A God of Prayer

It’s been a while since I last wrote, mostly due to my incessant stream of homework and my fairly crowded college life. It’s a constant struggle to get all of my work finished, simply because there is a lot of it. Not gunna lie, college is a lot harder than I want it to be.

               

My response to this onslaught of difficulties has been prayer. Jesus said that we could ask anything in his name and he would give it to us (cf. Matt. 7:7-11). That’s one of the promises of God that we don’t often pay attention to. In our minds, we put a box around God and arrogantly tell the Almighty Creator what He can and can’t do. Of course, we don’t ever phrase it that way. But think about it, when is the last time you wanted something, but figured God either a) didn’t care or b) couldn’t come through with it? I find myself guilty of both of those every single day.

Paul writes in 1 Thes. 5:17 that we are to pray without ceasing, which leads me to ask myself why I’m trying to limit God by limiting my prayers. If I only pray for the ordinary, why am I discontent when that’s all I get?

This past month at college has shown me a glimpse of what it looks like to pray big and to ask God to deliver, and He has. Many stories come to mind:

I prayed God would show me a church for me to plug into, and the Saturday night before service, He put several verses on my heart, predominately Jeremiah 29:12-13, and sure enough the church I attended the next day talked about just that. God has the answers.

I spent about 4 hours on the first half of my physics homework two weeks ago, and that was doing the easiest problems that I could find. As I was sitting down to finish it, I felt the spirit call me to speak with Him. So I ended up having an impromptu quiet time right there in the middle of my studying. I simply asked God for understanding, and finished the second half of my physics homework, the harder part, in 30 minutes. That was all God coming through.

 I left my bag with my bible and journal in the lobby while I was eating dinner one night. When I realized it was missing a while afterwards, I looked all over my room and then went down to look for it. It didn’t turn up, so I prayed that God would return it to me. Sure enough, I walked into my room, and right there on my bed was my bag with everything in it – the bed had been empty before I left. Miracles happen.

I have more examples, plenty, but those aren’t the point. The point is Jesus Christ answers prayer. Have faith and try it, you might be surprised at what you find.

-matt

Joy

Hebrews 12::2 says this:

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

This verse has only just become clear to me this morning. The apparent disconnect between the abomination that is the brutal death of Christ and this so being God's glorious plan did not mesh well with me. This weekend I prayed for a passionate love to return to my heart. I prayed that the joy of Christ would consume me, and it has. Because of this joy, I now know a glimpse of what the writer of Hebrews was referencing.

As a Christian, we are commanded to always be joyful (1 Thes. 5:16). If you think about it, we have the God of Creation living inside of us, so what reason would we possibly have to be discontent? We lose joy when we submit to the lies of the devil and take our focus away from the Cross, from Christ himself.

The solution is this: Follow Jesus by living joyfully, cast off stress and anxiety cf. Psalm 94:19, Eccl. 11:10, Matt 6:34, 1 Peter 5:17. If you have joy, the world will notice.

John 10:10 "I have come so that you may have life, and have it to the full."

Seize this promise!
John 16:33 "take heart, for I have overcome the world"
Christ has already been victorious, rejoice!


-matt

Undeserved

During my devotional time today I came across a few verses in the book of Romans that are rocking my world, so I thought I would share them with you. Romans 11:5-6 (NLT) says this:

It is the same today, for a few of the people of Israel have remained faithful because of God’s grace—his undeserved kindness in choosing them. And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved. 

Wow, did you catch the enormity of that passage? God has chosen to save people that don't deserve salvation. Grace isn't something that we can earn. I can't do enough to merit such a prize. Grace is a free gift. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Doesn't that blow your mind? We deserve condemnation and eternal hell, yet we have a Rescuer, Jesus Christ, the Lord!

Grace is free, and it always will be. Why waste time caught up in religion or rules? They don't make us right. We are redeemed by the blood of Christ. The violent eternal death that I have earned has been forever stricken from my future. The Cross triumphs over what is fair. God's grace isn't fair. We shouldn't get it by any measure of logic or understanding, but here we are. I stand here today a joyful recipient of the grace of God. That is awesome, and I don't throw that word around cavalierly.

Ask yourself this: Am I trying to purchase grace or am I responding to the blood of Christ poured over me for my restitution between myself and God?

thanks for listening,
-matt