Faith Bible Blog

On Sunday at Kaleo, as we looked at Jesus’  teaching on persevering in prayer, and I mentioned my use of prayer cards.  I started using them this year after reading about them in Paul Miller’s excellent book A Praying Life (BTW: get and read this book!).  John asked me to post this here to share it with the rest of the church as well.

I became convinced that I needed some sort of lists if I was really going to persevere in bringing the same requests before God long term.  A small stack of 3×5 cards has many advantages over a big sheet of requests.  I find it less overwhelming to look at just one category at a time.  A stack of 3×5 cards with a clip also travels well in a pocket.

Some people asked on Sunday night for some sample categories.  Mine are:

• Spiritual Formation – These are areas in my own life where I want God to change my heart.  I pray over specific verses that describe what I’m after
• Areas of Surrender -On this card I put all the areas of my life that tend to cause me anxiety.  When I pray over this card I am surrendering these areas over to God’s care.  I will sometimes do this flat on my back, arms stretched out with palms up as a physical display of my surrender.  TMI? 
• Weekly Goals – These are specific things I want the Spirit-empowered discipline to accomplish every week, including: reading, praying through the cards, time with each kid, exercise, etc.
• My Wife and Kids – each has a separate card with specific requests for each
• My Parents, Brothers, In-Laws, Nieces and Nephews – listed with specific requests
• Extended Family – listed with specific request
• A Few Close Friends – each have their own card
• Kaleo People - if you ask me to pray for you, you’re on it
• People I’m Currently Discipling/Counseling – each has their own card
• Our Church Elders/Pastors – listed with specific needs next to their names
• Pastors/Writers – listed on one card – some I know personally, others are big names I don’t know personally – if they have had an impact on me they are on here
• Kaleo Leadership - listed on one card with specific needs next to their names
• Kaleo – specific things we would like to see God do  with us
• Work – for patients, clients, office staff and colleagues
• Kingdom – persecuted church, revival, the poor, human trafficking, church planting, stewardship of the environment, unreached peoples, end to abortion
• President Obama - for him personally, his family, for wisdom and protection
• Salvation – a list of people that don’t know Jesus but I’m praying God will save
• Missions – a list of specific missionaries and missions agencies that God has put on my heart
• Our Neighbors – listed on one card with specific needs next to their names

Here are Paul Miller’s general guidelines for using his prayer cards (pp. 225-226, A Praying Life):

1. The card functions as a snapshot of the person’s life, so use short phrases to describe what you want.
2. When praying, I usually don’t linger over a card for more than a few seconds.  I just pick one or two key areas and pray for them.
3. I put the Word to work by writing a Scripture verse on the card that expresses my desire for that particular person or situation.
4. The card doesn’t change much.  Maybe once a year I will add another line.  These are just the ongoing areas of a person’s life that I am praying for.
5. I usually don’t write down answers.   They are obvious to me since I see the card almost every  day.
6. I will sometimes date a prayer request with the month and year.

I set Google calendar to send me an email each day that reminds me to get through them at some point each day.

Using cards has really helped me a lot.  The goal is to become the kind of people that keep bringing the same requests before God like Jesus taught us to.   And I majorly stink at this naturally.

It has also been awesome to see how many things God has already done in response to prayer – something I would not have noticed without these cards.

Hope this helps you to pray more each day

Erick Bible Issues & Questions, Lifestyle prayer

Question: If I am not persecuted, am I not following Christ?

Answer:

Possibly! As we heard during last week’s message from the pulpit, Scripture clearly declares that “..all those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim 3:12).

To “live godly in Christ” means faithfully living a life that puts Jesus on display, showing and sharing Him in a world that rejects His message and His gospel.  Jesus said in the “Sermon on the Mount” (Matt 5-7) that we are blessed when we live in a way that pursues and manifests His righteousness.  We are not blessed by the world, that’s for sure! No! Jesus says we are blessed by our faithfulness to Him, both in this life and the life to come!  Being persecuted for Christ results in a deeper, more intimate relationship with Him.  He goes on to say what true persecution looks like — casting insults against you, hunting you down, ridiculing you and falsely accusing and slandering you (Matt 5:10-11).  He then gives the reason for this type of  verbal and physical abuse — it is on “account of Me.” We will be despised and persecuted for reflecting Him . . . for attitudes and actions that look like Jesus!  So where’s the blessing??  The apostle Peter says it this way, “if you are reviled for the name of Christ you are blessed, because the Spirit  of glory and God rests upon you (1 Peter 4:14).”

So, here’s the point: Read more…

Peter Lifestyle TXT Question

Question: Why is it sin if you are not serving? What is serving?

Answer:

The Bible says that at the time of salvation, every Christian is specially gifted by the Spirit, for the purpose of serving other Christians.  That is the clear meaning of 1 Corinthians 12:7:

but to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

All Christians have been gifted by God for the good of others.  1 Corinthians 12:4-30 and Romans 12:3-8 both describe how the Spirit of God gives a variety of spiritual gifts to believers so that the church would grow (spiritually & numerically) as believers utilize their gifts.  Ephesians 4:16 emphasizes that the growth of the church body is contigent upon “the proper working of each individual part.”

God has gifted every Christian SO THAT they would minister to others. That is why Peter writes,

As each one has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (1 Pet 4:10)

Your ability to minister is a stewardship from God, for which you will give account to Him.  Just like the money, food and clothing which He provides to you, He calls you to use your spiritual gift in a way that brings Him glory (1 Pet 4:11).

Is it a sin not to serve? YES!  You’re commanded to.  Jesus calls you to be a servant, “for even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:42-45).

John Bible Issues & Questions, Lifestyle service, TXT Question

Question: What’s the difference between pride & self-esteem?

Answer:

Self-esteem is basically our culture’s word for what the Bible calls pride. It is commonly seen as a good thing in our culture to think highly yourself – to have high self-esteem. The Bible on the other hand advocates having a Gospel view of ourselves. As Tim Keller has put it:

“The Gospel shows us that we are more sinful and flawed than we would ever dare admit and yet – at the same time – in Christ we are more loved and accepted than we ever dared hope.”

Spiritual health would be to believe both of these things about ourselves. God’s love in acceptance is not based on our worthiness but on the worthiness of Jesus. This security gives us a humble confidence that self-esteem never can never produce. For more on this, read Tim Keller’s article on the Centrality of the Gospel.

Erick Bible Issues & Questions, Gospel, Lifestyle TXT Question

Question: If something happens to us that is wrong, when should we pursue legal action vs. let God work?

Answer:

Let me start by sharing what Scripture says about lawsuits, as it will help us understand God’s revealed will on the matter.

Scripture presents two categories, relative to the issue of lawsuits:

1.) Legal Action Against Unbelievers

• Believers should  be cautious and seek counseling and wisdom before suing (Prov 25:8-10; Rom 12:18)
• Every effort should be made to settle out of court (Matt 5:25)
• We must pursue a humble, selfless attitude, even when being treated unjustly (Matt 5:40)

2.) Lawsuits against another Christian Read more…

Peter Bible Issues & Questions, Lifestyle TXT Question

Question = If we live our life as “to live is Christ + something else,” are we unbelievers?

Answer:

Perhaps a good way to answer your question is to establish what makes one a believer.  A believer is one who has been called and transformed by the grace of God alone.  “For you were saved by grace through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God so that no one may boast” (Eph 2:8-9).

When God saves a person, the Scripture says that He draws them to Himself, makes a dead heart alive (Eph 2:1-3) and gives them “saving faith.”  What is “saving faith”? Saving faith is that “gift of God” which brings a person into intimate relationship with Christ (Rom 10:9-10). It is based on God’s grace alone rather than a person’s efforts to “make themselves right” with God or ”earn favor” with God (2 Tim 2:25).

So, based on the finished work of Christ, every true believer is brought into a personal relationship with God (aka saving faith) by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, for God’s glory alone!

So how does that answer your question? Read more…

Peter Gospel, Lifestyle TXT Question

Question: Is there a difference between discipline and hard stuff designed 2 strengthen us?

Answer:

While, on the surface, it might seem like there is a distinct difference, if we look closely at God’s Word I believe we’ll see that God’s discipline and trials are two sides of the same coin!

Hebrews 12:3-11 says that God corrects or disciplines those who are his children, those whom He loves, for their good (Heb 12:6, 10).  His purpose is to bring about greater purity of  character. This discipline then is good, in that it produces “the peaceable fruit of righteousness” (Heb 12:11).

In the classic passage on believers experiencing trials or tests , James 1:2-4 says:

Count it all joy my brethren when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  And let endurance have its  perfect result, so that you may be complete lacking in nothing”

Both discipline and trials  produce something good!…”the peaceable fruit of righteousness” and “endurance.” They both produce good fruit: righteousness, endurance and joy! They both result in greater communion with God and a deeper trust in His faithfulness.

In the end, both of  these things – discipline and trials – are designed by God to produce greater stability, godliness and righteousness in our lives as believers!

They are two sides of the same coin!  God’s discipline and our trials  both reflect His desire to display His great love and  transform us into the image of Christ!  And that, ultimately, brings  great glory to His name and lasting good into our lives!

Peter Bible Issues & Questions, Lifestyle TXT Question

Question: If you delay to obey, disregard the Word or disdain God’s efforts, does it show that you might not be saved?  What should I do in response?

Answer:

If I understand you correctly, you are stating that you’re aware of a pattern of  ‘lack of obedience’ in your life to the clear commands of Scripture. If that  is correct, the answer is simple – confess, repent and pursue obedience to the Word!  Every Christian struggles with areas of lack of obedience from the heart (Rom 7:14-25).  God has enabled us by His indwelling Spirit to trust and obey His Word (Ezk 36:24-26; Rom 8:9).  That enablement leading to obedience includes “confession of sin” to Him (1Jn 1:9-10) and others (Jms 5:16).

So each of us needs to regularly examine our hearts through the filter of Scripture.  When God’s Word is being preached from the pulpit or studied in personal devotions,  God’s Spirit in tandem with His Word will often identify areas of disobedience in our hearts (Heb 4:12).  That’s a good thing! We need to embrace the love and care of God through the purifying work of His Spirit and Word in our lives! (Jn 17:17)  True growth as a Christian means overcoming lack of obedience through dependence on His Spirit by the application of His Word!

Because we are sinners saved by grace, we will see areas of disobedience, defiance, attitudes or actions that violate God’s Word. Repeated disobedience brings dishonor to His name!  When  unrepentant sin  becomes a pattern, the Bible says that we are caught in a trespass (Gal 6:19).  All of us from time to time will be caught in a trepass (ie, violating God’s Word).  When you  look closely at Gal 6:1, it becomes clear that God desires for us to shepherd one another in our battle with sin through involvement in each other’s lives.  Scripture says that we need trusted believers to help us in the battle! Confession is our first and best weapon in the fight.  For men that means confessing sin to another trusted brother and for women, they need a  faithful trusted sister in Christ.  Disciples are learners, and followers of Christ.  One question I would ask you is: Are you currently in a biblical discipleship relationship?

If you have no heart whatsoever to follow Christ and the Spirit of God is not moving you to confess sin and trust and apply God’s Word  to your life… If you consistently find more joy in the things of the flesh than the things of the Spirit and the Word, then you should seriously heed Paul’s admontion to the church at Corinth:

“Test yourself to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you-unless indeed you fail the test”(2 Cor. 13:5)

Peter Lifestyle TXT Question

Question: How do I give glory to God without sounding ‘holier than thou’?

Answer:

We as believers are encouraged to always speak with respect and Christ-like love to others.  Never to bring dishonor to Christ’s name by arrogant, harsh or abusive speech (Eph 4:29).

And when we do, we should humbly apologize and seek the injured parties’ forgiveness, whether they be Christian or not!  I would offer that the  key point here is to not be one who speaks in “Christian-ese” to others all the time!  By “Christian-ese,” I mean quoting Scripture all the time to those around you and flippantly using Christian phrases like “praise the Lord” or “it’s God’s will” for everything that happens to you or others!

A good rule of thumb is to follow Matt 7:12… “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the law and the Prophets”

Having said that, we should be prepared to be treated poorly for being identified as a follower of Jesus Christ and sharing our faith with unbelievers (Matt 5:11-12).

Peter said it best in 1 Peter 4:14-16:

“If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of  glory and of God rests on you.  Make sure that no one suffers as a murderer or thief or evil doer or a troubelsome meddler, but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name”

Peter Lifestyle TXT Question

Several of you have asked me to email what I read off the back of my Bible last night. Here it is:

“What do you want so badly today that it is making you depressed, anxious, covetous, bitter or angry? What is making you sick of soul? That is the idol you need to repent of today! Pray and confess it to your Father.”

I wrote that on the back of my Bible in a time of deep anxiety, depression and covetousness. It has been something I frequently use as a reminder to repent and receive the peace and joy that is should always be mine in the Gospel.

Enjoy!
Erick.

“Little children, keep yourselves from idols”
1 John 5:21

Erick Gospel, Lifestyle