God promises that He is willing to instruct us, Jas 1:5-8.
So what might we need to do to realize more of this power in our lives?
An audio lesson.
Prayer, 5 of 5
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Category Archives: Prayer
Prayer, 4 of 5
Prayer is actually a very powerful resource.
Far beyond what we can ask or think, Eph 3:20.
We are often guilty of carelessly ignoring this resource: A Loving God Who Cares About Us!
An audio lesson.
Prayer, 3 of 5
Things are not really Out of Control.
They are just out of OUR control.
The Bible tells us of a couple of Christian Age long entities that Scripture calls the Mystery of Lawlessness, and Mystery Babylon the Great. These are powerful, hidden, occult groups. We might view these groups as like rival mafia groups, which, when it is convenient, cooperate with each other.
These groups are powerful, but in different ways, dangerous, and ruthless. They completely outclass the average Christian, or the average citizen. Thus the need for prayer.
Christ does overrule our world, and you and me, from His throne in heaven!
God does frequently overrule the men and objectives of these groups from time to time. They will never have the full victory they desire, until God allows it
An audio lesson.
Listen to this audio lesson here, or click on the Audio Player to download as an MP3 file.
My first book, Prophecy Principles gives general information on the nature of the world’s “mystery religions.”
My second book deals in more detail the Mystery of Lawlessness and Mystery Babylon the Great.
Prayer, 2 of 5
An audio lesson
Listen to this audio lesson here, or click on the Audio Player to download as an MP3 file.
Nothing is really off the table, but we must ask aright!
Prayer, 1 of 5
A series of 5 short lessons on prayer.
An audio lesson.
A big part of the problem is that we simply do NOT know how to pray as we ought!
Listen to this audio lesson here, or click on the Audio Player to download as an MP3 file.
Sometimes we are apt to completely lose sight of how vulnerable we are.
Keys to Prophecy: God Works in Our Lives, Part II of III
God does “intervene” into our affairs.
That is the basis of our prayers.
“7
“Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and
it will be opened for you. 8 For everyone who asks receives. He who
seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.”
Mtt 7:7-8 WEB
Some call this “miraculous” and want to deny its existence.
First let me point out that miraculous is not really a Bible word. The normal Bible words for these things are the words “signs,” “wonders,” and “powers;” and sometimes men translate such words as “miracles” in our translations. Scripture uses such words to describe God’s actions that appear in ways that are undeniably from God.
Also Scripture clearly recognize that God may favor us and make things “go our way,” or even at times oppose us, all with no clear indication of the source.
The New Oxford American Dictionary defines the adjective “miraculous” this way:
“occurring through divine or supernatural intervention, or manifesting such power …”
This definition makes ALL of God’s actions “miraculous.” In a commonsense way, this is not true, even in Scripture. We may pray for a job, and God may arrange it, all with no visible manifestations of spectacular power.
Many events in history (yes even secular history), or in nature, or in day to day events are the product of God’s interventions, and make plain power and decisions beyond what is humanly possible. The includes everything from the birth of a child to the violence of a tornado, to the exploding of a supernova.
This does NOT mean that you or
I can deploy
God’s power as if we were Elijah deciding
when
it will rain, or Peter telling a a lame
beggar to arise and walk.
You and I cannot deploy rain clouds over North America, but God can, and may in response to our prayers. The apostles and prophets had special powers from God which we do not have.
But God’s power still exists and works in our world all the time, and we can ask for His help. And His answer is,
“If
you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you
will ask whatever you desire,
and it will be done
for you.”
Jn
15:7 WEB
And how powerful might this be?
“20 Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to him be the glory in the assembly and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. ”
Eph 3:20-21 WEB
What then should we do?
We should study God’s word, prophecy and all, so that we might understand God’s intentions in the world, and then make our requests, as being in line with what God wants in both the overall situations on earth, and also in line with what God desires for our individual lives.
“In
nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with
thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”
Phil 4:6
WEB
We should then pray and not faint, Lk 18:1.
WEB
is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the
original ASV American Standard Version 1901
Watching Changes Behavior: Testing
It is definitely true that if we know we are being tested, we tend to do better. Sometimes we are lax or not even thinking about whether we are doing wrong or not. This is especially when we do not think of our encounters in life as tests, or even, heaven forbid, seductions to doing what is wrong.
The First Test, the Temptation in the Garden,
was a disaster for our race. This in the context of being in immediate fellowship with God. The first offender, the woman, knew what correct behavior was, and repeated that to the serpent, and still listened to the misleading explanations of the serpent. When they are first faced with their sin, the woman already knows and says straightforwardly, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” Paul tells us,
“… Adam
was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the
transgression.”
1Tim 2:14 KJV
But the man, though seeing the deception, did not actually do any better, all of which had disastrous consequences for the entire world. Often it is that we, like them, do not truly realize the consequences of our actions.
Temptation, seduction, comes
when the potential offense
is something we might enjoy.
Clearly God tests us. Also clearly from James, God does not tempt us, to try to seduce us into evil.
“Let
no man say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God
can’t be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one.”
Jas
1:13 WEB
So where is the key?
“But
each one is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and
enticed.”
Jas 1:14 WEB
So it is, as the old joke says, “I can resist anything … anything at all … except temptation!” The truth is that we as humans, often do not do well under temptation/testing. How can we turn this bad record around?
Watching would be part of the key to doing better.
“Take heed,” “be careful,” “watch,” are all parts of the same ideas. Even if you think you are doing better than in the past, it may not help.
“Therefore
let him who thinks he stands be careful that he doesn’t
fall.”
1Cor 10:12 WEB
Yes it is true, the temptations which we face are not unique, but are common to all men, and God does protect His own, 1Cor 10:13. Still,
Jesus said to make it a one-two defense.
“Watch
and pray, that you don’t enter into temptation. The spirit
indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Mtt 26:41 WEB
This implies that we may need help beyond our individual capacities, if we are to overcome. We need both awareness of our situations, and to pray to the Father for assistance lest we be overcome! Jesus says to ask for protection. “Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Mtt 6:13 WEB
Watching changes our behavior,
our reactions, and
can help protect us from what we cannot avoid.
KJV is the King James Version, 1611
WEB
is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the
original ASV American Standard Version 1901