Again, if you appreciate the numerical perfection in Scripture, you should note that Christ was tested as the perfect sacrifice, the atonement for our sins, by the devil when he was in the desert for 40 days (Luke 4). Then after his resurrection, he appeared to his apostles for 40 days (Acts 1) to prepare them for the coming of the Holy Spirit.
In Acts 2, it tells us that flames stood on the heads of the apostles as they gathered to pray before the Holy Spirit came upon them. This was also very symbolic from when the Holy Spirit came to Moses in the desert at the burning bush.
I could on and on about that. What we need to focus on here is that the Holy Spirit is now free to dwell in men by the blood of Christ. God will give the Holy Spirit to all who ask and call upon Him (Luke 11:13).
An amazing transition occurred from the law to grace. Under the law, men demonstrated their love for God by their actions. It was action oriented. Hebrews 11, the faith chapter, goes on and on about the men and women who acted upon their love for the Lord. However, throughout the New Testament you see a significant transition. Rather than focusing on the action alone, Christ began holding men accountable for their thoughts and the desires of their heart. Christ said at His sermon on the mountainside, “You have heard it said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matthew 5:27-28. Why would Christ up the standard? Because God wants to be like-minded with those He has a relationship with. Sin is sin, regardless of whether it is action or thought. Christ wants us to strive to put off the old things of our sinful nature to draw closer to Him. He wants us to love holiness. He enables us to do this by the power of the Holy Spirit.
“The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.” I Corinthians 2:11-12
This power of the Holy Spirit enables us to have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:16-26).
Paul said, “If I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing…and now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” I Corinthians 13:2/13
Again, you see that God wants us to have like-mindedness with Him...relationship. Under the law, men loved because they did. Now, under grace, we do because we love.
With this understanding of the power behind your prayer, we cannot lose focus of the One we are praying to. Even though Christ gave His life for you and me on the cross and calls us friend and even sons and daughters, we must remember that we are going before a holy God who is being praised at this very moment by the angelic beings.
"There is a constant tendency to omit adoration when I forget to whom I am speaking, when I rush heedlessly into the presence of Jehovah without thought of His awe-inspiring name and character. When I have little eyesight for His glory, and little admiration of His wonders, my heart has a native tendency to omit giving thanks, and yet it is especially commanded." – Robert Murray McCheyne
When Moses approached the burning bush, God said, "Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals for the place where you are standing is holy ground." Exodus 3:5
Indeed, when we go before the most powerful, most holy, most high God, we dare not go disrespectfully. Solomon reminds us of this in Ecclesiastes 5:2: “do not be hasty in word or impulsive in your thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.”
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Friday, March 6, 2009
The Power of Prayer IX
Let’s recap for a moment. We have covered the following points:
Point 1: Praise Him - seek a relationship with the Lord
Point 2: Repent – in humility request forgiveness of your sin
Point 3: Ask of Him
Point 4: Pursue the Lord in the morning and often throughout the day
Now we need to move on to cover the next 3 points.
Point 5: Use your lips to praise Him in worship and in prayer
Point 6: Petition the Father regularly for your needs and for those of others
Point 7: Yield to His will
Obviously from looking at these points, you see that points 4 and 5 could be sub points of Praise, Repent and Ask. But, I don’t want these lost or buried in other discussions as they really are key to our ability to sustain an ongoing relationship with the Father. If we truly believe that pleasing God is the only mission as we rise each morning, then pursuing Him in the morning gives respect and honor to Him who will direct our path. Pursue His will for the day and the rest will fall in line. Once you start to open up your heart to Him in this prayer walk, you won’t be able to contain your outpouring of affection and praise. David was reprimanded by his wife for dancing and singing before God. David was spot on. He didn’t need to be reserved. He was too close to the Almighty to contain the passion for Him and the works of His hand. If you think you need to pray in silence all the time, you won’t be able to really open up to Him. Have a conversation with God. Just try it. Go somewhere that will give you privacy…a hillside or room…you decide where you will be free from the perception of being crazy. Later on you will most likely not be concerned about such things but for now, find a place where only you and the Father can converse without interruption. Then talk to Him…literally. If you have lips, use them. If you have a tongue, use it. God wants to hear from you. He is not limited to audible expression, however. If you pray in silence, He is able to hear that as well. Many were not given speech as a physical attribute. But, I assure you that God makes no mistakes and the prayers of the mute can be just as powerful if not more. My point is this, if God has given you legs…use them for the kingdom. If He has given you arms, use them for the kingdom. If He has give you lips…use them for the kingdom. The Scriptures call praise from the tongue, the fruit of our lips.
• Psalm 63:3-4: My lips will glorify You
• Hosea 14:2: Praise Him with your lips
• Hebrews 13:5: The fruit of your lips that praise him
• Psalm 40: Words of my lips honor Him
• James 3: With the tongue we praise our Father
Remember, it starts with the heart first – the lips are an expression of the soul.
"…they come to me with their mouths and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." Isaiah 29:13
Before we can move on to Point 6, which is intercessory prayer, we have to understand two more critical areas. First, we need to understand where the power in our prayer originates. Then, we absolutely must understand who we are praying to. I don’t believe we as humans will ever fully comprehend what you are about to read until we spend time with our Lord in eternity. However, He has given us enough to make necessary adjustments in our daily acknowledgements. If we give respect to something, we tend to make it a greater priority.
What power enables us to have a voice before God?
In Genesis chapter 6, verse 18, God gives His covenant to Noah and he and his family were spared from the devastation upon the earth, because of sin. Noah was 10 generations removed from Adam, approximately 1,700 years. For 40 days and 40 nights, while the rains fell upon the earth, this covenant was preserved in a wooden ark that was 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet tall. It was made of cypress wood and covered in pitch.
Fast forward to the time of Moses, approximately 1,700 years after the flood. For 40 days and 40 nights (Exodus 24:18) God gave his covenant to Moses and told him to build another ark. This ark was made of acacia wood, 3 ¾ feet long, 2 ¼ fee wide and 2 ¼ feet tall, covered in pure gold both inside and out with cherubim facing each other, looking toward the cover. The lid of the ark was called the atonement cover. Very symbolic for what was to come. Three times in Exodus 25:10-22, God says to Moses to put his testimony (or covenant) in the ark. Inside the ark was a gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff, and the stone tablets of the covenant (Hebrews 9:4). If you are one who appreciates God’s perfect engineering, you should note that Moses was 40 years old when he and the Israelites began a 40-year trek across the desert.
The ark was the source of contact with God. Men were still sinful and the sacrifices they made before Him were still imperfect. But, God’s presence was apparent and the Israelites were able to accomplish great things when they respected the presence of God and followed His commands. They were afraid to go to battle without the ark at their side. With it they knew no foe could prevail against them.
The power in the ark was able to:
• Stop the flow of a mighty river (Joshua 3)
• Bring down the walls of cities (Joshua 6)
• Stop the Sun (Joshua 10)
• Break down idols (I Samuel 5)
• Destroy Armies (I Samuel 6)
It was the Holy Spirit that was in the Ark of the Covenant (I Kings 8:27/ Acts 7). The same Holy Spirit that gave Israel direct contact to God the Father, is the same Holy Spirit that Christ said would come after his departure (John 14:15-26/ 16:5-16). The same Holy Spirit that inhabits those who have accepted the life giving blood of Jesus. Just as the death angel passed over God’s people in Egypt, those who had the blood of the lamb over the head of their door, so has the blood of Christ marked us and identified us as His own, suitable for the Holy Spirit not by our own works, but by His so we are saved from the death angel once more.
Ephesians 1:13-14: "…having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit."
I Corinthians 6:19: "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."
Is it no wonder that Christ himself says that, "…if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting." The faith to move mountains. Think about that for a moment. If the very power that was able to stop the sun is able to reside in your body, what is stopping you from taking the sword that belongs to you? You are the Ark of the Covenant on two legs! Your body is now gold in the eyes of the Lord and the atonement covering is the blood of Christ.
Point 1: Praise Him - seek a relationship with the Lord
Point 2: Repent – in humility request forgiveness of your sin
Point 3: Ask of Him
Point 4: Pursue the Lord in the morning and often throughout the day
Now we need to move on to cover the next 3 points.
Point 5: Use your lips to praise Him in worship and in prayer
Point 6: Petition the Father regularly for your needs and for those of others
Point 7: Yield to His will
Obviously from looking at these points, you see that points 4 and 5 could be sub points of Praise, Repent and Ask. But, I don’t want these lost or buried in other discussions as they really are key to our ability to sustain an ongoing relationship with the Father. If we truly believe that pleasing God is the only mission as we rise each morning, then pursuing Him in the morning gives respect and honor to Him who will direct our path. Pursue His will for the day and the rest will fall in line. Once you start to open up your heart to Him in this prayer walk, you won’t be able to contain your outpouring of affection and praise. David was reprimanded by his wife for dancing and singing before God. David was spot on. He didn’t need to be reserved. He was too close to the Almighty to contain the passion for Him and the works of His hand. If you think you need to pray in silence all the time, you won’t be able to really open up to Him. Have a conversation with God. Just try it. Go somewhere that will give you privacy…a hillside or room…you decide where you will be free from the perception of being crazy. Later on you will most likely not be concerned about such things but for now, find a place where only you and the Father can converse without interruption. Then talk to Him…literally. If you have lips, use them. If you have a tongue, use it. God wants to hear from you. He is not limited to audible expression, however. If you pray in silence, He is able to hear that as well. Many were not given speech as a physical attribute. But, I assure you that God makes no mistakes and the prayers of the mute can be just as powerful if not more. My point is this, if God has given you legs…use them for the kingdom. If He has given you arms, use them for the kingdom. If He has give you lips…use them for the kingdom. The Scriptures call praise from the tongue, the fruit of our lips.
• Psalm 63:3-4: My lips will glorify You
• Hosea 14:2: Praise Him with your lips
• Hebrews 13:5: The fruit of your lips that praise him
• Psalm 40: Words of my lips honor Him
• James 3: With the tongue we praise our Father
Remember, it starts with the heart first – the lips are an expression of the soul.
"…they come to me with their mouths and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." Isaiah 29:13
Before we can move on to Point 6, which is intercessory prayer, we have to understand two more critical areas. First, we need to understand where the power in our prayer originates. Then, we absolutely must understand who we are praying to. I don’t believe we as humans will ever fully comprehend what you are about to read until we spend time with our Lord in eternity. However, He has given us enough to make necessary adjustments in our daily acknowledgements. If we give respect to something, we tend to make it a greater priority.
What power enables us to have a voice before God?
In Genesis chapter 6, verse 18, God gives His covenant to Noah and he and his family were spared from the devastation upon the earth, because of sin. Noah was 10 generations removed from Adam, approximately 1,700 years. For 40 days and 40 nights, while the rains fell upon the earth, this covenant was preserved in a wooden ark that was 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet tall. It was made of cypress wood and covered in pitch.
Fast forward to the time of Moses, approximately 1,700 years after the flood. For 40 days and 40 nights (Exodus 24:18) God gave his covenant to Moses and told him to build another ark. This ark was made of acacia wood, 3 ¾ feet long, 2 ¼ fee wide and 2 ¼ feet tall, covered in pure gold both inside and out with cherubim facing each other, looking toward the cover. The lid of the ark was called the atonement cover. Very symbolic for what was to come. Three times in Exodus 25:10-22, God says to Moses to put his testimony (or covenant) in the ark. Inside the ark was a gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff, and the stone tablets of the covenant (Hebrews 9:4). If you are one who appreciates God’s perfect engineering, you should note that Moses was 40 years old when he and the Israelites began a 40-year trek across the desert.
The ark was the source of contact with God. Men were still sinful and the sacrifices they made before Him were still imperfect. But, God’s presence was apparent and the Israelites were able to accomplish great things when they respected the presence of God and followed His commands. They were afraid to go to battle without the ark at their side. With it they knew no foe could prevail against them.
The power in the ark was able to:
• Stop the flow of a mighty river (Joshua 3)
• Bring down the walls of cities (Joshua 6)
• Stop the Sun (Joshua 10)
• Break down idols (I Samuel 5)
• Destroy Armies (I Samuel 6)
It was the Holy Spirit that was in the Ark of the Covenant (I Kings 8:27/ Acts 7). The same Holy Spirit that gave Israel direct contact to God the Father, is the same Holy Spirit that Christ said would come after his departure (John 14:15-26/ 16:5-16). The same Holy Spirit that inhabits those who have accepted the life giving blood of Jesus. Just as the death angel passed over God’s people in Egypt, those who had the blood of the lamb over the head of their door, so has the blood of Christ marked us and identified us as His own, suitable for the Holy Spirit not by our own works, but by His so we are saved from the death angel once more.
Ephesians 1:13-14: "…having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit."
I Corinthians 6:19: "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."
Is it no wonder that Christ himself says that, "…if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting." The faith to move mountains. Think about that for a moment. If the very power that was able to stop the sun is able to reside in your body, what is stopping you from taking the sword that belongs to you? You are the Ark of the Covenant on two legs! Your body is now gold in the eyes of the Lord and the atonement covering is the blood of Christ.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
The Power of Prayer VIII
Dr. Richard Swenson was giving a talk on the subject of God as related to space and time at Focus on the Family for the Christian Leadership Alliance meeting and he said these words, “Is it possible to pray today for something that affected yesterday? Space and time are no limits to God. If He knew you before He made you, He heard you before the words left your lips.” Now he did go on to say that we do not pray for God to change the past. But rather, he was simply trying to get the audience to break out of their mental boxes and understand that the living God can pause and listen to your every word. He can think about your words and determine when and if He should act upon your request and He is able to do this for millions of people at the same time. He could even spend a million years thinking about your prayer and not even one second would go by for humanity. Is that not a mind buster! Listen to the words of David. “When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:14-16). Then the Lord told Jeremiah, “before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and ordained thee a prophet unto the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5). I won’t go into the issues of predestination here as I don’t want to get into a theological stumbling block. Rather, I just want you to see that when you pray, your conversation with God has no bounds and breaks even space and time.
In the words of E.M. Bounds, “prayer is the greatest of all forces because it honors God and brings Him into active aid. Prayer is the easiest and hardest of all things. It is the simplest and the most sublime, the weakest and the most powerful. Its results lie outside the range of human possibilities; they are limited only by the omnipotence of God.” Prayer is an act of submission.
Remember, in praying, it is not about us, it is about what we do for Him – who first loved us. You may never see some of your prayers answered in your lifetime. But we must tarry with our Father. We will discuss this in more detail on the subject of Intercessory Prayer.
Let us acknowledge the Lord; Let us press on to know the Lord. (Hosea 6:3)
Prayer is simply the expression of faith. Prayer and holy life are one. They mutually act and react. Neither can survive alone, for the absence of one is the absence of the other. The deep things of God are learned only in prayer. Our whole being must be in our praying; like John Knox, "Give me Scotland, or may I die." What passion he had for a piece of land. Why don't you have this passion in prayer? Guilt perhaps? Are you holding on to sin that you don't want to release or confess? “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” Hebrews 12:1b. You and the Father know what is holding you back from experiencing the fullness of a relationship with God. If you are clutching on to sin, your interface with the Father will be weak (I John 1:9). “Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:16-18).
We must pray with all perseverance – Ephesians 6:18.
One person can change the world through powerful prayer:
• Elijah (prayed for the rain to stop and it did not rain for 3 ½ years)
• Moses (saved Israel from destruction – pleading with God)
• Samuel, Daniel, Paul…
"The best way to fight against sin is to fight it on our knees." – Philip Henry
God hears the prayers of men. That is truly amazing. He will hear your prayers. You have incredible power in your prayer. Far more than you can imagine. Again, we will address this as we discuss intercessory prayer later on.
You should begin the day in prayer as to avoid the foolishness of not having the spirit of wisdom with you while you make decisions.
"Work, work, from early until late. In fact, I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer." – Martin Luther
What a paradigm shift. Even now, as you read these words, you may be thinking about all the things that you need to accomplish. The tasks of the day can be overwhelming for many. It was no different for Martin Luther. But he understood that he couldn’t face the obstacles and challenges of the day without God’s hand guiding him. Just being in the presence of the Lord for a moment of solitude will ease your burdens. At first, I found it difficult to pray for 10 minutes and now, I have often found myself in prayer for hours. Dr. Henry Blackaby and I were discussing this very concept. We both agreed that our days were more productive and our minds better prepared when we committed our mornings to prayer. King David also understood this critical point:
• "Early will I seek thee" (Psalm 63:1)
• "My voice shalt thou hear in the morning (Psalm 5:3)
• "From the womb of the day, your men will come to you." (Psalm 110:3)
• "When I awake, I am still with thee." (Psalm 139:18)
"Of all things, guard against neglecting God in the prayer closet. There is nothing more fatal to the life and power of religion. More solitude and earlier hours – pray three times a day, at least. How much better might I serve if I cultivated a closer communion with God!" - William Wilberforce
In the words of E.M. Bounds, “prayer is the greatest of all forces because it honors God and brings Him into active aid. Prayer is the easiest and hardest of all things. It is the simplest and the most sublime, the weakest and the most powerful. Its results lie outside the range of human possibilities; they are limited only by the omnipotence of God.” Prayer is an act of submission.
Remember, in praying, it is not about us, it is about what we do for Him – who first loved us. You may never see some of your prayers answered in your lifetime. But we must tarry with our Father. We will discuss this in more detail on the subject of Intercessory Prayer.
Let us acknowledge the Lord; Let us press on to know the Lord. (Hosea 6:3)
Prayer is simply the expression of faith. Prayer and holy life are one. They mutually act and react. Neither can survive alone, for the absence of one is the absence of the other. The deep things of God are learned only in prayer. Our whole being must be in our praying; like John Knox, "Give me Scotland, or may I die." What passion he had for a piece of land. Why don't you have this passion in prayer? Guilt perhaps? Are you holding on to sin that you don't want to release or confess? “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” Hebrews 12:1b. You and the Father know what is holding you back from experiencing the fullness of a relationship with God. If you are clutching on to sin, your interface with the Father will be weak (I John 1:9). “Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:16-18).
We must pray with all perseverance – Ephesians 6:18.
One person can change the world through powerful prayer:
• Elijah (prayed for the rain to stop and it did not rain for 3 ½ years)
• Moses (saved Israel from destruction – pleading with God)
• Samuel, Daniel, Paul…
"The best way to fight against sin is to fight it on our knees." – Philip Henry
God hears the prayers of men. That is truly amazing. He will hear your prayers. You have incredible power in your prayer. Far more than you can imagine. Again, we will address this as we discuss intercessory prayer later on.
You should begin the day in prayer as to avoid the foolishness of not having the spirit of wisdom with you while you make decisions.
"Work, work, from early until late. In fact, I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer." – Martin Luther
What a paradigm shift. Even now, as you read these words, you may be thinking about all the things that you need to accomplish. The tasks of the day can be overwhelming for many. It was no different for Martin Luther. But he understood that he couldn’t face the obstacles and challenges of the day without God’s hand guiding him. Just being in the presence of the Lord for a moment of solitude will ease your burdens. At first, I found it difficult to pray for 10 minutes and now, I have often found myself in prayer for hours. Dr. Henry Blackaby and I were discussing this very concept. We both agreed that our days were more productive and our minds better prepared when we committed our mornings to prayer. King David also understood this critical point:
• "Early will I seek thee" (Psalm 63:1)
• "My voice shalt thou hear in the morning (Psalm 5:3)
• "From the womb of the day, your men will come to you." (Psalm 110:3)
• "When I awake, I am still with thee." (Psalm 139:18)
"Of all things, guard against neglecting God in the prayer closet. There is nothing more fatal to the life and power of religion. More solitude and earlier hours – pray three times a day, at least. How much better might I serve if I cultivated a closer communion with God!" - William Wilberforce
Monday, February 2, 2009
The Power of Prayer VII
Okay, at this point, you should understand the basic premise of prayer…relationship with the Father. If you have not done so already, you need to learn balance between your study of the Scripture and your quiet time. God will reveal Himself to you through your diligent pursuit of Him. However, when you dedicate time to Him in prayer, it is there that He will unravel some of the mysteries of the Gospel and give you wisdom to navigate and understand the deep things of His holy nature. There is where the relationship develops. Trust me, it is an awesome experience when you dive into the waters of truth.
So, how do you begin to experience the fullness of prayer? Here are some of the fundamentals. Throughout Scripture, we are reminded to petition the Father with our requests:
"Ask in my name, and I will do it." (John 14:14)
"I will declare the decree…Ask of me, and I shall give thee…"(Psalm 2:7-8)
"Ask me of the things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me." (Isaiah 45:11)
"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." (Jeremiah 33:3)
"Ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts" (James 4:2-3)
You have to ask to receive. That is not too difficult to remember and perhaps the thing that we often do the most of in our prayer time. However, it goes deeper than this. Remember, God wants to give to us and care for us (Matthew 6:28-33, Luke 11:11-13). It is in His nature as your Father…after all, you are His child. Just don’t forget that it is about relationship not privilege. Your heart is not in the right place if you simply call on the Lord for answer to prayer without desiring to know Him as your Father (Isaiah 29:13).
Here is a thought that may rock your very foundations. In 1915, Albert Einstein first proposed his theory of special relativity. Essentially, this theory proposes the universe we live in includes 4 dimensions, the first three being what we know as space, and the fourth being spacetime, which is a dimension where time and space are inextricably linked. According to Einstein, two people observing the same event in the same way could perceive the singular event occurring at two different times, depending upon their distance from the event in question. These types of differences arise from the time it takes for light to travel through space. Since light does travel at a finite and ever-constant speed, an observer from a more distant point will perceive an event as occurring later in time; however, the event is "actually" occurring at the same instant in time. Thus, "time" is dependent on space (thinkquest).
On September 10, 2008, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), located underneath the Franco-Swiss border between the Jura Mountains and the Alps near Geneva, Switzerland, circulated its first particle beams. The LHC was built by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) at a cost of nearly 3 billion dollars. It is the world’s largest and highest-energy particle accelerator complex, intended to collide opposing beams of protons with very high kinetic energy. Its main purpose is to explore the validity and limitations of the current theoretical picture for particle physics. However, it may also be the means for unlocking the string theory which suggests there are 11 dimensions not just 4 as theorized by Einstein. The very concept predicts that an intelligent force could travel through space and time and be in a million places at once conducting a million conversations without time ever passing.
It is still amazing to me that such a device was even constructed while only miles away, men and women are living in mud huts unsure whether they will eat the next day. What a vast difference. Regardless, there are several things to consider here. First, it is incredible how capable the human mind is. What a design by God Himself. The brain can process and store more than 25,000 books worth of data. That is more than the Library of Congress. Secondly, we know that God will only allow men to learn and accomplish so much. We know this from the story of Babel where men were building great and mighty things including a tower to God himself (Genesis 11). The LHC is really no different. Nothing new under the sun as we often say. However, it has enabled us to ask the questions, contemplate and dwell on the idea that God…like the very concept of eternity…has no bounds. He is not limited to space and time. “A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by or like a watch in the night” Psalm 90:4. “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day” II Peter 3:8.
So, how do you begin to experience the fullness of prayer? Here are some of the fundamentals. Throughout Scripture, we are reminded to petition the Father with our requests:
"Ask in my name, and I will do it." (John 14:14)
"I will declare the decree…Ask of me, and I shall give thee…"(Psalm 2:7-8)
"Ask me of the things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me." (Isaiah 45:11)
"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." (Jeremiah 33:3)
"Ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts" (James 4:2-3)
You have to ask to receive. That is not too difficult to remember and perhaps the thing that we often do the most of in our prayer time. However, it goes deeper than this. Remember, God wants to give to us and care for us (Matthew 6:28-33, Luke 11:11-13). It is in His nature as your Father…after all, you are His child. Just don’t forget that it is about relationship not privilege. Your heart is not in the right place if you simply call on the Lord for answer to prayer without desiring to know Him as your Father (Isaiah 29:13).
Here is a thought that may rock your very foundations. In 1915, Albert Einstein first proposed his theory of special relativity. Essentially, this theory proposes the universe we live in includes 4 dimensions, the first three being what we know as space, and the fourth being spacetime, which is a dimension where time and space are inextricably linked. According to Einstein, two people observing the same event in the same way could perceive the singular event occurring at two different times, depending upon their distance from the event in question. These types of differences arise from the time it takes for light to travel through space. Since light does travel at a finite and ever-constant speed, an observer from a more distant point will perceive an event as occurring later in time; however, the event is "actually" occurring at the same instant in time. Thus, "time" is dependent on space (thinkquest).
On September 10, 2008, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), located underneath the Franco-Swiss border between the Jura Mountains and the Alps near Geneva, Switzerland, circulated its first particle beams. The LHC was built by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) at a cost of nearly 3 billion dollars. It is the world’s largest and highest-energy particle accelerator complex, intended to collide opposing beams of protons with very high kinetic energy. Its main purpose is to explore the validity and limitations of the current theoretical picture for particle physics. However, it may also be the means for unlocking the string theory which suggests there are 11 dimensions not just 4 as theorized by Einstein. The very concept predicts that an intelligent force could travel through space and time and be in a million places at once conducting a million conversations without time ever passing.
It is still amazing to me that such a device was even constructed while only miles away, men and women are living in mud huts unsure whether they will eat the next day. What a vast difference. Regardless, there are several things to consider here. First, it is incredible how capable the human mind is. What a design by God Himself. The brain can process and store more than 25,000 books worth of data. That is more than the Library of Congress. Secondly, we know that God will only allow men to learn and accomplish so much. We know this from the story of Babel where men were building great and mighty things including a tower to God himself (Genesis 11). The LHC is really no different. Nothing new under the sun as we often say. However, it has enabled us to ask the questions, contemplate and dwell on the idea that God…like the very concept of eternity…has no bounds. He is not limited to space and time. “A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by or like a watch in the night” Psalm 90:4. “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day” II Peter 3:8.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
The Power of Prayer VI
In the book of Revelation, chapters 5 and 8, the Scriptures describe golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. In some versions, it says that the incense is a sweet aroma to His nostrils. No where does it say the age of the prayers, only that they were brought carefully into the throne room by the angels. E.M. Bounds makes a very life-changing point. My body will age and die, but the prayers that leave my tongue, are a blessing to the Father for all eternity.
2 Corinthians 4:18: "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (Prayers are eternal)
How are you praying? Earlier I mentioned that we often have a genie perspective of God. Previously in my prayer walk, I would treat God like I had 3 good wishes. Do this, do that…I need this, I need that. Believe me, it is easy to do. We fail to build the relationship but demand the benefit of its power…like spoiled children at times. I do my Christian duties and then when I pray, I list out the things I need from God. Are you throwing a short prayer His way before you eat and maybe while in traffic…praying for the best parking spot? Or, are you actively pursuing a relationship with the Father through prayer? If you are a parent, perhaps even a dad and you are reading this right now. What would you rather hear from your child, whom you love:“Thanks for the food, your neat, let’s eat…”Or“Dad, I miss you. I really look forward to our time together. I long to be with you. I know you have everything worked out already, but I am worried about some things today. I need your help. I really blew it today. You told me what to do, but I still messed up. I will do better tomorrow. But I really need you to be with me as I am weak. All I really want to do is make you happy. I love you so much. I want to know you more each and every day. Help me and please forgive me.” Now you don’t have to pray those exact words, but you get the idea. What was different? The heart was different. The purpose, the intent and the respect is transparent. Prayer is no fitful, short-lived thing. It is no voice crying unheard and unheeded in the silence. It is a voice that goes into God’s ear, and it lives as long as God’s ear is open to holy pleas, as long as God’s heart is alive to holy things – which we know it is.
E.M. Bounds: “The life of the church is the highest life, and its office is to pray. When God's house on the earth is a house of prayer, then God's house in heaven is busy and powerful in its plans and movements. "For mine house shall be called a house of prayer for all people" (Isaiah 56:7). Then, His earthly armies are clothed with the triumphs and spoils of victory, and His enemies are defeated on every hand.”
God shapes the world by prayer. The more praying there is in the world, the better the world will be and the mightier the forces against evil everywhere. Prayer, in one phase of its operation, is a disinfectant and a preventive. Prayer is God's settled and singular condition to move ahead His Son's kingdom. Therefore, the believer who is the most highly skilled in prayer will do the most for God. Men are to pray – to pray for the advance of God's cause. The one who can wield the power of prayer is the strong one, the holy one, in Christ's kingdom. He is one of God's heroes, saints, servants, and agents. "Ask, and it shall be given you, seek, and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you" Matthew 7:7. The strongest one in Christ's kingdom is he who can knock the best, and the secret of success in Christ's kingdom is the ability to pray.
"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or more are gathered together in my name, there am I with them." – Matthew 18:19-20
2 Corinthians 4:18: "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (Prayers are eternal)
How are you praying? Earlier I mentioned that we often have a genie perspective of God. Previously in my prayer walk, I would treat God like I had 3 good wishes. Do this, do that…I need this, I need that. Believe me, it is easy to do. We fail to build the relationship but demand the benefit of its power…like spoiled children at times. I do my Christian duties and then when I pray, I list out the things I need from God. Are you throwing a short prayer His way before you eat and maybe while in traffic…praying for the best parking spot? Or, are you actively pursuing a relationship with the Father through prayer? If you are a parent, perhaps even a dad and you are reading this right now. What would you rather hear from your child, whom you love:“Thanks for the food, your neat, let’s eat…”Or“Dad, I miss you. I really look forward to our time together. I long to be with you. I know you have everything worked out already, but I am worried about some things today. I need your help. I really blew it today. You told me what to do, but I still messed up. I will do better tomorrow. But I really need you to be with me as I am weak. All I really want to do is make you happy. I love you so much. I want to know you more each and every day. Help me and please forgive me.” Now you don’t have to pray those exact words, but you get the idea. What was different? The heart was different. The purpose, the intent and the respect is transparent. Prayer is no fitful, short-lived thing. It is no voice crying unheard and unheeded in the silence. It is a voice that goes into God’s ear, and it lives as long as God’s ear is open to holy pleas, as long as God’s heart is alive to holy things – which we know it is.
E.M. Bounds: “The life of the church is the highest life, and its office is to pray. When God's house on the earth is a house of prayer, then God's house in heaven is busy and powerful in its plans and movements. "For mine house shall be called a house of prayer for all people" (Isaiah 56:7). Then, His earthly armies are clothed with the triumphs and spoils of victory, and His enemies are defeated on every hand.”
God shapes the world by prayer. The more praying there is in the world, the better the world will be and the mightier the forces against evil everywhere. Prayer, in one phase of its operation, is a disinfectant and a preventive. Prayer is God's settled and singular condition to move ahead His Son's kingdom. Therefore, the believer who is the most highly skilled in prayer will do the most for God. Men are to pray – to pray for the advance of God's cause. The one who can wield the power of prayer is the strong one, the holy one, in Christ's kingdom. He is one of God's heroes, saints, servants, and agents. "Ask, and it shall be given you, seek, and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you" Matthew 7:7. The strongest one in Christ's kingdom is he who can knock the best, and the secret of success in Christ's kingdom is the ability to pray.
"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or more are gathered together in my name, there am I with them." – Matthew 18:19-20
Monday, December 1, 2008
The Power of Prayer V
At the National Day of Prayer Task Force, where I serve at the Senior Director, we developed a simple acrostic to help people remember the basic concepts of prayer:
Praise
Repent
Ask
Yield
Before we request anything of the Father, we worship him with heart felt words of praise. If you need help in this, locate a chapter within the book of Psalms and read it to the Lord. Shirley Dobson, Chairman of the National Day of Prayer, in her book, Certain Peace in Uncertain Times, writes, “He invites us into conversation with Him because it brings Him pleasure. That’s sometimes a little hard to believe, isn’t it? The holy and perfect and all-powerful ruler of the universe enjoys our prayers of praise? But the proof is in the Scripture: ‘The prayer of the upright is His delight’ (Proverbs 15:8 NKJV). God actually delights in and pursues our worship.”
Here is the model Christ left for us:
“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. This, then, is how you should pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name,
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
As we also have forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.”
Matthew 6:6-13
As you can see from this very powerful prayer, Christ makes sure that we cover the much needed points in our conversation with the King. We praise Him for He alone is worthy to be praised. We ask for forgiveness of our sins so that there can be nothing hindering us from receiving the blessing of response. We ask for those things that we need. As you grow in your relationship with the Father, you will be able to understand how to pray in His will. James tells us in chapter 4, verse 3, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” Paul states that, “if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that” (I Timothy 6:8). Then he we yield to His will. God may say ‘NO’ to your requests and even allow you to go through suffering. “Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (II Timothy 2:3). “Keep your head in all situations, endure hardship” (II Timothy 4:5). “Do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering…but rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed” (I Peter 4:12). We will discuss more about the answer ‘NO’ later on.
If you have never read the works of E.M. Bounds, I encourage you to do so. He spent countless years of his life dedicated to exploring the depth of prayer. He tells us, “the most important lesson we can learn is how to pray. Indeed, we must pray so that our prayers take hold of God. The man who has done the most and the best praying is the most immortal, because prayers do not die. Perhaps the lips that uttered them are closed in death, or the heart that felt them may have ceased to beat, but the prayers live before God, and God's heart is set on them. Prayers outlive the lives of those who uttered them – outlive a generation, outlive an age, outlive a world.”
Praise
Repent
Ask
Yield
Before we request anything of the Father, we worship him with heart felt words of praise. If you need help in this, locate a chapter within the book of Psalms and read it to the Lord. Shirley Dobson, Chairman of the National Day of Prayer, in her book, Certain Peace in Uncertain Times, writes, “He invites us into conversation with Him because it brings Him pleasure. That’s sometimes a little hard to believe, isn’t it? The holy and perfect and all-powerful ruler of the universe enjoys our prayers of praise? But the proof is in the Scripture: ‘The prayer of the upright is His delight’ (Proverbs 15:8 NKJV). God actually delights in and pursues our worship.”
Here is the model Christ left for us:
“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. This, then, is how you should pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name,
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
As we also have forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.”
Matthew 6:6-13
As you can see from this very powerful prayer, Christ makes sure that we cover the much needed points in our conversation with the King. We praise Him for He alone is worthy to be praised. We ask for forgiveness of our sins so that there can be nothing hindering us from receiving the blessing of response. We ask for those things that we need. As you grow in your relationship with the Father, you will be able to understand how to pray in His will. James tells us in chapter 4, verse 3, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” Paul states that, “if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that” (I Timothy 6:8). Then he we yield to His will. God may say ‘NO’ to your requests and even allow you to go through suffering. “Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (II Timothy 2:3). “Keep your head in all situations, endure hardship” (II Timothy 4:5). “Do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering…but rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed” (I Peter 4:12). We will discuss more about the answer ‘NO’ later on.
If you have never read the works of E.M. Bounds, I encourage you to do so. He spent countless years of his life dedicated to exploring the depth of prayer. He tells us, “the most important lesson we can learn is how to pray. Indeed, we must pray so that our prayers take hold of God. The man who has done the most and the best praying is the most immortal, because prayers do not die. Perhaps the lips that uttered them are closed in death, or the heart that felt them may have ceased to beat, but the prayers live before God, and God's heart is set on them. Prayers outlive the lives of those who uttered them – outlive a generation, outlive an age, outlive a world.”
Friday, October 24, 2008
The Power of Prayer IV
Paul tells us in Philippians 3 verse 10, "For my determined purpose is that I may know Him – that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His person more strongly and more clearly. And that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection; and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death."
"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better." Ephesians 1:17
Paul got it! And he wasn’t alone. Enoch, great-grandfather of Noah, had such a deep relationship with God, that one day, God just took him to heaven. Then Elijah, a man who lived everyday with devotion to the Father, was escorted to heaven in a chariot of fire. It must have been a sight. Throughout time, God opened himself up to men to initiate friendship. Friends with the Almighty, what a concept.
Anthony DeStefano states, “the fact is that we have a God who loves to communicate. And the reason is that communication is the starting point for any relationship. Everyone has heard it said that God wants to be able to have a relationship with us. There is no truer point in all theology. Indeed, the thrust of God’s communication with mankind over the course of history has always been relational and not conceptual. That’s why he actually prefers it when we come to have faith in him through prayer, instead of through logical arguments alone. God doesn’t just want to satisfy a curiosity we have, he wants to enter into a friendship with us.”
God called King David, arguably one of the greatest kings who ever reigned on the earth, a man after His own heart. David poured out his love, respect and humility before God throughout the Psalms.
"Oh God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you, my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land, where there is no water." Psalm 63:1
God designed us to thirst for Him. It is a thirst that many try to quench with physical desires which is a hopeless quest with no resolve.
"Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."" John 4:13-14
What if this is the last generation before the coming of Christ? How would you live? When you stand before the throne, do you want God to know you – really know you in deep friendship - or will you be a stranger? Are you going through the routine of your Christian walk without experiencing friendship with Elohim? Through prayer, your eyes will be opened and you will have a relationship that is indescribable and completely fulfilling.
Dr. Henry Blackaby says in his book, Experiencing Prayer with Jesus, “How deep is your relationship with the Lord as you pray? Do you pour your heart out to Him with complete confidence and trust in His help, because you’ve come to know and experience His love? It takes time, like any relationship. The more time you spend with Him, the more you’ll come to understand His ways, His heart, and His will as you pray.”
It is my hope for you that when you have completed this study on prayer, you will never view prayer the same way again. The next time you fall to your knees, clutch your hands and speak before the throne of the Most High, you will experience true intimacy with the Almighty.
"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better." Ephesians 1:17
Paul got it! And he wasn’t alone. Enoch, great-grandfather of Noah, had such a deep relationship with God, that one day, God just took him to heaven. Then Elijah, a man who lived everyday with devotion to the Father, was escorted to heaven in a chariot of fire. It must have been a sight. Throughout time, God opened himself up to men to initiate friendship. Friends with the Almighty, what a concept.
Anthony DeStefano states, “the fact is that we have a God who loves to communicate. And the reason is that communication is the starting point for any relationship. Everyone has heard it said that God wants to be able to have a relationship with us. There is no truer point in all theology. Indeed, the thrust of God’s communication with mankind over the course of history has always been relational and not conceptual. That’s why he actually prefers it when we come to have faith in him through prayer, instead of through logical arguments alone. God doesn’t just want to satisfy a curiosity we have, he wants to enter into a friendship with us.”
God called King David, arguably one of the greatest kings who ever reigned on the earth, a man after His own heart. David poured out his love, respect and humility before God throughout the Psalms.
"Oh God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you, my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land, where there is no water." Psalm 63:1
God designed us to thirst for Him. It is a thirst that many try to quench with physical desires which is a hopeless quest with no resolve.
"Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."" John 4:13-14
What if this is the last generation before the coming of Christ? How would you live? When you stand before the throne, do you want God to know you – really know you in deep friendship - or will you be a stranger? Are you going through the routine of your Christian walk without experiencing friendship with Elohim? Through prayer, your eyes will be opened and you will have a relationship that is indescribable and completely fulfilling.
Dr. Henry Blackaby says in his book, Experiencing Prayer with Jesus, “How deep is your relationship with the Lord as you pray? Do you pour your heart out to Him with complete confidence and trust in His help, because you’ve come to know and experience His love? It takes time, like any relationship. The more time you spend with Him, the more you’ll come to understand His ways, His heart, and His will as you pray.”
It is my hope for you that when you have completed this study on prayer, you will never view prayer the same way again. The next time you fall to your knees, clutch your hands and speak before the throne of the Most High, you will experience true intimacy with the Almighty.
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