Unless you have completely isolated yourself from society by not watching television, reading a newspaper, been connected to any online website, not answered your phone, or had any contact with any person able to communicate, you have undoubtedly heard the big news of the week. Prince William got married to now Princess Catherine. From Thursday night until Sunday night, that was the big news. Until. . . Sunday evening when it was announced during the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies baseball game that Osama (Usama) Bin Laden was killed.
Yes, Bin Laden has been killed, but do not be fooled, there is another adversary in the world. We must not let our guard down and we must continue to be vigilant and be on the alert for him, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8 NASB)
Recently, there have been books and articles written that attempt to make the statement that the devil does not exist. That is a tactic used to gain a foothold. If a person is not prepared for an adversary, because they believe the adversary does not exist, they will not be able to overcome the adversary, for they will not be prepared. Just like a thief in someone’s home. They lock the doors and protect their possessions, not because they have been robbed, but because the existence of thieves. If thieves did not exist, then people would not lock their doors, for there would be no reason to lock the doors.
The devil is real. If you want, go ahead and read that sentence again, I will wait. I will also retype it if you do not want to reread it: The devil is real. 1 John 3:8 states, “for the devil has sinned from the beginning.” He was made holy like the other angels, he introduced sin into the universe, and that he has continued to practice it ever since, for he not only sinned by rebelling against God himself, but also by tempting man, to sin against God. He did not commit one act of sin and then reform; but he has continued, and still continues, his course of sin. The devil tempted Adam and Eve into sin. He attempted to tempt Jesus into sin. He continues to lead humanity into sin.
Do not let your guard down for a second. There is another adversary in the world. He is the devil. He will seek to destroy you. When people do not acknowledge the existence of the devil, his work becomes much easier. Be on the alert, be ever vigilant, be ever prayerful. The devil exists, and he wants you to believe he does not.
Friday, May 06, 2011
Thursday, May 05, 2011
The Voice of Prayer
Three Pastors were deep in a discussion of the best positions for praying. “Kneeling is definitely the best,” claimed the first one.
“No,” another contended. “I get the best results standing with my arms outstretched towards heaven.”
“You’re both wrong,” the third argued. “The most effective prayer position is laying on the floor facedown.”
“Excuse me,” interjected a telephone repairman, “I’ve been listening to your conversation and I have to tell you, the best praying I ever did was hanging upside down from a telephone pole.”
Prayer is possibly the single most important duty a Christian can do. Everything done by a Christian must begin with prayer. Prayer is a powerful tool. Yet, it is something that is lacking in today’s church.
A recent study, conducted by the Pew Research Center, had highlighted this lack of prayer in the church. 58% of churchgoers say they pray at least once a day, a little over half of the church. Of those that pray, 73% say they pray less than fifteen minutes. The numbers really drop when it comes to having a ‘prayer meeting”, a meeting specifically set aside just for prayer. On the average, when a church holds a “prayer meeting”, less than 3% of the congregation will show up. It is no wonder why the nonbeliever does not believe in prayer when the believer does not utilize it.
Praying is a tough duty. Recognizing the struggles of the flesh, especially with prayer, we are exhorted to pray diligently and fervently, "With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints" (Ephesians 6:18 NASB) Note the ALLS: "with ALL prayer," "at ALL times," "in ALL perseverance," "for ALL the saints." When we stop to weigh the meaning of these words, and then note the connection in which they are found, the believer is driven to say, "I must pray, pray, pray. I must put all my energy and all my heart into prayer. Whatever else I do, I must pray."
The history of the church has always been a history of grave difficulties to overcome. The devil hates the church and seeks in every way to block its progress; now by false doctrine, again by division, again by inward corruption of life. But by prayer, a clear way can be made through everything. Prayer will root out heresy, allay misunderstanding, sweep away jealousies and animosities, obliterate immoralities, and bring in the full tide of God's reviving grace. History abundantly proves this. In the hour of darkest portent, when the case of the church, local or universal, has seemed beyond hope, believing men and believing women have met together and cried to God and the answer has come.
It was so in the early days of our colonization with Bradford and Edwards. It was so in the days of our nations founding with Wesley and Witherspoon. And so it is with today. It is now a dark day, BUT― now it is time for God to work, “and 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, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place.” (2 Chronicles 7:14,15 NASB) And He is getting ready to work, and now He is listening for the voice of prayer. Will He hear it? Will He hear it from you? Will He hear it from the church as a body?
“No,” another contended. “I get the best results standing with my arms outstretched towards heaven.”
“You’re both wrong,” the third argued. “The most effective prayer position is laying on the floor facedown.”
“Excuse me,” interjected a telephone repairman, “I’ve been listening to your conversation and I have to tell you, the best praying I ever did was hanging upside down from a telephone pole.”
Prayer is possibly the single most important duty a Christian can do. Everything done by a Christian must begin with prayer. Prayer is a powerful tool. Yet, it is something that is lacking in today’s church.
A recent study, conducted by the Pew Research Center, had highlighted this lack of prayer in the church. 58% of churchgoers say they pray at least once a day, a little over half of the church. Of those that pray, 73% say they pray less than fifteen minutes. The numbers really drop when it comes to having a ‘prayer meeting”, a meeting specifically set aside just for prayer. On the average, when a church holds a “prayer meeting”, less than 3% of the congregation will show up. It is no wonder why the nonbeliever does not believe in prayer when the believer does not utilize it.
Praying is a tough duty. Recognizing the struggles of the flesh, especially with prayer, we are exhorted to pray diligently and fervently, "With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints" (Ephesians 6:18 NASB) Note the ALLS: "with ALL prayer," "at ALL times," "in ALL perseverance," "for ALL the saints." When we stop to weigh the meaning of these words, and then note the connection in which they are found, the believer is driven to say, "I must pray, pray, pray. I must put all my energy and all my heart into prayer. Whatever else I do, I must pray."
The history of the church has always been a history of grave difficulties to overcome. The devil hates the church and seeks in every way to block its progress; now by false doctrine, again by division, again by inward corruption of life. But by prayer, a clear way can be made through everything. Prayer will root out heresy, allay misunderstanding, sweep away jealousies and animosities, obliterate immoralities, and bring in the full tide of God's reviving grace. History abundantly proves this. In the hour of darkest portent, when the case of the church, local or universal, has seemed beyond hope, believing men and believing women have met together and cried to God and the answer has come.
It was so in the early days of our colonization with Bradford and Edwards. It was so in the days of our nations founding with Wesley and Witherspoon. And so it is with today. It is now a dark day, BUT― now it is time for God to work, “and 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, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place.” (2 Chronicles 7:14,15 NASB) And He is getting ready to work, and now He is listening for the voice of prayer. Will He hear it? Will He hear it from you? Will He hear it from the church as a body?
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