Tag Archives: James

Being honest in our prayers to God

Posted on April 1, 2014 by | Comments Off on Being honest in our prayers to God

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Yesterday I had the opportunity to sit outside on one of the concrete tables near the building where I teach my history classes.  It was a nice, cool, and sunny day and the feel of the sun was something that I have really missed over the winter months.  I pulled out my pocket-sized Bible and began reading through Psalms when I had a student approach me to ask me some questions about a recent assignment.  When she saw that I was reading the Bible, she began to ask me questions about my faith, how I “fit it in” my life, and some other questions.  I explained to her that I do not define my faith; my faith defines me, she immediately began to ask questions about my understanding about prayer.

Since 2006, I have become more serious about my faith in God.  I also began to take literally the things that I read in the Bible so that I will not have to stand ashamed of my life in front of an Holy God. When she asked me that question, the first verse that came into my mind was: But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear (I Peter 3:15). Although the apostle Peter was referring to the times when Christians will be brought before kings and judges to explain their holding to the faith in Jesus Christ, I believe that this verse has an application that we are always, as Christians, to be ready to explain any aspect of our faith to those that genuinely ask for understanding.  In this case, this student was asking about my understanding of prayer; as a Christian, I owed her the explanation of my understanding.

I began (as I will begin here) to explain that God does not hear every prayer but only hears the prayers of those who have, through faith, been redeemed. While the world holds on to the erroneous belief that God hears all prayers, this is not the case, as taught by Solomon as he was led by the Spirit of God to write: The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous (Proverbs 15:29).  Even the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah understood that God will not hear the prayers of the wicked and unredeemed: Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them (Jeremiah 11:11) The first prayer that God hears from anyone (except the Lord Jesus Christ when he was on Earth) is the prayer of repentance.  The apostle Paul understood this: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13) and That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved (Romans 10:9).

God does hear our prayers, but that we have to first understand the condition of our heart.  David, a man after God’s own heart, understood this as he was led by the Spirit of God to write, If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me (Psalms 66:18).  Another Old Testament prophet, Micah, explained why God would not hear the Jewish people, although they were his own chosen people: Then shall they cry unto the LORD, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings (Micah 3:4). This is not just an Old Testament principle that has no relevance to today’s New Testament believer; the apostle James explained to the Christians of his day why their prayers were appearing not to be answered: Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts (James 4:3). During Jesus’ earthly ministry, he also taught there was another reason why prayers to God seemingly go unanswered: And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive (Matthew 21:22).

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The things of which we need to “take heed” (part 4)

Posted on February 11, 2014 by | Comments Off on The things of which we need to “take heed” (part 4)

A Bible studyThe devotional for today is not only a continuation of the one that began last week, but is the final devotional of this series about the phrase take heed.  As mentioned before, this series began as a part of my daily Bible study routine. While doing my daily reading, the phrase seemed to jump off the page at me.  I began to study that phrase and discovered there are only fifteen times, as listed by the Thompson Chain Topics Bible, that the phrase is used in the entire Bible; all fifteen are in the New Testament.  In this instance, the words, take heed, mean to pay attention to our conduct or the way we act.  I might need to add a note that I use the Authorized King James version for all my devotions and personal readings, so if you are using another version, you might not see that phrase in the verses that I highlight in this series of devotions. For a recap of the first twelve verses containing this phrase, please see The things of which we need to “take heed” (part 3).

These last three verses were all penned under the hands of Paul and Peter, the ones most directly responsible for developing character of the local New Testament church.  The first two, by the apostle Paul, focus on those who have been called into the ministry; the verse by the apostle Peter, is similar to the previous verses mentioned because it is applicable to all Christians, regardless if they are serving in the ministry or an active member within the body of Christ.

And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it (Colossians 4:17)

As a student of the Bible, it is important to realize that the letters written by the apostle Paul do contain verses that are either addressed to or mention certain people by name.  In this verse, addressed to an early Christian minister by the name of Archippus, Paul is instructing him to take heed – to pay attention to – the ministry where the Lord has called him into service. There are some that will say that these verses that are addressed to certain people are there because it is the only way to maintain the context of the letter.  While this is most certainly true, I also believe that there are no idle words in the Bible. There are no verses that simply are no longer applicable today.  I believe that every scripture in the Bible is there for a purpose; in fact, So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it (Isaiah 55:11).

Although this verse was addressed particularly to Archippus, it is still applicable to anyone serving in the ministry today.  Regardless of the ministry it is, whether it’s the role of a pastor, missionary, evangelist, Sunday school teacher, or even nursery worker, there are obligations that any ministry requires to be a growing and practical ministry.  It means spending time in Bible study and in prayer to prepare to do the work that God has called you to do.  All Christians are called into some specific aspect of the ministry – particularly personal evangelism;

Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee (I Timothy 4:16)

Again, this is another verse written to a specific person, Timothy, who had been called into the ministry and a young man who had mentored under the apostle Paul.  There is an interesting parallel in the Old Testament that fits along with Paul’s warning to Timothy: Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul (Ezekiel 33:9). Now what the apostle Paul is telling Timothy is this – as a man of God, as a pastor and preacher, he has an obligation to warn others of the consequences of sin.  He has an obligation to tell them the end results of sin.

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Spiritual growth begins with personal evangelism

Posted on January 16, 2014 by | Comments Off on Spiritual growth begins with personal evangelism

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Since the middle of December, I have prayed and asked God to send a personal revival into my life. Although I had rededicated my life to the Lord Jesus Christ in 2006, I felt that I had reached a point in my spiritual walk where I only had two choices: spiritual growth or spiritual stagnation.  Although I did accept the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior in 1988, I had become spiritually stagnant.  There was no spiritual growth and at times, I had little to no excitement about the things of God.  Having been there once already in my life, I have no wish to turn back to that way of life.

This morning, I read a familiar passage of scripture: And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. (Revelation 3:14-18). Now while I realize that it is talking about a particular church/stage of church growth, there is also an application that can be made to the individual believer.  This particular teaching within the book of Revelation was not a new idea recorded by John but is a continuation of the teachings from the Lord Jesus Christ during his earthly ministry: No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (Luke 16:13).  The lukewarm church – and the lukewarm Christian – while still proclaiming love for Christ is also trying to appease the earthly desires of the flesh.

In December, I began praying for that personal revival, asking God to not only strengthen my walk with Him, but to allow me to become more passionate about my faith. I knew that I didn’t (and still don’t) want to become a lukewarm Christian; I never want to reach a point in my life where I am comfortable about who I am spiritually without any real wish to see further spiritual maturity. I’d much rather hear the Lord describe me as He did David, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will (Acts 13:22) than to have Him say So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth (Revelation 3:16). As I continued my personal Bible reading, I found great comfort in three verses I’ve probably read a few hundred times, When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek (Psalms 27:8), Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified (Psalms 40:16) and O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him (Psalms 34:8).  It’s not because I just discovered them for the first time – it is because I had come to the point that I was ready to listen to what the Lord, through His word, was trying to tell me.

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Posted in Chrisitian Philosophy, Christian Responsibility, Our relationship with God, Personal Evangelism

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