Prayer for the Nation

"Hanani, one of my brothers, and some men from Judah came; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped and had survived the captivity, and about Jerusalem. They said to me, 'The remnant there in the province who survived the captivity are in great distress and reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are burned with fire.'  When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven." Nehemiah 1:2-4 

On January 6, 2021, the world watched while the Capitol building of the United States of America was temporarily overtaken by members of its own citizenry.  Most Americans were horrified and could not believe that it was happening. Many were brought to tears. It was clear evidence of the profound division that exists within the country. What are we to do?

Though it may feel that given the pandemic, social upheaval, political discord and economic devastation, these are the worst of all possible times, they are not.  The world has endured much more and much worse.  Even in this country, a Civil War was survived. This is not to say that emotions are out of place because they are not.  These days, times and events have never happened to us, therefore we feel how we feel.

The message today, beloved, is that there is a remedy available if we would simply avail ourselves of it.  If we, with one voice, would appeal to our Heavenly Father, He most surely would heal our land and our hearts. After all, He is the same God who delivered His people out of Egyptian slavery, fought for them against enemies who arrayed themselves against them, fed them from His own hand in the wilderness and caused them to thrive despite every attempt to exterminate them.  That same God is the God under which these United States was conceived and established.  There is nothing too hard for Him. Is appealing to Him too hard for His New Testament people, the Church? Is placing the things we have in common (in Him) ahead or in place of our differences too difficult?

Historically, the people of God turn to Him in crisis.  While it is sadly human nature that we cause these crises through disobedience, unfaithfulness, division and a lack of love for Him and one another, His nature is to hear our plea and respond (Judg 2:18). All who call upon the name of Christ ought to do as Nehemiah did when he learned that his nation was in a shambles: he mourned, fasted and prayed.  After months of doing so, he took action, with God's favor, to bring about change.  Israel was restored. So too can be the United States of America.

Discipling,

Lee

Persistence Pays 5/4/2018

"Then He said to them, " Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; and from inside he answers and says, 'Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.' "I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs." Luke 11:5-8

Far too often, we treat God as a clerk at a local store while thinking of ourselves as customers. We expect to be able to put in our order with Him and have it filled in a manner that exceeds our expectation and for it to be done right away. Should He, in our minds, fail to deliver, we become either angry and indignant or defeated and hopeless. Many of us will try to fix whatever the problem is or obtain whatever the need is ourselves and will step outside of God's will for our lives if we feel it necessary. "Oh we of little faith."

None of us can begin to know the entire will of God. None of us can see things from His perspective. None of us has access to His intent be it past, present or future. We do, however, have access to His assurances and promises. He has promised to provide for all of our needs (rather than the wants on which we so often base the health of our relationship and even His existence). He has promised to hear our pleas. He has promised a way of escape for any temptation that threatens to overtake us. And He has promised everlasting life to those that are His.

Beloved, if your situation is not covered by one of these or the many other promises and assurances given by the Lord, which is doubtful, be persistent in your supplications. Beseech the Lord in all you do, day and night. Draw closer to Him and He will draw closer to you. In short, as our scripture of the day clearly indicates, bug Him! For after this He has said, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. "For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened," Luke 11:9-10.

Building God's family,

Lee

Committed to Prayer 3/2/2018

"Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously." Dan 6:10-11

An integral part of living the Christian life is prayer to God in the name of Jesus.  We teach our children from the earliest of ages the famous "Now I lay me down to sleep" prayer and we are always careful to pray over our food.  Likewise, we dutifully and reverently bow our heads and close our eyes when prayer is rendered during worship or other corporate occasions such as weddings and funerals.  Is that, however, the extent of our prayer life?

Daniel had an intimate relationship with God. This was expressed in many ways, not the least of which was through prayer.  Those who were jealous of Daniel's title, position and favor with the king coerced the king into signing irrevocable legislation that would cast anyone who prayed to any other entity than himself into the lion's den.  Despite knowing this, Daniel would not be deterred from his regular and vigorous commitment to prayer.

Beloved, it is critical that we understand the purpose of prayer.  We serve a God who is tender hearted toward us, passionately in love with us and desires an intimate relationship with us.  Though he knows all things and is a discerner of our hearts, he has given us this avenue to Him that allows for direct communication.  Imagine that!  We can communicate directly with the Creator of the universe and He hears!  The bible is replete with examples, instructions, postures and occasions, all related to prayer.  It is clearly a critical aspect of our relationship with our Father.

Finally, Jesus taught that we must move beyond these perfunctory prayers that can sometimes be automatic responses to the occasion.  Prayer must involve sincerity, quality and commitment:
"But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you," Matt 6:6.

Building God's family,

Lee

Bottom of the Barrel Prayers 2/8/2018

"Pray without ceasing." 1 Thessalonians 5:17

One of my favorite stories in the bible can be found in Judges 10.  Essentially, the people of God had a habit of adopting the traits, behaviors, beliefs and religious practices of their pagan neighbors.  This is characterized by the following: "And the children of Israel did evil again [emphasis mine] in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab...thus they forsook the Lord and did not serve Him," Judges 10:6.  The result of such faithlessness was that they were turned over to the crushing and brutal hands of their enemies.  Whenever this happened, they cried out to God for salvation and relief, promising to quit their wicked ways and to never be idolaters again, if only He would help them.

On this particular occasion, God had a rather unexpected answer for them.  He said, "You have forsaken me and served other gods; therefore I will no longer deliver you.  Go and cry out to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your distress," Judges 10:13-14.

I'm reminded of this story because it is not unusual for me to receive calls from friends, acquaintances and church members, soliciting prayer.  In a recent particular case, however, the call came from someone dear to me.  I know this person to be a believer but also know them to be inactive in the faith and in their relationship with God.  They are experiencing a season of need, uncertainty, discomfort and distress.  Inevitably, a pleading to God for relief has begun and yours truly has been engaged.

Beloved, it is always a mistake to treat God as if he is an alarm, an axe or a fire hose behind glass to be broken in case of an emergency.  Our relationship with God is designed to be as that of a Father and his children.  In this relationship, we are to be constantly engaged, in constant communication and in constant proximity, in spirit if not physically.  When the trips, falls, bruises, other accidents or even disobediences of life occur, it is in our best interest for us to have well worn paths of access to Him from whom we seek our help.  How much more readily available is that assistance when we are close than if we are distant and disconnected?

None of this is to say that God will not rescue even the dilettante among us.  "The sons of Israel said to the Lord, 'We have sinned, do to us whatever seems good to You; only please deliver us this day.'  So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord; and He could bear the misery of Israel no longer [emphasis mine]", Judges 10:15-16.  The encouragement herein is to not have a prayer life that consists of last minute, emergency or bottom of the barrel prayers but one that is indicative of a close, warm personal relationship with the Father.  Then, you will have gained the experience to know that whatever His answer may be, it will be for the ultimate good.

Building God's family,

Lee

He Hears 1/27/2017

"Return and say to Hezekiah the leader of My people, 'Thus says the Lord, the God of your father David, "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal you."
2 Kings 20:4

King Hezekiah had just received the worse news of his life.  He was told by the prophet Isaiah to set his house in order because the illness from which he was suffering was about to take his life.  As you might imagine, Hezekiah was beside himself and immediately went into prayer, begging that he be allowed to live.

Many of us struggle in our prayer life. We sometimes wonder if our prayers make it beyond the ceiling. We sometimes wonder if God is home or if He cares at all. It may be that we feel this way because we don't always get what we want. Make no mistake, it is understood that some of the things we want are entirely and sometimes urgently needed. We pray out of pain, fear, concern for another, worry, imminent danger and other things we consider critical. We are subject to becoming despondent and shaken in our faith if we feel God does not look at things the way that we do.

Beloved, it is our faith that should carry us through the times when it seems that God is missing in action. It is our trust in Him that should remind us that all things work together for good to them that are the called according to his purpose, even and especially when things seem that they are at their worst. We need to remember the agony suffered by God's only begotten in the garden of Gethsemane. Remember that God did not allow that cup to pass. Remember that if He had, there would be no salvation for you and I today. Remember that despite Christ's great suffering at our hands and on our behalf, he is even now at the right hand of the Father advocating for us. We can only hope that the times that God may say "no" would accomplish an end so noble and beneficial. Lastly, remember that God is never absent. He is everywhere at all times knowing all things with every ability. That said, he also has the ability to be silent.

In Hezekiah's case, God not only heard but responded.  God not only responded but He responded so immediately that Isaiah had not even managed to get out of the house before he was directed to go back and give the king the good news.  Let us also not forget the times when we have prayed and received an immediate response. Many of us cite those times as proof of His existence in our own minds. Whatever it is that you think, understand that His ways are as high above ours as the heavens are above the earth.  You may or may not receive an immediate or affirmative answer to your prayers.  Regardless, have faith that God knows exactly what He is doing and He hears  and responds in one way or another to all of our prayers.

Pursuing discipleship,

Lee

The Greener Grass 6/9/2014

"So Lot chose for himself all the valley of the Jordan, and Lot journeyed eastward. Thus they separated from each other. Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled in the cities of the valley, and moved his tents as far as Sodom. Now the men of Sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners against the Lord." Genesis 13:11-13

Abram, later known as Abraham, obediently followed the word of the Lord when He told him to leave his home and his family and go to a land that would ultimately be given to his descendants. Along the way, he and his nephew, Lot, would become so prosperous that their herdsmen began to fight amongst themselves over grazing and watering their respective herds. Not wanting any strife between the two of them Abram suggested that they separate. He gave Lot the choice. Lot, surveying all in front of him chose the fertile valley (the greener grass if you will). Along with this choice he also put himself and his family in proximity to arguably the worst and most godless people on earth at the time.

Beloved, we make choices every day of our lives. Some are minor and require little thought while others are momentous and should be made after considerable thought, research and prayer. Too often, we choose based on what seems to be most advantageous at the time. And while this may make some sense, prayer and the weighing of all pros and cons will likely produce better choices. Life has given us the colloquialisms that "the grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence" and that "all that glitters is not gold." These sayings, no doubt, came from hard lessons experienced by many over a long period of time, yet we continue to fall victim to bad decisions.

Though it may have appeared to be a wise choice at the time (the evil of Sodom notwithstanding), we know that Lot endured kidnapping (Genesis 14:12), the vexing of his righteous soul (2 Peter 2:7) and ultimately the loss of everything, including his wife, during the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Abram, on the other hand, kept his trust in God rather than what he could see and became the father of a nation and the one from whose faith, all believers are descendants.

Let us not make choices based on the greenness of the grass but on the faithfulness of God.

One,

Lee

Be Careful What You Pray For 3/17/2014

"Now the sons of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and inquired of God and said, 'Who shall go up first for us to battle against the sons of Benjamin?' Then the Lord said, 'Judah shall go up first.'  So the sons of Israel arose in the morning and camped against Gibeah.  The men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin, and the men of Israel arrayed for battle against them at Gibeah.  Then the sons of Benjamin came out of Gibeah and felled to the ground on that day 22,000 men of Israel."  Judges 20:18-21

It was during the time of the judges that Israel seemed to be caught in a never ending cycle of turning away from God to other gods, being punished at the hand of invading armies, crying out to God, being saved by God through the agency of a judge and repeating the whole thing over again.

In this case, a great crime had been committed by one tribe of Israel against a Levite and by extension, all of the rest of Israel.  After an attempt to bring the responsible individuals to justice failed, the decision was made to go to battle against all of the offending tribe of Benjamin.  This was, in effect, a civil war.  Doing what might be considered "the right thing" the people inquired of God as to the order of doing what they had already decided to do.  The outcome was disastrous.  In the face of this alarming turn of events, the question most surely asked by them and of great concern to even us today is how can we seek and receive direction from God and still utterly fail?

Beloved, we may never fully understand the action or inaction of God.  In fact we are told in Isaiah 55:9 that, "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts." Nevertheless, a careful consideration of the context reveals several reasons for this outcome.  First, it is clear that the Israelites had made the decision to go against their brethren without consulting God.  The question should not have been "in what order do we go up?" but "should we go up?".  Second, while they were quick to punish Benjamin for an evil act, all of Israel was guilty of multiple acts of evil.  It was for this that they were themselves being punished.  Lastly, they did not approach God correctly nor with humility.  There was an additional time that they sought God and asked about going up, were told to go and still suffered a devastating defeat.  It was not until they approached God with weeping, fasting and offerings that God finally responded, "Go, for tomorrow I will give them into your hands," Judges 20:28.

When we approach God's throne of grace and mercy, we must always consider our motivation and method and always seek His will and way for our lives.  Our prayers must be consistent with who God is more so than who we are.  Most importantly, be careful what you pray for.  You might just get it.

One,

Lee

Prayerful Parenting 12/19/2013

"Then Manoah entreated the Lord and said, “O Lord, please let the man of God whom You have sent come to us again that he may teach us what to do for the boy who is to be born.”  Judges 13:8

The angel of the Lord appeared to a barren woman by the name of Zorah to inform her that she would give birth to a son.  There were three peculiar things that would set the young man apart.  First, he was to be a Nazirite from the womb.  This meant that he was dedicated to the Lord and required that certain restrictions, such as prohibition against alcohol and avoidance of proximity to the dead, be observed throughout his life.  Second, he was given a particular purpose in life.  The angel said to Zorah, "...and he shall begin to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines,” Judges 13:5.  Lastly, the Holy Spirit was to be upon him (Judges 13:25) and would manifest in ways that cause us all to know his name to this day.

Unfortunately, Zorah's husband, Manoah, was not present to hear this unfathomable news.  Upon hearing his wife's report, he immediately prayed to the Lord for the return of the mysterious visitor that he might inquire as to how the child should be raised.

Beloved, how striking it is to have the presence of mind to seek the face of God about the raising of our children.  To be sure, we are grateful to be granted such tremendous blessings and some of us even dedicate them back to Him.  But how often do we ask for God's direction in raising them?  Each of us has a godly purpose in life though even into adulthood, many of us do not realize this fact or do not understand what that purpose may be.  In truth, we may never understand the full ramifications of our presence on the planet. Nevertheless, if we pray for guidance in raising our children and "bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4), they will be more likely to discover and live out their purpose in Him.  In so doing, we may better realize our own.

We have much to pray about in this life, but there is little more important than prayers rendered on behalf of our children and our parenting.  They are not just the next generation of our individual families, but they are the next generation of God's children.  And with all of the adversaries of righteousness that we and they must face, it is critical that the people of God are as prepared and fortified as possible.

By the way, the identity of Zorah and Manoah's son?  His name was Samson.

Committed,

Lee

Just Believing 11/12/2013

"Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, 'Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.'” Luke 8:50 (NIV)

There was once a man named Jairus who the Bible describes as a synagogue leader. His responsibilities would have been to conduct services, select participants and supervise the worship. In Christianity, the equivelant might be a worship leader, deacon or even minister. In any case, Jairus had a daughter who was very near death. Knowing of Jesus and his capabilities and knowing that he was in the area, he ran to him, fell at his feet and begged him to come to his home and save his daughter.

As a parent, I do not have to imagine what Jairus was going through. I remember writing in my daughter's baby book as she lay in my arms just days old that it was my job and my promise to love her and protect her from all threats. I found out as Jairus found out that you can't protect your babies from everything. I found out that there are things for which there is no defense. I found out what it is like to see her lying in bed and praying that God would just let me trade places with her, knowing all the while that it was nothing more than a desparate father's wish and that it could never happen. I know what it is like to be utterly helpless and reduced to wracking sobs. But like Jairus, I also know what it is like to have hope and faith in Jesus.

Beloved, there are so many things that are beyond our power to affect. We wonder why these things happen while struggling to hold on to God with everything we've got. Our faith is stong but it is SO hard and it hurts so much. It is particularly hurtful to have to stand by and watch someone we love struggle in their affliction. Jairus was told that his daughter had died and to stop "bothering" Jesus (Luke 8:49). But praise God, Jesus said to not be afraid and to just believe. Jesus went to his home and healed his daughter.

My name is Lee and I am the worship leader at the O'Fallon Church of Christ. I humbly solicit your prayers for my daughter who is hurting, for her mother who is hurting, for her siblings who are hurting and for her father who is hurting. I am at Jesus' feet, begging for him to fix my little girl. I believe in him. I believe him. And I believe he will.

Committed,

Lee

Where is God? 10/1/2013

"This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success." Josh 1:8-9

It is no secret that we are all at differing levels of spiritual maturity and that over time, those levels change. Most are desirous of attaining a higher understanding of God and wish to know more about His will for our lives. We often reach for Him to help us along the way or simply to have a closer walk but find Him just beyond our grasp because He is not in humanoid form addressing us directly. We then sometimes wonder, "Where is God?"

God is all around us and speaks to us constantly. We suffer from a constant state of not being able to see the forest for the trees. Our lives are filled with the clutter of politics, entertainment, workplace intrigue and other day to day distractions and responsibilities. Moreover, we are force fed so many things through every pathway into our brains and bodies. In short, we cannot find Him because we are not putting enough effort into the search and we are allowing the volume of everything else to be too high.

Beloved, there are three things we can and must do to achieve a closer walk with the Lord. First, we must pray for it. God has told us to make our desires known to Him and that when we do, we would find a listening ear. Further, James 4:8 says, "Draw closer to God and He will draw closer to you." Second, study the Bible every day. It represents the best source of information available to know who God is and what He expects from and gives to us. It is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105). He literally speaks to us through His word. Finally, seek Him with your whole heart in everything you experience every day. With a foundation of prayer and Bible study, you will then begin to see the awesomeness of God materialize before your very eyes. When you look for Him earnestly, you will begin to see His word and His very person manifesting itself in conversations with others, circumstances and situations, and even in nature. For an example of this, read the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:25-34.

When you do these things, you will see more and more that God is indeed all around you everyday in every way. When you realize this and begin to commune with Him on this basis, you will be on the fast track to spiritual maturity and you will be amazed at the things you will come to see and understand that have been right in front of you the whole time. What a lovely tree filled forest we live in.

Committed,

Lee

Beeseeching God 9/25/2013

"Your servant is in the midst of Your people which You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted. So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?" 1 Kings 3:8-9

After the death of his father, King David, Solomon was enthroned as king in his place. It is said of Solomon that he loved the Lord and walked according to his statues and commandment just as his father before him had done. As a result, God appeared to him in a dream and instructed him to ask for whatever he wanted. As king, there were many things that it would be expected that someone in his position would request. Among these were riches, wives, the disposition of enemies, the enlargement of territory and more. Instead, Solomon famously asked for understanding.

Beloved, when you pray, what do you ask of God? So many of us treat God as some sort of genie in a bottle. We feel that if we pray earnestly enough, our wishes would come true. How many people do you suppose pray that God would grant them the Powerball Lottery winning ticket?. How many pray for the outcome of sporting events? With what other relative frivolities do we approach God? Solomon prayed for the ability to do the will of God. Should that not be our guide? Of course God lends his ear to the lamentations of heart and has instructed us to bring our supplications to Him with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6), however, note how He responded to Solomon’s prayer:

• Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself discernment to understand justice, behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you. I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be any among the kings like you all your days. If you walk in My ways, keeping My statutes and commandments, as your father David walked, then I will prolong your days. 1 Kings 3:11-14.

Let us carefully consider our God, our prayer life and our supplications.

Committed,

Lee

Spititual Life Lessons 7/3/2013

"I love the Lord, because He hears my voice and my supplications.  Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I shall call upon Him as long as I live."   Psa 116:1-2

Dad,

Hope all is well with you. I received a call yesterday from a company offering me an instructor job in Shreveport, LA. This was odd because they found me (instead of me applying) and I had been praying for a better job. On top of that Tasha's father isn't doing too well, I just spoke to both of her parents on Monday. I informed them of my plans to move back to TX for grad school. Both were happy to hear the plans and state how nice it would to have everyone closer.
In the past, I've jump on opportunities such as this, and things didn't work out too well. I was unhappy with my then current situation and allowed myself to me swayed by "possibilities". We are in a good situation (could be better) and I'm very close to finishing school. Moving wouldn't disrupt school or any of my future plan, except where I do my reserve duty (which isn't a huge deal). My problem is I feel like I'm repeating the same behavior that has caused so much friction in prior situations, friction that I want to avoid at all cost. Yet, I have been praying for something like this for a while, and I don't want to miss a blessing. I have given it to God, but for some reason I feel compelled to seek your advice. What are your thoughts on the matter? How does one know if they are being blessed or being tested?

Brandon

***

Beloved son,

That is an age old and very deep question. Gone are the days when God appears to us in visions and dreams (though he can still do it if he wants, I tend toward Heb 1:1-2). We must now depend on spiritual discernment, movement of the Spirit and of course prayer. These can sometimes be maddeningly uncertain things and sometimes you never really know until after the fact.

I always wanted to come to Missouri to advance my secular career. I prayed to go many times but was shut down every time. It wasn't until after I received my ordination and a few very significant family things lined up that things opened up and they opened wide. During the interim, I prayed for what I wanted, but more than that I learned to pray that his will be done in my life. Not knowing any other way to make a decision consistent with his will, I told God that I would apply. I would take another turn down as a no and an acceptance as yes. We've been in Missouri 11 years now and among many other great things that have happened, I've been promoted to a dream job, become the minister of a fine congregation and finished a grad degree in religion. In retrospect, it all seems that it was the right decision and God blessed it. It wasn't nearly as clear beforehand.

I won't tell you what I think you should do as far as your particular decision. I will tell you, however, to stay in prayer, appeal to God, fast about it and go where you think the Spirit is leading you. I think it says a lot that you are approaching it this way, when perhaps in the past it wasn't as much the case.  God will bless your spiritual growth and maturity.

I have prayed that God will give you clarity regarding this issue and cause you to make a decision that is in keeping with his will for your life.

I realize that none of this as solid as a voice that comes from heaven saying do this or do that. But that is where faith comes in. We walk by faith and not by sight and that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. If you do what you do for the right reasons and with the right motivation, I believe God will bless it. And even if this particular decision doesn't end up going the way you think it should, having made it with proper spiritual intent and humility, know that ultimately, God will work all things together for good. What ever decision you make will result either either in the God intended destination and answer to your prayers or just a step along the way on the path he has laid out for you.

Remember that Peter had confidence enough to step out of a perfectly good boat armed only with faith that Jesus would sustain him and this, in the middle of a storm. Even when his faith faltered, Jesus was there to save him.

Have faith. Have confidence. Make a prayerful decision and know that come what may, the Lord has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you.

Love,

Dad

A Battle Bigger Than Boston 4/16/2013

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places."  Eph 6:12

Today is Tuesday, April 16th, just one day after the horrific attacks on innocents during the Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts.  By now we have all seen the tragic images and heard the heartbreaking sounds associated with such a devastating event.  We are all wondering how and why such a thing could occur, what is happening to our world and who is responsible for such a thing.  Everyone desires that justice be done.

Beloved, I am in no better position than anyone else to explain why this and tragedies like those at New Town, Columbine, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma City, New York and so many others continue to occur except that Satan is busy.  We tend to look at the people and their motives, which we should.  We examine the differences in ideologies and beliefs between "us" and "them," which is a valid thing to do.  As children of God, however, we must not miss the fact that there is an adversary greater than any of us as individuals and a battle that has raged for longer than we have existed.  Ezekiel 28 tells the story of the king of Tyre but scholars say that it parallels the story of Satan and how he became the Enemy of God.  The point is that since that time, humanity and even the earth have become the battlefield.  Humanity was famously first used by the Serpent in the Garden of Eden, not as much to hurt mankind but to strike against God.  With spiritual understanding, the battle is apparent to this day and continues to rage.

For this reason we must "Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil."  And we must also "With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints," Eph 6:11; 19.  Let us pray fervently to our God, particularly on behalf of those impacted by these acts, but certainly for us all.  Come soon Lord.

Committed,

Lee

Committed to Prayer 1/29/2013

"Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously." Dan 6:10-11

An integral part of living the Christian life is prayer to God in the name of Jesus.  We teach our children from the earliest of ages the famous "Now I lay me down to sleep" prayer and we are always careful to pray over our food.  Likewise, we dutifully and reverently bow our heads and close our eyes when prayer is rendered during worship or other corporate occasions such as weddings and funerals.  Is that, however, the extent of our prayer life?

Daniel had an intimate relationship with God. This was expressed in many ways, not the least of which was through prayer.  Those who were jealous of Daniel's title, position and favor with the king coerced the king into signing irrevocable legislation that would cast anyone who prayed to any other entity than himself into the lion's den.  Despite knowing this, Daniel would not be deterred from his regular and vigorous commitment to prayer.

Beloved, it is critical that we understand the purpose of prayer.  We serve a God who is tender hearted toward us, passionately in love with us and desires an intimate relationship with us.  Though he knows all things and is a discerner of our hearts, he has given us this avenue to Him that allows for direct communication.  Imagine that!  We can communicate directly with the Creator of the universe and He hears!  The bible is replete with examples, instructions, postures and occasions, all related to prayer.  It is clearly a critical aspect of our relationship with our Father.

Finally, Jesus taught that we must move beyond these perfunctory prayers that can sometimes be automatic responses to the occasion.  Prayer must involve sincerity, quality and commitment:
"But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you," Matt 6:6.

Committed,

Lee

Maturing in the Faith 10/9/2012

"And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God." Phi 1:9-11

Are you still believing and doing the same things you did yesterday? Do you still think what you thought a year or two or five ago? Are you still running with the same crowd and getting into the same stuff you always did? These may be strange questions to ask the Christian because a "yes" to any or all of them could be a good thing. In fact, a "yes" could also be a bad thing. A "yes" means that there may have been no growth in your spiritual life.

Paul first tells the church at Philipi that he prays for their growth in knowledge and discernment. The only way that we can acquire more knowledge is to seek it by studying our bibles, attending classes and worship services and surrounding ourselves with the spiritually mature. This will in turn give us a greater ability to know how to recognize and navigate around stumbling blocks that could trip us up. This discernment will also give us the ability to gravitate toward that which is godly and to make wise choices concerning our opinions, activities, habits and relationships that will reflect his presence in our lives. Achieving this (which is a constant process), we can be fully prepared for the return of our savior and please God in the process.

Beloved, it is not enough to sit on the pew on Sunday and simply nod at all the things the preacher says with which we agree. It is imperative to pursue a personal relationship with the Lord and to grow that relationship every day. In so doing, we prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God, Rom 12:2.

Rejoicing in the Lord,

Lee

Persistence in Prayer 8/16/2012

"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” Luke 11:13

Every parent wants to give their child the world. Some do it by lavishing the best they are able to provide on their young ones. Others do it by teaching hard work, relating that nothing comes easy but equipping them to be able to acquire things for themselves. Few us do not want our children to have it better than we did growing up.

The interesting thing about that statement is that not many of us had it bad at all. This was because our parents wanted us to have it better than they did and so it continues.

Beloved our kids do not have to ask for most of the things we provide. If they ask persistently, we are likely to relent even if we are not necessarily predisposed to give them that thing. This is analogous to our relationship with our heavenly Father. He lavishly gives so much and so constantly, we take Him and his blessings for granted yet we still take our wants and needs to Him. Let us lift our minds from the material to things such as mates, recovery of health, answers to inquiries, solutions to problems, relationships and so on. These are things that are important to us. God invites us to bring these prayers and supplications to Him.

Jesus said we should always pray and not give up (Luke 18:1). He also rhetorically asks, "Will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you he will see that they get justice, and quickly" Luke 18:7-8. Not only does persistence pay, it is authorized and encouraged.

Rejoicing in the Lord,

Lee

Things to Consider in Your Prayer Life-7/5/12

"When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven. I said, “I beseech You, O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who preserves the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Your servants, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You; I and my father’s house have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses." Neh 1:4-7

Nehemiah had just received word from his brother that dear Jerusalem and the people of God were in the saddest state of affairs. Though they had relatively recently been freed from exile, their society was in a shambles, they were not worshipping properly if at all and the wall that surrounded the city was in desperate disrepair. Being afflicted in his heart, Nehemiah immediately sat down and prayed.

Beloved, there are many things we can learn about prayer from Nehemiah. Most of us are aware of the so called "Lord's Prayer" which is also an effective model, however note the enhanced content of Nehemiah's supplication.  It featured:

• Heartfelt emotion-he wept
• Consistency-he did so for days
• Frequency-he did so day and night
• Sacrifice-he fasted
• Praise-he glorified God
• Knowledge of God-he referenced the covenant
• Confession-he acknowledged his shortcomings as well as that of his people
• Request-he asked for an audience for his prayers and success in his planned endeavor

Many of us give prayer short shrift in our lives until we find ourselves in severe need or want. Let us always model the structure the Lord provided and the application Nehemiah made in our prayer lives. God hears. God listens. God cares. God responds.

Rejoicing in the Lord,

Lee

Needing God and Each Other-6/18/2012

"Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much." James 5:16

To be sure, we all need God.  There is nothing without Him.  A close second, however, is the fact that we all need each other.  Among the greatest and most beneficial things God created are relationships.  Everything He created relates in some way to every other thing, most relevantly male and female animals and the creation of man and woman.  Nowhere in Scripture are we command to worship God in isolation but in association with others.

As parents raise their children together, so God raises His.  We teach our kids to love honor and respect one another as well as others, but these are lessons we learn from our common Father.  The benefits of living life in association with others are innumerable.  Among the things we can do with and for each other is to grow our relationship with God through prayer.

Beloved we all need encouragement.  We need companionship.  We need to be corrected when we are out of line.  And we need to be needed.  By confessing our sins to one another we are not only positioning ourselves to receive needed help, but we are empowering brother(s) and sister(s) to obey God and to use the gifts with which they have been blessed.  It is not unusual for a person to feel so down that they cannot pray for themselves.  This is where our relationships are most effective.  As the Scripture says, great and wondrous things can be accomplished through prayer.  Verses 17 and 18 of the same passage outline the fact that Elias prayed and it did not rain for three and a half years.  He prayed again and the rains came bringing forth fruit.  Imagine using that power for one another.  God would have us to relate to one another within our relationship with Him.

Rejoicing in the Lord,

Lee

He Hears-12/13/2011

"Return and say to Hezekiah the leader of My people, 'Thus says the Lord, the God of your father David, "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal you."
2 Kings 20:4

Many of us struggle in our prayer life. We sometimes wonder if our prayers make it beyond the ceiling. We sometimes wonder if God is home or if He cares at all. It may be that we feel this way because we don't always get what we want. Make no mistake, it is understood that some of the things we want are entirely and sometimes urgently needful. We pray out of pain, fear, concern for another, worry, imminent danger and other things we consider critical. We are subject to becoming despondent and shaken in our faith if we feel God does not look at things the way that we do.

Beloved, it is our faith that should carry us through the times when it seems that God is missing in action. It is our trust in Him that should remind us that all things work together for good to them that are the called according to his purpose, even and especially when things seem that they are at their worst. We need to remember the agony suffered by God's only begotten in the garden of Gethsemane. Remember that God did not allow that cup to pass. Remember that if He had, there would be no salvation for you and I today. Remember that despite Christ's great suffering at our hands and on our behalf, he is even now at the right hand of the Father advocating for us. We can only hope that the times that God may say "no" would accomplish an end so noble and beneficial. Lastly, remember that God is never absent. He is everywhere at all times knowing all things with every ability. That said, he also has the ability to be silent.

Let us also not forget the times when we have prayed and received an immediate response. Many of us cite those times as proof of His existence in our own minds. Whatever it is that you think, understand that His ways are as high above ours as the heavens are above the earth. God knows exactly what He is doing. We must know that fact too.

Loving Like Jesus,

Lee

What Luck?-9/28/2011

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:" Eph 1:3

Have you ever uttered the words, "Good Luck?" Of course you have. We all have. We tend to think of luck as some sort of positive happenstance that will bring fortune our way. We've written books about it, written songs about it, made movies about it and developed all sort of symbols of it. One of example of a good luck symbol is the rabbit's foot; apparently not too lucky for the rabbit.

I submit to you that for the Christian, there is no such thing as luck. In fact, luck is a pagan and idolatrous concept. The Roman goddess Fortuna, also known as Tyche to the Greeks, was the personification of luck in the religion of Rome. It was said that she could bring fortune or misfortune; good luck or bad luck. In fact, she was at times depicted blindfolded much as our image of Justice is represented in drawings and statues. She came to represent the variability of life, chance and fate.

Beloved we do not serve a God who is in any way capricious in nature. He is a God of certainty and one whose are eyes are never shut. Our great blessing is to be able to go to Him in the name of Jesus and ask for that which we desire. Whether the answer be yes, no or not yet, there is no luck, chance or fate involved. There is the very certain and deliberate nature of the Father's actions as it relates to how He interacts with us.

There is no such thing as luck. There is, however, one God and Father who is above all, through all and in all. So the next time you consider wishing someone the best of luck, pray that it will be in God's will to grant them specific blessings.

Loving Like Jesus,

Lee