The Prayer that is Answered "NO"

Scripture: Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” Luke 12:13-14

Observation: Jesus uses this request to launch into teaching about worldly possessions and wealth - warning about greed and hording, advising us not to worry about possessions since God loves us and will provide for us, and teaching about how to store your treasures in heaven, where your heart should be also. However, his first reaction here is instructive.

The person (a believer) in the crowd has asked Jesus to have his brother (a non-believer?) to share their family wealth. And Jesus answers ...

"No."

Application: Of all the challenges Christians face when it come to evangelism, the hardest is the perceived hypocrisy non-believers see in us. I believe one of the worst manifestations of this is the "prosperity gospel" message - when some preachers' teaching goes beyond "God provides" and into the realm of "since God provides, and God does what you faithfully ask, if you believe and are faithful and ask God for abundance God provides it, so if you don't have abundance you, you are clearly less faithful."

This is %&!#$&!%. Says who? Jesus says, right here. Yes, God provides!!!! He cares for us so much that we should never worry about that provision as he will always take care of us! But that doesn't mean he's going to make us rich, or even make us comfortable.

Ask Jesus for what seems like just a fair amount of money? NO! Why do you think Jesus should tell your brother to give you money?!?

God will take care of me. He may someday give me more if I am faithful with a little. He may take everything away from me to teach me that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! Both teachings are true, and both increase and decrease are the result of faith. When he gives to me, it may increase my bank account, but only if my bank account is needed to serve him greater - if he is preparing HIS resources for a work to come. If God's will can best be accomplished by making me poor, he will make me poor.

Anyone who say God will give you more if you are more faithful is at best misunderstanding the context of the gospel, at worst trying to pull a fast one, and in all cases negatively affecting our mission to reach others for Christ.

Prayer: Lord, I know you provide for me FAR beyond what I need. Please, never let me withhold any of it from you, and do not let it get in the way of any effort to reach others.

 

Let Go and Listen Up

Scripture: Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this [he was the Messiah] to anyone. And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” Luke 9:21-22

Observation: This is pretty clear. Peter said Jesus was the Messiah, and Jesus promptly points out that the Messiah is going to be rejected, rebuked, and killed. This was also pretty clear from the prophets in their pronouncements of the Messiah. Yet over and over the disciples don't understand this path, going so far as declaring it untrue and attempting to prevent it later.

Application: Have I ever had God reveal to me an obvious truth, only to respond "no, Lord, that cannot be true"? Yes, of course I have. And it always revolves around something that is opposed to what I WISH were true.

This is the first truth about obedience then - we tend to start down a path of disobedience when God's way is different than our wishes, dreams, hopes and plans. And this is EXACTLY what Jesus says next in this same passage ... Luke 9:23-25 says “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?"

Jesus is making a direct and explicit connection between discipleship and personal plans. If you have a wish or plan in your head of your own devices, you are on your way of losing your eternal life. You are going to ignore clear and obvious direction from God, you'll miss out on even the most obvious elements of God's will, and you'll forfeit your very self in pursuit of the world.

This is what I have done. I have tried to plan my life, and EVERY time I do my plans fail AND I get frustrated AND I start to lose my relationship with God. This was something I was just praying about last night ... that the place I am "stuck" in life is with my job, but not because I have had the same job for a long time, but because I am dissatisfied with my job and have tried to change my career without success. Instead, I need to understand God's will for me, in this place, at this time, with these people, and have him show me how I can bring his kingdom, will, love, and goodness here. I need to look beyond my desk, and begin to seek his guidance into how my circumstance could be totally different if only I listened for his direction here, instead of seeking my own wishes about what I could be doing next.

Prayer: Lord, I want to let go of any care about my career pursuits. You have ALWAYS provided PERFECTLY for me, and I trust you to always do so. I will dwell where you put me, do what you ask of me, and listen for your instruction. Thy will be done. Amen.

 

Faith that Can't be Surprised

Scripture: In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing. Ezra 1:1

Observation: Despite the fact Cyrus released the Jews from exile and decreed the rebuilding of the temple, no one I've heard has ever called him a great servant of God. And yet, God acts directly through him to achieve his purposes and fulfill his promises. Based on his subsequent decree, Cyrus is clearly a believer in Yahweh ... so why would anyone be surprised when he acts?

Application: The path God takes to accomplish his will in the world can sometimes be BOTH explicitly and clearly spelled out, and totally unexpected. Through several prophets, including Jeremiah, Daniel, and Ezekiel, God declared the timing of the release of the Jews, how they would be releases, and who would declare their release ... and yet, it seems surprising that one of the first acts the new king of Persia would perform would be to actually do what God said would be done.

How often do we behave that way now? We - believers, members of a church, my wife and I - receive clear information about what God intends to do and accomplish, and then we are amazed when it actually happens.

I read a statement yesterday: "Faith is NOT believe that God can, it's knowing that he will." I wonder if that means that faith also means never being surprised ... if you have faith, you know God will do whatever needs to be done to achieve his perfect will.

Prayer: Lord, may I have the kind of faith that cannot be surprised by your greatness ... and may your greatness be SO amazing that I'll be surprised anyway :-)

Bonus Scripture:
How lovely is your dwelling place,
    Lord Almighty!
My soul yearns, even faints,
    for the courts of the Lord;
Better is one day in your courts
    than a thousand elsewhere. Psalm 84:1-2a,10a

Praying Into God's Known Will

Scripture: In the first year of his [Darius'] reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. Daniel 9:2-3

Observation: Daniel well understood the prophesy of Jeremiah and fully believed them. He knew that the time for their reconciliation was approaching. Given both those things - and with faith that God's word was true - he could have sat around and done nothing, waiting for the 70 years to arrive. He didn't do that! Instead, he actively engaged ... he prayed to God for forgiveness of the people, and he humbled himself before God. Eventually, he himself would introduce Darius to God in such a way that Darius declares God to be the true God and creates the environment for Babylon's release of the Jews (recounted in Daniel 6).

Application: I admit, I do not always understand prayer. I understand talking to God - my father, my daddy, abba - and seeking to be in community with him. I understand seeking forgiveness, and confessing my thoughts and deeds even though I know he already knows them all ... this is a right attitude of humility one should have toward your Lord.

The part I don't understand is praying for something you absolutely know God already wants as well, or is planning to do. It doesn't make sense to me that God would want us to agree to something he already is planning to do - that he has already promised to do. God doesn't NEED us to agree with him, or to join with him, or to act for him, or to convince him, or to remind him.

But the point I need to learn is, God ALLOWS us to participate with him. He doesn't need us, but we need him, and he creates the situations that allow believers to agree/engage/discuss/act with him. He does this FOR US.

So prayer in these situations must be the same. God encourages us to pray and ask for things that we already know he too wants, so that we may feel rewarded by our Lord and thankful for his love. Engaging with God isn't for him ... it is for us.

Prayer: Lord, I will seek to pray more about everything - not things I want, but things you want too. I welcome the chance to engage into your will through both prayer and deed.

 

Reveal Your Heart to God

Scripture: Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed." Luke 2:34-35a

Observation: This obscure prophet whom no one else ever mentions and almost no one every talks about, provided the laser-focused mission statement of the long-term purpose of the Church.

Application: I have never once heard a pastor preach about Simeon, but his seven verses pretty much nailed Jesus' life and purpose. However, the verses above are really all about what we are supposed to be doing "AD" as the universal church.

Jesus commanded us to "make disciples, baptizing and teaching" other, and the apostles further clarify and demonstrate how that is done through evangelism. The results of that work is ALWAYS mixed - some believe, and some don't. Those who believe get baptized, and then learn how to properly align themselves to God. However, those who don't believe ... don't.

Since we are saved by faith alone, THIS decision is the ONLY important act of any person's life. We then (hopefully) respond to that faith with love toward others, and thus good works, but there are MANY non-believers who love others and perform good works. Works do not reveal anyone's heart when it comes to their relationship with God.

Jesus is the most famous person who has ever lived. He is the manifest human sign of God. There are those who speak for him - now known as Christians - and those who speak against him. Which side everyone falls on that one point is what causes the rising and falling of everyone - it is THE factor that reveals your heart to God.

Prayer: Lord, I speak for Jesus. I believe Jesus is the Christ, the risen son of God, and he is my lord and savior. My works exist as my meager effort to show you my love for you by following your commands, and when I fall short in my actions (often) my heart never waivers in my love for and belief in Jesus. Thank you for delivering on the promise of Messiah so many years ago. Amen.

 

The Word

Scripture: Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Luke 1:1-2

Observation: While I have read and studied this passage before, I just noticed something for the very first time - Luke refers to Jesus as "the word."

So many times I have been taught that John's gospel creates the definitive connection for Jesus as "the word" that was with God from the beginning, and was the spoken word of creation. However, Luke wrote his gospel ~45 years before John, and casually throws out that the early believers he knows are eyewitnesses to "the word."

Clearly, this connection between the word of God, and the lordship of Jesus, was core to the very beginning of the church, which makes me believe it HAD to be one of the teachings of Jesus himself to the disciples. This idea alone lends so much credibility to scriptural authority ... members of the early church all had core tenants they had learned from Jesus, and they faithfully embedded those tenants in their writings and letters even when they didn't quote Jesus. John explains this, saying that if everything Jesus said and did were written down, the whole world could not contain the volumes.

Application: I think I know the Bible, but I don't. There are AMAZING nuggets of insight to see every day! Just this - discovering that, in a verse I've read many times before, is one reference that intrinsically ties Luke to John in a way that conveys a basic teach of the early church - reveals that there will always be new things for me to learn about God every day. I am thankful to be in 'the word' every day.

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for revealing more about yourself to me every day. May I listen to your word.

 

How Big?

Scripture: The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. Revelation 21:16

Observation: According to the footnote, that's a city ... 1,400 miles square! The "New Jerusalem" is the size of an area from Canada to Mexico, and from the Pacific coast to Wichita, Kansas!!!

Application: I have never understood the relationship of the "New Jerusalem" to heaven before. When I have read about the New Jerusalem before, I have understood it to be Jerusalem - that Jerusalem will be rebuilt as a perfect city for all of us to live in with God - and that it was the same city sitting on the same hill in the Middle East. Well, clearly that can't be!

The New Jerusalem is actually heaven - it is the place where we can all go live, in mansions our father has prepared for us, in the glory of God and the nonstop light of Jesus. It doesn't nearly fit on one hill ... it can't fit on the entire Rocky Mountain Range.

And I wouldn't be surprised if this size isn't more of a generalization. I just so happens that it is 1,432 miles from Jerusalem to Rome (yes, I had to Google that). So maybe John was just saying "that's a massive distance - the longest distance people of our age can even fathom - and THAT'S how big the New Jerusalem is ... it's the size of the longest distance you can even reasonably understand."

I will never again picture New Jerusalem as a perfected version of Jerusalem. It is instead the name for God's own city, the place where he dwells among his people. It is heaven, come down to earth.

Prayer: Jesus, I can't wait to be with you. Your love is so wonderful, it will be so amazing to live in the literal light of your presence. I pray I can we worthy by faith and resulting attitude and actions of the place prepared for me in your city. Amen.

 

Call on the Lord

Scripture: The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. Psalm 145:18

Observation: When you honestly and sincerely seek God, he responds. Period. There isn't a period of evaluation, where God decides if you've been worthy of response, or prioritizes your request, or just decides to let you work it out for yourself. If you call on him "in truth" - with a sincere heart of a person who loves and needs a Lord and Savior - he immediately comes close to you.

Application: I typically call on God for the wrong reasons, or at least not often enough. I pray to him when I'm truly scared or struggling or in need, but I don't surrender the day to day issues of my life to him. As a result, I get stressed, worried, and angry FAR more often than I should ... or need to.

I should call on him in all things. Be it challenges in my life, my work, or even just decisions on daily activities. If I do that - and listen for his guidance - I will certainly find myself living within his will for my life.

Prayer: Lord, here are my worries and challenges today. I don't know how to properly coach one of my employees; I would like to lose more weight so that I can be healthier; I'm concerned about my elbow injury and if I'll need surgery; I'm stressed about my son's college process and how to afford it; I hate how angry I get in traffic. All of these are petty in the context of your great love and our mission on earth. Please help me with these - take them, draw close to me, and lead me into your direction and plan for my life. Amen.

 

Hope in the Lord

Scripture:
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
    therefore I will wait for him.”

The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
    to the one who seeks him;
it is good to wait quietly
    for the salvation of the Lord.

-- Lamentations 3:22-26

 

Observation: The author is mourning the destruction of Jerusalem - the complete destruction of the last of Israel and the Hebrew people - yet he acknowledges God's love, compassion, and faithfulness.

 

This is what Paul was telling the Corinthians. Even in the worst of times, three things remain: faith, hope, and love. In troubled times, these are three elements we as believers need to retain. We need to have faith that God remains with us in our circumstances, we need to hope that his plan for our lives will be delivered to us soon, but most of all we need to love God.

 

For we know God's love is so much greater than ours, and that he loved us first! At all times, God loves us, and by that love he hopes that we will turn to him in times of crisis, and has faith that we will so in order for his will to be done in our lives. So when we have faith, hope, and love for - and in - God, we are only returning a meager portion of what he has already poured out upon us.

 

Application: I remember the time in my life when I was lost, walking in darkness. I had given up on God entirely, and I had no love for God. As a result, I had no faith in anything, and no hope for my life at all. It was a terrible place to exist. 

 

Then I reached out to God with just a LITTLE hope ... and he poured his love, faithfulness, and compassion into my life with abundance - a full portion, measured out, and overflowing!!! And his love does renew in my life every morning. When it isn't obvious, all I have to do is wait a little while, and surely I will receive his love.

 

I wish everyone who lives I darkness could experience this. Surely the people of Jerusalem weren't experiencing it, and most of them either died or never returned to God. But those who kept their love, faith, and hope in tact eventually saw their nation return.

 

I truly wish that people today - those who have turned their backs on God, and those who have never even known him - could find just a little hope, faith, and love to just reach a hand to God and ask for blessing. God loves so much - he is SO faithful to all people - that he would never withhold his love from anyone with hope.

 

Prayer: I thank you often, God, for finding me when I was in the darkness. I wish you would do the same for others ... so many others whose names rush through my mind, and thousands more I do not know. Your kingdom come!

 

 

 

 

 

Judgment and Response

Scripture: The day of the Lord is near for all nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head. Obadiah 1:15

Observation: Judgment begs judgment, and hurt begs hurt. However, it is God who returns that judgment and hurt upon others.

Application: There are three key truths I must remember in this:

1) I must not judge others. I do this often ... WAY too often, and it is a terrible act by me. I must have patience, compassion, mercy and love for others, without judgment, anger, or contempt. I do not know other's situations, so I must not judge.

2) I must ignore the judgment of others. I have been harmed personally and professionally (especially) by the judgment of others, and it has made me bitter and angry. During this times, the only person being harmed by my bitterness was myself. When wrongly judged, I need to turn away and turn to God.

3) In all cases, I can rely on God to act according to his love and justice. This is a double-edged sword. If I judge others, I may receive God's wrath. If I am wrongly judged, I can trust that God will deal with the situation.

Prayer: Lord, please forgive me for the times I judge others. My self-pride makes me quick to judge others - I mock them while ignoring the plank in my own eye. I do ask your forgiveness in the name of Jesus for my prideful attitude and judgment of others. Please help me turn away from that attitude, and set my feet on a path of compassion toward others. Amen.

 

Greatly to be Praised

Scripture: Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise. Psalm 48:1a

Observations: The psalms are songs! They are unique in the Bible. Many of them prophesy, or provide insight into the character of David, or clarify a specific historic event, or speak wisdom and truth. However, first and foremost they are songs to be sung. Even more significantly, they are songs inspired by God - songs written by God! These are, therefore, likely to be the words we will be singing in heaven.

Application: There are worship songs that move my heart, and quite often I discover that the lyrics to such songs are either paraphrased from or fully lifted out of the Bible. I have sung the words "great is the lord and greatly to be praised" I don't know how many times.

It is important to let these words into our souls, for they have a special connection to our souls. These are words from God, for us to use in worship and praise, and in so doing fulfill our purposes. Our opportunity to worship is sacred, and even more so when we use the words God has given us.

Prayer: I love discovering your truth in the songs I sing, Lord. Thank you for allowing me to worship you!!

 

Act Without Fear, or In the Midst of Fear?

Scripture:  So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but ‘in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’

Observation: John is instructed to go and continue to prophesy after taking the scroll. The scroll has both a very pleasant, and a very unpleasant impact on him - he enjoys the flavor, but it make his stomach upset. This is how the word of God can affect people - it can be pleasing, or it can cause them angst, and sometimes it does both at the same time.

Application: I am afraid.

Every time I get a glimpse of God and what he may want me to do in my life, I am so, so afraid. Yet at the same time, I logically know that every time I have obeyed God and done what he has asked of me, the results have ben so very, very sweet! My times of obedience have brought me the very best parts of my life - my wife and children - and all the earthly comforts with which he has blessed me. Being afraid of God's direction makes no logical sense at all, because not only is his will to care for me, but he has proven over and over again that he loves me and wishes to bless me.

But when it get even a small hint of what God might ask of me, I am still afraid. I resist, and I mutter that I shouldn't be afraid ... then I do not act while I seek justification for not listening. I worry about the cost. What if this action would cost me my family? What if it costs me my house? Or a friend? Or my job? Or next summer's vacation? Or what if it just makes me uncomfortable?
 
At this time, I do believe I an doing what God has asked of me: I am working in a spiritual desert, with almost no daily support or certainly no personal satisfaction, to enable the great work that my wife can accomplish without needing to worry about sustenance. But when I get a hint of what might come next, my stomach turns.

I am comforted slightly with the knowledge that fear is normal. Moses, Joshua, David, Mary, Peter ... they were specifically afraid to obey God, and I am certainly not in their league by any stretch. What bothers me is I KNOW the results will be sweet, even if my stomach churns with worry and fear. I need to be able to obey and act, even in the midst of the fear.

Prayer: Thank you so much, Lord, for the times you have given me guidance and rewarded me for faithfulness. I hear you when you tell me "do not be afraid", and I pray for the faith to obey in the midst of that fear.

 

More Living Water

Since I remembered my water bottle today - but don't feel like writing about the total destruction of the world/Israel today - here are some videos about one of my favorite New Testament events.

"Traditional" version ...

"Modern" version ...

The Word is Living Water

Scripture:  "He took one of the seedlings of the land and put it in fertile soil. He planted it like a willow by abundant water, 6 and it sprouted and became a low, spreading vine." ... "Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard planted by the water; it was fruitful and full of branches because of abundant water." Ezekiel 17:5-6a, 19:10

Observation: Healthy life-giving plants are planted by a source of water, which of course is a metaphor that healthy people keep close to the living water. That living water is God, but even more specifically it is the word of God - his instructions, teachings, laws, guidance, and council, which when observed will bring us life (which is want Ezekiel 18 is about).

Jesus is that Word - in the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. Drawing close to God's word - which is Jesus - isn't just a command, but it is the only way to survive.

Application: Today is the first day I am attempting to incorporate my daily devotions into my "standard" work day, and I am doing it by cutting down on my workout while also reading while I walk/run on the treadmill. I was worried this wouldn't work. However, today's scripture gives me renewed conviction that I must draw into God's word. I cannot just believe in Jesus, but I must be in the word. The Bible is the stream I need to get planted next to every day.

The Bible uses the metaphor of trees/vines planted by streams many, many, many times.  Psalm 1 makes the direct connection between the Word of God and water, stating that the man who meditates on the word of God is like a tree planted by a stream. Ezekiel shows trees planted by streams as something that grows and prospers, however such plants make choices to stray. When they do, they die. So being in the word - with the living water - isn't a one-time activity, but something to be done daily, day and night.

Oh ... and since I forgot to get a bottle of water ... after running 2.5 miles God is the ONLY water I have access to right now :-)

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for blessing me with time to be in your word today. May this time be available every day, and may I keep you as the priority in my heart.

 

Proper Use of Blessings

Scripture: You also took the fine jewelry I gave you, the jewelry made of my gold and silver, and you made for yourself male idols and engaged in prostitution with them. And you took your embroidered clothes to put on them, and you offered my oil and incense before them. Also the food I provided for you - the flour, olive oil and honey I gave you to eat - you offered as fragrant incense before them. That is what happened, declares the Sovereign Lord. Ezekiel 16:17-19

Observation: Everything we have comes from God, and everything we do with those things is a response to God's love. How we use his gifts - not just talents and spiritual gifts, but the practical blessing bestowed upon us in this life - is a reflection of our attitude toward God himself.

Application: To this day, I carry a $1 bill in my wallet that I will never spend. It is a reminder that the blessings of this world, including even money "I earn", is not my own, but it belongs to God. He has given it to me, and he can therefore tell me what to do with it. If I believe in Jesus as my Lord and savior, then obedience is an attitude I must possess.

I need to remember that this obedience extends beyond money, but to all elements of my life. It applies to my home, my job, my children, my marriage, my clothes, my food, etc. All these things are to be used for God's purposes, because he gave them all to me in the first place. If I use them for my purposes - and especially if I use them in greedy or sinful ways - this is a double offense to God ... I have not just offended God, but have used what is his to do it.

Prayer: Lord, you have SO richly blessed my life. I seek to do more than just obey basic commandments about money, and not just to use these blessing for your will, but to also avoid offending you in any way by misusing my worldly blessings.