Prayer: The Heart, the Tongue, and the Spirit

Jesus speaking the Sermon on the Mount in Matt 6:5-8:

“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him."

Think about the last time you were in a public place and someone gave a wonderful prayer that you really appreciated and felt was so powerful and spiritually moving. We might say of that person that they have a gift of words in prayer. Perhaps a moving public prayer is a good gift to be shared. But our most intimate and valuable prayers of relationship with God are given in private, just between the two of us. In those moments the heart speaks more eloquently, purely, and concisely than the tongue. Any time that we attempt to pray to God with the words of our human language, we fall short. Yet we should continue to use them. Words are what we have, so we should use them to intentionally express our hearts to God and engage in conversation as we know how.

1 Cor 14:15 - "So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind."

God will in turn speak through our consciences and the part of our hearts that are most honest, humble, and pure. He will reach those parts of us by numerous methods. And we can respond with our feeble words, realizing that God is also hearing our hearts and souls at the very same time. (v.8 "...For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.")

When our words match our hearts, though they may be cumbersome, inadequate and slow, I believe this honesty, transparency and genuineness pleases Him. Perhaps as a lead note is struck or sung with a perfect harmony--your heart is the melody and your spoken words complete the harmony that is pleasing to his ears. But there is even more power in the melody that our human ears cannot hear:

Rom 8:26-27:

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will."

It turns out that by engaging in sincere communion and prayer with our Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ, the truest melody is being offered by the Holy Spirit within us. Whatever we can muster to chime in ourselves, the sound is pleasing to our Father's ears and the aroma as pleasing as incense:

Psalm 141:2: "May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice."

Rev 5:8 - "And when He had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints"

Open up in prayer tonight. Open up right now. Search your heart and speak it, and let the Spirit intercede for you. May your prayers of sacrifice be like sweet incense and your faithful heart be a pleasing harmony with the Spirit's melody.

Clearing the Temple

Mark 11:15-17:

"On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: " 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it 'a den of robbers.'"

Jesus cleared the temple on at least two occasions (John 2 and Mark 11, Luke 19, Matt 21), and He did so with a righteous anger. The Temple had turned from a sacred place that sincere worshipers of God Almighty came to pray and offer their praise, worship, and sacrifice into a place where men attempted to take advantage of other men in the name of God in order to make a profit or glorify themselves instead of their God.

Here’s a relevant question: Would Jesus clear your temple today? Realize that our bodies are the “temple of the Holy Spirit.”

1 Cor 6:19-20:

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”

Your body is a temple—your very body. Think about it and try to comprehend that the Holy Spirit has been sent to dwell within you upon acceptance of Jesus Christ, and that God now views His holy temple to include you and your body. The Temple is a Holy place. Are you and your body a Holy place?

Would Jesus have a righteous anger toward the sin setup in you? Immediately upon acceptance of Christ, we are forgiven. Oh, thank God the Merciful Father for that. I can breathe a sigh of relief and peace. But if sin does still persist, whether daily or occasionally, whether random sins or a single repeating sin, it is time to clear the temple. Selfishness is a good example for most. How many of your decisions each day are out of self-interest? Yes, of course we are to be good stewards of our lives, and that includes doing what we know to be responsible for maintaining our health and such; however, if you are like me and search your motives in what you did last week, you will find a lot of selfishness. Worst of all is when this comes at the expense of others. Anger, greed, and lust are other common persisting sins, even in believers. Believers that are forgiven, yet struggle to gain ground in resisting their temptations and earthly desires. The good news is that Jesus will clear the temple.

Dare to pray a prayer similar to this: “Lord, clear the temple. Clear my temple. Purge out the evil in me, banish the sin and drive out my separation from you. Even if it is done through your righteous anger, even if I must bear the full force of the anger of an all powerful God, clear this temple! Jesus, I need to be emptied, cleared, and cleansed, so that your Holy Spirit can fully dwell and fill every corner of this temple. In Jesus name, Amen.”

Are You Living the Dream?

Think of a blind man. Think about how you can see. Realize that every day you’re living his dream.

We often say “I’d give up anything for that.” And we may or may not mean it strictly literally, but we do mean that we consider the thing more important and fulfilling than anything else. Take a moment…instead of dreaming of all you’d rather have or would rather be, or have failed to obtain or failed to become—take a moment to recognize the multitude of ways you are “living the dream” of so many less fortunate others. If you can see, you are living the dream. If you can hear, you are living the dream. If you can walk, you are living the dream. If you have a job, if you have a family, if you have food or a home, you are living the dream. If you live in a free country such as the USA, if you don’t have an incurable disease, if you’re not imprisoned, you’re living the dream. And biggest of all, if you have a real relationship with Jesus Christ, you are living the dream greater than any other and incomprehensible to any human. If God hadn’t conceived of it, offered it, and told us of it, we couldn’t have imagined a dream so grand.

We are all already living the dream or are one single decision from it. Invest in your relationship with God and Jesus Christ and you will find your greatest fulfillment. Along the way you’ll come to realize that your personal sense of fulfillment was quite secondary to the necessary and pleasing sacrifice of your life to our perfect and good Creator. Yet it was fulfilling, and a dream beyond comprehension is yours.

Spiritual Sponges

Read the May 16 “My Utmost for His Highest,” and see if it doesn’t convict you:
http://www.myutmost.org/05/0516.html

Excerpt:
“What does it matter if external circumstances are hard? Why should they not be! If we give way to self-pity and indulge in the luxury of misery, we banish God's riches from our own lives and hinder others from entering into His provision. No sin is worse than the sin of self-pity, because it obliterates God and puts self-interest upon the throne. It opens our mouths to spit out murmurings and our lives become craving spiritual sponges, there is nothing lovely or generous about them.”

This whole thing gets to me, but the imagery of being a craving spiritual sponge really hits me. It is good to become a spiritual sponge…at first. Better to be a sponge than a slab of stone that will not retain any word from God, has no capacity to, and doesn’t want to. The first step is probably to become that craving spiritual sponge. I’ve seen it in new believers, including myself, and it’s beautiful—we realize how dry we are and want to absorb so much!

But we cannot stay there, can we? O.C. says this is the opposite of “lovely or generous,” and I believe he is speaking of the pouring out of the Spirit that was given to us on others. First we are filled, then we become instruments to fill others. God does the filling, but we are instruments in His hands—simply because it pleases Him to have such a oneness by working together with a “like mind” in this way.

"If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose." - Philippians 2:1-2

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. "Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them." - Jesus in John 17:20-26

He doesn’t need us, but His chosen way is to use us because He loves us and it builds intimacy with Him. Perhaps we are most like Him when we in turn share with others what has been shared with us—knowing Christ. What greater gift could God offer, but to beckon us to share even in the slightest of ways something that is like Him—perfect God?! No wonder a God who loves perfectly and “knows how to give good gifts” chooses for us to share with Him in sharing with others (Matt 7:11, Luke 11:13).

Perhaps we are still sponges. Sponges that are so saturated with God that we begin to drip and overflow—as we continue to be filled, we continue to overflow into others so that they might be filled (Luke 6:45, Romans 15:13, 2 Cor 4:15, 9:12, Col 2:7, 1 Thess 3:12, and more). If we are a “craving spiritual sponge,” then we only take—we would not be filled to capacity and cannot flow outwardly. I don’t have any special prescription on how to begin to overflow, other than to know that the Bible speaks volumes about it—it is everywhere—recognition of Jesus as Savior, receiving of grace and the Holy Spirit, and complete surrender to God. We never stop being sponges, but we must look both to receive and to immediately give in spiritual things.

The Faith to Persevere

From "My Utmost for His Highest," May 8:

"Patience is more than endurance. A saint's life is in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of an archer. God is aiming at something the saint cannot see, and He stretches and strains, and every now and again the saint says - "I cannot stand any more." God does not heed, He goes on stretching till His purpose is in sight, then He lets fly. Trust yourself in God's hands. For what have you need of patience just now? Maintain your relationship to Jesus Christ by the patience of faith. "Though He slay me, yet will I wait for Him."

Faith is not a pathetic sentiment, but robust vigorous confidence built on the fact that God is holy love. You cannot see Him just now, you cannot understand what He is doing, but you know Him. Shipwreck occurs where there is not that mental poise which comes from being established on the eternal truth that God is holy love. Faith is the heroic effort of your life, you fling yourself in reckless confidence on God.

God has ventured all in Jesus Christ to save us, now He wants us to venture our all in abandoned confidence in Him. There are spots where that faith has not worked in us as yet, places untouched by the life of God. There were none of those spots in Jesus Christ's life, and there are to be none in ours. "This is life eternal, that they might know Thee." The real meaning of eternal life is a life that can face anything it has to face without wavering. If we take this view, life becomes one great romance, a glorious opportunity for seeing marvellous things all the time. God is disciplining us to get us into this central place of power." - Oswald Chambers

I am especially drawn to the first paragraph--what a wonderful example of an archer with the bow and arrow. God as our archer and us as the arrow. Should the arrow choose where to shoot and at what angle? No, only the archer can see the target and has the skill to direct the capable arrow where it needs to be. What a great picture of part of our relationship with God.

In reaction to the thought that we might resist saying, "I cannot stand anymore," we might be inspired to hold on a little longer, to learn a deeper patience and faith in God. I hope that is your reaction! But within that, beware the part of your reaction that says, "yes, I can wait a little longer for that thing I want, the thing I've been waiting for and may give up on." That could be what God has planned, but more likely, as O.C. mentions, "the saint cannot see" what God is aiming for until He hits the target. Take this opportunity to decide to have more patience, to grow your faith, to stick it out longer...not for the things that you can see that you want to be patient for, but for the things that you cannot see. This is the true patience and faith that I believe O.C. is focusing on here. Patience for something we see and desire right now is a good thing, but patience and faith that says that we will wait on God and follow His perfect aim, knowing that we cannot see what He aims us for, abandoning all that we might aim for ourselves--that is a righteous faith and patience that leads to joy in knowing our loving God and celebrating His perfection. When we let Him, He lets fly of a strong and true arrow of Christianity with the truest aim and with the greatest impact.

A Prayer Request: My Friend's Marriage

Tonight I was talking with a friend about the terrible ordeal he and his family are going through. He and his wife just signed divorce papers, and all that is left is to stand before the judge, the judge briefly surveys the paperwork, then grants the divorce. What’s worse is that he openly admits to living a life of slavery to sin until just 3 months ago when he felt God’s call, powerful and true, in that moment experienced spiritual and physical healing and is not looking back. He is new to Christ, and is eager to grow…this is obvious to anyone around him. His wife is a life-long church goer, and he has two kids. He feels the guilt of his past life and it stings as he thinks about the damage he has done to each affected party. This family is about to break up, based upon the result of being far from God and in a life of sin—yet at this moment, he is no longer the man that started down the path of divorce. Still, the seemingly unstoppable, momentous wheels are in motion to end their marriage officially and for good. He recognizes that God does not want this, and is willing and eager to rectify the relationship—but has little power and less vision on how to do that. He is somewhat resigned to their fate, though clinging to the smallest of seeds of hope that somehow God, not he himself, can save the marriage, and even more than that, whatever the outcome God can work his will and purpose for each of their lives, husband, wife, and children.

After we ended the conversation and went to our vehicles, I was understandably overcome with a desire to pray for him. As I prayed, I felt a rare conviction and passion for him and his marriage…even to the point of tears. I kept seeing his face in front of me, a newborn babe of God, in desperate need of the Father’s care and nourishment—how can we as babes in Christ live without intense nourishment and care from our Father? Here he is at a crossroads, yet he is such a babe in Christ. What broke my heart was that he is truly repentant! Repentant, seemingly too late to save a marriage that binds flesh to flesh and is a covenant before God (Gen 2:24, Matt 19:5-6, Mark 10:8-9, Eph 5:31). And he wants to salvage it for God, for his children and family, and lastly for himself. Oh Lord, would you please take him in your arms and guide him, direct him, comfort him, strengthen him, and fill him. He is in need of you, Lord! I know you are calling his name and that we know the name of our Good Shepherd (John 10:3-4). Please Lord let him and his wife hear your call.

As I continued my drive home, I had the radio turned to the local Christian station, 89.3 KSBJ. For some reason tonight, they had a pastor praying briefly. This is uncommon—I listen to this station nearly every day and have not often heard a segment where a guest pastor prays. But do you know what he was praying as I turned the volume up? His words were something like this: “Lord, we know that marriage is a covenant before you, from the old testament to the new and present day. It is an example of the covenants you have made with your people through the ages and with each of us today. It is good and holy in your sight. I pray that you take those marriages, each of those marriages that are hanging on the brink tonight Lord…this very night that you would strengthen those marriages and breathe life into them. In the power of your Holy Son’s name, amen.”

I was joyful upon hearing such a prayer, only minutes after my own. I knew that we prayed a prayer of agreement with God and between believers, even believers that had never met or even known of each others’ existence. I realized that hundreds, maybe thousands of people were praying this night for marriages to be saved and that each prayed for my friend and that we all prayed together for the same thing. We gathered together in God’s name, not necessarily in the same city, country, or continent even, yet together on this earth that God has created. “For where two or three gather in my name, there I am in the midst of them.” (Matt 18:20)

I continue to pray for my friend. His court date is next week. Will you please pray with me and with all other believers for them? Our prayers are pleasing to God, and “the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” with God (James 5:16). We are not praying anything that God does not already want to do, and we are not changing His mind…we are choosing to delight Him with our prayers of agreement and share in His glory through this marriage. May His preferred will be done and His glory be shown in this and all things. In Jesus name, amen.

INSIGHT, NOT EMOTION

My Utmost For His Highest, May 1 - by Oswald Chambers:

"I have to lead my life in faith, without seeing Him." 2 Corinthians 5:7 (MOFFATT)

For a time we are conscious of God's attentions, then, when God begins to use us in His enterprises, we take on a pathetic look and talk of the trials and the difficulties, and all the time God is trying to make us do our duty as obscure people. None of us would be obscure spiritually if we could help it. Can we do our duty when God has shut up heaven? Some of us always want to be illuminated saints with golden haloes and the flush of inspiration, and to have the saints of God dealing with us all the time. A gilt-edged saint is no good, he is abnormal, unfit for daily life, and altogether unlike God. We are here as men and women, not as half-fledged angels, to do the work of the world, and to do it with an infinitely greater power to stand the turmoil because we have been born from above.

If we try to re-introduce the rare moments of inspiration, it is a sign that it is not God we want. We are making a fetish of the moments when God did come and speak, and insisting that He must do it again; whereas what God wants us to do is to "walk by faith." How many of us have laid ourselves by, as it were, and said - "I cannot do any more until God appears to me." He never will, and without any inspiration, without any sudden touch of God, we will have to get up. Then comes the surprise - "Why, He was there all the time, and I never knew it!" Never live for the rare moments, they are surprises. God will give us touches of inspiration when He sees we are not in danger of being led away by them. We must never make our moments of inspiration our standard; our standard is our duty.