Jesus Suffering and Prayer: The Prayer Series

 

“In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. - (Hebrews 5:7-10 ESV)

The Father appointed Jesus as our high priest. (Hebrews 5:5-6) He was tempted in every way like us, yet without sin. ( Hebrews 4:14 - 16)

He suffered in agony while praying in the garden of Gethsemane. He suffered to the point that his capillaries burst in his head. He sweated drops of blood. Jesus was fully obedient to his Father’s will. 

“That Jesus “learned obedience” does not mean that he was disobedient and then became obedient. Rather, it means that Jesus followed fully and obediently the path of suffering the Father had designed for him.” (1)

Through prayer, He prepared himself to bear the sins of the world. This is beyond human comprehension. 

Reflecting on his ultimate sacrifice leaves me in awe and wonder. 

What a Savior!

Jesus’ consecration, piety, and reverence are a model for us in prayer. In the Gospels, we see him denying his flesh. He lived by every word that came from the mouth of his Father. (Matthew 4:4) The devil's temptations were powerless over him in the wilderness and Gethsemane.

The serpent could not stop Jesus from finishing his assignment. 

Jesus, being fully God - did the unthinkable by becoming fully man. (John 1:14)

As a biblical scholar, Craig Keener writes:

“Jesus’ participation in human suffering qualified him to be the ultimate high priest; the *Septuagint applies the word used here for “made perfect” to the consecration of priests.” (2)

The fact that we are sinful should not discourage us in prayer. Jesus is presently at the right hand of his Father and our Father. Those who have surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus - are family now. 

He prays for us so that we can, effectively pray for others. He knows all about our personal struggles and human weaknesses. He is for us. While we will never be sinless in this life, our goal with the help of the Holy Spirit - is to sin less.

We are called to live holy and consecrated lives. This is not religious legalism. It's a journey of allowing God to love us. To give Him the love, glory, and honor that he deserves. Jesus the “friend of sinners” is our Savior and friend. 

God is working in us to conform us into the image of His Son. (Romans 8:29) As followers of Jesus, we are called to deny ourselves those things in our lives, that are offensive to God. And to take up our own cross and follow him on the narrow path.

Scripture To Meditate on: 

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy[a] that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” - Matthew 7:13-14 ESV 

“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” - Matthew 16: 24-26 ESV 

Prayer: 

“Pray like this:

Our Father 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 forgive our debtors.

And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”

 - Matthew 6:9-13 (NKJV)

(1) Zondervan Illustrated Backgrounds Commentary, Volume Four, Page 34

(2) The IVP Bible Background Commentary, New Testament, Craig S. Keener, p 646.

Divine Reality And Our Inner Being - Part 2: The Prayer Series

“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” – (Ephesians 3:14-19 NIV)

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of wisdom and revelation. The Spirit’s ministry is supernatural. And He gives us an understanding that we cannot obtain by our study and natural effort, alone. 

“The power for which Paul prays is mediated through God’s Spirit” in our inner being.(1)

That’s where all spiritual transformation takes place. This ultimately results in a change in our outward behavior. As believers, we must ask God to reveal himself to us, so that as the NIV translates it: “you may know him better.” 

We first come to know him through our initial salvation experience, but that’s only the beginning of our spiritual journey. The knowledge of God is a never-ending process for those who pursue him. And, God desires for us to know the depth of his love, wisdom, and power in ever-increasing ways. 

He’s a holy but very personal God.

Intimacy with God will produce spiritual fruit in our lives if we won't give up. 

The apostle Paul prayed, “…my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!” - Galatians 4:19 ESV. His prayer is that we will grow more into the likeness of Christ.

Like a good Shepard, Paul cared deeply for the spiritual maturity of his sheep.

We have been set apart by God as his holy people so that our behavior will be in harmony with his will for our lives. 

We are His inheritance. 

And his will is that we will become more like Jesus (over time) through the transformation of our character. Paul’s prayer is that Jesus would take up residence in our hearts. That he would live in our hearts ungrieved. Jesus never leave us forsake us. Sin hurts our communion with Jesus. 

The theological word for this is sanctification. We have been set apart. But, growth in Christ doesn't happen apart from our pursuit of God. As followers of Jesus, we are God’s inheritance. And we have his resurrection power living inside of us. 

We must ask (pray) for an understanding of the “immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might,” which is what God has given us in Christ. For the most part, the full extent of this power is untapped in our lives. 

We overcome the evil impulses of the world, the flesh, and the Devil by allowing the resurrection power of the indwelling Holy Spirit to dominate our thinking. 

As we discover God’s power in us, we are more effective in ministry. Without personal contact with the Holy One - spiritual growth is not possible.

The Ephesians understood that the spiritual atmosphere was evil and they were up against dark powers – that controlled unbelievers. 

Those same dark forces still operate in our world today. The early Church understood that they were fighting a spiritual battle. 

But, sadly many in the modern Church don’t have even a basic understanding of spiritual warfare. Paul was reassuring Christians that all these evil entities are under Christ’s feet. 

But we still have to resist this present darkness through prayer.

Pray for yourself and others for greater understanding of the resurrection power that God has given us.

And this is imparted to people of prayer.

So let’s keep asking.

(1) Praying With Paul, D.A.Carson, page 161 

Divine Reality And Our Inner Being: The Prayer Series

“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” – (Ephesians 3:14-19 NIV)

The Holy Spirit mysteriously abides in the “inner being” of all followers of Jesus. When we become sensitive to His Spirit, He can reveal and impart his life and heart, to our minds and change our desires. When we press into God through the indwelling Holy Spirit, we can be guided by the truth of His Word, and prayer. Our internal conflicts can only be resolved by God’s indwelling Spirit. The spirit of a person that has experienced new birth desires to do the will of God, in his or her inner being.

When we come under the power of temptation we must learn to rely on the Holy Spirit. We can only be renewed daily, by the Spirit who is – “Christ in you, the hope of Glory.” The renewal of our inner being is crucial in our battle with, the world, the flesh, and the devil.

The unrenewed Christian mind falls back into old sin patterns and is conformed to the surrounding culture, to one degree or another. We can stand strong in the Lord, by trusting in the finished work of Christ, and by the renewal of our spirits by the Holy Spirit. Without day and night meditation on the Word, and on things above, we drift into sin and deception (Ps.1). And we become unfruitful and ineffective in what God is calling us to do.

Our thinking directs our actions and behavior. So, right thinking is critical as we walk out our lives before God. Our thought lives must be dominated by truth so that we can experience “soul prosperity”. When our souls (thought life) are dominated by and filled with, the Word and the Spirit, we will experience incremental change, if we don’t give up.

Praying for the renewal of the inner man needs to become part of our daily prayer lives. Praying the prayers of the Apostle Paul will help in discovering all that God has given us in Christ Jesus. These are God-breathed prayers, that if prayed consistently over a long period, will bear fruit.

The love of Christ surpasses our understanding. This kind of spiritual comprehension is revelatory. It supernaturally touches both our mind and emotions. God’s love fills us with unspeakable joy.

Recently, I was pondering whether many Christians today are avoiding God. And, that we often seek to hide from Him behind our religious activities.

 I was reflecting on the endless Bible studies and sermons that speak to our intellect, more than to our hearts. All of these activities are important, but the goal of spiritual knowledge is to come to know God more intimately.

Scripture was meant to teach us Biblical doctrine and to renew our minds. But, it takes both the Word of God and the Holy Spirit to bring about spiritual transformation in our lives.

God has given us the Holy Spirit, but it’s our responsibility to learn to fellowship with Him.

I see two major problems in certain spiritual movements, that trouble me. One group focuses on spiritual gifts. And that’s a good thing, as long as we allow the Holy Spirit to deal with our character flaws. Also, a more intellectual movement that seeks to study Biblical theology, at the expense of God’s presence. There are exceptions in the body of Christ to both of these groups.

It’s not sufficient to know what the Apostle Paul knew, without experiencing God as he did. Our study of Biblical doctrine will only come alive as we seek to experience God for ourselves.

 I thought the quote below by A.W. Tozer concerning Paul summed up my point well. It speaks of those who study truth but neglect to seek God’s presence.

“For them, the truth becomes a veil to hide the face of God; for Paul, it was a door into His very Presence. Paul’s spirit was that of the loving explorer. He was a prospector among the hills of God searching for the gold of personal spiritual acquaintance. Many today stand by Paul’s doctrine who will not follow him in his passionate yearning for divine reality. Can these be said to be Pauline in any but the most nominal sense?” (1)

(1) Tozer, A. W.. Keys to the Deeper Life. Pioneer Library. Kindle Edition.

Sitting With God In Our Pain: The Prayer Series

 

“My soul waits in silence for God only; From Him is my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.” Psalm 62: 1-2 (NASB 95)

(The NASB is a very literal translation.)

“For God alone I patiently wait; he is the one who delivers me. He alone is my protector and deliverer. He is my refuge; I will not be upended.” - Psalm 62: 1-2 (NET Bible)

There is a rest that comes when you ask God hard questions and then sit in silence. God is not offended by our questions and our disappointments - and what we perceive as unanswered prayer. 

As we read through the Psalms - we discover that King David, a man after God’s heart, had many questions.

Feeling disappointed with how some things have turned out in life is not a lack of faith. The Psalms are painfully honest. David had a secret history with God. Even though shaken his faith would not be upended. Only those who have experienced God as Father will have the faith to endure trials.

Running from God should never be our first option. He desires for us to run to him. And sit with him in our pain. That is true faith. 

God is looking for trust, even in the midst of our spiritual darkness. Joy will come if we learn the art of waiting on him. 

Metaphorically speaking God is our Rock. In reality, he is our shelter, a place of rest for our souls.

In that quiet secret place as we pour out our hearts to the source of our salvation - we quietly wait with confidence.

Trusting in His deliverance for ourselves and those we love. 

If we are still praying - God is still working.

In his time and his way.

Christmas Memories

 

The Christmas ornament shown above is older than I am. My mom bought it in the early 1950s, and I was born in the late 1950s. It decorated our tree until the 1980s, when my mom finally decided to retire it. This ornament is the only Christmas item from my childhood that I still have. Each Christmas Eve, I enjoy looking at it and reflecting on memories from the past. Time truly flies.

As the years pass, I find myself reflecting more on my childhood. I am grateful to have had parents who always made Christmas special for me. Both of my parents grew up during the Great Depression. My father...was the son of a farmer. They were not poor. My grandparents had a considerable amount of land, and although they weren’t wealthy, they never went without necessities. Dad recalled one Christmas when he got a toy cap gun, peppermint, and fruit. They led a simple life, working hard and having all they needed. 

My mother's story was different. Her Dad was a coal miner and died when she was a little girl, around four or five years old. She remembered a time when her family home had a dirt floor in its kitchen. And times when the Salvation Army supplied her and her six siblings with Christmas presents. 

She never forgot those days. She made a point to write a check to the Salvation Army around Christmas time every year.

This Christmas season, I’ve found myself reflecting on the Christmas of 1969. I was in the sixth grade that year. Hot Wheels were a hot item that Christmas. I was eagerly anticipating my first Hot Wheels track.

 Our sixth-grade classroom was located in the older section of the school. We had a large cloakroom where we stored our supplies and hung our coats. It was a place we enjoyed spending time in. One day, two of my friends and I were discussing our excitement about the new Hot Wheels track we were going to receive for Christmas.

When we asked one of our classmates what he wanted for Christmas, he hesitated. He mentioned that he wasn’t expecting to receive anything this year, but his dad had promised to buy him a mini bike in the spring. Something about his story felt off. We suspected that his dad was just putting him off and giving him false hope.

 I truly believe that God touched our hearts that day. We decided to ask our parents for money to buy our classmate a Hot Wheels track and some cars. My mom was fully supportive, and the other kids' parents helped out as well. Together, we purchased the gifts. My mom even gave me some extra money to hide in the box of one of the cars. We chose not to tell our teacher or any other students about what we had done. You’ve never seen a happier kid! I can still picture his face as he thanked us.

Looking back on this experience, I realize that God taught me a valuable lesson: “It’s better to give than to receive.”

Merry Christmas!

A Spiritual PSYOP?

 

“Watch over your heart with all diligence,

For from it flow the springs of life.” ~ Proverbs 4:23 

“As we use our power of choice to turn our minds to God, we have greater contact with God throughout our day, developing a conversational relationship with him. We bring the reality of God into our lives by making contact with him through our minds, and then our actions are based on the understanding that results from the fullness of that contact.” ~ Dallas Willard (1)

“The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.” - (Gen. 6:5 NET)

” People had taken their God-given capacities and used them to devise evil.” (2)

We find a sobering warning in Romans 1:28: 

“And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.”

An individual or society as a whole can turn to evil as a result of rejecting the revelation God gives. The mind is the target of both physical and spiritual enemies. When boundaries God has established for our benefit and flourishing are ignored, chaos ensues. God destroyed the earth once with a flood.  The next time it will be by fire. And God will give us the new heavens and a new earth with no more sin, sickness, death, or war.

“But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.” ~ 2 Peter 3:7 ESV

“But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” ~ 2 Peter 3:13 ESV

The most important job a follower of Jesus has is to guard their heart. A heart full of anger, pride, envy, lust, etc., will eventually act on these impulses. Indwelling sin is part of the human condition. Jesus said, “Without me ye can do nothing (John 15:5 KJV). Sin dwells in our bodies, but those who learn to watch over their minds experience an increase of freedom in their lives. The Holy Spirit was sent to give us power to testify to the resurrection of Jesus with our words and our lives.

A.I., social media platforms, and news media outlets disseminate propaganda to foster division in our society. 

Some argue that PSYOPs are aimed at the United States by foreign powers or elites that seek to cause armed conflict in the U.S. I believe that is true. Even so, ‘doom scrolling’ on the internet is causing high levels of anxiety in our population. Below is the definition of PSYOP from Wikipedia.

“Psychological operations (PSYOP) are military operations designed to influence the beliefs, emotions, and behaviors of foreign governments, organizations, and populations to achieve U.S. objectives. They involve the strategic dissemination of information to persuade or manipulate target audiences, often during both peacetime and conflict.” (3)

I've been shocked to see how many people celebrate the death or wish death upon those they disagree with. This is the result of dehumanizing them. The leader of this PSYOP is Satan himself.

The enlightenment didn’t erase the reality of the spiritual world. Satan is real; he’s called ‘the god of this world.’ He’s not God’s equal but a lesser adversary who controls those who reject the Son of God. 

I’m not trying to be harsh. We all need the grace and mercy of God. But Jesus claimed to be God, and I believe him. His Resurrection proves it.

How do we survive in such a toxic society? I think the answer is to “... seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness…” 

To seek God’s righteousness is to seek his character. This type of lifestyle requires us to sell out to Jesus.

Only a close relationship with God will sustain us in these times of uncertainty. Reality is hard to discern, and we desperately need discernment. 

Your friend on Facebook who disagrees with you is not your real enemy. Now is the time to rid ourselves of the toxicity of our society by learning to trust in and rely on our Savior, the Prince of Peace.

Make contact with your Creator. Watch over your heart.

1. Dallas Willard, The Scandal of the Kingdom, page 48 Kindle 

2. Bible Gateway

3. Wikipedia