On the first few pages of the paper he was writing titled, "The Key to Knowing God," Olympian and missionary Eric Liddell offered suggestions on how to have an effective daily prayer hour. Eric had been seperated from his wife Florence and their children again for a few years. War had broken out in China as the Japanese had invaded and were taking over with brutal force.
Japan had already attacked Pearl Harbor and brought the United States fully into WWII as well. Eric and other missionaries and expats found themselves confined to a certain part of Tientsin, China. Eventually, the Japanese would order he and many others sent to an internment camp.
In the midst of this awful war, Eric penned his suggestions for an effective prayer hour. He began with this: "One word stands out from all the others as the key to knowing God, to having his peace and assurance in your heart; it is OBEDIENCE. To OBEY God's will was like food to Jesus, refreshing His mind, body and spirit. 'My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me.'"
"Obedience to God's will is the secret of spiritual knowledge and insight. It is not willingingness to know, but willingness to DO (obey) God's will that brings certainty. Obedience is the secret of guidance. Every Christian should live a God-guided life. If you are not guided by God you will be guided by something else (from Eric Liddell: Pure Gold by Dave McCasland)."
That is what Jesus taught in John 7:17, "If anyone chooses to do [obey] God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own."
What is guiding you today? The fodder of effective prayer is choosing to obey the Master and His Word no matter the cost.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Willing
The Olympic Games were just over a year away for a young college student. He was a sprinter and a rugby player who was already making headlines. It was conjecture at this point if he would be named to the Olympic sprint team. But the Olympics were not the only thing weighing on his mind.
One thing he knew for sure. As he pondered his future, he wanted to serve Christ with whatever gifts he had been given. But he had no idea how his athletic ability could be used for the kingdom of God. He thought to himself that he seemed to possess so few of the skills necessary for Christian ministry. He was not an orator. He dreaded even the thought of speaking in public.
One evening, he decided to tell the Lord that he wanted to serve Him. Whatever the Master asked, he settled in his heart that he would do it. In his room, Eric Liddell knelt and said a simple prayer.
Not long afterwards, D.P. Thomson, of the Glasgow Students' Evangelistic Union (GSEU) asked Eric to come and speak to a group of men at Armadale, a coal mining town. Thomson and his friends were trying to reach the young men there for Christ but these men preferred to be at the pub rather than any church. Eric had already surrendered to his Master, so he took a giant leap of faith and said, "All right, I'll do it."
And thus were the beginnings of a new chapter for young Eric Liddell, the soon-to-be 1924 Olympic champion, yielded to the Master, shy but willing to speak publically of Him if He so desired. Nearly 80 tough coal miners from Armadale came to hear Eric, one of the most popular athletes in Scotland, and more seeds of the gospel were planted that day (from Eric Liddell: Pure Gold by Dave McCasland).
Luke 9:23-24 says, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." A willing, yielded heart is the Master's glory and tool. Is my heart so yielded today?
One thing he knew for sure. As he pondered his future, he wanted to serve Christ with whatever gifts he had been given. But he had no idea how his athletic ability could be used for the kingdom of God. He thought to himself that he seemed to possess so few of the skills necessary for Christian ministry. He was not an orator. He dreaded even the thought of speaking in public.
One evening, he decided to tell the Lord that he wanted to serve Him. Whatever the Master asked, he settled in his heart that he would do it. In his room, Eric Liddell knelt and said a simple prayer.
Not long afterwards, D.P. Thomson, of the Glasgow Students' Evangelistic Union (GSEU) asked Eric to come and speak to a group of men at Armadale, a coal mining town. Thomson and his friends were trying to reach the young men there for Christ but these men preferred to be at the pub rather than any church. Eric had already surrendered to his Master, so he took a giant leap of faith and said, "All right, I'll do it."
And thus were the beginnings of a new chapter for young Eric Liddell, the soon-to-be 1924 Olympic champion, yielded to the Master, shy but willing to speak publically of Him if He so desired. Nearly 80 tough coal miners from Armadale came to hear Eric, one of the most popular athletes in Scotland, and more seeds of the gospel were planted that day (from Eric Liddell: Pure Gold by Dave McCasland).
Luke 9:23-24 says, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." A willing, yielded heart is the Master's glory and tool. Is my heart so yielded today?
Monday, January 24, 2011
Lord Over the Unseen
Mark 1:21-27
The first 45 verses of the gospel of Mark reveal a great deal about Jesus Christ. One thing that stands out is that there is an unseen spiritual world that is as real as the water you and I drink.
Most of us already believe in angels—spiritual beings created by God to do His will, to be His messengers, and to help out people on earth. Angels are usually unseen by us. Sometimes angels manifest themselves. Right away in Mark, one sees that there are also fallen spiritual beings, or demons. Mark tells of a particular incident. While Jesus teaches in the synagogue, a man who has an unclean spirit (demon) cries out, “What do we have to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” Jesus then rebukes the demon and commands it to be quiet and come out of the man. It obeys.
As you think about this amazing reality, what do you observe about Jesus Christ? What does it tell you about Him?
Even demons had to obey the voice of the Son of God! Looking further through the first six chapters of Mark, demons are mentioned 7 times, Satan is mentioned 3 times, angels are mentioned once, and the Kingdom of God is mentioned 4 times. Jesus is Lord and Commander over the spirit world that we cannot yet see, as well as over the physical world that we can see. As followers of Jesus who is Lord, how can we do anything less than bow our knee to Him as Commander of the seen and of the unseen?
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Choose
Joshua 23-24
God chose Moses and Joshua to lead His people out of slavery from Egypt and into the promised land. God performed numerous miracles and conquered enemy after enemy during this whole amazing process. Joshua is now 110 years old and God tells him his time on earth has ended. In Joshua’s farewell address, he tells the people of Israel to:
· Remember all that God has done for you. Not one word of what the LORD your God spoke concerning you has failed; all have been fulfilled.
· Fear God and serve Him in sincerity and truth.
· Choose this day whom you will serve.
· Be very firm to keep the law of Moses.
· Love the LORD your God and cling to Him.
· Go and conquer the remaining territory, and He will continue to drive out these nations.
· Do not bow down to any of their gods, nor serve them, in fact, do not even mention their gods.
God is holy and He alone is to be worshipped. God also knows that entertaining any other god in the slightest will lead His people away from Him. Idolatry does that.
Idolatry can take many forms. It is basically anything or anyone that you or I put ahead of the LORD our God. Maybe it is a relationship. Or that thing you won’t let go of. Or it may be choosing to live life on your own terms. In your heart today, is there any idolatry? Is there anything or anyone that you love more than God?
If so, will you confess it, surrender it, and turn from it? Choose this day whom you will serve. Cling to the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Love Him wholeheartedly and give Him first place in your heart.
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