Scott Lane – Page 32 – The Everyday Prayer

Good Questions

Re:Verse reading–1 Corinthians 8 and 1 Corinthians 10:22-33 (day five)

“Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble.” 8: 13

At the heart of Paul’s teaching/writing in chapter eight are significant questions he proposes to the church in Corinth. “Am I causing others to stumble?” “Am I communicating love with actions and attitudes?”

Let me suggest some other good questions to help with discernment:

Which is more important, my knowledge of God, or His knowledge of me?

Does my behavior bring others closer to God?

Do my attitudes and actions strengthen the faith of Christians?

Are people glad to have met me?

Is my knowledge of God balanced with love for others?

“When a Christian’s knowledge is radiated and released by love, he is clearly demonstrating that he knows God and that God knows him, i.e. that there is a deepening personal relationship between the two.”- David Prior

Afraid

Re:Verse reading–1 Corinthians 5 (day five)

Why did no one confront or challenge the sinning member? Maybe they were afraid. Perhaps their perspective was that past experiences or other influencing factors were the cause of his sin. Yes, the world is “fallen” and all of humanity has been effected by its brokenness. We can almost rationalize any behavior (ours and others) with this line of thinking. But our biggest problem is not sin in the broken world (what happens to us and what we experience). The Bible teaches the biggest problem is the sin inside us (Psalm 51:5). Evil inside us attracts us to evil in the world and causes evil actions and motives. God’s grace changes our perspective about ungodly behavior/thinking (ours and others). He changes us from the inside first. We don’t have to be afraid to confess and repent. We don’t have to be afraid to approach our brothers and sisters in Christ with the same grace and hope that God gives us.

Time to Grow

Re:Verse reading–1 Corinthians 3:1-17 (day five) Paul’s warning to the believers in Corinth comes because there has been no growth or maturing for a period of time. His tone in the first two verses was not confrontational but rather factual. “You were not ready.” These are not accusations you would make against brand new Christians. Notice the past tense in his statements in verse 1 and the first part of verse 2. Then, his tone changes. He’s not upset because they started as babes in the faith, but that they did not grow out of it. “Even now you are not yet able.” There was no evidence of growth or progress in their faith. Quite the opposite. What Paul saw and sensed was “the flesh”- jealousy, strife, and boasting in men.

They had time to grow. We have time to grow. The goal of the Christian life is not perfection but progress. Will we make progress and grow to know, act like, and become more like Jesus? Paul would say, “It’s time to grow!”

We

Re:Verse reading–1 Corinthians 1:18-25 (day five)

vs. 18 “But to us who are being saved”. Isn’t it interesting that Paul refers to himself as one of those who “are being saved”? Hasn’t he already trusted Christ to save him? Why would he say, “we” instead of “you”? The answer is that salvation happens in 3 tenses (past, present, and future). Each tense requires faith and trust.

Each one who is saved can look back to a moment where WE confessed, repented, and by faith in Christ, trusted God to save us. He was (past tense) saving us from the penalty of sin.

The faith and trust WE have in God’s promises of the future (heaven and eternal life) indicate one day, WE believe that through Christ, He will save from the presence of sin.

How are WE being saved currently (present)? WE trust, through faith in Christ that God is – by His power, wisdom, and forgiveness saving us from the power of sin. It is the tension and struggle we sense.

So, we trust and proclaim that God has saved us, will save us, and is currently saving us. That is great news!!

Litmus

Re:Verse reading–Philemon 1-25 (day five)

vs 5 “because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints;”

A question people often ask. Comes in different forms and phrases- “How do I know I am getting stronger in my faith?”, “How do I know I am closer to God?”

Are there indicators or evidences that point to real faith? The scripture does point to several. One of those is a deep affection and love for God’s people (the church). In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (chapter 5) as he describes the love between a husband and wife, he uses the analogy of Christ’s love for the church.

Want a litmus for your faith? Ask how much you love the church (more specifically, all the people in the church) – those that agree and disagree with you, those that encourage and are a challenge to you. It will be a deep and growing love for Christ that will produce a deep and growing love for His people.

Pray First

Re:Verse reading–Acts 12:1-19 (day five)

Acts 12:5- prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.

What we know about that first New Testament Church is that there were a few activities and actions that were “non-negotiables” for them- worship, bible study, fellowship, and prayer. What if the rhythm and priority of prayer bathed a Pastoral Succession and Transition? What if we ALL were praying with desperation and expectation? What if we continued to Pray First and ask the Lord to help our church complete this process? Would we demonstrate our dependence and trust in the Living God? Would God continue to help our church for His glory and the good of our city and the nations? Please take opportunity this weekend to join other members of our church in ernest prayer for our church, the transition process, and our co-pastors. These are exciting and important moments in the life of our church. Pray First!

The Work of the Spirit

Re:Verse reading–John 3:1-21 (day five) “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Jesus teaches Nicodemus that “new birth” is a sovereign work of God’s Spirit. Birth is the perfect illustration. We didn’t do anything to be born (physically). We can’t do anything to be born (spiritually). The only way for a person to be “born again” is by the work of the Spirit of God. There are uncertainties about the wind. Where? Why? When? But we do know with certainty, there is evidence of its presence. Just as in the Christian life, there is conviction, faith, and fruit.

You’re a Christian because the Spirit of God blew where he wished, and he wished to blow inside your soul. He swept through your heart and brought you to life; he made you alive to God.- Matt Carter

Feed Your Faith

Re:Verse reading–Mark 9:14-29 (day five)

Billy Graham used to tell this story… An Eskimo fisherman came to town every Saturday afternoon. He always brought his two dogs with him. One was white and the other was black. He had taught them to fight on command. Every Saturday afternoon in the town square the people would gather and these two dogs would fight and the fisherman would take bets. On one Saturday the black dog would win; another Saturday, the white dog would win but the fisherman always won! His friend began to ask him how he did it. He said, “I starve one and feed the other. The one I feed always wins because he is stronger.”

The faith of the father and disciples was weakened because of doubt, struggles, criticism, and cynicism, and hopelessness. Those kinds of circumstances stand ready to attach and weaken our faith each and every day.

The solution for stronger faith?? Feed your faith. Jesus’ admonition to the disciples in this passage- feed/strengthen faith through prayer. Do we see the need and power of prayer like Jesus? Will we daily feed our faith through honest conversation and communication with our Heavenly Father? Our faith depends on it.

Again

Re:Verse reading–Hosea 1, 3, 14 (day five) Then the Lord said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband, yet an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the sons of Israel.”

Praise God for Again!! His persistent, gracious, and faithful love has pursued and found me countless times in rebellion, disobedience, dismay, brokenness, hopelessness, and apathy. Yet, He never stops loving. Never stops reminding. Never stops encouraging. Never stops forgiving and restoring. Again and again and again. How many times is that? Certainly more than I deserve.

It is a humbling reminder of our own struggle with sin to think how many times He has done that (again and again) for each of us. Yet, also a prompt for worship and praise of a God who is rich (endless) in mercy and grace.

Maybe a time of reflection and repentance for the “agains” in our lives would be helpful today. Follow that with a time of praise, thanksgiving, and worship.

Live and Speak

Re:Verse reading–Daniel 6 (day five)

For He is the living God and enduring forever, And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed,
And His dominion will be forever.

When and how did Darius learn about the Living God? Certainly the culmination was after the lions den. Could he have been both watching and listening prior to the lions den? Daniel’s custom (see vs 10) communicated God’s character and nature. I suspect there was more to it than that. The king’s words sound like they came from someone else. And now that Daniel has come through the lions den unharmed, those words made sense and now have significant meaning to the king. Could those words be Daniel’s? Could Daniel have been not only living a faithful example, but also talking and teaching about the Living God he was following. Daniel’s influence was due to his faithfulness to AND his testimony about the Living God. Are we consistent and faithful in both our actions and our words?

1 Peter 3;15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.