Not all Prep Work - Actually Do Something

Put on the whole armour of God ... Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit ... for all saints; And for me" - Ephesians 6:18-19a

Preparation accomplishes little unless something is actually done. Our defence against wickedness is not all about us or about us getting ready, it involves actually doing something.

Our task? Prayer; being alert and praying.

Prayer is not a once a day, week, month thing, it is to be our primary activity - as we drive, work, play, whatever - always being alert to a need to take to our heavenly Father

Be ... fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; ... continuing instant in prayer - Romans 10a, 11b, 12d

- fritz

No Fair-Weather Friend

For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee ... In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me. - Psalm 86:5,7

God is no fair-weather friend. In Christ he is not easily offended and holds no grudges.

I expect he would like a little confidence from us that he would act according to the way he requests we act toward one another.

A radio preacher told the story of a father who threw his son's old dilapidated bicycle into the dumpster when asked by his son to fix it. His son was hurt and could not understand why his dad would do such a thing. He could not understand, that is, until his dad took him to buy a brand new bicycle.

"If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" - Jesus (Matthew 7:11)

-fritz

God Speaks and Listens

"God speaks to those who take time to listen and he listens to those who take time to pray"

- Rev. Desmond Goonesekera, Pastor, St. Cuthbert Episcopal Church, November 21, 2010

Effective Praying

"[Y]e people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah." - Psalm 62:8

Prayer is not so much the putting together of well composed requests as it is the pouring out to God from what is in the core of our being.

"Selah!" (means "Pause and think about that").

-fritz

Loud works well!

Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. - Psalm 55:17

Prayer is not always a quiet contemplation with gentle requests. Sometimes is needs to be a loud expressive cry.

True, God is not hard of hearing, but neither is he nervous about emotions - He has them, himself.

Loud praying is sometimes the best praying.

When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: - Psalm 56:9a

- fritz

What to ask for?

"[B]lind Bartimaeus ... sat by the highway side begging ... he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me ... And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight." - Mark 10:46b-47,51a

Jesus made no assumption about what blind Bartimaeus wanted.

Why? Maybe Jesus saw other needs just as grievous as his blindness; we can only speculate. Fact is, in spite of his obvious need to us, Jesus waited until he identified what he wanted. Had Bartimaeus not asked he may not have received.

We, too, have what some would consider obvious needs, but like Bartimaeus, we need to ask.

- fritz

The Complaint Department

[W]ith my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication. I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble." - Psalm 142:1b-2

An old joke tells of a man asking to immigrate to the United States. His communist country's official wants to know why. "Is there a problem with the food here?" "I can't complain about that", the man replies.

Is something wrong with the work, the housing, the government?" But the man answers, "I can't complain about that, either!".

Finally, in frustration, the official asks, "Why, then, do you want go to America?!"

"There, I can complain!"

There is a legitimate place to complain, not to just anyone but to God! He will hear and console¹; indeed he is the only one who can really help.

Got a complaint? Take it to the celestial Complaint Department, no appointment necessary.

- fritz

^{1 - Suffering, What to Look For, Monday, September 13, 2010}

Time with God now

"Early the next morning Abraham got up and returned to the place where he had stood before the LORD ... Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide ..." (Genesis 19:27, 24:63a)

Men and women of God, from Abraham and Isaac through the centuries to today take time to get alone with God.

Abraham's time was in the mornings at a scenic overlook; Isaac's in the evenings in the fields. It's not what time or where that is important but the consistency and privacy.

Suzanna Wesley, unable to leave the house because of responsibilities for her 19 children (John and Charles being two of them), sat in a chair with her apron over her head - all because there must be time alone with God for every believer.

Jesus said to go to the closet to pray in secret.¹ Your closet may have four wheels and your time may be on the way to work, but take time every day to get alone with God.

- fritz

^{1 - Matthew 6:6}

No one but God

"Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy." - Proverbs 14:10

Proverbs gives down to earth wisdom about living and interacting with God and others.

No one else can truly share your joys or your sorrows, so quit trying to get them to. Distress happens when we try to receive from people what only God can provide. He, alone, can share and comfort.

As the chorus from the hymn, "In the Garden", says

And he walks with me
And he talks with me,
And he tells me I am his own.
And the joy we share
as we tarry there,
none other, has ever, known

Get some alone time with God and let him share your joys and sorrows as no one else can.

- fritz
Related Post: "Be Still A Moment" July 10, 2010

Teaching Jesus' Way

"as [Jesus] was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray" - Luke 11:1

This prelude to the now famous "Lord's Prayer" in the Gospel of Luke does more than set the context, it shows how to teach Jesus' way.

Eleven chapters into the Gospel a disciple finally asks Jesus how to pray. One would, naturally, think Jesus had started teaching prayer from day one. He did, but not the way we try to teach.

We "teach" by disseminating facts, steps, and information. Jesus did some of that with the crowds but with his closest ones he taught by doing and waiting to be asked¹. They saw Jesus pray and eventually said, "How can I do that?!"

"Lord, help me to implement that kind of learning in my home and with my family, at my job with my co-workers, and daily with my friends. Amen."

-fritz

^{1 - Related post: "New Take on Pearls and Swine"}

The Unchangeable One Changes!

God tells king Hezekiah to get his house in order because he is going to die. But Hezekiah prays and God changes his verdict saying,

"Thus saith the LORD, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years." (Isaiah 38:5)

Fifteen years later a new king reigns, at age 12, who would not have even been born had God followed through with His original pronouncement. History for a nation was changed by answer to prayer.

We sometimes think since God already knows what we need, why ask? We secretly wonder if He acts on His sovereignty, benevolence, and wisdom; not our asking. It may sound spiritual but that idea kills one's prayer life.

Jesus throughout the gospels tells us to pray and not quit. Bible stories like this remind us God is affected by sincere prayer. His greatness is shown in sometimes changing decisions when asked.

It is not inherently "greater" to be inflexible. That is an unfortunate human idea of greatness, ... it is far greater to be flexible and yet able to achieve the good goals one has set. And that is an essential part of the Divine Personality shown in the Bible"¹

- fritz

^{1. The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard, Published by HarperCollins e-books, Copyright 1998, page 251}

Prayer, sometimes a wrestling match

Bible stories seldom explain themselves¹; Jacob's all night wrestling match is one of those where we are left to our own conclusions.

So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak... he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man...Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me...the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome." - Genesis 32:22, 23b, 26, 28 (NIV)

A similar exchange occurs between Jesus and a Greek. Our loving Jesus said seemingly unkind things.

The woman ... begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter...he told her, "for it is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." "Yes, Lord," she replied, "but even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." Then he told her, "For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter. - Mark 7:26a, 27b-29 (NIV)

Sometimes, I don't know why², we go to God and it turns into a wrestling match - God doesn't cooperate, things don't change, and the heavens seem like brass.

Saying God (and Jesus) doesn't care then quitting is the easy out, and He'll let us take it, or we can be like Jacob and the Greek woman - not take "No" for an answer.

Tenacity is a character quality God, apparently, likes in his children (I like it in mine - successful living requires it!). We may get banged up in process like Jacob or endure insults like the Greek woman, but we will be glad we endured when we get what we wanted.

"Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life." - Proverbs 13:12

- fritz
¹ Related Post: God Needs No Explanation
² Related Post: Loving God Like He Is