Learning about Pauls’ prayers

Not long ago a friend prayed one of the meaningful prayers anyone has ever blessed me with. He said something like, “God, I am going to pray a little differently because I have seen what struggle can do in Sherie’s life. Lord, let the future hold whatever pain and struggle she needs on this journey she is leaving on.” I know he meant it with the deepest care he had to give, and for that prayer I am thankful.

Too often I pray for circumstantial things. Over the past couple weeks I have been challenged in that as I have been surrounded by others with large needs including death, abuse, healing, health, finances, job, divorce, moves, children at risk, stress, etc. Many have been life changing, and some even life threatening, but I have found myself stopping to reflect on how my prayers are often shaped by what I think should happen instead of what the person needs on the journey they are on, and what will bring God the most glory.

Paul has some powerful prayers in his letters to the churches in New Testament. The verses below include prayers for spiritual wisdom and understanding, endurance, patience, knowing Christ better, living a life working of Lord, and knowing the hope we are called to. I tend to pray for things to get better, but maybe the path to endurance and knowing Christ better doesn’t include that. I think I need to change the way I pray!

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I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints. (Ephesians 1:17-18 )

For this reason since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way, bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. (Colossians 1:10-12)

If I do what I do not want to do….

“We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do-this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. “ Romans 7:14-20

Do you ever seem to experience this battle in your life with full force? Something happens that brings thoughts and feelings up that you know are wrong, but you still have a temptation to react in a way you know will not be positive. Maybe you don’t know exactly how you should respond, but you know how you shouldn’t, yet you are tempted toward those actions.

As a Christian I need to be realistic about my sin and admit I am not perfect, however I can’t just stop there. I need to deal with my sin, and seek to live differently. I am learning to live by Biblical standards, and that means that I am taking God’s word seriously and seeking to ground my whole life and all my responses on it. Today, I find myself battling a temptation to do what I know I do not want to. In response I am reminding myself to think of others as the image of God, to believe others have good intentions, to ask what I can do in response to decisions others make that will bring glory to God, and to ask God how I can love others deeply and Biblically. I am asking God to be bigger than my emotions, feelings, thoughts, and temptations. I am asking him to change my mind from earthly, American responses to his heart and mindset.

How are you seeking to become more like Christ in light of those things you do/feel/think that you don’t want to do/feel/think? How are you living Biblically?

Do you believe?

Good News Bad News

We all believe in something, actually in many things, but what I am thinking about is our belief in God. Do you believe in God? Do you believe Christ was his son? Do you believe you can have a personal relationship with God through Christ?

Recently I have been thinking a lot about the Christian Gospel. Gospel means “good news”, yet often I look at others who believe in Christianity and I am left wondering if they really believe it is “good”. A couple years ago a lady I was in a church home group referred to believing because of her fear of hell. I know others that believe because they were taught to believe, but not because of personal experience or relationship with God.

Do you believe? If not, why not? What is it about Christianity or Christians that keeps you from believing?

If you do believe, do you believe because you fear hell, because your parents or someone else told you to believe, or because you have fallen in love with a personal God who loves you intimately? What is the “good news” you believe in?