Sometimes... A Prayer Narrative

Following the pandemic shutdown, the number of people returning to the church building in person for worship has dropped significantly. At least in mine and other mainline faith communities I know about. People have become complacent, dare I say lazy, and prefer to have Zoom turned on, cameras turned off, so that they can stay in their bed clothes to 'attend' worship service. This is not secret information nor privileged secrets - folks have talked about these gaps over social media pages for a while. Persons who must have forgotten about how God wants to be worshiped - compare Exodus 19:9-11,17 and Nehemiah 8:1-8; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 11:17-22; Ephesians 5:18-20; Hebrews 10:25. We praise God that He had made available the telecommunications that allowed us to worship remotely when everything was shutdown and person-to-person contact was dangerous. We did not have to 'skip a beat' in our worship. However, that was not to be a permanent situation; that situation has been suspended. 

And here we are. Kind of like the African Americans in remote places of the south who did not know that the Civil War had ended and slavery abolished - they believed that the status quo was to be the status quo forever. That slavery would never end. Some believed they were still slaves even throughout the remainder of the 19th century. That's the locked mindset of some professing Christians. 'I'm used to being a remote 'worshiper' having only myself to deal with. Getting washed up, dressed and traveling to a building is not necessary in order to worship.' Worshiping in person has become more of 'I'll worship when I get there - if I choose to come. Who knows? Zoom is so easy - all I have to do is click some keys and 'I'm in'. 

Not only has in-person worship become distasteful, Bible study has become less of a priority so that it is no longer on the menu for too many persons who profess to follow Christ. There is no longer the appetite for it to the extent it once was. I'm not talking the kind of Bible study that is lecture-driven and that are one-way orally so all you do is sit back and maybe look up a scripture during the talk or view it on the mag screen. Or online studies where you are the only participant - where there is no 'iron sharpening iron'. Nor am I talking about personal study and Bible reading time which are essential daily disciplines. These are commendable for the purpose they serve, but is not the same as small group Bible study. I'm talking about members of a faith community coming together with Bibles open and discussing together what the Spirit wants us to learn during that session. Some churches are able to do a hybrid type of group Bible study so that some meet in person and also accommodate via Zoom members who cannot drive, who may be using their work break to participate, are at home with their young ones and might be able to listen and engage in discussion a little at a time, etc. Other churches may do Bible study solely on Zoom where vibrant discussions take place.  Many church leaders have sought ways to engage their members in this vital spiritual discipline through as many practical means that are available, and yet, participation has either decline or has become almost nonexistent. I may be out of line, but I have to ask myself, how can we legitimately refer to ourselves as followers of Christ, if we do not study the scriptures together? How will we come to a knowledge of the truth? When a person of 50 has attended church services for all of his or her life, and is unable to grasp who the "Let us" of "Let us create mankind in our image" is - which is fundamental/foundational truth, how has such a person been using their Bible? Is it truly an open book, a place to seek God and determine His will, or is it on the shelf? What has happened to the desire to see the treasure God has given us in His Word, to taste and see the goodness of God throughout His Word? Do we even consider it to be God's Word, to even consider that it is meaningful for all who consider themselves human, created in God's image? Christ values every utterance from the mouth of the Father, so much so that He is called The Word! That He is the wisdom that we are to seek in scripture. He shared scripture amongst His disciples in an interactive way all during his ministry. Sometimes, it seems that we have recreated worship to please ourselves so that it is just enough 'Christian' in it to get by. What god does a person with that mindset serve? When will a person who belittles the gift of God's Word realize that with such distaste, how can you be saved? What would you even be saved for if worshiping God in the way He wants to be worshiped has no appeal for you?

'Thus saith the Lord:'  (Hebrews 2:1-4)   1)Therefore we must pay greater attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2)For if the message declared through angels proved valid, and every transgression or disobedience received a just penalty, 3)how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? It was declared at first through the Lord, and it was confirmed for us by those who heard him, 4)while God added his testimony by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, distributed according to his will. 

Sometimes, only a very small percentage of a congregation may gather for Bible study. Where are those who bend the knee to commune at the Lord's Table, for it is the same Word who commanded the observance of this New Covenant? I ask God will it always be this way? Am I doing enough to engage others? Please tell me what more I should be doing! [I want to say to those who give the excuse - "well, I don't want to seem ignorant because I don't know all the answers and embarrass myself! So maybe later." -- I want to ask them, "Be sure to rehearse that excuse convincingly well, because Judge Jesus is coming soon and He will be asking."] 

But a recent small group study completed, and after the closing prayer, the picture that came to my mind was Abraham speaking to God, who was angry with the people of Sodom and Gomorrah: "How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very grave their sin!" and who was poised to destroy completely every human in those places. Read the account in Genesis 18:22-33 in your own Bible. Abraham began to plead with God because his nephew Lot and his family lived in that wicked place. Lot would go to the gate - which in those times was like the convening place for conferring with the leaders of the city or town and where they held their town meetings. In that way, he figured he had bought time or some kind of favor to be relieved of any unwanted assault or attention, for the people were aggressive with their sexual immorality and lusted with heat - seeing any and everyone as someone to be joined with regardless of gender or species. Lot thought that he had made peace enough with the people so that they would not prevail against his family. The money and illusion of power and importance Lot enjoyed took precedent over hating the very thing that God hated, and instead, deluding himself into justifying his continued presence in that wicked and evil city was not an issue for him.

And Abraham, some distance away, knowing that God was going to wipe out completely both cities, kept asking God these 'what if' questions: what if like 50 people might be righteous in the city, will you still destroy everyone--what if forty-five are in the city, will you still destroy everyone--what if, what if, what if, and Abraham, sensing that he's walking a thin line here, stops at what if ten - hoping that would cover Lot's situation. I was thinking, what if, Lord, our study group was only 30 people, would you still show us your favor and blessing? What if there were only twenty-five of us, would you still show us your favor and blessing? What if, what if, what if, what if, what if there are only 4 of us studying your Word together regularly, would you still show our congregation favor and blessing?  

Lord, not only am I praying for the 100, or the 30, or the 4, but Lord I am asking you to please send more laborers into this harvest, persons who believe Bible study is a vehicle to open our minds, hearts to the revelation of You, to knowing You, to growing closer to You, to living in this wicked world and yet not being of the world, that it is within your Word the stuff to teach us to pray and to shape and inform our prayers so that they will be in alignment with your will, to understand your will for each of us? I should be praying, What if our congregation could be a congregation that studied your Word zealously and applied it? What would our congregation look like?  What if we choose not to neglect so great a salvation, so great because your only Son was hanged on a cross to make a way for us to know you, to commune with you, to worship you and serve you and each other? What would our congregation look like then? What if we obeyed Christ's commandments - for which we must open His Word to find - with our whole hearts, minds and souls - what would our church community look like? What could we accomplish in our surrounding neighborhoods? What gifts could we employ that You have or would graciously be giving us to use to your glory and to serve others which will bring people to Christ? 

Sometimes, I wonder what if and pray, like now, to see such faith in action before I leave this earth, to see more congregations become on fire for Christ and what He would have us do. That we would be the community of love, that we would enjoy learning more and more about our Lord so that we can effectively lead our households to become lovers of righteousness? Lord, what if we prayed your Word together regularly? What if what we do daily will cause you to say, 'Well done, good and faithful servant'? 

Why would you let us build a house for you if we are not worshiping you now in the way you would have us do? If we fail, would You not be justified to take that house from us and give it to those who have a zeal for you and who sacrificially serve you daily? 

Father, I beseech your mercy, I offer up confession that we have forsaken what identified us as your children. Like the prodigal, we left well dressed, full of life, eager to be independent. We are now in tatters, unsure of where we are in your plan, unsure of our ability to do anything, and with our faces pressed into the mire. If it is what it would take, please chastise us, also, so that we can be shocked back into spiritual sanity and return to you without question, without hesitation. Lord, for the sake of your name and in the power of the Holy Spirit may He saturate us in awareness of what we must do now, rather than choosing to wait "for just the right time, sometime." Today is the day of salvation, now is the time to return. Praying for that miracle, Lord, praying and trusting that our sometime has come to fullness and our what ifs into faith in action. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Special Mid-Summer Bible Conversation on Hard Sayings in the Bible (Reserve Question C - Blessed Virgin Mary)

 

Reserve question C –The Blessed Virgin Mary: we know that, in order for God’s salvific plan to be accomplished, Jesus could not have been born through human reproduction; a virgin was chosen to carry His human life in her womb. The virgin, of course, was Mary; however, did she remain a virgin after Jesus’ birth? Even though she is venerated by a number of denominations, is it appropriate to pray to her or “through” her? (Luke 1:26-56)  Some denominations say yes, however, scripture tells us that Jesus had brothers and sisters. Read Matthew 12:46-50. One of Jesus’ brothers, James, is credited with writing the epistle James. The Roman Catholic tradition says about Mary's "Perpetual Virginity: Mary was a virgin before, during, and after the birth of Jesus. This is a blatant contradiction of scripture. They perceive her to be a "co-redemptrix" with Jesus, implying that Jesus was not enough to save, that Mary was obliged to coordinate and cooperate with Jesus in the role of salvation. Tradition also says that Mary had no other children - only Jesus. Yet, there are some in Roman Catholic leadership who are contesting that view, because they opened their Bibles and read it for themselves. Still, they are contesting minimally, or silently in some cases. 

As far as praying through her, see 1 Timothy 2:5-6. There is only ONE mediator between God and man, and it is not Mary. Even though she was blessed to be used for a divine purpose, she was not perfect and therefore could not fulfill the role of a mediator for sins or for a prayer stand-in. The Roman Catholic tradition teaches, however, that when the angel Gabriel asked her about bearing God's Son, that at the moment of her consent, she was made perfect, that the "stain" of sin was removed. And that her consent/assent to be used by God obliged her to remain a virgin all of her life. 

Then why was Joseph even in the picture??? 

Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health, Question 7

 “Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health,” Donald S. Whitney. 2001. NavPress.*

Question 7:  Are the Spiritual Disciplines Increasingly Important to You? (excerpts and highlights from Chapter 7; also, excerpts from “5 Things Every Christian Needs to Grow,” R. C. Sproul. 2008. Reformation Trust Publishing)  “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands”, 2 Timothy 1:6

Dr. Whitney’s book, in chapter 7, begins with how to build a wood fire and sustain it. He uses this metaphor in a way similar to the apostle Paul’s inspired language in 2 Timothy 1:6, Paul’s admonition to Timothy to rekindle the faith flame in him.  Dr. Whitney ends his introduction to the chapter with the following: “Nothing contributes to the growth of spiritual ‘heat and light’ more than the persevering practice of the Christian spiritual disciplines. The disciplines are the bellows and the iron poker – tools in God’s hands through which He stokes and blows upon the eternal fire He Himself ignites in His people.” He states that the spiritual disciplines are biblical, God-given and grounded in His Word; the Holy Spirit who authored the Bible works through the disciplines in ways unique to each believer. And that the spiritual disciplines in God’s Word are sufficient, requiring no ceremony, rite, ritual, religious habit or spiritual exercise. Nothing but God’s Spirit can create the environment Christians need as they pursue Christ’s holiness.

In this chapter, Dr. Whitney identifies the disciplines as devotional and sanctifying practices, e.g., prayer, fasting, solitude, private reading of and meditation on Scripture, as well as corporate worship. He adds a couple of pertinent points: the disciplines are practices, not attitudes, that engaging in the Christian disciplines is more than piety. The purpose is to use the disciplines as an instrument for pursuing a deeper communion and intimacy with Christ. To "add some meat to those bones", the fundamental premise Dr. Whitney provides, I have included in this paper the five spiritual disciplines iterated by Dr. R. C. Sproul in his book, “5 Things Christians Need to Grow,” to give believers substantive learning of what the spiritual disciplines are. The quotes and highlights from Dr. Sproul’s book are just that – they are not the full-on detail that the St. Christopher’s Tuesday evening Bible Study Group had the privilege of studying using Dr. Sproul’s book as a guide. (To obtain your copy, see above information in the introductory paragraph and purchase from Amazon or your favorite bookstore.) The five disciplines are Bible study, prayer, worship, service, and stewardship.

Bible Study. Dr. Sproul opens this first chapter by recalling for the believer the sin of one of the most highly favored kings of Israel – King David. When David is confronted with his offense, he recognizes that his adultery and murder were - primarily and in the utmost - sins against God. David expresses his grief in Psalm 51 – a familiar passage visited and recited during Lent. Comparing this Psalm to Psalm 1, we see a different picture of David; likewise in Psalm 119 – images of a devoted worshiper and lover of God’s Word. David’s break with God through his sin thrust him into a depression and lack of joy. Like David, we can allow our feelings to trump God’s Word, deceiving ourselves that such action will bring a joy, but it is short-lived. Because God loves us, He will not let us languish in our sin. 

The power of God’s Word is extraordinary, as Hebrews 4:12-13 also tells us – it is the Spirit’s tool that allows us to discern God’s will and reveal what is in our hearts; it is God’s voice to us. In it we hear the need for God’s grace and mercy; He wants the best for us. The Master Handbook, the Bible, reveals God’s character and acts as a light to guide us to growing intimacy with Him. When viewed from that perspective, our response must be to bow before God and seek forgiveness and His presence.

Immersing ourselves in the Bible -- not just as a goal to rush through the Bible in a year so as to check off a box – rather, we do so to gain the mind of Christ, to learn what discipleship is. Dr. Sproul uses 2 Timothy 3 to undergird that statement. Just as Paul wrote to Timothy in the first century AD, we, too, in our 21st century world and cultures, are exhorted to “continue in the things (of truth) which we have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,” knowing truth of Scripture -- not trying to piecemeal it through “hearsay”. Are we being strengthened in faith and in our walk with God by the study and application of God’s Word, or are we satisfied with head knowledge and the ability to quote scripture with the skill of the devil, while being detached from its application? (Matthew 4:5-6) Do we profit from our study of the Word to be able to comprehend Biblical doctrine, to be corrected by the Word in our thoughts and behavior and practicing repentance, to learn righteousness and holiness? (2 Timothy 3:15-17) Do we participate in a worship community’s teaching ministry regularly? (Ephesians 4:11-12) Do we hold scholarship and academic criticism of God’s Word above the Bible? (Matthew 5:17-19; 1 Thessalonians 2:13) Are we reading and meditating on the entire Bible, harking back to 2 Timothy 3:15-17? Are we growing in trust of God’s Word? (Psalm 119:42) Do we have in our Bible study arsenal a study Bible, a concordance, and similar resources?

Prayer. Well, that seems like a no-brainer, one might say. But, what informs and shapes our prayers? Is our focus “what God can do for us?” Why should we pray?

• It is our duty. We are called to be a people of prayer. Dr. Sproul’s book refers to explicit Scriptures: Romans 12:12; Philippians 4:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:17 – to name a few. Jesus gave a parable recorded at Luke 18:1-6 as admonition of what we ought to do, i.e., it is an ethical and moral necessity – a solemn duty we are to perform. Prayer is conversation (two-way) with God, as we come before His throne in all humbleness. (Hebrews 4:16)
  
  
•  It is a privilege. Prayer is instituted by God and gifted to His people as a privilege not to be taken lightly. In God’s Word, our relationship with the Father is like a marriage, where both persons are “one,” not just signifying a communion or intimacy with God, but also agreeing with God’s Word to us, which is what our “Amen” conveys. God will not hear the prayers of willful sinners and nonbelievers. (Isaiah 58:3-5) Jesus was asked by His disciples how to pray and he taught them. We benefit even today by their inquisitiveness.  
  
  
• It is a means. Prayer is a means God uses to bring about His intended “ends” and redemption; God uses our prayers as His instruments to bring about His will. We pray to change us, not God! Thus, our prayers informed by Scripture change things. (James 5:13-18) God answers prayers of those who seek His truth. (Acts 10) Prayer is effective most often when offered in “the Spirit” – praying God’s Word, being in unity with God’s will. (Ephesians 6:18-20) We often hear the expression, "the power of prayer;" it is often said in a way that makes it sound like rubbing an oil lamp and waiting for God to appear and give us what we want. As if "prayer" is an entity all unto itself. The truth is this: Prayer’s power is based in and tied to relationship with God; without that relationship, or a heartfelt desire to have one, a prayer has little power. (refer to Isaiah 58 above) Prayer, in tandem with the meditation on God’s Word, increases our trust in God multifold. (Mark 11:24; 1 John 5:14) Using the Lord’s Prayer as a pattern, some use this structure acronymically: ACTS – Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication – where God is praised and honored foremost.

Worship. The essence and foundation of worship is obedience. Worship is initiated by God; God determines what worship of Him is to look like. After God had given Moses a lengthy description of how He wanted to be worshiped by His people - instruction that was passed on to the people, two sons of Aaron chose to worship God in their own way, to their own liking, despite God’s warnings. (Leviticus 10:1-3) 

God takes worship seriously. In this world of “entitlement”, even some in the Church have adopted that line of reasoning, interpreting in favor of themselves what pleases God. That attitude violates the first Commandment: You shall have no other gods before me (in My presence). (Exodus 20:2-3) That Commandment is still in force, per Jesus’ words in Matthew 5 as noted above. God created us, and all creation, to bow before Him in obedience and worship. (Romans 1:19-23; Psalm 66:4; Psalm 148; Psalm 150 (these are great prayer starters by the way!)) 

Worship is not restricted to a building or location, nor a particular place on earth. When speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus responds to her presumption that worship is either on Mount Gerizim in Samaria, or in Jerusalem. He answers her presumption regarding where God is to worshiped: neither on that mountain nor in Jerusalem, but in Spirit and Truth. He clearly notes that worship is not restricted to a “where”, but rather through a “who” – in Spirit and truth. Spirit has no boundary, no geographic location; i.e., God is not confined to a geographic location or building. We must worship God in spirit – in harmony with the Holy Spirit, with our hearts fully engaged and our desires in agreement with Him; we must worship in truth, not our truth but His Truth, by His ordinance and designation in His Word. 

What does it mean to engage with the Holy Spirit? In a recent sermon at my church, the Pastor spoke to that encounter between Jesus and the woman of Samaria. The “living water” Jesus cites is metaphor for the Holy Spirit and His active work in us. She ruminated in her talk about how long one can go without water before its lack began to have detrimental effects on the body; continuing Jesus reference to the Spirit’s aliveness, His work in our lives, the intricacies of being indwelt by God the Holy Spirit – should we resist His work and/or ignore His work in us? If we do, the Holy Spirit will not force us to worship or force us to obey, and will be quiet, in grief, rather than enlivening, refreshing. We spiritually become like a blocked stream where the water has stagnated and has begun to slowly evaporate. If you have ever seen a stagnate puddle or pool where the water has evaporated, you may see a 'shadow' outline of where the water once was. So it goes when we resist the work of and refuse to heed the Spirit's call and prompting - allowing our Bible to gather dust. How long can a Christian go without the active life power and refreshing of the Holy Spirit in our lives? Consider what the consequences will look like and feel like.

We are to prepare ourselves for worship. As we worship individually, we come before God in prayer, praising Him and offering Him thanksgivings, confessing our sins. Inculcating Scripture and understanding from God. In our daily walk we demonstrate our worship by obedience to Him -- which is the foundation and essence of worship, and doing all things to His glory. We are also called to come together corporately to worship, as instructed in Hebrews 10:24-25.

In the liturgies of some churches, there is a rationale for the “order of worship.” We pray and praise God; we open our hearts, minds and spirits to hear the “cleansing” Word of God read to us and are to contemplate on that Word; that Word of God is then to be exposited by the preacher who has prayed for God to put His words in their mouth so that what is heard is coming from God. We worship in obedience, are instructed in the Word, and we confess our sins. We make peace with our brothers and sisters, then give our gifts to God in grateful thanksgiving cheerfully, as we approach His throne of grace to engage in sweet communion with Him through the remembrance of the Lord’s Supper. Our words and hearts are filled with praise and adoration, in prayers and supplications, as we bow before Him in humble obedience. Do we gather regularly with our local worship community? Do we desire such gathering? Does our daily walk, activity, attitudes, behavior reflect our daily walk of worship of God? Is the majority of our worship spent only inside a church building? Is our worship bearing fruit?

Service. What does the Bible say about service? The best examples are found in Jesus. In addition to serving His Father by willingly submitting Himself as a sacrifice to open the means for restoration of the world with God, there are other ways that Jesus served others; He did not come to be served, but to serve. Part of that service was giving healing to many; the work was almost nonstop at certain times; He could feel the power leave Him, and in His humanity, the magnitude of His service often left Him quite tired! Jesus served the needs of His disciples so that they may accompany Him in His missionary work. In John 13, Jesus humbly cleans their feet, assuming the role of a slave, to teach them the necessity of how to serve one another with humility. Members of the early Church were inspired to serve one another to ensure that all needs were met. So that the Church could function as a community of oneness, God instituted a structure for corporate worship and life by creating servant leadership roles and servanthood opportunities in differing ministries within the Church. (Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Corinthians 12:1-18; Acts 6:1-6) Ministerial, or as they are often called, “spiritual” gifts, have been given to all believers indwelt by the Spirit so that the work of the Kingdom may be carried out effectively. When persons choose to not use their gifts for whatever reason, there is a diminishment of effectiveness both seen and felt, and the congregation suffers from that imbalance and neglect. When we are not serving others as Jesus served, our worship may not be pleasing to God.[i] Service, for some, may be demonstrated in their vocation: some enter the broad field of healing; others may serve as caretakers for persons unable to do for themselves; may serve in the military or in the local police departments; may serve as grocery store workers, mechanics and technicians; in industries that support the environment; in the farming industry, in hospitality services, as educators, and the list goes on; always working as to the Lord! Find God’s purpose for you.

Stewardship. Often when a local church talks about "stewardship," it is during a campaign or other event to encourage financial giving to the local church. That is but a small though vital aspect of what Christian stewardship is. As we look at the disciplines God has given us, can we agree that these all fall under the broad heading of stewardship? 

We are given stewardship of our . As Peter is inspired to write in his first letter, all Christians are called to be “stewards of the manifold grace of God.” Think. soberly. about the depth of that imperative. Even the word used here, manifold, just barely touches the edge of what God's grace is. How broad and how deep is God’s grace? Immeasurable. Yet God has given each of us grace in proper measure [ii] so that His Kingdom will increase in its earthly manifestation.

We have been made stewards of creation – how are we doing with that? Taking a look at the crises caused by climate change and global warming, we have to give ourselves as the human race an F-minus. While Jesus in his famous Mt. Olivet discourse recorded in the Gospels about the last days foretold the onslaught of what we are experiencing now in climate swings, melting polar caps, disappearing animal species, daily earthquakes, and polluted air and waters, and so forth, making that connection requires knowing Scripture and discerning the times. 

We have already noted how the early Church handled matters of stewardship. But let us revisit the financial support for a moment. Such support was instituted for the people of God by God in the form of a tithe of income and/or harvest[iii] (it was already a common practice in the region of Canaan). Under the sacrificial system of worship established by God, every family, during various “feasts” in the year, would take the first fruits of their harvests, or one-tenth of their harvests, livestock, and other designated items to give to God to support the service of the priesthood, as affirmation that they owe God their lives, to confess their reliance on God, as an expression of thanks to God in all humility. God chose the Levite priesthood for Himself and the nation was to support the work of the priests at the Tabernacle, and later, the Temple. As obedient children to a Father, God would supply and increase their yields to make such giving not burdensome. The Church would also practice the tithing of income/goods, which may also include service of some kind. So, like that, the work of forwarding the Kingdom message would not be hampered, and the needs of the worship community and the greater community met. When it is possible and/or hearts are committed to the Kingdom and God’s people, Christians will give beyond the tithe to support a special project or need.

 

Armed now with such vital information, what shall we do? Are we eager to add these disciplines to our lives? When this life is over, will we just be satisfied with “squeezing” through Heaven’s gate, or will our hearts long to hear the amazing words, “Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; come, enter the joy of your Master.”

*The foregoing represents my personal reflections on a study by Dr. Donald S. Whitney, Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health. (2001. By Donald S. Whitney. NAVPRESS. ISBN 978-1-61747-187-2) Quotations and excerpts are from that source, unless otherwise identified. For the 2023 Lenten season I provided these thoughts to my local congregation's Bible study group. The questions are not, however, constrained by a particular liturgical season, holiday, or age group: these are questions every Christian may find useful in fulfilling God's command at 2 Corinthians 13:5, "Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless, indeed, you fail to meet the test!" The church at Corinth looked a lot like many of our churches today.

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[i] In this context, worship and service is not just what we do inside a building. Jesus wants us to worship corporately, yes, however, what happens next? Where is the most important worship taking place? Outside the walls of the church building in our daily walk. One church calls it, “the mission field” of self and community. See also Ezekiel 3:16-21.

[ii] Also see Ephesians 4:7.

[iii] Several references are in Exodus and Leviticus. Search in a program such as Biblegateway for one-tenth or tithe.

Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health: Question 4 – Are You More Sensitive to God’s Presence?

 

Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health,
Question 4 – Are You More Sensitive to God’s Presence? (excerpts and highlights from Chapter 4 of Dr. Whitney's book)*

The author begins the chapter asking, “When was the last time you thought, ‘God is here’?” He then lists possible circumstances or places where this might have been the case, including: during an unusually Spirit-anointed preaching of Holy Scripture; during passionate prayer with God’s people; reveling in God’s magnificent works of Creation; during a time of solitude while walking in a quiet place that was calming and peaceful; during an emotionally-charged moment (e.g., a split-second, adrenaline-rushed deliverance from an automobile accident); while watching in awe at your newborn sleeping; during an especially moving exultation of praise and worship to and before the Lord – times when God’s presence is almost atmospheric.

He then follows this with the question: “how often are you aware of the presence of God?” He offers that through careful consideration of Bible teaching and in growing closer to God, we should be able to discern His inborn presence more readily and more often. The author quotes the Barna Group survey results that show a surprisingly low percentage or no percentage of professing Christians can attest to being aware of God’s presence. He concludes that what results from a true Christian’s dullness to God’s presence may mean that the person is thinking less often of God, His Word, and His will.

Some scriptural references:

-        Proverbs 15:3 – do we believe that “the eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good”

-        Exodus 2:12 – passage that speaks of a young Moses who believed that he could murder someone without anyone’s knowledge. 

The author says: “’No matter what we do not see, we must never forget the One whose presence is unseen yet more real than any other.’ Living apart from a conscious sense that the Lord is present is to live as though God really is not there… relationship with God is reduced to mere religion.”

Discerning God’s Presence

-        The universal presence of God, or God’s omnipresence. -Psalm 139:5-12 and Jeremiah 23:24. Some religions teach, and some Christians believe, that since God is everywhere, then it must mean that God is “everything”. Scripture does not support that teaching. It does not teach that God is "in" animals or in their spirits! God’s omnipresence places Him outside of what we call time and matter. If God is everything as some teach and believe, then we would be compelled to worship that ‘thing’. Which would be out of harmony and conflict with God’s own solemn warnings not to worship anything created. (compare Exodus 20:3-5; Isaiah 46:5) God’s universal presence surrounds us. (Acts 17:28) In truth, God must first reveal Himself to us; He has generally done so through creation. (Romans 1:20) He more specifically does so through His Word in two ways: through the incarnate Word, Jesus Christ, and the written Word, the Bible.

-        The Christological presence of God. God was and is present in Jesus Christ. (John 1:1,14; Colossians 2:9). Jesus is Immanuel, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)

-        The indwelling presence of God. God is present by His Holy Spirit in a unique way within Christians. He is a second, distinct Person living with us in our bodies. (John 14:16-17; Galatians2:20; Romans 8:5,9-11,15-17)

-        The perceptible presence of God. God’s presence is often perceived through His work or influence in situations and persons so powerfully that only God can be its author. (Luke 1:66; Acts11:21) It is through the Incarnate Word and Holy Scripture that our experience with God, including our perception of His presence, is mediated or conveyed. Some professing Christians and some theologians have believed that God can be perceived through so called Christian mysticism – which is false teaching. The essence of that belief is that one would attempt to experience God without the means God has provided. Such persons say that they just “open up” to the presence of God – conjuring up a cosmic experience, or practice a deep “looking into one’s soul” to meet up with the indwelling presence of God; to imagine Him sitting with you. As “spiritual” as this may sound, this is opposite what God teaches in His Word. He tells us that (1) we must seek Him through His Word; (2) seek Him through experiences that are founded on His Word; (3) seek Him through daily life in ways that are informed by His Word. (1 Chronicles16:11; Psalm 25:4,14; 27:4,8) The true Christian will pursue and perceive the presence of God, mediated or conveyed through God’s revelation of Himself in the Bible; He has done so in every way that can be understood by humans through His Holy Word and His Son. (compare Hebrews 1:1-3). Our experience with God cannot be limited to just knowing of His existence and referring to Him as “God” – even the demons can do that. (James 2:19) Rather, we are to become acquainted with Him intimately, through His Word and prayer. We come to know His character; He is not merely present – He is holy! We will come to realize that He is not only merciful – He desires to have us talk with Him. We learn that He knows our thoughts and words even before it begins to take shape in our brains and appears on our lips. (Psalm 139:3-5) He knows our fears, our motivations, our desires, our aspirations, our emotions, our anxieties, our mental and physical condition, and still loves us beyond comprehension. The author notes that if God seems imperceptible – if we are not able to sense His presence – we who have inculcated His Word must stop and meditate on His Word about His omnipresence, His indwelling, His character, His deeds, His holiness and become drawn by God into the reality of His presence in so doing. (compare Matthew 27:46; Psalm 77; Psalm 119:1-18)

-        The heavenly presence of God. God’s presence is manifest in heaven as in no other place. It is the presence of God that makes it "heaven". His glory and splendor are displayed there as nowhere else. (Matthew 6:9;18:10; Isaiah 6:1-5; 2 Samuel 22:14; Psalm29; 33:6; Acts 17:24))

-        The eternal presence of God. God’s presence will be forever enjoyed in heaven, or forever forfeited in hell, as the author notes. In heaven, His presence characterized by His glory that imprints on those surrounding His throne, His lovingkindness, righteousness, and amazing love – among other attributes will be fully experienced by those who eternally live with Him. Those who forfeit God’s presence - rejecting God, a road that leads to a forever death -- their experience of God in hell will only be wrath and judgment – no love, no mercy. (Revelation 21:3; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Matthew 25:31-46; John 14:1-3)

All access to God is through Jesus Christ; no one comes to the Father except through Jesus – He is the only way (John 14:6). 1 Timothy 2:5 further notes that “there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ.” The author notes that to discern the presence of God, one must first be “Immanuelized” - a person can’t reliably recognize the presence of “God with us” until he or she experiences “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians1:27) And to know the indwelling presence of Christ, one must first, in Jesus’ words, “Repent, and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15)

Opening our Spiritual Eyes to His Presence – Practical Steps

-        Go often to the place where God has revealed Himself most clearly – the Bible. Martin Lloyd-Jones, a Welsh Protestant minister of the 20^th century notes: “The more we know the Bible and read it, the more it will take us into the presence of God. So if you want to set the Lord always before you, spend much of your time with regular daily reading of the Bible.” This will involve meditation on a part of the passage  - absorb it, linger over it until it percolates the soil of our soul, and listen long enough until we hear it for what it is – the voice of God.

-        Acknowledge His presence with you by talking with Him. The author states that when a person’s prayer life is decaying by silence, is it any wonder that he or she feels unaware of the nearness of God? He is very real and very present. The author further reminds the reader of the privilege and meaningfulness of praying through a passage of Scripture, e.g., one of the Psalms or whatever passage one may be guided to by the Spirit. Letting the words that originated in the heart and mind of God Himself become the vehicle to carry the burdens of our heart and mind back to God.

-        Seek Him in the manifestations of His presence given only in congregational worship. We are commanded by God to meet together corporately for worship; it’s not just a ‘blank’ command for the sake of commanding, but it is for our benefit because in such a gathering a release of God’s Spirit in a special way that allows us to corporately experience the presence of God shall occur. (Hebrews 10:21-25; Acts 2:1-3,17-18,43-47; Acts 9:31; Ephesians 5:18-20; 2 Timothy 4:1-5) In a true church, where the Word of God is preached, God’s Son is presented in the Lord’s Supper. His Spirit seeks to minister to us through many and diverse gifts He has bestowed on God’s people. Without the members of the congregation present, it diminishes what we were created to do and we are deprived of critical opportunities to sense God’s presence. It is like a missing chromosome in a person causing a gap in their development.

-        Continually reaffirm the truth that He is omnipresent. Ruminate on Jesus’ words at Mathew 28:20 – “I am with you always.” The Lord is with us even when we don’t sense His presence; we must, though, reaffirm that this is true as we have a tendency to forget, or if we are not feeling it to be true, when it seems He is far away and is not watching us. (Psalm 34:15) Faith responds in the truth, “God is here. He has promised He would never leave me nor forsake me. Whether I sense His presence or not, the truth is that God is here with me now as at any moment in my life. I will believe the truth.” (John 10:27-29; Hebrews 13:5; Romans8:31-39). The author uses an exercise where he asks the reader to look around for a moment and notice everything in our sight that is blue. After we have sought out those things – you will be surprised at how many you may identify – we could say that we developed ‘blue’ eyes, i.e., eyes sensitive to the things around us that are blue. Similarly, we need to develop “God eyes” he says. We need to develop the sensitivity to see evidence of what we know to be true, i.e., God is with us. In our everyday activities, remind ourselves – even out loud – that “the Lord is here.” Pumping gas, grocery shopping, waiting for a bus or train, teaching in a classroom, working in your cubicle at your office, cooking a meal, bathing an infant, attending school classes, sitting in traffic – remind ourselves that the Lord is present. Practice that often. Doing so trains our minds and hearts towards awareness of God’s presence; we become more and more like Jesus who always recognized His Father’s presence.

The author closes with this prayer from A. W. Tozer:

Our Father, we know that Thou art present with us, but our knowledge is but a figure and shadow of truth, and has little of the spiritual savor and inward sweetness such knowledge should afford. This is for us a great loss and the cause of much weakness of heart. Help us to make at once such amendment of life as is necessary before we can experience the true meaning of the words, “In thy presence is fullness of joy.” Amen.

 

*The foregoing represents my personal reflections on a study by Dr. Donald S. Whitney, Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health. (2001. By Donald S. Whitney. NAVPRESS. ISBN 978-1-61747-187-2) Quotations and excerpts are from that source, unless otherwise identified. For the 2023 Lenten season I provided these thoughts to my local congregation's Bible study group. The questions are not, however, constrained by a particular liturgical season, holiday, or age group: these are questions every Christian may find useful in fulfilling God's command at 2 Corinthians 13:5, "Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless, indeed, you fail to meet the test!" The church at Corinth looked a lot like many of our churches today.

Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health
Question 2: Are You Governed Increasingly by God’s Word?*

The author begins by quoting Scottish theologian Thomas Chalmers: “The sum and substance of the preparation needed for a coming eternity is that you believe what the Bible tells you and do what the Bible bids you.” Do we believe that? Following are other probing questions covered in the book and Scripture sources:

-        Do we consider the Bible the single most valuable item on earth?
      (Psalm 12:6; Psalm 19:7-10; Psalm 119:72) Why or why not?

-        Do we suffer from a famine of God’s Word in our lives? The Holy Spirit describes the Bible as “water” (Ephesians 5:26) and food (Jeremiah 15:16). Followers of Christ believe what He believes: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” (see Matthew 4:1-11) Interestingly, Jesus was speaking to someone who ironically knows the Bible better than a lot of churchgoers! If God’s Word was created to nourish us, then “eating it”, becoming filled with it is essential.

-        Do we believe the Bible to be the true Word of God? If we dare to call ourselves Christians, then we follow Jesus Christ in His beliefs, words, and actions. See what Jesus says about Holy Scripture – John 17:17; Matthew 5:17-18; Luke 4:16-21; John 6:41-51)

-        Do we believe The Bible--God’s Word-- is authoritative, that it trumps culture in any generation?  (1 Peter 1:24-25; John 6:67-69; Psalm 105:8; Psalm 119:89; Psalm 119:160; Psalm 33:11; Romans 1:16-20; Hebrews 4:12)

-        God uses metaphors or figurative phrases to describe His Word; how might these descriptions clue us on the importance of God’s Word the Bible? In addition to those noted above, God describes His Word as: A light (Psalm 119:105); a fire and a tool (Jeremiah 23:29); a weapon and sword (Ephesians 6:17), and seed (Matthew 3:13-23; 1 Peter 1:23); and likens to water (Habakkuk 2:14; Isaiah 55:10-11; Isaiah 11:9)

-        Do we seek out in the Bible God’s will and purpose for our lives? (Matthew 5:20; Psalm 9:10; Psalm 27:8; Exodus 20:1-17; Matthew 7:21-23; Matthew 11:29; Mark 10:17-22; John 5:30; Psalm 40:8; Romans 12:1-2)

-        Do we love God’s Word? (Psalm 119:47,48,97,113,119,127,163)

Scripture speaks of nonChristians as “those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” (2 Thessalonians 2:10) Indifference to God’s Word of truth is a mark of spiritual death. Without guidance by God through His Word, people remain in spiritual darkness – believing anything that ‘sounds’ good, religious, or spiritual (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

For example, can we locate in Scripture the statement quoted by church people and even nonbelievers: “God helps those who help themselves.”

-        If we believe in the authority of God’s Word, is what we are learning being applied, so that there is a change in our thinking and perspective? Do our preferences, moral core align with Scripture? Do we allow God’s Word to override generational culture, so-called “church” culture, societal and/or world culture where they do not intersect with God’s Word?  (Psalm 119:11; Proverbs 2; Colossians 2:2-4; Deuteronomy 12:28; Jeremiah 7:23; John 14:15-24; Romans 6:11-13; 1 John 2:3-5; Galatians 5:13-21; Romans 1:16,18,21-32; Revelation 3:1-6; Revelation 2:18-29; 1 Corinthians 6:9-20; 1 Corinthians 5; Proverbs 19:13,16,18,20-23,27    

-        Does God’s Word shape our prayers? Do we know how to pray God’s Word? (Matthew 6:5-15; Psalm 77; Psalm 42; 1 Thessalonians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 3:10-12 , 5:16-18; Colossians 1:3,9-14; Nehemiah 1; Jude 1:20-21; Ephesians 6:18; 1 Peter 4:7; Mark 11:25; James 5:13-18; Romans 8:26-27)

Lastly, the author suggests meditating on certain areas from a biblical perspective, for example: Church (what it is, attendance, worship inside and outside of, baptism, membership, serving in, giving to, learning in, praying with, fellowship, Lord’s Supper; community of oneness); Discipleship (meditation on Scripture, prayer, evangelism, missions, priorities of schedules, stewardship of “God’s manifold grace,” fasting, silence and solitude, legalism vs. relationship with God); Money (giving, saving, investing, controlling debt, contentment, budgeting, gambling, wasting, not loving it, simplifying with less). Find Scriptures that guide us relative to these disciplines and behaviors, and/or consider certain other areas we individually may have recently been praying about and seek the Bible’s viewpoint on it – locating Scriptures that provide deeper insight and thought.

*The foregoing represents my personal reflections on a study by Dr. Donald S. Whitney, Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health. (2001. By Donald S. Whitney. NAVPRESS. ISBN 978-1-61747-187-2) Quotations and excerpts are from that source, unless otherwise identified. For the 2023 Lenten season I provided these thoughts to my local congregation's Bible study group. The questions are not, however, constrained by a particular liturgical season, holiday, or age group: these are questions every Christian may find useful in fulfilling God's command at 2 Corinthians 13:5, "Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless, indeed, you fail to meet the test!" The church at Corinth looked a lot like many of our churches today.