GRACE BLOGS COLLECTION
Someone has said that prayer is the most talked about and least practiced activity of the Church. Why do we have such a hard time with it? It is usually a last resort activity. We use it only when all else has failed. It is not uncommon to have someone announce with urgency, "we need to pray" and we all wonder: “Has it come to this?
The societal diagnosticians remind us often that we are a society full of angst, anxiety, frustration, anger, and panic. We spend billions of dollars and hours of time trying to alleviate these. Sometimes, trying to manage our anxiety becomes our full-time job. Our search for a modicum of personal peace defines our very existence. God gave us his solution through a man who had multiple obstacles in his life and every reason to fret. The apostle Paul offers:
Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7 NRSV.)
Maybe our angst is not a sign of the troubled times we are in, but a sign of our neglect of prayer.
Jared Wilson in his book, The Gospel-Driven Church, says "prayer is expressed helplessness. When we are not engaged in prayer, it is because we feel like 'we got this.' The extent to which you are not engaged in prayer is the extent to which you are relying on your own strength." I think he is right and it exposes my own presumption.
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But I think there is more going on as well. I'm not sure we know how prayer fits into our purpose and how it works in our relationship with God.
As preposterous as it sounds, we are God's partners in God's earthly work. He has chosen to work through humans to accomplish his purpose on earth. Adam and Eve were assigned to such a task for the whole race. This gives us a clue to understanding why we are incurable "fixers." We are attracted to problems and projects that need to be developed, fixed, or eliminated. However, we tend to forget that we are to do it as partners with God rather than as independent agents. We even despise those who appear to be always praying and never using their own minds to think and hands to work. We try to not to bother God with stuff we can handle -- and sadly, we think we can handle it all.
We don't like desperation, so we run from it. We enjoy being in control. But, we should not be surprised that God confronts us with problems too big for us. He does not want us living boring lives. We were designed and are redeemed to participate in bringing the supernatural kingdom of God to expression on earth. We are not made to be satisfied with accomplishing only what humans can do alone. We are agents of the heavenly realm. We crave supernaturality (new word? Why not?).
The life that we share in our relationship with God through faith in Jesus is energized by the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead. We expect to confront issues that require intervention from the supernatural. This perspective anticipates desperation. We are called to do that which can only be done in partnership with God. Our part always starts with prayer. It is our first response, not our last resort.
As we take our posts as citizens of both the kingdom of God and the land in which we live, we discover that there are issues that we just can't control. For instance, we can't change people by our own strength. But we are not limited to our own strength. If we are willing to partner with God we can see people change as he desires.
It is our time to get involved. There are multiple opportunities for divine intervention. We have a part. Yes. It has come to this.
Someone has said that prayer is the most talked about and least practiced activity of the Church. Why do we have such a hard time with it? It is usually a last resort activity. We use it only when all else has failed. It is not uncommon to have someone announce with urgency, "we need to pray" and we all wonder: “Has it come to this?
The societal diagnosticians remind us often that we are a society full of angst, anxiety, frustration, anger, and panic. We spend billions of dollars and hours of time trying to alleviate these. Sometimes, trying to manage our anxiety becomes our full-time job. Our search for a modicum of personal peace defines our very existence. God gave us his solution through a man who had multiple obstacles in his life and every reason to fret. The apostle Paul offers:
Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7 NRSV.)
Maybe our angst is not a sign of the troubled times we are in, but a sign of our neglect of prayer.
Jared Wilson in his book, The Gospel-Driven Church, says "prayer is expressed helplessness. When we are not engaged in prayer, it is because we feel like 'we got this.' The extent to which you are not engaged in prayer is the extent to which you are relying on your own strength." I think he is right and it exposes my own presumption.
Help us champion truth, freedom, limited government and human dignity. Support The Stream >>
But I think there is more going on as well. I'm not sure we know how prayer fits into our purpose and how it works in our relationship with God.
As preposterous as it sounds, we are God's partners in God's earthly work. He has chosen to work through humans to accomplish his purpose on earth. Adam and Eve were assigned to such a task for the whole race. This gives us a clue to understanding why we are incurable "fixers." We are attracted to problems and projects that need to be developed, fixed, or eliminated. However, we tend to forget that we are to do it as partners with God rather than as independent agents. We even despise those who appear to be always praying and never using their own minds to think and hands to work. We try to not to bother God with stuff we can handle -- and sadly, we think we can handle it all.
We don't like desperation, so we run from it. We enjoy being in control. But, we should not be surprised that God confronts us with problems too big for us. He does not want us living boring lives. We were designed and are redeemed to participate in bringing the supernatural kingdom of God to expression on earth. We are not made to be satisfied with accomplishing only what humans can do alone. We are agents of the heavenly realm. We crave supernaturality (new word? Why not?).
The life that we share in our relationship with God through faith in Jesus is energized by the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead. We expect to confront issues that require intervention from the supernatural. This perspective anticipates desperation. We are called to do that which can only be done in partnership with God. Our part always starts with prayer. It is our first response, not our last resort.
As we take our posts as citizens of both the kingdom of God and the land in which we live, we discover that there are issues that we just can't control. For instance, we can't change people by our own strength. But we are not limited to our own strength. If we are willing to partner with God we can see people change as he desires.
It is our time to get involved. There are multiple opportunities for divine intervention. We have a part. Yes. It has come to this.
The post Has It Come to This? appeared first on The Stream.
I went to my doctor yesterday for several bouts of sudden blurred vision within the past 7 weeks. I don’t know what’s going on, but there is one thing I do know – the devil has zero authority in my life. As a result of believing this truth and meditating on it often, when my […]
The post Satan Has Been Disarmed and Humiliated appeared first on Sandra McCollom.
Matthew 6:33 has been my favorite Bible verse for as long as I can remember; the only problem was, I was reading it wrong for most of my life. Here it is: But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (NASB) I interpreted the verse like […]
The post Established in Righteousness appeared first on Sandra McCollom.
Several years ago, I was visiting the Republic of Congo in Africa as a part of an effort to acquire telephone service for the country. (This was long before cell phone technology was as sophisticated as today). While staying in a hotel in Kinshasa I met a businessman who had been trying to get in touch with his company in the U.S. for two weeks, but was unable to get a call through. He felt isolated, and incapable of doing his job. His days were spent in frustration.
I have felt that way myself as a partner with God on earth. I theoretically know that in the great salvation He has given, I am restored to mankind's role as God's partners on earth. I conceptually know that He is always present. But often, I practically forget that I am never cut off and isolated. That I have not been sent to do a job with no phone contact.
I find myself burdened over problems that beset me and obstacles that block my path. I too begin to feel inadequate and unqualified to work with him. Frustrated, I spend too much energy trying to find a solution on my own.
When I finally cry out for help, He reminds me that I am not alone. That He knows all about the situation I'm in and that He is both capable and willing to get involved with a solution He has already thought of. What a relief! I then marvel that it took so long for me to remember the truth.
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In the delusion of isolation, life is joyless and frightening. Why not begin every day with a meeting with my Father and boss? After all, this is His business. I was made a partner because He wanted me to enjoy working with him. It could be a short or long meeting, but the purpose is always to lay before Him our problems and hear His strategy.
Casting all your anxieties on him because he cares for you. -- I Peter 5:7
He reminds me that if it’s big enough to cause anxiety in me, it’s enough to cast on him.
I have found that it is ok to ask direct and personal questions. I don't usually doubt that He is incapable of handling the big problems. I mostly doubt that He cares to address the little ones. I mistakenly think I can handle those myself. Then they begin to gnaw away at my sense of peace and drain my joy. He reminds me that if it’s big enough to cause anxiety in me, it’s enough to cast on Him. He delights to show His strength in our behalf.
Feeling alone? Schedule a meeting. Now.
William Booth, founder of The Salvation Army, once sent a letter to all of his officers. When they opened it, it simply said others. Below is a short video clip from this past weekend when I spoke at the Secrets of the Heart event held at The Salvation Army’s beautiful 800 acre property in Bourbon, […]
The post The Salvation Army’s Motto – Others! appeared first on Sandra McCollom.
In one of his many interviews, I heard Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott echo something many elite athletes convey when asked about coolness in the face of pressure situations. The quote may not be exact, but it's close: "I don't feel pressure because I believe I am fully prepared. It is lack of preparation that creates anxiety."
I think they are on to something. I wonder if that is why so many of us are nervous about managing our own lives now and in the future. The unexpected troubles of life offer an opportunity to yield to fear. Fear is an awful kind of paralysis. It forces us to live in reaction mode rather than as responsible managers.
The apostle Paul gave some great encouragement to young Timothy who had responsibility to care for people who were new Christians. He would be managing them regarding the most important aspect of their lives. It is a heavy responsibility.
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
-- 2 Timothy 3:14-17 (ESV)
Some have wrongly concluded that the good work Paul mentions only applies to church work. That would contradict what he has consistently taught about all Christians being called to represent Christ in all kinds of work. We can all take his words to heart. We can be fully prepared to do whatever is right in any situation.
The question then is: how can we prepare to be fully prepared?
The place of the Scriptures is vital to such preparation. Timothy had been blessed to be introduced to the sacred writings of the Old Testament when he was young. Paul had furthered his preparation by showing him that the inspired writings were given to lead the readers to faith in Christ.
To be an expert on biblical knowledge while missing Him is to fail to be prepared for managing life.
The Bible is a unique book. It is a record of God's word and deeds from creation to re-creation. It is the story of God's love being revealed in creation. It specifically reveals the dignity God gave humans. It describes the sin of the first pair and its consequences. It shows how man's sin could not prevent God's purpose from being accomplished. It gives specific laws that govern His creation. It reflects the struggles humans have trying to fulfill their calling as image-bearers.
There are great stories, useful principles, clear instructions and adequate warnings, but all of them point to the final man who came to fulfill all the hopes of all people for all time. He alone is the full and final Word of God. Knowing Him is the designed end of all the writings.
To be an expert on biblical knowledge while missing Him is to fail to be prepared for managing life.
In our secularized culture, belief in biblical authority is mocked. There was a time when someone like Billy Graham could say, "The Bible says..." and it would carry weight. Eyes roll and heads shake if that is tried in the public square today. So how do we find the right perspective on the Scriptures? The main trouble is that, on the whole, neither the mockers nor the believers have read the Scriptures much.
The mockers promote the idea that the Bible is full of errors, yet they don't cite those errors with any kind of consistency. They claim that it is a book written by men and can't be considered divine, without any explanation of the millions of lives that have been transformed for the good through faith in the Jesus that the Scriptures reveal. They are either ignorant of its unique place in world literature or they regard that as evidence of primitive ignorance of those who had nothing better.
It is time for those who claim to have confidence in the Scriptures to make reading the Bible a priority.
Too many believers have either relied on clerical experts to read the Scriptures for them, or have cherry-picked some texts to prove their own cherished beliefs, or have embraced their culture that used the values presented in Scriptures to enhance the common lifestyle. They don't regularly read the texts with a heart to encounter the living Word that it presents.
The foundation of Christian faith starts with belief in a personal creator God who is sovereign, loving, all-knowing and purposeful. It continues with the belief that God has spoken.
Since He has chosen to reveal his thoughts, we are eager to know them. We find them in His creation, in our own conscience, in the inspired record of history and finally in Jesus, the Son of God who became a man. If we ignore the Scriptures, we limit our search to human explanations of creation and personal opinions about God's nature and purpose. That leads to being ill-prepared for living a meaningful life.
When the pressure comes, it is too late to prepare. It is time for those who claim to have confidence in the Scriptures to make reading the Bible a priority. With a humble heart, we will hear the voice of God through His divinely inspired texts.
Whoa, this concept just hit me. Like, literally just about 30 minutes ago. I started typing as rapidly as possible! When we share the gospel with people, but present it as a works based religion (not the real gospel), it may look like we are encouraging spiritual maturity, but what we are actually creating are […]
The post There’s No Bad News In The Good News appeared first on Sandra McCollom.