The Mystery of Prayer

                                                        THE MYSTERY OF PRAYER

(Romans 8:11-27)

 

For the past couple of weeks, I have spoken about cultivating a prayer-filled life and the ministry of intercession. For some Christians, prayer remains ambiguous, and they have questions like why should I pray? Is prayer essential for every Christian? If God knows everything, why should I even bother to pray? Why do Christians suffer? How can I pray when I don't know what to pray? How do I pray when I go through suffering? I seek to answer these questions and have titled this message "The Mystery of Prayer" from Romans 8:11-27

I. The Contrast between a life controlled by Satan and by the Holy Spirit

The apostle Paul while writing to the Roman Christians, establishes that the same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is also living in them. And Just as God raised Christ from the dead, one day will raise all of his children from death and decay to eternal life.

The exact process of the Holy Spirit convicting us and coming to live in us applies to all of us. The Holy Spirit indwells us, and His power is at work in us. In light of that, how are we to live? The apostle lays out the contrast between a life controlled by sinful nature and by the Holy Spirit. They are opposite each other and would end up in two different places.

A life controlled by sinful nature: Before we accept Jesus as our savior, Satan, and sin have ruled our lives. We were in the dominion of Satan, fulfilling the obligations of our sinful nature's urges. Galatians 5:16-21 "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. He concludes by saying, "I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."

That is how a life controlled by Satan ends. The future is brighter for those controlled by the Holy Spirit. "He has rescued us from the Kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins." Col 1:13-14

We can overcome our sinful nature by being led by the Holy Spirit daily. Vs. 14-15, "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him "Abba, Father."

When we are born again, we are adopted into the family of God, redeemed from the curse of sin, and made heirs of God. We are His sons and daughters and call him Abba Father. This name of God, "Abba Father," is one of the most notable names of God in understanding how He relates to people. The word Abba in Aramaic means "Father." It was a common term that expressed affection and confidence, and faith. Abba signifies the close, intimate relationship between a father and his child and the childlike trust that a young child puts in his "Papa or daddy." For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children.

II. Why do God's children suffer more?

Why do bad things happen to good people? This question has baffled many down through the ages. People come up with unhelpful clichés: "God will never give me what I can't handle," "That which doesn't kill me makes me stronger." Some blame God when bad things happen. Jesus warned we will have many trials and sorrows but take courage. He overcame the world.

 

Why do God's children suffer more? Paul gives us a few reasons as to why in Romans 8:20-25. First, we all suffer because we are living in a fallen world. The whole creation is subjected to God's curse and eagerly looking forward to the day it will join God's children in glorious freedom from death and decay. Meanwhile, we suffer natural calamities, famine, etc.

Secondly, we suffer because of our own sins, such as overeating, drinking, partying, committing adultery, and others' sins, such as crime and gun violence in society. Thirdly, God's children may endure more suffering because we inherit suffering along with blessings.

Vs. 23 And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, we too long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us."

Our present sufferings are linked with our sharing in God's future glory. We will await eagerly for that to be revealed. American Christians living in comfort have no clue how christians worldwide suffer because of their faith. In 2021, 5,110 churches or christian buildings were attacked; 6,175 christians were detained without trial, arrested, sentenced, or imprisoned.

Around the world, more than 360 million Christians live in places where they experience persecution just for following Jesus. That is 1 in 7 believers. An average of 16 christians are killed each day because of their faith. What provision did Jesus make for his suffering Church?

IV. The Mystery of Prayer

Vs. 26 "And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will."

Let me share a few thoughts about suffering. No one fakes or lies about suffering as a conspiracy radio host accused of the families doing so who lost their children in the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting. For lying, he has dearly paid. All suffering is real and personal. Sometimes, the whole community and a nation collectively feel the pain of those who suffer.

How do individuals and communities rightly respond to suffering? For God's children, there is help in their vulnerable moments that others do not have. If you are a child of God, the Holy Spirit in you intercedes for you with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.

Our heavenly Father knows what is going on in your heart as He understands the Holy Spirit's language. The Holy Spirit always prays for believers in harmony with God's will so that we will learn how to respond rightly to suffering and take necessary steps as directed by God.

The mystery of prayer is that when we suffer, yes, the Holy Spirit prays for us, but it doesn't mean that we shouldn't pray. We are commanded to pray without ceasing, including through trials and suffering. It is God's will for us that we learn how to pray.

Here is how early Christians and the church responded through prayer in their suffering. Peter and John were imprisoned for boldly speaking in the name of God and healing a crippled beggar. They were warned never to preach again in the name of Christ. Upon their release went back to their church and gave a praise report, "All the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God." (Acts 4:23-25). Peter was imprisoned just after the apostle James (John's brother) was killed with a sword. While he was in prison, the whole church prayed earnestly for Peter's release. Peter miraculously escaped from jail (Acts 12).

When Paul and Silas were severely beaten with wooden rods, thrown into the inner dungeon, and clamped their feet in the stocks, they prayed and sang hymns to God. It was another miraculous escape. (Acts 16:25). The apostle Peter has this to say to all who suffer, "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice in as much as you participate in the sufferings of Christ so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. I Peter 4:12-13. When we suffer, remember we are not alone, we have the Holy Spirit praying for us. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Ministry of Intercession

THE MINISTRY OF INTERCESSION

In our Living Well series, we have talked about the importance of having a renewed vision of who God is and his mighty works. We learned that living well involves living a godly life, which means a life that is pleasing to God. To grow into spiritually mature adults, we need to cultivate two spiritual disciplines: Reading God's word daily and having a consistent prayer life.

Last week we saw Prayer as communing with God. We talk to God about all our concerns, desires, and anxieties and pause to listen to God for his guidance and direction. If we are honest, we all know the importance of Prayer; we desire to pray and attempt to pray. But we soon give up because we find it hard to pray; sometimes, we don't know what to pray.

We feel guilty about not praying or praying enough when we hear a sermon on Prayer. So, we resume, and the same pattern continues. We give up and stop praying altogether. But it doesn't have to be that way. We all can grow and develop a consistent prayer life.

Today we want to look at the Ministry of Intercession. What is intercessory Prayer? Are all Christians called to intercede, or only a few chosen ones? What models do we find in the scriptures? What and how do we pray? Before we go further, let me address a misconception.

The scripture commands us to "Pray without ceasing" (I Thess 5:17). Andrew Murray addresses this misconception, "How can we pray without ceasing when the cares of daily life surround us? In his book, Helps To Intercession, Andrew Murray explains, "We may as well ask how a mother can love her child without ceasing, how the eyelid can hold itself ready to protect the eye, or how we can breathe, feel and hear without stopping.

These ceaseless activities are the functions of a healthy life. And if our spiritual life is healthy, under the power of the Holy Spirit, praying without ceasing will also be natural. Does praying without ceasing mean continual acts of Prayer, in which we are to persevere till we obtain, or the spirit of prayerfulness that should keep us lively all day long? It includes both.

 Does praying without ceasing mean Prayer for ourselves or others? Both. Those who confine Prayer to themselves are doomed to failure." [1] The Apostle Paul reminds the early Christians of the dual functions of Prayer. Philippians 4: 6-7, "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."

If we want to experience the peace of God in our individual lives, we are to pray for it continually. How about peace in our families, harmony in our friends' marriages, and our society in general? It depends on the ministry of Intercession in which the apostle Paul encouraged the young pastor Timothy and the Ephesian believers to get involved.

 

I. What is Intercession?

Intercessory Prayer is the act of praying or mediating on behalf of others. The role of mediation in Prayer was prevalent in the OT. Here are some examples of the power of Intercession. God shared with Abraham His intentions to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for their sins. In Genesis 18, we read about Abraham's bold Intercession on behalf of the sinful people.

Moses' passionate Intercession spared the lives of his brother Aaron and the stubborn and rebellious Israelites. Deut 9:18-20, "Then, as before, I threw myself down before the Lord for forty days and nights. I ate no bread and drank no water because of the great sin you had committed by doing what the Lord hated, provoking him to anger.

I feared that the furious anger of the Lord, which turned him against you, would drive him to destroy you. But again, he listened to me. The Lord was so angry with Aaron that he wanted to destroy him, too. But I prayed for Aaron, and the Lord spared him."

Because of Moses' relentless Intercession, God did not destroy the Israelites. Our intercessory prayers can alter the destiny of people and even nations. Jesus, the ultimate intercessor, modeled this dual function of Prayer and calls us to follow His example.

II. Jesus, the Ultimate Intercessor

Though Jesus was God's Son, "He offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God." (Hebrews 5:7). He prayed for Peter's faith to be strengthened when Satan tempted him. (Luke 22:32). In His high priestly Prayer in John 17, Jesus prayed for himself, the disciples, and those who would be saved through their ministry.

Jesus, too, had his share of unanswered and yet-to-be-answered prayers. He prayed that the church might be united as He and the father were united. (John 17:21). This Prayer is yet to be fully fulfilled. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He offered up this agonizing Prayer twice, "Father, if you are willing, please take this cup away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine."

Thankfully that Prayer was never answered; otherwise, we would not have the gracious gift of salvation. Yet times, God may not answer our prayers to accomplish greater purposes. When He was praying such intense prayers, the disciples were sleeping. Luke 22:39-46.

We see the same thing happening. Jesus is interceding for us in heaven (Romans 8:34). On earth; his church has fallen asleep. We must wake up from our slumber to watch with Him and share His burden for Intercession for the church and the world. God, please wake us up.  

 III. The Ministry Of Intercession. (I Timothy 2:1-8)

Paul wanted the whole church in Ephesus and its young pastor Timothy to be involved in the ministry of Intercession. What and how are we to Intercede for others? Firstly, without exception, we are to pray for all people. Second, we ask God to help them.

Third, we intercede or mediate on their behalf. Fourth, thank God for them. Fifth, pray for rulers and their governments to rule well so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. What is the primary purpose of intercessory prayers? Whenever we pray for others, we are doing God's will, who wants them to be saved if they are not already, and if they are already saved, strengthened in their faith, this we do without ceasing. Intercession is the ministry of Jesus, so let's join His team of intercessors worldwide and pray.

How can we learn to pray without ceasing? Begin by setting apart some time every day, say ten or fifteen minutes, in which you say to God and yourself that you come to Him now as an intercessor for others." God is using his children's passionate Intercession and bringing about significant changes worldwide in recent years. Here are a couple of examples.

"Ecumenical leaders said that Prayer and a commitment to peaceful change helped open the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989, without bloodshed." [2] On this Sanctity of Life Sunday, we have much to be grateful to God for. "There was a prayer Tanya Britton said in the hazy first moments of the morning and the stillness of the night. She's said it on her knees before her church's gold tabernacle and slumped in the embrace of her living room sofa.

 

The words have morphed, sometimes touching her lips and others echoing only in her mind, but one way or another, they've repeated, decade after decade.[3]"Whatever I do, let it be for the end of abortion," 70-year-old Britton prays. "Let it be that one child is saved today. Let it be that Roe v. Wade is overturned." God heard all those prayers, and the rest is history. Through our prayers, God can change the destiny of individuals and nations. There is power in Intercession. Let's arise and release that power through the Ministry of Intercession.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[1] Andrew Murray, "Helps To Intercession," Page 5

[2] https://religionnews.com/2009/11/10/role-of-faith-prayer-in-falling-of-berlin-wall-underscored/

[3] https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-politics-health-religion-4990d846028fccc950a28f769ac0529f

Cultivating a Life Of Prayer

                    CULTIVATING A LIFE OF PRAYER

The Football nation missed a heartbeat for a second as they watched their beloved son, Damar Hamlin, suffer a cardiac arrest on the field during a Monday Night Football. The Buffalo Bills players huddled together and prayed for the safety and recovery of their Number Three.

Forward times carried this headline, "America Is Praying Mightily for the Healing and Recovery of Damar Hamlin."[1] Keith shared the situation on Wednesday in our connect group, and we all joined the rest in praying for Hamlin's healing and quick recovery. God heard the prayers of many and healed Hamlin. After ten days, he returned home and slept in his own bed.

 People not associated with football have given their prayers and support. Interestingly, even secular newspapers attributed Damar Hamlin's healing to the power of Prayer. For believers, it shouldn't surprise us because we know who to go to in Prayer when a crisis hits us. Not only during an emergency but Prayer should become a part of our whole life.

We are on a series of Living Well. To live well, we start with a renewed vision of who God is and His mighty power. We learned that to grow in our knowledge of Jesus, we must consistently read and meditate on God's word. If you grew up attending Church, perhaps you may have heard people praying, and you may have prayed occasionally.

 More than any other religion, the three Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, places high importance on Prayer. If you are a student of the Bible, you may have noticed Prayer appearing in Genesis and continuing till the last book of  Revelation, which ends in a prayer for Jesus to return in glory. There are countless examples of individuals praying to God within the Bible. And there is a whole book of Psalms composed of prayers. What, then, is Prayer? Why should we Pray? How many forms are there? How do we cultivate a life of Prayer?

I. What is Prayer?

The most basic definition of Prayer is "talking to God." Prayer is not meditation or passive reflection; it is a direct address to God. It is the communication of the human soul with the Lord who created the soul. Prayer is the primary way believers in Jesus Christ communicate their emotions and desires with God and have fellowship with God.

Prayer is not a one-way stream but a two-way conversation. We see this beautiful communication between God, Adam, and Eve in the Garden of Eden before sin disrupted it. Since then, man has been trying to get back into that loving relationship. God, from His side, through His Son, Jesus Christ, reconciling the world and humanity back to Himself.

Prayer is an open invitation from God to his children to come to Him and talk to him about all their concerns. He encourages us to ask Him whatever we wish, and He is delighted to meet our needs and wants. Here are some things we can ask Him boldly.

Psalm 50:15, "Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory." When we pray, God delivers us from our troubles. When we pray, God will share with us unknown mysteries. Jeremiah 33:2-3. "This is what the Lord says: Ask me, and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come."

Ask God for wisdom when you don't know how to cope with a particular situation. James 1:5, "If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking." But when you ask him make sure you believe in him and don't doubt.

You can ask God to heal you when you are sick. James 5:14-15, Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the Church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well." Let's go to the school of Jesus to learn more about cultivating a Prayer Life.

II Prayer is not a Public Performance but a Private Communion with God. (Matt 6:1-16)

Before starting his public ministry, Jesus spent 40 days fasting, praying, and being tested by the Devil in the wilderness. Right after that, He preached his first message saying, Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near. One day He saw the crowds gathering; he went up to the mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. Let's pay close attention to His teaching on Prayer.

He began addressing three critical religious practices of the Jewish people, Almsgiving, Prayer, and Fasting. The religious leaders were performing these acts that were supposed to be sacred and private in public to showcase their religiosity to earn favor from God and the people.

Jesus called out those who performed such acts publicly as Hypocrites and wanted his disciples to be different. So, he taught them how and what happens when they pray to God in Private. Vs. 6 "But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you."

This verse doesn't indicate that Christians should never pray in public. The early Church was involved in community prayers (Acts 1:24; 3:1; 4:24-30). To Jesus, the critical element was not the location or position of the one praying but the motives ("to be seen by man").

To counter that hypocrisy, he suggested when we pray, we go away by ourselves, shut the door behind and pray to our Father privately. Prayer is not a public performance but a sacred private communion with God. Jesus himself went away from crowds to lonely places to be with God, at times all night in Prayer. My wife Wilma follows this scriptural advice. She goes into a room, shuts the door behind herself, and has a wonderful time talking to her Father. Some say they are too busy to pray. Are you? How tiring and busy can one become if one were to raise nineteen active children? Ask Susan Wesley, a busy mother of nineteen, how she did it.

"Mother Wesley's solution was to bring her Bible to her favorite chair and throw her long apron over her head, forming a tent. This became like her "tent of meeting," the tabernacle in the days of Moses in the Old Testament. Every person in the household, from the smallest toddler to the oldest domestic helpers, knew well to respect this signal.

When Susanna was under the apron, she was with God and was not to be disturbed except in the case of the direst emergency. In the privacy of her little tent, she interceded for her husband and children and plumbed the deep mysteries of God in the Scriptures."[2] If Susan Wesley did it, we, too, can. How can we cultivate a life of Prayer?

III. Cultivating A Life of Prayer.

The disciples saw the great miracles Jesus did and listened to his awe-inspiring messages, but one thing they really wanted to learn was how to pray. Jesus taught them this Prayer, also known as the Lord's Prayer. Let's begin with Lord's Prayer to cultivate a life of Prayer. It teaches us who God is and His Kingdom and asks God for His will to be done on earth as in heaven.

It reminds us of our need for daily food and forgiveness of our sins and to ask God to keep us strong in temptations and deliver us from the evil one. Here are a few words from Andrew Murray on Prayer. "If, at first, you do not feel any special urgency, faith, or power in your prayers, don't let that stop you. Tell Jesus of your weakness, believe that the Holy Spirit is in you to teach you to pray, and be assured that God will help you if you begin.

God cannot help you unless you start and keep on." Cultivating a life of Prayer begins with a desire to talk to our heavenly Father. He longingly waits for all his children to come and speak with Him. What is hindering you from communicating with your Father? May the Lord help us to grow in our prayer life. Next week we will look into various forms of Prayer. Amen!

 

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[1] https://forwardtimes.com/america-is-praying-mightily-for-the-healing-and-recovery-of-damar-hamlin/

[2] https://faithgateway.com/blogs/christian-books/praying-example-susanna-wesley

Grow Up!

                                                         GROW UP!

Is there a connection between reading the Bible and our outlook on life? Reading the Bible improves our outlook on life. Tyndale House Publishers found evidence that reading the Bible promotes a positive outlook. According to a study they commissioned with the Barna Research Group: Eighty-two percent of regular Bible readers described themselves as "at peace" compared to 58 percent of those who said they never read the Bible.

Seventy-eight percent of regular Bible readers said they felt "happy" all or most of the time, compared to 67 percent of non-readers. Sixty-eight percent of regular Bible readers said they were "full of joy," compared to 44 percent who said they never read the Bible. When there are so many advantages in just reading the Bible, why don't many Christians read the Bible?[1]

When we can binge-watch T.V. for hours and hours, can we not read three to four chapters of the Bible in a day? Another staggering piece of information is that 40 Percent of Evangelicals Rarely or Never Go to Church.[2] Do you know why? It may sound blunt but as one of my pastor friends said, "they are lazy." I trust we don't find such people at Hope Church.

Last Sunday, we resolved to live well in 2023, which involved a renewed vision of God being our home, having a fresh outlook on the mighty power of God, and praying to God to teach us wisdom to number our days by redeeming our time. That would put us on the correct path.

Living well involves living a godly life, which means living a life pleasing to God. As we advance, we will look at fundamental Christian disciplines that contribute to us living well. We will begin where every born-again child of God must start. May this children's song, "Read your Bible and Pray every day if you want to grow," challenge us to grow up spiritually.

We know that song was not referring to physical but spiritual growth. In our passage, Peter urges his congregation to Grow Up and gives them several tools to help them grow spiritually. Before we go forward, what do we mean by growing up spiritually? It means changing from spiritual infancy to spiritual maturity.

I. Growing in our Faith leads us to spiritual maturity.

 First, Peter was written just before the Roman emperor Nero began his persecution of Christians. After intensified persecution, the second letter was written three years later (between A.D. 66 and 68). It focuses on the church's internal problems, especially the false teachers causing people to doubt their Faith and turn away from following Christ.

In this letter, Peter combats the heresies of the false teachers and reaffirms Christian truths and the authority of Scripture. He shares principles of growing in Faith and points people to the return of Christ. Many believers want an abundance of God's special favor and peace but are unwilling to make an effort to get to Know Jesus through prayer and Bible study.

What does it take to grow in our Faith and live a godly life? We don't have in us the power to lead a godly life. So Peter points them to the divine power which enables the believer to be truly godly. When we give our lives to Christ, the same Holy Spirit that rose Jesus from the dead comes to live in us and empower us to live a life that is pleasing to God.

In verses 5-9, Peter unfolds seven steps to grow in our Faith. Faith must be more than believing in certain facts. It must result in action, growth in Christian character, and the practice of moral discipline; otherwise, it will die. Faith without good deeds is dead.

A life of Faith leads to learning to know God better, self-control, patient endurance, godliness, and loving others. These actions do not come automatically, and they require hard work. That's Peter said to make every effort. To grow in Faith, we must exercise our Faith.

All these actions are not optional but must be a continual part of the Christian life. We do not finish one and start the next, but we work on them all together as God enables us.

II. Growing in our Knowledge of Christ helps combat false teachers and their teachings.   

Let me establish this indisputable fact in a world where there is so much doubt about whether Christ is God or whether he ever lived or was just a mythological figure. Peter, whose life was radically changed when He encountered Jesus, has this to say about who Jesus is.

Vs.16-18, "For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes when he received honor and glory from God the Father. The voice from the majestic glory of God said to him, "This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy." We ourselves heard that voice from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain."

Peter referred to the Transfiguration when Jesus' divine identity was revealed to him and two other disciples, James and John. (Matthew 17:1-8, Mark 9:2-8, Luke 9:28-36). Why did Peter affirm that He and two other disciples saw Jesus with their own eyes? Because mockers ridiculed the claims of Jesus' promised second coming during the first century. Our growth in the knowledge of Christ to combat false teachers comes by paying attention to Scripture.

III. Knowing Jesus By Knowing the Scripture.

            Vs. 19-21, "Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts. Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet's own understanding or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God."

            This section is a strong statement on the inspiration of Scripture. Peter affirms that the O.T. prophets wrote God's messages. He puts himself and other apostles in the same category because they also proclaim God's truth. He encouraged the believers to Vs.19, "pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts." What does this mean?

            It has present and future implications—first, for the current times. We need the light of God's word to navigate our lives in this world without stumbling and falling. King David recognized God's word as a lamp unto his feet and a light unto his path. As we hold on to the scriptures, they brighten our path to help us to do the right thing and avoid the wrong.

            In Psalm 27, King David acknowledged, "The Lord is my light." What does light do? It expels the darkness, and it gives life. That's what precisely the Word of God does to a believer. It keeps us from sinning and leads us to the only one with the words of eternal life.

The future implication of "Until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts." Christ is the Morning Star and will shine in full glory when He returns. Until then, we have the Spirit-breathed Scriptures to guide us. What is the role of Scripture in the life of a believer? II Timothy 3:16-17, "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work." For this very reason, we must pay close attention to Scripture.

We encourage all believers at Hope Church to read the Bible daily. Reading the Bible is not an academic exercise but an encounter with Jesus. C.S Lewis notes, "It is Christ himself, not the Bible, who is the true word of God. The Bible read in the right spirit and with the guidance of good teachers will bring us to him." Read God's word and Grow Up spiritually. 

           

 

 

 

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[1] The Southeast Outlook (11-22-01); researchers interviewed 1,004 adults chosen to reflect the U.S.'s regional and ethnic makeup, https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2002/february/13530.html

[2] https://www.christianheadlines.com/blog/40-percent-of-evangelicals-rarely-or-never-go-to-church-study.html

LIVING WELL

                                                                    LIVING WELL

            Today is the first day of the New Year 2023. Thank God we are alive and are given a fresh start for what purpose? How do we approach the New Year? What old and unhealthy habits are we going to give up, and what new and healthy habits are we going to cultivate?

"Betty Maxfield, who survived the 9/11 tragedy at the Pentagon, said, "I should've been dead. I was, for some reason, saved. My question now is, what am I supposed to do with it? I just can't go waste it. I thought I was living my life well before, but obviously, there's more that I can do to say thank you for my life and a second chance at it."[1] How are we living our lives?

A Tibetan Proverb gives us a secret to Living Well. "The secret to living well and long is: Eat half, walk double, laugh triple, and love without measure." It sounds very Biblical to me. My prayer for Hope Church six years ago was, "Oh, Lord, please restore true worship. Give us an undivided heart and a willing spirit. Restore our vision so that we might serve you and glorify your name."  I hope we see the fruit of that prayer and will see more fruit in the future.

Today we will explore the prayer or song of Moses in Psalm 90 to discover some principles of a well-lived and lasting life. The heading "A prayer of Moses the man of God, attributes to Moses as the writer. Moses has been referred to as the man of God three times and the servant of God one time. (Duet 33:1, Joshua 14:6, Ezra 3:2, Rev 15:3). The time frame of this Psalm might have been around the deaths of Aaron and Miriam (Num 20).

A brief overview of the Psalm: Vs. 1-2, Finding our home in God and His eternal origin. Vs. 3. God's judgment. Vs. 4-6, God's and our perception of time. Vs. 7-8, God's wrath and punishment for our sins. Vs. 9-11the brevity of life. Vs. 12 Praying for Wisdom. 13-17. Praying for mercy and blessing. Let's glean some principles that might help us live well.

I. Living Well involves a renewed vision of God being our home. (Vs. 1-2)

Vs. 1-2, "Lord, through all the generations, you have been our home! Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God." First and foremost, we should have a renewed vision of God's splendor and majesty to live well. Which in turn allows us to live in humility and produces a fear of God.

The biggest problem of our generation is that there is no fear of God among people, particularly young people. They live like little gods, thinking they are the universe's center. Earlier generations had such a heavenly vision of God and His mighty power and were amazed.

This Psalm was written during the wilderness, where nearly 600 million people were displaced in one way, not having a home to live in, and were on their way to the promised land. During those forty years of wilderness, God has been their" home, protecting them, sheltering them from vices of their enemies and other natural calamities."

Moses rightly began this Psalm addressing God, Lord, in Hebrew Adonai means the Sovereign Lord. We must see God as sovereign over all things and all people. There is no one equal to Him. God was in the beginning. He is God today and will continue to be God forever.

We must also see Him as our home, refuge, dwelling place, or shelter. He is the strong tower; we can run to Him and be loved, comforted, and protected by Him. The God of Moses and the God of Israel came to the earth and made His Home among us in Jesus. That Jesus promised those who believe in Him the right to become the children of God.

A beautiful thing that happens to anyone who believes in Jesus is that God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit will come and make their home in their hearts. In that sense, no believer on earth is homeless. We have our home in Him. A home is where we rest; we can be ourselves, where love and happiness dominate. Living well begins by cultivating a relationship with God.

II. Living Well requires a fresh outlook on God's mighty power at work.

            Vs. 3-4, "You turn people back to dust, saying, "Return to dust, you mortals!" For you, a thousand years are as a passing day, as brief as a few night hours. You sweep people away like dreams that disappear. They are like grass that springs up in the morning. In the morning, it blooms and flourishes, but by evening it is dry and withered."

            Moses and the Israelites saw firsthand how God dealt with the arrogant Pharoah and his mighty Egyptian Army. God swept them away in the waters of the red sea. Upon seeing God's mighty power, Israelites were amazed and put their faith in God and His servant Moses.

            That amazement did not last long; people quickly lost sight of God's incredible power and His mighty acts of deliverance after the deaths of Moses and Joshua. Judges 2:3, "After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the Lord or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel. What caused such deterioration among God's people?

            What happened then is currently happening in our midst, especially in the western world. In the '80s, several of us got saved at the tail end of a mighty worldwide revival of God. We hungered and thirsted for God's word. We put our faith in God and seldom question Him.

            Forty years later, several young people who grew up in Christians homes do not share the same faith or values as their parents. Many are deconstructing their faith. They question the very fundamental doctrines of Christianity. What has gone wrong? Have Christian parents forgotten to pass on their devotion to their children? Or is the devil deceiving them?

Or are we living in the last days? Matthew 24:12 says, "Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold." I see all these happening in the western world in particular. How can we reverse this rapid deterioration of the Christian faith and save our generation? It is by renewing our vision of God, joining Him in the end-time harvesting.

III. Living well requires praying to God for wisdom.

Vs. 12. "Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom." Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." (NIV). When Moses considered the brevity of life when he said, "Seventy years are given to us. Some even live to eighty, But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon, they disappear, and we fly away."

Moses did not say seventy or eighty years as either a promise or a limit but as a poetic estimate of a lifespan. We have seventy-plus among us. They are still vital and actively serving God. Moses himself went on to live for 120 years. The emphasis is not on the length but on the futility of life. Considering life's shortness and sorrows, how are we to live?

We pray to God to teach us to number our days so that we grow wise in heart and mind. In other words, to live in the awareness that our life might end at any time. Therefore as long as we have breath in our mortal bodies, we want to make the most of our time.

 The Apostle Paul's New Year's message to the Ephesians may have been "to make the most of every opportunity in these evil days." Ephesians 5:16. Make the most of every opportunity literally means "redeem the time." We are all given an equal amount of time each day. How we use it determines its value. When we redeem the time for Christ, we value it most.

Here is how we can practically redeem our time. Psalm 90:14 says, "Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives." If you want to have a productive and fruitful day by the end of each day, do you want to sleep in peace?

Begin your day in prayer and reading God's word; live in the awareness of God's love for the rest of the day. Cultivate a healthy habit of reading the Bible daily for the next 365 Days. Living well begins by taking God as our refuge, having a renewed focus on His mighty power, and asking God for wisdom. May God help us as we make Living Well our goal in 2023. 

 

 

 

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[1] Source: Brianna B. Piec, "Pentagon Survivor," Chicago Tribune (3-22-02)