Jan27

Being a Man of Persistence

by Scott Chafee on January 27th, 2012 at 8:38 am
Posted In: Devotion

I recently read a story about a TV preacher who said that you should never ask God for something more than once. To pray for something even twice, he said, was proof of a lack of faith and meant that God wouldn’t respond positively to the request. When we ask God for something and he doesn’t answer right away, we tend to ask him again. So, is this okay? Or is this wrong?

“And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” (Luke 11:9)

In this passage, Jesus uses a story to encourage us to pray and keep on praying. In his parable, he asks you to suppose that a friend visits you late at light. Since you have nothing to eat, you go next door and ask for food. This neighbor at first does not want to be bothered, but, Jesus says, if you keep on knocking, eventually you’ll get the food you need, thanks to your “shameless persistence.”

Jesus is not saying the Father is like the selfish friend who won’t get out of bed, but rather, he’s pointing out that even someone who is slow to respond will eventually give in if you are persistent.

The next verse provides a punch line for the parable: “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” (Luke 11:9). Rather than the traditional “ask, seek, knock,” the New Living Translation has a better grasp of the verbs.

Greek verbs have different imperative forms. The present imperative form, used in Luke 11:9, was used for repetitive or continual action. So, in fact, “Keep on asking… Keep on seeking… Keep on knocking” reflects the original words more precisely. Following this story of the shamelessly persistent friend, Jesus makes the application to our prayers crystal clear.

So, it is okay to persist in prayer. In fact, it’s not only acceptable, but it is exactly what Jesus commands. There are times when God will answer our prayers immediately, but there are other times when we will need to ask and seek and knock, and then ask and seek and knock, and then ask and seek and knock….

We may not be able to fully fathom the theological reasons for this, but Jesus couldn’t be clearer about the need for persistence in prayer. I personally believe that the persistence is for our benefit, it does something for us and in us, rather than changing God (who is immutable).

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Jan27

Being a Seeker of Men

by Scott Chafee on January 27th, 2012 at 8:37 am
Posted In: Devotion

About twenty-five years ago, a new way of speaking spread throughout the church. Those whom we used to call “non-Christians” were all of a sudden identified as “seekers.” This shift in language was felt to be less alienating, and it recognized that all human beings have a deep longing for God. Seekers might not know God yet, but they are on the path toward enlightenment.

In some ways, there may be a God-shaped hole that only Christ can fill, on the other hand, the Bible is clear that no one seeks after God, no not one (Isaiah 31:1 NASB, Jeremiah 30:14 NASB, Romans 3:11). God must draw the person to himself (John 6:44), and we have the promise that when we seek God, he will be found (Jeremiah 29:13).

“Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?” (Luke 15:4)

In Luke 15, Jesus uses similar imagery to describe those who are separated from God, but in a surprisingly different manner. In Luke 15:3-7, he paints a picture of a sheep that has strayed from the flock and the shepherd’s care. The sheep is not so much a seeker as it is one that is lost. Yet there is a seeker in Jesus’ story… the shepherd! The shepherd leaves the rest of the flock in order to search for the lost sheep. When he finds it, he brings it home and calls together all of his friends so that they might rejoice with him because the lost sheep was found.

Jesus is underscoring something essential about God’s nature and his own kingdom-centered mission. He is also drawing from a vivid description of God found in the Old Testament. In Ezekiel 34, the Lord revealed himself as the good shepherd who searches for his lost sheep (Ezekiel 34:11-12). Jesus represents this kind of God, and is this kind of God has come in the flesh.

Whether we refer to non-Christian people as seekers or not, we must remember that God is the Seeker. He is the Good Shepherd who seeks after those who are lost, including you and me. This is such an amazing truth.

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Jan26

Being a Man of Faith

by Scott Chafee on January 26th, 2012 at 9:02 am
Posted In: Devotion

As men, we are called to invest into our families. Sure, it means investing a lot of money, but think more about time, resources and bringing up our kids to love God and obediently follow Jesus for a lifetime. When you think of working hard toward a future result, I tend to think of farming.

And hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor. (2 Timothy 2:6)

Paul brings up a farmer as one of three illustrations of a faithful servant of the gospel. The other two (soldier and athlete) sound a bit more exciting. Although it’s not Paul’s intent, the truth is that a farmer leads quite an exciting life. Really, he does!

A farmer works one of the most dangerous careers a person can choose. Soldiers may face greater dangers from time to time, but a farmer lives and works between sky and earth everyday. In our day, farming always outranks any other career in producing work-related injuries and death. Farming is not for dabblers, cowards, or the lazy. Farmers can teach us a lot about faith.

In comparison with athletics and soldiering, farming helps us understand the persistent and patient parts of faith. Action and results come fairly quickly for athletes and soldiers, but not for farmers. They place a seed in the ground and later return to harvest the results, but the time between those two actions can be considerable. Successful farmers know how to wait. That is what faith is all about (Hebrews 11:1). Faith looks toward the future. Farmers may not enjoy waiting; but they learn to do it. Waiting doesn’t usually mean doing nothing, but the hardest part of waiting is the waiting.

Farming comes up various times in Scripture.

  1. Jesus used many farming situations in his parables (Matthew 13).
  2. Paul discussed the parallels between farming and the development of believers (1 Corinthians 3:1-9).

In these passages, the farmer usually represents God or an evangelist.

In 2 Timothy 2:6 we get to see ourselves as farmers, and with that privilege comes responsibility. If we’re going to “enjoy the fruit” of our labors, then we had better be “hardworking.” The farmer who is not hardworking will reap what he sows; little or nothing.

A wise farmer knows what he can’t do.

  1. He can’t put life in a seed.
  2. He can’t make it rain.
  3. He can’t force the seed to grow.

There’s much that’s out of his hands. But he does his part. He plants, he waters, he cultivates, and he waits! As believers,

  1. We plant seeds (acts of obedience to God) in one another’s lives.
  2. We deposit seeds (the gospel) in the lives of those who don’t know Christ.

The actual results of these actions are in God’s hands, but we often get to be the first to enjoy those results because we’re there. If we recognize the way we are farmers, we remember we are in the field every day. Every moment becomes a new opportunity to persistently plant, followed by patient waiting to see what God will do.

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Jan26

Being a Man of Steel

by Scott Chafee on January 26th, 2012 at 8:29 am
Posted In: Men of Steel

I have recently discovered that we find Superman in Psalm 45! Take a look at this:

In your majesty, ride out to victory, defending truth, humility, and justice. Go forth to perform awe-inspiring deeds! (Psalm 45:4)

When I was younger, I remember watching the Adventures of Superman on our black-and-white Motorola television set. I wanted to be just like that “strange visitor from another planet” who fought a “never-ending battle for truth, justice, and the American way.”

Superman, ironically enough, has much in common with the king who is praised in Psalm 45. This psalm is unusual in that it is addressed, not to God or to the people of Israel, but to the king on the occasion of his wedding (Psalm 45:13-15). In Psalm 45:4, the psalmist urges the king to “ride out to victory, defending truth, humility, and justice.” That’s not exactly “truth, justice, and the American way,” but two out of three ain’t half bad.

When we pray for our leaders, as Scripture urges us to do (1 Timothy 2:2), we should ask God to lead them in the ways of truth, humility, and justice. Yet Psalm 45:4 also provides a model for our behavior in this world. We are also to be people of truth, humility, and justice.

  1. As people of truth, we will speak and live in a way that reflects God and his revelation. In a world of falsehood, in which truth itself is under attack, we will seek the truth in all things, stand for the truth in what we say and do.
  2. As people of humility, we will never speak the truth in a way that is prideful, as if the truth belongs to us. We will always see ourselves as subjects of the King of kings, and offer our lives to him, and to others as servants. We will imitate the humble servanthood of Jesus.
  3. As people of justice, we will treat all people fairly and will work for a world that offers justice for all. We will be especially committed to doing justice for the poor and powerless. Where we have been given authority, in our work, our families, our churches, or our community, we will strive for just systems that reflect the character of God.

When you “ride out” today into the world, defend truth, humility, and justice as God’s servant.

So, how can you express your commitment to truth today? How can you live with humility? How can you seek God’s justice in your part of the world?

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Jan25

Being a Man of Prayer

by Scott Chafee on January 25th, 2012 at 11:31 am
Posted In: Prayer, Teaching

The disciples specifically asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, so what does he tell them? Take a look at Luke 11:1-4 (I’ve typed out the NASB).

An introduction to the Lord’s Model Prayer:

  1. Revelation of Prayer:  “after he had finished” praying (Luke 11:1): We often don’t realize that prayer is a practice in which we need to engage. The discipleship are now aware that Jesus is a man of prayer and want to become like him. I was responding to a friend on Facebook and mentioned that I would prayer for an upcoming interview. Another person responded that he did not believe in prayer but told her “good luck.” Many people are simply ignorant to the power of prayer and ridicule those who engage in the practice.
  2. Rule of Prayer: “When you pray, say” (Luke 11:2): notice that Jesus did not say “if” you pray, but “when.” This tells me that prayer is a rule of life, a practice that spiritual people engage in. It will come to us more naturally the more we practice prayer.
  3. Relationship of Prayer: “our Father” (Luke 11:2): The Christian faith is one of relationships, not a list of rules. If God is our Father, we are supernaturally made one of his children, adopted into the family of God, heirs with Christ himself. We must never forget that religion saves no one, it is only by a relationship (John 14:6, Acts 4:12).
  4. Reverence of Prayer: “hallowed be your name” (Luke 11:2): Hallowed is not a word used much in everyday language but it simply means to have reverence for God. We approach him as one of his children, but we cannot strut into his presence. We bow low recognizing the fact that we do not deserve salvation or to come into his presence.
  5. Resignation of Prayer: “your kingdom come” (Luke 11:2): Pride is one element of the human experience that prevents many people from following Jesus, and if we have a prideful attitude, this part of the prayer is disingenuous. We must actively believe and live the fact that God’s kingdom is more important and significant than our personal agendas. We must resign our personal will and agenda in order to embrace God’s purpose and mission for the world and our participation in it.
  6. Request of Prayer: “Give us each day our daily bread” (Luke 11:3): It is sad to say but true, this is the only part of prayer that we seem to believe, practice and expect. Notice that “give us” is not at the beginning, perhaps we should follow the order of this prayer more closely. I believe that God desires that we develop relationship with him through prayer; when that happens, the “give me” request should become more in line with God’s character and mission.
  7. Repentance of Prayer: “and forgive us our sins” (Luke 11:4): It seems to be especially difficult to request to be in God’s presence through prayer all the while knowing that we are unrepentant. God desires to forgive, and can do so only on the basis of the sacrificial substitutionary atonement of Jesus on the cross. We are never perfect in the this life, but we should work toward sinning less as we grow in godliness. Repent of known sin and ask God to help you sin less.
  8. Responsibility of Prayer: “for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us” (Luke 11:4): Jesus was pretty direct about this, we are to forgive others because God has graciously forgiven us (Luke 6:37, 17:4). That is our responsibility, forgive others when they have wronged us. The result of not forgiving is that a root of bitterness will begin to grow (Ephesians 4:31-32, Hebrews 12:15).
  9. Resolve of Prayer: “And lead us not in to temptation.” (Luke 11:4): One reason that prayer is vital to our spiritual life is that we all like sheep are led astray (Isaiah 53:6). We are tempted to go in our own direction and forsake the guidance of the Lord. We need for God to lead us in the right direction and keep us in the ruts of righteousness (Psalm 23:3). Men, resolve to avoid temptation!

The P-attern of Prayer:

  1. To be Definite in our Asking: no more generic prayers, let’s get specific.
  2. To be Desperate in our Approach: desperation often drives us to our knees. Let’s not wait that long.
  3. To be Doubtless in our Attitude: asking in faith is the way to go; the more we know God, the better we pray.

The R-equirement of Prayer:

  1. Requires Time: set aside a definite time and place; make prayer a habit.
  2. Requires Toil: it is important to work at getting better at praying; don’t expect an easy path.
  3. Requires Tears: pour our your heart to him, that is where the relationship develops.

The A-ction of Prayer:

  1. Power for our Work (Philippians 2:12-13, Ephesians 2:10): for God to work through us in the marketplace.
  2. Power with our Witness (James 5:16): effective and answered prayer gives us a testimony.
  3. Power in our Worship (John 4:23-24): as we pray, we open our spirits to God’s will and direction, and we we are able to worship him in spirit and truth.

The Y-earning of Prayer:

  1. A Desire for Secret Prayer: have alone-time with God, where you find solitude in the midst of a busy life.
  2. A Desire for Scriptural Prayer: use God’s word and pray it back to him, I like to say, “use God’s own words against him” meaning, he cannot refute or diminish his own words.
  3. A Desire for Spiritual Prayer: the Bible mentions praying in the spirit (Ephesians 6:18, Jude 1:20) which means to allow your spirit to commune with the Holy Spirit, because sometime the Holy Spirit intercedes with groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26).

The E-nlistment of Prayer: (Matthew 9:38)

  1. Our Master’s Orders: “Pray” – global evangelization is not up to us alone, God wants us to pray, as well as go.
  2. Our Master’s Ownership: “Lord of the harvest” – Jesus is the only one who can bring lost people unto himself.
  3. Our Master’s Option: “send” – sometimes God asks us to go, and we must be ready and obedient. I’ve heard Keith Green say that “we should all plan to go, until God specifically calls you to stay.”

The R-esults of Prayer:

  1. It was the magnet that drew Eliezar and Rebekah together: Genesis 24
  2. It was the mystery that opened the Red Sea: Exodus 14
  3. It was the medicine that added 15 years to Hezekiah’s life: Isaiah 38
  4. It was the muzzle used on the lions’ mouths for Daniel: Daniel 6
  5. It was the messenger who delivered Peter from prison: Acts 12

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