prayer

I’m so humble…

/ Craig / Leave a comment

Scripture:  1 Peter 5:6-7

6Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Observations:

“Humble yourselves” is a choice.

As a follower of Jesus humility is a choice made with a prevailing view of life and all the pressures we face that says God is above all and that His timing is right.  See vs. 6

Choosing humility doesn’t mean we ignore reality, rather the cues that create anxiety become cues for faith — for us to trust Him, “To cast our anxieties on him” because He cares for us!

Application:

I’m so humble, except when I’m not getting my way.  Ha!  Peter’s audience was a group under increasing pressure because of their faith in God and identification with Jesus.  They were having to wait for relief.  When I am under pressure does it cue up faith? Do I somehow believe God has forgotten me?  or Do I revert to a twisted view of God that is not consistent with the Gospel?   Anxiety can paralyze us from doing what we must do.  And anxiety can create compulsive and frantic behaviours.  Being busy or going into hiding may not be actions of faith.  But they could be.

The first action of Gospel inspired faith in Jesus when the pressures of life come screaming at us is to pray: to audibly cast our anxieties on Him, in a declaration of His faithful care.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank you for the grace to trust that you care for me.  When the pressures of life scream at me, let me learn the new habit of humility: to prayerfully trust you with my issues and to declare your care for me.  I trust that you will direct me and those with me to keep in step with what your Spirit is doing here and now for the glory of your Son and His Kingdom.  AMEN.

Imagine a Conversation with God

/ Craig / Leave a comment

Scripture:  1 Peter 4:7-11.  Focus on verse 7

7The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: 11whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Observations:

Peter is living with an expectation that “the end” is close.
For that reason: be self-controlled and sober minded
For the sake of your prayers.

Application:

Peter is aware of how desperately followers of Jesus require conversation with God.  I recently read that men are particularly prayer-challenged because they do not put their imagination to great use.  I’m not so sure of that.  But you know, having a conversation with God does require the intuitive, imaginative side of me.  I trust that Someone is listening.

Peter knew what it was to physically walk with Jesus and to have conversations about life and the Kingdom of God.  Now after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus he knows what it is to have a conversation with God that is empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Any conversation becomes difficult when we lack self-control and when our mind is running fast with the desire to fulfill or deal with the consequences of our passions.  Prayer is a conversation that requires us to be still and listen.  I don’t mean you have to be sitting down for this conversation.  I mean that you have to get below the noise in our mind.  To talk with God is to have a conversation about real life: all the issues we are happy, sad, angry or afraid of.  I think sober-mindedness means that we are adjusting our expectations about life and God.  The Gospel lets us look forward to the end of all of suffering and pain when we are with Him in heaven.  So now our hope is that a measure of the Kingdom of God will come as we pray:

Prayer:

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 also have forgiven our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  AMEN.

30 Day Morning Prayer

/ Craig / Leave a comment

This past week Origin, You Were Born for More began a thirty day adventure in prayer.  We are starting the day with a simple prayer.  Our leadership began praying this a couple of weeks ago after the Global Leadership Summit.  They have invited us all to join in.

asking for prayer

/ Craig / Leave a comment

What does it take to finish life strong?  In Philippians 1:18-26 Paul testifies to some habituated approaches to faith in Christ and life that I believe kept him from becoming a grumpy old man sitting in the corner of a prison loosing his religion.  His first approach is to ask for prayer.  He writes, “Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.”  Philippians 1:18-20

Paul had great humility to ask for intercessory prayer.  He even begged his friends to pray for him.  (See some more examples below.)  He knew the source of strength for a faithful life would not come through his own brilliance.  Paul believed that his deliverance — that ability to honour Jesus in his body in either life or death — would come through the grace of God as people prayed for him and the Holy Spirit helped him.
Some questions to consider:

Who is praying for you?
Who have you asked even begged to join in your struggle to grow in Christ and faithfully fulfill the mission of Jesus in your life?
Who are you praying for?  and do they know it?

“I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company.”  Romans 15:30-32

“You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.”  2 Corinthians 1:11

“…praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.  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, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.  Ephesians 6:18-20

“And 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–that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.”  Colossians 4:3-4

“Brothers, pray for us.”  1 Thessalonians 5:25

“Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men.  For not all have faith.”  2 Thessalonians 3:1-2

“At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you.”  Philemon 22

Praying with Patrick

/ Craig / Leave a comment

Happy St. Patrick’s Day.  I invite you to take some time and pray with this missionary to Ireland.  The prayer below is traditionally associated with Patrick and is called Patrick’s Breastplate.

I arise today through God’s strength to pilot me:
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s host to secure me—

against snares of devils,

against temptations of vices,

against inclinations of
nature,

against everyone who shall
wish me ill, afar and anear,
alone and in a crowd.

Christ to protect me today.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,  Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ where I lie, Christ where I sit, Christ where I arise, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today through a mighty strength, the
invocation of the Trinity, through belief in the Threeness, through confession of the Oneness towards the Creator.

Salvation is of the Lord.
Salvation is of the Lord.
Salvation is of Christ.
May Thy salvation, O Lord, be ever with us.  AMEN.