Here I sit contemplating the coming new year. There is so much that I want to see come to pass. The growth of the church I lead, the deepening of friendships, the wonders of seeing my daughters enter adulthood. Life is such an amazing journey. In looking back at the last year; I can celebrate so many victories and I can also see some real disappointments as well. Life is like that, good and bad, extraordinary and mundane. Much of our outlook on life is based on what will we give the most weight too. Will we focus on the failures and disappointments or will we celebrate the victories God has given us. Most of the great men of God that I have known through the years have an unshakeable belief that God has never wronged them, never a hint of victim thinking. They counted their blessings and chalked up the failures to their own shortcomings.
So much of life’s blessings depend on how we process the events around us. For example, being a sentimental guy, I was lamenting how sad I was that my oldest daughter was not able to be with us during the holidays. The Holy Spirit gently reminded me that I had five of my children and one lovely daughter-in law and three spirited grandchildren in my living room. I would be so easy to miss the blessing right under my nose.
What is the point of this rambling? In my opinion much of life’s challenges are designed to give us fresh insight into the graciousness of God. We may be heading into some difficult times ahead. All ready some who are close to us are experiencing job loss, health problems, the list can go on and on. Yet God is still unchanging, His purpose and intent for our lives are still in place.
These are not platitudes to just make us feel better; they are the very building blocks to a faith-filled life. God speaks to us in Romans 8:28-3: “and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? God is involved in our life to the point of working everything to our good. It gives me great comfort to know that I am not at the mercy of random events. It is faith in the graciousness of God that gives context to the difficulties of life. Again in Romans 5:2-5 “we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” God works all things for my good, and all the circumstances of life can point me to hope, and that hope leads us to confidence in God. I choose to celebrate the goodness of God, to recognize each and every blessing. It is a choice we all have to make. We must rehearse the faithfulness of God, remembering the small and great things He has done for us. If all we ended up with out of this life is a relationship with God and eternal life, which would be more than anyone could ask for. YET LOOK AROUND, He has given us so much more. May your holidays be filed with the blessings of God.
(Scripture quotes from New International Version)
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Friday, December 12, 2008
Doing
It has been a while since I last posted. Life gets so busy.
Recently I was visiting with dear friends who lead churches. Our conversation turned towards the Bible and our approach to it. Questions arose like, do we interpret the scripture through our experience or do we accept it at face value? Is the Bible culturally relevant? I must confess that I was a little put off by the tenor of the discussion. I believe that the Bible is THE word of God. It is the measure of all things. It defines what is true and doesn't need our experience to validate it. Before the critic jumps in, I know that there are difficulties, but the problem is not in the scripture but our understanding of it. It is my conviction that we miss the mark when we sit outside the Bible to evaluate what is true. Let me explain, David in Psalm 1:1-2 writes, “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.” (NASU)
The phrase “in His law he meditates” strikes me as the posture that we should hold as we approach the Word. David is suggesting that the scripture drives our very meditations. It is where we derive the premises that drive our thought life. To often we read and then evaluate what we will accept and what we will reject, instead of letting the scripture define what is true and then embracing that truth. To many times we will say, “the scripture says, but…” and then excuse ourselves from what it says
Jesus was very straightforward on this issue. “The one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete."
(Luke 6:49 from New International Version)
James writes, “Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.” The word receive in the Greek is more than
give ear to, it involves embracing, making it one's own, and being careful not to reject it. He goes on, “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.” (James 1:21-25 NASU)
It is in the embracing and doing that we get insight. If we wait until we understand the word, we make ourselves slaves to our carnal mind. We are “to receive the word implanted”, in faith, which is able to save our souls. David understood the importance of the scripture when he wrote, in Psalm 119:9-16:“How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. With all my heart I have sought You; do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You. Blessed are You, O LORD; teach me Your statutes. With my lips I have told of all the ordinances of Your mouth.
I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, As much as in all riches. I will meditate on Your precepts and regard your ways. I shall delight in your statutes; I shall not forget Your word.” (NASU)
I want to be a doer of the Word, a man that receives and agrees with God, one who builds on a sure foundation.
Psalm 119:144
Your testimonies are righteous forever; Give me understanding that I may live. NASU
Recently I was visiting with dear friends who lead churches. Our conversation turned towards the Bible and our approach to it. Questions arose like, do we interpret the scripture through our experience or do we accept it at face value? Is the Bible culturally relevant? I must confess that I was a little put off by the tenor of the discussion. I believe that the Bible is THE word of God. It is the measure of all things. It defines what is true and doesn't need our experience to validate it. Before the critic jumps in, I know that there are difficulties, but the problem is not in the scripture but our understanding of it. It is my conviction that we miss the mark when we sit outside the Bible to evaluate what is true. Let me explain, David in Psalm 1:1-2 writes, “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.” (NASU)
The phrase “in His law he meditates” strikes me as the posture that we should hold as we approach the Word. David is suggesting that the scripture drives our very meditations. It is where we derive the premises that drive our thought life. To often we read and then evaluate what we will accept and what we will reject, instead of letting the scripture define what is true and then embracing that truth. To many times we will say, “the scripture says, but…” and then excuse ourselves from what it says
Jesus was very straightforward on this issue. “The one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete."
(Luke 6:49 from New International Version)
James writes, “Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.” The word receive in the Greek is more than
give ear to, it involves embracing, making it one's own, and being careful not to reject it. He goes on, “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.” (James 1:21-25 NASU)
It is in the embracing and doing that we get insight. If we wait until we understand the word, we make ourselves slaves to our carnal mind. We are “to receive the word implanted”, in faith, which is able to save our souls. David understood the importance of the scripture when he wrote, in Psalm 119:9-16:“How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. With all my heart I have sought You; do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You. Blessed are You, O LORD; teach me Your statutes. With my lips I have told of all the ordinances of Your mouth.
I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, As much as in all riches. I will meditate on Your precepts and regard your ways. I shall delight in your statutes; I shall not forget Your word.” (NASU)
I want to be a doer of the Word, a man that receives and agrees with God, one who builds on a sure foundation.
Psalm 119:144
Your testimonies are righteous forever; Give me understanding that I may live. NASU
Friday, October 3, 2008
Times of Trouble
Another day of bad news, stock market falling, banks closing, and politicians operating out of their own self interest. I know that my retirement account has lost 50% of its value. Yet in light of eternity it is not that significant. It is easy for believers to get caught up in this world and to succumb to the spirit of fear. Difficulty comes, does that mean God’s attitude towards you has changed? Is he less pleased with you? The reality is that outward circumstance is not the measure of God’s intention for us. The Apostle Paul would write “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
( Rom 8:35,37 NIV)
I personally believe insecurity and fear comes because we lose sight of what our lives are to be about. Self-preservation is a powerful motivator in human nature, yet we are called to live according to a higher reality. Jesus taught his followers right up front that they were being called to live for something greater than themselves, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.” (Matt 16:24-25 NIV) Six times this admonition is given in the gospels. Self-preservation is not the highest value in the Christians life. Jesus in the parable of the sower warned us not to let the cares of this world choke out the good seed of the Word of God. Jesus clearly wants His followers to understand that difficulty in this life is the norm, not the exception. The best investment we can make at this time is to make sure our personal foundations are built on a clear view of eternity and not on the shifting sands of the temporal. We are called to be a missional people, focused on the Kingdom of God.
If our country is to sink in to very difficult times and God’s people can come to grips with the larger issues of mission vs. self, there is unprecedented opportunity for the gospel.
( Rom 8:35,37 NIV)
I personally believe insecurity and fear comes because we lose sight of what our lives are to be about. Self-preservation is a powerful motivator in human nature, yet we are called to live according to a higher reality. Jesus taught his followers right up front that they were being called to live for something greater than themselves, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.” (Matt 16:24-25 NIV) Six times this admonition is given in the gospels. Self-preservation is not the highest value in the Christians life. Jesus in the parable of the sower warned us not to let the cares of this world choke out the good seed of the Word of God. Jesus clearly wants His followers to understand that difficulty in this life is the norm, not the exception. The best investment we can make at this time is to make sure our personal foundations are built on a clear view of eternity and not on the shifting sands of the temporal. We are called to be a missional people, focused on the Kingdom of God.
If our country is to sink in to very difficult times and God’s people can come to grips with the larger issues of mission vs. self, there is unprecedented opportunity for the gospel.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Life Through a Different Lens
My daughter and I are in San Diego to visit relatives and are enjoying our time together. As I went to bed last night the Lord brought to mind that we are to be doers of what the Bible says and not hears only. Jim Durkin, my first Pastor, words came to mind, “Practice the Word, do what it says and in the doing of it you will come to understand it.”
Our natural inclination is self-preservation and self-interest. When we practice the Word, we learn to think in different ways. Paul the apostle wrote in the book of Romans that, ‘we are to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. Our natural ways of thinking need to change. It is when we put in to practice the Word, that we gain the insight and experience to discern the Lord’s direction.
As I lay in bed last night, I pondered the thought of practicing the Word, and the scripture came to mind, “He who gives to the poor lends to the Lord”, and “Some of you have entertained angles unawares”. Earlier in the day, while driving I noticed a man standing on the corner holding a sign begging for money. You know the scene. A fairly well dressed; looking like he is not starving, type guy. My first reaction was, “what a scam”. I started thinking, how does putting to practice the Word work? You see a beggar and you decide to do what the Bible says. You have your doubts, but you do it out of obedience to the Word. You give some money and drive away. Thoughts flood your mind of what a fool you have been. Yet you feel like you have at least honored the Lord with a good attempt.
It is my opinion that in the above scenario a great victory has been won. Whether the man was scamming, or the money was to be use in self-destructive ways, yet the Christian has stepped out of himself and has acted in a self-sacrificing way. He has sowed into eternity. This principle of doing the Word, will affect every area of our life. It is through the Bible that we see how much our natural way of thinking is at odds with God. Yet we can mature in our walk with God by agreeing with Him and doing what he has commanded us in the Bible. Another example is, “give and it will be given to you”, it is through the practice of this truth that we see the out working of it. It may not make sense to our natural mind, but the principle is true nonetheless. When we step out in faith, and experience the result, we become more confident of the truth of the Word. I’m not suggesting that we are unwise or foolish with our money, I’m saying that we need to change the default setting by doing what the Word says and in that, we will learn to hear the leading of the Spirit. If we learn to give to the poor it is easier for the Spirit to put on the brakes on our giving than to lead to do it in the first place. When we do the Word we change our natural ways of thinking and cut through the clutter of self.
Those who ruined their life through sinful living may have an advantage in this area. Before I came to the Lord, I was at rock bottom. Most of the values I had been taught as a child had been thrown to the wayside. Drugs and wanton living had destroyed my life and I was living on the streets. Convinced that I was a victim and that the world owed me something, I was trapped in a prison of destructive ways of thinking. When Christ broke into my life and I started relating to other believers, it became obvious to me that the thinking patterns and conclusions that I had about life did not work. Some how I knew that I needed to change and transform the way I thought. I set out to practice the Word, and it fundamentally changed who I was. Those are successful in this life seldom question their ways of thinking and never realize their need for change. Yet all of us have been acculturated and trained to think in ways that are contrary to God’s Word. Our mind has a significant role in our walk with God, and it needs to be transformed and renewed. Thirty-two years later I still need do what the Bible says and challenge my assumptions and ways of thinking.
Our natural inclination is self-preservation and self-interest. When we practice the Word, we learn to think in different ways. Paul the apostle wrote in the book of Romans that, ‘we are to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. Our natural ways of thinking need to change. It is when we put in to practice the Word, that we gain the insight and experience to discern the Lord’s direction.
As I lay in bed last night, I pondered the thought of practicing the Word, and the scripture came to mind, “He who gives to the poor lends to the Lord”, and “Some of you have entertained angles unawares”. Earlier in the day, while driving I noticed a man standing on the corner holding a sign begging for money. You know the scene. A fairly well dressed; looking like he is not starving, type guy. My first reaction was, “what a scam”. I started thinking, how does putting to practice the Word work? You see a beggar and you decide to do what the Bible says. You have your doubts, but you do it out of obedience to the Word. You give some money and drive away. Thoughts flood your mind of what a fool you have been. Yet you feel like you have at least honored the Lord with a good attempt.
It is my opinion that in the above scenario a great victory has been won. Whether the man was scamming, or the money was to be use in self-destructive ways, yet the Christian has stepped out of himself and has acted in a self-sacrificing way. He has sowed into eternity. This principle of doing the Word, will affect every area of our life. It is through the Bible that we see how much our natural way of thinking is at odds with God. Yet we can mature in our walk with God by agreeing with Him and doing what he has commanded us in the Bible. Another example is, “give and it will be given to you”, it is through the practice of this truth that we see the out working of it. It may not make sense to our natural mind, but the principle is true nonetheless. When we step out in faith, and experience the result, we become more confident of the truth of the Word. I’m not suggesting that we are unwise or foolish with our money, I’m saying that we need to change the default setting by doing what the Word says and in that, we will learn to hear the leading of the Spirit. If we learn to give to the poor it is easier for the Spirit to put on the brakes on our giving than to lead to do it in the first place. When we do the Word we change our natural ways of thinking and cut through the clutter of self.
Those who ruined their life through sinful living may have an advantage in this area. Before I came to the Lord, I was at rock bottom. Most of the values I had been taught as a child had been thrown to the wayside. Drugs and wanton living had destroyed my life and I was living on the streets. Convinced that I was a victim and that the world owed me something, I was trapped in a prison of destructive ways of thinking. When Christ broke into my life and I started relating to other believers, it became obvious to me that the thinking patterns and conclusions that I had about life did not work. Some how I knew that I needed to change and transform the way I thought. I set out to practice the Word, and it fundamentally changed who I was. Those are successful in this life seldom question their ways of thinking and never realize their need for change. Yet all of us have been acculturated and trained to think in ways that are contrary to God’s Word. Our mind has a significant role in our walk with God, and it needs to be transformed and renewed. Thirty-two years later I still need do what the Bible says and challenge my assumptions and ways of thinking.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Looking into the Unseen
I recently had the privilege to participate in Celebration NW. It was inspiring to be gathered with other folks from the Newfontiers family of churches. It was a great event with activities for the whole family and punctuated with great teaching. Terry Virgo spoke in the first two sessions and spoke of the need for truth and a commitment to walk in it. John Lanferman spoke on prayer and made a stirring point that caused me to sit up and take notice. He said “A church that does not pray, is happy with what they can accomplish through the flesh.” I am struck how many times we don’t stretch our faith and reach for the really big things in God. There is a reality that we are in a spiritual conflict, and the enemy of God is doing every thing in his power to thwart the plans of God. There is no way that we can accomplish the vast mission that we have been given without prayer. How quick we are to give up when we don’t see immediate answer to our prayers. I was reading in Daniel 10 where Daniel had been praying for 21 days with out seeing any result. Then an angel appears and tells Daniel what is to come. What strikes me is that we get a glimpse of the struggle that takes place in the spiritual realm. The angel says that God had sent him the first day that Daniel prayed but a angelic principality withstood him. For 21 days the conflict raged, until God sent Michael the arch angle to intervene. Many teachers have built large amounts of doctrine on this account and that’s is not my intent here, but I do believe this account gives us a peek behind the curtain of the natural to see the battle that rages in the heavenly. How many times do we pray and not see an immediate answer and our faith fails. We begin to doubt God and His intent for us. If we understand that there is a very real adversary, and that our chief weapon is to pray in faith, we will see things happen! We can be confident in the fact that God hears our prayers and moves on our behalf. In my own heart I have committed to pray big prayers, the ones that seem impossible, that only God could pull off.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Prayer and Forgiveness
I have been giving a lot of thought to prayer and have been pressing into increasing my personal prayer life. This has led me to look at forgiveness as it relates to prayer. Jesus linked forgiveness to prayer on more then one occasion. In Mark 11:24-25, "Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted you. 25 "And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your transgressions. "But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions." Many times we look to this story for insight into faith yet Mark tells the story to lead into profound moral teaching. The power of faith is linked to having a clean heart in regard to others. So profound was Jesus’ teaching upon His disciples that all would write of the same truth. Peter like us was perplexed and troubled by the extremeness of Jesus’ remarks. Jesus remarks required a generosity of spirit that seemed unreasonable. If we forgive, we will be forgiven, if we don’t forgive, we will not be forgiven was more than Peter could fathom. Peter asks for clarification and receives even a greater challenge. Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. (Matt 18:21-35) Paul would later write that we should model forgiveness because of Christ and his work in us. He would point out in Col 3:12 how we were chosen by the grace and mercy of God and we were to act like Christ. James in his direct and (some would say harsh way) lays out the importance with no wiggle room whatsoever. “For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.” (James 2:13) With all this emphases on the subject of forgiving it begs the question of what does it mean to forgive. As a verb it means to stop blaming or to absolve from payment. As an adjective it means inclined to show mercy. It is a position of moral strength that lives above the circumstances of life. All relationships has great possibility of offenses. Yet there is a way to live above the fray. We gain insight when we look at motivations for not forgiving. • Vengeance – We have a secret desire to punish or see people hurt. • Self-protection – We build a wall so that the offender no longer has access. • Manipulation- Victim status gives opportunity to rally support and pity. All of these are corrupt and lead to the ensnaring world of bitterness. Our life becomes consumed by the offense. Unforgiveness is described as unwilling to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty, grim determination or harsh and severe. In our desire for justice or vindication we can hinder the grace of God in our life.
How do we identify an unforgiving spirit in ourselves? First we examine our thought life. Do we review an offence over and over again? Do we have fantasies of vengeance? Are we judgmental? Second we evaluate our current relationships. Do we hold people at a distance? Do we tend to keep score? Do we justify our actions towards others? Do we harbor a grudge? All of these are symptoms of unforgiveness. Lastly we must ask the Holy Spirit to reveal problem areas of our heart. If we recognize ourselves any of the above attitudes we must take responsibility and move toward real change.
How does one forgive those who have hurt us or offended us? It starts with seeing the need and working to bring our hearts and mind in agreement with God. Meditate on His love and faithfulness toward you. Realize how much Christ has extended Himself to you. Think of the result of your sins and the extravagance of grace given to you. Grace can be described as God’s unmerited favor designed to draw His enemies to Himself. He sought you even when it was your actions that led Him to the cross. Seek to understand God’s involvement in your life. Evaluate your life today in light of God’s faithfulness. Recognize God looks at the larger picture and he is committed to your development. Ask for the Holy Spirits help and repent of bitterness and resentment. Think of simply canceling the debt that another owes to you.
How do we identify an unforgiving spirit in ourselves? First we examine our thought life. Do we review an offence over and over again? Do we have fantasies of vengeance? Are we judgmental? Second we evaluate our current relationships. Do we hold people at a distance? Do we tend to keep score? Do we justify our actions towards others? Do we harbor a grudge? All of these are symptoms of unforgiveness. Lastly we must ask the Holy Spirit to reveal problem areas of our heart. If we recognize ourselves any of the above attitudes we must take responsibility and move toward real change.
How does one forgive those who have hurt us or offended us? It starts with seeing the need and working to bring our hearts and mind in agreement with God. Meditate on His love and faithfulness toward you. Realize how much Christ has extended Himself to you. Think of the result of your sins and the extravagance of grace given to you. Grace can be described as God’s unmerited favor designed to draw His enemies to Himself. He sought you even when it was your actions that led Him to the cross. Seek to understand God’s involvement in your life. Evaluate your life today in light of God’s faithfulness. Recognize God looks at the larger picture and he is committed to your development. Ask for the Holy Spirits help and repent of bitterness and resentment. Think of simply canceling the debt that another owes to you.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Prayer and Other Thoughts
It is my belief that in these last days God is restoring many of the truths that believers in the early Church understood and practiced. The Lord’s desire has always been that His church would be equipped to do the same work, with the same heart that moved Him to lay down his life for the world. We are called to invade this earthly realm with the supernatural reality of God. We are alive with the Spirit of God by His mercy, we have a testimony that Christ is alive. We have experienced His touch, His love and forgiveness. We have the inward witness of the Holy Spirit. We know the transforming power of God!! We are to be the agents of heaven invading the kingdom of darkness. All that because of the new life we have received in Christ. With that new life comes a new call. Peter in his epistle would write...
"you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for {God's} own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; (1 Pet 2:9)
How do we proclaim? How do we make Him known? How do we bring the reality of a living active Savior to this world? I believe it is by being willing and by moving forward on Holy Spirit-revealed strategies.
With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, (Eph 6:18, NAS)
Prayer and fellowship were significant parts of the culture of the early Church. Much of the believer’s life was centered on meeting together and prayer. It was an exciting time; there were those who actually witnessed the death and resurrection of Jesus. They knew He was alive and had a hope that He was going to do something great. They were a people who experienced God. The Holy Spirit was active. They moved forward by the leading of the Spirit of God, revealed in prayer.
The Spirit teaches us how to pray. Of all the responsibilities of the believers, this is one by which we can’t go wrong. If we are interceding for others we are participating in the leading of the Spirit. Prayer releases the resources of heaven to accomplish what we have been commissioned to do. In a real sense it causes heaven to invade earth.
"you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for {God's} own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; (1 Pet 2:9)
How do we proclaim? How do we make Him known? How do we bring the reality of a living active Savior to this world? I believe it is by being willing and by moving forward on Holy Spirit-revealed strategies.
With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, (Eph 6:18, NAS)
Prayer and fellowship were significant parts of the culture of the early Church. Much of the believer’s life was centered on meeting together and prayer. It was an exciting time; there were those who actually witnessed the death and resurrection of Jesus. They knew He was alive and had a hope that He was going to do something great. They were a people who experienced God. The Holy Spirit was active. They moved forward by the leading of the Spirit of God, revealed in prayer.
The Spirit teaches us how to pray. Of all the responsibilities of the believers, this is one by which we can’t go wrong. If we are interceding for others we are participating in the leading of the Spirit. Prayer releases the resources of heaven to accomplish what we have been commissioned to do. In a real sense it causes heaven to invade earth.
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