Jesus gave us several guidelines for prayer in Mathew 6:5-7. 1) Pray privately. 2) Do not flaunt your prayers. 3)Do not use vain repetition 4) Pray for God to be glorified 5) Pray for God’s kingdom to come 6) Pray for God’s will to be done in our lives 7) Pray for God’s provision 8) Pray for those who have hurt us. 9) Pray to resist temptation 10) End with acknowledging God has power and glory to answer your prayers
The main point is pray.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Tax Returns
Jesus told us to keep our financial gifts private and not to announce to everyone what we are giving (Mathew 6:1-4). He likened guarding the secret of how much we give to keeping our right hand knowing what our left hand is doing. Since our right and left hand work together to accomplish most tasks, this could prove to be daunting. So does this secrecy mean we should put our offering in the offering basket at church without a corresponding envelope with our name and address?
You could do it that way, but then it will be difficult to explain to the IRS where your money went. If you fill out the envelope the church will keep a record of your giving for you. You then can report it on your tax return which allows exceptions for charitable giving. This will increase the likelihood of a tax return. You can then pay tithes on your tax return and thereby give even more money to God.
You could do it that way, but then it will be difficult to explain to the IRS where your money went. If you fill out the envelope the church will keep a record of your giving for you. You then can report it on your tax return which allows exceptions for charitable giving. This will increase the likelihood of a tax return. You can then pay tithes on your tax return and thereby give even more money to God.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Hate School
“Hate your enemy.” Sounds logical to me. Why wouldn’t I hate my enemy? Do I really need someone to teach me to hate my enemies? I would think that would come naturally, yet people in Jesus’ time were actually teaching people to hate their enemies (Mathew 5:43). Maybe they offered classes on the best way to revenge yourself or classes on deception. Perhaps they taught how to run a sting operation to get all you could out of your enemies.
Jesus taught something that was completely contrary to our natural instincts, “love your enemies.”
How can you love your enemies? How can you love someone who is out to cause you harm? Jesus explained how to go about loving those who are against us. He told us to bless them, to do good to those who hate you.” (Mathew 5:44). We are to pray for people who use us. Ask God to reveal himself to them. Seek God to bless them. If they come to know God, chances are they will no longer be your enemies but will become your brother or sister.
Should we be doing this so that our enemies will stop persecuting us? No, though that may happen. Jesus tells us the correct motivation. “So that you may be like your father in heaven; for He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good.”
Our behavior must be consistently kind to both good men and evil men. This will definitely not come naturally. We can only do it as we rely on God.
Jesus taught something that was completely contrary to our natural instincts, “love your enemies.”
How can you love your enemies? How can you love someone who is out to cause you harm? Jesus explained how to go about loving those who are against us. He told us to bless them, to do good to those who hate you.” (Mathew 5:44). We are to pray for people who use us. Ask God to reveal himself to them. Seek God to bless them. If they come to know God, chances are they will no longer be your enemies but will become your brother or sister.
Should we be doing this so that our enemies will stop persecuting us? No, though that may happen. Jesus tells us the correct motivation. “So that you may be like your father in heaven; for He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good.”
Our behavior must be consistently kind to both good men and evil men. This will definitely not come naturally. We can only do it as we rely on God.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Red Cheeks
When someone hurts us, our first reaction is to want to teach them a lesson. The caveat is that “man’s anger does not work the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20). In other words we will never be able to teach the other person a lesson that glorifies God. We will only succeed is escalating the situation.
Jesus put it this way, “Do not resist an evil person. But whenever someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away” (Mathew 5:29-42).
I have found that God will allow us to fail when we resist this principle. When we seek to be the judge, God turns the table on us so that we pay instead of the evil one. God loves us enough to allow us to suffer so that we will learn to depend on him to defend us. When we try to do it ourselves, we experience greater loss.
Jesus put it this way, “Do not resist an evil person. But whenever someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away” (Mathew 5:29-42).
I have found that God will allow us to fail when we resist this principle. When we seek to be the judge, God turns the table on us so that we pay instead of the evil one. God loves us enough to allow us to suffer so that we will learn to depend on him to defend us. When we try to do it ourselves, we experience greater loss.
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