Pray for Spiritual Awakening!

“He [Yahweh] has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness [mercy], and to walk humbly with your God?”

(Micah 6:8, ESV)

The year 2020, will be long remembered for several reasons. We have experienced flood conditions on two occasions in our area. The Reedy River was 15 feet above normal at one time. Tornados are rare in South Carolina, but recently we had a series of tornados bringing destruction and the loss of lives. The worldwide corona virus pandemic continues to cause anxiety, illness, and death. The Middle East, South Asia, and parts of eastern Africa have witnessed an uptick in swarming groups of locusts who are devouring crops and threatening famine. Now our nation has witnessed the horrific and needless death of George Floyd, an African American man in Minneapolis, at the hands of a white police officer. Rogue Police Officers must be held accountable. However, most police officers do not fall into that category. Emotions and tensions are running high. There have been nonviolent protests drawing attention to Floyd’s death and the need for social justice. Sadly and tragically, in contrast to peaceful protests, there have been acts of violence including the destruction of personal property, looting, theft, arson, beatings, anarchy, and even murder. Several police officers lost their lives in the line of duty trying to protect people they serve and their property. We mourn these all of these deaths. There is a lot of appropriate emotional involvement, even as there have been some responses that are disruptive and destructive. Systemic racism has been rightly condemned. Bold, compassionate leadership is needed and is being called for, but far too often it is absent.

How should followers of Christ respond?

The prophet Micah delivered a scathing accusation of the injustice and wickedness to the heads of Jacob and the rulers of Israel in his day. In Micah 6:8, the prophet tells the people what God requires. The Lord calls people to do justice, love mercy, and to walk humbly with God. To do justice requires much more than simply talking about it, praying about it, or getting other people to practice it. Rather it means that all followers of the Lord must do justice themselves. It begins with each of us as individuals empowered by the Holy Spirit participating in biblical justice. Furthermore, we are called to love mercy, demonstrating the faithful covenant love that God has graciously and freely given us. Third, we are called to live in humility walking carefully, exactly like God wants us to live.[1]

How can we work toward reconciliation as the people of God in the midst of anger, hurt, confusion, misunderstanding, and opposing points of view?

  1. Listen to people. Hear their hurts, anxieties, fears, and pain in humility, without feeling like you have to offer an immediate response. The best pastoral offered to Job by his friends was when they sat with him in silence (Job 2:11-13).
  2. Seek to understand. As much as possible, empathize with those who are hurting as if you were walking in their shoes. You can express love and sympathy for those who are hurting even if you don’t understand.
  3. Pray for them. A lament is a form of prayer often used in the Scriptures, especially the Psalms. It is a cry for God to help in overcoming present circumstances.[2] A lament is the response of God’s people to the reality of suffering. Laments call on God to intervene when people are in pain and trouble.[3] People of African descent have suffered a long history of oppression in our nation. As the people of God, we are called to make intercession for others, especially in their time of need. We need to lament the brokenness in our culture, calling on God to intervene in the midst of pain and suffering to bring the reconciliation that can only be experienced through the gospel of Christ.
  4. Pray with them. It is always an encouragement to hear the prayers of people as they lift us up before the Lord.
  5. Point them to Christ, the reconciler. God has reconciled all believers to himself, overcoming our sin, guilt, rebellion, and shame, justifying and redeeming us. Since we have been reconciled to God, he has called us to a ministry of reconciliation as we lead people to receive Christ and find reconciliation in their relationships with others.
  6. Discuss justice issues with your family, friends, and church fellowship. These discussions raise social consciousness and lead to doing biblical justice.
  7. Be a peacemaker. In my quiet time today, I read Proverbs 15. The first verse states, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (ESV). Treat people with kindness and godly love. In the heat of passion, use soft answers to turn away wrath.
  8. Engage. Pray and vote your conscience. Build relationships with community leaders. Get involved in your community. Walk alongside a family in need, expressing the love of Christ. Local schools need volunteers to read to children. Tutor in an afterschool program. Serve at a local soup kitchen. Work as a Big Brother/Big Sister. Consider working with foster children. Help out at a correctional institution. Just an hour a week or once a month can make a huge difference in the lives of others. Find a way to engage that fits who you are. Be Christ’s hands and feet in your world.

God cares about all that is going on in our country; so should we. Pray for a spiritual awakening to sweep across America, healing hurts and uniting people to follow Christ at all costs. The only lasting reconciliation comes through the cross of Christ.

Cecil Frances Alexander grew up in Ireland and married Rev. William Alexander, an Anglican Bishop. She practiced justice by helping disadvantaged people, traveling many miles to visit the sick and the poor, providing food, warm clothes, and medical supplies. She also founded a school for the deaf with her sister. She wrote the song “Jesus Call Us O’er the Tumult.”

“Jesus calls us o’er the tumult of our life’s wild, restless sea; Day by day his sweet voice soundeth, saying, “Christian, follow me.”

Cecil Frances Alexander

[1]K. L. Barker, K. L. Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah. The New American Commentary, vol 20 (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 114-15.

[2]A. C. Myers, A. C., “Lament” in The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1987), 638.

[3]Soong-Chan Rah, Prophetic Lament: A Call for Justice in Troubled Times (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2015), 64-65. Also see, Daniel Hill, White Awake (Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 2017), 105-109.

Confronting the Demon of Pride

“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:14, ESV).

Unhealthy pride is a primary barrier for spiritual formation and effective prayer. There is a healthy pride that is God-centered and motivates us to do our best in living for God and serving others, but unhealthy pride is centered in ourselves, our talents and abilities, rather than in the person and work of our Lord.

Jesus shared a parable in Luke 18:9-14. He communicated this parable to address those who trusted in themselves and their righteousness, rather than God and his righteousness. People who are puffed up with pride tend to forget their sinfulness and treat others with contempt. Jesus described two very different people who went to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, trained and rooted in Old Testament law, and the other a tax collector, who would have been suspect by the Jews because of his occupation.

The Pharisee stood by himself to pray. Standing was a normal posture for prayer so it does not necessarily mean a pompous attitude, but as I. H. Marshall suggests, that is likely implied in this passage.[1] Since the text describes that the tax collector “stood far off,” it is likely that the Pharisee stood at the front of the temple. The Pharisee’s prayer is contemptuous. The Pharisee thanked God that he was not like other men, stressing his superiority. Pride blinded his eyes to the truth. He really believed he was better than others. His pride rested on his belief that he did not participate in extortion, injustice, or inappropriate sexual activity. He considered himself a model of virtue. He fasted twice each week and gave tithes of all that he received. Surely the Lord knew how lucky he was to have this Pharisee on his team! Fasting and giving are spiritual disciplines that aid our spiritual formation. But these positive exercises become a detriment to growth when they breed pride and legalism. The Pharisee went on to say, probably with contempt, that he was not sinful like this tax collector. He likely spoke these words with emphasis to ensure that the tax collector heard him. Robert Stein states, “Only those who possess a false confidence in their own righteousness look down at others.[2]

By contrast, the tax collector stood far off and would not even look up to heaven. Rather, he beat his breast praying, “God be merciful to me a sinner!” The tax collector’s prayer was short and to the point. His prayer exhibited great humiliation. He stood honestly before God asking for mercy and forgiveness for his sin.

The Pharisees were revered and respected religious leaders to the Jewish audience who heard Jesus’ parable. Many were astonished when Jesus declared that it was the tax collector who was justified as he returned to his house, not the Pharisee. 

Applications

  1. Humility marks the life of a person who has an effective prayer life. Humility leads us to the recognition that God is the sovereign Lord. Our righteousness is as filthy rags in the presence of the Holy One (Is 64:6). No one is righteous, not even one (Rom 3:10).
  2. Remember the depths of your sin and the heights of God’s grace. We are not self-sufficient. We need the Lord. He is our strength and our salvation. None of us deserves salvation. It cannot be earned. Remembering the depths of your sin keeps you from pride and self-righteousness.
  3. Put others’ needs before your own. The world will know that we follow Christ by our love and by how well we serve (Phil 2:1-11).
  4. Rely on God rather than yourself. He is in control; we are not. We need his intervention in our lives. Trust God.

[1]I. H. Marshall, I. H. (1978). The Gospel of Luke: A Commentary on the Greek Text (Exeter: Paternoster Press, 1978), 679.

[2]Robert H. Stein, Luke, The New American Commentary, vol. 24, (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 449.

When God’s People Pray

“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14, ESV).

Thursday, May 7, is the National Day of Prayer. NGU is offering a Drive-In Prayer Vigil at the Tim Brashier Campus in Greer at noon. If you are able, join us for this time of prayer for our nation, our churches, and NGU. You will be able to hear the service through your vehicle radio at FM 107.1. WLFJ morning show personalities Rob Dempsey and Lizz Ryals will be joining us. I hope to see you Thursday.

The context of the passage above is the dedication of Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem. Yahweh is well aware of our sin nature. He knows the depths of our depravity. All of time is in the present tense for God. He is the great I Am. He completely knows the past, present, and future. He knew that the Israelites would rebel against the Lord as had been their pattern prior to the construction of the temple. We, too, are prone to wander from God. As Isaiah 53:6a states, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way” (ESV). However, the Lord loves his people too much to leave us in our sin. He promised his people that when they sin and rebel against the Lord God if his people, those who are called by his name, humble themselves, and pray and seek his face, then God would hear their prayers of repentance, forgive their sin and heal their land.

The Call to Prayer

  1. “If my people who are called by my name”—emphasizes that believers bear the mark of God’s ownership. The problems in our world begin at the church house, not the White House. God’s people have rebelled because they have not called on the name of the Lord. Prayer is a privilege that is so often neglected by those who know God. If we want to see a spiritual awakening in our land, it will begin with God’s people praying. We are image bearers of Yahweh. We are called to honor and obey the Lord.
  2. “Humble themselves and pray”—humility is a requirement for effective prayer. We must recognize our lack of self-sufficiency. We do not control our destiny. Our lives are in the hands of the Creator. Humility recognizes our desperation. We need God, not as a crutch, but as the sustainer of life. Even so, humility is not enough. We must also pray in an effort to know and in obedience follow the purposes of God.
  3. “And seek my face”—Do you long to be in the presence of the Lord (Psalm 27:4)? Just to enjoy being with him? Our quiet times provide opportunities to slow us down and to enjoy the Lord. There is refuge, peace, comfort, and guidance in the presence of the Lord. Seek his face.
  4. “And turn from their wicked ways”—Repentance is not a popular topic for many self-reliant believers. We tend to live our lives our way rather than God’s way. However, repentance is necessary for one to come to Christ. It is imperative for all who seek to walk with Christ every day. Read Psalm 139:23-24. Ask the Lord to search your heart and to reveal your sin. In our humanness, like Adam and Eve, we prefer to hide our sin rather than deal with it. In order to experience God’s forgiveness and healing, we must repent.

As we practice these biblical guidelines for prayer, we can be confident that the Lord hears our prayers and forgives our sins. We also need to pray for our nation and our world in the midst of this pandemic. May many turn to Lord and find comfort and help in their time of need (Psalm 46:1; Heb 4:16).

Spiritual Warfare in Times of Crisis

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm” (Ephesians 6:10-13, ESV).

This passage offers encouragement, especially in these times of uncertainty due to the worldwide pandemic and economic challenges. We find strength in the power of the Lord. Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers who work in opposition to God. While they are a defeated army (Christ won the victory over death, hell, and the grave on the cross), they continue to fight. We see evidence of this battle in our culture.

The true character and convictions of our leaders are being exposed. Many national and state leaders are wrestling with where their powers begin and end, raising constitutional issues. In addition to the health and safety concerns of the pandemic are economic issues related to unemployment, government stimulus plans, small business needs, etc. I’ve grown weary of all the political posturing in regard to the pandemic. Some of the very people who worked hard to down play the virus before the pandemic are now expressing outrage because the government didn’t act more quickly. When the spread of the virus was escalating out of control, many encouraged the faith communities to pray. Now, some leaders have even declared that God and faith had nothing to do with the flattening of the pandemic curve, claiming it is all destiny, hard work, pain and suffering, science, and math. Yet the models based on hard work, science, and math have proven to be wrong time and time again.

In the midst of this turmoil, we need to be aware of the enemy’s schemes and to keep our focus on God who gives us strength in the power of his might.

  1. Satan is the father of lies. It should not surprise us when world leaders under the influence of the enemy are deceitful. We need to pray that the truth will be revealed and that people will follow the truth.
  2. The devil questions, twists, and contradicts the Word of God. This strategy was employed by the enemy in the garden of Eden, a strategy that Satan has never forsaken. We need to read and trust the Word of God as true and authoritative.
  3. The enemy encourages self-sufficiency. He deceives us to believe that we control our destinies. One thing this virus has taught most people is that we are not in control. As believers, we must rely on the sovereign God of the universe who is in control.
  4. Fear is the opposite of faith and leads to defeat. When you are afraid, ask the Lord to turn your fear into faith. If we really trust God, there is nothing to fear.
  5. Satan’s primary target is the mind. That is where temptation, despair, and defeat begin. 2 Corinthians 10:5 encourages believers to take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ. Our thoughts need to be liberated from the enemy’s influence by the power of Christ and submitted to his Lordship. Keep your eyes on Christ rather than the temptations you encounter. You always gravitate toward what you focus on.
  6. The devil will lure and seduce you to sin. Then he immediately becomes your accuser. He wants you to live a defeated life, paralyzed because of your past sins. He wants you to believe that God could never use you because of the sin in your past. If we repent and confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The power of God sets us free from the dominion of sin. Every time Satan reminds you of your past, remind him of his future. He is a defeated foe. God will set you free through faith and repentance.
  7. The enemy is out to steal, kill, and destroy. He would like nothing more than to destroy your reputation, your family, and your ministry. He heaps guilt and self-condemnation on believers. He is out to steal your joy. The joy that we have as believers comes from the Lord and transcends our circumstances.
  8. Satan wants to create division, disharmony, and doubt. He attacks churches in this way. In times of distress, the church is more vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy. During these days under the stay at home order, remain connected to your church. Use social media and other technologies to worship and pray together. Take the initiative to talk with your brothers and sisters in Christ. Make it a priority to read the Scriptures, allowing God to speak to you. Pray with passion for your church.
  9. Pray for the lost. Many people are facing questions about life and death in greater ways during the pandemic. Satan blinds the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the truth of the glorious gospel of Christ (2 Cor 4:4). Pray to the Lord of the harvest to draw people to faith and repentance. Share in gospel conversations at every opportunity.

Ephesians 6:13-20 describes the armor of God. Read this passage and put on the full armor of God every day so that you can withstand the attacks of the enemy.

What are other ways you see the enemy at work through this pandemic? I’d love to hear from you.

The Heart of Spiritual Formation

“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” (Hebrews 4:12, ESV).

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7, ESV)

The heart of our spiritual formation is found at the intersection of prayer and God’s Word. If you desire to grow in Christ, it is essential to spend time with God in prayer and in his Word, commonly called “Quiet Time.” About three weeks ago, when we were still on campus, I talked with Jill Branyon and asked her how I could best encourage the spiritual growth of faculty members. Jill is a disciple-maker cleverly disguised as a math professor in the College of Education. She said boldly, “If they do not have a quiet time, it doesn’t matter what else they do. They are not growing in Christ.” Some may feel that is an overstatement, but I agree with Jill’s assessment. It is amazing how few church members and even pastors have a regular quiet time with God. It is easy to fall into the trap of preparing to teach classes integrating faith and learning or preparing sermons and ignore our need to spend time alone in God’s presence. Our enemy, the devil, is pleased with this omission. In making this error, we rely on our education, abilities, and personalities to do teaching and ministry rather than relying on the power of God. Without regular, consistent prayer and saturation in God’s Word, there is no spiritual power in what we do.

In my quiet time, I am not reading the Bible to prepare to teach or preach to others. Rather, I read the Bible to hear how God is speaking to me. My focus is not on the response of others, but on my response to God’s Word. I come to his Word as a disciple, not as a teacher/preacher. I long to hear from God. I need his divine intervention in my life daily.

Quiet Time Priorities

  1. Schedule a time to meet with God daily. Put it on your calendar. Guard this time carefully. The enemy will try to fill your day with much activity in an effort to keep you from spending quality time with God in prayer and in Bible intake.
  2. Read the Bible. It is not a word about God, it is the Word of God. It is completely true without any mixture of error. Hebrews 4:12 states, “For the Word of God is living and active. . . discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (ESV). Devotional guides can befit our spiritual development, but they must never replace the Word of God.
  3. Pray about everything always remembering to thank God for his answers. This is the way to experiencing God’s peace that passes all comprehension (Phil 4:6-7).

A Simple Quiet Time Plan in Just 15 Minutes a Day

  1. Begin your time with prayer (2 minutes). Praise God for what he has done. The Scriptures reveal the many ways that God has acted on behalf of his people. He alone is worthy of our praise. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to what God wants to communicate with you today.
  2. Read the Scriptures (5 minutes). I have found it helpful to work through a book of the Bible in my quiet time. You can read a subsection (most modern translations include topic headings) of the Scriptures or read a chapter at a time. Currently, I am reading through the book of Psalms.
  3. Apply the truth revealed to your life today (5 minutes). Some sample questions to assist your application include:
    1. What does this passage teach you about God?
    2. What does it teach about humanity?
    3. Is there an example to follow or to avoid?
    4. Is there a sin you need to repent of and forsake?
    5. What does this text tell you to do? Will you be obedient?
    6. How will you apply the truths revealed to your life today?
  4. Close your quiet time with prayer (3 minutes). Ask the Lord for the grace to apply his truth to your life.

I know that this concept is not new to most of you. Still, I am amazed at how many believers fail to spend time with God on a regular basis. Some of you may spend much more time with the Lord than the 15-minute plan outlined above. Celebrate that and continue to make spending daily time with the Lord a priority. While 5 minutes in God’s Word and 5 minutes in prayer is a short amount of time, it is much better than spending no time in prayer or in the Word regularly. If you do not practice this discipline or if you have drifted away from it, today is a great day to start (or re-start). There is an enormous difference between knowing the right thing to do and actually doing it. To know what the right thing to do is and then fail to do it is sinful (James 4:17). A quiet time will help you through these emotionally, physically, and spiritually trying days. The Lord is an anchor for us, bringing balance, conviction, direction, and confidence to our lives. Take courage. We serve a mighty God.

Turning Trials into Opportunities

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

(James 1:2-8, ESV)

In my quiet time, I read and reflected on this passage. It certainly speaks to the challenges we are currently facing. While it is hard to be joyful about trials and difficulties, the truth is that God is at work even when we don’t see it or feel it. The difficulties of life produce steadfastness, the act of being resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering. When steadfastness has its full impact, we become perfect (mature) and complete, having everything we need.

We need to take all of our needs before the Lord in prayer, believing in faith. Doubting God’s ability to act removes the anchor from our lives. We are drifting, tossed about by the currents and waves of the sea. Such a person is double-minded and unstable. But the Lord is an anchor in the harbor for all who seek him, trust him, cast their cares upon him, and follow him in obedience.

We need to be people of faith, especially in times of crisis. Our hope is in the Lord. He is unwavering in any crisis. We can live in confidence in the midst of uncertainty because we know that God holds the future. Ask the Lord to reveal what he is teaching you in the midst of these days of trial. Embrace and enjoy the presence, comfort, and peace of the Lord. Ask the Lord to turn the trials you face into opportunities to grow in your faith and to encourage others.

Please let me know of specific ways that I can pray for you. Continue to connect with your family, your church, and your friends. When you are anxious, talk to someone who can encourage you. Let me know of any way I can help.

The song “Waymaker” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJCV_2H9xD0) contains lyrics about this truth. It speaks to the greatness of our God, who he is, and what he has done and is doing. Worship is our appropriate response.