Day #16: "Prayers of Confession" - Psalm 51: 15-17 (Joseph Bianco)
Psalm 51 is described as a Psalm of David which correlates to a prayer he said after being caught in grievous sin. It is a helpful place to look as we seek to learn about prayers of confession. Psalm 51:15-17 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. We live in an interesting age for many reasons, but especially because the general attitudes of our society change so quickly. I remember as a child the big idea was something like, “you be you and I’ll be me and we’ll get along fine.” It was an attitude of tolerance for differences but lacked the Biblical grounding of absolute truth. "Postmodernism" they called it. Today it’s changed again and one of the main changes I’ve observed is that the tolerance of the "twenty-aughts" has morphed into a judgmentalism. Any leader that makes a public mistake is publicly disgraced, and quickly. There is some goodness in this because we want our leaders to be above reproach, but there is also some evil in this because society has lost all understanding of repentance and forgiveness. I find it strange that King David, perhaps the greatest leader in the Bible (outside Jesus of course), committed such horrible sins and yet remained the king of Israel. Today he’d be crucified, publicly disgraced and brought down. Why did God choose to reinstate a man who not only committed adultery with another man’s wife, but went on to murder the man in order to cover up his own sin? Doesn’t God want our leaders to be perfect? Actually, I do think our leaders should be above reproach and God forbid there be a scandal like this in the church. I don’t think God is showing us that it’s okay for our leaders to have great moral failings; that’s not the point. However, what God is showing us is that redemption is possible from even the deepest and darkest sins. The teaching is that if confession of sin is full, if repentance is deep and if there is a real turning away from that sin and towards God, then forgiveness and restoration is possible. Overall, I think we are too quick today to confess our sins and think that’s good enough. Here is a way to know if you have really repented over a sin… You don’t keep doing that sin. Yes, all of life is repentance, but the Bible is clear in saying that if anyone makes a practice of sinning then he is not a believer (1 John 3). At the same time, 1 John also says that anyone who says he has no sin makes him a liar (1 John 1). Christians must be deadly serious in repenting of our sins, while at the same time relying entirely on the grace of Christ for salvation. In this way, the broken and contrite spirit that David is talking about in Psalm 51 is like the marker or sign of a changed life. Turning from sin then, is confirmation that your heart was broken and contrite. As someone who works with men struggling with sexual addiction, I’m highly aware of what I’m saying. Addiction does not excuse our actions. It may make breaking the cycle harder, but it’s a cycle that must be broken nonetheless. Now, for those sensitive souls out there who struggle with shame, let me remind you that our theme this week is from Romans 8 and Romans 8 begins with one of the most shame removing verses in the Bible. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”. Let the broken and contrite heart go only so deep to where it slams into the Holy Spirt, who reminds us that we are God’s children forever. Questions for reflection: Are you overly judgmental of others who are disgraced? What is this saying about your own heart? Does shame actually keep you from proper repentance? What would repentance look like if you were not struggling with shame? Is there some sin in your life for which you are not truly repentant? If so, what steps do you need to take to fully walk away from that sin and toward Jesus? Why did God allow a king of Israel who did such wicked things to be our teacher on confession and repentance? How does the Christian view of confession and repentance give you a proper tolerance/discernment when dealing with the world? Each of the posts this week will cover a different type of prayer, using a different type of psalm. We have seveal guest contributors lined up and I am delighted to read along with you all. (MK)
Day #15 - “Praise” (David Bacon) One of my recent joys has been playing Spider-Man 2, the video game, while my boys watch me play it. When they watch, some of them get VERY into it. I’ll sit on the couch with the controller in my hands, focus my eyes on the screen, think about the sequence of button presses and stick movements I need to make, and they will JUMP OFF THE COUCH AND BOUNCE UP AND DOWN LIKE MANIACS! They immerse themselves in the action on the screen to the point that they work up a sweat while timing their moves to react with what is happening on screen. Spider-Man will make a great hit and they’ll jump. Venom will take a nasty swing at Spider-Man and they’ll jump again. I’ve even seen one of my sons crouch down getting ready for a big move and then make a super big jump at the right moment; as if the harder he jumps, the better Spider-Man will jump on the screen. These boys get VERY engaged and involved in something that not only is just happening on a screen, but it isn’t even being directed by their actions; I am the one with the controller. This image reminds me of how we ought to engage in praising God. For a concise guide on praising God, I’ve chosen the popular Psalm 100. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. When we are called to praise God, we should remember why WE are praising GOD. First let’s look at the things about God that make him praiseworthy. There are numerous reasons to praise God. He has saved us from our sin. He has sent his Spirit to counsel us. He has ordained everything that comes to pass. He created physical laws that we are discovering more and more of all the time (well maybe you don’t find that fascinating, but Debbie and I do). In Psalm 100, the psalmist brings our focal point of praise back to the very beginning. “It is he who made us, and we are his.” We praise God because he has done amazing things, and the first amazing thing we have recorded is that he made us. He made the universe. He made humans. He set physical laws in place to govern the way planets, and moons, and stars, and atoms, and molecules move. The second thing he has done is called us to be his. We are His people. He is leading us as sheep. He has not left us alone. He has initiated a personal relationship with us. Now why should WE praise God? We certainly see commands throughout scripture for us to praise Him. But I want to bring us back to the description of my bouncing sons. They are not in the least responsible for the action on the screens, but they participate nonetheless. They jump and bounce and shout with excitement. Does it help Spider-Man perform better on the screen? No, but they are connecting with the visuals of the game in a deeper way than anyone else in the room. This is similar to our praising God. Praising him doesn’t change what he does. God has a perfect will and he will carry it out. But praising Him gets us involved in recognizing his work. It helps us connect to Him, relationally. We notice the things he has done, and we respond in recognizing that he is good! "Hey God, that time that you saved Noah and his family from the flood - that was amazing!" "When you created the whole earth OUT OF NOTHING - that was awe inspiring!" "The way that you stooped down to earth to save us broken sinners through your own son - that was an incredibly sacrificial way of showing us your love!" My family usually reads these daily devotions at the dinner table. Maybe you are also reading this together as a family. If so, take a moment, get up from your chairs, pick a song of praise, and sing it to the Lord. This can be your prayer this evening. There are certainly prayers of petition that we should make known to God, but what is our chief end? To Glorify God! So let’s glorify him, let’s get involved in worshiping God for his wonderful and amazing deeds! If you need a song suggestion, I suggest Wendell Kimbrough’s “Give Thanks to the Lord.” It references the last verse of Psalm 100. Oh Give Thanks (Psalm 107) (youtube.com) We will explore the following Scripture passage in the Sunday Sermon at City Reformed Church. We will look at the context in which we prayer. On one hand, Paul directs us to see that this present world is often difficult. On the other hand, God is with us, helping us in prayer and guiding us to a glorious redemption.
Sunday's Livestream link is here: 2024/03/03 CRPC Communion Worship Service Livestream - YouTube Sermon: Romans 8:12-30 12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. 26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. This is our first in a series of Saturday posts by Daniel Snoke in which he shares some historic forms of prayer that have been used by the church down through the centuries. (MK)
Lectio Divina | Scripture as an act of worship (Daniel Snoke) Lectio Divina simply means "divine reading". It is an ancient practice that can be traced back to the early church and it aims to engage the heart while reading Scripture. As Christians, we can often fall into the trap of viewing Scripture as proof-text for theology. It's easy to use God's Word both in worship and in our daily lives as intellectual source material for interesting sermons or better living. God's Word is much more than that. The reformed tradition views God's Word as a "means of grace" whereby we receive God himself - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus is the "word made flesh", and the Father promises that the Spirit is active wherever his Word is. We do not only speak and hear human words when we read Scripture; God is present with us and his grace is made effective in our lives. Lectio Divina seeks to pay more attention to this divine nature of the Holy Scriptures and slow our hearts down to receive what God has for us in his Word. Scripture is not just the inspiration of our prayer, it is the substance, means, and mechanism of our worship. Lectio Divina can enable us to populate our prayers with God's own words and aligns us with his grace. Traditionally, there are four parts to this practice; Reading, Meditating, Praying, and Contemplating. Some may find the difference between meditating and contemplating confusing or challenging, but according to Robert Webber, "Our contemplation, like that of Mary (Luke 1:38;2:19), is not a mere intellectual assent to God's story but a 'free penetrating and fixed gaze,' 'a loving look at God.' It differs from meditation, which is the search for God. It is instead "delight in the found truth." It is a real, genuine, internal delight in the story of God's rescue of creatures and creation. The delight in God expresses itself in the worship of God translated as a love for the story, a love for life, a love for this world." Therefore, our aim is not to stop at intellectual pursuit, but to delight and rejoice in God's word. More specifically we; READ Read aloud and slowly. Pause when you need to or when it feels natural. Do not be afraid of "distractions", rather, focus on receiving God's Word as the means of his grace and presence with you. Take note of things that your heart connects with or ideas that you struggle to receive. MEDITATE Read again, but this time, focus on the meaning of the text. In particular, ask God what it means for your own life and context. Do not strive to "solve" every interpretive puzzle, rather, focus on main ideas and celebrate whatever understanding God gives you. PRAY Now pray, in your own words, reflecting what God has spoken to you from the text. Do not try to sound eloquent and do not push away distractions. Pray from wherever your heart feels inclined to lead you. Give God whatever comes to your mind. CONTEMPLATE Continue to let your heart and mind respond to God, but now remain silent and enjoy the ways God is still present with you through his Word and in your prayers. Focus on the ways God has been revealed and open your heart with thankfulness to him. If you journal, you may feel inspired to write a few reflections down. Day #12: “When Prayer is Not Enough” (MK)
James 2:14-15 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? The title of this post was intended to provoke your thoughts. When is it that prayer is “not enough”? The answer is simple. When prayer is used as a replacement for obedience, our prayers are “not enough.” In the selected scripture reading for today, James describes a scenario when someone uses their blessing as a substitute for offering real help. The phrase, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled” sounds like a blessing. It seems to be a sort of prayer. In it, the Christian is asking for God to bless someone with warmth and fulness. Now, this would normally be a good thing to do. And it would be a really good thing to do if it accompanied faithful action. But in this case, it becomes a substitute for doing the right thing. In this form, prayer runs the risk of being blasphemous. There are other ways that we can do this also. Certainly, it is wise to pray for God’s guidance and for God to illuminate his will to us. God has clearly revealed himself in Scripture. If we find ourselves praying for guidance, while avoiding the plain instruction given in the Scriptures, we could be using the appearance of prayer to mask our inward rebellion. I can remember times when I have heard people say that they were “praying about God’s will for an immoral situation that they were involved in.” On the surface, an important topic of prayer. But, often it can be a set up for further rebellion. As in, “Well I prayed about it, and I don’t feel bad about it, so clearly God doesn’t want me to change anything.” Using prayer for guidance, disconnected from God’s revealed will in Scripture, turns prayer into a spiritual mask for rebellion. That is not good. This is important to think about because we have seen this sort of complaint enter into our national discussions. When there is a national tragedy and politicians respond by offering their “thoughts and prayers” it has begun to elicit pushback. To an extent this pushback can be legitimate. If a person uses the promise of “thoughts and prayers” to excuse their inaction on an important topic then that is a misuse of prayer. But most of us do not have particular responsibilities when responding to a national tragedy. There may be some things we can do, but they are often quite limited. For most of us, praying for people in the aftermath of a tragedy is not only the extent of our response, but it is also a very helpful thing to do. While I will continue to search out what actions a particular situation might demand from us, I will not apologize for “thinking and praying” for those impacted by a tragedy. In summary, it is always good to pray. But prayer is not meant to be a substitute for other activities that God wants from us. We don’t pray for God to feed our pets, and leave the pet food on the shelf. We don’t pray for God to make himself known and leave the Bible on the shelf. We don’t pray for God to help us love our neighbor and leave our bike pump on the shelf while they struggle with a flat tire. Prayer is meant to accompany faithful actions, not replace them. And yet, we are limited humans. There are a lot of life situations in which prayer is not only the important first step, but it is the only step we can take due to our human limitations. Fortunately, God's power is not limited! |
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