Praying Pint

 

Song of Solomon 2:10  My beloved speaks and says to me: “Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away,

Listen—I hear the voice of my Beloved. He is speaking to me. The beauty of spring is waking the earth, and he does not want me to remain spiritually asleep while everything around me is coming back to life. He calls me to “rise up,” and he is right to do so. I have spent long enough among the distractions and dust of this world. He has risen, and I have been raised with him, so why should I keep clinging to the ground?

I want to rise above lesser loves, small ambitions, selfish desires, and worldly pursuits, and move closer to him. He calls me by the tender name “my love” and says that I am beautiful to him. That alone should move my heart to respond. If he has lifted me up and looked on me with such grace, how can I stay comfortable among things that pull me away from him?

He says, “Come away.” He calls me farther and farther from selfishness, from sin, from worldliness, and from anything that keeps my soul cold toward him. Even from outward religion that does not truly know him, he calls me into deeper fellowship with himself. His invitation is not harsh; it is beautiful. What is there in this wilderness of vanity and sin that should hold me back?

Lord, I want to come away to you, but I feel caught among the thorns and cannot free myself as I wish. If it were possible, I would have no eyes, ears, or heart for sin. Your call to “come away” is a melody to my soul. To come to you is to come home from exile, to reach shore after a storm, to find rest after long labor, and to arrive at the very place my heart has always longed for.

But Lord, how can a stone rise? How can a lump of clay climb out of the pit by itself? Lift me up. Draw me near. Your grace can do what I cannot. Send your Holy Spirit to kindle holy love in my heart, and I will keep rising toward you until I leave this life behind and truly come away to be with you. (Spurgeon)

 

Phillipians  4:5-8   Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;  do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

In the normal course of things a certain number of distractions are bound to come to each one of us; but if we learn to be inwardly still these can be rendered relatively harmless. It would not be hard to compile a long list of names of Christians who carried upon their shoulders the burden of state or the responsibilities of business and yet managed to live in great inward peace with the face of the Lord in full view. They have left us a precious legacy in the form of letters, journals, hymns and devotional books that witness to the ability of Christ to calm the troubled waters of the soul as He once calmed the waves on the Sea of Galilee. And today as always those who listen can hear His still, small voice above the earthquake and the whirlwind.

While the grace of God will enable us to overcome inevitable distractions, we dare not presume upon God’s aid and throw ourselves open to unnecessary ones. The roving imagination, an inquisitive interest in other people’s business, preoccupation with external affairs beyond what is absolutely necessary: these are certain to lead us into serious trouble sooner or later. The heart is like a garden and must be kept free from weeds and insects. To expect the fruits and flowers of Paradise to grow in an untended heart is to misunderstand completely the processes of grace and the ways of God with men. Only grief and disappointment can result from continued violation of the divine principles that underlie the spiritual life. (Tozer)

 

Genesis 2:18    The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.”

Imagine you’ve been asked to participate in an experiment. You and the other participants are to stand in a circle and toss a ball back and forth. You’re instructed to make sure everyone has an opportunity to catch and throw the ball. What you don’t know is that everyone else has been instructed never to allow you to have the ball. So as everybody is laughing and tossing the ball, you reach for it, but it never comes your way. How would you feel? Would you continue to ask for the ball, or would you eventually withdraw from the others?   Perhaps this experiment sounds uncomfortably similar to your life. No matter how often you reach out, the ball never seems to be thrown to you. Maybe you feel distant from your family, and your attempts to bridge the gap are not reciprocated. Maybe you feel isolated because of your daily responsibilities or because of a difficulty you’re going through. Maybe you miss the companionship of somebody who left you or passed away.   Though almost everybody deals with loneliness, nobody wants to talk about it. But we have to conquer the mountain of loneliness if we want to experience the blessed life God has for us. The fact is, you and I were created for companionship. After creating Adam, God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). Was Adam really alone in the garden of Eden? No, he had a relationship with God that wasn’t tainted by sin, and he had a whole zoo of animal companions. But God said that wasn’t enough.   Companionship isn’t a luxury; it is essential for our spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being. Even secular science agrees. A recent advisory from the US surgeon general reported that social isolation is associated with an increased risk of disease, anxiety, depression, and dementia. The advisory also made this amazing statement: “Lacking social connection can increase the risk for premature death as much as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day.”   God created us for companionship, and being deprived of that companionship is like being deprived of oxygen. We need other people.  (Dr. Jeremiah)

 

 

Revelation 16:15  (“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”)

Revelation 3:3    Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.

Matthew 24:43     But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.

1 Thessalonians 5:2-3    For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.  While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

 

“We die daily,” the apostle said. That was the reality of life for the early Christians. They went everywhere knowing their lives could be at risk. Today, most of us are not called to face that same kind of persecution. If we were, the Lord would give us the grace to endure it. But the tests Christians face now, though not as terrifying on the outside, can still be deeply dangerous to the soul.

We may have to endure the world’s scorn, but that is often the smaller trial. Its flattery, soft words, subtle compromises, and false kindness can be far more dangerous. Our danger is that we may become comfortable, proud, and too attached to the values of this present world, until our faith grows weak.

If wealth is not our test, then daily worries may be. The devil does not care whether he destroys our love for Christ through fierce opposition or quiet distraction, as long as he succeeds. The church may be in greater danger of losing its faithfulness in comfortable times than in times of open hardship.

That means we must stay awake. We are walking through spiritually dangerous ground, where ease can lull us to sleep. Unless our faith in Jesus is real and our love for him is burning brightly, we can become careless without realizing it.

In days when it is easy to call yourself a Christian, many may appear sincere but prove not to belong to Christ at all. So do not imagine that this is a time to set aside watchfulness or spiritual passion. We need both more than ever. May the Holy Spirit work powerfully in us so that, whether the trials are harsh or gentle, we may truly say, “We are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Spurgeon)

 

Ecclesiastes 6:12  For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow? For who can tell man what will be after him under the sun?

It doesn’t do us any harm to see ourselves set over against the might and omnipotence of God, Solomon has been telling us. We are just a heartbeat away from eternity, and if God were to cause our hearts to stop at this very moment – we would die. We are very vulnerable people, and to try to go against the all-powerful Creator is about as effective as trying to shift the Rock of Gibraltar with a peashooter. Life functions best when we accept the destiny God has for us and close in with it. This picture of God as all-powerful is not being presented to us (as Derek Tidball points out) in order to bring us to our knees in weak and helpless submission. It is simply a matter of fact, a matter of truth. God is stronger than we are and, for that matter, stronger than anything we might want to put our trust in – wealth and money in particular. Solomon’s last point in this chapter is the fact that we do not know the future, and his message, by implication, is that if we are wise we will get to know the One who knows the future. Knowing God means we come in touch with the only One who can really meet our soul’s deepest needs. Contentment does not lie in a large bank balance, status, ambition, material possessions, or earthly success. It comes only when we are in a close relationship with God. Only He can give us the power to enjoy life. We would be wise to build on God, not on gold. (Hughes)

O God, help me this day to stand before You with an open heart, an open mind, and an open being. For I want to be changed not into the image of things, but into the image of You. I will have no idols in my life. I own You as my only Lord. Amen.

 

Numbers 16:1-3  Now Korah the son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men. And they rose up before Moses, with a number of the people of Israel, 250 chiefs of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men. They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?”

Acts 7:39    Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt,

Malachi 1:13  But you say, ‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it, says the LORD of hosts.

Acts 7:51    “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.

 

The complainer is further embarrassed by the moral company in which he finds himself. His is a spiritual affinity with some pretty shady characters: Cain, Korah, the sulky elder brother, the petulant Jews of the Book of Malachi who answered every fatherly admonition of God with an ill-humored “Wherefore have we” Wherein have we”” These are but a few faces that stand out in the picture of the disgruntled followers of the religious way. And the complaining Christian, if he but looks closely, will see his own face peering out at him from the background. Lastly, the believer who complains against the difficulties of the way proves that he has never felt or known the sorrows which broke over the head of Christ when He was here among men. After one look at Gethsemane or Calvary, the Christian can never again believe that his own path is a hard one. We dare not compare our trifling pains with the sublime passion endured for our salvation. Any comparison would itself be the supreme argument against our complaints, for what sorrow is like unto His” After saying all this we are yet sure that no one can be reasoned out of the habit of complaining. That habit is more than a habit—it is a disease of the soul, and as such, it will never yield to mere logic. The only cure is cleansing in the blood of the Lamb. (Tozer)

 

Psalms 10:16  The LORD is king forever and ever; the nations perish from his land.

Psalms 29:10   The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.

Psalms 93:1    The LORD reigns; he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed; he has put on strength as his belt. Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.

Psalms 145:13    Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. [The LORD is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.]

Psalms 146:10    The LORD will reign forever, your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD!

Isaiah 33:22    For the LORD is our judge; the LORD is our lawgiver; the LORD is our king; he will save us.

Jeremiah 10:10    But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. At his wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure his indignation.

Lamentations 5:19    But you, O LORD, reign forever; your throne endures to all generations.

Daniel 4:34    At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation;

1 Timothy 1:17    To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

1 Timothy 6:15-16    which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords,  who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

 

Jesus Christ is not a harsh ruler who simply claims divine authority; he is truly the Lord’s Anointed One. It pleased the Father for all fullness to dwell in him, and God has given him all power and authority. As the Son of Man, Jesus is now head over everything for the good of his church. He reigns over heaven, earth, and hell, holding the keys of life and death. Some earthly rulers have liked to call themselves kings by the will of the people. In a far greater way, Jesus is King by the willing love of his church. If every believer could vote on whether Christ should reign, every faithful heart would gladly place the crown on his head. How we wish we could honor him more fully than we do.

No sacrifice would be wasted if it brought glory to Christ. Suffering would be worth it, and loss would become gain, if through it he were honored more brightly before people and angels. Yes, he will reign. Long live the King! All hail, King Jesus! Let every soul that loves the Lord bow at his feet and honor him with love and gratitude. Bring out the royal crown and crown him Lord of all. Jesus is also King by right of conquest. He has won the hearts of his people and defeated the enemies that once held them in bondage. By his own blood, our Redeemer has drowned the power of our sin. He has freed us from the heavy burden and curse of the law. Shouldn’t such a Deliverer be crowned? We belong to him, rescued by his mighty hand, and no one can take us from him. All hail, King Jesus! We gladly submit to your gentle rule. Reign in our hearts forever, lovely Prince of Peace. (Spurgeon)

 

John 1:12  But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

Acts 16:31  And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

What is our answer to the many confused persons who keep asking: “How can we know that we have come into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ”” First, we stand together on the basic truth that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. A second fact is that men and women are saved by faith in Christ, alone; without works and without our merit. However, the fact that Christ came to save sinners is not enough-that fact in itself cannot save us. Now, in our day, the issues of believing faith and the gift of eternal life are clouded and confused by an “easy acceptance” that has been fatal to millions who may have stopped short in matters of faith and obedience. Faith is believing and receiving, as in Acts 16:31: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved;” and as in John 1:12: “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe in his name.” (Tozer)

 

1 Timothy 6:7    We have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.

How can we conquer the mountain of materialism? In a word, contentment. The Greek word in the Bible translated as “contentment” was used by the Stoics to imply that people are self-sufficient–we don’t need to look outside ourselves for satisfaction. Paul Christianized the word. He wrote, “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. . . . I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:11, 13). We don’t hang our happiness on outside circumstances; we look inward to our relationship with Jesus Christ.   Notice Paul said he “learned to be content.” Contentment doesn’t come naturally to us, but it’s something we can learn. Let me offer three aspects for application for learning to be content.   First of all, thank God for what you already have. In 1 Timothy 6:8, Paul said, “If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.” How often do you sincerely thank God for the meal in front of you instead of just saying the words? How often do you thank God for your job instead of complaining about it? Greed and gratitude cannot exist in the same heart.   Second, recognize the dangers of materialism. Verse 9 says, “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare.” If you focus on money, you become easy prey for “get-rich-quick schemes” and dishonest people. You can also fall into “many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction” (v. 9). Wealth or the pursuit of wealth can lead to wasteful spending, illicit relationships, the breakup of families, and falling away from God altogether.   Finally, remember your possessions are temporary. Verse 7 says, “We have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.” I’ve never seen a hearse pulling a U-Haul. When you die, you can’t take your possessions with you. That’s why the ultimate misuse of your life is to spend it pursuing things you’re going to leave behind. As Jesus said in Luke 12:15, “Not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.” You are more than what you own. And the best use of your life is to spend it pursuing the things of eternity–things that will last forever. (Jeffress)