Proverbs 16:24 (NIV) - 24 Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
Generally, when I think of wisdom, I think of the sayings found in the book of Proverbs. Today's verse is one of those sayings that can have a profound influence upon the way we communicate with others.
Yesterday, we mentioned that anger creates damage to our well-being. The hope we find today is in how gracious words can restore health. Gracious words are delightful or pleasant. A simple "Good morning" is more powerful than not speaking at all.
Chick-fil-A employees are trained on this thought. When thanked, they respond, "It's my pleasure." I never tire of hearing this response, and hence, I continue to return for the great customer care I receive (plus, the great food...).
The sweet savoring words of one person adds breath to another. What would happen to your employees if you intentionally added gracious words to your vocabulary? How would they respond? What about your spouse, your children, your friends, your employer, and on and on? Your words could impact your environment and impact their environment which could spark a chain reaction of goodness...
Healing takes place in the comfort of one's home but not if one's world has been rocked by the venomous words of others. Leader's have the best opportunity to create an environment that supports healing through the use of words that build people up rather than tear them down.
Do not get me wrong. I am not calling for a place of fake accolades or where thoughts cannot be challenged. I am talking about a change in how a leader begins to engage others in hopes of developing kinder and more open dialogue.
Note the preceding verse:
23 The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent, and their lips promote instruction.
One becomes more persuasive (not manipulative) when wisdom rules their tongue. How can you implement gracious words into your vocabulary? What do you think about this thought?
Ecclesiastes 7:9 (NIV) -
Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.
Leaders can be quite emotional. Some rely on the emotion of anger in order to get their will to be done or to have their orders followed. Anger in and of itself is a human response to outside forces that they want removed from a situation. Psycholigy Today says:
Anger is a corrosive emotion that can run off with your mental and physical health. So do you hold it in? Or do you let it all out? Anger doesn't dissipate just because you unleash it. Some insight into why we have it and how it works can help you better manage this raw emotion before it causes self-harm or erupts into hostile, aggressive, or perhaps even violent behavior toward others.
Anger is corrosive! Anger is unhealthy!
Just like our verse for today says "anger resides in the lap of fools." The lap is the bosom or heart. Anger rests there tearing away your very being - your physical and mental being. Left there long enough, anger controls you and becomes you. But there is hope.
As leaders in our work spaces, homes, and communities, we can turn to the advice God gives us through James about anger:
James 1:19 - My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger..
1 - Quick to listen - This tells others you care about what they are saying, and it also slows you down long enough to take a full assessment of a situation. Listening requires you to stop thinking about what needs to be said next and allows you to fully engage the person talking.
2 - Slow to speak - Choosing words carefully can keep situations from escalating and move you from being seen as an angry leader into being seen as an influencing leader. Slow to speak means you can take a moment to think before talking (this is okay!). This may also surprise people when you start thinking before blurting out the first thought that comes to mind.
3 - Slow to anger - Without the first two, you will have a difficult time with this one. But you can do it. Remember, anger is an emotion and you should control it. Count to ten...take three deep breathes...stand up and get your blood flowing....talk to someone....take a time out. Start practicing these and see what works best for you. Your health is at stake!
If anger has set its claws into your lap, you can loosen its grip. Get a leadership coach to help you along the way. What first step can you begin to practice today?
Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV) - 7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
This verse is fairly familiar to those who have been in and around those who read the Bible. It is a powerful illustration of God's desire to bring joy to our lives by helping us live up to our greatest potential.
But what do ask, seek, and knock mean for those who trust God?
I did a bit of research into the word origins and wanted to share a quick thought:
To Ask: When asking God, the word itself is simple enough - just ask. But when you look deeper at the word it also can mean to beg, to call for, to crave, to desire...It's more than just asking. So many people ask without a deeper desire to connect with God in the ask. Asking for anything on a whim will never get us closer to the God who answers.
Asking anything of God is not like asking mom for a quarter to put into the vending machine. Asking God is learning to connect with God, to find out how He desires to bless us, and then asking for His blessings. Simply asking is okay but if you ask without hope or belief, what are you really asking?
To Seek: Seeking is seeking but the deeper thought here is also an act of worship. It means to endeavor, to enquire (because enquiring minds want to...you know), or to be about. What are you seeking to become? What is your truest goal for life, for your finances, for your leadership, for your walk with God?
Seeking is more than looking for your car keys when you misplace them, though I have quoted this verse over and over when I have...Seeking is endeavoring to have a deeper knowledge of God through our interactions with Him, and in this search we find our paths align with His blessing and we find.
To Knock: To knock is to take one's hand and hit the object (usually a door) we have in front of us until we get the attention of the one on the other side. Simply put it is rapping (not musically) our knuckles against a solid object.
I think many people get stuck here. In fact, some will knock and walk away without an answer. Others will knock, knock louder, and then start pounding in hopes of gaining entry. The idea that many fail to see is that God opens to those who have truly come to the door to gain entry through Him and not of their own volition. God wants to get the credit because He is the one who opened the door. Too many doors have been opened for people who have turned around to said, "See what I just did." How many doors has God opened for you, and you did not give Him credit? How many doors have you walked away from because God did not answer in your timing or to your liking?
When you ask, seek, and knock this week, I hope this come to mind. How will you approach these opportunities today?
I wonder why John’s disciples approached Jesus with this question about fasting. Maybe they had not heard John’s proclamation about Jesus. Maybe they were curious. Could they have been jealous?
I find it odd that John’s disciples included themselves with the Pharisees. They were using the Pharisees as a measure of their Jewish faith. Fasting was a very important ritual among the Jews, and John’s disciples must have been paying close attention the disciples of Christ. Maybe they were measuring Him up to see if He was worthy of being followed. Regardless of the motive Jesus answers them.
The response of Jesus is very interesting. In verse 15, Jesus seems to equate fasting with mourning. What I hear Him saying is people do not mourn for a bridegroom; they celebrate with big feasts. Jesus represents all the joy and the peace of heaven. In His presence, there is not any reason to be sad or to mourn. He is hope.
The time for fasting is while we anticipate being with Christ in eternity. Why? Remembrance. Fasting reminds us of the perseverance required to get through this life. It also pushes us to show how “little is much when God is in it.” Denying ourselves helps us refocus our time spent here on earth and how we should be serving God.
The interesting part of the response from Jesus occurs in verses 16 and 17. I was puzzled at first and then I read something in Matthew Henry’s Commentary that provided a better understanding of the word I was missing – the word “new”.
Jesus came to give us a new life with standards that will not fit into old religious views. He was not replacing faith or belief or conviction. He was restoring it to the purity it must possess to be worthwhile.
There are times for fasting. There are times for mourning. However, when these practices are taken on their own merit and keep us from drawing closer to God, they are like the new patch sewn to old cloth. They do not fit together and pull apart creating a larger tear.
The Pharisee burdened the people with laws and ceremony. Their brand of religion would fracture the grace-filled faith presented by Jesus. The gospel message of Christ required a complete transformation in thinking about God. The old religion had to be removed so a person could experience the abundant life given through Jesus.
For Jesus to help us experience a new and abundant life, we have to decide as to whether we want to follow Him or sit on the outskirts always looking at what is wrong with Christianity. I remember Pollyanna in the Disney movie saying something like, “If you look for the bad in people you will surely find it.” I searched through Google and my search shows that it is from something attributed to Abraham Lincoln, “If you look for the bad in people expecting to find it, you surely will.”
What are you finding?
Are traditions keeping you from fully experiencing Christ?
For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. Hosea 6:6 (NIV)
Reread Hosea 6:6 and keep it in mind as we journey through this passage.
In this passage we see how Matthew comes to be a disciple of Christ. Jesus approaches him and says, "Follow me." That was enough for Matthew, and he invites Jesus over for dinner along with a few friends. Of course, the local Pharisee were peeping through their curtains and the nosy neighbor police came out to condemn Jesus. They could not wait to embarrass Jesus and stir up the disciples. They lacked tack and discretion. They purposefully and publicly challenged Christ.
Jesus lays out the simplicity of their argument in verses 12 and 13:
Jesus had come to heal the sick not the well. He was available to all but not many seemed to want Him unless they wanted something from Him.
Jesus then quotes from Hosea 6:6. God desires mercy not sacrifice. The Pharisee were known for their "sacrifice" but not known for mercy! They were very strict. Here's the kicker - Jesus tells them to go learn the verse. If they had known it, then they would have seen the second half of it - "acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings"!
Jesus directly challenges the Pharisee with Scripture (the same Scripture they purported to know so well). Jesus teaching them a few things to remember. First, He tells them to learn how to be merciful and to bring the "sinners" back into relationship with God. Unfortunately, the Pharisee could not do this because it would contradict their stances on "holiness" (which was to avoid sinners at all costs!). They were too good and too self-righteous to help others. This was a sickness that blinded them from their own personal need of God.
Second, if the Pharisee truly took Jesus at this task, then they would have realized they could not see God or acknowledge Him, even when He stood before them. They were so cliquish that they lost all sense of who God is. Their pride kept them from acknowledging their own sin, and it kept them from sitting with Jesus and hearing what He had to say.
Jesus was giving an example of how we are supposed to live - with the world and still not be of it. You can do this by showing mercy and acknowledging the presence of God. Reread Hosea 6:6 and looked at the example of Christ a little closer, then ask yourself: where am I acting in mercy and how do I acknowledge God? A little self-revelation is good for the soul. Desire mercy today.
Did Jesus have authority? Where did this authority originate from? These questions arise from people and in the text the Pharisee are the ones asking. For me, the more I see of Jesus then the more I see His authority revealed in how He acted and in what He did.
Unlike the people of Gadara, the people of the town to which Jesus arrives seem to have faith in His authority. Word had travelled fast about the miracle-worker as this scene revolves around the faith of these men who bring a paralytic to Jesus for healing. Jesus approaches this work of grace differently because along with the men came the naysayers or critics.
Moved by faith, Jesus elects to forgive the man’s sins. This was a point of contention for the scribes and Pharisees. These scholars had been issuing words of forgiveness as if their judgment mattered. When Jesus speaks, however, His words carried merit unlike the words of the Pharisee. Their worthless declarations were exposed. Jesus can forgive because He has the authority as God to do so. The sad part is that anyone can issue forgiveness - that’s easy. Actually committing to forgiveness is the hard part.
Jesus backs up his authority to forgive by healing the man. The Pharisee were so blinded by their own religious prowess that they could not praise God for a miracle nor could they rejoice with this man. Instead, they were ready to proclaim that Jesus was a blasphemer. They could not win either way because those around Jesus were able to celebrate this wonderful miracle. Jesus authority to forgive was expressed through His authority and willingness to heal.
I often wonder how a person can argue against God’s authority and willingness to provide grace. Above this, He does so by revealing His authority through His power over creation whether through healing or through stopping time or through some other fantastic event. God speaks and creation obeys. Ignoring God and His acts in this world does not negate His existence. Ignoring His principles for living and pretending He doesn’t exist because you want to believe a scientific theory that cannot be proved does not make God disappear. Some people take this so far as to say evil’s existence proves God does not exist. Really? They claim that evil is ignorance propagated by religions. If that is true then why do so many “educated” men and women commit evil acts? Were they not educated enough? These same people, like the Pharisee of old, will argue against absolute truth. I want to know, why do they use absolutes to absolutely decry absolute truth? Are their absolutes absolute or the exception?
When I speak in absolutes, I do so because I know the Originator of truth. Jesus knows the Father and spoke in absolutes. I know Jesus and can speak about Him for He is truth. A Christian should not argue about Christ’s authority or Him being truth, however. This is our conviction revealed through the Holy Spirit. People cannot experience it without Him. Our job is to speak to others about how our life story has changed because of Him. Our job is to help others open the story of their life to Him so they may also have a real relationship. Until we do, we will be spewing out absolutes like the Pharisee.
I have to really think about this and hope I do not ruffle too many modernist views with my reflections on the post-modern thought processes. I will need to spend time thinking upon these things and to spend time in prayer.
Do you find yourselves lost in the arguments of the world about the truths of Christ?
Have you ever let your actions through living His life principles be your confirmation for truth?
What can you change today that will let Jesus be more evident in your life practices?
Do you have a hard time with forgiveness? Is it because you cannot bring yourself to be like Jesus or is there another reason? Pray about it.
This is probably one of the most interesting passages about the miracles of Jesus. In fact, a number of questions seem to come to my mind when thinking about it. For example, why did the demons want to go from humans into pigs? Why did the pigs run to the water and drown? What is the appointed time? Why were the people so eager to get rid of Jesus?
Okay, one questions at a time. The demons quickly recognized Jesus. This fact alone should bring us to repentance. How many times have we failed to recognize His presence? How often have we missed Jesus because our activities kept us from paying attention? These demons, bent on causing harm and harassing all who drew near, acknowledge Jesus with fear. Why? They understood their fate.
The "appointed time" is a time when history on earth comes to a close, and Satan and his followers will face a final judgment. This judgment will result in their eternal suffering in a pit of fire (Revelation 20:10). The demons knew their fate and still begged for justice ("not our time"). They knew mercy did not await them. Their hosts, however, still had a chance!
The demons begged to be sent into a herd of pigs. This seems weird but with study, I have found that Jesus had reason for allowing this. The people of Gadara were likely not Jews since they possessed pigs (considered unclean by the Jews). Jesus was expanding His ministry to the Gentiles who lived nearby. By letting the demons enter the pigs Jesus was ending their destructive presence within the men. The demons, who were violent by nature, decided to kill the pigs since they were no longer permitted to torment the souls of the two men. Demons seek to harm us by any means. We must keep our focus on Christ.
The people of the land heard the bad news and the good news. No longer are these men attacking people, They were restored and set free. The villagers, however, rushed by the men and up to Jesus. They were more concerned with their possessions than with people. They demanded that Jesus leave before they had to give up anything else.
How often do we place more value on our property, on our programs, or even on our church than on the value of people? Jesus was just beginning a good work and the people could not handle it. They insisted He leave before He did more good. What more did they miss out on because they failed to let Him complete His full work? How often have we pushed Christ away because it cost us something?
"Sometimes the worst that can happen to us is for Jesus to answer one of our poorly considered requests." - Life Application New Testament Commentary
We need to learn from this lesson. We need to use wisdom before we ask God to act on our behalf. We need to fully be sensitive to His loving intentions. Rash decisions can lead to rash answers - not God's answers. We need to stop determining answers before God answers. We have to listen. We should learn to see the big picture and not our small part in it. Jesus, who started a good work, is faithful to complete it; but He left Gadara and did not return!
Are we inviting Christ fully into our lives or are we putting limits on His access?
Are we really counting the cost of following Jesus? Are we prepared to give up or to sacrifice things in order for Him to work in and through us?
In Christian circles, we talk about the calming of the storm all the time. It’s a great story about the power of Jesus. But today something struck me about this reading to which I have not paid attention. Jesus was asleep. Yes, I know He was asleep and the disciples had to wake Him. That is not what struck me.
For the first time, I asked myself, why was Jesus sleeping? Others have probably thought about it but I had not. Did He need a nap? Was it all part of His plan to reveal His divine power over Creation? On that thought alone, I don’t think so. In fact, I think we have to look at three prior verses to get a clearer understanding of the issue here – Matthew 8: 16, 18, 20.
In verse 16, we see that Jesus had been up most of the night, if not all night, long casting out demons and healing the sick. Jesus was physically tired. In verse 18, we see more crowds surrounding Him. He is willing to heal but He tells His disciples to prepare the boat (good thing He chose some fishermen as disciples).
Jesus is willing to heal and wants to do more but His physical body has all the limitations we have. Have you ever pulled an all-nighter? I have and I can tell you that it was not easy. I was part of a team that had to mark landing points for a Special Forces unit so they could better navigate during night training. We traveled down their route by Hummer while they were traveling down the river by raft. The next morning (and I should say that we had not gone to sleep and I was getting a little cranky), we forced marched about ten miles in full gear. I was getting more tired by the mile. I made enough stink to get our Lieutenant to grant my team permission to finish the march and head back to the camp so we could get some proper sleep. We missed some good training but I was physically too tired to carry on.
We all need sleep, and now we see Jesus, who is wholly God and wholly human, also needing to rest. He was not experiencing some supernatural power drain. He was tired. The hint of how tired He was is in verse 20. Jesus tells the teacher of the law that animals have a home in which they rest. He, however, has never-ending work, and His physical body was becoming overwhelmed and overworked. Could we as humans endure the hard work that comes with following Jesus?
So Jesus gets in the boat to find rest. No more crowds though He dearly loves them. No more all-nighters though He does not regret them. Just simply a chance to rest, or so we think.
As Jesus sleeps, a storm comes along and creates havoc on the lake with waves crashing over the side. The wind was howling so loudly that even experienced fishermen were no longer sure of their skills. Their precious cargo is exhausted and asleep (remember a similar story with Jonah). The disciples panic as anyone else with a natural instinct when facing the possibility of death, and they awoke Jesus, the Son of Man, and cried out for Him to save them. He was their last hope, wasn’t He?
“Lord, save us!”
“You of little faith! Why are you afraid?” Jesus gets up and rebukes creation for the strong winds and large waves that caused panic to seize the minds of men. Panic which kept the men from seeing that the tired body did not represent a waning power. Jesus, even in His sleep, had power over all creation, and neither the winds nor the waves could be a threat to Him. The disciples were not in danger because they were in the hands of God.
Satan will try everything to create panic. He wants our minds uneasy so we pay more attention to the storms around us and to forget the person to whom we belong. The Israelites faced this panic as Pharaoh closed in on them and pushed them towards the sea. God got their attention by placing the cloud between them and their problem. Jonah failed to see this as he believed his own death was a worthy enough sacrifice to save others. Jonah, a man running from God, quickly found out that God is in control as he was swallowed by a large fish and saved from death.
Jesus is more than enough when we are tired, hurting, sick, facing death, enjoying life or whatever we face. His very presence is enough and more even when we do not think He is there. He will never forsake us even if we cannot understand the circumstances confronting us or even if we never understand why. He is more than enough.
The disciples had yet to fully grasp this as they marveled among themselves about the kind of man they sat with in the boat. They were baffled by how creation obeys the Creator with a single word. This is what separates us from creation. Because of sin, we fail to listen. Only through Jesus can we begin to hear the whisper of God. When we begin to hear it though, we too will also stand amazed.
Can you hear the voice of God? What distractions try to get your focus away from God?
Are you working too hard? When is the last time you rested?
Are you feeling tired in ministry or in serving others? When is the last time you stepped back, refocused on the Creator, rested, and re-engaged?
Verse 18 is it. It what, you may ask. Jesus saw the crowd around Him and told His disciples to ready the boat to cross to the other side of the lake. Jesus was moving on even though people were pressing in on Him.
But is that the whole story? Did Jesus just share His compassion with just a select few? Was He setting the people up for a grand finale? Why leave now?
Sometimes I wonder if the crowds only cared about the healings and the miracles and not about the One they approached who had such great power. Did their own pursuit of healing show a lack of care? Don’t get me wrong. There is not any reason to avoid seeking the healing touch of God. There is, however, proper motivation.
Take Psalm 51: 16 and 17 for instance. God doesn’t delight in sacrifice unless it is a sacrifice. He did not sit around wondering about the next leg of lamb dish being prepared as an offering. God was looking at the heart of the giver.
If these people approached Jesus without love but only selfish desire, then they sought Him only because of their love of miracles. Jesus was not a miracle worker in that sense of the word. Jesus doesn’t just want to perform a miracle in lives. He is seeking to complete us.
I agree with C. S. Lewis on this point. In his book Mere Christianity chapter nine, he says the following:
“Dozens of people go to Him (God) to be cured of some one particular sin which they are ashamed of or which is obviously spoiling daily life. Well, He will cure it all right; but He will not stop there. That may be all you asked; but if once you call Him in, He will give you the full treatment.
That is why He warned people to “count the cost” before becoming Christians.”
Jesus doesn’t want to stop at a simple miracle! He has much more planned for us and wants to give us the full experience of Him which will lead to a full transformation in us. Don’t go to Jesus just for a small thing and think that is where He will stop. He wants our whole life, and He will pursue us with a passionate love to get it.
Just look at how he deals with the two men who approached Him. Oh by the way, Jesus did not come to save just one town. He had work to do in other regions of Israel and the surrounding countryside. I will deal with more of the reason of why he sent the boat in the next post.
Let’s get back to the two characters. The first was a teacher of the law. This man said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Following is one thing when you know where you are going. Following Jesus has its costs: loss of popularity, loss of friendships, loss of leisure time, or even a loss of treasured habits as one commentary puts it. Could you sacrifice these to follow Him?
I know this to be true because I had a friend stick his finger in my chest and say, “We don’t hang out with your kind.” Talk about hurtful.
Jesus did not have a place to call home and following Him is not something to do if you are looking to raise your popularity status. Is that what the teacher wanted? I can’t be sure but I can bet he did not count the cost or he would have followed without making the big announcement in front of everyone.
The next disciple puts it this way, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Was the man’s dead of on his death bed? I don’t know. Whatever the reason, this man wasn’t ready to commit himself to Christ. I was studying through the notes of a seminary professor who said it takes great courage to follow God’s plans in God’s way. This man wanted to add addendums to his commitment to Jesus. The problem is we must commit all and not some. There are not any excuses to not follow Christ. Jesus comes first in all things and then we can take care of our human loyalties.
Following Jesus means that there are some securities we must willingly set aside. Here is where our hearts are revealed. If we cannot lay something aside for the sake of Christ, then we must ask ourselves, do we love it more than Him? Can we give up time to take His Word of life, His message, to a dead world?
What loyalties are competing for your attention? Are they keeping you from following Jesus? Do you need to rearrange your priorities?
Jesus is more than willing to heal. Here is another example where Jesus in His compassion reaches out to a feverish woman who happens to be Peter's mother-in-law. He heals her, and she gets up to wait on Him. This shows the power of His touch. When I am sick, I am a big baby (ask my wife). As I get over being sick, I want to slowly work myself back into a routine (probably because I am used to being cared for). Peter's mom-in-law gets up and feels like cleaning the house. Jesus is powerful!
That evening, Jesus spent more time healing all who came and casting out demons with just a word. His compassion and power were all too readily revealed. So much so, Matthew uses this as a reason to bring up further Scriptural proof that Jesus was the Messiah. He quotes from Isaiah 53:4.
As I am studying this text and reading what others have said, I have been struck by the thought that ever since what is now called the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus has been involved with miracle after miracle. If ever there was Scriptural basis for Mark 16:9-20, then this may be it. Even after telling the leper not to tell others, opportunity after opportunity presented itself for Christ to do what He is willing to do.
Yet at the same time, I am struck by why He told the leper not to say anything. People were no longer coming to hear the good news. They were no longer looking for a messenger. They were looking for a miracle. Mark's gospel says (paraphrased), "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation...and these signs will accompany those who believe."
I wonder if these people seeking a healing touch were getting the cart before the horse. Were they leaving as believers in a Messiah or in a miracle worker? And still, Jesus healed all who came. His compassion was greater than their faith. I have great faith in the miraculous works of Christ, and I still believe that He is healing and does heal people. I know He is still willing and still active in our lives. I like seeing moves of God and watching His power manifested in His people.
However, as a Pentecostal minister, I wonder if some people are hungrier for a cheapened gospel message so they can get on with the "God show." God show me your works. God show me your miracles. God show me the money...
Does God want to be a showman? By no means, and this shows in verse 18. Am I denigrating the church or His people? By no means. I am a Christian Education pastor and my first concern is for the growth and maturity of Christians. My fear is that many who seek the charismatic flair and forsake the gospel message end up getting hurt far worse because their hope only exists for the God show. They get hurt when God doesn't obey their very wishes because they have a sophomoric view of Scripture.
God has a voice, and He used it to give us a collection of writings that are called "sacred" and "infallible". I believe His Word is both. I am a big proponent of using God's Word as the primary text of revelation (or preaching). Does God reveal Himself in miracles? Absolutely. Are people blessed by the moves of God? Without question. Can they mature in this alone? That is the real question.
Isaiah tells us in 53:4 that the Suffering Servant takes up our infirmities and carries our diseases. For Jesus, all of these moments were teachable moments. So we have to ask ourselves, what is being taught, and what are we learning?
In light of the Scripture, how do you view my comments?
Do you have a regular time for studying the Bible?
Do you believe in God's healing and miracles? If not, what are some roadblocks to believing?
The power of Jesus was becoming well known, so much so that a Roman centurion (one who had rule over a hundred soldiers as implied in the name) came to see Him. This was a man of influence. He could have ordered anyone to go and approach Jesus for him. He could have had Jesus brought before him and ordered Jesus to heal his suffering servant. Regardless of the motivation, this man cared for his servant.
The centurion elected to approach Jesus. This soldier understood true authority when he saw it. The Romans were the ruling authority in Capernaum yet this soldier addresses Jesus as Lord. We do not know much more about this man other than the fact that he knew Jesus was the answer and deemed himself unworthy of having Jesus enter his home.
The faith of this soldier is seen in his recognition of how the spoken Word of Jesus was enough to bring healing to an ailing servant.
“But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.”
Just say the word, Jesus, and it will be done. Why? Jesus is willing. Is that a pattern to be followed in order to receive healing? The truth is, if you believe God is willing and is able to heal, then you have opened the door to God’s healing grace. Does it mean He will heal? No, because we would be placing limits on a limitless God. God heals because God chooses.
Faith is a major factor. Seeking to please God is a major factor. Becoming a pleasing offering to the Lord is a major factor. Recognizing the authority of Jesus is a major factor. But all these are only factors to appeal to the heart of God.
The people of Israel had forgotten how to appeal to the heart of God. This is why Jesus pointed out the heresy of religious habits that become mundane tasks instead of being acts of worship.
Faith believes for what is yet unseen. It is confidence that is not based on proof. Many will come with false beliefs about Christ because they adhered to baseless faith practices that neither glorify nor honor God. This is a dangerous place to be because it will leave them outside God’s realm and in a place so unpleasant that weeping and gnashing of teeth will be the only comfort they have.
Real faith moves the heart of God, and this soldier moved the heart of Jesus. The servant was healed within the hour.
“Sickness and evil are consequences of living in a fallen world. But in the future, when God removes all sin, there will be no more sickness and death. Jesus' healing miracles were a taste of what the whole world will one day experience in God's kingdom.”—Life Application Bible Notes
No one escapes death but there is a great hope for the day when God removes all sickness, pain, sin, and death from this world. In that I have great faith.
Do you have a faith that moves the heart of God because you desire God?
Making an impression on someone is hard to do. Making an impression on a large crowd is even more difficult. Try speaking to a church sometime. There are times after delivering a sermon that I wished I could have morphed into a gooey ooze and slithered off the platform only to have people say that was exactly what they needed to hear. There are other times I knew that the people must be connecting with the message only to see people leave dazed and confused (okay so this happened in the early parts of my ministry but you get the point). Over time I have learned that I am just a voice used by God who is the difference maker.
Jesus is God and He spoke with authority. He impacted the lives of those who listened to Him. When one speaks with authority, they reveal knowledge. I have to study hard for knowledge; Jesus is the source of knowledge. As knowledge is revealed, wisdom begins to emerge. I have to work diligently just for a morsel of wisdom; Jesus is the manifestation of wisdom. This is why large crowds followed Him off the mountain. He has something to offer.
Then comes a man with a skin disease. This great teacher had just touched the lives of a large crowd with His powerful teaching, and this leper saunters up to Jesus and kneels before Him. Nobody brought this man; he came because he recognized the origin of authority. This man kneels in worship and simply asks:
“Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
What a powerful statement. The leper recognized the authority of Christ and with fear kneels before Christ and calls Him Lord. The leper did not ask,” Are you able to heal?” No, he knew Jesus had the power to heal. He put faith in Jesus. He did not demand healing, offer to pay for healing, or try to coerce healing out of Jesus. He simply knelt before the Savior and let his faith in Christ be the deciding factor. Jesus reached out His hand and healed him.
Jesus is willing, and He is able to heal. So why doesn’t He heal everyone? That is a question for which I do not have an exact answer, but I do know that God has purpose in all things and His will is perfect. He is willing to heal. Maybe the real question should be, are we prepared for His decision? Will we still love Him if He does not heal us?
Faith is not about the miracles and the healings. Jesus knew that and admonished the healed man to be silent. Jesus came to deliver a message of salvation and spending His days only healing and providing miracles would have distracted people from that message. Miracles and healing only heal a symptom of the greater problem – sin.
Jesus came to provide a way to God for a humanity that is separated by sin, and His willingness to demonstrate His love through acts of mercy and grace were just a small part of His overall message.
We have to be careful how we seek after Christ. Are we doing it for the pomp and circumstance, or are we approaching Christ because we have accepted His revealed Word of salvation?
Are you prepared for God’s decision about healing?
Is your love for God conditional?
Do you desire the proof of God’s love before you will accept the power of God’s Word?
I have built a lot of sandcastles over time. They did not compare to those professional sculptors but I liked them. The one thing I have learned about sandcastles is they cannot exist with dry sand (tell you something you didn’t know?). Dry sand does not hold together. For sand to hold its form, you have to add water. There lies the problem.
Sand quickly loses water. It dries quickly. So if you take too long building the castle, the castles will quickly erode. The opposite problem arises when you add too much water. Too much water washes sand away. Sand is a very inconsistent medium.
Sandcastles are a little like faith. When faith dries out, it blows away. When it is over watered, it washes away. Let me explain. You will not grow your faith by hearing the words of Jesus alone; it would waste away from not being practiced. Nor can you just practice faith without hearing its foundational truths; it would be drowned out by all the untruths that surround faith practice.
We have to have a healthy balance of both hearing and practice. Without strong faith our hope becomes fragile. To avoid this we must learn to listen to the authority of the words of Jesus.
By learning how to read and study the Bible, we are teaching ourselves to see how the Bible is speaking to our lifestyles. In time we learn how to act and our actions will positively stimulate our emotions. The Bible is full of life principles. Following those principles puts us in the category of the wise.
Developing our faith is like building a home on a good foundation. It takes research, planning, passion, and commitment. Research helps us gain the wisdom necessary for growing in faith. Proper planning helps us understand what faith and obedience require of us. Passion helps us understand where true value exists – in God. Commitment gives us the fortitude to continue.
Listen to a semi-not-so-pro castle builder. Don’t let your faith dry out or be over watered. Balance out your walk in faith and enjoy life more. You will not regret it.
What is the most difficult thing about being obedient to Jesus?
Is your faith balanced, drying out, or over watered? If not balanced, how can you correct it?
How much time do you devote to Bible study and prayer? What benefit do you get from it?
I might as well come out and say it: "False prophets are ferocious wolves in sheep's clothing." Okay, nothing mysterious about that. This passage reminds me of the old cartoons in which the characters transformed into a wolf when they saw a pretty character walk by and then they howled. Their inner character revealed their lack of self-control. I believe this image fits the false prophet.
False prophets always have ulterior motives. They search for people to manipulate then pounce. The sad reality is that their character will be revealed and it usually is after leaving a path of destruction. Jesus warns us about false prophets so we will first test the fruit of a prophets labor before we partake of the fruit of their words. In other words, we should test them to see how genuine they are.
Punishment is certain for those who bear bad fruit. Bad fruit is anything that dishonors God. A false prophets acts will "out" them. Be wary of such fruit because it is very tempting. I like the analogy in verse 16 - good fruit, like grapes or figs, do not grow on thorn bushes or thistles. False prophets present fruit that looks good but scratch the fool out of you as you reach for them. Unfortunately the fruit is so tempting, people keep reaching for it regardless of the pain (like trying to pick blackberries).
Heaven is an exclusive place. Why would I say that? Just calling Jesus "Lord" does not make Him Lord of our life. False prophets will lead people in worship but they will not lead people into obedience to God's Word and will. Only those who accept Jesus as Lord and Savior and "does the will" of the Father will be invited into heaven. All are drawn but few will accept the invitation. This frightens me.
Those who know Jesus will hear His voice and adhere to His Words. My kids do not like me to make funny voices for long. Sure they laugh for a minute but when I take it too far, they want me to stop. I did not understand until I reread this passage. My kids respond to "my voice". My funny accents do not bring the same comfort as hearing my voice. Besides, my will for them is best known when they hear from me. We have to learn the difference between God's voice and the voice of the deceiver. To know God's voice is to know God's will. In His voice we find comfort and reason to obey.
Doing godly things does not make us godly. There are plenty of people who practice religion but do so for the wrong reasons. Jesus said he would not recognize them and order them to depart from His presence. I guess the moral of the story is this: Don't be all talk and no action. At the same time don't be all action without talk. Our faith is seen in our actions and in our words. Think on that today.
When I was younger, I used to think that asking, knocking, and seeking meant that I could ask for things and get them, knock on the doors of opportunity and things would be made available, and seek out the lost things and find them. I found a lot of things that way. The problem with the lack of maturity is having the knowledge to fully understand this passage.
With maturity (along with a lot of study) comes understanding. I had not looked at the words ask, knock, and seek before. I know now, that this passage deals with how we should be praying as well as how our prayers are directly affect by how we treat others.
The word for ask can also be used for craving, calling, desire, or even request. To ask and have something given seems to be a very juvenile term but when you are talking about approaching the eternal and powerful Almighty God, most were afraid to ask. Sometimes, we do not think we are worthy but Jesus is saying to ask and receive. “For what do we ask” should be the real question. I will answer this in a moment.
The word seek gives more clues. This word comes to mean seeking God in worship or endeavoring to know God more. To seek and find means the more we seek to know God the more we find. The more we endeavor to be more like Jesus the more we understand. God is not hidden from us. Sin, however, hides us (or pushes us away) from God. God is not inaccessible; He never has been. Sin convinces us that we are not worthy of God and thus we need to seek other things in life. Jesus is challenging that view.
The word knock means knock. The problem a lot of people have in trying to meet new people or introduce themselves to new neighbors is actually taking the time to go up to their door and knock. To knock means we have to engage God by approaching Him. He has already made every effort to approach us and to remove obstacles that keep us from approaching Him. Jesus would remove the final obstacle – the power sin had over life. Knocking puts the ball in our court. We must take the steps toward God.
Asking, seeking, and knocking are also persistent actions. Is God worth getting to know? Do we want God – in our lives? Jesus says be persistent. God is listening; He just doesn’t want us to be halfhearted in our attempt to approach Him. He wants us to approach Him as people who really want Him. In other words, we have to be real with God before He is real with us.
So for what do was ask, seek, and knock? Well Jesus gives us the answer in verse 11:
If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Matthew 7:11 (NIV)
These gifts are not like the gifts we get under the tree, and they are not unlimited resources. These gifts are the gifts of the Spirit. They are the fullness of the fruit of the Spirit. They are truth and understanding. They are also wisdom and knowledge. God is unlimited to how He gives to us. Some may receive great wealth but only because God can trust them to give it away responsibly. Some may receive great leadership responsibility but only because God gifts them to care responsibly for His people.
Remember, Jesus has already said we will not hunger or thirst or need clothes because God takes care of those things (Matthew 6:25-34). Jesus tells us to seek first the kingdom of God. Can we pray for financial security? Sure. Can we pry for good health? Absolutely. But until our hearts are right with God and towards others, we flounder in our attempts to move the heart of God.
God wants to give us our hearts desire. He wants to provide for us. Our acceptance of this gift remains in our ability to prioritize our lives. But listen to the note from the Life Application Bible:
If sinful people would not think of giving a child a stone that looked like a loaf of bread or a dangerous snake instead of a fish, then how much more will a holy God acknowledge and answer our requests? In these words, Jesus revealed the heart of God the Father. God is not selfish, begrudging, or stingy; his followers don’t have to beg or grovel when they come with their requests. He is a loving Father who understands, cares, comforts, and willingly gives good gifts to those who ask him. If humans can be kind, imagine how kind God can be.—Life Application Concise New Testament Commentary
How do we know we are becoming right with God? When we treat others the way we want to be treated. What is the standard? Kindness in everything. All the Law and the Prophets are summed up in verse 12. God has for thousands of generations been trying to get man to act with kindness, to act according to the very image in which they were created. God, the Father, is melting down His teachings into one simple concept – treat each other with kindness.
There must be reasonable kindness on our part. We cannot expect people to act outside of their abilities. We must understand who they are in order to understand what they are capable of doing. Our responsibility is to make sure we act in kindness in a manner that honors God and does not manipulate others. Anyone can be kind, but not anyone can initiate kindness. Where do you stand?
How hard is it to initiate kindness?
What are your thoughts about the words ask, seek, and knock? What do they mean to you?
How have you experience the kindness of God?
Have you ever found yourself halfheartedly praying to God? Did you expect Him to answer or were you just not certain how else to proceed?
How many times have you judged someone’s character by the way they looked, dressed, walked, sat, entered a room, or sounded? Have you ever felt as if someone else was judging you this way? How does it feel?
Does someone’s habit bug the life out of you? Do you feel uncomfortable when a certain person is around you? What are you thinking in those moments – love, peace, long-suffering…?
Judge not or you will be judged. This doesn’t mean we let our guard down. This does not mean we should not listen to discernment. This means we do not draw conclusions about someone before we know all the facts. Or we do not jump on the bandwagon unless we are certain of the truth.
We live in a society that easily judges others. Many of us grew up “dissing” one another’s family as kids as a joke, but when does the joke cross the line. When do we stop making fun of and start believing? The best thing is to avoid such banter. Words hurt, and so does how we look at others. Our body language tells others if we want to be around them or not. So many mixed signals cross our paths on a daily basis that we may be hurting more people that we think just by our casual interaction with them.
The most unfortunate thing about how we judge others is the way we judge them for the very things we dislike most about ourselves. In fact, we try to make them look worse than we are in order to justify our own actions. I’m guilty.
Jesus doesn’t stop there. He says that whatever measure you use to judge others, then that measure will be used against you. Do you turn your nose up? Do you shrink away from others? Do you avoid eye contact? Do you purposefully ignore them? Do you cross to the other side of the street when you see them coming? Do you talk about them behind their back? Do you sabotage them to make them look really bad? Which one is it? Is there another way in which you pass judgment?
Is turn about fair play? What if others begin to judge you in the same manner? What is God thinking about you?
The problem with judging others for their sinful practices is that most often we do not stop and look at ourselves first. We fail to acknowledge our own shortcomings in lieu of covering them up by establishing the worst in others. What good am I to others if I condemn them for their sins and continue acting in my own? My sins keep me from helping others overcome their sins. Why? My sins steal my testimony. Moreover, without overcoming sin, I cannot possibly be of any help to others. The only expert in overcoming sin is someone who has overcome.
I have to turn first to Jesus, overcome sin, and then make myself available to be used by Him. My testimony only becomes a testimony when I cease being a hypocrite and start being an example of God’s grace. There are too many hypocrites in the church already. It is time I stop being one of them. Can you say that about yourself?
Here is where Jesus draws the line, however. Some people will not receive God’s gift of grace with mere testimony. Discernment will reveal to you who they are. God’s word is sacred and should not be given to those who will waste it. God’s grace is precious and should not be wasted on those who will trample it. This doesn’t mean we are to stop sharing the Good News with unbelievers. This means we need to be aware of how we are using our testimony. Are we badgering the person? Are we causing people to hate God by being unrelenting in our pursuit of them? Or are we planting seeds and allowing the Holy Spirit to bring someone else into the picture to water them? This last part is not a warning about others. It is a warning about us.
Have you ever let someone assess how you react towards others? Why not?
Have you ever prayed Psalm 139:23-24? Why or why not?
What do you think about the warning in verse 6? Do you view it differently now?
I could do with some personal fasting on my own but not only for religious reasons. I need to lose weight, and hopefully it will lower my cases of heartburn. What does that have to do with fasting? We all have issues with fasting. Some like it. Some avoid it. Some do not have any idea about it. Some can do it while others need an easy out. Some have religious reason while others have health issues. Fasting can be good as a means of purging the body from the bad things in our environments and it can be dangerous.
Fasting in the eyes of Christ was a means to spend time with God in prayer. It has moments of discomfort so we can experience His comfort.
The Pharisee used fasting as means to gain attention and approval of those around them. They made themselves look the act. Ever seen a child faking a sickness? My kids have tried that means of getting attention only to change their tunes when I threatened to take them to the doctor for a shot. The face my kids make is the same face that the Pharisee made when fasting. The Pharisee wanted the attention of the crowd as a means of gaining approval of their self-perceived “holiness.”
Hypocrites emerge in many fashions but always with the same motive - they want all the fanfare and they do not wish to share it.
Jesus does not present new ideas for fasting. He does give refreshed ideas in fasting properly. He says we should put oil on our heads and wash our faces. The oil represents that we are dedicating this fast to God and time spent with Him. Washing our faces means we should act normal. In other words, get up, take a shower, get dressed, and go about your day as you would any other day. Instead of eating, you spend time with God.
This is like the prayer closet. Prayer is an intimate means of communication between you and God. Fasting builds intimacy by focusing honor towards God. Hypocrites do not think their means of fasting affect God’s opinion of them. They believe they have already made enough effort to be in the graces of God. They think that their acts gain them God’s unmerited favor.
We have to know that the act of fasting does not earn us any favor with God. The act of fasting is a means of focusing our attention on God who has already focused His attention on us. Fasting is a means of growing in relationship with God. Sure it may be done in secret but secrets kept lead to great unveilings! You may not see God. You may not fully understand your decision to fast. God, however, has already set plans in motion to reward obedience to His will. He has already determined how He is going to reward us. The unknown may seem unnerving but the unveiling of God’s reward will far outweigh any discomfort we may endure during our times of trying to get to know Him more.
Have you ever fasted? When was the last time? What did or did not happen?
What is prayer? Prayer is petition, praise, and thanks offered to God. It is recognition of God and honor given towards His presence in your life. Prayer is your best way of spending time listening to and talking with God.
Bill Hybels gives a beautiful example for learning how to pray in his book, Too Busy Not to Pray. He says we should think of the book of ACTS when we think about praying:
A – Adoration: Entering Holy Space (I worship you and praise you because you are…)
C – Confession: Naming Our Faults (I confess that I…I need your forgiveness for the sin of…Please give me your strength to forsake that sin / to make restitution / to accept your forgiveness and the new life you give me…)
T – Thanksgiving – Expressing Gratitude (I praise you and I thank you for answered prayers / for spiritual blessings / for relational blessings / for marital blessing…)
S – Supplication: Asking for Help (Here are my requests for other people / for myself…)
Look at the prayer example given by Jesus.
v. 9 – Here Jesus recognizes the presence of God and His holiness (adoration). God is in heaven and yet He still is very personal. God transcends everything and yet chooses to be involved with all. His name is holy, and we bear that name and should recognize the responsibility we have for bearing His name!
v. 10 – In our adoration, we understand that God’s kingdom is coming in full and we want to be a part of that coming kingdom. Yes, His kingdom is present and is now but also the fullness is to yet come with the return of Christ.
Recognition of God’s kingdom further helps us to see why He is our Supreme Lord. This is His kingdom and He only has right to rule. Yet He chooses us to be a part of this kingdom to care for it and to help it grow. His will is that all should come to repentance and acceptance of His grace and love. God does not change. He does not have rules in heaven that do not apply on earth. His will is the same for all. How do we know His will?
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)
v. 11 – God is Jehovah-Jireh. God is the Provider and Sustainer of life. He provides for us everyday and we should be thankful. In this provision, however, we do not have the right to become lazy. Yes, God provides, but He provides for those who earnestly apply themselves to His kingdom and in their work. But I lost my job? Find another and while looking find ways to serve God and others. I could go on and on about this one.
We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. Hebrews 6:12 (NIV)
v. 12 – Forgiveness. Forgiveness is a two way street. When we ask for forgiveness from God, we had better be prepared to forgive others! If you are holding on to a grudge, then you are out of God’s will and in danger of not receiving His forgiveness. I am going to jump ahead and tackle verses 14 and 15 here also:
For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:14-15 (NIV)
We do not have the right to receive love from God who forgives if we cannot also forgive. If someone has insulted your children and you do not forgive, you are in danger of not being forgiven. If someone is abrupt with you and you will not let it go through forgiveness, then you are in danger of not receiving God’s forgiveness. If someone attacks your lifestyle and you seek only to attack back and not forgive, then you will not receive God’s forgiveness.
Children are great when it comes to forgiveness. They bicker about all kinds of things, and yet within minutes or hours they are playing as if nothing ever happened. When as adults did we lose this innocence? How do we forget the love that is so great that forgives us? Learn to forgive and experience God’s love in full!
v. 13 – “Lead us not into temptation” is a very difficult passage for some. Why? They cannot seem to understand why they are having trials in life when God is “supposed to be keeping them from temptation.” The problem here is with interpretation.
The example of prayer given by Jesus is not for us to avoid temptation but for us to not fall for the temptation. God allows us to be tested in order to “refine” us, as one commentary puts it. We will not grow if we do not face tests in life. Tests make us stronger and help us to see what we are truly capable of through Jesus who is our strength.
I can do everything through Him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13 (NIV)
We pray here to ask for God to help us defeat the evil that attacks us everyday. Temptation happens, and we need God’s strength to overcome it. By praying this way, we are acknowledging God’s active role in our daily lives. It is here that we begin to understand the presence of the Holy Spirit and His role in Comfort and Guidance.
Now, your version of the Bible may have added “for thine is the kingdom, forever and ever.” This was probably added to later versions of the original text through oral tradition. This does not mean it is false or proves that the Bible is a fluke. It shows that the oral tradition was highly respected by some and should be included in the interpretation. The NIV version chooses to not include it but acknowledges the rich heritage of the oral traditions.
With that said, what have you learned about your prayer life?
How do you offer adoration, confession, thanks, and requests?
Do you have a deeper understanding for the power of the Lord’s Prayer?
How much time do you spend talking to God? Do you spend an equal amount of time listening or do you dominate the conversation?
Who do you need to forgive today and start afresh in your relationship?
Parts of this passage are some of the most quoted verses from the Bible. The Lord’s Prayer is repeated before ballgames, during worship services, during weddings, and as life is ending for some. Some people say the words with conviction while others repeat them as if they hold mystical powers. Whatever the case, the words of Jesus are deeply felt and easily remembered.
But how much to we know about prayer?
Jesus continues correcting the misinformation that had emerged in Jewish tradition. Some believed that they could prove their “Jewish-ness” by praying so everyone could hear them – particularly in hopes of receiving accolades thrown at them from those who heard their prayer. Jesus again uses the “h” word – hypocrites!
I wonder if standing on a street corner in a small town and yelling at people about the coming judgments of God could be the same thing. I am not talking about approaching people in a “cold-call” witnessing technique; I am talking about those who yell at a passerby and at cars while quoting Scripture. I digress.
God is not impressed by loud public prayers. This does not mean we cannot pray in the church when asked to lead prayer. This does not discount those in the Pentecostal church who speak in tongues with interpretation. This also does not count out congregations praying out loud as a whole or in worship. God is not impressed with someone who blurts out a prayer to show how “spiritual” they are.
During the times of Jesus, they had times of prayer. These times of prayer are not to be confused with the calls of prayer seen in Muslim communities with their siren and everyone getting on their knees and praying towards a particular direction, and quoting pre-written prayers. As a practice Jews would use certain times of day as moments to spend time with God in prayer. Daniel is one who regularly prayed in this manner; this is how those who conspired against him knew what time to catch him.
Proving one’s spirituality by praying so outlandishly that we attract attention and congratulations is all the attention that prayer will receive. God will not listen and will not hear. Therefore, I can guarantee that God will not respond either!
If you have set up times during your day to spend with God, then do as Jesus suggests. Go to a quiet place and pray. Spend time with God, not getting attention or worrying if others are noticing. Your time with God is your time with Him. As with any relationship, you need time to build relationship and intimacy with God. Rapport is built upon trust, closeness, listening, and communicating. God desires it from you, and you will receive it from God. Praying in secret to build relationship and intimacy with God leads to God’s promise of reward.
Relationship and intimacy with God is built upon real communication. Babbling about nothing and just reciting a prayer from memory is not the basis for good communication. Kind of like the husband and wife who go to a marriage counselor. The wife says the husband never says “I love you.” The counselor asked if this is true. The husband replies, “I said ‘I love you’ when we got married and I meant it then and still feel it now.” Wives need to hear the words. Besides, when you say “I love you”, you are putting action to words. God wants to hear from you. He wants you to put action to your words by thinking about how you love Him and how you recognize His involvement in your life.
You cannot gain God’s attention by repeating His words over and over in hopes that He will eventually hear you. Being persistent about a need in prayer is fine when you do not chant a prayer in hopes for God’s rsponse. Pagans did this with their prayers. They said a chant over and over as if that chant would force action by their god. Our God is not a prayer puppet who works when we chant the right words or make the right noises.
You are to pray prayers with meaning. But with all this said, how can I say all of that when people quote and pray the words from the prayer of Jesus everyday? Is what they repeat meaningless and baseless? Yes and no.
Let me deal with yes. You are rambling if you just repeat the words of Jesus. These words have meaning and depth. These words have the power of life. These words are more than just repeating a mindless chant. When you repeat words just to be repeating, then you are playing the part of the hypocrite. Hypocrites try to use the words of Christ like a magical incantation. Do not do that. Let the words of Jesus have meaning.
This brings me to the “no” part of my answer. Quoting Scripture and praying Scripture has been used for centuries. It is more than tradition. People quote Scripture when Scripture speaks to their heart. People quote Scripture when it speaks for them. People quote Scripture because of the comfort it brings. Feel free to quote Scripture but I ask that you understand why it brings you comfort. In understanding, we begin to develop the rapport we need for intimacy with God.
In part 2, I will break up the prayer of Jesus to help bring a little more understanding to the fullness His words. For today, I want to reflect upon why you pray the way you do.
Do you have times set aside for prayer? Do you have a quiet place?
Do you use Scripture to help you pray? Why or why not?
How does Scripture bring comfort to you?
What would you say to better help someone understand how to spend time building intimacy with God?
Secrets can be a good thing if kept for the right reason. Try having a surprise party without the surprise. You get faked appreciation and fizzled exuberance. Sure, the party may be fun but the released secret ruined the initial fun. Other secrets bring more harm than good. Hiding sin or hiding abuse is unhealthy and counterproductive to healing. Not telling the secret of a friend planning to run away can lead to a dangerous outcome. Secrets have their positives, and they have their negatives. We have to choose when they are necessary.
For Jesus, giving to help those in need was a necessary secret. Verse one of our passage tells us that giving so that everyone can see is a lot easier than giving and not telling anyone. You get all your reward from those who pat you on the back for your good deed, while in secret, they are probably despising your outward self-glorification or they are wondering how they also can get a piece of the pie. Giving so that others see does not impress God. In fact, it takes glory away from Him.
How? When we give we are supposed to give to glorify God. When we fail to do this, we are taking the glory rightfully due to God and keeping it for ourselves.
Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 2 Corinthians 9:10-11 (NIV)
God is the supplier of everything we receive. When we take the glory for giving, we are stealing the glory due to God for His provision so that we can give! When we cease doing things to glorify God, we relinquish any reward God may have planned for us. Our reward will only be what brief handshake we may get for our gift.
We can put our names on the pew but only God will determine if our gift was given in secret or not. We can have our name stamped in concrete but only God says whether we have eternal rewards.
Those who give to be honored by others are compared to hypocrites. A hypocrite is one who acts the part but is not engaged in the part. Giving as a hypocrite is giving for self gratification. You are the only one who receives any benefit, and it doesn’t last very long. You get faked appreciation and fizzled exuberance (have I already said this?).
God rewards those who give freely and without regard of honor. They are the ones who are given opportunities to give more. They are the ones whose needs are supplied so they can give more. They are the ones who recognize God and give thanks to His grace.
Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God. 1 Corinthians 4:5 (NIV)
When was the last time you gave without recognition?
What is your understanding of giving in secret?
How has God rewarded your giving in the past? How did you thank Him?
chapter nine, he says the following:
by Philip Yancey
by Tommy Barnett
- Andy Stanley
by Paul Little
. He says we should think of the book of ACTS when we think about praying: