Author: jim0211

Doctrinally Humble

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Throughout history, great debates have raged over theological issues within the faith. These are important because we do want to have a clear understanding of our faith, at least to the extent possible given what God has revealed to us. And of course, we want to honor God with our minds, and this seeking process is one way we can do that.

In these cases, it’s common for people to choose a position on issues for themselves, and often to use that understanding to guide their choice in denomination, church, and perhaps even with whom they associate.

Whenever we do this, however, we are basically passing judgment on another Godly, highly educated Christian, often a leader. I sometimes think to myself: “Who am I to correct that person?” Even though it’s an easy thing to develop strong opinions about complex issues, that doesn’t mean that it’s easy to be correct, and if it’s not that easy, then perhaps we need to be careful.

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Praying for Open Doors

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The early disciples recognized the importance of evangelism, and prayed for boldness and effective speech, but these things are useless unless there are opportunities to use them. Paul understood this, and also recognized that we need God’s help to create the opportunities.

At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison – Colossians 4:3

The Spirit works in our lives in many ways and we might ask for Him to open doors in various contexts – relationships, work, health, and so on. However, evangelism is one specific place in which we definitely need God to work ahead of us. Not only do we need circumstances arranged, but there is a need for the Spirit to prepare hearts ahead of time to hear the gospel.

This isn’t to say that we don’t have a role to play, but rather that we need to start by inviting God into the effort. Or perhaps we really need to recognize that we are joining God in His work of bringing the kingdom to Earth.

For those of us who are hesitant about sharing the gospel, it may be easy to forget this step if we unconsciously hope that opportunities don’t appear. This may happen if we’re worried or uncomfortable, which is why we need God’s heart to move us and boldness to act. Note that Paul’s request is for an open door for “us” – he rarely worked alone, and partnering with other believers is a way to strengthen ourselves.

Nevertheless, even with supportive co-workers, holy motivation, and a will to act, we still need doors opened for us.

Heavenly Father, we ask that You create opportunities for the gospel to be shared with people who have open hearts.

Asking God to Reveal Himself to Unbelievers

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We need boldness to go and proclaim the gospel in a dark world, but we also need to remember that God will work to bring people to Himself as we obey Him. We need Him to reveal Himself to people through our words and deeds, through His actions in the world, in their spirits, and so on.

When the believers gathered in Acts 4 to ask for boldness to speak the word in the midst of ongoing threats, they also asked God to continue revealing Himself.

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Prayer to Have a Servant’s Heart for Sharing Christ

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In order to reach others with the gospel, we need to communicate in ways that they understand. This may sound obvious, but it’s easy to stick to familiar patterns. Communicating well means conforming ourselves in some manner to what they need, rather than what we want or think. Doing this requires a heart that’s willing to be flexible.

For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

Paul was passionate about sharing Jesus, even saying at one point “woe to me if I do not preach the gospel”. This drive led him to do whatever it takes, to the point of becoming a servant to this work such that he changed to become whatever was needed to reach others.

We may or may not need to change ourselves radically to share Christ, but we do need to be open to whatever the Spirit requires of us. Thus, whether or not we really need to change in some way, we do need to have a humble and open heart to the Spirit’s leading.

In other words, one of the most important things we need, and an important starting point, is a servant’s heart.

Heavenly Father, I humble myself before You and ask You to mold me according to Your will to share Jesus with those around me. Give me a servant’s heart to become whatever they need.

Prayer to Walk in Wisdom

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There are many reasons to want to walk in wisdom, and Scripture leads us to seek it in many ways.

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. Colossians 4:5-6 (ESV)

In Colossians, Paul asked for prayer that God would open a door for him to declare Christ and that He would give Paul the ability to speak it clearly.

Right after that, Paul instructed the Colossians to walk wisely toward outsiders, to make the best use of time. As a follow on, he instructed them to speak graciously.

It’s interesting to note that the reason for behaving this way is so that the Colossians would know how to answer. Given the context, it’s most likely that the reference is to sharing spiritual truths. Of course, this echoes Peter’s statement in 1 Peter 3:15 about always being prepared to give a reason for our hope, but Paul brings in the importance of behavior before outsiders as part of our witness.

Considering the importance of evangelism, this should remind us that we need to take care not to quench the Spirit’s work in reaching others for Christ by being poor representatives of God’s love.

Father, open my eyes to any area where my walk before outsiders may harm the cause of the gospel. May Your Spirit live out through me such that my actions and words point to Jesus.

Prayer for Effective Speech

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Prayer is important, even when God has already declared His will in a situation, especially when we are telling people about Jesus.

…keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, Ephesians 6:18b-19

Towards the end of Ephesians, Paul encouraged the church to pray for all believers. For himself, Paul asked that they would pray that he would be able to speak effectively.

This wasn’t a new idea, of course, because it was an example of praying according to God’s will as described by Jesus when He sent out the twelve. At that time, He taught that the words they spoke would be given to them by the Holy Spirit, that He would actually be speaking through them (Matthew 10:19-20).

Thus, Paul was really just reminding the church of that truth and asking them to pray that this would happen during his ministry. While God speaks through believers in many ways, this was specifically for proclaiming the good news.

Clearly, there is still a need for us to be speaking with the Spirit’s voice, so we still need to be praying this for each other.

Heavenly Father, I ask that all who are sharing the good news of Jesus’ salvation would be given words by Your Spirit, and that You would speak through me as I share Jesus with words that will speak into other’s hearts.

Miracles as Pointers Today

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In a previous post on miracles, I considered how differently we think about them today as compared to the way they were thought of two thousand years ago, certainly before the Enlightenment. I suggested that miracles served at least two different purposes – one was to bless people because of the Savior’s compassion, and the other was to be signs that point to spiritual truths.

Thinking about these differences, it seems that the first use is primarily expressed within the church today as God continues to bring comfort to His people. This follows on from Scripture passages such as Matthew 14:14, when Jesus healed the sick because He felt compassion for them, or Matthew 15:32 when He fed the crowd because He had compassion for them. He still does this today.

Their use as pointers outside of the church seems to have changed, however.

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Praying for Boldness

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Reaching out to unbelievers to talk about God, especially in today’s non-spiritual environment, is hard for all of us. The key to improving in this is not to depend on our own power, but as in everything else, to focus first on God.

“And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. Acts 4:29-21

To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, Ephesians 6:18b-19

The boldness needed here is not something that we can drum up within ourselves; we need the Spirit to give us boldness in speaking.

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Telling of God’s Mighty Works

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The arrival of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost changed the nature of the church profoundly. In one fell swoop, it went from a small ragtag group of people cowering in a secluded room to a thriving assembly of thousands of disciples.

And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? … We hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” Acts 2:7, 8, 11b (ESV)

During Pentecost, Jews from all over would come to celebrate in Jerusalem. As a result, the town was filled with people who spoke many different languages when the Holy Spirit descended.

Since God’s will, and Jesus’ instructions, was to proclaim the good news of the kingdom in order to grow it, the very first work of the Spirit was to enable this ragtag group to speak in ways that the diverse crowd would understand. They did so, and proclaimed God’s mighty works in a variety of languages.

The crowd was surprised, not just by the diversity of languages, but because apparently the people speaking weren’t the type they expected to capable of such diversity.

We’re not told what works were proclaimed, but one “mighty work” that we know is the resurrection – the whole story of Jesus and the establishment of the kingdom. Peter certainly built on that in his subsequent speech.

Given the changes in today’s world and the growing diversity of our culture, we need this same empowerment. It may not look the same, but however the Spirit wants to work through us to proclaim Christ, we need to open our hearts to Him.

Heavenly Father, no matter who we are or how unlikely we are to speak, let us be filled with the Spirit to speak of Your mighty works, especially the good news of establishing your kingdom at the cross.