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Being Public With Our Faith

Dr. I David Byrd, November 1, 2019

 

“For you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light.”                                                                                                  Ephesians 5:8 NRSV

 

Jesus provides the church the behavior necessary for being public about our faith. It starts with simply valuing people. If I value you, I will take time to get to know you. I will be concerned with the things that concern you. When we demonstrate the attributes of love, it causes us to take time to get into the other persons story. John Lederach expressed, “Jesus’ ministry has roots in grace expressed primarily through the quality of presence: the way he chose to be present, in relationship and in the company of others.”

 

Throughout the Bible Jesus first built relationships by compassionately accompanying people, helping them clarify their faith or find faith through their circumstances. Secondly, Jesus viewed people in ways that valuedthemand could not see their situations without being moved, feeling compassion, and acting. Third, Jesus honored diverse culturesto ensure the gospel would reach everyone. Jesus understood that it is hard to be in relationship with people we may view as different when we don’t see, understand or acknowledge their value.

 

The Syrophoenician woman, in Mark 7:24 -31, came to make a request of Jesus. She was culturally a Gentile, geographically a Canaanite and was assumed to be at the margin of the Jewish faith community. She was someone with whom Jesus and the disciples would not normally associate. The disciples allowed their worldviews to cloud their perception and calling. They labeled her as unfit, a foreigner, and an alien with no right to speak to Jesus. In Matthew 15:23, “They requested Jesus send her away.”Jesus used the opportunity to teach the lesson to the disciples that everyone would be included in the plan of salvation. We can be guilty of sometimes initially missing or ignoring those outside our comfort zone who may need our support. As children of light, we are called to ask the clarifying questions that can help us better understand the challenges others face in their life for the sake of their faith.

 

Just as God’s incarnate presence in Jesus Christ is a model for us, we are called to exhibit a coherent Christian perspective and response that is relational in nature. Twentieth century Catholic theologian Karl Reiner believed “the neighbor is given us precisely as the principal way in which God intends us to find our greatest fulfillment … whereby we are led by the Spirit to encounter God most intimately in the communion with one another that the Spirit of Jesus’ presence in another has made possible.”

 

Father in Heaven,

Help us to see people as you see them. To love them as you love them. Forgive us for sometimes thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought. Change our hearts so that we have the love that will fuel our bold yet humble witness to your grace found in Jesus.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

 

Thank you for allowing me to speak into your life. Hey, spend a few moments of quiet time discovering your personal application of what you just read by clicking this link  myTime with God

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Faith On Trial

 

Dr. I. David Byrd October 1, 2019

 

Our study picks us with Peter having seen the possibility of the presence of God in a culture not his own. He was willing to set aside his communities presuppositions, prejudices and pride to live out his calling. The Jews wanted the Gentiles to acculturate into their way of life before they would accept them and they believed this was necessary before they could be saved (Acts 11:2). The Jews prioritized certain beliefs in the Law of Moses and felt they could judge and legislate who was saved by application of those selected laws. Peter must give an account for his actions!

 

In Acts 15, the Jews met at the Council of Jerusalem to discuss this question of those they considered different, the “other”. The Jews were determined to show Peter the law was on their side and he was wrong for focusing on “those other” people, especially Gentiles. Scripture says they “argued forcefully”. My study revealed this meant they had serious theological differences, debate, discord and disunion. Sounds similar to the infighting of the Church today?

 

Nevertheless, Peter put the law in its proper perspective. The law identifies all our sins and points us to Christ (Gal 3:19 – 29). Peter knew we are saved only by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not forceful application of laws upon individuals. Peter also knew that Jesus had given two commandments to clarify the Law of Moses and guide the interpretation of it in our actions. In Matthew 22: 37 – 39 Jesus commanded us,

 

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
and with all your soul, and with all your mind. 
This is the greatest and first commandment.
And a second is like it:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

 

If you love everyone as you love yourself; your beliefs about them, how you label them and how you treat them will always be guided by Godly intentions.

 

Today we continue to question who is “us” and who is “them”. Like the Jews in Acts, we still use the Word of God to divide and define people by lifting up certain commandments to support theology based on secular criteria. Remember, Peter faced men who believed in the Resurrection of Jesus (i.e. they were saved) but felt the commandments they determined to be most relevant were the ones that mattered most. But Peter depended on scripture to settle the controversy not what would benefit him most. Avoid unfruitful arguments; focus on loving people. Remember, we can’t save anyone. Salvation is only by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

 

In our next session I will bring home the message of our series, Walking the Talk. We will look at the impact of our witness when people are watching our actions more than they are listening to our words.

 

Father God,

 

We are surrounded by a fragmented culture, focused more on separation than salvation, we need you. Help create in us a clean heart and don’t allow us to focus on the “Great Commission” at the expense of your “Great Commandments”. We desire to live on the right side of your Word so that our lives more than our words will be the witness to those that need to know You.

 

In Jesus name we pray, Amen. 

 

 

Thank you for allowing me to speak into your life. Hey, spend a few moments of quiet time discovering your personal application of what you just read by clicking this link  myTime with God

 

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We Were Not Saved To Be Silent

Dr. I. David Byrd September 15, 2019

 

“There is longer no Jew or Gentile . . .
you are all Christians . . .
one in Christ Jesus.”
Galatians 3:28

 

Peter obeyed the Lord and went to Caesarea to tell Cornelius and those gathered with him the Good News of Jesus Christ. Peter’s words revealed a new understanding as his humility through Christ allowed him to serve others.

 

Peter’s witnessing paralleled that of the Gospel of Mark. (Acts 10:37-41)

 

The Book of Mark recounted Jesus’ perfect life from His baptism, to His ministry, to the miracles performed in Galilee and throughout Judea. His death on the cross, burial and in His resurrection scripture was fulfilled. Through His death, all sin is forgiven. Everyone sins and everyone needs to be saved. You can only be saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Moreover, faith is available to everyone, not only for the Jews.

 

Upon hearing the Word of God through Peter, the Holy Spirit fell on Cornelius and all who heard the message. They were all baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. God speaks to people not only through their circumstances but also through the words of others. That’s why the message of August’s Journey, Do You Understand What You Are Reading, is so important. You can shine but if you don’t give them content, people won’t know what to do.

 

The key takeaway of Chapter 10 is not so much the conversion of Cornelius as the conversion of Peter. Peter was willing to remove barriers and set aside previous presuppositions, prejudices and pride. Peter entered the house of a Gentile, something that Jewish customs and traditions strictly prohibited. By entering a Gentile’s home, Peter showed that his heart and mind had changed. He was committed to the lifestyle Jesus commanded. While scripture tells us we are not to become like our neighbors; it also says God wanted His people to become a light to our neighbors who don’t know the true God.

 

We’ll pick up the story in Acts Chapter 15 next time. Where we will examine how Peter responded when challenged by his community for loving someone outside of his culture and community. Many of us want to be bold for Jesus, but sometimes we lack the courage to go against our communities’ presuppositions, prejudices and pride for fear of how we will be viewed or treated.

 

Father God,
Give us the boldness of Peter to be a living witness to all who don’t know you. Help us to be the leaders of culture rather than to be followers of culture. You didn’t save us to be silent. You called us to be a beacon of light to the world. So, strengthen our witness through our thoughts, lifestyle and most importantly our actions.

 

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

 

Thank you for allowing me to speak into your life. Hey, spend a few moments of quiet time discovering your personal application of what you just read by clicking this link  myTime with God

 

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Do You Understand What You’re Reading?

Dr. I. David Byrd, August 15, 2019

“God will not give us the Holy Spirit to enable us to gain celebrity or to procure a name or to live an easy, self-controlled life. The Spirit’s passion is the glory of the Lord Jesus, and can make His abode [only] with those who are willing to be at one with Him in this”.
F.B. Meyer

 

Reading the Word is not only beneficial to our walk; it can benefit others. As the number of readers of The Journey increases, so do the types of follow-up questions. I am realizing some have limited context for what we are talking about. I now am more conscious of the importance of you and I taking time to teach those around us. People are expecting us to use our platforms to make the Word plain to them; not to tell them how great we are or creating thirst traps as a way of gaining attention or validation. Our goal should be to reflect Him through us. Charles Koller explains it, “Not as a pipe through which the truth flows out to others, but as a living embodiment of the truth to which we seek to win others”. Witnessing does not depend on flashy rhetoric or heart wrenching stories. The spirit does the convicting and convincing. We are merely the tool. So, “study to show ourselves approved”.

 

When we don’t take the time to teach the Bible to others we dilute the complexity, historicity, and beauty of its story, and the readers can miss significant facets of the Good News about Jesus. I’m reminded of the story of Philip joining the Ethiopian high official in Acts 8 as a perfect example for us to model:

 

27 And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch,
a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, 
who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 
28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 
29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 
30 So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked,
“Do you understand what you are reading?” 
31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?”
And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

 

Philip didn’t wait for him to come to church. Philip joined the Ethiopian where he was. The Ethiopian official needed someone to relationally unfold Isaiah 53:7-8 to him in a way that made sense.

 

So here are the two challenges this passage confronts us with. First, we must be willing to step into some elses “chariot” and sit alongside people who can’t make sense of life, much less the Bible. Second, we must study God’s Word diligently and learn from good teachers about His whole counsel, so that when we do have opportunities with those seeking to understand, we can engage them with the whole story instead of leaving them with a presentation. We can only teach others what we’ve learned ourselves; so consider studying a book or two of the Bible.

 

You never know who God may put in your path to share the Good News. When your opportunity comes, just like Philip, be prepared.

 

Father God,
Prepare us to share your Word with others. Unless we study, we won’t be ready. It’s not always easy to dedicate time to studying; and yes I know this is an excuse. Help me to do better. I want and need to represent you well.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen. 

 

Thank you for allowing me to speak into your life. Hey, spend a few moments of quiet time discovering your personal application of what you just read by clicking this link  myTime with God

 

 

 

 

 

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I Still Think It’s All About Me

 

Dr. I. David Byrd, August 1, 2019

Everyone loves and crave relevance. Relevance is about getting attention, being connected, being valued, and becoming significant. But attention engineering is not limited to our social media activity discussed last month. For some, their sense of identity may not be strong enough to exist without the constant reassurance of others. We often worry about our position and status, hoping to get proper recognition for what we do. It’s when the quest for relevance becomes self-centeredness and moves us out of the will of God that it becomes sin.
Everyone has a measure of self-centeredness. We must work daily to minimize how much focus we put on ourselves. Jesus is so opposed to the sin of self-centeredness that He declared, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). To deny oneself is to focus on the interests of God rather than our own earthly, material, personal desires (Matthew 6:33). What are God’s interests? His interest is for us to love and care for our neighbors (John 13:34-35), to bear others’ burdens (Galatians 6:2), to not pass judgment on others (Romans 14:13) and to be kind and forgiving (Ephesians 4:32). So our question today is, how can we balance becoming revenant and seeking to make others relevant?
Some say God’s interest is only in our relationship with Him. Moreover, as long as we have a relationship with Him, “It’s ok for the strong to rule over the weak, justice has no intrinsic worth and moral values are socially constructed and subjective.” Additionally, some argue, “Catering to others is indicative of a lack of self-esteem. And while giving to others is positive, you truly cannot give until you have taken care of yourself.” This type of thinking is rooted in our fleshly desire to supplant God’s authority with our own. Scripture clearly states in Romans 8:8 that, “People who are self-centered aren’t able to please God”.
Being self-centered is juxtaposed to several Biblical commands: “No one should seek their own good, but the good of others” (1 Corinthians 10:24). Romans 12 teaches us to be transformed from the thinking of this secular world and not to focus on raising yourself up. Philippians 2:3-4 leaves no room for self-centeredness, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, rather, in humility value others above yourself, not looking to your own interest but each of you to the interest of the others.”
When we make others relevant first, our own relevance is a natural result and God will be pleased. In 1 Peter 5:6, Peter advises us to remember, that God’s recognition counts more than human praise. Therefore, seeking relevance or recognition is not wrong; it is seeking it in the wrong source. Seek to please God, not humans.
Father God,
We sometimes get full of ourselves and out of your will. We need to overcome the sin of self-centeredness, but we can’t do it without you. As we live a life pleasing to you, may others come to know you better through our words and actions.
In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

 

Thank you for allowing me to speak into your life. Hey, spend a few moments of quiet time discovering your personal application of what you just read by clicking this link  myTime with God

 

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Wait. . . Isn’t It About Me?

 

Dr. I. David Byrd July 15, 2019

 

Thomas Adamson of Paris AP Wire reported that:
The billionaire French donors who publicly proclaimed they would give hundreds of millions to rebuild Notre Dame have not yet paid a penny toward the restoration of the French national monument, according to church and business officials. These wealthy donors want their money to go toward long-lasting, immortalizing structures and not on the ephemeral but equally vital tasks of cleaning and securing a site that poses real health risks for Parisians.

 

The same desire for personal recognition and popularity can play out in a believer when we put the focus on ourselves and not on God. As we continue to spotlight our promises to Him, let’s focus on the attention engineering of your social media posts. Do they reflect Him or do they reflect you? We’ve become obsessed with people seeing where we are, what we’re doing, what we’re wearing or what we’re eating. And even when we help or service others our post can say look at what I’m doing.

 

In Jeremiah 9:23 God says, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches.” God says, there is only one thing in life worth bragging about: “Do you know Me?” Because if you can’t talk about that, then it doesn’t matter how much money is in your account, what degrees are on your wall, what great trips you are able to take or what position you have in your company. The mindset of “he with the most toys wins!” has to be seen for the fallacy it is. See, the knowledge of God affects everything about you. God says, “If you are going to brag, brag that you know Me.”

 

But God doesn’t tell you the truth about yourself and then leave you where you are. Like a good doctor, He tells you you’re sick so you will get the proper treatment. The proper treatment for the sin of self focus is salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ. He provides forgiveness for our sins by His death on the cross. If Jesus had focused on popularity, He would not have gone to the cross on our behalf. You can never know God until you are properly related to Him through a relationship with Jesus. If you have never come to Jesus in repentance and faith, today would be a great day to do so.
Thank you for allowing me to speak into your life. Hey, spend a few moments of quiet time discovering your personal application of what you just read by clicking this link  myTime with God
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When Promises Are Broken

Dr. I. David Byrd July 1, 2019

 

“If a man makes a promise to the LORD or says he will do something special, he must keep his promise. He must do what he said”

Numbers 30:2(NCV)

We have spent the first six months of 2019 unpacking the many promises of God. We’ve seen the grace and mercy He provides to us day by day. We’ve seen that we can depend on His promises. We’ve search scripture to confirm His promises. Yet, doubt, disappointment or disillusion creep in when we think He has not fulfilled His promise to us. This month we pause, turn the spotlight, flip the script, reframe the focus to explore the promises we have made to God and ask, “Can He depend on the promises we have made to Him?”

When you give your word, you’re putting your honor on the line. You’re implying that others can trust you because you have integrity. Have you ever considered how God hears the fulfillment of your promises to Him –

I’m willing to offer a belief in you generally, but without specifics attached to it. If what you are asking is too hard for me to do, you’ll understand if I avoid it. I will sacrifice for others as long as it does not affect my own self-interest as I face life’s daily events. I studied your Word and used my intellect to discern all that was right and wrong with it. Besides, it was written by imperfect men. I ignore the parts that don’t make sense or make me uncomfortable. I’ll proclaim my allegiance to you by judging people on the parts that don’t inconvenience me. I’m willing to love those who are like me but as your Word says, I’m required to love my neighbor not those others. I’m not a minister so, at my own discretion, I will tell others about the Good News. I asked you to alleviate that situation and you told me “your grace is sufficient”; I know you understand that’s not quite going to cut it. 

 

Sound crazy? Before you too quickly dismiss this and while you may not audibly say these things to God, have you not conveyed these words to Him by your words and actions? God expects all true believers to be His emissaries. One day we will all have to stand before the Creator and answer the question, did we take Him at His Word and keep our promise?

 

The most basic promise of most believers is to serve Him. Serving is the obligation to love Him. John 14:15 defines loving Him as keeping His commandments. There is a direct link between His commandments and His promises. They are our reward for a life of faith, belief, and devotion. When we prioritize, pick or choose which commandment to focus on, we open the door for the enemy to get into our heads. My friend says, “If the enemy can cause us to doubt one promise from God to us, then over time that will cascade into uncountable other questions creeping into our heads and causing more doubt.”

Today I pose a set of questions that will allow you to unpack how well you have kept your promises to Him. Grab a cup of coffee, tea or your favorite beverage. Find a quiet space to work through them. You can choose how honest to be with yourself in your answers. This is between you and God. These questions are not designed to challenge you from my own perspective. It is the Word of God, the Word that Christ committed to His Church, and the Word that we are commissioned to defend and proclaim. The Word that can keep the Church strong and pure if we believe it and obey it. We convey our promises to Him by our actions and our deeds. Our actions should seek to please God, not have God please us. Special thanks to Chuck Bengochea and Tim Donoho for allowing me to integrate some of their questions with my own:

 

1. What real sacrifices have you made for Christ? The operative word is sacrifices. Not what have you done for Christ, but what have you truly sacrificed. Webster defines sacrifice as, “forfeiture of something highly valued for the sake of one considered to have a greater value or claim”

 

2. What pain have you suffered for God? List 3 examples

 

3. List three significant gifts that you have given to God that forced you to change your lifestyle for at least three months.

 

4. If you knew you were going to die soon, what legacy would you leave behind that would benefit the body of Christ?

 

5. Have you ever been so hungry for the Word of God that you couldn’t sleep until you had meditated on it for a while?

 

6. What does it look like to “Seek God with all of your heart”? What changes would you have to make?

 

7. Do you know God well enough that He could brag on you if He wanted to? What would He say?

 

8. Learning to fully surrender to God is a journey; being willing to release your families, your financial future, and your health can be very difficult. Where are you on that journey? What do you still hold onto tightly and why? What do you think would be the outcome if you fully released that part of your life to God?

These are brutal questions for some. For others, these will be the most difficult questions that we have to answer in demonstrating your promise to God. Some of you simply won’t attempt to answer because the spaces for answers might be blank. I pray your first response will be to drop to your knees and join me in asking God to forgive us for not offering him our best.

Processing your answers will set you on a journey. You will find or awaken a depth of faith that wasn’t previously present. It is not too late to fulfill your promise to God; start today working on doing what His Word asks you to do and watch the blessings of the Lord come. E-mail me the challenges, roadblocks, and detours you experience on this journey so that I may pray with you and encourage you as you engage, discern and make conscious choices as you walk out your destiny.

 

Father God,

 Forgive me for not always holding up my side of this covenant relationship. Use me as Your tool, not for my own purpose, but for Yours. Inspire me each day to seek out how I might truly be a worthy servant to You. Give me the opportunity to share my faith in You with others in both my words and actions. And give me the courage to do it boldly, without fear of what the results might be, knowing that it is solely under Your providence what the outcome will be.

 In Jesus name we pray, Amen

 

 

 

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God Will Give You Wisdom and Understanding

 

Dr. I. David Byrd. June 2019

 

The Netflix series What / If demonstrates how one seemingly innocent decision can have a major effect on oneself and those around you. It’s called the Butterfly Effect, first stated in 1963 by mathematician and meteorologist Edward Lorenz, a pioneer in chaos theory. In essence, the flap of the butterfly’s wing is part of the initial conditions that can lead to a chain of events leading to a large-scale chain of events. So what does this mean for us? It means that every decision we make matters and effects more than just ourselves. Have you ever thought about what informs your decision-making process? Some say we make decisions based on logic; the research says decisions are based on emotions. The decisions you make are a selection from a series of choices. The real answer to what informs your decision-making process should be based on your “Why”. When you know your why, you establish clear priorities. And making the “right” choices becomes a lot easier. I heard a story from Dale Powell that highlights how understanding your “why” will help you make better choices and decisions:

 

“Shortly after I was released from the hospital, I met a lady who saw that I was walking with a walker and inquired what was wrong with me. I told her that I had just had my knee replaced. She said she hoped mine did not turn out like hers. Dr. So and So had really messed her up and she had been on a walker for three years. I engaged in the conversation for a while and then said I was off to physical therapy. She replied  “Oh, I don’t put any faith in that. I went one time and I thought they were going to kill me. I wouldn’t waste my time.” I thought how can she blame a doctor for botching her knee if she doesn’t follow up with his advice and do therapy? If I don’t follow the doctor’s advice, he cannot control the outcome. One session of physical therapy and expecting to get well is like doing one workout and expecting to be a fitness champion. It isn’t going to happen.”

 

She clearly didn’t understand that consistently going to physical therapy (the decision) was to restore functionality and prevent disability (the why). Can you relate? We sometimes make bad decisions because we don’t want to make the sacrifice that will lead to a better outcome. Even when we have evaluated our options – Self wants to do what self wants to do. And because we have the free will of choice, we are also the recipients of the free consequences of those choices. I’m glad God is more invested in accomplishing His good works through us. God’s plan is not defeated by our bad decisions. God intervenes to protect the promises He has made to us. Philippians 1:6 gives us the confidence that “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ”.

 

As believers, we can put our faith in Jesus Christ and allow Him to guide our every decision. Why? He will help us maneuver the traps, distractions and challenges this life presents. Our savior has promised to provide us wisdom for right living and understanding that informs our decision-making process. It’s been said that our destiny is a compilation of the decisions we make over our lifetime. Webster defines destiny as both a predefined course of events; and as the power or agency that determines the course of events. Our goal throughout our life is to use our agency to make proper choices and decisions that keep us from delaying or derailing our destiny. How we exercise our agency is enhanced by the power of the Holy Spirit. Remember last months topic – He will be with you always.

 

Jesus provides us wisdom and knowledge through the gift of discernment. The gift of discernment is the ability to make the best choice when confronted with a number of options. Moreover, if the researchers are correct in stating that we make decisions based on emotions, then our emotions should be informed by the Holy Spirit. In our relationship with Christ, we have a noise cancellation system. When we study and apply God’s Word to our lives; when we passionately pursue Jesus daily, the noise of the world is quieted and we can hear Him clearly. Sure, we will still know the noise is out there, but the level of the roar is reduced. However, when we ignore these basic disciplines, the noise of the world increases and can become deafening – and our lives (and possibly others) suffer because we no longer hear God’s word. We then make emotion-based decisions rather than faith-based decisions. That’s why scripture teaches us,

 

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.       (Romans 12:2)

 

Jesus didn’t intend to remove us completely from the noise of the world with its temptations, hurts, injustices and evil. Rather He intends to protect us in the midst of these dangers, effectively canceling the world’s noise to a point where we can hear and respond to God’s Word and our lives can be lived joyfully and effectively for Him.

 

With this knowledge, we can be sure of His promise to give us wisdom and knowledge: to discern; to evaluate what we are thinking against the Word of God; to make good choices and to give us a door of escape. He knows our end before our beginning but in the middle, he gives us free will to make our own choices. Our choices determine the path to our destiny – quick or long, hard or easy.

 

Let me encourage you to, “Trust the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path”.

 

So, who’s informing your decision-making process?

 

Dear Heavenly Father,

 

Decisions are not easy. I make over 3,500 decisions per day; some small some large. I know you leave each decision up to me, even when you show me the path of escape from those choices that may not be best for me. Help me to first evaluate all my decisions through the lens of scripture. You promised wisdom and understanding, but I can be hard headed sometimes. Help me to listen and act on your guidance; to trust that you shall open, and none shall shut, and you shall shut, and none shall open. Let all the glory and credit go to you in everything I do.  

 

In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

 

Thank you for allowing me to speak into your life. Hey, spend a few moments of quiet time discovering your personal application of what you just read by clicking this link  myTime with God

 

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God Has Promised To Answer Your Prayers

 

Rev. Dr. I. David Byrd. March 2019

One Minute Summary

“True prayer is not the noisy sound that clamorous lips repeat, but the deep silence of a soul that clasps Jehovah’s feet.” God’s promises are a gift to us paid for in full on the cross by Jesus Christ. Although His promises have been paid for, we still have to talk to Him in prayer. Seeking solitude was an important priority for Jesus. He made room in his busy schedule to be alone with the Father. Spending time with God in prayer nurtures a vital relationship with Him and equips us to meet life’s challenges and struggles. You are coming to your heavenly Father who knows you better than anyone else. Come to Him in intimacy not with your hand out. Don’t allow yourself to try and back Jesus into a corner by saying “you promised”. He has a plan for your life and when it’s time and your request aligns with His will, you will receive what you ask. God will pick up the slack when you choose to worship Him instead of chasing stuff. Not asking for the quick fix to make us feel better, but that His will be done.

March Devotion

Pursuing Critical Conversations with God

Why is it that our prayers only become urgent, fervent, passionate, desperate, and unceasing in the midst of great pain or situation. Is it because a lot of us still don’t understand who Jesus is? If we did, we would be talking to Him a lot more regularly. We may have found ourselves in situations so desperate that we have uttered almost a primal cry to God for help or relief. Then again, we may be people who live by prayer, having plumbed the depths of relationship with God, through the communion of prayer. Jesus told the disciples,

 

“If anyone does not get his life from Me, he is cut off like a branch and dries up. Such branches are gathered and thrown into the fire and they are burned. 7 If you get your life from Me and My Words live in you, ask whatever you want. It will be done for you”.                                              John 15:6-7 NLV

 

What does it mean when Jesus says, “If you get your life from me”? Christian theology teaches the doctrine of prevenient grace, which, briefly stated, means that before a man can seek God, God must first have sought the man. Before a sinful man can think a right thought of God, there must have been a work of enlightenment done within him. Imperfect it may be, but a true work nonetheless, and the secret cause of all desiring and seeking and praying that may follow.

“We pursue God because, and only because, He has first put an urge within us that spurs us to the pursuit. “No man can come to me,” said our Lord, “except the Father which hath sent me draw him”(John 6:44), and it is by this prevenient drawing that God takes from us every vestige of credit for the act of coming. The impulse to pursue God originates with God, but the outworking of that impulse is our following hard after Him. All the time we are pursuing Him we are already in His hand: “Thy right hand upholdeth me.” (Psalms 18:35) Come near to the holy men and women of the past and you will soon feel the heat of their desire after God. They mourned for Him, they prayed and wrestled and sought for Him day and night, in season and out, and when they had found Him the finding was all the sweeter for the long seeking. Moses used the fact that he knew God as an argument for knowing Him better. “Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight”(Exodus 33:13); and from there he rose to make the daring request, “I beseech thee, shew me thy glory” (33:18). God was frankly pleased by this display of ardor, and the next day called Moses into the mount, and there in solemn procession made all His glory pass before him. Davids life was a torrent of spiritual desire, and his psalms ring with the cry of the seeker and the glad shout of the finder. Paul confessed the mainspring of his life to be his burning desire after Christ. “That I may know him” (Philippians 3:10), was the goal of his heart, and to this, he sacrificed everything. “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ” (3:8).”[1]

These three Heroes of Faith, who you read about last month in your study of Hebrews 11, followed hard after God letting the Lord alone be the object of their prayer. Theologian Charles Spurgeon said, “Prayer when rightly performed, all the faculties of the spiritual man are called into devotional action. Reverently hearing the word exercises our humility, instructs our faith, irradiates us with joy, inflames us with love, inspires us with zeal, and lifts us up towards heaven”.[2] So let the Lord alone be the object of your prayer

Spurgeon further taught, “Prayer is the tool of the great potter by which he molds the vessel. All our libraries and studies are mere emptiness compared with our [prayer] closets. We grow, we wax mighty, we prevail in private-prayer. Your prayers will be your ablest assistants while your discourses are yet upon the anvil. How wonderfully were the books opened to Daniel when he was in supplication! How much Peter learned upon the housetop! The closet is the best study. The commentators are good instructors, but the Author himself is far better, and prayer makes a direct appeal to him and enlists him in our cause. Waiting upon God often turns darkness into light. Persevering inquiry at the sacred oracle uplifts the veil and gives the grace to look into the deep things of God. How much of blessing we may have missed through remissness in supplication we can scarcely guess, and none of us can know how poor we are in comparison with what we might have been if we had lived habitually nearer to God in prayer. Vain regrets and surmises are useless, but an earnest determination to amend will be far more useful. We not only ought to pray more, but we must.”

The Protocol of Connecting To God

From the perspective of God’s prophetic plan for history, we can see that God always fulfills His promises for His people. It may not be in our time or in our way, but God always keeps His promises. This should encourage us to pray. You may wonder, “Why pray if God has promised to do it? Won’t it happen anyway?” God’s purposes will happen, but prayer is the protocol of connecting with the spirit of God. Prayer is how you birth your promise.

Those in whom the Holy Spirit dwells will realize his promises. It’s the same spirit that dwelled in the disciples; the same Holy Spirit that dwelled within the Heroes of Faith. Hebrews 11 should have helped you understand that faith was revealed because they believed, conceived, and then received. The disciples understood the power and purpose of prayer. That it would be how they would communicate with Jesus after he ascended into heaven. So they asked him “Lord teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). Let’s stroll through the Lord’s Prayer, unpacking the structure, meaning, language, and today’s cultural relevance.

He taught them six purposes filled petitions. Notice it begins with worship: 

  1. Praise – “Holy is your name”;
  2. Priorities – “Thy will be done”;
  3. Provision – “Give us this day”;
  4. Pardon – “Forgive us our sins”;
  5. Protection – “Deliver us from evil”;
  6. Proclamation – “Yours is the kingdom”.

You should be struck by the fact that He asks us to put the interest of the kingdom before our own. “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Let’s park there for a minute and unpack what Jesus was teaching them. Often we ask God to bless OUR kingdom, i.e. to do OUR will. Well, that is not what God is doing. If all you want is another miracle so you can feel better or have more money, that is not kingdom work. We addressed this bad theology last month. That’s not about the kingdom. God is after His kingdom, not after making you and I rich.

“Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. The will of God in heaven is perfect. This world we live in is failed and filled with trouble. The rebellion and revolt of satan caused he and one-third of the angels to be expelled from heaven. This rebellion has spilled over into humanity. Satan got Adam and Eve to think, “did God really say this was wrong”Satin has gotten people, today, to believe in their own truth and treat the Word of God as a smorgasbord of truths from which to pick and choose. We live in a world where individuals think they can be their own authority. Jesus wants us to pray to God for restoration. We should ask Him to fulfill the promises to save, restore, heal and strengthen His people for His glory. Invite Him to make His agenda your agenda. Submit your kingdom to become His kingdom.

The Lord did instruct us to pray for our personal needs (our daily bread), but only after we pray for His name to be hallowed, His kingdom to come, and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. When you have come to this reality, you will ask for your provision, not your stuff. You will pray for your need and not your greed. Matthew 6:33 complements this thought, seek Him first, and everything else will be added. Most of the stuff we worry about has no eternal significance anyway. This petition of the Lord’s Prayer, then, teaches us to come to God in a spirit of humble dependence, asking Him to provide what we need and to sustain us from day to day. We are not given license to ask for great riches, but we are encouraged to make our needs known to Him, trusting that He will provide.[3]Too often, our prayers are more like a shopping list than a conversation.

Communicating Best When It Matters Most

Praying in the name of Jesus is powerful because when we pray in His name, we pray with His authority. God promises to answer whatever we ask in His name according to His will. This is why we must know the will of God in order to pray with the authority of Jesus.

 

Therefore, do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

                                                                                      Ephesians 5:17

 

This truth is wonderful because we have the assurance that He hears our prayers. Through prayer, in His name, we shall make known among the nations what He has done. Develop the discipline of spending time alone with God. It will help you grow spiritually and become more and more like Christ.

But be careful, we cannot use the concept of the “power of faith” as a means of getting what we want. That would be redefining faith from “a trust in a holy and sovereign God despite our circumstances” to “a way of controlling God to give us what we want.” Faith becomes a force whereby we can get what we want rather than an abiding trust in God even during times of trials and suffering. Remember, His answer could be not now. It may be a test of your faith to draw you closer or to change your perspective. Job who suffered tremendously proclaimed, ”Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” (Job 13:15) Can you trust Him when you can’t trace Him?

Praying In The Holy Spirit

Here’s a personal test for you. If you go day-to-day, week-to-week or month to month without bringing up the name of Jesus to anyone then the Holy Spirit is not with you. How can you ask for something from someone you don’t know? God communicates with us through the Holy Spirit, in the form of good thoughts and ideas or peaceful, comforting feelings. When we feel those things, it means God is encouraging us, showing us the truth, and giving us direction.

Everyone will feel the Holy Spirit in their own way. In the Bible, it’s often described as a “still small voice,” (see 1 Kings 19:11–12) that almost seems to whisper to your mind. If your prayer is relational, intimate and personal then like Peter and the disciples on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit will radiate from you.

[14] But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. [15] “For these are not drunk, as you suppose since it is only the third hour of the day. [16] “But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:[17] ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; . . .

 [21] And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved.’

 [33] “Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. [34] “For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself ‘The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, [35] Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”’ [37] Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” [38] Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. [39] “For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.

                                                                                 Acts 2:14-39 (NKJV)

Have you asked the Holy Spirit to fill and control you today? He will, if that’s your prayer. Next month we will deal with the Holy Spirit to help you understand its role in fulfilling His promise to always be with us.

 

[1]Excerpts from A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God, Moody Publisher, Chicago, 1948

[2]Excerpts from Charles Spurgeon, Lectures To My Students, Volume 1,

[3]R.C. Sproul, What Does “Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread” Mean?, Aug 31, 2016

 

Dear Heavenly Father, This prayer is a little different.

Normally our idea of prayer is doing all the talking, but friends don’t have conversations like that. There’s give and take, speaking and listening. Therefore, we are going to read, one at a time, each of the things you have promised us. Then we will spend a few minutes listening to hear what you have to say to us about it. We may have questions or comments, but we believe that’s ok because this is meant to be a conversation with you. You said, 

  • If you’ll give me your whole life, you’ll find the life you’ve always hungered for. 
  • My purpose in your life is to give you a rich and satisfying life. 
  • I sacrificed my life for you, and I’ll never stop fighting for you, no matter what. 
  • I know you, and I’ve given you the ability to know me. 
  • Wherever I am, I want you to be with me. 
  • I want to fill you and your life with joy.

 

Father, we thank you for spending this time with us. These are not the normal prayers we send up to you. We are coming to the understanding that the promise is always preceded by the sacrifice. Change our hearts, change our minds and give us the courage to live a life that is pleasing to you. We trust that you will fulfill our every need and whatever you are giving, we’re taking. If our wants are not of you, we don’t want them. Thank you for these promises for us, Jesus. Amen.

 

 Thank you for allowing me to speak into your life. Hey, spend a few moments of quiet time discovering your application of what you just read by clicking this link  myTime with God

 

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Resolutions

Rev. Dr. I. David Byrd. January, 2019

Each year brings about fresh new hopes and expectations. In the transition, we stop and take stock of our lives setting out to make the current year better than the last. We make physical, emotional, and intellectual resolutions as a method of restarting ourselves. Mr. Webster defines a resolution as,

“A firm decision to do or not to do something; Finding an answer or solution to a conflict or problem.”

While it’s not a bad idea to take a look at our lives, these resolutions are usually very self-centered and we assume that on our own we can accomplish what we set forth. Year after year, when February rolls around, those resolutions are often left by the wayside or don’t quite turn out as we had planned.

I believe the challenge we face when it comes to keeping New Year’s resolutions is that we chose the wrong definition on which to base these resolutions. I prefer Webster’s alternative definition of a resolution:

“The process or capability of making distinguishable an object or source of light.”

In other words, it’s coming to an understanding of who is our source of light. God is more concerned with who we are becoming than the secular achievements we seek. Throughout the Bible, God has revealed his promises to us. These are his firm decisions to solve the problem or conflict we face daily. Therefore, our resolutions should focus on preparing ourselves to participate in the favor associated with His promises. The favor of God is not about our good plans or ideas. Here are a few of those promises that should transform our resolutions into lifestyle choices. He promised:

  • To save and protect you
  • To lead and direct your steps
  • To fight for you
  • To make a way for you
  • To answer your prayers
  • To give you wisdom and understanding
  • To fill you with hope
  • To strengthen you with power
  • To bless you with good things
  • To be faithful to the end.

This year we can escape the traps we usually fall into by following the Bible’s instruction to examine our lives regularly and to seek God’s help to become better persons every day. The Bible says, “Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord”(Lamentations 3:40). The Bible also tells us how to examine ourselves by, “Setting your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:2). Brothers, setting our mind to see through God’s eternal perspective, will help us discern what is most important.

Our resolutions will then be guided by God’s will that we, as 1 Peter 1:12 – 19 instructs, walk in holiness:

13 So prepare your minds for service and have self-control. All your hope should be for the gift of grace that will be yours when Jesus Christ is shown to you. 14 Now that you are obedient children of God do not live as you did in the past. You did not understand, so you did the evil things you wanted. 15 But be holy in all you do, just as God, the One who called you, is holy. 16 It is written in the Scriptures: “You must be holy, because I am holy.”[a] 17 You pray to God and call him Father, and he judges each person’s work equally. So while you are here on earth, you should live with respect for God. 18 You know that in the past you were living in a worthless way, a way passed down from the people who lived before you. But you were saved from that useless life. You were bought, not with something that ruins like gold or silver, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, who was like a pure and perfect lamb.

In other words, if we seek first the Kingdom of God everything else will fall into its place. Then your emotional, physical and intellectual resolutions will be grounded in His promises. The Holy Spirit will guide us to “pursue [resolutions of] righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:11). Paul understood this principle and confidently said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:3). It was because of the goals set and accomplished by the Old Testament witness of Moses, David, Solomon, Esther, Ruth and the New Testament witness of Jesus Christ Himself. They all got after their goals by pursuing holiness with God’s strength and wisdom.

God’s hasn’t promised us victory without a battle, but the promises are true and the trials of the earth will seem light and momentary in comparison to the great glory that is to come. Moses was to guide the Israelites to the promised land. He trusted in God to provide him the confidence and provision to make it happen. David was able to slay the giant and establish Jerusalem as the capital because he was a man after God’s own heart. Solomon was successful because he prayed to God for wisdom in his decision-making. Esther selflessly fulfilled God’s law to bear one another’s burden by giving herself for the sake of her people. Ruth, who chose to become a faithful part of the community of God’s people, demonstrated that Gentiles were a part of God’s redemptive plan. Jesus, who accomplished the ultimate resolution, was crucified for our iniquities and by His stripes we are set free from the bondage of sin.

Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice

Jesus had enjoyed all the splendor of heaven as God (Phili. 2: 7, 8). Jesus set aside his standing with his father to intercede on our behalf. Jesus offered himself as a sin offering for all the sins of man (Heb. 10: 1-10, 12, 14). Jesus said, “For this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matt. 26: 28, cp. Acts 2: 38). He became the sacrificial “Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world,” (Jn. 1: 29).

Jesus accomplished grace and salvation for humankind

Grace is defined as the love and mercy given to us by God because God desires us to have it, not because of anything we have done to earn it. Grace came by Jesus (Jn. 1: 17). Jesus came “that man might have life and have it more abundantly”(Jn. 10: 10). However, my brothers, this eternal life is not unconditional. If eternal life or salvation were unconditional, as some teach, all men would be saved. Scripture teaches, only a relatively few will be saved (Matt. 7: 13, 14). You must believe, repent, confess Christ’s deity, and be baptized for the remission of sins to appropriate God’s grace (Jn. 8: 24, Acts 17: 30, 31, Rom. 10: 9, 10, Acts 2: 38).

Allow the spirit of God inside of you to realize what really matters, to keep you on track and to bring every area of your life under the control of Jesus Christ with this Year’s resolutions. Very simply, it is coming to the place where you think, judge, and react biblically to every situation. When it is the rule and not the exception for you to apply the Bible to your life; when you place every area of your life under the lordship of Jesus Christ; when you can say in everything, “Here I am, Lord. What do You want me to do?” then you are focusing on resolutions that please Jesus Christ.

Dear Heavenly Father, at times we are unsure of what holiness looks like, so allow your spirit to fall upon us to teach us what holiness is. Our spirits are willing but the flesh is weak, so grant us the strength to walk in holiness. We thank you for your Word, which provides us examples of those you have used to accomplish your will. We invite you into our hearts to purge the former lusts so that we can be the person that you have called us to be, a person that walks in your holiness. We trust you, as your ways are higher than our own. Our resolutions may fail but you are unfailing. As you have been faithful in the past, be faithful again.

 In Jesus name we pray. Amen.