Frederick Douglass is a key figure featured every February during Black History month. After escaping slavery in Maryland, Douglass completed his autobiography in 1845. If you attended a public school, you probably never heard about this man’s great faith. While talking to a friend earlier in the week, I was amazed to hear about his concept of prayer. This made me wonder, what am I actually praying for?
How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word, Psalm 119:9.
Instead of praying for the obvious, God’s blessings on your family, friends and work, Douglass narrowed in on a few simple things. First, as a slave, Frederick prayed that his master would not beat him. From here, Frederick fervently asked the Lord to have mercy on him so that his service would please his master. Within his autobiography, Douglass comments on how his master’s treated him. Oddly enough, those who claimed to be Christians treated him the worse.
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well, Matthew 6:33.
Following this conversation, I was convicted, wondering how cruel I have treated others in this life. Beyond the bubble that I live in, my actions are far from the grace, love and mercy Jesus demonstrated on earth. Instead of treating prayer like some kind of Christmas wish list, perhaps it’s time to go back to the basics. Whether this means using the Lord’s Prayer as a guide or quoting parts of Psalm 119, something has to change. May this blog inspire you to put into practice Jesus’ words above, starting prayer by seeking God’s kingdom and righteous first.
When radio was in it’s prime, I spent summer days as a teenager hanging out on my back deck with friends listening to music. Except for all request lunch hours, you could guess which dozens songs were played on an hourly loop until the next set of singles were released. The only thing comparable from this era that remains today is Delilah Radio. One of the few DJ’s to survive advances in technology, Delilah’s nightly show plays songs to get it’s listeners through the storms of life.
“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you,” Deuteronomy 31:6.
Like the various genres that exist, my tastes in music has evolved over time. Early on, I turned to songs from Air Supply, Chicago and REO Speedwagon to get me through trying times. Unfortunately, some of these songs made me more depressed, especially ballads by Chicago. Thus, I began searching for something more meaningful. Lyrics with encouraging, positive and uplifting messages. My good friend Mindy introduced me to a new sound, inviting me to my first Christian concert. My swim coach Ken Horne who also served as the Fellowship of Christian Athlete’s school huddle leader, furthered my knowledge of this brand of wholesome music.
And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?” – Matthew 8:23-27
These two individual inspired a life long quest to uncover hidden gems. This lead me to discover a huge Christian warehouse where I could listen to music before buying it. Meanwhile, Jackie, the former owner of the Sonshine House was my guide to find my favorite songs played a new local Christian station. When I didn’t have anyone to ask, I developed a successful system based upon album covers. Those artists who spent a little extra money on design and graphics usually produced solid tunes. Sure, I bought plenty of duds void of any decent songs, yet I pressed on to share my passion with others.
Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him., 1 Samuel 16:23.
On this journey, I came across Christians who practiced legalism, referring to any secular form of music as being inspired by the Devil. Years later I read a quote from Wes King in an article on the difference between Christian and secular music. King’s opinion struck a cord with me that I have adopted. “There are two types of music, that which glorifies God and those that glorify self.” Depending upon your preference, you need to make sure you don’t get caught up judging the opposing side. Rather, it’s best to seek and tell others about those songs which help you overcome the storms in life. Below is a list of artists and topics that have helped me endure various hardships in life.
The Landcare Research Center in New Zealand have recently made an interesting discovery. According to Mark Smale and his survey team, several plants and vegetation living in the Taupo Volcanic Zone are thriving despite a soil temperature of 72 degrees Celsius. In case you were wondering, that’s 161 degrees Fahrenheit. The breaking point was found to be 80 degrees Celsius, where only thermophilic algae can survive. This interesting find illustrates the fact that God has created living things can thrive in adverse conditions.
A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels, 1 Samuel 17:4-6.
If you enjoy watching sports, there are certain contests, games and matches that are clearly a mismatch. In the early years of Israel, no Jewish soldier could match the size, strength and supreme confidence of the Philistine warrior. Goliath stood just under ten feet tall and was protected by 156 pounds of armor. Day after day Goliath challenged members of the Jewish army to a duel but everyone ran and hid in fear. During a visit to the front lines to see his older brothers, David witnessed Goliath’s daily rant. While the odds were against this frail six foot tall shepherd boy, David possessed a faith which thrived under extreme circumstances.
David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” – 1 Samuel 17:26
Today, the phrase David verse Goliath is over used and often taken out of context. Faith without action is dead. Victory is achieved through complete trust in the God given talents that you possess. It doesn’t matter what others believe as long as you or your team know winning is possible. If God has the power to create the heavens and the earth, why don’t more individuals turn to the Lord when facing adverse conditions. The only thing missing in the lives of many individuals is a faith that thrives in adverse conditions.
When you hear someone mention the term race, it’s often in reference to Track & Field, Horses or Nascar. Yet, my use is in the context of a personal battle. Currently, I have fluid in my left eye along with a recent collapsed cell wall. The sad thing is that this is my good eye. Following emergency glaucoma surgery in December, a cataract has developed in my right eye to blur my vision. Subsequently, I’m in a race against time to finish the book that I started this Spring. Meanwhile, I still have a collection of screen plays I need to edit and an additional script in my head. God willing I am hoping to complete these projects while I can still see.
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him, 1 John 5:14-15.
Seeing and believing are two different aspects of faith. According to the verse above, prayers should be based upon God’s will. However, if what you are asking is foreseeable in the context of God’s will, you should be confident in having this request honored. The only problem with my current dilemma is I’m not sure if it’s in God’s will for me to write full time. As for now, I am trying to maximize my time away from work so that I can make the most of the gift of sight.
And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith,” Matthew 21:22.
This second verse on prayer refers to overcoming mountains, persisting despite obstacles blocking your current path. Since last winter, I wake up daily not knowing if my vision will be blurred or clear. I have the faith for the Lord to heal and restore my sight, but a medical miracle has not arrived. The only thing I can do is press on like the persistent widow. This woman of faith did not stop praying until she received the outcome she desired. Perhaps, perfect vision is illogical to hope for in prayer. Yet, I cling to the promises in the Bible waiting for a miracle to occur in connection with God’s will. This is my race against time.
As I look back on my life, one disturbing pattern exists. When I failed to reach a goal, rejected by a company or cut by a sports team, I changed course. Trying to rebound quickly, I altered my dreams in life to avoid further disappointment Sure, this made me feel better momentarily, yet I regret not sticking it out longer to see if I could have achieved my desired destination.
The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him, Lamentations 3:25.
The group Firefight sings about this topic in the song For Those Who Wait. The attached video illustrates a natural response to failure, quitting. Yet, the lyrics point to the reward for those who hang in there despite not succeeding on your first attempt. This is where rationale thoughts wrestle with faith. While some may never taste success, perseverance shapes character and will prepare you for future opportunities in this life.
Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! – Psalm 27:14
If you are like me, sharing dreams with family and friends can be frustrating. Responses like don’t quit your day job and don’t get your hopes up are typical. Meanwhile, those who don’t comment roll their eyes or mutter “yeah right.” This vision that you paint for others doesn’t fit their current perception of you. Thus, you have one of two options. Think about what might have been or step out in faith by toughing it out like those who wait? I pray that you choose the latter. Take courage as you wait on the Lord to open the next door in your life.
I was having one of those humbling/trying weeks where nothing seemed to go right. As I was about to have a pity party for myself, I stumbled upon an article on the top 25 most adventurous men of the last 25 years. Number 23 on this list was Erik Weihenmayer for kayaking through the Grand Canyon. This feat may seem relatively obscure unless of course you consider the fact that Eric is blind.
Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed,” John 20:29.
This incredible journey is detailed in the book No Barriers. While I have had my own eye issues over the past 20 years, I am still able to see the beauty of God’s creation. As someone who has canoed and kayaked down river rapids, past guides trained me to look for the V. This is the safest place to enter rapids. However, down one sense, Erik Weihenmayer has to rely solely on his hearing. This is where ability and faith meet, trusting in God to get you down stream safely.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen, Hebrews 11:1.
It’s only fitting that I discovered No Barriers while waiting to see my eye doctor. Despite my fears of glaucoma, I experienced a divine appointment with the Lord this afternoon. Instead of feeling sorry for myself, this article was like a kick in the butt to persevere. If Erik Weihenmayer can kayak blind through class four rapids on the Colorado River, then the Lord can still use my decaying body to bear spiritual fruit. The only barriers that exist are seeds of doubt which cause many individuals to give up before obtaining your dreams in life.
Earlier this week an elderly man destroyed a brand new statue of the ten commandments. Initial media reports suggested that this might have been part of a car accident. After further investigation it was uncovered that this destruction was posted on Facebook Live. In fact this was the second religious statue this man had destroyed, If this attack was aimed at any other politically correct religious symbol, the liberal media would have been outraged. Unfortunately, the God hypocrisy caused this story to be buried or omitted completely.
I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! – Revelation 3:15
Prior to the attacks on New York City and Washington D.C. on September 11th, 2001, God was being pushed out of American culture. The Bible, prayer and religious freedom were being kicked to the curb, discarded like old possessions at a garage sale. Following 9/11, Major League Baseball decided to let God back in by singing God Bless America during the seventh inning stretch. Meanwhile, more people attended worship centers on the Sunday after 9/11 than ever before or since. Unfortunately, when good times return God is usually one of the first relationships to be placed on the back burner.
So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth, Revelation 3:16.
If God would have a letter commissioned to the United States of America today it would be similar to the church in Laodicea. At some point, individuals develop an on again off again relationship with God. This unhealthy habit breeds a lukewarm spirit where people use God as a crutch leaning on Him in times of trouble. Anyone who claims to be a follower of Christ yet exhibits an inconsistent faith results in another God hypocrisy. Thus, unless individuals begin to live out the Christian faith, church attendance will continue to decline. You shouldn’t have to wait until the next 9/11 like event to turn your life around. May this blog or the Darryl Worley song Have You Forgotten inspire you to dial up your faith by trusting and obeying an invisible God.
I heard a depressing conversation this week. A woman called into a talk show to discuss her nightmare experience with healthcare. This woman talked about a company who promised her full coverage if she was willing to move to the west coast. After believing every spoken word and following through with this relocation, promises began to be broken. Formerly a religious woman, she cried out to God hoping to be saved from further disappointment. Day after day these prayers went unanswered, wondering “what’s the point if there’s nobody out there?”
In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly, Psalm 5:3.
At the end of this phone call, this woman revealed that she stopped praying, giving up hope that God could change her situation, Unfortunately, too many people know the pain of unfulfilled prayer requests. When heaven is silent or signs of help do not arise, it’s hard to press on. Talking to an invisible God requires faith, persistence and a strong will to carry on. Yet, there will always be those who give up before a miracle is delivered.
Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer, Psalm 4:1.
The Psalmist had his own struggles with waiting on God to intervene. Based upon the words chosen. it appears Solomon throw his hands up in frustration wondering, “is there anyone out there?” While technology continues to advance, waiting on God remains the same, a long and trying road. Therefore, the next time you begin to panic when a prayer goes unanswered, let go and trust the Holy Spirit to lead you where God wants you to go.
Most seminaries and theological institutions make a distinction between the Holy Spirit poured out on the day of Pentecost from that which exists today. Based upon the amount of healings, miracles and spiritual revivals that takes place in the book of Acts, scholars refer to this time period as a special anointing. Sometime after A.D. 300, the Holy Spirit experienced by apostles and disciples left the church.
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them, Acts 2:4.
The answer for why the Holy Spirit vanished from the face of the earth can be attributed to the influence and reign of the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great. Prior to his conversion early in the third century, the Christian church was led by apostles, elders and laymen. Despite increasing Roman persecution, faith flourished until some of Constantine’s edicts went into law. One decree banned home churches from meeting. Instead congregations could only meet in worship centers built by Constantine.
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness, 2 Peter 1:3.
In an attempt to Christianize the world, Constantine tied pagan holidays and symbols to Christian celebrations. While his motives likely had good intentions, this decision perverted and tainted sound theological doctrine. Subsequently, ungodly beliefs that developed and those formed stunted the power of the Holy Spirit. The presence of healings, miracles and radical transformation slowly faded from existence in the years following A.D. 300. Despite these facts, the Bible talks about a pouring out of the Holy Spirit in the last days. Although the Holy Spirit left the church initially, it doesn’t mean a spirit of revival can’t return. May the Lord hear the prayers of the saints by bringing back the Spirit of Pentecost.
If you follow, read or watch the news, it’s hard to remain positive. Like the down trodden in this life, hope can disappear for extended periods of time. Thus, many are left alone, stuck in an impossible situation praying for a miracle.
He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you,” Matthew 17:20.
For some the story of David and Goliath is nothing more than a fairy tale, a figment of one’s imagination. Yet, history conveys the truth found in the Old Testament, 1 Samuel 17. While David’s size was an obstacle, a midget compared to the giant mocking God on a daily basis, his experience as a shepherd prepared him for this battle. Against all odds, David shot down Goliath with his sling shot opening the door to become king of Israel.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father,” John 14:12.
When Jesus traveled throughout the Middle East during the first century, doubt was prevalent. Doing the impossible was a dream blocked by the mountain known as reality. Thus, Jesus found it necessary to regularly talk about the power of faith and belief. As Jesus began to cure, heal and perform miracles, the impossible seemed to be within reach. Therefore, don’t let doubt keep you trapped. Rather, cry out of Jesus so that the God of the impossible will return to perform another miracle.
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