plan and Purpose. And God is good: He will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. He will see you though, because He has dominion: He is sovereign. 

Calling Out to God #27

In Job 22, Eliphaz, one of Job's supposed friends, is telling Job all the reasons God might not be hearing Job's prayers anymore. He hints that Job has maybe been wicked and greedy, ignoring the needy around him while he hoarded all his riches. He then calls on Job to "return to God":

26 For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty
    and lift up your face to God.
27 You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you,
    and you will pay your vows.

We find later that these accusations were not true, but when we do self-examination in our lives, it is never a bad thing for us to do as the psalmist does and ask: "see if there be any wicked way in me." Ask God if there is anything between the two of you hindering your open conversation and fellowship. Is there any topic you refuse to talk about. When we do, we can be sure that God, by His Spirit will lovingly show us if there is, or if the great Accuser is trying to use false guilt to discourage us.  Eliphaz rightly brings out what every child of God wants - to be able to come openly to Almighty God, know He hears, and that the life we lay before Him is acceptable to Him.  That acceptance comes only through Christ, and that access into God's presence only comes through Christ. There is no other middleman - especially the great Accuser. 

Calling Out to God #26

As soon as I say the book "First John", most of us probably think of this passage:

1:6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

This really is one of those love/hate statements: We love verse 9 - the promise of forgiveness; we don't like so much how we need to get there: Admit we sin, that we have broken fellowship with Him and others. Calling out to God in prayer without considering the possibility that we have something to confess just doesn't fly.  It hinders the relationship; it thwarts the conversation. This letter is a powerful statement about the love of God in Christ; we just need to get through the opening to appreciate it.  Just do it. Come to the conversation openly admitting your failure and need, so you can experience the fullness of His love. Then be ready for the cleansing, the joy, the peace and assurance to rush in. Tell it like it is. 

Calling Out to God #25

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus did as much talking about what not to do as what to do as His followers. That included prayer. In Matthew 6 He says:
5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Jesus gives two different "dont's" here. Don't be like the hypocrites - people who say they are a part of God's family - even prominent members in it - but really are not, and don't be like the Gentiles - outsiders - who think they are better and smarter than God's family. The first group wants to be seen and the second wants to be heard by other people so they are the focus of attention: "look at him; listen to that guy talk." Jesus says "No! If you really believe that you have a loving heavenly Father, He is your only audience, and there is nothing you can do or say to impress Him. You don't have to get His attention; He is watching you all the time. You don't have to say 'just the right words'; you have to have the right, humble, seeking heart. Your don't have a distant "god" who has to be convinced to give you what you want; you have a loving Father Who knows what you need better than you do, and is just waiting for you to come and ask. Don't put on a show; come to let Him show how much He loves you. 

Calling Out to God #24

In Mark 11,  we find Peter's recollection of two days after the Triumphal Entry on Palm Sunday. They are walking by a fig tree Jesus had cursed the day before, which overnight had withered and died. Peter was amazed, to which Jesus replied have faith, then gave this promise and exhortation about prayer:
23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

What a powerful, and misunderstood, promise.  Jesus says whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Some have thought that meant literally whatever you want, just ask and God is obligated to reward your faith and give it to you. On the negative side, many have believed and thought that this was a self-righteous weapon to use against someone they want to feel spiritually superior to, and be able to say: "God did not answer because you did not have enough faith." Worst case scenario: prayer is a weapon where you can wish catastrophe and even death on someone, and God will do it for you. But all those misunderstandings are cast out the window by Jesus' last statement: prayer is ineffective if you have not learned how to forgive like God has forgiven you. Forget the idea of blowing people away with your prayers like Jesus blew Peter's mind with the tree. What do you believe about God? Do you believe He is powerful enough to calm the sea or calm your heart? Do you believe He can do it overnight like wilting the tree or driving away the Assyrian army? Do you believe He can change those who have hurt you? Do you believe He can help you forgive? Do you believe He can forgive you for what you have done? It's not about how big your faith is; it's about how big your God is. So pray; pray away; talk to God about everything, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant to others, or how big and overwhelming it is. God fits there. 

Calling Out to God #23

In I Thessalonians 5 we have one of the shortest, but most well-known calls to prayer:

12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil. .

Notice the theme of this paragraph is: "How to conduct yourselves  in the Body of Christ." Give honor to one another, especially those God has put in places of authority. Get along with each other so you don't disturb the peace of Christ. Use your words and actions to challenge and encourage each other. Don't seek revenge, but restore. Help maintain a joyful atmosphere. Then, here it is: pray without ceasing. It has often been said that those who do not come apart to pray will have their lives come apart. But the context here is not about our individual walk with God as much as it is our living out the Christian life together. When we as God's people do not continually pray together, we fall apart. Giving thanks together also helps maintain this unified atmosphere.  As we do these things we will be much more sensitive to the Holy Spirit; we will be much more responsive to the Word of God, and we will be much more aware of false teaching- which Paul reminds us in Ephesians 4 will tear the church apart. When we stick together, praying together, doing all we can to maintain this atmosphere of unity, we will be much less likely to fall into evil practices.  

Calling Out to God #22

In Luke 6 we have an abbreviated message with some of the things Jesus said in the sermon on the Mount, including a blessing for those who are poor, hungry, hurting, and mistreated, as well as a warning for those who are rich, gluttonous, carefree and popular. He then says: 

27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

Are you listening? How do you respond to life when you feel you have been mistreated? Jesus gives a few pairs of parallel instructions Love and do good to your enemies- do what is best for them, even though they are out to harm you. Bless and pray for those who abuse you verbally or physically. This one, is the one we really want to focus in on here in our study today. Bless - find something good to say about them; don't always be badmouthing them to your friends, on Facebook, and even in your prayers. Don't just pray against them; pray for them - for God to do in their lives what they really need; entrust them to His will. Jesus goes on: Offer your other cheek and the clothes on your back - disarm them; take them back. This is not some passive masochism; this is spiritual warfare - fight evil with good.  Give and don't keep records. We live in a world that says: "you owe me bigtime." Grace doesn't hold it over others' heads. Just let it go. Jesus then gives one overriding principle - what we call the Golden Rule: Treat others as you want to be treated - not expecting them to treat you that way - but be consistent with the way that God has loved you. If we live this way - especially if we will pray this way - we will see how blessed we really are by God.

Calling Out to God #21

The Book of Job offers us some interesting perspectives on prayer. The account opens with Job praying for his family, then disaster strikes him and them at the hands of Satan. What follows are a lot of discussions between Job and God, and his supposed friends. In the closing chapter we find this summary:
7 After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. 8 Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.” 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what the Lord had told them, and the Lord accepted Job's prayer.

Job's friends had freely offered him advice about what was wrong with his relationship with God. They had talked to Job a lot about God, but never prayed with him to God.  God now talks to Eliphaz as their representative and says this: "you guys seem to think you know all about me. I wish you knew half as much as Job does, so here's what's going to happen: Job will serve as your priest to teach you how to talk with me. You have criticized his relationship with me; now he will teach you how to have a conversation with me."  God then restores all the things Job had lost, and more, as a sign of their close relationship. 

Just a couple of things here: First: We need to do more praying with people, and less telling them we are praying for them, telling them what is wrong with their relationship with God, and telling God how to fix them.  Secondly, we should not view trials and troubles in this life as a sure sign that our lives, or the lives of others are off track.  He just might be taking us to the next level, or using our lives to help others grow in their faith. If we believe prayer is a powerful opportunity, we should trust God to know what He's doing. 

Calling Out to God # 20

This coming Sunday, the Church will commemorate what happened shortly after Jesus' ascension on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. Peter is preaching away about what is going on that day as being signs that Jesus was the promise Messiah. In the middle of his sermon he quotes Joel 2; the last verse of the quote is:

21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’  

Peter then goes on to put the pieces together, saying that Jesus did all these miracles, then they crucified Him. Now, their response:
37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. 

The cry of their heart was: "What shall we do to be saved?" Peter had already given a brief summary in verse 21:everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Peter is saying: "Call out to God. Even though you have gone astray, God has made away; repent, trust in Jesus Christ, God's Messiah, and you will be saved."  Whenever God speaks, whether it is in a noisy crowd or a still small voice, there is a call going out that He forgives and receives those who call out to Him in repentance for forgiveness with a heart open to change.  It's a call He accepts no matter how far off you are away from Him. Call out today.

Calling Out to God #19

6 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” 37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” 40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 

Matthew is recalling for us this prayer event - or should we say - non-prayer event, on the part of the Apostles when they finished the Passover meal on the night He was betrayed.  Even the opening words are awkward here: Jesus went with them - not they went with Jesus.  It is almost like Matthew felt like an outsider - especially when Jesus took the key three disciples - Peter, James and John, with Him and left the others behind.  As Matthew looks on, either he can still hear Jesus, or the key three tell him later what He had said: He was overwhelmed by what was going on, lonely, distressed, experiencing temptation. Yet, He persisted in prayer, just as He had instructed these disciples to do many times.  He was given them, and giving us, that example one last time: Watch and pray. God is sufficient for any trial or temptation. You are not really an outsider if you are His follower; the Father hears, cares, and will answer.  Our flesh is weak, but His Spirit within us gives us the words, the willingness, and the "why" to call out to God. 

Calling Out to God #18

Psalm 102 begins like many psalms - with the psalmist crying out to God in distress. He talks about his bones burning, his heart withering, his inability to eat or sleep, his eating ashes and drinking tears. But then we find that wonderful phrase: 

12 But you, O Lord, are enthroned forever;
    you are remembered throughout all generations.
13 You will arise and have pity on Zion;
    it is the time to favor her;
    the appointed time has come.
14 For your servants hold her stones dear
    and have pity on her dust.
15 Nations will fear the name of the Lord,
    and all the kings of the earth will fear your glory.
16 For the Lord builds up Zion;
    he appears in his glory;
17 he regards the prayer of the destitute
    and does not despise their prayer.

God is sovereign, eternal, merciful and powerful, and  he regards the prayer of the destitute and does not despise their prayer. What seems like the end is not. God hears and He regards - He weighs heavily our prayers.  Like Paul in I Corinthians 10, we are to actually learn from history, from the examples of the people of Israel. Notice what the psalmist says next:
18 Let this be recorded for a generation to come,
    so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord:
19 that he looked down from his holy height;
    from heaven the Lord looked at the earth,
20 to hear the groans of the prisoners,
    to set free those who were doomed to die,
21 that they may declare in Zion the name of the Lord,
    and in Jerusalem his praise,
22 when peoples gather together,
    and kingdoms, to worship the Lord.

The Psalmist recorded this song not just for the people of his day, probably survivors of the exile, but for a generation to come, for a people of the Lord gathered from peoples and nations - that's what we the church are - so that we will know he regards the prayer of the destitute and does not despise their prayer. May we not miss out on this lesson, and pray just as he prayed. 

Calling Out to God #17

Paul's letter to the Philippians is one of the most positive attributed to the Apostle. But that does not mean that for them life was always easy, with no trials or relationship stresses. In fact, chapter 4 begins by Paul addressing some strains in their fellowship. He then gives this well-known series of three exhortations:

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Here's how you get along - with one another and in daily life: Rejoice in the Lord. Praise Him and you won't be picking at each other or getting caught up in and pulled down by the struggles of daily life. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. Don't be unreasonable in your expectations for other forgiven sinners or act like your life should be perfect. Then the third, most specific and overriding principle: let your requests be made known to God. Remember Who is here with you, right by your side and ruling from heaven. Give your anxieties to Him; give your frustrations with others to Him; let Him speak into your life. When you give God that, He gives you peace - in your heart, and with those around you giving you stress.  The passage is popular for a reason: it is packed with truths we need to come back to over and over again. Call out to God with thanksgiving, praise, and all kinds of requests, and He will give you what you really need. 

Calling Out to God #16

One of the most popular verses this time of year, as we approach graduation season, is found in Jeremiah 29:

10 “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

As we can see, this call to prayer and promise to answer is found in a very specific context that we do not want to ignore - the impending fall of Jerusalem and the promise of return after seventy years of exile. But even after qualifying these statements within that context, we find truths about calling out to God which transcend that specific situation.  First: God does have a plan, and as a good, good God, that plan is for our god.  Secondly, God will hear when the sincere heart calls out to Him, seeking His ear, His will and His way.  Thirdly, there is hope for the future, in spite of any consequences we may experience due to our poor choices in the past. The point is: never say it's too late to call out to God, even if it seems like there is no way out of our troubles.  There is a way through it, and God knows that way, and wants us to go with Him.

Calling Out to God #15

As Jesus shared in the Upper Room with His disciples, giving His last and new testament, He gave lots of instructions how things are to be carried out:

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 

The picture of the vine and branches was extremely familiar to the people of Israel, as it was used by the prophets to picture them as God's people, and practically speaking, the looked around them every day and saw the olive vines and grape vines. When we think about growing up physically and mentally as people, the expectation is that we will become independent - that we will develop skills to support ourselves, find a spouse with whom we set out on our own and establish a new family, apart from our dependency on our birth family.  But spiritually we will never get to that point with our heavenly Father or His Son.  We will always need to stay connected like a branch to the main vine. If we cut off ties, we will wither and die; we will never bear the fruit God intends; we will never do the things God wants us to do as part of His plan. We need to realize our dependence on Him and ask.  This, of course, is not a selfish asking for what will make us feel good or comfortable or sinfully indulgent - just before these words Jesus talks about being "clean", and just afterward He talks about keeping His commands.  God wants us to abide with Him to live in His house, under His roof, under His rules, under His provision, because there we fill find true joy. What would it be like to live under the same roof and never talk with someone? Sadly some people know. But that is not abiding with someone. God wants us to abide with Him, which means we need to talk with Him, and ask Him: what our assignment is, for the provisions we need for that assignment, and for the right attitude in carrying out our assignment. It sounds like we have a lot of talking, a lot of asking to do. 

Calling Out to God #14

If you're following our printed calendar today, looking for our passage, it is not I Timothy chapter 9, but 2:

8 I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; 9 likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, 10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.

The first paragraph in this chapter was an overall strong call to prayer, especially as a body of believers. The Church is to be a place of prayer. This brief paragraph talks about the tendencies and responsibilities of men and women in this atmosphere of prayer. Men tend to take things into their own hands to fix them, often making a mess of things - especially relationships.  We would rather act than ask. Paul is saying we need to do much more asking, much more praying, much more seeking God. Even the act of lifting holy hands is not about the method of doing things, but of a submissive heart in pursuit of holiness and finding out what God wants. The sad reality is that men often fail to lead the church in praying.  Women, on the other hand, want to be noticed. They want to be seen and heard, and may become a distraction from this atmosphere of prayer.  This is not a call for women to dress in dull clothes, or to hide physical beauty, as much as it is a call to keep the focus of worship and fellowship on the glory of God. It is letting women know: "yes, God does see you and hear you, but can others see and hear God because of you, or despite you?"

Calling Out to God #13

In his letter to the Colossians, some of the exhortations Paul gives are much more condensed than some of his other letters, like his call to prayer in chapter 4:

2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— 4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.

The first word here in the Greek is "prayer", and the exhortation is made from a couple of multi-syllable words: "Prayer! Remain constant/be continually faithful in it, having a watchfulness/an alertness while you pray, mixed with thanksgiving." Pray with your eyes and your heart wide open, making sure you see all there is to be thankful for, as well as observant enough to talk with God throughout the day about whatever comes your way. Prayer is not to be a rare occasion, but a steady flow. It is walking and talking with the Lord without taking your eyes off the road, without ignoring everyone who comes your way, making sure you do not miss all the answers/all the blessings He is sending your way. And Paul says: "Don't forget about us as you pray. Pray for opportunities to come our way to share the Gospel, and especially pray that I cand and do make the Gospel plain and simple." We might say: "Pray that I don't preach like a politician"- saying a lot of nice-sounding words that are not heart-felt and make no difference. The Good News deserves to be heard clearly. May we pray the day away today. 

Calling Out to God #12

In Romans 8, Paul is talking about the work of the indwelling Holy Spirit in our lives as believers. He has set us free from out bondage to sin; He is reorienting our minds to think like God; He has brought us to life spiritually, so we can confidently call God "Father". Now, Paul says there is one more thing He does:

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 

The Holy Spirit helps us in this ongoing communication with God. On our own, we're not good at it. We're like Adam and Eve in the garden hiding from God. But as the Holy Spirit cleanses us, reorients our thinking, and helps us realize we are God's children and He loves us, He also serves along with the Son helping us to learn how to talk with God. The Son is at the Father's right hand explaining what it's like down here, while the Spirit is here with us, helping us see things from God's perspective, helping us even see what we need to talk about. The Father, Son and Spirit all communicate just fine with one another; we're the ones with the communication dysfunction. We don't listen well or express ourselves well; the Holy Spirit is our tutor helping us learn how to do so.  Like all the other ministries of the Spirit listed above, Paul says "set your mind on the Spirit,"; let Him do His job. Start talking and keep listening to God.

Calling Out to God #11

In Luke 18, Jesus has a lot to say about prayer. He begins this way:

 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

We live in a world filled with corruption, injustice, and selfishness. But still, sometimes persistence pays off: even the wicked, lazy, and arrogant will listen to you just to get you off their back. Now switch worlds: In God's world there is compassion, justice, and purity of heart. Here is judge is righteous and wants what is best for you.  That means persistence will really pay off; God will answer sooner and better. So the question is not on the receiving end, on God's side, but on ours.  What do we really believe about God? Is it a matter of His not hearing, not caring, or not being able? Or is it a matter of timing, of His seeing what we cannot see and knowing what we do not know? Keep asking, and don't lose heart. 

Calling Out to God #10

In Matthew 7, during the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addresses the issue of how and why to pray:

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

In context here, Jesus is talking about how we deal with others. In the paragraph before He warns against being judgmental, and exhorts us to be introspective. In the statement after, he says basically: treat others the way you want to be treated.  This all affects how we talk to God. We come asking advice we are aware we need; we come seeking salvation, forgiveness, and purpose. We come knocking to find a way to handle our decisions. Why pray? It all rests in the very character of our heavenly Father. As the omniscient One, He knows what we need better than we do. As the Good, Good Father, He gives what is best for us. Ask away, sincerely seek, knock on your knees. Especially when it comes to dealing with people, prayer pays off. Learn from the One who has to deal with everyone in the world. 

Calling Out to God #9

Today, we look at another Psalm, another Prayer of David. Psalm 4: 

Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!
    You have given me relief when I was in distress.
    Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!
2 O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame?
    How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah
3 But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself;
    the Lord hears when I call to him.
4 Be angry, and do not sin;
    ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah

David starts us out right here: the only reason we can come to God in prayer and expect Him to answer is not because of our own righteousness, but because of His. God, in His mercy, gives us relief, has compassion on us when we call out to Him. He is gracious, giving us the help we need.  David is tired of people talking about him, speaking evil of him, even plotting against him. He is almost distracted as he prays, just thinking about it. Thus, we have that word of instrumental pause: Selah - lift up the instruments and play an interlude, while thinking about these things.  But then in verse 3 he comes back, and remembers that the Lord knows the truth, and the Lord listens to His children as they call.  In the final verse above, he sounds like Paul, or in reality, Paul sounds like David: Be angry, and do not sin; David calls on others to do as he has done: to spend time talking to God - so that our anger does not become bitterness. Allow God to silence your heart as well as your mouth. Lift up your complaints and cares to Him, and He will give you peace, even if others keep on talking, accusing in their own bitterness. Be not like them. 

Calling Out to God #8

In Romans 12, Paul has just described the Church as a Body of Believers, each doing their part, when he gives a series of short exhortations to further describe what we ought to be like:

9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

All of these actions are to be heartfelt and consistent.  Do what is best for each other because you really want to. Don't do evil, worldly activities because you really want to do what is good and pleasing to God. Do things that make others look and feel good, because you really want what is good for them just like God does. Be active in the activities of the church because you really do love the Church like Jesus does. Don't put on some fake joy, but have sincere joy, grounded in a hope that God is taking you through the rough times in life and believing all tribulation is nothing compared to the Glory God will reveal. We then come to the one we want to focus in on today: we need to pray as if we really believe God is listening, He cares, and He is able to answer. That motivates us to talk to Him, to want to talk with Him, and not let anything keep us from talking with and listening to Him. Do you want to talk with God? Do you really believe it matters - not only to you, but to Him?  What little does it take to distract you from prayer? To wrap things up, we find one of the most obvious, yet overlooked evidences of sincere and consistent faith: Generosity - wanting to give, seeking opportunities to show others we love and care about them. May we be consistent in all these ways, and especially today, in having this ongoing conversation with God that we not only know we need, but really want. 

Calling Out to God #7

 

In Scripture, prayer takes place in many forms:

David begins in Psalm 141

1 O Lord, I call upon you; hasten to me!
    Give ear to my voice when I call to you!
2 Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,
    and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!

3 Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;

    keep watch over the door of my lips!

4 Do not let my heart incline to any evil,

    to busy myself with wicked deeds

in company with men who work iniquity,

    and let me not eat of their delicacies!

5 Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness;

    let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head;

    let my head not refuse it.

David begins with Exclamation point, Exclamation point, Exclamation point! Please God, let me know You are here. Let me know you hear me. Let me know you smell me, just like the incense offered in the temple. Let me know you see me here with my hands lifted up in prayer and praise. David is crying out to be heard. But unlike many of his psalms where he launches into a lament about how he is being unjustly treated, David starts by asking God to help him shut up and listen. He asks Him to help him not be distracted by all the evil around him. He even asks God to send someone to rebuke him; he is open to correction and direction. Eventually, at the end of this psalm, David does ask God to deal with those who were giving him grief, but he asks God to deal with him first.  Are you willing to say to God today: "help me to just shut up and listen; help me to shut out the distractions and temptations; help me to receive your correction and direction."?

Calling Out to God #6

One of our greatest examples of calling out to God is found in the Psalms of David, which often are prayers. Like Psalm 17: 

6 I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;

    incline your ear to me; hear my words.
7 Wondrously show your steadfast love,
    O Savior of those who seek refuge
    from their adversaries at your right hand.
8 Keep me as the apple of your eye;
    hide me in the shadow of your wings,
9 from the wicked who do me violence,
    my deadly enemies who surround me.
10 They close their hearts to pity;
    with their mouths they speak arrogantly.
11 They have now surrounded our steps;
    they set their eyes to cast us to the ground.

At times when we read David's Psalms it can seem like he was paranoid: full of fear that everyone was out to get him. In reality, it was actually true, as his own king, Saul, as well as the great enemies of the Philistines were both pursuing him at the same time.  David called out to God, believing that God heard him, loved him, and was able to protect him. He sensed God's love so much he felt like he was "the apple of God's eye. He trusted God's protection as if he were a bird under its mother's wings. He saw the 180 degree contrast between the heart of God and the evil intentions of wicked, arrogant men. Do you feel that way about God? That will make a big difference in your prayer life. What I find extremely interesting is what happens in the last verse above. It is not the last verse of the Psalm, but it is very significant. David says: 11 They have now surrounded our steps; they set their eyes to cast us to the ground. As a result of calling out to God, David's voice has changed. When he started, it was all about "me", but after talking with God for a while, he is aware that many others are affected by the evil around him. He begins to care about others.  That is a major step in effective prayer: It's not all about me.

Calling Out to God #5

Proverbs 15:

8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
    but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.
9 The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
    but he loves him who pursues righteousness.

Here we hear echoes of what we read in James 5 a few days ago: The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. (16b).  Of course the reality is that this wise proverb came 1000 years before the book of James.  God is not impressed by our religious words or actions - especially when we use them as a cover for our wicked, self-conceived intentions and actions. What He is looking for, what gets His ear, are the prayers of those who are right with Him and with those around us.  The second verse above really is a parallel to the first: what God is really looking for is for us to pursue a relationship with Him, for us to call out to Him, and ask those questions: "What do you want from me? What should I do now? What is it that would really please you?  What can I do to make things right with my family, my neighbor, and You?" Prayer is part of the pursuit.  It's not the endgame in itself. It is opening ourselves up to say: "Help me get this right, Lord."

Calling out to God #4

In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said a lot of counter-cultural things, intended to make his hearers take pause, and think:

 Matthew 5:43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

There is a lot packed into this paragraph, but for the sake of our study today we want to focus in on verse 44:  Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. Pray for those who persecute you - not pray against them, but for them.  This is part of loving them, seeking what is best for them, instead of seeking revenge against them. When I reread these words once again, I remembered that a friend of mine just watched the story of Corrie Ten Boom, who was imprisoned and terribly mistreated under Nazi Germany, yet learned to respond with love and grace. It sounds almost impossible, but it is not for the child of God. It is part of showing our family resemblance. He looks down and sees it all, good and bad, but He does not show partiality in His providence. To be sure there are special blessings only His children receive, but God loves the whole world; He is not willing that any should perish; His thoughts toward all are good and pure. That's a God worth talking to, crying out to, especially for and about your enemies. 

Calling Out to God #3

The Letter of James is considered a very practical book in living out our faith. One of the best-known passages is on prayer:

5:13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

First, James says every situation in life is one to call out to God in prayer: good or bad. Secondly, he talks about the connection between sin, sickness, and prayer.  Any sickness is special reaon to pray - not just for physical healing, but as a reminder between sin and sickness.  Jesus was very clear: being blind or sick in some other way cannot always be directly connected to an individual's sin.  Yet, what did the blind and sick do? They called out to God. A significant part of Jesus' ministry included healing sickness. Sometimes He healed first, then addressed the person's need for forgiveness; at other times He forgave, then healed.  The religious leaders of the day tended to avoid the sick; Jesus did not, and James called upon them to be involved in the lives of those who were sick, because of this three-way connect between sin, sickness, and prayer. Believing prayer makes a difference, not only physically, but more importantly spiritually? Are you sick or suffering? Pray and ask others to join you. Are you feeling good, everything going great? Pray prayers of praise and ask others to join you. Any day is a good day to call out to God. 

Calling out to God #2

It was only a few weeks ago that we were here in Ephesians 1, but today we want look at this passage in light of Calling Out to God: 

16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

As we saw when we went through Ephesians, Paul is picturing Christ where He is now - at the Father's right hand - not only interceding for us, but also above all other authorities and powers. Because Christ is there, Paul could pray these big prayers, and so can we. We can pray for wisdom beyond our own understanding; we can pray for perception to see a glimpse of what God has for us; we can realize all the blessings He has bestowed on us; we can see His power working in and through us. Prayer in one sense is the plea of a poor man, begging a big, big God for what we need. But it is also a wide open powerful proclamation: "Lord, I know You can do anything; please show me what You can do."

Calling Out to God #1

I Chronicles 16 is one of the greatest celebrations in Old Testament History:

8 Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name;

    make known his deeds among the peoples!

9 Sing to him, sing praises to him;

    tell of all his wondrous works!

10 Glory in his holy name;

    let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!

11 Seek the Lord and his strength;

    seek his presence continually!

Why was David so thankful, calling on his people to also thank Him, praise Him, Sing about Him, and Seek Him?  They were finally bringing the Ark of the Covenant to its permanent home in Jerusalem. After wandering in the wilderness, being shuffled back and forth around the hillsides, and even captured for by the Philistines for awhile, the Ark of God's presence finally had a home where a temple would be built, where everyone knew where they could come whenever they would come, and know that God was there. 

At that time, and when his son Solomon dedicated the temple on that spot, they had no insight into what has happened over the last three Millenia. It didn't matter. God was present, to be praised, and most of all, to be called upon and sought. Temple worship included praising God for Who He is and what He has done, but it especially says this: "We need You. We need your strength. We need your wise presence in our lives, in our homes, and in our nation.  We need You." This month were are going to be looking at a lot of these passages instructing us to call out to God; we need Him. May we look forward to His presence every day. 

Together in Christ #26

Paul concludes his letter to the Ephesian church with these words: 

21 So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. 22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage your hearts. 23 Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.

Paul began this letter reminding his readers and us of this great masterpiece God has planned and put together in Christ: the Church. We cannot see how beautiful it is, because we are not in the heavens, with God the Father and God the Son and their angels looking down on it. So Paul tries to give us just a glimpse. He has then told us what we need to do: we need to humbly and lovingly do all we can to keep it together; to keep it clean and beautiful by living holy lives; to carry out our part in the body, in the household, while viewing the other parts, the other members, as gifts; to stand together in prayer, realizing that the enemy is trying to do all he can to invade the household, and tear this masterpiece to shreds. If there is one thing Paul's parting words add it is this: "I want to know that you are okay, and I want you to know that I am okay."  It is like a parting toast, where the bottle is filled with peace, love, and grace. Paul says: "Here's to us, the church. May we all sense, though separated, the peace of God that all is well with one another. May the love of God, that drives us to do whatever is best for one other, fill our hearts and fill the room. May the grace of God in Christ enable us to do whatever it is He has called us to do. Amen."