Praying By Faith

The hymn goes, "O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear!  All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer."  Neglect of prayer does lead to troubled hearts and minds, yet still many pray and do not always experience the peace God freely provides by His grace.  One reason this can occur is the same reason why the children of Israel did not enter the land God promised to give them:  unbelief.  The amount of negative impact of the many shades and degrees of unbelief in the lives of believers is frankly unbelievable.  Those whose sight is failing often do not realise what they cannot see, and praise the LORD for His word that illuminates our sight to see ourselves in truth through the examples of others.

Psalm 78 is a passage written by Asaph that explores the history of God's chosen people and how unbelief caused them to disobey and rebel against God.  The shame of past sins were not glossed over, for the next generation could profit much from their example by choosing to trust and obey God instead.  Psalm 78:7-11 reveals the purpose of this rehearsing the failings of their fathers:  "...that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments; ⁸ and may not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not set its heart aright, and whose spirit was not faithful to God. ⁹ The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle. ¹⁰ They did not keep the covenant of God; they refused to walk in His law, ¹¹ and forgot His works and His wonders that He had shown them."  Unless the current generation is willing to instruct the future generation that is willing to learn, sinful rebellion against God will be rife.

See the inferred consequences of unbelief in God:  setting their hope on self or something other than God, forgetting God's works, disobeying His commands.  The generation miraculously brought forth from Egypt was marked with stubbornness, rebellion, perverse hearts, unfaithful to God, retreating in fear, did not keep God's covenant, refused to surrender their will to walk in His law and forgot His works.  Psalm 78:17-19 continued:  "But they sinned even more against Him by rebelling against the Most High in the wilderness. ¹⁸ And they tested God in their heart by asking for the food of their fancy. ¹⁹ Yes, they spoke against God: they said, "Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?"  Unbelief prompted God's people to rebel, test God and spoke against Him.  God caused them to eat manna every day, caused wind to blow quail to satisfy them with meat and caused water to flow from the rock to drink.  They ate and drank; they were satisfied and sustained.  But unbelief in God prevented them from connecting what God had already done to what God would and could do today and tomorrow.  Thus they denied themselves the blessing of the rest and peace found in God and were unable to receive of His goodness, though they had food and water.

The great sin of God's people (consider this, of God's own people!) was their refusal to believe God who did wonders in their midst.  Though God was their Redeemer and Saviour, Psalm 78:36-37 says:  "Nevertheless they flattered Him with their mouth, and they lied to Him with their tongue; ³⁷ for their heart was not steadfast with Him, nor were they faithful in His covenant."  God saw through their words straight to their hearts and their unfaithfulness.  Psalm 78:40-42 says, "How often they provoked Him in the wilderness, and grieved Him in the desert! ⁴¹ Yes, again and again they tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. ⁴² They did not remember His power: the day when He redeemed them from the enemy..."  It would be impossible to belabour the point for Asaph did so for the purpose to warn God's people of the consequences of unbelief, how unbelief is a spiritual cancer than impacts our entire lives, as a warning to others, and to magnify the grace of God who forgives those who repent.  Asaph said God's people tempted and provoked God with their idolatry, turned back from following Him in obedience, and limited God.

Though the guilt of God's people was great, His power to love, show mercy, give grace and forgive was greater still.  Over the course of Israel's history God allowed many trials to refine them:  40 years in the wilderness that ended in death for the vast majority of people, oppression by enemies in the days of the judges, 70 years of captivity in Babylon, and the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans.  Yet all that time God was faithful to His people, and He has been faithful to those who are God's purchased possession by faith in Jesus Christ.  Let us not think because Christians are now the temple of the Holy Spirit we are prevented from the folly of previous generations that rebelled against God, forgot about Him, turned from His covenant, provoked and limited Him due to unbelief.

Belief in God remembers all He has done in the past and knows our God is the same yesterday, today and forever and thus can provide all we need right now..  His arm is not shortened that He cannot hear and has purposes beyond our understanding.  Because He is our Good Shepherd we follow Him; because He can do everything we pray to Him.  Like the children of Israel were to drive out the inhabitants of the land, so we are to drive out the worries, flattery, lies, deceit, lust and adultery from our own hearts and minds.  We are called to surrender our will to do God's will ourselves, not that God's will shall be done somewhere without us but by our obedience to Him!  Jesus summed this up the importance of our belief in John 6:29:  "...This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."  Those who believe will trust, obey and pray.  O LORD, keep us from unbelief that leads to lies and flattery that provokes, limits and grieves God in prayer.  Turn our unbelief and neglect of prayer to praying by faith in God.

Worship Him!

"Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, ² saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."

Matthew 2:1-2

It was customary growing up when attending a birthday party to bring a gift.  It wasn't a requirement to attend, but it was a polite and kind thing to do in response to the gracious invitation.  One of the first matters to attend to upon arrival was to hand the card or gift to the birthday boy or girl or give it to an appropriate person to place it with the others.  The formalities out of the way, then it was time to enjoy the company of your friend and the festivities planned in his or her honour.

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem, wise men from the east came seeking the King of the Jews to worship him.  Instead of responding to a gilded invitation with a wax seal, they observed "His" star in the east that heralded His arrival.  While much is made of the kingly gifts they brought with them, the primary reason these great men sought the King of the Jews--who was revealed to be Jesus Christ--was to worship Him.

Matthew 2:11 says, "And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh."  When the wise men entered the house, upon seeing the young Child they fell down and worshiped Him.  They prostrated themselves in reverence of the little One who would one day hang upon Calvary with the title and accusation written by Pilate in Greek, Hebrew and Latin placed on the cross, "JESUS OF NAZARETH, KING OF THE JEWS."  After worshiping the young Child as their Sovereign, they presented gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  While these gifts were worthy of a king and of great monetary value, the joy these men had in falling down before the KING OF KINGS was the most worthy gift they could offer as men created in God's image.

We need not have any money to bow before God and worship and offer ourselves to Him.  Everything is God's, but not everyone is willing to be God's.  How it blesses the LORD to see people looking to Him in faith, falling down before Him in humility and offering praise to Him with joy!  It is not what we can give God, but all He is and has done for us which moves us to worship as it is written in Psalm 34:1-4:  "I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. ² My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; the humble shall hear of it and be glad. ³ Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together. ⁴ I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears."  

How blessed we are to worship the LORD!

Considering God's Servant Job

"Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?"

Job 1:8

After Satan had walked to and fro on the earth, God asked him if he had considered "My servant Job."  Based upon the devil's answer, it is plainly evident he had.  It was Job's upright and God-fearing conduct that drew God's and Satan's attention, and this was for different purposes.  Satan considered ways he could bring Job down to the level of the basest, sinful man.  From the time Satan was lifted up with pride against God he has sought to steal glory that is rightfully God's, to kill human beings made in the image of God with sin, and delights in the destruction of their souls in hell.  God's purpose in bringing up Job was to see him refined by grace through faith as James 5:11 says:  "Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord--that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful."

The interactions of God with Satan in the book of Job throw headlong a lot of what is passed off today as spiritual warfare.  Satan may be compared to a lion seeking whom he may devour, but that does not make Christians lion tamers who dissuade his attacks by barking rebukes and cracking the whip of Christ's authority.  The passage in Job shows Satan is always looking for opportunities to pounce, however God has him on a tight lead.  God sets clearly defined boundaries over what Satan is permitted to do concerning God's people.  Satan recognised the hedge of protection God had put around Job, and there was nothing he could do unless God decided to remove it and gave him permission to do anything.  We can focus more on opposing Satan the enemy of our souls rather than resting in God who is the lover of our souls.

When God said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job?" it is remarkable God knew and considered Him, even as Jesus Christ is considerate towards all who trust Him today.  Can you imagine God, out of all the people who walk the planet at once, would bring you up in conversation and say your name?  God did this knowing what would transpire, and by His grace would humble both Job and show the victory of faith in Him over all schemes and attacks of Satan.  The book of Job tells us Satan can only go so far as God permits in persecuting the saints, will go as far as he possibly can, and is overcome by the redemptive power of God's grace.  Even for those delivered unto Satan for the destruction of their bodies there remains hope in Christ for their souls when such humble themselves under the mighty hand of God.

This rings true under the New Covenant as well for Paul prayed three times for God to remove a messenger of Satan from his life.  It seems God said no twice and the third time God changed the subject.  God revealed He sanctioned and approved spiritual assault upon Paul for a good purpose he could learn to rejoice in.  2 Corinthians 12:9-10 says, "And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰ Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."  God's answer was not to rebuke the evil messenger or to deter him, for God's grace was sufficient for Paul and for us to humbly walk in victory with rejoicing.  The power of Christ rested upon Paul when his flesh was weak, and because of God's good purposes he learned to rejoice in the LORD rather than resent trials God allowed.

When God allows Satan to take well-aimed shots at believers with his fiery arrows, it provides opportunity for God to demonstrate to all the victory and supremacy of Jesus over all.  Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 2:14, "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place."  This is amazing!  Satan was involved in the killing of Jesus Who, through His death and resurrection, made eternal salvation possible through the Gospel.  When God allows Satan to buffet and persecute His people, a purpose God has in mind beyond our personal refinement and strengthening is to "diffuse the fragrance of His knowledge in every place."  Jesus triumphed openly over the condemnation of the Law and Satan on Calvary, and His followers triumph daily over principalities and powers, not by foolish attempts to bind Satan (which God will do), but by allowing the devil to take his best shot and by God's grace His people continuing to survive and thrive.

Knowing God is the sovereign God of all who considers and loves each one of us and does everything is a key factor in experiencing rest and perfect peace in a world of spiritual warfare.  We were once dead in sins and now have been made alive to God according to His glorious purposes.  Every moment we are called to consider and praise our God who saves us, for all victory and abundant life is in Him.

Reasoning and Relationship

I remember seeing a bumper sticker years ago that read, "God said it, I believe it, that settles it."  I imagine the reason behind the sentiment is to publicly convey belief in God and the truth of His word.  This is an honourable ideal to be sure, yet reality has complexity a sticker cannot express.  The more I consider the claim there are so many factors, qualifications and exceptions, this simplistic approach may be more an exception than the rule.  God has said many things I thought I believed, and the fact I was unsettled by situations of life demonstrated unbelief in all He said.  How many things has God said I read and later ignored or forgot?  Then there is the question of what exactly God has said or meant, for there are a range of different interpretations and beliefs held among genuine believers.

God created man with an individual will and a mind that can reason, and God invited sinners to reason with Him in Isaiah 1:18:  "Come now, and let us reason together," says the LORD, "though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool."  It is amazing to me God, who has all wisdom, knowledge and truth, would invite man to reason with Him.  It is an offer of relationship and a welcome exchange of words that may not be on offer with the owner of the aforementioned bumper sticker.  God has revealed His reasons for us to approach Him, for He has provided the Law of Moses that reveals our sin and need for atonement.  The new covenant of the Gospel has revealed how this cleansing is performed through faith in Jesus Christ.  When we repent of our sins and are born again our sins are washed away.  We would like to believe we have and follow impeccable logic, yet our reasoning leaves much to be desired because our opinions, feelings and self can stand in the way of walking in truth and love.

It is reasonable to come to God because He is our Creator who is righteous.  His laws agree with our conscience that we have sinned, and He is the only One able to provide forgiveness.  God has extended mercy and grace to us in reaching out to save us when we were lost in the dark and heading towards eternal ruin by sending His only begotten Son Jesus as our Saviour.  Jesus is the only Way, the Truth, and Life.  God knows what we need and is able to supply those needs through the Gospel.  Therefore it is altogether reasonable to reason with Him, and all scripture proclaims and affirms this as true.  It is also a reasonable conclusion because we have ourselves tasted and seen God is good, have experienced new life and forgiveness by faith in Christ, and can testify along with others of the reality of spiritual rebirth.

While God invites sinners to reason with Him, at the same time people with the ability to reason can become most unreasonable because their minds are already made up.  It is almost cringeworthy when a fellow believer prefaces the announcement of a decision or a stance with "I've prayed about it" when it signals the denial of any opportunity to reason or discuss together.  Because a binding decision has already been made, it can mean reason has left the room, and potentially blind faith--based upon feelings or a sense of peace--has effectively hijacked any robust conversation on the subject.  It is sad that despite knowing this, I can be the one with faulty logic who stands to be corrected or the ignorant one who must be enlightened.  God reasons with us because the faith of a Christian is based on real facts and observable realities, upon the person Jesus Christ Who died on the cross and rose from the dead.  To deny the opportunity to reason together because "God said it, I believe it, that settles it!" is a flimsy excuse from a biblical perspective.

Now God in His mercy and sovereignty has given all believers the freedom to choose to believe in Him and hold individual convictions.  God has made plenty of room for differences of opinion and convictions in the kingdom of heaven and the church.  It is the mind and love of Christ that unites us, and He is wisdom for us as we relate to God and one another.  Romans 12:16 says, "Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion."  As Paul progressed through the letter he said in Romans 14:5:  "One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind."  One person believes a verse means one thing, and someone else can arrive at a different conclusion about what God has said, what to believe and can be convinced in their own mind.  When this is done on our own without reasoning with God or personally with members of the body of Christ, it is possible we can be settled in error rather than truth.

Since we value the relationship we share with God, we ought to give place to reason with one another, not to the end that we will change other people to see things our way, but to choose to unite in Jesus Christ who made us one through faith in Him.  This is how the body of Christ is edified and God is glorified, when we are humble in our own opinion.  What is true for pastoral ministry is fitting counsel for all believers in Titus 1:9:  "...holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict."  By God's grace we can know the truth, walk in the truth, and exhort others to embrace sound doctrine.  God is able to open the eyes of the blind and raise the dead to life; God is the only One who can change minds and humble hearts.  What God says we ought to believe, and because God reasons with us we can be settled as we reason with one another to foster relationship.