Category: Prayer

www.bible.com/72/2ch.7.14.hcsb

This verse needs little commentary. But let me provide some context. The voice is that of God, speaking to the people of Israel after Solomon has finished offering prayer over the Temple. This response was given to Solomon in a vision (yes, Solomon has seen God personally, something his father had only glimpsed through prophets). The qualifier for the prayers of humility suggested here is that they be made at the Temple. In other words, prayers made at this newly dedicated Temple or toward it, prayers of humility and repentance, are the prayers that this verse refers to specifically. This Temple no longer stands. It is no longer possible to satisfy the technical requirements of this prayer.

Now the promises of this prayer are two-fold. God promises to forgive sin and heal land, the land of Israel. As Christians, we no longer pray at a Temple for forgiveness of sin. We go to the One crucified and call on His name. We are cleansed through His blood. We receive forgiveness of sin by calling in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. As far as the Temple is concerned, Paul says in 1 Cor 3 that we are God’s Temple, the Church that Jesus establishes and upon whom the gates of Hell shall never prevail. We are a Temple that cannot be destroyed, because we are built on better promises. Everywhere we go, we are taking the Temple with us. But our Temple isn’t tied to a particular land, but the world to come. Technically, the promises of this verse do not and cannot apply to us, not if our redemption is through Jesus Christ.

Well, that’s a bummer, isn’t it? Because Christians have been using this verse for years as a point for prayer for our nation in the hope that we would see political and social change. We can still pray for those things, as we do so through 1 Tim 2. I don’t think God’s desire to see men change has diminished. It has only grown as the population of men has grown. Let this verse inspire us, but don’t depend on this verse to save our nation. Is it not nations that are saved, but people. Jesus didn’t die for America, but for her people. He died for you. His blood cleansed you and all who call upon Him. Call upon Him today.

God bless you.

www.bible.com/72/mat.6.6.hcsb

I wonder if God has had enough of our public prayers? This scripture seems to run counter to popular culture. I run into folks who ask for prayer and seem content to let someone else pray for them. I don’t think that is what this verse is talking about. I think what God is addressing in this text is the kind of prayers said by people who want to be known to their prayers, or their holiness, or some other pretentious piety. I can imagine God is really sick of that kind of praying. To keep us from that temptation He sends us to the closet to keep us out of the spotlight and in the Spirit. God has so much more reserved for those that are earnest in prayer.

This is not a verse to say to keep our faith private. A recent change in language is a freedom of religion to a freedom of worship. The intent is to put our worship behind closed doors, to make our practice of faith private, and many Christians are content to do so. That is a misapplication if this verse. Faith is to be practiced and public. Christians should never have to apologize for being Christians. In fact, we should expect persecution for practicing our faith in the public sphere. And so it goes.

God bless you today!

www.bible.com/72/mat.6.11.hcsb

There is a sentiment among our younger generations that we are entitled to three squares a day, a home to live in, free education, and a job when you graduate college. Whether you agree with that sentiment or not probably shows how old you are or what your political persuasion is. It doesn’t make you a good person or a bad person, but it does affect your attitude towards the providence of God.

In this verse, we come to closest to the idea of entitlement when it comes to daily needs. Hear me out. Asking for daily bread (or if you read it in a certain voice, it sounds like a demand), was a simple request, but it called for a great deal of faith. You see when Jesus uttered these words, people lived from day to day. We may live paycheck to paycheck, but they didn’t know for certain that tomorrow would bring a meal. Among the poor and often hungry people He ministered too, asking for “daily bread” was a pipe dream. It requires extraordinary faith to trust in a God Who would provide daily needs like that. They didn’t doubt they would need to work for it, so this Prayer included the idea that the work needed to pay for the bread would also be requested. Also then the health to be able to work, and the ability to do the work. Daily bread was about God’s provision. They didn’t think God would drop manna from heaven, but that He would provide the circumstances so that they could get their bread as they needed.

We have often expanded this to include all daily provisions, and provisions for the day, as we have no assurance of tomorrow. But for these hearers it meant a lot to have the assurance that today God is looking out for me. We have that assurance too. God is looking out for your needs today. And yes, we need to be praying that dependence upon Him. When we pray this prayer, we remind ourselves both of His provision and our need for it. God honors such humility. Don’t be afraid to ask.

God bless you today!

bible.com/72/jas.1.5.hcsb

I hate asking anyone for anything. I hate to be a bother, or to inconvenience someone else. If I can’t do it myself, I feel really uncomfortable and pushed out of my comfort zone.

So when I come across a verse like this, it is uncomfortable. My prayer life isn’t the best anyway, but here is God calling me to talk to Him and ask for something, wisdom. Granted, I have taken him up in His offer and asked for wisdom, for I find as I’m getting older, I don’t know everything, not like when I was a teenager. Maybe that’s wisdom, and proof that God has been answering my prayer all along.

But asking for help usually isn’t in my vocabulary. I’ve found that this is an act of humility, as admission that I cannot do this on my own. I struggle with pride, and get down on myself when I discover again that I am not all that I think I need to be. Asking God for help is humility, admission of fault, but absolutely necessary for our growth in Christ. So I recommend you ask of God early and often, before you’ve decided that you can handle it. Even if you can, you invite God the event, and He will help you see things you are blind too, bring others alongside whom you will need. Simply acknowledging that you are not sufficient for a task, even if you think you are, is an invitation to God to work alongside you. And God seeks to work out His good, pleasing and perfect will in you as we work out our salvation with fear and trembling. (Phil 2)

When I post these, I try to do it first thing in the morning, when my thoughts are fresh with the assistance of a hot cup of coffee. If you are reading this, I hope it has been a benefit to you. These little nuggets are a journal of sorts, for my part anyway. I find just sitting down and distilling thoughts into words very helpful. I would encourage you to do the same if you haven’t already. It has been helpful to my faith as I hope it has been to yours.

God bless you all this morning.

bible.com/72/psa.145.18.hcsb

Have you ever tried to run away from God? Jonah tried it once, ended up in a huge fish. He remembered something David had said, “even though I make my bed in Sheol, you are there” and prayed to the Lord. Guess what, God heard him. You are never too far from God that He cannot bear you. You cannot run so far that He isn’t there. And God is always attentive to the prayers of those who earnestly seek Him. Do you feel like you are far from God this morning? Open your lips and speak His name, “Jesus, I need you today.” He says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

“Do you pray enough?” Most Christians answer, “No, of course not.” None of us pray “enough”, and even though the New Year dawns, our prayer life is not likely to improve without serious and committed effort. Sometimes it is making time for prayer. For others, it is praying that is the problem, because we don’t feel like prayer really accomplishes anything. I can tell you this, because I have felt the presence of God in prayer, and that prayer takes time.

When I pray, I need to be praying at least five minutes before I am able to tune out the world and truly focus on God. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God.” That’s actually good advice for a prayer warrior. Prayer takes time to be able to transition from worry on what you are doing next to truly putting yourself before the presence of God.

Next, you’ve got to understand what prayer really means. It’s not just a post-it note to God with a list of things you need. It is a multi-faceted conversation with the Creator, the Savior, and the Provider. When come face to face with the Almighty, you realize that you have His ear, and can really ask for anything. No job is too small for God. Even in situations where you see no good end, you can talk to God, and know He can do something good. God is bigger than our imagination. You’ve seen His world. Imagine what He can do with your problems. Very soon you realize that your problems are in fact very small.

I look at our church, and I see possibilities. You might see a small church with little potential, because we are a “small church”, but I see a powerhouse of the Almighty. God can do amazing things in a place where He is honored and worshipped; where He is allowed free reign, with no one holding back their talents, willingness to serve, or their imagination. Small churches are only small to people who can’t see them as God does.

Call me optimistic if you want, but when you understand God’s statement to the apostle Paul, “My power is made perfect in weakness”, I think you’ll count your blessings that our little church appears weak on the outside, but on the inside is filled with the Spirit of God.

Pray big, pray big dreams, pray for big crowds, pray for big ministries, because God can do it. Pray big because the life of our church depends on it. Dream big, because God can give His dreams to you, to work out in this place for His glory. Don’t tell God what He can’t do here, because He’s liable to prove you wrong. Are you ready to pray?