Category Archives: Methods

How God Uses Prayer

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To Show His Great Power

A survey of God’s Word reveals how God uses prayer in our lives in a number of ways. In this post, I want to ask you to consider how God will often answer your prayers with a display of power in order to strengthen your faith. In Acts chapter 12, we find the Apostle Peter imprisoned by King Herod. The text says that the church was earnestly praying for his release. With great power, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in the prison where Peter was being held and released him from his chains. The angel then escorted him out of the prison, safely passing two separate guard posts and out through an iron gate. From there, it says: “When he (Peter) realized this (that the angel had freed him), he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many had assembled and were praying. He knocked at the door in the gateway, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer. She recognized Peter’s voice, and because of her joy, she did not open the gate but ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the gateway. ‘You’re crazy!’ they told her. But she kept insisting that it was true. Then they said, ‘It’s his angel!’ Peter, however, kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astounded. Motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he explained to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison.” (Acts 12:12–17)

To Astound You

They were astounded! I’ve often thought about Herod and his guards when reading this text. What a display of power was evidenced to release Peter from his chains and imprisonment! The same display of power God used to confront Herod and the Jews—revealing their helplessness to stop Him when He determines to act according to His sovereign plans—is the same display of power God uses to strengthen our faith. The same power that buckled and weakened the knees of unbelievers strengthened the faith of believers. When you study the Gospels, you see that Jesus kept growing the faith of His disciples. For three and a half years, He kept convincing them that the work of God can never be done in the power of the flesh or by the world’s methods, but only by the supernatural power of God alone. God wants to engage us in prayer so that we see His power.

To Build Your Faith

He also intends to build our faith and belief in Him as He answers our prayers. Why do we see the supernatural work of God in the book of Acts? Acts 2:42 says the believers:  “…devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.” The early church was birthed in prayer! It says they devoted themselves to prayer. James identified that prayer was a problem for some: “You ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your evil desires.” (James 4:3) God doesn’t answer selfish prayers. He does, however, answer the prayers of helplessness and utter dependence on His power. Jesus taught His disciples that God answers prayers that are God-centered and God-focused. So, how might your prayers need to change?
 

How God Gets His Work Done

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One Messed Up Church

The Church of Corinth was one messed up church— they struggled with sexual immorality; and, they fought over the Lord’s Supper; and, their doctrine on the resurrection of the dead was problematic! So, when the Holy Spirit provoked the Apostle Paul to write a letter & call them out, he reminds them of the 1st time they met when he had introduced them to the Gospel:  “And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified…. my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” 1 Corinthians 2:1-5.

Embarrassed Over The Gospel

 I’m not intending to read into the text; but, it seems like maybe some in the Church of Corinth had become embarrassed over the Gospel. Perhaps they felt pressured to make the Gospel more appealing to their cosmopolitan neighbors by downplaying the cross, the shed blood & the atonement. If so, there’s probably an application here for the western Church— have we digressed so far from our calling that we feel compelled to sanitize the offensiveness of the cross? Have we become so “seeker friendly” that we’ve become “Gospel unfriendly”? Do we crave the world’s approval so badly that we feel compelled to “market” the Gospel by packaging it in a more user-friendly format?

A Doctrinal Reminder

It seems, in the reading of this letter, that Paul is intent on changing some faulty thinking! They needed a doctrinal reminder about HOW God gets His work done. To put it succinctly; and to the point, God doesn’t need our help! He doesn’t want us to figure out how to do church in our wisdom or strength! He will only bless the church whose strategy it is to follow His Sovereign plan! Paul seems to clearly emphasize interactive & relationships building discipleship over any kind of “church program.” Making disciples is all about life-on-life interaction! “…I came to you…I was with you” he said in vs. 1,2.  Paul also emphasizes the power of God over human performance. Human methods will come & go; so, focus on the one constant in the entire disciple-making process— the power of God to minister through us!

Do Your Ministry By God’s Grace

If our ministry focus is on us— how much effort WE need to put into it; or what methods WE create, our results will be sketchy at best! We’ll become neurotic & self-absorbed over whatever ministry we’re involved in because our efforts will center on us & our abilities rather than God & His power to do the spiritual work. Only He can do the necessary spiritual work in someone’s life! Only He can raise the spiritually dead to life, and make the spiritually blind to see again! When we attempt to do the work God’s work in the flesh, we can become very legalistic about it! When you compare doing ministry by “legalism” vs ministry by “Grace”, GRACE wins every time! When we perform ministry in the strength of the flesh it puffs us up; and, gives us the allusion that we’re helping God out; and He doesn’t need our help!

Just Make Disciples!

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-The Church Relevant In The World!

The book of Romans is a letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to the believers in the Church of Rome. It was a church that had no political clout in the Roman empire!  It was a persecuted church; but still, an effective church, because its methods were simple— just make disciples! When the church is busy fulfilling the commission that Jesus gave her, she will become relevant in the world! Now, lest I be misunderstood, let me be clear that I’m NOT against political and government involvement! In fact, quite the opposite. For the believer, there is no “secular.” Everything is sacred!

-God Sovereign Over All!

God owns it all & is Sovereign over all! It is part of our responsibility, as stewards, to be informed. To know the issues & to vote our conscience as we view everything through the grid of Scripture. But, politics and government cannot be where we place our hope! Or, you will be sorely disappointed; as many believers are here in the West! Nowhere, in Scripture, are we called to create a “Christian nation.” Nowhere in Scripture are we given such a mandate. Neither are we called to legislate righteousness! We are called to preach the Gospel & to make disciples. That is our mandate! If we’ll trust God & His plan, rather than the political process, we’ll see our nation & our local communities change 1 disciple at a time.

-The Power Of The Gospel!

That’s what we see in the book of Acts; and, history bears it out—that the power of the Gospel changed entire cultures over time. Rome was no exception. The Church may have endured great persecution at the time that Paul wrote this book; but within 300 years of Jesus’ crucifixion, the Gospel had done such a powerful spiritual work in the Roman Empire, that many historians claim that more than half the population had become followers of Jesus. The 1st chapter of Romans is one of the more significant texts in the Bible. I encourage you to read it often & become familiar with its content.

-Singled Out To Proclaim The Gospel!

From the start, Paul focuses on the Gospel: “Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle and singled out for God’s good news— which He promised long ago through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures— concerning His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord…” Paul says he was “singled out” to proclaim “…God’s GOOD NEWS…” The word is εὐαγγέλιον (in the original Greek) or “GOSPEL.” So, he’s sharing the Good News of the Gospel, which he says “…CONCERNS God’s Son, Jesus Christ our Lord…” And in v.8 he says, “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you because the news of your faith is being reported in all the world …” Their faith in the Gospel, Paul says, was having an impact on the whole world!

-Turned The World Upside Down!

When Paul & his entourage went to Thessalonica with the Gospel, it created such a stir that Acts 17 says, “…these men have turned the whole world upside down…” The power of the Gospel outperforms the power of the people every time! Be faithful, church! If you truly have a heart for change in our nation; then, first ask God for a bigger heart for Him; and, second, ask Him for a bigger heart for people! Ask Him for a heart big enough to love hard-to-love people, and to share the Gospel with them. Only His Gospel will change the culture & course of our land. Only when the Church returns to the mission Jesus gave her, will she become relevant in the world once again!  Nothing is happening in our nation that a revival couldn’t change! A revival of the Church! “Judgment must first begin at the house of God” (1 Peter 4:17). We have to love the lost! We need to establish relationships with them! Have them in our homes!

How God Uses Prayer!

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-To Show His Great Power!

A survey of God’s Word reveals how God uses prayer, in our lives, in a number of ways. In this post I want to ask you to consider how God will often answer your prayers, with a display of power, in order to strengthen your faith! In Acts, chapter 12, we find the Apostle Peter imprisoned by King Herod. So the text says that the church was earnestly praying for his release.  With great power, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared, in the prison, where Peter was being held; and, released him from his chains & then escorted him out of the prison, safely passing 2 separate guard posts and out through an iron gate! From there, it says, “When he (Peter) realized this (that the Angel freed him), he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many had assembled and were praying. He knocked at the door in the gateway, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer. She recognized Peter’s voice, and because of her joy, she did not open the gate but ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the gateway.  ‘You’re crazy!’ they told her. But she kept insisting that it was true. Then they said, ‘It’s his angel!’ Peter, however, kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astounded. Motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he explained to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison” Acts 12:12-17.

-To Astound You!

They were astounded! I’ve often thought about Herod, and his guards, when reading this text! What a display of power was evidenced to release Peter from his chains and imprisonment! But, the same display of power God used to confront Herod & the Jews, with their helplessness to stop Him when He determines to do something according to His Sovereign plans, is the same power display that God uses to strengthen our faith! The same display of power that buckled & weakened the knees of unbelievers, strengthened the faith of believers! When you study the Gospels, you see that Jesus kept growing the faith of His disciples! For 3 1/2 years He kept convincing them that the work of God can never be done in the power of the flesh; or, by the world’s methods.; but, by the supernatural power of God alone. God wants to engage us in prayer so we see His power.

-To Build Your Faith!

God also intends to build our faith & belief , in Him, as He answers our prayers. Why do we see the supernatural work, of God, in the book of Acts? Chapter 2:42 says the believers, ““…devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.” The early church was birthed in prayer! It says they DEVOTED themselves to prayer!  James identified that prayer was a problem for some: “You ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your evil desires”  (ch. 4:3)  God doesn’t answer selfish prayers! He does, however, answer the prayers of helplessness & utter dependence on His power! Jesus taught His disciples that God answers prayers that are God-centered & God-focused! So, how might your prayers need to change?

 

How Do We Bring God Glory?

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-Here’s What It Looks Like!

We often talk about living a life that glorifies God! But, what does that look like? How do we flesh that out? According to the Apostle Peter, we bring God glory, in our lives, as we yield to His Spirit’s work to transform us into Christ’s likeness. He says:  “Based on the gift each one has received, use it to serve others, as good managers of the varied grace of God.  If anyone speaks, it should be as one who speaks God’s words; if anyone serves, it should be from the strength God provides, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything. To Him belong the glory and the power forever and ever” 1 Peter 4:10-11.

-3 Points About Bringing God Glory!

Peter seems to make 3 points, about bringing God glory. First, God’s purpose, for “gifting” us, is to bring glory to Himself. Second, our motive, as we use our gifts, should be to glorify God with them. And, finally, God’s method is to empower our gifts, by His Spirit, so He gets the ultimate glory as they are being used. So, it’s ultimately God’s purpose to bring glory to Himself as we use the gifts He has given us! Now, while the immediate interpretation, of the “gifts” here, is related to the “gifts of the Spirit”, in the broader context it could be argued that Peter means, for us, to include our talents & abilities & anything else that makes us uniquely “us.” God has given you EVERYTHING that makes you YOU—all your gifts, talents, abilities, personality, outward appearance, etc. And, what Peter seems to be saying is that He’s given you all that FOR HIM! For His Glory!

-Our Gifts Come From God, Not Ourselves!

None of these things, that are unique to us as individuals, are to be used selfishly; nor, do we have any reason to be arrogant or prideful about any of it, since, it’s all been given to us by our gracious God! Everyone has been gifted by God—some more; some less—“…according to the VARIED GRACE of God…” And, then he offers 2 examples—of “speaking” & “serving”—and, how these gifts are to be used only in such a way “…that God may be GLORIFIED… to Him belong the GLORY & the power…” (v.11).  God has purposely & intentionally given us all the “stuff”—that makes us WHO we ARE—so that we would bring Him Glory as we use them! Not for our own glory! Glory belongs to God alone, Peter says!

-We Are Tools In God’s Hand!

I’m not very much of a handy man; but I do have a great deal of appreciation for those men & women who are! And, I’ve found that most handy people have specialized “tools” for certain repairs. There’s a specific tool for everything! That’s how God purposes to use us! He’s made us all different with our own unique gifts, personalities & talents. We’re each a special tool in God’s tool chest; and, He intends to use us, in each specific instance, to bring Himself greater glory. But, God is only glorified as we use our gifts out of a motivation to see Him glorified—“…use it,” Peter says, “…as GOOD MANAGERS of the varied grace of God” (v.10).  There’s an expectation of intentionality! Don’t just float through life, living off all the good gifts God has blessed you with! MANAGE WELL! So as to bring God glory in every thing you do!