February 13, 2011
According to Oswald Sanders, “Prayer is the most ancient, most universal, and most intensive expression of the religious instinct”. (Spiritual Leadership, p. 85).
Just like holiness, prayer is innate in those who are born-again children of God.
While most of our human instincts are to be curbed and Spirit-controlled, the instinct to be holy and pray must not be stifled. We must act on these spiritual instincts and work these into our daily lives until they become who we are.
To be the church we are to be, we must pray. Prayer is life to the church as oxygen is to the body.
Yet the department of prayer is often overlooked in the church life because it is not a visible ministry. Prayer is a ‘behind-the-closet’ ministry that is often unnoticed and without glamour. However, the effect of this neglect is often costly.
In prayer, we tap on a Resource that is full of wisdom. When we pray, we seek a higher Power to navigate through the stages of church growth and challenges. Most importantly, we declare our dependence on the Creator and Architect of the church. God is the orchestrator of church formation and He alone provides the blueprint and roadmap of His body. Surely then the community of God can ill afford not to pray.
I am convinced that the power of God is unleashed when His church bends its knees and humbles itself in prayer. It is a discipline that we as a church must master.
May God arise and His enemies be scattered through the church that prays.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Pray and don't Give up
February 11, 2011
Read Luke 18:1-8
Luke 18:7-8
And 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. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
The Israelites suffered many hardships under different empires, including the Romans. They knew injustice firsthand. It was the hope of the Messiah who would deliver them that kept the nation going. They longed for the day when the Saviour would free them. They had been oppressed and mistreated, longing for the day when the Messiah would come and liberate them from these barbaric rulers.
Finally God’s justice came. It came in Jesus. Their liberation would be obtained through the crucifixion of their Mighty Saviour and not through violent uprising. It would come in their acknowledging Jesus and His sacrificial way of salvation. But would these same Jews who longed for justice be able to embrace the entire message of God’s justice. That was the challenge Jesus posed to his hearers.
Prayers come in many forms. A sigh, a tear, a clench of fist, an outraged cry at our predicament – all these are recognisable outcries of our hearts when language fails us. Prayer comes quickly and frequently when we feel that we are unjustly treated and a desperate cry to God to set things right and fair.
When we feel that we have been taken advantage of, our natural reaction is to hit back. Retaliation is never a godly response. We may be tempted to take things into our own hands and orchestrate events so as to get justice. But the process and response is as important to God as the outcome. God’s way is Jesus’ way. In Jesus, love and justice meets. Jesus way is the faith way. If we follow His way, we will be marked as those who follow THE way.
Faith in the face of injustice is seen in our conviction that God is a fair judge and he shows no favouritism. The anchor of justice is truth based on God’s revelation and character. God will not deny justice to us. Faith in God means to trust in His timing and His way.
Choose the way of love and choose to wait for His perfect way. He promises to vindicate us and He promises not to turn a blind eye to our plight nor turn a deaf ear to our cries. Do we trust Him enough to suffer through and pray till justice comes? That is the godly way.
Read Luke 18:1-8
Luke 18:7-8
And 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. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
The Israelites suffered many hardships under different empires, including the Romans. They knew injustice firsthand. It was the hope of the Messiah who would deliver them that kept the nation going. They longed for the day when the Saviour would free them. They had been oppressed and mistreated, longing for the day when the Messiah would come and liberate them from these barbaric rulers.
Finally God’s justice came. It came in Jesus. Their liberation would be obtained through the crucifixion of their Mighty Saviour and not through violent uprising. It would come in their acknowledging Jesus and His sacrificial way of salvation. But would these same Jews who longed for justice be able to embrace the entire message of God’s justice. That was the challenge Jesus posed to his hearers.
Prayers come in many forms. A sigh, a tear, a clench of fist, an outraged cry at our predicament – all these are recognisable outcries of our hearts when language fails us. Prayer comes quickly and frequently when we feel that we are unjustly treated and a desperate cry to God to set things right and fair.
When we feel that we have been taken advantage of, our natural reaction is to hit back. Retaliation is never a godly response. We may be tempted to take things into our own hands and orchestrate events so as to get justice. But the process and response is as important to God as the outcome. God’s way is Jesus’ way. In Jesus, love and justice meets. Jesus way is the faith way. If we follow His way, we will be marked as those who follow THE way.
Faith in the face of injustice is seen in our conviction that God is a fair judge and he shows no favouritism. The anchor of justice is truth based on God’s revelation and character. God will not deny justice to us. Faith in God means to trust in His timing and His way.
Choose the way of love and choose to wait for His perfect way. He promises to vindicate us and He promises not to turn a blind eye to our plight nor turn a deaf ear to our cries. Do we trust Him enough to suffer through and pray till justice comes? That is the godly way.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Attitude of Thanksgiving
February 9, 2011
Read Luke 17:11-19
Luke 17:17-18
Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?”
Lepers are considered unclean and therefore live in communities of their own. They have to first go to the temple and secure a certification that they are healed before they are allowed to live a normal life.
Ten were cured but only one returned to give praise. Why? Jesus was already marked as a ‘wanted’ man by the Jewish religious leaders. Perhaps the nine lepers did not want to risk their chance of being able to live normal lives by associating with him? Perhaps overjoyed by their being made whole, they had run home straight to their loved ones. Whatever the case, only one came back to Jesus.
Giving thanks and acknowledging God’s role and goodness is part of our calling as disciples. Giving God credit should be a Christian habit. It is an attitude of dependence on God. By being disciplined in thanksgiving, we remember that all that we have, all that we are, that that have happened and not happened – every moment, every sphere of our living; in everything – God has watched over us. That He is the Master and Lord of our lives.
The Bible exhorts us to develop this attitude, to “pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (I Thess 5:17-18)
One of the best ways to cultivate this discipline is to list all the blessings every day before you go to bed. Then thank Him for all these.
So go ahead and count your blessings; you will be amazed at what God has done.
Read Luke 17:11-19
Luke 17:17-18
Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?”
Lepers are considered unclean and therefore live in communities of their own. They have to first go to the temple and secure a certification that they are healed before they are allowed to live a normal life.
Ten were cured but only one returned to give praise. Why? Jesus was already marked as a ‘wanted’ man by the Jewish religious leaders. Perhaps the nine lepers did not want to risk their chance of being able to live normal lives by associating with him? Perhaps overjoyed by their being made whole, they had run home straight to their loved ones. Whatever the case, only one came back to Jesus.
Giving thanks and acknowledging God’s role and goodness is part of our calling as disciples. Giving God credit should be a Christian habit. It is an attitude of dependence on God. By being disciplined in thanksgiving, we remember that all that we have, all that we are, that that have happened and not happened – every moment, every sphere of our living; in everything – God has watched over us. That He is the Master and Lord of our lives.
The Bible exhorts us to develop this attitude, to “pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (I Thess 5:17-18)
One of the best ways to cultivate this discipline is to list all the blessings every day before you go to bed. Then thank Him for all these.
So go ahead and count your blessings; you will be amazed at what God has done.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
New look at Forgiveness
February 8, 2011
Read Luke 17:1-10
Luke 17:9
Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do?
Forgiveness is hard in real life - more so if the same person continuously sin against you after you have forgiven him.
Jesus' command to conflicts is that we rebuke the person for the wronged done against us. And if he says sorry, we are to forgive. Never mind that he goes out again and does the same thing again - each time we are to confront him and if he apologizes - forgive him!
Assume that the person who wrongs us apologizes the first time, we forgive. Second time? On the same day? Probably the same thing? You go up to him and he says sorry again - you probably would have reminded him of his first wrong and secures a 'I will never do that again' promise. You turn your back and then he stabs you again - forgive him? Okay - as the gracious one, you decide to forget it again. Then the fourth time, the fifth time, the sixth time and then seventh time? Is it even humanly possible - to forgive and not hold it against this brother? Maybe by now, you would have turned around and ask the big question, "what brother?" You begin to wonder if he is even born again! Trust and faith is gone.
You may even begin to entertain thoughts like, 'i am better than him - i am acting more like a Christian than this guy!"
Ah - all your thoughts and focus are on this relationship between your sinful brother and you - and all human understanding tells you "He should be thankful that i forgive him!" or even "God, you should be proud of me - that i forgive that scumbag!"
Some of us may already be in that mode of thinking by the second time we confront the prodigal brother.
To their request for greater faith, Jesus gives an example of a slave and master relationship - what kind of an answer is that?
It all fits because the disciples were focusing on the brother that needed forgiveness. Definitely greater faith is needed for us to wipe out our memory of the sin done against us and forgive the same person 7 times in a row?!
Jesus says that is a wrong request because we are focusing on the wrong thing.
Jesus says, "Instead focus on my relationship with you. You are forgiven by God. You are now in this relationship with the Master. Should the master thank you, the slave for obeying His command to forgive?" (paraphrase from the passage)
No. Forgive simply because you belong to God. He is your Master.
Forgiveness is dependent on my relationship with God, not based on the relationship between me and the brother.
Try refocusing on your forgiven slave position in front of God next time someone takes advantage of you.
Read Luke 17:1-10
Luke 17:9
Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do?
Forgiveness is hard in real life - more so if the same person continuously sin against you after you have forgiven him.
Jesus' command to conflicts is that we rebuke the person for the wronged done against us. And if he says sorry, we are to forgive. Never mind that he goes out again and does the same thing again - each time we are to confront him and if he apologizes - forgive him!
Assume that the person who wrongs us apologizes the first time, we forgive. Second time? On the same day? Probably the same thing? You go up to him and he says sorry again - you probably would have reminded him of his first wrong and secures a 'I will never do that again' promise. You turn your back and then he stabs you again - forgive him? Okay - as the gracious one, you decide to forget it again. Then the fourth time, the fifth time, the sixth time and then seventh time? Is it even humanly possible - to forgive and not hold it against this brother? Maybe by now, you would have turned around and ask the big question, "what brother?" You begin to wonder if he is even born again! Trust and faith is gone.
You may even begin to entertain thoughts like, 'i am better than him - i am acting more like a Christian than this guy!"
Ah - all your thoughts and focus are on this relationship between your sinful brother and you - and all human understanding tells you "He should be thankful that i forgive him!" or even "God, you should be proud of me - that i forgive that scumbag!"
Some of us may already be in that mode of thinking by the second time we confront the prodigal brother.
To their request for greater faith, Jesus gives an example of a slave and master relationship - what kind of an answer is that?
It all fits because the disciples were focusing on the brother that needed forgiveness. Definitely greater faith is needed for us to wipe out our memory of the sin done against us and forgive the same person 7 times in a row?!
Jesus says that is a wrong request because we are focusing on the wrong thing.
Jesus says, "Instead focus on my relationship with you. You are forgiven by God. You are now in this relationship with the Master. Should the master thank you, the slave for obeying His command to forgive?" (paraphrase from the passage)
No. Forgive simply because you belong to God. He is your Master.
Forgiveness is dependent on my relationship with God, not based on the relationship between me and the brother.
Try refocusing on your forgiven slave position in front of God next time someone takes advantage of you.
Monday, February 7, 2011
True Riches
February 7, 2011
Read Luke 16:10-18
Luke 16:11-12
So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?
This entire passage is about faithfulness. Faithfulness in the way we handle money (v 10-13), faithfulness in following God’s law (v14-17) and faithfulness in marriage (v18).
It is not wrong to have money or own possessions. Faithfulness in finance means to use it to fulfil the Great Commandment: to not allow it to rob God’s place and to use it to bless my neighbours.
Faithfulness in money is not measured by how much we earn but how are we spending it. The way we dispense of our money is the sign of our faithfulness to this trust that God has given us.
The Pharisees during Jesus’ time understood the possession of land as a sign of God’s blessing since many of God’s covenantal agreement include the gift of land. Thus many of them acquired land to make them look like God’s favour was resting on them. That was totally unacceptable! The Pharisees and the chief chiefs were the minority rich in a land of poor peasants’ majority. Their problem was their failure to use their resources to help the poor which was clearly commanded in Scriptures.
Marriage was mentioned here as part of the teaching on faithfulness because many were downplaying its importance during Jesus’ time. So we see it happening today. All relationships are trust given to us and we must stay true to our family and friends, even more so between spouses.
What the world says is ours are actually borrowed. We do not own anything. One of the real tests of faithfulness is the way we treat things that are not ours. Only then can we be given ‘true riches’.
What is ‘true riches’ – this passage does not say. That which we hold dearest and have it – that would be authentic wealth to me, I guess. And if Jesus is whom I long for and desire, then perhaps my true riches would refer to possessing Christ?
Read Luke 16:10-18
Luke 16:11-12
So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?
This entire passage is about faithfulness. Faithfulness in the way we handle money (v 10-13), faithfulness in following God’s law (v14-17) and faithfulness in marriage (v18).
It is not wrong to have money or own possessions. Faithfulness in finance means to use it to fulfil the Great Commandment: to not allow it to rob God’s place and to use it to bless my neighbours.
Faithfulness in money is not measured by how much we earn but how are we spending it. The way we dispense of our money is the sign of our faithfulness to this trust that God has given us.
The Pharisees during Jesus’ time understood the possession of land as a sign of God’s blessing since many of God’s covenantal agreement include the gift of land. Thus many of them acquired land to make them look like God’s favour was resting on them. That was totally unacceptable! The Pharisees and the chief chiefs were the minority rich in a land of poor peasants’ majority. Their problem was their failure to use their resources to help the poor which was clearly commanded in Scriptures.
Marriage was mentioned here as part of the teaching on faithfulness because many were downplaying its importance during Jesus’ time. So we see it happening today. All relationships are trust given to us and we must stay true to our family and friends, even more so between spouses.
What the world says is ours are actually borrowed. We do not own anything. One of the real tests of faithfulness is the way we treat things that are not ours. Only then can we be given ‘true riches’.
What is ‘true riches’ – this passage does not say. That which we hold dearest and have it – that would be authentic wealth to me, I guess. And if Jesus is whom I long for and desire, then perhaps my true riches would refer to possessing Christ?
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