The Lord alone opens hearts ∙

The Lord alone opens hearts ∙

Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. – Acts 16:14

Luke 24:27-45

 27 Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

 31 Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!

 32 They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?”

 35 Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road, and how they had recognized him as he was breaking the bread.

 44 Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.”

 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

Recent advancements in the field of ophthalmology have ignited hope for curing blindness. An article was published in the AARP bulletin titled “An End to Blindness?” Millions of mostly older Americans may soon have new approaches for treating blindness, particularly for those suffering from macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and other eye diseases. The pace of progress is such that some researchers are already envisioning an end to many forms of vision loss. Stephen Rose, chief research officer for the Foundation Fighting Blindness, maintains, “It’s not a question of if we’ll end blindness. It’s really just a question of when.”

One example of these groundbreaking advancements is the case of Lisa Kulik, who had been blind for over two decades due to retinitis pigmentosa, an inherited eye disease. Thanks to a sophisticated microchip implanted in one of her eyes, the Argus II, she could see again, distinguishing between the sidewalk and grassy edge while strolling around the University of Southern California’s Eye Institute.

While the 21st century may bring about cures for many forms of physical blindness, spiritual blindness poses a different kind of challenge. However, there is indeed a cure. The cure for spiritual blindness lies not within the realms of human wisdom or persuasiveness but in the Father’s intervention. He opens people’s hearts, eyes, and minds, allowing them to see and understand the Truth. He ultimately draws people to the Lord Jesus Christ, not human wisdom or persuasiveness. Why is this so?

REFLECT & PRAY

Satan does not want the glorious light of salvation to shine into people’s hearts. As the god of this age and the prince of this world, Satan is at work to keep lost sinners in the dark (Wiersbe).

Father thank You for opening my eyes to see the Truth. Thank You for transferring me from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of Your dear Son.

INSIGHT

Understanding the root of spiritual blindness is critical. During the present age, there is a spiritual battle being waged. Unseen powers are at work, which are greater than any person. Our adversary, the god of this world, is the culprit behind this conflict. He uses all his resources to prevent people from learning and accepting the Truth of the Word of God. He is in active opposition to the Father’s work on planet Earth.

2 Corinthians 4:4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

How sad it is to be in this condition. The enemy rules over a domain of darkness (Colossians 1:13).

The adversary is a deceptive master manipulator. Those who fall prey to his deception are often oblivious to their situation. They do not know that they are deceived. Further, they delude themselves. “‘Delusion’ is stronger than deception. Deception means that a person can be fooled about something. Delusion is a way of life in which one is perpetually deceived.” (Richardson).

2 Corinthians 3:14-16

 14 But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day, whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ.

 15 Yes, even today when they read Moses’ writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand.

 16 But the veil is taken away whenever someone turns to the Lord.

To be freed from a life of delusion requires an intervention by the Father. We have to be rescued. A rescue party of One was dispatched to make this possible. But the cost of the rescue effort was the life of the Rescuer.

Colossians 1:13-14

 13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son,

 14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

Satan rules only this age, and his power is restrained. His time is limited, and eventually comes to nothing. His defeat is certain. He will be crushed.

Romans 16:20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.

Each child of the King was born in darkness. But we have been rescued. We were blind, and now we see. We need to act like it.

Ephesians 5:8 For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!

As children of the King, we are to live as people of the light. We are to pray for those who are in darkness that they may see the light. The Father will put people on our hearts to pray for.

Could it be that another child of the King prayed for each of those who are now children of the King?

Act 26:18 Open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.

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© Dr. H 2024

The dark side ∙∙

The dark side ∙∙

For He rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son. – Colossians 1:13

Act 26:18 Open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.

George Lucas introduced the concept of the Force as a major component of Star Wars (1977). According to Lucas, the concept of the Force hopefully would “awaken a certain kind of spirituality” in young audiences, suggesting a belief in God without endorsing any specific religion. He developed the Force as a nondenominational religious concept premised on the existence of God and distinct ideas of good and evil.

The Force of Star Wars has nothing to do with the Father God, as revealed in the Scriptures.

The Force of Star Wars is an impersonal supernatural reality analogous to the Hindu deity Brahman. Rather than a personal god, Brahman is an impersonal spiritual force. Brahman is present in all living things. The Force also reflects the dualistic nature of Zoroastrianism. In Zoroastrianism, the divine force is a duality of two supreme opposing powers: good and evil.

Obi-Wan Kenobi describes the Force as “an energy field created by all living things.” Yoda warns, “But beware of the dark side. Anger, fear, aggression…the dark side of the Force are they, easily they flow… If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny. Consume you, it will . . ..”

2 Corinthians 11:14 Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

REFLECT & PRAY

Sometimes, our greatest strength can be our greatest weakness. If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall (1 Corinthians 10:12).

Father I know too well how great the darkness is. Indeed, I was seduced by darkness and walked in it for years. Thank You for freeing me from the domain of darkness and the dark one himself. Enable me to walk in the light as You always intended.

INSIGHT

The God of the Bible is a person. The Father is righteous, holy, perfect, good, and loving. He is the sole creator of all that exists. All that He created was good. Evil is not part of His creation. He has no evil or dark side.

Genesis 1:31 God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning, the sixth day.

Where did evil come from? Evil is not an addition. Evil is a subtraction. Evil is the byproduct of the loss of goodness.

Evil emerges from conscious acts of rebellion against the Father, His authority, and will. Creatures that rebel lose their goodness and innocence. They cease to be good in the ultimate sense of the term. In place of light, there is darkness. In place of good, there is evil. The Scriptures refer to this among humans as sin.

The allure of greater power, control, and enlightenment, to become more like the Father Himself, is highly seductive.

Even the enemy himself was created good and blameless. He was the highest and most beautiful of all of the Father’s created beings. But his greatness and splendor became the source of his downfall.

Ezekiel 28:15-17

 15 “You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until unrighteousness was found in you.”

 17 “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor.”

Isaiah 14:13-14

 13 For you said to yourself, “I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above the stars of God. I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north.”

 14 “I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.”

All of the Father’s sentiment creations were creatures of light and existed in the domain of light. The fall of Satan and Adam and Eve changed all that. They became residents of the domain of darkness.

Satan, the highest of all created beings, was corrupted by the enchantment and faux scintillation of power. The enemy’s corruption and failure became the source of all evil. Eve was seduced by the desire for greater enlightenment. She was deceived by the lie that she would become like God if she disobeyed the Father’s command.

The Lord Jesus Christ came to reverse this. He has delivered the children of the King from the domain of darkness, that is, from the realm of Satan and the powers of evil. Any child of the King is a child of the light. As such, we are no longer doomed to walk in darkness.

John 8:12 Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light of life.”

Colossians 1:13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.

The Greek word used for transfer or bring over is methistēmi. Methistēmi literally means to remove from one place to another, transfer; figuratively, it is causing someone to change sides mentally or spiritually and bring to a different view.

Methistēmi had a particular use. In the ancient world, when one empire triumphed over another, it was the norm to relocate the entire population of the vanquished nation to the victor’s territory. Thus, the people of the northern kingdom were relocated to Assyria, and those of the southern kingdom were relocated to Babylon.

When we became children of the King, the Father relocated us from Satan’s kingdom, the kingdom of darkness, to His own kingdom.

But there’s more. We were not only transferred, we were rescued.

We were transferred from darkness to light. “Without God, people hesitate and stumble as if walking in the dark. They do not know what to do; they do not know where they are going. Life is lived in the shadows of doubt and in the darkness of ignorance” (Barclay).

We experience redemption, a term often used for the release of a slave or the repurchase of something under someone else’s control. Without God, we were captives of our anxieties, transgressions, and our own helplessness. In Christ, we are set free (Barclay).

It signified a shift from condemnation to forgiveness. Because of our sins, we deserve nothing but God’s condemnation. But because of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are no longer condemned criminals but rather sons and daughters of the King. We are rescued from the power of Satan. Through the Lord Jesus Christ, we are freed from Satan’s dreadful icy grip and become members of the Father’s kingdom and Forever Family. “We do not have the power to escape our slavery in the eternally dark kingdom of Satan, but God does, and He exercised that power to bring us into the light and into the life of freedom provided by Jesus” (Stanley).

How should we then live?

When individuals practice playing a musical instrument or participating in a sport, the goal is to improve one’s performance. The same is true of sin. It is one thing to sin; it is another thing to practice sin.

1 John 3:8 The one who practices sin is of the devil because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was revealed: to destroy the works of the devil.

It is time to give up our dark practices and walk as children of the light.

Ephesians 5:8 For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!

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© Dr. H 2024

The Father’s Good Hands ∙

The Father’s Good Hands ∙

We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps. – Proverbs 16:9

2 Kings 8:1-6

 1 Elisha had told the woman whose son he had brought back to life, “Take your family and move to some other place, for the LORD has called for a famine on Israel that will last for Seven years.”

 2 So the woman did as the man of God instructed. She took her family and settled in the land of the Philistines for seven years.

 3 After the famine ended, she returned from the land of the Philistines, and she went to see the king about getting back her house and land.

 4 As she came in, the king was talking with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God. The king had just said, “Tell me some stories about the great things Elisha has done.”

 5 And Gehazi was telling the king about the time Elisha had brought a boy back to life. At that very moment, the mother of the boy walked in to make her appeal to the king about her house and land. “Look, my lord the king!” Gehazi exclaimed. “Here is the woman now, and this is her son – the very one Elisha brought back to life!”

 6 “Is this true?” the king asked her. And she told him the story. So he directed one of his officials to see that everything she had lost was restored to her, including the value of any crops that had been harvested during her absence.

What is a slogan? We have heard them. We probably remember or certainly recognize many of them. A slogan is a short, easily remembered phrase associated with an idea, product, or service. It’s a succinct statement, a catchphrase that encapsulates the objectives or essence of a company, individual, or candidate, serving as a motto.

Originating from the rallying or war cries of ancient Highland clans, the term slogan is derived from a rallying cry, war-cry, or gathering word or phrase of one of the clans. Slogan is a variant spelling of Scots slogorne – battle cry, from Gaelic sluagh-ghairm derived from sluagh – host + gairm – shout. Some modern-day equivalents might be “Go get them,” “We are the Champions,” or “Remember the Alamo.”

In advertising, effective slogans form the backbone of identity and value. They encapsulate the company’s entire mission in a catchy and enduring phrase. They represent a commitment to customers. More than just a phrase, it’s a reflection of the brand’s entire mission. A slogan communicates precisely what the company does and why it does it.

Slogans play a critical role in brand building and marketing. The effectiveness of a slogan is determined by how well it is remembered. Often, a slogan becomes ingrained in popular culture: “Where’s the beef?”

Consider the Allstate Insurance TV commercial. Many of us have heard it a multitude of times. “You’re in good hands with Allstate.”

The creation of this slogan has an interesting backstory. Davis W. Ellis, one of Allstate’s sales executives, conceived it based on a similar phrase used by his wife. When their child was under a doctor’s care, she assured Ellis that their child was in good hands.

Who wouldn’t wouldn’t want to be in “good hands” when you need help? That’s the sentiment Allstate capitalized on when marketing its insurance policies using this brilliant slogan.

God protects His own when they trust in Him and remain in His Good Hands.

Psalm 36:7 How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.

Psalms 91:1-4

 1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

 2 This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.

 3 For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease.

 4 He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

Often, the Father utilizes intentional delays to position us in the right place at the right time. Our days, hours, minutes, and even seconds are in the Father’s hands. The Father was operating behind the scenes to meet the needs of the woman whose son was brought back to life through the prophet Elisha (2 Kings 4:18-37). After the miraculous healing, the woman and her son left the country due to a famine.

The timing was impeccable when she returned years later to request the king to return her abandoned land. At that exact moment, the king was discussing with Gehazi, the prophet’s servant. Gehazi was retelling the story of how Elisha had resurrected her son just as the woman walked in (2 Kings 8:5). Upon confirming the details of the case, the king granted her request, and her lands were restored to her.

REFLECT & PRAY

The Father graciously works to accomplish His will on earth as it is in heaven. He has a timeline of the events in the lives of each child of the King. He has appointments set up for us that we are totally unaware of until the moment we discover them. Over and over, we are encouraged to trust the Father and recognize that He is the Lord of our every moment.

Father, thank You for all the days of my life, which are in Your hands. You are the Potter; I am the clay.

INSIGHT

The Father is always at work in the lives of the children of the King. Throughout history, He has been actively involved in people’s everyday lives. In fact, He is orchestrating history. The Father invites you to become involved with Him in His work.

Father is the sovereign ruler of the universe. He has been working throughout history to accomplish His purposes. He does not invite us to set magnificent goals and then pray that He will help us achieve them.

The Father has His own agenda when He approaches us. He desires to get us from where we are to where He is working. He leads us from being self-centered to being God-centered. When the Father reveals to you where He is working, that becomes His invitation to join Him in His activity. When God reveals His work to you, that is the time to respond to Him (Blackaby).

The image of planning the way and directing the steps suggests embarking on a journey. The surprise comes in discovering that in the realm of planning daily activities, where humans believe they are in control, the Father’s will is most intimately at work. He works through the mental processes of human thought to bring about His desire (Bland).

There is an invisible equilibrium in the dynamic interplay between divine guidance and human initiative, giving God “not only the last word but the soundest.” People make plans and act them out (Waltke).

The LORD orchestrates the path of one’s life, guiding each step. Not a single step is made without the Lord’s supervision. A man may plan his road to the last detail, but he cannot implement it unless it coincides with the Father’s plan for him. He is deluded if he supposes that he has unfettered control and can impose his will on every situation without limitation to make his plan a reality. Shakespeare eloquently said, “There is a divinity that shapes our ends, rough-hew them how we will.” (Waltke).

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© Dr. H 2024

The plain answer ∙∙

The plain answer ∙∙

I and the Father are one. – John 10:30

John 10:33 You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.

The Lord Jesus Christ often made statements that were difficult to take in and accept. But that is precisely the point. The Lord Jesus Christ does not provide comfortable, safe options or opinions. He made it black-and-white. We either believe or we reject what He said is the Truth.

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic – on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg – or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice.”

“Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to” (C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity).

The religious leaders in His day were curious about precisely who The Lord Jesus Christ was. He had performed many miraculous signs, and the word had gotten out. He made strong, penetrating, insightful declarations contradicting the standard religious party line. Many often defied logic. He was confrontational and provocative.

No doubt they were thinking things like:

Who do you think you are?

What right do you have to tell us what to do?

Why do you always think you are right?

Why should we listen to you?

Why do you think your way is better than ours?

Pretty much the kind of stuff that any average person would say who is not a child of the King, and regrettably many who are.

He gives a plain answer to the unspoken query that they were all thinking, “Who are you?” He essentially said, “I am God!”

John 10:30 I and the Father are one.

He made this statement, knowing it would shock, provoke, if not incite, the religious leaders that opposed Him. To find talking points to attack Him, they did not have to do any opposition research like modern political candidates. He provided all the ammunition they needed. His words stirred their emotions, if not their hatred, and gave them all the more reason to resist and oppose Him.

The plain answer was, “I and the Father are One.” It is a clear statement of His deity.

“The word One does not suggest that the Father and the Son are identical persons. Rather, it means that they are one in essence: the Father is God, and the Son is God, but the Father is not the Son, and the Son is not the Father. He is speaking about unity, not identity” (Wiersbe).

Those who heard His words understood precisely what He meant by what He said. How do we know? By their reaction. If He were not God, then His words are sheer, audacious blasphemy. Blasphemy was to be punished by death (Leviticus 24:16, Numbers 15:30ff, Deuteronomy 21:22). The religious leaders picked up stones and were prepared to stone Him on the spot.

John 10:31-33

 31 Once again the people picked up stones to kill him.

 32 Jesus said, “At my Father’s direction I have done many good works. For which one are you going to stone me?”

 33 They replied, “We’re stoning you not for any good work, but for blasphemy! You, a mere man, claim to be God.”

At His trial, the Lord Jesus Christ was found guilty and condemned. Why? What was He found guilty of? He was guilty of claiming to be the Messiah, the Son of God! How tragic! His outrageous claim was true. He is the longed for, predicted Messiah of Israel!

Mark 14:61-64

 61 But Jesus was silent and made no reply. Then the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”

 62 Jesus said, “I AM. And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

 63 Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, “Why do we need other witnesses?

 64 You have all heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict?” “Guilty!” they all cried. “He deserves to die!”

Or perhaps it wasn’t so outrageous after all. In fact, it was True Truth.

REFLECT & PRAY

If the Lord Jesus Christ was not God as He claimed to be, then He was either a liar or lunatic.

Father how often I struggle and resist You. I may question what You say and expect of me. But I have no right to question Your authority to say it. You are the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings. Resistance is not only futile; it is ridiculous.

INSIGHT

Who is Lord Jesus Christ? All children of the King know for sure.

Matthew 16:15-17

 15 Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

 17 Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon, son of John because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.

But there’s more.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Truth (John 14:6). The Lord is not talking about knowing important facts about Him. Nor is this Truth merely abstract nor propositional. It is personal. It is knowing the Lord Jesus Christ in an intimate, personal way (Krause). “It is instead a statement about a living relationship with the Son of God, ‘the truth,’ who gives freedom to human beings (John 8:36)” (Borchert).

The Word of God provides something not found anywhere else: True Truth (Francis Schaeffer)! The world is filled with personal opinions, truth for now, political polls, contemporary consensus, or the lack thereof. Philosophy and education pursue truth but never seem to find it.

But there’s more. Knowing the Truth produces freedom.

John 8:32 You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.

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© Dr. H 2024

Character-driven prayer ∙

Character-driven prayer ∙

Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few. – Ecclesiastes 5:2

Matthew 6:8-10

 8 Your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!

 9 Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.

 10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your Will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

“Friday Night Lights” is an American sports drama television series. It follows the lives of a football-driven community in rural Texas. Set in the fictional town of Dillon, it portrays the dreams, ambitions, and challenges faced by relatable characters associated with the local high school football teams, the Dillon Panthers, and, in later seasons, the East Dillon Lions. The Dillon Panthers have earned a reputation as one of the nation’s premier high school football teams, led by their head coach, Eric Taylor, one of America’s best high school football coaches.

The series boldly shows heartfelt, authentic prayer, which enriches its authenticity and relevance. It presented people living out their faith, albeit somewhat imperfectly. It showcased how a godly man, although not an overtly religious one, could serve as a role model and mentor, a builder of character, a friend that sticks closer than a brother, with the moral compass to do what is right. His commitment and values are consistently reflected in his prayers.

In the series finale, “Always,” Coach Eric Taylor offers a prayer before the state finals. It’s a simple prayer. It is memorable because it does not focus on self-serving and self-aggrandizing victory. Instead, it focuses on talent and unity.

Dear Heavenly Father, keep us and protect us tonight. Please allow us to take the talents you have given us and use them to the very best this evening. As a family. As one. Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Coach Eric Taylor models character-driven prayer that focuses on maximizing abilities rather than short-term outcomes. His ultimate goal is to shape and develop people of character and integrity.

REFLECT & PRAY

Our commitment and values are seen through prayers.

Father my heart be right in Your own eyes. May prayers be more and more character-driven and reflective of a heart that is pleasing to You.

INSIGHT

What should be our attitude when we pray? How does it reflect our character and walk with the Father?

The Psalms offer many models. They are God-centered, not man-centered. They are character-driven. They overflow with thankfulness and gratitude. They highlight particular qualities of the Father that are attractive, desirable, and worthy of worship.

Psalms 107:1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.

Through the centuries, many have attempted to follow these models. They are often seen in prayers offered at mealtime.

The most ancient examples are the Jewish Brachot (Blessings) before eating.

Special Brachot – benedictions – are traditionally spoken in Hebrew before eating food or drinking any beverage.

Each benediction begins:

Baruch atah adonai elokeinu melech haolam

Blessed Are You, God, our Lord, King of the World.

The endings depend specifically on what is to be eaten or drunk:

For Bread:

… Hamotzie lechem myn ha’aretz.

Who brings forth bread from the ground.

For Wine & Grape juice:

…Boreiy pree hagafen.

Who creates the fruit of the vine.

The Common Table Prayer was first published in 1753 in a Moravian hymnal.

Come, Lord Jesus, be our Guest and bless what you have bestowed.

There is also the Catholic Table Prayer.

Bless us, O Lord, And these thy gifts,

Which we are about to receive, from thy bounty,

Through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

For small children

God is great, God is good. Let us thank him for our food.

By His hands, we all are fed. Thank you, Lord, for our daily bread. Amen.

How can we develop a character-driven prayer life?

It all begins in our hearts. We must get them right with the Father.

Proverbs 16:7 When people’s lives please the LORD, even their enemies are at peace with them.

If our hearts are not right with the Father, what will happen?

Psalms 66:18 If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear.

The English word translated as regard comes from the Hebrew word roeh. Roeh is a common Hebrew word that means to see. Psalms 66:18a is literally translated as “If I had seen iniquity in my heart.”

It has thus been translated as “If I had cherished iniquity” (RSV), “If I had ignored my sins” (TEV), and “If I had not confessed” (NLT). Some translations take an even more pejorative tact. “If I had thought about (doing) evil” (TOB); “Had I an evil thought and in my mind” (NJV); and “If I had had wicked intentions” (FRCL). The sense is, “If I turned my head from my sins,” “If I had shut my eyes on the evil I had done,” and “If I had put deaf ears on my sins.”

The point is, if we don’t get it right about sins in our hearts, our prayers will not be right either. We are only deceiving ourselves if we think they are.

Psalms 66:18 states what would have happened if the psalmist had not been aware of and confessed his sins; God would not have listened to his prayer, that is, God would not have done what he had asked God to do” (UBS).

How do the children of the King get it right? Ask the Father to point out unknown sin within and confess it.

Psalms 139:24 Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

Follow the advice of the Lord Jesus Christ on how to pray.

Matthew 6:5-7

 5 When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get.

 6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

 7 When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.

“If we refuse to admit to some sin, despite the conviction of the Holy Spirit on our heart, we can have no confidence in prayer and no right to expect a divine “yes.” God blesses obedience, not stubbornness” (Stanley).

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© Dr. H 2024