Hazelnut, Greek, and Radical Prayer
So here I sit in Panera Bread, sipping coffee, utilizing the free wireless internet, and delaying my daily Greek intake. Every day is Greek day! This is what it's all about, right?
It is one of those days that I don't feel like articulating and organizing my weird thoughts into a blog entry. I am truly growing in my appreciation of the blog though. It is a great way to communicate, stay in touch, provide some edification, evangelize, and it is therapeutic in some ways.
With that being said, here is something else for you all to munch on. Everytime I go before the Lord in prayer, I enter into an intense spiritual battle. Can anybody out there relate? I am so easily distracted. My mind wonders. I battle physical fatigue. It is just a battle. Prayer is war.
I am resolving to pray, and to pray radically. What I mean by that is this:
To do whatever it takes to escape "normalcy", "routine", "SELF" in prayer. I want to do whatever it takes to "set my heart and mind on the things above, and not on earthly things" (Col. 3:1-2). I want to be devoted to godliness, as it is mentioned in 1 Timothy. What is godliness? Godliness is another word for "devotion". Better yet, it describes being intensely devoted to the pursuit a Kingdom mindset and lifestyle. It is being devoted to passionately pursue the "things above" in prayer.
I heard a story about Paul Washer, the founder of Heart Cry Missionary Society. This man is the closest thing to a modern-day Puritan I have ever come in contact with. He is radical in his pursuit of godliness, and that makes him awesome. Anyway, a man from his church called his house and asked to speak to him. His wife told him that he was busy. "Doing what?," the man replied. She answered by telling him plainly that Paul was "outside in the field dancing with God."
The first time I heard that story, I thought that the man needed to lay off the peace pipe. However, as God has continually developed me, I have come to see the beauty of such a godly pursuit of God. Paul Washer pursues God, and he pursues God radically, doing whatever it takes to deny himself in prayer.
OK, I have delayed the inevitable long enough. I would love your thoughts. My challenge to you all, MYSELF INCLUDED, is to never be afraid to dance. Be radical in prayer.
posted by Russ at 8/23/2005 05:00:00 PM
13 Comments:
Many years of walking and praying through Sterling, Colorado (every Friday noon for 13 years now) have changed the way I look at the place. Now I pray through town as a matter of course, and it is so easy to simply talk with God about businesses and churches and houses and schools -- and, most of all, people! -- as I drive or ride by. It is not often anything I would call "intense," but it has become normal (or perhaps "normative" is a better word) in a heavenly kind of way. I see myself as someone "in the gap" for this town, and so it seems as normal as breathing -- and as necessary -- to simply and repeatedly talk with God about these precious souls and their need of Jesus. In Laura's most recent entry in her blog (http://madenoughtopray.blogspot.com/) she mentions "prayer triggers:" I find that just walking or driving through my town is an unceasing prayer trigger for me.
I am very encouraged by your comments; every one of them. I find your wisdom to be very valuable to me.
My room mate was reading Edwards' "resolutions" last night. We were both stirred to have a "whatever it takes" mentality in regards to the pursuit of "the things above". I believe that the denial of self in the exaltation of Christ in prayer is a chief purpose we were designed for. And that "striving", "pursuit", "fight" is radically different than the teachings of the world, and of the longings of our flesh.
"and by the Spirit we shall put to death the misdeeds of the flesh" (Rom. 8:13). This happens in prayer. I believe all of our prayers should be an intense longing for the beauty of Christ, the fruits of the Spirit, and the souls of men. We should constantly strive with all our being to have the mind of Christ.
We are at war...constantly. It will be that way until glory. If we were on the beach at Normandy during WWII, we would be on that walkie-talkie calling for aid, and we would be fighting to stay alive. I see the world I live in as a battle ground. It is obvious that you do, too. I have to praise the Lord for placing you "in the gap" to intercede for Sterling. I've got a lot to learn from men like you.
Russ, et al,
This morning's Spurgeon is very apropos to the topic of being in a war. Here it is:
"'The breaker is come up before them.' - Micah 2:13
Inasmuch as Jesus has gone before us, things remain not as they would have been had he never passed that way. He has conquered every foe that obstructed the way. Cheer up now thou faint-hearted warrior. Not only has Christ travelled the road, but he has slain thine enemies. Dost thou dread sin? He has nailed it to his cross. Dost thou fear death? He has been the death of Death. Art thou afraid of hell? He has barred it against the advent of any of his children; they shall never see the gulf of perdition. Whatever foes may be before the Christian, they are all overcome. There are lions, but their teeth are broken; there are serpents, but their fangs are extracted; there are rivers, but they are bridged or fordable; there are flames, but we wear that matchless garment which renders us invulnerable to fire. The sword that has been forged against us is already blunted; the instruments of war which the enemy is preparing have already lost their point. God has taken away in the person of Christ all the power that anything can have to hurt us. Well then, the army may safely march on, and you may go joyously along your journey, for all your enemies are conquered beforehand. What shall you do but march on to take the prey? They are beaten, they are vanquished; all you have to do is to divide the spoil. You shall, it is true, often engage in combat; but your fight shall be with a vanquished foe. His head is broken; he may attempt to injure you, but his strength shall not be sufficient for his malicious design. Your victory shall be easy, and your treasure shall be beyond all count.
'Proclaim aloud the Saviour’s fame,
Who bears the Breaker’s wond’rous name;
Sweet name; and it becomes him well,
Who breaks down earth, sin, death, and hell'."
Thanks for the encouragement, but don't overestimate the wisdom of "men like [me]:" we fifty-somethings are, most of us, not so wise as we let on. If we grow truly wise, we will humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God and cling to the pierced feet of Jesus in desperate dependence. The closer to Christ one gets, the further from Christ one seems to be. Even Paul, as he got older, called himself "the chief of sinners." With that claim, more than most of what he wrote, I can certainly identify. So should we all who know a smidgeon of God's grace.
I seriously wish more of our young adults had blogs. I love reading these and being able to discuss Christ...It truly is speaking to each other in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Just amazing.
Ok, stick with me here because I have a thought coming together and it may be about what you are talking about or I may have seriously missed it and am talking about something else altogether - forgive me if the latter is the case.
For some reason the first thing that came to my mind when reading your post was, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled." As I start thinking about this and the Beatitudes, I begin to think about the kingdom of heaven or eternity in the presence of God. Jesus mentions twice "Theirs will be the kingdom of heaven". The first are those who are poor in spirit and the second are those who are persecuted because of righteousness. Finally the ones who will receive the righteousness are those who hunger and thirst for it.
An illustration might help. I got this one from Angela Thomas but am modifying it a bit based on my friend's experience. I have a friend who works for Samaritan's purse in Liberia. 500,000 men, women and children in refugee camps receive their nourishment from this truck. The truck comes once a month to a camp with rice, beans and powdered milk. When the truck comes into the camp, they do not passively sit with folded hands waiting for the food to be distributed. No, they rush the truck. They cling to it. They climb on it. They are desperate for it. That is true hunger and thirst.
Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. You must deeply recognize (and feel) your poverty to truly hunger and thirst for righteousness. Not a sanitized hunger and thirst but a desperate need that can not be met any other way. Impoverished you come and are filled. The very thing you are filled with - Christ's righteousness- leads to the persecution for which the reward is the kingdom of heaven.
If we approach prayer with hands folded and stiff necks, we aren't the hungry and thirsty who will be filled. We must know our spiritual poverty, our desperate need and our ultimate destination to have the intensity you speak about.
I have NO idea if that came out right but praise God He just spoke that to me!
The greatest struggle in my prayer time (aside from what you mentioned, Russ) is a sincere attitude and prayer of thankfulness. It seems easier to pray when we are overwhelmed by circumstances and our sinful flesh that wages war in our hearts -- but Paul continually urged us to pray with hope and thankfulness. As Laura's dad so wonderfully shared with us by an excerpt of Spurgeon, the victory has been won! Christ has gone before us! The question should be, how can we NOT be thankful and joyful? Thanks for the encouragement and exhortation.
BTW, Russ- have you thought about submitting your blog to www.sbtsblogs.net ? It is a great place for other Southern students to gain access to your blog. Just a thought :)
Some of the coolest times of prayer I've ever had have been when I made a choice to pray, rather than when I really "felt" like praying. A few times last semester, I made like I was in the Old Testament and actually, physically got down on my face to pray. There's something about adopting a posture of prayer that forces me to get outside my "script" -- you know what I mean: God bless so-and-so and protect them and help me with such-and-such... Anything I can do to break out of that lifeless pattern!
Oh, and YAY SPURGEON!
Me too, Donna! I too am working at being more praiseful in my praying. A study this morning reminded me of the judgments God brought on Israel in their wilderness wanderings: they grumbled about their circumstances, so God judged them! "Whoa! Sit up and take notice," says I to myself.
Grumbling is so contrary to faith -- and therefore, it is a prayer-killer -- because it is motivated by dissatisfaction with what God has done and/or allowed in our lives. Grumbling refuses to see His grace as the ground of all things that exist. Grumbling petulently stamps its childish feet and cries, "But, God, You didn't do what I wanted!"
If, however, we believe in His sovereignty as a living reality (not just a doctrinal affirmation), then it follows that we CAN "give thanks in everything, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thess 5:18).
The implications for our relationships with Him, with each other and with the lost are immense, for gratitude toward God leads to encouragement toward others, grounded in God's amazing optimism, Who sees every person as savable and every circumstance as redeemable.
Would to God I were approaching Joseph's "50:20 Vision," indicated by his statement to his brothers -- who sold him into slavery! -- in Genesis 50:20: "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today."
Now, that's faith!
Laura,
Spurgeon = "t.u.l.i.p" Sheesh!
Someday we'll talk more about why I am a three-point Calvinist. Double sheesh.
But I like Spurgeon anyway.
Russ where is the blog on calvinsim? Shouldn't you be defending why your a full-scale 5 pointer?
- Christman :)
Hey Soma, I spent some time trying to figure out what Paul meant by "Pray without ceasing." How does one do that? I have other things in my life that I can't neglect, like work, etc. But yet, somehow if felt like it was right. This is what I came up with.. God is with us always. Every minute. If I'm in the car with my husband and there are lulls between our segments of conversation, I haven't stopped thinking about him. I'm still pondering, reflecting, being aware of his presence, contemplating the next thing I'll say, remembering what he just said. He's on my mind, and instantaneously ready to enter into another full-blown conversation. It's kind of like having a silent conversation. I think praying without ceasing is like that. You're just always aware - on the top of your brain - that Jesus is right there, ever-present and ready to enter into a full-blown conversation (i.e., prayer) with you. Prayer isn't one-way, it's two-way. A conversation. But some conversations are spoken outloud with words, and others are more intimate and silent. I like that. Thanks for the thought-provoking post. Sue
Great stuff, Hussell.
Check out this blog...great information on Spurgeon..I so enjoyed reading it..hope you all enjoy it too!
http://phillipjohnson.blogspot.com/
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