Weekend Resource: The Prayerless Church is a Powerless Church
In order to gear you up for the posts I’ve written for the coming week, this Weekend Resource fits the theme of prayer.
Also: Don’t miss the link to a free audiobook at the bottom.
The Prayerless Church Will Inevitably Be a Powerless Church
Andrew Murray lays it out in black and white: A prayerless church is a powerless church.
Here’s an excerpt from an article taken from Murray’s book, The Prayer Life:
“[Prayerlessness] is the cause of a deficient spiritual life.—It is a proof that, for the most part, our life is still under the power of “the flesh.” Prayer is the pulse of life; by it the doctor can tell what is the condition of the heart. The sin of prayerlessness is a proof for the ordinary Christian or minister that the life of God in the soul is in deadly sickness and weakness.
Much is said and many complaints are made about the feebleness of the Church to fulfill her calling, to exercise an influence over her members, to deliver them from the power of the world, and to bring them to a life of holy consecration to God.
Much is also spoken about her indifference to the millions of heathen whom Christ entrusted to her that she might make known to them His love and salvation.
What is the reason that many thousands of Christian workers in the world have not a greater influence?
Nothing save this—the prayerlessness of their service. In the midst of all their zeal in the study and in the work of the Church, of all their faithfulness in preaching and conversation with the people, they lack that ceaseless prayer which has attached to it the sure promise of the Spirit and the power from on high.
It is nothing but the sin of prayerlessness which is the cause of the lack of a powerful spiritual life!”
Second Resource: Free Audiobook Download of John Piper’s Desiring God
For the next 30 days when you click the link above, you will be able to get John Piper’s audiobook, Desiring God, for free using the code provided by ChristianAudio.com. They offer one free audiobook per month, so I recommend keeping up with them if you enjoy a good listen.
“Desiring God by John Piper is the free audiobook download for November; one of the best-selling and most popular titles ever published by christianaudio!
Scripture reveals that the great business of life is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever. In this paradigm-shattering classic, newly revised and expanded, John Piper reveals that the debate between duty and delight doesn’t truly exist: Delight is our duty. Join him as he unveils stunning, life impacting truths you saw in the Bible but never dared to believe.”
All John Piper audiobook downloads are only $4.98 each until November 21st!
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2 Questions for Examining Our Affection for Christ
There is no better way to assure a quality answer than to ask a quality question.
Asking careful, introspective questions is a key for anyone does not want to squander life with aimless wandering.
We seldom choose to waste our life. We simply cease evaluating our thoughts, words, actions, deeds, motives, habits, desires, and goals.
As the saying goes, “Only one life, ‘twil soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.”
If living for Christ is the only way to avoid a wasted life, we need a couple questions to use as heart-checks.
Two Best Questions of the Month
The two best questions I heard this month both ring with affection for Chris and stir up oft-neglected introspection.
1. What is it that I want most when I am not craving Christ?
Al Hartman rocked my comfortable boat when he shared that question with me over the phone.
The question is tinted by an awareness of failure, yet it also is asked in hope, knowing change is more than possible. Sanctification is, in fact, inevitable for the Christian.
Behind the question is also an all-out passion to treasure Christ. It’s the kind of driving force that moves like a surge of water released from a dam, rushing to demolish anything that stands in the way.
It’s a surge that is only released by the Holy Spirit into a heart transformed by truth.
2. What things affect my affection for Christ most?
This question is derived from a short interview of Matt Chandler. He humbly explained his struggle to find activities that set his passion for Christ on fire. And to eliminate the activities that snuff it out or damped passion for Christ.
“I’m trying to always be aware of what’s going on in my mind and in my heart, and what really stirs up my mind and heart towards Him [Christ], and what doesn’t.”
Now Answer
Carefully answer the questions, and couple them with prayer.
Remember, there’s no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. But there is honest confession, gracious forgiveness, and powerful transformation.
What’s the best question that you’ve answered this month? What questions do you use to evaluate your heart before the throne of grace?
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Weekend Resource: Our Adoption in Christ: What It Means for Us and for Orphans
From Together for Adoption:
“Our first ebook, Our Adoption in Christ: What It Means for Us and for Orphans, is now available for free download! This book was written to equip churches theologically in the areas of orphan care and earthly adoption. We believe that robust theology produces robust action.
So, our writing object was to put the gospel at the center of the global orphan crisis. If the church is to be mobilized to care for 143 million orphaned and vulnerable children, the gospel must be the main thing. Our prayer is that God will use this brief book to equip and empower churches to serve orphans.”
Chapter titles:
- The Prodigal’s Suspicion and the Global Orphan Crisis
- Adoption in God’s Story of Redemption
- Glorifying the Father of the Fatherless
- The Cosmic Significance of Adoption
- Creating A Culture of Adoption in Your Church
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A Parable That Works Like a Judo Master
Through the eyes of Luke, I watched the Pharisee slowly climbed the temple steps. Self-righteousness oozed from his every move, pooling beneath him every time he paused. It’s a miracle he never drowns in the ooze while laying in bed at night.
The Pharisee opened his mouth and spoke as if to himself but in a tone loud enough for two dozen other worshipers to hear.
“God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector…”
The wretched tax collector stood alone a little ways off. His pained eyes were downcast, and his shoulders were slumped. I wondered if the Pharisee’s self-righteousness might drown the tax collector as well.
I couldn’t help but utter my own prayer to God.
“God, I thank you that I am not like that Pharisee at the temple praying, looking down on the tax collector.”
Did I miss something?
Yes Daniel, you did indeed miss something.
Luke front loaded the story (Luke 18:9-14) with an explosive charge: “[Jesus] also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt.”
Naturally, I condemn the Pharisee as soon as I read his grimy, self-righteousness prayer. I compared myself to him, and reassured myself that my deeds prove that I am much more righteous than he is.
Then I become the Pharisee. Like the hands of a Judo master, the parable uses my own weight against me. I condemn myself by condemning the Pharisee.
Now I am ready to hear where righteousness comes from.
1. Righteousness is not found by comparison
The Pharisee first compared himself to other men. That’s the first hint that I am looking in the wrong place to find my righteousness.
If two men were sitting side by side, suffering heart attacks, they wouldn’t judge their chances of survival by comparing shoe sizes. Neither should I judge my eternal condition by how I stack up against another man’s external appearance.
2. Righteousness is not found in works
The Pharisee proceeded to list a sampling of his good deeds. I am sure he could have gone on further, but God wasn’t taking notice anyway.
The Pharisee was not righteous by his own right any more than he was righteous by comparison. Neither am I.
3. Righteousness is found in Christ, always
Paul had the Pharisee beat, hands down.
“If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.” (Philipians 3:4-6)
Paul also knew all of man’s righteousness is rubbish.
“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ…in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith” (Philipians 3:7-9).
Charles Spurgeon comments,
“You will enter Heaven as fully by grace as if you had never lived a godly life, nor had practiced a single virtue.”
Now that I have been thrown to the floor, I am ready to kneel beside the tax collector, beat my breast, and say, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”
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3 Ways to Cultivate Continual Communion with God
By the end of the day, the the morning quiet time is all but forgotten. The spirit of worship and prayer has faded to a dot in the rear-view mirror.
But that is not what we long for.
Our souls crave continual communion with God that does not end when we close our Bible. We want to feel an intimacy that does not diminish during the day.
3 ways to cultivate continual communion with God
1. Take the quiet time off the to-do list
We must break the habit of treating the quiet time as a distinct event that we can check off.
This mindset shatters communion as soon as we complete our allotted 20 minutes with God. We may walk away from the quiet time refreshed, but we do not walk away connected.
Take the quiet time off the to-do list, and in a sense, put it on the to-be list. We don’t want to do communion with God as an event, we want to be in communion with God as a lifestyle.
2. Find ways to keep the Word open all day
David models this point like none other (Psalm 1:2, 63:1-8, 119:15). David also was a man after God’s own heart, like few others (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22). We need to take the hint.
We commune with God best in His Word. No surprise there, because the Word is His direct word to us. It’s more than a newspaper, it is a personal, intimate word. Constant meditation on the Word is a rich feeding for the soul. If we let the Word of God dwell richly in us through the day, it will draw us into continual communion. We can savor the God of the Word all day by tasting the Word of God all day.
Two ways I have found to do this:
First, memorize a verse from the quiet time that can be used for either soul-feeding or sin-fighting (or both).
Second, write a verse on a note card and pocket it.
Either option is beneficial. Both are easy and effective. Sometimes I have found my pocket more sure than my memory, so I use a mix of both approaches (coincidentally, reading a note card all day often locks it into memory).
A beautiful side effect of keeping the Word open all day: It is combustible tinder for a ceaseless prayer life.
3. Go back for another drink
Only recently have I come to appreciate the value of the model in Daniel 6:10. We often feel drained during the day. Sin is creeping in. We’re wearing down. Things start to fall apart…
The note card may not be enough.
Why not go back before the Lord on our knees?
Using a blend of the three approaches is best. They all have a place. But in the end, I don’t really care what it takes to get close to God. The continual communion is what I am after. I just want to experience intimacy with God. I want you to as well.
What helps you cultivate continual communion during your day?
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How to Develop a Desperate Prayer Life
Why are the desperate people the only ones praying powerful prayers?
Helplessness stares me in the face when I am desperate. It’s like reaching into an empty pocket for the last dime and coming up with nothing but lint. And the cashier sure doesn’t want trade the #3 Combo Meal for my lint.
Its uncomfortable, but such desperation is a key to powerful prayer.
Only the desperate recognize their utter helplessness. They are empty of themselves. They are ready to cling to the promises of God. And all of those things are necessary for powerful prayer.
“We are to be nothing, and the less we are and the weaker we are, the better; for the the less we have of self the more room there is for Christ’s divine grace…He asks nothing of you but that you will be nothing, and that He may be all in all to you.” – Charles Spurgeon
David gives us a God-inspired model for desperate prayer.
Desperate prayer is modeled for us by David in Psalm 86:1-7:
Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
Preserve my life, for I am godly;
save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God.
Be gracious to me, O Lord,
for to you do I cry all the day.
Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.
Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
listen to my plea for grace.
In the day of my trouble I call upon you,
for you answer me.
3 Characteristics of desperate prayer
Drawing from David’s prayer, we see three characteristics of a desperate prayer:
1. Ernest desire to be heard and answered
Our half-hearted, mumbly prayers evidence our apathy. We don’t even care to be heard. We don’t expect an answer. We’re probably not even sure why we are praying.
Contrast that with David, who begged God to listen and answer: “Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me.” David cared deeply about the requests he brought before God in prayer.
2. Recognition of need, helplessness, and poverty
David confessed his bankruptcy upfront, recognizing his inability to meet a crushing need. “I am poor and needy.” Likewise, we must realize we can’t come to God in prayer to cut a deal as wealthy merchants. We have nothing to trade. We’re dirt poor beggars.
What happens when we misdiagnose our condition?
We start looking like boy scouts slapping on bandaids to save a heart attack victim. “Nah Scoutmaster, we don’t need help. We’ll have this under control soon as Shorty finds the duct tape.” Misdiagnosis leads to a false hope in some crummy, self-concocted rescue plan. It drains our prayers of the crucial element of desperation.
3. Pleading a case for grace
David was quick to build a case before God. David’s only argument was built on God’s own character. God’s own goodness would compel God to act on behalf of the prayer warrior on his knees, and David was banking on that grace.
This is also a check on the heart: Am I desperate for something that God can put His character behind? A lot of selfish desires die when we align ourselves with God’s will, wanting what He wants.
Our hope lies in God’s commitment to God
The hope of a desperate prayer warrior lies in God’s commitment to God. God will remain faithful to His promises, for He cannot deny Himself.
God’s commitment to God is extended to man through the promises found in the Word. God can’t remain true to Himself without remaining true to His children. What a staggering thought for a desperate man on his knees.
On another note:
If you struggle with spending too much time surfing the internet, watching TV, or any other tech-related activity, I urge you to take a look at Don’s recent post. It is an excellent challenge to keep a log of where you spend your non-work related tech time, then evaluate it, attempt to cut the time down drastically, and find something better to do with yourself. I can relate to the circumstances that spawned Don’s idea. I hope some of you will join in.
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