Do Not Give Up! On Prayer and the Promises of God

One of life's greatest mysteries concerns the interplay between the individual and God. "Experiencing God" as my friend Henry Blackaby articulated it, is not a hard and fast science. Most believers in Jesus Christ who I know still struggle to understand the dynamics and the practical interplay between God's Word, God's activity, and their actions. Consider what Jesus had to say in His Sermon on the Mount.

Nestled in the final chapter between Jesus' instructions on dealing with anxiety, worry, judgmental attitudes, and the Golden Rule, is a prescient  promise. "Ask and it will be given you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you" (Matthew 7:7). The verbs in this verse depict continuous action, "keep on asking, seeking, and knocking." 

It appears that the asking is directed exclusively toward God. Jesus states in verse 11, "how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ASK  HIM." Here, our needs drive us to the Lord. What do you need? "Ask God for it,” Jesus instructs us. Everything from life's basic necessities, guidance in decisions great and small, to God's provisions when faced with overwhelming circumstances are fair game. When faced with the dilemma of choosing between multiple options, or faced with no opportunities or prospects, Jesus' instruction is the same, "Ask your Father in heaven!"

Coupled with asking our Father, Jesus also instructs us to keep on seeking and knocking. Seeking is when we look for the answer. Knocking is when we inquire and that repeatedly. So what is Jesus saying? "You get busy looking and inquiring. God will give an answer." So, how long do you ask, seek, and knock? Until you get an answer. It may take a day, a week, or years. Keep on! The answer is God's. The cooperation is yours.

Here is one caveat. If you have unfinished business with God, some area where God has said, "stop" and you persist, or God has said "go" and you have said "no," (recall Jonah) realize that God will not reward disobedience. God is patient. Then again, there are times when God withholds an immediate answer to prayer because He is working according to His timetable (recall Abraham, Sarah, and God's promise of an heir). So here is the point: live clean and trust God. Ask Him and then look for an answer.

So what do you do when you pray and no answer comes? Keep praying. Do not quit. Do not stop. Focus on who God is. Comfort yourself with the knowledge that God is God and nothing is too hard for Him. Add to this the assurance that God's care for you and love for you is limitless. He is not vindictive but has His own agenda. And He wants you to be part of His plan. If you do not see the answer, keep trusting God. Keep praying. Refuse to give up.

Jesus Came to Build His Church

“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” Matthew 16:18

This text is rooted in a play on words between "little stone" and "bedrock." Peter is the former and the truth of Who Jesus is constitutes the latter. Peter had just made the declaration, "You are the Christ the Son of the Living God." After Jesus' responsive affirmation of blessing--"Blessed are you Simon Bar Jonah for flesh and blood has not revealed this unto you but My Father in Heaven"--Jesus makes His magnificent declaration. "I will build My church and the gates of Hell (Hades) will not prevail against it."  Here is another reason why Jesus came...to build His Church!

The Scripture is not saying that the Church will be built by or upon Peter, but rather it will be built upon the truth of what Peter proclaimed. Peter had confessed Jesus' true identity. He (Jesus) is the foundation upon which the Church will be built. In the words of F.F. Bruce, "what matters here is not the stature of the confessor, but the truth of the confession" (see The Hard Sayings of Jesus, p.143). Peter declares Who Jesus is, and  Jesus declares that He Himself will build His Church.

Notice in this passage that not only is Jesus' true identity revealed, but His work is likewise unveiled. He will build His Church. This is the first time the New Testament mentions the word, "Church." This word in the Greek text, comes from combining two smaller words, "to call" and "out of." The word "Church" literally means "the called out ones." All those who have heard God's invitation and responded constitute the "Church." 

Jesus goes on to describe the Church's invincibility, "and the gates of Hades (or Hell) will not prevail against." Though some see this as a straight forward declaration that Jesus will not allow the devil and his forces destroy the Church, I believe Jesus is actually pointing to another and equally true reality. Gates are for keeping people and possessions in, or people and possessions out. "Hades" is the normal word for death and the grave. Here, Jesus is declaring that not even the power of death will be able to halt the building of His Church. 

True, God's intention is to build the Church upon Jesus, but He will use people all through history as His instruments. Can He use you?

Time to Move

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Like so many other people, I have been greatly encouraged over the years by the work of Focus on the Family. This past week I read an article by one of their writers, John Barner entitled, "When Is It Time to Look for Another Place ofMinistry?" He begins by noting the present high turnover in today's church world which he describes as "alarming to say the least."  If his latest set of stats are accurate and the average minister is only staying about two years in one place, the trend is getting progressively worse.

Barner goes on to say that a variety of reasons can account for the extreme turnover rate. His initial explanations revolve around two observations. He suggests, first, that some pastors are simply not equipped to deal with conflict--hence, they leave--or, that pastors are looking to better their standard of living with its added influence and recognition. Hence, they leave. Barner then asks, should the trend and whatever motives are driving them be viewed as good, bad, or indifferent? After acknowledging that sometimes ministers are running from situations they should have stayed with, and therefore are running from what God intended for their good and their growth, he concedes rightly that there are legitimate reasons when moving is the right thing to do.

Barner's 3 reasons for moving on:

1.    When leaders in the church are unwilling to negotiate on important issues.

2.    When his family is adversely affected due to abusive and demanding tactics of ungodly opponents--this which should be considered absolutely unacceptable.

3.    If the church cannot or will not take care of the minister's financial needs.

My initial response is to "Amen" what Barner wrote and offer some additional observations and considerations.

1. Determine the purpose in the pastorate. Sometimes, a seminary student is serving a small congregation that has for years demonstrated unhealthy dynamics. Leaving there for any of the given reasons seems perfectly acceptable. Nevertheless, the question needs to be asked, "What is God's purpose in this place for the church and the minister?"

Years ago in my first pastorate I had a difficult situation arise with an obstinate leader. Dr. James Eaves gave me some advice: "Determine if this is a long term assignment from God for you. If yes, you'll need to use dynamite to remove the stump; if not, just plow around him knowing that your days there are numbered." Good advice.

Yet, I am very much aware that any great work for God may take years of commitment and the pastor or minister who is not invested in the long haul will very likely be perceived as a hireling rather than a shepherd. It is a risky decision to put down roots with a congregation. So, what can be done to maximize the potential long-term successful relationship between pastor and people?

2. Be thoroughly honest in the interview phase. Coupled with that, I encourage my students to draw up a "memorandum of understanding" with a new congregation which the entire church approves when the new pastor is called. This minimizes any misunderstandings. Sadly, I have seen search committees make promises to pastors they do not have the authority to keep. In the process of leaving a pastorate where I had served for over two decades, I received an interesting letter from a naive but well-meaning lady. In the midst of conflict, she wrote me and said, "when you came, we wanted a preacher, not a leader who would make changes." In a nutshell, here are seeds of misunderstanding planted years before that returned to bear some bitter fruit. Longer tenures in pastorates build stronger churches in the long haul. These start with clear understandings with the pastor and congregation on the front end.

In my next post I'll address this question: "When is it time to leave?"

The Key to Effective Prayer

One of the most intriguing and inspiring classes I took in seminary was "Spiritual Awakenings" taught by Roy Fish. Several years later I had the privilege of teaching that same subject at Southwestern Seminary. As a follow-up to my keen interest, I (along with my wife, Fern) twice attended one-week intensive classes on Spiritual Awakenings at Regents Park College, Oxford University hosted by J. Edwin Orr. Orr, at the time, was considered the world's leading authority on the subject. One lesson I learned through this study has always stuck with me.

I hear and read friends say over and over, "pray for revival,” "pray for an awakening,” or "pray that God will intervene." It seems to me that these are general prayers and as a rule, general prayers are ineffectual prayers. 

How we can better focus our prayers? Let us trust the scripture in Philippians 4:6: "Be anxious for nothing; but in everything (greek word 'panti' meaning 'every single issue or item; all, any, every') with prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God..."

We in the church are alarmed by the spiritual condition of family members, friends, co-workers, folks in our neighborhoods, our communities, the media, the sports arena, the business world, the entertainment industry, the academic world and the political world, not to mention the international scene. We are alarmed at the ungodliness that runs rampant, the shifting mores, the prominence of behaviors, attitudes, and  distorted values that the Bible clearly denounces as manifestations of sin.

I’m reminded of Jesus’ question: "What do you want Me to do for you?" (Matthew 20:32, Mark 10:36,51-52, and Luke 18:14) What do you want God to do for you? Would you answer that question in your prayers? Tell the Lord what it is that you want to see happen!

When you pray, I encourage you to pray in specifics. Instead of "Lord, send revival," pray, "Lord, would you open the eyes of our President to see that homosexual marriage is wrong?" "Lord, help the Supreme Court to see that homosexual marriage is detrimental to the nation." "God, intervene in the life of President Obama, Vice-President Biden, Speaker Boehner, and Chief Justice John Roberts." "Lord, in Hollywood, raise up believers who will challenge the hedonistic norms." "Lord, at Harvard, Yale and Princeton, raise up professors who have both brilliant minds and biblical convictions." "Lord, in my church, I pray that you will open our eyes to see the lost all around us." "Lord, I pray that you would place a hedge of protection around my Pastor and make him holy. Keep him from the destructive temptation of the evil one." "Lord, you know my family's needs. Please provide for us and open the right door for employment."

Each of these is an example of "specific" praying. If you will be more specific in your praying, I believe God will be more specific in His answers. Please, let's redirect our prayers to be more specific. I am convinced that if we pray specifically, God will answer specifically!

Top 5 Posts In the Past 12 Months

Today I’d like to revisit my most popular posts over the past year. The following posts resonated the most with my readers so I’d like to share them with you once again in case you missed them the first time. Please feel free to pass these along to a friend or co-worker who may need some encouragement today. 

7 Lessons On Conquering Adversity 

The Turtle On the Fence post

God’s Perspective on Newtown 

Tragedies to Transitions: 4 Take-aways from David 

7 Lessons I Learned from Watching the BCS Championship

This blog is a way for me to offer encouragement to those I’ve encountered over the years. What topics would you like to see addressed here in the future? I’d love to hear from you. 

Grace and Faith: Part 1

Last week I had the opportunity to speak to a Bible study group on Ephesians 2:8-10 concerning the process of God's salvation. I’d like to share it with you. Today's post will be followed up by a post focused on faith on Thursday. 

Salvation always and only starts with God's grace. This is God's initiative in seeking the lost. It is the operating principle from Luke 19:10 where Jesus said He came to "seek and save the lost."

God's grace comes from many directions. It is seen in what is commonly called General Revelation. In Romans 1, Paul asserts that mankind knows the reality of God through conscience and creation. Paul's assessment is because of these two realities, we are "without excuse."

Jesus related in John 16:8 that the Holy Spirit would come at His direction to convince (convict) the world of the reality " of sin, righteousness, and judgment." The Spirit's work, too, is a manifestation of grace.

When we hear a sermon, or a testimony, or read Christian literature  that gives testimony to Jesus and the Gospel, that too is God's means of extending grace.

When a Christian lives a life which demonstrates compassion, or patience or generosity, that too is a means of extending grace. See Ephesians 4:29.

At times, God Himself orchestrates circumstances that drive us to Him. Remember Jonah?

God's grace was seen ultimately in the cross of Christ where He endured the punishment for our sin.

My point? Salvation for anyone always begins with God's grace. Grace convinces me that I am hopelessly lost left to myself. It directs me to God's only provision for my sin. It points me to and draws me to Jesus. That is grace.

When God extends grace (and there is no salvation apart from grace), our responsibility is to respond to that grace with faith. Faith is the human response to grace. Consider Hebrews 11 and the long list of saints who placed their faith (or trust or belief) in the Lord. Everything we receive from God, we receive as a gift through faith. Faith to use a theological and grammatical term is "the agency of means." It is how we connect with God's grace and, indeed, God Himself.

We are saved when God extends His grace and we respond in simple child-like faith. That is why Paul wrote, "By grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9).

In the words of one prominent writer, grace is an amazing reality!