We just celebrated Memorial Day here in the US. For some this is a time of cookouts and outdoor fun, or maybe even baseball. It is those things, but so much more. Dr. Gene Howard presented his FREEDOM and SACRIFICE message for us at the church Sunday. It was an awesome reminder of the sacrifices made by men and women for our national liberty. Thanks to all of our veterans and their families. Our nation is free today because of those who have willingly laid down their lives for our great freedoms. Let us lay down our own lives so that America might remain free and enjoy the liberties that are granted by the second most precious piece of literature in our history, the U.S. Constitution. (The Holy Bible being the #1)
Our freedom springs from a freedom of the soul. The US Constitution reflects eternal, Biblical truths that form the basis of true liberty. When Jesus Christ died on the cross of Calvary, He purchased true freedom for all who place their faith in Him. Thank God for America! Thank Him more for our Savior Jesus Christ! Our citizenship is heavenly as well as earthly. Let us be faithful to our Lord and stand up for the Bill of Rights so wisely provided by our founding fathers. Since we enjoy the freedom of religion, let us freely exercise this right. Let's be all that Christians should be. Without this kind of Christianity, real Bible Christianity, we will lose our rights to this free expression. I believe that God wants to bless America again, but not while we lukewarm Christians do no more than warm a pew on Sunday morning. Entertainment has never been the object of Christianity, so let's stop focusing on entertaining and return to real worship of our holy God.
More next week.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Wow! It's Wednesday Already.
Sometimes there are just too many things to do. :-) We are having a very busy week this week. School will be over for the term on Thursday night. FREEDOM RALLY is coming this weekend, along with a Youth Rally. We would have hired some bees, but they said that it looked like there was too much on our plates.
For the past several weeks on Sunday nights we have looked at Prayer and having our prayers answered. Sunday night the message focused on ASKING IN JESUS' NAME. In order to pray, and get answers from the Lord, we must ask in Jesus' name. He is our access to the Father.
His name carries authority to save. Acts 4:12 makes this clear.
His name calls us to surrender. He is the Lord. Philippians 2 states that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Yield to Him today.
His name provides access to the Heavenly throne room. Hebrews 4 calls us to come boldly to the throne of grace so that we can find mercy, and grace to help in time of need. Christ has opened up the way for us to access the Father.
This is why we can have our prayers answered. John 15:16 shows that when we make requests of the Father in the name of Jesus, our petitions will be granted.
What does it mean to ask in Jesus' name? Asking is requesting a thing or favor from someone else. Often we have not because we ask not. Prayer indeed is asking. Who are we to ask? The Father. This of course is GOD. He is the Creator and Sustainer of life. His coffers are full. He has riches untold. Indeed, He is the One worthy of our petitions. Then we see the little preposition "in". This word shows location. All of our petitions must be wrapped up in a certain place, a certain location. "My" a pronoun showing ownership and therefore authority. "Name" a title that reveals the character of the person. When we ask "in Jesus' name", we are asking for His glory, asking in line with His character, and asking for His sake (in light of what He has done in dying on the cross and making the way to God open).
The name of Jesus is not a magic charm. The seven sons of Sceva found this out when trying to cast out demons using the name of Jesus. In order to pray in Jesus' name one must first have a relationship with this Jesus. Do you know Him? Are you trusting Him for cleansing from sin and the salvation of your soul?
Sometimes people do not get their prayers answered simply because they are not a child of God. Religion will not save you. Morality will not save you. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me." You can come to the Father for salvation by trusting the atoning work of Jesus Christ. Then you can come to the Father with all of your requests in the name, for the glory of, in line with the character of, and to further the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us pray!
For the past several weeks on Sunday nights we have looked at Prayer and having our prayers answered. Sunday night the message focused on ASKING IN JESUS' NAME. In order to pray, and get answers from the Lord, we must ask in Jesus' name. He is our access to the Father.
His name carries authority to save. Acts 4:12 makes this clear.
His name calls us to surrender. He is the Lord. Philippians 2 states that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Yield to Him today.
His name provides access to the Heavenly throne room. Hebrews 4 calls us to come boldly to the throne of grace so that we can find mercy, and grace to help in time of need. Christ has opened up the way for us to access the Father.
This is why we can have our prayers answered. John 15:16 shows that when we make requests of the Father in the name of Jesus, our petitions will be granted.
What does it mean to ask in Jesus' name? Asking is requesting a thing or favor from someone else. Often we have not because we ask not. Prayer indeed is asking. Who are we to ask? The Father. This of course is GOD. He is the Creator and Sustainer of life. His coffers are full. He has riches untold. Indeed, He is the One worthy of our petitions. Then we see the little preposition "in". This word shows location. All of our petitions must be wrapped up in a certain place, a certain location. "My" a pronoun showing ownership and therefore authority. "Name" a title that reveals the character of the person. When we ask "in Jesus' name", we are asking for His glory, asking in line with His character, and asking for His sake (in light of what He has done in dying on the cross and making the way to God open).
The name of Jesus is not a magic charm. The seven sons of Sceva found this out when trying to cast out demons using the name of Jesus. In order to pray in Jesus' name one must first have a relationship with this Jesus. Do you know Him? Are you trusting Him for cleansing from sin and the salvation of your soul?
Sometimes people do not get their prayers answered simply because they are not a child of God. Religion will not save you. Morality will not save you. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me." You can come to the Father for salvation by trusting the atoning work of Jesus Christ. Then you can come to the Father with all of your requests in the name, for the glory of, in line with the character of, and to further the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us pray!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Principles of Prayer - Part 3
Is there a secret to getting our prayers answered? Not really a secret, but there are certain truths involving our communication with God that can make prayer more than just a misuse of energy. Too often what we call prayer just isn't real prayer. Someone once made the comment, "Jesus never mentions unanswered prayer." Certainly His prayers always received the requested desire, but what about yours and mine?
First, our prayers are often hindered by our own unconfessed sins. So we must be clean before God so that our prayers will be heard. "If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me." Psalm 66:18.
Next, we must pray with proper motivation. Whatever we do must be for the glory and honor of our God. Selfish praying bounces off of the ceiling! ". . .because we ask amiss that we may consume it upon our lusts," according to James 4.
God wants us to be able to communicate with Him. In fact He opened up the way into His presence through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus at Calvary. So, we can come to the Lord in prayer, and not only that, God has given us the Holy Spirit so that we can pray correctly. This is the third principle of effective prayer: Pray in the Holy Spirit.
Jude verse 20 calls this "praying in the Holy Ghost."
Ephesians 6:18 reminds us, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints."
Zechariah 12:10 also foretells this privilege, "And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications:. . ."
Elijah prayed earnestly. The Spirit of God that was upon him, of which Elisha received a double portion, was the Spirit of prayer, earnest and effective prayer.
Jesus gives us a wonderful promise, "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever." (John 14:16) The Holy Spirit, the Comforter has been given to believers so that we can pray, and pray effectively and fervently so that the work of witnessing can be done.
Romans 8:26 states, "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." You and I can pray effectively because of the Holy Spirit Who lives in us and guides our prayers.
Let us then be filled with the Spirit of God. Being filled with the Spirit means to be CONTROLLED by Him, to be SUBMITTED to His power and leadership, and to be YIELDED to Him. The results of this filling are seen in the context of Ephesians 5:18. Singing, worshipping the Lord in melody with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs (don't miss the fact that the Holy Spirit is always holy), submission to the Lord and those who are in authority or partnered with me in the work of God (spouses), and service. The Holy Spirit has been given so that we are transformed into "Christians" in our words, deeds, attitudes, attendances, dress, home-life, and every other part of our lives. Sin grieves Him. Dirt defiles Him. Disobedience quenches Him. And when this happens? Our prayer-lives suffer.
We have a vital connection with the Lord. Let us be constantly cultivating our life in the Spirit. Let the Word of God dwell in you richly is the admonition. We are invited to "draw near" in Hebrews. Anything that would hinder us must be removed! Oh, that we would be a glorious church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing!
First, our prayers are often hindered by our own unconfessed sins. So we must be clean before God so that our prayers will be heard. "If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me." Psalm 66:18.
Next, we must pray with proper motivation. Whatever we do must be for the glory and honor of our God. Selfish praying bounces off of the ceiling! ". . .because we ask amiss that we may consume it upon our lusts," according to James 4.
God wants us to be able to communicate with Him. In fact He opened up the way into His presence through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus at Calvary. So, we can come to the Lord in prayer, and not only that, God has given us the Holy Spirit so that we can pray correctly. This is the third principle of effective prayer: Pray in the Holy Spirit.
Jude verse 20 calls this "praying in the Holy Ghost."
Ephesians 6:18 reminds us, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints."
Zechariah 12:10 also foretells this privilege, "And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications:. . ."
Elijah prayed earnestly. The Spirit of God that was upon him, of which Elisha received a double portion, was the Spirit of prayer, earnest and effective prayer.
Jesus gives us a wonderful promise, "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever." (John 14:16) The Holy Spirit, the Comforter has been given to believers so that we can pray, and pray effectively and fervently so that the work of witnessing can be done.
Romans 8:26 states, "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." You and I can pray effectively because of the Holy Spirit Who lives in us and guides our prayers.
Let us then be filled with the Spirit of God. Being filled with the Spirit means to be CONTROLLED by Him, to be SUBMITTED to His power and leadership, and to be YIELDED to Him. The results of this filling are seen in the context of Ephesians 5:18. Singing, worshipping the Lord in melody with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs (don't miss the fact that the Holy Spirit is always holy), submission to the Lord and those who are in authority or partnered with me in the work of God (spouses), and service. The Holy Spirit has been given so that we are transformed into "Christians" in our words, deeds, attitudes, attendances, dress, home-life, and every other part of our lives. Sin grieves Him. Dirt defiles Him. Disobedience quenches Him. And when this happens? Our prayer-lives suffer.
We have a vital connection with the Lord. Let us be constantly cultivating our life in the Spirit. Let the Word of God dwell in you richly is the admonition. We are invited to "draw near" in Hebrews. Anything that would hinder us must be removed! Oh, that we would be a glorious church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing!
Monday, May 4, 2009
Answers to Prayer - part 2
What can prayer do? According to Genesis, prayer can rescue a saved family from a bad situation (Lot). Prayer can bring national deliverance, as seen in Exodus. Prayer shut up the heavens so that it would not rain, and then opened the heavens so that it would rain again. Prayer brought healing to those who were sick. Prayer opens the storehouse of God's provision. Prayer brings the power of the Holy Spirit upon our lives and ministries. Thank God for prayer! What a marvelous privilege! It is a shame that such a powerful tool can be disabled. Let's look at another principle for answers to prayer: PRAY WITH THE PROPER MOTIVES.
James 4:3 shows us that sometimes our prayer are unanswered because we "ask amiss" that we may consume whatever it is we are asking for on our own desires. How can we examine our motives. . .the things that cause us to ask God for His blessings? I believe that we should follow three principles: 1. God's plan must be our focus; 2. God's person must be our delight; and, 3. God's provision must be our satisfaction.
One of my favorite prayer promises is found in Matthew 7:7 "Ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." If I pull this verse out of context, you would say I have joined with the "name it and claim it" group. In fact, Scripture must be taken in It's context to make Heavenly sense. The last part of chapter six, in Matthew, provides the proper context. Reading in verse thirty-three, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto thee." We can receive that for which we pray, if our motives are right. From these verses we see that God's Plan Must be Our Focus. This weeds out many improper motives.
Next, God's Person Must be Our Delight. Psalm 37:4 "Delight thyself also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." This is an awesome verse! He will give thee the desires of thine heart. Again, the context makes the condition for this promise clear. When we delight ourselves in the Lord, not in what He gives, but in Him, then He will give us the desires of our hearts. Do you delight in the Lord? If we delight in the Lord, we will also delight in what He says. Our Bibles will not be neglected. Preaching time and Bible study time will not be neglected either if we truly delight in Him. When we delight in the Lord, we will also delight in His work. We cannot be consistently having answers to prayer and not be involved in the work of God. Often my father-in-law makes the statement, "Every Christian needs to be an active member of a local Bible-preaching church." When we truly delight in the Lord, we will be an active part of His work. If we delight in the Lord we will delight in His ways. Our decision-making processes indicate whether or not we truly delight in the Lord. "My sheep hear my voice. . .and they follow me," Jesus said. How do you make decisions? Those who delight in the Lord will earnestly and honestly seek His leadership in every decision of life. A preacher friend of mine used to invite sarcasm because he would pray about everything, even the kind of peanut butter he was going to buy. I say, he was simply delighting in the Lord, His Shepherd. Our motives are revealed when we delight in the Lord.
Our motivation can also be exposed by our contentment or the lack thereof. God's Provision Must be Our Satisfaction. Ask yourself, "Am I satisfied with what God gives or do I seek something else. . .something more?" Satan tempted the first woman and the first man with this very temptation to be unsatisfied with God's provision. God's gifts to us are enough. For our salvation, Jesus' sacrifice and the shedding of His precious blood is enough. Seek nothing else for salvation. Simply trust Him. For our sanctification, the Word of God and the wondrous Holy Spirit at work in our lives are sufficient. Thank God His provision provides perfectly for our needs. For our daily sustenance, God has promised to provide what we need. Yet, many of the times we are greedily seeking MORE! Lehman Strauss made this statement: "The true purpose of prayer is not to get the things that we want from God, but to make us content with the things He wants us to have." Have we learned to be content? Jesus warned the brother seeking the inheritance to beware of covetousness. His warning should not go unheeded today.
So. . .what motivates our prayers? Do we pray for the same reason as the Pharisees? To show off our vocabulary? Listen to Psalm 24 "Who shall ascend in to the hill of the Lord, or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart. . ." The Word of God alone can show us our true motives. When we get our motivation cleaned up, our prayers can begin to be answered. Let us pray, and get our prayers answered for the glory of God. "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all to the glory of God." Keep praying!
James 4:3 shows us that sometimes our prayer are unanswered because we "ask amiss" that we may consume whatever it is we are asking for on our own desires. How can we examine our motives. . .the things that cause us to ask God for His blessings? I believe that we should follow three principles: 1. God's plan must be our focus; 2. God's person must be our delight; and, 3. God's provision must be our satisfaction.
One of my favorite prayer promises is found in Matthew 7:7 "Ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." If I pull this verse out of context, you would say I have joined with the "name it and claim it" group. In fact, Scripture must be taken in It's context to make Heavenly sense. The last part of chapter six, in Matthew, provides the proper context. Reading in verse thirty-three, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto thee." We can receive that for which we pray, if our motives are right. From these verses we see that God's Plan Must be Our Focus. This weeds out many improper motives.
Next, God's Person Must be Our Delight. Psalm 37:4 "Delight thyself also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." This is an awesome verse! He will give thee the desires of thine heart. Again, the context makes the condition for this promise clear. When we delight ourselves in the Lord, not in what He gives, but in Him, then He will give us the desires of our hearts. Do you delight in the Lord? If we delight in the Lord, we will also delight in what He says. Our Bibles will not be neglected. Preaching time and Bible study time will not be neglected either if we truly delight in Him. When we delight in the Lord, we will also delight in His work. We cannot be consistently having answers to prayer and not be involved in the work of God. Often my father-in-law makes the statement, "Every Christian needs to be an active member of a local Bible-preaching church." When we truly delight in the Lord, we will be an active part of His work. If we delight in the Lord we will delight in His ways. Our decision-making processes indicate whether or not we truly delight in the Lord. "My sheep hear my voice. . .and they follow me," Jesus said. How do you make decisions? Those who delight in the Lord will earnestly and honestly seek His leadership in every decision of life. A preacher friend of mine used to invite sarcasm because he would pray about everything, even the kind of peanut butter he was going to buy. I say, he was simply delighting in the Lord, His Shepherd. Our motives are revealed when we delight in the Lord.
Our motivation can also be exposed by our contentment or the lack thereof. God's Provision Must be Our Satisfaction. Ask yourself, "Am I satisfied with what God gives or do I seek something else. . .something more?" Satan tempted the first woman and the first man with this very temptation to be unsatisfied with God's provision. God's gifts to us are enough. For our salvation, Jesus' sacrifice and the shedding of His precious blood is enough. Seek nothing else for salvation. Simply trust Him. For our sanctification, the Word of God and the wondrous Holy Spirit at work in our lives are sufficient. Thank God His provision provides perfectly for our needs. For our daily sustenance, God has promised to provide what we need. Yet, many of the times we are greedily seeking MORE! Lehman Strauss made this statement: "The true purpose of prayer is not to get the things that we want from God, but to make us content with the things He wants us to have." Have we learned to be content? Jesus warned the brother seeking the inheritance to beware of covetousness. His warning should not go unheeded today.
So. . .what motivates our prayers? Do we pray for the same reason as the Pharisees? To show off our vocabulary? Listen to Psalm 24 "Who shall ascend in to the hill of the Lord, or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart. . ." The Word of God alone can show us our true motives. When we get our motivation cleaned up, our prayers can begin to be answered. Let us pray, and get our prayers answered for the glory of God. "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all to the glory of God." Keep praying!
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