Prayer that "works"!

When I was in the British Mercantile Marine (aka the Merchant Navy), I was a very immature disciple of Jesus. However, I attended the on-board Sunday "Divine Service" as a witness to my feeble faith. This, of course, marked me out, and I would sometimes be asked if I would pray - not for healing, or guidance, or spiritual strength, but that such and such a horse would win such and such a race, as my shipmate had placed a large bet on that happening! 

I suspect that there are even fellow disciples of Jesus who think of prayer in the same way! It's asking for something, and expecting to receive it. This has led to the situation in which prayer is only answered if we receive that for which we asked!

Now, some might point to the words of the Lord Jesus, as recorded in Matthew 7:8 - "For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." However, it is always dangerous to lift a single verse, and base any decision on it, without recourse to other parts of God's Word that explain, and qualify, the verse in question.

It is not all asking that receives, for there is asking - such as I was requested to make - that is not true prayer. Some ask merely in word, with no real desire in their hearts. Some - like my former shipmates - ask selfishly, that they may use this wonderful privilege to satisfy their own desires. Others ask rebelliously, without submission to the will of Father God. Then there are those who ask without faith - not really expecting any answer. Some ask in laziness, not ready to play their own part. Yet others ask ignorantly for things that would nt be a blessing if they were to receive them. It is surely clear that those who ask in any of these ways will not receive!

Similarly, not all who seek find! The seeking must be earnest. Speaking through His prophet, Jeremiah, YHWH says: "You will seek me and find me; when you seek me with all your heart," (29:13; emphasis added).The seeking must also be for good things. If we seek that which is sinful, or that would work spiritual harm in us, Father God will not give us what we seek. Then, again, we must be living lives that seek to honour Him. The Sons of Korah remind us that: "No good thing does the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly." (Ps.84:11; emphasis added). The thing that we seek must be good, and we must walk in the path of obedience, or there is no promise of reward for our quest.

Finally, Father God does not open the door to all knocking. There are knocks like those of mischievous children, who knock at a door (or ring the door-bell),and then run away, not really having wanted to enter! It is also all too easy to knock at the wrong door! It is when we knock at the right door, with expectancy, and faith, and persistence, that the door is graciously opened. 

Thus, in interpreting the wonderful prayer-promise that the Lord Jesus gave, we must read into those words their true meaning. If we are to receive positive answers, then our asking, seeking, and knocking, must be true prayer! 

We'll continue with this topic, DV, next time!

Four Gospel records.

It was quite recently that I saw the question: "Why are there four Gospels?" My first response to that question is that there are not "four Gospels", but four accounts of the one Gospel - the Good News about Jesus, the Christ. However, the question is still a valid one: "Why are there four Gospel records?"

The simplest answer comes from the world of policing, where officers will endeavour to obtain as many witnesses as possible to any crime, or incident. Doing so ensures that they have as complete a picture as possible of what happened. Each witness will provide evidence that comes from a slightly different perspective than that of other witnesses.

Chronologically, Mark was the first to write the Gospel record, followed by Matthew, and then Luke. In these three records, known as the Synoptics, the emphasis is on the human nature of the Lord Jesus; in John, the last to be written, the emphasis is on His deity. However, we then discover that each was written for a different "audience"! Matthew wrote especially for Jews; Mark for Romans; Luke for Greeks; and John for disciples of Jesus. All four wrote for the whole world.

In Mark, the Lord Jesus is depicted as the Servant of God; in John as the Son of God (God the Son). In Matthew, He is portrayed as the Ruler of men; in Luke, as unique among men. Matthew and Mark provide the record of His official glories; Luke and John show His personal glories, as Son of Man and Son of God. The 19th century French philospher, historian, and writer, Ernest Rénan, described Matthew's account of the Gospel as "the most important boook ever written", and Luke's account as "the most beautiful book ever written." (although I would certainly not subscribe to many of Rénan's other views!)

Marks record may well be described as "the most concise book ever written"; while John's record surely deserves the description of "the most heavenly book ever written."!

I came across this, anonymous, poetic piece in one of my reference books:

"Matthew - Messiah, Israel's King, sets forth, by Israel slain;

but God decreed that Israel's loss should be the Gentiles' gain.

Mark tells us how, in patient love, this earth has once been trod

by one Who, in a Servant's form, wasyet the Son of God.

Luke, the  physician, writes of a more skilled Physician still, 

Who gave Himself, as Son of Man, to save us from all ill.

John, the beloved of Jesus, sees in Him the Father's Son,

the everlasting Word, made flesh, yet with the Father One."

Why are there four Gospel records? So that the fullest possible picture might be provided of the One Who came that you and I might have - if we choose to accept it - eternal life. Not "pie in the sky when you die", but the very life of the Creator of all that is, in you, here and now!

So the really important question is: "With all of that information, have you accepted His wonderful gift of salvation from sin, and a life so new that it is described as being "born again"? 

And, if not, why not?!

Emmanuel

Only four more sleeps, as we used to say to twin boys whom we fostered for about four years.  Four more sleeps, and when we awake, it will be Christmas Day!  On Sunday, in Wishaw Baptist Church, we were reminded of those words from Matthew's account of the Gospel - words spoken to Joseph in a dream, as he considered quietly breaking his betrothal with Mary, who was now pregnant: "... an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, 'Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a Son, and you shall call His Name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.'  All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 'Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and His Name shall be called Emmanuel' (which means, God with us)." (Matt 1:20-24).  We looked, specifically, at the Name "Emmanuel", and its given meaning of "God with us".

The clip below shares some words from the great Baptist preacher of an earlier era, Charles Haddon Spurgeon - but in a manner which Spurgeon would not even have imagined!

Of bread and mince pies!

This afternoon, I visited one of "my" Police Stations - to discover that major refurbishment work has started, and that a lot of the car-park is out of action.  It was obvious that, with one shift about to start work, and another one not due to finish for a couple of hours, there was not going to be a space for me!

I drove around for a few minutes, but was unable to find a place to park legally!  However, next door to the Police Station is the Fire Station!  It just happened that, when delivering mince pies and Ginger Cordial to my on-duty officers on Christmas morning, I noticed two appliances outside the Fire Station, with a number of Fire Officers in attendance.  I decided to stop and, without any ulterior motive, gave them a couple of boxes of mince pies!  They were very grateful and, I have now discovered, informed the police accordingly!

Anyway, I had noticed that there seemed to be adequate parking space behind the Fire Station so, having parked carefully, and set up the little notice that identifies me, and provides my mobile 'phone number, I went to the front office and asked if I could leave my car there for an hour or so!  There was no problem!  Parking situation solved!

In the book of Ecclesiastes, in the Old Testament, we read "Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days." (11:1; RSV).  That may be interpreted as saying that whatever one does comes back to one!  As my late Granny would have put it, "What goes around, comes around!"  Of course, she would also have pointed out that we give, not to get, but simply for the joy of giving.  Giving to get, she would have insisted, is not giving at all - it's bargaining, or investing!

Paul reminded the Ephesian elders of an otherwise unrecorded saying of the Lord Jesus: "In all things I have shown you that by so toiling one must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" (Acts 20:35;RSV); while Matthew records these words of the Saviour: "Give as freely as you have received! " (Matt 10:8; NLT).  And, of course, in the greatest example of selfless giving, we have the words of John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. (RSV).

I suppose that, if I were to paraphrase those words in Ecclesiastes from a personal perspective I might, after today, write "cast your mince pies upon the waters for, after many days, you will receive a parking spot."!  However, the important thing is that we give, freely.  In that way, we may emulate the Father Who is in heaven.