The Hard Truth

A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.” 
2 Peter 2:22

After doing quite a bit of research, I’ve found infanticide was a common (and approved) practice  throughout our human history...in virtually every civilization. I’ve confirmed only Judaism and Christianity prohibited the practice. Even then, the practice was known to occur. Barbaric but...true.

So, as America has transitioned to a “post-Christian” culture, we should not be surprised to see this despicable practice rear its ugly head. I am deeply saddened but, as leopards do not change their spots, neither do humans change their native character. This Venality is deeply embedded in our human DNA...it’s called sin.

And...only God can fix that...

The Age of Enlightenment” seemed to harbor such hope for the higher aspirations of mankind but, who are we kidding? It was man who ushered in that age...the same man that for millennia had sacrificed his own children. As Christians we can pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit and revival but to assume we can mount an effective rational argument against such depravity is naive. Our government will not only tolerate it but, will eventually approve it.

We are reminded from Scripture, “there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping. These people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them...It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.” 
2 Peter 2:1-3, ff 

You and I can no longer assume the best in our leaders, teachers and friends. The patina of civilized culture is wearing thin and we are beginning to see the truth of who people are. Test their words. We can trust only in the words of sacred scripture...and the people who unreservedly espouse them. 

Even so, come Lord Jesus!

Live boldly out there today...

On Prayer

I pray...I believe in it. With this confession, the enormous cultural divide between me and secular America is thrown into sharp relief. 

Prayer is no longer viewed with the reverent regard it once rightfully enjoyed. Following the November 2015 attacks in Paris, a cartoonist for the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo posted a cartoon on Instagram with the verbiage: “Friends from the whole world, thank you for #prayforparis, but we don’t need more religion. Our faith goes to music! Kisses! Life! Champagne and Joy! #Paris is about life.”

Not so long ago, after a gunman entered a country music venue and killed 12 people, CNN’s Chris Cuomo and MSNBC’s Chris Matthews mocked Christians who offered their thoughts and prayers following such tragedies. Cuomo said “prayer? You think leaving it to God is the answer? We pray for strength, we pray for wisdom, for resolve, but we clearly don’t want to act on any of those here. So what are you praying for?” Matthews followed on Hardball with “Thoughts and prayers? I’m sorry, I mean, that should be outlawed. Usually, it’s a throwaway line by a staffer who knocks off some script, some product, some wordage for somebody political to make it sound like they give a damn.”

After the news broke that 26 people had been killed in a brutal shooting during services at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, Texas, the tweeters couldn’t wait to weigh in;

• “Can we at least pass meaningful Thoughts and Prayers control? The use of that phrase should definitely be regulated in Congress.”
• “Really glad we have your “thoughts and prayers”, politicians.” 
• “I think ‘Thoughts and Prayers’ have done just about all they’re going to do.”
• “The murdered victims were in a church. If prayers did anything, they'd still be alive, you worthless .............”
• “They were literally praying while they died. They don't need lawmakers to pray; they need lawmakers to make laws. You ................”
• “They were in church. They had the prayers shot right out of them. Maybe try something else.”

Unfortunately, it was Benjamin Franklin who said “the Lord helps those who help themselves,” not God...

I empathize with frustration over senseless tragedies but pronouncing prayer a  vacuous response to such tragedies reveals an alarming ignorance regarding the purpose of prayer. The old meme “Prayer changes things” has contributed, more than anything else, to this condition. Prayer is not primarily intended to change “things.” Prayer is intended to change “me.”

Even so, Prayer is known to change things. I pray for Melinda who, by rights should have been dead years ago. She’ll probably outlive me. I prayed for Mary and God removed a fatal disease from her blood...it simply disappeared...leaving doctors flabbergasted. I pray for Jan and her surgeon successfully removed her cancer. I pray for myself and my “incurable” non-hodgkins lymphoma has disappeared. My doctor says I’m, the talk of the oncology ward.

I didn’t pray specifically for these outcomes. 

I also prayed for Nikki and Dennis and Terry and Megan. Today they are resting in the arms of Their Savior. So...were these prayers less efficacious?

My prayer list is lengthy and it isn’t ‘“outcome based.” Yet, God is doing some amazing things in people’s lives...because He is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, (Ephesians 3:20)

So...this is why I pray... 

I haven’t always been so sanguine about prayer. It took a lot of time and attention for me to arrive here. I have come to understand prayer in a way that, I believe, more accurately reflects God’s heart and purpose. And, I am never disappointed. Often curious, but...never disappointed. So...what place does prayer in the life of a believer?

First..God tells us “HOW” to pray. We are told “the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” (James 5;16) so we can pray with confidence if we pray properly. This same passage tells us to “confess your sins to each other and pray for each other” which explains why the Apostle Paul enjoins Timothy to “pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing” (1 Timothy 2:8). So, before we even begin praying we are to resolve all differences between ourselves and fellow believers so our prayers are not distracted by petty grievances. That is not lifting up “Holy hands.” That is allowing our own weakness to distract us from praying properly. The perfect example is Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was understandably struggling with the path before Him...leading to a brutal death on Calvary. He fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” (Matthew 26:39) In His holiness He was enabled to focus perfectly upon what His Father willed rather than His own selfish need. We all struggle with this...”yet, not as you will, but as I will.” How many times have we been tempted to pray or, actually prayed, “Lord, I know I could be more effective for you if you would just get my spouse to step up and help.”! 

Praying for the dubious things brings dubious results...

Next...prayer is commanded and our Lord tells us precisely “WHAT” to pray. This is important...particularly when we find ourselves distracted by outcomes....we are given a template. In Matthew 6:9-13 Jesus says  “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

1. Pray directly to God, our Father, and acknowledge His holiness.
2. Pray that God’s Kingdom will come to Earth.
3. Pray that God’s will might be done here on earth...just like it is done in heaven.
4. Ask God to provide for our daily needs
5. Ask God to forgive our sin
6. Ask God to help us forgive  the sins of those who offend us.
7. Ask God to protect us from the temptations of the “evil one.”

In a nutshell, we are instructed to make specific requests and the “kitchen sink” isn’t one of them. And, we are not instructed to do anything to facilitate outcomes. We are, first, instructed to acknowledge God’s holiness...recognizing it is not possible for His will (and work) to be anything less than perfect. If we keep this in mind we should be able to rest confidently and peacefully in His grace. After all, when we reach out to a perfectly holy God, how could we anticipate less than a perfectly holy result?

Even so, we begin with the notion that trouble is the natural order of things. We need to recognize this world is not God’s domain. Our sin and rebellion resulted in the “Evil One” usurping God’s authority and he has been working diligently to destroy all semblance of Divine order ever since. This explains why we don’t often see God aggressively intervening in the affairs of this world. It doesn’t mean God was outmaneuvered by Satan, or was unable to contend with the thief. In actuality, this dilemma has its roots way back when the children of Israel first occupied the land God promised them. Because this nation has transgressed My covenant which I commanded their fathers and has not listened to My voice, I also will no longer drive out before them any of the nations which Joshua left when he died”. (Judges 2:21). The simple truth is, you and I don’t naturally seek God. We do so only when our lives spin out of control and we need help. The first two steps in the Alcohol Anonymous recovery program captures our dilemma perfectly: 

1. We admitted we were powerless over our addiction - that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

If we recognize trouble is not visited upon us by God but...God uses it to woo us back to Himself...we get an entirely different perspective.

So, in this morass of ugliness that is to be expected if Satan is in charge, it’s important to align ourselves with God’s strategic plan in order to respond productively. Satan’s goal is to lay eternal claim to every living soul on earth. He already has possession of many and is attempting to steal as many of God’s own children as possible. We are a critical element in God’s plan to defeat Satan. When we come to faith in Christ, God’s Holy Spirit takes up residence within us and we are redeemed from Satan’s kingdom. We become part of the Kingdom of God on earth...an outpost of His Kingdom in Heaven. Our first order of business, when we pray, is asking God to increase His Kingdom here on earth so it more fully resembles His Kingdom in Heaven. 

I believe God loves us and wants nothing less than to bring us to Himself...in Heaven...the moment we become His child. However, we are instrumental in His plan to defeat Satan so He did the next best thing; He brought Heaven to us when He gave us His Spirit. When we pray “Thy kingdom come”, we are asking God to make His presence more evident for us, and in us...increasing our confidence and faith. We are asking God to help us increase His Kingdom by pointing others to Christ. This makes us critical tools in this cosmic battle of kingdoms. We are God’s hands and feet and lips. We are the “tip of the spear!”

Awesome!

Or, not...

Combat, physical or spiritual always results in casualties. It’s frightening and painful so many of us hope to sit it out as reservists and hope God will get the job done with heartier souls than our own...if he would only hurry! But, it’s a long war and that attitude only prolongs the struggle. We are reminded in 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” We are in it for the duration so we pray...with urgency...”Thy kingdom come!”

And...”Thy will be done!”

We have a choice...die on the battlefield or die of old age in an alien land. The more I pray that my life resembles God’s kingdom and the more I pray for opportunities to share my faith...the sooner it will be over. One way, or the other, we are going to be welcomed into the arms of our Savior. So, when Megan goes home early ( in our estimation), it may mean she has fully completed her mission and her loving God has recalled her. She is one of the blessed ones who may have worked a little more diligently than the rest of us.

The world is distracted by the pain and sorrow of the shattered families left behind. We are not. Yet, we are not dismissive of the pain. My friend Byron said the loss of his daughter was like “a sword through his heart” but also confessed she was God’s child...not his. And, our Heavenly Father works his perfect plan for His glory and our benefit.

But, of course...we see the pain that results when we call God’s property our own.

In this context God tells us what we should be asking for; daily needs, forgiveness of sin, enough love  to forgive others and the strength to resist the snares Satan lays before us to ensnare us. Not hardly a new car or a new boat or a winning lottery ticket but...that’s it.

Now...does this imply we can not pray for other things? Of course not.  We are free to ask for anything we desire but...when we do, we open ourselves up to potential problems. James 4;1-3 says says “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” Can you believe prayer can have such destructive results?

Once we stray from God’s design for prayer we risk praying with improper motives.

Christ, Himself, offers an antidote for such chaotic prayers. He encourages His disciples “Truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you.”

(John 16:23) So...why pray in Jesus’ name? When we invoke the name of Jesus we are telling God we are praying in accord with His Son’s teaching...”yet not as I will, but as You will.” This ensures us none of our prayers are intended to circumvent God’s desired outcome. It puts us in a position of subordinating our wishes to God’s intended outcomes.

Well, does prayer change things? I believe it does but the evidence is not always visible and is limited to my ability to comprehend the outcome properly. It can become discouraging. What I have learned unequivocally is that prayer changes me. That makes all the difference. I work hard. Not for politics, or social justice, or climate change, or economic systems...but to bring God’s Kingdom to earth. Sometimes it may look like those other things but...”I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.”

And my prayers become 100% effective...regardless of what the talking heads may believe.

Live boldly out there today...