The fact that God has designed and initiated prayer is one more proof of His love for us and how He loves our presence, as we love His. I was reminded of this as I contemplated the Creation narrative.
I realized something this morning that I had not seen quite so clearly before. It jumped out and surprised me today. I was considering that the power of God’s Word that created the universe is as powerful now as it was in the beginning. When God says “Let there be…”, molecules accumulate into matter, atoms bond together into mass, cell fuses to cell and things which were not, now exist. When the breath of His mouth rushes out to vocalize His Word, even the tiniest neutrino is ordered into lockstep with His command.
Then I started thinking about His breath . It takes breath to form a word. Have you ever been with someone whose breathing is compromised? They can’t speak easily. Breath is the transporter of words and without breath, words are imprisoned inside the mind and have no outlet. Words are breath-filled thoughts. Breath gives words voice and volume.
Then I started thinking about how He breathed the breath of life into the human He created on the sixth day—the pinnacle of His creation. That led me to consider – and here is the picture that took me by surprise—that He created the human differently than the way He created everything else.
Everything else was formed by His Word, but the human was formed by His hands.
As I observed with my imagination how God shaped the human—formed him, molded and sculpted him—I was awed by the intimacy of touch that was being acted out. How God left His fingerprints and His DNA all over the human. How He took the time to tenderly create this Self-expression with His own hands. Down in the dirt, one with the clay from which He sculpted. He made the human from the dust of the earth He had just created. Earthy.
Then—and now the intimacy is stunning—then He breathes. He leans over this earthy man, covers the human’s mouth with His own, and breathes.
The man formed of earth is filled with the life of the heavenlies. Heaven and earth meet, and life as God intended appears. What was not, now had become. When God breathed, He breathed into the human. Not around him, or over him. He breathed the Word into him.
With the fall, the man who started out earthy—all earth—was once again earthy. When Jesus, the last adam, appeared in earth’s environment, once again heave and earth met. When the day came for the Word to indwell mankind again, He breathed. (John 20:22)
Monday, September 27, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Praying God's Promises
By Jennifer Kennedy Dean
A promise is only as good as the person who makes it. The character of the promiser is what gives the promise its value.
As we learn to pray God’s promises, the starting point is the nature of God. The essence of God’s character is in itself a promise. Who He is determines what He will do and how He will act. Through the Scripture, each time God reveals something of His nature, He is promising us that He will be true to that nature in any circumstance. Sometimes the promises of God don’t come packaged in declarative statements, but instead are implied in the revelation of His being.
God has always dealt with His people by communicating promises to them. By promising first, then performing what He has promised, He awakens in us the desire and expectation that find their outlet in the prayer of faith. His promises prompt prayer.
I might illustrate that process like this. Recently, I saw an ad in a magazine for noise-cancelling headphones. Until seeing that ad, I had no desire for noise-cancelling headphones. I did not experience the lack of noise-cancelling headphones in my life. But once I knew they were available, I began to desire them. I began to notice how loud the world was and to imagine how it might be if only I had noise-cancelling headphones. Knowing they were available awakened in me the desire to possess them. Knowing where to find them motivated me to seek them out.
God makes promises to us for much the same reason. He is letting us know what He has available if only we will ask. His promises are meant to ignite faith and expectation and desire, and then to point us to Him. His promises act to bind our hearts to His. His promises turn our eyes toward Him.
Many people have been disappointed when they have prayed God’s promises and then did not experience what they believed God had promised. Maybe you have had that experience. If so, you are not alone.
Let me suggest something for you to consider.
Remember that there is a difference between believing in an outcome and having faith in God. I have discovered in myself the tendency to decide what God should do, then construe a promise so that it matches my expectation. I might pray that promise, with the subtext being my definition of how that promise should impact my situation. Over all the years that the Lord has had me in His school of prayer, a lesson that I have to keep learning at deeper levels is how to let the Word of God speak to me without my preconceived expectations being imposed on it.
For example, suppose that someone felt a strong desire to be married. Certainly there is nothing wrong with that. But let’s imagine that person picks out a promise like “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Ps. 37:4). The person says, “The desire of my heart is a spouse. If the Lord is true to His promises, then He will give me a spouse.” Here I believe is the misunderstanding: we tend to mistake the desire of the moment for the desire of the heart. God created the desire of our hearts and He knows it better than we do. In this case, the desire of the heart is for companionship and intimacy. Often, God fills part of that desire with a spouse. However, all married people will agree, if they are honest, that a spouse does not fill that need fully. A spouse is not the desire of that person’s heart. Rather, a spouse is one means for fulfilling that desire. God wants to fulfill the desire of your heart. A person who is seasoned in praying the promises knows to let God fulfill the desire of your heart in His way at His time. If prayer is focused on the subtext we have imposed on the promise, then we might experience disappointment. If, instead, we are focused on God, then we will never be disappointed.
All rights reserved.
www.prayinglife.org
Discover the difference between a prayer life and a praying life.
A promise is only as good as the person who makes it. The character of the promiser is what gives the promise its value.
As we learn to pray God’s promises, the starting point is the nature of God. The essence of God’s character is in itself a promise. Who He is determines what He will do and how He will act. Through the Scripture, each time God reveals something of His nature, He is promising us that He will be true to that nature in any circumstance. Sometimes the promises of God don’t come packaged in declarative statements, but instead are implied in the revelation of His being.
God has always dealt with His people by communicating promises to them. By promising first, then performing what He has promised, He awakens in us the desire and expectation that find their outlet in the prayer of faith. His promises prompt prayer.
I might illustrate that process like this. Recently, I saw an ad in a magazine for noise-cancelling headphones. Until seeing that ad, I had no desire for noise-cancelling headphones. I did not experience the lack of noise-cancelling headphones in my life. But once I knew they were available, I began to desire them. I began to notice how loud the world was and to imagine how it might be if only I had noise-cancelling headphones. Knowing they were available awakened in me the desire to possess them. Knowing where to find them motivated me to seek them out.
God makes promises to us for much the same reason. He is letting us know what He has available if only we will ask. His promises are meant to ignite faith and expectation and desire, and then to point us to Him. His promises act to bind our hearts to His. His promises turn our eyes toward Him.
Many people have been disappointed when they have prayed God’s promises and then did not experience what they believed God had promised. Maybe you have had that experience. If so, you are not alone.
Let me suggest something for you to consider.
Remember that there is a difference between believing in an outcome and having faith in God. I have discovered in myself the tendency to decide what God should do, then construe a promise so that it matches my expectation. I might pray that promise, with the subtext being my definition of how that promise should impact my situation. Over all the years that the Lord has had me in His school of prayer, a lesson that I have to keep learning at deeper levels is how to let the Word of God speak to me without my preconceived expectations being imposed on it.
For example, suppose that someone felt a strong desire to be married. Certainly there is nothing wrong with that. But let’s imagine that person picks out a promise like “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Ps. 37:4). The person says, “The desire of my heart is a spouse. If the Lord is true to His promises, then He will give me a spouse.” Here I believe is the misunderstanding: we tend to mistake the desire of the moment for the desire of the heart. God created the desire of our hearts and He knows it better than we do. In this case, the desire of the heart is for companionship and intimacy. Often, God fills part of that desire with a spouse. However, all married people will agree, if they are honest, that a spouse does not fill that need fully. A spouse is not the desire of that person’s heart. Rather, a spouse is one means for fulfilling that desire. God wants to fulfill the desire of your heart. A person who is seasoned in praying the promises knows to let God fulfill the desire of your heart in His way at His time. If prayer is focused on the subtext we have imposed on the promise, then we might experience disappointment. If, instead, we are focused on God, then we will never be disappointed.
All rights reserved.
www.prayinglife.org
Discover the difference between a prayer life and a praying life.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Fasting
The Spiritual Discipline of Fasting
1. Jesus expected His followers to fast. In fact, He gave specific instructions for how to fast.
2. The church fasted in order to hear from God.
3. The church fasted on behalf of their leaders and those in service.
4. When more power is called for, fasting is required.
1. Hunger... your physical body needs food and is trained to expect food. You will probably experience both a physical and psychological craving for food (or for the food groups you are fasting from).
2. Crucifixion moments... God is always in the process of breaking the strength and power of your flesh (human nature disconnected from the Spirit's power). During a fast, as the Spirit of God sensitizes you to spiritual things, you may be confronted over and over again with your flesh's primary sin-patterns.
3. An increasing desire for the things of God. God will begin to create in you a spiritual craving that only He can satisfy. In this way, He will draw you deeper and deeper into the Spirit's Life.
4. An increasing awareness of the Spirit of God in you. You will find yourself putting less and less confidence in your flesh. In fact, you will become so aware of the emptiness and foolishness of your flesh, that you will cry out to God day and night to expose your flesh and crucify it.
1. Jesus expected His followers to fast. In fact, He gave specific instructions for how to fast.
"The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast" (Matt. 9:15)
"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you" (Matt. 6:16-18)
2. The church fasted in order to hear from God.
"While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off" (Acts 13:2-3).
3. The church fasted on behalf of their leaders and those in service.
"Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust" (Acts 14:23).
4. When more power is called for, fasting is required.
"He replied, 'This kind can come out only by prayer and fasting'" (Mark 9:29).
What can you expect to experience during a fast?
1. Hunger... your physical body needs food and is trained to expect food. You will probably experience both a physical and psychological craving for food (or for the food groups you are fasting from).
A. Turn hunger and craving into prayer. Father, as my body craves food, I crave Your presence.
"Meanwhile his disciples urged him, 'Rabbi, eat something.' But he said to them, 'I have food to eat that you know nothing about.' Then his disciples said to each other, 'Could someone have brought him food?' 'My food,' said Jesus, 'is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work'" (John 4:31-34).
B. Your hunger and food-craving will remind you to turn to God and to keep your mind stayed on Him. Consider hunger a positive feeling because it will turn your heart to the Father.
"I have treasured the words of your mouth more than my daily bread" (Job 23:12).
C. Hunger and food-cravings will give you the opportunity to present an offering to the Lord. Each time you deny your craving for the sake of your fast, you are placing a sacrifice on the altar. The offering is not the food, but your obedience.
2. Crucifixion moments... God is always in the process of breaking the strength and power of your flesh (human nature disconnected from the Spirit's power). During a fast, as the Spirit of God sensitizes you to spiritual things, you may be confronted over and over again with your flesh's primary sin-patterns.
A. Recognize these moments for what they are: God's doing, not Satan's.
B. Recognize what God is revealing: the root of unrighteousness in your flesh that continues to grow a fruit called sin.
C. Be aware of the potential in these moments: to be progressively freed from attitudes that have long bound you.
D. Act on God's provision for these moments: flesh MUST submit to Spirit. (Read Romans 8:2.)
For a more extensive look at crucifixion moments, read He Restores My Soul: A Forty Day Journey Toward Personal Renewal by Jennifer Kennedy Dean. (prayinglife.org)
3. An increasing desire for the things of God. God will begin to create in you a spiritual craving that only He can satisfy. In this way, He will draw you deeper and deeper into the Spirit's Life.
4. An increasing awareness of the Spirit of God in you. You will find yourself putting less and less confidence in your flesh. In fact, you will become so aware of the emptiness and foolishness of your flesh, that you will cry out to God day and night to expose your flesh and crucify it.
What should I do during a fast?
1. Set aside a daily extended time for prayer and listening to God. If you are fasting a certain meal, consider making that meal time your prayer time.© Copyright Jennifer Kennedy Dean. Not to be used without written permission of the author.
2. Keep a journal.
3. Consider partnering with someone for accountability, encouragement and sharing thoughts.
Monday, January 11, 2010
12 Steps to Change Your Prayer Life
Click on the icon to enjoy a worship song with lyrics by Jennifer Kennedy Dean, performed by Roxanne Lingle.
One of the challenges of continuing in the discipline of prayer is that we fall into ruts. We let our times of prayer become rote. We lose the passion and the sense of adventure. May I suggest just a few ways to rev up your times of prayer? This is just a beginning.
1. “The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.” (Prov. 21:1)
2. “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.” (Matt. 6:5-6).
3. "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” (Mark 1:35)
4. “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” (Luke 5:16)
5. “I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.” (Isaiah. 6:1)
6. “But Jesus said, ‘Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.’” (Luke 8:46 )
7. “O my people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth.” (Ps. 78:1)
8. “We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” (Isa. 64:8)
9. “Not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)
10. “I will remember the deeds of the LORD.” (Ps. 77:11)
If your thoughts wander during your prayer time, instead of trying to force them back into your pre-set agenda, try following them. Perhaps the Lord has another agenda.
2. “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.” (Matt. 6:5-6).
Set a time for daily prayer. Consider it an unbreakable commitment. Keep your set appointment every day for one week. For one solid week, let your scheduled prayer time be the centerpiece of your day: arrange everything else to fit around it.
3. "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” (Mark 1:35)
Give God the first fruits of your day. For one week, give the very first 30 minutes of your day to prayer.
4. “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” (Luke 5:16)
Find a place in your home where you can be alone and undistracted during your prayer time. Keep your Bible, prayer journal, pen, and whatever tools you use in that place so that everything is ready. During your prayer time each day, this is a sacred place.
5. “I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.” (Isaiah. 6:1)
As you start your prayer time, before you say anything, let your mind’s eye see Him, high and exalted, and yourself in a position of worship before Him. Stay in that inner posture until His glory fills your thoughts as the train of His robe fills the temple.
6. “But Jesus said, ‘Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.’” (Luke 8:46 )
Take time to become truly alive to His presence with you. Be aware that as you touch Him through prayer, His power is released into your life.
7. “O my people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth.” (Ps. 78:1)
Read your Bible this morning with the awareness that you are listening to the words of His mouth. Stop at the first word, phrase, or thought that captures your attention and let the Father speak to you about it and let it shape your prayers.
8. “We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” (Isa. 64:8)
This week, practice the prayer of pliability. Instead of focusing on what you want God to do for you, focus on allowing Him to shape your desires until they match His. Accept each situation in your life as His hand shaping your thoughts, character, and longings.
9. “Not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)
This week, let these words be the only prayer you pray about situations that confront you. Focus on relinquishing every situation to Him to be a platform for His power.
10. “I will remember the deeds of the LORD.” (Ps. 77:11)
This week, try writing out your prayers. It will help you stay focused and will create a record of God’s work in your life.
11. “My tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long.” (Ps. 35:28)
12. “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; …talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” (Deut. 11:18-20)
This week, practice praying out loud during your private prayer time. It will make your prayer experience more concrete and will help you keep your mind focused.
12. “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; …talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” (Deut. 11:18-20)
This week, try walking as you pray. Walk through your neighborhood or around your yard. You will be more able to keep your mind open to new thoughts the Lord might introduce. You are likely to find yourself spending more time with Him.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Do Your Prayers Have Power?
Click here for The Praying Life Minute: Pray Without Ceasing
Do your prayers have power? When you pray, do you consistently see the power of God manifested on the earth? Does your experience in prayer match God's descriptions of prayer's power given in His Word?
"The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective," we read in James 5:16. Is that how you would define your prayer life--- powerful and effective? The words "powerful and effective" are translated from a single Greek word meaning capable of producing results; to have or exercise force. Prayer, James says, has force and produces results. Prayer impacts lives and situations on the earth. True prayer works.
Many believers are discouraged about prayer. Secretly, many have reached the conclusion that prayer doesn't work or that prayer only works sometimes. Promises in the Bible regarding prayer seem unreliable, the outcome of prayer unpredictable. As a result, we have watered down or scaled back the scripture's descriptions of the power of prayer. We expect less from God than He longs to give. After all, how silly we felt having prayed boldly and with great conviction, believing with all our might, only to see our prayers go unanswered. Our faith takes a hit from which it never recovers. Next time, we are more circumspect with our requests. Next time, our expectations are more in line with reality.
Having reached this point, we need to look for ways to explain away the power promised in scripture. "It's not for today" is a favorite saying. How did we reach that conclusion? What is the authoritative basis of it? Certainly not scripture. Trying to explain the lack of powerful praying, we have tried to reduce prayer to an activity that will match our experience, rather than looking for the source of prayer's failure in ourselves.
Suppose you consult a doctor about an ailment and he prescribes a medication. Imagine that the doctor promises that this medication will cure your ailment. "Take this medicine in the prescribed dosage three times a day every day for ten days," he instructs. Suppose that you go home and follow his instructions for a few days. You see little or no improvement, so you begin to doubt the efficacy of the medicine. You take it haphazardly and finally quit taking it at all. When you return to the doctor for a check-up, you say, "That medicine didn't cure me as you promised it would." Is your accusation accurate? Did the medicine fail? Of course the medicine did not cure your illness. You didn't apply it correctly. You made your own rules. You wanted the medicine to work on your terms. The failing is not in the medicine but in your method of applying the medicine.
This is a picture of how we have come to think of prayer. "Prayer doesn't work like the Bible says it will work," we say. Why not? Could it be because we have tried to make prayer work on our terms and that the failure is not with prayer itself but with our way of praying? Remember that God's Word clearly states that God's power produces results on the earth when a righteous person prays. (James 5:16)
I challenge you to look at your prayer life honestly and without pretense. Set aside your past experiences that have caused you to feel disillusioned about prayer and its effects. Would you be open to God's Word as He speaks it through His Spirit into your understanding? In response to His Word, are you willing to change the way you view prayer? Would you put your life at His disposal and give Him access to your mind so that He can bring understanding?
I look forward to exploring prayer in this series of articles, looking for the deep truths that take us past bumper-sticker theology and into the riches stored in secret place. (Is. 45:3)
In the next powt, we will look at myths and misconceptions about prayer that rob it of its power.
(Adapted from Live a Praying Life by Jennifer Kennedy Dean. Used by permission.)
Do your prayers have power? When you pray, do you consistently see the power of God manifested on the earth? Does your experience in prayer match God's descriptions of prayer's power given in His Word?
"The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective," we read in James 5:16. Is that how you would define your prayer life--- powerful and effective? The words "powerful and effective" are translated from a single Greek word meaning capable of producing results; to have or exercise force. Prayer, James says, has force and produces results. Prayer impacts lives and situations on the earth. True prayer works.
Many believers are discouraged about prayer. Secretly, many have reached the conclusion that prayer doesn't work or that prayer only works sometimes. Promises in the Bible regarding prayer seem unreliable, the outcome of prayer unpredictable. As a result, we have watered down or scaled back the scripture's descriptions of the power of prayer. We expect less from God than He longs to give. After all, how silly we felt having prayed boldly and with great conviction, believing with all our might, only to see our prayers go unanswered. Our faith takes a hit from which it never recovers. Next time, we are more circumspect with our requests. Next time, our expectations are more in line with reality.
Having reached this point, we need to look for ways to explain away the power promised in scripture. "It's not for today" is a favorite saying. How did we reach that conclusion? What is the authoritative basis of it? Certainly not scripture. Trying to explain the lack of powerful praying, we have tried to reduce prayer to an activity that will match our experience, rather than looking for the source of prayer's failure in ourselves.
Suppose you consult a doctor about an ailment and he prescribes a medication. Imagine that the doctor promises that this medication will cure your ailment. "Take this medicine in the prescribed dosage three times a day every day for ten days," he instructs. Suppose that you go home and follow his instructions for a few days. You see little or no improvement, so you begin to doubt the efficacy of the medicine. You take it haphazardly and finally quit taking it at all. When you return to the doctor for a check-up, you say, "That medicine didn't cure me as you promised it would." Is your accusation accurate? Did the medicine fail? Of course the medicine did not cure your illness. You didn't apply it correctly. You made your own rules. You wanted the medicine to work on your terms. The failing is not in the medicine but in your method of applying the medicine.
This is a picture of how we have come to think of prayer. "Prayer doesn't work like the Bible says it will work," we say. Why not? Could it be because we have tried to make prayer work on our terms and that the failure is not with prayer itself but with our way of praying? Remember that God's Word clearly states that God's power produces results on the earth when a righteous person prays. (James 5:16)
I challenge you to look at your prayer life honestly and without pretense. Set aside your past experiences that have caused you to feel disillusioned about prayer and its effects. Would you be open to God's Word as He speaks it through His Spirit into your understanding? In response to His Word, are you willing to change the way you view prayer? Would you put your life at His disposal and give Him access to your mind so that He can bring understanding?
I look forward to exploring prayer in this series of articles, looking for the deep truths that take us past bumper-sticker theology and into the riches stored in secret place. (Is. 45:3)
In the next powt, we will look at myths and misconceptions about prayer that rob it of its power.
(Adapted from Live a Praying Life by Jennifer Kennedy Dean. Used by permission.)
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Welcome WCM Members
I hope this is a place where we can expand our prayer connection with each other. I will post a monthly thought on prayer, and will welcome conversation through posting comments. I also invite you to be guest bloggers any time! Just email me and let me know.
Anyone want to be part of the prayer team? Have any ideas about how we can build our connection to each other? I'm all ears.
Anyone want to be part of the prayer team? Have any ideas about how we can build our connection to each other? I'm all ears.
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