Persistence with God: A Meditation on Genesis 32:22-31

“I think he just wanted it more than I did,” the young man said to his coach after the match.

And he was probably right.

DESIRE.

True, gut-grabbing, put-it-all-on-the-line desire.

It’s what can turn a middle of the road shoot-fighter into a UFC champion.  That’s one of the things I’ve always loved about mixed martial arts.  On any given Sunday, it really is ANYONE’S game.  And sometimes, just sometimes, something happens where a low-ranked fighter rises up and takes it all.  If the spark of inspirational desire can pull something off like that (basically, a UFC championship) in one night, just think what the fire of inspirational desire can achieve over a long period of time.  Look at the likes of say a Frank Shamrock (my grandpa in MMA) or a Royce Gracie or, even, an Anderson Silva.  These gentlemen, time and time again, would just show up and take the whole thing.  They had and still have the fire of inspirational desire.  THAT, my friends is what makes a champion a capital “C” Champion.

How’bout you?  Do you want to be a Champion?  (Heck, yeah!!)

Me, too, man.  I’m right there with ya.  :o)

If you want to be a Champion, then you’re going to need to become a champion in heart first.  And that, my friends, comes through time + training.  For it is in attacking a self-and-other/coach-directed training regimen day-in and day-out where you begin to get to know yourself, to discover the real you, and to learn what it is you really want in life.  It’s where you begin to approach the genuine spark of true desire to achieve or become that for which you are destined but haven't—YET!

Over time, as you continue to romance the spark of desire within, the kindling of lesser things and wants in life will ignite and slowly disappear in the flame of that desire.  And It’s that very flame, my friends, that inspired William Wallace to take aim at the whole of England’s armies with no thought to the physical consequences to himself.  And it’s that same flame that charged the heroes of September 11th up the stairs of Tower 1 at 0846 that fateful morning.

And it was that same desire that surfaced as Jacob wrestled with God at Peniel (see Genesis 32:22-31).

Jacob (who became Israel), the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham...

For most of his life, Jacob catered to the lesser desires of life…pursuing an easy life among the tents, gaining and acquiring (through all manner of trickery) what didn't really belong to him until, finally, tricking his father into giving him the blessing promised his elder twin brother Esau.  Yeah, he got the blessing (by tripping up Esau and by deceiving Isaac), but it cost him dearly.  In fact, Jacob basically ran for his life for the next many years, all the while continuing to “trick and cheat his way” toward whatever ends he wanted in the moment.

That is until he encountered God “face to face.”

For it was there that he fought for his life and then acquired the blessing (as opposed to stealing the blessing and then running for his life afterward).  And this time, it was no ordinary blessing, either, was it?  No.  For it was THE blessing…the TRUE blessing…of a Father to His son:  The bestowing of a new name.  The Fathers name.  For, you see, a man’s identity, character, and destiny are wrapped up inextricably in his name, for it is his name that defines WHO HE  IS.

Throughout the scriptures, names are decreed and, with such decrees, destinies are bestowed.  At birth, Jacob was named Jacob, which means he who grasps the heel.  And that is EXACTLY who he was and what he did for most of his life:  grabbed the heels of others.  Seeking, almost without fail, to pull others back, to keep others down, so that he alone could win the prize—whatever the prize might be.  And living such a life, put him in close contact with tricksters just like himself.  If you ever find yourself interested in a little biblical entertainment, go read a little about Jacob’s time with Laban (Genesis 27:41-31:55).  It's quite fascinating...and a bit humorous, as well.  :o)

Anyway…

Trying to grasp the heel of another is such a wimpy way to fight for what you want, wouldn’t you agree?  To get what you want, go after IT and face IT head on.  No more of this namby-pamby “I’ll-just-make-things-hard-for-you-in-the-hopes-that-you’ll-fall-on-your-face-and-then-all-I’ll-need-to-do-is-just-waltz-in-and-take-what’s-mine” kind of crap.  This is what God wanted Jacob to see…wanted him to absorb…wanted him to become….wanted him to begin to live-in to.

Read Genesis 32:22-31 through one more time.

Do you see it?  Do you see that in wrestling with God Jacob becomes Israel?  He fought God, and he was blessed for it.  In it, in fact.  Yes, there was the official blessing after the fight, but do you see the substance of the blessing that occurred during the fight?  The place where Jacob changed into something that he was not previously?

After it was over, when Jacob persisted in asking God for a blessing, can you see that God Himself seemed to be a little befuddled, if not slightly flummoxed, by it?

“Why do you ask Me My Name?” God asks (italics mine).  Reading between the lines, isn’t God really asking, “Why do you ask Me My Name, Jacob?  Shouldn’t you be asking Me what yours really is?  Is that not the point of our struggle here together?  There's really no need to grab at my heel, Jacob.  For the blessing is yours already.”

God’s pronouncement was not about how Jacob would someday become Israel.  No!  It was who he was...who he had become already (and prior to God’s pronouncement, btw).  “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.”

And Jacob got it.  In wrestling with God, he discovered what he really wanted in life, and that was to be Israel, he who struggles with God, and no longer he who grasps the heel.

But he got more than that, though.  Did you see it?  For how does the story conclude?  It ends with Israel saying, “I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”  He saw God face to face.  He faced the scariest, most terrible force imaginable, and he didn’t just grasp at a heel.  Way to go Israel.

The greatest blessing you could ever receive from God, my friends, is to discover your name…the name (identity, character, and destiny) God has ordained for you.

Pursue God, my friends.  Wrestle with Him, because He wants to give you that for which you’ve longed your entire life:  His name for you.

Okay, Dave…and how does all of this relate to persistence in prayer?  Ah, what an excellent question.  I guess you’re just going to have to wait until next time!!

Until then…God’s peace, y’all,

Dave

The Roll of Persistence in Prayer and Intercession

Provided below are several passages that relate to being persistent in prayer.  Before we start dropping more dots on prayer and intercession, please consider practicing a close reading (like you may have done last week) on one or more of the passages below.  As before, I recommend that you read through all of the passages at normal speed at least once.  After that, pick your passage/s and then read through it/them S L O W L Y at least twice

God’s peace on all’y’all.

Love in Him,

Dave

CLOSE READING EXERCISE #3

Genesis 32:22-31

That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.  After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions.  So Jacob was left alone, and a Man wrestled with him till daybreak.  When the Man saw that He could not overpower him, He touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the Man.  Then the Man said, “Let Me go, for it is daybreak.”

But Jacob replied, “I will not let You go unless You bless me.”

The Man asked him, “What is your name?”

“Jacob,” he answered.

Then the Man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.”

Jacob said, “Please tell me Your Name.”

But He replied, “Why do you ask My Name?”  Then He blessed him there.

So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”

The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip.  Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob’s hip was touched near the tendon.

Daniel 10:1-14

In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a revelation was given to Daniel (who was called Belteshazzar).  Its message was true and it concerned a great war.  The understanding of the message came to him in a vision.

At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks.  I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.

On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of the finest gold around his waist.  His body was like chrysolite, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.

I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; the men with me did not see it, but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves.  So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale, and I was helpless.  Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground.

A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees.  He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you.”  And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling.

Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel.  Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.  But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days.  Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia.  Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.”

Matthew 7:7-12

“’Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

‘Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?  If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!  So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.’”

Mark 5:25-29

And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years.   She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse.  When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch His clothes, I will be healed.”  Immediately her bleeding stopped, and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

Luke 18:1-8

Then Jesus told His disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.  He said:  “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men.  And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

“For some time he refused.  But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!’”

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?”

James 4:1-10

What causes fights and quarrels among you?  Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?  You desire but do not have, so you kill.  You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight.  You do not have because you do not ask God.  When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God?  Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.  Or do you think Scripture says without reason that He jealously longs for the Spirit He has caused to dwell in us?  But He gives us more grace.  That is why Scripture says:

“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

Submit yourselves, then, to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Come near to God, and He will come near to you.  Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.  Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.  Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.

Dropping the Dots—Part II

To intercede is not just “to intercede for” but also “to intercede in the place of” another.

As I was writing the other day...

In the same way that we (as human beings) are connected inextricably to each other biologically, I think that we are also connected spiritually.  Because of this, when I pray for another it’s as though I am that other praying for himself or herself.  And even though I may be praying for that which that individual may not want or know that they want or need (for example, that he or she might turn toward God or repent of sin), because I’m praying on behalf of that one (and, actually, standing "in the gap" within that one), I believe God is invited to move in that person’s life.  And because it’s as though that person is the one praying, for God to answer and to work in accordance with what I'm asking is NOT, I believe, a violation of that person’s freewill.  It's just God doing what He "sees" that needs to be done (and, in fact, that He desires to do) as it accords with what I (ergo, that person through me?) is asking.

In all of us—even those who seem or feel far from God—there exists the Spark (the Life, the Image) of God.  Though the deceitfulness and momentary pleasures of sin may cloud out that spark, it is, nevertheless, still there.  And it is that spark within all of us that yearns to be with God and—if I may be so bold—that yearns to be reconciled to God.  As such, to pray for the renewal of another is to tap into that spark within that one that yearns to know God, to be with God, and to allow God to do for that one that which that one cannot do for himself or herself.

I think, my friends, that all of this could be called AGREEMENT, and I'm quite curious as to what your thoughts are on all of this.

God is provident, meaning, He sees all and prepares and acts accordingly.  This is, I believe, the true meaning of the Name Jehovah Jireh:  “The Lord Who Sees.”

God’s providence is a mystery.

Sometimes, He prevents a great tragedy; sometimes, He doesn’t.

In both incidents, though, I believe He works to bring about great good from whatever the circumstances in the moment might be.  And it is this “rising goodness” that enables all of us, if we open ourselves up to it, to find true delight in God and, ultimately, to discover that He is That Which truly satisfies us in life…when times and conditions are good, and, perhaps especially, when they’re not so good.  As John Piper writes, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”

A little more on the providence of God or “the rising goodness” that occurs in every situation…

Sometimes God acts independently of man’s will and participation.  Here are some examples:

• Rainfall;
• Sunshine;
• The growth of plants;
• The circulation of blood in our veins;
• The production of oxygen in our atmosphere;
• The growth of a newly conceived baby.

Last night, while I was having a late dinner with my dearest of friends, I thought of how God’s provision of basically the same thing (edible fruit, for example) happens, at times, irrespective of our participation, and yet how at times, too, it won’t happen without our participation.  Two fruit-producing scenarios came to my mind:  (1) the blackberry bush; and (2) the plumb tree.  Both, if they’re healthy, produce fruit.  The first (the blackberry bush) can be found growing naturally in many different places; the second (the plumb tree), though, is most often cultivated deliberately by mankind.  The fruit produced by the first requires no participation on our part.  The second, though, requires someone to till and prepare the soil, plant the seeds, and then carefully tend to the plant/tree as it grows.  In both instances, God provides the original soil, sunshine, and rainfall, but in the second instance, God requires mankind to till and prepare the soil and to care for the plant.  God, in the second scenario, quite literally refuses to do that which mankind must do.

I write all of the above to say simply that sometime God acts independently of us and that sometimes He doesn’t.  What is the distinction?  I think it’s found in what God commands and in what He doesn’t.

For example...

God does not command us to circulate our blood.  THAT would be a little ridiculous, wouldn't you agree?

God commands us, though, to love others, to pray for others, to work the earth, to honor our parents, etc. 

There are inherent consequences to our every response to a command of God.  Obedience results in reward; disobedience results in, for lack of a better description, a life lived badly.

If you’re not obeying God in the things I mentioned above, then you most likely won’t experience the depths of God’s loving-kindness as He loves others through you, you won’t see God work providentially in your family or in the lives of those around you, you won’t enjoy the “fruits” of your labors, and you won’t live the life promised in Deuteronomy 5:16, which reads:  “Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well for you in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” 

God commands us to pray…and to pray specifically.  If we disobey God in this, the “coming” of God’s kingdom will be stymied.  Do you want to be one who stymies the coming of God’s kingdom?

Do I? 

Ummm...that would be an emphatic NO!

I don’t know about you, but I’ve decided to stop the practice of not praying…

...and I’ve decided to stop that practice continually.

Peace,

Dave

P.S.  I think there are still some more dots yet to come.  After that, I’m going to just sit and wait on God to speak into the depths of my soul and to tell me what He’d like for me to do.  CU…

Why Intercession MAY be Effectual – Stream of Consciousness Exercise

Here are a few dots...

God is begging us to beg from Him that which He is dying to give us.

God, even though He is not a respecter of persons, is a respecter of Himself and of the order and design He put into His creation.  As such, God respects and honors the free-will of mankind because God respects and honors all that He does.  Prayer opens a portal through which God is invited (and ushered through the door, if you will) to be with us and to intervene in the affairs of our lives and the lives of those for whom we love.  THIS, my friends, is why the fruit of “love” is soooo critical!

AND important!

Through our humanity, we are connected to each other in a way that makes us together a “WE.”  As such, when “we,” as individuals or small groups, pray, we are, in effect, praying AS (and not just representing) the “WE” of humanity…during ALL TIMES in which WE have existed, are existing, or shall exist.  Notice, in Matthew 5, that when Jesus teaches His disciples to pray, He teaches them the “Our Father” prayer and not the “My Father” prayer.  Jesus intended for us to experience God and God’s workings in our lives corporately.  To pray corporately (or individually, and yet conscious of our corporateness) is to become THE WE I wrote of above.  As such, God is invited—begged, actually—to intervene, and yet free-will is honored—AMAZINGLY!  

Everything that we see or that we will see was created in God’s imagination LLLLOOOOONNNNNGGGGG before the foundations of the world were laid.  To intercede is to invite God’s imaginings to be brought to solidity...

“Hallow Your Name, Lord.”

(Notice that it is an invitation, first, and after that a request.) 

“Let Your kingdom come...let Your will be done."

(Again, invitations first.)

Yes, Lord...PLEASE!!  Let Your Name be hallowed; come, and have free reign within the freewill of our lives!!

I feel that Heaven is the “space” or “realm” of God that is outside of creation.  Heaven is wherever the Presence of God dwells.  Since God has always “dwelt,” there has always been a Place for Him to dwell—basically Heaven.  The only things that have always been are those things that are inherent to the Presence of God.  By virtue of this, Heaven has always been because God and His Presence have always been.  I know that Genesis 1:1 reads, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."  The "heavens" referred to in that verse mean, I believe, the cosmos and those other created realms that exist outside of what we can see.  Heaven, the space of God's Presence, is, I believe, outside of anything created.  It is a realm that is continuously generated by the very Presence of God.  The "heaven" in which spiritual warfare takes place is a created realm that is beyond our normal, physical senses.

(Note to Self:  I need to do a word study on "H/heaven."  The English language can be so limited.  For example, I love my Mom and my Dad; I also love salad.  In the above sentence, the two uses of the word "love" look and sound the same, but they are NOT the same word.)    

In time, there will be a new heaven (created spiritual realm) and a new earth, meaning, I believe, the two will become one…like a husband and wife become one…where the divine and the natural become indistinguishable.  Jesus is THE perfect example of this.  Remove the human side of Jesus, and you have the Son; remove the divine side, and you have a second Adam.  Put the two together, and you have something new:  Jesus, the Son of Man.  The first fruits and the prototype of the order yet to come.

Now, while their will be a new heaven and a new earth, God and His Presence (Heaven...where He dwells) will never change.  WE will not become God.  WE will continue to bear the Image of God and continue to reflect His glory.  And God will continue to find an oasis for Himself in us.  But God IS and shall always and forever BE God.  There is NO ONE like Him.  He is THE I AM, and He stands—and shall always stand—alone in this.  Just as He always has.

Pray-in to all these things, my friends.

To intercede is to see with your spirit the new heaven and the new earth coming together.  And, as you see, you become a co-creator with the Creator of the universe.

We were created in the image of God.  God is Creator; we reflect the Creator;  God is Savior; we reflect the Savior; God is Lord; we reflect the Lord. To intercede is to reflect the nature of God embedded and endowed within us.  We do not violate, nor does God violate, the will of another; when we pray, we give God permission to break it upon another’s  soul their abject need for Him.  When we pray, we, as the WE, give God permission to have His Way with US, be it with another individual or with a group of people.

Everyone dies…physically.  There are NO exceptions.  Elijah was taken up into heaven and did not “see death.”  To see physical death and to die physically are NOT, necessarily, the same thing.  There does come a time in every individual’s life when the new heaven and the new earth must be brought to solidity within him or her.  THIS is death; it is simply a transition or a moving from one place of existence to another.

Until death occurs, God desires all to be healthy.  Some (or most) are not because of sin and because we don’t love people enough to beg from God—and I mean BEG from Him—that which I believe He LONGS to give us.  Is there anyone in your life—maybe just one?—for whom you would be willing to fast for forty days and nights and do nothing but sleep and plead with God on behalf of that one?

In my life, yes, there are such ones.

Husband…what does it mean to lay down your life for your wife?  To me, it means going into the desert and fasting and praying for forty days and nights that she might have a fruitful future.  Are you willing to do such a thing?  I guarantee you that if you fasted and prayed for your wife in such a manner your wife’s life would never be the same—and I’m talking FOR ALL ETERNITY.  THIS, my friends, is the fruit of the Spirit Love.  Be the lover, put in the effort, and lay your life down for your wife that she might have the BEST future imaginable—one that truly exceeds her every thought and imagination.  Such a thing is not just possible, my friends.  It becomes a done deal when you follow the Lord’s example and truly lay your life down for her (this is a command of God, by the way—see Ephesians 5).  The world does not know this kind of love for it has seen it so rarely.  Be rare, my friends.  THIS is intercession at its best.  At it’s heart.

Okay…that’s enough for now.  (Please read that as meaning "this is ONLY THE BEGINNING," for there shall be more dots to come.)  I’m going away for the weekend, but I plan to look at these things and to write more about such things in the coming days.  I do not wish to leave this topic for a while.  For I believe it to be THAT important!

Peace,

Dave

The Prayer of a Righteous Man (or Woman!) Availeth Much—Part II

Provided below are several passages that relate—either directly or indirectly—to prayer.  Please consider practicing a close reading (like you may have done yesterday) on two or three of the shorter passages or on one of the longer passages.  I do, though, recommend that you read through all of the passages at normal speed at least once.  After that, pick your passage/s and then read through it/them S L O W L Y at least twice…and let God begin to open His Word to you.

God’s Words is a delight—like the richest of foods; dine, my friends, and have fun, too—for that’s at least half the point!

Tomorrow, Lord-willing, the dots will begin to drop.

God’s peace on all’y’all.

Love in Him,

Dave  

CLOSE READING EXERCISE #2

Genesis 1:1, 26-27

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Then God said, “Let Us make mankind in Our Image, in Our Likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,  and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

So God created mankind in His Own Image, in the Image of God He created them; male and female He created them. 

Psalm 45:1

My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the King; my tongue is the Pen of a Skillful Writer.

Matthew 6: 5-17

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men.  I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.  But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, Who is unseen.  Then your Father, Who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.  And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.  Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

“’This, then, is how you should pray:

“’Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name,

“’Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

“’Give us today our daily bread.

“’Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

“’And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’

“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.  But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, Who is unseen; and your Father, Who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Matthew 19:23-30

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.  Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”

Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.  And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother [some manuscripts:  mother or wife] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.

Mark 9: 14-2

When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them.  As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

“What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.

A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech.  Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground.  He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”

“O unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you?  How long shall I put up with you?  Bring the boy to Me.”

So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion.  He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”

“From childhood,” he answered.  “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him.  But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.”  Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit.  “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”

The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently, and came out.  The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.”  But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked Him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer [some manuscripts:  and fasting].”

Mark 11:24

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for i prayer, believe that you have already received it, and it will be yours." 

John 14:13

"And I will do whatever you ask in My Name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father."

Romans 4:16-17

Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham.

He is the father of us all.

As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”

He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.

Ephesians 6:10-20

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.

With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains.

Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Philippians 4: 4-9

Rejoice in the Lord always.

I will say it again: Rejoice!

Let your gentleness be evident to all.

The Lord is near.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice.  And the God of peace will be with you.

Revelation 12:11

They overcame him [that is, the evil one] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.

The Prayer of a Righteous Man (Or Woman!) Availeth Much

CLOSE READING EXERCISE

Step One:  Please read the following passage from James 5:13-18:

Is anyone among you in trouble?

Let them pray.

Is anyone happy?

Let them sing songs of praise.

Is anyone among you sick?

Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.

And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up.

If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.

The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Elijah was a human being, even as we are.

He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.

Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

Step Two:  Please read it again, but this time do so V E R Y slowly.  I suggest aiming for a reading speed of no more than one word/second.  (Note:  There are 145 words in the passage above.  At a speed of one word/second, it should take about 145 seconds [or 2 minutes and 25 seconds] to read the passage).

Step Three:  Please read it again S L O W L Y...one more time.  :o) 

Tomorrow, I’m going to supply a few more scriptural close reading exercises, and then, in the days that follow, what I'd like to do is start dropping a whole bunch of “why prayer may be effectual” dots down on the table.  As I drop the dots, what I want to do is just let them sit there for a while, give them a LONG look see, add some, take away some, and maybe shuffle things around a bit.  In time, a few connections and, perhaps even, some conclusions may arise from the exercise.  BTW…in case you might be wondering, when I write “perhaps,” what I’m really writing is this:  “DEFINITELY maybe.”  Such phrasing reminds me a little of white noise, soft nails, sweet onions, honest politicians, and DMV civil service workers. 

Anyway…

Until next time, go talk with God, find someone to love, and then love that person as though your very life depended upon it.

(Because it really does.)

Good hunting, y’all…

Dave

P.S.  I can hardly wait to drop the dots!  Peace-out, everyone…

My Response to "Desiring God"

My small group just finished a study of John Piper’s Desiring God (http://www.desiringgod.org/).  This week, we were each given an assignment to write an overall response to the study.

Provided herein is my response.  Enjoy!

My Purpose...

My purpose in life is to, individually and in intimate community with my brothers and sisters, bring glory to God through my complete delight in and enjoyment of Him.

My Slogan...

Be happy, Dave…all the time…even when you’re feeling sad and broken.

My Philosophy about Christianity and the Pursuit of God...

The mystery of Christianity is that it is the pursuit of a gift (basically, of God Himself and of all that He wants to give us).  The mystery of prayer and worship is that God is quite literally begging us to beg from Him that which He is dying to give us.

My Fight for Joy (through Prayer)...

Holy Father…

Authentic joy is a gift from You.  I know, though, that I must fight for it…relentlessly.  Help me to do just that.

Lord, while I know that You Are proud of me, I know, too, that there are many things in my life that are not particularly pleasing to You.  Enable me to take aim at every known sin in my life and resolve to take each one out as it falls within the cross-hairs of my spirit.  My sin, dear God, obscures my capacity to see and to enjoy You, and that has become completely unacceptable to me.

Lord, in some areas of my life, I know that I must bear Your wrath.  Give me the strength to stand when I feel like falling down and the strength to stay in the Light when all I want to do is run and hide.  Even though I’ve messed up so many things in my life, Lord, I KNOW that You are Sovereign, and I KNOW, too, that You are THE Lord of my life.  I submit to Your discipline, God, and I rejoice in the fact that You not only accept me completely but love me so much that You won’t let me stay in my brokenness and sin-sickness forever.

Lord, with all my heart I want to see You for Who You Are.  As I pray so very often on my early morning walks…

Jesus, You are The Lord My Righteousness, The Lord Who Sanctifies Me, The Lord My Peace, The Lord Who’s There, The Lord My Provider, The Lord Who Heals Me, The Lord My Shepherd, The Lord Who Guides, Protects, and Disciplines Me, The Lord My Comforter and Counselor, The Lord Who Sees Me and Calls Me by Name, The Lord My Refuge and Ever Present Help, and The Lord Who Loves Me More than I Could Ever Ask for or Even Imagine.

Lord Jesus Christ, You Are the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

Jesus, You’re My Lord and Savior, My Heavenly Companion, and My Only Hope.  You’re The Creator of All that is Seen and of All that is Unseen, The Master of the Universe, The Alpha and the Omega, The Beginning and the End, and The Author and Finisher of My Faith.

Lord Jesus Christ…Oh how I love Your Name.  It’s like honey in my mouth!  In my life, Lord, may Your Name be forever hallowed and praised.

Lord, oh how I love Your Word.  It is indeed my portion from the richest of foods.  I shall meditate on it day and night, God, for IT—You and all that You Are and all that You wish to Say to me—is more precious to me than the finest silver or gold.


Lord, the more I delight myself in You the more I just want You.  Please increase my delight in You and all that You Are, and please give me my heart's desire:  more of You.

Lord, the scriptures read that when David was down he often “encouraged himself in the Lord.”  When I’m feeling down or when I'm having a hard time, enable me to do the same by remembering You, by remembering Your Word to me, and by remembering Your loving-kindness and faithfulness.  Lord, I know that there are many unresolved things living inside me that clamor for my attention.  Please help me to recognize when I’m listening to the voices of guilt and regret or when I’m beginning to engage in abusive or discursive self-talk, and, at such times, please help me to turn toward You, to look upon You, and to remember how You’ve always been right here with me.  May these remembrances of You and of Your Presence in my life bring healing to my tattered soul.

Lord, continue to surround me with people who are saturated in You.  Use them, Lord, to speak life into my soul; use them also to encourage me to stand my ground and to fight and to not lay my sword at the feet of my enemies.

Lord, oh how I love the deserted and the lonely, wild places!  It feels so good, sometimes, to be able to just feel my hunger and my thirst!  It’s also good to remember that not only are You the Source of that which satisfies my hunger but that You are also the Source and Creator of that very same hunger.  While some may experience You as distant during the dry and weary times in the desert, I thank You, Lord, that I have never experienced such feelings.  You have never not been close to me…even during the darkest hours, days, weeks, months, and years of my life.  As David once wrote in Psalm 63 (while he, too, was in the desert!)…

O God, You are my God, earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You, my body longs for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

I have seen You in the sanctuary and beheld Your power and Your glory.

Because Your love is better than life, my lips will glorify You.

I will praise You as long as I live, and in Your Name I will lift up my hands.
My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise You.

On my bed, I remember You; I think of You through the watches of the night.
Because You are my help, I will sing in the shadow of Your Wings.

My soul clings to You; Your Right Hand upholds me.

Lord, getting proper rest, exercise, and food has always been so very important to me.  May I continue to pursue these things so that You and I might be able to enjoy fully each day that we have together.  Guide me in all of these things, dear God, for it is my wish to live a long, healthy life.

Lord, there is so much in creation that reflects and speaks to the unseen spiritual realities that exist all around me.  May I begin to see, more clearly/properly and in the right context, all that You’ve made, and may I continue to honor You in the ways in which I relate to and respond to my environment.

Lord, I love words and books.  There is SO MUCH out there left for me to read.  Please guide me as to what books I should read, how much of each book I should read, and when and where I should read it.

Lord, loving others (including myself) can be hard work sometimes.  Help me, oh God, to love the way You love.  May my life become an open and flowing conduit of Your loving-kindness, joy, compassion, and equanimity to those around me (including me!).

Lord, You alone know my heart.  You know it's desires, and You know it's cravings.  Oh God, place within me Your Own loving Heart, and grant me the privilege of feeling what You Feel.  And, if I may be so bold as to ask, will You give me Your Mind, as well?  For my soul longs to think Your very Thoughts, Lord...to see and think about situations and people the way You See and Think about them.  Lord, may there never be any secrets between us.  Ever.  EXCEPT during "our" play times of hide and seek, for I know that You take great pleasure in creating mystery that I might be spurred to plumb the depths of Your Word and, in time, experience the everlasting pleasures of discovering the things hidden right there between the lines.  Oh God, may You and I dwell together in those in-between spaces as I reach up and tie myself into You.  Bless me, oh God, for I am desperate for You.  Bless me now, bless me soon!  For I will NOT let You go until You bless me!  I love You very much, Daddy!

With much love and gratefulness,

Your servant, Your friend, and Your son...Jonathan-DavidLord, turn my heart toward Your Statues and not toward selfish gain, open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your Law, and satisfy me in the morning with Your unfailing love that I may sing for joy and be glad all my days.