Prayer: Does it Actually Do Any Good?

The problem with prayer is that we quickly become cynical when our prayers are not answered in the way we want. As if God owes us something, we make our requests and expect immediate answers. When we don’t get them, we think, “See, prayer doesn’t work. What good does it do to pray? God does what he wants anyway.” We lose our child-like expectations and grow increasingly cynical. And we stop praying. Or, at best, we continue praying, without expecting any real answers.

Of course, we must take our cues from Jesus in all matters, including prayer.

Jesus made it clear that we are to approach the Kingdom of God as children. Children find no shame in asking their parents for what they want. Every parent knows the tenacity of the child who asks for something and upon getting a “no,” turns around and simply keeps asking. Repeated requests and repeated denials. Sometimes the parent will give in, and sometimes not, depending on what the parent deems is best for the child. As least that’s what a good parent will do. Jesus makes it clear that he invites that kind of tenacity into the Kingdom. But that is not the complete picture.

Jesus also says, “You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” (John 14:13-14) This is a bold claim. However, please read on (v. 15): “If you love me obey my commandments.” How many of us want our prayers answered without the demand of obedience, even in the simplest things?

So the second thing (beside childlike boldness) is that we come to God fully aware of our disobedience and willing to be fully submissive to his will. In this way, we come expecting an answer to our prayers, but satisfied when the answer we receive is not the one we want.

Again, Jesus is our example. In the garden, just before his crucifixion, Jesus made a bold demand of his Father, full of raw honesty: “If it be possible, let this cup pass from me.” Note the audaciousness with which he asks to be spared the suffering of the cross. However, in the next breath, we learn the secret to praying powerful prayers. Jesus says, “Nevertheless, not my will but yours be done.” He is on one hand, asking boldly and on the other, serenely accepting the Father’s will.

In his book, Experiencing God, Henry Blackaby talks about praying and then watching for what happens next. What happens next is likely the answer to your prayer. We often don’t recognize answer to prayer because we’re looking for OUR answer.

The secret to avoiding cynicism? Asking boldly, accepting gracefully and looking for God’s answer, not your own.

 

Fate or Faith?

Everyone must adjust to change. People move away. Spouses leave. Kids disappoint. Friends fail. Jobs come to an end. Our bodies get sick. Storms come and the tsunamis of life leave their wake of destruction. Even positive changes bring their own brand of discomfort. And we wonder what God is up to.

It sounds entirely too simplistic as I write it, but true, nonetheless: We cannot control what happens to us, but we can control how we react. Our circumstances do not have to dictate our response to them. As I see it, there are two options: allow fate to overwhelm us or exercise faith. The difference is this: when you allow fate to control you, you become a victim. Putting your faith in God means there is nothing that you and God together cannot do.

You will survive the divorce. You will make peace with your friend. The season of joblessness will pass. Your body will heal. The sun will shine again. Don’t believe me? Try to grasp this truth: If you are facing adversity, it simply means your story is not over. God has a wonderful ending he’s already written. Fate will blind you to it; but the eyes of faith will reveal it.

Fate or faith?

Your choice.

 

No Chairs

I love my job. No two days are alike. I sometimes get to play “The Bible Answer Man.” People will often call with a bible question, or in some cases, they’ll send an email, as in this case:

Dear Pastor:

My granddaughter asked me a question I could not answer: How did Jesus, when he died on the cross, die for our sins? I can understand how he forgave those at that time, but what has that go to do with the sins we commit today? In the Old Testament, things were pretty nasty with the worshiping of false idols and such and God wiped out a bunch of people, so I can understand Jesus forgiving their sins. But I just cannot connect how that has any thing to do with us today. I read my bible and cannot find the answer.

Thank you. –Jim

Well, Jim may have read his bible, but he apparently missed the book of Hebrews.

Hebrews 7:24-25

²⁴ But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. ²⁵ Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.

There is a phrase in Revelation that says “… the lamb of God who was slain from the foundations of the world,” indicating perhaps that Jesus was always God’s perfect plan. God didn’t put the Old Testament sacrifices and the tabernacle in place and then look down and say, “Clearly this isn’t working. I guess I’ll have to try something else.” No. Jesus was always Plan A.

Hebrews 10:11-12

¹¹ Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. ¹² But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand.

What one piece of furniture will you not find in the Old Testament Tabernacle? A Chair.

Hebrews 8:1

Here is the main point: We have a High Priest who sat down in the place of honor beside the throne of the majestic God in heaven.

Hebrews 1:3b

…When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.

A long time ago, my wife and I were in Alaska on the Kenai Peninsula in a little town called Soldotna just a few miles outside Anchorage. There we were able to “tour” a little Russian Orthodox Church. Our host for the “tour” was a white-bearded priest, who, to our delight, had an opinion on just about everything, and was not afraid to voice it. On entering the small sanctuary, one could not help but notice the ornate icons lining the church which, the priest was quick to point out, they do not worship. In fact, the more he talked, the more it was evident that this priest was a genuine Jesus person.

However, the first thing we noticed was not the icons. Nor was it the ornate chandelier. The first thing that caught our attention was that there were no pews. No chairs. None. Why? After all these many years, I couldn’t remember the reason our host gave for the absence of pews, so I had to look it up. Here’s what I found:

There are no pews or chairs in most Orthodox Churches. We stand during worship services out of reverence and humility before God. The absence of rigid pews gives us freedom to move about the Church and feel at home. We are free to venerate icons and light candles, as well as to bow and do the prostrations necessary at times during worship.

While their formality in liturgy and worship might be somewhat foreign to us, I think these Russian Orthodox congregants have got something right: theirs is a participatory worship, a worship in which there is no room for sitting down. Our worship, too, must reflect this idea that our job is not done. There is no room for sitting down. We must remove the obstacles that hinder us from moving about the room, so to speak. We must get on with the work God has called us to.

We are not Jesus. His work is done, and he has apparently earned the right to sit down. But nowhere does he call us to sit. Our work is not done. Nor is the work of the Holy Spirit done.

Am I calling for the removal of the pews from our sanctuaries? No. Nor am I suggesting removal of the chairs from your office. But I am suggesting that we remove the obstacles that might prevent us from saying yes to ministry opportunity. Let’s remove the ‘pews” that get in the way of being all that God is calling us to be.

Two questions:

1)      What are the chairs we need to jettison as a church in order to make room for the Holy Spirit to work in us and through us?

2)      What pieces of furniture do you need to remove from your life in order to go about doing the work God is calling you to, to truly worship him in Spirit and Truth.

Today, if you walk by my office you will likely see me sitting at my desk, but you need to know… on the inside, I’m standing up.

 

Knowing About God…

vs. knowing Him. Such a big difference. Some are satisfied with the intellectual pursuit of God. I’ve been guilty of that. Even the pursuit of apologetics and the proofs of Christ’s resurrection… all good and worthy of study. But unless we unlock the relationship element, it’s all for no good.

Certainly God wants us to know about Him. And the more we know, the better. However, God is not impressed by our knowledge of Him. What He wants more is friendship… relationship. Some will argue that our knowledge of God will enhance our relationship with Him. True enough. The more I know about my wife, the better our relationship will be. However, an intellectual pursuit of knowledge about my wife without getting to KNOW her would be, well, dry and unappealing as marriages go.

God desires, longs for, a relationship in which there is two way communication… we allow Him to enter our lives. We give Him permission to have a friendship… we invite relationship, and then our pursuit of knowledge of Him will produce a deeper love.

Ahh, there it is. Love. Without love, it’s all academic and void of life– “a clanging cymbal” as it were. If we let God in, we will begin to enjoy Him (and His creation) to a greater degree. And He will enjoy us enjoying Him. A loving relationship in which more knowledge only produces more love.