Confidence in Prayer

Are you confident when you pray? Do you believe you will receive what you ask from God? How is your heart? Does it belong fully to God? Are you keeping his commands? Are you doing what pleases him?

Our prayers can be powerful, extremely powerful. After all, God is the all-powerful God. He can do anything. There are no restrictions, no limitations, no impossibilities. What limits the power of our prayers? Us.

It is not our asking that limits our prayers. God has the ability to do whatever we ask. It is our hearts and our actions that limit our prayers. Our hearts must belong fully to God. They cannot be divided among God, our personal desires, and worldly desires. This is our first hurdle to clear. Our commitment to him must be complete.

The second hurdle is much easier once we clear the first one. We must obey his commands. If our hearts are fully committed to God, obeying him isn’t nearly as difficult. Our struggle in obeying him is a heart that is torn between our selfish desires and our desire to obey him.

Have you ever wondered how the apostles were able to miraculously heal people? It was not simply because Jesus gave them power to do so. He gave them power because they were fully committed to Him. Being fully committed, they knew God’s will and were filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit.

No, there is no magical formula to have our prayers answered. It is simple and yet very difficult. We must turn our hearts completely to God so they do not condemn us with guilt, then obey his commands, doing what pleases him. We can do it if we make up our mind to do so.

I pray we all commit completely to God. I pray we rid ourselves of the guilt of disobedience. I pray each one of us will decide to have a heart for God and obey his commands. Know that prayer can be powerful. Commit your heart to God. Obey God’s commands. Do what pleases him. Set aside your personal desires.

1 John 3:21-22 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him.

Follow God’s Instruction

What does it mean to you to work? Do you like the work you do? Is your job rewarding? Is your place of work the only place you work? Have you thought about the work you do outside your job? Are you working for God?

We often think of work as the job we are hired for. Working at our jobs are a significant part of the work we do. There are some who define who they are by the job they have. But the job we have does not, and I dare say should not, define who we are.

I submit to you that we all work at many things outside our jobs. Parents work at providing for their children and keeping them safe. We work at cooking meals, maintaining our homes and vehicles, volunteering, coaching, and helping others. We don’t often think of these activities as work, but they are.

So, when we talk about working for God, for the vast majority of us, that work falls into the category of working outside our jobs. It competes with those other activities. But the work we do for God is wider and more comprehensive than all those activities put together.

Working for God includes working on yourself, having an attitude of God, allowing Him to permeate everything we do, praying, seeking to know him better, and all those things listed above. Truly working for God is putting him in the middle of everything we do, including our jobs. It means hearing his instruction and following it.

I pray we all choose to work for God. I pray we hear God’s instruction and follow it. I pray each one of us allow God to permeate everything we do. Hear God’s Word. Read God’s Word. Choose to follow God’s instruction. Allow God to permeate your life. Choose to work for God.

Hebrews 6:10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

Good Use of Knowledge

What value do you put on knowledge? Is knowledge of high importance? Do you earnestly seek to continue to learn? How do you continue your learning? Do you read? Do you attend classes? Do you realize you continue to learn, even if not consciously?

By the time we have completed school, most of us are ready for it to be over. It comes at different times for each of us. For some it is at the end of high school, others a bachelor’s degree, and still others who finish a master’s or doctorates degree.

Formal education is one way in which we learn, but it is not the only way. We learn through on-the-job training, reading on our own, attending seminars, through professional classes, and even during our daily discussions. Our brains continually compile facts, statistics, and data. All of which we call knowledge.

But what good does knowledge do us? It is nothing more that data until we compile it into meaningful information. After that, for it to be truly worth anything, we must put it into action. We can be informed of an impending hurricane, but if we do nothing, continuing to stand in the way of the storm totally unprepared, we will be devasted.

It is no different with the Word of God. We must put it into action. Millions of people have heard of God, many of whom have read at least some portion of the Bible. But unless they put His Word into action in their lives, they might as well be standing on the beach when the hurricane lands.

Jesus tells His disciples they were given the secrets of the kingdom of heaven. We have, too. What are we going to do with them? If we do not put them to good use, we might as well not have them at all. Jesus’ apostles put them to good use, going about doing His work.

I pray we all put God’s Word to good use. I pray we decide to be prepared and to prepare others for Christ’s coming. I pray each one of us will not merely read God’s Word but meditate on it to better understand Him. Knowledge can be good. Information can be good. Putting information to work is good. Put God’s Word to good use.

Matthew 13:11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.”

Working for God

Yesterday we defined faith and learned that it is dead if it is not accompanied by works. Today, we will look at what works are to be done in faith. Have you ever really thought about doing works in faith? If not, who are you working for? Why do you work?

I dare say that most people in our culture work for themselves and their family. They do not think about working for God. They work to feed, clothe, and provide shelter. Though it is relatively common in first-world countries, most of the world does not work for riches but survival.

Those who trusted in God, trusted he would provide for their daily needs…not a bigger house, nicer car, or fancier clothes. Today, many of our Christian brothers and sisters continue to work for their daily needs. But what or who are we really working for? Why?

Paul tells the Christians in Colossae to work as though they were working for the Lord (Colossians 3:23-24). To what purpose? To be a good representative of Him. Christians are to have a good work ethic, putting their very best into whatever they do. It is through our example that we speak volumes about Jesus.

God has set our work before us. That means our jobs and more. He has planned for us to help feed the hungry, clothe to naked, and care for the sick. Though we may not think we are equipped to do so, that is where our faith pushes us into the work. We trust that God will provide. He will provide the resources, knowledge, and desire. As stated yesterday, this is faith-works at its best.

I pray we all perform our work as though we are working for God. I pray we set the example for others. I pray each one of us will put our faith to work in doing the good works God has set before us. Do your best at everything you do. Set the example for others. Put your faith to work. Go about the works God has set before you.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Dead or Alive

How is your faith? What are your works? Do you marry the two of them? Do you consider each of them as one half of a larger whole? Would you consider one to be more important than the other? Does your life reflect your belief?

As Christians we hear and talk a lot about faith. But what is faith and how is it demonstrated? We need to know both the definition of faith and what we are to do with our faith. Our faith cannot be mere believing in God.

We look to Hebrews 11:1 as the definition of faith which says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” That sounds good, but what hope is the author of Hebrews talking about? He is talking about our hope in Jesus Christ and eternal life. We cannot see either at this moment, but we look forward to them.

As we can see by the definition of faith, it is not merely belief that God exists or that Jesus is the Son of God. After all James tells us, “You believe there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” (James 2:19) Faith is far more than believing in God.

Our faith must be put into action. As James states in 2:17, “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” Is it any wonder James asks his rhetorical question in today’s passage? In other places in Scripture, action is called works. When to put together faith and works, we have a very nice reminder in a hyphenated word—faith-works.

A dead faith, or mere belief there is a God, does us no good. We are in no better position to inherit eternal life with God than the demons who also believe He exists. Our faith must be put into action. That doesn’t mean just busy work, but truly working to carry out God’s will. More on that tomorrow.

I pray we all have a faith that includes hope in Jesus Christ. I pray we put our faith into action. I pray each one of us seeks to know God more intimately and abide by His will for our lives. Faith is confidence. Faith is hope. Faith is assurance. Faith is put into action. Faith-works. Put your faith to work.

James 2:14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?

Cry Out To God

Have you been taught that the Christian life is wonderful? Does that hinder you from crying out to God? Have you ever asked God why things have happened?

Many of us have heard God is love, God is good, God blesses us, and God cares deeply for us. We likely have heard the “prosperity gospel,” meaning if we love God, all will be well with us.

These beliefs may cause us to squelch our desire to cry out to God. They may stop us from asking God why. If they are doing so, we are not fully communicating with God as He desires us to.

God knows things go wrong in our lives. He knows we are sad at times. He knows we grieve. He knows we grow angry. He knows every thought we think and every word we speak. It is because He knows that He wants us to express our worries, concerns, griefs, anger, and displeasures to Him.

Are we to stay in that state? No. But we need to voice them. Not because God doesn’t know, but for our own sake. Voicing them to God gets them off our chest and clears our conscience. Yet, it isn’t only about us.

We should voice our issues for our communities, nation, and the world. We need to repent of the wrongs our leaders commit. I know…that sounds absurd. We didn’t commit the wrong. However, much like the prophets of the Old Testament, we must admit the wrongs of our leaders and ask God to forgive them and change them.

I pray we all cry out to God in our anguish and sorrow. I pray we ask for forgiveness and a renewal of our hearts. I pray each one of us will then trust God to work as only He can. Cry out to God. Tell God your troubles. Tell God your worries. Tell God your griefs. Trust God to take care of them.

Luke 19:41-42 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.”

Ask God Why

Have you wept bitterly over the loss of a loved one? Have you had grief overtake you to the point of not knowing where to turn? Do you ever feel like asking God why bad things happen? Do you know that God weeps, too?

It may sound odd to hear that God weeps. But take a look at today’s passage. Jesus wept over his dead friend, Lazarus. Jesus was sad. Jesus did not like the idea of His friend no longer being with his sisters. He did not like that He could no longer enjoy his friend’s company.

In Jesus’ case, He did something about it. He raised Lazarus from the dead. But that doesn’t minimize Jesus’ emotional distress. His distress was very real…and it still is. Jesus continues to weep over the decay of this world. He continues to be distressed over the failure of mankind to follow Him.

So, what does this mean for us? It means God understands our grief. He understands our anger. He understands our frustrations. He knows we long for something better. So, cry out in your grief. Cry out in your anger. Cry out in your frustration.

Opposed to what we may have been taught, there is nothing wrong with crying out to God. So long as we are truly seeking him, there is nothing wrong with questioning God. The problem comes in when we start blaming him for the bad that has happened. God does not create the bad, but he understands it.

Crying out to God helps us release our grief, anger, and frustrations. Weeping tears of sadness and asking God to meet us in our sorrow is exactly what God wants us to do. It is in our times of distress that God does some of his best work. So, cry out to God.

I pray we all cry out to God in our distress. I pray we earnestly ask God to provide answers without blaming him. I pray each one of us will lay our troubles at God’s feet and trust him to take care of them. Cry out to God. Ask God why. Earnestly seek answers. Trust God.

John 11:35 Jesus wept.

Persistently Seek Justice

Do you feel as though you have been wronged? Do you see others being mistreated? Do you long for justice to be served? Are you seeking a wrong to be righted? Have you cried out to God, asking him to bring about the justice you seek?

When we have been wronged, it can seem to take forever for justice to be served. The saying, “The wheels of justice turn slowly, but grind exceedingly fine” comes to mind and its origin is traced back to a Greek philosopher named Sextus Empiricus from the third century.

Though the wheels of justice may grind slowly, some will claim they do not always grind fine. Of course, that can often be due to our perspective on time and what is just. Our desired outcome may not come within the timeframe we desire. However, that does not mean the wheels of justice have stopped turning nor that they will not ultimately grind true.

Jesus tells us to continue to cry out for justice. He says to continue to cry out to God. He says to cry out day and night. Perhaps our lack of crying out is the problem. In our immediate satisfaction culture, we want to cry out once and receive immediate justice. Persistence has been lost.

Jesus does not say justice comes immediately. He does say it will come quickly. But quickly is a relative term. If we desire God’s justice to come, we must be persistent, we must continue to cry out to God to administer his justice. We also must earnestly seek God’s justice rather than our own desire. Our desire does not always align with God’s. We must cry out for God’s justice to be served and trust him to serve it according to his will.

I pray we all cry out for God’s justice. I pray we are persistent in our asking for God’s justice. I pray each one of us will set aside our personal agenda to seek God’s will and cry out to him. Seek God’s justice. Be persistent. Set aside your personal agenda. Trust God to carry out his will.

Luke 18:6-8 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

Praying Earnestly

Are you going through a tough time, a time you do not think anyone else can understand? Are you feeling all alone, abandoned, misunderstood, or an outsider? Do you think Jesus cannot possibly understand what you are going through?

We may go through times of estrangement. We may be misunderstood by others in what we say or something we do. We may feel as though everyone has abandoned us, leaving us feeling like a castaway. But we should never think Jesus does not understand.

On the night that Jesus was betrayed, He was in anguish over what He knew was to come. He felt misunderstood. The chief priests, teachers of the law, and a large portion of the public did not understand His message nor who He was.

They were willing to come to Him as long as He performed miracles. They listened so long as He fed them. They brought their sick to Him when they had nowhere else to turn. And though He had many followers, He had far more opposers.

As Jesus prayed, His soul cried out to the Father so strongly that He was sweating. To sweat in the cool of the night requires expending a lot of energy. Not only did He sweat, but His sweat was like drops of blood, meaning they were thick, not merely drops of water. Jesus prayed as earnestly and cried out to the Father as strongly as anyone could possibly pray. But in the end, He trusted the plan God had put before Him. What a wonderful example for us to follow!

I pray we all pray earnestly during our times of anguish. I pray we seek God with our whole heart. I pray each one of us follow Jesus’ example of praying throughout our lives and trust God’s plan. Cry out to God in your anguish. Pray earnestly to God. Lay your worries and fears at His feet. Trust God. Trust in His plan.

Luke 22:44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

Jesus Understands

Do you ever feel like God has forgotten you? Do you feel like he has abandoned you? Do you just want to scream, “Why God? Where are you God?” Do you know you are not alone? Do you know Jesus asked those same questions?

We are sometimes in some very dire situations. We feel as though we have been forgotten, abandoned, discarded, left for dead. We wonder where God is when we experience those types of situations. We feel like screaming at the top of our lungs.

Jesus cried out as He was on the cross. You might say He screamed. He felt all alone. He asked why God had turned his back on Him. And here is the kicker…Jesus knew the plan. How much more do you think He understands our situation, knowing that we don’t know the full plan? He understands!

Since Jesus is God, and yet He was human, He knows how we feel when things go completely south. He knows what it feels like to feel abandoned. But He also knows that He has not abandoned us. He knows what the final outcome will be. He knows His plan for each one of us.

So, it is perfectly fine for us to cry out in anguish. Jesus understands why. But we are not to stay in that state of mind. After we cry out, after we release our frustration, we are to trust God to pull us through it. We are to acknowledge his power to overcome whatever our situation is.

I pray we all feel free to cry out to God. I pray we release our frustration and anguish. I pray each one of us trust that God has a plan for us, and it will all work out in the end. Cry out to God. Ask God why. Release your frustration. Trust God. Know that God has a plan for you.

Matthew 27:46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).