Effective Praying

Jonathan Edwards' resolutions are challenging and instructive, and are worth reading one at a time. Resolution #29 serves as a sifter separating empty words from real prayers: "Resolved, never to count that a prayer, nor to let that pass as a prayer, nor that as a petition of a prayer, which is so made, that I cannot hope that God will answer it; nor that as a confession, which I cannot hope God will accept."

My thoughts and practice of prayer have been challenged by reading the life of George Muller, a man who saw God answer countless prayers with specific provision and delicate timing. What about Muller's prayers were so effective? How can it be that he would see so many prayers answered with such frequency and accuracy that it would embarrass one who called it coincidence?

I think Muller would first respond by saying something of the nature of God rather than of his prayers. Muller's prayers were firmly founded on the faithfulness of God to His Word. For Muller, doubting God's response to the prayer of faith was calling a God a liar. He was occasionally asked what his response would be if God failed to hear his prayers for provision, leaving him and the orphans with no food or clothing. Muller always responded, "Such a failure on God's part is inconceivable, and must therefore be put among the impossibilities."

Muller would also acknowledge, as Edwards does in resolution 29, that one should not assume that all words uttered as a prayer should be considered prayers God would answer. A.T. Pierson says that "five grand conditions of prevailing prayer were ever before [Muller's] mind." I hope that you will consider with me Muller's conditions of prevailing prayer, with the expectation that as we grow in our understanding and practice of prayer as it is taught in the Bible, we will experience the joy and confidence of biblical communion with the prayer hearing God.

Here are Muller's five grand conditions of prevailing prayer:

1. Entire dependence upon the merits and mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ, as the only ground of any claim for blessing. (John 14:13,14; 15:16ff.)

2. Separation from all known sin. If we regard iniquity in our hearts, the Lord will not hear us, for it would be sanctioning sin. (Psalm 66:18)

3. Faith in God’s word of promise as confirmed by His oath. Not to believe Him is to make Him both a liar and a perjurer. (Hebrews 11:6; 6:13-20)

4. Asking according with His will. Our motives must be godly: we must not seek any gift of God to consume it upon our own lusts. (I John 5:13; James 4:3)

5. Importunity in supplication. There must be waiting on God and waiting for God, as the husbandman has long patience to wait for the harvest. (James 5:7; Luke 18:1-10)

fed

Back in high school, I was at a conference where Ray Comfort was speaking. I don't remember what the topic of his talk was (although I can guess that it had a lot to do with evangelism), but during the course of it he said something that has stuck in my mind ever since.

He said that whenever he counsels people who are dealing with some kind of difficulty in their lives that they think is insurmountable -- that "nothing can be done to fix this" -- he asks them if they are reading the Bible every day. If the answer is "no," then Comfort's problem solving prescription is simple: Start reading it. Every day. Things will not stay the same.

I think that what stuck with me most about this was the faith that allowed Comfort to confidently say this to people, believing that their lives would be changed through the reading of the Word.

It shouldn't have surprised me.

Even further back than high school, I was in the choir at church unwittingly learning lesson after lesson about worship, corporate worship, working towards excellence, the day-to-day Christian walk, and how the body of Christ works together in between Sundays.

One tradition at choir was to close out with prayer requests. And pretty much every time that somebody had a prayer request about sharing the Gospel with someone, or if we were praying for Sunday services, in his prayer Dave would mention God's assurance from Isaiah 55:11: your Word will not return to you void.

Ten years of hearing a promise every Tuesday night has a way of fixing it in your mind. Sadly, the human mind also has a way of taking fixed things and translating them into taken-for-granted things.

We need God's Word like we need food.

And we can trust that as we "eat" His word, He will work through it -- both in our own lives and in the lives of the people we meet.

Let's not neglect to stay fed by the Word, and also to share that good sustenance with each other.

It Shall Not Return Void

“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

Living and Active

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Image is Important

Every so often an author will come to mind and I'll say to myself, "I need to read something from him." So, I'll (a) find a book and dive into it, (b) search online and read a few thoughts from a work that is published online, or (c) occupy myself with something else until the impulse to read fades. Option 'c' is a common occurrence, 'a' less frequent, 'b' an increasingly frequent approach.

This morning for some reason Tertullian came to mind. I searched ccel and found a chapter in his work on idolatry that piqued my interest: Concerning Festivals in Honour of Emperors, Victories, and the Like. I was intrigued to read how a 2nd century follower of Christ wrestled with participating in the societal celebrations of his day. It seems clear to us today that a follower of Christ would not celebrate festivals that deified an emperor. Tertullian, however, seems to be addressing Christians who justified their participation. I am sure a more thorough reading of Tertullian would prove helpful, not only in understanding the history of the church's interaction with and participation in the surrounding society, but also in considering our interaction with the culture of our day. My reading wasn't that thorough so I can't give you much from Tertullian, but I did want to share one comment that helped me today.

Commenting on Jesus' response to the Pharisees question about paying taxes to Caesar, Tertullian says:

Therefore, too, the Lord demanded that the money should be shown Him, and inquired about the image, whose it was; and when He had heard it was Cæsar’s, said, “Render to Cæsar what are Cæsar’s, and what are God’s to God;” that is, the image of Cæsar, which is on the coin, to Cæsar, and the image of God, which is on man, to God; so as to render to Cæsar indeed money, to God yourself.

I love the simplicity of Jesus' response. I love the immediacy of Tertullian's application. Man, imprinted with God's image, is wholly God's - every part, every thought, every emotion, every desire, every ability, every movement ought to be given to God as an act of recognition of (and delight in) his divine ownership. May we render our lives, our selves, wholly for our Author who has made us in His image, and sealed us with His Holy Spirit.

Pray for me that I grow in actually rendering to God that which is His - every aspect of my life and being - as I pray the same for you.

Slow Down and Fast

Tonight with the youth group I'll be talking about Jesus' response to those who inquired about the lack of fasting among his disciples (Mark 2:18-22). I thought I'd put up a couple thoughts and quotes I found on my notes from our study in spiritual disciplines last year. I know many of us are wrestling over decisions or carrying heavy burdens. Sometimes we can get so caught up seeking answers and solutions that we start worrying and working in our strength and on our terms. In times of great need, there is no better action than an expression of complete dependence on God. Fasting in faith is such an expression.

David Smith said the following of fasting: "All our fasting must be on this basis; we should use it as a scriptural means whereby we are melted into a more complete realization of the purpose of the Lord in our life, church, community, and nation."

"The case of a person's self, or family, or the church, or commonwealth, may be such that ordinary humiliation and prayer will not suffice. So it may be that some hardness of heart may be grown upon a person; or some sinful lusts may have gotten so much strength that they will not be subdued without fasting." (sorry no reference.)

Donald Whitney: "Fasting is one of the best friends we can introduce to our prayer life."

Whitney offers two quotations from David Brainerd's journals that give account of Brainerd's experience in dedicating a day for fasting. I'll include them both as a testimony of the great grace given in response to fasting in faith.

"I felt the power of intercession for precious, immortal souls; for the advancement of the kingdom of my dear Lord and Saviour in the world; and withal, a most sweet resignation and even consolation and joy in the thoughts of suffering hardships, distresses, and even death itself, in the promotion of it. . . . My soul was drawn out very much for the world, for multitudes of souls. I think I had more enlargement for sinners than for the children of God, though I felt as if I could spend my life in cries for both. I enjoyed great sweetness in communion with my dear Saviour. I think I never in my life felt such an entire weanedness from this world and so much resigned to God in everything."

"I set apart this day for secret fasting and prayer, to entreat God to direct and bless me with regard to the great work I have in view, of preaching the gospel. . . . God enabled me to wrestle ardently in intercession for absent friends. . . . The Lord visited me marvelously in prayer; I think my soul never was in such an agony before. I felt no restraint, for the treasure of divine grace was opened to me. I wrestled for absent friends, for the ingathering of souls, for multitudes of poor souls, and for many that I thought were the children of God, personally, in many distant places."

I hope some of these words stir in your hearts as they do mine. I desire to experience that "sweet communion with my dear Saviour." I want my heart to be awakened to pray for the ingathering of souls. I want to be weaned from this world and resigned to God in everything.

Let's embrace God's promises and seek His sufficient grace. On the side of my notes from our lesson on fasting I wrote: "Fast in faith accepting a divine invitation to His special grace." Not sure where those words came from but I think we should.