Discipling Together
February 2025
James Henrich

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)

These verses conclude Matthew’s Gospel. Jesus has died and risen from the grave. He now gives to the Eleven disciples (and through them to the Church) “marching orders.” He sets in motion a new phase of God’s redemptive plan; the Good News about Jesus Christ is going to all peoples! Notice three significant points.

First, Jesus speaks uniquely as One who has supreme authority. Before the Resurrection, Jesus taught, healed, cast out demons, and forgave sins with absolute authority. But now the sphere of His authority is enlarged to include the entire universe. Now God’s universal authority is mediated through the one Man, Jesus Christ. He is the Lord. The days of His humiliation are past.  “God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).

So, why is it important we know He has all authority? It is because Jesus’ authority has consequences for us. Based on His “all authority,” He commissions His followers to make disciples of “all nations.” He commands with universal authority; we are impelled into a universal ministry. Also, we have this assurance: there is no place where His sovereign authority does not reach. Jesus is in control wherever we venture in obedience to Him.

Second, we note that the main command is to make disciples. A disciple, in this instance, is a pupil or learner of Jesus Christ. Disciples are those who hear, submit to, and obey the teachings of Jesus. Where do we find His teachings? Most certainly in the four Gospels. But also in the writings of the Apostles, i.e., the Acts, Epistles, and the Book of Revelation. See the Gospel of John 16:12-15.

To make disciples, we must first be disciples ourselves. So, are you a follower of Jesus Christ? Do you trust Him with your life, relationships, and possessions? Do you listen to Him speak in the Holy Scriptures? Are you growing in the knowledge of God? Are you increasing in godly wisdom? Is your conduct increasingly in keeping with the example Jesus gave us? Do you pray for spiritual power to obey all He has commanded? In short, are you a follower of Jesus Christ?

And, if you are a follower of Christ, then are you helping others find and follow Him too? It’s true, the Great Commission is first and foremost the mission Jesus gave to His Church. But if you are a disciple of Jesus (and thus a member of His Church), then you have a share in the Great Commission. You have a responsibility to advance the Church’s mission according to your spiritual gifts, resources, life circumstances, etc. through your local church. Thus, it’s fair to ask, who are you sharing the gospel with? Who are you praying for to know and to follow Jesus Christ? Who are you encouraging by your Christ-like example and instructing in Christ’s ways? How are you personally involved in making disciples?

Lastly, notice that the terminus of the mission is “the end of the age” or the end of history as we know it. The mission ends when God’s Kingdom comes in fullness and power at Jesus Christ’s Second Coming. In the meantime, we’re about the business of making disciples. And we have this promise from the Risen Christ to encourage us especially when the task is difficult and dangerous: “I am with you always.”  Jesus goes with us as we go to make disciples. He sends us and sticks with us. His continuing presence will never be withdrawn. He will be with His followers to the end. His faithfulness to us should inspire our faithfulness to Him. He has commanded us to make disciples. Let’s then rededicate ourselves to His mission!

Fellowshipping Together
September 2024
Jason Lapp

Let’s just face it, the word burden is a scary word.  Burdens are weighty and can bring worry, doubt, fear, and sadness when experienced.  We don’t want to be a burden to another person.  We don’t want others to see the burden we are carrying around.  Burdens can be brought into our lives by God’s providential circumstances or as Paul says in Galatians, they can be brought upon by our own transgressions.  The person Paul talks about needs help because they are caught in a sin.  Who should help the person caught in sin by bearing their burden?

The text tells us who should help bear the burden, “you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness” (Gal. 6:1).  Paul is not talking about some spiritually elite class of Christians who have the responsibility to bear the load.  He is talking about those who “live by the Spirit” (Gal. 5:25).  Every believer has this responsibility with one another.  The reason we teach the Bible here at the Bible Church is to equip you for this type of ministry with one another (Eph. 4:12).  We understand the power of prayer because of what the Bible says about prayer, so we pray for one another.  We understand the power of God’s Word because of what the Bible says about itself, so we have truth to speak to one another.  We understand that God has the power to free people who are burdened from sin, so we point people to Him.  We go to that brother or sister trapped in their sin and gently love them with the love of Christ.

What we need to keep in mind is that bearing one another’s burden means that load or burden will become a part of our lives as well.  An illustration about moving may help. Think of trying to move a dryer into your house.  You attempt to lift the dryer by yourself.  You get some distance, but up ahead are stairs to climb to enter the house.  In your head, you think you are okay.  You attempt to move the dryer yourself, but you are getting nowhere.  To make matters worse, your back is in serious pain at this point.  What do you do?  The smart thing is to call a friend to help you bear a part of the load.  When you call your friend, he comes to lift the dryer with you.  Part of that weight has shifted to your friend.  You are relieved of some of your burden because your friend has taken a portion of your burden upon himself.  This is what Paul is talking about when he tells believers to “bear one another’s burden” (Gal. 6:2).  It will cost you something to help or restore a fellow believer in need.
 
What is our motivation to bear the burdens of one another? If bearing the burdens of another person is going to cost you something, why do it?  The reason every Christian should have the mindset to bear one another’s burdens is because of Christ.  Every believer was once burdened by the weight of sin.  I can’t help but think of little Christian in Pilgrim’s Progress.  He wanted so badly to have his burden removed.  It weighed him down so badly that at times he had trouble moving forward.  Then he came to the cross and his burden fell off his back and rolled into the empty tomb.  Christ did not just bear some of your burdens, he bore all your burdens.  He took all your sin upon himself at the cross (2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13; 1 Peter 2:25).  This is why we should have the mindset to bear the burdens of one another.  We are not Christ, but we are Christ’s representatives.  Christ bore our burdens, so our desire is to bear the burdens of one another.

Fellowshipping Together
July 2024
Greg Scheideman

As we continue to seek to increase the depth of fellowship that exists here at The Bible Church, let’s look at Acts 2:37-47. Here we witness the birth of the church in Jerusalem after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. This passage offers profound insights into the essence of fellowship. We see here that fellowship is not merely social interaction, but a deep, transformative communion rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The passage begins with Peter's powerful sermon, which leads to the conviction of many listeners. They are "cut to the heart" and ask, "Brothers, what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37, ESV). This signifies the initial step towards fellowship: recognizing our need for salvation and responding to the gospel message with repentance and faith.

True fellowship is built upon the foundation of a shared commitment to Christ. In verse 42, we read that the new believers devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. This devotion reflects a unity of purpose centered on Jesus Christ. We can see the importance of Scripture as the authoritative source of doctrine and instruction, making the apostles' teaching central to the life of the church.
 
Furthermore, fellowship involves sharing life together, which many of us were reminded of recently as we read what Jerry Bridge wrote in chapter 8 of his book True Community. The early Christians not only shared spiritual experiences but also their material possessions. Verses 44-45 state: "And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need." This communal sharing exemplifies a radical expression of love and concern for one another, echoing the emphasis on the corporate nature of the Christian life.

Fellowship also encompasses worship and celebration. The breaking of bread here likely refers not only to the Lord's Supper but also to shared meals where believers remembered Christ's sacrifice and enjoyed mutual hospitality. Prayer was not merely individual but corporate, uniting believers in dependence on God and intercession for one another.
 
The fellowship described in Acts 2:37-47 challenges the individualism and self-centeredness of our society, emphasizing the importance of mutual support, accountability, and sacrificial love within the community of believers. Scripture often reminds us of the corporate identity of the church, where each member contributes to the edification and growth of the body (Ephesians 4:16).

Furthermore, fellowship extends beyond the local church to the universal body of Christ. Acts 2:47 speaks of the Lord adding to their number daily those who were being saved. This highlights the missionary nature of the church, called to proclaim the gospel and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20).
 
In conclusion, this passage presents a compelling vision of fellowship within the Church. It emphasizes a shared commitment to Christ, mutual support and sharing, corporate worship and celebration, and the mission of the church. As Christians, may we embody such fellowship at The Bible Church, reflecting the love and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to the world. 

Fellowshipping Together
April 2024
Howard Bennett

Heb 3:12-13 speaks about the real power of fellowship.  It tells us to “encourage one another day after day…”  For many, this is an essential part of our spiritual walk.  We are encouraged in our faith – that we should press on toward the mark and that we should not lose heart in doing good.  Those are important aspects of true fellowship and it’s by those things that we are encouraged to continue striving for the faith even during a difficult situation.

However, there’s another benefit to encouraging one another that we see here.  For it says, “so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”  In many ways, the things we say to one another are helpful in keeping us from deceiving ourselves.  So, how does this work?
 
First, the simple knowledge that we are interacting with each other helps keep us accountable.  If we know that we are going to be asked things like, “What are you reading lately?” or “What is God teaching you?” or “How are you doing in your struggles with anger?”, we have a greater desire to be in the scripture – as we ought – because we know being in the word is an important element of our worship (1 John 1:3).

Second, the closer we get to each other, the more difficult it is to hide our sin.  And, in this way, fellowship helps us be more aware of the sin that resides within us.  In some way, the fellowship we have with each other is a hindrance to fulfilling our fleshly desires.

The closer we become to each other, the harder it is for us to deceive each other.  Not only from the perspective of the love we share and the closeness we have, but also from the ease with which we can see the effects of sin in those with which we have true fellowship.

If we have a relationship where we are – frequently – sharing our hearts, it will become easier for us to see when each of us is in sin.  Just by the way we act, look, and interact with each other.

Our fellowship is fundamental to our spiritual growth.  When we isolate ourselves, we are left with our own – deceiving – hearts (Eph 4:22) to alert us to our sin.  As we all know, that’s playing with fire!  We have an endless supply of rationalization when it comes to justifying our own sin.

Without true fellowship, we are on our own for the encouragement to press on and for the accountability that comes along with sincere fellowship.  So, please look for ways to deepen the relationships we have with each other – so that – we may encourage one another as a way to prevent us from being self-deceived.

Matthew Henry says this: ”There is a great deal of deceitfulness in sin; it appears fair, but is filthy; it appears pleasant, but is pernicious; it promises much, but performs nothing…therefore it should be the great concern of every one to exhort himself and others to beware of sin.”  Let’s be that encouragement to each other as we strive to be men and women who live lives worthy of our calling.

Fellowshipping Together
March 2024
Tim Senn

Often when we hear the word, “fellowship,” we immediately think of an activity: a church-wide fellowship dinner; enjoying fellowship in the home of another church member; interacting with others in our Care Group.  This is part of what fellowship means, but it is not the most basic and fundamental meaning of that Biblical concept.  Before we think of fellowship as something we do, or as an activity we engage in with others, we need to learn to think of fellowship as something we possess and as a relationship we enjoy with the Triune God!  In his first epistle, the Apostle John makes this stunning statement:

“What we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3).  
 
John provides one good definition of a genuine Christian: a Christian is someone who enjoys fellowship with God!  Fellowship is not simply an activity that we participate in, it is a kind and quality of life in which we participate – we share the very life of God!  The Greek word for fellowship, “koinonia,” as applied to our relationship with God, means that we share in common the divine life, or eternal life!  Therefore, we learn that being a Christian is not just knowing truth or believing a certain way; nor is it merely living a certain way – more fundamentally, it is enjoying a certain quality of life – sharing eternal life with God!  In John 17:3, Jesus Christ defined eternal life in these terms, “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”  According to Jesus, to have eternal life is to know God personally!  To know God as Father – and to be one of His children!  Through faith in Jesus Christ and through our union with Him, we become partakers of the very life of God (2 Peter 1:4)!  We enter into fellowship with Him!  We are connected to God, united to Him, and reside and live our lives in Him!    

This is why certain NT verses define salvation as fellowship with God.  For example, 1 Corinthians 1:9 states, “God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”  We were saved from sin to have personal fellowship with God!  We were saved to enjoy a close and personal relationship with Him.  Salvation removes the barrier of our sin which separated us from His Holy presence.  Jesus Christ died to bring us back to God!    

Going deeper, the fellowship we enjoy with God through Christ Jesus is a communion with the entire Trinity!  Although John only mentions our fellowship with the Father and with the Son, 2 Corinthians 13:14 says, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.”  Did you know that God from eternity has enjoyed fellowship and community within the Triune Godhead?  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have enjoyed communion and conversation and joy in their common life together. When God saves us, He invites us to enjoy the fellowship of the Trinity, and into the community of those who share eternal life!

Therefore, if you are a believer, you are “in fellowship with God,” you are united to Him by faith and enjoy His very life pulsating and surging through you!  You are connected to Jesus Christ in the same way that branches are connected to a vine (John 15).  This is amazing love and amazing grace!  Therefore, since you are in fellowship with God, engage in the life of God by enjoying fellowship with Him and with His people!  This will make your joy complete! (1 John 3:4).      

Fellowshipping Together
February 2024
Mark Etherington

As stated last month, our emphasis for fellowshipping together in 2024 is “the sharing in life in Christ together with one another.” (Douglas Allison)

John 13 records for us the final moments that Jesus spent with His disciples before He was taken to be crucified. Jesus “knew that His hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father” (Jn 13:1), and in a humbling act of love for His disciples Jesus demonstrated His love for them by washing their feet, a service that was relegated to servants.

Jesus was notorious for personal demonstration before giving a command to His followers. Here He girds Himself with a towel and stoops to wash their feet and then as their Lord and Teacher says, “If I have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.” (Jn 13:14)

Moments later Jesus again references His own example prior to giving His disciples a command which brings us to our second memory passage for the year in John 13:34-35:
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

The first observation here in verse 34 is the extent to which Jesus commands His disciples to love one another – “JUST AS I HAVE LOVED YOU.”

Anyone with any understanding of the true nature of biblical love would recognize that to aspire to attaining this standard with any degree of hopefulness would be impossible. To approach this truth naively would be a failure to understand the truth in the second observation found in verse 35; the distinctive Jesus issues in defining His disciples – “BY THIS ALL PEOPLE WILL KNOW THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES.”

Jesus called His disciples to an unnatural, unattainable standard of love toward one another that was defined and exemplified by His own love for them. This same command to love one another as Jesus loved His disciples is true for us today. Romans 5:8 says that God demonstrated this love toward us as people dead in sin, incapable of loving Him in return, by sending His Son, Jesus Christ to die for us. The first fruit evidenced by the Spirit in a life transformed by the demonstrated love of Christ on the cross is love (Gal. 5:22), providing the ability to love one another just as He loves us.

The type of love that Jesus expects us to display toward one another defines our fellowship. This is love at the highest level with the highest interest in others regardless of their posture toward us. 1 Corinthians 13 provides at least 15 verbs defining what loving one another as Christ loves us looks like.

How does our fellowshipping together look as measured by the standard of love that Jesus commanded His disciples?

Fellowshipping Together 2024
January 2024
Douglas Allison

As we begin 2024’s emphasis on Fellowshipping Together, Paul’s words in Philippians help to underscore just how important our relationships with each other are.  
 
First, however, it is wise to define what exactly “fellowship” is. What do we mean by the term? So far, we have emphasized reading together, praying together, evangelizing together, and worshipping together. These are all simple enough to understand. But fellowship is apt to be misunderstood. 
 
When we say, “Fellowshipping Together”, we intend to refer to the term used in Acts 2:42 to describe the activity of the believers when the church was being founded. Acts tells us that the believers devoted themselves to teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayers. 
 
The term “fellowship” means literally, “to hold in common”, “to have in common”, or, “sharing a part”. It is related to the term koine, as in “Koine Greek” or common Greek, the language in which the books of the New Testament were written.  
 
So, when we say we want to emphasize fellowshipping together in 2024, we are saying that we want to emphasize the sharing in life in Christ together with one another. Why is this important? This is where we come to the first memory passage of the year in Philippians 1:27:  
 
Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.
 
There is one key observation to make for our purposes, which is that Paul equates having a manner of life worthy of the gospel of Christ to the Philippians standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind, and, (from verse 28) not being frightened by their opponents.  
 
Why does this matter? It matters because believers should want to have a manner of life worthy of the gospel of Christ. Part of the Great Commission is teaching believers to obey all the things that Christ commanded (Matt. 28:18-20). The gospel is not just about securing a ticket to Heaven; it is about granting new life in Christ (cf. Eph. 2:4-5)! When we are saved, we are new creations; and as new creations, we have good works to do (Eph. 2:10)! 
 
For these and innumerable other passages that could be cited, it is no wonder that Paul would be concerned for the Philippians to have a manner of life worthy of the gospel. But what may be surprising, and what we are emphasizing this year, is that the worthiness of our manner of life is inseparable from the life of the church body as a whole. Far too many believers fail to understand Paul’s point that our manner of life concerns not only how we live as individuals but also how we live together with other believers in the church. 
 
Paul makes this very clear when he elaborates on what it means to have a manner of life worthy of the gospel of Christ. What he wants to find is not a bunch of individuals living their own lives of holiness in isolation from one another. He wants to find them united in spirit, having the same mind, and in that way standing firm together, striving side by side together. In other words, Paul wants to find a group of believers having a manner of life worthy of the gospel of Christ together. They are to share in these things as equal participants. 
 
So, as we emphasize fellowshipping together in 2024, keep in mind that the goal is to share in our life in Christ together, to stand firm in one spirit, to strive side by side. To fellowship together does not just mean to share a meal but to share a life. We all have Christ in common, so we should live like it! This will take work to learn and practice, but the worthiness of our manner of life depends on it, so it is worth it! May it be the case in 2024 that as Christ looks on from Heaven, he finds a church in Little Rock that knows what it means to fellowship together. 

Worshipping Together 2023
November 1, 2023
Greg Scheideman

I have had the joy of coming alongside people within our church who are being obedient to Christ’s commands and have attended the baptism class in the last couple years. This is a summary of what I recently taught at a Sunday night gathering, and Tim did a great job preaching this as well. I would encourage you to listen to his sermons from 9/3 and 9/10 if you haven’t already! I wanted to address a couple “elephants in the room” (or questions that are common but often not asked) from the baptism class.

I like the 9Marks definition of baptism which says that it “is a church’s act of affirming and portraying a believer’s union with Christ by immersing him or her in water, and a believer’s act of publicly committing him or herself to Christ and his people, thereby uniting a believer to the church and marking off him or her from the world.” Scripture gives us a lot of details about when, who, and how to baptize but leaves the where and some other details up to the wisdom of a church’s leadership.

One of the questions people have before they are baptized at BCLR is: “What’s up with the white robes?!” This is one of those items where you won’t find a chapter and verse commanding them but where wisdom has set a practice. Apart from maintaining modesty for those being baptized and keeping the attention on God’s work in the life of an individual - a white robe symbolizes purity, putting off the clothes of an old life and the new clothes of a new life in Christ. The robes add to other great symbols like washing and complete covering of sin as well as identification with Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection as a payment for our sin.

Another question that has been raised is: “Why do I have to be baptized in front of the church and speak?” I believe this is a wise practice for several reasons:

1. A public baptism in front of the church encourages all those who are there – if you have an opportunity to strengthen the church, go for it!

2. When people throughout scripture were getting baptized, they were declaring publicly that they had just made the decision to follow Jesus, and we should do the same. Psalm 105:1 says “Give thanks to the LORD and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done.”

3. It is a good, practical hurdle in 2023 Little Rock to help examine whether an individual desiring to be baptized is genuinely saved. In many parts of the world today and in most of history, there was a built-in negative consequence or persecution that would come with identifying publicly as a Christian that we largely don’t experience today. God’s word explains that there is a cost of discipleship and that a Christian should be characterized as being willing to do hard things (Matt 4:18-22; Matt 19:29; Mark 8:34-38 and Luke 14:25-33). A personal testimony can be a great tool to use for evangelism for the rest of a Christian’s life. Also, although public speaking is difficult, it provides some self-examination to determine one’s willingness to do a hard thing out of love for one’s Savior, which is a great tool to check the validity of professed faith in Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross.

4. Finally, it is a great way to unite a believer with the church. After someone has publicly identified themselves as a Christian, those who are in the church can readily look to pray for, encourage, and practically come alongside that person who has just been baptized in their spiritual journey.

I have been blessed through the years by my own obedience to be baptized and also from the multitude of baptisms I have witnessed. What an incredible ordinance Jesus instituted for the church! I love that we do everything we can reasonably do to make sure it is a blessing to those being baptized and to our body when one is witnessed while we worship together!

Worshiping Together 2023
June 1, 2023
Jason Lapp

Have you ever wondered why Christians sing when they gather for corporate worship? Think
about most gatherings you attend. When you gather as a team or department at work you
don’t typically sing songs together. When you invite people over to your house you probably
don’t ask everyone to sing songs together. At a ball game you may catch most of the crowd
singing the National Anthem together. Typically, at a baseball game the singing gets louder
during the seventh inning stretch. But let’s face it, what Christians do on Sunday when we
gather is unique. Which begs the question: Why do we sing when we gather together?

First, we sing because God is worthy of our praise. Nothing or no one is worthy of praise like
God is worthy of praise. God is the Creator, Savior, Sovereign, all‐glorious One who alone is
worthy of praise. Singing is one of the greatest ways to express his greatness. Singing expresses
the overflowing joy in our hearts that cannot be contained because of God’s greatness. C.S.
Lewis, writing about the Psalms, once said, “I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because
the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation.”

We know this to be true about singing and praising God because John gives us a glimpse of the
throne room in heaven. When the Lamb who had been slain was able to open the scroll, John
tells us many voices were joined together saying, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to
receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” (Rev.
5:12) God is worthy of worship.

Second, we sing to remind ourselves of the truth. It does not matter how great the music
ministry is at a church if those leading are not singing truth. Music should be done with
excellence, but music done with excellence that does not sing truth or waters down truth is not
excellent in God’s sight. Christians have much truth to sing about. As a matter of fact,
Christians have the only truth worth singing about. Paul tells us in Colossians 3:16, “Let the
word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom,
singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

Music is a way to let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. It has been said that people tend to
remember a line from a song before they remember a line from a sermon. It would be wise and
fruitful for the church to sing songs that speak truth from God’s Word. What the church sings
should teach and admonish those within the church from God’s Word.

Lastly, we sing to edify one another. The voices always ought to be the main instrument in the
church. We want to hear one another sing. This is a way to remind each other that we are not
alone in our Christian walk. Paul tells us in Ephesians 5:19, “Addressing one another in psalms,
and hymns and spiritual songs.” All of us need to hear from each other.

How does this practically play out?

When it seems like life is overwhelming and we have lost hope, we need to hear, “Christ the
sure and steady Anchor, in the fury of the storm. When the winds of doubt blow through me,
and my sails have all been torn. In the suffering, in the sorrow, when my sinking hopes are few.
I will hold fast to the Anchor, it shall never be removed.”

When you’ve lost the battle against the flesh for the week and feel like a failure, we need to
hear, “When Satan tempts me to despair and tells me of the guilt within, upward I look, and see
him there who made an end to all my sin. Because the sinless Savior died, my sinful soul is
counted free; for God the just is satisfied to look on him and pardon me.”

When we are tempted to trust in the “good stuff” we have accomplished during the week, we
need to hear, “What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

When we have spent the week trying to sit on the throne of our lives, we need to hear, “Behold
our God, seated on his throne, come let us adore him. Behold, our King, nothing can compare,
come let us adore him.”

When it has been a week of experiencing joyful obedience and the overwhelming kindness of
God in your life, we need to hear, “Let all things their Creator bless. And worship him in
humbleness. O praise him! Alleluia! Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son and praise the
Sprit, three‐in‐one. O praise him! O praise him! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!”

No other experience in life compares to what we get to do on Sunday morning when we gather
to sing to our great God. When we gather, we have the privilege to praise the only One worthy
of our worship. We have the honor to remind ourselves of what is true about God. We have
the great joy of edifying one another with the truth. These are some of the reasons why we
sing when we gather for worship.

“Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King of
all the earth; sing praises with a psalm!” (Ps. 47:6‐7)

Worshipping Together 2023
March 1, 2023
Mike Meadors

A high view of God is essential to the heart of worship.  It is foreign to think of worship apart from recognizing who God is in all His beauty and perfections.  When God condescends to communicate His divine nature and His relationship to us, He often does so in the language of family. He is our heavenly Father.  We are His children.  We see God the Father sending God the Son to redeem a people to Himself. Christ is our brother!  As the church, we are the bride of Christ!  An appropriately high view of God’s created order in the family is an essential outworking of a high view and proper understanding of God.

We know from the very beginning that God created man in His image.

Genesis 1: 27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28a God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it.

Genesis 2: 24 For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.

Man. Woman.  Husband and wife, created in the image of God, joined by God, blessed by God. The blessing of children. We see His image expressed in this created order.  We see the promise of the seed in Genesis 3:15, whom we know to be the Christ and who would be the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature.  (Hebrews 1:3)

Consider the clear words of Paul to the Ephesians concerning the unique importance of marriage as an expression of Christ’s relationship with the church:

Ephesians 5:31 FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH. 32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.

Wives being submitted to husbands as to the Lord.  Husbands loving wives as Christ loved the church. In each case, Christ is the ultimate object of our submission and love.  Excerpting from John MacArthur’s commentary notes on this passage, “marriage is a sacred reflection of the magnificent and beautiful union between the Messiah and His church” and the “love relationship between believing marriage partners is to be a visual expression of the love between Christ and His church.”

Paul goes on the give specific instruction to the children:

Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise), 3 SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH.

The first commandment with promise! Obedience not just for the benefit or convenience of the parents, but the promised benefit to children for following our Master’s loving plan.

And then he returns to the men as fathers:

Ephesians 6: 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Paul is addressing the fathers directly, but he no doubt has mothers in mind as well.  Bring them up in both the discipline and instruction of the Lord.  Do they see in you love for Christ and a desire to serve Him?  Do they see in you a desire for them to know Him?  A desire for them not just to keep the rules but to enter into a relationship with Him and to see Him in His glory.

Simple opportunities and expressions can and should be part of a life of worship. Reading to them, praying for them and praying with them for others. Inclusion into the ministry to others. Witnessing godly decisions. Observing the importance and priority of corporate worship.  Consider this passage from Deuteronomy 11 concerning the internalization of God’s words:

Deuteronomy 11:19 “You shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up.”
We have barely scratched the surface.  God speaks to us of His love as Father.  Earthly fathers can and do fail, but the truth remains that God is our Father.  The earthly is to reflect the heavenly.  When the earthly fails, it is not a problem with the Creator’s design or order. It is because of the sinful rebellion of our hearts.

To recognize and acknowledge sin is to agree with the testimony of scripture. But to attack the very essence of these family roles is to attack the created order of our loving Father. The problems are not in the headship of the husband, or in the devotion of motherhood, or in the relationships of siblings, or with any portion of the structure of family as created by God.  The problem is the heart.
 
When we attack or attempt to reorder these God-created roles, we only create more sin, and instead create a man-made order that cannot flourish.

Our support and encouragement of family worship is possible in every season of life. Children benefit from seeing their parents, grandparents, aunt and uncles, and the entire extended family worship God faithfully over a long period of time. It is within this framework that genuine family worship flourishes.  If we count these roles and relationships as unimportant, or if we allow the animus of this present time to infiltrate our hearts, then we will fall short of realizing the blessing that accompanies obedience.

Worshipping Together 2023
February 1, 2023
Tim Senn

In the middle of His conversation with the Samaritan woman (John 4:23-24), Jesus made a monumental declaration about the nature of true worship: “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.  God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”  Jesus said that God seeks true worshipers and that true worship is characterized as being “in spirit and truth.”

Immediately, our minds tend to take Jesus’ words “in spirit and truth” and transform them into the words “in spirit and in truth.”  Then, we proceed to explain what it means to worship God in spirit and what it means to worship God in truth.  This can be a helpful discussion, and perhaps is an appropriate application of the meaning of Jesus’ words.  However, Jesus is saying something different, something more basic and fundamental about worship.
 
To understand what it means to worship God “in spirit,” we need to take note of the fact that John states in verse 24 that “God is spirit.”  Here, John is not referring to the Holy Spirit, but rather to the essential nature and essence of God.  God is “spirit,” meaning that He exists in a spiritual condition as opposed to a material or physical body.  The prophet Isaiah contrasts God as being “spirit” and men as being “flesh” in Isaiah 31:3: “Now the Egyptians are men and not God, and their horses are flesh and not spirit.”  God exists on an entirely different spiritual plane and in an entirely different sphere or realm!  He is spirit, and we are flesh!  God demands that our worship of Him match His nature and essence in the spiritual realm!  It cannot be produced from our human, “fleshly,” natural condition!  Therefore, worship is not simply a matter of being sincere.    

Worship is a matter of the heart, but an unregenerate heart is unable to properly worship God!  It is spiritually “dead” or unresponsive to the glory and majesty of God and does not properly perceive or appraise the infinite worthiness of God.  Thus, in order for a sinful man or woman to properly worship God, God must grant new birth and new life to him or her through the sacrificial death and glorious resurrection power of Jesus Christ!  This new birth creates faith and a heart consumed with the love of God and passionately devoted to Him!  Thus, the fact that God “seeks true worshipers” compelled Him to create true worshipers through His granting of regeneration!  Simply put, true spiritual worship can only be offered by those who have been made truly spiritual through Christ, through the cleansing power of His blood and the transforming and life-giving power of His Holy Spirit!
 
And once we have been born again and made new by God, we long to present ourselves to Him as sincere, passionate, enthusiastic worshipers!  We worship God in this new spiritual life that He has bestowed, which expresses itself in an eager and willing desire to praise Him with “all that is within us.”  And we worship God in truth, meaning that we worship Him in the manner in which He has prescribed.  Worship is so important to God that He has not left the manner of worship for men to determine.  Rather, He has revealed in His Word how we should worship Him and demands that we worship the true God in the true way, and in the right manner!  We are not allowed to worship God in any way we choose or in the way that pleases us, but rather are commanded to worship in the manner which God has chosen and in the manner which pleases God!  The Scripture must regulate our worship, and Scripture tells us that when we gather together as a church body for corporate worship, we should: read the Word; pray the Word, sing the Word, proclaim the Word; and visibly “show” the Word through the ordinances of baptism and communion.

God desires and demands worship from “spiritual” men and women, born again by His Spirit, and worship in accordance with His truth or instructions!  This is what it means to worship God in spirit and truth!      

Worshipping Together 2023
January 1, 2023
Douglas Allison

Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.  All nations will come and worship you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.
- Revelation 15:4 (ESV)

What is worship? It seems a simple question, but if we are going to focus on worshiping together this year, we had better be clear on what it is!

At bottom, worship is not a difficult concept. In the most basic sense, worship refers to a simple act. Both the Hebrew and the Greek words for worship mean “to bow down.” A less common but related word in Greek that is sometimes translated as “worship” means “service,” as in service to God (cf. Heb. 9:1).

We all understand the act of bowing down. Ironically, we rarely perform the physical act. The closest we typically come to bowing down is when we pray. Perhaps some of us get down on our knees in prayer, while others have never considered it, and still others are physically unable to do so. Does the plain definition of worship mean that a person who is physically unable to bow down never worships?
 
Not at all. A proper understanding of worship does not take a wooden approach to the word. The act of bowing down is shorthand for a much broader act which, if done in spirit and truth, begins in the heart of a person and extends all the way to God.

Just consider the description of worship in the above passage. The nations will come and worship God. These words evoke an image in our minds of vast oceans of bodies bending over. And why? Because God’s righteous acts have been revealed. This happens in the context of God’s judgment of sin on the earth, where God’s wrath is being poured out. And it is God’s great power mixed with his perfect justice which prompts the unthinkable question of who would possibly not fear the Lord and glorify his name. God alone is holy. God alone is worthy of all worship.

This passage’s description of the nature and reasons for worship helps us to understand what we intend to communicate when we speak of worshiping together in 2023. All the nations will one day bow down at the revelation of God’s righteous acts. But we can already see God’s righteous acts. Currently, the gospel, if it is veiled, is only veiled to those who are perishing (2 Cor. 4:3). But we as believers are those on whom has shone the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 4:6). God has caused light to shine in the darkness of our hearts, which allows us in turn to see him for who he is in all his fearsome glory, holiness, and righteousness. If even the pagan nations will one day see and bow down in fear, how much more we on whom God has poured out his love in Christ Jesus and through his Spirit? For us, nothing could or should be more natural than worshiping God.

So when we speak of worshiping together, we are only resolving again to continue in what we do every week in our regularly scheduled worship services on Sunday mornings. But we also recognize that worship properly understood is a worship that goes beyond the times of our formal meetings.

When we speak of living a life of worship, we are referring to the fact that someone who recognizes God for who he is on a Sunday morning will also recognize the same on Monday through Saturday mornings, and our manner of life will reflect that.

If we understand worship properly as a subjection to God, a submission to God, a representation of our subordination to and reverence for God, then we can understand worship to be about making God the center of our attention and the dominating influence in our lives. A life of worship recognizes God as the controlling principle of our entire approach to life.

So as we enter 2023 together, let’s commit to worship God together. This is not a call to some niche aspect of the Christian life. This year, we are focusing on reorienting ourselves to one way of describing what the Christian life is all about. The Christian life is about worshiping God, about bowing down to God and showing him the reverence and honor due to him.

As we do so together, let’s commit to doing so throughout the entirety of our lives, not just on Sunday mornings. As God is the Creator and Sustainer of all things, so there is not a single aspect of any of our lives which is not to be subjected in reverence to God. And as we focus on worshiping God together, we can look for our worship services together to fuel our worship as individuals the rest of the week.

Let’s encourage one another in this, and may each of us be all the more committed to living a life of worship to God as we come to the end of 2023.

Praying Together 2021
December 1, 2021
Howard Bennett

Matthew 6:9-13- 9 “Pray, then, in this way:  ‘Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name. 10 ‘Your kingdom come.  Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 ‘Give us this day our daily bread. 12 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]

For our last meditation on prayer, let’s take a quick look at Christ’s model for prayer from Matthew 6:9-13.  The first thing we must realize is that this prayer is not some magic formula that needs to be recited.  Verses 7 and 8 tell us to avoid vain repetition.  Simply repeating this prayer would be just that – vain repetition. This prayer is a model for us.  Something we should use to help us organize our own prayers.

The prayer starts with a simple phrase – “Our Father.”  The term “Father” expresses a closeness and a dependence upon God.  It denotes a person that we can trust to not only lead and love us, but to protect us. The next phrase, however, puts that relationship in perspective for us.  It says, “Our Father, who art in heaven…” This phrase serves to remind us that God is the infinitely exalted, perfectly holy, triune creator of the universe to Whom belongs all majesty and power. He is in heaven while we, lowly, sinful, slothful man, are on this sin-cursed earth. (Eccl. 5:2) When we approach God, yes, we can call Him Father, but we still must approach Him with a profound reverence and awe.

Continuing with verse 9, we read “…hallowed be thy name…”  Again, here we are focusing on the holiness and greatness of God.  His name is to be hallowed – or set apart. Verse 10 says “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Here, we are expressing to God our desire that He rule and reign in our life. Much like we see in Matthew 6:31-33, we want to acknowledge that we desire that His kingdom come and His will be done. We are committing ourselves so that in everything we do – our thoughts, actions, words, and yes, our prayers – we seek His glory and His praise.

It’s at this point in the prayer that our focus turns from God and His kingdom to us.  It’s interesting that most of us start off with us when we pray.  We immediately ask for a loved one to be healed or for God to meet a need in our life.  Maybe if we began our prayers in the way Jesus taught, we would realize that God is our father as well as the creator of the universe.  We would see that God’s name is like no other name.  We would know that His kingdom and His will will be done and we would be reminded that He is in control of all things.  With that as our perspective, our requests will not seem so urgent and our despair will be turned into hope and trust.

Next, in verse 11 we read “Give us this day, our daily bread…” We must not only trust God to meet our spiritual needs, but also to meet our physical needs. Not just our needs enough for the week, month or year – but our daily needs.  We ought to be daily depending on and expressing that dependence upon our Father in Heaven.

Verse 12 reads “And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors…” Our greatest need is forgiveness.  Here we are seeking that forgiveness from God.  We find immediately after this model prayer two verses that expound on this.  Verses 14 and 15 say “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Forgiveness, both from US and from God is vital!

Verse 13 starts “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one…” We know from James 1:13 that God tempts no one and in I Corinthians 10:13 we read that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear.  He will even provide a way of escape for us.  This prayer is simply us acknowledging that we desperately need that protection. Finally, we read, “For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”

Here we are agreeing that God is the sovereign ruler of the universe.  His will will be done.  His goals will be accomplished.  He is indeed our great and holy God!  We fully trust in Him and His power alone.

Praying Together 2021
November 1, 2021
Clint Goode

The Bible, God’s Word to us, leaves the reader no question who is in control. As you read the Scriptures, it becomes abundantly clear that the Lord God is the creator of all things and that as creator, He is in complete control. Nothing is outside His sovereignty. The Bible declares God as the sovereign King over all, beginning in Genesis and ending in Revelation.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is Yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and You are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all. In Your hand are power and might, and in Your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. (1 Chronicles 29:11–12)

It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness…Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable. (Isaiah 40: 22-23, 28)

I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God. (Isaiah 45:5)

Our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases. (Psalm 115:3)

Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps. (Psalm 135:6)

Which He will display at the proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords. (1 Timothy 6:15)

No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and the Lamb will be in it, and His servants will worship Him. And the night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. (Revelation 22:3, 5)

This list could go on and on, but hopefully you get the point here: God is the all-powerful, all-wise creator who accomplishes all His will for His purposes and glory alone. There is none like Him and you can call out to Him in prayer.

The same Word of God that speaks of how great and awesome He is also invites you to call out to Him in prayer:

Call to Me and I will answer you and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. (Jeremiah 33:3)

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. (Matthew 7:7)

The invitation is clear and amazing: call out to the Lord and He will answer.

What a privilege that each of us have, to come to Him and know that He hears and will answer.

We can trust Him in His timing. We can trust Him for His wisdom. We can trust that the answer we receive is always for our good and His glory.

He is never annoyed by you.

He is never overburdened by your supplications.

He is never overcome by too much praise.

He is never overwhelmed by your persistence.

He is never unloving in His response.

He is at hand. He does hear. And our charge is to come to Him:

Do not be anxious about everything, but in everything by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

May the Lord make each of us a people who boldly come to Him in prayer—knowing that God alone is the One who can answer. God is the One who provides. God is the One who sustains. All glory to Him.

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. (James 4:8)

Praying Together 2021
October 1, 2021
Lawson Hembree

Learning a new skill or discipline often requires two things: observation and practice. For instance, someone wanting to play the violin will watch the instructor carefully: the position of her fingers, the way she holds the bow, the angle of the instrument, the rhythm of her movements. These components combine to produce beautiful music, at times slow and soothing and passionately energetic at other times. The student must then take up his own instrument and try to replicate the finger positions, bow placement, instrument angle, and rhythm of his instructor. After several repeated cycles of observation and practice, the music flowing from his violin is as elegant as his teacher’s.

We often refer to our corporate prayer gatherings as “concerts of prayer”--and for good reason! The voices of saints praying together are like the individual instruments in the orchestra joining together before the throne of God. And like learning to play the violin, learning to pray also requires observation and practice. At times, you may feel intimidated (“She prays so well! I’ll never be able pray like her.”) or frustrated (“I just sound so awkward...”), yet those aren’t valid excuses to stop learning how to pray, even in corporate settings. D.A. Carson says in his book Praying with Paul, “Many facets of Christian discipleship, not least prayer, are rather more effectively passed on by modeling than by formal teaching. Good praying is more easily caught than taught.” With that in mind, let’s look at two questions: “Who are we to observe?” and “How should we practice?”

Who Are We to Observe?
God, in His mercy, has provided a wealth of instructors who can teach us to pray:

Jesus - By looking to Jesus, we can observe what to prioritize in our prayers: praise of God’s holiness, mercy, grace, and justice; the coming of His kingdom; His will to be done; and His sustenance and provision for His people. This is seen most clearly in the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:1-4) and the High Priestly Prayer (John 17).

The Psalmists - No matter what emotion you are experiencing at the moment, it is likely to be addressed in Psalms. As you read the Psalms, make a note of key chapters that can be used in your daily life: psalms of rejoicing, grief, petition, etc. Then when you face those situations, you have a quick reference guide to fuel your prayer. Also notice how the authors, even in their darkest moments, remind themselves of God’s faithfulness and promises to keep them from despair and kindle their hope.

Saints of the Past - We can also observe believers from church history to see how they prayed in their historical contexts. While there are a plethora of examples, two of my favorite collections of prayers are The Valley of Vision and Piercing Heaven. While there is nothing wrong with praying for temporal things, by observing the prayers of past saints, we learn to shift our petitions to what is needed for our sanctification.
 
Saints in the Present - The greatest growth in your prayer life will come from observing the flesh-and-blood saints in your family and local church. If you want to learn to pray, surround yourself with men and women who pray well. Observe what they pray about, how they weave in the truths and promises of Scripture, how they relate to God, and what they request for themselves.

How Should We Practice?
It is not enough to observe the prayers of others; if we want to learn how to pray, we must practice what we have observed.

Pray in Private - Pray on a daily basis, implementing the lessons learned from your observations of others. Try to intentionally include extended times of adoration, confession, and thanksgiving before rushing to supplication. As you make your supplication, make requests for more eternally-focused needs in addition to the usual temporal needs.

Write Your Prayers
Many find it difficult to weave Scripture into their prayers “on the fly” when praying alone or in front of others, but writing a prayer down and then intentionally tying in Scripture can help build this ability. Start by writing what you would normally pray and then look for opportunities to insert a promise from God’s Word (in its proper context of course) next to a request or add a few verses from a psalm to magnify your adoration of our Righteous Creator. Once this is done, pray the prayer you have written.

Pray with Others - Don’t neglect praying with others because you are intimidated or don’t think you pray well. God has designed prayer not just to strengthen our personal relationship with Him, but also to edify the church as we pray together. Your prayer voiced aloud, no matter how much experience and practice you have, is a means of grace to your brothers and sisters in Christ and will be an encouragement to them.

Commit to the spiritual discipline of learning to pray. Observe godly men and women, take note of their prayer lives, seek to imitate them, and practice on your own and with others. Remember that you aren’t praying to impress people--“the purpose of prayer is to lift and direct our minds to God so that we desire His glory, confess His praise, and ask Him for help in our time of need.” (John Calvin)

Praying Together 2021
September 1, 2021
Tim Senn

One easy-to-remember method for praying for our loved ones, friends, fellow church members, neighbors, and co-workers is to employ the acrostic: BLESS.  Here is how it works!

B – Body and Physical Needs.  Many of our prayers relate to the physical health and bodily needs of others.  We pray for those who are sick, for those with various diseases and health issues, and for those who are undergoing surgery or recovering from surgery.  It is always appropriate to pray for one another’s physical health and well-being, as the Apostle John did in 3 John 2: “I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.”  However, since God’s will for our lives sometimes involves physical sickness and suffering, we should also pray that others would see their health trials and difficulties as an opportunity to trust God more deeply and to experience the sufficiency of His grace in their time of suffering.  We might pray that our loved ones would persevere through health crises and even use their pain as a platform to live out their hope in the Gospel before
others.  In praying for one another’s bodies and physical needs, we can also pray for moral and sexual purity, and that we would glorify God with our bodies (1 Cor. 6:20).

L – Labor, Employment, and School.  In this category, we pray for all things related to our vocations and jobs.  For those who are unemployed or underemployed, we ask God to provide opportunities to work.  For those working either inside or outside of the home, raising children or in the workplace, we pray that we might “do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men” (Col. 3:23).  We pray that we might be diligent in our tasks and provide excellent products and services that enhance and promote the well-being of our fellow men.  We pray for those in the workplace and on the campus to shine the light of the Gospel through their lives and through their evangelistic efforts!

E – Emotions.  We pray for the emotional well-being of our friends and family and fellow church members.  We pray that they might be joyful in the Lord and overflowing with gratitude and thanksgiving.  We pray that God might guard their hearts and minds against fear and anxiety, and that they would be able to rest in the power and goodness of God.  We pray that God would be the God of all comfort to those who are grieving.  We pray that the Holy Spirit might increase our love and affection for one another; produce self-control in our lives so that we might resist such sins as anger and bitterness.

S – Soul.  We pray for the health and flourishing of one another’s spiritual lives.  We pray that those who know Christ might be completely satisfied in Him, tasting and seeing that the Lord is good and experiencing the fact that God’s love is indeed better than life itself (Psalm 63:3).  We pray for spiritual growth and for growth in know-
ledge of God and devotion to Christ.  We pray that our saved loved ones might bear much spiritual fruit for the glory of God.  And for those who are unsaved, we pray that God might cause them to be born again to a new and living hope.  We pray that God would make them miserable in sin, and overwhelm them with the glory and majesty and beauty of Christ.  We pray that they would come to properly fear and reverence the One Who can kill both body and soul in hell.

S – Social Lives.  We pray for the myriad of relationships that our loved ones have.  We pray for the strengthening of marriages, for wisdom and grace to parent our children, and for sweet fellowship among believers.  We pray that our young people would exercise discernment in the selection of their friends. We pray that we would seek to live out the “one anothers” of the Bible in such a way as to create and sustain meaningful friendships in the Lord.
 
Of course, there are numerous other ways in which to pray for those who populate our prayer list, but if you will commit to “blessing” others through your prayers for their physical needs; work and employment; emotional well-being; spiritual needs; and social relationships – then you will be able to pray for others in a holistic fashion!

Praying Together 2021
August 1, 2021
James Henrich

Our Heavenly Father listens to us when we pray. Really. God has time for you!
 
“For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer.” (1 Peter 3:12a ESV)

“The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.” (Proverbs 15:29 ESV)

“I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer.” (Psalm 66:17-19 ESV)

God listens to our prayers! Amazing! But perhaps in the above Scripture (Ps. 66:18) you noticed a condition. Isaiah repeats it: “Your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear” (Isa. 59:2 ESV). Do you cherish iniquity in your heart? Do you rationalize and excuse the habitual practice of sin? Perhaps anger, lust, envy or something else?  If so, wake up! Quit deceiving yourself! God does not listen to your prayers. First, draw near to Him in honest confession and humble repentance. Turn from your sin and receive His forgiveness (1 Jn. 1:9). Then, have this confidence: God hears you when you pray.

Our prayers make a difference! God graciously answers our prayers to achieve His will.
 
“And this is the confidence we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him.” (1 John 14-15 ESV).

“And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” (Luke 11:9-10 ESV)

“A prayer of a righteous person, when it is brought about (i.e., granted by God), can accomplish much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.” (James 5: 16b-18 NASB)

God answers prayer that agrees with His will. So, know God’s will. How? By private Bible reading and meditation, by listening well to sermons, by heeding instruction in Bible studies and equipping classes, by seeking godly counsel and advice. Then, conform your prayers to His will. Pray confidently (with faith), daily (with persistence), and expectantly (with hope). Just like Elijah, your prayers can accomplish much!
   
Jesus prayed. If we aspire to be like Him, we’ll pray too!
 
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” (Mark 1:35 NIV)

“One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.” (Luke 6:12 NIV).

“During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.” (Hebrews 5:7 NIV).

God is making us like Jesus. If Jesus expressed humble, reverent submission to God by praying, we will too. Do you aim to be like Jesus? Then pray from a humble heart. Make prayer a priority in your daily schedule. Get up early or stay up late if you must. Quit viewing prayer as a “Christian option.” If Jesus prayed regularly, how is prayer optional for His followers? Be a disciple indeed, and pray!  

Praying Together 2021
July 1, 2021
Greg Scheideman

It is really strange, when you think about it, that prayer is so hard! Prayer allows us to come up close for an intimate conversation with our closest companion and friend – but, it is something almost all of us struggle with. Whether we can’t think of things to pray about, find ourselves falling into boring patterns, or shrink away from opportunities to encourage or lead others by praying out loud – some simple tools can go a long way to help us develop this rewarding discipline in our spiritual walk.

One tool that I was thankful for when I was saved many years ago and still find myself using almost daily when I pray is the acronym “A-C-T-S."  I have used this acronym for short or long prayers, private or public, when using scripture or not – it has been a great tool for many different occasions!  I still use it almost every time I exercise – dividing my run, bike, ride or walk into ¼’s and covering one letter at a time. The pattern for ACTS is based loosely on the pattern of the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6, and nearly all of the prayers in scripture can be categorized by one of the four letters in the acronym. I really find that following the order in the acronym works too because when I am most tempted to just jump to “Supplication” (presenting my requests to God), I find that once I have adored, confessed to, and thanked Him – what would have been a selfish request is now more God-honoring and kingdom-minded.

As a refresher, or as an introduction, here are the four types or things that can be included in a well-rounded prayer:

Adoration
A prayer of adoration is a prayer that praises God’s goodness and majesty. In the Bible, we find prayers of adoration in the Psalms, which are often called psalms of praise.
For instance, Psalm 111:1-4:
“Praise the Lord!
I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart,
In the company of the upright and in the assembly.
Great are the works of the Lord;
They are studied by all who delight in them.
Splendid and majestic is His work,
And His righteousness endures forever.
He has caused His wonders to be remembered;
The Lord is gracious and compassionate.”
 
Confession
A prayer of confession is a searching prayer of the heart. When we confess, we bare our souls before God about our sins and shortcomings. Confession to God is also a model for the kind of mutual confession that believers in the body of Christ are called upon to make to one another (see James 5:16). But ultimately, since all sin is sin against God, we are called to confess our sins to God. A key part of the good news of Jesus is that repentance can bring forgiveness and new life. Indeed, the Bible assures us that sincere confession before God will be met with forgiveness. We see this in 1 John 1:9 which says, “If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” So prayers of confession ought to be a regular part of our spiritual lives, as we become transformed into the people God would have us be.

Thanksgiving
A prayer of thanksgiving is a prayer that recognizes the good things God gives us and offers thanks for them: our lives, our health, our families, and our faith. The apostle Paul told us, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess. 5:16–18 NASB). A part of what it means to live faithfully is to live out of a deep sense of gratitude for all that God has done for us. Prayers of thanksgiving help us to do that. They give proper thanks to God and also shape us into thankful people at our core.

Supplication
A prayer of supplication is a prayer that lifts up requests before God. Supplications are often divided between those requests we make for ourselves (petitions) and those requests we make on behalf of other people (intercessions). We can turn again to the apostle Paul, who told us in Philippians, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (v. 4:6 NRSV). It is natural for us to ask God for the desires of our hearts, and we can be assured that God will answer our prayers. We also feel the need to pray on behalf of others--our family and friends--as well as those we do not know personally. God does answer prayer, even if we need to be mindful that God’s answers to prayer are not always the answers we want God to give!

If you have never used this pattern, or haven’t since you were first taught to pray, this could be just the jumpstart your prayer life could use this week!

Praying Together
June 1, 2021
Clint Goode

Have you ever considered the connection between prayer and the gospel? The gospel is the good news that Jesus came to save sinners from the wrath of God.

For some—this news is just “bleh” … To the church in Corinth the apostle Paul wrote: “the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing” (1 Cor 1:18).

If you are spiritually blind to your own sin and need for a Savior, the gospel is a snoozer, but not so for the believer.

“But to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor 1:18).

God the Father, through the Son and by the Spirit, did for us what we could never do in our own strength (Rom 8:3).

The gospel is the good news that God has done for us what we were unable to do on our own.
 
As Christians we should stand in this gospel every day.

Sadly, “other gospels” distract us.

Mindlessly we tend to be consumed with self—but to think upon the Lord requires more attentiveness.

If we are not careful, we can believe the gospel of self or stability, the gospel of power or progress, the gospel of intellect or influence, the gospel of kings and kingdoms or the gospel of health and wealth. Like the mythical sirens, numerous false gospels call to us each day for our destruction, but we must not embrace or believe them. We must be diligent to fight the daily urge to turn to another gospel. You may be asking: How do I fight this daily urge?

Prayer has to be central in this fight. The way we pray (our fervency and our frequency) provides a picture of gospel vitality. In other words— prayerfulness is not only a measure of who we are trusting in, but it is also primary in our battle to daily trust the One who meets all our needs in Christ.  

When we pray—we proclaim our powerlessness.

When we pray—we confess we have no control.

When we pray—we declare our desperation for God.  

When we pray—we welcome God’s wisdom.

When we pray—we invite the Lord’s intervention, turning to Him in our time of need.
 
Every time we bow our hearts to the Father—we rehearse the truth of the gospel. As we pray, we declare that God is able to do and accomplish for our good and His glory what is best. Apart from God—I can do nothing. This is truer for each of us than we know or imagine.
 
The gospel reminds us that for our salvation—we desperately need God to step in. Prayer reiterates this marvelous truth and reorients our heart to God as our provider and sustainer: the One who works all things for good for those who are called according to His purpose.

Our need for the author of life to be our sole source of life in Christ Jesus is greater than the chasm between the earth and the sun a trillion times over. Likewise we desperately need His intervention in every sphere of life.

Prayer humbles our heart and invites the Lord, sovereign and wise, rich in mercy, to move and work in our midst for His purposes, His glory and our good.

Do you find yourself thinking that God is unable to help or simply disinterested?
“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb 4:16)

Do you struggle to find joy in your circumstances?
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (Phil 4:6-7)

Do you lack the wisdom needed for the situation you find yourself in?
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” (James 1:5)

Jesus came to save sinners from the wrath of God. He did for us what we could never do on our own. Daily, we get to practice this truth as we call to Him in prayer so that He will work in our lives for our good and His glory.

The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and His ears toward their cry… When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted. (Ps 34:15, 17)

May the Lord make us a people consistent in our desperation for Him not only to save us but in in all of life through prayer.

We need Him every day.

Call to Him.
He is near and ready to deliver.

Praying Together
May 1, 2021
Keith Phillips

Prayer, though natural to Christians, must be learned. This is why Jesus’s disciples insisted, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Lk. 11:1). In Luke 11, Jesus teaches the equally important matters of why and how we should pray. And by way of a parable that follows His ‘Model Prayer’, Jesus subsequently aims to instill in every disciple an eagerness and confidence in prayer.

⁵Then He said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; ⁶for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’;

In the Ancient Near East, few values were more highly esteemed than that of hospitality. In this honor-shame culture, one was wholly obliged to feed and provide rest to a traveler. This is the context for the parable as Jesus introduces a host who does not have food on hand for an unexpected visitor. With no 24-hour Walmart to run to, Jesus pictures the man going to the house of a neighbor to ask for bread, which was the staple of one’s diet in this day.

With the dilemma stated, Jesus now shifts the focus of the parable to the man who is awakened at night.

⁷and from inside he answers and says, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’

This brief reply contains a number of excuses, many of which we are likely sympathetic too. First, the hour is late and the door is already locked. Further, the man and his family likely shared a single room. So, to arise and prepare a meal for this guest meant waking up the entire household. But despite our modern sensitivity, it is not Jesus’s intention that we be sympathetic to the plight of this disturbed neighbor.

Rather, Jesus presents this scene rhetorically; it is a situation calculated to produce a reaction of incredulity. We might rephrase Jesus’s meaning in this way, ‘Can you imagine someone receiving such a reasonable request and giving an excuse like this man?’ Despite the unwelcoming circumstances, the request was completely legit, even at that hour, because of the vital demands of hospitality. Again, hospitality was a sacred duty throughout the Mediterranean world, even when the visitor was a complete stranger. The honor of this man, his namesake, as well as the reputation of the entire village was at stake.

Jesus therefore concludes,

⁸I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence [literally, “shamelessness”; “shameless audacity” (NIV)] he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

This verse is notoriously difficult to translate and scholars are divided over the meaning of the Greek word, anaideia. Many render it as meaning boldness or persistence. In this sense, the man opens the door because of the persistence of the one making the request. However, the parable does not read or stress the man’s persistence, nor is boldness implied in the tone and language of the parable. More than this, anaideia is nowhere else translated as persistence in Scripture nor anywhere else in Greek literature.

This is not to say that Jesus does not want his disciples to be bold, persistent in prayer. Luke 18:1-5 certainly teaches this. However, the thrust of this parable is not upon the importunity of the one making the request, but in the readiness of our Heavenly Father to answer our requests. On what basis is the request ultimately granted in this parable? Out of the generosity and graciousness of the giver? Or, because of the bold insistence of the one who asks? I would submit to you the former. This parable, then, stands not as a comparison but a contrast. This becomes increasingly evident in light of the parallel story that follows (Luke 11:11-13).

Unquestionably, Jesus is not teaching that God is like this neighbor who can be awakened from slumber through bold, persistent prayer. Jesus’s point is not that we get answers to our prayers by bothering God. God is not to be compared to the man who begrudgingly gets up to answer the door, though even the man complied because his honor was at stake. Simply put, our problem in prayer is not God’s unwillingness.

Rather, the point of this parable is that if even a reluctant, human neighbor will grant such a request as this, how much more will your gracious heavenly Father grant your prayerful requests. To be sure, if we pray as Jesus taught us, “hallowed be Thy name…Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done…give us our daily bread…forgive us our trespasses”, then we can rest assured that God will surely answer because the honor of His name is at stake.

So many of us don’t pray because we think it makes no difference. We wrongly view prayer as some dreary spiritual exercise. But far from this, our parable reveals to us that God promises to answer when we call upon Him, on the basis of His name, His character, and His honor. He is sure to listen, sure to care, and sure to do good. May the knowledge of God’s character, goodness, and fatherly love transform our attitude toward prayer and motivate us to pray.

Praying Together
April 1, 2021
Paul Hamline

When you saw this title, you might have been tempted to think, “Why would anyone write an article on the posture of prayer?” Is one’s posture in prayer important and is there any biblical support for a posture in prayer? The Bible does talk about posture in prayer. In Daniel 6:10 we read, “Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously.” Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 2:8, “I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension.” Jesus actually gave us some insight into the posture of prayer while He lived here on the earth. In Matthew 26 Jesus goes to the Garden of Gethsemane for the purpose of prayer and in verse 39 we read, “And He went a little beyond them, (Peter, James and John) and fell on His face and prayed.”  Jesus prostrated Himself and prayed. In Luke 18 we see the prayer posture of the tax collector and the Pharisee. The scripture records that the tax collector “was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast.” In verse 11 “The Pharisee (spiritual leader of the day) stood and was praying.” In Matthew 6:5-9 exhorts us to not imitate the hypocrites when we pray. He mentions that when they pray, “they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners.” This passage raises another good topic regarding prayer and that is where should we pray. I will leave that topic to another time.

As you have looked at these passages, while seeing various postures of prayer, I trust you have been able to discern that there is a correct and biblical posture for praying. It has nothing to do with your physical posture but the posture of your heart. Our physical posture can be a visible demonstration of the state of our heart which is of first importance. Reflecting on the prayers of the Pharisee and the tax collector in Luke 18, would the contrast be between “standing” and “not lifting one’s eyes” or is there something else being taught here? The answer is obvious. The tax collector was humble in heart. He was aware of his unworthiness, his humanity, the holiness of God, and the Godness of God.  The tax collector’s heart was humbled before God. The Pharisee’s sin was not that he stood while he prayed but rather that his heart stood in arrogance, pride and self-confidence as he approached God.  As you read the Pharisee’s prayer, “I thank You that I am not like other people; swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.  I fast twice a week;  I pay tithes of all that I get.” Are you picking up on the arrogance, pride, and self-confidence which reflects the posture of the Pharisee’s heart?

There is another posture of the heart in prayer that we must not overlook.  Paul said in I Timothy 2:8, “I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands.”  Again, the emphasis here is not on the physical posture of prayer but rather the posture of the heart in prayer.  Paul is calling on men to pray with “holy hands.”  Paul is talking about a posture of prayer characterized by a holy heart or holy life.

In Luke 11 we find Jesus praying.  It must have been a powerful example of a humble and pure heart engaged in prayer. The Scripture says, “After He (Jesus) had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.”  Jesus said,

“When you pray, say, Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debt, as we also forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.”
 
This is a prayer exemplifying a heart bowed in humility and purity. 
Beloved, go and do likewise!

Praying Together
March 1, 2021
Howard Bennett

But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. – Matthew 6:6

I am sure that many of you have had struggles with praying out loud in small groups.  I thought it would be helpful for us to address this and, maybe, provide some help for those who, like me, struggle with praying aloud – primarily in groups.

In Matthew 6, Jesus provides instruction for us regarding prayer.  We are told that we should avoid meaningless repetition.  We should avoid using many words.  And we are not to pray as to be seen by others.
 
We are also told to pray in our inner room where no one can see.  So, why does our church promote praying aloud – in groups?  Is that okay for us to do?

We do want to understand that there are examples of people praying aloud in scripture – even Jesus praying on the cross (presumably) aloud (Luke 6:19, Luke 22:34, Acts 1:14, Acts 4:24-30).  So, Matthew 6 is not a prohibition against praying aloud but rather it is prohibiting praying as the hypocrites do.  It is prohibiting us from praying in a way to impress others, and it is prescribing for us prayer that is meant to be sincere and for the purpose of pointing others to God (and not ourselves).

Jesus describes the hypocrite’s prayer as being prayed by a person who is looking to be honored by men.  He prays in such a way as to impress those listening.  In Mark 12, Jesus describes these hypocrites as offering long prayers for the purpose of looking sincere when they really are just wanting the praise of men.
 
The intent of the hypocrites’ prayer is their own praise and not the praise of God.

When we pray aloud, our intent must not be to impress those around us with our many words, our spiritual sounding prayer or the eloquence with which we are able to express our thoughts.  When we pray – silently or aloud – we ought to pray in a way that directs the glory and praise away from us to where it belongs, God alone!

If you’re like me, this is very difficult when I’m praying in a small group.  Instead of really thinking about PRAYING, I’m more concerned with saying the right things and not sounding…well…unspiritual.

There are times when we do pray for the benefit of those around us.  We see Jesus doing this in John 11:41-42.  We pray in front of our children in order to teach them how to pray.  We pray in our worship services as a way to prepare the church body for worship and to set the tone for the rest of the worship service.  In small groups, we even pray to encourage those who are in need of prayer.  Those prayers do have a purpose that does consider the listener; however, even those prayers ought to be sincere and they should point others to God and His glory and not our own.

Praying in a way that exalts ourselves is a sin and something we ought to avoid.  As we pray aloud, let us seek to honor God with our prayers.

So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. – Hebrews 4:9

Tonight marks two weeks of missed meetings. The snow outside has reminded us all how fragile our plans are, with our carefully managed schedules and myriad of commitments. I imagine many are suffering from the heartsickness of canceled plans and unfulfilled hopes. Life’s fragility may leave your heart feeling frigid toward faith, hope and love. What good are those things when life is so unstable? It is easy for life to feel like the end of a game of Jenga– lots of work on the verge of collapse.

The BCLR Bible reading plan includes Hebrews 4 in today’s reading. The idea of rest is important in this chapter. It is not about a rest here on earth, but the rest that those who trust in Christ will share with him if we hold our confidence in him (3:14). This rest is part of the heavenly calling that the holy brothers and sisters have (3:1). And the rest that is part of the heavenly calling is itself part of what it means to be brought to glory by Christ (2:10). And the glory that Christ has to share with us is the glory that he won when he made purification for sins and sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high (1:3). The rest, then, that remains for God’s people is the rest that comes when all the saints are welcomed to rest with Jesus our great High Priest, all our suffering over (1:9-10) and all our sin paid for (2:17). The rest saints wait for is not in doubt; Christ is holding a place for all those who strive to enter it (4:11).

Plans fail. Roads get icy. Power goes out. In the end, our personal plans are only as stable and predictable as the weather. That’s not very stable or predictable. It’s easy to be disappointed by life when we hope for rest now apart from Christ rather than patiently waiting for the rest that comes once we’re in his presence.

There’s nothing wrong with being sad when hopes are dashed. The people that you miss when you can’t be with them are the people that you love. A certain kind of limited faith in plans is normal, and it’s normal to feel betrayed when what we believed in doesn’t hold up.

Perhaps this is why Hebrews 4:9 sticks out to me as I think of missing another Wednesday night. I had hoped to be with you. I miss being with the people I won’t see at church tonight. Arkansas’ trusty mild Februarys have betrayed me.

Nevertheless, as I sit in a house that’s chillier and darker than normal to conserve electricity, I discover a warmth in me at the thought that there remains a rest for all of God’s saints. The thought of the bright glow of Christ’s glory at the Father’s right hand reminds me that I have a hope that cannot be dashed. The memory of Christ’s suffering reminds me that no rest is complete away from his presence who loved us by tasting death for us. And the promise of entering that rest with him assures me that I will never be betrayed because Christ is faithful over all God’s house, and I am part of his house.

It’s true that life is like the end of a game of Jenga. All your plans may fall apart. And you may feel like you are too. But be encouraged: you are not working toward your own rest. You are working while you wait to join Christ in his (4:10; Rev. 14:13). No amount of lost work is wasted as long as it is motivated by obedience to Christ’s commands and not vain ambition.

The promised rest for God’s people is not subject to inclement weather. There is no fragility with God, only steadiness. God’s plan cannot be canceled, and hope in Christ will never go unfulfilled. It only remains for us to know God’s plans and match our hope with God’s plans and promises. If you find yourself feeling cold toward faith, hope and love this evening, imagine Christ in glory at the Father’s right hand, seated in glory because all his work is done, and one day ours will be too.

Praying Together
February 1, 2021
Douglas Allison

To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul. - Psalm 25:1 (ESV)
 
Perfunctory is not an adjective we should like to be an accurate description of our prayer lives. The term perfunctory refers to an action or gesture “carried out with a minimum of effort or reflection” (New Oxford American Dictionary). If we break the word down into parts, it sounds like a description of something a robot would do (per-function). Tying a shoelace or pumping gas may be perfunctory because there is no particular relationship involved. But when it comes to going on a date with your spouse or talking with a friend or child, we understand that to do it in a perfunctory way shows a lack of real interest and connection. A relationship that is mostly perfunctory is not much of a relationship at all.

Clearly, prayer should not be perfunctory because prayer is a means by which we relate actively to God as individuals and as a church. Yet prayer can become perfunctory like any other form of worship, something we do with as little involvement and thought as possible. It may become like paying cash for gas. When you enter the gas station, you’re not looking for a relationship with the attendant; you’re only there so she’ll give you 20 bucks’ worth on pump #3. So, how do we avoid perfunctory prayer?

One biblical answer is found in the phrase, “lifting up our soul”. David begins the 25th psalm this way. I believe this phrase and others like it offer helpful insight into how to pray.

“To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul” is a striking phrase because it seems paradoxical. If I am my soul, then how can I lift it up? Nevertheless, we read in Scripture other phrases like, “Bless the LORD, O my soul” (Psalm 103:1; emphasis mine). The biblical example is that people are capable of speaking to and exhorting themselves to action, and we do well to follow it.

Consider the sentence, “To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.” This is language of total involvement. This is the opposite of perfunctory. Just picture a person moving from a sitting to a standing position. Our bodies are designed to be able to lift themselves up, and when we do so the whole body is involved in the task. It is really an incredibly complex process, but one which we intuitively understand.

So it is with prayer. As men and women made in God’s image, we have inherent abilities or faculties beyond the merely physical. And when we go to pray, it is possible to say words with the mouth without engaging any of the faculties of our soul.

As we pray together, let’s not be content with perfunctory prayer. Instead, let’s lift up our whole selves to God, body and soul, devoting every faculty our Creator gave us to engage as deeply as possible in the act of communing with God.

Praying Together
January 1, 2021
Jason Lapp

It has been said that if you want to bring conviction to those who love Christ then talk about evangelism and prayer.  These two habits of grace seem to be a struggle for many Christians.  I have good news; we are not going to talk about evangelism in this document.  I have more good news; we are going to talk about how we can commune with God to a greater degree.  Maybe you have a great prayer life, and this will be an encouragement to press on.  Maybe you struggle to pray and feel the weight of conviction that you do not pray as you ought to pray or even want to pray.  Maybe you have no prayer life at all and need to see the great privilege it is to come before the throne of grace.  Wherever you may land on the spectrum it is important to know that prayer is a great gift given to forgiven sinners through the blood of Jesus Christ.  We have access to the Father’s ear.

What is prayer?
There are many ways that prayer is defined.  Prayer is talking with God.  Prayer is bringing your requests before God.  It may be a combination of these things.  Bunyan defined prayer as “a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart or soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Holy Spirit, for such things as God hath promised, or according to the Word, for the good of the church, with submission, in faith, to the will of God.”  I think that definition helps us remember that our prayers ought to be God-centered.  We want His will to be done rather than our own will.  This does not mean we leave our needs or requests out of prayer, but we hold them open in our hands and lay them at the feet of our Sovereign God who works all things for our good.  When we go to God thinking we know what would be good for us then we will be disappointed when He does something different.

What are we trying to accomplish in praying for one another in 2021?
Our aim is for every saint at BCLR to treasure Christ more in 2021.  Prayer is the way we remember we are mere children, wholly dependent on our loving Father who desires we come to Him.  We have access to the Father, let’s use that access to lift up one-another in prayer.  Another aspect of praying together is remembering he is our heavenly Father.  Yes, He is your personal Father but collectively as the church he is our Father.  This year is a way for each of us to remember one another on a consistent basis.  I am sure most of us have prayed for one another at some point.  But now each of us will have daily reminders to pray for each other.  We know the needs of our brothers and sisters and can go before our heavenly Father on their behalf.  In his book on prayer, John Onwuchekwa says, “We are both children of God and siblings to each other.  Prayer was never meant to be a merely personal exercise with personal benefits, but a discipline that reminds us how we’re personally responsible for others.  This means that every time we pray, we should actively reject an individualistic mindset.  We’re not just individuals in relationship with God, but we are part of a community of people who have the same access to God.  Prayer is a collective exercise.”

This should not merely be a goal for 2021 but a start to a new way of thinking about prayer that fuels a greater love for God and love for our neighbor.  After all, those are the two greatest commandments.  Perhaps we struggle to obey those commands because our prayer lives are lacking.  Envision a people so captivated by Christ that they bring others before the Father’s throne all for the sake of God’s glory and the good of their neighbor.  Talking with those same people week after week to see how God is working through the prayers of his people.  This is what it looks like to “do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.  Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Phil. 2:3-4).  This is the mindset given to those who are in Christ Jesus and it is modeled for us by Christ Jesus.

May this year be filled with the great joy of God’s presence through prayer and an increasing love of others in prayer.  May you rejoice in seeing God fulfill his promises through the prayers of his saints.  May our love for God and his people grow more and more throughout the year.  Prayer is not meant to be a nagging conviction that we dread being talked about in the church.  Prayer is meant to be the continual heaping of logs on an eternal fire that will grow brighter and burn warmer so that church will be seen and felt by the world.  Jesus said, “All people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).  May our love for each other grow through our private prayers for one another so that our love for Christ and his people will be on display to a watching world.