{"id":260,"date":"2019-08-10T08:57:16","date_gmt":"2019-08-10T13:57:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.arttoalston.com\/?page_id=260"},"modified":"2019-08-10T09:02:14","modified_gmt":"2019-08-10T14:02:14","slug":"pray-and-live-as-never-before","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.arttoalston.com\/?page_id=260","title":{"rendered":"Pray – And Live – As Never Before"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Pray – And Live – As Never Before<\/em><\/strong> explores \u2013 and celebrates \u2013 Scripture as a vibrant dimension of prayer and Spirit-filled living. As our shared heart language with God, Scripture abounds with supernatural transformation by the Holy Spirit toward Christ-likeness. Even a single verse when memorized, internalized, re-memorized, and repeated to God through times of meditation can transform our hearts and minds. As long as we\u2019re going to pray, why not pray \u2013 and live \u2013 as never before?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Introduction<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

            \u201cReally?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            By this\none-word question, people seek to find out whether the seemingly unbelievable\nactually is believable, whether a sense of peace and purpose can be found in a\nworld of upheaval, sorrow, and aimlessness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            This book,\nin attempting to describe a divine reality, welcomes that question in a world\nof tumult and anguish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            The\nreality: There is a supernatural God who imparts a supernatural faith that\ntransforms people\u2019s lives and enables them to pray as never before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \u201cReally?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Yes, really. It is truly possible for everyday individuals \u2013 amid their joys, their uncertainties and fears, or their seasons of normalcy \u2013 to pray as never before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            No human\nattempt can capture the entirety of this reality. It\u2019s as if I am looking at a\nmajestic snow-capped mountain through a pair of binoculars and then invite you\nto take a look, even as gusts of arctic wind swirl around us. Perhaps I have\nseen it many times, while this is your first or second time. Perhaps, however,\nyou have seen other mountains that are even more majestic in even more\nchallenging terrain. And perhaps a mountain climber then comes along who has\nmade it to the summit and to many more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Although we\nare looking at the same mountain with the same pair of binoculars under harsh\nweather conditions, our experiences with mountains and the words we use to\ndescribe them are distinctly ours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Just as our\nhuman conversations differ from person to person and situation to situation, so\ndo our divine interactions \u2013 except that they are far more intimate. If we have\nbegun to know God, these interactions reach deeply into our inner being and\nnourish our soul. If we do not know him, they are hollow and eerie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            In the\nfirst part of this book, Chapters 1-12, the attempt will be made to describe\nthis supernatural God who invites us to believe in him and to meet with him in\nprayer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Then, in\nChapters 13-31, there will be an exploration of meditation \u2013 Bible-based\nmeditation \u2013 as a key dynamic in supernatural prayer and its transformation of\nour lives. God\u2019s wisdom and counsel as spoken in Scripture can help us pray as\nnever before through times of struggle with depression, worry, or anger. And\nthis supernatural infusion of God\u2019s heart into our hearts via prayer can make\nus more gracious to those around us in our attitudes, speech, and actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            The final part\nof the book, Chapters 32-44, will reflect on how our times of praying as never\nbefore likely will stir us to pray more for others, to be more welcoming of\nopportunities for acts of compassion and kindness, and to join in fellowship\nwith other believers with a heightened sense of divine purpose in our\ncommunities and even throughout the world. And we shall consider how this life\nof prayer will usher us through the final breaths we draw on earth before\nentering heaven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \u201cReally?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Yes, really\n\u2013 to the best of my ability, I will look to God for his guidance and help in\ncommunicating this wondrous faith to all who read this book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

**********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yearning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

            I remember\nthe despair I felt as a teenager and then as a young adult when I was alone and\nhad no relationship with God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            My soul\nseemed so empty. True faith seemed impossible. Prayer was futile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Almost\nnightly, it seemed, I hoped for a spark faith as I endured the moments before\nfalling asleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            I dutifully\nwent to church, recited the prayers and creeds, listened to the minister\u2019s\nwords, and after each service returned to the vacant routines of my life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            I remember\na clergyman once asking me, \u201cWho is Jesus Christ to you?\u201d With agony I replied,\n\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d We were alone in his office; he said no more; and I didn\u2019t\nunderstand why. But I wasn\u2019t courageous enough to humbly request his counsel\nfor how I might meet God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            I walked by\na place where a group of vibrant believers was meeting; I knew they had\ngathered to learn more about the Bible\u2019s teachings and to pray for each other.\nOtherwise, I didn\u2019t have a clue to specifically what they were doing, although\nI instinctively knew it was something redemptive. Even so, I didn\u2019t dare to\nenter in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Whenever I\nwas near a genuine, joyous Christian, although I knew nothing about the\nparticulars of the person\u2019s faith, I remember feeling that he or she was among\nthe most fortunate people on earth. Even if heartbreak or calamity were to come\ntheir way, I sensed that they would survive it far better than I would.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            I went to a\nreligious retreat where goodhearted people urged me to just believe. But I\ncouldn\u2019t. I didn\u2019t know how to believe so confidently. If I had any faith at\nall in my lost soul, it seemed like a tiny grain of sand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            I had a friend\nwho gave God a deadline of midnight to manifest himself. For whatever reason,\nGod let the deadline pass without taking action. My friend ended his search for\nGod the next morning. I respected his decision, but I had set no deadline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Somehow, I\ninnately knew that true faith would be a precious blessing if, someday,\nsomehow, I could find it or, better, if God himself would birth it in my heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            God\u2019s rescue<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

            Many of us\nhave been\u2013 stuck, needing a rescue from our struggles toward meager faith and\nour seemingly hopeless separation from God. We have cried out toward the\nheavens, unable to lift our spirits to him. Amid a godless despair, some people\nhave allowed anger to shape their lives. Some have drifted into pervasive\nsadness or desensitized apathy. Any flicker of faith has seemed so distant in\nthe depths of our hurting souls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Even meager\nfaith, however, has wondrous potential. Meager faith is like a seed that can\ngive rise to a marvelous flower or a stately tree. Almost imperceptibly within\nyour soul, it can sprout, take root, and begin lifting its tiny greenery toward\nthe sky. As you wait for your Creator to carry you to a joyous rescue in his\ntiming and wisdom, realize that \u201cwithout faith it is impossible to please God,\u201d\nthe Bible says in the New Testament Book of Hebrews, chapter 11, verse 6,\n\u201cbecause anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he\nrewards those who earnestly seek him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Simple\nfaith is the starting point for yearning to know God and for learning how to\npray as never before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

*********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rethinking<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

            Maybe you\nhave believed in God all your life, but a ho-hum attitude now characterizes\nyour times of prayer. You pray because, well, you\u2019re supposed to, but there is\nno expectation that it will change your life. You have no doubt of the\nimportance of faith because, well, it seems important, but its vibrancy is a\nfar cry from what you once believed it would be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Or you may\nassess your life as pretty satisfactory, with such words as, \u201cI pray as need\nbe, I go to church when I can, and I\u2019ve managed to survive whatever\ndifficulties have come my way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Maybe you\nare in the midst of a crisis and have pled to God for help in finances,\nrelationships, or morality. But you don\u2019t know if he will become involved in\nyour dire circumstances or if you\u2019ll have to persevere on your own. Or maybe,\namid a crisis in the past, you cried out to God. Now, months or years later\nwhen normalcy has returned to your life, perhaps you have continued asking for\nhis help in lesser matters. Or maybe you have returned to a life of\nself-sufficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            A truly\nsatisfying faith can be elusive. A person may hope for a faith beyond the\nmundane, and even dutifully record years of churchgoing, have numerous visits\nwith religious advisers, read page after page of religious writings, and make\ncountless pleas in prayer, to no soul-satisfying avail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            The agonies\nof a struggle for faith, as I have experienced them, can range from an inward\ngnawing to an emotional churning, from helplessness to an unrelenting,\ncavernous emptiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            A seeker\nalso may face a surge of mental exhaustion when he or she finally grasps that\nthe human mind, despite all its glories, is incapable by itself of venturing\ninto the spiritual realm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            A divine gift<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

            Wherever\nyou are spiritually, whatever your prayer life may be, think for a few moments\nabout the many fruits of faith described in the familiar words of the 23rd<\/sup>\nPsalm. The psalm tells of a believer\u2019s needs being met. It declares a\ncontentment that fills one\u2019s soul by following God\u2019s guidance. It gives vision\nfor a life rightly lived. The psalm holds forth the courage to face fear,\ndeath, and evil. It gives assurance of God\u2019s blessing in our earthly lives and\nour presence with him in eternal life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            The\npsalmist, King David, declared:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            He makes me\nlie down in green pastures,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            he leads me\nbeside quiet waters,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            he restores\nmy soul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            He guides\nme in the paths of righteousness<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            for his\nname\u2019s sake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Even though\nI walk<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            through the\nvalley of the shadow of death,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            I will fear\nno evil,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            for you are\nwith me;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            your rod\nand your staff, they comfort me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            You prepare\na table before me<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            in the\npresence of my enemies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            You anoint\nmy head with oil;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            my cup\noverflows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Surely\ngoodness and love will follow me<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            all the\ndays of my life,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Such a life\nis so dreamy that, if it is real, it can only be a divine gift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            And there\nis a clear possibility that such a gift \u2013 because it is in the Bible \u2013 indeed\ncan be a real human experience. Untold millions on every continent have been\ntransformed by God through what he has spoken in Scripture. Even in \u201cthe valley\nof the shadow of death,\u201d in tumultuous times, or in hardship, they have been\nsustained by a supernatural gifting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Only you\nknow if some serious rethinking is in order: Do you want, or need, such a gift?\nWhatever your answer, remember that a gift is simply this: something more than\nyou had before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            This is a\ngift that adds a new dimension, a new depth to every facet of life. It begins\nwith the first moments we receive it and then, over time, increasingly shapes,\nsustains, enlivens, and sanctifies our lives through prayer and companionship\nwith God here on earth and throughout eternity in heaven. Day by day and year\nby year in various ways, it yields an increasingly abundant harvest of blessing\nwithin our souls, in our relationships, and in our communion with God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            One of the\nchurches in your vicinity certainly may prove to be helpful in this journey.\nChurches, however, are far more than buildings with auditoriums, far more than\norganizations with budgets. In the divine order, they are communities of\nbelievers who should function as one of the primary channels of God\u2019s activity\non earth, the \u201cbody of Christ\u201d as they are described in Scripture. Churches are\nan important setting for building relationships in an ever-more-impersonal\nworld, for communicating the gospel to seekers, for imparting the teachings of\nScripture from generation to generation, for family activities, for ministry to\nthe needy, and as an advocate for cultural health that can only be attained by\ngodly ethics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Even so,\nchurches are not the source of faith, nor the birthing ground for a faith\nenlivened by prayer. The source of faith is God himself; the birthing ground is\nthe human heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

**********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Embracing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

            This divine\ngift \u2013 a daily relationship with the living God \u2013 stirs believers to \u201cpray as\nnever before.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Prayer may\nbe a simple word in our vast vocabulary, but it is a paramount word woven\nthroughout Scripture. Moreover, it is one of the foundational elements of\nChristian faith:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \u2013 One foundational\nreality \u2013 a supernatural God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \u2013 One foundational\nperson \u2013 Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \u2013 One foundational\ndynamic \u2013 the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \u2013 One foundational\nrevelation for insight, guidance, and study \u2013 the Bible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \u2013 One foundational\npractice \u2013 prayer, our day-in, day-out connection with God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \u2013 One foundational\nattitude \u2013 love toward people in our spheres of influence as well as the\nuttermost parts of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \u2013 One foundational\ncommunity \u2013 the church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \u2013 One foundational\npurpose \u2013 to glorify God by living out our faith in word and deed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \u2013 One foundational\nresult \u2013 a joyous relationship with God in this world and the next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \u2013 One foundational\nchallenge \u2013 overcoming self-centeredness fueled by sin, Satan, and the lures of\nthe material world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Prayer is a\nword that places a fundamental choice before each person: embracing a\nsupernatural faith or rejecting it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            It is the\nprimary word used in Scripture for how we enter God\u2019s supernatural realm to\nreceive the fruit of the Holy Spirit \u2013 \u201clove, joy, peace, patience, kindness,\ngoodness, gentleness and self-control,\u201d as set forth in Galatians, chapter 5,\nverses 22-23.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Panorama of prayer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

            As the\nmeans of entering God\u2019s supernatural realm \u2013 whether amid the daily routines of\nlife, its varied pleasures, or its unsettling uncertainties \u2013 prayer is\nmomentous and marvelous. Although it takes place within our restless, sin-prone\nsouls, prayer enlivens a range of human-divine experiences, such as an\never-deepening friendship with Jesus. It includes the effort to internalize the\nBible\u2019s teachings as a way of seeking God\u2019s steady transformation of our lives\nthrough the Holy Spirit. And prayer certainly encompasses our petitions to God\nfor his involvement in the lives of our loved ones and friends \u2013 and countless\nmillions worldwide who, amid the agonies of poverty, disease, and\/or\noppression, need divine comfort and an eternal faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            In a\nsomewhat interchangeable fashion here, the following words and phrases can be\nused for the idea of praying as never before:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \u2013 The Bible\u2019s\nexhortation to \u201cpray without ceasing,\u201d<\/em> as 1 Thessalonians 5:17 is\nphrased in the King James Version, encompassing the reality of a day-by-day interactive\nrelationship with God \u2013 at times, even a minute-by-minute or second-by-second\ncloseness to God in prayer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \u2013 Meditation, contemplation<\/em>,\nor contemplative prayer, <\/em>words that\nmay seem perplexing to many Christians these days but which in a general sense\nhave been used for centuries to describe intimate moments with God. Some\nreligious traditions have attached various rituals or practices to these words,\nbut the core idea of drawing closer to God remains the noblest of human\naspirations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \u2013 Spending time with God<\/em>, a\nphrase often used within today\u2019s church for prayer, Bible study, Scripture\nmemorization, reflection, and responding to God\u2019s call to \u201cBe still, and know\nthat I am God,\u201d in Psalm 46:10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

             \u2013 Yearning for more of God<\/em>, reflecting the\nidea of our inner spirit turning to God, hungering and thirsting for even a\nmoment of communion with him, embracing Jesus\u2019 call to seek first God\u2019s\nkingdom, <\/em>as recounted in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 6, verse 33.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Another\nglimpse of the dynamic of prayer is in the apostle Paul\u2019s letter to the\nEphesian church, chapter 3, verses 16-19. The apostle\u2019s prayer draws upon God\u2019s\nglorious riches. An inner strength flows from these riches, as does the ability\nto welcome Christ into our hearts through faith. Along with devout believers\nthroughout the ages, we can have an ever-increasing experience in the vastness\nof the love of Christ, which culminates, as Paul puts it, in being \u201cfilled to\nthe measure of all the fullness of God.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \u201cI pray\nthat out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his\nSpirit in your inner being,\u201d Paul writes, \u201cso that Christ may dwell in your\nhearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in\nlove, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long\nand high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses\nknowledge \u2013 that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

**********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anticipating<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

            Reason and\nlogic are two words not normally associated with prayer. But when we pray, it\nis reasonable and logical to pray with divine expectancy in harmony with what\nGod has revealed in Scripture, indeed to pray as never before. Faith in Jesus\nabounds with opportunity. Imagine, for example, receiving a free trip to\nanywhere in the world; imagine the experiences that could unfold at your chosen\ndestination, the people you might meet, the sights and sounds, the lifelong\nmemories. Similarly, faith is an awesome adventure. Even in your day-in,\nday-out world, Jesus guides and accompanies you to heavenly vistas of prayer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            The New\nTestament book of 2 Corinthians, chapter 5, verse 17, shines forth with the\napostle Paul\u2019s declaration that \u201cif anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;\nthe old has gone, the new has come!\u201d This newness extends far beyond a person\u2019s\nfirst moments of trusting Christ. As the psalmist declares, \u201cThis is the day\nthe Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it\u201d (Psalm 118:24).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Thus, each\nday is new in God\u2019s hands (although some days seem more momentous than others\nfrom our earthly vantage point).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            And each\ntime we look to God is an opportunity to pray as never before (although some of\nour petitions are much the same day after day).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            When you\nare praying as never before, you may be amazed to find that your quality of\nlife has improved significantly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            You may\nfind yourself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            — more\nwell-rested, even if times of prayer replace a half-hour or more of your sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            — more\ninvigorated; you feel a gentle but unmistakable empowering by God and are more\nproductive even as you are spending more moments in prayer throughout the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            — more\nprepared for whatever crisis or agony may spring forth today or in the days\nahead, even thankful that you are not excused from the human experiences of\nupheaval and pain. You understand and surrender to God\u2019s intention to redeem\nour sufferings, to strengthen our spiritual character and deepen our empathy\nand love for others in personal crisis or physical agony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            — often\nable to take a deep breath while praying and find it immensely satisfying. You\nmay yawn at times and you may fall asleep, all in the milieu of resting in\nGod\u2019s arms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            — emotionally\nprepared even to die whenever your time may come. Your communion with God may\nbecome so intimate that you ask yourself in quiet amazement, Is this a glimpse\nof what the hereafter will be like?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            All this\noccurs, it should be noted, without the use of illicit drugs or intoxicating\ndrink, without the latest in modern technology. Nor is any money required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            It\u2019s fully\nnatural. Just you and God. Just your openness to anticipating and enjoying a\nsupernatural lifestyle with the Creator of the universe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            And there\u2019s more<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

            Praying as\nnever before also can result in:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            — experiencing\nan inner dynamic transforming your life for the better. One of the many references\nto this phenomenon in Scripture, Romans 12:1-2, exhorts, \u201c\u2026 offer your bodies\nas living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God \u2013 this is your spiritual act of\nworship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be\ntransformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and\napprove what God\u2019s will is \u2013 his good, pleasing and perfect will.\u201d Many of your\ndaily activities likely will remain the same, such as your responsibilities if\nyou are raising children or where you may be employed. You may still enjoy\nvarious cultural events, community gatherings, and your favorite forms of\nrecreation or your favorite foods. But all of these increasingly will be\nincorporated into God\u2019s will for your life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

            — a genuine\nhumility coupled with a heightened desire to be kind and compassionate toward\npeople.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            — gaining\na peace with God. Your relationship with him no longer is among the worries of\nyour life. It becomes a continuous time of discovery of the divine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            — thinking\nin a new way. Your cares and concerns will be soothed by an inward tug to turn back\nto God after your mind may have struggled with the issues at hand for a few\nminutes or a longer stretch of time. If, at the end of the day, you sometimes\nare unable to fall asleep, or if you wake up in the middle of the night and\ncannot go back to sleep, peaceful moments with God can replace your\nrestlessness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            — intrigue\nover the words of Scripture. A sobering yet celebratory realization of the\noptimal value of the Bible takes hold: Its truths have been illuminated and\nenergized by the Holy Spirit over the ages to nurture a yearning in people\u2019s\nhearts \u2013 and now, your heart \u2013 for divine realities to be infused into every\ndimension of daily living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            — a heart\nmore responsive, more compassionate toward people who, locally or globally, are\nlonely, who are suffering, who are separated from God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Over time,\nas you venture forth in prayer, you will discover a life unfolding with\nspiritual blessings of alertness and vigor, peace and joy \u2013 a quality of life\nreflected in Jesus\u2019 words in the New Testament\u2019s Gospel of John, chapter 15,\nverse 5: \u201cI am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in\nhim, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            On the day\nof judgment, Jesus will tell his followers that \u201cwhatever you did for one of\nthe least of these brothers of mine\u201d \u2013 the hungry and thirsty, strangers in\nneed of shelter, those who needed clothes, who were sick and in need of care,\nor who were in prison and lonely \u2013 \u201cyou did for me,\u201d according to the Gospel of\nMatthew, chapter 25, verses 35-40.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Certainly\nit is important for Christians, for those of other faiths, and for atheists and\nagnostics to work for an end to human suffering and injustice. But for a\nChristian, the starting point for compassion and for every facet of a divinely\ninspired life on earth and an even more joyous life after death is a\nrelationship with Jesus anchored in the Scriptures and sustained by prayer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

**********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Securing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

            If anything\nmight provide the motivation for an atheist or agnostic to consider conversion\nto Christianity, perhaps it is the wholesome transformation of human life that\noccurs when we begin praying as never before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Granted,\nthere are imperfect people, hypocrites, and addicts of all kinds within the\nChristian community. To their credit, at least, these individuals have the\ncourage to embrace a faith that challenges their sin and seeks to redeem their\nlives. Imperfect people, hypocrites, and addicts who lack such a belief system\notherwise have only the frailty of human will upon which to build lives of\nintegrity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Granted, we\ncan debate without resolution whether God exists, the extent to which he\ncontrols the universe, the merits of various world religions, why evil abounds,\nand why tragedy strikes the lives of so many people while so many others suffer\nin poverty and oppression. And we can debate a key question relating\nspecifically to Christianity: whether the Bible is God\u2019s message to mankind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            No\nChristian should ever be fearful of such debates. And no atheist or agnostic\nshould be so misguided as to think that Christianity is not capable of meeting\nthe same scholarly tests as other dimensions of human history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            The Bible,\nfor example, is far more of a historical document than most atheists or\nagnostics realize. No original writings of any ancient work still exist, so the\nkey measure becomes the dating and quantity of subsequent copies (substantive\nfragments of manuscripts or full manuscripts). The ancient manuscripts documenting\nJesus\u2019 life and the early church are far closer to the events recorded and far\nmore numerous than the manuscripts of key works from ancient Greek culture, for\nexample, such as the philosophical teachings of Plato and Aristotle, the plays\nof Sophocles and Euripides, and the epic poetry of Homer. Scholars date the\nwriting of various portions of the New Testament from A.D. 40-100, with the\nearliest existing manuscript evidence dated at about A.D. 125. The earliest\nsubstantive manuscript evidence for Plato\u2019s works, meanwhile, is about 1,200\nyears removed from its writing, compared to a span of twenty-five to\neighty-five years for the New Testament writings. For Aristotle\u2019s works and the\nplays of Sophocles and Euripides, the span is 1,400 years; for Homer\u2019s Iliad,<\/em>\n500 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Help from above<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

            No amount\nof argumentation, however, will impart to anyone the blessing of praying as\nnever before, nor will a barrage of facts. No atheist or agnostic, even if\npersuaded by argumentation or facts, can attain this quality of life solely by\nhuman decision-making or sheer willpower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Like\neverything else about Christianity, conversion is a supernatural occurrence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \u201cNo one can\ncome to me,\u201d Jesus said, as recorded in John 6:44, \u201cunless the Father who sent\nme draws him.\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            The process\nthat begins with spiritual yearnings and then breaks forth as conversion is\nbirthed solely by God and is nurtured by him as it rises to a life of praying\nas never before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            The Bible\ntells the story of a jailer who beseeched two of his prisoners, the apostle\nPaul and his co-worker Silas, \u201cSirs, what must I do to be saved?\u201d after an\nearthquake jarred open the doors of the jail in ancient Philippi\n(Acts 16:25-31). Scripture recounts that Paul and Silas \u201cspoke the word of the\nLord\u201d to the jailer and his household, with their initial exhortation being,\n\u201cBelieve in the Lord Jesus \u2026 .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Throughout\nthe centuries, the \u201cword of the Lord\u201d in answer to the human plea of \u201cWhat must\nI do to be saved?\u201d has been understood to include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  • repentance\nfor sin, a realization prompted by the Holy Spirit that it is right and good to\nbe deeply sorrowful for all wrongdoing and for straying from God and his will.<\/li>
  • opening\nyour heart to Christ, perhaps with a yearning akin to, \u201cI know I need you in my\nlife, Jesus. Only you can fashion me into the person I ought to be.\u201d<\/li>
  • receiving\nhim as Lord<\/em> \u2013 the one to whom you give ultimate ownership and control of\nyour life \u2013 and Savior<\/em> \u2013 the one who \u201csaves\u201d you by implanting the Holy\nSpirit in your inner being and transforming your life on earth, giving you\npeace with God, meaning and purpose, forgiveness, help in overcoming sin, and, as\nyou continue pushing forward, the joy of praying as never before. The Bible\nalso assures that when you die, this spiritual rebirth will give you an eternal\nlife with God in heaven.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                To \u201cBelieve\nin the Lord Jesus,\u201d as Scripture describes it, the starting point for securing\none\u2019s faith can be a simple prayer: Lord Jesus, I need you. I repent of my\nsinfulness and ask you to forgive me. I ask you to come into my life, to be my\nLord and Savior, and to place your Holy Spirit in me for this life and for\neternity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                You may or\nmay not be joyous at first. You may or may not detect an inward peace. But,\nfrom God\u2019s perspective, whether your feelings are stimulated is irrelevant.\nRest assured, you have entered into the most wholesome of supernatural realms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    6.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Believing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                Conversion\nto Christianity \u2013 the supernatural rebirth \u2013 opens the door to a unique\nopportunity: the spiritual daring to truly believe and to begin praying as\nnever before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Some\nChristians do not realize how redeemed they really are once they have turned\ntheir lives over to God in an act of prayerful trust perhaps best reflected in\nRomans 10:9: \u201c\u2026 if you confess with your mouth, \u2018Jesus is Lord,\u2019 and believe in\nyour heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                A person\u2019s\nactions to receive a new birth, as described by the apostle Paul in the next\nverse, seem simple: \u201cFor it is with your heart that you believe and are\njustified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                But the\ntruth is, Christianity is highly redemptive, somewhat like the field of\nchemistry properly labels the mixing of certain chemicals as \u201chighly\nexplosive.\u201d Paul, continuing in Romans 10, notes in verse 12, for example, that\nGod \u201crichly blesses all who call on him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                You can\nchoose to believe that God\u2019s blessing is but an empty promise from a religious\npropagandist, holding forth a quality of life that falls far short of what a\nperson actually experiences once he or she has begun to trust God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Or, just as\neasily, you can choose to believe that faith, as evident throughout the Bible,\ntruly does connect you to a great and loving God \u2013 a life-changing faith and\nnew sensitivities in prayer being imparted to you day by day and moment by\nmoment via the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                In the\nearly days of new birth and as your faith grows in the years ahead, you will\nhave a desire to share this new dimension of life with loved ones and friends.\nSome may celebrate your discovery and your ever-blossoming relationship with\nGod. Others may have been yearning for faith themselves and will be intrigued\nand attentive. Still others, however, wary of or persuaded against the\nsupernatural dimension of life, will not celebrate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Those who\nhave become antagonists to evangelical Christianity have ample examples to cite\nof Christians who do not seem to be transformed by their conversion. Some\nantagonists also can cite personal experience, having been treated harshly or\nunjustly by misguided Christians who have never ventured into deeper faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                It is\nrelatively easy to see when some individuals\u2019 religious demeanor is under the\nsway of the world\u2019s godlessness or their own self-centeredness. Such\nindividuals likely can look within themselves, in fact, to see their failure to\nmature beyond conversion toward the many joys of praying as never before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                A continuing connection<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                Faith, at\nits best, is never a one-time event. It continues to guide us beyond what happened\n\u201cway back then\u201d or even a few moments ago. Conversion is only the starting\npoint, albeit a glorious starting point, in a spiritual pilgrimage that\nprogresses from a supernaturally invigorated life on earth \u2013 a life\ncontinuously in tune with God by prayer \u2013 to everlasting life with this\nmajestic Creator of the universe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                One of the\nforemost factors reflecting the supernatural nature of Christian faith is the\nempty tomb where Christ\u2019s body was laid after his crucifixion. Its emptiness\nwas no hoax; nearly every one of his disciples subsequently died a martyr\u2019s\ndeath, a fate that no group of individuals would ever embrace just to\nperpetuate a hoax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                The tomb\nwas empty, the New Testament writers report, because a supernatural transition\nof eternal significance had taken place, a transition from the ministry of\nJesus in bodily form to the ministry of Jesus in spiritual form. Ever since his\nresurrection from the dead, Jesus has been changing lives throughout the world\nthrough his Holy Spirit. Faith is the intangible dynamic by which the Holy\nSpirit \u2013 Jesus\u2019 spirit \u2013 enters the lives of men, women, and children,\nimparting a spiritual birth and an ability to pray as never before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                The apostle\nPaul, in his letter to the Galatians, challenged their stunted faith by\nsquarely reminding them of the full gospel he had proclaimed: \u201cYou foolish\nGalatians! Who has bewitched you? \u2026 Did you receive the Spirit by observing the\nlaw, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with\nthe Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?\u201d (Galatians\n3:1-3).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                In his\nletter to the Romans (chapter 5, verse 10), Paul used a less-confrontational\ntone to relay the same message: \u201c\u2026 if, when we were God\u2019s enemies, we were\nreconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been\nreconciled, shall we be saved through his life!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                The\ncrucifixion of Christ to pay mankind\u2019s penalty for sin is only one part of\nGod\u2019s redemption. The other part, which empowers the practice of prayer, is\nChrist\u2019s resurrection from the dead and his promise, ever steadfast over the\nages, to dwell within his followers through his Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                As the\napostle Peter once preached, \u201cRepent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins\nmay be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he\nmay send the Christ, who has been appointed for you \u2013 even Jesus\u201d (Acts 3:19).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    7.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Believing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    (Part Two)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                The\nyearning to pray as never before should not cause the one who yearns to feel\nmentally or emotionally deficient, nor should the skeptic regard it as an\noddity. Yearnings abound in the human family. Even our bodies inherently yearn\nfor oxygen, water, and nutrients derived from nature\u2019s bounty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Various\nresearchers at the start of the new millennium are studying whether one or more\nlobes of the brain evidence an innate responsive chemistry for spiritual\nexperiences. Periodic news reports about such research are intriguing and, for\nthose skilled in the sciences, it could prove highly enjoyable. But the answer\nalready has been available for thousands of years in Scripture. As noted in\nPsalm 139:13, \u201c\u2026 you [God] created my inmost being; you knit me together in my\nmother\u2019s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your\nworks are wonderful, I know that full well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                The\nyearning to pray pushes forth from deep within our souls. Perhaps it is a\ndesperation to release our hearts from the dark places within us, from our\ninner battlegrounds with evil. Perhaps the yearning is a search for healing\nfrom society\u2019s drumbeat on our sense of worth or our sense of right and wrong.\nPerhaps it is plea for something \u2013 or someone \u2013 to enter into our places of\ncrippling loneliness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Unlike the\nyearnings of this world that often lead toward depression or depravity, the\nyearning to pray as never before advances in an upward direction. Uniquely, it\nyields wholeness. It heals brokenness. It sparks, then nurtures, and then\nenergizes a relationship with a loving God and with a segment of mankind who,\nto varying degrees, have opened themselves to this divine dynamic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                We are\ndecades, perhaps centuries, overdue for an awakening to one of the purest forms\nof Christian faith, drawn simply from Scripture made real in our minds and\nhearts by the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Divine selection<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                It may seem\nmind-boggling to fathom the idea of a supernatural God manifesting himself as a\nSavior who rises from the dead to impart an inner rebirth and a spiritual way\nof life to people through his Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                But some of\nthe theories of men are equally mind-boggling, such as the notion of the spark\nof life arising from lifeless matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                The\nfoundational differences between the two beliefs are relatively simple. One\nbelief (evolution) is more popular in society than the other (God\u2019s design of\nthe universe); one is rooted in the scientific community and its focus on the\nmaterial world while the other is rooted in the faith community and an\nacceptance of the supernatural.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                When the\nearth came into being, it\u2019s been said that it had to look like something.\nEvolutionary theory puts faith either in a massive burst of energy that\nexploded the universe into being or the tiniest spark of energy that began the\nprocess of an ever-expanding universe. The Christian worldview, meanwhile,\nregards it as entirely possible for God to have created the earth with land,\noceans, and skies, and with Adam and Eve living amid an array of wildlife and\nvegetation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                A\ncourageous faith is required for either view. A key advantage of supernatural\nChristian faith, though, is not just the experience of praying as never before,\nbut also in the substance of its ideals for human relations, such as the Ten\nCommandments and the call to love one\u2019s neighbor. No matter how often they are\nviolated from generation to generation, these ideals nevertheless remain foundational\nin human history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    8.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Deciding<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                If a\nsupernatural God is able to create the heavens and the earth and to interact\nwith untold multitudes through prayer, he certainly is able to guide human\nbeings in the writing, compilation, and preservation of his revelation \u2013 his\nbiography, so to speak. (Or perhaps it \u2013 the Bible \u2013 might be called his\nautobiography, penned with a divinely recruited and empowered team of\nco-writers.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Both the\nuniverse and God\u2019s life-changing biography are two of the most sweeping\nmanifestations of a supernatural divinity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                God\u2019s\nbiography is even a best-seller year after year, yet it does nothing more than\ngather dust in countless homes and libraries. The Bible is tolerated as long it\nremains unopened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                The\npredominance of mankind regards God\u2019s biography as out of date and irrelevant,\ndifficult to understand, troubling in its content, and just one of a multitude\nof religious books seeking the allegiance of men, women, and children. God\u2019s\nphilosophies and the various instructions he communicates in Scripture are cast\naside by society as too narrow or too otherworldly. The honesty with which the\nBible speaks is frequently criticized and rarely seen as attesting to its\ncredibility. Atheists and plenty of agnostics have no personal interest and, at\nbest, only an academic interest in reading the Bible\u2019s depiction of the depths\nof human depravity and God\u2019s relentless vigilance against the impurity of sin.\nThese non-believers likewise have no interest in tapping into the joys of divine\nredemption and the adventure of praying as never before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Much of\nGod\u2019s biography, no doubt, is beyond our human understanding and cannot be\nfully experienced unless our minds and hearts are quickened by the Holy Spirit\nto its life-changing words. Many of the prayers recorded in Scripture stir our\nsouls only during times of quiet meditation. Sometimes the Bible speaks in\npoetic or figurative language not intended to be taken literally but, rather,\ntaken to heart. Sometimes it cannot be understood without a grasp of particular\ncultural settings in biblical times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Clarity and certainty<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                But, for\nthe most part, the Bible is unmistakable in holding forth a higher plane of\nliving available to mankind. For centuries, Scripture has weathered the loudly\nvoiced doubts of a skeptical, multi-faith world. Renowned thinkers have\nchallenged its assertions and underscored its apparent internal contradictions,\nwhile capable theologians have rallied to its defense at every point of\ncontention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                The biblical story of Jonah being swallowed by \u201ca great fish\u201d is but one example from the overarching spiritual battle. Plenty of atheistic and agnostic scholars say Jonah never actually existed and thus the Bible is recounting only a myth in the Old Testament\u2019s brief Book of Jonah. But in dismissing Jonah, these scholars also must dismiss Jesus, who said \u201cthe sign of the prophet Jonah\u201d would be a key sign of his redemptive death and resurrection. \u201cFor as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish,\u201d Jesus said, as quoted in Matthew 12:40, \u201cso the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                The battle\nwill rage on, as scholars on both sides of the spiritual fence debate the story\nof Jonah, the exact meaning of three days and three nights, and a myriad of\nother facets of God\u2019s biography.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                But while\nthe battle rages, precious time is ticking away. Yes, God\u2019s biography can be an\nintellectual and emotional mountain to climb. \u201cThe Bible can\u2019t really mean\neverything it says,\u201d some might reason. \u201cI\u2019ll live my life as I please. Maybe\nI\u2019ll just accept whatever in the Bible feels right for me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Or God\u2019s\nbiography can be taken at face value. \u201cIt really does mean everything it says,\u201d\nothers, open to supernatural faith, might say, \u201cand I will rely on God\u2019s help\nas I attempt to live it out.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Life is too short not to enjoy to\nits fullest. Taking God\u2019s dynamic biography at face value, a life enhanced by\npraying as never before awaits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Shall we\nheed the atheists and agnostics and bind ourselves in knots of confusion and\nhopelessness? Or shall we decide to heed God himself and shelter ourselves in\nhis love and wisdom?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Deciding<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    (Part Two)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                This,\ndoubtless, is a bold statement: The Christian faith, at face value as described\nin the Bible and set in motion by prayer, is more gripping and more uplifting\nthan any experience in human history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Granted,\nlife has its extraordinary moments from time to time and history books are\nfilled with exhilarating triumphs (and mind-numbing tragedies). But with a\nhumility and confidence inherent to their faith in Jesus, some Christians can\npropose that the resurrection of Jesus and his sending forth the Holy Spirit to\ndwell in his followers are unparalleled among all events since the beginning of\ntime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                They say\nthis from their personal experience in this ongoing eternal process, especially\ntheir connection to God through prayer and a day-to-day trust in his grace.\nThey can attest that God\u2019s biography, at face value, sets forth a unique and\nextraordinary faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Take, for\nexample, the momentous juncture when God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses at Mount Sinai. The Ten Commandments \u201ccame with glory,\u201d the\napostle Paul recounts in 2 Corinthians 3:7-11, describing the commandments as\n\u201cthe ministry that brought death \u2026 engraved in letters on stone.\u201d The reference\nto death stems from how the Ten Commandments make clear God\u2019s uncompromising\nexpectation of godly living despite the futility of human effort to live free\nof sin and failure. The only answer to the certainty of death from sin is the\ncertainty of redemption in Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                The glory\nwith which the Ten Commandments were given was so great \u201cthat the Israelites\ncould not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory,\u201d which Paul\nnotes was a temporary glory, \u201cfading though it was.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                The apostle\nthen poses this question: \u201c\u2026 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more\nglorious?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Then these\ndeclarations: \u201cIf the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more\nglorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! For what was glorious has\nno glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. And if what was fading\naway came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Bountiful blessings<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                No wonder,\nthen, that this glorious empowering by God can help a person be more\nwell-rested, more invigorated, and more productive. Increasingly attuned to the\ngreat truths in God\u2019s living biography, and increasingly attuned to God himself\nwhen the yearning to pray as never before is sparked, the follower of Christ\nbecomes more loving, compassionate, and humble, as well as more prepared for\ncrisis or agony, far more at peace with the divine, and immeasurably more\nprepared to die.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                These and\nother glories of the Christian faith, not surprisingly, can leave a person\neagerly awaiting the next encounter with the God of the universe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Countless\npages of Scripture, when understood at face value, reflect the joys to be\ndiscovered by a believer with an open heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                A believer\nalso can be guided, for example, by such truths in Jesus\u2019 Sermon on the Mount\nas \u201cBlessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will\nfilled\u201d and \u201cBlessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God\u201d (Matthew\n5:6,8).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                In the Old\nTestament, God states in Jeremiah 29:11 that the plans he has for each believer\nare \u201cplans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a\nfuture.\u201d And in Jeremiah 33:3, the Lord sets forth an awesome invitation to\npray: \u201cCall to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable\nthings you do not know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                These are\nbut a tiny glimpse of the treasures of faith. The prosperity God promises,\nhowever, will never be measured by the currencies of this world; the\nunsearchable things of God will not be reported in the daily newspaper or\nexplored in most academic settings. Rather, the blossoming of each facet of the\nfruit of the Spirit will be a lifelong process of Bible study, prayer, and\nfellowship with other believers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Each person\nmust decide whether life must be lived in only one world, the material world,\nor whether the things of God, while so unfathomable, also are an inherent part\nof our divinely designed human existence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Gaining<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                By living\nin the spiritual realm and praying as never before, a believer gains a new\nfoothold for battling the dark facets of his or her humanity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                The apostle\nPaul well understood these inner wars, writing in Romans 7:21-25: \u201c\u2026 When I\nwant to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight\nin God\u2019s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging\nwar against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at\nwork within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this\nbody of death? Thanks be to God \u2013 through Jesus Christ our Lord!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Struggles\nwith the inner churnings of such sins as bitterness and greed and even hardened\naddictions may continue to exist within a person after he or she turns to Jesus\nfor salvation. Even when a yearning to pray as never before begins to take\nroot, some believers may find that their earlier addictions remain ever-ready\nto erupt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Rarely are\naddictions to various forms of depravity easily broken. A prayer relationship\nwith Jesus always will prove to be a redemptive addition to a believer\u2019s life,\nand some believers may see their weaknesses and addictions quickly fall away.\nBut for others, it may be years before all of their entrenched sinful habits\nare eradicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                In the\ninterim, a believer has no choice. The communion with Jesus grows, increasingly\nbecoming a desperately needed place of refuge after each defeat. The believer\ncries out to God, placing the entirety of his or her life under the Lord\u2019s\nforgiveness as promised in Scripture. \u201cIf we confess our sins,\u201d as 1 John 1:9\nnotes, \u201che is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from\nall unrighteousness.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Tumult of truth<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                The\nbeliever knows that sooner or later, \u201c\u2026 you may be sure that your sin will find\nyou out,\u201d as Moses declared to the Israelites long ago, as Scripture recounts\nin Numbers 32:23.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                When that\nmoment of truth and tumult finally comes, the believer\u2019s faith in Jesus will\nprovide the grace and fortitude to face even public embarrassment or great\npersonal loss if, ultimately, such tragedy is required in order to attain a\nlong-yearned-for, more complete life of purity with God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                During\nthese struggles, an accusatory type of guilt often sweeps over believers.\nWhether quietly nagging at their souls or aggressively pounding against not\njust their minds but their bodies as well, the guilt seems to have a demonic\nenergy, demanding an answer to such taunts as, You\u2019re despicable. How can\nsomeone like you call yourself a Christian?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                This guilt\nis not confined to Christians who battle various addictions they had prior to\nconversion. After each episode of sin, open-hearted nonbelievers are beaten\ndown by the roar of such taunts as, You\u2019re a hopeless mess. How can someone\nlike you ever think of knowing God?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Fullness of forgiveness<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                Sadly, we\ngreatly underestimate God\u2019s forgiveness, refashioning his grace into something\non the level of our imperfect humanity. We who have found new birth fail to\nlive in all its glorious dimensions. We allow ourselves to be bullied by the\ntaunts that surely have their origin with the devil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                For\nnon-Christians, this can be especially tragic if the taunts cut short their\nquest for faith, derailing their dreams of a new birth and a rescue from the\ndespair of godlessness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Instead of\nseeing God\u2019s forgiveness as God himself offers it to hurting humanity, we heap\ndevilish guilt and shame on ourselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Teachings\nabout forgiveness, however, abound in God\u2019s biography. Among the most\nfrequently quoted:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    • \u201cHave mercy on me, O God, according to your\nunfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.\nWash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin\u201d (Psalm 51:1-2).<\/li>
    • \u201c\u2026\nas far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions\nfrom us\u201d (Psalm 103:12).<\/li>
    • \u201cTherefore, there is now no condemnation for\nthose who are in Christ Jesus.\u2026\u201d (Romans 8:1).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                  God\u2019s\nforgiveness is best experienced when taken at its face value from Scripture.\nJust as the new birth supernaturally gives people a totally new start in life,\nso God\u2019s forgiveness supernaturally provides that same new start each time his\nfollowers realize they have acted wrongly toward other people or toward God\nhimself and, turning anew to him in prayer, ask for his forgiveness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  By God\u2019s\nsupernatural grace, we gain the opportunity to become as fresh as the first day\nhe entered our lives. From God\u2019s standpoint, our peace with him is restored to\nreturn to praying as never before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      11.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Regaining<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                  When\nfaithful followers of Christ, as part of being human, somehow slip into\noccasional junctures of sin, it may be just a momentary lapse. It may be as\nsimple as a few words spoken in a careless moment or when we are tired, but\nnevertheless the words are hurtful or devastating to another person. The sin\nmay occur when we are in too much of a hurry or too preoccupied to give a\nhelping hand to a person in need. Or it may involve excusing ourselves \u201cjust\nthis one time\u201d for a moral indiscretion or ethical breach rather than repenting\nof the destructive, even deadly path we may have embarked upon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  One of the\nmost subtle yet most common sins is a mistaken presumption about a situation or\na mistaken judgment about another individual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Sadly, a\nbeliever\u2019s seeming self-assurance in understanding God\u2019s intentions can, on\noccasion, have tragic consequences in his or her actions affecting the lives of\none or more loved ones, friends, or neighbors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  A\nbeliever\u2019s actions and decisions affecting the lives of others can reflect a\ncallous lack of understanding \u2013 or, in essence, a lack of love. It happens when\nwe haven\u2019t chosen to love effectively, to sacrifice whatever time is necessary\nto find out from other people what\u2019s on their hearts in order to treat them\nwith utmost dignity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  A person\nwho is praying as never before especially should be on guard against sincerely held\nbut dangerously mistaken self-righteousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Damage control<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                  Unintentional\nself-righteousness is not just a delusion periodically afflicting Christians,\nbut all of humanity. The Holy Spirit\u2019s presence in a believer\u2019s life, however,\nmakes it far more likely a deep sorrow will flood forth once he or she realizes\nthe toll inflicted on one or more persons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Scripture\ncalls it godly sorrow<\/em> in 2 Corinthians 7:10: \u201cGodly sorrow brings\nrepentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow\nbrings death.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Godly\nsorrow is first experienced as part of the new birth when a person grasps that\nthe lack of an inner spiritual consciousness and purity is why we are separated\nfrom God and why we commit misdeeds toward others. This repentance clears the\nway for the Holy Spirit to enter our lives, to begin a wholesome transformation\nof our hearts and minds, and to lead us to a joyous faith in Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Along the\nway in times of prayer, we will sense a stirring for reconciliation with anyone\nwho has felt the sting \u2013 or devastation \u2013 of our sin, whether the offense\noccurred moments earlier or years ago. We will begin to have the courage to say\nto others, \u201cPlease forgive me for what I did.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Worldly\nsorrow, meanwhile, may prompt a person to say, \u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d to someone on\noccasion and to really mean it. Nevertheless, a measure of death surely results\nfrom worldly sorrow. There is no peace with God in our souls and no way to take\nhold of a divine source of reconciliation and healing in our earthly relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Time and\ntime again, we must return to the cleansing, restorative power of God\u2019s\nforgiveness. \u201cGod, forgive me for….\u201d is a vital step to move beyond human\nremorse. It initiates a time of prayer in response to God\u2019s amazingly gracious\npromise: \u201cIf we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us\nour sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.\u201d No matter how often the Holy\nSpirit stirs us to ask forgiveness, our responsiveness is vital for regaining\nthe life-giving intimacy with God of praying as never before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      12.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Understanding<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                  There are\nsome things that faith in Jesus does not tend to do, even when we are praying\nas never before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  It is not\nlikely to increase a person\u2019s intellectual capacity, for example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Human\nintelligence certainly can be of great benefit to mankind in science and other\nrealms of endeavor. Unless our minds are guided by Christian faith, however, they\nalso are capable of devising ever-more-sorrowful ways to steal, to cheat, to be\ngreedy, to tell lies, to engage in sexual immorality, and most horribly, to\nmurder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  A lack of\nprayer, actually, can make a person less intelligent, less able to resist twisted\nopportunities to harm others, less likely to grasp the glories of supernatural\nfaith. From my own failings and misguided notions, I can sorrowfully declare:\nSin makes you stupid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Human\nintelligence has never proven to be an antidote to sin; in fact, it does not\neven seem to be a key theme in Scripture. Although our intellectual capacities\nbegin as gifts from our Creator at the outset of life, men and women who strive\nto develop their minds often are tempted to take pride in the scope of their\nknowledge and thinking skills, again lessening their capacity for a wholesome\nrelationship with Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  \u201cPride goes\nbefore destruction,\u201d Proverbs 16:18 states with sobering simplicity, \u201ca haughty\nspirit before a fall.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Jesus, in\nanswer to the question, \u201cWho is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?\u201d told\nhis disciples that faith entails the kind of trust in God that children place\nin adults. \u201cI tell you the truth,\u201d Jesus said, as recounted in Matthew 18:3,\n\u201cunless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the\nkingdom of heaven.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Wellspring of wisdom<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                  Although\npraying as never before may not heighten one\u2019s intellect (unless God chooses to\ninitiate a highly extraordinary miracle), it can give rise to a special measure\nof wisdom and spiritual knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  While an\nintelligent person\u2019s gifting can lead to self-centered pride, a follower of\nJesus tends to have the humility to entrust all of life to God\u2019s care, which\nincludes the Holy Spirit\u2019s readiness to guide a believer\u2019s mental abilities\ntoward the wisest, highest of ethical standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  A person\u2019s\nbrain functions better, in fact, when it is energized by and engaged in prayer.\nWe are able to summon greater courage for honest self-examination and a greater\nmeasure of graciousness for interacting with people, especially those who are\nhurt us through unkind acts or pointed criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Scripture\nprovides a crisp definition of \u201cthe wisdom that comes from heaven\u201d in James\n3:17: It is \u201cfirst of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive,\nfull of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  This wisdom\ncan be tapped by prayer, by a believer\u2019s yearning for God to impart it to his\nor her life in ever-increasing measure just as he does the other supernatural\nfruits of the new birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  All the\nwhile, this wisdom from heaven serves as an invaluable, readily accessible\nstandard that can be utilized in prayer to assess our actions toward God and\nthe degree to which Christian love has been lived out in our daily lives. This\nwisdom can help us realize when repentance is needed for a wayward attitude or\naction. And it can guide our intellect when we pray about the many decisions,\nsimple or complex, that must be made from one day to the next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  In\nsuccinct, poignant words about Christ, the words of 1 Corinthians, chapter 1,\nverse 5 help us grasp that \u201cin him you have been enriched in every way \u2013 in all\nyour speaking and in all your knowledge.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      13.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Resolving<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                  Two of the\ngreatest words in the Bible are \u201cFear not,\u201d as phrased in Scripture\u2019s King\nJames Version \u2013 a simple but compelling exhortation by which God has called\nforth great resolve in his people throughout the ages. Often by these two words\nGod has summoned his people to the deepest of spiritual yearnings as well as\nthe highest displays of courage amid social upheaval when, for example,\nself-absorbed authorities anxiously have undertaken harsh measures to stamp out\nthe threat of life-changing faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  In\nScripture, these were among the words spoken to Mary, a young virgin in\nNazareth, by the angel Gabriel before he relayed a stunning message two\nthousand years ago: \u201cYou will be with child and give birth to a son,\u201d one who\nwill be called \u201cthe Son of the Most High,\u201d whose kingdom will never end, as\nrecorded in Luke 1:26-32.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  These\nwords, \u201cFear not,\u201d were spoken by an unnamed angel to stunned shepherds near Bethlehem as \u201cthe glory of\nthe Lord shone around them\u201d on the night of Jesus\u2019 birth in a manger, as\nrecorded in Luke 2:8-14.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  These were\nthe words God spoke to an aging, childless man who would be known as Abraham\nafter being told in a divine covenant that his offspring would be as numerous\nas the stars, as recorded in Genesis 15:1-5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  These words\nof assurance were spoken by Jesus as he expanded his disciples\u2019 grasp of faith\nin preparation for the challenge of carrying forth his redemptive mission.\nThese words were spoken to the apostle Paul as he faced trial in Rome and to the apostle\nJohn as he recorded God\u2019s description of the tumultuous conclusion of history,\nthe Book of Revelation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  An enduring exhortation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                  These are\nthe words in Scripture that believers often have turned to in every generation\nwhen bravery has been needed, and not just in times of confrontation with\ngovernmental authorities. God\u2019s call to \u201cfear not\u201d has stirred believers in\ntheir daily lives to give witness to their faith to loved ones, friends,\nacquaintances, neighbors, and passersby both by verbal testimony and\nexplanation as well as a lifestyle marked by the fruit of the Holy Spirit\nlisted in Galatians 5: \u201clove, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,\ngentleness and self-control.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  No doubt,\nthese words are perplexing to some people. Or laughable. Skeptics who regard Christianity\nas imagined or beyond rationality cannot fathom anything appealing about faith,\nanything marvelous about the opportunity to pray as never before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  To these,\nonly a gracious comment needs to be offered: Go ahead and stay in the visible\nworld until you sense a stirring to venture beyond it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  To\neverybody else, to those who already believe and those who yearn to believe,\nthe simple truth is, There is nothing to fear with the Holy Spirit. Rather,\nthere is every reason to place our lives in the care of the eternal God whose\n\u201cperfect love,\u201d as the apostle John describes it in 1 John 4:18, \u201cdrives out\nfear.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      14.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Selecting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                  This is a\nfar-fetched notion, but imagine being a lone tourist in the Holy\n Land, with just the Holy Spirit as your tour guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  As you\nselect some of the sites of the great events of the Bible to behold, God\nquickens your spirit to grasp the awe of those divine-human encounters \u2013 at Mt.\nSinai, atop which God put the Ten Commandments in Moses\u2019 hands; at the temple\nin Jerusalem, the focal point of Jewish yearnings; at the manger in Bethlehem,\nwhere Jesus took his first breath as a human; in the Garden of Gethsemane, his\npreferred place of prayer; and at the tomb, from which Jesus exited in his\ndivinity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  It is not a\nfar-fetched notion, however, that you can be alone with God wherever you may\nlive on earth. The joy of interacting with him can be experienced in any\ndwelling, in any workplace, in any natural setting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  In seeking\na tender, ongoing relationship with God, you may find yourself being drawn to\nselect one or more special places of divine encounter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  It might be\na place where you can sit alone at home. And, yes, sit comfortably and, if you\nlike, recline a bit. It may even be a closet with a small clearing for a chair\nor a place to kneel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Another\nplace of divine encounter might be in the workplace, perhaps in an unused room\nwith a place to sit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Or on a\nbench or a blanket in a nearby park.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Or sitting\nin a vehicle which you have driven to a relatively quiet spot for a short time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Your bed may suffice as a place of divine encounter sometimes. But in being accustomed to it as a lifelong place of sleep, the tendency may be to return to slumber rather than fully turn to God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Anywhere, anytime<\/h4>\n\n\n\n


                  And, in the most urgent of times, a place of divine encounter can be anywhere you may call out to God, anywhere you may even drop to your knees in prayer, anywhere you may fall face-down on a floor, prostrate in humility in desperation for God to pour forth from heaven his healing spirit into your earthly life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  At other\ntimes, a place of divine encounter can be a setting for meditating on\nScriptures that are in the process of shaping your life or praying for God\u2019s\nmercy to be evident in difficult or dire circumstances facing people near to us\nor in crisis spots throughout the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  However, a\nplace of divine encounter becomes a cherished part of one\u2019s life only by being\nfrequently visited over the course of time. It becomes personal holy ground only\nif a person has had the precious experience of meeting God there in good times,\nin bad times, and in seemingly mundane times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Jesus\u2019\ndivinity, at the outset of his mission, was manifested in the authority of his\nteaching, such as the Sermon on the Mount, and through various miracles of\nphysical and spiritual healing. Thus, Scripture recounts, \u201cthe news about him\nspread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed\nof their sicknesses.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  But note\nwhat Jesus did: He \u201coften withdrew to lonely places and prayed\u201d (Luke 5:15-16).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Psalms tell\nus it is good to pray in the morning. The prayer recorded in Psalm 90, verse\n14, for example, asks of God: \u201cSatisfy us in the morning with your unfailing\nlove, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days,\u201d while the prayer\nrecorded in Psalm 5, verse 3, declares: \u201cIn the morning, O Lord, you hear my\nvoice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Just as\nimportantly, the Psalms tell us it is good to pray at night, such as Psalm 68,\nverses 6-8: \u201cOn my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of\nthe night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. My soul\nclings to you; your right hand upholds me.\u201d Especially amid bouts with insomnia,\nnighttime misery can be greatly reduced and perhaps transformed into precious,\njoyous moments with God whenever a believer remembers to redeem the time by\npraying as never before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Jesus\nlikewise prayed \u201cearly in the morning\u201d (Mark 1:35) and he prayed at nighttime\nin the Garden of Gethsemane just before his arrest in the torturous chain of\nevents culminating in his crucifixion the next day (Mark 14:34).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  David, in\nPsalm 55:17, declared, \u201cEvening, morning and noon I cry out in distress and he\nhears my voice,\u201d while the apostle Paul exhorted fellow believers to \u201cpray in\nthe Spirit on all occasions, with all kinds of prayers and requests\u201d (Ephesians\n6:18).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  You can be\nconfident of Scripture\u2019s endorsement to pray each day, both at a regular time\nand place of divine encounter that you select and, certainly, at any time amid\nlife\u2019s challenges, pleasures, and idle moments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Learning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                  The place\nand time of prayer, while important, are but two facets of embarking on a\njourney in prayer. This journey can be awe-inspiring, perhaps like a series of\nvistas in the mountains. And it can be intensely captivating, like finding\nexquisite seashells on an ocean beach. The prayers recorded in the Bible are,\nin particular, an abundant source of spiritual riches, like gems to be mined\nfrom a vein of rock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Perhaps the\nmost familiar prayer in Scripture is the Lord\u2019s Prayer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  More\nimportantly: It is an integral part of Jesus\u2019 teachings, recorded both in his\nwatershed Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7 and in the Savior\u2019s answer to the\none of the most foundational requests from any of his disciples, \u201cLord, teach\nus to pray,\u201d in Luke 11.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  It is\npeculiar, though, how religious people over the centuries have interacted with\nthis prayer spoken from the heart of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  In\ncongregations that have shown reverence for the Lord\u2019s Prayer by reciting it in\nunison in their worship services each week, it sadly has become a ritual often\ndevoid of heartfelt yearnings for God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  In\ncongregations marked by a less formal or a spontaneous style of worship, the\nLord\u2019s Prayer has fallen into disuse. If a worship leader dared to ask the\npeople to join together in voicing the Lord\u2019s Prayer, there would be a great\nawkwardness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Squandered opportunity<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                  The\nsorrowful effect on people in both settings ultimately is the same: Not many\nmen, women, or children draw close to God through the prayer squarely commended\nby his Son.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Despite its\ndisuse, however, the Lord\u2019s Prayer remains the most focused prayer instruction\nin the Bible, which recounts Jesus saying, according to Matthew 6, verses 9-13:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  \u201cThis,\nthen, is how you should pray:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  \u2018Our Father\nin heaven,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  hallowed be\nyour name,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  your\nkingdom come,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  your will\nbe done<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  on earth as\nit is in heaven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Give us\ntoday our daily bread.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Forgive us\nour debts,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  as we also\nhave forgiven our debtors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  And lead us\nnot into temptation,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  but deliver\nus from evil.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  (In the King James Version, the\nprayer concludes: \u201cFor thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for\never. Amen.\u201d This sentence, however noble, is not found in the earliest\nmanuscripts and, thus, is omitted or bracketed in various modern translations.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Saying the\nLord\u2019s Prayer is not just a matter of repeating it in a church setting. Like\nany other prayer, it can be prayed in solitude. It can be prayed in times of\ncontentment as well as times of anxiety or crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  It can be\nprayed several times in its entirety. Perhaps numerous times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  It can be\nprayed phrase by phrase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Or one of\nits phrases, such as \u201challowed be your name,\u201d can become a simple way of\nreaching out to connect with God, perhaps repeated several times or many times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  And it can\nbe interrupted, even enhanced by moments of spontaneous prayer springing forth\nfrom one\u2019s heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  By pausing\nfor a few moments between each repetition or phrase of the Lord\u2019s Prayer,\nopportunity can be given for the Holy Spirit to draw near, for a deepened\nintimacy with the Father, an ever-greater awareness of one\u2019s relationship with\nJesus, and a continuously expanding grasp of the supernatural.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      16.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Learning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      (Part Two)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  A great\nnumber of books have been written over the years delving into the Lord\u2019s\nPrayer. Yet Jesus\u2019 prayer itself, while only fifty-two words in length, speaks\nvolumes. It is like a highly compact textbook on prayer, regularly updated and\nexpanded by the Holy Spirit by utilizing our daily joys and challenges as well\nas the span of seemingly uneventful moments in between.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  The Lord\u2019s\nPrayer might be likened to a wondrous hallway, where we sometimes pause to\nadmire an exquisite painting or sculpture and other times enter through stately\ndoorways into expansive rooms displaying an even greater array of priceless\nobjects of art. The treasures of the Lord\u2019s Prayer, however, are more priceless\nstill. They are Jesus\u2019 foundational insights for engaging in spiritual\nconversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  The first\nphrase, for example, notes clearly the focus of prayer: \u201cOur Father in heaven.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Even the\nsingle word, \u201cour,\u201d is significant: The God we have met is intent on calling\nforth a divine family from all races and nations, males and females, young and\nold from all walks of life and all economic strata. He is raising his children\nto love each other — and to love all others so amply that they, too, will be\neager to be among his cherished adoptees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  The second\nphrase, \u201challowed be your name,\u201d sets forth the tone of our prayer: great\nreverence and love for the Creator of the universe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  This\nCreator, amid the cosmic expanse, has reached forth through his Son to redeem\nand transform people\u2019s lives on this small planet, empowering them through his\nHoly Spirit to experience both the joys and rigors of life as witnesses to a\nsupernatural, eternal, and glorious divinity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  On a mission<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                  The next\ntwo phrases, \u201cyour kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,\u201d\nremind believers of their foremost mission \u2013 to be coworkers with God in his\nredemptive work in our families, our neighborhoods and workplaces, and\nthroughout the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  In the\nNazareth synagogue, for example, Jesus cited the thrust of his messianic purposes\nas he read from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah: \u201c\u2026 to preach good news to the\npoor \u2026 to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the\nblind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord\u2019s favor\u201d\n(Luke 4:18-19). And after his resurrection, Jesus spoke his Great Commission:\n\u201c\u2026 go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the\nFather and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey\neverything I have commanded you\u201d (Matthew 28:19-20).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Personal petitions<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                  The three\nsentences which conclude the Lord\u2019s Prayer give assurance of God\u2019s personal\nlove for each believer, as he invites us to pray for our \u201cdaily bread\u201d; for\nforgiveness of our sins; and for protection when we face temptation or the\nonslaught of evil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  As we pray,\n\u201cGive us today our daily bread,\u201d for example, we learn that this communion with\nGod is extraordinarily nourishing. As Jesus, in pointing us toward the Father,\nnoted, \u201c\u2026 seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things\nwill be given to you as well,\u201d as recounted in Matthew 6:33.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  When we\npray, \u201cForgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors,\u201d we are\nreminded that nurturing a forgiving heart is vital to our spiritual health. We\neach have received and continue to receive a great forgiveness that releases us\nfrom the anguish and ravages of guilt. But we misrepresent and greatly cheapen\nthis blessing from God whenever we lessen or withhold our forgiveness from\nthose who may have wronged us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  And when we\npray, \u201c\u2026lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,\u201d we beseech God\nfor the divine help we so desperately need to avoid the heartbreak and\ndevastation that sin can cause to our own lives and to our loved ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      17.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Describing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                  For a few\nmoments dwell further in the Lord\u2019s Prayer on the words \u201challowed be your\nname.\u201d The brief phrase is easy to gloss over, yet it is an exceedingly intense\nexpression of worship. These four words of worship, while stated by Jesus with\ngreat simplicity, reflect some of the overarching mystery of faith: One of the\nforemost components of worshipful prayer is that our heavenly Father\u2019s name is\nto be held high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  A name is,\nat the same time, a mere word and a mighty wellspring of awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  The word \u201ccity,\u201d\nfor example, abounds with vivid images of people, sidewalks and roadways,\nvehicles built for various purposes, buildings of all shapes and sizes, and\nhomes ranging from meager to majestic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  At one\nmoment, the word can carry our minds to cities as overwhelming as New York or Beijing; at\nanother moment, it can carry us to a city in the American heartland or one in a\nremote region in the Andes Mountains of South America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  The word\ncan bring us into the midst of a closeknit family reuniting for dinner after\none or both parents have been at work and their children at school in different\nparts of the city that day. Or the word can bring us face-to-face with a lonely\nsingle mother in one of the city\u2019s crime-infested neighborhoods or a wandering\nman who spends his day soliciting money from passersby and his night on one of\nthe city\u2019s street benches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Countless\nnames are part of our human experience. We can almost smell the aroma and see\nthe beauty of a \u201crose.\u201d From \u201ctree,\u201d we may think of a towering redwood or a\ntiny seedling. When \u201csky\u201d comes to mind, we may think of a sunny, clear-blue\nmorning, an ominous thunderstorm on the horizon, or a sweeping nighttime\ndisplay of the stars deep in the universe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Far beyond\nany everyday description, a name for God such as \u201cour Father in heaven\u201d in the\nLord\u2019s Prayer abounds with divine splendor. It is not to be worshiped above God\nhimself, of course. Such a practice, even if well-intentioned, would be a form\nof idolatry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  God\u2019s self-disclosure<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                  Certainly\nbecause of Jesus\u2019 encouragement in the Lord\u2019s Prayer, it is right and good to\nsay to God \u201challowed be your name.\u201d There is a power and purity, in fact, in\nall the names of God drawn from the Scriptures because each name that God has\nchosen for himself is sacred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Each name is\nsacred because it is intimately connected with the one who is supremely sacred.\nEach name is his self-description; it is relayed to us from heaven where its\nfullness resounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  And each\nname, each of God\u2019s self-chosen descriptions is crucial to our faith. Each\nbuilds our faith by helping us know who he is, just as our faith grows from\neach life-altering encounter with him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  And each of\nGod\u2019s names, as we speak it or pray it, draws his attentiveness, just as we\nturn our attention to those who call our names during the course of a day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Among the\nnames for God drawn from Scripture:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      • \u201cthe\nLord God,\u201d God\u2019s self-description as he created Adam and Eve (Genesis 2:4).<\/li>
      • \u201cI\nam\u201d (Exodus 3:14), God\u2019s self-assertion spoken to Moses, along with the name\nthat continues to connect us today with God\u2019s presence throughout history, \u201cthe\nGod of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob\u201d (Exodus 3:15).<\/li>
      • \u201cLord\nGod Almighty\u201d (Amos 4:13), a stirring name of God spoken through the prophet\nAmos.<\/li>
      • \u201cHoly\nFather,\u201d the name Jesus used in prayer in the hours before his crucifixion\n(John 17:11).<\/li>
      • \u201cWonderful\nCounselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace\u201d (Isaiah 9:6), the\nnames describing Jesus\u2019 divinity in a key passage of messianic prophecy.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                    The various\nexhortations to praise God found in the Bible may seem perplexing, as to\nwhether God could be so egotistical as to require our praise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    More\nlikely, it is not a cosmic ego but a divine love that stretches forth to\nnurture our praise. Each moment of praise is an opportunity for God\u2019s people to\ngain an ever-deepening grasp of divine reality. Each worshipful use of God\u2019s\nname is a dialogue with him about who he is \u2013 in us and the world around us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Think,\nthen, of \u201cour Father in heaven.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Of \u201cGod\u201d\nand \u201cSon of God\u201d and \u201cHoly Spirit,\u201d of the array of words reflecting God\u2019s\nrevelation of himself in the Scriptures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Indeed,\n\u201challowed be your name.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Meditating<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                    Atheists in\ntimes of war can pray as bombs explode around them or bullets whiz by.\nAgnostics with a child suffering from a terminal illness can pray. Jews,\nMuslims, Buddhists, or Hindus can pray. People can pray to Satan or to idols of\nwood or stone. Once- or twice-a-year churchgoers can pray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Some of\nthese can find great emotional release through prayer to their respective gods.\nSome devotees begin their efforts in prayer by repeating a word or a sound over\nand over, seeking to enter a trance-like condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Like a\nblank sheet of paper, times of prayer can be filled with a wide range of\nreligious traditions or spur-of-the moment notions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Christians,\nof all people, should readily embrace the glories of prayer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Just\nbecause repetitive prayer, for example, is part of the Jewish and Muslim\ntraditions doesn\u2019t mean Christians should avoid repetition in times of prayer.\nHeartfelt repetition may be quite helpful and healthy when yearning to connect\nwith God or when praying in light of an intensely meaningful Scripture passage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Just\nbecause the Buddhist and Hindu traditions may include \u201cmeditation,\u201d \u201cchants,\u201d\nor one-syllable repetitive sounds typically called \u201cmantras\u201d doesn\u2019t mean\nChristians should avoid meditation drawn from the words of Scripture or simple\nyet sacred words such as \u201cJesus\u201d or \u201cLord God\u201d when settling in for a time of\nprayer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Neither\nshould Christians be shackled by images of people sitting in a\nsomewhat-contorted position on a floor. This posture is not a requirement for\nengaging in true prayer. It implies, for example, that people with limited\nmobility, those in physical pain, or those wary of injury cannot qualify for\nwondrous sacred experiences. Scripture, however, never minimizes the\nopportunity for anyone to yearn for God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    And just\nbecause some folks may close their eyes and sit in silence to attain a mystical\nexperience of one sort or another doesn\u2019t mean we Christians cannot sit in\nsilence with the Creator of the universe, absorbing any of his glory and love\nthat may come our way or surround us or lift our hearts heavenward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    It is\nneither blasphemy nor heresy for a Christian to meditate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Spiritual oasis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                    Psalm 1,\nfor example, notes that each believer can experience the blessings of a godly\nlife from God\u2019s teachings in Scripture, such that \u201chis delight is in the law of\nthe Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted\nby streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not\nwither\u201d (verses 2-3).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    The Bible\nalso tells us that there are times when, as recounted in Romans 8:26, \u201cWe do\nnot know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us\nwith groans that words cannot express.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    And when\nPsalm 46:10 quotes God as saying, \u201cBe still, and know that I am God,\u201d it is\nintriguing that some things about the Lord can only be known, or made clear in\nour hearts and minds, when we are still \u2013 when we excuse ourselves from the\nroutines and demands of life to seek a place where we might experience a few\nmoments of divine encounter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    It is a\nsign of spiritual vitality for a Christian to call \u201con the name of the Lord,\u201d\nas the Bible often puts it, whether in silent yearning or attentiveness to him\nor verbally in a loud outcry or a whisper. These moments can remind us of who\nGod is in our lives, how gracious he has been, and how he may want to guide us into\nhis care in the hours and days ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Even\nmoments spent simply repeating the name of Jesus, for example, or any of the\ndescriptions God has selected for himself can enliven our minds to relevant\njunctures in Scripture recounting Christ\u2019s teachings or his interactions with\npeople. Jesus\u2019 name, in particular, was given to him by God as \u201cthe name that\nis above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven\nand on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is\nLord, to the glory of God the Father,\u201d according to Philippians 2:9-11.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    For each\nperiod of meditation or each word or groan, or each look from our hearts toward\nthe Lord, a Christian must never lose sight of the sacredness of prayer.\nRemember, for example, the third of the Ten Commandments: \u201cYou shall not misuse\nthe name of the Lord your God \u2026\u201d (Exodus 20:7). And remember Jesus\u2019 counsel:\n\u201cAnd when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they\nwill be heard because of their many words\u201d (Matthew 6:7).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    No matter\nthe form of prayer, it must be the Holy Spirit \u2013 the supernatural presence of\nJesus in his followers \u2013 who helps us lift our hearts to God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Memorizing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                    A person\u2019s\nfaith may begin humbly, in a simple childlike trust in Jesus. At times, such\ntrust is a believer\u2019s only resource amid life\u2019s character-building trials and\ncrises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    But a\nspiritual hunger typically beckons each believer to grow \u2013 to read the Bible,\nto go to church on Sundays, to live every moment with integrity, and to help\nthose in need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Faith,\nhowever, pushes even further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Many of the\ngreatest joys in faith are discovered only through the spiritual adventure of\npraying as never before. Nurtured and sustained by prayer in an intimate\nrelationship with God, we arrive at one spiritual vista after another \u2013 at new\nheights of celebration, new realms of understanding, and new breadths of love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Life-changing\nprayer, however, does not occur in an empty mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    In some\nforms of meditation, people in other religions are instructed to clear all\nthoughts from their minds. \u201cThat\u2019s really hard for me to do,\u201d one adherent once\ntold me. More importantly, it may not be wise to circumvent one\u2019s consciousness\nand render it a godless vacuum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Christianity,\nmeanwhile, encourages people to open their minds to the Holy Spirit, who often\ncommunicates to us through the words of Scripture, especially those we have\nsought to memorize and re-memorize, or in streams of thought marked by a purity\nand a serenity that can only originate with God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Jesus, at\nthe outset of his forty-day epoch in the desert with the devil, spoke a\ndecisive truth, as recorded in Matthew 4:4: \u201cMan does not live on bread alone,\nbut on every word that comes from the mouth of God.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Jesus,\nabove all others, knew the Scriptures in his innermost being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    He was and\nis the fulfillment of them. He brings them to life, infusing them with his Holy\nSpirit and energizing the connection they provide between heaven and earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Ever-ready resource<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                    We make\noptimal use of Scripture when, in prayer, we attune ourselves to who God is in\naccord with his self-revelation, so that our lives are optimally responsive to\nour Creator, optimally prepared to make him known in our generation, optimally\ncommitted to passing along this divine heritage to the generations to come, and\noptimally attuned to his heart for those near and far whose yearning hearts are\nin need of a Savior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Your\n\u201coptimal\u201d is a matter between you and God. He may be pleased simply by an\neffort to memorize Scripture \u2013 yes, just an effort \u2013 regardless of any \u201csuccess\u201d\nyou may have in even committing a single verse to memory. Never be shackled by\nany form of guilt when you embark on an ongoing practice of reading a\nScripture, pondering its various words and phrases, and praying about its\npotential relevance to your life. This alone can become a fledgling lifestyle\nthat may yield a life-changing form of meditation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    \u201cSet your\nmind on things above, not on earthly things,\u201d the apostle Paul counseled. \u201cLet\nthe word of Christ dwell in you richly \u2026\u201d (Colossians 3:2, 16).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    We, then,\nshould avail ourselves of pivotal passages in Scripture. We should seek to\ncarry them with us \u2013 in our minds and hearts \u2013 wherever we go. We should have\nthem ready for life\u2019s daily challenges as well as its idle moments. Whenever\nwisdom and courage are needed for a looming crisis or an opportunity arises to\nsacrifice for someone in need, our preparedness is optimized day by day as we\nabsorb the Bible\u2019s insights into God\u2019s compassionate responsiveness to the\nhuman condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Just as\ndoctors, nurses, police officers, and firefighters spend numerous hours in\ntraining to develop an instinctive readiness for the various emergencies they\nmay confront, such training is instructive in the spiritual realm. Whenever we\nfind ourselves in a struggle within our souls or we encounter a lost soul\nseeking to know God or to survive one of life\u2019s many crises, it is a call to\nurgency to utilize the divine resources we have stored up in our hearts and\nminds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Returning\nto the words of Psalm 1, the significance and power of Scripture is underscored\nto anyone whose life has been infused with God\u2019s Spirit: \u201cBlessed is the man\nwho does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners\nor sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and\non his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of\nwater, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.\nWhatever he does prospers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Scripture\u2019s\npotency, for example, can purify a person\u2019s life. \u201cThe good man brings good\nthings out of the good stored up in him,\u201d Jesus said, as recounted in Matthew\n12:34-37, \u201cand the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in\nhim.\u201d The \u201coverflow of the heart\u201d will have eternal consequences, Jesus said, noting\nthat \u201cmen will have to give an account on the day of judgment for every\ncareless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by\nyour words you will be condemned.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Scripture\nalso is vital to avoid the tragedies of sin and to attain the greatest joys of\nfaith. \u201cI seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands,\u201d\nthe psalmist wrote. \u201cI have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin\nagainst you. \u2026 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great\nriches\u201d (Psalm 119:10-11, 14).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Various\nBible translations can be used for engaging in a process of Scripture\nmemorization. The 1984 New International Version is what you\u2019re seeing in this\nbook primarily because it is has been part of my life for so long, though I am\nbeginning to make use of the 2011 NIV. But I have an abiding reverence for the\nKing James Version, great respect for the English Standard Version and New\nAmerican Standard Bible, and warm appreciation for the Good News Bible. My\ndaughter now prefers the Christian Standard Bible; my grandmother enjoyed the\nAmplified Bible. Some of my friends are drawn to the Revised Standard Version\nor The Message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Sadly,\nthough, memorizing Scripture often is seen as laborious. Some effort indeed is\nrequired, perhaps like walking from one destination to another or picking up a\nbook in order to read it. Yet much of life is incremental. We take one step and\nanother and another throughout each day; we read one word, then a phrase, a\nsentence, a paragraph, and a chapter as we absorb what\u2019s between the covers of\na book. Even more important to our well-being, however, is one word of\nScripture, one phrase, one verse, one passage at a time. Memorizing Scripture,\nwithout doubt, is a key path toward a tender yet dynamic communion with God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    \u201cThe law of\nthe Lord is perfect, reviving the soul,\u201d the psalmist wrote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    \u201cThe\nstatutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    \u201cThe\nprecepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    \u201cThe\ncommands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    \u201cThe fear\nof the Lord is pure, enduring forever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    \u201cThe\nordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    \u201cThey are\nmore precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than\nhoney from the comb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    \u201cBy them is\nyour servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward\u201d (Psalm 19:7-11).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Granted,\nmany people believe they have no ability to memorize Scripture. Or they believe\nthey will soon forget anything they memorize. No one, however, should feel\nguilty in this regard or feel like a failure. Even a tenuous recall of a\nScripture passage may entail several months, or a year or more, of periodic\nreview and of patient re-memorizing whenever it slips from memory. Varying\ndegrees of forgetfulness are part of our humanity \u2013 which God can utilize in\nhighly redemptive fashion: Each moment of memorizing or refreshing a Scripture\ncan be experienced as a divine encounter, even for a few seconds or a minute or\ntwo. An exacting recall of the words and phrases of a Scripture passage\ncertainly will nourish our souls; even better, though, is the process of\nongoing engagement with Scripture in our minds and hearts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        20.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Internalizing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                    More than\nbeing memorized and re-memorized, however, Scripture must be internalized. It\nis as important for our spiritual health as food and vitamins are for our\nphysical health, as well as rest, sleep, and exercise to maintain mobility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    An interest\nin internalizing Scripture begins with a desire for God to shape and guide our\nlives through the language we share in common with him. Scripture, as one of\nthe most practical yet powerful ways of connecting with God, sets forth an\nunderstanding of the great privilege of prayer — of sensing God\u2019s heart, of\nhearing from him and speaking to him. It is the source of learning who God\ntruly is and, in turn, who we are because we have been created \u201cin his own\nimage,\u201d as the Book of Genesis describes God\u2019s design of humanity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    His image\nis reflected \u2013 or tarnished \u2013 in everything we do in the full scope of life. At\ntimes, we are able to revel in the pleasures of our earthly existence, from\ngood food and good friends to soul-satisfying faith. Other days are filled with\nchallenges \u2013 some momentary, some lifelong \u2013 and, periodically, the challenges\nerupt into crises. The rest of our time, it seems, is spent in the incessant\nflow of seconds, minutes, and hours. Whether we are enjoying life\u2019s highlights,\nfacing a challenge, enduring a crisis, or going about our daily routines, all\nof life can be enhanced \u2013 ought to be enhanced \u2013 as we pray the Scriptures as\nnever before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Scripture\ninternalization can empower your life in numerous ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    — It\ntransforms your life. Certainly it is central to the process described by the\napostle Paul in Romans 12:2: \u201cDo not conform any longer to the pattern of this\nworld, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able\nto test and approve what God\u2019s will is \u2013 his good, pleasing and perfect will.\u201d\nEach phrase that you memorize, re-memorize, and internalize from Scripture or\neach sentence or verse enriches your storehouse of knowledge and becomes a part\nof your conscience and your thinking process and, most importantly, your prayer\nconnection with God throughout the day \u2013 and throughout your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    —\nScripture internalization directs your prayers toward \u201cthe only true God,\u201d as\nJesus called his Father in John 17:3, rather than a god of your imagination or\na god of a sin-warped culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    — It can\nhelp you know more intimately the God to whom you are praying. As you memorize\na verse or passage of Scripture and then others, pondering them and repeating them\nover the course of several weeks or months, the internalization of God\u2019s Word\nwill lead to an ever-deepening, ever-broadening awareness of his wisdom and\nlove. As the apostle Paul put it, \u201cFor who among men knows the thoughts of a\nman except the man\u2019s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the\nthoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of\nthe world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has\nfreely given us\u201d (1 Corinthians 2:11-12).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    — It can\nstir you to a heightened sense of God\u2019s majesty and a greater readiness to\nworship him. Increasingly, you will be able to join in the kind of praise\nvoiced in Psalm 100: \u201cShout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the\nLord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is\nGod. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his\npasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give\nthanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures\nforever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    —\nScripture internalization acquaints you with the resources of God for any of\nlife\u2019s rigors or troubles. It provides an assurance, as the apostle Paul noted\nin Romans 8:38-39, \u201c\u2026that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,\nneither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth,\nnor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of\nGod that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    — It can\nsharpen and widen your vision for the opportunities God sets before us \u2013 from\ndeepening our faith and making it ever more joyous to becoming more responsive\nto people who are hurting and empty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    The seemingly impossible<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                    The idea of\ninternalizing Scripture may, at first, seem irrelevant to what you typically\nthink about and what you typically do. You may not think it is possible to be\nrejuvenated by a few silent moments with God; passages from Scripture may not\nseem to be anything more than mere words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    You may\nfeel that your soul is like dry, parched ground, barren and infertile,\nseemingly impenetrable to moisture. The first few drops of rain, like your\nfirst few glances heavenward or the first verse of Scripture that you ponder,\nmay seem to be insignificant. Likewise, the first few minutes of precipitation,\nlike the first few encounters with God, may seem to be of little effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    But just as\na steady rainfall begins to permeate the ground, an ongoing intake of Scripture\nvia contact with the Holy Spirit begins to soften the soul. Before long, the\nseemingly impossible has occurred: The soil is becoming fertile again \u2013 and\nyour soul is being renewed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    If, over\nweeks and months, the atmosphere releases an adequate amount of rain, the soil\ncan become productive again. With God, however, there is no \u201cif\u201d; his quiet,\nlife-giving nurture, over weeks and months, and over a lifetime, will transcend\neach day\u2019s ups and downs and produce an ever-increasing harvest of hope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    At times\nwhen a crisis may erupt, time may be too short to search through the Scriptures\nfor guidance from the heart of God. But if you are internalizing Scripture and,\nthus, praying as never before, your spiritual preparedness is in place \u2013 and\ncontinually growing \u2013 for life junctures when it will be needed most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        21.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Starting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                    Perhaps the\nmost productive starting point for Scripture internalization is Galatians\n5:22-23: \u201c\u2026 the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,\ngoodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    This is the\nmost succinct passage in Scripture describing the godly qualities that result\nfrom a person opening his or her heart to Jesus. Its simple words, when\nenlivened in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, nurture traits that not only will\nbenefit you but also the people around you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Most people\nmay need a few weeks \u2013 or even a few months \u2013 to attain a speedy recall of this\nor any Scripture passage. In this instance, it may help to focus on the first\nletter of each life-changing facet of the fruit of the Spirit, perhaps in these\ngroupings — LJ (love, joy) \u2013 PP (peace, patience) \u2013 KG (kindness, goodness) \u2013\nFG (faithfulness, gentleness) \u2013 SC (self-control).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    When memorizing Scripture, often a good first step is to identify the key components of a passage, perhaps in a brief list or outline. Alphabet-based shortcuts such as LJ, PP, KG, FG, SC may then prove helpful as well as patterns that may involve key words, phrases, or concepts drawn from a passage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Another way\nto memorize Scripture is to focus on the first phrase of a passage and, when it\ncan be called to mind with relative ease, then add the next phrase or the\nremainder of the sentence. Even a full sentence might be a good starting point,\nespecially if there are a few key words or a hint of rhythm in the flow of the\nwords. If there are multiple sentences in the overall passage, continue the\nprocess toward a cumulative recall of the full passage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Also \u2013 at\nthe outset \u2013 be sure to memorize the Scripture reference, such as Galatians\n5:22-23, so that you can find it in the Bible in case part of it slips from\nmemory or someone expresses an interest in reading it later in a quiet moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Also\nconsider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    — writing\nout the passage a number of times, enjoying and contemplating each phrase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    — copying\nit in a small notebook or onto spiral-bound notecards (available on many\nstores\u2019 school supplies aisles) to carry with you to glance at from time to\ntime, especially in idle moments here and there, in order to refresh your\nmemory of the passage as well as other passages you previously memorized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    — copying\neach new passage onto individual notecards or pieces of paper, keeping them atop\nyour dresser, and picking one up as you leave home each day to review whenever\npossible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    — telling\na relative or friend that you\u2019re trying to memorize Scripture and asking if he\nor she would look at a Bible passage as you attempt to speak it aloud in order to\ncheck for any missing or misplaced words or phrases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    The\nScripture initially may seem to be a murky mass of words. Or it may seem almost\nunwieldy. But be patient. The first week or two (or three or four!) of learning\na new Scripture passage perhaps can be likened to a musician\u2019s initial days of\npractice toward mastering a classical composition, or an artist\u2019s early\nthinking, sketches, and selection of paints to attempt a crowning work of art,\nor a hobbyist\u2019s efforts to begin putting together the many pieces of an\nelaborate picture puzzle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    With\nScripture, new insights can begin to blossom from every few repetitions of a\nphrase or a sentence \u2013 new insights about God, about yourself and your life\u2019s\ncircumstances. Over time, even more than anything ever learned in school, it\nwill become an invaluable inner resource increasingly available to you \u2013 and to\nthe Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Add wisdom<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                    A second\npassage that can be meaningful in the early stages of Scripture internalization\nis the Bible\u2019s succinct description of wisdom in James 3:17: \u201c\u2026 the wisdom that\ncomes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate,\nsubmissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.\u201d (A possible\nmemory aid for this passage: PP, pure and peace-loving; CS, considerate,\nsubmissive; FMG, full of mercy and good fruit; IS, impartial, sincere.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    When faced\nwith a significant decision, this kind of wisdom guards against runaway human\nreasoning devoid of God\u2019s guidance. Moreover, it can enhance and elevate our everyday\nthoughts and actions as we live in the present; as we look to the future,\nwhether a couple of minutes or a couple of weeks from now; and as we look back\nover recent days to assess our relationship with God and with others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    There are\ntimes, of course, when worries, frustrations, or sinful thoughts invade our\nminds when we are trying to pray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    But\nChristians need never languish. Help for their embattled minds is available as\nsoon as they remember to return to their spiritual senses and tap into a great\nreservoir of truths for inner wellness \u2013 truths that abound across the expanse\nof the Bible and, yet, are brought into focus and made active in our hearts\nthrough the simple but dynamic power of Jesus, who calls us to \u201cremain in me\u201d\nand to let \u201cmy words remain in you,\u201d according to John 15, verse 7.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    A few\nuplifting words from the Lord\u2019s Prayer or any life-changing words from\nScripture \u2013 or Jesus\u2019 name itself \u2013 can be spoken, whispered or pondered, and\nrepeated, and then repeated several times or perhaps many times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Such a\npractice may seem childlike, yet it was Jesus who once called forth a little\nchild and then declared great value in moments of childlike faith. \u201cI tell you\nthe truth,\u201d he said, as recorded in Matthew 18, verses 3 and 4, \u201cunless you change\nand become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.\nTherefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the\nkingdom of heaven.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        22.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Starting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        (Part Two)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Whether\nseen through the eyes of a child or an adult, the Bible at first glance simply\nlooks like a book. But it is immeasurably more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    A glass of\nwater may not be a marvelous sight, unless you are desperately thirsty; then it\nbecomes invaluable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Coins or\npaper currency are passive objects, but when they are taken into the\nmarketplace they provide food, clothing, or other personal needs. Money can\nfulfill a person\u2019s wishes and, unfortunately, fuel a person\u2019s self-centeredness\nand eventual ruin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    It is\nentirely plausible, then, that \u201cthe Word of God is living and active,\u201d as the\nBible is described in the Book of Hebrews, chapter 4, verse 12, and thus is\nvital to praying as never before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    \u201cSharper\nthan any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit,\njoints and marrow,\u201d the passage continues with a metaphoric touch; \u201cit judges\nthe thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from\nGod\u2019s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to\nwhom we must give account.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    This stark\ntransparency before our Creator\u2019s eyes might leave us undone and hopeless, but\ninstead, God intends for it to deepen our intimacy with him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    \u201cTherefore,\nsince we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the\nSon of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess,\u201d the Scripture counsels\nin this passage from Hebrews, reminding us that God\u2019s intense knowledge of our\nthoughts and actions should stir us to \u201capproach the throne of grace with\nconfidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time\nof need\u201d (verses 12-16).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Our time of\nneed isn\u2019t just when a crisis has erupted; it encompasses every moment of\nawareness of our dependence on God to draw another breath, to experience life\nat its fullest even while coping with its rigors, and to preserve our souls\ninto eternity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    A confident faith<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                    Through\nGod\u2019s love, we will have \u201cconfidence on the day of judgment,\u201d we are told in 1\nJohn, chapter four, verse 17, \u201cbecause in this world we are like him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Knowing\nthat the \u201cliving and active\u201d Word of God is a key dynamic of the Holy Spirit by\nwhich we become \u201clike him,\u201d the internalization of Scripture provides momentous\nopportunities to take hold of an ever-deepening faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    More and\nmore, we become the kind of people Scripture envisions and we experience the\nkinds of things that occur in God\u2019s supernatural realm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Increasingly,\nwe are attuned to the inward transformation and outward flow of the \u201clove, joy,\npeace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control\u201d noted in the\nGalatians 5 passage that describes the fruit of the Spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Frequently,\nwe contemplate what\u2019s on God\u2019s heart as conveyed in Scripture and by the Holy\nSpirit. We begin to ponder his wisdom, seeking in prayer to apply the\nintriguing qualities set forth in James 3:17: that the \u201cwisdom that comes from\nabove is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of\nmercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    And when we\nlovingly speak forth God\u2019s Word, it has a way of enriching us as well as those\nwho hear it. The words of Scripture stir us to lift our minds and hearts\nheavenward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    In\nlistening to music, we often become absorbed by it, allowing it to infuse and\nreverberate in our souls. Scripture, though its impact may be more subtle, is\nfar more crucial to our well-being than any melody or set of lyrics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Internalizing\nvarious life-changing Scripture passages is as important spiritually as an\nelementary school student learning the basics of addition and subtraction, or a\nworker attaining the skills necessary to do his or her job, or a driver knowing\nthe various road signs that assure safe travel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    When we are\nrooted in Jesus and open to his Holy Spirit, Scripture is far more likely than\nany other resource known to man to help us pray in tune with God. Each\nScripture passage that we internalize is like a new path toward God\u2019s love and\nwisdom and his eternal riches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        23.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Starting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        (Part Three)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Some people\nmistakenly associate the word \u201crote\u201d with Scripture memorization and internalization\nas if it entails mindless repetition. They see no good reason nor any potential\nfor great gain by engaging in what they believe is a laborious effort. The idea\nof Scripture being \u201cliving and active\u201d is just one of a myriad of fleeting\nnotions about the Bible that may come to mind from time to time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Such\nattitudes are understandable. The words printed on the pages of the Bible are\nproduced when ink is applied to paper. As mere words, they are no more\nextraordinary than the words printed in the great books of literature,\nphilosophy, history, and science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Words begin\nto have influence through a two-way process that involves those who have\nwritten the words and those who are reading and absorbing them. They are the\nfoundational tools for communication, the starting point and channel through\nwhich ideas are relayed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    The words\nof Scripture are living and active because they were framed by God and they\nconvey his revelation to mankind. An array of supremely momentous junctures are\nrecounted in the Bible, such as the creation of the cosmos in Genesis; the\ncoming of Jesus the Messiah in the Gospels; and the prophetic, sweeping\nculmination of world history in the Book of Revelation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    And,\ncertainly, God sets forth his guidance to men, women, and children through the\nBible, in retelling for each generation the supernatural ministry and teachings\nof Jesus and the leaders of the first-century church as empowered by the Holy\nSpirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Everyday tools<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                    Examples\nfrom daily life abound that reflect the living and active nature of Scripture,\nhow the words of Scripture are simply tools in God\u2019s hands by which he reaches\nout to believers and seekers through his Holy Spirit and transforms their\nlives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    As an\nartist uses a set of brushes to produce a painting, God uses the words of the\nBible as a way for the Holy Spirit to produce an increasingly Christ-like\nperson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    As a\nsculptor uses chisels to break stone into a work of art, God uses passages from\nScripture to turn cold human hearts into hearts tender to the leading of the\nHoly Spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Just as a\ncraftsman provides the precision in using a set of knives to create a piece of\nfurniture or an intriguing carving, or a woodsman provides the power in using\nan axe to make a stack of firewood, God\u2019s Holy Spirit is the source of Scripture\u2019s\nprecision and power in meeting people\u2019s innermost needs. As plumbers and\nelectricians use their tools to fix household problems, the Bible contains\ninnumerable words by which the Holy Spirit can begin to restore broken lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    When a\nperson uses a telephone, he or she provides the voice that can be heard at the\nother end of the line. Through Scripture, God\u2019s Holy Spirit provides the voice\nthat can be heard in the human soul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    In fact,\nthe reading of Scripture and, all the more, memorizing and internalizing it are\na sacred conversation with God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    It can be\ndifficult to have an extended conversation with God through our human thoughts\nor our conversational ability. We can humble ourselves before God by praising\nhim for the many facets of his grandeur. We can thank him for the blessings he\nhas entrusted to us. We can ask him to forgive us for the latest of our sinful\nactions and inaction. We can ask him to take hold of our weaknesses and enable\nus to be better Christians. And we can pray for others near and far who, amid\ntheir crises, pain, anguish, and\/or loneliness, need his loving intervention in\ntheir lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Despite the\nvast scope and potential of prayer, many of us often complete our encounters\nwith God in incomplete fashion. Our time in prayer may seem lengthy even though\nit has spanned only a few minutes. And rarely do we return to God in this vital\nkind of intercession during the day. Only in the most excruciating\ncircumstances do we seem capable of crying out to God over the course of hours\nor throughout the day and night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    But when we\nbegin to memorize and internalize Scripture, we gain an added dimension of\nprayer. We begin to speak a common language with our Creator. (Remember: Do not\nlet any notion of attaining perfect recall of Scripture verse after Scripture\nverse divert you from engaging in Scripture in whatever way nourishes your\nsoul). In prayer, his words extend into more and more of our waking hours, and\nthey can impart peace during seasons of sleeplessness. Innumerable passages of\nGod\u2019s words in Scripture can provide a supernatural alternative to our worldly\ncares. At moments when even one Scripture comes to mind, it may nudge us into\npraise, intercession, or other modes of prayer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    And we\nbegin to ponder what \u201cpray without ceasing,\u201d the phrase in 1 Thessalonians,\nchapter 5, verse 17, truly can mean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Words,\nthen, are God\u2019s everyday tools to help lead us to a glorious supernatural\nfaith. In him and through him, they truly become living and active as we become\nmore and more attuned to praying as never before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        24.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Starting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        (Part Four)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    You may\nemerge with a variety of reactions to your initial attempts to pray as never\nbefore. Perhaps you had a glorious spiritual experience each time. Even after\ntwenty or thirty minutes of prayer, you yearned for more. On the other hand, it\nis possible that you became bored or impatient after just a few minutes. Or you\nmay have had a few moments of intimate encounter with God amid a stretch of\ntime of wondering if something life-changing actually would happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    There may\nbe times when, in trying to pray, your thoughts wander among the myriad cares\nof this world. And perhaps you are among those who feel guilty about such\nmental restlessness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Spare\nyourself the condemnation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    There is no\nbetter way to soften the wear and tear of these distractions than listening\nanew to God\u2019s call as it sounds forth, often in the reassuring, nurturing words\nof Scripture that rise above the inner clatter every few moments or minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    There may\nbe times when you fall asleep while sitting comfortably or perhaps reclining\nfor a time of praying the fruit of the Spirit or the wisdom that comes from\nheaven \u2013 or any segment of Scripture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Again, fret\nnot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    There is no\nbetter way to enter into sleep or emerge from it than in prayer, perhaps in\nrepeating the name of Jesus or a godly phrase, in pondering a Scripture you are\nseeking to internalize, or in intercession for someone on your heart. Don\u2019t\nshortchange Jesus\u2019 invitation: \u201cCome to me, all you who are weary and burdened,\nand I will give you rest,\u201d as recorded in Matthew 11:28. Physical, emotional,\nand\/or spiritual exhaustion may be among the best starting points for turning\nto God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    First impressions<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                    Even if you\nfall asleep or persevere through an onslaught of noise and distractions, a few\nmoments or a minute or two of divine encounter can be extraordinarily precious.\nThey are like the blossoms on a fruit tree: They are beautiful to behold, but\nthey also herald the start of a miraculous process by which a crop of fruit will\nemerge and grow toward nutritious maturity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    These early\nflickering times of prayer also can be likened to a medication that is taken\nover the course of a week or two to achieve a cumulative effect capable of\novercoming a disease. Or they are like the efforts to clean up a polluted river\nor stream. The first day\u2019s effort is important — as are the first month\u2019s\nefforts and the first year\u2019s. An ongoing endeavor over time will yield a flow\nof clean water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Certainly\none prayer can be eternally significant. But a lifestyle of prayer can be\nexponential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Perhaps at\nthe outset or perhaps later, there may be times in contemplative prayer when\nyou feel as though you are entering into a semi-conscious state, as if you may\nbe sinking deep into God\u2019s trustworthy arms or rising to his throne in the\nheavens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Do not be\nalarmed if you depart from your normal earthly existence for a time. There is\nno better pathway to life-changing moments of awe with God than one illuminated\nand guarded by prayer and Scripture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    In Isaiah\n26:3, this song of praise to God declares, \u201cYou will keep in perfect peace him\nwhose mind is steadfast because he trusts in you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Perfect\npeace is not impossible. It is experienced when everything else has fallen away\nin moments of praying as never before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        25.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Growing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                    At times,\nworry and\/or depression push forth like schoolyard bullies to challenge our\ngood intentions to pray as never before, even when we\u2019re in the midst of\nresting in the Lord, meditating on Scripture to grow in godly character,\ninterceding for others\u2019 needs, or attaining times of perfect peace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    For the\nproblem of worry, Philippians 4:4-7 and 1 Peter 5:5-7 can be quite helpful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Philippians\n4:4-7 relays an exhortation to: \u201cRejoice in the Lord always. I will say it\nagain: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not\nbe anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with\nthanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which\ntranscends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ\nJesus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    1 Peter 5:5-7, meanwhile, counsels: \u201c\u2026 All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, \u2018God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.\u2019 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God\u2019s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    These\npassages do not relay suggestions; they relay God\u2019s commands \u2013 his loving\ninstruction \u2013 to supplant worry with faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    In\nPhilippians 4:4-7, when we internalize God\u2019s counsel to rejoice and pray\ninstead of worry, we are moving toward an extraordinary degree of God\u2019s peace.\nWhen we rejoice in God, he is near, at least in part because we have drawn near\nto him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    When we\ninternalize 1 Peter 5:5-7, meanwhile, we absorb the truth that those who are\n\u201cproud\u201d \u2013 who think they must do everything on their own, without God \u2013 are on\na path to pervasive worry and loneliness. Believers, on the other hand,\nincreasingly grow to realize the folly of forfeiting the blessings promised to\nthose whose first course of action is to seek God\u2019s empowering and guidance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Up from the depths<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                    If there\nare times when depression clouds your life, perhaps in moments of saying to\nyourself, \u201cI hate myself and I hate my life,\u201d \u201cI can\u2019t go on another day (or\nminute),\u201d or \u201cI wish I were dead,\u201d Scripture again offers substantive help.\nConsider, for example, internalizing Jesus\u2019 answer to a question posed by one\nof the first century\u2019s Pharisees, recorded in Matthew 22:36-40, as a possible\nsource of emotional uplift and healing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    \u201c\u2018Teacher,\nwhich is the greatest commandment in the Law?\u2019 Jesus replied: \u2018Love the Lord\nyour God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.\nThis is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: \u2018Love\nyour neighbor as yourself.\u2019 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two\ncommandments.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Note,\nfirst, Jesus\u2019 commands: to love God and to love your neighbor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    As you look\nto God \u2013 spending time with him, seeking to pray as never before, and being\ntransformed by Scripture \u2013 the more you will love him, perhaps slowly over\ntime, perhaps quite quickly. As your love for God deepens, you will begin to experience\nan accompanying love for your neighbors \u2013 those who are part of your everyday\nworld and those with whom you have interacted in the past. Increasingly, as God\ntouches and shapes your heart, you will treat these neighbors with respect and\nkindness. You will begin to do good things for them as opportunity permits. At\nsome point, you may even make a great sacrifice for one of them. As you grow in\ngodly compassion, you also will begin to see people in distant lands as your\nneighbors who likewise are worthy of sacrificial efforts to introduce them to a\nsustaining faith in Jesus and to extend a helping hand amid the poverty and\/or\noppression they may be enduring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    But, then,\nlook at the complete command: to love your neighbor as yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Good\nthoughts and good deeds are not just God\u2019s will for how you interact with your\nneighbors, but also God\u2019s will for how you interact with yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Internalizing\nthese brief sentences from Scripture can deepen your capacity for loving God,\nthen loving your neighbors and, just as importantly, learning to love yourself\nwith his supernatural love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        26.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Growing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        (Part Two)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    In addition\nto worry and depression, another spiritual battleground is sin. Because we\nhaven\u2019t murdered anyone, however, or been taken to court for a major crime, we\nmay assume all is well. Many of us have become quite adept in rationalizing\naway our sins. Or we may compartmentalize our lives into the \u201cChristian\u201d part\non Sunday mornings and the \u201creal world\u201d part during the rest of the week in our\nwork and recreation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    In varying\nways, we tend to lack the good sense to be deeply concerned about our ethical\nlapses, our rudeness or insensitivity to others, our negative attitudes or\nself-centeredness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    We need,\nwith regularity, to be sobered up to the holiness of God, to be reminded of our\nnakedness before him, and to courageously move beyond our unworthiness by\nembracing the wholesomeness of repentance and renewal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Galatians\n6:7-9 can be a helpful Scripture passage for memorizing\/internalizing in\nconfronting our sin: \u201cDo not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps\nwhat he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature\nwill reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit\nwill reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the\nproper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    As often as\nthis passage comes to mind, it can reawaken our conscience, shake us from our\ncomplacency, and redirect us toward repentance and restoration. It can renew\nour vigilance, unveil our spiritual blind spots, and chip away at our hardness\nof heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Sometimes,\neven when our outward behavior is without fault, our minds can wander toward\ngodlessness, stretching from depraved thoughts to vengeful imaginations. These\nprivate moments, however, are never beyond the purifying reach of the Holy\nSpirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Drawing\nfrom the apostle Paul\u2019s instruction in 1 Corinthians 10:5 to \u201ctake captive\nevery thought to make it obedient to Christ,\u201d one of the surest ways to reign\nin a wandering mind is to latch on to Scripture that exhorts us to a higher\nplane of living, such as Jesus\u2019 words in the Sermon on the Mount, \u201cBlessed are\nthe pure in heart for they will see God,\u201d as recorded in Matthew 5:8.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Spiritual scrutiny<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                    Ongoing or\none-time sins also can be uncovered for repentance by repeating the fruit of\nthe Spirit \u2013 \u201clove, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,\ngentleness and self-control\u201d \u2013 not only as a general prayer but also as a\nspiritual checklist, asking God such questions about ourselves as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    In what\nways might I need to have more love toward people in general or a certain\nperson in my life?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    How might I\nbe missing out on some of the joy you intend for me?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    What\u2019s the\nquality of my peace with you and my family and friends?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Do you have\nanything to say about my patience with you and with others?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    What\nopportunities are you giving me for showing kindness to people in the days\nahead?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Look into\nmy soul, God, and let me know how you might want to increase whatever goodness\nis there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    What do you\nwant me to learn about faithfulness?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    To what\nextent do people see a gentleness in me imparted by your Spirit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    In what\nareas do I need to pray for self-control?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Beyond repentance<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    For each\nsin, return to the forgiveness and restoration God promises in 1 John 1:9: \u201cIf\nwe confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and\npurify us from all unrighteousness.\u201d And for each area where spiritual growth\nis needed, find an appropriate passage in Scripture and begin to internalize\nit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Good things\nhappen when, in praying as never before, we confront our tendency to fall into\nsin. Among them:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        • Prevention.\nWe may reinvigorate our conscience and gain a new resolve to avoid dabbling in\nsin, thus preventing its destructiveness in our lives along with the damage our\nsin can cause in others\u2019 lives.<\/li>
        • Abbreviation.\nWe may come to our senses more quickly when we have fallen into sin and take\ncorrective action by whatever steps are necessary to return to the Lord.<\/li>
        • Restoration.\nWe seek and accept God\u2019s forgiveness for our sin rather than wallowing in guilt\nand shame.<\/li>
        • Healing.\nThe sooner we turn to God for forgiveness, the sooner he can begin healing our\nhearts. In some cases, our suffering from sin can be reduced by months or even\nyears.<\/li>
        • Rejoicing.\nAt times, by using the fruit of the Spirit as a checklist when we are praying\nas never before, the Lord may show us ways he has been supernaturally\ntransforming our lives, giving us cause for humble, godly moments of\nthanksgiving and rejoicing.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          27.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Growing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

          (Part Three)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Any spiritual\nchecklist for assessing our relationship with God is incomplete unless it\ncontains a number of queries probing our relationships with other people. Our\naccountability for how we conduct our lives is first and foremost to God, yet\nit extends beyond any \u201cGod-and-me\u201d attitude. One of our most pivotal proving\ngrounds of faith involves our respect for \u2013 and love of \u2013 people, from the\nyoungest and smallest to the oldest and most frail. Our relationships are the\nonly earthly setting in which we can complete Jesus\u2019 commands to \u201cLove the Lord\nyour God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind\u201d\nand, then, to \u201cLove your neighbor as yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Perhaps no\nScripture is more crucial for our personal relationships than Ephesians\n4:29-32: \u201cDo not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only\nwhat is helpful for building others up, according to their needs, that it may\nbenefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom\nyou were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and\nanger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and\ncompassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God\nforgave you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Much of\nthis Scripture squarely describes our relational sins. It describes what we\noften do to loved ones, friends, neighbors, acquaintances, and passersby. It is\na sorrowful listing of the hurts and heartbreaks we inflict on each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      And yet\nthis Scripture is wonderfully redemptive. It is a call to repentance in our\nfamilies, neighborhoods, places of worship, and work settings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      As often as\nwe repeat this Scripture in prayer in order to internalize it, it increasingly\nfashions within us a divine respect for others and a readiness to forgive and\nseek forgiveness and, wherever possible, the healing of strained or ruptured\nrelationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Within a\nfew months, or maybe only weeks, you may be amazed as you hear and see the\ngraciousness of your language and actions resulting from memorizing and\nmeditating upon these four sentences. (One key to memorizing this passage:\nBegin by focusing on the first few words of each sentence: 1) \u201cDo not let.\u2026\u201d 2)\n\u201cAnd do not grieve\u2026.\u201d 3) \u201cGet rid of\u2026.\u201d and 4) \u201cBe kind and compassionate\u2026.\u201d)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      When anger soars<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                      One of the\nmost common relational sins is abusive anger, an emotion that explodes or\nfesters in a way that harms another person or sometimes extends its upheaval to\na crowd of people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Scripture\nsets forth a balanced view of anger; we are told, for example, in Ephesians 4:26-27,\n\u201cIn your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,\nand do not give the devil a foothold.\u201d With each anger episode, turn to God as\nsoon as possible to ask for his help in turning your heart back toward the\nfruit of the Spirit. By addressing anger during times of praying as never\nbefore, it can become an emotion that need not leave a tornado-like trail of\ndestruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Numerous\nother biblical exhortations can be helpful in working to push anger back from\nthe threshold of sin, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — Pray for\nGod\u2019s control over your words as well as your tone of voice. Here is\nparticularly where Scripture internalization can bring transformation, in\nfocusing on such passages as James 3:9-10, \u201cWith the tongue we praise our Lord\nand Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God\u2019s likeness. Out\nof the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.\u201d\nSeveral passages in Proverbs also can be helpful, such as \u201cHe who guards his\nmouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity\u201d (Proverbs 21:23) and \u201cWhen\nwords are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise\u201d\n(Proverbs 10:19).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — Seek\nrestoration with anyone harmed by your anger. Because prayer is one of the most\ntender gifts we exchange with the Lord, the words of Jesus recorded in Matthew\n5:23 set forth a foundational practice for human relationships: \u201c\u2026 if you are\noffering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has\nsomething against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go\nand be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      If you seek\nto internalize Ephesians 4:29-32, be careful never to use it in anger, sarcasm,\nor a lecturing tone toward someone with whom you are at odds. When spoken to\nanother person, it should only be with someone who is hungry for, or at least\nopen to, a word from God. Otherwise, we join Satan in the role of \u201caccuser of\nthe brothers,\u201d as Revelation 12:10 puts it. Sadly, even a wondrous word from\nScripture can be used in a sinful manner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Marriage,\ncertainly, is the most foundational of human relationships, abounding with\nchallenges and growth as well as joys and, potentially, companionship until the\nonset of death. Anger and other lamentable behaviors can grip a marriage at a\nmoment\u2019s notice or fester for years. Countless books on marriage have been\nwritten and countless counselors are available to help struggling couples. Yet,\nany of these can be enhanced when one or both spouses begin to deal with anger\nand their other shortcomings by a heart-level repentance drawn from God\u2019s\ncounsel in Scripture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      When\nprovoked to anger, whatever the context, you can continue to give yourself over\nto dangerous emotions, a bit like attaching yourself to a rocket soaring out of\ncontrol or jumping into a mighty river in flood stages. Or, over time, God can\nguide you toward better choices as you internalize Scripture by praying as\nnever before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      The Holy\nSpirit, in fact, can lead you to be more gracious than you ever thought\npossible. The words, \u201cPlease forgive me\u2026,\u201d will become easier to say. At some\npoint in the future when angry and unkind thoughts are reverberating and\nmultiplying in your mind, you may be humbled to hear gracious words somehow\nemerge from your lips. \u201cI can\u2019t believe I said something nice,\u201d you may marvel\nto yourself before realizing, \u201cOh, it was you, God, who helped me.\u201d Or, you may\ncome to a point someday that whenever anger is beginning to erupt, your lips\nseem to be divinely restrained from speaking it. At such times, you likely will\nrecall, and celebrate, the words of Scripture, \u201cDo not let any unwholesome talk\ncome out of your mouths\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          28.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Trusting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                      It is a\nwondrous experience when, in praying as never before, God begins to utilize the\nwords of Scripture to infuse a supernatural peace and hope into our hearts in\never-increasing measure. But when a problem threatens to take a toll on our\nphysical well-being, a troublesome bit of doubt can arise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      While we\nare thankful for the grace God has imparted to our souls, many of us wonder\nwhat it would be like if a looming problem were to take away our livelihood and\nthrust us into financial ruin. We sometimes wonder how traumatized we would be\nif a doctor were to relay a diagnosis of ominous illness or if, in an instant,\nwe were to suffer a debilitating injury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Many\nothers, meanwhile, know what it is like. They have experienced it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      When prayer\nencounters hardship (whether real or induced by worry), it becomes very\npersonal. We ask God such questions as: Will you truly take care of me? Yes,\nyou\u2019ve changed my life, but in the worst-case scenario, will I have food to\neat? Will I have shelter or will I be left homeless? Will I have family and\nfriends or will I be alone?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      When\nphysical ailments buffet our bodies, we may turn to God in our uncertainty and\nask: Will I be able to walk despite the pain in my body, or put on my clothes?\nWill I be able to see if my eyes continue to decline?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Only rarely\ndo we have an opportunity to ask a close friend who has weathered an ordeal:\nDid God really provide? Otherwise, we don\u2019t tend to hear of people who have\nrenounced their faith in deep disappointment or anger toward God. Yet we\nwonder: Did God take care of them? Or are they just keeping quiet, not wanting\ntell others that their faith had been folly?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Our doubts,\ndespite the many glories of faith, are ever-persistent, much like the penchant\nof the ancient Israelites to stray from their faith even after witnessing\nmomentous moments of God\u2019s revelation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Perhaps\nfrom time to time we ponder the passage from Matthew 5:45 in which Jesus states\nthat God \u201ccauses his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on\nthe righteous and the unrighteous.\u201d Whether it may seem fair or not, the forces\nof nature as well as the pleasures and hardships of the physical world are\ninherent facets of daily life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Redemptive choices<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                      In\nresponding to each day\u2019s circumstances, however, the believer has a wider range\nof options, each connected to the redemptive purposes of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      In times of\nblessing, Scripture adds this option, for example, in Romans 2:4: \u201cOr do you\nshow contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not\nrealizing that God\u2019s kindness leads you toward repentance?\u201d Blessings are far\nmore than momentary; their true purpose is to keep us turned toward and attuned\nto God and his call on our lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      In times of\nhardship, one of the many options in Scripture valuable for memorization and\nmeditation is 2 Corinthians 4:7-11: \u201cBut we have this treasure in jars of clay\nto show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard\npressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;\npersecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry\naround in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be\nrevealed in our body.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      In times of\nrelative normalcy from a financial standpoint, Proverbs 30:8-9 can impart a\nsteady measure of contentment: \u201c\u2026 give me neither poverty nor riches, but give\nme only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say,\n\u2018Who is the Lord?\u2019 Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of\nmy God.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      In times of\nfinancial crisis, Scripture can give us a divine perspective, such as the\napostle Paul\u2019s outlook, expressed in part in Philippians 3:7-11, that \u201cI\nconsider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing\nChrist Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things,\u201d and in 1 Timothy\n6:6-12 that \u201cgodliness with contentment is great gain,\u201d whereas, \u201cSome people,\neager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many\ngriefs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      From a\nphysical standpoint, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 can provide encouragement toward\nhealthier choices that, over the course of our lives, conceivably could reduce\nthe extent of our battles with illness: \u201cDo you not know that your body is a\ntemple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You\nare not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      In times of\nexcruciating physical pain, however, when it is only possible to cry out a few\nwords of agonized prayer, we may be able to take fleeting solace from the\nhorrors of Jesus\u2019 suffering in his crucifixion at the hands of Satan. Our\nsuffering, upon later reflection, can help us better understand the\nunfathomable depths of Christ\u2019s love as a sacrifice for our sin and give us\nheightened empathy for others who suffer debilitating pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      No one but\nyou may ever know how God has shown his love amid your trials and tribulations.\nYou may not be able to fully describe the intimate ways that a supernatural God\nhas intervened into circumstances that were preying on your physical, mental,\nand emotional frailties. You might undertake a tally of God\u2019s blessings and\nsoon feel that anyone who hears your recollections would regard them as\nunfathomable or boastful. Or you might not be able to cite a single example of\nGod\u2019s deliverance except that, almost inexplicably, you were buoyed by the Holy\nSpirit and enabled to persevere until the crisis eased.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      It is\npossible to \u201cgreatly rejoice\u201d in our faith, according to 1 Peter, chapter one,\n\u201cthough now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of\ntrials.\u201d Such trials produce a genuine and enduring faith, much like fire\nrefines gold, we read in verses 6-9. Faith is \u201cof greater worth than gold,\u201d\nthese verses declare, and is the path toward \u201can inexpressible and glorious\njoy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          29.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Maturing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                      Memorizing\/re-memorizing\none of more passages of Scripture to address your most immediate and innermost\nneeds generally happens in small increments, even when a passage is\ninternalized in moments of prayer day after day. God, likewise, often changes\nour lives in similarly small increments through Scripture, until at some point\nwe find ourselves awed by the more godly nature of our thoughts as well as our\nspoken words and our actions toward others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      The\ntransformation God enacts through Scripture is so wholesome that, unlike\nsumptuous food or an abundance of material possessions, we desire more and more\nwithout fear of negative consequences for our lives. What, after all, can be\nmore fulfilling and enduring than an ever-increasing closeness to God?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      No matter\nhow stirring our faith becomes as we pray as never before, new realms of\nhuman-divine encounter continue to flow forth like fresh water from a mountain\nspring. In a fledgling prayer life, the fruit of the Spirit of Galatians 5:23-23\nperhaps can be likened to a life-giving trickle to a thirsty wanderer. In an\nongoing life of prayer, meanwhile, Scriptures such as the Beatitudes spoken by\nJesus in his Sermon on the Mount can be likened to a scenic river fed by\nstreams and creeks birthed by a multitude of mountain springs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      In the\nBeatitudes, as recorded in Matthew 5:3-10, Jesus taught:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \u201cBlessed\nare the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Blessed are\nthose who mourn, for they will be comforted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Blessed are\nthe meek, for they will inherit the earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Blessed are\nthose who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Blessed are\nthe merciful, for they will be shown mercy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Blessed are\nthe pure in heart, for they will see God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Blessed are\nthe peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Blessed are\nthose who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of\nheaven.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      The\nBeautitudes, when internalized for times of prayer, hold forth an eloquent,\ninspirational grasp of faith. They can help carry a believer to new realms of\nprayer and meditation by nurturing both an overarching awareness of the\nChristian life and a tender focus on key facets of following Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Breadth and depth<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                      To be \u201cpoor\nin spirit,\u201d as seen in the Beatitudes, includes an awareness of our need for\nGod, an awareness that only his indwelling Holy Spirit can lift us from being\nfull of ourselves to a godly dimension of spiritual poverty in which we are\nempty, ready to be filled by God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      To mourn\nincludes an openness and courage to fully experience sorrow both for our own\nsin and for humanity\u2019s vast affliction with sin in its many manifestations. As\nwe receive the cleansing of God\u2019s forgiveness, we gain an empathy for those who\nmindlessly engage in the follies of youth, those who are suffering from the\nconsequences of sinful pursuits or enduring turmoil and tragedy without the\nresources of faith, and those whose earthly existence is drawing to an end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      To be meek\nincludes a celebratory yet quiet certainty that God\u2019s love can empower those\nwho, with humility and a gentle spirit, seek his will in all things. While we\ncontinue to do our personal best in both spiritual and earthly endeavors, we\nalso grow in the joy of encouraging and rejoicing over the best in those around\nus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      To hunger\nand thirst for righteousness includes a yearning for godly character, embracing\nGod\u2019s call to the most wholesome and redemptive of heart-level attitudes and and\na growing passion to reflect his holiness and nobility in all our actions and\nrelationships on earth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      To be\nmerciful includes a tenderhearted readiness to forgive and love others in all\ntheir human frailties, shortcomings, and failures. Every human being yearns for\nmercy; Jesus graciously leads us to receive it and then extend it to others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      To be pure\nin heart includes a trust in God to call us to his forgiveness and restoration\nfor any sin that separates us from him. This is one of the most unique passages\nin Scripture in promising the almost-unfathomable honor of seeing God to those\nwhose hearts have been cleansed by his love. In this purity, when nothing is\nblocking our view of him, we increasingly gain a clarity of spiritual vision of\nhis will for our lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      To be a\npeacemaker includes the high calling of helping people discover a supernatural\nprovision of inner peace from God as well as his healing balm for relationships\nwithin families, churches, places of work, communities, and, someday in his\ndivine plan, within and among nations. The words, \u201cthey will be called sons of\nGod,\u201d mean that peacemaking is to be the reputation of his people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      To be\npersecuted because of righteousness includes an acceptance of the world\u2019s label\nof \u201cfool\u201d and worse — emotional and physical pain, even torture, and perhaps\ndeath \u2013 as a possible consequence of, and witness to, a wondrous faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Rewarding recollection<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                      After\nmemorizing the Beatitudes or any passage from Scripture, it is wise \u2013 and\ninvigorating \u2013 to review the passage from time to time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      We should\nnever descend into worry or frustration, however, when a few words or phrases\nor a sentence or two from a Bible passage fade from memory on occasion. A lack\nof recall actually is a subtle but potentially glorious opportunity. We may\ngain new and precious realizations in restoring the passage to our minds and\nhearts or we may find that the passage is amazingly relevant and helpful to new\ncircumstances that have arisen in our lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Similarly,\nwe should never fret if we stumble or forget parts of a Scripture passage when\ntrying to quote it to a loved one or friend. The ability to verbally proclaim a\nBible verse, while always good, is not the most important measure of its\nsignificance in our relationship to God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      If only a\nphrase from God\u2019s revelation comes to mind in a moment of personal prayer, in a\ncrisis, or in an opportunity to voice our faith, it likely will be quite\nsufficient for the need of the moment. After all, we have spent time with our\nCreator through Scripture, not just with mere words, and those cumulative\nmoments have shaped our souls. The Holy Spirit will use far more than words,\nbut also our humility of heart and our readiness and yearning to be utilized in\nGod\u2019s great purposes. As Isaiah 55:11 records God as declaring, we are reminded\nthat his word \u201cwill not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire\nand achieve the purpose for which I sent it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          30.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Maturing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

          (Part Two)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      The joys of\nfaith, while pleasantly simple at times, can be likened to the array of\nexquisite listening experiences emanating from a great symphony. The intrigue\nof divine words woven together \u2013 sometimes overflowing with spiritual power,\nwhile at other times conveying great subtlety \u2013 is reflected in passage after\npassage of Scripture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      One of the\nBible\u2019s most celebratory passages, 2 Corinthians 3:7-11, asserts the joyous\nreality of faith:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \u201cNow if the\nministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with\nglory, \u2026 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the\nministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry\nthat brings righteousness! For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison\nwith the surpassing glory. And if what was fading away came with glory, how\nmuch greater is the glory that lasts!\u201d (A possible memory aid for starters:\n\u201cNow if the ministry that brought death.\u2026 If the ministry that condemns men\u2026.\nFor what was\u2026. And if what was\u2026.\u201d)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Abundance of joy<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                      This\npassage, in essence, underscores the glory of a faith birthed and continually\ninvigorated by the Holy Spirit whom Jesus sent forth after his resurrection, in\ncontrast to the glorious manifestation of God as he gave the Ten Commandments\nto Moses. (The portion of the passage reflected in the ellipsis amplifies the\nresultant glory reflected on Moses\u2019 face.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Poignant\nmoments of sensing God\u2019s glory indeed can flow from times of realizing how much\nour lives are being transformed by the Lord through prayer.    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Another\ncelebratory passage, Romans 5:8-10, proclaims: \u201c\u2026 God demonstrates his own love\nfor us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have\nnow been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God\u2019s\nwrath through him! For if, when we were God\u2019s enemies, we were reconciled to\nhim through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall\nwe be saved through his life!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Even the\ncommands of God, wherever they are found in the Bible, are far from being\nburdensome. As the writer of Psalm 119 prayed, \u201cOpen my eyes that I may see\nwonderful things in your law. \u2026 Let me understand the teaching of your\nprecepts; then I will meditate on your wonders\u201d (verses 18, 27).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Jesus,\nearly in his earthly ministry, likewise told his listeners in the Sermon on the\nMount, \u201cWhich of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if\nhe asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil,\nknow how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in\nheaven give good gifts to those who ask him!\u201d (Matthew 7:9-11).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      And every command\nis an opportunity to pray that the Holy Spirit will move us toward living a\njoyous God-filled life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \u201cAs the\nFather has loved me, so have I loved you,\u201d Jesus said, as recorded in John\n15:9-11. \u201cNow remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my\nlove, just as I have obeyed my Father\u2019s command as remain in his love. I have\ntold you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Some of the\npurest moments of joy this side of heaven can be experienced while praying as\nnever before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          31.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Maturing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

          (Part Three)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      The Ten\nCommandments continue to have great relevance no matter the juncture in human\nhistory, but, to society\u2019s pleasure-seekers and atheists, the commandments\u2019\n\u201cthou shalt not\u201d tone regularly sparks a negative reaction. The seemingly\nregulatory nature of the commandments over human behavior is inconvenient,\nperturbing, and\/or maddening to those who strongly prefer to self-regulate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Christians,\nmeanwhile, sometimes hold forth the Ten Commandments when taking a stand for\nbiblical morality, with the commandments serving as one of the rallying points\nfor their side of a cultural issue. In such instances, whether intended or not,\nthe Ten Commandments can become a dividing line, differentiating those who seek\nto uphold the Bible\u2019s commands from those who readily disregard or dispute\nthem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      It is\nunclear, however, whether proponents of the Ten Commandments have a substantive\ngrasp of these bedrock teachings. Perhaps, given a few minutes, they can list\nall ten and maybe even list them in the order they were given to Moses\ncenturies ago on Mount Sinai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Yet these\nare lesser matters. Of far greater importance is the extent to which the Ten\nCommandments, or any passages from Scripture, are imbedded in our minds and\nhearts. Imagine the vast difference between an occasional passing thought about\nthe Ten Commandments versus their potency when, in praying as never before, we\ntake a periodic look within our souls to recall and ponder the commandments one\nby one, or we spend a few minutes restoring them to memory, to help root out\nour various sins and usher us back to God\u2019s forgiveness and restoration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Ponder,\nthen, as recorded in Exodus 20:1-17, the Ten Commandments from a meditative\nstandpoint:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \u201cAnd God\nspoke all these words: \u2018I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt,\nout of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \u201c\u2018You shall\nnot make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the\nearth beneath or in the waters below. \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \u201c\u2018You shall\nnot misuse the name of the LORD your God\u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \u201c\u2018Remember\nthe Sabbath day by keeping it holy. \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \u201c\u2018Honor\nyour father and your mother….<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \u201c\u2018You shall not murder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \u201c\u2018You shall\nnot commit adultery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \u201c\u2018You shall not steal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \u201c\u2018You shall\nnot give false testimony against your neighbor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \u201c\u2018You shall\nnot covet….\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      While\nseveral of the Ten Commandments were abbreviated here by ellipses (\u2026), the\nomitted sentences should not be taken lightly and, ultimately, should be\nincluded whenever this passage is being memorized\/internalized as a resource\nfor prayer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Cause for concern<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                      Perhaps the\nmost sobering words are found in the second sentence of the second\ncommandment\u2019s instruction against worshiping idols: \u201cYou shall not bow down to\nthem or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the\nchildren for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those\nwho hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me\nand keep my commandments.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      This is but\none dimension of God\u2019s character, but the thought of a supreme being who\npermits the \u201cpunishing\u201d of children for a father\u2019s godlessness can stir up a\ntempest of emotions. To some Christians, it speaks with honesty about the \u201cfear\nof the Lord,\u201d as the Bible often puts it; to others, it is also tragic, or sad,\nor baffling. To atheists and agnostics, meanwhile, such a declaration may give\nadded motivation to continue to remain outside the realm of the divine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Plenty of\ntheologians have developed explanations for how God can be both supremely\nloving and unwavering in his holiness, as well as the convergence of Old\nTestament law and New Testament grace. But even if God didn\u2019t exist, some\nchildren would be permanently scarred \u2013 and, yes, punished \u2013 by their parents\u2019\nimmorality, abusiveness, and\/or neglect, while some children would be\npermanently blessed by parents who seek to love unconditionally and discipline\nwisely. And, without doubt, these first-generation behaviors will affect how\nthe second generation nurtures their own offspring years later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Moreover,\nthe crucial fact is that the second commandment and all of the Ten Commandments\nin their entirety reflect the stark choice every individual must face: whether\nto choose the blessings God gives \u201cto those who love me and keep my\ncommandments\u201d or to accept the danger of a godless life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      It is not\nan understatement to say that this can be a life-or-death choice. At times,\ndeath eventually can result from unchecked greed and ambition; seeking the\nattention of self-absorbed individuals who may become manipulative or abusive;\nengaging in criminal activity; contracting an otherwise-avoidable disease; and\nan inner turmoil that grinds toward suicide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Worst of\nall, and without exception, spiritual death will follow the last breath drawn\nby every person who has chosen a godless path \u2013 a deadly separation from God\nfor all eternity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      The Ten\nCommandments and other commands in Scripture, rather than being restrictive or\nrepressive, are part of God\u2019s redemptive revelation. The Holy Spirit can use\nthem to rejuvenate our consciences, stirring us to turn from sin wherever we\nsee its encroachment into our lives and to turn to Jesus in repentance. For the\ngodless person, this can be the moment of salvation, asking God for forgiveness\nand placing every facet of life in Jesus\u2019 hands. For the believer, it can be a\nprecious time of experiencing anew God\u2019s promise of forgiveness for our\nfailures and of renewal in his grace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      The Ten\nCommandments, properly understood, truly are a cause for rejoicing. As the\nwriter of Hebrews in the New Testament explained in chapter 12, verses 10-11, \u201cOur fathers disciplined us for a little while as they\nthought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his\nholiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on,\nhowever, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have\nbeen trained by it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Righteousness\nand peace are among the joys that result from looking into God\u2019s heart through\nScripture \u2013 and readily embracing its supernatural counsel \u2013 whenever we are\npraying as never before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          32.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Asking<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                      It is\nusually good to be cautious \u2013 even when you are praying as never before. Yes,\ncautious. If any practice, including prayer, drifts toward the pampering of\n\u201cme,\u201d \u201cmyself,\u201d and \u201cI,\u201d it is surely a reason for concern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      The\nunfolding joys of faith are not for you alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      When a\nfarmer plants an orchard, for example, he and his family may consume a portion\nof the harvest and they may give some of it to relatives and friends. But the\nfarmer likely will send much of the harvest to market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      So it is\nwith prayer that cultivates the fruit of the Spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Once the\nfruit of the Spirit has begun to nourish your soul and infuse a godly graciousness\ninto your relationships, the harvest from praying as never before continues to\nexpand. And it is our responsibility and privilege to share the ever-increasing\nabundance with a hurting world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      A believer\nwho understands that all facets of faith flow from a supernatural God is\nsomeone who is skilled in intercessory prayer, which, simply put, is the\npractice of praying (interceding) for others. We may fail to utilize our skill\nin intercessory prayer as often as we should or never realize how extraordinary\nan opportunity it truly is, but the fact is: The God of the universe has\ncreated the dynamic of prayer and instructed us to use it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      The prophet\nSamuel understood the importance of intercessory prayer when he told the people\nof ancient Israel,\n\u201c\u2026 far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for\nyou\u201d (1 Samuel 12:23).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Looking for answers<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                      Skeptics,\nhowever, are quick to taunt that God seems to answer very few prayers. Some\nbelievers, meanwhile, are fond of saying that God, in his wisdom, always\nanswers prayer, sometimes with a \u201cYes,\u201d but sometimes with a \u201cNo\u201d and\nsometimes, \u201cWait.\u201d Some folks seem to exude great confidence in wielding Jesus\u2019\npromise to \u201cAsk and it will be given to you…. For everyone who asks\nreceives\u2026.\u201d as recorded in Matthew 7:7-8. Some of them, unfortunately, feel the\nliberty to chide or chastise those whose prayers are not answered as lacking in\nfaith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      I know of\nno one who has a reputation for seeing every prayer speedily answered in the\nway he or she prayed. And it seems obvious that some of the most desperate\npleas for God\u2019s intervention go unanswered. Parents who moments earlier lost a\nson or daughter in a sudden mishap or to terminal illness may cry out for God\nto turn back the clock and bring the child back to life, but to no avail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      God does\nnot have favorites when he listens to people pray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Rather, he\nhas intimates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Those who\nare intimate with God accept him without human conditions; they place their\ntrust in him when he says, \u201cAs the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my\nways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. \u2026\u201d (Isaiah\n55:9).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      They pray,\ncome what may.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          33.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Asking<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

          (Part Two)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Quite\npossibly, God may be protecting us from ourselves by not answering every prayer\nin the way we ask it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      We would be\nprone to tarnish the purity of prayer if God, in essence, were to give us the\nsweeping ability to enact our own wishes and thus bypass him in our personal\npetitions and our intercession for others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Even the\nmost noble individuals are not immune from times of sinful selfishness while\npraying. Many of us, I think, would raise most of our prayers to God for\nourselves, for people we know and like, or those with a captivating personality\nor an attractive physical appearance, whereas God\u2019s love extends far beyond our\nself-centeredness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      By not\nanswering every prayer according to our human wishes, God might be blessing us\nwith a new depth of love for other people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Once we\nsuffer a wrenching heartbreak or hardship or a life-threatening injury or\nillness, we are far more likely to have compassion toward others weathering the\nsame situations. Our eyes and ears are more sensitive to agony on their faces\nor despair in their voices. Our hearts are stirred to stop and listen, to lift them\nin prayer, to offer encouragement and whatever help we can. There can be great\ngain in our souls when the Holy Spirit helps us set aside our own pain in order\nto comfort and carry faith to those who share our burdens or afflictions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Proceed to intercede<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                      Seemingly\nunanswered prayer, however, is no reason to quit praying. God has called us to\npray without ceasing, and he surely has his reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Prayer is\nfar more of a divine mystery than we can ever fathom. Even when we are alone,\nour prayer, whether sustained or momentary, can be the means by which God\nintervenes to change a life on the other side of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      When we\nthink we can do nothing, we can pray. Though we may never know until we enter\nheaven, perhaps our intercessory prayer achieves as much or more than if we\nwere on the scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Intercessory\nprayer, like other modes of prayer, can be done at any time of day or night.\nAny idle moment can be turned into a time of intercessory prayer. Especially\nwhen we are settling in for a time of contemplative prayer, waiting for our\nminds to quit racing to and fro, our restlessness can be diverted into a\npurposeful period of intercession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      The apostle\nPaul set forth a helpful model for intercessory prayer in his letter to the\nPhilippians. He began with an exhortation to \u201cRejoice in the Lord always. I\nwill say it again: Rejoice.\u201d There is, after all, ample cause for celebrating\nGod\u2019s grace. In rescuing us from lives of sin, he has enabled us to experience\nthe many joys and privileges of wholesome faith, and it is to this loving,\nsupernatural God that we pray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Next, Paul\nwrites, \u201cLet your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.\u201d A gentle\nspirit \u2013 a spirit tender not only to God but also to people\u2019s needs and\nyearnings \u2013 certainly results from God\u2019s personal touch. One of the clearest\nsigns of a true faith is its uplifting effect on other people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \u201cDo not be\nanxious about anything,\u201d the apostle continued, \u201cbut in everything, by prayer\nand petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of\nGod, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds\nin Christ Jesus\u201d (Philippians 4:4-7).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Sometimes,\nunfortunately, we slip into a subtle form of anxiety after we have prayed by\nwondering whether God will take action. Without realizing it, we run the risk\nof undercutting the faith that is an essential element of prayer. It is better,\ninstead, for us to learn to settle our doubts at the outset of our prayers. We\nmight ask ourselves such simple questions as, Is God capable of answering the\nrequests I intend to lift to him? Of course he is! Do these requests seem\nconsistent with his love and his righteousness? If so, then move forward in\nprayer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      We may or\nmay not see all of God\u2019s answers to our prayers on this side of heaven or, with\nour ears, hear people tell of his intervention in their lives. But simply by\nbeing obedient to his call, we gain the blessing of God\u2019s peace whenever we\ncarry the needs of others to heaven in intercessory prayer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          34.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Loving<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                      During the\nfirst three or four years of internalizing and meditating on Scripture, I would\nperiodically return to the fruit of the Spirit whenever my heart seemed to need\na simple, back-to-basics nudge. (And it still needs this nudge.) One morning\nwhile asking God to rejuvenate my \u201clove, joy, peace, patience, kindness,\ngoodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control,\u201d he seemed to instruct me\nto take note of the first of the godly traits listed in Galatians 5:22-23.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      It was, of\ncourse, love. It\u2019s amazing how something new can burst forth after you have\npondered a Bible passage for years, such as a deepened call to love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      I wondered\nfor the first time whether God placed love first among the fruit of the Spirit\nfor a reason. After all, Scripture tells us that \u201cGod is love\u201d (see, for\nexample, 1 John 4:8,16), and frequently we are exhorted to \u201clove one another.\u201d\nLove, like faith, certainly is a foundational dimension of our relationship\nwith God, and it is foundational for our relationships with other people. It is\na necessity even as we look at ourselves in the mirror each day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Months\nlater a similar realization came during moments of meditating on God\u2019s\ndefinition of wisdom. Noticing the first description of wisdom, as recorded in\nJames 3:17, is that it is \u201cpure,\u201d I realized that wisdom begins with a pure\nheart, a heart that is in tune with God\u2019s heart, regularly taking every sin to\nhim for forgiveness and every uncertainty to him for guidance. From that\npurity, then, emerge the other facets of God\u2019s wisdom, that it is\n\u201cpeace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial\nand sincere\u201d \u2013 all of which lead toward acts of graciousness toward others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Thus, one\nof our first checkpoints whenever we begin to pray should involve love and\npurity. As we read in 1 John 4:20, \u201c\u2026 anyone who does not love his brother,\nwhom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Jesus\nlikewise stated, as recorded in Luke 6:32,35, \u201cIf you love those who love you,\nwhat credit is that to you? Even \u2018sinners\u2019 love those who love them. \u2026 But love\nyour enemies, do good to them\u201d so that \u201cyour reward will be great and you will\nbe sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Believe it\nor not<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                      Yes, God is\n\u201ckind to the ungrateful and wicked.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Our first\nreaction, perhaps, is to be dismayed or perturbed that God might lift a finger\nfor such folks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      But then it\nmay dawn on us: We once were among their number until God, in his ultimate\nkindness, quickened our hearts to cry out to him for mercy, forgiveness, and\nsalvation. Some people may have deemed us to be too impossible, too hopeless,\ntoo self-absorbed, but God never did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Scripture\nalso sets forth God\u2019s love for the poor and oppressed. Jesus taught his\ndisciples that they will be rewarded in heaven for their acts of compassion,\ntelling them, as recorded in Luke 6:35-36,40, \u201cFor I was hungry and you gave me\nsomething to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a\nstranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick\nand you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. \u2026 I tell you\nthe truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you\ndid for me.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      In short,\nwe cannot pick and choose whom we will love. Our human nature is quick to make\nsuch choices, to bestow favor on those who, for whatever reason, are enjoyable\nor tolerable to us. Everyone, however, is tolerable to God. Everyone, in fact,\nis precious in his sight. He has placed in each of us an eternal soul and\nentrusted us with choosing whether our destiny will be with him or with his\nrival, Satan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      No, our\nlove will never be as vast as God\u2019s. Our only hope is to cast ourselves on his\nmercy as we pray as never before, that he will stir us to repentance when we\nfail to love and that he will grant us an ever-more-abundant capacity to be a\nchannel for his love. Our most joyous celebrations of God\u2019s grace hopefully\nwill not just revolve around tender moments with him in prayer, but also the\nprecious breakthrough in our hearts when love begins to sweep forward \u2013 love\nfor those who are in our daily lives, for those we have regarded as enemies,\nand for the sea of faces who comprise the world\u2019s masses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          35.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Loving<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

          (Part Two)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Sometimes,\nwithout taking even a minute to count the cost, people risk their lives for the\nsake of others before their heroism suddenly turns into tragedy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      In war\nzones, for example, sometimes a soldier dashes forth to pull a fallen comrade\nto safety, but his valor is cut short by a mortal wound from enemy fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Sometimes\nwhen a person is in danger of drowning in a rain-swollen river or the undertow\nof the ocean, a would-be rescuer becomes a second drowning victim after running\nout of energy to stay afloat and complete the valiant effort to save a life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      It\u2019s almost\neasy in these circumstances for someone to sacrifice his or her life.\nAdrenaline surges at the sight of a life-or-death struggle and, sometimes, a\nperson almost instinctively rushes in to help, losing all thought of safety\nprecautions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Otherwise,\nhowever, adrenaline rarely summons us to good deeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Apathy\nexerts far greater sway over our readiness to reach out, perhaps because our\nconsciences have been damaged by the world\u2019s conflict between good and evil,\nwhether by just watching the two sides as they skirmish or unwittingly becoming\nensnared by the wrong side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Meanwhile,\nopportunities for acts of kindness arise steadily throughout each day; much of\nthe time, however, we tend to be too busy to notice. We struggle during our\nwaking hours to carry out even our most basic responsibilities — to pay the\nbills, to show our family members the love they need, to go to church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Or maybe\nit\u2019s a matter of fear. We\u2019re afraid to ask, \u201cWhat can I do to help?\u201d because we\nmay have to expend a seemingly precious half-hour \u2013 or a couple of hours or\neven a day or two \u2013 in order to truly care. Another fear, of course, is how\nmuch it might cost us when we come face-to-face with someone in financial\ncrisis. The only thing we are ready to expend, it seems, is a moment to\nrationalize away any consideration of reaching into our stretched incomes to\nhelp someone pay for shelter, nutritious food, or an appointment with a doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    An\nadventure in compassion<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                      On\noccasion, relevant Scripture may edge into our minds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Such as\nJames 4:17: \u201cAnyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn\u2019t do it,\nsins.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Or Proverbs\n3:27-28: \u201cDo not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your\npower to act. Do not say to your neighbor, \u2018Come back later; I\u2019ll give it\ntomorrow\u2019 \u2013 when you now have it with you.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      To sidestep\nthese passages is to step in the wrong direction. There is never a good or\nwholesome reason for turning away from God\u2019s truth, nor any measure of wisdom\nin doing so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Instead of\nsettling for a stunted faith and the minimal love it produces, the opportunity\nto trust in God\u2019s truth is a spiritual adventure that can unlock a supernatural\nprovision of time and finances or, if sacrifice is what God asks of us, it can\nyield a new or deepened measure of his peace to warm our hearts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      It is\namazing, for example, how something we think is valuable in human terms \u2013 a\nhandful of money, a personal possession, even an antique or an heirloom — can\nbe divinely energized and infused with heavenly value when we are stirred by\nGod to give it to someone in an act of love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Don\u2019t be\nafraid, then, as you are praying as never before to internalize and meditate on\nthe words from God that can lift you from the shackles of selfishness to new\nheights of joyous compassion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      One such\npoignant Scripture, for example, was penned by the apostle Paul: \u201cAnd this is\nmy prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of\ninsight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and\nblameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that\ncomes through Jesus Christ \u2013 to the glory and praise of God\u201d (Philippians\n1:9-11).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          36.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Loving<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

          (Part Three)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      There is\none priceless gift that any Christian, rich or poor, can bestow on another\nperson. In fact, a Christian can bestow this gift not just on another person\nbut on countless others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      This gift\nis priceless even though it has no monetary value. It was priceless even before\nthe earliest human civilizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      This gift\nof eternal value is our witness about Jesus Christ who, through his\ncrucifixion, paid the penalty for his followers\u2019 sins and, through his\nresurrection, sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in their hearts and transform their\nlives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      We should\nnever lose sight of the Bible\u2019s words that exhort us to share our spiritual\nriches with others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \u201cI pray\nthat you may be active in sharing your faith,\u201d the apostle Paul wrote, as\nrecorded in Philemon 6, \u201cso that you will have a full understanding of every\ngood thing we have in Christ.\u201d Although various other Bible translations render\nthis verse as urging a full knowledge of and participation in our faith, the\ncore concept is the same: We may have many intimate moments with God in prayer\nand be able to understand many things about him over the course of our lives,\nbut something of great significance will be missing if we are not looking to\nthe Lord for opportunities to speak words of saving faith to those whose souls\nare empty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      In all\nlikelihood, God calls us to share our faith in order to involve us most\ndirectly and deeply in his redemptive plan for mankind. Jesus\u2019 overarching\nmission reverberates throughout Scripture: \u201cthe Son of Man came to seek and to\nsave what was lost.\u201d King Solomon, for example, stated, \u201cThe fruit of the\nrighteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise\u201d (Proverbs 11:30),\nwhile the apostle Paul reminded, \u201cAs it is written, \u2018How beautiful are the feet\nof those who bring good news!\u2019\u201d as recorded in Romans 10:15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Reaching out<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                      Opportunities\nto share our faith may emerge from times of prayer for a loved one or a friend,\nor simply from a smile and a friendly greeting, a series of gracious\nencounters, a helping hand in a time of need, or the courage to ask a person,\n\u201cHow are things between you and God?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      It may even\nbe possible to enlist a person\u2019s help in opening his or her heart to faith by\nsimply asking, \u201cWould you do me a favor?\u201d If the person, although wary or\nintrigued, agrees to help, turn to Philemon 6 in a Bible, or quote it from memory,\nto explain that \u201csharing your faith\u201d will help you have \u201ca full understanding\nof every good thing we have in Christ.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \u201cSo, would\nyou help me,\u201d you might ask, \u201cby letting me tell you about my faith in Christ?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Granted, it\nseems easier to write about sharing our faith than to actually share it with\nsomeone. Despite its great value, many of us have trouble giving a word of\nwitness to our loved ones and to those in our everyday world. It\u2019s odd and,\nmoreover, tragic that we have the gift people need most, yet we are not sure\nhow best to give it away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Christians\nought to be the ultimate community servants in generously sharing this precious\ngift with people everywhere. But a Christian unable to share his or her faith\nis a bit like a policeman or a fireman who is unable to protect the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Eye-opening encounter<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                      I certainly\nam thankful for a man, Cliff Estes, who was spiritually prepared to ask me if I\nwas a Christian. I was twenty years old and had traveled with my family from Ohio to visit our relatives in Mississippi. One evening, I learned that my\ngrandmother was going to a revival. How quaint, I thought; attending a revival\nin rural Mississippi surely would be something\nto tell my college friends about back in Ohio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      The evening\nstarted out as everything I had hoped for. The small church\u2019s pews were the\nmost rustic I had ever seen. The wooden windows were open, letting in a robust\noutdoorsy aroma and the sounds of backwoods birds and insects. The singing\nseemed dutiful yet happy. When it came time for the preacher (Cliff) to speak, his\nvoice was fiery, bold, and loud. But midway into his sermon, my soul somehow\nurged me to listen to what this fellow had to say. The essence of his message\nwas that, compared to any of the world\u2019s social systems, philosophies, or\nreligions, Christ offers the most hope of changing people\u2019s hearts. Good point,\nI admitted. My heart sure needed changing. But when the altar call was given, I\nwas much too sophisticated to go forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      The next\nday, to my surprise, Cliff dropped by my grandmother\u2019s house. Deep down, I was\nglad to see him. As we talked, he asked me, straightforwardly yet in a caring\nway, whether I was a Christian. No, I said, because, to be honest, I had always\nwondered whether Christ had really existed, whether he was as real as Abraham\nLincoln or as mythical as Paul Bunyan. My hope soared as Cliff handled\nquestions that, during my teenage years, I had concluded would never be\nanswered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Then I was\nready. Cliff and I prayed — just like countless others who have turned to\nChrist, I told God that I was repenting and asking him to forgive my sin and my\nsinfulness; I asked Jesus to come into my life and change it as my Lord and\nSavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      It is true\nthat many people have no interest in this gift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      But this\nalso is true: Many people have ears to hear and hearts willing to ponder all\nthat God has for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          37.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Loving<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

          (Part Four)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Even though\nI have been a Christian for about forty years, I have been among the many who\nare ill-prepared, hesitant, and, bottom line, in need of repentance for how\nminimally I have shared this glorious faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      And I have\nbeen confused over which methodology is best for me. Years ago I memorized a\nword-by-word presentation of the gospel, but it slowly faded from memory. I\nwrote out my own religious tract and, from time to time, have given it to\nsomeone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      More\nrecently, I have found new hope for my witness by learning to set forth the\ngospel through God\u2019s own words. In the Book of Romans, for example, there are a\nnumber of passages that the Holy Spirit used to rescue me from a life of sin by\nbirthing a supernatural, joyous faith in my heart and then nurturing it over\nthe years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Ten of\nthose passages from Romans follow for your consideration as a possible catalyst\nfor our hearts and minds. These verses are framed in a four-step process to aid\nin memorizing and internalizing them. The overall process may take a number of months\nor stretch beyond a year if you embark on it, but it will be time wonderfully\nspent if even one person\u2019s life is changed by our witness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      First, for\na week or two, simply memorize this basic truth: Many people have ears to hear and hearts willing to ponder all that God\nhas for them.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Second, add\nin an admittedly unorthodox, acrostic-type letter pattern drawn from that\nsentence: EAIRR-WLTPA — Many people have EAIRRs to hear and hearts WiLling\nTo Ponder All that God has for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Third, over\nthe course of a month or two, add in the description and passage from Romans\nfor each letter:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — E:\nGod is Evident, Romans 1:20.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — A:\nAll have sinned, Romans 3:10,23.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          — I: Christ has Intervened\nfor us (with the I \u201cintervening\u201d in EAIRR), Romans 5:8.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          — R: We must Repent\nof our sin, Romans 2:4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          — R: We must Receive\nChrist, Romans 10:8-10,13.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          — W: Salvation is Wondrous,\nRomans 1:16-17.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          — L: We are saved by\nChrist\u2019s Life, Romans 5:10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          — T: We are Transformed,\nRomans 12:1-2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          — P: We find Peace\nwith God and Perseverance, Romans: 5:1-5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          — A: We have Assurance,\nRomans 8:28,38-39.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Finally, in\nsubsequent weeks and months, add in the full passages. Even in the interim, God\ncan use the essence of these Scriptures to help you express your faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Thus:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — E:\nGod is Evident, Romans 1:20: \u201cFor since the creation of the world God\u2019s\ninvisible qualities \u2013 his eternal power and divine nature \u2013 have been clearly\nseen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without\nexcuse.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — A:\nAll have sinned, Romans 3:10,23: \u201cAs it is written: \u2018There is no one\nrighteous, not even one.\u2026\u2019 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of\nGod.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — I:\nChrist has Intervened for us, Romans 5:8: \u201cBut God demonstrates his own\nlove for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — R:\nWe must Repent of our sin, Romans 2:4: \u201c\u2026 do you show contempt for the\nriches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God\u2019s\nkindness leads you toward repentance?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — R:\nWe must Receive Christ, Romans 10:8-10,13: \u201c\u2018The word is near you; it is\nin your mouth and in your heart,\u2019 that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming:\nThat if you confess with your mouth, \u2018Jesus is Lord,\u2019 and believe in your heart\nthat God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart\nthat you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess\nand are saved \u2026 for, \u2018Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be\nsaved.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — W:\nSalvation is Wondrous, Romans 1:16-17: \u201cI am not ashamed of the gospel,\nbecause it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes:\nfirst for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from\nGod is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as\nit is written: \u2018The righteous will live by faith.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — L:\nWe are saved by Christ\u2019s Life, Romans 5:10: \u201cFor if, when we were God\u2019s\nenemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more,\nhaving been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — T:\nWe are Transformed, Romans 12:1-2: \u201cTherefore, I urge you, brothers, in\nview of God\u2019s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and\npleasing to God \u2013 this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any\nlonger to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your\nmind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God\u2019s will is \u2013 his good,\npleasing and perfect will.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — P:\nWe find Peace with God and Perseverance, Romans: 5:1-5:\n\u201cTherefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God\nthrough our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into\nthis grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of\nGod. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that\nsuffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.\nAnd hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our\nhearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — A:\nWe have Assurance, Romans 8:28,38-39: \u201cAnd we know that in all things\nGod works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to\nhis purpose. \u2026 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels\nnor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height\nnor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from\nthe love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    One step at a time<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                      No doubt,\nmemorizing this or any overview of our salvation experience is a substantive\nundertaking. But, like building a house, it begins with a foundation. A\nframework comes next. And then everything else, day by day and week by week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      As we\ninternalize these Bible passages while praying, as well as writing them down to\ncarry with us, they become a part of the fabric of our faith. They are far more\nlikely to become a natural part of any conversation. They stir within our\nhearts and quicken our motivation to lead others to Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Even a\nsimple grasp of the short description and location of each passage can help you\nin any God-ordained encounter with someone yearning for faith, simply by reaching\nfor a Bible and then turning to the most appropriate source of insight \u2013 the\nwords of God himself in his divine revelation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      If, while\nreading this, you realize that you have not yet made your peace with God, know\nthat salvation is the most wholesome, healthiest experience a person can have\nthis side of heaven. \u201cFor the wages of sin is death,\u201d the simple words of\nRomans 6:23 tell us, in reference to dying without faith, \u201cbut the gift of God\nis eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      There is\nnot a reason in this world to spend a minute longer separated from God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Just pray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Ask God to\nforgive your sins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Ask Jesus\nto come into your heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Trust him\nwith every facet of your life from this day forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Seek out a\nchurch \u2013 a fellowship of believers \u2013 where there\u2019s a readiness to experience\nmore and more of God through his life-giving, life-enriching Scripture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      And whether\nyou are a new believer \u2013 or one who has known the Lord since childhood \u2013\nmeditate on these Bible verses regularly to grasp more and more of the glory of\nyour new birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          38.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Joining<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                      Sometimes\nconfidently, sometimes with hesitation, we feel an urge to tell someone in the\nmidst of a problem or crisis, \u201cHere\u2019s what you should do\u2026.\u201d or \u201cIf I were you,\nI would\u2026.\u201d Our human nature, to varying degrees, seems to welcome moments when\nwe can act as a wise counselor or noble rescuer; rarely are we stingy with our\nadvice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Certainly\nit can be good to kindly suggest that the best the way to face a daunting\nchallenge is to place it in God\u2019s hands. (It is best, of course, if our\nsuggestion flows from our times of praying as never before, continuously\nabsorbing God\u2019s love and wisdom and being on the lookout for opportunities to\nshare our gains with others.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      When\nunsolicited counsel is offered to us, however, we often tense up or become\nindignant. \u201c[So-and-so] is trying to run my life,\u201d we may mutter. Like my\ndaughter frequently declared when she was two and three years old, \u201cI can do it\nmyself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      An\nindependent spirit can be helpful, if we choose to relocate to a community\nwhere we don\u2019t know a soul, or if we embark on a trip to a distant city for a\nwedding or a funeral, or if go for a hike in the woods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      But in some\ninstances, independence can lead to loneliness, if we never befriend anyone in\nthe community. It can lead to physical danger or financial hardship, if we set\nout in a vehicle likely to break down midway into the trip. It can lead to\ndeath, if we venture too far into a wilderness and become trapped by inclement\nweather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Spiritually,\nan independent mindset is commendable if we must stand alone for what is right\nwhen others are racing into godlessness and immorality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      But it also\ncan be costly. It can prevent us from experiencing the fullness of faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Misguided mindset<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                      Among the\nspiritual dangers of independent-mindedness: a self-assured but, in reality,\ntragically misguided \u201cGod-and-me\u201d attitude. A person may pray and even memorize\nScripture and enjoy seemingly tender times with the Lord yet be in the subtle\ngrip of self-centeredness and judgmentalism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \u201cMost\npeople who go to church aren\u2019t really serious about God,\u201d someone with a\n\u201cGod-and-me\u201d attitude might say. \u201cThey just \u2018play\u2019 church.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Other\npossible manifestations:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \u201cWorship is\nboring, dreary, and outdated at this church. The Holy Spirit is nowhere to be\nfound, or so it seems.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \u201cThe\nsermons at church have no depth. I rarely, if ever, hear anything substantive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \u201cI wonder\nif anyone is really praying in this congregation, if anyone truly knows how to\npray.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Some of\nthese complaints may have a measure of truth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Yet none of\nthem is a reason for us to be absent when the body of Christ comes together for\nfellowship and worship, no matter how flawed some churchgoers may seem to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Quite\npossibly, some of these complaints may reflect our own flawed human judgment\nand our inability to look inside people\u2019s hearts and know their motives as well\nas their struggles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      In reality,\nthey may be well-meaning people who have never been grounded in the dynamics of\nnew birth, faith, and prayer. They go to church because they know it is a good\nplace to seek a faith that will fill their souls with supernatural glory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Many church\nmembers may never have met anyone who is praying as never before. Only God\nknows how many of them are yearning to meet someone who, in all sincerity, can\ntell them about a wondrous faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Without\ndoubt, the church needs you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      And you\nneed the church. It can be an entryway through which you begin to touch the\nlives of people in the everyday world, especially those who are making a\ngood-faith effort to find a vibrant connection to God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          39.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Joining<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

          (Part Two)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      The word,\n\u201cchurch,\u201d typically is used in such statements as \u201cI go to church,\u201d \u201cI am a\nchurch member,\u201d \u201cI worship God at church.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      These are\ncommendable activities, but they are only part of a far greater spiritual\nenterprise. Church is more than a place to go, more than a steeple-topped\nstructure or a downtown storefront. It is more than an organization that people\njoin, more than a place where they get married and, years later, where some of\ntheir funerals are held.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      For many\nyears as I went to church, I really didn\u2019t know where I was going. I knew where\nthe building was located, of course. I knew it was a place where people felt\nthey should be on Sunday mornings. I wondered if some of them were there for\nthe same reason I was \u2013 hoping for a breakthrough to God. But we kept our\nreasons to ourselves. We exchanged a few pleasantries as we came and went, but\nnothing more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      It seemed\nobligatory and mundane. Little did I know, however, that I was participating in\nan otherworldly and marvelous phenomenon: I was at a meeting where, quite\npossibly, some extraordinary people were in attendance. Even if I had been\nsitting alongside a top government official or a famous entertainer, artist,\nphilanthropist, or entrepreneur, someone of potentially greater significance\nmay have been to my right or left, a row or two ahead of me or behind me, or on\nthe other side of the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      These\nextraordinary individuals can only be described in spiritual terms drawn from\nScripture. Because, for example, their human nature is being transformed by\nChrist, they are \u201ca new creation,\u201d as noted in 2 Corinthians 5:17. These\nindividuals also are described as \u201cChrist\u2019s ambassadors\u201d who are called to a\n\u201cministry of reconciliation\u201d in verses 18-20. It\u2019s \u201cas though God were making\nhis appeal through us,\u201d the Bible says, \u201c\u2026 [to] implore you on Christ\u2019s behalf:\nBe reconciled to God.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Elsewhere\nin Scripture, these extraordinary individuals are described as having a \u201cnew\nself \u2026 in the image of its Creator\u201d (Colossians 3:10); as \u201ca chosen people, a\nroyal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God\u201d (1 Peter 2:9); and,\nin figurative words, as \u201cthe aroma of Christ among those who are being saved\nand those who are perishing\u201d (1 Corinthians 2:15).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Certainly\nthe simple statement in 2 Corinthians 5:16 conveys a great truth: \u201cSo from now\non we regard no one from a worldly point of view.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    One plus one<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      If one\nfollower of Christ is so distinctive, imagine how distinctive a gathering of\nhis followers must be, which helps explain why Galatians 6:10 states,\n\u201cTherefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to\nthose who belong to the family of believers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      But the anointing that rests upon\nindividual believers is only part of the divine magnificence of \u201cthe church of\nGod, which he bought with his own blood,\u201d as Acts 20:28 notes in reference to\nChrist\u2019s death on the cross by which God put in place a permanent wellspring of\nredemptive forgiveness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      The depth of Christ\u2019s\ninterconnectedness with the church is amplified in such foundational statements\nin Scripture as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — \u201cWhere two or three come together\nin my name,\u201d Jesus said, \u201cthere am I with them\u201d (Matthew 18:20.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      (It should be acknowledged that\nverse 19 records a sweeping statement by Jesus: \u201c\u2026 if two or you on earth agree\nabout anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.\u201d\nWhile I sometimes wonder, then, why many prayers seemingly go unanswered, I\nwill be content to wait for Jesus\u2019 promise to be made clear in heaven. Such\nearthly uncertainties pale in comparison to the multitude of ways he has\nevidenced himself in the lives of his followers.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — Jesus is \u201cthe head of the body,\nthe church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that\nin everything he might have the supremacy\u201d (Colossians 1:18). \u201c\u2026 God placed all\nthings under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the\nchurch, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every\nway\u201d (Ephesians 1:22).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — In Christ, \u201c\u2026 we who are many\nform one body, and each member belongs to all the others,\u201d while at the same\ntime, \u201cWe have different gifts, according to the grace given us\u201d (Romans 12:5).\n\u201cIf one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every\npart rejoices with it\u201d (1 Corinthians 12:26).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Thus, it is \u201ca profound mystery \u2026\nChrist and the church,\u201d the Bible says in Ephesians 5:32 amid a passage that\nalso conveys God\u2019s ideals for marriage. \u201c\u2026 Christ loved the church and gave\nhimself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water\nthrough the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without\nstain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless\u201d (verses 25-27).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      None of our finite minds can fully\ngrasp these divine declarations. But, in praying as never before, in meditating\non the sweeping scope of God\u2019s love, we can begin to see from an eternal\nviewpoint: God has bestowed on us the high honor of joining in the incredible\nidentity and mission of the church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          40.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Joining<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

          (Part Three)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      As an\nearthly outpost or spiritual colony of God\u2019s people, the church has a unique\nplace in human affairs. Having been specially created by the God of the\nuniverse, the church\u2019s priorities and pursuits should reflect a passion for his\noutpouring of love for all mankind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Although\nthe crucifixion and resurrection of the King of kings has elevated the church\nto a distinctively royal status, its members must guard against such\nself-absorbed tendencies as haughtiness and dictatorial wielding of authority.\n\u201cIf anyone wants to be first,\u201d Jesus said, as recorded in Mark 9:35, \u201che must\nbe the very last, and the servant of all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      And while\nthe church\u2019s earthly imperfections can be hurtful or exasperating at times,\nthose who have been wronged must be careful to pray that their hearts stay\ntender toward God rather than hardening into a critical spirit and bitterness.\nEspecially as people begin praying as never before, they will have a far\ngreater measure of God\u2019s love and wisdom in times of tension in the church.\nThey will be quick to realize that God, first and foremost, is the one to bring\nhealing to any problem that may arise among his people. All human relationships\ncan pass through periods of discord, whether within the church or elsewhere in\nsociety, but only the church \u2013 the gathering of God\u2019s people \u2013 places a premium\non grace and reconciliation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      It is easy\nfor a critic to assert in disdain that the church is filled with problems. In\nmost instances, it is probably too easy. Has this individual actually set foot\ninside a church building? Has he or she surveyed nearby churches to\nsubstantiate the claim? And has the critic taken stock of the good that various\nchurchgoers have accomplished within their spheres of influence?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Nevertheless<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                      Compared to\nthe critic\u2019s claim, the church is a community of people who, although aware of\ntheir shortcomings, failures, and unfulfilled potential, continue to endeavor\nto live for God. The church\u2019s various activities are unique settings that can\nhelp its members survive \u2013 and at times make a difference \u2013 amid the world\u2019s\ncallousness and turmoil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Whenever\nthe church meets for worship, for example, our attitudes about heaven, and our\npreparedness for entering its splendor, become evident. Scripture, after all,\nseems to indicate that worship is the primary activity in the hereafter, marked\nby such emotions as jubilation, awe, and quiet reverence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Sour or ho-hum attitudes, meanwhile,\nusually fall far short of worship. Unease or unconcern in worship should cause\nspiritual alarm and inner examination of a key question: Am I ready to dwell\nwith God for eternity?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Christian\nfellowship also involves the challenge of expanding beyond our earthly\ntendencies. Although churches should be friendly and welcoming, sometimes they\nmay not seem any chummier than a bank or supermarket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Remember, however, that most church\nmembers are normal people who also struggle with first impressions and\nintroductory conversations. A newcomer likely will need to be patient and\nunderstanding over the course of several visits to a church, as acquaintances\nbecome friends and conversations deepen. In time, the \u201cnewcomer\u201d will become a\n\u201cregular\u201d with a sense of belonging and a personal stake in the well-being of\nthe church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      It is good\nto be a \u201cregular,\u201d but our spiritual journey must continue on within the\nchurch, especially so in praying as never before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          41.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Joining<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

          (Part Four)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Although\nworship and fellowship are key elements within the church much like air and\nwater are vital to the earth\u2019s atmosphere, worship and fellowship \u2013 and air and\nwater \u2013 are part of a greater genius.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      God\u2019s\ndesign for the church also includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      —\nLearning. While it\u2019s important to teach Bible stories to children and\nadolescents, it\u2019s also important to teach Bible truths to adults throughout\ntheir lives. Some longtime church members may think they\u2019ve heard countless\nsermons on almost every topic imaginable. They may have participated in\ninnumerable Bible studies spanning almost every part of the Bible. Even so,\nsermons and Bible studies \u2013 as well as conversations with fellow believers and\nour reading of Scripture and books in tune with the historic church \u2013 help keep\nus pointed in the right direction for godly living. On occasion, we are alerted\nto Scripture passages that sound vaguely familiar but, now, we are awakened to\na yearning to memorize and internalize them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      —\nSpiritual growth. No individual is so \u201cwise\u201d as to live apart from the\ncollective wisdom of the church, and no individual is so astute as to be above\nan occasional reminder of the essentials of the faith. It is good to challenge\nthe human propensity for self-centeredness, especially, for example, in regard\nto our money. Sermonizing on generosity often is derided, yet it is a\nmuch-needed external exhortation that can stir us to key Scriptures such as\nProverbs 11:24: \u201cOne man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds\nunduly, but comes to poverty.\u201d Scripture abounds with God\u2019s call to stewardship\nand, in praying as never before, it can become a supernatural facet of our\nfaith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — Prayer.\nFour simple words, \u201cPlease pray for me,\u201d whether spoken in a church gathering\nor a casual conversation, are filled with supernatural potential. For those who\nsummon the honesty to ask for prayer, it can be a significant step toward\nexperiencing the biblical truth that \u201cGod opposes the proud but gives grace to\nthe humble,\u201d as recorded in 1 Peter 5:5-7. It is possible that such honesty\nalso may liberate others to share the prayer needs that weigh on their hearts,\nwhether major or seemingly minor. And: Perhaps the intercession of fellow\nbelievers may carry the requests to our heavenly Father in a way that those in\nspiritual need may not have the wherewithal to do. Nurturing the freedom to ask\neach other, \u201cHow can I pray for you?\u201d can yield as harvest of trusting\nrelationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      In one\nunique mode of prayer, called \u201cprayerwalking,\u201d believers engage in intercessory\nprayer while walking through part of a city or other geographic locations.\nPrayerwalkers, usually sent out by a church or other Christian organizations,\nask God for spiritual breakthroughs in the vicinities they visit, from the\nblessing of newfound faith in people\u2019s empty hearts to the birthing of churches\nto carry forth God\u2019s redemptive purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      —\nProtecting human dignity. Government, education, science, philanthropy, and\ncommerce play important roles in guarding and enhancing human life, but none of\nthese have proven fully dependable. Some governments, for example, have\nslaughtered thousands and even millions of citizens in order to maintain their\ngrip on power. Likewise, education, science, philanthropy, and commerce\nsometimes have fallen victim to self-absorbed dogmas. Over the centuries, only\nthe communities of steadfast Christians and Jews have been rooted in such\ntranscendent truths as \u201cThou shalt not kill\u201d and \u201cThou shalt not steal.\u201d People\nof faith have faltered at times, but their stumblings have never erased the life-giving\ntruths they uphold in human society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      —\nMinistry. Compared to government agencies and secular charities, churches can\nprovide an added dimension of help to the poor and oppressed and those who are\nin trauma. All such efforts begin at the point of human need, but only churches\nextend their heart to those who, in addition to their earthly struggles, may be\nin spiritual poverty, spiritual oppression, and spiritual trauma. Only churches\nin sync with God\u2019s eternal revelation can relay the soul-nourishing message of his\nlove. And, for many volunteers who sacrifice time and money to help people in\nthe midst of hardship or crisis, churches were the setting in which they were\nstirred to action, received training, and were sent forth into community\nministry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      —\nMissions. In addition to our basic survival instincts, people everywhere seek\nthe freedom to explore such questions of the soul as \u201cIs there something \u2013 or\nsomeone \u2013 beyond me?\u201d and \u201cWhat will happen to me when I die?\u201d As human\nprogress, global commerce, and cultural fads continue to widen their path to\nevery region of the world, believers can provide unique help to people who need\na source of hope and strength in burgeoning cities where ethical and religious\ninfluences have been greatly diminished or in any region where, for centuries,\nthere has been no substantive alternative to paganism. Through their churches,\nChristians provide prayer and financial support to send out messengers with a\ndeep sense of mission to relay God\u2019s love to those who are spiritually\nperishing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Thus, each\nchurch needs members who are energized by the various spiritual gifts that God\nimparts among his people, from leadership and teaching to servanthood and\nhospitality. The church is an especially strategic place of service for those\nwho sense God\u2019s call to pray as never before, to see the power of Scripture\ninfused into every facet of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Those who\nare being transformed by Scripture-empowered prayer are on a path to\ngraciousness, wisdom, and humility. They likely will be supportive of the\nchurch\u2019s ministries by their attitudes, prayer, and involvement. They tend to\ngive encouragement when new initiatives and expanded vision of the church\u2019s\nwitness are proposed. If tensions arise, they will be among the first to\nrepent, forgive, and reconcile strained relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      People of\nprayer may be quick to notice those who are withering amid society\u2019s continual\nslide toward impersonalization, isolation, and shiftlessness \u2013 and they are\nlikely to believe that God\u2019s people, much like biological families, are capable\nof giving spiritual, emotional, and physical nurture to lonely souls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      With each\nchallenge or each moment of joy and rejuvenation within the church, with each\nnew relationship and even each song, Bible reading, word of testimony, and\nsermon in worship, it is a sacred gathering that tugs at us to pray as never\nbefore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          42.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Dying<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                      No matter\nhow many friends a person may have at church or in the community, a solitary\nmoment unlike any other will consume every memory, every dream, and, indeed,\nevery thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      It is the\nmoment of death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      It can be\nlife\u2019s most traumatic moment, its loneliest, its most intense persecution at\nthe hands of a shadowy enemy. It can be a time of excruciating pain, made all\nthe more difficult as the body weakens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      It is a\ntime of ultimate dependence and humility. We will need assistance as we are ill\nand dying. Our bodies will be at the mercy of others when we are transported to\na mortuary, then to the funeral service, and finally to the grave. If we die in\na tragic accident, others will be required to clean up the mess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      And, in a\nrealm unseen by human eyes, we will be dependent on God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          It will be just you and Jesus in\nthe end, or you alone. Declaring his power over death, Jesus described himself\nas \u201cthe resurrection and the life,\u201d John 11:25 recounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Only what\nhas been infused by and transformed by Jesus through the Holy Spirit \u2013 our\nsouls, our hearts and minds \u2013 can enter into heaven. As noted in Ephesians\n1:13-14, we are \u201cmarked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a\ndeposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are\nGod\u2019s possession \u2013 to the praise of his glory.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Especially\nwhen praying as never before, we increasingly experience a communion with God\nso tender that, when we die, we may find ourselves asking him, \u201cWeren\u2019t we\ntalking with each other a second ago?\u201d As the psalmist wrote, \u201cPrecious in the\nsight of the Lord is the death of his saints\u201d (Psalm 116:15).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Visions of heaven <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                      No one,\nexcept Jesus, has been to heaven to describe it to us. And he has opted for\nheaven largely to be a matter that stirs us to a forward-looking faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Going to\nGrandma\u2019s when my daughter, Kaeli, was a five-year-old, her eyes opened wide as\nthe aircraft barreled down the runway and lifted off, turning houses and cars\nbelow into seemingly miniature toys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      After\ncutting through that day\u2019s rain clouds for a few minutes, the aircraft pushed\ninto the bright blue sky. The clouds below looked like a sea of cotton puffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \u201cWe\u2019re\nflying about the clouds!\u201d Kaeli exclaimed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Then she\nasked, \u201cDaddy, where is God?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      The\nquestion jolted me to attention, but all I could muster was a silent uh-oh of\npanic. My inadequate answer — something about God being bigger than even the\nsky — left a blank look on Kaeli\u2019s face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Then she\nasked, \u201cWhere are all the dead people?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \u201cDead\npeople?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \u201cYeah, the\nones in heaven.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Uh-oh, I\nthought again, before mumbling something to the effect that heaven isn\u2019t\nexactly in the sky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Kaeli\nmulled over my woeful answers for a few seconds, then mercifully dropped the\nsubject.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Yet we wonder<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                      At various\npoints in life, however, we are unable to drop the subject. Although countless\nmillions have died over the course of time, we still ask ourselves, \u201cBut what\nwill it be like for me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      For my\nfather, it apparently was a glorious moment. Bedridden and barely able to\nbreathe, afflicted by a disease that had attacked his lungs, he nevertheless\nraised his hands heavenward and his face was awash in peace in the moments preceding\nhis death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      I have\nheard a reliable report of an elderly woman who had been in a coma but, for a\nfleeting time before her death, was able to tell family members about deceased\nloved ones she was seeing in the distance in heaven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      But I also\nhave heard the cries of agony and seen the contorted face of an elderly\npreacher in delirium and pain in the hours before his death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      None of us\nknows what course death will take in our lives. But, just as we have received\ntraining at different times to handle various tasks at work and at home, we\nlikewise should receive training for our death \u2013 and for every day until that\nfateful juncture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Every\nmoment of our faith is that training. And few moments are more instructive and,\nat the same time, more uplifting than when we\u2019re praying as never before,\nturning to the supernatural God who has called us to internalize his\nlife-changing instruction in Scripture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \u201cFor I am\nconvinced,\u201d the apostle Paul wrote, as recorded in Romans 8:38-39, \u201cthat\nneither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the\nfuture, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all\ncreation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ\nJesus our Lord.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          43.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Reviewing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                      To offer a\nstill-sharper focus, consider how God sets before us a pathway to pray as never\nbefore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Among the steps along this path:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — Embrace\nthe supernatural dimension of faith and its potential, especially in prayer,\nfor enhancing a person\u2019s quality of life and for joining the flow of divine\ncompassion for hurting humanity (see Chapters 1-4).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — Secure\nyour faith by asking Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior in order to be\nforgiven and cleansed of sin and to gain the Holy Spirit\u2019s empowering for\nliving a spiritually vibrant life (Chapters 5-6).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — Don\u2019t be\nafraid of those who are skeptical about the joys of new birth and of praying as\nnever before. These and other supernatural realities noted in Scripture are\npart of our divinely designed human existence (Chapters 7-9).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — Ask for\n\u2013 and fully receive \u2013 God\u2019s forgiveness each time you become aware of sin in\nyour life, from the inner churnings of such sins as bitterness and greed and\nthe turmoil of addiction to self-righteous attitudes and actions that have been\nhurtful and damaging to others (Chapters 10-11).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — Grow in\nthe wisdom God imparts to each believer. Don\u2019t be afraid of the Holy Spirit\u2019s\npresence as you begin praying as never before (Chapters 12-13).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — Select\none or more places of divine encounter, somewhere you can sit or recline\ncomfortably, but also know that it remains okay to pray anywhere at any time of\nthe day or night (Chapter 14).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — Deepen\nyour grasp of the essence of prayer by looking anew to Jesus\u2019 teaching of the\nLord\u2019s Prayer (Chapters 15-17).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      —\nUnderstand that meditation is an inherent part of praying as never before, such\nas a quiet focus on the name of Jesus; a few phrases drawn from the Lord\u2019s\nPrayer or other passages in the Bible; or a readiness to, \u201cBe still, and know\nthat I am God\u201d (Chapter 18).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      —\nMemorize\/internalize Scripture because, as Jesus noted, \u201cMan does not live on\nbread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.\u201d Galatians\n5:22-23, \u201cthe fruit of the Spirit,\u201d can be an excellent starting point. Look\nfor patterns and shortcuts for memorizing each passage; copy the verses you\u2019re\ninternalizing to carry with you to review in spare moments (Chapters 19-23).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — Don\u2019t\nfret times of prayer when your thoughts may wander or you fall asleep. And,\ncertainly, don\u2019t be alarmed by precious, extraordinary moments with God\n(Chapter 24).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — Utilize\nScripture whenever worries or depression arise (Chapter 25).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      —\nAnticipate how God, through Scripture internalization, will enrich your inner\nself and your relationships by imparting the courage of repentance for\nself-absorbed attitudes and unethical\/unkind actions toward others (Chapters 26-27).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — Gain a\nnew measure of preparedness for life\u2019s hardships (Chapter 28).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — Study\nyour Bible as never before. Make optimal use of the Scriptures by searching for\nother passages to add to your life over the coming months and years. The\nBeatitudes from Jesus\u2019 Sermon on the Mount and the Ten Commandments (Chapters 29-31),\nfor example, can help carry a believer to new realms of praying as never before\nby providing both an overarching awareness of the Christian life and a winsome\nfocus on key facets of the faith, including the joy to be found in God\u2019s\ncommands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      In an\noverarching sense, our awareness and awe of God the Father, Jesus his Son, and\nthe Holy Spirit are deepened by exploring the Word of God. Along with Scripture\nmemorization\/internalization, Bible study increasingly leads us into new\nencounters with God\u2019s intimate love and new insights for sharing the blessings\nof this love with others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      It is\nhelpful to keep a notebook of what you discover and learn from the pages of\nScripture. As you study, consider using such resources as a \u201cstudy Bible,\u201d a\n\u201creference Bible,\u201d and\/or a \u201cBible dictionary\u201d for when you encounter\nunfamiliar names, places, and terminology. Meanwhile, a \u201cconcordance\u201d (which is\nincluded in many study Bibles or is available as a separate book) can guide you\ntoward parallel passages on an array of themes throughout the Bible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Focus on\nScriptures to memorize and internalize that can address the yearnings in your\nheart. Among them:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      For God\u2019s\ntransformation: Psalm 1:1-6; Psalm 139:23-24; Romans1:16-17; Romans 12:1-2; 1\nCorinthians 2:11-12; 1 Corinthians 15:45-49; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 1:17-19;\nEphesians 3:16-19; Hebrews 4:12-16.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      For\nworshiping God: Psalm 19:1-4,7-11; Psalm 8; Psalm 23; Psalm 63:1-4, 6-8; Psalm\n100; Romans 1:20; Romans 11:33-36; 2 Corinthians 3:7-11; Philippians 3:7-11.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      For the\npeace of God: Psalm 139:7-10; Proverbs 3:5-6; Romans 5:1-5; Philippians 4:4-9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      For life\u2019s\nstruggles: Romans 8:38-39; 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, 8-10; 2 Corinthians 4:7-11;\nPhilippians 3:7-11; James 1:1-4; 1 Peter 1:3-9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      For more\nlove: Matthew 22:36-40; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7; Galatians 6:7-10; Philippians\n1:9-11; 1 John 4:15-18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      For\nforgiveness: Psalm 51, various portions; Acts 3:19; 2 Corinthians 7:10; 1 John\n1:9. It should be noted in regard to Psalm 51 that it is not just a plea by\nKing David for God\u2019s forgiveness. It is one of the Bible\u2019s most sobering yet\nuplifting prayers in how it addresses the primary hindrance to a godly life \u2013\nsin \u2013 and the only hope for a redeemed life \u2013 God\u2019s intervention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      For God\u2019s\nblessings: 1 Chronicles 4:10 (the prayer of Jabez); Jeremiah 29:11-13; Jeremiah\n33:3; Matthew 6:9-13 (the Lord\u2019s Prayer); Matthew 6:33; Romans 2:4; 2\nCorinthians 9:6-8.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      For\ncontentment: Proverbs 30:8-9; Romans 8:14-17, 28; 1 Timothy 6:6-12; 1 Peter\n5:5-7.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      For\nrelationships with others: Colossians 3:12-14; 1 Peter 3:8-12; Micah 6:8;\nMatthew 7:1-7; Matthew 12:34-37;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          2 Corinthians 5:16-6:2; Ephesians 4:29-32; Philippians\n2:3-4,14-16.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — Be ready\nto experience a new or deepened love for people as a result of praying as never\nbefore (Chapters 32-37). Stretching forth to God through meditation and\nScripture internalization leads to far more than a series of divine encounters\n\u2013 it also becomes an exciting, heartwarming adventure toward God\u2019s heart of\ncompassion. It stirs us to intercessory prayer in behalf of others\u2019 needs; to\nacts of kindness and sacrifice; and to gracious words of witness and\ninstruction to those who yearn for a soul-satisfying faith that only Christ can\nprovide. (Concerning the practice of fasting, its omission in this book is not\nmeant to lessen its importance to those who sense God\u2019s call to abstain from food\nor certain activities for part of a day or longer. While plenty of books have\nexplored the topic, fasting \u2013 and every other spiritual discipline \u2013 can be\nenhanced by the steady infusion of Scripture into one\u2019s soul.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      —\nAnticipate a divine overhaul of your outlook toward the church in praying as\nnever before (Chapters 38-41). You likely will awaken to a great reverence for\n\u2013 and a readiness to be involved in \u2013 what God has revealed in Scripture about\nhis purposes for creating the church as the ongoing body of Christ on earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — Lessen\nyour apprehensions about death. We are closer to heaven when praying as never\nbefore (Chapter 42).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      — And most\ncertainly: Count on God to bring ongoing renewal, transformation, and joy to\nyour life when you pray as never before by tapping the riches of Scripture\n(Chapter 44).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          **********<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          44.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Praying<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                      It is never\ntoo late, or too early, to cast a new vision for your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      You may\nfeel that you are perpetually at the breaking point, with a seemingly\noverwhelming list of responsibilities awaiting your attention each day and\nanother ever-accumulating list of unmet responsibilities from the past few\ndays, the past few months, and the past few years. It seems futile to think\nabout slowing down to ask God, \u201cIs this the way it\u2019s supposed to be in my\nlife?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      You may be\nbattling a terminal illness, with only days or months left in your time on\nearth, or you may be in the throes of financial hardship. You may be a teenager\nor young adult whose waking moments can focus no further than the immediacy of\n\u201cWhat\u2019s next?\u201d today, tomorrow, or maybe a week or two into the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      But it is\nnever too late or too early to be touched by the Holy Spirit, even for a few\nfleeting moments, and to begin to envision what God may want to do in your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Nor is it\ntoo late, or too early, to do something heroic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      The measure\nof heroism is not just whether our names appear in the headlines or we receive\na certificate for a meritorious deed such as saving someone\u2019s life or thwarting\nthe commission of a crime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Sometimes,\nheroism is neither publicized nor applauded. Sometimes, only God knows of our\ntruly heroic actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      It is\nvisionary and heroic, for example, to take a step toward God to begin breaking\nthe chains of self-centeredness so that, someday, we may make even one person\u2019s\nlife a bit better rather than a bit worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      It is a\ncause for rejoicing if a person opens his or her heart to even ten words from\nGod\u2019s revelation \u2013 the ten words that describe the fruit of the Spirit: \u201clove,\njoy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control\u201d found in\nGalatians 5:22-23.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Fruitful harvest<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                      These are\nnot mere words, but, like any portion of Scripture, they are words of unusual\npotency. They can become a personal petition, a focal point in opening our\nlives to God\u2019s transforming power: \u201cLord, I acknowledge that these are the\ntraits your Spirit nurtures within the hearts of those who follow you. I know\nthat you intend for me to become a person of love, joy, peace, patience,\nkindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Lord, I receive\nanything and everything you want to do in my life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Over time,\nthese and other words from Scripture become more than a periodic prayer, but an\nongoing attitude of the heart, an ongoing readiness for God to make the inward\nchanges that yield more of the fruit of the Spirit in our lives \u2013 changes that\nseem dramatic at times and almost imperceptible at other times. In tender\nmoments with God, just the words themselves, whether whispered or silently repeated\nin meditation, can help us return to the Holy Spirit for the spiritual renewal\nwe need day by day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      When a\ncrisis bursts into our lives or when one of our relationships unexpectedly\nruptures, the words of Scripture can help us stay connected to the ultimate\nsource of wisdom, graciousness, perseverance, and reconciliation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      In times of\npersonal failure, perhaps when we have said something unkind or yielded to\nself-absorbed anger, the simple words of the fruit of the Spirit can stir our\nconscience to ask for forgiveness both from God and from the person we have\nsinned against.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      At other\ntimes when all seems well, meditation on Scripture can bring God\u2019s precious\nrefreshing to every dimension of life. We begin to find deep enjoyment even in\nmomentary exchanges with God. And we begin to look for opportunities each day\nto touch someone\u2019s life with words spoken in a gracious tone of voice and deeds\nthat stand in contrast to the callousness that results when human societies\nmarginalize themselves from God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      When we are\npraying as never before, our minds may wander from time to time, but the Holy\nSpirit nevertheless transcends our human imperfections. The more we experience\nour souls being enhanced, the more we are drawn to internalize God\u2019s\nrevelation, from the Lord\u2019s Prayer and the Beatitudes to the Twenty-third Psalm\nand countless other passages from Scripture that guide us toward godly living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Praying as\nnever before, we enter a spiritual climate of life-giving sunshine and\nprecipitation that produce in us an ever-increasing harvest of peace with God,\njoy, and graciousness toward others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      In these\nheaven-like moments, we begin to grasp how valuable a personal relationship\nwith the supernatural God of the universe is, both in this life and the life to\ncome. He is worthy of our once-and-for-all trust, worthy of introducing to the\nunbelievers in our lives, and certainly worthy of meeting with each day in\norder to pray as never before.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          Pray – And Live – As Never Before explores \u2013 and celebrates \u2013 Scripture as a vibrant dimension of prayer and Spirit-filled living. As our shared heart language with God, Scripture abounds with supernatural transformation by the Holy Spirit toward …<\/p>\n

          Read more »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-260","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arttoalston.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/260","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arttoalston.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arttoalston.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arttoalston.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arttoalston.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=260"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.arttoalston.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/260\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":264,"href":"https:\/\/www.arttoalston.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/260\/revisions\/264"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arttoalston.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=260"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}