The Everyday Prayer

(Our reading this week is 2 Chronicles 34. Thanks for your dedication!) By the time Josiah became king of Judah the judgement of God was very near.  Jeremiah had prophesied it.  Nothing could save the nation  from destruction. (Jeremiah 15:1)  Much like we studied last week (Ahab story), God had “decreed destruction” against Jerusalem and would not change His mind.  Even so, Josiah was determined to find what mercy from God was still available.  Like the prodigal son, He accepted consequences (becoming a slave)but he still hoped for God’s help.  So, for the sake of His nation, Josiah repented.  He humbled himself.  He wept before the Lord.  He prayed.  He gathered others to pray with him.  And God heard him.  I think we have much to learn from this good king.  We, too, may have crossed the line of God’s irreversible judgement.  It is NOT TOO LATE, however, to find His mercy.  Today, as we pray “Father forgive us” may the Lord help us to truly mean it.

I have enjoyed this week’s reading.  Is enjoy the right word?  Micaiah has become a new hero, an example of faithfulness to God in a hard situation.  “As unknown (to the world) and yet well known (to God). . .as sorrowful yet always rejoicing. . .as having nothing yet possessing all things” is the way the Apostle Paul described his life (and Micaiah’s) in 2 Corinthians 6:9-10. May the Lord give us courage for this difficult and blessed road!  When we pray, “Deliver us from evil” we must be careful that we do not unconsciously mean, “please keep me from any difficult or dangerous task”.  “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross” says the Christ to every follower.   Micaiah helps me remember what this looks like in actual experience.  I am looking forward to seeing you in a few hours.  The Lord will be near as we gather.  Glory!  Don

Was the conflict between Ahab and Micaiah personal?  Ahab certainly thought so.  “I hate him, he does not prophesy good concerning me”, he said with a pout in 1 Kings 22:8.  It never occurs to him that there may be another explanation for Micaiah’s words than personal animosity.  Do we ever make the same mistake?  Do we ever allow a disagreement (that’s all it is–a disagreement re. what God is saying)  to become a personal insult?  When Jesus taught us to love our enemies, He was separating opposition/conflict from resentment/hatred.   It is an important lesson of life in the church. . .we can love people with whom we disagree.  IF WE WANT TO FOLLOW CHRIST, WE MUST!  Today as you pray the Lord’s prayer, pay particular attention to the words “forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors”.  Disagreement is one thing.  Personal animosity is something else entirely. I will see you in worship tomorrow!  Don

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13)  Is this true?  Is it true the way it is often understood?  The 400 prophets (1 Kings 22) were making a modern mistake as they encouraged Ahab to go to war against Syria.   Like many in our day, they believed that “all things are possible with God” equals “all things are advisable to God”.  Not True.  Christians are not free to “dream any dream” and expect God’s help in accomplishing it.  Our faith is not synonymous with unlimited optimism.  What the Great God does promise is to assist strongly all endeavors that rise from His own heart and wisdom.  The first task of prayer is not speaking, it is listening.  Today, as you pray the Lord’s prayer, will you hear His counsel re. the kind of requests and attitude of heart that God will hear and honor? PS. I am back from youth camp.  Thank you for your prayers.  Looking forward to seeing you Sunday.  Don

“One man with courage makes a majority” –Andrew Jackson.  When the odds are 400 to one (as they were for Micaiah in 1 Kings 22) are you tempted to conform to the majority view?  If everyone sees the same truth but you and they are urging you to “live in unity” or  “make it unanimous” do you go with the crowd or with your conscience?  When pleasing the King (Ahab) becomes more important than pleasing the King (Jesus) the church loses its voice and value.  Most of our task and all of our truth depends on being able to say “Thus saith the Lord”.  It can be very unpopular.  I am grateful for these weeks at youth camp–aware in a fresh way of the burdens these young members of our family carry, how often they are required to “stand alone”.  I am looking forward to being “back home” with you on Sunday.  May the Lord give us courage.

“If all men count with you, but none too much”–Kipling.  This coming Sunday I have asked Stephen if we could sing “In Christ Alone”.  It is a new song–representative of the very meaningful hymn/choruses that are being written in our day.  I’m attracted to it Sunday because we are reading the story of Micaiah (1 Kings 22).  Like all of us, Micaiah came to a point of having to stand for Christ, ALONE.  If Christ is all we have theologically, He will, at times, be all we have experientially.  Having Him ONLY, we will be LONELY.  As a Pastor, it has been a hard lesson to learn–listen to the people, but not too much, God more.  Maybe that is the reason that Jesus always got up early to go pray by Himself.  (Mark 1:35)  He wanted to hear from the Father before he heard from everyone else. ” In Christ alone, my hope is found”.  I will look for you on Sunday.

“And men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil”  (John 3:19)  Ahab with Micaiah is a warning.  All of us tend to resent/avoid people who tell us the truth.  God’s truth is especially painful.  It reproves.  It rebukes.  It challenges.  An antiseptic that doesn’t burn is probably not doing its job.  When we pray (honestly) we willingly enter a world that is shaped by truth and not our comfort.  When I say “Father. . .thy kingdom come” I am pleading to be included in a program that treats my happiness as a secondary value.  Sometimes it hurts!  Do we want truth enough to face it when it does?  As you read 1 Kings 22 this week (thank you for reading 1 Kings this week) will you open your heart to the not-easy-to-hear-but-still-true truth?  I am at Youth Camp this week.  I am praying for you.

“But this is the one to whom I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at my word”. (Isaiah 66:2) Yesterday in worship and Sunday School we looked at Amos. (Thank you, Lord, for the “Re: verse” system of scripture study).  This week we continue with Micaiah.  Not a writing prophet but a prophet nevertheless.  Like all prophets, he reminds us that God still speaks to His people.  Jesus said we LIVE “by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God”.  The question is, do we listen?  Do we tremble when He speaks?  A reverent fear of God is a safequard against ignoring His word, or delaying our response.  Today, as you pray the Lord’s prayer, will you be careful to notice what the Lord is saying to you through the words and the ideas of Christ?  Be still.  Ask God to give you ears that hear and a heart that fears.

In 1 Thessalonians 1: 4-6, Paul describes the conversion of the Thessalonians.  “The word of God came with POWER” he remembers with fresh reverence years later.  The power came from a combination of factors–the example of Paul and his companions (vs 5), the gracious choice of God (vs 4), the preaching of the gospel (vs 5).  Like the word of Christ that called Lazarus from the grave, the word that saved the Thessalonians was not something to be considered or debated, IT EFFECTIVELY CALLED THEM TO LIFE.  What a sad contrast to the preaching of Amos.  Our study this week has been a fresh warning to us that “good seed” can fall on hard ground.  When Amos called the people of Israel to new life, they said “no thank you, we already have a religion “.  Today as we gather for worship at FBC, will the power of God be present for healing?  Will the preaching of the word call us to LIFE?  I am praying for you and with you.

One of the reasons we do not hear from God is that we listen to other people.  Our ears are so accustomed to “the wisdom of this age” that we neither discern nor heed the “Still Small Voice” saying a very different thing.  When Amaziah invited Amos to “get out of town” (Amos 7) he did so because they already had a religion–and one that they liked very well, thank you.  No matter that their religion was man-made and lacked the power of God.  If we are not careful we make the same mistake.  In Jeremiah 23:28-29 God says, “The prophet who has a dream may relate his dream, but let him who has My word speak it in truth.  What does straw have in common with grain?  Is not my word like FIRE, like a hammer that shatters the rock?”  May we all hunger for nothing less.  I will look for you tomorrow.  I am counting on your prayers.