Month: November 2021

Continuing to Practice Prayer

We’ve come to the end of an amazing season of learning about prayer. As we close our Extraordinary Prayer books, my hope is that this won’t be the end of expanding and deepening our communication with the Lord. When we’re stretched spiritually like we have been in this study, we have the opportunity to change our rhythms and grow in maturity. But without intentionality, we’ll revert back to how we were previously.

There have been many times when God has inspired me, but it has only been by continuing to practice what I’ve learned that I’ve progressed in my walk with the Lord. For example, I began understanding the value of connecting with Jesus personally while serving at a Christian camp many years ago. Sitting on the roof of a houseboat as the sun sank low, I listened intently as a youth pastor read a chapter of My Heart, Christ’s Home—an allegory inspired by Jesus’ words, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” (John 14:23) 

In the story, the new believer invites Jesus to live in his home and makes plans to meet with Him every morning to read his Bible and pray.  The new Christian starts off with great intentions, but as the days go by, he sometimes rushes out before making time with the Lord. One day as he’s hurrying out the door, he glances into the living room and sees Jesus sitting expectantly in a chair by the fire with the Bible in His lap. Hanging his head, the believer enters the room and apologizes to Jesus when he realizes the Lord has continued to wait for him each morning. Jesus explains: 

“The trouble is that you have been thinking of the quiet time, of Bible study and prayer, as a means for your own spiritual growth. This is true, but you have forgotten that this time means something to me also. Remember, I love you. At a great cost I have redeemed you. I value your fellowship. Just to have you look up into my face warms my heart. Don’t neglect this hour, if only for my sake. Whether or not you want to be with me, remember I want to be with you. I really love you!”1

Those words pierced my heart as a young believer. It was the first time I understood that reading the Bible and praying weren’t just good things to do, but vital for cultivating a personal relationship with the Lord. I’d never considered His affection for me or that He eagerly anticipated our times together.

God invites us to draw near to Him and assures us of His presence, but He also wants our whole hearts. Session 1 of our study includes the words of Jeremiah 29:13: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” The word “seek” used here means to search out by any method, but especially through worship and prayer. The word “heart”characterizes our soul, mind, inclinations, conscience, moral character, and appetites.2 So, to seek God with all our hearts reflects an ongoing, focused pursuit of Him that is connected to all areas of our lives. It means surrendering to His will and His ways without holding anything back. Once we begin a relationship with Him, we’re meant to spend the rest of our lives striving to know Him more deeply.

Learning about God and growing with other believers is important, but it’s not the same as spending personal time with the Lord. Author and Bible teacher Lisa Harper explains: “Information about Jesus is a poor substitute for intimacy with Jesus. If you’ve filled in a million Bible study blanks and still don’t really believe that the Creator and Redeemer of the universe loves you, you’ll never impact the world around you with the abundant life made available to us in Christ. Spend time alone with the lover of your soul. Learn what it is to linger in the embrace of Jesus.”3

Throughout our study we’ve seen that God readily receives us when we move toward Him. The final session of Extraordinary Prayer reminds us: “Come close to God, and God will come close to you.” (James 4:8a, NLT) So, let’s continue to draw near to Jesus and to grow in intimacy with Him. 

My hope is that this study will be a significant mile marker in your spiritual journey and that you’ll look back and see it as a turning point when your prayer life expanded and deepened. I encourage you to continue practicing what doesn’t come easily to you: praising God, confessing your sins, expressing gratitude, and making requests that expand God’s kingdom. Keep pressing on and using the Bible to inspire your prayers.

Chris Tomlin’s “Nobody Loves Me Like You” gives the perfect inspiration for being intentional about drawing near to Jesus daily. Click here to listen and let the words motivate you to make time for the One who loves you best.

If this study impacted you, would you consider sharing it with others? I’d love to see more people have the opportunity to discover the power of extraordinary prayer. Click here for ordering info.

1. Robert Boyd Munger, My Heart, Christ’s Home, Intervarsity Press, 1986.

2. The definitions for the Hebrew words are compiled from Strong’s Concordance. “Baquash” (seek) is Strong’s #H1245 “Lebab” (heart) is Strong’s #H3824.

3. Lisa Harper “Three Things That Impact Your Legacy”, IF:Lead 2021.

Thanksgiving Bonus

Studying the prayers of people in Scripture over the past few months has shown us the importance of slowing down to thank God. In our culture, we’re prone to filling up those moments meant for pausing with way too much activity. Thanksgiving is almost here but, before you start shopping, cooking, baking, hosting, or eating, take some time to put on the brakes and do what the holiday was designed for: giving thanks. 

While I have many things that I’m thankful for this year, I want to turn my attention to just a few. Will you join me in drawing near to God and thanking Him for some of these rich blessings?

1. The Gift of God’s Faithfulness: “The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:24, NIV) In April of 2020, God blessed me with the opportunity to write Extraordinary Prayer. At the time I agreed to do it, I had plenty of time to write due to the COVID lockdown. However, three months later, my mom was diagnosed with cancer and put on hospice. Before I finished writing it, she went home to heaven. Words can’t express my gratefulness to God for enabling me to balance caring for my mom with writing the study and bringing it to completion. And on top of that, He’s given me tremendous joy as I’ve taught through different sessions and studied it with others this fall.

2. The Hope of Eternity with God: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17, NIV) These verses have become so familiar that we may have lost sight of their significance. I’m thankful that God showed us mercy by sending His son to pay the price for our sins so that we can be with Him forever. It’s comforting knowing God’s plan isn’t to condemn us, but to save us. Attending to two funerals recently and having both my parents deceased makes me even more aware of how fleeting our time on earth is. I’m truly grateful that this life isn’t the end of the story.

3. The Gift of the Holy Spirit: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be  in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you… But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (John 14:16-18, 26, NIV) I’m grateful for God’s continual presence in my life through the gift of the Holy Spirit. What a comfort it is knowing I have a counselor and guide who gives me access to God’s power at all times. Although my earthly parents are now in heaven, I thank God that He doesn’t leave me as an orphan.

4. The Gift of Peace: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27, NIV) In a world filled with chaos and discord, I’m grateful for peace that isn’t dependent upon circumstances. Because God is faithful and trustworthy, I can have peace that defies logic. I am confident of His goodness and know that He wants only what is good for me. So even when I don’t understand why He’s allowing hardships or difficulties, I can find peace in Him. That’s a rare gift in our world today.

5. The Gift of Christian Fellowship: “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:3-6, NIV) What an incredible gift and blessing it is to walk beside others in faith. Over the past year I’ve experienced numerous hard, sad, difficult moments, but I’ve also received an abundance of love, support, and encouragement from godly friends and family. In addition to that, I’ve had the joy of serving with some incredible people who have sharpened my faith and helped me to continue growing in my walk with Jesus. God surrounded me with amazing support as I wrote Extraordinary Prayer. If you have a copy of the book, you can see many of their names written in the acknowledgements.

What fills you with gratitude right now? Don’t let the bustle of the holiday cause you to miss what it’s really all about. Take five minutes and tell God how you feel. Let Rend Collective’s “Counting Every Blessing” put words to your prayer. Click here to listen.

Session 9: Unity Among Believers

Inspiring stories spill off the pages of the book of Acts. We see the lives of ordinary people transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit, causing the message of the gospel to spread like a swollen river flooding the flatlands. Fishermen from sleepy villages speak to educated men with wisdom, courage, and authority. Believers gather to pray fervently in the face of persecution and see God move in mighty ways.

I love the unity we see among the believers revealed in phrases sprinkled throughout Acts: “They all joined together constantly in prayer.” (1:14) “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” (2:4) “All the believers were together and had everything in common.” (2:44) “All the believers were one in heart and mind.” (4:32)

Taken out of context, these Scriptures from Acts make it seem like believers in the early Church spent their time enjoying good fellowship while swaying gently to songs around a campfire. Truth be told, the Bible also includes many examples of disunity and disagreement among believers (see Acts 15:39 and Philippians 4:2-3 for two examples). Sin and brokenness affected relationships and communities then, just as they do now. It’s no secret that tension and divisiveness have become the norm in our culture today, even in the body of Christ. 

So how do we arrive at the unity that Jesus prayed for in John 17?  How do we respond when others who worship beside us hold different views on hot topics? Do we reject them and retreat, only associating with those who share the same viewpoints? 

A good starting place for answering these questions is Jesus’ prayer for unity: “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:20-23, NIV)

First, it’s important to note that unity and uniformity are not the same thing. Uniformity happens when we already think alike. Conversely, unity only comes when we work hard to find ways to agree with others who have differing views. Unity is something we must grapple with as believers. Ultimately, a stronger bond comes when we acknowledge our differing views and demonstrate willingness to listen and find common ground. So, let’s explore three ways we can align with the heart of Jesus and pursue unity as His followers.1

1) Commit to the Mission of the Church (with a capital “C”): Christian churches across the world use different language to convey a common mission: To know Christ and make Him known. Jesus says it this way in His prayer: “I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:23, NIV) Obedience to God includes gathering with others to worship, connect, and serve. We’re meant to do this together to show the world God’s love. When we’re fighting among ourselves, we’re focused inwardly on our own agendas rather than outwardly on the world that desperately needs to hear the hope of the gospel. “For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.” (Galatians 5:14-15, NIV)

2) Commit to Being Humble and Others-centric: Our personal opinions feel important and can spark strong emotions, especially in the divisive times we’re living in right now. No one agrees with every decision made by leaders or individuals. But we need to care about and respect one another as people and followers of Christ more than we care about being right or airing our opinions. Consider Paul’s wise counsel: “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:2-6, NIV)

3) Commit to Sacrificing Your Will:  Jesus prayed for the unity of all believers knowing it would be difficult. He prayed this only hours before letting people betray, abandon, arrest, torture, and kill Him. This is what He was agreeing to when He prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39, NIV) Jesus gave up His will for our sake. Are we willing to do that for His Church? 

Pursing unity as a body of believers requires an unwavering focus on Jesus. Consider the wisdom of A.W. Tozer: “Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So, one hundred worshipers meeting together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be, were they to become ‘unity’ conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship.”

Let’s put aside our personal agendas and stop being so easily offended. Consider joining me in offering up extraordinary prayers that build unity among believers through humility and selflessness.

For an inspiring song on unity, click on this link and listen to Kari Jobe’s “Heal Our Land.”

1. The definition of unity vs. uniformity and the three points below it are based on Sean Morgan’s Leaders in Living Rooms podcast episode “Ugly Bride- Three Essential for Church Unity” from Sept. 13, 2021.

Bonus Post: Why Prayer Matters

What is the purpose of prayer? Many see it as a way to ask God for what we want or need: healing for a loved one, a solution to a big problem, or a positive outcome for a challenging circumstance. So, when we get what the desired result, we say our prayers “worked” and that God is good. The challenge comes when God keeps us waiting or gives us a different answer–which can lead us to become confused, angry, or disillusioned. 

Megan Fate Marshman offers a different perspective on prayer. She describes it as “connecting with the one who loves you most.” So, prayer isn’t only about asking God for what we want but about cultivating a relationship with Him. This is also what Jeremiah describes when he writes from God’s perspective saying: “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:12-13, NIV)

Prayer is so much more than just a tool for making requests of God or a last resort when we’ve run out of all other options. Over the years, I’ve discovered many truths about it through consistent practice and study. It’s changed me and caused my faith in God to grow deeper and wider.  Prayer is more powerful than most of us realize. Let’s look at four reasons why it matters:

Prayer Invites God Into our Circumstances: Psalm 139 tells us that God perceives our thoughts and knows what we’re going to say before we speak. Some would argue that there’s no reason to talk to the Lord since He already knows everything about us. However, the purpose of prayer isn’t to inform God of our circumstances; it’s to invite Him into them. Prayer opens the lines of communication between God and you, just as you talk regularly with people you love. It gives the Lord permission to speak into our lives and to share His wisdom. Often, prayer changes our hearts more than it changes our circumstances. That’s exactly what we see at the end of Psalm 139 when David says: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24, NIV)

Prayer is the Healthiest Way to Manage Fear and Worry: Anxiety is on the rise in our culture. Many of us feel a constant undercurrent of fear and worry at all times. We try to control our surroundings, our circumstances, our plans, and our relationships as a way to stave off those panicky feelings. Our minds churn over worst-case scenarios and “what-ifs” that fill us with dread. The irony is, all the time we spend worrying and fretting does nothing to change our circumstances. It wastes our energy, overwhelms our thoughts, and steals our joy–preventing us from living life to the fullest. In contrast, taking all that angst and laying it before God frees us to trust Him and to expend mental energy in more meaningful and productive ways. No one says it better than the Apostle Paul: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ” (Philippians 4:6-7, NIV)

Prayer Changes Our Perspective: When we praise God in prayer, we’re reminded of His character. Consider David’s words: “The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does. The Lord upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” (Psalm 145:13, 14, 18, NIV) Praising God for His trustworthiness, faithfulness, and nearness reassures us He can handle anything we bring before Him. This simple but profound quote from author and pastor AW Tozer sums up the power of praise: “As God is exalted to the right place in our lives, a thousand problems are solved all at once.” 

Prayer Lets Us Take Action When We Feel Powerless: When circumstances unfold the way we want or expect, we have the illusion that we’re in control, which makes us feel powerful. But here’s the harsh truth: There are few things we can actually control beyond our reactions. When we accept our humble position, we give God more opportunity to work in our lives. Consider Paul’s realization He could only rely on God’s strength in light of his personal struggles: “Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:7b-10, NIV

How freeing it is to accept our frailty and weakness and to recognize humbly that we have no power on our own. Acknowledging we don’t have control and trusting God gives us access to true power from the One who loves us most of all. 

Phil Wickham’s “Battle Belongs” is an incredible song filled with Scripture that reveals the power we have through prayer. Click here to listen and celebrate this truth today.

Megan Fate Marshman, Meant for Good: The Adventure of Trusting God and His Plans for You, Zondervan, 2020, page 79.

Session 8: Jesus’ Model for Prayer

Did you learn the Lord’s Prayer as a child? Maybe, like me, you recited the words without understanding their meaning. Jesus taught us to pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” (Matthew 6:9-13, NIV) There’s much to learn from this short but powerful model for prayer. 

First, by referring to God as our Father, Jesus shows us that He is accessible, intimate, and personal. At the same time, “hallowed be your name” illustrates the importance of approaching the Lord with reverence and awe. One commentary explains, “Too often we barge into God’s presence with presumptuous ‘to-do lists’ for Him, without being mindful of His holiness, His awesomeness, and the vast chasm that separates our nature from His. That we are even allowed to come before His throne is due only to His gracious, merciful love for His own (Hebrews 4:16). We must never take that grace for granted.”1

Our Heavenly Father is sovereign and deserves to be praised just because He’s God, not because of anything He’s done for us. This provides a humbling reminder that God doesn’t exist for us, we exist for Him. Acknowledging His holiness helps us to regain perspective when our needs seem urgent.

Next, praying “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” invites God to increase His kingdom on earth right now through each of us. As followers of Jesus, we are citizens of God’s kingdom, and we carry that citizenship with us wherever we go. We’re each marked by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13). Just like a passport identifies you as a citizen of a specific country, the Holy Spirit identifies you as God’s child. So, wherever you go, you have the opportunity to let the light of God’s love shine out from you, as Jesus describes when He says, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16, NIV)

Praying for God’s kingdom to come impacts how believers view their immediate circumstances. We recognize that God has empowered us to change the atmosphere of our surroundings and we invite Him to work in and through us. In the rest of the prayer, Jesus shows three ways we can pray personally that will expand the Lord’s rule and reign:

-Make Room for the Kingdom of God in Your Daily Life: We have the privilege of asking God to meet our needs for “daily bread.” Just as our bodies were made to need sustenance from food every day, our hearts were made to need daily connection with God. Going to Him consistently reminds us self-sufficiency is only an illusion. Everything we have, including our ability to earn a living, ultimately comes from God. Asking the Lord to meet our physical and spiritual needs daily keeps us humble, but also enables us to grow in our connection to Him and our dependence upon Him. So, commit to spending time in God’s Word and prayer consistently, even when the Extraordinary Prayer study comes to an end. Be intentional about creating space in your schedule to be quiet before the Lord. Ask your Heavenly Father to show you what distractions you can eliminate that will free you up to draw near to Him consistently. To read an expanded explanation on this portion of the prayer, see the link at the bottom.*

-Expand the Kingdom of God with Confession and Forgiveness: In the next part of the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus illustrates the importance of identifying and confessing our sins.  “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12, NIV) We’ve become a society averse to accepting responsibility for our wrongdoing. But if we follow Jesus, we must be willing to confess when we’ve sinned and seek forgiveness from God and others we’ve hurt. Likewise, we expand God’s kingdom when we forgive others for the wrongs done to us. This is the only portion of the Lord’s Prayer that Jesus expands on further: “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:12, 14-15, NIV) Our willingness to ask for and offer forgiveness stands out in a world bent on sidestepping sin, nursing resentment, and seeking retaliation. For a deeper dive on these two topics, see the links at the bottom.*

-Spread the Kingdom of God by Praying Against Temptation and Evil: In the final portion of the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus tells us to pray: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” (Matthew 6:13, NIV) Our flesh and spirit battle continually; praying for the Lord not to lead us into temptation and to deliver us from evil demonstrates humble acknowledgement of this fact. It’s a request to keep sin from gaining a foothold in our lives. When we know our weaknesses and are aware of the areas where we’re likely to fall into sin, we can pray proactively, asking the Lord to guide and protect us. Relying on God’s strength to withstand temptation also encourages others who may be struggling in similar ways. Making the hard choice to uphold integrity and righteousness expands the Lord’s kingdom and inspire others to do the same. 

Increasing God’s dominion on earth starts in our hearts and minds. Let Rend Collective’s song “Build Your Kingdom Here” inspire your prayers today. 

*Interested in understanding more? Take a look at this post on daily bread by clicking here, this one on confession by clicking here or this one on forgiveness by clicking here.

1. Commentary quotation from:  https://www.gotquestions.org/Lords-name-vain.html