Audacious Praying

Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. (James 5:17-18)

Recently, I heard someone use the term “audacious praying” to describe believing prayer that cries out to God for what seems to be the improbable, if not the impossible. It is the type of praying that comes boldly to the Throne of Grace and, with childlike trust, dares to believe God to work despite the circumstances.

Such prayer requires a conviction of the will of God born from an intimate relationship with Him. When Elijah announced the shutting up of the heavens to King Ahab, he declared, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word” (1 King 17:1). Elijah lived and served in the presence of God in whose authority he prayed with faith.

Audacious praying is not “presumptuous praying.” It is not praying according to one’s whims and fleshly desires. But it is prayer founded on faith in the Living God and His will in any given situation. Perilous times call for audacious prayer. The God we serve is able to do above and beyond all that we can ask or think. Do not despair but pray!

Take a moment to reflect:

• What present circumstance lays heavily on your heart and tempts you to lose hope? How do you believe God desires you to pray regarding that circumstance?
• What keeps you back from praying audaciously? Do you fear that God will not answer you? Let your request be known to God and wait upon Him to do His work in His time.

All for Jesus Until He Comes!

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The Promise of the Father

And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Acts 1:4-5)

Sunday, May 28, was Pentecost Sunday when Christians around the world celebrated the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the 120 disciples in the upper room (Acts 2), filling them with power to be witnesses of Christ, and indwelling them to guide and lead them in lives of holiness. This same Holy Spirit indwells and empowers believers today.

The Christian life was never intended to be a self-help improvement program. Rather, God’s design is that this life, “eternal life,” go beyond mere human effort, and that it supernaturally transform us into the likeness of Christ and into bold ambassadors for Christ. The Holy Spirit is the promise of the Father to all who believe.

Jesus called the Holy Spirit, “the Paraclete” (John 14:16,26; 15:26; 16:7), translated a “Comforter,” or “Helper,”“Advocate” or “Counselor.” Literally, He is the “Come Along-sider.” In your walk with Christ, you are not alone! The Holy Spirit is in you and with you to comfort and guide you. Take time today to rejoice in the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life.

Take a moment to reflect:

• If the Holy Spirit were absent from your life, what would your life look like?
• What specific areas of your life do you long to see the Holy Spirit’s transformational work? In faith, yield that aspect of your life to the Lordship of Christ and believe the Holy Spirit to do His mighty work in you. What you cannot do on your own, He can do!

All for Jesus Until He Comes!

Ascension

And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:9-11)

While Christians around the world celebrate Easter remembering the sacrifice of Christ on the cross and His resurrection from the dead, the ascension of Christ and his being seated at the right hand of the Father (Acts 2:33) is too often overlooked. His ascension occurred on the 40th day after His resurrection (Acts 1:3). He who died for our sins and rose again from the dead is seated in the heavenlies above all principalities and powers of darkness (Eph. 1:20-22), Lord over all; and is coming again!

We rejoice in the Lord’s ascension because it reveals that all authority has been given to Him in heaven and on earth (Mt. 28:18). He is Lord over the nations and Lord over our lives. His ministry is ongoing as He intercedes for us before the Father (Ro. 8:34). “He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them” (Heb. 7:25).

If all this were not enough, in our union with Christ we are seated with Him in the heavenly places (Eph. 2:6). Our spiritual authority flows from Him and His authority over Satan and his evil angels. When we pray in Jesus’ Name, in His authority, we can come boldly before the Throne of Grace to receive mercy and find grace in time of need (Heb. 4:16).

Ascension Day was Thursday, May 18. Sunday, the 21st was Ascension Sunday. Maybe your church celebrated Christ’s Ascension. But today, take time to give thanks to God for Jesus and His being seated in the place of supreme authority in the heavenly places. Reflect on all it means for us as believers. Jesus Christ is Lord!

Take a moment to reflect:

• Which aspect of the ascension and of Christ being seated at the right hand of the Father is most meaningful to you today?
• What reactions do you think you would have had if you had been standing with the disciples there on the day of the ascension?
• How does Christ’s ascension affect you practically in your walk with Him?

All for Jesus Until He Comes!

The God Who Justifies the Ungodly

“Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.” (Romans 4:4-5)

It is innate in human nature to seek to earn approval. From childhood, we seek to earn the approval of our parents. In our relationship with God, it is natural to assume that we must do something to earn His approval. Entire belief systems and religions are based on this premise: you can only gain approval from God by earning it yourself.

But how many sacrifices must you perform? How much penitence is sufficient? How many good things must you do? For after doing all that we can, we realize that none of these things can wipe away our sins before a Holy God. We all stand before Him as ungodly people, worthy of judgement.

But God, who is rich in mercy, provided for the justification of ungodly people through the sacrifice of His own Son on the cross. What we could not do for ourselves, God did for us, sending His Son to die for us.

God justifies the ungodly person who believes on Christ. In Him Alone, we stand righteous before God, approved and accepted. Rejoice today in the mercy of God and walk in faith with your eyes on Christ.

Take a moment to reflect:

• Do you honestly believe that you are fully accepted and approved by God in Christ Jesus?
• Give praise to the Lord for His grace in your life. Thank Him for the forgiveness of sin and for justifying you in Christ.
• Do you know someone who struggles to believe that he or she can be accepted by God? Pray for that person. Reach out to him or her today with a word of encouragement.

All for Jesus Until He Comes!

Grace for Every Good Work

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8)

In 2 Corinthians 8-9, Paul is encouraging the church to the grace of giving. The word “grace” appears eight times in these two chapters. The source of this grace is God Himself in Christ Jesus. This grace of giving flows from the same grace that works within us so that we may “abound in every good work.” While we are not saved by good works (Ephesians 2:8-9), we are called to manifest the grace of the Lord Jesus in our lives through good works. We are “created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

These good works not only include generously sharing the resources the Lord has entrusted to us, but they also embrace everything that God wants us to do for His honor and glory in our lives and ministries. As our salvation is utterly dependent upon Him who loved us and gave Himself for us, so also the good works to which he calls us can be done only in the grace of God in Christ Jesus, for His honor and praise.

In chapter 9, verse 8, we find that God makes His grace “abound” to us. It is fully sufficient “in all things at all times.” There is no work at any time for which His grace is insufficient. He gives us everything we need to serve Him well: abounding grace that causes us to “abound in every good work.” When God is leading you to act, know that, as you wait upon Him, He will empower you by His grace to do all that to which He calls you.

Take a moment to reflect:

• What good work is God specifically leading you to do in these days? Have you hesitated in your heart to accept it?
• Do you feel inadequate or unprepared to serve the Lord in some particular task? Take your eyes off yourself and your own resources and look to Him who is your All-Sufficient Savior. Give glory and praise to Him for His grace in your life that causes you to abound in every good work.

All for Jesus Until He Comes!

Help My Unbelief!

And the father of the young man said, “’But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.’” And Jesus said to him, ‘If you can! All things are possible for one who believes.’ Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:23-24)

In this well-known account from the life of Jesus, who has not identified with the desperate father whose son was oppressed by an evil spirit? This man brought his son to the disciples in order that they would deliver him from. this tormentor, but they could not cast out the demon.            

Now what? Then Jesus Himself arrives on the scene.

Jesus rebukes the unbelief manifested in the crowd (v.19). But He has compassion on the father who transparently confessed the mingling of trust and doubt that can so easily manifest itself in our own lives. We know and believe in our minds what is true, but when faced with trying circumstances our faith is tested and doubt can be revealed in our fears. We believe Christ. We believe the promises of Scripture. We believe, but we do so imperfectly. The New Life Version reads, “Lord, I have faith. Help my weak faith to be stronger!”

Confess unbelief and doubt as sin but rejoice in the Lord for His compassion and forgiveness as you look to Him in the faith you have in the moment. It is not the strength of your faith that is so important as the strength of your Savior! Trust Him to provide you with the faith needed to believe Him to work in each challenge you face. Great is His faithfulness.

Take a moment to reflect:

• With whom do you most identify in this passage? The father? The son? The disciples? The doubting crowd?
• What challenges do you presently face that cause trust and doubt to mingle in your mind? Take a moment to express your faith to the Lord in prayer, even as you ask Him to strengthen you in faith.

All for Jesus Until He Comes!