Still Waters

The Simplicity of Faith

2011-06-28T14:51:00.000-04:00

Mark 10:13-16

Hello from Camp Joy again! We have had another wonderful day with breakfast, horse riding, good fun fellowship and a great lunch of pizza and salad. Camille (pictured with special friend, Alyssa) sends her greetings to all of her church family. She did want Dr. Sam to know that she only petted the horses; she didn’t ride one.

Our Bible story today is from Mark 10:13-16. Many people brought their children to see Jesus. They wanted them to see the man whom they had heard so much about. But, Jesus’ disciples thought it was better if the children left Jesus alone. They rebuked the people who brought the children. I wander why the disciples would do such a thing. Maybe they thought Jesus needed to rest, maybe they thought he needed time to think and teach, maybe they thought Jesus’ time would best be used if he taught the religious leaders and showed them their error. I’m sure that any number of reasons could be given as to why they wanted to shield Jesus from the children. But, Jesus didn’t care.

He wanted the children to come to him. He wanted to visit with them. He wanted to see them. He wanted to love them. He wanted to care for them. Isn’t that a beautiful picture of the compassion and heart of God? Jesus wanted to hang out with children. I think it is a wonderful connection with Camp Joy. Jesus wants to hang out with these precious campers. He wants to interact with them. He wants to love on them. He wants to share himself with them. He wants to sit and talk with them. I have told our counselors that not only does Jesus want to do all these things, he wants us to as well. What a humbling challenge!

But, Jesus also has something else in mind when he accepts the children. He wants to illustrate the type of faith it requires to receive and enter the kingdom of God. We must come with a simple and blind faith, the kind of faith a child exhibits in those who take care of him, those who love him, those on whom he depends. That is one of the most heart-warming things about Camp Joy to me. These “special” men and women embody the kind of faith that Jesus requires us to have. Their faith is simple, but their faith is strong! I am afraid that I have a tendency to complicate things. I want answers, I want to know the details, I want to be in control of things; but true faith says, “Chill out! God’s in control.” That’s exactly what these wonderful folks do. They just live life worry free and trusting the Lord.

Let me tell you a story that illustrates this. This morning in Bible class, Mrs. Kathryn was teaching the passage from Mark 10:13-16. Camp Joy camper Shane Davis (who is pictured and has decided that he and I are long lost cousins because we have the same last name) got emotional because, as he put it, “Jesus loves the little children and us so much.” As he got more and more emotional, Mrs. Kathryn (the teacher) got emotional, then other campers got emotional until eventually all the campers in the class were crying, except one, Matthew, who was laughing and clapping (He’s a hoot!). In the middle of all this emotion, Stacy, another camper, decided that the mood was set for her to sing a tear-jerker from Mercy Me about the love and grace of God. So she broke out in song. By the end of her song, needless to say, Bible class was over. Such simple minds exercise great faith and demonstrate great emotion about the love and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ! The faith of a child receives and enters the Kingdom of Heaven. May God give you and me this kind of faith. Let us pray to that end.

Helpful Passages:

Mark 10:13-16

Psalm 42

Psalm 27

CHD

Special Friends and Special Days

2011-06-27T16:55:00.002-04:00

Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. Romans 15:7

Friends, I write to you this afternoon from Camp Joy Session 1. Camille Lynn and I are having a great time and anxiously, especially Camille, awaiting Patti’s arrival Tuesday afternoon. For those of you who don’t know, Camp Joy is a camp sponsored by our denomination for mentally and physically handicapped men and women. The ages of the campers this week extends from the early 20s all the way to 73. Each camper, or “special friend” as we call them, is given a counselor with whom they have the privilege of building a most wonderful relationship founded upon sacrificial and unconditional love.

Our day consists of, among other fun and exciting things, bible class, crafts, a variety of recreation activities, the much needed nap, and worship. This morning in recreation class our campers, after stretching, played the name game. They threw a large soccer ball (similar to a beach ball) to each other. When one caught the ball he/she told his/her name. The game went on until everyone had a chance to tell his/her name. They loved it. In crafts, they made a a trinket that tied into the bible story which they learned in bible class and then acted out in drama. The bible story for today is that of Zacchaeus and Jesus. Zacchaeus experienced the grace and love of God even though he had some limitations. He was accepted by Christ Jesus. What a wonderful story for Camp Joy, and all of us for that matter!

I believe that this is Camp Joy’s 32nd year. And, I am delighted to be back. For six years, from the time I was 15 until I was 21, I averaged working at least two sessions per summer. It was at Camp Joy that I first met Camille. Little did I know that one day I would have the pleasure of being her pastor. My role this week is camp minister. It is my primary responsibility to lead worship with the whole camp and devotion time with our counselors and staff. Last night we talked about how immeasurable the love of God is. It is from everlasting to everlasting (Psalm 103); it extends to the heavens (Psalm 108); and, it overflows our cups (Psalm 23). We can’t measure it; we can only experience it. For the rest of the week (4 more worship services) we will look at four people who experienced the love of Christ, Zacchaeus (Luke 19), the little children (Mark 10), the woman at the well (John 4), and the sinful woman who anointed Jesus (Luke 7). Through our relationships with Christ and our service of him, we have the blessed privilege of experiencing Christ’s loving grace in the same way these four individuals did.

Our theme verse for the week is Romans 15:7, “Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” In the preceding verses of chapter 15, Paul tells the Romans that the role of the strong is to assist the weak, to please them, and to build them up as Christ Jesus does that for all of us. For we are all weak when compared to him. One of the most ironic and enlightening things about Camp Joy is that “normal” young men and women come to assist those who have limitations, those the world would refer to as weak. But, by the end of the week, those “normal” young men and women through God’s grace come to realize that they are really weaker than they ever dreamed and that those with limitations, those who are weak, are actually much stronger than the normal young men and women ever thought.

Our challenge to the staff and counselors last night was to think about one way in which they could please or build up their “special friend” today and to pray about it. Also, we asked them to think about one way in which they had experienced the sacrificial love of Christ thus far at Camp Joy with their “special friend,” and then pray a prayer of thanksgiving for it.

Let me encourage you to do the same in your life. Think about one way that you can build up a neighbor or please someone who is currently struggling with life today. Also, think about one way in which you have experienced the sacrificial and unconditional love of Christ today. Pray specifically for the strength and the courage to do what you thought of so as to build up another, and pray specifically with thanksgiving for the blessing of experiencing Christ Jesus’ love. May God be with you until next time.

Helpful passages:

Romans 15:1-7

Philippians 2:1-11

Psalm 23

CHD

Reading the Bible

2011-05-24T11:10:00.000-04:00

I thought I would take a moment this week to share with you the way that I attempt to read the Bible. I hope that it can help you.

When I first started reading the Bible, I had no particular plan. I would sit down and, literally, open the Bible to some passage and begin reading. I would read maybe a few verses, maybe a chapter, or maybe even a book, depending on where I happened to land when I opened the Bible. I soon realized that this was not a good way to read the Bible. I was often discouraged and even disillusioned by my reading, because I was so confused. I had no clear understanding of the Bible’s flow of thought. I never really got the picture of God’s story of redeeming grace. I needed some type of guidance and reading plan. Maybe you do too.

The first thing I turned to was a series of devotionals geared to assist me in getting through the bulk of the Bible in one year. You may have heard of, seen, or even used some of these in your reading of the Bible. I found John Stott’s book, Through the Bible in a Year, especially helpful, and would recommend it to anyone trying to get started on a reading plan. Stott took me on a journey from one end of the Bible to the other, while at the same time offering timeless and helpful commentary on various passages of the Bible. This was good for me as I needed some help understanding what I read. (Reading comprehension never has been one of my strengths.) I graduated, if you will, from Stott to a more defined reading plan that focused exclusively on reading the Bible. I think the plan called for me to read five chapters a day and three on Sunday. It began in Genesis and ended in Revelation. Surprisingly, I lasted about 1 month on that plan. (I say surprisingly because I never thought I would make it a week, much less a month.) Those kinds of systematic plans just do not work for me. I am not that disciplined. So, I floundered for a while. I would randomly pick a book and study it. But, that still didn’t help me with reading the whole counsel of God’s word. I found myself only studying the books that I liked or were familiar with. Books like Song of Solomon, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Amos and others often made their way to the cutting room floor. I needed some type of systematic guidance or plan when reading the Bible.

Then I decided (and this was fairly recently) to take the Bible and divide it along its natural divisions. The Old Testament can be divided into 5 parts -- Law (Genesis-Deuteronomy), History (Joshua-Esther), Wisdom/Poetry (Psalms-Song of Solomon), Major Prophets (Isaiah-Daniel), and Minor Prophets (Hosea-Malachi) The distinction between major and minor is based solely on length. And the New Testament is divided into three parts -- History (Gospels and Acts), Epistles (Romans-Jude), and Prophecy (Revelation). Once I did that, I decided that I would read a portion from at least three of these sections at least five times a week, and that I would pray for the Holy Spirit’s help. So, my current personal reading time looks something like this: Prayer asking for God’s illumination; Read 2 chapters from Old Testament Law (Genesis-Deuteronomy); Read 2 chapters from Major Prophets (Isaiah-Daniel); Read 2 chapters from New Testament Epistles (Romans-Jude); Make a few notes in a journal; Prayer for proper understanding and application of what I read. This morning I read: Numbers 15-16, Ezekiel 5-6 and Philippians 1-2. That’s six chapters a day and thirty chapters a week. I have found that doesn’t necessarily get me through the Bible in one year, but it gets me in the Word of God regularly and helps me to understand the overall big picture of God’s story of redemption, and thus draws me closer to him.

Let me offer you some bits of encouragement as you seek to find a system that works for you.

1.Find a systematic plan that works for you. Use a year devotional. Use a year reading plan like that from Crossway which we have in the church office. Use my plan. You will need to find something to help you get through the whole counsel of God. If you don’t have a plan, you won’t read the whole Bible nor stay disciplined.

2. Don’t put undo pressure on yourself. You will not succeed 100 percent. I don’t. But, don’t get overly discouraged or beat yourself up about it. If you miss a day, it doesn’t make you a carnal Christian. Trust in God’s grace. If you can’t do as much as me or someone else, then it is ok. You have to find what works for you. That is only something you and the Lord can work out. The most important thing is that you are learning and growing in grace and getting closer to Christ Jesus.

3. Make sure you pray before and after you read God’s word. Ask God through the Holy Spirit to illumine your mind, make his word real to you, and help you apply it rightly in your life. The effectiveness of his word to transform your life is undeniably and unmistakably connected to the work and ministry of his Holy Spirit.

4. Tell another Christian how you are going about reading God’s word and what you are learning form your time in it. Find someone to help you remain disciplined and with whom you can share the exciting things of God. I have two groups of friends along with Patti that I share the joys of God’s word with and they with me. What a blessing this great fellowship is to me! We need that.

May God bless you as you learn to read his word. May he transform us as we learn to read it together. I pray this helps. Have a great day!

CHD

What Comes After the However?

2011-05-17T11:05:00.003-04:00

Take a moment to read Numbers 13-14. What stands out to you? Most likely it is that Caleb and Joshua give a minority report when the spies returned to the Israelites after previewing the promised land of Canaan. Notice the difference between the reports of the majority of spies and that of Joshua and Caleb.

The majority report was, “We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large… The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height…we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.” These spies focused on the challenges ahead of them. The minority report, however, was, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it… If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey… Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us, do not fear them.”

The difference in the two reports is obviously the object of their faith. The majority had faith in themselves and was afraid of their apparent military failure. And, they rightfully should have been. Their end result was total failure and destruction as the end of chapter 14 tells us. We could say that they argued, “Though the Lord has promised us this land, it is far to dangerous and presents far more challenges than we can handle. Therefore, we must not go into the land right now.” The minority, however, had faith in the Lord and possessed great confidence in their victory in him. Their focus was on the promise of God not the challenges of their world. For Joshua and Caleb said it this way, “The challenges are great, the people are big, the land is fortified; however, God has promised us the land and those in it cannot stand against him. Therefore, let’s go take the land.”

The turning point in each report is the word “however”. The majority of spies put the challenges of the world after the however, while the minority (Joshua and Caleb) put the promise of God after it. What do you put after the “however” in your life? Do you focus on the promises of God or the challenges of your life? What comes after “however” with you? Are you a Joshua or Caleb or are you in the majority camp? Do you focus on the promise and power of God or do you focus on your strengths and weaknesses? Ask God to reveal to you the areas of your life where you tend to put your challenges after the however instead of God’s promises.

CHD

Helpful Passages:

Numbers 13-14

Joshua 14

Psalm 121

Luke 2

A Response to Osama bin Laden

2011-05-04T11:09:00.002-04:00

Dear Friends,

I want to write this afternoon in response to the death of Osama bin Laden. I have heard much discussion and have been asked several questions about the proper way for a Christian to respond to such news. I must admit that when I awoke on Monday morning and heard for the first time that bin Laden, America’s number one enemy, had been killed my initial emotion was one of joy and satisfaction. But, as the day wore on, my emotions of joy were replaced by ones of sadness and even sorrow at the death of another human being. Immediately, I questioned, “Should I be joyful at the death of another human being, albeit an evil one?”The more I have thought about it, I have realized that the root of the question extends much deeper than my emotions. It is a moral question that leads to a conflict of emotions. And, my answer to the question is both yes and no.

In one sense, bin Laden’s death is tragic and produces sorrow. But this sorrow is not solely from the loss of human life; it goes much deeper than that. The Bible teaches us that the final resting place of unrepentant sinners -- those who persist in rejecting the Savior, spurning the righteousness of God, the taking of innocent life, “the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, the murderers, the sexually immoral, the sorcerers, idolators, and liars” (Rev. 21:8) -- is Hell. Hell is a place of destruction and wrath. Jesus mourned and wept over sin, lost men and the impending judgement, and so should we. The fiery place of Hell reserved for unrepentant sinners should be no cause for joy in the lives of Christ’s followers. Therefore, given that we have no reason to believe that Mr. bin Laden was a repentant sinner, his death is tragic and drives us to sorrow.

On the other hand, his death is the triumph of righteousness and should bring joy to our hearts. The removal of evil is the vindication of God’s righteousness, and such a vindication brings hope to and encourages the saints of Christ Jesus, particularly those in the midst of persecution. And there were many brothers and sisters in Christ who were persecuted at the hands of Mr. bin Laden. God’s justice in part has been carried out by human means as he has ordained it (Rom. 13:1-7). Righteousness has prevailed and God is vindicated, and that brings pleasure to God. Therefore, heart of the follower of Christ is joyful.

So, I think it is certainly appropriate for us to feel both sorrow and joy at the news of the death of bin Laden. In fact, this tension is actually a good thing. It is a glimpse into the emotions of God. God doesn’t delight in the death of the wicked (Ezek. 18:23), but he pleasures in the triumph of his righteousness (Deut. 28:63). Such a tension means that you are, in the words of John Piper, “God-like.” To have one emotion without the other is to be unbiblical, but to wrestle with them both is to be fully human and, therefore, biblically Christian.

May God grant you grace as you wrestle with the emotions of life. Remember always that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ will not be mocked nor stand for unrighteousness all the while desiring all men, women and children to be saved (1 Tim. 2). Let us, then, pray and live to that end.

CHD

What Does Rebellion Look Like?

2011-03-21T12:11:00.002-04:00

Since yesterday morning, several folks have said to me, “Clint, you talked so fast in the sermon, I couldn’t get those five points you gave about the way we isolate ourselves from God.” So, I thought I would pass them on to you this morning.

Remember that we have a tendency, like God’s people of old, to forsake God. To forsake means “to abandon, to cast aside, to turn away from.” This is the greatest form of rebellion against God, especially since the greatest form of righteousness is to stick fast to God, to cling to God (Deut. 10:12, 20). As we withdraw from God, or isolate ourselves from Him, essentially we cling to ourselves and instead of Him. To isolate ourselves from God means that we undertake a subtle effort to hide or deny the truth while playing our wonderfully deceptive fellowship games with God. We do this by guarding and protecting the areas in or lives in which we are most vulnerable.

There are five reasons for our isolation.

We are by nature private people. -- Some of us find it extremely difficult and unnatural to open up to God about our inmost secrets, struggles, challenges and sin. We have to learn little by little to let God have all aspects and areas in our lives.

We are hurting or betrayed people. -- We have a tendency to take the effects of our relationships with each other and project them onto God. Because of this tendency, we tend to interact with God in the same way that we interact with people here in this world. If someone has hurt us or betrayed us, we shut down. We think that God will betray or hurt us in the same way and therefore shut down with him. We protect our feelings and thoughts from him just as we do from each other.

We are rejected people. -- Often we are rejected by other people as we make our complete selves, warts and all, known to other people. We are thus afraid that God is going to reject us as well. But, he is not! He always welcomes his children and loves us unconditionally. We must learn to trust this promise by being open and vulnerable with Him.

We don’t want to put the effort into it. -- It takes a lot of work to know how God is going to respond to us and to develop a trust in him. Our natural, sinful default response to sin in our lives is to withdraw from God in order to protect ourselves. It takes time and energy to build a trusting relationship with God. We have to know and train ourselves through the intense study of His Word to automatically run to Him. Instead of abandonment and withdraw being our default we must make adherence to God and approach our default response to the realization of sin in our lives.

We are deceived people. -- Many of us have lived in sin and in the lie of sin so long that we have come to believe the lie as true. Sin has become ingrained in our lives. We are afraid of the change encounter with God, or, more sadly, we don’t want a change encounter with God. We don’t want to change. We are comfortable with our current lives. We are comfortable with our sin. We don’t want to admit our sinfulness, and we don’t want to admit our failure. We don’t want to say I am sorry.

I pray you have a great day that God draws you closer to him this day. May your growth in Christ be evidence of your relationship with Him and your repentant hearts. God bless you all.

CHD

Helpful Scripture Passages:

Psalm 51

Romans 5:1-11

Romans 8:1-11

2 Corinthians 5:11-21

Transformed or Conformed

2011-03-17T09:41:00.003-04:00

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind...

Romans 12:2a

I must confess that I am often convicted by the piercing question, “Am I transformed by Christ or conformed to the world?” To be conformed means “to be compliant with rules, standards or laws,” while to be transformed is “to be thoroughly or dramatically changed in the form, appearance or character of.” Compliance requires nothing more than the for us to accept a certain set of standards and the desire to act in accordance with those standards. It requires no real change. Transformation, however, requires a complete change of our heart, will, mind and character.

Think about it in terms of basic chemistry. We can understand compliance (conformed) in terms of a physical change. When water freezes and becomes ice there is no change in chemical composition. It is still water; its just frozen. It is in a different state. It has physically changed to comply with different physical conditions. Transformation, on the other hand, is to be understood in terms of a chemical change. Chemical change is defined by a complete change in chemical composition. For example, if Sodium metal (Na) is combined with Chlorine gas (Cl) an explosive reaction takes place (particularly when a drop of water is added as a catalyst). The result of this reaction is the common chemical compound NaCl, or common table salt. The materials are completely transformed into something else.

So it is with us. When the Lord Jesus enters our lives we become new creations (2 Cor. 5:17). We have a new standard. We have a new life. We have been redeemed and transformed by God’s grace to live for Christ by living for others, all done by the power of His Spirit. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). Therefore, our calling from God is not be simply molded and “conformed” to the standards of this world, but rather to be transformed in our minds as we are in our hearts -- to be completely and dramatically changed in our thoughts, wills and character.

I ask myself and encourage you to do the same, “Am I conformed to this world or am I transformed by the renewing of my mind?” Are there areas of my life where I struggle with the realization of my status as a new creation in Christ Jesus? Do I reflect that new identity? Do I find my identity in Jesus Christ? Pray that God will show you those places where are satisfied with and even glory in your compliance with the world. Ask him to help you be transformed by the renewal of your mind.

CHD

Helpful Scripture:

Romans 12

2 Corinthians 4:7-6:13

Isaiah 43

Isaiah 65

Obedience as a Response

2011-03-15T09:50:00.000-04:00

And God spoke all these words, saying,“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

Have you ever thought about the words at the beginning of the Ten Commandments? We often call them the “Preamble.” In legal terms, a preamble is “the introductory part of a statute or deed, stating its purpose, aims, and justification.” That is exactly what we find here. Notice that the Lord God prefaces his Law with the affirmation of Israel’s salvation at his mighty hand. Herein lies the justification of the Law. Israel, as God’s people, were thus required to obey His holy Law. He delivered them from the land of bondage and the house of slavery; therefore, He, in His holiness, demanded their obedience. Their salvation was a result of His elective and saving grace; their obedience was their response to that saving grace and a reflection of His holiness. He did not save them by their obedience to His Law. He demanded their obedience as a response to the salvation He granted by His grace. It was the way they glorified him as their God.

And so it is with us. God, in his mercy and grace, reached down and delivered us, through our Lord Jesus Christ, from bondage of sin when we could not deliver ourselves. Therefore, He demands our obedience. And, our obedience of Him is a glorification of His mighty grace. Paul writes, “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Elsewhere, Peter instructs us, “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:14-16). And still further, John comments, “And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments... By this we may be sure that we are in Him: whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked” (1 John 2:3-6). And conclusively, Jesus states, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15).

Let me encourage you today by asking, “What does you obedience or lack of obedience to God say about your relationship with Him?” Does it testify to the presence of His saving grace in your life? Or, does it testify to something else? Does your life reflect God’s holiness? Have you responded to His saving grace with the obedience of your life? Think about these questions. Reflect upon them. Locate the areas of your life which aren’t reflective of His glory and in submission to Him. “Turn away from [that] evil and do good: seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14).

CHD

Scripture Readings:

Psalm 34

John 14:15-15:27

1 Corinthians 6:12-20

Colossians 3

1 John 1-2

Unanswered Prayers

2011-03-04T11:17:00.001-05:00

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. James 4:1-3 (NIV)

One of the most confusing things for most Christians, particularly young Christians, is unanswered prayer. I have heard many perplexed and discouraged Christians say, “I have prayed and prayed for something or someone or some type of deliverance, and God has yet to answer me or to do what I asked of him.” I have said it myself many times. Why is this so?

The Bible gives many reasons as to why God chooses to answer some prayers and not others. It could be that our prayers aren’t the will of God, and so he chooses to say no to us. It could be that he desires to teach us patience and reliance upon him, and so he chooses to tell us to wait. It could be that he has sovereignly chosen to deliver us through or in our suffering instead of from it. But, in some cases the reason God doesn’t answer our prayers lies within us. Our selfish pride causes us to ask things of God from the wrong motivations. Our desire is often not to see God glorified, but rather to see ourselves advanced. That’s what James tells us when he asks the rhetorical questions, “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires to battle within you?” We ask for and seek things from God with the wrong motives so that we may spend what we get on our own pleasures. Such an attitude is the opposite of that which is after God’s own heart and that which he honors. May God grant us the insight and humility needed to put his own heart and desires above ours.

As you pray, ask God to show you the motivations of your prayers. As he reveals them to you, examine them. Ask the hard questions – Are my desires and the prayers that arise from them for my own glory and advancement or for God’s Almighty and the advancement of his kingdom? Examine your heart. Is it seeking God’s own heart. Turn to him.

CHD

Helpful Scripture Passages:

James 4:1-12

Psalm 104

Acts 13:13-52

Praying God's Heart

2011-02-17T10:42:00.000-05:00

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all goodness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.

1 Timothy 2:1-4 (NIV)

One of the first lessons about prayer that we learn as children, and subsequently teach our children, is that we pray for other people. We "beseech" God on the behalf of others. The Bible calls this type of prayer supplication. And, it is all through the Scriptures. James instructs his congregation to "confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed" (James 5:16). Paul similarly writes, "pray continually; give thanks for in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thess. 5:17-18). And, Jesus in his great high priestly prayer prays for his disciples (John 17:6-19) and "those who will believe in me through their message" (John 17:20-24).

In 1 Timothy 2, Paul instructs Timothy to pray for all people, particularly those in places of authority. And, he says that this type of prayer is an act of worship. It is appropriate for men and women "who profess to worship God" to pray in such a way. We are to pray for each other and our leaders so "that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness" and that "all men" might "be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth." In other words, our "requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving" are essentially for the purpose of "Thy kingdom be come" (lives of holiness and peace) and "Thy will be done" (all men be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth).

Is this the end desire of our prayers of worship? Do we find ourselves praying for the opportunity to live lives of peace and holiness? I know that I find myself praying for peace, but do I do so in order to live a life of godliness? of holiness? Or, do I pray for peace in order to live a life free of any discomfort? Likewise, do we pray for the salvation of all men? is this the desire of our heart like it is the desire of the Lord Jesus' heart?

As we pray today, let's make a conscious effort to pray for "everyone," even those in authority. Pray for the President. Pray for the Congressmen. Pray for the Senators. Pray for the Assemblymen. Pray for the Governor. Pray for the Councilmen. Pray for the Elders. Pray for the Deacons. Pray for your Pastor. Don't just pray generally for them. Pray for the purposes of God -- for peace that we may live lives of godliness and holiness and that all men might be saved, for God's desire to become reality. Pray "Thy Kingdom come." Pray "Thy will be done."

Helpful Bible Passages:

2 Thessalonians 3

John 17

Luke 11:1-13

CHD

Thy Kingdom Come

2011-02-15T08:28:00.005-05:00

Thy Kingdom Come...

Matthew 6:10

A king’s kingdom has two aspects. There is the actual territory over which he reigns as well as the activity of his reign. When Jesus teaches us to pray, “Thy Kingdom Come,” he has in mind both aspects of God’s kingdom. We are to pray for God’s kingdom to be actualized here on earth as it is in heaven. In other words, we are to pray for Christ’s return and the establishment of his kingdom here on earth -- “Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly” (Rev. 22:20). Also, we are to pray for the activity of the Lord Jesus’ reign to be realized in the hearts and lives of men and women. We pray that our hearts and minds will be found in submission to the reign of the all glorious king, the Lord Jesus Christ. But we don’t just pray this for ourselves. We pray it for all men and women. We pray that Christ’s kingdom will come in such a way that all men and women will submit to his reign.

What does this reign of Christ look like? It is a reign of both grace and glory. It is possessed in the following characteristics: the completion of all that is good, communion with God, sweet communion with all the saints, incomprehensible joy, honor and dignity, blessed rest and eternal life.

As you pray today, focus your attention on the kingdom of God. Pray for it to come. Pray that God will bring it both physically and spiritually. Examine your life and see if you are indeed submitting to the active reign of Christ. Has the kingdom of Christ impacted your life? Does your life reflect your place in God’s kingdom? If it doesn’t repent and seek the grace of Christ and his kingdom. Pray that others will come to know the blessings of life with the king. Pray that God will use you to further extend his kingdom. Pray that he will use you to be an agent of his reign. Plead with God for the return of Christ Jesus. Plead with God for the souls of men.

Helpful Bible Passages:

Hebrews 2:5-18

Revelation 21-22

Psalm 2

CHD

Prayer's Priority

2011-02-09T15:42:00.002-05:00

Hallowed be Thy Name

Matthew 6:9

In our prayers, the most important thing we can do is to petition God to make his name holy. The reason for this is two-fold. First, God is not inclined to do anything that does not make his name holy. He is holy and seeks to be known as holy. Our prayers, which petition him “to hallow” his name, do not ask him to do anything contrary to his character. Second, we get our priorities right. John Piper writes,

“God wills to make great things the consequence of our prayers when our prayers are the consequence of his great purposes. Bring your heart into line with the jealousy of God to hallow his name, and you will pray with great effect. Let your first and all-determining prayer be for the hallowing of God’s name, and your prayers will plug into the power of God’s jealousy.”

“To hallow” means “to consecrate or make holy.” What does it mean to “hallow” God’s name? We hallow God’s name by believing in him. Our faith in him gives him glory. Also, we hallow God’s name by fearing God above men. We stand with God regardless of what others may think about us. Further, we hallow God’s name by keeping his commandments. Obedience brings glory to the great name of God. And finally, we hallow God’s name by praising and glorifying his name. The worship of God proclaims the greatness of his glory.

As you pray, seek the hollowing of God’s name above all else. Ask him to make his name known throughout the world. Pray that God will give you the faith to trust him. Ask God to give you a heart that reveres him above all other things. Pray for obedience in Christ. Ask God to give you a Christ-honoring and God-glorifying heart of worship. May God’s name be hallowed forever!

Helpful Biblical Passages:

Numbers 20:1-13

Isaiah 8

Leviticus 22:31-32

Leviticus 10

A Father and His Children

2011-02-07T21:03:00.000-05:00

This, then, is how you should pay: “Our Father in heaven…”

Matthew 6:10

When one of Jesus’ disciples asked him to “teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1), Jesus began to teach, saying, “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven…” Think about that for a minute. Jesus says, first, that our prayer is directed to our Father and, second, that our Father is the God of the universe (he resides in heaven). We are God’s children. We can approach him as children approach their father. Have you ever seen a father and his young daughter talking and goofing off? The daughter has her father’s full attention, and he looks at her with gentleness, love and grace. The young girl is embraced in the warmth of her father’s smile and encouraged by the serenity and safety of her father’s tenderness. She makes herself vulnerable, and that vulnerability is an incredible thing. So it is with God and us. The great blessing of prayer is that we can come to our Father in his grace and mercy extended to us in our Lord Jesus Christ. Our great Father smiles upon his children. We can be vulnerable with him, for he is a safe refuge. Our relationship with him makes us sing along with Paul,

“Praise be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Eph. 1:3).

Take time to contemplate just what it means to be called a child of God. Think about the great love that the Father has for you to make you his child, the sacrifice that it took in Jesus. “Behold, what manner of love the Father has given unto us that we should be called the children of God” (1 John 3:1). Thank God for this wonderful identity. Approach him early and often. Come to your Father in heaven as often as you can. And, come with vulnerability, pouring your heart out to him.

CHD

Relevant Bible Passages:

John 1:1-18

John 15:1-17

Romans 8:1-17

Ephesians 1:3-14

A Forgiving Spirit

2011-02-03T18:31:00.004-05:00

This, then is how you should pray... Forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors. For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive their sins, your Father will not forgive our sins.
Matthew 6:9,12,14

In all of his teaching on prayer, Jesus gives nine general requirements of acceptable and right prayer. The first is a forgiving spirit. Christians must be willing to forgive. In teaching us to pray, he says that our own forgiveness from God depends upon our forgiveness of others. This makes perfect sense. How can we expect to approach the throne of God requesting forgiveness of our sins while harboring bitterness toward someone within our own hearts? We can’t. The Father cannot wholly forgive us if we are not willing to give him all of us that there is. To hold back our forgiveness of others means to hold back some of ourselves from God. But, to be fully forgiven means to fully forgive by giving our whole selves to glory of God. Martin Lloyd-Jones says it best, “The man who is truly forgiven and knows it, is a man who forgives.”

Think to yourself today as you pray about those, perhaps, whom you haven’t forgiven. Maybe it is a brother, or a father, mother or sister. Maybe it is someone who hurt you while you were still a child. Maybe its a co-worker or an estranged friend, or just maybe it is you. Confess your struggle to forgive to God and seek the grace of his Spirit to forgive those who have hurt you, and even to forgive yourself. “It is idle for us to say that we know God has forgiven us if we are not loving and forgiving ourselves” (Lloyd-Jones). Ask the Father to show you how greatly he has forgiven you. And then work to forgive. “Forgive, and you will be forgiven” (Luke 6:37).

Helpful Bible Passages:

Proverbs 17:9

Matthew 18:21-35

Colossians 3:1-17

CHD

Praying with a Pure Heart

2011-02-02T17:42:00.002-05:00

Come and hear, all you who fear God,

and I will tell what he has done for my soul.

I cried to him with my mouth,

and high praise was on my tongue.

If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,

the LORD would not have listened.

But truly God has listened;

he has attended to the voice of my prayer.

Psalm 66:16-19

WOW! What a great day it was to simply adore God. I pray that your mind was as captured as mine was as I contemplated the awesome greatness of God. His love, His mercy, His grace, His power, His glory, His eternality and His righteousness are simply incomprehensible, but incredibly joyful to get lost in.

As we contemplate and worship the great God who is, we are (or, at least I am) all the more aware of the necessity of a pure heart as I approach His glorious throne of righteousness. The seat of effective prayer is a pure heart. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8).

A pure heart is granted to us by God’s grace on the virtue of the Lord Jesus’ substitutionary sacrifice. Our response to this gift of grace is faith and repentance. The Psalmist cried out to God in faith (v. 17) and repented of his sins (v. 18). He did not cherish iniquity in his heart. His inward heart matched his outward cry. Anything less is hypocrisy. And, God does not hear the prayers of hypocrites. The child of God puts away the sins of the flesh and seeks the glory of God and his gracious gifts, all of which are obtained by prayer. God will answer the prayers of his penitent children.

Examine your heart as you pray today. Ask God to reveal his character to you and to shine light of his righteousness into the dark recesses of your heart. As your sins become known, confess them, claim the sacrifice of Christ in place of them and turn from them. Pray for God’s help so that you may give him thanks for his grace and serve him more.

Scripture Readings:

Psalm 51

James 4:1-12

Romans 6-8:1

John 1:29-35

Psalm 24

Colossians 3:1-17

Adoring God

2011-02-01T09:14:00.001-05:00

Then I (King Nebuchadnezzar) praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever.

His dominion is an eternal dominion;

His kingdom endures from generation to generation.

All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing.

He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven

And the peoples of the earth.

No one can hold back his hand

Or say to him: “What have you done?”

Daniel 4:34-35 (NIV)

“To adore” means to love and respect someone deeply. But, when it comes to God, “to adore” takes on its highest meaning, “to worship.” Consider the following explanation. We might admire someone who walks a tightrope between two skyscrapers, idolize a rock star (American Idol), adore our mothers, revere a person like George Washington, but we worship the Lord Almighty.

· Admire suggests a feeling of delight and enthusiastic appreciation.

· Adore implies the tenderness and warmth of unquestioning love.

· Idolize is an extreme form of adoration, suggesting a slavish, helpless love.

· We revere individuals that command our respect for their accomplishments or attributes.

· Worship connotes an excessive and uncritical respect.

The Bible is full of prayers of adoration, prayers of worship., prayers of an excessive and uncritical respect and devotion to God. Here, Nebuchadnezzar praises God for his eternal dominion, his glorious accomplishments and power, and his endless attributes. As we begin February, a month devoted to prayer, let’s spend some time adoring God. Take time today to worship him in your heart, to utter his praises, to sing of his glory with the lips of your heart. Use some of the following biblical passages to get you started, and then let the Holy Spirit move your soul.

Daniel 4:34-35

Revelation 4-5

Psalm 103

Psalm 19

2 Samuel 22

2 Chronicles 6:14-15

Wow, The Word of God

2007-05-15T21:35:00.000-04:00

Welcome to our new blog site. We are glad that you have visited us.

I must begin by thanking Jamie Faircloth for getting all this web stuff set up. He does a great job for us. Thanks bud.

This week has been a whilwind of a week. After returning from the Pastor's Conference in Cleveland, I have found a hightened sense of spirituality in my personal devotional walk. The Lord has solidified my confidence in his divine and holy Word. Paul tells Timothy that the Word of God is breathed out by God and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training up in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). How true is that?!? God has given us his Word that comes from his breath (that which sustains life) so that we can know him in detail. This Word is applicable to every aspect of our lives, business, pleasure, social, spiritual, etc. Have you ever given this a thought? Or, does your confidence in the Word stop simply at the "spiritual things"?

Last night this truth hit home hard while I read through John 4. Of course you remember this passage. Jesus talks with the woman at the well in Samaria when he identifies himself as the "living water." The thirsty long for water. The living water is unending. It never ceases. If Jesus is the well of the "living water" then how do I get to that well and draw from it. Through the holy Word of God. It is in this Word that we find God most clearly revealed and real. If we are to drink from the water in its fullness, then we have to see the Word as applicable in every aspect of our lives. God's Word, therefore, is sufficient. I pray God touches you with the glorious truth of his Word.

Before I go, I must say congratualtions to Matt McLaughlin, Stephen Raines, Timothy Raines, and Collin Truesdale and the rest of the Richard Winn Eagles on their baseball state championship.

Until we meet again, God bless!