Religion

Monday, May 24, 2010

A Glimpse Behind The Prayer Veil

During the past couple of weeks the Lord has been teaching me much about prayer. Not only the power of prayer but how it works in the physical world as well as the spiritual realm. I wanted to share a fascinating truth from Scripture that I hope will bless your heart.

In the Book of Daniel, chapter 10, the Lord provides an in-depth look into prayer that is riveting and unlike any other passage in the Bible. At the start of this chapter, the prophet Daniel receives a disturbing message which prompts him to begin praying to understand its meaning. The text says he prays for three weeks and then is visited by an angel, who most scholars believe is Gabriel. It is at this point that Gabriel reveals to Daniel what has been happening in the spiritual world during the time he has been praying, “Then he said to me, 'Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come.'” (10:12-14)

I have read several commentaries on these verses and they all agree that the prince of the kingdom of Persia who resisted Gabriel was an angel of Satan. Bearing this in mind, it is interesting to notice that as soon as Daniel began praying his prayer was heard and answered immediately by God who sent Gabriel. It is at this point that an intercepting agent of Satan (the prince of Persia) sought to detain Gabriel and perhaps would have restrained him even longer than 21 days if the Archangel Michael did not get involved in the battle. It is also worth mentioning that perhaps the answer may have been postponed even longer had Daniel grown weary of praying every day for three weeks.

This entire scenario that is revealed in Daniel perfectly pictures Ephesians chapter six where the Apostle Paul states that “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (6:12) This is a powerful truth, isn’t it? As we beseech the throne room of God, spiritual forces are battling either on our behalf or against us. Given this reality, it is possible that one man or woman praying on earth can move angels into action.

Pastor David Jeremiah said on this subject of prayer that when Christ died on Calvary he sealed the fate of Satan once and for all. But the final execution of Satan’s judgment when he is bound and thrown in to the lake fire will not take place until the end of the world. In the meantime, it is up to the Church of Jesus Christ to enforce Satan’s judgment. But how do we do this? It is through the power of Christ’s death and resurrection that we have the power to thwart Satan’s plans by humbling ourselves, as Daniel did, before the throne room of God. Pastor Jeremiah went on to say that we should not pray deliver us from evil but deliver us from the evil one. So often, we pray for things and never pray against the powers of darkness. We are engaged in a battle, and if we are indeed wrestling against the powers of darkness as Paul states, than we need to engage in the conflict by praying against the forces that are seeking to destroy our churches, our families, and our young people.

I think often as Christians we feel defeated in prayer and do not realize the power we have to change our world. It is the prayers not the mayors that make the world go around.

So, let us approach the throne room of God boldly and execute what Paul tells us we have the power to do in 2 Corinthians, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (10: 3-5).

No one is a firmer believer in the power of prayer than the devil; not that he practices it, but he suffers from it." - Guy H. King

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

The Apology of Aristides

A dear Christian friend of mine recently gave me a piece of paper that detailed the Apology of Aristides. I have included a portion of the Apology below because its message to practicing Christians is so encouraging and powerful.

If you are not familiar with Aristides and his Apology, he was an early Christian writer during the second century. Until 1878, the knowledge of Aristides was confined to some references in works by Eusebius of Caesarea and Saint Jerome. Eusebius said that he was an Athenian philosopher and that Aristides and another apologist, Quadratus, delivered their Apologies directly to the Emperor Hadrian of Athens circa 125 A.D.

Aristides begins his Apology by stating his name, where he is from and that he is delivering it to Emperor Hadrian. In the first chapter, he proclaims God exists because the world exists and that God is “eternal, impassible and perfect.” In the second chapter, he states that there are four races of the world – Barbarians, Greeks (includes Egyptians and Chaldeans), Jews and Christians. He then devotes chapters 3-16 to describing the different groups of people and how they practice religion. This Apology is the first known writing that compares the differences among world religions.

My hope and prayer is that our own walk with the Lord would mirror his depiction of the Christian life. So, without further delay, here is the Christian section of the Apology.

Apology of Aristides

Now the Christians, O king, by going about and seeking have found the truth, and as we have comprehended from their writings they are nearer to the truth and to exact knowledge than the rest of the peoples. For they know and believe in God, the Maker of heaven and earth, in whom are all things and from whom are all things. He who has no other god as His fellow from whom they have received those commandments which they have engraved on their minds, which they keep in the hope and expectation of the world to come.

So, that on this account, they do not commit adultery nor fornication. They do not bear false witness, they do not deny a deposit, nor covet what is not theirs. They honor father and mother. They do good to those who are their neighbors, and when they are judges they judge uprightly and they do not worship idols in the form of man. And whatever they do not wish that others should do to them, they do not practice towards any one. And they do not eat of the meats of idol sacrifices, for they are undefiled. And those who grieve them they comfort, and make them their friends and they do good to their enemies.

And their wives, O king, are pure as virgins, and their daughters modest. Their men abstain from all unlawful wedlock and from all impurity, in the hope of the recompense that is to come in another world. But as for their servants or handmaids, or their children if any of them have any, they persuade them to become Christians for the love that they have towards them, and when they have become so, they call them without distinction brethren.

They do not worship strange gods and they walk in all humility and kindness, and falsehood is not found among them. They love one another and from the widows they do not turn away their countenance and they rescue the orphan from him who does him violence and he who has gives to him who has not, without grudging. And when they see the stranger they bring him to their dwellings, and rejoice over him as over a true brother. For they do not call brothers those who are after the flesh, but those who are in the spirit and in God. Bu when one of their poor passes away from the world, and any of them sees him, then he provides for his burial according to his ability. And if they hear that any of their number is imprisoned or oppressed for the name of their Messiah, all of them provide for his needs, and if it is possible that he may be delivered, they deliver him.

And if there is among them a man that is poor or needy, and they have not an abundance of necessaries, they fast two or three days that they may supply the needy with their necessary food. And they observe scrupulously the commandments of their Messiah. They live honestly and soberly, as the Lord their God commanded them. Every morning and at all hours on account of the goodness’ of God toward them they praise and laud Him, and over their food and over their drink they render Him thanks. And if any righteous person of their number passes away from the world they rejoice and give thanks to God, and they follow his body, as if he were moving from one place to another. And when a child is born to any one of them, they praise God, and if again it chance to die in its infancy, they praise God mightily as for one who has passed through the world without sins. And, if again, they see that one of their number has died in his iniquity or in his sins, over this one they weep bitterly and sigh, as over one who is about to go to punishment.

Such is the ordinance of the law of the Christians, O king, and such their conduct.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Another Great Awakening? Why Not?

The professor of my Old Testament survey class recently referenced Jonathan Edward’s great sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." He mentioned it in the context of the Great Awakening that took place circa 1730-1755. Edwards was an American theologian and he preached the sermon on July 8, 1741 in Enfield, Connecticut. Similar to Edwards' other sermons and writings, it combines vivid imagery of Hell with observations of the secular world and citations of scripture. It remains Edwards' most lauded work, and is widely studied both among American Christians and historians.

According to sources close to Edwards, he hoped that the imagery and message of his sermon would awaken his audience to the horrific reality that he argued awaited them should they continue to live without ever knowing Christ as their personal Savior. His underlying point was that God has given humanity a chance to rectify their sins and that it is the will of God that keeps wicked men from the depths of Hell.

As I thought about Edwards sermon, I was reminded about how little we hear about Hell today even among Christian pastors and teachers. Admittedly, it is not a subject that has anyone running to the pulpit to preach, but it was the topic of Hell and judgment in part, that brought about the first Great Awakening in this country. The reality that a revival was spawned due to preaching that stressed God’s judgment of sin seems hard to believe given our society today which emphasizes the rights and happiness of individuals above all that is moral and good. Even sin is not called sin anymore as we have euphemized the word by referring to it as a personality shortcoming, an addiction, or a social quirk. It is no wonder that this mindset has seeped into our churches as sermons focus solely on the honey and not the bitter herbs of scripture.

Of course, the Bible is clear that the same gospel that saves men and women from their sins is also the same gospel that will judge them for all eternity. The same God who loves the world is also the same God who will one day judge it. The same Christ that told people who thirst to come to Him for living water is the same Christ who will proclaim to those who reject His salvation, "I never knew you, depart from me, you that work iniquity" (Matthew 7:23).

Pastor David Jeremiah recently stated that the preacher who only preaches the positive messages of the Bible and not the whole counsel is not only unfaithful to God but has violated God’s Word. I often wonder if we reverted back to preaching the way Edwards and his contemporaries did, if we would not see another revival surface. I know what you are thinking. People do not want to hear about sin, judgment and Hell, but as we watch our world turn itself upside down and plummet further into national debt and lawlessness, perhaps a gospel message that underscores the sovereignty of God and emphasizes divine justice is exactly what people need to hear. After all, this is not a numbers game. We are not trying to grow churches just to say we are the biggest, but are interested in reaping the fields that Jesus Himself said are white unto harvest (John 4:35). Maybe we just need to use a different reaping tool to reach the lost. A pitchfork perhaps, instead of a rake. A plow instead of a spade. A tractor instead of a sickle. We need to get the root and the root is sin and a gospel message that only emphasizes God’s love and mercy fails to instill any accountability to its listener.

All of God’s Word is powerful. God has told us this through His prophet Isaiah, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11). Let’s not be afraid to speak it. Even the portions that are unpleasant or make us sad. It may be these very passages that bring a person to salvation.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

The Harvest Is Past, The Summer Is Ended, And We Are Not Saved

I am not sure if there is a passage of Scripture that is more somber and terrifying to contemplate than Jeremiah 8:20. Its warning rings even louder today as we begin to enter a watershed moment in the history of our nation as we move toward a more socialist mindset, and even further toward a one world government. These events did not just happen or appear with the election of President Obama as some seem to want to believe. No, this geopolitical course has been in the works for decades as America, along with the rest of the world, has put their faith and trust in humanism instead of the Living God.

It is stunning to see the pages of prophecy as outlined in the prophetic books of the Bible come to pass before our eyes. As I listen to men of God preach the Word of God these days, it is clear that the Spirit of God is focusing on the Lord’s return. It seems as if every preacher of the Word has his message laden with the truths of end time prophecy to warn listeners that Christ is coming and that the age of grace is about to come to an abrupt end.

In Jeremiah 8:20 it is interesting to notice the time frame that is given in the relationship between “the harvest is past” and “summer.” According to Dr. Neal Chadwick, in Israel's agricultural economy, there were three main harvests. The barley harvest was first and it occurred in the spring around the time of Passover. About six weeks later the wheat harvest would commence at Pentecost, and in the fall, corresponding to the Feast of Tabernacles, was the fruit harvest.

When the people cried about the harvest being over and summer being gone, they were no doubt lamenting that the time for the grain harvests had past and they had not been able to reap the fields. This would mean that they would head into winter without any food supplies. Famine and death would follow.

Chadwick goes on to say that in the New Testament, the idea of “harvest” is connected with the ingathering of souls into the Kingdom of God. That's part of the significance of the harvest festival of Pentecost when 3,000 people were welcomed into the first church. When Jesus pointed out the need for evangelists, He said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few” (Luke 10:2). Jesus also referred to the harvest as representing the end of this age when the angels will gather all believers into the heavenly kingdom (Matthew 13:39).

We can surmise from these passages that there is coming a time when God's patience will be exhausted, and He will bring to an end the present age and the world as we know it. This will bring to a conclusion the harvest, and the summer of opportunity to be saved will be over. In that day, there will be many who will repeat the saying first spoken by Jeremiah's contemporaries, “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.”

Pretty gloomy, I know. But there is hope. God has NOT returned yet. There is STILL time to be saved.

The way of salvation is outlined in Romans by the Apostle Paul:
“For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (3:23). You see, man stands guilty before a holy and just God, and the cost of sin, according to divine justice is death, “For the wages of sin is death.” (6:23) But here is the good news, “God demonstrates His own love for us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us!” (5:8) All we need to do is, “Confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, and thou shall be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (10:9-10)

I hope and pray that if you do not know the Lord personally that today will be your day of salvation and that you will be spared from ever uttering the dreadful words recorded in Jeremiah.

“‘Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.’ Blessed are those who do His commandments that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.” - Revelation 22: 12-14