Confident praying.

I wonder how often you "pray"! Many do - but only in an emergency, or when they want something. I recall, when I was in the British Merchant Navy, and it had become known that I was a Christian, one fellow crew-member asking me to pray that such and such a horse would win a particular race, as he had bet a large sum of money on this happening! I may have been still very young in my faith, but even I knew that this was not the purpose of prayer!

John, in his first letter (see my book "Defending the Faith") writes: "And this is the confidence which we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us." (5:14). This is the classic conditional promise. Confidence in prayer is tied directly to the qualifier: "according to His will"!

It is, therefore, important that we "understand what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:17).

Many surveys have verified that most people pray. However, all of those studies note that a good portion of the prayers are directed toward an unknown “higher power.” It may seem obvious, but the first requirement for coming under the will of Almighty God is to “believe in the Name of His Son, Jesus the Christ” (1 John 3:23). Before God will respond positively to our “petitions,” we must be “born anew” (John 3:3).

 

Jesus was once asked what the greatest command was. His response, quoting from Deuteronomy 6, was: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matt. 22:37). That internal and invisible love of the heart is expressed by obedience to the commandments that God has given. John records it this way: “this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” (I John 5:3).

Thus, a simple formula appears. If we obey what God has commanded us (starting with faith in the saving work of Christ), then we are assured that God will hear us when we pray. Once our confidence is secured, we can know that God will respond to what we desired from Him. The psalmist states the formula like this: “Take delight in YHWH, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4). 

A new believer in a fellowship to which I once belonged, came to the meeting, very excited! He had just discovered that very verse. He quickly informed us of the "desires of his heart" for which he had asked. He had to have the clear condition pointed out to him - and also the fact that we need to ask in accordance with His will!

You wish to experience His answers - be they "Yes", "No", or "Wait"? Then delight in Him, and keep His commandments.

Eternal Life

The first letter from the apostle, John, has only five chapters (although, of course, John didn't write it in chapters and verses, any more than you or I would do so when writing a letter! These divisions were a much later addition provided to make it easier for us to look up a particular verse, or passage.). However, it is a powerful letter, full of vital insights into the Christian life, it is written to, among others, "little children" (1 John 5:21) - those who are young in the faith - so that they might "know" the majesty and wonder of eternal life - which is not the same thing as "everlasting life"!

He writes to: ". . . you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life." (1 John 5:13) 

John begins his letter with a reminder of his close relationship with Jesus from whom the promise of eternal life came. "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life — the life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us —  that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.  (1 John 1:1-3; emphasis added). 

John, "the beloved disciple" was an eyewitness to Christ's resurrection: "Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first; and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, and the napkin, which had been on His head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed;"  (John 20: 1-8), which is the most powerful proof of the claims and promises of the Lord: "... He (the Father) has fixed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by a Man (the Lord Jesus) Whom He has appointed, and of this He has given assurance to all men by raising Him from the dead."  (Acts 17:31).

 

Much of that which is applied in John's letter is based on the precise teachings of the Lord Jesus Himself, heard by John and recorded in his account of the Gospel, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit: "Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name." (John 20:31).

 

Those who believe will "not perish" (John 3:15-16).
The "water" of Christ springs up to "eternal life" (John 4:14).
Whoever has eternal life "has passed" from death to life (John 5:24).
Those who come to Christ will "shall not hunger" (John 6:35).
No one is able to "snatch" the believer out of the Father's hand (John 10:28-30).
"whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die." (John 11:26).

 

Based on the Word of God, John gives us, in his first letter, several experiential tests by which we can know that we "live":

 

We love and keep His commandments (I John 2:3).
We know and love the truth (I John 2:20).
We love the brethren (I John 3:14).
We have God's Holy Spirit (I John 4:13). 

If this has, in any way, whet your appetite for this letter, and the other two brief notes that John wrote, then I recommend my third book in the "Faith" series - "Defending the Faith" - a link to which is at the head of the blog. Remember that all royalties are sent, directly, to Release International to support those who are the persecuted Church. I receive no material benefit.

Take Time to 'Sharpen Your Axe'

There's an old story about a man who was strolling through the woods when he heard the sound of chopping. On investigating, he came across a man, perspiring profusely, as he worked at cutting down a large tree. 

"What are you doing?" asked the walker. 

The response was abrupt! "I'm cutting down this tree, can't you see?!"

"That's not what I meant", said the walker. " I can see what you're doing, but it looks as if you have been working very hard at the job. I really should have asked you how long you've spent doing so!"

"About two hours", came the reply. "But the axe isn't as sharp as I would like it to be."

"Then why don't you take some time to sharpen it?" asked the bemused walker. "That would enable you to complete the job more quickly, and more easily."

"I don't have the time to do that - I have to get this tree cut down!". 

The same wise advice is given by the writer of the First Testament book of Ecclesiastes: "If your axe is not sharp, you will need to be very strong to use it. If you are wise, you will make the axe's edge sharp again. That is how wisdom helps you to do things well." (10:10; Easy English Version).

In our own lives, there are many ways by which we may "sharpen the axe". It may involve additional training; further education - academic, practical, or both; reading helpful books; sharing with, and learning from friends, colleagues, or others.  In Proverbs 27:17, we are reminded that "Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another."

However, one method of "sharpening" is particularly beneficial, yet many of us are reluctant to employ it. It is "Rest". Have you heard the maxim: "More haste, less speed"? Sometimes working harder when depleted physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually, actually diminishes results of our effort. Taking a rest - a short break, a brief nap, a day off, even a holiday - can restore energy, renew spirits, and revive optimism.

There are those who seem to think that Almighty God demands continual activity from His people. However, when we read the Scriptures, we discover that there a lot that refers to the importance of rest. Indeed, it starts at the very beginning. In Genesis 1 we read the record of the creation. Then, in Gen.2: 2-3, we read: "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done." (emphasis added). This is repeated in the giving of the Ten Words (Commandments): "... in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it." (emphasis added).

An earlier commandment states: "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy." This is not, as some think, a restriction, because the Lord Jesus declared: "The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath;" (Mark 2:27). To Father God, rest is not only good, but essential for fruitful, productive living.

When we look at the earthly life of the Lord Jesus, we see the same thing as, in spite of the demands being made upon Him, He often broke away from the crowds and "... withdrew to the wilderness and prayed." (Lk.5:16).

Peter, in his first letter, tells his readers: "... the Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps." (2:21). Is it unreasonable to conclude that making certain to get sufficient rest would be one way by which we might "follow in His steps."?

So, how sharp is your axe?!