How to Receive God's Best Blessings, part 2

When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.  2 Chronicles 7:13-14

In this passage, God gives first four conditions to receiving His amazing three fold blessing.  Condition number two is pray.  Pray!  Prayer -- consider the who, what, why, when, where, and how of prayer.  We sometimes need to stop and consider one or more of these questions.  It is so easy to get stuck in a rut, to pray at the same time, in the same manner, using the same words.  Would we want God to respond to us with this same degree of sameness? Probably not. 

I'm learning to be in continual prayer.  Paul reminded the Thessalonian church to pray without ceasing, to be in continual prayer (see 1 Thessalonians 5:17). Much speaking is not required.  When the work of restoring the walls of Jerusalem was threatened and the people were fearful, Nehemiah simply said "O God, strengthen my hands" (see Nehemiah 6:9).  I'm learning that brevity works too, i.e., -- thank you ... help ... yes, Lord ... show me ... lead me ... send me ... I'll go ... use me ... forgive them ... forgive me ... I'm sorry ... amen ... Jesus ... etc.  I'm learning the power of agreement with another or others, as well as agreement with the Word because it is His Word that does not return void or empty (see Isaiah 55:11). I'm learning the boomerang effect in praying for others, that what I offer up or declare on behalf of another returns to me (see Galatians 6:7). I'm learning the necessity of praying the Word, of putting God in remembrance of what His Word says.

Prayer is amazing. What are you learning in prayer?  Through prayer?  By prayer?

 

How To Receive God's Best Blessings, part 1

When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.  2 Chronicles 7:13-14

I think of this passage as a seven-fold prayer. In actuality, it is God responding to King Solomon's prayer to Him upon the dedication of the magnificent temple the king had built in Jerusalem. What we find in this message from God are three amazing promises dependent upon our meeting four conditions.  If you're like me, I go quickly to the promises of God and may skip or skim lightly over the conditions and requirements. And that's not good.  In this passage, God is instructive by spelling out the conditions first, then making the promises. 

Let's examine this message over the next several blogs. No matter what you may be going through in your life, no matter how difficult a situation may be, no matter how tough the time, how hard the struggle, how challenging the relationship, no matter how long it's been going on, if you are called by His name, Christian, then pay attention to these conditions or prerequisites. 

Condition number one, humble yourself.  And what does that mean you may be thinking?  Humble comes from a Hebrew word meaning to be subdued, brought down low, brought into subjection, not proud or pretentious.  Romans 12:3 reminds us not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought. If a biblical example would help your understanding, then consider Moses, referred to by God as the most humble... meek...gentle ... kind man on earth (see Numbers 12:3).

Humble yourself.  Can you?  Will you? Remember, if you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten.  Make the change.  Do it.  Humble yourself.

 

The Greatest Story, part 8

Empathy is "the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another."  Quite simply, empathy is like putting yourself in another's place or position.  Let's empathize with Job's wife. Though not impossible, this may be easier for women than men.  We all know to some degree Job's story.  Out of the lengthy telling of his story, Job's wife is mentioned only once (see below).  Our experience with her comes through a question and then an exclamatory statement, and this followed by Job's exclamatory statement and then a question.

 

‎His wife said to him, “Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!” ¹⁰ He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” Job 2:9-10

Not only did Job the father lose seven sons and three daughters and their families, so did this mother. Job wasn't the biggest loser by himself, so was his wife.  Who tended Job's physical needs?  Most likely, Mrs. Job did.   On one day she lived as the wife of one of the most prosperous and successful men in the known world.  In a brief span of time, not only did Job lose everything, so did Mrs. Job.  Job had friends who spent time with him.  Did she have friends who spent time with her?  This test of Job's faith was a test of her faith as well.

When the year of Job's trial was over, he was doubly blessed.  Praise God, so too was Mrs. Job.  Who gave birth to the seven sons and three daughters?  Job lived twice as long as he had already lived, what about Mrs. Job?  As the husband and wife are one, what happens with one part of the partnership affects the other part.  As we pray for, encourage and support one mate, let us not be unmindful of the other mate.  While one receives care, the other gives the care.  Both have needs.  When all is well for one, all is well for both.  When we empathize with another, we may see more clearly and understand much better a situation. 

The Greatest Story, part 7

Ministry is team work.  One can neither in actuality nor in effectiveness be in ministry alone or as one.  Meet Phoebe, a servant leader in the church at Cenchreae, a seaport town in Corinth. Paul is in Corinth for approximately three months during which time he writes the letter to the Roman church. How does he get the letter delivered to Rome?  Not by mail, neither by UPS or FedEx, not by email, no overnight express, none of today's modern conveniences which we all take for granted.  No, this is a personal delivery.  Take a look at a map and see the great distance between Corinth and Rome, a journey by sea -- hundreds of miles.  Paul needs help.

So, who does Paul send the letter by?  According to Romans 16:1, he probably sends Phoebe, a woman leader in the church. To say the least, this is a long journey, difficult travel, considerable travel time, expensive, unsafe, very difficult.  When Paul raises the questions -- who will go, whom shall I send -- it is this woman Phoebe who answers "here am I, send me." He sends and she goes.

When God, through the Paul in your life, asks you to assist in ministry, will you say yes ... yes Lord ... here am I ... send me ... I'll go ... I'll do whatever you want me to do ... I'll go wherever you want me to go  ... I'll say whatever you want me to say?  No hindrance, no stumbling block, no expense too high, no situation, no circumstance, nothing will keep me from fulfilling my purpose, my calling, my destiny, my charge, my commission.  I am your willing and obedient servant.  Here am I, send me, I’ll go.