Mosaic Today

Does prayer change the outcome of things?  CS Lewis says, Yes, of course prayer changes things:

“Petitionary prayer is, nonetheless, both allowed and commanded to us: “Give us our daily bread.” And no doubt it raises a theoretical problem. Can we believe that God ever really modifies His action in response to the suggestions of men? For infinite wisdom does not need telling what is best, and infinite goodness needs no urging to do it. But neither does God need any of those things that are done by finite agents, whether living or inanimate.

He could, if He chose, repair our bodies miraculously without food; or give us food without the aid of farmers, bakers, and butchers; or knowledge without the aid of learned men; or convert the heathen without missionaries. Instead, He allows soils and weather and animals and the muscles, minds, and wills of men to co-operate in the execution of His will. “God,” said Pascal, “instituted prayer in order to lend to His creatures the dignity of causality.” But not only prayer; whenever we act at all He lends us that dignity. It is not really stranger, nor less strange, that my prayers should affect the course of events than that my other actions should do so. They have not advised or changed God’s mind—that is, His over-all purpose. But that purpose will be realized in different ways according to the actions, including the prayers, of His creatures. So at least it seems to me. But what I have offered can be, at the very best, only a mental model or symbol. All that we say on such subjects must be merely analogical and parabolic. The reality is doubtless not comprehensible by our faculties. But we can at any rate try to expel bad analogies and bad parables.

Prayer is not a machine. It is not magic. It is not advice offered to God. Our act, when we pray, must not, any more than all our other acts, be separated from the continuous act of God Himself, in which alone all finite causes operate.”

“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his chest and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Luke 18:9-14

Prayer isn’t about words; it’s about posture.

Don’t pray today because you have to, because it will make you feel better about yourself, or to impress anybody with your diligent religious life. If you pray today, do it because you know you need God.

If you exalt yourself, you will be humbled.  If you humble yourself, God will lift you up.

Does God answer prayer?

Some of us would say ‘yes.’  Others of us, ‘no.’  But the vast majority of us believe God ‘sometimes’ answers prayer.  Here’s the truth: God always answers prayer.

We need a better understanding of the word ‘answer.’

For most of us, we define ‘answer’ as God giving us exactly what we ask for, as if He’s a genie in a bottle who grants wishes if those wishes are in His will.  That’s not how prayer works, and that’s not how God’s will works.  The Scriptures say, ‘If you come near to God, He will come near to you.’ (James 4:4)  They also say, ‘Ask, and it will be given to you.  Seek, and you will find.  Knock, and the door will be opened to you.’ (Matt 7:7)

Whenever you talk to God in prayer, He answers.  He hears you, and He answers.  He doesn’t ignore you.  He doesn’t respond with silence.  He answers.

Like all conversations, when you ask God a question, He could answer with any number of responses.  He could be saying ‘yes.’  He could say ‘no.’  He could say ‘not now.’  Or He could respond by saying yes, but you’ll have to do this and that to receive what you’re looking for.  He could want to talk to you about it for a while so that you understand what you’re really asking for.  He could want something different for you, but is willing to listen if you’d keep praying (Luke 18 – the persistent widow).

The point is, God always answers prayer.  You can trust that whenever you pray, He’s listening.  The picture of God in the Scriptures is of a God who relentlessly pursues His people.  Of course He’s there when we turn to Him in prayer.

“Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.” Matthew 21:21

“A big (prayer) is simultaneously the best feeling and the worst feeling in the world.  It’s exhilarating because it’s beyond your ability; it’s frightening for the same exact reason.” – Mark Batterson

What prayer is too big for you today?  What dream is just out of reach?

Sometimes renewal seems impossible because we know we can’t achieve it on our own.  That’s why we pray.  We pray to honor our dependence upon God.  In praying, we say to Him, ‘I need you.’  In prayer, we say to ourselves, ‘God is who I need.’  If you don’t feel adequate, that’s okay; you’re supposed to need God.  And if it’s beyond your ability, that’s perfect; God created us to depend on Him.  Embrace the tension of possibility and anxiety.  Dream big, pray bigger, and be expectant that God will move.

“Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”  James 5:13-16

God has given us a 1-step strategy for connecting with Him: pray.

Too many of us fail to pray.  We want change, we just don’t ask for it.  We hope for renewal, but we never talk to God about it.  We’re sick and tired of the circumstances of our lives, but we never partner with other people to cry out to God in prayer.

This second week of our 21 Days of Renewal will be focused on prayer.  Each day, our updates will be all about prayer.  And our initiation to you is to pray.  Pray before you start your day.  Pray on your way to work.  Pray before that big appointment or class.  Pray when you’re enjoying the sunshine.  Pray with friends.  Pray with your family.  Whenever, whatever, however…pray.

And as you pray, expect the unexpected.  Be open to holy surprises.  Be ready to be perplexed and encouraged.  God is more powerful than you think He is.  He is more interested than you originally thought.  And He might be just a single prayer away from showing up in your life in an unprecedented way.

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thes 5:18

Yesterday, I spent some time praying with Nikki.  Our entire prayer was a prayer of Thanksgiving.  We didn’t ask God for anything.  We didn’t intercede for other people.  We didn’t unload any of our worries.  No, our prayer was simply a statement of what we’re thankful for.  It may have been the most transforming prayer I’ve prayed in months.

I encourage all of you to take some time today to pause, reflect on what you’re thankful for, and offer God some of your time by saying ‘Thank You’ to Him.

-Kevin

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

IF     [if] conjunction
a. in the event that
b. allowing that
c. on the assumption that
d. on condition that

THEN    ['then] adverb
a. at that time
b. soon after that
c. in that case

IF you:

• humble yourself
• pray
• seek God
• turn from sin

THEN God WILL:

• hear you
• forgive you
• heal you

It’s simple: If you want God to hear you, humble yourself & pray.  If you want God to forgive & heal you, turn from your sin & receive His love.

“Deep calls out to deep.”  Psalm 42:7

Did you take time yesterday to identify what God might want to renew in you?  If you did, be honest right now, how real were you with God?  Did you make a list of everyday kind of things, or did you bare it all before the Lord and invite Him to bring renewal to the deepest recesses of your heart?

Why hold back?  

God wants to renew the brokenness in our lives more than we want to fix it.  We have to believe that.  Unprecedented renewal calls for unprecedented honesty and vulnerability before God.  This is, in part, why the 21 days of Renewal campaign includes connecting with somebody else.  Our hope is that connecting with another person will encourage you to share more of yourself than simple reflection could offer.  Resist the urge to superficially ask God for renewal.  Offer, instead, your deepest concerns to God, and see what happens.

Oh, that we’d invite God into the impossible situations we find ourselves in.

God, pour out your Spirit and bring healing, courage, and renewal as we seek You.

“Where there is no vision, the people perish, but blessed are those who follow the Lord.” Proverbs 29:18

21 Days of Renewal begins today!  As we start this journey together, I encourage you to take time today and identify where you need renewal the most.  Write it down; circle it.  That way, each day when you wake up, you’ll know what you’re seeking God for. It’s okay too if you don’t know.  If that’s the case, pray for direction and ask for a listening heart.

Here are 2 questions I’m asking today as we begin: (1) What does God want to renew in me (or through me) in the next 3 weeks?  (2) What needs to change in my daily life to better join God in what He is doing?

May the next 21 days be a time of unprecedented renewal.

Resurrection was impossible…until it happened.

There are things in our lives we deem impossible; these things are as good as dead to us.  But what if they could be resurrected?  What if, even now, God could bring renewal to the brokenness of your life?

Listen as Kevin gives an Easter message: ‘Even Now’ from John 11.

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