Archive for August, 2009

How Can We Not Pray?

Monday, August 31st, 2009

As we consider the condition of the world today, how can we not pray?  Let me encourage each of us to make prayer our first response.  Let’s turn first to the Lord before complaining or giving in to fear or despair.  And, let’s continue in prayer. 

If we as Christians would practice the truths in even the following six verses on prayer, we would see such difference. 

  1. Be devoted to prayer.  When you are devoted to prayer, things happen.  Pray and then watch for what God will do.  And, be sure to thank and praise Him for it.

    “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” (Col. 4:2)

  2. Be willing to sacrifice in order to pray. The psalmist likens prayer to a spiritual sacrifice when he refers to it as incense. As such it rises up to heaven and fills the throne room of God.

    “May my prayer be set before you like incense.” (Ps. 141:2a)

  3. Fully trust God as you pray. If you feel safe and secure with Him, such confidence will take you beyond the rote or token prayers to spilling out your guts to God.

    “Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge. Selah.” (Ps. 62:8)

  4. Be in a constant attitude of prayer, praying for fellow believers everywhere.  To have such a perseverance and passion in praying, you need help.  Look to the Spirit of God who lives within you.

    “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” (Eph. 6:18)

  5. Go on the offence as a prayer warrior.  You cannot be pulled in so many directions that you fail to pray. Instead, purposefully plan to pray.  Prioritize it into your busy schedule.

    “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear-minded and self-controlled so you can pray.” (1 Pet. 4:7)

  6. Don’t get discouraged if you can’t see results.  Notice the small but encouraging word “is” in the following verse.  Your prayer “is” effective — present tense. It doesn’t say might be or will be but “is,” right now, powerful and effective.

    “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16b)

If the truths in these verses take root in your heart and are put into practice, you will begin to notice a difference in the way you process life.  Even if the world around you doesn’t change the way you wish it would, you will be able to cope and be at peace.  You will find renewed purpose as you work in cooperation with a Sovereign and Almighty God through prayer.

These six verses form the basis of 30 different devotions in the Prayer Bits Devotional.   Each devotion contains a small bit about prayer based on one of these verses but conveys big truths that truly will make a difference.

Can Children Really Learn the Bible?

Friday, August 28th, 2009

The Bible is an adult book, written in adult language with adult concepts.  Some therefore question if you can really teach the Bible to children, especially young children.

The Apostle Paul answers that question in his words to Timothy:
“… from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2 Tim. 3:15)

Paul goes on to in the very next verse to provide the ways God’s Word helps us.

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.  (2 Tim. 3:16-17)

What better source to teach, rebuke, correct, and train children than the Bible.  The words of Scripture carry more authority and power than anything a parent or teacher can communicate.

The question is not “if” children
can learn the Bible but HOW.

The new PowerPoint presentation, Teaching the Bible to Children, helps you know “how.”

It one of the many teacher training resources available as part of a membership on TrainBibleTeachers.com and also is a separate item in the MinTools store.  Be sure to check it out because children really can learn the Bible!

A Great Illustration of How We are Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

Wednesday, August 26th, 2009

When I worked as DCE of a church, I developed many of the activities for our Wednesday evening children’s classes.  I remember doing a session on Psalm 139:14.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

They made outlines of themselves on a long roll of butcher paper cut to their size.  Then they drew hair, facial features, clothes, etc. to make it look like themselves.  They used these outlines in a variety of ways to drive home the truth and ultimately got to hang them on the wall as a reminder.  They only scratched the surface, however, of the truth of Psalm 139:14.

Here is a video excerpt of a message by Louie Giglio for us adults to get a little deeper into just how wonderfully we are made.  Be sure to watch, and not just listen, to the end.  If you, as a follower of Jesus Christ, can watch this video and not go away praising the Lord, I’m not sure what will convince you of how wonderfully and fearfully you are made.

 

What a wonderful illustration of how we are wonderfully made that also demonstrates spiritual realities of how God is able to hold us together even in the darkest of circumstances!  What does it stir up within you? … comfort?  hope? encouragement? … don’t forget praise!

The Workplace as Our Mission Field

Monday, August 24th, 2009

The United States celebrates working men and women on Labor Day.  I think, though, of Solomon’s question in Ecclesiastes 1:3 — “What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun?”  Is there more to work than that paycheck?  If we, as Christians, would see the workplace as our mission field, we would have great purpose in going to work.  More than a sense of personal accomplishment or a source of income, work can be a place where we can make an eternal difference.

Jesus said, “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you” (Jn. 6:27).

Now, Jesus isn’t saying we should all quit our jobs and “do ministry.”  Remember that the Apostle Paul, had his tent-making job.  It isn’t an either/or proposition.  We can work for that which “endures to eternal life” in our jobs if we see the workplace as our mission field.

God won’t call all of us to go to a foreign mission field.  It is important, however, that we evangelize the world around us, no matter where we are.  Think about it:  In addition to our families and neighborhoods, where do we tend to spend the most time?  — in the workplace

Be sure to check out these resources that will help you walk the walk in the workplace.