5-13-2022 Devotion: Categories Part 2

 Today, we look at the second category of prayer: 

2. A Prayer of Faith: Jesus said, "Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." This verse describes the prayer of faith. One needs to grasp the idea that Jesus' Words are spiritually alive and not dead; John wrote that Jesus spoke these Words to His disciples and He speaks them to His disciples today. The word "believe" means to "believe, have faith in, trust." What are we to trust in? We are to have trust in Jesus' Words; we are to believe that what He said in this verse is in fact His Words as recorded by John; and if so, they are eternal Words that can be relied on. The word "believe" is a verb in the present tense, imperative mood and active voice. This means that it is a command to do something which involves continuous or repeated action. This means that you are commanded (not requested) to believe and keep believing until you receive the answer to your prayers knowing that if they are according to His Word, the result is guaranteed. It should be recognized that it is quite impossible to command someone to have a mental belief, but it is obviously possible to command someone to act faithfully, i.e. to demonstrate trust. We are to continue to act faithfully regardless of our perceived response to our prayers from a Sovereign God. We are to continue to trust in God's Word even when the circumstances look contrary and this will be observable through our actions. The prayer of faith is to stand in agreement with God’s Word notwithstanding the observable.  It is most important to understand the necessity of corresponding actions with prayer. Our standing in agreement with God is not motionless. There will be no faith without action; mental assent is insufficient alone.

5-12-2022 Devotion: Categories of Prayer

 Today, we begin looking at the categories of prayer. When discussing categories of prayer, one must guard against the creation of legalistic classifications. In a time of prayer one might find themselves flowing across all the divisions as set forth in this section. Not only would such an approach be acceptable, it should be encouraged. I remember watching Michael Jordan dribble a basketball full court and do an amazing dunk. As he would do so, he would not be thinking “right foot left foot right foot left foot.” He would be moving toward the goal appearing to have no identifiable pattern except to stay within the rules. After the principles are learned, the one seeking God in prayer would move toward the goal of communication with the Father without an identifiable method. The first category is:

1. A Prayer of Consecration: This type of prayer is a prayer of dedication. I don't know all the things that tomorrow holds, but I know who holds tomorrow in His hands. I trust His holding and therefore I can pray: "Lord, I commit my tomorrows into your hands. I trust you completely and I want my will to become your will. I want your perfect will in my life. I am Yours regardless of what comes my way." This prayer is a prayer of trust for the uncertainties of tomorrow. In this type of prayer, it is appropriate to pray "if it be Thy will," I shall be a missionary; a minister, or whatever You want me to be.

5-11-2022 Devotion: More Prayer

 Today, we look at points 4 and 5 that serve as a foundation to my teaching on prayer 

4. Prayer for God's help is a way that God has provided for man to seek His assistance. The act of prayer reminds man of his dependence on God and this brings glory to Him. “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” (emphasis supplied) 

5. The Holy Spirit assists man in prayer and thus, God receives the glory for answered prayer. Prayer brings glory to God because when God answers prayer, and even if He doesn’t, He demonstrates His power over His creation. “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. 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.” (emphasis supplied)

God will assist us in prayer which will in turn bring Him the most glory. The Westminster Larger Catechism describes man’s chief and highest end as being to glorify God. As we pray, we are fulfilling our highest end and fulfilling our intended purpose. However, this does not infer that all prayer is the same. There are different categories of prayer as the next section will examine.

5-10-2022 Devotion: Glory

 Today, we learn the third point of  this foundation of my teaching on prayer. 

3. God will receive the most glory when man, in an exercise of his will, depends on God for the grace and power to serve Him. “Whoever speaks [must do so] as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies-in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” “To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (emphasis supplied)

We see that God receives the most glory when we depend on Him and not something else. From the book of Job, we see that Satan and God may have a dialogue about a specific individual. Do you want our God to be able to say to Satan concerning you: "Have you considered My servant (insert your name)?" What a blessing to pray in a way that brings the most glory to God!

5-9-2022 Devotion: Prayer Foundations

 There are five points that serve as a foundation of this teaching on prayer:

1. God created man to display the riches of the glory of His grace. “Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made." “[I]n order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory.” (emphasis supplied)

2. Therefore, man has a duty, perhaps a de facto requirement, to act in a way that calls attention to the glory of God's grace. “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (emphasis supplied) 

When we spend time in prayer we are acting consistent with God's purpose in creating us. Prayer is a duty. We must not neglect to pray. Start with 5 minutes and build from there. This will change your life.

Fifth Lesson of the Quarter: The Holiness of Christ

The Holiness of God Part 5: Holiness of Christ

 

This is Part 5 of a series on the Holiness of God. Each week we will study a different aspect of God’s holiness. When you have completed the series, you may experience a change in how you worship, speak, and pray.

Luke 5: 4-11: "Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him."

During the Lord Jesus Christ's earthly ministry, there were times that His disciples reacted in fear in His Presence. We see this regarding the storm on the Sea of Galilee when they said, "Who then is this, that even the wind and sea obey Him?" Today, we study why Jesus' closet companions could fear Him and yet still desire to follow Him. 

First, notice how Peter's response ("Depart from me for I am a sinful man.") is similar to Isaiah's response ("I am undone."). Just as Isaiah said that he was a man of unclean lips, so Peter declares himself to be a sinner., even to the point of asking Jesus to depart from him. Like Isaiah, Peter recognized that he was in the presence of the Holy One. 

Second, the response of Jesus' disciples to His calming of the storm reveals something about the human heart. Sigmund Freud believed that the first step in the evolution of religious belief was the personalization of nature to mitigate the fear of natural forces.  As He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. Suddenly, a violent storm arose on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves. But He was sleeping. So the disciples came and woke Him up, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to die!” But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, you of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea. And there was a great calm. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this?—even the winds and the sea obey Him!” (Matthew 8: 23-27) If Freud's theory was correct, the disciples would have been relieved after the storm ceased. Instead, rather than being assuaged, the fear of the disciples was intensified because they were in the Presence of the One who is holy. More than fearing an impersonal force of nature, the human heart fears that which is holy. The disciples would not have had an explanation for how the Lord Jesus Christ calmed the sea. They would not understand the display of power they had witnessed. The disciples felt fear because they realized how very different Jesus was from them. They knew He was holy and they were not.

Third, sometimes unsaved people are uncomfortable around real Christians. This is not because we are holy, but because who we represent One Who is. As Christians, we should be a reminder to unbelievers about the reality of God and His Holiness. On occasion, someone has said a curse word around me only to apologize to me for their speech. I say it is not me to who the apology is due. Every believer knows there is a place where one can be vulnerable before the holiness of God while at the same time without fear in the Presence of Christ. By abiding in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are accepted into God's Holiness despite our natural fear of it as sinners.

Finally, let us remember the experience of John, the beloved disciple, when he met the risen Lord Jesus Christ: " And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last...." (Revelation 1: 12-17) What do you think about the description John provides under inspiration of the Holy Spirit? The Lord Jesus Christ is Holy and to be in His Presence is to be reminded of how unholy we are. I know people today in certain groups that think they are holy because of their dress. I believe these people, while sincere, are in a dangerous error. We are not holy except the holiness provided to us through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ! I am thankful that when the Fathe looks at me, He sees the righteousness of His Son. 

Prayer Points

1. Praise the Lord Jesus Christ for His mighty power over all things, both visible and invisible.

2. Confess your pride and any trust you have placed in your works to be holy. Rely solely on the finished work of Christ.

3. Thank God for the grace given to us that we might believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

4. Thank God for the gift of His Son that you might receive His Righteousness.

5. Ask God to use you to reach the lost and show them their need to be covered by the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ.

5-8-2022 Devotion: Your Tongue

 Our mouths can get us in such trouble. A physical bruise will heal in a few days, but an ill word can leave a permanent scar. The tongue is small but deadly. It is good to pray for your tongue. May your words glorify God and be a blessing to others. 

Prayer for Our (My) Tongue

Blessed are You Lord God, Creator of heaven and earth;

You have created me with a tongue, 

One to speak good but it often speaks evil.

We are tempted to gossip, backbite and speak mischief.

Forgive us dear God for allowing our tongues 

To bless You and then curse those made in Your image.

We find it hard to control our tongues;

Sometimes we do not want to control our tongues;

Yet Your grace is sufficient to control our tongues;

We surrender our tongues to You; set a guard over our mouths.

We ask You to forgive our sins of speech

And cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Let us be slow to speak and quick to listen;

Let us work twice as much as we talk.

Let our mouths praise You, Bless You and 

Comfort and exhort our brethren.

In Your Name we pray,

Amen.