The Mark of Blood

Christianity is a bloody religion. 

In the Old Testament, sins the forgiveness of sins was accomplished by the shedding of animal blood.  In the New Testament, it was accomplished by the shedding of Christ’s blood. Heb 9:13-14   “The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!”

Why is Christianity so obsessed with blood?  Because it is a mark of God’s utter seriousness.  In the Roman senate, when a senator wanted to be noticed above the din or argument, he would sometimes cut his hand and hold it in the air.  When people saw the blood, they knew he was serious.

God is serious about forgiving us.  He knows how serious our lives can be, and how hard it is to remember that we are forgiven.  So Christ came, and made the mark of blood, so that we would notice His forgiveness.

Many Christians are afraid of God, because they cannot believe that He really will forgiven them anything. They hide from God and from themselves. But God has made the mark of blood on Christ’s body, so that we may know He is deeply and seriously in love with us, and ready to forgive us our sins. 

Today, do not be afraid to ask God for anything.  He has already shown you how much He loves you!

Father, thank you for showing us that no matter what we have done, you have already forgiven us through the Blood of Jesus.  Amen.

Prayer Changes People

We need to watch our language when we talk about prayer.  Prayer does not change things.  God changes things.  Prayer does not have power—God has power.  Prayer is just asking God for Him to act.

There is one thing that prayer does change, though—and that is us.  We change when we pray.  The purpose of prayer is not just to change the things we pray about, but to become new people when we pray.

Donald Whitner makes the point that if we want to be like Christ, then we need to be like him, not in the moment of crisis or big decisions, but in the routine moments of His life. We need to wake up like Christ, go to bed like Christ, and prepare for new tasks the way Christ did,  with prayer.  Christ was the Son of God, yet He needed to pray about anything and everything, not just for answers, but to remain with his heavenly Father.  It is vitally important that we draw close to Him if we are going to live like Him.

The biggest decisions in your life are not who you will marry, what you will do for a living, what education you will pursue or what church you will attend.   The greatest decisions in your life are how you will get up in the morning,  how you go to bed at night, whether to thank God for your blessings, and whether to pray over your day.  These decisions bring you closer to your Heavenly Father, and when you are right with Him, He will help you with all things.

Father,  help me live, move, and die in You. Let my moments be filled with thoughts of you. Let my days and nights resonate with your glory.  Let me seek you above money, fame,  sex, or life itself.  Let you be my all in all, and so let me change into Your likeness.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.of

Seasons of Prayer

Jesus followed a regular life of prayer, praying in the morning and evening.  Nevertheless, at moments of decision and distress, Jesus took time for extraordinary prayer, seasons of prayer. 

Before He began his earthly ministry, He spent forty days and nights in solitude in prayer.  Before he chose his disciples, He spent all night in prayer. 

In the Garden of Gethsemane, on the night he was betrayed, He passed time in agonizing prayer. 

He did it for two reasons.  First, Jesus actually enjoyed spending long hours in the presence of His Father.  Whenever He was tired or faced with a difficult burden, He would spend more time with His Father for the same reason we might take a vacation after a long, difficult spell of work, or go to bed early.  It was His way of replenishing His batteries.

Second, He did it as an example.  He may not have needed long times with the Father to seek God’s plans or help, but we do.  Without seasons of special prayer, we cannot do what God calls us to do. 

The busier our life becomes, the more we need to take out special times for prayer—a special day of prayer, a weekend solitary retreat, a series of special prayer meetings, with or without fasting.  God will show you how do to it.  It can also be done alone or with a group of other people.  If you are doing it in a group, you need to make a covenant to be completely honest before God and between yourselves. 

God, renew my heart through the Holy Spirit, and lead me to seek You always, in Jesus’ name, amen.  \

 God will speak to you during this time.  He will guide you in how, when, and what to pray.  Don’t stop the season of prayer until God answers.  When He does, you will experience a revival of the Spirit, and a renewal of the heart. 

Flash Prayers

Bishop Charles Allen in his book All Things are Possible Through Prayer recommends a kind of prayer called “flash prayers”--short petitions offered throughout the day on behalf of people we do not know. 

Allen wrote of taking the bus to and from work and deliberately sitting at the back, watching the passengers in front of him.  He would pray for them, though he did not know them. Often he would see them startle, as if some invisible hand had touched them. He never knew the effect of those prayers, but he realized the effect it had on himself. It made him more aware of the needs of others, and more sensitive to his responsibility to pray for the lost. 

These flash prayers come in many different kinds

ü  Praise prayers--whenever we see something that points to God’s love, grace or majesty.  (Psalm 8:1)

ü  Thanks-- in all things, such as before meals, for safe trips, and for special blessings.  (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

ü  Confession--immediately any sin or turn over to God any temptation we might have.  (1 John 1:9, Matthew 6: 12-13)

ü  For people--whenever we think about them.  (Ephesians 6:18)

Flash prayers are a habit we have to cultivate if we want a continual walk with God.  It is what he Bible means when it says “pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

Lord, let me see every experience, every encounter, every opportunity of life be an opportunity for coming to know You better in praise, thanksgiving, confession, and petition, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Fasting

Fasting is one of the most ancient of the spiritual disciplines.  It is the third most common discipline of the faith, besides prayer and Bible study.

First, let us discuss come misconceptions about fasting. 

Fasting is not a kind of "super prayer."  God is not influenced by a hunger strike.   

Fasting does not make us some kind of super saint.  Going without food does not necessarily make us better--only hungrier.

The real reasons we fast is much simpler

We fast because we are addicted to indulgence.   2: Peter 2:19b  says “For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.”  Food and other appetites can easily become our master.

 We depend upon physical necessities to get us through the day.  Yet as spiritual people, God is more important to us than physical necessities.  We can only know how important God is when we voluntarily go without other necessities.  Our appetites are a louder voice in our hearts than our Lord.  Fasting helps us to put our physical cravings in their proper perspective. 

We fast to give to others.

In Isaiah 58,  the prophet writes. 

 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?  Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter--when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?Isa 58:6-7

Fasting is a way of freeing up resources for giving to others. 

God, help me to master myself, so that I can present my whole life to You, neat and well-ordered, and live daily for Your glory, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Fasting says "no" to our appetites.  Like Sabbath keeping and tithing, the real power of it is to teach us what we do not need.  It is our way of saying to our bodies that they are not in charge.  Regular fasting establishes the regular rhythms

Unexpected Blessings

I have often heard people say that God answers all prayers; sometimes He answers “no.”

Personally, I have never got much comfort out of that thought. I want all His answers to be “yes!”

Of course, God does not always give me what I want.  But to say that God answers “no” is not the whole truth.  He may not give us what we specifically ask for, but He always gives us what we need, and what will in the long run make us the happiest. 

Imagine an adolescent boy looking  swimsuit model in a sports magazine,  wanting that woman.  Of course, if he really met that woman, she might be vain, selfish, and an utter pain to be with.  He may want a girl with those kinds of curves, but that is just a superficial desire.  Years later living with a wife he loves, who will be his lifetime companion, he may thank God every day that he did not get the desires of his heart when he was thirteen. 

God wants more than anything that we be happy—that our lives may be fulfilling and blessed on this earth.  Our view of what blessing means and His view may be very different.  He is always right. 

Don’t waste your time thinking about the times you did not get what you wanted from God.  Instead, think about the many, many other times when you did.  Also, remember the unexpected blessings that are yours every day,  that you never even thought to ask for, that are yours already.

Sometimes, little bits of beauty spring unanticipated before us in life—a sunrise on the way to work, the way the light catches a city skyline,  the sound of a child laughing, an unexpected breeze.  To see these things, and to think of how God gave them to us without ever asking, is sometimes more beauty than we can bear.

Today, after you have got in your prayer position and calmed your mind,  take a moment to think about times in your life when you have believed your prayers were  answered. Write them down

Are there any times you thought that your prayers were not answered? What were they?

Why do we think that God answers us one time the way we expect, but not at another time?

Read Habakkuk 3:17-18 

How did the prophet respond when his prayers were not answered? 

Read James 5:13-20 

 What examples of answered prayers does James mention?  How many can you find?

 

Lord, help me to believe in Your Goodness when I do not see the answers to my prayers.  Help me to remember the many times I have sought You and found You, and the many ways You have demonstrated Your love to me.  Help me to remember that You desire the best for me, and long to give me all things—will give me all things in heaven.  Just as I believe in the sun when it is not shining, and believe in the rain when it is not raining, help me to believe in Your love even when I cannot see Your blessings.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen

Prayers in the Dark

Prayer is no mystery. It is the simple act of talking with God.

Prayer seems hard to us because believing in God is hard to us.  If we had no doubts about God or His goodness, then prayer would be a cinch.  But talking to a Person we can neither see no hear as if our lives depended upon it (which they do) stretches the limits of our faith.

But stretching our faith is just what God wants.  He wants us to learn to trust Him with all our hearts and our souls.  It is the only way we can walk clearly in a darkened world.

When we are in a room and someone suddenly turns off the lights, we see nothing.  At first,  we see nothing.  We might even be confused and disoriented. But gradually we learn to recognize shapes and see obstacles by what little light we have. After a few minutes, our eyes adjust and we can walk confidently around the room, even with just a little light.

That is what prayer does for us. By learning to trust God in prayer,  after a while our weak vision of God,  brought about by our distance from Him and the general darkness of the world to His power and love, begins to diminish and we start seeing Him more clearly. We are even able to navigate through the obstacles of life, trusting in His divine guidance. 

Today, as you meditate on God, don’t worry if you cannot feel His presence, or if you can’t seem to hear His voice.  His voice is there. The more you meditate on Him, the greater your understanding of that voice will become. 

After you have entered into your time and place of prayer, read the following passages of Scripture and answer the questions below. 

Jeremiah 29: 11-13   What does it mean to seek God with all our heart?

Read James 1:3-15  What would you say that God wants to give you? What stands in your way from receiving it?

What do you think “Double minded” means? Are there ways you are “double-minded?”

Grant me the wisdom that comes from above, Lord, so that I can make the right decisions.  Let me know what it means to seek for You and you alone. 

Let me find you, Lord, and let me experience your goodness and grace. Help me to seek you in the moments of each day, and be found fully in you, trusting in your grace and love. 

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

In Jesus' Name

In John 14:12-14, Jesus says something really awesome.

 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

Who can imagine doing greater works than Jesus?  Can we walk on water?  Create wine from water?  Stop storms,  cure cancer, raise people from the dead?

If God wanted us to do any of these things, He could certainly give us the power to do them.  But miracles are not the point here.  Miracles as short term solutions to temporary problems.  The transformation of society is a much, much larger work.  The real, permanent work of Jesus that brought down the Roman Empire and reshaped Western Civilization was not healing a few lepers, but multiplying Himself in twelve disciples who went out and multiplied that image in hundreds, thousands, and eventually millions more. 

What concerns us here, though is not what those greater works might be, but why.  Why can we do bigger things than Jesus?

We can do them because we are not the ones who are really doing them.  Jesus is.  He has given us authority to do things in His name.  He made us His representatives on earth,  with the ability to use His divine authority to accomplish His purposes.  It isn’t that we are particularly great, but that He is, and He has given us the right to speak and act for Him.

“In Jesus’ name” is not some magic mantra that makes things happen. It is a sober accessment of our position in Him.  It is who we are in His eyes, not who we claim in a moment of need or bravado.  We have both the privilege and responsibility of representing Him in His dealings with the world. 

This position is the basis for all our meditation and prayer.  We can get aside and hear God’s voice because He has promised to speak for us, so that we can be His spokesmen. If we just come to Him in the morning, and be silent about Him all day, we cannot really claim to be “in Jesus’ name.”  If we keep to ourselves and do not engage the world, we are not “in His name” either.

Our position in Him makes us a bridge between God and the rest of the world.  That is why we must get alone with Him frequently, to keep that bridge open, and His love and power flowing through us, so the whole world may be blessed.  

Today, get in your place of meditation and meditate on these verses.   

John 14:12-14. 

What does Jesus mean when He says that we will do greater works than He?

John 16:22-26.  

 Why does God says He will answer your prayers when we pray in Jesus name?

Why should the Father love us?

Jesus, help me remember today that You are the only reason I can speak to the Father.  It is Your mercy and grace that makes it possible for me to approach the Throne.  If it were not for You, I would not have standing before the Lord of creation. But thanks to You I have the privilege of being called a Child of God. “You died so that I might live.  You suffered so that I could be forgiven.  You endured the wrath of the Father so that I could be free from my sins.  Nothing that I can say or do will ever make me worthy of Your love, but You gave it anyway.  Thank You for Your amazing love.

In Jesus’ Name

Amen