The Privilege of Prayer

"Prayer is ….a most precious privilege, one of the richest blessings conferred on man. It opens a method of fellowship and communion with our Father in heaven; it furnishes a refuge for the soul oppressed with sin and sorrow; it affords an opportunity to the heart overwhelmed with an intolerable weight of misery to unburden itself, to pour its griefs into the ear of one who can pity and help." –Archibald Alexander, Princeton theologian

 Prayer is a privilege and it should be treated as such. For the Christian, it is to be an instinct, and not a last resort. It should be our first string offense and not our fourth string defense. Often we neglect the wonderful gift of prayer. 

 "What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! 

 What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!

 O what peace we often forfeit,

 O what needless pain we bear, 

All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer."

 Such was the case in Psalm 107, “They wandered in the wilderness in a desert region; They did not find a way to an inhabited city. They were hungry and thirsty; Their soul fainted within them. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble; He delivered them out of their distresses.” Psalm 107:4-6 “ 

"There were those who dwelt in darkness and in the shadow of death, Prisoners in misery and chains, Because they had rebelled against the words of God And spurned the counsel of the Most High. Therefore He humbled their heart with labor; They stumbled and there was none to help. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble; He saved them out of their distresses.” Psalm 107:10-13 

“ Fools, because of their rebellious way, And because of their iniquities, were afflicted. Their soul abhorred all kinds of food, And they drew near to the gates of death. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble; He saved them out of their distresses.” Psalm 107:17-19

 “ Those who go down to the sea in ships, Who do business on great waters; They have seen the works of the LORD, And His wonders in the deep. For He spoke and raised up a stormy wind, Which lifted up the waves of the sea. They rose up to the heavens, they went down to the depths; Their soul melted away in their misery. They reeled and staggered like a drunken man, And were at their wits' end. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, And He brought them out of their distresses.” Psalm 107:23-28

 As the children of God, we have been granted an incredible gift. We have been given access to the throne room of God. We do not need a mediator, we do not have to be put on a waiting list, and we do not have to be a special dignitary or possess special credentials. The Bible clearly says, “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:14-16 

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

 A man arrogantly entered a room boasting that he had just spoken with the President, Vice President, Secretary of State, and several world leaders via a conference call. To which another simple minded man said, so what, today I talked with God!................. Now top that. 

 What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! 

 What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!

Famine in the land

There is a dearth across the land today. We have turned away from the pure preaching of the Word. Many preachers today are utilizing gimmicky skits, crude humor, and shock tactics to get their message across. Brethren, all we need is the Gospel. The Gospel is a scandal all of its own. What is the deal with this seeker sensitive, feel good gospel we have today? A vast number of so-called "men of God" are not preaching the Word of God! Can we not get back to pure exegetical preaching? Most sermons today are peppered with humor and flavored with poison. Many preachers today are lazy, half-hearted, self righteous authoritarians. They spend more time in the carefree leisures of life than in their study or on their knees pleading for their people. We need men who will seek God on behalf of their flock. A preacher cannot speak to his flock about God, if he himself has not spoke to God about his flock. Sloth and negligence abound in and out of the pulpit. Redundant and repetitive sermons are the result of their apathy. Upon visiting churches in America, a British pastor was asked, "What did you think about your American counter-parts?" He replied, "The expense of their automobiles and the emptiness of their book shelves." Men of God are just not laboring over the Word of God anymore. They carry the latest and most expensive electronic gadget in their pocket and have a high end automobile, yet their libraries are suffering because of their frivolous luxuries. Whatever happened to study to show yourself approved? Thirty minutes of preparation on a Saturday night just doesn't cut the mustard. There are too many preachers delivering "Saturday night specials" on Sunday morning. They are getting their sermons off the internet and not from the throne of God. We have sermonic websites devoted to the procrastinating pastor. Are you one? Do you fire a gun that another man has loaded? I hope not. Load your own gun and fire it from the pulpit. We need God called men laboring over the text of scripture that God has laid before them. "The great need across evangelicalism is exposition of the Scriptures. I sense there is a departure from that, even among some of our own grads, who are entertaining people, giving the people what they want, whereas we are called to teach the Word. It is the Word that is the power of God to salvation, it is the Word that is the power for Christian living, and I would want them to make the Word of God the center of their ministry, It may not be popular, it may not build mega-churches, but it will fulfill that to which they are called upon to do in ministry. "Churches today must return to the primacy of preaching God's Word. May God raise up a new generation of Biblical expositors who, like those in the early church, are supremely committed to the unashamed proclamation of the apostles' teaching. Now more than ever, may they preach the Word!”

TOTAL ALLEGIANCE!

Jesus demands the pinnacle spot, the perennial position, and the preeminent place in your heart. He cannot and will not be relegated to the backseat. He is not merely a doorstop upon which to rest your burdens. He is not a wastebasket into which you can cast your unwanted filth. He is not your big brother, nor your rich uncle. He is the supreme Sovereign God of Glory, and He demands nothing less than your TOTAL ALLEGIANCE. It is not enough to have Him out front, He is to be on top. 

Someone has written:

"I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I'm a disciple of His and I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed. My present makes sense. My future is secure. I'm done and finished with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap living, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, or first, or tops, or recognized, or praised, or rewarded. I live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by Holy Spirit power. My face is set. My gait is fast. My goal is heaven. My road may be narrow, my way rough, my companions few, but my guide is reliable and my mission is clear. I will not be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice or hesitate in the presence of the adversary. I will not negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won't give up, shut up, or let up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He comes. And when He does come for His own, He'll have no problems recognizing me. My colors will be clear!"- Anon

Putting Jesus in His place!

"But who do you say that I am" Mark 8:29

Allow me to begin by asking you two crucial questions.

 #1) Who is Jesus Christ? (and)
 #2) Do you know Him?

 Upon these two crucial questions rests your eternal destiny. You can not be wrong about these two questions and be right with God. Please understand, the salvation of your soul hangs in the balance. Everything you believe about salvation, justification, sanctification, and glorification hinge on your view of Jesus Christ. It does matter what you believe! One day you will stand before the God of Glory, and just before the gavel of God falls in judgment, Jesus Christ will call command you to give an account of your life. Therefore, how you view Jesus Christ is vitally important. Who do you say that He is? Who is Jesus Christ to you?

 The world may be divided over this issue, astute scholars may be divided over the issue and even religions may be divided over the issue of Christ’s deity, but the Bible is not! The Apostle Paul testified that he was, “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus” (Titus 2:13). Simon Peter also testified of the, “righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1). Luke records Paul's words to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:28 where he reminds them that they are overseers of, "the church of God which he purchased with His own blood." 

The erroneous misconception that Jesus is not God and therefore not divine, usually arises from the uniqueness of His divine nature. After all, God the Father is Spirit, but Christ is God in the flesh. There are obvious differences in the roles of the Father and Son. Christ, the Son of God, carried out the sacrificial act of redemption on the cross. He was born, He grew, experienced hunger, thirst, and even pain. Yet, the Bible also declares that He is completely perfect and without sin. He existed before all creation in eternity past. As the Son of God, He is omnipotence, omniscient, omnipresent, which is analogous with the Father. He is absolutely beyond our comprehension! The doctrine of the hypostatic union¹ has been the subject of much controversy over the centuries. However, the Word of God is crystal clear that Jesus Christ is both human and divine. He is 100% man and 100% God all at the same time.  He is God of very God. Try as they might, they will never be able to remove Jesus off His throne, nor out of our hearts. Yet, there are two vital questions that remain, "Who do you say that He is, and do you know Him?"            
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1. Hypostatic Union- Jesus has two complete natures—one fully human and one fully divine. What the doctrine of the hypostatic union teaches is that these two natures are united in one person in the God-man. Jesus is not two persons. He is one person. The hypostatic union is the joining of the divine and the human in the one person of Jesus.

Have you left your first love?

The Peril of Growing Weary

"You have left your first love." Rev. 2:4 

The year was 1964, the St. Louis Cardinals were World Series Champions and the Boston Celtics were on top of the basketball world after claiming their sixth straight title. Lyndon Johnson was President, Ronald Reagan was still an actor, and a gallon of gas would only set you back $0.30. In December, of that year, the Righteous Brothers recorded a number one hit entitled, "You've lost that loving feeling." Two thousand years before those words were recorded on a soundtrack they were written in a letter addressed to a primitive church in the city of Ephesus. The words came from the mouth of the Lord Jesus and were dictated by the hand of the exiled Apostle John. In that letter, our Lord issued a stinging indictment against the church in Ephesus for, "leaving its first love." Why was such a woeful indictment given to this church? To adequately understand the answer to this question, we must first explore the historical context of the church to whom the Lord issued  His reproach.  

The Church at Ephesus was established by the Apostle Paul around 50 A.D. He spent about three years of his life ministering and equipping the saints there. Much of what can be deduced about this church comes to us by way of Paul's letter to them, which was written while he was in a Roman prison. The approximate date that is often provided for the writing of this letter is around 60-62 A.D. A cursory reading of the book of Ephesians yields no obvious doctrinal errors of moral failures. The clear indication is that as late as 62 A.D. the Church at Ephesus was holding firm and persevering in the face of opposition. Unfortunately, by the writing of the book of Revelation (circa. 95 A.D.) this church had already begun to grow weary in its resolve. Sound familiar? The Church at Ephesus stands as a stark warning for all lest they grow weary and complacent. A good beginning doesn't guarantee a good ending. The Church at Ephesus had clearly moved from its foundation and found itself in the cross hairs of the Lord's rebuke. If we are not careful, we can grow weary and drift from our foundation. How are we to guard against this danger? The answer is simple and of course Biblical. We must remain fervent in our determination and faithful in our discipline. Paul said that we are to, "discipline ourselves for the purpose of godliness" (1 Timothy 4:7). It has been said that discipline is what we need most but desire the least. Remaining fervent in our devotion to Christ is hard work. It is a rewarding endeavor that requires constant attention. If we become apathetic and complacent along the journey we will eventually succumb to temptation and fall into sin. We must remain determined, devoted, and disciplined in our walk with Christ lest we find ourselves as recipients of His rebuke. Have you left your first love? Repent, and be reconciled unto the Lord. 

Protoevangelium, what is that?

Protoevangelium is commonly referred to as the first gospel. The term of protoevangelium is a theological concept that is used to describe the first mention of the gospel, in the Old Testament no less. This profound doctrine is found early in the Biblical narrative of Genesis chapter 3. The actual word protoevangelium comes from the Latin word meaning, "first gospel." (Proto) This is where we get our word prototype from. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines prototype as, "An original model on which something is patterned." That is exactly the thought behind Genesis 3:15. It is the first foretelling of the gospel. It is a prophetic statement pointing to the divine sacrifice of Jesus Christ that would ultimately effectuate the end of Satan. Please note that Genesis 3:15 is a promise, and it is issued forth from the Lord Himself! The renowned theologian R.C. Sproul, in Speaking of the profundity of this statement remarks, "After pursuing Adam and Eve so that they might find repentance, the Lord next turns to the serpent. Yet the Creator offers Satan no opportunity to confess his guilt; rather, He immediately judges the one who attacked Him by tempting His image bearers." Notice that the once heralded angel Lucifer has now ostensibly fallen into the depths of wickedness. The depths of which he will never return, and his ultimate fate is spelled out in the book of Revelation! His ever impending doom will cast its weary shadow over him all of his days. So take heart today dear Christian for Jesus has overcome death, hell,  and the grave. And yes beloved, even Satan! 

For more on the doctrine of "Protoevangelium" read the centuries old sermon of George Whitefield entitled, "The seed of the woman, and the seed of the serpent." It can be easily accessed via the internet.

Expectancy?

EXPECTANCY?

By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. (Hebrews 11:7) 

What comes to your mind when you hear the word expectancy? If your like me, you might picture an "expectant" mother eagerly anticipating the long awaited arrival of her offspring. Some may think more along the lines of life "expectancy". One speaks of arrival (birth) and the other of departure (death). While these are weighty matters that are certainly worthy of our deliberation, there is another form of expectancy that requires our urgent attention. I am speaking of that form of expectancy that accompanies the christian life. As believers we must  constantly and consistently find ourselves on the edge of expectancy. You might be asking, "expecting, expecting what?" The obvious answer would be the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in the rapture (1 Thess. 4:17). After all, we should be on the edge of our seat awaiting the imminent return of the Lord for His bride. However, the expectancy that I want to address comes to us via the life of that great ship builder Noah. We read in Hebrews 11 that Noah brazenly proved his obedience to God by doing the unthinkable. For a more through account of the warning that God issued to Noah, read Genesis 6:5-22. In the context of Genesis chapter 6 we soon discover the our dear brother Noah faced monumental challenges. First of all, Noah had to stomach the idea that God was about to destroy virtually everything and everyone on the face of the earth. (No local flood here). 

Secondly, it was at the command of God that Noah began to build a boat that certainly would have  superseded anything known at the time. It is likely that Noah may have never even seen a boat. The construction of such a large vessel would take Noah 120 years to construct. It is worth our notice to observe that he was about 500 years old when he began to hammer away on this titanic vessel that would have to navigate the rough waters of the flood in order to deliver he and his family to safety. Thirdly, It seems reasonable to assume that Noah may have never even seen it rain, much less a flood of of this magnitude! However, Noah was a man of great faith. For God openly testified that, "Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God" ( Genesis 6:9). 

Obviously, Noah's faith separated him from all others, including those in his family. While 7 others were  also spared the watery grave of the flood, it was only Noah's faith that was spoken of in such exquisite terms. In short, he took God at His word. Noah truly expected God to do exactly what He said He would do. It was because of his faith that Noah moved into action. "In reverence he prepared and ark" (Hebrews 11:7). 

Beloved, when was the last time you exercised your faith in God? Can you  honestly say that you expected God to move or manifest Himself in some way as a result of your faith? So many arrive at church week after week, arguably to worship that King of Kings, yet they never really expect God to move. If you and I  anticipate that nothing will happen, then we should expect nothing to happen. Please understand me, I am just as convicted by this as you are. O' Lord, forgive us of our myopia. May our expectations increasingly rise as well as our arms in praise to the only ONE who can deliver us from destruction and set our feet on solid ground.