An area I want to grow in is prayer. Certainly that includes the prayer we have as we go along throughout each day. And I'm especially thinking about those special prayer concerns we have for others, as well as for ourselves, from time to time.
I think of those regular times when Jesus met with the Father, during his earthly life. And how I want to come to God in prayer for others, and for special situations.
I have found that to do so does seem to take sheer will power and perseverance at times. This is so because I believe faith in prayer involves a time element in God's working. And God's working often involves the one praying themselves, as well as what they are praying for. And we must not forget there is a spiritual battle taking place. One way I see this is simply the difficulty I have sustaining ongoing prayer about any matter. Along with some of the wickedness that can get thrown my way in dreams, and in subtle, and not so subtle ways, which I take as being from the enemy.
But as I persevere in praying, I often arrive at a sense that God is in it somehow, perhaps in the praying, or in what is being prayed about- likely both. Weak though my praying may be.
I do try to pray according to "the Lord's Prayer," along with my understanding of their needs and how I would pray. Bringing in that prayer that Jesus taught us helps us pray God's will into the matter, and not just our own will and concern for that person.
Any thoughts out there related to this that you'd like to share?
Showing posts with label perseverance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label perseverance. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
don't stand still
Life inherently doesn't stand still, it moves on. Sometimes in my life I've tried to stand still, mesmerized and overcome typically by some anxiety issue over a matter of real concern, a concern shared probably by many in this world. I am reminded of Jesus' words when he mentions "the worries of this life," which can choke God's word in our hearts, and make us unfruitful in our lives. Our standing still can be for a variety of reasons.
Journey is a good analogy of our lives, though the change in our lives is not just outward, but inward as well. I am reminded once again of John Bunyan's, the classic The Pilgrim's Progress. For whatever theological deficiencies that story has, it has a number of significant strengths. And one important point in it is that Christian moves on. In a number of places he could have settled down, or in one way or another deterred and stopped from his journey from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City.
We must not stand still. Sometimes along the way that takes special effort; it can be a struggle. We have to learn not to live on our feelings, not to allow our fears or whatever it is that is impacting us for ill (Jesus' words, "the deceitfulness [NLT- "lure"] of wealth" also comes to mind, here) to stop us from proceeding in God's will for us in Jesus.
For me this moving on takes place in a number of ways. Regular daily intake of God's word, prayer, fellowship with other believers, getting on with the responsibilities of life, and more prayer, more intake of God's word, more of everything that comes my way.
Don't stand still. Move on. Only then will we be able (and enabled) to participate in the life God has for us, a life never without troubles, but never apart from God's love for us in Jesus.
What would you like to add to this?
Journey is a good analogy of our lives, though the change in our lives is not just outward, but inward as well. I am reminded once again of John Bunyan's, the classic The Pilgrim's Progress. For whatever theological deficiencies that story has, it has a number of significant strengths. And one important point in it is that Christian moves on. In a number of places he could have settled down, or in one way or another deterred and stopped from his journey from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City.
We must not stand still. Sometimes along the way that takes special effort; it can be a struggle. We have to learn not to live on our feelings, not to allow our fears or whatever it is that is impacting us for ill (Jesus' words, "the deceitfulness [NLT- "lure"] of wealth" also comes to mind, here) to stop us from proceeding in God's will for us in Jesus.
For me this moving on takes place in a number of ways. Regular daily intake of God's word, prayer, fellowship with other believers, getting on with the responsibilities of life, and more prayer, more intake of God's word, more of everything that comes my way.
Don't stand still. Move on. Only then will we be able (and enabled) to participate in the life God has for us, a life never without troubles, but never apart from God's love for us in Jesus.
What would you like to add to this?
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
the tenacity of faith
Faith must end up being tenacious, and this is especially needed at certain points in our journey. There will always be seemingly insurmountable problems along the way. These can take numerous forms, though often they are the same kind of struggles common to us as individuals in our different makeup and variables.
Faith in God through Jesus by the Spirit, and in community, the community of God in Jesus, will find a way. This can take time and certainly effort on our part. And at times, simply waiting on and trusting in God. We need to become more and more aware of God's revealed will given to us from Scripture in Christ. How this unfolds will be beyond us, indeed it is "a God-thing." But it will, if we in faith hold on in one way or another.
This is particularly evident to me lately. And this is a faith not just to see us through, although that's important so that we'll continue on in our faith, in the faith. But it's a faith that in that continuing, will help grow us up together into conformity to God's will in Jesus. Towards being like Jesus. Certainly again beyond us, but a big part of the work that God does here on earth. That others may see Jesus through us, God's people.
What would you like to add here?
Faith in God through Jesus by the Spirit, and in community, the community of God in Jesus, will find a way. This can take time and certainly effort on our part. And at times, simply waiting on and trusting in God. We need to become more and more aware of God's revealed will given to us from Scripture in Christ. How this unfolds will be beyond us, indeed it is "a God-thing." But it will, if we in faith hold on in one way or another.
This is particularly evident to me lately. And this is a faith not just to see us through, although that's important so that we'll continue on in our faith, in the faith. But it's a faith that in that continuing, will help grow us up together into conformity to God's will in Jesus. Towards being like Jesus. Certainly again beyond us, but a big part of the work that God does here on earth. That others may see Jesus through us, God's people.
What would you like to add here?
Monday, December 22, 2008
keep on keeping on
I'm not a TULIP guy (but the flowers, yes!), but a large part of the P (and probably all the T, properly understood) I think I would agree with. God's grace is at work to help us in Jesus, to keep on keeping on. This is so even after we fail and sometimes fail miserably. Or even when we're keenly aware of just how wrong and sinful we are inside. If left on our own it would be easy, and probably inevitable that sooner or later we'd throw in the towel and abandon the project altogether.
That stands to good reason since the project then would be dependent on us, but it is one in which God is at work. Yet it's a project of which we're a part. We have to keep on going, even when it seems like we're in the mire and getting no where. I think of Christian in John Bunyan's classic, The Pilgrim's Progress. He had plenty of help along the way from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City, but it was far from easy. There were points along the way where discouragement could have set in easily, leading to despair, and as I recall, there are points in the story that come close to that. But then renewed hope from God through Christ makes itself known through one "means of grace" or another. And Christian continues on in his journey.
For me it's important, certain times especially, not to live in the moment or present struggle or despair I'm in. I must go on, looking ahead to what God has for me in Christ, through the word, through other Christians. Of course Jesus was the epitome of this, setting the trail of salvation out for us by his life and through his death, resurrection and ascension. Now we go on in him, in this same kind of journey, testifying to his completed salvation and seeking to live that out in our journey in this world. We do so well only together, not alone as Christian in Bunyan's story was much of the time. Though there is an element of being alone from that story which is important. We still have our part to do. But we should seek to do so only in fellowship with God through Jesus, and in fellowship with others in Jesus.
Keep on keeping on. There's always a light ahead in the dark places. Don't look back, and don't stop moving. It's a God-thing, this life we have in Jesus. Therefore it's a sure and good ending ahead, as well as unfolding for us on the way to more and more know and make known God's glory and beauty by the Spirit in Jesus.
What might you like to add to this?
That stands to good reason since the project then would be dependent on us, but it is one in which God is at work. Yet it's a project of which we're a part. We have to keep on going, even when it seems like we're in the mire and getting no where. I think of Christian in John Bunyan's classic, The Pilgrim's Progress. He had plenty of help along the way from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City, but it was far from easy. There were points along the way where discouragement could have set in easily, leading to despair, and as I recall, there are points in the story that come close to that. But then renewed hope from God through Christ makes itself known through one "means of grace" or another. And Christian continues on in his journey.
For me it's important, certain times especially, not to live in the moment or present struggle or despair I'm in. I must go on, looking ahead to what God has for me in Christ, through the word, through other Christians. Of course Jesus was the epitome of this, setting the trail of salvation out for us by his life and through his death, resurrection and ascension. Now we go on in him, in this same kind of journey, testifying to his completed salvation and seeking to live that out in our journey in this world. We do so well only together, not alone as Christian in Bunyan's story was much of the time. Though there is an element of being alone from that story which is important. We still have our part to do. But we should seek to do so only in fellowship with God through Jesus, and in fellowship with others in Jesus.
Keep on keeping on. There's always a light ahead in the dark places. Don't look back, and don't stop moving. It's a God-thing, this life we have in Jesus. Therefore it's a sure and good ending ahead, as well as unfolding for us on the way to more and more know and make known God's glory and beauty by the Spirit in Jesus.
What might you like to add to this?
Friday, August 22, 2008
scaring the hell out of us
You may not like the title of my post (I don't like it either, really) or the subject matter (I'll agree with you there, to a large extent at least), or the tone of some of my posts recently (okay, I don't either), or in the past (to some extent I'll agree there, also). But I believe this is important because it's a part of Scripture, and I believe Scripture is the word of God speaking the message and Story of God to us. Which ultimately comes to us, in Jesus, God's final word to us.
I was raised Mennonite, but after my conversion at the beginning of my senior year in high school, I was soon influenced by my uncle who taught at the school and is a pastor, and I by and by embraced a Baptist doctrine, leaving my Mennonite beliefs behind. Of course eternal security was part of that teaching, and since I felt insecure, I found it helpful and liberating for me. And indeed, it is essential to know just how important and foundational God's keeping of us in Jesus is.
At the same time, I think what I understand Scot McKnight in a recent comment at Jesus Creed, to have said, is true. Many Baptists who believe in eternal security, once saved always saved, really do not believe in perseverance, that is that true Christians will persevere faithfully in God's will till the end, not perfectly, but they'll always come back and be saved in the end. I do think most Baptists believe we're to live holy lives, and only a few think that when you are saved you don't have to concern yourself with that.
But inherent in their position is the belief that once you're saved you'll always be saved. In light of the book of Hebrews, and in light of Jesus' strong warnings to his disciples, I think such a position takes the teeth out of such passages. The idea is that no matter what you do, you can't lose your salvation. That may be true. For example I knew a good young pastor years ago, at that time a youth pastor who believed that one would forfeit their salvation if they committed suicide. There is no way I believe that. Though at the same time I wouldn't want to fall into such a sin with all the awful ramifications and no opportunity in this life to repent of it.
What sinning can do for us is harden our hearts since sin is deceitful. We can drift away from the message of Christ and the gospel. Not just for those who have yet to taste and see that the Lord is good, but for those who already have. We are told in Scripture to make our calling and election sure. There are other arguments on this side, as well as on the other side. Good Christians will disagree on it.
My plea though is to take seriously the warning passages, and not somehow skirt what they're actually saying so as to take the teeth out of them. By faith we're kept by the power of God for salvation, but though we can't earn our salvation, we can walk away from it, at first perhaps not deliberately, but in the end no longer caring, hardened in heart and devoted to other things (idols) rather than God in Christ.
So I think we need to listen to the word of God and take to heart all that is written in it. We need to continue to rest in the grace of God for us in Jesus, trusting God for his good work in us, and working that out with fear and trembling.
Just some scattered and incomplete thoughts on this, this morning. One part of Scripture which is not pleasant, but is for our good.
What would you like to add to this, or say here?
I was raised Mennonite, but after my conversion at the beginning of my senior year in high school, I was soon influenced by my uncle who taught at the school and is a pastor, and I by and by embraced a Baptist doctrine, leaving my Mennonite beliefs behind. Of course eternal security was part of that teaching, and since I felt insecure, I found it helpful and liberating for me. And indeed, it is essential to know just how important and foundational God's keeping of us in Jesus is.
At the same time, I think what I understand Scot McKnight in a recent comment at Jesus Creed, to have said, is true. Many Baptists who believe in eternal security, once saved always saved, really do not believe in perseverance, that is that true Christians will persevere faithfully in God's will till the end, not perfectly, but they'll always come back and be saved in the end. I do think most Baptists believe we're to live holy lives, and only a few think that when you are saved you don't have to concern yourself with that.
But inherent in their position is the belief that once you're saved you'll always be saved. In light of the book of Hebrews, and in light of Jesus' strong warnings to his disciples, I think such a position takes the teeth out of such passages. The idea is that no matter what you do, you can't lose your salvation. That may be true. For example I knew a good young pastor years ago, at that time a youth pastor who believed that one would forfeit their salvation if they committed suicide. There is no way I believe that. Though at the same time I wouldn't want to fall into such a sin with all the awful ramifications and no opportunity in this life to repent of it.
What sinning can do for us is harden our hearts since sin is deceitful. We can drift away from the message of Christ and the gospel. Not just for those who have yet to taste and see that the Lord is good, but for those who already have. We are told in Scripture to make our calling and election sure. There are other arguments on this side, as well as on the other side. Good Christians will disagree on it.
My plea though is to take seriously the warning passages, and not somehow skirt what they're actually saying so as to take the teeth out of them. By faith we're kept by the power of God for salvation, but though we can't earn our salvation, we can walk away from it, at first perhaps not deliberately, but in the end no longer caring, hardened in heart and devoted to other things (idols) rather than God in Christ.
So I think we need to listen to the word of God and take to heart all that is written in it. We need to continue to rest in the grace of God for us in Jesus, trusting God for his good work in us, and working that out with fear and trembling.
Just some scattered and incomplete thoughts on this, this morning. One part of Scripture which is not pleasant, but is for our good.
What would you like to add to this, or say here?
Monday, August 04, 2008
the need to persevere
I'm being refreshed in reading a number of books, and one of them, Kept by the Power of God, by I.Howard Marshall, I'm finding helpful right now. A Scottish scholar, Marshall shows us exegetically from Scripture the real danger that exists if believers in Jesus don't keep going forward in growth in grace. He proposes from Scripture that if we don't go forward, we will go backward, and we're in danger of losing what we once had- our salvation. Particularly in his work on the book of Hebrews, I think Marshall presents a compelling case for his thesis. I'm not done with the book yet, but I'm enjoying it because I think it brings out what so many, in one way or another, negate. And reading other books at the same time helps me avoid being suffocated by the difficult subject matter.
Any thoughts on this?
Any thoughts on this?
Monday, June 23, 2008
patience
Life in Jesus consists of patience, patience with others which is part of the fruit of the Spirit and a part of the love we're to live out towards others. But also a patience with God's good working in us and our response to that.
Patience involves "suffering long" or believing that something better lies ahead in God's good will. And not losing hope when it seem like the only thing we can hold on to is a love that is patient towards God and others.
Patience can help us avoid dread and embrace what is set before us, even when we know we still haven't received what God in Jesus has promised us. It involves pressing on in faith, even when it would be easier to just accept the status quo and end up hibernating spiritually, and in life.
I can look at myself and my life and can find things which while they may not be wrong, they point out to me that I'm still very much a person in process. This kind of reminds me of green bananas. When I was a boy for some reason I loved green bananas. Maybe it was an overreaction against overly ripe bananas. As I'm older I like them far less, though maybe just a tad bit on the not fully ripe side. So I can look at my life and see some immaturities, or not fully grown up attitudes or ways of being. In prayer to God for myself and others I then must exercise this patience.
We need to be willing to plod along when it seems uphill and every step requires effort. When it seems most difficult and darkest, as I've continued in faith with patience, and hung in there or persevered, this has often been the prelude to some of God's most exalted blessings in my life. Or a sense of God's good working. Patience is needed quite often, one that is both passive in knowing our help is only from the Lord, but is active in looking to him and continuing in our faith with this patience, as we await his good work and will in our lives and through them, in Jesus.
What would you like to add on patience?
Patience involves "suffering long" or believing that something better lies ahead in God's good will. And not losing hope when it seem like the only thing we can hold on to is a love that is patient towards God and others.
Patience can help us avoid dread and embrace what is set before us, even when we know we still haven't received what God in Jesus has promised us. It involves pressing on in faith, even when it would be easier to just accept the status quo and end up hibernating spiritually, and in life.
I can look at myself and my life and can find things which while they may not be wrong, they point out to me that I'm still very much a person in process. This kind of reminds me of green bananas. When I was a boy for some reason I loved green bananas. Maybe it was an overreaction against overly ripe bananas. As I'm older I like them far less, though maybe just a tad bit on the not fully ripe side. So I can look at my life and see some immaturities, or not fully grown up attitudes or ways of being. In prayer to God for myself and others I then must exercise this patience.
We need to be willing to plod along when it seems uphill and every step requires effort. When it seems most difficult and darkest, as I've continued in faith with patience, and hung in there or persevered, this has often been the prelude to some of God's most exalted blessings in my life. Or a sense of God's good working. Patience is needed quite often, one that is both passive in knowing our help is only from the Lord, but is active in looking to him and continuing in our faith with this patience, as we await his good work and will in our lives and through them, in Jesus.
What would you like to add on patience?
Friday, April 11, 2008
passion
N.T. Wright in his latest book, Surprised by Hope, notes how the early Christians were noted as remarkable in their sexual morality. This was in sharp contrast to those whom they lived around in the various countries. And many of these Christians were Gentiles themselves, who had been raised in the cesspool of moral impurity. Of course it's not like those believers didn't have any problems. Paul has to get after the church in Corinth, Corinth itself known back then for its immorality wedded to pagan religion.
In recognizing that God in Jesus forgives the worst of what we do when we turn to him in repentance and faith, we can become softer on sin than what we see in Scripture. Paul commands his listeners to flee immorality and warns them against sexual sin.
This leads me to consider what goes wrong for any of us who get caught up in sexual sin. Of course it can be simply an objectifying of another, using them as an object to satisfy one's own sexual drives and twisted desires. When the act of sex between a man and woman is not accompanied with the covenant commitment of marriage, it is outside of God's will. Of course God will forgive when one repents and forsakes their sin. God forgives us in Christ. But there may be devastating consequences one has to live with the rest of their lives.
Passion needs to begin, for us in Jesus, with a desire towards God. That we would follow hard after him, in love, to the end. That from that love we will love others appropriately. That we will be true, in love to our spouses: in thought, heart, word and deed, whether present with them or absent. And for those of us who do not have a spouse, that we will draw all the closer to the Lord, as we commit ourselves to him and his good will and work. And we need together- in grace, fear, truth and love- to be there for each other in this.
Then passion- which is a gift from God, part of creation though twisted by the fall- can be a good part of our daily activity, fulfilled in many ways as we follow after the one whose passion for us demonstrably knows no bounds.
What might you add to this to help us see the truth as it is in Jesus better on this subject? Or any thoughts.
In recognizing that God in Jesus forgives the worst of what we do when we turn to him in repentance and faith, we can become softer on sin than what we see in Scripture. Paul commands his listeners to flee immorality and warns them against sexual sin.
This leads me to consider what goes wrong for any of us who get caught up in sexual sin. Of course it can be simply an objectifying of another, using them as an object to satisfy one's own sexual drives and twisted desires. When the act of sex between a man and woman is not accompanied with the covenant commitment of marriage, it is outside of God's will. Of course God will forgive when one repents and forsakes their sin. God forgives us in Christ. But there may be devastating consequences one has to live with the rest of their lives.
Passion needs to begin, for us in Jesus, with a desire towards God. That we would follow hard after him, in love, to the end. That from that love we will love others appropriately. That we will be true, in love to our spouses: in thought, heart, word and deed, whether present with them or absent. And for those of us who do not have a spouse, that we will draw all the closer to the Lord, as we commit ourselves to him and his good will and work. And we need together- in grace, fear, truth and love- to be there for each other in this.
Then passion- which is a gift from God, part of creation though twisted by the fall- can be a good part of our daily activity, fulfilled in many ways as we follow after the one whose passion for us demonstrably knows no bounds.
What might you add to this to help us see the truth as it is in Jesus better on this subject? Or any thoughts.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
faith keeps us going and going
I'm reminded of the Energizer Bunny now, with the statment, "Faith keeps us going and going." But this is actually true for us in Jesus. What keeps us going when so much seems to be against us, and we seem ourselves to be stuck in some quagmire of life, for a variety of possible reasons? Faith. Faith in God through Christ and in God's promises to us from Scripture, in Christ.
Faith means we're not going to give up and give in to anything less than God's will for us in Jesus. Faith means we're going to keep praying, even when we feel prayerless or defeated. Faith is ongoing, and is not dependent on anything except the willingness to be led by God and follow.
And we're in this together. This is important. We're not islands to ourselves. We're one Body in Christ, each having our role and work to fulfill as part of that one Body, by the Spirit.
So whatever you and I are facing today, let's not give up. Let's look to God in faith both for ourselves and for each other. And for the work of God's kingdom in Jesus to come to others, as well.
And as we continue in this faith, we'll find that we can in Jesus keep going and going in God's good will for us. No matter what the difficulties are. The Lord will see us, and others through, as we trust in him, however imperfectly, through everything.
What might you add to this?
Faith means we're not going to give up and give in to anything less than God's will for us in Jesus. Faith means we're going to keep praying, even when we feel prayerless or defeated. Faith is ongoing, and is not dependent on anything except the willingness to be led by God and follow.
And we're in this together. This is important. We're not islands to ourselves. We're one Body in Christ, each having our role and work to fulfill as part of that one Body, by the Spirit.
So whatever you and I are facing today, let's not give up. Let's look to God in faith both for ourselves and for each other. And for the work of God's kingdom in Jesus to come to others, as well.
And as we continue in this faith, we'll find that we can in Jesus keep going and going in God's good will for us. No matter what the difficulties are. The Lord will see us, and others through, as we trust in him, however imperfectly, through everything.
What might you add to this?
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