We don’t all enjoy listening to what everyone has to say, but, like some of the people who were around Jesus when He was here, we are to enjoy listening to what He and His Father have to say.
The posting from my blog for November 29, 2022 (link below) was on the subject of who and what gives us enjoyment as we listen.
Let’s spend some more time with this topic, talking with and listening to God in prayer to hear what He has to say about what He has for us to enjoy.
“The other day,” Stan commented one morning, “I was talking with a neighbor about what James wrote in his letter about effective prayer.”
“You mean where he wrote that the effective prayer of a righteous person can accomplish much?”
“That’s it,” Stan replied. “My neighbor was telling me about how, for a long time, he had been frustrated in thinking that his prayer life was not effective because he couldn’t see that his prayers were accomplishing anything, let alone ‘much’.”
“So he thought what James wrote was kind of an empty promise?”
“Not so much that,” Stan replied, “but more in the sense that he must not be praying in an effective way — or maybe he wasn’t righteous enough for his prayers to be effective.”
“I can see that,” I responded. “I’ve thought the same thing myself. Did anything change with your neighbor and his view of this?”
“Big time!” Stan said.
“In what way?”
“He said that one day he was praying about praying,” Stan replied, “asking God to show him how his prayers could be more effective and accomplish much.”
“Praying about praying,” I commented. “Sounds like a good approach! Ask the One who knows everything about prayers and praying.”
“Exactly,” Stan said. “And my neighbor said he was led to what seems to be the perfect model for effective praying that will accomplish much.”
“The perfect model?” I replied. “Where was he led?”
“To Jesus’ prayer in the garden before going to the cross,” Stan said, “where He prayed to the Father, ‘Your will, not mine’.”
“And then,” he continued, “Jesus went on to accomplish everything that needed to be accomplished on the cross, and He could cry out, ‘It is finished’.”
“You’re right,” I said. “Jesus did accomplish what He was here to do, provide salvation and redemption for the lost world. He prayed for the Father’s will to be done in and through Him. Maybe that is a good model of an effective prayer that can accomplish much.”
“Maybe?” Stan asked.
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Bible verses to consider:
The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. James 5:16.
Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10.
My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as Thou wilt. Matthew 26:39.
When Jesus therefore had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” John 19:30.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for your provision of prayer so that I can come before you and know you in an ever-deepening way. I confess that too often my prayers are self-focused in that I want only my will, not yours, to be done. Please forgive me and please help me in following every step of your lead so my prayers are only in accordance with your will, regardless of what that will may be. Help me in knowing that having your will accomplished in and through me is the most effective prayer possible! Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you accepted the “much” that Jesus accomplished on the cross in the sense that you have life eternally with God? If no, why? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, what is your view of what James wrote about effective prayer accomplishing much? Have you ever thought that your prayers are not accomplishing anything, let alone much? Do you agree that Jesus’ prayer in the garden is a good example of an effective prayer that accomplished much? If you sense the need for change in any of this, how is that change going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?
When we are born again, there’s an immediate change, but that’s not the end of the story! Continuing transformation is a life-long process.
The posting for November 28, 2022 (link below) concerned the subject that God wants to continually transform us — and He wants us to be a part of what He’s doing.
Let’s spend some more time with this topic, talking with God in prayer to hear what He has to say to us about it.
“Have you ever known people who complain that their prayers aren’t answered the way they want?” I asked Stan one morning.
“You might as well ask me if I’ve ever taken a breath,” he replied with a smile. “But to answer your question, there’s one person I know pretty well who used to be like that.”
“Used to be?”
“Yeah,” Stan responded. “I used to complain about that all the time, but one day when I was reading in the Book of Psalms, God opened me to see something important about prayer.”
“What’s that?”
“Well,” he replied, “for a long time, I pretty much thought that what Jesus said about asking and getting was all I needed to know. Ask and I will get. And when I didn’t get what I wanted, I would think maybe I wasn’t asking loudly or often enough.”
“But that’s not how prayer works, is it?”
“You’re right,” Stan said, “that’s not how prayer works, but I didn’t know that.”
“But now you do?”
“I think so,” he replied. “It seems to me that through a single verse in the Book of Psalms, God opened me to see that if I delight myself in Him, He will give me the desires of my heart. However, there’s a clear connection between my delight in Him and the desires of my heart.”
“How so?”
“That one will follow the other,” Stan replied. “If I delight myself in the Lord, He will change the desires of my heart to be aligned with the desires of His heart.”
“So,” I said, “if the desires of your heart are the same as the desires of God’s heart, those desires will be satisfied. Is that it?”
“That’s it,” he replied. “If the desires are the same, they will be granted. If they’re not, they won’t.”
“As simple as that?”
“Yeah,” Stan said, “as simple as that. But always remember that just because something is simple or sounds simple, it doesn’t mean it’s easy. Delighting myself in the Lord is a life-long process of knowing Him, what’s on His heart, and making His desires mine!”
“It seems to me,” he continued, “that this is just another instance of a disciple’s prayer.”
“A disciple’s prayer? In what way?”
Stan smiled and said, “Deny praying in my will, take up praying in God’s will, and then follow Him!”
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Bible verses to consider:
Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4.
Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. Matthew 7:7.
. . . not as I wilt, but as Thou wilt. Matthew 26:39; Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, that your heart’s desire was and is to redeem the lost world through the finished work of Jesus’ cross. Thank you for those people you brought into my life to tell me the truth so I could accept it. Thank you, too, that you allow me to come before you in prayer so I will know you and what’s on your heart. I confess that too often I pray for things that agree with my will, not necessarily yours. Please forgive that foolishness. Help me to follow ever step of your lead in delighting in you and in delighting in what’s on your heart so it will be on my heart as well. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you accepted God’s free and gracious provision of life eternally with Him so you can delight in Him? If no, why do you want to remain separated from Him for all of eternity? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing with delighting in God. Do you truly delight in Him? Are the desires of your heart the same as the desires of His heart? If you sense the need for change in any of this, how will that change happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?
You can access the complete posting for each day by clicking on that day at the end of this posting.
Please forward this to friends, family, colleagues, etc. as a way to introduce them to Stan, S. Tory Teller, and the conversations about faith, discipleship, and what it means to be a Christian.
Also, don’t forget that S. Tory Teller’s book, the 100-day devotional, Waiting for the Train — Biblical Food for Growing Before Going, is available from amazon.com, other on-line book sellers, and directly from the publisher at www.s-toryteller.com
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Stan’s main takeaway for each day this past week:
Monday, August 21 (Learning from the woman at the well) — The woman at the well is a good model for evangelism. After she heard what Jesus had to say, she went and told others, and they came to Jesus. Are we following that model?
Tuesday, August 22 (Don’t go away from Jesus) — The Cost of Discipleship is not only the title of a great book, it’s an essential thing to bear in mind in following Jesus. Some people have concluded the cost is too high. How about you?
Wednesday, August 23 (To hear what Jesus says, I have to be where He is) — The people in the temple were amazed at what Jesus had to say. We, too, can be amazed, but we have to be close enough to hear what He says!
Thursday, August 24 (Jesus was resolute. Are we?) — Jesus was resolute in accomplishing what His Father had for Him to do. Are we committed to what God has for us to be and to do?
Friday, August 25 (Encouragement to obey from Abraham and Paul) — The story of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Issac, along with what Paul wrote in Romans 8:28, offers us encouragement as we obey whatever God has for us to obey.
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Access the complete posting by clicking on the day of the week below:
One morning while we were having breakfast, Stan asked, “Do you remember the story of Abraham and Issac?”
“Somewhat,” I replied. “Isn’t there an account somewhere in the Bible that Abraham and his wife had waited a long time for their son, Issac, to be born? And then after that, Abraham, was willing to obey God even to the point of offering Issac as a sacrifice. If that’s what you’re talking about, I’ve wondered if I have the ability for that kind of obedience.”
“I’ve wondered the same thing,” Stan said. “However, the other day I was looking at this story and saw some real encouragement for me in knowing that I can have that kind of obedience.”
“In what way?” I replied. “What part of the story were you focusing on?”
“What I was focusing on, Stan said, “is something that’s not specifically mentioned in Genesis, but I was wondering if the story of Abraham and Issac could have provided the apostle Paul with what he needed to write Romans 8:28.”
“Romans 8:28? What’s that have to do with it?”
“As you’ll remember,” Stan replied, “Paul wrote that we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.”
“I do remember that,” I said, “but how’s that apply to Abraham and Issac?”
“Let’s take a look,” Stan replied. “Abraham clearly loved God, and he certainly was called according to God’s purpose. Therefore, he could know without a doubt that whatever was going to happen as a result of his obedience would be good. He just had to obey and then wait and see what God was going to do.”
“And that’s what happened,” Stan continued. “When God saw that Abraham was serious in his obedience, God caused Abraham to see His provision of an ram for the sacrifice.”
“A ram, rather than Issac,” I said. “I see how that can encourage all of us to obey even though we may not be able to see how God is going to make good out of what He’s telling us to do.”
“That’s right,” Stan replied. “Obedience is not always easy, especially when we can’t see why God is saying what He’s telling us, but we can take this encouragement from Abraham and Paul!”
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Bible verses to consider:
Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” And He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Issac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and Issac his son; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place which God had told him.” Genesis 22:1-3.
But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” And he said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in place of his son. Genesis 22:11-13.
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for showing me in your word what obedience looks like. I confess that too often I do not obey you as you want. Please help me to know with all of my being that you do work all things together for good to those who love you and are called according to your purpose, even though I may not know what those “all things” include. Please help me to obey and wait for you to do what you are going to do, knowing, beyond a shadow of doubt, that you will act for good. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you considered whether it would be possible for you to obey as Abraham did? What does that kind of obedience look like to you? What about the “all things working together for good” that Paul wrote about? Do you believe that — or do you consider it just wishful thinking? Spend some time talking with God in prayer about this kind of obedience to see if there is need for any change in how you view obedience.
God the Father gave His Son for all who believe to have life eternally with Him. Jesus was resolute in finishing what He was here to do. Can the same thing be said about us?
The posting for November 22, 2022 (link below) dealt with the subject of how we are easily distracted from what God has for us to do.
Let’s spend some more time with this subject, talking with God in prayer to see and hear what He has to say about why we are often distracted and what He’s willing to do to help us.
“It happened again this morning,” Stan said as we were enjoying our breakfast.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“Seeing that I have to be at the right place at the right time in the right state of mind in order for my faith walk to grow as God intends,” Stan replied.
“That seems pretty obvious,” I commented. “Why do you mention it?”
“Just because something’s seems to be obvious,” Stan replied, “that doesn’t mean it happens automatically. Let me tell you what I was looking at. Maybe you’ll see what I mean.”
“Okay,” I said. “What were you looking at?”
“The story in Luke’s gospel about when Jesus was twelve years old,” Stan replied. “His parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration. They took Jesus with them.”
“Is that when His parents headed back home after the celebration only to discover that Jesus wasn’t with them?”
“That’s it,” Stan replied. “And when Jesus’ parents went back to Jerusalem and eventually found Him in the temple, that’s the part of the story that made an impact on me.”
“In what way?” I asked.
“It says that after three days of looking for Jesus,” he said, “they found Him in the temple sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them, and asking them questions.”
“So? What’s that have to do with you?”
“It’s what comes next,” Stan replied. “It says that all who heard Jesus were amazed at His understanding and His answers. It’s to be the same thing with me.”
“What same thing?”
“I am to be amazed with Jesus,” Stan said, “but there’s an essential first step before that can happen.”
“What first step?”
“Just like the people in the temple,” Stan replied, “they were amazed after they heard Jesus. I can’t be amazed with Him until I hear Him!”
“And you can’t hear Him,” I commented, “unless you’re where He is. Is that it?”
“That’s it,” Stan said. “It’s not going to happen unless I’m close enough to hear and to listen to what He has to say!”
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Bible verses to consider:
And it came about that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them, and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. Luke 2:46-47.
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. Romans 10:17.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for being amazing in all you are and in all you do. Thank you for giving Jesus so all who hear Him can be amazed by what He says. I confess that too often I am not amazed by what He says because I don’t hear or listen to Him. Please forgive the foolishness of trying to live this life without listening to you, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Help me follow every step of your lead in hearing, listening, and being amazed. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you been amazed by God in the sense that you have seen, heard, and accepted His free and gracious gift of life eternally with Him? If no, why? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing with being amazed at what He has to say to you? Do you agree that you have to be close enough to hear what He has to say in order to be amazed by it? If you sense the need for change in any of this, how is that change going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?
When Jesus was here during His earthly ministry, there were some people who walked with Him for a short time and then walked away. There’s always that same danger for us.
The posting for November 24, 2022 (link below) focused on drawing near to God rather than walking away. Let’s spend some more time with this subject, focusing on what God has to say to us about the danger of walking away from Him rather than choosing to draw ever closer to Him in a deepening personal relationship.
“Do you remember the story of how Jesus related to the woman at the well?” Stan asked me one morning while we waited for Ricky to bring breakfast.
“A little, I think,” I replied. “Was she the one Jesus told about the difference between plain water and living water?”
“That’s the one!” Stan said. “I was looking at that story again the other day and saw that she was a great model for being an evangelist, a model it seems I should take to heart.”
“A model as an evangelist? How so?”
“It’s what she did after she heard from Jesus,” Stan replied.
“What’d she do?”
“It says she went to town and told others what Jesus had said to her.”
“Okay,” I replied. “Then what?”
“It says that the people she told came to Jesus.”
“Oh,” I said. “After we hear what Jesus has to say, we are to go and tell others so they will come to Jesus. That does seem kind of like a good model a person might want to follow.”
“Seem? Kind of like? Might?” Stan replied. “I think it’s more than that, my friend!”
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Bible verses to consider:
So the woman left her waterspot, and went into the city and said to the men, “Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it? They went out of the city, and were coming to Him. John 4:28-30.
Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? How shall they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!” Romans 10:13-15.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for giving Jesus as the way for all who believe to have life eternally with you. Thank you for those who told me the truth of your free and gracious provision so I could accept it. I confess that too often I do not tell others so they, too, can have life eternally with you. Please forgive that foolishness. Help me to follow every step of your lead in telling everyone about your provision of Jesus so they will have the opportunity to come to Him. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in His name. Amen.
Think on this: Have you accepted God’s free and gracious provision of life eternally with Him? If no, why? Have you not heard about it, or have you heard, but not accepted it. If the latter, why do you want to remain separated from God for all of eternity? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing with telling others about Jesus so they have the opportunity to come to Him? If you sense the need for change in any of this, how is that change going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?