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Dig Deep

March 2nd, 2010

Prayer is the easiest thing to do in the world, but it is hard work to dig deep into prayer. We want to have it be easy, but the riches in prayer come from hard work. Like the early California seekers looking for gold, we want prayer to yield great results, but to be easy. When it became hard to find gold most people gave up their dreams of riches and got jobs. When prayer is more that just a quick and easy source of answers, most people give up and do other things.

Mining for gold is hard work, prayer is hard work. Unlike grubbing around looking for nuggets on the surface, mining requires heavy equipment, structure, machines, workers and a lot of money. Prayer requires hard work as well. Those who are not satisfies with just a few nuggets they find laying around, must work hard, they must learn to pray. The request from His disciples was Lord teach us to pray.

Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”
Luke 11:1 (NKJV)
 

Mining is expensive. It takes a huge outlay of money to get to the point where there is a return on the initial investment. Prayer is expensive as well, no not in money; it costs a great to abide in His presence. Every day events seek to draw you away from Him. Answer delayed is expense for faith to abide, but the man who would dig deep in prayer will pay the price.
 

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
John 15:7 (NKJV)
 

Mining is dangerous. Cave-ins, explosions and gasses are but a few of the dangers miners faced everyday. Prayer is dangerous as well. There is a constant danger of lure of sin, doubt, fear, and unbelief. There is a danger of forgetting prayer and relying on our own strength. It is hard to wait on God.
 

Wait on the Lord, And keep His way, And He shall exalt you to inherit the land; When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.
Psalm 37:34 (NKJV)
  

Mining is time consuming. Prayer is time consuming. The question in the garden was, “What? Could you not watch with Me one hour?” Jesus ever lives to make intersession for us. Will you join with Him? How long will you pray?
  

Then He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and said to Peter, “What? Could you not watch with Me one hour?
Matthew 26:40 (NKJV)
 

Mining became incredibly profitable to the men who developed companies in California and later other mining areas. They poured money and effort into their work and millions of dollars were drawn from the ground. Prayer is incredibly profitable as well, not as a get-rich- scheme, but in relationship with the Father and His answers.
 
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
Matthew 7:7 (NKJV)

Are you satisfied with looking for a few nuggets, with prayer that is grubbing along with whatever happens to come along?

Or will you be like the miners who dig deep, worked hard?

Nuggets or mining what will it be for you in prayer?

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And it Came to Pass!

December 24th, 2009

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.

So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.


Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.


Then the angel said to them,
“Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
 
“Glory to God in the highest,   And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
 
So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”


And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.
Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.


Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

Luke 2:1-20 (NKJV)

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Who Are You?

December 23rd, 2009

There are two kinds of people: those who say to God,

“Thy will be done,”

and those to whom God says, “All right, then, have it your way.”

C.S. Lewis

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“Who Do You Say I Am?”

November 22nd, 2009

Who do you say I am? Jesus asked this question of His disciples. We know Peter’s answer; Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16 NKJV). This is the answer revealed by the Father to Peter. It should be our answer, when we are asked that question. “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  This is a key to successful prayer. It is the Christ, the Son of the living God who can and will answer prayer. 
 

Notice the answer of most of the people, When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets” (Matthew 16:13-14 NKJV). The people had many ideas as to who He was. They would accept many possibilities, yet for most, they did not think Jesus could be the Christ, the Messiah. Today people pray to a variety of gods. They pray to gods of many man made religions, they pray to work and play, and they pray to their own abilities and strengths. Who do people say I am? This gets strange answers, just as the question enlisted strange answers when Jesus first asked the question.
 

This is true when we look at prayer as well. Some will say, “You are the Christ”, but their prayers say otherwise. They do not believe He is able to answer prayer or willing to answer prayer. They do not believe He is the Christ. Unbelief hinders prayer. Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching. (Mark 6:5-6 NKJV)

Examine yourself today, do not answer the question with the automatic answer, but let the Holy Spirit search out your heart and reveal your heart’s answer. “Who do you say I am?” If your answer is like that of the people, then begin to seek to know Him. He is the Son of the living God and there is no salvation possible except through Him. He is the Son of the living God and he is the one who answers prayers.

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Who do you say I am?

September 24th, 2009

Jesus asked this question of His disciples. We know Peter’s answer; Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16 NKJV). This is the answer revealed by the Father to Peter. It should be our answer, when we are asked that question. “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  This is a key to successful prayer. It is the Christ, the Son of the living God who can and will answer prayer. 

Notice the answer of most of the people,

When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

Matthew 16:13-14 NKJV

The people had many ideas as to who He was. They would accept many possibilities, yet for most, they did not think Jesus could be the Christ, the Messiah. Today people pray to a variety of gods. They pray to gods of many man made religions, they pray to work and play, and they pray to their own abilities and strengths. Who do people say I am? This gets strange answers, just as the question enlisted strange answers when Jesus first asked the question.
 

This is true when we look at prayer as well. Some will say, “You are the Christ”, but their prayers say otherwise. They do not believe He is able to answer prayer or willing to answer prayer. They do not believe He is the Christ. Unbelief hinders prayer.

Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

Mark 6:5-6 NKJV

Examine yourself today, do not answer the question with the automatic answer, but let the Holy Spirit search out your heart and reveal your heart’s answer. “Who do you say I am?” If your answer is like that of the people, then begin to seek to know Him. He is the Son of the living God and there is no salvation possible except through Him. He is the Son of the living God and he is the one who answers prayers.

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God Our Help

September 20th, 2009

I sought the Lord, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.

Psalm 34:4 (NKJV) 

In the New Living Version of the Bible It says:

I prayed to the Lord, and He answered me, freeing me from all my fears.

Psalm 34:4 (NLV)

 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

2 Tim. 1:7 (NKJV)

 God is present and ready to help us as we come to Him and seek His salvation, deliverance, and protection.

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Reach Out and Pray!

July 27th, 2009

Every day we see people, some days we see thousands of people. We do not know their heart, but many if not most of the people we see do not know Jesus as Lord. So what can we do about the people we see, the percentage that do not know Christ? We should care about all people; God loves them and Jesus died for them. Each generation of Christians has a responsibility to reach out to the people of that generation. We all should be working with the Holy Spirit to preach the Gospel, depending on His help to draw people to the saving grace of God. So, once again the question, what are we to do for this generation?

There are many ministries and outreaches that are seeking the lost. There are programs and tools to help. There are people called to evangelism and all Christians called to be to do the work of an evangelist. All of us can and should be telling others about Christ. If we are going to reach our generation for Christ we must continue to work at all these things and do more.

But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

2 Tim. 4:5 (NKJV)

 The job takes all of us; it also takes prayer. To fulfill our ministry and the ministries of others, we must pray. Ministries and outreaches need the power and anointing from effective, fervent prayer.

The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

James 5:16b (NKJV) 

We need the power of God to make us successful in evangelism. We also need prayer for direction and guidance. We need labors, they come by prayer. The labors and ministries need financial support, money comes by prayer.

If we are going to do the job, if we are going to reach our generation with the Gospel, we must have prayer and your prayers do make a difference. Your prayers change ministry into effective ministry. Your prayers change labors into effective labors. Your prayers open doors. If we will pray, fervent, effectual prayer, prayer for ministries and outreaches, we will see God move with His power and direction.

We must all work, but we must first pray.

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Sanctify for Prayer

July 20th, 2009

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NKJV)

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Blameless at the Coming

July 17th, 2009

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. Brethren, pray for us.

1 Thes. 5:23-25 (NKJV)

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Something to Think About

July 21st, 2008

It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations – these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit – immortal horrors or everlasting splendours. This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously – no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption. And our charity must be a real and costly love, with deep feelings for the sins in spite of which we love the sinner no mere tolerance or indulgence which parodies love as flippancy parodies merriment. Next to the Blessed Sacrament itself, your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses. If he is your Christian neighbour he is holy in almost the same way, for in him also Christ vere latitat the glorifier and the glorified, Glory Himself, is truly hidden.
from ‘The Weight of Glory’, Theology by C.S. Lewis

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