Three Conditions for Prayer

As our nation heads into deeper economic and international troubles, we who call ourselves Christians have to be prepared by a strong faith and an active prayer life. I have turned to D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones recently because we have record of messages he gave out of such a national malaise, England under attack during WW2. It is one thing to ponder, "What would we do if we were attacked or God permitted persecution?" It is another thing when that actually occurs. One of the most important activities we believers can do is to pray. Building on 1 Timothy 2:8, Lloyd-Jones unfolds three conditions which govern the activity of prayer:

I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling.

The three conditions are, 1) lifting holy hands, 2) without anger, or 3) quarreling. I will give just a brief summary of each:

Holy Hands

There is nothing which is so utterly contrary to the whole teaching of the Bible as the assumption that anyone, and at any time, without any conditions whatsoever, may approach God in prayer. . . . The promises of God are never without condition. God has not promised to grant us all our requests unconditionally; and the first condition is ever this one of the "holy hands." [So we need to deal with our own sin first]

Without Anger (Wrath)

It does not mean so much anger, or the expression or manifestation of anger, as an unloving disposition--not a violent outburst of temper, but rather a "settled condition of ill-will and resentment." Here, the emphasis is not upon the way in which a man regards God, and approaches Him, but on the way in which he approaches and regards his fellow-men, his neighbors.[Here, then is a call for reconciliation with our brother, so that we can pray]

Without Quarreling (Disputing)

The reference is not to disputing with others, but to disputing with oneself. It denotes a state of wavering and uncertainty, or, perhaps, even a state of actual intellectual rebellion. . . . As a result of these doubts [about God, or if prayer is useless, etc.], whether only one of them, or all of them together, it often comes to pass that prayer is nothing but some desperate adventure of doubtful experiment in which we engage.[MLJ then goes on to say that some will try faith because it worked for someone else] Prayer is not meant to be the doubtful experiment that may lead to faith and belief; it is rather the expression, and the outcome, of a faith that not only believes in God, but is also prepared to trust its all to Him and to his holy will. To pray to God in order to discover whether prayer works or not is an insult to God. . . . The men whose prayers have been answered have always  been those who knew God, those who have trusted Him most thoroughly, those who have been most ready to say at all times and in all circumstances "Thy will be done," assured as they were of His holy and loving purpose. 

Orders for the Church in Time of War

In August 1942, Martyn Lloyd-Jones preached a series of five messages to his London congregation geared to helping the church deal with the present firestorm from Germany. England had been in the grip of war for nearly three years. Now he felt it necessary to shore up the church's faith to enable them to withstand in the face of such persistent opposition. His text was 1 Corinthians 16:13-14, "Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love" (ESV). In his application, Lloyd-Jones drew a parallel between the first-century church and the present day. 

The problem with the church at Corinth was that it had ceased to believe truly in the doctrine of the nature of the Christian church. If I understand the times in which we live aright, I would suggest that that is our fundamental trouble today. We have lost the sense of corporate church life. We are interested in religion. . . . But I wonder to what extent we really believe that we are members of the body of Christ, not a loose association of people who are interested in religious things, but really members of that mystical body of Christ through which He acts upon earth? Do we realize that we have been bought with a price, that we are not our own?

Further on he says,

Have we further realized that opposed to us is a mighty adversary; that all the powers of Satan and evil and hell are arrayed against us? . . . Have we realized that the ultimate object of the enemy is not simply to destroy us, but is, above all, to frustrate the schemes and plans of God? 

After pointing out the many ways the church today fights over miniscule things, he adds:

While the church is thus divided, and is quarrelling and arguing, the world is in the welter of a great war and the people in this and other lands are departing further and further from a knowledge of God. What are we to do about it? Here is the order of the day. "Wake up," says the apostle. "Rouse yourselves." And having done so, "stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Let all your things be done in love."

Should we not all learn from this war-time preacher that the church has a peculiar and powerful presence in this world as long as we ARE the church? The very gates of hell cannot prevail against her. Let us trust our Lord to keep her, and show that trust by proclaiming the Gospel of truth. We are to always be salt and light in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation among whom we shine as lights in the world (Phil. 2:15). 

John Piper on Radical Christian Sacrifice

We're heading into difficult times. Everyone seems to know this. Question is, are we Christians ready to take it? This is a seven minute video of cuts from a message by John Piper. It is well worth the watching. "For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake" (Phil. 1:29). We must start now--if we haven't already--developing a war-time faith. 

Hope When Our Eyes Are Darkened . . .

Jill Carattini of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries wrote the following for "A Slice of Infinity," over which she is the managing editor. May I whet your appetite to read the entire article here by saying that we all face what the Puritans termed "The Dark Night of the Soul." I think some of that is included in what she says. Want hope? Read on . . . 

Dark Though It Is

“My soul is too cramped for you to enter it,” lamented Saint Augustine of God. Later, he would find this cry itself something of an answer. For uttering it was to admit that God was there. It is God who makes God known to us--even in our restless longing, even as our souls are cramped with sin and the journey at times seems more a fight for autonomy than a means to knowledge. And yet somehow we come to know an incomprehensible God.

Author Anne Lamott might word it differently, though the effect is the same. “The Holy Spirit rarely respects one’s comfort zones,” she writes of her unlikely story of faith and conversion. Beginning with the closing lines of W.S. Merwin, she articulates her propulsion from non-belief to belief. “We are saying thank you and waving, dark though it is.”(1) Tracing her leaps or lurches toward faith, she describes darkness in a broken world and an unpredictable childhood, the dimming affects of self-loathing, addiction, fear, and grief. And she describes the presence of one to thank regardless, one whose light gradually appeared through a world that slowly cracked into a thousand pieces. 

Whether the journey of faith is a dramatic miracle or more like a gift that requires some assembly, we are put together by the one who knows us best. “Man is born broken,” quotes Lamott. “He lives by mending. The grace of God is glue.” In his care for all of our many pieces, God reveals Himself as the God who is there. And in unlikely stories of faith and conversion, whether the apostle Paul’s or Anne Lamott’s, masses in China or individuals in the Middle East, in them and in their faith, God invites us to reconsider the depths and reaches such a promise entails: “Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear” (Isaiah 59:1).

Saint Augustine, who once labored in dark and cramped crevices to see the God of light, later realized that to look for God is to find Him. Often, I think we don’t know that we’re looking. Our restless hearts are crying out for Someone, but all we hear is gibberish and think of ourselves as crazy. Other times, perhaps we aren’t really looking so much as we are being looked for. Regardless, faith begins long before we have eyes to see. “The world of souls is a vast and broken place,” said a wise friend of mine. “Most stumble in blindness. But where you see an eye of the kingdom, or a soul squinting at light, rejoice, for God is near.”

The Spirit of God is both the healer of our blindness and the light by which we see the kingdom, our selves and neighbors, and Christ who saves us.  Beside the savior, we find ourselves as pilgrims moving toward the faith God ordained and the life God intended. The journey is not always straight or sensical; it is usually demanding and requires continual surrender, but we walk with Christ himself. The way of the Cross is unpredictable, except for the dying and rising. But there is unfathomable mercy for the journey and light that will not be overcome, no matter the darkness.

Walking in the Light!

R. C. Sproul has written a delightful children's story based on the verse in 1 John 1:5, "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." That's a glorious text, isn't it? LIGHT! Darkness bespeaks sin and degradation, deceit and manipulation. We trip when there is no light. But in it's presence we behold the contours & brilliance of objects and art in a room. Light opens our eyes to the lovely, and fills our souls with delight (is there a connection?). In this little book, Grandpa tells a story to his grandson, Charlie, answering why it is that people are afraid of the dark. In the process, Grandpa also answers why it is that some people are also afraid of the light!

Jesus came into the world to be the Light of the world. But not everyone likes that, or wants Him! The ESV Study Bible contains a helpful and succinct note on 1 John 1:7, "If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin." There's something "squeaky" clean about this truth! That's not the ESV note! But here is what they write:

Walk in the light means to reflect God's perfection (see v. 5) in the human sphere and includes both correct doctrine (truth) and moral purity (holiness). The symbolism of light as knowledge (see note on vv. 5–10) also implies that when Christians “walk in the light” their lives will be known, and will not contain hidden sins, falsehoods, or deception. Such walking “in the light” results in deep divine and human fellowship (see v. 3) and progressive cleansing from all sin.

So, it means to: 

1) Reflect God's perfection in doctrine & purity.

2) Live lives of openness and honesty--no deception or falsehoods. Oh, what a blessing it is to live in such a manner!

3) Enjoy God's and human fellowship, and 

4) Benefit from the progressive cleansing of sin.

It's hard to read this and NOT come away happy! What a breath of fresh air. What a profound blessing for all of us who proclaim the gospel, for this is indeed Good News! My wife, Phyllis, read "The Lightlings" to the kids in Children's Church this past Sunday, and they loved the story and the pictures! What an unending blessing for ALL who believe the gospel. WALK IN THE LIGHT!

 

Hate Crimes Bill & Prayer

There is a bill before Congress right now (H.R. 1913, "Local Law Enforcement and Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009") which is encased in ambiguous terminology specifically geared to put it within the rights of government to imprison anyone who does not comply with their very biased and unequal view of what they term "hate crimes." Matt Barber has a piece on this which all defenders of free speech should read, "Separate but unequal protection." Here are a few paragraphs from his article:

Protection we already enjoy--

Under the 14th Amendment, victims of violent crime are currently afforded equal protection under the law regardless of sexual preference or proclivity. If passed, H.R. 1913 will change all that.  It overtly and, most likely, unconstitutionally discriminates against millions of Americans by granting federally preferred status, time and resources to individuals who define their identity based upon aberrant sexual behaviors (i.e., "gay" and lesbian "sexual orientation" or cross-dressing "gender identity").

What we stand to lose:

In short, this bill places newfangled "gay rights" in direct conflict with our enumerated constitutional rights. It becomes the first step in the official criminalization of Christianity. It's a zero sum game and someone has to lose. Ultimately, what we lose are our First Amendment guaranteed rights to freedom of speech, religious expression and association.

But the threat is not just some shadowy phantom looming in the near future. It's a clear and present danger. While debating the notion of "conspiracy to commit a hate crime" in the last Congress, Representative Artur Davis (D-Alabama) admitted that the legislation could be used to prosecute pastors for merely preaching the Bible under the concept of "inducement" to violence.

Why should I, a pastor, emphasize this? I have to. Government is supposed to protect the rights of ALL of it's citizens. Homosexuals should be protected. And religion should be protected. This bill singles out the homosexual. So, we who believe the Bible are in danger of losing our freedom once again. The true Christian, far from vilifying any group, desires to present God's truth to them in as loving a manner as possible. This is nothing new. It has been our M.O. for centuries! Truth is really what is at stake. Can a group decide this? No, they will tend to select whatever seems most beneficial to them. God must determine what is true for all of us. ALL of us! As Jesus said when praying to His Father in heaven, "Your Word is truth" (John 17:17). Religious freedom comprised a large part of the reason for the founding of this great country. But even today we CAN do something about it. Each of us can contact our Congressman NOW and let them know of our disagreement with such legislation. Once it is law, we'll have our hands full dealing with the fall-out. But it's not law yet. And we have a legal right, yea, a religious right to voice our disapproval . . . for truth's sake.

What else do we do? PRAY.

Write your Congressman. That's our civic responsibility. But we do not do that without having first called upon God who is over all the world. "The earth is the Lord's." Prayer moves God's hand. Hear these words:

Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. 2 Thess 3:1-2 

At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Col. 4:3-5

A Call for Original Grace in Children & Church

A child cannot but help growing up imitating his parents' faith. They naturally learn to imitate Mom & Dad in many ways, convictions being just one of them. As most of us have discovered, a borrowed, or second-hand faith will not stand up against the trials of life; it is a sort of chimera, a fictional trust. It's adolescent. We expect imitation at a young age; it's part of what growing up is about. But by the time toddlers evolve into adolescents and then into teenagers, maturity takes on a more pronounced form. It is so important at this time for a child to have come to know truth, yes, to know God as it were on his own. Is there a name for this?

"Original Grace"

When I was counseling my daughter, Rachel for her marriage back in 2005, this was one of the most important "qualities" I dealt with in her. Yes, we talked of love, commitment, sex, and money as every marriage counselor ought. But, as her father and pastor, I was also concerned that she knowingly take a more personally grounded faith into her relationship with Jay for Christ's sake. It was at this point I was scrambling in my mind trying to find a term that described this plight. The week of our next appointment it hit me--a phrase that might express such a faith. In our next meeting I explained to my daughter and future son-in-law how important it was that faith be their own, something they understood readily. I said, "Rachel it's one thing to follow Christ because Mom & Dad do (which she knew), but quite another for you to see God's great value and to seek Christ with all your heart because you know it, you feel it and you believe it." I said, "What you must exhibit is what I would call 'original grace,' a grace that originates in you personally, which you have experienced, and not just because someone modeled for you. 

There is great need for our children (& our church members) to sport not their parents' or their pastor's faith but to realize their own. As there is a call for preachers to be original in their explication of truth from the pulpit, so we who lead in the church must urge upon each Christian the pursuance of God for themselves and not detour (devolve) from this into TV religion or even good Christian books. A borrowed faith will hardly be a happy faith, and will certainly not be able to stand the test of trials and contradiction. Let us aim to foster such a belief that it may be said of our families and our fellow believers that we all exhibit a God-honoring, Christ trusting, "original grace."

Postscript. I can say that both Jay & Rachel have labored in their lives to live out an honest & original pursuit of faith in God. They, like we all, are in process. Praise the Lord, there is superabundant grace to go around for all of us! "God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work" (2 Cor. 9:8).