Keep Praying

 

One way to understand prayer is the man who loved hearing a symphony orchestra on the radio so much that he bought a violin to play along with it. His first attempts were dismal, yet he kept going. Eventually, his notes matched the music of the masters. In the same way, my prayers are off compared to the wonder of what God is doing, yet as I continue to pray, I find myself more in tune with what God shows me of His will and His activities.

Yet there remains this mystery of Him choosing some for faith and eternal life, but not everyone. If His choice was based on His knowledge that they would believe, or not chosen until they had faith, this would reverse what the Bible says that God elects people and people do not elect God. People are not chosen because they believe, but they believe because they are chosen. There is no way to lay His action of election on anything but the absolute sovereignty of God.

For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. (Romans 9:15–16)

The secrets of his counsels are too deep for my feeble mind. If I try to know the reason of why He picks some and not others, I fall into a bottomless pit. Yet at the same time, I cast myself down at His feet, with a full and willing submission to His sovereign choices. In other words, I not only listen to the music but desire that my prayers and thoughts are aligned with it. 

The NT tells me how to play my violin. I must listen and agree with what He is doing. He tells me to work at what I want (to be in harmony with Him) yet “it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13) My understanding of the notes determine how my life sounds, but it is God who does the work — for His good pleasure!

Another way to understand His “music” is to understand it as His “covenant of grace” which is music of joyful and precious hope. Charnock says it refers to the free decision and oath of God to employ all His omnipotence, wisdom, and love to rescue His people from sin and misery. It is wholly initiated and carried through by God. It cannot fail. 

I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. (Jeremiah 32:40)

This is God's music and was sealed in His heart before I even existed:

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved — and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:4–10)
(He) saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began. (2 Timothy 1:9)

PRAY: Oh Lord, what a foundation for eternal security! You do it all and You never fail in Your purposes and will. I miss my notes and yet Your delightful music plays on without error or ceasing, carrying me with it to my promised destiny. I do not understand why me, but I do love  to listen to all the notes that You sound out and often allow me to hear and enjoy.

Two kinds of Christians?

 

Years ago I was actively involved in a Christian writers organization. To join, a statement of faith in Jesus Christ was required. Most people had no problem with that, but one person did. She protested by saying, “You people think there are two kinds of Christians; ordinary ones and those who are born again. She refused to give testimony to a saving knowledge of Jesus.

Now I’m encountering again that confusing idea. I know that there are not two types of faith in Christ. Genuine saving faith is about a changed life, about having a relationship with Jesus that transforms everything. Jesus Himself said it:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ (John 3:3–7)

This and other passages make it clear that this new birth is a work of God. He choses whom He chooses and grants faith and new life.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8–9)

Many testify to the power of God when this happens. Some even say they tried to resist, but found it impossible to say no to His invitation. However, today I read the following statement:

“We should be eager to trust God for salvation so that He may receive great glory and the whole world may be won to trust Him. If we will not let Him save us, if we reject His care and refuse to feed in His pastures or lie down in His fold, then we will be a starved and shivering flock, sick, wretched, and full of complaints. We will bring dishonor on Him and, by our forlorn condition, hinder the world from coming to Him.”

Those who reject Christ are not part of His flock, not His sheep. Unbelief and rejection are described as goats in other passages and those who appear to be ‘religious’ and do ‘good’ things, but He says to them:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (Matthew 7:21–23)

Later Jesus was asked, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” (John 6:28–29) In other words, people can do religious works and have an appearance of being part of God’s family, but without faith and without that new life that He gives. One author says “there are two kinds of Christians: those who sincerely believe in God and those who, just as sincerely, believe that they believe. You can tell them apart by their actions in decisive moments.”

This does not mean perfection in that new life. God also tells me: “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 4:30–5:2)

I could behave badly and still be a Christian, yet in the kingdom of God, His saving power is at work to change my behavior to match my status as His child, His sheep, and part of His kingdom. For that, I’m told how that looks and given the desire to cooperate. He works in me to will and to do His will, and all for His glory, not for my comfort.. (Philippians 2:13)

PRAY: Oh Jesus, Yours is a wonderful salvation. I could have tried to be like You on my own — what a joke. Such a thing is impossible without You, without the Father’s love and the Holy Spirit’s power. The reading for today misses the reality that salvation is deeply experiential and existential—very real, very encouraging, and very humbling. I know it’s possible to grieve the Holy Spirit, yet You are so compassionate and forgiving. You do not call me to change myself or anyone else. I’m to be a broken perfume bottle that spreads Your aroma to all around me, without any sort of self-righteousness. May I live in that new life each day and honor You.

No Greater Privilege

 

Going to bed with a need on my heart can make sleep elusive. I prayed, but the need nagged. Yet in the morning, the prayer was answered. God keeps surprising me with such things. Prayer is a tremendous privilege.

This morning, I did some reading on this topic and am so blessed with what God showed me. One commentator pointed out how the history of Israel was one of failure to trust and obey God as His ‘sons’ ought. Then when Jesus was baptized, God says: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22) and this author adds that heaven must have sighed with relief for finally here is a true Son who can (and will) perfectly trust, obey, and please His Father. He adds that to Jesus alone belonged the full privilege of prayer and access for only He could say with confidence to God, “I know that you always hear me” (John 11:41–42).

Then this: when we believe in Jesus Christ we are united to him and what is true of Jesus is true of us. We also have His perfect and secure access to the Father and when we pray in Jesus’ name, we do so with supreme confidence and yet humble dependence on His unmerited grace.

Now prayer means I can go into the presence of God without any mere hopes, fears, aspirations or my own thoughts. I am going to have communion with the living God! In Him, I can abandon being self-centered, always wanting something, but realize the greatness, glory and privilege of prayer — the everlasting God is listening to me! I am praying in the name of Jesus and letting my requests be made known to God, and doing this with confidence and assurance because all that is Christ’s is also mine…

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. (1 John 5:14–15)

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

A great need today is Christian intercession for a lost world and a church that needs revival. This was always a need. In the OT, God “saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede” (Isaiah 59:16). With great needs and the privilege of prayer so wonderful, why so little attention to the throne of grace? One writer suggests it is how we view God. Isaiah 51:13 says, He is the One who "stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth" and Isaiah 64:3-5 adds, “When you did awesome things that we did not look for, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence. From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him. You meet him who joyfully works righteousness, those who remember you in your ways….”

How can I more often take advantage of this awesome privilege of prayer. I set times to pray. I mean well. I forget. Or my mind wanders. Or I read off a list of I-wants. I know He cares about everything yet I can be self-centered, or worse as I sometimes tell Him what to do — as if I know the better than He does. Such impertinence!

For many, prayer is an escape from obedience. I’m thankful that weakness and need motivate me, and a desire to be so reliant on Him that I must obey, and that He will fill me with the Holy Spirit and give me all that is needed. I want Him to work in me, “both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13) and not quench or grieve Him by being lazy and disobedient. I want Him to “work in me that which pleases Him, through Jesus Christ.”

PRAY: My heart knows that prayer is not a means to tap into Your generous grace for what I want, but to know You better, to share my heart and hear Your heart, and to be filled with awe as well as getting answers for the perplexities that are all around me. I want others to be reconciled to You, healing for the broken, and so much more to happen that brings our needy world to their knees before Your throne of grace. Prayer is a huge topic, but even more, a huge privilege. Forgive me for neglecting it far too often and enrich my desire and obedience to draw near to You.

Look what I did?

 

The Gospel can be confusing to some if it is expressed like this:

“There is such a thing as having one’s soul kept in perfect peace, now and here in this life; and childlike trust in God is the key to its attainment. We cannot earn it; we can do nothing but ask for it and receive it. It is the gift of God in Christ Jesus” then adds this: “God can bestow His gift only on the fully consecrated soul, and it is to be received by faith.”

If the gift cannot be earned, and the Bible says faith is an unearned gift (Ephesians 2:8-9), then how can a person make themselves fully consecrated with the faith to be able to receive it?

Reading the beginning statement and then the ending statement in today’s devotional shows how much we sinners want to take credit for having Jesus in our lives by saying it was our acceptance of the gift that did it, rather than the gift itself that saved us and give us a heart to say yes.

Of course in the realm of ordinary life, if I am offered a gift and say no thanks, it will not be mine. And if I take it, I cannot brag that it was deserved. I must acknowledge a gift is about the generosity of the giver, yet when it comes to the gift of God, how easy to take credit. People say, “I accepted Christ” as if that is the reason we are saved.

In contrast, the Scriptures say that becoming a recipient happens because of the gift, not because we earned it and can brag about it:

For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:17)

Part of the gift of grace is being made willing to receive the gift. Just as God works in Christians to do His will (Philippians 2:13) He must work in unbelievers because “None is righeous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God…” (Romans 3) No one would say yes if God did not change our thinking and make us willing to respond to His offer and receive the gift. Jesus makes it plain:

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. (John 15:16)

Everything in our salvation is a gift. From beginning to end, God is the giver and we are the receivers; and it is not given to those who do great things or are seeking (none do that), but to those who are called and blessed with the gift of faith, even the gift of seeking.

He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:11–13)

Many believe, as do I, that faith in Christ and new life from Christ happen in the same instant and are both gifts of His grace.

The obvious question is then, “Why does God not save everyone?” But that is the wrong question. It should be, “Why does God save anyone?” All sin and fall short. None deserve even the least of His mercies. The great mystery of salvation is that it happens — even to people who will take credit for what Almighty God has done, even those who think they are special or somehow more worthy, even those who know they are not.

I know the importance of receptivity to the will of God and that my efforts to be godly often are motivated by selfish desires to be important or noticed or worthy in some way. It takes a long time to realize that He is not interested in what I do, nor does He reward my self-centered desires or efforts.

Instead, He works in me that I might realize that His goal is that I become like Jesus, totally surrendered to Him. He bears all my burdens, takes care of all my needs. He wants obedience for my sake — because sin only ruins, never nurtures or is good for me. One day, when I see Jesus face to face, I will be like Him. In the meantime, I’m not to rob Him of His glory by claiming, “Look what I did.”

PRAY: Lord, if I have a receptive attitude, it is because of You. If I am trusting You and wanting to live for You, it is because of You. If You were not in my life, I know what I would be thinking and doing. All good gifts are from You and for my good, to change me into what gives You glory and gives me joy and peace. Your salvation is both mystery and incredible blessing — and totally none of my doing. Thank You.

Submission is always a prerequisite to resistance…

 

God hears the needs of our hearts. Yesterday, a big decision was confusing because of my emotions. Weighing the options didn’t help. Making a list of pros and cons didn’t help. I had a few strong I wants on both sides and had no sense of God’s will, except realizing how easy it can be to read His will according to my ‘I wants’ —as in giving emotions the power instead of looking for truth.

However, this morning I wondered if I should think of the negatives of both choices and see if that helps. But before I could grab paper and pen, this came to mind:

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “ ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’ ” Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him. (Matthew 4:1–11)

Ha! That is one thing that had never occurred to me; that the choices presented are a test. Do I know who is presenting at least one of them? Is the devil trying to get me to jump off a cliff so I can have something that appeals to me and using “God will help me do this” as an excuse to consider taking the leap?

Immediately my mixed emotions were gone. This does not mean that the devil is behind the choices; they could be an opportunity from God. Yet if the opportunity appeals to my flesh and will draw me away from genuine worship, then the devil is trying to twist it so that the will of God is thwarted. Thinking this could be a trap gave clarity. Making this decision is no longer muddled because of my personal ‘I wants’ — being clarified. God does this very well:

It is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13)

In this case, it was not His will that first needed to be revealed, but that my will was clarified, changed or settled to want His will, no matter what it is. This could apply to many choices, such as  buy or sell, go or stay, say something or shut up.

Not only that, experience shows that the devil is able to use any option or choice as a temptation — if I am not clear on how I am thinking about it. In this case, a couple of strong I wants and a list of logical reasonings were not helping me do that. God made it black and white: Me — or the enemy? And that booted my wishes off to the side as non-issues.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

Now I’ve done the first part and the second part and waiting to see if the devil takes the options with him or if this is a choice that God presents to us for our good and His glory.

PRAY: Jesus, I’ve shared this with my spouse. He and our son are going to decide, and I am totally okay with whatever decision they make. I do not want to “put You to the test” with the option that seems totally impossible, but if You will be glorified in it, that’s okay. I also will not balk or be unhappy with the easier choice and will worship and serve You no matter what. Thank You for giving me clarity on how to think about this!

I fight yet the victory belongs to God . . .

 

After a distressing dream, I rose today feeling terrible. After singing a few worship songs and yielding my feelings to God, I began to experience His joy and presence. I know He is with me and I know that He loves me. A dream is only a dream, even though dreams often show me attitudes that I need to deal with when awake.

Today’s devotional is about those attitudes. How am I to think when the enemy does such things as trying to use a dream to challenge my faith in God? The NT says:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. (Ephesians 6:10–11)

While MacArthur makes a case that spiritual victory is not passive and involves the discipline of daily obedience to Christ and His Word, that Word also says:

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:12–13, italics mine)

If I am to be strong “in the Lord and in the strength of His might” then I need to know what it means to be in Him and relying on His strength. The NT also says:

Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? (Galatians 3:2–3)

I’m to put off the deeds of the flesh in full awareness of what they are. That is, the spirit is to be directed by the Spirit of God, not by my fleshy faculties that desire whatever will glorify me or make me feel in control, etc. I can praise God each morning then turn around and mentally belittle others who fail in that spiritual discipline like the Pharisee did concerning the publican (Luke 18:9-14). Praise is from the Holy Spirit, but my critical spirit is fleshy.

The flesh can elbow its way in when I pray for others too, or when engaged in spiritual warfare. I am not strong “in the Lord” if I’m doing anything for my own glory. I’m not strong in Him if I am feeling powerful in myself. Because of this, “waiting on the Lord” is vital, not a passive exercise or an evidence of “quietism” as suggested by some as wimping out, but in my life, it is not that at all. In fact, waiting on the Lord takes all the self-control that the Holy Spirit can give me. When bad things happen, if the Spirit motivates me to act, my flesh will resist, but if the Spirit does not tell me to do something, my flesh will be anxious to “just do something” and go ahead of God’s leading. This is about obedience, not about my efforts fitting in with God’s efforts.

The movement called “quietism” refers to Christians doing nothing after claiming to wait on God. If I’m truly waiting for His instruction, He gives it to me. It can be to speak up or act, but it can also be to sit down and shut up. This isn’t about my skills; it is about obeying God. It is also about being in the Word so I know what He is apt to tell me, and never about supposing or assuming. The Word exposes my motives.

As MacArthur says, my life is like a war, a race, and a fight, yet the battle is often between me and God, not me and the devil.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. (Galatians 5:16–18)

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

I need to submit first to God before resisting the Devil. Even though the Bible says to work out my salvation with fear and trembling, it adds, “yet it is God who works in me, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13) I cannot take credit for any good I do, for the power to resist or to submit. This salvation is about Jesus Christ, not about me. Yes, God supplies the resources, and He also supplies the effort.

PRAY: Thank You Jesus for all that You provide for spiritual victory. Even as I pray and do what You say, it is You on the throne of my heart. May that old fleshy nature stay dead and not be stirred up to interfere with what You want for my life.

PONDER: What qualities does God give me to live for Him? See 2 Peter 1:3–7. Can I do any of this without His supply? If I could, who would I boast about?