When you get right down to it, I'm selfish. I think of myself first.
I don't think I'm unusual. But I'm fortunate that Christ is not like that. He was willing to give his life for me. And he's calling me to look beyond myself.
The question I need to ask is not "What do I want" but "What does God want"?
This is a fundamental question for prayer as it is in every other aspect of life.
Dick Eastman, long-time head of Every Home for Christ, says in his book No Easy Road:
"Only when he denies himself and lives close to God does man learn his beautiful will. When one really understands God's perfect will, the effectiveness of prayer is staggering."
As Andy Stanley pointed out in a recent sermon, Jesus began his model prayer - usually known as "The Lord's Prayer" - with God. That prayer begins with worshiping God in his holiness and asking that the Father's will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
In his challenging sermon, Andy Stanley said we must be ready to accept God's will whatever it is, even though we may not like it right now. We can be sure that what God wants for us is best. You can hear more of his thoughts here: http://www.northpoint.org/messages/red-letter-prayers
The best way to know what God wants is to spend time worshiping him, seeking more of him. As we worship him, we draw closer to him. That is the route taken by the 16th century French monk Brother Lawrence.
Writing about Brother Lawrence, a friend said the monk spent his time continually "praising and blessing [God] with all his might, so that he passed his life in continual joy". The title of that book, The Practice of the Presence of God, catches the essence of Brother Lawrence's life - he lived as if Christ was present, talking with him.
If my mind and heart are enjoying Christ, I can be sure he is leading me along the path he has prepared for me.
Sunday, 15 July 2012
Sunday, 8 July 2012
The power of blessing
The Bible tells us to bless God and bless others. Why?
In some way, blessing seems to release God's power in our lives.
Let's take the apostle Paul's words: "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse (Romans 12:14)."
If we follow that command literally, we will stop complaining about others. We will pray that God's goodness will be poured out on them.
Over time, we will change. And, quite often, the people we bless will be blessed. That may well change our relationships with them.
When we do what God wants, God works in us.
Maurice Berquist has a basketful of modern stories of the power of blessing in his delightful book The Miracle and Power of Blessing (you can find the on-line version at http://www.twolisteners.org/Blessings1.htm).
Berquist, a pastor, first experienced this power by accident when a woman with emotional and mental problems was brought to him. Not knowing what to do, he felt impelled to read with her Psalm 103:1-6 which speaks of blessing or praising God who forgives our sins, heals our diseases, redeems us and satisfies our desires with good things.
He asked her then to read through these verses with him and she did this, slowly and hesitantly. Amazingly, she was instantly healed and filled with joy. She had been scheduled to go to a mental institution for treatment the following week, but no longer needed to.
Berquist suggests we should begin by blessing or praising God for who he is and what he has done; then, bless ourselves (that is, be thankful for how we have been created for we have been made that way by God); and finally bless others in specific ways.
There are certain things about this book that I struggle with theologically. For example, he talks about blessing inanimate objects. Yet, I realize that Jesus blessed the loaves and fishes and they were miraculously multiplied.
But, the Bible does tell us to praise God, bless others, and be thankful in all circumstances.
Living that way will certainly please God and change us.
In some way, blessing seems to release God's power in our lives.
Let's take the apostle Paul's words: "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse (Romans 12:14)."
If we follow that command literally, we will stop complaining about others. We will pray that God's goodness will be poured out on them.
Over time, we will change. And, quite often, the people we bless will be blessed. That may well change our relationships with them.
When we do what God wants, God works in us.
Maurice Berquist has a basketful of modern stories of the power of blessing in his delightful book The Miracle and Power of Blessing (you can find the on-line version at http://www.twolisteners.org/Blessings1.htm).
Berquist, a pastor, first experienced this power by accident when a woman with emotional and mental problems was brought to him. Not knowing what to do, he felt impelled to read with her Psalm 103:1-6 which speaks of blessing or praising God who forgives our sins, heals our diseases, redeems us and satisfies our desires with good things.
He asked her then to read through these verses with him and she did this, slowly and hesitantly. Amazingly, she was instantly healed and filled with joy. She had been scheduled to go to a mental institution for treatment the following week, but no longer needed to.
Berquist suggests we should begin by blessing or praising God for who he is and what he has done; then, bless ourselves (that is, be thankful for how we have been created for we have been made that way by God); and finally bless others in specific ways.
There are certain things about this book that I struggle with theologically. For example, he talks about blessing inanimate objects. Yet, I realize that Jesus blessed the loaves and fishes and they were miraculously multiplied.
But, the Bible does tell us to praise God, bless others, and be thankful in all circumstances.
Living that way will certainly please God and change us.
Monday, 2 July 2012
The throne of God
A key to confident prayer is the fact that our all-powerful God is seated on his throne, listening lovingly and mercifully to our prayers and praises.
The author of Hebrews says in chapter 4, verse 16: "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace in our time of need."
Indeed, the apostle Paul says in Ephesians 2:6 (New Living Translation): "For he raised us up from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus."
This is a wonderful and yet mysterious verse which seems to say that we are already seated with Christ in spirit in heaven because we are united now with Christ. We are not with Christ bodily, but we are in spirit.
Over the centuries, great Christian thinkers have said that, in effect, Christians have Christ's authority in prayer. In some cases, believers can be so certain that God has answered their prayers that they will declare God's answer and step out in faith, just as Elijah did in 2 Kings 18 when he told Ahab rain was coming after years of drought.
In Luke 10:19, Jesus told his disciples: "I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy . . ."
Of course, there are conditions. We must pray as if Christ were praying. We must be filled with the Holy Spirit, confessing any conscious sin, and seeking what God wants. The Bible and the Spirit can be our guides on what the Lord desires.
Wesley L. Duewel, author of Mighty Prevailing Prayer, writes:
"In yourself, you are a weak human being. But in Christ you are seated beside Him on His sovereign throne and he delegates to you the privilege of praying in his name, resisting Satan, your already defeated foe, and crushing Satan under your feet because Satan is under Jesus' feet."
The author of Hebrews says in chapter 4, verse 16: "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace in our time of need."
Indeed, the apostle Paul says in Ephesians 2:6 (New Living Translation): "For he raised us up from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus."
This is a wonderful and yet mysterious verse which seems to say that we are already seated with Christ in spirit in heaven because we are united now with Christ. We are not with Christ bodily, but we are in spirit.
Over the centuries, great Christian thinkers have said that, in effect, Christians have Christ's authority in prayer. In some cases, believers can be so certain that God has answered their prayers that they will declare God's answer and step out in faith, just as Elijah did in 2 Kings 18 when he told Ahab rain was coming after years of drought.
In Luke 10:19, Jesus told his disciples: "I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy . . ."
Of course, there are conditions. We must pray as if Christ were praying. We must be filled with the Holy Spirit, confessing any conscious sin, and seeking what God wants. The Bible and the Spirit can be our guides on what the Lord desires.
Wesley L. Duewel, author of Mighty Prevailing Prayer, writes:
"In yourself, you are a weak human being. But in Christ you are seated beside Him on His sovereign throne and he delegates to you the privilege of praying in his name, resisting Satan, your already defeated foe, and crushing Satan under your feet because Satan is under Jesus' feet."
Monday, 25 June 2012
Faith and prayer
The Bible clearly teaches that there is a strong link between faith and answers to prayer.
That doesn't mean that God will give us what he doesn't want to give. The apostle John declares that our prayers must be in tune with God's will (1 John 5:14-15).
But the scriptures are littered with stories showing the importance of faith in answers to prayer.
This is both inspiring and discouraging. It is inspiring that God loves us enough to answer our heart cries. It is discouraging because we may wonder: "Do I have enough faith to see answers to my prayers?"
That question forces us to think about what faith really is.
I like Andy Stanley's definition of faith. It goes something like this: "Faith is believing that God is who he says he is and that he will do what he has promised to do."
If we believe God is who he says he is, we will know that he has the power to do more than we can ask or imagine. And if we believe he will carry out the promises he makes in the scriptures, we will see all kinds of promises that relate to our needs.
Still, there are questions about how much faith depends on me and how much on God. Christians have debated this for years.
Personally, I lean to the view of Charles S. Price, author of The Real Faith for Healing, who had a great healing ministry years ago in Canada and the U.S.
He notes that saving faith is a gift we receive when we yield ourselves to God (Ephesians 2:8-9). He then points out Paul's words in Romans 12:3 that "God has allotted to each a measure of faith". And he quotes the statement in Hebrews 12:2 that Jesus is the "author and perfecter of our faith".
In other words, Price says that our faith comes from God and we must ask for the faith which comes through the Holy Spirit. As the father of the boy possessed by an evil spirit said to Jesus: "I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief." (Mark 9:24)
That doesn't mean we are passive. We act on the faith we receive from God.
Price says: "Faith acts - but the act comes from faith and not faith from the act."
That doesn't mean that God will give us what he doesn't want to give. The apostle John declares that our prayers must be in tune with God's will (1 John 5:14-15).
But the scriptures are littered with stories showing the importance of faith in answers to prayer.
This is both inspiring and discouraging. It is inspiring that God loves us enough to answer our heart cries. It is discouraging because we may wonder: "Do I have enough faith to see answers to my prayers?"
That question forces us to think about what faith really is.
I like Andy Stanley's definition of faith. It goes something like this: "Faith is believing that God is who he says he is and that he will do what he has promised to do."
If we believe God is who he says he is, we will know that he has the power to do more than we can ask or imagine. And if we believe he will carry out the promises he makes in the scriptures, we will see all kinds of promises that relate to our needs.
Still, there are questions about how much faith depends on me and how much on God. Christians have debated this for years.
Personally, I lean to the view of Charles S. Price, author of The Real Faith for Healing, who had a great healing ministry years ago in Canada and the U.S.
He notes that saving faith is a gift we receive when we yield ourselves to God (Ephesians 2:8-9). He then points out Paul's words in Romans 12:3 that "God has allotted to each a measure of faith". And he quotes the statement in Hebrews 12:2 that Jesus is the "author and perfecter of our faith".
In other words, Price says that our faith comes from God and we must ask for the faith which comes through the Holy Spirit. As the father of the boy possessed by an evil spirit said to Jesus: "I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief." (Mark 9:24)
That doesn't mean we are passive. We act on the faith we receive from God.
Price says: "Faith acts - but the act comes from faith and not faith from the act."
Monday, 18 June 2012
Holy Spirit prayer
More and more, I am learning to submit to the Holy Spirit's leading in prayer.
I find it hard. I know how things should turn out - at least, the way I would like things to turn out.
But, I have been missing for many years the greatest power available to every believer in prayer. The Holy Spirit knows my needs and he is constantly presenting them to the Father and the Son (Romans 8:26-27). Rather than going off on my own, I need to get in tune with the Spirit.
Many great pray-ers and writers about prayer speak about how essential it is to yield yourself to the Spirit and seek his guidance in prayer.
O. Hallesby, author of Prayer, writes:
"If you find the difficulties in prayer so insurmountably great that you become disheartened then pray for the Spirit of Prayer. He will help you in your weakness and show you in what ways you misunderstand prayer, and will make it simple and easy for you to pray."
In his book Praying by the Power of the Spirit, Neil Anderson tells about his own experience bringing every thought - good or bad - to God in prayer, allowing his prayers to be prompted by the Spirit.
Fred Hartley III says in Prayer on Fire that we must begin by inviting the Spirit to fill us, confessing our sins and receiving God's forgiveness. Then, we know from scripture that he will come and move within us and in the world around us. We will pray with power - praying for what God wants.
Hartley also says that inviting the Holy Spirit into our church meetings and prayer gatherings is essential if we are to see God move with power in our midst. There are plenty of instances in the New Testament of that kind of praying. And great revivals, such as the Welsh revival, began when people asked the Holy Spirit to come.
It's a no-brainer. The Spirit knows everything about us. He loves us and wants to help us fulfill our destinies as children of God. He is God and exercises all the power of God. Why not turn to him as our guide and helper?
I find it hard. I know how things should turn out - at least, the way I would like things to turn out.
But, I have been missing for many years the greatest power available to every believer in prayer. The Holy Spirit knows my needs and he is constantly presenting them to the Father and the Son (Romans 8:26-27). Rather than going off on my own, I need to get in tune with the Spirit.
Many great pray-ers and writers about prayer speak about how essential it is to yield yourself to the Spirit and seek his guidance in prayer.
O. Hallesby, author of Prayer, writes:
"If you find the difficulties in prayer so insurmountably great that you become disheartened then pray for the Spirit of Prayer. He will help you in your weakness and show you in what ways you misunderstand prayer, and will make it simple and easy for you to pray."
In his book Praying by the Power of the Spirit, Neil Anderson tells about his own experience bringing every thought - good or bad - to God in prayer, allowing his prayers to be prompted by the Spirit.
Fred Hartley III says in Prayer on Fire that we must begin by inviting the Spirit to fill us, confessing our sins and receiving God's forgiveness. Then, we know from scripture that he will come and move within us and in the world around us. We will pray with power - praying for what God wants.
Hartley also says that inviting the Holy Spirit into our church meetings and prayer gatherings is essential if we are to see God move with power in our midst. There are plenty of instances in the New Testament of that kind of praying. And great revivals, such as the Welsh revival, began when people asked the Holy Spirit to come.
It's a no-brainer. The Spirit knows everything about us. He loves us and wants to help us fulfill our destinies as children of God. He is God and exercises all the power of God. Why not turn to him as our guide and helper?
Monday, 11 June 2012
God's healing touch
I believe God heals people supernaturally today.
I believe this is supported by scripture and I believe there is overwhelming evidence from everyday life today.
Jesus made an astounding claim towards the end of his earthly life. In John 14:11-12, Jesus tells his disciples:
"Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father."
This passage tells me that believers today will be able to do what Jesus did - empowered by the Holy Spirit. In effect, God heals people and we are the channel.
Our church approved a statement on divine healing prayer a little over four years ago. This statement dealt with spiritual, emotional and physical healing. It took the view that God heals supernaturally in all these areas today, although he may choose to work often through medical science and the healing powers of the body.
After church approval, we introduced an after-service prayer ministry.
As a team member, I am convinced this has met a real need in our church. There have been deep moments of prayer with people coming to us with a whole range of issues that matter profoundly to them. Our job as prayer team members has been to bring these people into the presence of Jesus Christ where he can embrace them with his love.
Most prayer requests have been about family or relationship issues. It is difficult to measure how God moves in emotional issues - these often take many years to resolve.
I am not aware that there have been any direct physical healings through divine healing prayer in our church. Why is that?
I don't know. I read of amazing miracles - miracles like those in Jesus' day - in many parts of the world in our own time. For example, Rolland and Heidi Baker tell stories of people being healed of blindness and deafness and of others being raised from the dead in their ministry among orphans and the poor in Mozambique. Their book Always Enough is inspiring.
Similar things are happening in some places in North America.
One book that I read early on in my own quest to know more about divine healing was Power Healing by John Wimber, the founder of the Vineyard movement. I found it to be a reasoned discussion of
divine healing and his own struggles in this area.
He, too, was frustrated in the early stages of his healing prayer ministry. No one was physically healed directly by God in the first 10 months that his church conducted healing sessions. And then one person was healed miraculously. And things changed after that.
What brought about the change? Only God knows for sure. But, looking back, Wimber said:
"This period of failure was a learning experience, a time in which I was purged of my pride and self-sufficiency. I was humiliated and I was humbled. God had first to cleanse a vessel before it was fit to fill with his precious oil of healing."
As I think about that, I realize it is not for me to tell God what to do or to try to force his hand. My job is simply to be there in Christ's presence as he works in the lives of those who come for prayer.
The Bible says that Jesus' heart went out to those who were sick or broken in spirit. As Heidi Baker says, he "loved on them."
That is what we are to do as we minister to others in healing prayer.
I believe this is supported by scripture and I believe there is overwhelming evidence from everyday life today.
Jesus made an astounding claim towards the end of his earthly life. In John 14:11-12, Jesus tells his disciples:
"Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father."
This passage tells me that believers today will be able to do what Jesus did - empowered by the Holy Spirit. In effect, God heals people and we are the channel.
Our church approved a statement on divine healing prayer a little over four years ago. This statement dealt with spiritual, emotional and physical healing. It took the view that God heals supernaturally in all these areas today, although he may choose to work often through medical science and the healing powers of the body.
After church approval, we introduced an after-service prayer ministry.
As a team member, I am convinced this has met a real need in our church. There have been deep moments of prayer with people coming to us with a whole range of issues that matter profoundly to them. Our job as prayer team members has been to bring these people into the presence of Jesus Christ where he can embrace them with his love.
Most prayer requests have been about family or relationship issues. It is difficult to measure how God moves in emotional issues - these often take many years to resolve.
I am not aware that there have been any direct physical healings through divine healing prayer in our church. Why is that?
I don't know. I read of amazing miracles - miracles like those in Jesus' day - in many parts of the world in our own time. For example, Rolland and Heidi Baker tell stories of people being healed of blindness and deafness and of others being raised from the dead in their ministry among orphans and the poor in Mozambique. Their book Always Enough is inspiring.
Similar things are happening in some places in North America.
One book that I read early on in my own quest to know more about divine healing was Power Healing by John Wimber, the founder of the Vineyard movement. I found it to be a reasoned discussion of
divine healing and his own struggles in this area.
He, too, was frustrated in the early stages of his healing prayer ministry. No one was physically healed directly by God in the first 10 months that his church conducted healing sessions. And then one person was healed miraculously. And things changed after that.
What brought about the change? Only God knows for sure. But, looking back, Wimber said:
"This period of failure was a learning experience, a time in which I was purged of my pride and self-sufficiency. I was humiliated and I was humbled. God had first to cleanse a vessel before it was fit to fill with his precious oil of healing."
As I think about that, I realize it is not for me to tell God what to do or to try to force his hand. My job is simply to be there in Christ's presence as he works in the lives of those who come for prayer.
The Bible says that Jesus' heart went out to those who were sick or broken in spirit. As Heidi Baker says, he "loved on them."
That is what we are to do as we minister to others in healing prayer.
Monday, 4 June 2012
Thanks-living
Charles Spurgeon, a wonderful preacher in London, England, coined a phrase in a sermon 150 years ago that has stuck with me - "thanks-living".
In his view, we believers should be constantly living a life of thanks to God. We are to do this in prayer, in obedience, in our thoughts. This will be reflected in our character.
Praising God was very much on Charles Spurgeon's mind. So much so that a number of his sermons were collected in a book put out a few years ago called The Power in Praising God.
As I have said before, I tend to worry. Some of these worries are justified, most are not. But, no matter what the situation, I can still offer thanks and praise to God.
I am doing that more often now. I am following David's advice in Psalm 103:1-2: "Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me (NLT)."
There is a great deal I can thank him for as I look at the good things he does for me.
Spurgeon points out Paul's comment in Philippians 4:6: "In everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God."
Commenting on this, Spurgeon says: "We are to pray about everything and every prayer should be blended with praise."
He adds: "The constant tenor and spirit of our lives should be adoring gratitude, love, reverence and thanksgiving to the Most High."
In my heart, I know Spurgeon is right.
In his view, we believers should be constantly living a life of thanks to God. We are to do this in prayer, in obedience, in our thoughts. This will be reflected in our character.
Praising God was very much on Charles Spurgeon's mind. So much so that a number of his sermons were collected in a book put out a few years ago called The Power in Praising God.
As I have said before, I tend to worry. Some of these worries are justified, most are not. But, no matter what the situation, I can still offer thanks and praise to God.
I am doing that more often now. I am following David's advice in Psalm 103:1-2: "Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me (NLT)."
There is a great deal I can thank him for as I look at the good things he does for me.
Spurgeon points out Paul's comment in Philippians 4:6: "In everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God."
Commenting on this, Spurgeon says: "We are to pray about everything and every prayer should be blended with praise."
He adds: "The constant tenor and spirit of our lives should be adoring gratitude, love, reverence and thanksgiving to the Most High."
In my heart, I know Spurgeon is right.
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