7 Questions from “Who is God”

This past Sunday, the third episode of Morgan Freeman’s show The Story of God: The Story of Us as aired on the National Geographic Channel. The third episode dealt with how God is understood to be in various cultures and religions. Again, I am profoundly surprised at how well this show has been made. The show has not attacked any particular worldview, as I feared that it would. Rather, the show has taken a fairly neutral position while evaluating some major topics. This episode was no different. The third episode dealt with the issue “Who is God?” This article will seek to answer 7 questions that were raised during the show from a Christian perspective.

 

1. Is there one God or several gods?

By sheer necessity, there is only one ultimate uncaused cause. If there were several gods or goddesses, one would have to ask “How did such a number of gods arise?” It seems to me that one would be forced to accept a first uncaused cause. While it is possible to accept a multiplicity of gods and goddesses, it makes better sense to accept that only one God exists. Why? Well, I think Thomas Aquinas answers this well. Aquinas states,

 “When the existence of a cause is demonstrated from an effect, this effect takes the place of the definition of the cause in proof of the cause’s existence. This is especially the case in regard to God, because, in order to prove the existence of anything, it is necessary to accept as a middle term the meaning of the word, and not its essence, for the question of its essence follows on the question of its existence. Now the names given to God are derived from His effects; consequently, in demonstrating the existence of God from His effects, we make take for the middle term the meaning of the word ‘God.’”[1]

From sheer necessity, only one God must exist. Thus, God could manifest himself in several ways, but in the end there is but only one God.

 

2. How does one connect to God?

If by connecting, one means relating to God, then one can connect with God in various ways. Morgan Freeman is right when he notes that it is sometimes difficult to relate to a transcendent God. However, God has given us means to relate to him. One way people connect with God is through prayer. Prayer is a means by which we can communicate with God and a way that God communicates with us.[2] Another way a person connects to God is through the written Word of God. The Scriptures are God’s revelation to all humanity. A third way a person can connect with God is through the intellect. A person can connect with God by learning more about God. Fourth, a person can connect with God through nature. As the psalmist notes, “the heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Psalm 19:1).[3] Lastly, a person can ultimately connect with God through a relationship with Christ. When one receives Christ, the Bible tells us that the believer is filled with the Holy Spirit of God (John 14:15ff).

 

3. Has God revealed himself to several people throughout the world?

There is but only one ultimate truth. However, this is not to say that God has not been trying to reveal himself to various peoples throughout the world. Solomon writes that God “has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). So, I am not saying that all religions are the same. Such is not logically possible. However, I feel it is quite possible that God has been trying to reveal himself throughout all of history. Ultimately, the full revelation came through Jesus of Nazareth, the “only begotten Son of God” (John 3:16).

 

4. How do we know what’s divine?

Only God is truly divine in the purest sense. However, human beings are made in the image of God (Genesis 1-2). Thus, human beings bear the mark of divinity (although we are not divine). But in fact, all things bear the mark of God in reality because “All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3). So, only one person is truly divine (God), yet all things bear the imprint of the divine as God created all things.

 

5. Can we imagine God?

In a way, yes. In a way, no. I think Norman Geisler puts it best. Geisler notes that “Although God can be apprehended, He cannot be comprehended.”[4] Paul writes, “For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away” (1 Corinthians 13:9). Thus, we cannot say that we know everything about God. If we could, we would be God.

 

6. Does God indwell us?

We all bear the image of God (Genesis 1:26). However, God indwells each person who receives Christ as Savior. This person is known as the Holy Spirit.

 

7. Can we experience God?

Yes! Absolutely we can! We experience the blessings of God every day. However, the only way to fully experience God is through a relationship with Christ Jesus. See also the answer to the second question.[5]

 

Much more could be said about God. In reality, the third episode of Freeman’s documentary as well as this article has focused more upon how humanity knows God. Such a knowledge of God is called revelation. God has revealed himself both through natural revelation (available to all) and special revelation (delivered to those of faith). If a person has not experienced God, it is highly advised that the person seek God and ask God to reveal himself.

 

© April 18, 2016. Brian Chilton.

[1] Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica I.2.2., in Thomas Aquinas, Summa of the Summa, Peter Kreeft, ed., Fathers of the Dominican Province, trans (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1990), 59.

[2] Some individuals have argued that God does not communicate with a person through prayer. With all due respect, I have found such arguments greatly lacking. God has spoken to a vast array of individuals in the Bible through the means of prayer (e.g. Habakkuk, Job, Elijah, Isaiah, and so on). To claim that God cannot speak to a person in prayer discredits the power and personal nature of God. However, I agree that one should always “test the spirits” (1 John 4:1) to ensure that one is truly hearing from God.

[3] Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture comes from the English Standard Version (Wheaton: Crossway, 2001).

[4] Norman Geisler, Systematic Theology: In One Volume (Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2011), 529.

[5] Also, check out the discipleship program Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby, Richard Blackaby, and Claude V. King.

God Can Fix This: The Role of Prayer and Service

Recently, the New York Daily Times had on its cover the words “God Isn’t Fixing This.” The cover was quite deceptive as the article was more of a political rant than a religious polemic. Rich Schapiro, the writer of the article associated with the cover, argues that “Democrats—even those not running for office—slammed the GOP presidential candidates for offering prayers instead of action” (Schapiro 2015). While I will leave the political innuendos to the exchange of pundits in the field; as a theologian and pastor, I feel that I need to address the issue of prayer as it relates to service. Walter A. Elwell notes that “both Testaments insist that while prayer and service are not to be equated with each other, they are also not to be separated from each other. With this insistence goes the belief that only the prayer of the righteous is efficacious (Prov. 15:29)” (Elwell 1996, Logos). I believe that prayer propels the person of faith to do great things for the Lord. The Scriptures provide at least 5 ways that prayer impacts the service of the believer.

Prayer provides trust to serve.

In 1 Chronicles, it is shown that prayer provides the trust necessary to do incredible things for God. The chronicler writes that “when they prevailed over them, the Hagrites and all who were with them were given into their hands, for they cried out to God in the battle, and he granted their urgent plea because they trusted in him” (1 Chronicles 5:20).[1] Their victory came by the trust that they held in God, but it was a trust that moved the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh (1 Chronicles 5:18) to serve. James also notes that the “prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (James 5:15-16). Note two important elements in the preceding passage. First, prayer was based on one’s trust in God. Second, the faith of the praying persons lead the people to action. Thus, a faithful prayer life provides one with the trust in God to serve.

Prayer provides encouragement to serve.

Luke notes that the Lord “said to Paul one night in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people” (Acts 18:9-10). Because Paul was a man of prayer, God spoke to Paul and provided him with encouragement to go and serve. This encouragement may also address the change of mind that takes place in the person of faith. When a person commits him or herself to prayer, God begins to change the mindset of the person (Romans 12:2). The person of faith begins to see people the way God sees them. This will move the person of faith to action in order to “learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause” (Isaiah 1:17).

Prayer provides direction to serve.

People often want to see action. They want to see results. “Do something! Anything!” Such is the mindset of many. However, it is easy for a person to move in the wrong direction if they are not careful. When speaking of cutting wood for a construction project, my grandpa always advised, “Measure twice, cut once.” This means that a person needs to make sure that what they are doing is correct before taking action. Prayer provides direction. Luke notes that “the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go over and join this chariot’” (Acts 8:29). Why? An Ethiopian eunuch was contemplating the meaning of Isaiah 53:7, 8. Philip was able to lead the eunuch to a saving faith in Christ. Why? It was because Philip was led by the Holy Spirit in the right direction. The Scriptures warn that “where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained” (Proverbs 29:18, NASB).[2] Thus, prayer provides us insight and direction as the Holy Spirit leads us. In stark contrast, a lack of prayer may lead one to “quench the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19).

Prayer provides empowerment to serve.

Prayer is essential, in fact critical, if one is to see anything great accomplished. Why? It is because God provides empowerment to the believer to serve in extraordinary ways. Paul notes that “you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him” (Romans 8:15-16).

As a pastor, I have seen many people perform extraordinary accomplishments due to the empowerment of God. I remember a woman named Gaynelle. Gaynelle suffered from many afflictions. As fate would have it, her husband suffered dementia. Gaynelle’s husband fell and broke his hip. Her husband had to be placed in a nursing home where he could receive appropriate care. Gaynelle, despite suffering numerous physical maladies, drove countless miles each day to spend time with her husband. After her husband died, everyone asked her, “How were you able to do so much for your husband while being so sick?” She replied, “I prayed and God gave me strength to serve.” Gaynelle is but one example of prayer’s empowering capability.

Prayer provides opportunities to serve.

Luke notes that when Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch in Syria, they gathered the church together and “declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles” (Acts 14:27). Jesus says to the Church of Philadelphia, “I know your works. Because you have limited strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name, look, I have placed before you an open door that no one is able to close” (Revelation 3:8, HCSB).^[3] By prayer, God provides doors of opportunity. A person who is seeking to switch jobs does not want to proverbially “jump from the frying pan into the fire.” Rather, a person of faith will desire to follow the will and plan of God. Prayer provides the means of opportunity as God opens the eyes of the believer to the given opportunities at hand. Opportunities lead one to a chance to serve.

Conclusion

So, let us ask the question again; does prayer counteract action? Obviously not! Rich Schapiro obviously does not understand the biblical concept of prayer. Prayer and service are not antagonistic rivals. Rather, prayer and service—while not the same—are complementary. Prayer leads to great means of service. So, when we say, “You are in our thoughts and prayers,” one should not presuppose that service is negated. Rather, the believer is literally saying, “I pray that God gives you comfort in your time of need.” I make no political commentary for either side of the American political paradigm that Schapiro referenced. That being said, perhaps Schapiro is correct in noting that we cannot allow prayer to supplant action. Even James notes that “faith apart from works is dead” (James 2:26). However, we cannot allow action to override the importance of prayer either. Instead of demanding that one choose between prayer and service, or demeaning the practice of prayer; why not accept the biblical model realizing that prayer and service coincide? Could it not be that God will fix the issues of society by people of faith? Could it not be that God will use the prayers of the faithful to propel them to service?

 

© December 6, 2015. Brian Chilton

 

Sources Cited:

Elwell, Walter A. Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology. Baker Reference Library. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1996. Logos Bible Software.

Schapiro, Rich. “GOP Presidential Candidates Offer Prayers—Not Solutions on Gun Control—after San Bernardino Massacre.” New York Daily News.com (December 3, 2015). Accessed December 6, 2015. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/gop-candidates-call-prayers-calf-massacre-article-1.2453261.

 

 

[1] Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture comes from the English Standard Version (Wheaton: Crossway, 2001).

[2] Scriptures marked NASB come from the New American Standard Bible (La Habra, CA: Lockman Foundation, 1995).

^[3] Scriptures marked HCSB comes from the Holman Christian Standard Version (Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2009).

The Evidence for Effective Prayer: What It Is and Why It Works

Prayer is one of the most important spiritual disciplines for a believer. But many skeptics have asked, “Does prayer work?” In fact, some skeptics will point to particular studies that demonstrate the so-called ineffectiveness of prayer. Because of such studies, skeptics will proclaim that God is non-existent. However, for one to understand prayer, one needs to understand certain things about prayer. This article will seek to demonstrate that proper prayer is effective. However, prayer is not necessarily effective for all people, for God is not a plaything that can be directed by a person’s whims and fancies. The Bible demonstrates that prayer must have certain qualities. In addition, this article will provide just a few examples of the power of effective prayer. Thus, if one were to look for a thesis, it would be that effective prayer (or prayer properly conducted) is effective.

What Constitutes Effective Prayer?

God is not an inanimate object who can be tested like a chemical compound or a piece of matter. God is an animate being. Due to this, the prayer can be deemed effective when the following three attributes are included:

Effective Prayer Requires Knowing

For prayer to be effective, it requires that one possess and intimate and personal relationship with God though Jesus Christ. When Jesus was asked by his disciples how they should pray, Jesus began the model prayer by saying, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed by your name” (Matthew 6:9).[1] Thus, prayer must be relational in nature. It requires one knowing the person who is being petitioned. Jesus also noted that prayer should not be performed in order to put on a show. Rather one should “go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:6).

Effective Prayer Requires Believing

Jesus said, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:22-24). Thus, prayer requires faith by the person praying that God can do what is being requested. A note of caution must be added here. In the model prayer, Jesus describes that one must pray according to the will of the Father. That is to say, it may not be the will of God for you to own a multi-million dollar home even as much as you may desire one. Therefore, a balance between the faithful prayer of a person contrasted with the will of God must be kept.

Effective Prayer Requires Obeying

Jesus said that “whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses” (Mark 11:25). James states that one should “confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (James 5:16). Peter indicates that prayers can be hindered. Peter states that “husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as a weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered” (1 Peter 3:7). What does all this indicate? It means that if one is not living an obedient life unto the Lord, then their prayers may not be answered. One cannot expect God to work a miracle in their lives if they are living in a rebellious fashion. God is not mocked. James did not say that the prayers of a rebellious person have great power. Rather, the prayers of a righteous person do.

Is there Evidence that Effective Prayer Works?

Does prayer work? It sure does. I have provided three examples of how prayer is powerful.

Vision Restored for Woman in Hendersonville

When I was attending Fruitland Baptist Bible Institute in Hendersonville, North Carolina, the wife of a fellow student injured her eye while playing baseball with her kids in their backyard. One of the kids had hit the ball into a field. As she bent over to pick the ball up, she fell and stuck her eye against a stick. The stick penetrated the side of her ocular cavity and severed her optic nerve. The husband asked for the school to pray for his wife. Some of us went to the hospital to see the family. After our visitation, we had a powerful group prayer for the woman. The next Tuesday, the husband was in chapel. With tears rolling down his eyes, he said, “Brothers, this weekend, my wife began seeing objects in black and white. Yesterday, she began seeing objects in color. I want to tell you that she sees better out of that eye now than she did before the accident!!!”

Personally Saved from Blast of Bolt

For those of you who know my testimony, I had rebelled against participating in the ministry for seven years. However, God sent a shot across the bow. I was in an outdoor building and was caught in the midst of a severe thunderstorm. Lightning was popping around the building. I was caught in a building with poplar trees on one side and with metal objects strewn throughout the building. Lightning was striking so close that the hairs on my body were standing on edge—a clear sign that a strike is imminent. I began to pray that God would deliver me from this storm—even if it meant that I reenter the ministry. 30 minutes later, I was able to walk out of the building without a scratch. However, a hole was left in the ground behind the building where the lightning had struck so hard.

The Miraculous Healing of Gracia

Craig Keener has written a two-volume work on miracles entitled, appropriately, Miracles: The Credibility of the New Testament Accounts. In his book, Keener describes some of the testimonies of his father-in-law, an evangelist named “Papa” Jacques Moussounga who is originally from the Congo. According to Jacques and reported by Keener…

“when his youngest daughter, Gracia, was seven months old, she was sick with cerebral meningitis, and they took her to A. Sisse Hospital. But the next day, Barhelemy Boubanga, a hospital administrator, sent word that Gracia had only twenty-four hours left to live. That night Papa Jacques and Antoinette Malombe (or Mme Jacques)…remained all night in the hospital, praying; Mme Jacques felt that the child would really die, she went into the bathroom and cried and asked God to give the child back; nevertheless, she felt despair. When the French doctor and the nurse (a nun) entered the room in the morning, the doctor asked tentatively whether the child was still alive, they were surprised to see that she was. The doctor asked to what God they prayed, and when he learned that they prayed to Jesus, he commented, “You pray to a true God.” Gracia recovered only gradually, remaining in the hospital for more than a month, though soon afterward she recovered fully. At the time of my writing this account, Gracia is thirty-five years old and healthy. She was present when I interviewed her mother about this recovery, to confirm and supplement her parents’ account based on what she had been told as a child” (Keener 2011, 336).

Keener provides several other examples of amazing miracles being performed by effective prayer. Keener also records the amazing testimony of Evangelist Daniel Kolenda who…

“reported that after a meeting on December 12, 2009, a weeping mother asked him for prayer. She was holding the limb body of her three-year-old boy, whom both she and the ushers at this meeting in Nigeria believed to be dead; the ushers had tried to send her to the medical tent earlier, but she insisted on waiting until the service was over for prayer. He prayed for about thirty seconds and handed the child back. The next night the mother was back. ‘She had brought her son, and he was perfectly well. They told us that the child had come back to life almost immediately after the prayer’” (Keener 2011, 555).

So you don’t believe prayer can be effective? Tell that to the child who was healed and to the other child who was resuscitated.

Conclusion:

Effective prayer is powerful. I would argue that there is a great deal of evidence for the power of such prayers. However, I remain skeptical pertaining to so-called studies performed in demonstrating the effectiveness of prayer. Why? It is because that prayer is relational. God is not a plaything. God is a person. Thus, if one desires evidence pertaining to the power of prayer, go speak to one who has firsthand witnessed the power of God working through effective prayer.

Source Cited:

Keener, Craig S. Miracles: The Credibility of the New Testament Accounts. Volume One. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2011.

© June 22, 2015. Brian Chilton.

 

[1] Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture comes from the English Standard Version (Wheaton: Crossway, 2001).

When God Shouts Through His Silence

Have you ever needed God, prayed, and sincerely sought after God, only to receive silence? We read of passages where God promises, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:8).[1] However, often when one shouts to the heavens, nothing is heard. No marvelous miracle. No storming voice of thunder. Nothing.

Some have taken the route to believe that since they have not heard from God, then either God does not exist, or God does not communicate to humanity directly. Yet, the honest seeker for truth will acknowledge the wealth of evidence leading one to consider the necessity for God’s existence. Likewise, one must acknowledge the great amount of historical evidence for Jesus of Nazareth and the movement stemming from a literal resurrection. If one acknowledges the existence of God, then one must admit that God could communicate with humanity. If one acknowledges the revelation of the Bible, then one will concede that God has spoken to individuals in times past. For one who has entered a covenant relationship with Christ, such a one will admit that God moved in their life—in a since communicating with them.

Another Option

Another option that some have taken is to imagine that God is disinterested in their lives. However, the Bible demonstrates the great concern of God for human beings, as Peter denotes in saying that God is “not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). In addition, God is demonstrated to be the Good Shepherd of his flock in the 23^rd Psalm. Hence, another option must exist. That option is that just because God is silent, it does not mean that God is not actively working. As Krish Kandiah denoted in the June 2015 edition of Christianity Today, the book of Esther in the Bible describes the movement of God in a time when God seemed silent. Pertaining to Esther, Kandiah denotes “Esther is one of two women in the Bible to have a book named after her. Her story is strange. It’s full of sexual exploitation, personal vendettas, and a real threat of anti-Semitic ethnic cleansing…No one refers to the Scriptures, and no one explicitly prays…While murder is plotted, mass rape is legislated, and lives are ruined, God is on mute. Yet this book made it into Scripture, and despite his silence, God’s sovereignty rings out loud and clear” (Kandiah 2015, 52). Indeed, as Kandiah describes, Esther does provide some insights on the silence of God.

The Silence of God May be Used to Demonstrate Faith

Esther, a Jewess, married the Persian King Xerxes (otherwise known as Ahasuerus). Haman is the antagonist in the story of Esther as he seeks to exterminate the Jews because of the faith of a man named Mordecai, “the son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite, who had been carried away from Jerusalem among the captives carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away” (Esther 2:5-6). Haman had instructed everyone to bow down and pay homage to Haman. However, Mordecai, due to his great faith, refused for he only bowed to God and God alone. Nevertheless, Mordecai’s faith served as a catalyst which brought forth the antitheistic notions of Haman. It may have seemed as if God was silent. But, God was allowing the faith of Mordecai to speak for itself. Furthermore, God would use the faith of Mordecai as a means of bringing something far greater in the end.

This brings to mind another occasion when God was silent. When Christ was on the cross, God may not have thunderously spoken from the heavens—however, God was there. God was on the cross. This brings to mind a particular story from the Holocaust. The Nazis were executing many Jews on one particular day. The Nazis had hung a young boy from the gallows. However, the young boy was too light to enable his neck to immediately break when being dropped. So he lingered there writhing in pain for several minutes before finally dying. Someone yelled out, “Where is God? Where is God?” A wise man proclaimed while pointing to the young boy, “There he is. He is there with that young boy.” God was in the gas chambers. He was on the shooting line. He was with every person who had suffered. He was not with those doing great acts of evil. He was with those who had been oppressed, who had suffered, and who had died.

If the Bible is correct and God provides a heaven for his faithful, then the glorious promise of God is that the best is yet to come. When Jesus was on the cross, the Father was silent. But, the faith of Jesus would shine forth as Jesus was raised from the dead on the first Easter Sunday. Just because God is silent, it does not mean that God does not care. It may be that God is allowing momentary suffering to allow for something far greater in the end. As the apostle Paul reminds us “’What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him’—these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:9-10).

When God is Silent, God is Still Working

One will notice in the book of Esther that Mordecai just so happened to be in particular places at particular times. Coincidences? I think not. Mordecai was led to be in the places where Haman’s plots were devised. God was in the details. As Kandiah denotes, “While God never makes an appearance, his role in the story is hard to miss. Haman rolled dice to determine the day on which his despicable plan for genocide would take place. But his plan backfired, and he was hanged on the oversized gallows that he built for Mordecai” (Kandiah 2015, 52-53). As it is written in Proverbs, “We may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall” (Proverbs 16:33, NLT).^[2] This is an important truth for those who travel to Las Vegas to remember. Nevertheless, God was working in the details. When one understands the power and providence of God, one will refuse to believe in so-called “coincidences.”

Evil is Temporarily Allowed Only to Be Ultimately Judged

When one experiences the silence of God, evil may or may not be the reason for concern. Nonetheless, for those who experience evil and do not experience the immediate judgment brought forth by God, understand that God will judge in his own due time. In the story of Esther, it appeared that evil was unrestrained and left without judgment. For those experiencing the evils of the Nazi concentration camp, that sentiment must have flooded the minds of those in the camps. However, judgment would come. Haman experienced how the silence of God will lead to the shout of God. For as Haman was about to kill Mordecai, God providentially worked particular details to bring about another end. In Esther, we read that news had gotten to the king about the workings of Haman. Then, one reads the following, “Then Harbona, one of the king’s eunuchs, said, ‘Haman has set up a sharpened pole that stands seventy-five feet tall in his own courtyard. He intended to use it to impale Mordecai, the man who saved the king from assassination.’ ‘Then impale Haman on it!’ the king ordered. So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai, and the king’s anger subsided” (Esther 7:9-10, NLT). The silence of God will eventually lead to the shouting of God. In times of God’s silence, the faithful must remember that God is still at work and that their faith must remain steadfast.

The Example of God Shouting through Silence at Huntsville Baptist Church

The silence of God leads to the shouts of God. The story of Huntsville Baptist Church certainly demonstrates this truth. Several years back, the church engaged in a building program that left quite a substantial debt. Unfortunately, after the building project was complete, the church experienced internal strive which led to a division. This division left the church with a substantial debt without the funds to accomplish payments as quickly as formerly hoped. The church encountered such hardship that many discussed whether it was time to close the doors, not knowing how such a debt could be paid. It would seem that the church which had been established in the 1800s was set to close down completely. Hope seemed to be lost. Perhaps many asked during the time of hardship, “Where is God?” However, God was there as the church experienced a ray of hope. An annual golf tournament was established to help pay off the debt. Various fundraisers were employed. The church united through this time of hardship. A man of God, named George Steelman, especially had a passion for the work of God in his church. As George was diagnosed with cancer, preparing to enter the kingdom of God, he left as part of his will a substantial donation which, in combination with other funds raised by countless individuals, allowed the debt to be paid in full. This past Sunday, Huntsville Baptist Church celebrated this payoff with a note-burning service. Where was God? God was there. God was there as he inspired individuals to begin these new programs. God was there as he inspired individuals to give unselfishly. God was there as he inspired people to see the vision that he had laid before them. While some may have felt that God was silent, God was actually shouting through his perceived silence.

Tips When Experiencing God’s Silence:

1. Evaluate your life to ensure that nothing is standing between you and God. While many–including Job, Paul, and Joseph–experience God’s silence when all was well with their lives, it remains an important task to evaluate one’s life during times of spiritual drought. This will ensure that such times do not originate with an unacknowledged sin.
2. Get in the Word! Be sure to have regular devotions, inviting God to speak to you through his Spirit and through his Word. This also requires one to listen to God instead of telling God what you need. God knows your needs better than you do.
3. Pray, pray, pray!!! Make sure you spend adequate time with God each day in prayer.
4. Remain faithful. Keep doing what God has called you to do until you hear otherwise.
5. Remember the promises of God. Study more about God. Study, learn, and remember the attributes of God. God does not change.

Sources Cited:

Kandiah, Krish. “Trusting the Great Director: Though unseen and unheard, God orchestrates the details of our lives—even when we are falling apart.” Christianity Today 59, 5 (June 2015): 50-54.

The featured photograph was taken by Emily Shaw on June 7th, 2015. All rights reserved.

© June 8, 2015. Brian Chilton.

[1] All Scripture, unless otherwise noted, comes from the English Standard Version (Wheaton: Crossway, 2001).

^[2] Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture marked NLT comes from the New Living Translation (Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, 2013).

Top Ten Tips To Prevent Spiritual and Emotional Burnout

According to Wilson and Hoffman,

“Of ministers in the United States: 25% have been forced out of or fired from their ministry at least once. 90% feel inadequately trained to cope with ministry demands. 80% believe that pastoral ministry affects their families negatively. 45% say they’ve experienced depression or burnout to the extent that they needed to take a leave of absence. 40% have serious conflict with a church member at least once a month. 20% admit to having an affair while in the ministry. 37% admit that Internet pornography is a current struggle. 70% do not have someone they consider a close friend” (Wilson & Hoffman 2007, 31).

Let’s face it: American ministers are often running on spiritual and emotional fumes. One could argue that the American church has placed far too many demands on their ministers. While this could be true, many in ministry are facing spiritual and ministerial burnout. This does not only include ministers. Many in high-stress jobs (e.g. doctors, lawyers, police officers, executives, etc) face similar problems.

However, burnout does not need to be the case. When one is pushed to the maximum, methods exist to help the person cope with the high demands so that they will not become a victim of burnout. Recently, I took a course at Liberty University called LEAD 625: Preventing Ministry Burnout. Through this course, I learned ten great tips to help one cope with spiritual and emotional burnout. This list has been compiled in the fashion of a top-ten list by which I personally have benefited. Others may find lower-ranked tips more important for themselves. Without further ado, here are the top ten list of tips to help one prevent spiritual and emotional burnout.

 

#10^th Best Tip:            Learn Who You Are and What God Has Called You to Do.

God said to Jeremiah, “I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born. I appointed you a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5). This passage of Scripture is powerful in many ways. First, God taught Jeremiah that Jeremiah had a purpose. Jeremiah was not some random mistake that came about by happenstance as many atheists would want one to believe. No, Jeremiah had purpose. Second, God demonstrated that Jeremiah was set apart for a certain task. Finally, God revealed to Jeremiah what that task would be: that of a prophet.

The point is that each one of us has a purpose. You were born with a divine plan. God has a purpose and plan for you. The problem is that so often we fail to see what God’s plan for our lives may be. So many individuals wander around in life with no purpose and direction. However, if they would go to God, they could find their purpose and God’s plan for their lives. In addition, one must understand that he or she is unique. So often, I have heard people tell me, “You do a good job. But, I wish you would preach harder.” Others say, “Wow! You do good, but you preach too hard.” I cannot be anyone else other than what God has called me to be. Truthfully, if you are in the center of God’s will, it really doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks about you. Find God’s plan and accept that reality and you may find less spiritual and emotional problems in life.

 

#9^th Best Tip:              It’s Okay to Say “No.”

It is difficult. But if you want to avoid being burnt out, learn to say “no” to those things that are not priorities. Wilson and Hoffman write, “Our boundaries help us to say “no” to the manipulator and “yes” to our spouse and kids” (Wilson & Hoffman 2007, 146). Don’t be manipulated. Just because someone has a good idea does not mean that YOU have to act on it. Encourage the person who has the idea to investigate it themselves. It may be that God is calling that person to something and the person wants to push the calling off on you. But if God has not called YOU to do the thing, YOU do not need to do it.

Saying “no” is completely biblical. Jesus’ brothers did not believe in Him during Jesus’ earthly ministry. They tried to persuade Him to go to Jerusalem before it was time. They said, “Leave here and go to Judea so Your disciples can see Your works that You are doing. For no one does anything in secret while he’s seeking public recognition” (John 7:3). Jesus replied, “My time has not yet arrived but your time is always at hand” (John 7:6). In essence, Jesus told them “No.” It was not time for Jesus to go to Jerusalem. Learning the art of saying “no” to the things that are not essential may be one of the greatest practices you can do in order to find spiritual and emotional balance in your life.

 

#8^th Best Tip:              Protect Your Family and Close Friendships by Boundaries.

Going back to what Wilson and Hoffman said, “Our commitment to our family, coupled with our refusal to be manipulated, will help us, our family and the one manipulating us to see more clearly the consequences on all sides” (Wilson & Hoffman 2007, 145). Can someone give them an “Amen”? Don’t be bullied. Emotional bullies exist everywhere. Emotional bullies are individuals who use guilt in order to manipulate you to do what they desire for you to do. But, the real issue is that you are not serving that bully. Your call is to serve God first and foremost. Your first calling is to your family. Paul writes that “But if anyone does not provide for his own, that is his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8). Understand one thing: ministry and all occupations are necessary. However, chances are likely that those you work with and work for are much less likely to care for you while you are on your deathbed than those of your household. Protect the relationship with your family and closest friends.

 

#7^th Best Tip:              Always Operate with Humility.

John Dickson defines humility not as “being a doormat for others, having low self-esteem or curbing your strengths and achievements…Humility is the noble choice to forego your status, deploy your resources or use your influence for the good of others before yourself” (Dickson 2011, 23-24). The Bible says much about the need for humility. Proverbs 22:4 states, “The result of humility is fear of the Lord, along with wealth, honor, and life.” The prophet Zephaniah states that one should “Seek the Lord, all you humble of the earth, who carry out what He commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility…” (Zephaniah 2:3). Paul warns about false humility in Colossians 2:18. There is a great benefit in understanding that not all of life is a competition. Live with humility and you may not only find spiritual and emotional balance, but you may find many other blessings as well.

 

#6^th Best Tip:              Learn How to Handle the Fires of Conflict without Getting Burned.

It is inevitable that conflicts will come. However, knowing how to handle those conflicts go a long way in helping one deal with the issues of burnout. While articles could be written about this very thing; the best advice that I received in this course is by being prepared. Prepare for possible problems in advance. Be proactive instead of reactive. Many conflicts can be headed off at the pass by simply preparing in advance for possible problems. What would you do if A happened? What if B took place? Also, understand that you are not going to make everyone happy. There was only one perfect person that ever walked this earth and He found Himself nailed to a cross. In addition, leave the conflict where the conflict occurred. Don’t take it home with you. In this case, the preacher may be preaching more at himself than anyone else. Nonetheless, it is still good advice.

 

#5^th Best Tip:              Relax and Unwind.

The Bible states that God worked six days and relaxed on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2). Was it that God needed the rest? No. Perhaps God wanted to take time to look to see what He had done. Nonetheless, you are not God. You do need the rest. I think this is the whole principle behind having a Sabbath day. A Sabbath day not only serves to provide one time for worship, but it also allows one to have time to unwind and to relax. Our family has recently started a Family Fun Night in which we play card games or board games. It’s amazing how a simple game of Uno® will allow one a chance to unwind and relax. For examples of Jesus unwinding, see the number one tip provided in this article.

 

#4^th Best Tip:              Learn that Everyone is a Problem Person to Someone…Even You.

It is unavoidable: some people are going to drive you nuts!!! Different people have differing temperaments. These temperaments have been called a variety of names. Wilson and Hoffman are creative in their approach. They have called these temperaments the following:

“Powerful Hammer:

Themes: ‘Let’s do it my way!’ ‘Let’s move, shake and make it happen!’ ‘Let’s get it done now!’

Can be ‘spotted in a crowd’ by their restlessness; quick grab for control; fast-moving and high-energy approach.

Versatile Swiss Army Knife:

Themes: ‘Let’s do it the fun way’; ‘Lighten up, don’t take things so hard!’ ‘Don’t worry, we can just wing it!’

Can be ‘spotted in a crowd’ by constant chatter; animated and colorful expressions; enthusiasm; ability to mix easily; networking with others.

Adaptable Duct Tape:

Themes: ‘Let’s do it the easy way!’; ‘Don’t make waves!’; ‘Let’s take the path of least resistance!’; ‘Excuse me, can I say something now?’; ‘I don’t know what you want me to do?’

Can be ‘spotted in a crowd’ by their calm, modest and accommodating posture; maintaining a low profile by ‘blending’ into the social situation.

Precision Tape Measure:

Themes: ‘Let’s do it the right way!’; ‘But what about _____?’; ‘The job isn’t complete until the paperwork is done!’

Can be ‘spotted in a crowd’ by their sensitive nature; serious conversations; well-mannered approach to others; well-groomed appearance (with some exceptions)” (Wilson & Hoffman 2007, 193-195).

 

Here’s the point. If you are a Hammer, you will be frustrated by the Duct Tape because they won’t speed up. If you are the Army Knife, you will be frustrated by the Tape Measure because everything has to be precise, or perhaps they think things through to death. If you are a Duct Tape, you will be frustrated by the pushy nature of the Hammer and wonder do they ever slow down? If you are the Tape Measure, you will be frustrated by the Army Knife wondering if they will ever shut-up!!! Everyone has someone that drives them crazy. But you probably drive someone crazy too. Jesus told us that we were to love one another as He loved us (John 13:34-35)…this includes those that drive us crazy. Looking at people from Jesus’ lens will transform the way we look at those problem people.

#3^rd Best Tip:              Accept the Fact that You Cannot Change Everyone.

Understand that there are just some things that you cannot change. God has granted people with a level of human will. God demonstrates His own frustration in Ezekiel when God says, “‘Do I take pleasure in the death of the wicked?’ This is the declaration of the Lord God. ‘Instead, don’t I take pleasure when he turns from his ways and lives'” (Ezekiel 18:23)? Some people will not change regardless of what you may do. The best you can do is to love them, tell them about the salvation found in Jesus Christ, and allow the Holy Spirit to work in their lives. In the end, only God knows whether that person will repent or not. Understanding that you are not responsible for the outcome, only the proclamation makes evangelism much easier.

 

#2^nd Best Tip:              Make the “Main Things” the Main Things in Life.

The next best tip that could be offered is to allow the “main things” to be the main things. Several things could be said. If you are a concerned Christian, you are probably overwhelmed at the amount of problems facing our culture and our children’s future. That is why we must strive to protect our freedoms and our faith; for our children’s sake. It is overwhelming when one observes the mass problems facing our culture: moral collapse, rising persecutions, the deterioration of the family, and so on. In the end, we must learn to trust God. Change those things which you can change. Focus on those things in which you can make a difference. Grow and blossom where God has planted you. Leave the rest to God. Understand that God has not called you to be a Superman or a Superwoman. God has called you to fulfill the calling that God has placed in your life. Let the main things be the main things…trust in His work in those things…and leave the rest to God’s providential care.

 

#1 Tip:                                    Protect and Maintain A Strong Devotional Life: Prayer in Solitude.

The number one tip is number one for a reason. Everyone needs time with God. Jesus, the Son of God, needed time alone with His Father. Mark writes that “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, (Jesus) got up, went out, and made His way to a deserted place. And He was praying there” (Mark 1:35). We must protect our time with God. This may require a mode of fasting, too. By fasting, I do not necessarily mean that one should go without food. I simply mean that one should leave one’s phone in the other room. Do not get on Facebook. Do not allow any distractions during this time. Focus completely upon God and upon His Word. My wife has told me that she can tell when I spend an adequate amount of time with God from those times when I do not. When I spend an adequate amount of time with God, I am more rested, peaceful, and content. We live in a hurried time. Maybe the best advice of all is that we need to slow down and take time with the One who is responsible for anything to exist in the first place. Wilson and Hoffman say it best as they write that “We must maintain strong boundaries around our inner life, for as soon as we relax them we may be attacked by an enemy who sees us as the gateway to hundreds if not thousands of souls” (Wilson & Hoffman 2007, 167). For spiritual and emotional peace, call up the Prince of Peace. His number is toll-free and is available 24/7.

 

Conclusion

I have had some health issues as of late. Some of these issues were based upon some anxieties and problems that I was carrying and had never let go. While I cannot say that I am completely over these issues as it takes time, I can say that by applying these principles I have found a greater sense of peace and contentment in my life. I know that God has called me to continue my education. I don’t mean to promote Liberty University as Liberty is one of many fantastic Christian universities. However, I will say that God has placed me in classes that I needed at the times I needed them the most. LEAD 625 “Preventing Ministry Failure” may be seen as a course requirement for some. For me, I think God used this class as a means to save me from burnout. That is why I pass along the principles that I have learned on to you. Many of the health issues we have come from our mishandling of stress. But, it does not have to be that way. Trust God. Love others. Stand for truth. Provide for your family. God will handle the rest.

 

Bibliography

 All Scripture, unless otherwise noted, comes from the Holman Christian Standard Bible. Nashville: Holman, 2009.

 Dickson, John. Humilitas: A Lost Key to Life, Love, and Leadership. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2011.

Wilson, Michael Todd and Brad Hoffman. Preventing Ministry Failure. Downers Grove: IVP, 2007.

 

 

© Pastor Brian Chilton. 2014.

Are You a “Gotcha” Christian?

A godly man on Facebook recently posted a comment on what he called “Gotcha” Christians. “Gotcha” Christians are Christians who are quick to judge another who has fallen into a sin. The term comes from the game “Gotcha” where, as the tagline states, one “catches their friends before they catch the person.” Gotcha Christians do the same. They are quick to condemn another, perhaps because they fear that someone else may condemn them. These Christians can at times be callous. Yet, is this truly a display of genuine Christianity? For those who are regular readers of our resources, you know that we stand for genuine Christianity. Genuine Christianity is that which displays the fruit of the Spirit…those characteristics of love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Jesus stood against individuals that held onto a “Gotcha” religion. Jesus slammed the Pharisees on several occasions for this behavior. Jesus, not the tame person that many purport Him to be, said,

“The greatest among you must be a servant. 12 But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
13 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either.
15 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are!
16 “Blind guides! What sorrow awaits you! For you say that it means nothing to swear ‘by God’s Temple,’ but that it is binding to swear ‘by the gold in the Temple.’ 17 Blind fools! Which is more important—the gold or the Temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 And you say that to swear ‘by the altar’ is not binding, but to swear ‘by the gifts on the altar’ is binding. 19 How blind! For which is more important—the gift on the altar or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 When you swear ‘by the altar,’ you are swearing by it and by everything on it. 21 And when you swear ‘by the Temple,’ you are swearing by it and by God, who lives in it. 22 And when you swear ‘by heaven,’ you are swearing by the throne of God and by God, who sits on the throne.
23 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. 24 Blind guides! You strain your water so you won’t accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel!
25 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! 26 You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too.
27 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. 28 Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you build tombs for the prophets your ancestors killed, and you decorate the monuments of the godly people your ancestors destroyed. 30 Then you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would never have joined them in killing the prophets'” (Matthew 23:11-29).

Wow! That was straight to the point, huh? From Jesus’ teaching, we can find at least five characteristics of “Gotcha” Christians:

      1.     “Gotcha” Christians are Quick to Judge, but Slow to Self-Evaluate.

Jesus accused the Pharisees of “straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel.” In other words, He was saying that in their attempts to filter out sin from their lives, they actually engaged in egregious sins…sins against humanity. The Pharisees were quick to judge another for one’s sin, but they did not evaluate their own lives.

Much to the same degree, “Gotcha” Christians will see all the bad things in someone else while being just as guilty of those things themselves. For instance, I heard about an instance where a woman who had been divorced four times tried to give marital advice to a newlywed. I am sure the woman had some great points to offer, but she acted as if she was an expert on marriage. The point is that you will ultimately be responsible for your own actions. You will not be responsible for what I do just as I will not be responsible for what you do. Each person is responsible for his/her own actions. So, why should a person concern oneself over the flaws of another when the observer should be concerned for their own personal sins? That is not to say that one should not seek to offer help to another struggling in a particular sin. However, such an occasion calls for humility and love instead of hostility and loathing.

     2.     “Gotcha” Christians Focus on Symptoms instead of the Solution.

Jesus showed in verse 13 that the Pharisees that He was confronting were not going to enter the kingdom of God. They were so focused on particular sins instead of the solution to those sins. For instance, suppose you have a sore throat, the sniffles, running a fever, and are coughing and sneezing. Would you simply consider treating each particular symptom or would you treat the problem? Would you consider blowing your nose a solution to the problem? Of course not. For the runny nose is not the problem, the problem is that you have the flu. Therefore, you will have to fight the sickness to cure the symptoms. Likewise, Christians can focus on individual symptoms like: extramarital sexual relations, gossiping, and the like. Or, Christians can focus on the solution: salvation through Christ Jesus. Please understand that I am not saying that we should not acknowledge and diagnose the characteristics of sin. It is important for people to know what the Bible teaches about sin. However, if the symptoms overtake the solution, the disease will never get better. “Gotcha” Christians will normally hammer down on one sin without proclaiming the solution found in Jesus Christ.

 3.     “Gotcha” Christians Teach Legalism instead of Holiness.

Dr. Ergun Caner has become a controversial figure apparently over the details of his early involvement in Islam. However, Dr. Caner has some great things to say, nonetheless. In a video, Dr. Caner described the difference between “holiness” and “legalism.” Caner said, “Those who promote holiness want you to be like Jesus. Those who promote legalism want you to be like themselves” (Ergun Caner, Video, Liberty University). That is so true. Jesus seems to promote the same idea. Jesus showed that the Pharisees focused on small issues while demoting large areas of concern such as justice, mercy, and faith. Many churches have become “Gotcha” institutions. In these churches, a particular culture is promoted over Christ. For some, a particular style of music is held sacred over another. But according to Psalm 150, the believer should praise God with all kinds of instruments. Hence, Caner’s point remains, “Those who promote holiness want you to be like Jesus where those who promote legalism want you to be like themselves.”

     4.     “Gotcha” Christians Focus on Appearance instead of Integrity.

Have you ever meet a person that was attractive outwardly, but appeared ugly after you got to know them? Outward appearance only takes one so far. If there is no personality and genuineness, the physical appearance of the person wanes. Jesus showed that many of the Pharisees tried to look righteous outwardly but held no integrity. It seems like many people seek drive the nicest cars, live in the biggest houses, and only attend the fanciest churches. But, is that what God is really looking for? No! Instead God is looking for inner purity, integrity, and a merciful heart. “Gotcha” Christians will go so far as to divide a church over carpet and cleaning supplies, but wouldn’t give two cents over whether the church stands on the authority of God’s word. They will say “Gotcha” to one who does not fit their own perspective of what the church is supposed to be. But, the core question should be, “What does God say the church should be?” After all, it is His institution. As far as outward beauty goes, there is not a suit or dress expensive enough, not a tan dark enough, not a body fit enough, and not enough makeup in the world to cover up the ugliness of bad inner character and moral depravity.

     5.     “Gotcha” Christians Focus on the Praise of People instead of the Person of God.

Have you ever met a person that after talking with them would have you think that they held the world record in the bench press, while also holding the fastest track record, while also winning the Nobel Peace Prize, while also having the world’s highest IQ, and also claimed to invent electricity? Well, maybe that’s a stretch. Yet, for some people, there is no limit to their ego. “Gotcha” Christians are the same. They will seek praise for their spiritual disciplines, praise for their humanitarian efforts, and accolades for their position in society, while not considering what the Sovereign God may think of them. In another passage, Jesus said, ”

“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. 2 When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. 3 But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 4 Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. 5 “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. 6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. 7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him” (Matthew 6:1-8)!

In other words, a person’s faith is not genuine if the whole intent of one’s actions is just to be seen by others. “Gotcha” Christians do things just to be seen by others. At the heart of it all, “Gotcha” Christians seek to be seen as good by others to cover up the pain and distress within. But all the show in the world will never replace an authentic relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

“Gotcha” Christians have their focus all wrong. They focus on judgment, symptoms of sin, legalism, outward appearance, and personal praise instead of the more important issues of repentance, salvation, holiness, inner character, and the person of God. In the end, it must be asked if “Gotcha” Christians are truly Christians at all. Could they only be Christians in name only? Or, could it be that maybe “Gotcha” Christians have received Christ, but have not been discipled properly? Only God knows for sure. We must truly seek Christ and His character. In the end, there are four words that will protect one from becoming a “Gotcha” Christian…BE A GENUINE CHRISTIAN!!!

Seeking to be genuine and not a “Gotcha” Christian,

 

Pastor Brian

All Scripture, unless otherwise noted, comes from Tyndale House Publishers, Holy Bible: New Living Translation, 3rd ed. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2007.

Is God Near When God Feels Distant?

Is God Near When God Feels Distant?.

Is God Near When God Feels Distant?

I regularly listen to Greg Koukl’s Stand to Reason broadcast aired Sunday afternoons on American Family Radio.  The live shows occur on Tuesday afternoons at 4pm Pacific time.  Normally, I listen to the podcasts which are available before the show airs.  This week, an individual that had suffered a great tragedy called the show.  He told the story of how he had lost a loved one during the past two weeks.  The great problem was that he felt that God was so distant during this process.  I must commend Koukl on the great advice given to the individual.

Koukl has stated that he has not felt a great emotional presence of God in his life.  While I can say that I have felt God’s Spirit in a very real way, I too can identify with Koukl and the individual calling in that at times God does seem distant especially during emotionally taxing situations.  There may be reasons why some feel God’s presence strongly and others do not.  Nonetheless, it does not mean that those who have a relationship with God but fail to experience a powerful experience with God are any less of a Christian than those who do.  Some reasons may exist why some have such powerful experiences with God and others do not.  My experiences with God came during a turmoil that resulted from a strong stand for Christ while praying and dwelling in the presence of the Holy Spirit for over an hour.  Some may be more in tune with the spiritual realm than others.  Howard Gardner has posed nine various forms of intelligence which are given in the picture below.  Danah Zohar has suggested that a spiritual form of intelligence be added to the equation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiritual_intelligence).  If this is the case, this would mean that some have a greater spiritual awareness than others.  This could offer some explanations as to why some experience the presence of God deeper than others.  It must be warned that the lack of a “deep relationship” does not equate the lack of a relationship.  Regardless of the ability of spiritual depth that one could potentially possess and regardless of whether such depth is related to a spiritual intelligence, most of us will experience times in our lives when we feel that God is distant.  This article will seek to provide comfort to such individuals by showing great persons of faith that also experienced times when they felt that God seemed distant.  In the end, one will find that God is not as distant as one’s emotions would have one to think.  In fact, it is during those times that God is closer than one could ever imagine.

Job Felt That God was Distant

The Bible tells the story of a man named Job.  Job was a good man.  The Bible tells us, “There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil” (Job 1:1, NLT).  Even though Job was a good man, he lost everything.  He lost his family.  He lost his financial security.  He even lost his health.  He had essentially become a beggar on the streets.  Job kept his faith even when his wife said, “His wife said to him, “Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die” (Job 2:9, NLT).  Even though Job kept his faith, Job seemed to feel that God had abandoned him.  Job even went so far to say, “God has handed me over to sinners.  He has tossed me into the hands of the wicked. I was living quietly until he shattered me” (Job 16:11-12a, NLT).  Job felt abandoned by God.  Yet, God was still with Job.  By the end of the story, God reminds Job of His ability to handle any situation.  God said, “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?  Tell me, if you know so much” (Job 38:4, NLT).  Sometimes a person will seek to accuse God of this and that.  But, God is the One who created the universe from nothing.  God is the One who set the laws of nature in place.  The molecules were formed because of this great God.  Therefore, this God can still do a wonderful work even in the midst of the worst of circumstances.  God had not left Job.  God was about to bless Job for his faithfulness.  In the end, Job received much more than he had before.  The Bible records, “So the LORD blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning. For now he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 teams of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys” (Job 42:2, NLT).  What can we learn from this?  Just because God seems distant doesn’t mean that God is distant.  Stay close to God and in due time, God will make His presence known to you.  Even when God seems distant, God will still bless His faithful children.

David Felt That God was Distant

The Apostle Paul described David as, “But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do’” (Acts 13:22, NLT).  Yet, there were times when David felt that God was distant.  This is especially seen in the songs that David wrote, called psalms.  David wrote, “O LORD, how long will you forget me?  Forever?  How long will you look the other way?  How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day?  How long will my enemy have the upper hand?  Turn and answer me, O LORD my God!  Restore the sparkle to my eyes or I will die” (Psalm 13:1-3, NLT).  If David was as Paul stated, “a man after God’s own heart” and felt that God was distant, why do people today feel as if they are less religious if they go through times of spiritual drought?  David fumbled and bumbled from time to time.  He made mistakes…some major…but God still loved him and used David to fulfill the tasks in which David was called to do.  Even when God seems distant, God still has a task for those whom He has called.

Jesus Felt that God was Distant

The wild truth is: even Jesus felt distant from Father God while on the cross.  Classical Christians understand Jesus to have been the embodiment of God on earth.  Yet, Jesus Himself felt what it was like when a person experiences spiritual drought.  Jesus said from the cross, “‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachtani?‘ which means ‘My God, my God, why have you abandoned me'” (Matthew 27:46b, NLT)?  Granted there are great theological depths with Jesus being identified as God and experiencing the separation of the Father.  Those issues are for another article at another time.  But for the moment, the reader enduring a spiritual distance from God should recognize that God understands.  There were theological reasons for the momentary separation between the Father and Son at Golgotha.  However, one needs not think that when God seems distant that God is not associated with the person.  Even when God seems distant, God still loves you and still cares for you.

Conclusion

Some individuals use anything to make themselves appear to be superior to another.  Spirituality may be one of those areas.  Those who have experienced God in a real way may use those experiences to make those who have not feel less spiritual.  However, the experience originates with God.  If you are going through the storms of life and God feels distant in your life, do not fret.  God is still there if you have entered into a relationship with God.  You will one day feel God as near to you as God actually is.  I offer the following nine steps to help you get there quicker.

Tips to Stay Focused During Times of Divine Distance:

1.      Keep a Regular Prayer Routine.  Keep praying.  Don’t stop.  Just because God seems distant, God is there with you.  Communicate with God.  Don’t lose the line of communication through your spiritual drought.

2.      Keep a Regular Devotional Routine.  Keep reading the Word of God.  In my experience, even when God seems distant, God continues to communicate timeless truths through the regular study of God’s Word.  It may be that through the study of God’s Word that you regain that intimacy that you once felt.

3.      Focus on the Promises of God.  There is a story of an aged man who was facing death.  Blind and rigid, the man told his pastor, “I am troubled because I don’t remember the promises of God.”  The wise pastor said, “Sir, don’t worry.  You may have forgotten, but God hasn’t.”  God will keep the promises that God has made.  Stay focused on those promises.

4.      Keep in Mind What You Know about God.  Remember the truths that God has taught you about Himself.  Focus on the things you know about God instead of the things you don’t know.  You may not know what the future holds, but you will know that God is beyond the scope of space and time.  It may seem like everything is flying out of control, but you will be reminded of the God who holds everything together and gives things order.

5.      Remember the Times that God has Previously Delivered You.  This is where a journal may become handy.  When God does something great for you, record it.  Write it down.  When you go through times of spiritual drought, you might find great encouragement by scrolling back to rediscover the times where God has made a way for you.

6.      Keep Asking for God’s Presence.  Some Christians are under the impression that they can not ask or question God about anything.  This is not what is found in the pages of the Bible.  Many a person of faith has boldly asked God why things were happening as they were (ie. Job, Habakkuk, and David).  Be honest with God.  God already knows everything is going on anyhow.  Ask God for His presence to return as you have once experienced it.  If you have never had such an intimacy with God, ask for it…repeatedly.

7.      Dwell in the Shadow of Spiritual Giants.  Christianity has never been meant to be an individual affair.  Christianity is about relationships…a relationship with God and a relationship with others.  Befriend individuals who maintain a great spiritual disciplines.  Grow with them in the Lord.  Do not think that you must travel this Christian walk alone.

8.      Serve Others.  The reason you may be going through a spiritual drought may be due to the fact that you have suffered some form of loss.  The worst thing you can do is to lock yourself up in your home and never get out.  Join your local congregation.  Help out in some ministry.  Volunteer.  You may find that by helping others that you find the intimacy with God that you desire.

9.      Keep a Thankful Heart.  Finally, do not get caught up in a personal pity party.  Yes, allow yourself to grieve if you have lost a loved one.  But, instead of focusing on what you have lost, focus on what you have…or perhaps had.  If you did lose a loved one and this caused the spiritual drought with God, focus on the years that you had with the loved one.  I understand that this is easier said than done.  However, when one keeps a thankful heart, one might find that one not only finds intimacy with God, but also an optimistic spirit.

Seeking intimacy with God,

Pastor Brian

All Scripture, unless otherwise noted, comes from Tyndale House Publishers, Holy Bible: New Living Translation, 3rd ed. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2007.

What the Evangelical’s Response to Miley Cyrus’ VMA Performance Should Be

I must admit that I do not watch the Video Music Awards.  I never have and, quite frankly, probably never will.  Many, however, do.  One needs not watch the Video Music Awards to know of the controversy surrounding one or more of the performances due to the media and internet outlets.  It seems that every year the Video Music Awards (henceforth called VMAs) produces some ludicrous or audacious event that takes the nation by storm.  One year, the nation was a buzz due to the comments made by Kanye West during Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech.  Another VMA was focused around a controversial kiss between Madonna and Britney Spears.  This year’s controversy is centered around Miley Cyrus’ apparent racy performance.  Many are left wondering, is this the same young woman who portrayed Disney’s “Hannah Montana” character?  From what little I have seen, it seems like this is a far different young woman from the one who portrayed the Disney pop star.

Many Christians will respond with judgment towards Miley Cyrus.  Yes the performance appeared to be crude and illicit.  This was even evidenced by the expressions found on the faces of Will Smith and his family.  However, I suggest that Christians take a different approach in response to Cyrus’ performance.  It is apparent that Cyrus is taking the same pathway preceded her by the likes of Lindsay Lohan,  Anna Nicole Smith, and Britney Spears.  The problem is that this pathway leads to certain destruction.  Some may be able to bounce back, but most do not.  The Christian needs to take the following responses:

Pray For Cyrus’ Repentance

Repentance can be viewed as a heavy word.  Some even see judgmental connotations connected to the word.  However, that need not be the case.  One of the first steps in recovery of alcoholism is the acceptance that one has a problem.  It is the same with anything in life.  The message of the prophets can be seen as harsh and caustic, but it was actually given out of a loving heart.  A person going down a destructive path does not have to continue on the pathway.  As Ezekiel proclaimed, “Son of man, give your people this message: The righteous behavior of righteous people will not save them if they turn to sin, nor will the wicked behavior of wicked people destroy them if they repent and turn from their sins. When I tell righteous people that they will live, but then they sin, expecting their past righteousness to save them, then none of their righteous acts will be remembered. I will destroy them for their sins. And suppose I tell some wicked people that they will surely die, but then they turn from their sins and do what is just and right” (Ezekiel 33:12-14, NLT).  Therefore, the Christian needs to pray that Miley Cyrus’ eyes will be opened to the fact that she is heading down a bad pathway that will lead to the same results of those who have preceded her in traveling down the same road.  My prayer is that Cyrus will change soon for her own well-being and the well-being of her loved ones.

Pray for Cyrus’ Emptiness

One who seeks the approval of others will do anything for that approval.  I think this is what occurred at the VMAs.  Cyrus is under the impression that performing in crude and illicit fashions will bring her the approval of her peers and of the fans.  Her behavior has in fact given her an abundance of attention.  However, at the heart of this mentality is an emptiness.  Terry Muck writes, “The sexually seductive counselee needs help. She can be helped by the counselor who understands that her seductiveness is not just a “sin problem” but evidence of being terribly unsure of herself. She doesn’t feel like a whole woman, and the only way she knows how to relate to men is sexually” (Muck 1989, 169).  It seems that this may be the problem not only of Cyrus, but of Lohan and others.  The problem is that the entertainment industry is sexually-driven to the point that attractive women who struggle with emotional issues are easy prey.  I do not feel that these women are necessarily bad women.  I think that they have been victimized by the combination of internal struggles and external predation.  Unfortunately, no massive amount of wealth thrown at them will fill the emptiness in their lives.  In fact, the wealth only fuels the fires even more.  Only the presence of God will give purpose and meaning to one’s life.  Cyrus, who claims to be a Christian, may only need to be reminded of her purpose in God.  If in fact Cyrus has at one point entered into a relationship with God through Christ, her chances of recovery may be stronger than most.

Pray for Cyrus’ Well-Being

The Christian needs to pray for Cyrus’ well-being.  While living the prodigal lifestyle, one needs to pray that Cyrus does not make too many decisions that she will regret.  More importantly, the Christian needs to pray that she does not do anything that will harm herself in ways that will haunt her for the remainder of her earthly life.  Cyrus is sowing her “wild oats.”  But, we must not lose the compassion for her soul.  As Jesus reminds us, “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:34-35, NLT).  So, let us pray for Cyrus during this difficult time in her life.

Conclusion

It is easy for a person to condemn another, but it is more important to love others.  Love is one of the central themes of the Bible.  Many Christians will see Cyrus’ performance and scoff.  Yes it is true that her performance was unnecessarily scandalous and racy.  But, we must remember that a person’s actions shows a lot about the person’s heart.  Her heart is hurting.  We need to remember that.  In addition, we need to remember that if it were not for the grace of God, we might be involved in the same type of behavior.  Christians should be the most humble people in the world.  Paul writes, “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8, NLT).  In other words, the Christian is set free by the grace of God, not by one’s works.  Remember this fact and you might find that you are less likely to judge another.

Praying for Miley Cyrus’ well-being and others caught in the same trap,

Pastor Brian

Bibliography

All Scripture, unless otherwise noted, comes from Tyndale House Publishers, Holy Bible: New Living Translation, 3rd ed. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2007.

Muck, Terry C.  Sins of the Body: Ministry in a Sexual Society, vol. 19, The Leadership Library. Carol Stream, IL: Christianity Today, 1989.

Switches and Plugs: The Grandeur of Forgiveness and Allowing the Spirit of God to Flow

Switches and Plugs: The Grandeur of Forgiveness and Allowing the Spirit of God to Flow.

Seven Reasons Why Prayer is Important

Seven Reasons Why Prayer is Important.

Seven Reasons Why Prayer is Important

Prayer is one characteristics that is shared among many world religions and philosophies.  In the end, the key difference is the recipient of the prayer.  But what is prayer?  Why is prayer important?  Why do speakers, teachers, and religious leaders emphasize the importance of prayer?  Books have been written on prayer.  Even Jesus gave a model prayer by which we should pray.  Prayer is emphasized because prayer is a very important practice.  Not only can prayer bring spiritual support, prayer can also benefit a person mentally and physically.  In this article, seven reasons will be listed in why prayer is an important practice, beginning with the most obvious reason.

1.     Prayer is Important Because it is Communication with God.

Many religious leaders spoke of prayer, but Jesus not only spoke of prayer, He prayed regularly.  The example of Jesus’ prayer life is seen in Luke, “It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God” (Luke 6:12, NASB).  Jesus was about to select 12 men to be His disciples.  Before He made this decision, He consulted with the Father.  Jesus did so because prayer is communication.

When many couples attend marriage counseling, one of the key areas that is promoted is communication.  How well do the individuals in marriage communicate with one another?  Communication is vital to the Christian, as well.  This is our time with God.  Recent studies have shown that most American pastors only spend about 7 minutes in prayer a day (Dave Earley Video, Liberty University, 2011).  This is not enough.  It can only be assumed that the average congregant spends less time with God.  No wonder we feel as if we do not feel the presence of God.  It is not because God moved.  It is because you did.  Prayer in its purest form is communication with God.  Just as you speak to a parent or a friend, you can communicate with God.  God hears and will respond according to God’s will.  Are you communicating with God the way you should?  There is another reason why prayer is important.

2.     Prayer is Important Because it is the Way to Give Thanks.

Before Jesus fed the 5,000 (more like 20,000 as only the men were counted), Jesus gave thanks.  Matthew, an eyewitness to the event, recorded, “He took the seven loaves and the fish; and giving thanks, He broke them and started giving them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people” (Matthew 15:36, NASB).  Later, John records boats coming from the place where the Lord had given thanks, referring to the place where Jesus performed the miracle.  John writes, “There came other small boats from Tiberias near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks” (John 6:23, NASB).

In our time, one is hard-pressed to find anyone truly thankful for anything.  It seems that individuals are more concentrated on what they do not have rather than what they do have.  There can be found no rest nor contentment for such a person.  However, if we really concentrate on what we have been given, we all have a reason to give God thanks.  Yes life is not perfect.  But, God has given us life.  He has revealed Himself to us through Jesus and the Holy Spirit.  He has given us food to eat, water to drink, clothing for our backs, and a place to call home.  David Platt writes, “If we make $10,000 a year, we are wealthier than 84% of the world, and if we make $50,000 a year, we are wealthier than 99% of the world.” (David Platt, “Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream”, 194).  So, look around you.  You have something for which to be thankful.  Use prayer as a means to express your thankfulness to God.  Just as a person likes to hear thanks for something that one has done, I feel that God appreciates our giving thanks unto Him for the blessings that God has bestowed upon us.  But, there are other areas in which prayer is important.

3.     Prayer is Important Because it is the Way to Intercede.

As prayer is communication, prayer is an important means to intercede for another.  What is intercession?  Intercession means that we speak on behalf of another.  We keep a prayer list at church in which we pray for the needs of others.  I also have a personal prayer list in which I pray on behalf of another.  This is a very biblical practice.  Paul writes to Timothy, “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men” (1 Timothy 2:1, NASB).  Some wonder, “How do you pray for an hour?”  I wondered the same time until I understood how many people need prayer.  Do we pray for our world?  Do we pray for the gospel to be spread?  Do we pray for our nation and our national leaders?  Even if you have an evil leader, you should still pray for him/her.  It may be through intercessory prayers that one is changed.  Do you pray for the sick?  Do you pray for travelers?  Do you pray for your police officers?  Do you pray for medical staffs?  Do you pray for those in the military?  Do you pray for theologians?  Do you pray for your neighbors?  Do you pray for your family?  The list could go on and on and on.  Yet another element of importance is found in prayer.

4.     Prayer is Important Because it is the Way to Give Praise.

The psalmist writes,

Praise the LORD!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty expanse.
2 Praise Him for His mighty deeds;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.

3 Praise Him with trumpet sound; Praise Him with harp and lyre.

4 Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe.

5 Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with resounding cymbals.

              6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD! (Psalm 150, NASB).

Now even though this is a psalm, most, if not all, of the psalms are in fact prayers put to music.  We should praise God.  What is the difference between giving thanks and giving praise?  Giving thanks is thanking God for what He has done.  Giving praise is thanking God for Who He is.  When one understands the greatness, the power, the glory, the love, the compassion, and the grandeur of God, how could one not praise God?  Yet, another importance is found in prayer.

5.     Prayer is Important Because it is the Way to Confess Sin.

The psalmist writes, “O God, it is You who knows my folly, and my wrongs are not hidden from You” (Psalm 69:5, NASB).  God knows our faults and wrongdoings already.  Some would ask, “If God knows all about it, why do we need to confess our sins?”  This is a good question.  Our confession of sins is admission.  Through the admission of our wrongdoing, we are able to ask for forgiveness from God and also to allow God to direct us on how to correct the mistakes.  Confession also brings freedom.  Confession which leads to forgiveness allows one to live life without the burden of past failures.  The confessor can be like the quarterback who messes up on one play, shakes it off, and goes out looking to play better the next time around.  Also, with God, one does not have to worry about one’s faults being blabbered around to others.  God, who is the essence of holiness and perfection, forgives, corrects, and frees.  A sixth importance exists in prayer.

6.     Prayer is Important Because it is the Way to Ask for Help.

Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8, NASB).  Who does one ask?  The person asks God, seeks God, and knocks to have God’s truth opened unto them.  We all need help.  My wife says I need mental help many times…just kidding.  To ask for help, one must lower one’s pride and admit that he or she cannot do something by themselves.  This may be a shock to learn especially in our individualistic society, but you were not meant to live this life alone.  God in His essence is an eternal relationship: Father, Son, and Spirit.  You, therefore, were created for relationships: relationship with God and a relationship with others.  That is why it is laughable to hear people speak of loving God and not desiring to be in church.  Do you really think you can go this without the help of other Christians?  Do you really think that you do not need to be serving God in a capacity at a local church.

Prayer allows one to go to God in asking for help.  God may give help in a variety of means.  We were praying for a newer vehicle because my truck was getting ragged and my wife’s vehicle was becoming undependable.  God opened the doors for us both to get a new vehicle.  We were not planning to do so, but God worked out a way in that we could while only spending out a little more a month than we had for my wife’s previous vehicle.  This is small potatoes in relation to those who are praying for health issues and the like.  But God is still in the miracle business.  God can give you help in your time of need.  Will you recognize your need for God’s help and ask?  Finally, a seventh area of importance exists for prayer.

7.     Prayer is Important Because it is the Way to Receive Salvation.

Paul writes, “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9, NASB).  Although, magic prayers do not exist.  When one recognizes one’s need for God and the salvation that God offers, it is through prayer that salvation comes.  Admittedly, many have promoted the recitation of a prayer and that one can go on living just as one has always done.  This is not the case.  Salvation requires one to turn his/her life over to God, receiving the work that God has and will do in the person’s life, and trusting in and depending on God.  But the means of getting the ball rolling is prayer.  Southern Baptists, the denomination to which I belong, have given a sample prayer in which one can pray.  This is not a magic prayer.  But, it lists the elements that need to be in one’s commitment in order to receive Christ as Savior.  Such a prayer goes like this:

“Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and I do not deserve eternal life. But, I believe You died and rose from the grave to make me a new creation and to prepare me to dwell in your presence forever. Jesus, come into my life, take control of my life, forgive my sins and save me. I am now placing my trust in You alone for my salvation and I accept your free gift of eternal life” (SBC.net).

If one prays and really allows God through Christ to become one’s Lord, it is our belief that you have received salvation from Christ.  This, however, is just the beginning.  If you prayed this prayer, you need to find a Bible-believing church and get involved.  You also need to obtain a copy of God’s Word–the Bible–and begin reading it.  It is recommended that one begins with the Gospel of John and the Gospel of Mark.  Would you receive Christ today?

Conclusion

As we have seen, prayer is extremely important.  It is important for you to spend time with God in prayer every day.  Do not think that 5 minutes a day is enough.  Consider this chart below which was given to me by Pastor David Kiser and comes from ShareLife Ministries in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  All rights reserved.  This chart shows how you can easily pray an hour a day.  The only difficulty is finding a time and sticking with it.  If your relationship with God matters to you, spend more time with God in prayer every day.  It could be one of the most important things you ever do.

Prayer Wheel from SharingLife Ministries, Winston-Salem, NC. All rights reserved.

How to Spend Time in Prayer
I. PRAISE Start your prayer hour by praising the Lord. Praise Him for things
that are on your mind right now. Praise Him for one special thing He has
done in your life in the past week. Praise Him for His goodness to your family.
Psalm 34:1
2. WAITING Spend this time waiting on the Lord. Let Him pull together
reflections for you.Think about the hour before you and the things you want
the Lord to do in your life. Psalm 27: 14
—-~—–~—–.—-~
3. CONFESSION Ask the Holy Spirit to show you anything in your life
which might be displeasing to Him.Ask Him to point out attitudes that are
wrong. as well as specific acts for which you have not yet made a prayer of
confession. Now confess that to the Lord and claim IJohn 1:9 so that you
might be cleansed for the remainder of the hour before you and then pick
up and read the Word. Psalm 51: 1-19
4. READ THE WORD Spend time reading promises of God in the Psalms.
in the prophets and passages on prayer located in the New Testament. Check
your concordance. Psalm I 19:97
5. PETITION This is general request for others. praying through the prayer
list. the prayer cards. or personal prayer interest on behalf of yourself and
others. Hebrews 4: 16
6. INTERCESSION Specific prayer on the behalf of others. Pray specifically
for those requests of which you are aware. Romans 15:30-33
7. PRAYTHEWORD Now take the Scriptures and start praying the
Scriptures as certain sections of Psalm I 19 lend themselves beautifully to
prayer expression. Psalm 119:38-46
a.THANKSGIVING Spend these minutes giving thanks to the Lord for
things in your life. things on behalf of the church. things on behalf of your
family. Philippians 4:6
9. SINGING Take your hymnal and sing a prayer song. sing a praise song.
sing a song regarding soul winning or witnessing. Let it be a time of praise.
Psalm 59:17
10. MEDITATE Ask the Lord to speak back to you and keep a paper and
pen handy. ready to relate the impressions that He makes upon your life.
Psalm 63
I I. LISTEN Spend time merging the things you have read from the Word.
the things you have prayed. the things you have thanked the Lord for. the
things that you have been singing. and see how the Lord brings them all
together to speak to you. ISamuel 3:9-10
12. END WITH PRAISE Praise the Lord for the time you have had to
spend with Him. Praise Him for the impressions that He has given you. Praise
Him for the prayer requests He raised up in you mind. Psalm 145: 1-13 (From SharingLife Ministries)

All Scripture, unless otherwise noted, comes from the New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995).

Copyright June 24, 2013. Brian Chilton.

Hearing from God: Is It Possible to Discern the Voice of God?

Hearing from God: Is It Possible to Discern the Voice of God?.

Hearing from God: Is It Possible to Discern the Voice of God?

Recently, I heard a respectable Christian talk show host claim that it was impossible to hear from God.  He blasted Henry Blackaby’s discipleship program Experiencing God claiming that no one can learn to hear from God.  He also claimed that to say that one could hear from God goes beyond the scope of Scripture.  Is this true?

In my experience as a Christian, I have heard from God on countless occasions and still do.  Without the guidance and direction of God, I would not know how to minister or how to live a life in God’s will.  Furthermore, while I greatly respect the radio host, I fervently disagree with the host on his belief that no biblical evidence exists for the Spirit’s communication to God’s people.  I have found at least five ways that the Spirit of God communicates with His people using biblical texts to present these truths.

God Uses People to Communicate His Will

“So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship, and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. Then the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go up and join this chariot.’  Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”  And he said, “Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him” (Acts 8:27–31, NASB).  God puts His people…the right people…at the right place, at the right moment, and at the right time to communicate powerful truths to us right when we need it.  With the story in Acts, the Ethiopian eunuch was struggling with understanding a passage of Scripture in Isaiah.  Philip had the answer to the eunuch’s question.  So, God sent Philip to the right place at the right time to minister to the eunuch’s need.  Does this not show the great importance in evangelism and missions?

In my life, God has used the works of apologists to answer my doubts and questions about the faith.  At other times when I have felt down and out and praying that God would give me a sign, God sends a person with a word of encouragement that meets my need.  Even during my graduate studies at Liberty University, God has put the right teachers and the right books in my life to show me His will at the right moment.  God does not only communicate with us through godly people, God also uses another method of communication through the person of the Holy Spirit.

God Uses Circumstances to Communicate His Will

Paul writes, “I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.  I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:12-13, NASB, underline mine).  Through the circumstances of life, God communicated the need to bee content in all things.  Also, God uses these circumstances…especially the bad circumstances…to show the need for Paul to be strengthened in and through the power of Christ.  Many feel that God is entitled to only grant His children good things in life.  However, through circumstances (especially difficult circumstances) the Spirit of God communicates valuable truths to us.  As Paul writes, “And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:3-5, NASB).  The Spirit of God pours out truths to us and builds our character through circumstances of life.  If you pray for patience, God will place you through circumstances that will build patience.  If you pray for strength, God will put you through circumstances which will build strength.  If you pray for more faith, God will place you in circumstances where you will be forced to depend upon Him more.  But, God uses a third way of communicating with us through the Holy Spirit.

God Uses Scripture to Communicate His Will

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105, NASB).  The psalmist shows that the Word of God gives us insight in how we should live.  Jesus said to the disciples of the Holy Spirit, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you” (John 14:26, NASB).  God uses Scripture to communicate His will to us.  Understand also that since the Word of God is God’s word, then it is the standard by which we all should gauge all things.  God cannot lie so if you hear a compelling that is leading you away from what the Bible says, then it is not God.  It could be the self.  God has a way of bringing back Scripture to your mind through the Spirit at your time of need.  In my life, the Spirit has brought Scripture to my mind that I had not even memorized.  That is the power of the Holy Spirit.  This also shows our need to study the Word regularly.  There is yet a fourth way the Spirit of God communicates with us.

God Uses the Still Small Voice to Communicate His Will

At least four times in Scripture, we learn about God speaking to individuals through what many call “the still small voice.”  It is written of Elijah, “Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice” (1 Kings 19:11-12, NKJV).   Elijah was expecting God to speak to him in a loud fashion.  Yet the Holy Spirit did not speak by a thunderous earthquake or a powerful tornado, but God spoke through a gentle still small voice.  In Acts, the Spirit spoke to Philip as it is written, “Then the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go up and join this chariot’” (Acts 8:29, NASB).  The Lord had a reason for Philip to meet to Ethiopian eunuch as we mentioned before.  But, the Spirit communicated with that same still small voice.  Jesus even shows that we can depend upon the Spirit to give us words whenever we are accused, or perhaps in evangelism.  “When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit” (Mark 13:11, NASB).  Some will say, “Pastor Brian, the text is referring to the disciples.”  Yes, that is true.  However, should we as disciples of Christ expect anything less today?  I think not.  Another text shows how God speaks to us through that still small voice.  “And I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. I did not tell anyone what my God was putting into my mind to do for Jerusalem and there was no animal with me except the animal on which I was riding” (Nehemiah 2:12, NASB).  Some will claim that Nehemiah knew the Lord’s will after the event.  That opinion is guilty of reading more into the text than is there.  God placed the thought in his mind before the event took place.  How else would he know that it was God who placed the thought in his mind?  The Scripture gives us a fifth way the Holy Spirit communicate to us.

God Uses the Compulsion of the Spirit to Communicate His Will

“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He became hungry.” (Luke 4:1-2, NASB).  Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.  There are times when the Spirit of God compels us in certain directions.  It may be to talk to a person at a certain time.  I heard the testimony of a woman who worked at a hospital who was compelled by the Spirit of God to do an amazing act.  The Spirit of God compelled the woman to ask a long haired man if he would like a haircut.  She was compelled by the Spirit to use this act as a means of evangelism.  She did not know why the Spirit of God wanted her to do this act, but she was obedient nonetheless.  As she cut the man’s hair, the man told her that his wife used to cut his hair for him.  His wife was sick and in the hospital.  He had not had his hair cut in a while due to his wife’s sickness.  He then began to speak of Jesus and how Jesus blessed him in his life.  The woman was really stumped as to why the Spirit wanted her to use this act as a means of evangelism since the man already had a right relationship with Jesus Christ.  However, to her surprise, a co-worker approached the woman after she finished cutting the man’s hair.  The co-worker asked the woman, “Why did you cut his hair?” The woman said, “I did so because of my love for Jesus.”  The co-worker said, “Can you tell me about this Jesus?”

It was through the compelling of the Holy Spirit that I was led to a Bible bookstore and guided to a shelf that had several apologetics books that God used to answer my doubts and questions.  I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was the guidance and compulsion of the Holy Spirit.

Conclusion

Does the Holy Spirit communicate with us?  Absolutely!  That is part of the process of prayer.  Prayer is reciprocal.  It is a dialogue.  We speak to God and God speaks to us.  How could anyone deny the Spirit’s power to communicate truths to us?  The trouble is, many of us get into trouble when we do not listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  This is not only true for apologists, but for all Christians from all walks of life.  We are so busy in our lives that we do not take time to listen to God.  Maybe the reason we are not hearing from God is that we do not really want to listen to God.  We might be frightened by what He shows us…or where He leads us.

Keep the faith,

Pastor Brian Chilton

Postnote: After further listening to the radio host and reading some of the host’s writings, I do not think that he meant to take such a strong stand against “hearing from God.”  Although I do not agree with his attacks on Henry Blackaby, I do think an area of misunderstanding on my part occurred.  But, I would concede that one must ensure that the direction aligns with the Word of God.  Otherwise, it probably is not God that is leading.

Suggestions for Spiritual Resolutions for 2013 (Part 1)

Since we made it through 2012, much to the chagrin of the Mayans, we look towards the beginning of a new year.  It is difficult to believe that it will be 2013.  I remember my grandmother telling me, “Son, time will really seem to fly by once you receive your driver’s license.”  She was not joking.  It does seem that time flies quicker the older I get.

As Christmas is now over, many will seek to make resolutions for 2013.  A resolution is a promise to do something the next year.  Before we look to the resolutions for next year, perhaps we need to examine the resolutions that we have made for 2012.  Did we do the things that we sought to do this time last year?

Most resolutions deal with weight loss, financial security, furthering one’s education, or perhaps receiving that much needed promotion.  While there is nothing wrong with making the afore mentioned resolutions, how many of us seek to make spiritual resolutions for the year ahead?  For me, I too need to lose weight and seek financial security.  God has blessed me to begin on my Master of Divinity degree in Theological Studies at Liberty University.  This has been a life long dream, especially since entering the ministry.  So, I will be making those physical resolutions.  But, what of the spiritual resolutions?  How would we go about making spiritual resolutions?  In this post, I would like to make some suggestions for spiritual resolutions that you could make.  I would like to offer seven possible spiritual resolutions to make for the upcoming new year.

1.     A Stronger Prayer Life

How long would any relationship last if there was no communication?  I thoroughly enjoy listening to Greg Koukl.  He has a great show that comes on Sunday afternoons called “Stand to Reason.”  He offers good sound advice.  However, I occasionally find that I have strong disagreements with some of his beliefs.  For one, he is a strong Calvinist, whereas I am more in line with Remonstrant or Arminian theology.  For another, he stated on the Sunday, December 23rd show that he did not feel that God communicated with a person everyday.  While I understand what he was saying, I find that I disagree with him.  He claimed that you do not find this in Scripture.  However, I feel that is not the case.  I am reminded of what Paul stated when he said, “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17, NKJV).  Prayer is not one-dimensional.  It is conversational.  So, a strong prayer life is essential for a strong relationship with God.  

By the way, even though I do have disagreements with Koukl on some issues, he is a great, steadfast theologian overall and I highly recommend his show and his ministry.

Prayer is also very healthy.  Studies have shown that meditation and prayer are vitally important for health and wellness.  Everyone is overwhelmed with technology and media.  This may seem hypocritical since this is a media outlet using technology to get the word out.  Nonetheless, a strong prayer life gives us the break we need from the world.  I feel that we can find ourselves in the very presence of God if we allow ourselves to get away and spend time with God in prayer.  If Jesus needed time to get away with His Father in prayer, how much more do we need to do so?  A Saturday get away or a prayer retreat may do well.  Also, check out Gary Hansen’s book “Kneeling with Giants” for more tips on how to pray.

2.     Spend More Time in the Word

Biblical knowledge is at an all-time low.  Many do not know Moses from David or Peter from Samson.  This is especially evident when you read the comments from the New Atheists or anyone who is antagonistic to the faith.  You begin to see real quickly that there is a great lack of biblical understanding.  Many blogs and websites present verses from the Bible in such a way that the truth is warped or in such a way that the content is taken out of context.  Unfortunately, the same is true for those who are in the church.  The health and wellness gospel, a modern doctrine that posits that one’s financial and health status is in direct association to one’s faith, is just one example of a distortion of truth.

It is critical for the Christian to have a good, core knowledge of Scripture.  The days of the uneducated pastor and uneducated Christian are over.  Many claim that the pastor does not need an education.  Just depend on the Holy Spirit.  I think there is one thing being promoted in that philosophy and it is not faith; it is laziness.  “The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil” (Proverbs 15:28, NKJV).  False doctrines have sunk into the depths of the church and many have lost confidence in evangelical Christianity because many church leaders have been ill-prepared to defend the case for Christianity and to preserve truth.

It may surprise some, but I would not suggest a one-year Bible reading.  Many attempt to read through the Bible in one year, but most fail because they get bogged down in Numbers, especially around the “begots.”  I would suggest a Bible reading plan that evenly distributes the Old Testament with the New Testament.  One of the greatest Bible readings that I have found is in the “Book of Common Prayer.”  You can pick up a copy from Amazon.com or look it up online.  The plan is called “The Daily Office.”  The Daily Office gives a daily reading in one of the Psalms, a reading from the Old Testament, a reading from New Testament, and a reading from the Gospels.  This gives a great balance.  I always look forward to the next day’s reading.  Go to www.missionstclare.com for a monthly listing of the Daily Office.  Even though the Episcopal Church puts out the Daily Office, Christians from all denominations can appreciate the Bible readings.

3.     Build Stronger Relationships

Christ’s two great commandments are based upon two common denominators–love and relationships.

“Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?”  29 Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. 30 And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:28–31, NKJV).

Notice that “love” is the core word used in both commands.  The English term “love” has four Greek words associated with it.  There is the word “eros” which indicates a sensual, or erotic, form of love.  There is the term “storge'” which refers to a family form of love.  The word “phileo” refers to “brotherly love.”  But, in both commands, the highest form of the word “love” is used.  The word “ἀγαπάω” (agape’) is used by Jesus to refer to the type of love that He expects us to use towards God and towards one another.  “ἀγαπάω” represents “unconditional love.”  It is a love of choice and not a love of emotion.

Suppose for a moment that everyone who claimed to be a Christian showed the love commanded by Jesus.  Suppose everyone loved God in 2013 with all their heart unconditionally.  What would happen?  Suppose that we loved God with all our mind and allowed God to direct our paths.  What would happen?  God is love.  Can you imagine if the true love of God filled every heart?

Now, let’s take this mental exercise in a different direction.  Suppose for a moment that every person who claimed to be a Christian showed unconditional love for their fellow-man.  What would happen?  Would the poor go without food?  Would the homeless be without shelter?  Would we spend our time pointing fingers or more time sharing the gospel?  Would we spend our time criticizing the illness or finding a cure?  What would our society look like if everyone just kept the two great commandments?  I think this is a resolution that we all should strive to keep.

These are the first three spiritual resolutions that I am suggesting for all to make.  Stay tuned because I will four more suggestions for spiritual resolutions to make for the New Year.

God bless and we’ll see you on the next post,

Pastor Brian Chilton