The True Purpose of Prayer- It's More Than You May Think

When I look around at world events, I know without a shadow of a doubt that it is time to pray! I'm sure millions of people around the world are joining me in prayer for peace in the Middle East. We certainly need to be going to God to make this happen. And He is the only one who can make this happen. But why pray?

There's something so calming, so peaceful, so reassuring that rises up in me when I look at this photograph. A man on his knees praying. It's been me for many days of my life. Has it been you as well? There's a lot to be said for this discipline.

But again, why do we pray? It's pretty simple, at least at the beginning of things. We want something or we want answers from God. At our core, we want to know someone greater than us cares deeply about us and is paying attention.  Maybe we've hit the end of our selves and are broken, hurting or confused. So, we cry out to God, hoping he is real. And He is, and He wants a real ongoing relationship with us. But why?

Are you ready to dig in?

-----------

When talking about prayer, we have to start at the very beginning…

It all begins with the character of God. In the book of I John, the great disciple of Jesus states, "God is love". (verse 4:16)             

God’s character is the beginning of everything good.  

Let's make it very practical here. God designed you and me. I'm not talking generically here, although that is correct theologically. For this purpose, I'm talking individually. He created us uniquely. What you love and care about. Your interests, your passions, your traits and characteristics both physical, mental and emotional. All of them were designed for His purposes. I'll explain that more later, but hold onto that thought.           

The problem is with us. We can and often do run away from Him. Even or maybe especially those of us who have decided to make Jesus the center of our lives. He's not just a band aid for our hurt or a way to make sure we spend an eternity in Heaven with Him versus an eternity in Hell without Him. The plan is bigger. If we don't understand who God is and what our relationship with Him means, we will never really know what prayer is supposed to be about. It can lead to deep anger or disappointment. We may be expecting results that God never intended.  

Of the many characteristics of God, four stand out to me as being worth consideration as we discuss prayer. Let's look at these from a Biblical standpoint.

 1- He is Unchanging.

In the New Testament, James writes in Chapter one, verse 17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”

In other words, He is the same God for the starving children in Africa as He is for those of wealthy. Even though we do not understand his ways and what He allows, they are never subjective to the limited understanding of man. The Eternal God is so dependable.  In fact, He is not fickle and His personality doesn't change. If our image of God is dependent on our understanding of Him, our understanding becomes our highest authority, our god, not Him. Stop and think about that.

2- He is All-Knowing     

Psalm 147:5 says, “Great is our Lord and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit.”

God created Man. Nothing we think, do, or say, past, present or future, surprises Him. He knows all things. Even if this terrifies me at times, and oh it does, there's an inherent peace and deep comfort in that for those of us that love and know Jesus Christ. He's not surprised by my sin, my bad motives, my stupidest decisions, or the ugliest of thoughts I have. He loves me still the same, even if He wants us to grow and live differently. The truth is, you cannot encounter God through His Son Jesus and not be changed by him. It's impossible. He knows that as well.

3- He always cares. Our circumstances don't change His love.

Here's a classic piece of scripture that best describes this point:

Romans 8:35-39 tells us, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

God's love for a fallen, imperfect man is shown best in the sacrifice of His Son on the Cross for sin. That He understands and has seen all the evil men can do, and yet He loves us. It is truly amazing. In fact, any man, woman, or child who would come to Him, confessing his sins, believing in his heart that Jesus Christ is the perfect payment for sin, will find an eternity in heaven with Him and true, fulfilling purpose here on earth. Hell is no longer his eternal destination, and Satan no longer has a hold on him.

 4- He is Always Good

Psalm 25:8 -  “Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.”

Let me emphasize here. God is always good- even when we do not agree with Him or get what we want. God's goodness and mercy are found all through the Bible, but all of Psalm 136 resonates: "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love endures forever!"

Stop and think about the times God has answered your prayers. These stories are important because they are your stories of interactions with our Living God. No one can take these from you, no one can tell you they did not happen. This is part of your history. Just think, the most powerful being ever took time to interact with you. Incredible!

Now, remembering what you just did, let’s look at prayer from God's perspective. A Biblical perspective. There's three main aspects of prayer.

1- Relationship with Him

God desires that we  would know Him and love Him. This goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden. After the fall of man, when the forbidden fruit was eaten, God searches for them in the garden. It's not that He didn't know where they were. It's that He wanted them to answer as to why they were hiding from Him. Why did they no longer desired to know Him and talk with Him. Why they traded knowledge like God at the high, high cost of intimacy with Him.

An Eternal Relationship. He gives us hope for an eternity with Him. An eternal, loving,  relationship. Never broken unity. No pain, no loss, no doubts. Imagine an eternity of peace, deep love, and joy. This is God's heart for us!

As far as prayer goes, He does answer prayer. For those who put their trust in Him, prayer is a two way dialogue, a by-product of close and real relationship. Not the reason for it. Contrary to what the false teachers of the prosperity gospel would teach, God is no cosmic genie, waiting at our beck and call to give us all we ask. Instead, He is a good and perfect Father, allowing only what is absolutely best for us... pain and suffering included.

2- Transformation

The second reason for prayer is transformation. I'm not talking the Michael Jackson type of change, but the kind of change for the better. Every recovering alcoholic understands what I mean here. Ever plead or even beg with God to change you? To heal you? To make you different than what you currently are? Well, God has a plan for that kind of transformation. The plan is to make those who believe to look more like Jesus Christ. He desires to clean us up, heal our souls, and to change the course of our lives. It gives us hope and purpose, but it also means God has a plan for us: To look like Jesus and to care about the very things He cares about.

 3-   Instruction

He wants to lead us. Our beautiful, living, powerful, good God has a plan for us. He created us and made each of us unique. Because we are made by Him to be unique, He alone knows what will most fulfill us and give us meaningful purpose. The truth is, we only think we do. Yet, until we love and trust in God, we will never discover the truth and instead, be left to search endlessly on our own.

We all want to know if we make a difference. We all want to know we will make an impression in this world before our life is over. God's plan is that all people would know and love Him. (Just read the book of Second Peter in the New Testament.) And He desires to uniquely use us for this plan. 

There’s a progression here.  In other words, if we love Him and walk closely with Him, we will go on this journey with Jesus: 

·      Encounter Jesus, the Living God,

·      Be Changed by Jesus, the Living God,

·      Be Used by Jesus, the Living God.

And God desires to keep this cycle going! So, from a Biblical perspective, these are the three real purposes of prayer. As you think more deeply about each, you'll realize prayer doesn't always involve getting what we want, what we think is best. Sometimes, oftentimes, it's a very different story. 

To make sense of this fact, it helps to look at the life of Jesus as our model.

This Jesus, the one I love and follow, took on the pain and sins of Man. Once for all time. Even though His life was sinless and ours is not, there's a lot to learn by examining his life. He was, after all, a man of prayer. And what better place to look at his prayer than right before His Crucifixion.

Let's look at the Book of John, chapter 17 verses 1-4, right before Jesus is sent to be crucified.  

"After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.  For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.  Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.  I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do."

This was the most crucial time in Jesus’ ministry. Would He finish well? No one would dare complete this task of crucifixion unless God Himself spoke it and they loved God enough to obey. Jesus’ prayer reveals THE most important aspect of why we pray:

“I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.”

But back to us for a moment. What about the things we pray about?

What happens when we pray and God answers? What happens when our life is impacted by what happens around us and to us?     It usually falls into these categories. 

·      Good things we like 

·      When Bad Things Happen

·      The consequences of our sin

·      The consequences of other’s sin

·       The results of Other people’s sin against us

What happens when we get what we asked for? When there's no answer? When the answer brings us pain? Keep reading!

When We Get What We Ask For

Rejoice and be thankful! God wants us to come to Him when things are good and not just come to Him when things are hard or when we need something. Remember how good He is! Celebrate that- and remember that.

Sometimes getting what we pray for comes with an unexpected side! There can be challenges that come with it. Opportunities to grow, change, and become more like Jesus. 

It's time for us, for me, to move away from an American mindset of Christianity. What I mean is, following Jesus does not mean we will experience success as our culture defines it. We will, however, experience success as how God defines it. And He defines it as obedience. Jesus himself says if we love Him, we will obey what He commands. Doesn't mean we'll get what the world says is a reward.

In the world's eyes, Jesus was a crucified failure. In God's eyes, Jesus completed his mission- to die for the sins of the world, to save all the people that would choose to love Him, serve, Him, and follow Him. The world would say he was a victim of a hate crime. The truth is He was no victim. Jesus was a strong, brave and obedient servant of the God Most High who completed the task set before Him- even if it looked like failure and shame.

What about When We Get No Answer?

Let’s look again at Jesus in the Garden. He knows what’s coming. He is in emotional distress, lonely, troubled. He’s in physical distress as well. His friends are too tired and worried and sad to stay awake and pray with Him. He is ultimately alone. He cries out:

 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”  (Luke 22:42 )

The Father doesn’t change the situation, but He was strengthened. In this case, an angel appeared to Him. We may not get an angel, but we may not be asked to die on a cross either! Jesus continues on… to fulfill the Father’s plan.

Practically, when we get no answer, we can follow Jesus' model.

1-Keep Praying,  2- Wait and Watch for God, 3- Do the Last Thing He Told You

When the Answer Brings Pain

Our life's circumstances can come because of our sin, the sin of other people, or other’s sin against us. But, as we have just seen in the example of Jesus at the cross, it can also come because we are obedient to what God has asked. God works in ways and in time that we may never understand. Or it may take years before we can look at our life, look backwards, and then say to ourselves, "Now I understand."

What about the times we pray and do not get what we feel we have been promised?

Interestingly, the Bible does not ignore the fact that sometimes we do not get what God has promised. The book of Hebrews in the New Testament speaks of all the great "heroes of the faith". You know, the guys like King David, etc. The guys of Sunday School Bible stories.

Hebrews 11:39: "These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised."

All the great heroes of the faith didn’t get what was promised!

We are in good company! Of course, this also brings a challenge to our minds when we do not receive our promised from God. What do we do when we think the promises of God don’t come- when it seems God is contradicting Himself?

Will we rely on our own understanding to bring us peace?

Will we trust Him, knowing His character and love for us?

Will we wait on Him even if it’s hard?

Again, will we trust in God even when it looks as if He is certainly contradicting Himself?

Looking at the topic of prayer from God's perspective always helps us. We can either choose to believe things about God that are not true, or we can believe He is unchanging, all-knowing, that He always cares and that He is always good.

The Complete and Biblical Purpose of Prayer is for Relationship with God, Transformation into the image of Jesus, and for Instruction from Him.

He wants Relationship with Us, Wants to Make us More like Jesus, Wants to Give Us Hope, and Wants to Use Us for His Purposes. As you follow Jesus, you'll find yourself doing things you thought you could never do. People will be amazed- and God will get the glory because people will know He worked within you to accomplish the very things that seemed impossible for you to do.

God allows the seasons so he can show his power to us, his wisdom, his goodness. Whether or not we get the answer we want or ever understand, He is still God! This we know: He does love and care for us. And His plan for us is incredible.

I'll end here with a piece of truth from the book of Romans. (Romans 8:28-30) Through the inspiration of God's Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul writes:

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”

GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD FOR HE IS GOOD, HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER!

Because I Wanted to Show You How Much I Love You

For years of praying and asking, all I ever got was one very simple answer placed deep in my heart, "Because I knew you'd be obedient." I could never get more than that, and it felt like I'd hit a brick wall. I had to be fine with that answer. It's been almost two decades that I received that answer every time I went to the Lord in prayer and asked why God chose me to be involved in something so powerful and yet so dear to my heart. Unexpectedly, it changed a couple of weeks ago. This time, it was "Because I wanted to show you how much I love you". Finally, it all made sense. Being obedient to do something I did not want to do- and honestly, something I fought against for six months- became something that has brought me much joy and much humility. Who am I? No one special, that is for sure! But our God? So amazing!

Today is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church

Years ago, we were studying through the book of Isaiah on Sundays. It is a stark reminder for us who follow Jesus to rely on God and not the methods or politics of man. It’s also a great encouragement that God is for us, always paying attention, and always willing to work on our behalf when we call out to Him.

Today, Sunday November 2 is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. It’s an important and personal day for our church family because being a follower of Jesus in these places comes with great risks, places like China, North Korea, Iran, Afghanistan, Nigeria, and many more. Hundreds of people who once believed in a different god come to faith in Christ and are discipled. Yet, many times the local people will not even consider hearing a reading from the Bible. This all raises an important question “In these spiritually dry lands, how can they minister effectively without the written Word?” 

Jesus provides the answer to this question in the Gospel of John: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,  

even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:15-17) 

In Biblical times, the scrolls containing God’s Word were owned by a select few as they were very expensive and not widely available. Most all the people were illiterate. When Jesus sent out The Twelve and the Seventy-Two in His power and authority- the first short-term mission trips- they went out in obedience, and God blessed them. The ministry of the Lord prevailed and the number of believers grew to epic proportions. This is due to the obedience of the believers who went out in their neighborhoods, towns, and all over the world, proclaiming Jesus and doing exactly what God told them to do.  Despite their lack of access to the Word, they did not go out unprepared. They carried God Himself, the Holy Spirit, the very Author of the Scriptures, who lived within them and supernaturally empowered them for the work of the ministry. Today, our family in Asia goes out in the same manner- in obedience to God and in the power of His Holy Spirit. God is not limited by man’s need or shortcomings! In fact, He is glorified through them.

“For I will pour water on the thirsty land,
 and streams on the dry ground;
 I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring,
 and my blessing on your descendants.” (Isaiah 44:3)

The Book of Acts records the Sanhedrin were amazed by the courage of Peter and John because they were unschooled but realized they had been with Jesus. What a testimony where God got the glory! The Apostle Paul states we are not lacking in any spiritual gifts as we await Jesus’ return (1 Corinthians 1:7). The Holy Spirit is a person not a power, so we can ask Him for what we need. When we travel overseas to serve, if we don’t know what to do, we seek God and ask, and He gives us wisdom in the moment (James 1:5). This includes God’s Holy Spirit bringing Scripture to mind exactly when we need it. We’ve seen this time and time again, both His direction and His protection. Our God is incredible!

Other Christians in spiritually parched places of great risk are under great scrutiny. There are times the authorities step in, and even though this is troubling, they move forward with confidence in God. How many times they must have this Scripture come to mind: 

“And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” (Luke 12:11-12)

Today, I ask you to commit to pray for the persecuted church! They need us- and we need them! They help keep our hearts focused on the eternal things of God. In our brave, new world, our thirsty and spiritually dry land, we too minister in difficult times. We need God to give us strength, wisdom, and to work through us as we obey His commands to love our neighbors and share the Gospel message of hope, love, and salvation with them. Just like believers of old and our family on the other side of the world, He will give us what we need as we step out in faith! Yes, His love stretches to the ends of the end- and He loves the people of the U.S.A. and beyond as well!

New Beginnings

Just at the right time, these verses changed the course of my life. They pierced my heart, and it seems for months that every time I opened my Bible, I came back to this. I sensed God was speaking, and my regular time of prayer confirmed it over and over. 

Matthew 9:16 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. 17 Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

I knew this text meant Jesus was the fulfillment of the New Covenant, meaning He was the payment for our sins by his death on the cross and now the only way to God. (In the Old Covenant, true believers looked forward to Jesus' coming, but others relied on full obedience to the Law- the Ten Commandments and more- to bring them salvation.) But this time, these verses also penetrated my heart with their personal motivation for change. I can't explain it more than that.

So, with the agreement of my wife, I bravely stepped out and left my job without another one waiting. I had no idea what I was to do. Never had I done that before as I was always taught to make sure I'd secured new employment before leaving a position. It hurt deeply to leave, but new beginnings also mean something must end.

Yet, a couple of weeks later, I was having a conversation with a new friend. It led to a new job. The hiring manager said "Had you waited a few more mores, days even, I would have given this position to someone else. But you are perfect for this job." 

There it was. God was in fact leading us to something new. My wife and I had heard His Voice after all, and He had led us to this. This wasn't about us. It was instead, a testimony to His faithfulness and steadfast care. He is good- even when things don't make sense.

Time for Change

What is ahead for 2024? Only One knows. We do not, and so I must follow my usual end of the year routine. This is a "Pray and Plan" season. I wait, and I read my Bible with my heart open to hear from God, and I ask for Him to speak. Impressions in my heart, scripture I've read for years may "come to life" and stand out in a new way, or unexpected words from someone I trust. These are some of the many ways He talks. As I write down goals and ideas, a pattern forms as I submit them to God. No, I don't always hear accurately, but my heart is to honor Him. He alone holds the future. And in Him I trust.

(Photograph copyright Economic Times,U.K. edition.)

Pray for Ukraine

Man on His Knees

Be a man on your knees. We will all assume that position one day, men and women both, so it's best to get used to it now. Nothing is more pleasing to God than a man who desires to worship Him and give him the honor and glory He deserves. This means living a life that reflects his values. A man who seeks God's heart delights Him! The world wants to bring us to our knees through fear, intimidation, and busyness. The world desires we'd be slaves to living which promises fulfillment but delivers emptiness and pain. God's plan is better. Much better.

God desires relationship- real, open, honest relationship with us. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He is drawing you; He is drawing me. How will we respond?

For those already seeking Jesus Christ and the heart of the Father, we are blessed by the words of Apostle Paul:

Therefore we are always full of courage, and we know that as long as we are alive here on earth we are absent from the Lord— for we live by faith, not by sight. Thus we are full of courage and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So then whether we are alive or away, we make it our ambition to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be paid back according to what he has done while in the body, whether good or evil. (2 Corinthians 5:6-10)

We all must answer to Him at the end of our lives. We will all fall before Him. Jesus of Nazareth, the only true King, God made man, savior of our souls. What will He say to you?

Brothers and Sisters Throughout the World

In times of stress, it's only human and very easy to think we are the only ones experiencing difficulty. With COVID-19, perhaps for the first time in awhile, we are easily reminded the entire world is in pain. 

Today is the National Day of Prayer. What a good thing! You might ask, "Where is God when we need Him?" That's a question we ask ourselves over and over. That answer can be found in my article here. If you don't understand why God allows difficulty, take a look or let's talk about it.

Once Jesus returned to Heaven after being crucified for our sins and resurrected to life on the third day, He left the small but quickly growing group of believers in a world where many hated them, drove them out, put them in prison, or killed them. The disciple Peter (who's famous for many things but also for denying Jesus three times) wrote this letter to the followers of Jesus:

“And God will exalt you in due time, if you humble yourselves under his mighty hand  by casting all your cares on him because he cares for you.  Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour.  Resist him, strong in your faith, because you know that your brothers and sisters throughout the world are enduring the same kinds of suffering.”  (I Peter 5:6-9)

Did you catch that? We have a god who cares for us! And, as perhaps a precursor to today's world, there's a reminder to stray strong and remember people all over the world are suffering. If our times are not a good enough reason to be in prayer to the One Living God Jesus Christ, well, I don't know what is!

Prayer, God, and the Coronavirus

Is the Coronavirus making you anxious and worried? I think we all have a bit of jangled nerves as we figure out this brave new world. Does it make you pray? It should! Why do we pray? We want answers from a Living God. We want to pour out of hearts. We want to know someone greater than us cares. Sometimes we just ask for things. But prayer is much more than this.

When talking about prayer, we have to start at the beginning…

It all begins with the character of God. In the book of I John, the great disciple of Jesus states, "God is love". (verse 4:16)             

God’s character is the beginning of everything good.              

The problem is with us. If we don't understand who God is and what prayer means to Him, we may be expecting results that God never intended. Then, we can become discouraged, confused, or even embittered.

Of the many characteristics of God, four stand out to me as being worth consideration as we discuss prayer. Let's look at these from a Biblical standpoint.

 1- He is Unchanging.

In the New Testament, James writes in Chapter one, verse 17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”

In other words, He is the same God for the starving children in Africa as He is for those of wealth. Even though we do not understand his ways, and they are never subjective to the understanding of man, God is dependable.  In fact,  He is not fickle nor does His personality alter. If our image of God is dependent on our understanding of Him, our understanding becomes our highest authority, our god, not Him.

2- He is All-Knowing   

    

PSALM 147:5   “Great is our Lord and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit.”

God created Man. Nothing we think, do, or say, past, present or future, surprises Him. He knows all things. There's an inherent comfort in that for those of us that love and know Jesus Christ. 

3- He always cares. Our circumstances don't change His love.

Here's a classic piece of scripture that best describes this point:

Romans 8:35-39    “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:  “For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

God's love for a fallen, imperfect man is shown best in the sacrifice of His Son on the Cross for sin. That He understands and has seen all the evil men can do, and yet He loves us, it's amazing. That means you and me! We all fall short of the perfection God desires. But He alone provides a way. In fact, any man who would come to Him, confessing his sins, believing in his heart that Jesus Christ is the perfect payment for sin, will find an eternity in heaven with Him. Hell is no longer his destination, and Satan no longer has a hold on him.

 4- He is Always Good

PSALM 25:8     “Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.”

Let me emphasize here. God is always good- even when we do not agree with Him or get what we want. God's goodness and mercy are found all through the Bible, but all of Psalm 136 resonates:"Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love endures forever!"

Stop and think about the times God has answered your prayers. These stories are important because they are your stories of interactions with our Living God. No one can take these from you, no one can tell you they did not happen. This is part of your history. Just think, the most powerful being ever took time to interact with you. Incredible!

Now, remembering what you just did, let’s look at prayer from God's perspective. A Biblical perspective. There's three main aspects of prayer.

1- Relationship with Him

God desires that we  would know Him and love Him. This goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden. After the fall of man, when the forbidden fruit was eaten, God searches for them in the garden. It's not that He didn't know where they were. It's that He wanted them to answer as to why they were hiding from Him; why they no longer desired to know Him and talk with Him. 

An Eternal Relationship. He gives us hope for an eternity with Him. An eternal, loving,  relationship. Never broken unity. No pain, no loss, no doubts. Imagine an eternity of peace, deep love, and joy. This is God's heart for us!

As far as prayer goes, He does answer prayer. For those who put their trust in Him, prayer is a two way dialogue, a by-product of relationship. Not the reason for it. Contrary to what the false teachers of the prosperity gospel would teach, God is no cosmic genie, waiting at our beck and call to give us all we ask. Instead, He is a good and perfect Father, allowing only what is best for us.

                               

2- Transformation

The second reason for prayer is transformation. Not the Michael Jackson type of change, but the kind of change for the better. Every recovering alcoholic understands what I mean here. Ever plead with God to change you? To heal you? To make you different than what you currently are? Well, God has a plan for that kind of transformation. The plan is to make those who believe to look more like Jesus Christ. He desires to clean us up, heal our souls, and to change the course of our lives. It gives us hope and purpose, but it also means God has a plan for us...

 3-   Instruction

He wants to lead us. Our beautiful, living, powerful, good God has a plan for us. He created us and made each of us unique. Because we are made by Him to be unique, He alone knows what will most fulfill us and give us meaningful purpose. The truth is, we only think we do. Yet, until we love and trust in God, we will never discover the truth and instead, be left to search endlessly on our own.

We all want to know if we make a difference. We all want to know we will make an impression in this world before our life is over.  God's plan is that all people would know and love Him. (Just read the book of Second Peter in the New Testament.) And He desires to uniquely use us for this plan. 

There’s a progression here.  In other words, if we love Him and walk closely with Him, we will: 

·      Encounter the Living God, 

·      Be Changed by the Living God, 

·      Be Used by the Living God.

And God desires to keep this cycle going! So, from a Biblical perspective, these are the three real purposes of prayer. As you think more deeply about each, you'll realize prayer doesn't always involve getting what we want, what we think is best. Sometimes, oftentimes, it's a very different story. 

To make sense of this fact, it helps to look at the life of Jesus as our model.

This Jesus, the one I love and follow, took on the pain and sins of Man. Once for all time. Even though His life was sinless and ours is not, there's a lot to learn by examining his life. He was, after all, a man of prayer. And what better place to look at his prayer than right before His Crucifixion.

Let's look at the Book of John, chapter 17 verses 1-4, right before Jesus is sent to be crucified.  

"After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.  For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.  Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.  I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do."

·   This was the most crucial time in Jesus’ ministry. Would He finish well? No one would dare complete this task of crucifixion unless God Himself spoke it and they loved God enough to obey. Jesus’ prayer reveals THE most important aspect of why we pray:

“I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.”

But back to us. What about the things we pray about?

What happens when we pray and God answers? What happens when our life is impacted by what happens around us and to us? It usually falls into these categories. 

·      Good things we like 

·      When Bad Things Happen 

·      The consequences of our sin

·      The consequences of other’s sin

·       The results of Other people’s sin against us

What happens when we get what we asked for? When there's no answer? When the answer brings us pain? Keep reading!

When We Get What We Ask For

Rejoice and be thankful! God wants us to come to Him when things are good and not just come to Him when things are hard or when we need something. Remember how good He is! Celebrate that- and remember that.

Sometimes getting what we pray for comes with an unexpected side! There can be challenges that come with it. Opportunities to grow, change, and become more like Jesus. 

It's time for us, for me, to move away from an American mindset of Christianity. What I mean is, following Jesus does not mean we will experience success as our culture defines it. We will, however, experience success as how God defines it. And He defines it as obedience. Jesus himself says if we love Him, we will obey what He commands. Doesn't mean we'll get what the world says is a reward. 

In the world's eyes, Jesus was a crucified failure. In God's eyes, Jesus completed his mission- to die for the sins of the world, to save all the people that would choose to love Him, serve, Him, and follow Him. The world would say he was a victim of a hate crime. The truth is He was no victim. Jesus was a strong, brave and obedient servant of the God Most High who completed the task set before Him- even if it looked like failure and shame.

What about When We Get No Answer?

Let’s look again at Jesus in the Garden. He knows what’s coming. He is in emotional distress, lonely, troubled. He’s in physical distress as well. His friends are too tired and worried and sad to stay awake and pray with Him. He is ultimately alone. He cries out:

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”  (Luke 22:42 )

The Father doesn’t change the situation, but He was strengthened. In this case, an angel appeared to Him. We may not get an angel, but we may not be asked to die on a cross either! Jesus continues on… to fulfill the Father’s plan.

Practically, when we get no answer, we can follow Jesus' model.

1-Keep Praying,  2- Wait and Watch for God, 3- Do the Last Thing He Told You 

When the Answer Brings Pain 

Our life's circumstances can come because of our sin, the sin of other people, or other’s sin against us. But, as we have just seen in the example of Jesus at the cross, it can also come because we are obedient to what God has asked. God works in ways and in time that we may never understand. Or it may take years before we can look at our life, look backwards, and then say to ourselves, "Now I understand." 

  

What about the times we pray and do not get what we feel we have been promised?

Interestingly, the Bible does not ignore the fact that sometimes we do not get what God has promised. The book of Hebrews in the New Testament speaks of all the great "heroes of the faith". You know, the guys like King David, etc. The guys of Sunday School Bible stories. 

Hebrews 11:39: "These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised."

All the great heroes of the faith didn’t get what was promised!

We are in good company! Of course, this also brings a challenge to our minds when we do not receive our promised from God. What do we do when we think the promises of God don’t come- when it seems God is contradicting Himself?

Will we rely on our own understanding to bring us peace?

Will we trust Him, knowing His character and love for us?

Will we wait on Him even if it’s hard?

Again, will we trust in God even when it looks as if He is certainly contradicting Himself?

Looking at the topic of prayer from God's perspective always helps us. We can either choose to believe things about God that are not true, or we can believe He is unchanging, all-knowing, that He always cares and that He is always good. 

The Complete and Biblical Purpose of Prayer is for Relationship with God, Transformation into the image of Jesus, and for Instruction from Him. 

He wants Relationship with Us, Wants to Make us More like Jesus, Wants to Give Us Hope, and Wants to Use Us for His Purposes.

God allows the seasons so he can show his power to us, his wisdom, his goodness. Whether or not we get the answer we want or ever understand, He is still God! This we know: He does love and care for us. 

I'll end here with a piece of truth from the book of Romans. (Romans 8:28-30) Through the inspiration of God's Spirit, the Apostle Paul writes:

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”

GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD FOR HE IS GOOD, HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER!

Thanksgiving and His Love Endures Forever

Happy Thanksgiving! May it be wonderful- and thank you for reading all these years! Just a question- "Who are you thankful to????"  I'll just echo the words of the greatest  songwriter:

"Give thanks to the LORD for he is good; His love endures forever."  

                   

Psalm 106:1 (but found all through the Bible.)

"The Haunting Tale of Jamie"

During my time at  Hopaco, I had the opportunity to meet some amazing and wonderful people. One of these was a girl from accounting named Jamie.

Jamie moved to America, and specifically Hawaii, when she was still a young girl. Her accent betrayed foreign roots, but her heart and spirt were 100% aloha. She attended Iolani and graduated from the University of Hawaii. I remember Jamie telling me about having to clean the cafeteria during her free period as a way to partially "payback" her scholarship. Some other students would taunt them about their "low income" status. Because Jamie was very naive and innocent, she couldn't quite understand why she was being teased.

Even as a well educated adult, there was something "child like" about Jamie's outlook. I never heard her say anything negative or get angry and upset. There was a sadness to her too, as she was unhappily married at the time. Her ex-husband worked long hours and Jamie was often home alone and lonely.

A few months before I left Hopaco, Jamie had gone though some major life changes, including a divorce and finding someone who truly brought a smile to her face. Kelly was a fellow associate at Hopaco and a really good guy. Their love for each other was evident and I felt happy for the both of them.

At my wedding, Jamie let me know that her and Kelly would be tying the knot. She asked if I would be willing to photograph the wedding (I told her of course).

Little less than a year had passed when I got a call from a former co-worker who told me that Jamie was in the hospital. She had been diagnosed with cancer. After the surgery to partially remove her stomach, I visited Jamie in her room. She was in good spirits, and looked forward to planning her wedding. Even though she was in pain and discomfort, Jamie's smile lit up the place like a lighthouse on a dark, rainy night.

I remember coming home after the visit and telling Sue the good news. Based on her experiences in the medical field, my wife told me not to be overly optimistic about Jamie full recovery from this terrible disease. Because of her age (late 20's), Sue felt that the cancer must have been overly aggressive and recurrence was a strong possibility.

A month later, I was notified that Jamie was back in medical care. I immediately went to the hospital, but this visit was vastly different from the first one. Her eyes were glazed, the skin very pale, and she barely recognized me. I saw that same look on my grandmother a few years back when she was in the last stages of cancer. It was the look of death. My dear friend whispered something to the nurse, who told me Jamie wanted me to leave.

Sometime the following week, in the early morning hours, between sleep and semi-consciousness, I saw a figure standing at the foot of my bed. It told me that Jamie had passed away. I felt an incredible sadness, until the ringing of my cell phone jarred me awake. Picking up the phone, I felt a sigh of relief as the caller ID showed Jamie's name. I answered...quickly blurting out her name. There was a short silence, and a male's voice answered. It was Kelly. He wanted to let me know that Jamie had passed away this morning. He knew we were good friends and had wanted to let me know. I was stunned, but managed to thank him for his kindness and consideration.

I hung up and thought about my friend, who was taken from this world at such a young age. I'm a terrible witness for Christ, but Jamie was one of the few that I could approach openly about my faith. She was on the bench about whether or not she believed in God. I invited her to church on several occasions, but was never taken up on the offer. Jamie told me that she did give God a try at one time, praying to Him, but eventually giving up. I asked her why and she told me she asked for certain things (a home, a car, a happy marriage), but the prayers were never answered. I smiled and replied, "No, is an answer too".

I often wonder who or what that figure was that warned me about Jamie's death. I believe it was an angel, but can't be 100% certain. I do know the timing between the cryptic message and the phone call was too close for it to be a coincidence.

Down the road, I've lost loved ones and good friends. Those losses, of course, were tough to take and they cross my mind every now and then. But Jamie's death has stayed with me heavily throughout the years. Partly because she was so young, partly because of her innocent and sweet spirit. I often wonder if I did enough to help open the door to a relationship with Christ. And I guess I won't know until the final end. As a Christian, I've been redeemed by the blood of Jesus, but it's no exaggeration when I say that Jamie rang rings around me in terms of being a kind, decent and honorable person.

I'm not sure what possessed me to write this eulogy to my friend, other than to say that I miss Jamie and hope I'll be able to see that smile again one day...

Answers I Like

It doesn't always happen in the way I want or in the time I think I need it, but today, God answered this morning's prayer right away. Being prompted to step out in faith with a project I felt He led me to do with His eternal purposes in mind, I needed big bucks to begin, and folks have been giving to make it happen. I was still under-funded, so I prayed today again. And the check came in the mail minutes ago. Totally unexpected- and encouraging. Especially for those days when I wonder if He's listening (although I know He always does). Thank you, Jesus!

The Purpose of the Local Church

As I mentioned about a week or so ago, I was recently asked to teach at both a Men's Retreat and then a college aged gathering.  There was one other request: to speak at a Sunday Morning worship service. Now, that's not something I do all that often. But I felt compelled, especially when the subject was The Purpose of the Local Church. 

In the city where I live- and actually all through North America it seems- people who choose to identify themselves as Christians, as believers in Jesus Christ, are choosing all to often not to be part of a local church. There are a million and one reasons this happens, but it generally boils down to an issue of not obeying the Bible in this issue. God has an important role for the church to play. Let me elaborate.

If you've been a reader of this blog, you probably remember that my wife and I were blessed to visit Switzerland and France this past summer. (I promise, I really will continue with that series.) We happened to be in Europe during the World Cup. We spent to evenings at a local restaurant/bar on the water in the south of France, eating dinner, enjoying a glass of wine and watching the games. 

I was absolutely mesmerized by the teamwork I saw on the field; the sense of unity, joint purpose, and the joy each player seemed to have getting to participate in this historic event. Later, I started thinking about the role of the church and the commonalities between a church and a soccer (football) team. Indulge me here, will you?

“The Local Church Is God’s Plan to Reach a Dying World”      

 The great Apostle Paul, through the inspiration of God's Holy Spirit, writes a pretty strong argument for our involvement in a community of Christian believers. He writes in the book of Ephesians: 

"I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.  Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence."

                                                  (Ephesians 3:7-12)

·   The Apostle Paul pretty bold here- and He’s on a mission. “God’s grace was given him through the working of His Power!”

Think about your own life. If you are a follower of Jesus, didn’t God work powerfully in your life in drawing you to Him?  Isn’t He good !?!  Look at how free you are in Christ- especially compared to what you were like before you knew Him.  You have a hope and a future and a purpose.

Paul continues on, reminding us we have an important role to play:

"Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ,  and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.  His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Can you see it here? There's a difference between God's plan for man and man's plan to reach God. In all other faiths, Man must work hard to reach God. In Christianity alone, God, through Jesus Christ, reaches down to man's level. Even to die on a cross to pay the price for our sins. Every other system is based on us working to be good enough.

In His Great Love and Mercy, God decided good works would not be the criteria for Man reaching Him. He determined the Gift of Jesus would be the payment for our sin. It goes against man’s ideas that they have to be good enough and can do it on their own. The only requirement is humbly coming to God through Jesus and accepting that gift, that sacrifice on our behalf.

Now, our good works are the result of us loving God and being loved by Him- two very different things!As His children, we get abundant life in Christ while we are on the Earth- blessings and strength and power in the midst of hardship! It's all part of the mystery, it's all because of the love Jesus has for us.

So what exactly is the role of the local church? Let's begin at the beginning.  Back in the Garden of Eden in the Book of Genesis, God sets forth some pretty basic and important facts. 

o   We were created for eternal relationship with God

o   We were created for eternal relationship with each other: community

Problems arose when Adam & Eve chose knowledge over relationship with God by eating the forbidden fruit, that rebellion led to a spirit of independence in us. Shame, desire to withdraw from each other; pride and an intentional rejection of God, His heart and His plan was a choice that both Eve and Adam made when they disobeyed. We have to make the same choice... and no choice is a choice. 

Fast forward to the New Testament and Christian church and it's first mention in the Book of Acts, chapter 2. Interestingly, when the Bible wants to address an individual, the word "believer" is used. When its' a gathering of believers, the word "church" is chosen.

We live in a society where we are encouraged to be independent, where will people go when they have a desire to know more about Jesus- especially if they have no contact with believers? They will look for a church!

Let me bring up an interesting thought: If the church isn’t an important tool for God to use, why has the enemy of Jesus worked so hard to destroy it? And in every generation. Hmmm.  (And let me say here, there are false churches all around: all you have to do is watch the Prosperity teachers (like Joel Olsteen) and compare them to what Jesus did and how He lived His life. It was a life of sacrifice and service. He never treated God the Father like the giant Genie in the Sky! But, I got off topic: The church is one of the primary places God has designed for the benefit of His people: for instruction, community, and purpose.

Looking back at verse 11, Paul mentions God's eternal purpose. Eternal Purpose? Yes, more than just knowing Him, God has a plan for everyone who believes in Him. And His eternal purpose is that no one should perish.  (2 Peter 3:9) That's not to guarantee everyone will be saved from Hell.  They won’t- because God honors the choice of each man and woman to accept him and his sacrifice or to reject it. But He does offer way to God. His way, the only Way.

It’s a pretty important message to carry! Honestly, isn't it the most important message we can deliver to people around us? Absolutely! Thankfully, God provides a plan (and gives us the power)!

As believers in Jesus, we have a common purpose, a responsibility, a privilege, as a church to share God's message of love and to bless the people in our community. The beginning of it all comes with delivering the message while we care for those around us. The church must work in unity to pull this task off successfully. 

Paul's humility and his understanding of where he fits is evident all through his writings as he was inspired by God's Holy Spirit, a large portion of the New Testament. Look back at Ephesians 3 again:

"I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.  Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence."

                                                  (Ephesians 3:7-12)

He accepts his place in the Kingdom of God. By saying this, he is acknowledging each person has their place and a different – not greater or less- role to play. Because the Scriptures teach us that He has given each of us a field to work.  (2 Corinthians 10:13) That role for us is to be found in two places- one inside the church and one outside the church. In fact, we are strategically placed by God where we are for His purposes.

Just think- God has wasted nothing by giving us the life we have. Be it long or short, healthy or not, God has a plan for each of us. He's placed us where we live, with the families  and friends we have and in the workplaces He has chosen for us. Really incredible when you grasp that truth. It means nothing is wasted, and nothing is a mistake.

Speaking of fields, let's go back to that soccer (football) example. Let's look at what great teams do (and great churches!):

Each team has one purpose: To win! How do they do it?

•        The team belongs to the owner- they play for him
•        It’s under the leadership of the coaches
•        Each has a unique position on the team 
•        Each player brings strengths and weaknesses, playing to strengths, working on weaknesses- no excuses for them!
•       Each player is chosen for how they will fit with others
•       They train hard and give 100%
•       Team members watch out for each other (I Corinthians 10:24)
•       They may get hurt, but they always get back in game when needed

Most importantly, They do what’s best for the team vs. What’s best for them personally!

There are two major differences between a soccer game and the church, however. First, believers in Jesus Christ know they are playing with eternal consequences in mind. Secondly, unlike a sports team, in the church everyone plays and everyone is needed to play.

·   
    Back to watching the World Cup during our European vacation for a minute. We were in a restaurant with people from all different countries in Europe. There were French, Swiss, Italians, Germans, etc.  It was fascinating to sit there with everyone- not understand a word of what they were saying, but I learned a lot.

When Switzerland played France, you could tell how the audience was divided. When Italy played Costa Rica, everyone became “European”! They were united by their team spirit!

·    We believers are united by God's Holy Spirit. Each player has a unique gifts. Think I Corinthians 12, and Romans 11. These describe God's gifts to individual believers in the church to be used for the common good. They are given as God determines and for His purposes. The short list:

·     

“Wisdom, Knowledge, Faith, Gifts of Healing, Miracles, Prophecy, Spiritual Discernment, Tongues and Interpretation, Serving, Encouraging, Giving, Leadership, Mercy ”

We’re all given gifts- and we are all given time, energy, and money to invest into the work of god’s kingdom! And we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to do the work he has given us!

We are all given Unique Roles as well! And the roles of the leaders of a church are to prepare God’s people for works of service” (Ephesians 4: 11) as an offering of love to God. What we do is a reflection of our love for God. We no longer earn His love, we express His love in us.

At the World Cup, every team had 11 players working hard

According to the rules, they could have begun the match with seven people on a team- but they would do it at a serious disadvantage.  If you’re a believer and not stepping in and participating in the life of your church, you’re leaving it at a disadvantage! This choice means you are making your brothers and sisters weaker.

In our Match, the Enemy’s Great Plan is to Divide and Conquer:

If he can separate us out, divide us, he has a greater chance of destroying us and making us ineffective!

·      Not talking about major theological differences

·      We want to be true to the Word- that’s important

·      I’m talking about being divided out by focusing on what’s best for us, focusing on petty differences, refusing to work together because we’re hurt or don’t get what we want

It was years before I realized this truth:  God will judge me by whether or not I was obedient to what He asked me to do. He doesn’t compare me to Billy Graham or anyone else. The issue is obedience.

SOMETIMES, IT’S JUST AN ISSUE OF OBEDIENCE:

WE DON’T WANT TO DO WHAT GOD HAS ASKED OF US!

It's definitely a challenge to be obedient to God. But let me encourage you with these words. They are found in the book of Hebrews 10:23-25:   

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

Let's hold in to the hope we have!  God has already won the war. Our eternal destiny is good because of our love relationship with Jesus. We also have hope for tomorrow, not just eternity, because God is for us!

    Let's work together. Think about what the coaches do when the meet with the team half way through the match: Remind players of the Goal. (God desires all would come to know Him). They encourage and challenge the players.  (Speak the Truth in Love in the Right Time). Be each other's cheerleader! And keep on meeting together.

Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you.  Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.  And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.  Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.               1 Thessalonians 5:12-23

Let's end with Jesus’ words:

“I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”