Spiritual Formation (Spiritual Friendship part 4)

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…[T]he soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as himself.  Saul took [David] that day and did not let him return to his father’s house.  Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. (Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible, 1 Samuel 18:1-3)[1]

             Some of us have had an unexplainable connection to another person, and for such a link we have terms like kindred spirit.  Although I dislike writing in the first person, I feel the need to break into this subject with a personal story.  Years ago, I was part of a group and within that group we were all assigned a spiritual mentor.  For some reason, I did not connect with my assigned mentor and I don’t mean to suggest anything negative about the guy.  Simply put, we didn’t connect; however, there was another leader within that group, and I did connect with him.  Years later at Bible College, because of my program, I had several classes with two professors, both of whom I liked. However, again, one I had an authentic connection with.  That connection has become a friendship and is still a vital part of my spiritual walk today.

             We as humans have tried to map out what makes us individuals, for example many of you may have taken the Myers-Briggs personality test and come to find out you’re more of an introvert than an extrovert.  Perhaps it’s helpful to understand that about yourself; however, that doesn’t mean your best friend or spouse will also be an introvert.  There is something of a mystery regarding human attraction and the same can be said about spiritual connections.

             This connection existed between David and Jonathan.  Since Jonathan was the son of King Saul, he came from power and some level of wealth.  David on the other hand was a shepherd and the son of a shepherd.  It’s implied that he didn’t even have a sword when he defended his flock against predators (1 Sam. 17:34-36).  Therefore, Jonathan was willing to give his sword, bow, belt and nice clothing to David (1 Sam. 18:4).  Also, after God had chosen to take the Kingship away from the house of Saul and give it to David, Jonathan remained loyal to David, despite him losing his place as the next in line for the throne (1 Sam. 23:18).  Spiritual friendship may extend to an ethereal concept; however, it is grounded in the real world, where you may need to meet their needs or put them before yourself.

Written by Pastor Ozzy

[1] There is no explicit reason to think that David and Jonathan had any kind of homosexual relationship.  Moreover, there is no implicit reason to think that either when a person considers their ancient near eastern setting (The Apologetics Study Bible: Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith, note 1 Sam. 18:1-4).

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Works Cited

Cabal, Ted, Chad Owen Brand, E. Ray Clendenen, Paul Copan, J.P. Moreland, and Doug Powell. 2007. The Apologetics Study Bible: Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith. Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.

1995. Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible. LaHabra: The Lockman Foundation.

Spiritual Formation (Spiritual Friendship part 3)

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Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.  For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion.  But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.  Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?  And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him.  A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart. (Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

            Spiritual Friendship, like most interpersonal relationships, is complicated.  If we are honest, we as Christians make many assumptions regarding others’ spiritual walks; moreover, often we are careful to make our walk look smoother than it is.  However, inside, where nobody else can see, we all read James’ words, “For we all stumble in many ways” (Ibid. James 3:2a) and silently we shout, amen!

            There is a phenomenon in our modern world concerning social media. Although some people are more than willing to overshare every problem they encounter, most people want their online profile to appear perfect.  Photos with smiling friends and family.  Posts that make us look like we have our lives together and everything is in order.  We can take this same mindset and apply it to our outward spiritual walks, doing everything we can to make sure people only see our pressed and wrinkle-free white robes.

            However, James was being brutally honest when he said that we all stumble.  And it is at these times that Spiritual Friends are most needed.  Again, there are overly honest people on social media and that can be somewhat awkward at times. Some confessions and conversations are best kept between personal friends and not for everyone to see.  However, these kinds of exchanges are necessary for a Christian’s life and can be powerful moments of growth.  Hence the necessity of Spiritual Friendship.

            Consider what Paul expressed to the Corinthians in his second letter.  There he talked about how God comforts us in our troubles so that we can comfort others when they have difficulties (1:3-4).  It’s important to see that one person can receive the comfort that is meant to be passed on to comfort another.  That is where a friend can pass on what they have received in their past to a friend going through a similar ordeal.  We’ll explore this idea more when we get into Spiritual Guidance.

Written by Pastor Ozzy

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Works Cited

1995. Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible. LaHabra: The Lockman Foundation.

Spiritual Formation (Spiritual Friendship part 2)

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… Lord said to Abram, “Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you… (Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible, Gen. 12:1)

Boaz replied to [Ruth], “All that you have done for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband has been fully reported to me, and how you left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and came to a people that you did not previously know. (Ibid. Ruth 2:11)

           In the last blog, we began to look at the relationship between Naomi and Ruth, and because of what we find in the Ruth narrative, we can see how one person can help to affect  another person’s spiritual formation.  With the benefit of hindsight, we can see that this relationship led to Ruth becoming a progenitor in the Davidic line (Ruth 4:13-17); i.e., leaving her pagan origins and joining with Naomi was the catalyst that put her in the matriarchal line of the Messiah (Matt. 1:5).

            

          Although their period in the history of Israel is quite different, there are striking similarities between the Abraham story and Ruth’s story.  Both were pagans in their homelands (Josh. 24:2).  Abraham lived as an alien in a foreign land as did Ruth.  Interestingly, where Abraham has direct encounters with God to give him instructions and guidance (Gen. 17), Ruth has Naomi to guide and direct her (Ruth 2:22, 3:1-5).  Keep in mind, the Ruth narrative has for its backdrop the period of the Judges.  A time when people did what was right in their own eyes.  This period in Israel's history sounds very similar to our modern experience.

           Therefore, the spiritual friendship between Naomi and Ruth has great value to modern readers.  Imagine how strange the pre-monarchy structure of Israel would have been to an outsider, like Ruth.  This same sense of strangeness can exist when someone with no background in the Bible attempts to understand Christianity.

            

           As has been previously mentioned, the Ruth story happens during the period of the Judges.  The book of Judges is often misrepresented in our modern day because people have failed to understand its descriptive nature and mistook it for prescriptive.  If a person misunderstands the book in such a way, it is difficult to see its value and purpose.  That is where spiritual friendships are incredibly valuable.  Someone with a biblical background can guide and direct someone new in the scriptures.

            

           This is, of course, only one example of the value of spiritual friendships. Next week, we’ll continue our exploration of this topic. (Click here for Part 3)

Written by Pastor Ozzy

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Works Cited

1995. Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible. LaHabra: The Lockman Foundation.

Spiritual Formation (Spiritual Friendship part 1)

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But Ruth said [to Naomi], “Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. (Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible, Ruth 1:16)

Jonathan made David vow again because of his love for him, because he loved him as he loved his own life. (Ibid. 1 Sam. 20:17)

            We are relational creatures, and the need for relationship is seen even in the Garden of Eden.  There the Lord God observed that the man should not be alone and when there was no suitable partner for the man, God created the woman (Gen. 2:18-22).  Thus, there was a right relationship between the creator and the creation and right relationship within the creation.  This is still a need we have today.  Why are there dating websites?  Why are there social media websites?  Why do most restaurants have tables with more than one chair?  Without giving tacit approval to dating websites, it is because we are social creatures and we seek relationships.  We seek to continue relationships, and we seek to nourish relationships.

As has already been cited, the Bible has many stories that revolve around relationships, and although, cultural norms may have changed, the basic concept remains the same.  There seems to have been an implicit spiritual connection between Naomi, who was an Israelite and Ruth, who was a Moabite.  Moabites were the descendants of Lot and his elder daughter (Gen. 19:37) and there was always war between the Israelites and the Moabites.  You may recall the episode when Balak king of Moab hired the Mesopotamia diviner, Balaam to curse Israel as they were trying to enter the promised land (Num. 22-24).  Although we are not told in detail why Ruth was willing to abandon her people and her god Chemosh, she chose to follow Naomi back into Israel, saying to her, “… your God [shall be] my God” (Ruth 1:16).

Notwithstanding, the fact that Naomi and her family had left the land of Israel due to famine (1:1) and when in the land of Moab, her husband and sons died, all of this would seem in the ancient mind to be a punishment from God.  Moreover, Naomi herself seems to have felt some distance from the God of Israel, since she wanted to be called Mara, which meant the Almighty has afflicted me (1:20).  Yet, there was something about Naomi’s faith in the God of Israel that attracted Ruth to the worship of Yahweh.

So, in this series, we’ll explore the topic of Spiritual Friendship and how it can relate to our Spiritual Formation. (Click here for Part 2)

Written by Pastor Ozzy

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Works Cited

1995. Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible. LaHabra: The Lockman Foundation.

Spiritual Formation (Spiritual Reading part 4)

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Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible, 1 Peter 5:8)

Then Satan answered the Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face.” (Ibid. Job 1:9-12)

I have not forgotten my promise to consider whether we should make the patient an extreme patriot or an extreme pacifist.  All extremes except extreme devotion to the Enemy, are to be encouraged (Lewis, Kindle 32)

            Spiritual warfare may be an overlooked topic in Spiritual Formation.  The goal of Spiritual Formation is to submit the self over to God, so that the character of Jesus may be formed within us.  If that is a person’s goal, do you not think that Satan would work in every way to obstruct or stop this purpose?  Although many of C.S. Lewis’ other works are associated with Spiritual Formation, the Screwtape Letters are not often cited.  This may be a mistake, since the Screwtape Letters are a fictional account of a demon giving instructions to a lower raking demon to prevent a person from becoming a committed follower of Jesus.  It must be understood, the work is fiction; however, Lewis brings out several real-world examples of ways that Satan may distract us from full devotion to God.

            In the above quote from the Screwtape Letters, the demon Screwtape points out to the lower demon, Wormwood, that there may be benefit to their cause regardless of whether Wormwood works to turn the person, referred to as the patient, into an extreme patriot or an extreme pacifist during World War II.  Take a moment and consider, how could Satan equally use a person from these seemingly opposite positions?

            In another letter, Screwtape explains that from the demon’s perspective, many positions are neither good or bad, and their goals may be accomplished by letting the humans argue over “… whether love, or patriotism, or celibacy, or candles on alters, or teetotalism, or education are good or bad” (Lewis, 101).  Consider how Jesus said the greatest commandment was to love the Lord with all you are, and the second commandment was to love your neighbor as you love yourself (Matthew 22:37-40).  Has Satan be able to use the subjects that Screwtape names in this quote to convince Christians that they don’t need to love their neighbor who holds to a different position?  If so, then he has prevented the Christian from fulfilling what Jesus called the second commandment.  Moreover, where John wrote that Christians would be known for their love (1 John 2:5), if a Christian has been convinced not to love, what kind of damage does that do to the message of the cross?  This example illustrates why spiritual warfare should be a concern of Spiritual Formation.

Written by Pastor Ozzy

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Works Cited

1995. Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible. LaHabra: The Lockman Foundation.

Lewis, C. S. 2009. The Screwtape Letters. New York: HarperCollins e-books.

Spiritual Formation (Spiritual Reading part 3)

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Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. (Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible, Romans 12:9)

But how can I help believing it?  I have seen the truth – it is not as though I had invented it with my mind, I have seen it, seen it, and the living image of it has filled my soul for ever. (Dostoyevsky, The Dream of a Ridiculous Man, Kindle location 96361)

           

           Fyodor Dostoyevsky is not normally associated with Spiritual Formation, nor do any of his works appear in Foster & Smith’s Devotional Classics.  However, the unnamed narrator in Dostoyevsky’s Dream of a Ridiculous Man embodies the change that is the goal of Spiritual Formation; moreover, perhaps his dream can be understood as formation.  Before you read this short story, be aware, it goes into very dark places and touches on sensitive subjects.

Dostoyevsky rightly expresses the pessimism and emptiness that is the logical consequence of a life without God.  We will refer to the unnamed narrator as the dreamer.  An ego-centric man has become numb to his existence and his surroundings, including the cries of a little girl for help (Ibid. 96180).  However, this numbness is then confronted with the idea of paradise.  A world untouched by sin and people living in harmony with each other, their surroundings and their animals (Ibid. 96260).  It’s the perfection of the world that affects the dreamer.  But when paradise is lost, these people change; they learn lying, form groups and shed blood and discover science.  Science becomes the new god of that formerly perfect world, and those formerly perfect people think that science will lead them back to perfection.  Something that science is incapable of doing.

Therefore, The Dream of a Ridiculous Man can be understood as a Spiritual Formation text, because we are in the same place as the dreamer.  When he awakens, he knows there is no amount of human effort that will restore what has been lost.  Human ways and sciences could not restore the dream world, nor can they restore this world.  The dreamer is now convinced, the truth is the only answer.  The dreamer’s world is our world.  His realization is our realization.  And his path is our path.  You see, we are the dreamer.

Written by Pastor Ozzy

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Works Cited

Dostoyevsky, Fyodor. 2015. The Complete Works, Novles, Short Stories and Autobiographical Writings. n.a.: E-artnow.

1995. Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible. LaHabra: The Lockman Foundation.

Spiritual Formation (Spiritual Reading part 2)

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[preface: Spiritual reading is not confined to authors from a specific denominational background.  Last week we looked at the works of Gregoryof Nyssa, an ancient Christian writer of the Catholic Church.  In the future, we’ll examine Bernard of Clairvaux, Brother Lawrence, Thomas Merton, and Henri Nouwen, all of who were also Catholics.  This week we are looking at some writings of Martin Luther, writings that are of Spiritual Formation in nature.  In this case, Luther’s works can aid a person’s Spiritual Formation.  Luther also wrote things of an anti-Semitic nature, writings that will not assist Spiritual Formation.  The point is, finding spiritual benefit from Christian literature, not agreement with everything an author ever wrote.]

But [Jesus] answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on Bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’” (Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible, Matthew 4:4)

            This coming Wednesday is October 31^st, and it will be 501 years since Martin Luther nailed his 95-theses to the church door in Wittenberg, an act that many call the spark of the Protestant Reformation.  However, the act was not rebellion, it was an invitation to debate [that’s how you did it back then, long before Twitter].  And the theses were not a breakup letter with 95 points. Take, for example, the 25^th theses, “The power which the pope has, in a general way, over purgatory, is just like that power which any bishop or curate has, in a special way within his own diocese or parish” (Luther, kindle location 657).  It was a 1519 debate and the publishing of his 1520 tracts that led to his excommunication in 1521.

            However, today we’ll focus on one of Luther’s thoughts related to repentance and how that affects our formation.  Luther brought up the subject with a former teacher that he refers to as a dear Father in the Augustinian Order (Ibid. 775).  He wrote that love of God is the start of repentance, and this may be different from a modern view.  Do we begin our repentance with the knowledge that God loves us, or do we want to repent of our sins because of our love for God?  This is an essential thought because it brings up our relationship with sin and with God.  The goal of our formation is to be conformed to the image of the Son.  When Jesus was tempted by the devil, one of His clear motivating factors was His love for the Father.  It is this love that Luther is talking about when we consider our sins, and are moved to repentance.  Moreover, that repentance is directly tied to the change of our hearts and mind when we come to our senses in realizing our errors (Ibid. 782-3).

Written by Pastor Ozzy

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Works Cited 

1995. Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible. LaHabra: The Lockman Foundation.

Luther, Martin. 2018. The Collected Works of Martin Luther. Prague: e-artnow.

Spiritual Formation (Spiritual Reading part 1)

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♫ I am a friend of God

I am a friend of God

I am a friend of God, He calls me friend ♪ (Houghton 2004)

“… encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,”… (Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible, Hebrews 3:13)

            For close to 1,985 years there have been Christians trying to follow Jesus.  Throughout those years, many Christians have left their writings, telling of their Spiritual Formation; although we may not agree on some issues, their writing can still inspire and instruct our lives today.  Without neglecting the nourishment that comes from personal time in the word of God, let us explore some of the writings that have come down to us from these Christians.  Many of them never knew what a car or an airplane was, some of them would not understand the internet; but they knew what it was to try to live their lives for God.

            Gregory of Nyssa was a Christian who lived during the fourth-century AD, and was known for his work, The life of Moses.  In this he wrote that Moses was God’s friend and serves as an example for us to copy (Gregory of Nyssa, 136).  Consider this passage:

… it is time for you, noble friend, to look to that example and, by transferring to your own life what is contemplated through spiritual interpretation of the things spoken literally, to be known by God and to become his friend.  This is true perfection: not to avoid a wicked life because like slaves we servilely fear punishment, nor to do good because we hope for rewards, as if chasing in on virtuous life by some business-like and contractual arrangement.  On the contrary, disregarding all those things for which we hope and which heave been reserved by promise, we regard falling from God’s friendship as the only thing dreadful and we consider becoming God’s friend the only thing worthy of honor and desire (Ibid. 137).

Although specifically Gregory was focused on Moses’ friendship with God (Exodus 33:11), we also hear Jesus’ words, “You are my friend, if you do what I command you” (John 15:14).  Motivation is a powerful tool and Gregory points out that there can be wrong motivations regarding our friendship with God.  The scriptures say that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7), but Gregory did not think that fear of punishment was an adequate motivator for seeking God’s friendship.  Instead, friendship with God was the only thing worth seeking and this not merely motivated by hope of gain, but because it can lead to what Gregory called the perfect life.

            

            Perhaps, you can reflect on this thought of God’s friendship as you also reflect on “[God] who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity” (Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible, 2 Timothy 1:9). Consider reading the Life of Moses by Gregory of Nyssa and next week, we’ll look at another Christian’s writings.

Written by Pastor Ozzy

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Works Cited

1995. Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible. LaHabra: The Lockman Foundation.

Houghton, Israel. 2004. "Friend of God." Live from Another Level.

Nyssa, Gregory Bishop of. 1978. Gregory of Nyssa. New York: Paulist Press.

Spiritual Formation (Prayer Life Part 6 Unanswered) Final

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But now, O Lord, You are our Father,
We are the clay, and You our potter;
And all of us are the work of Your hand. (Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible, Isaiah 64:8)

In the United States, you can go to a bank or other lending institution and apply for a loan.  If the institution rejects your application, they are required to give some indication as to why they rejected your application.  God on the other hand, is not required to give any reason why one of your prayer requests was denied.  How many parents in world history have said no to something their child has asked for?  If you’re a parent, have you always given a full and detailed reason to your child?  If you’re a child or have been a child and had a parent deny your requests, did you always understand why?  Moreover, if they did explain why, were you always satisfied with their answers?

            As was pointed out in Part 3, one of the most common illustrations of our relationship with God found in scripture is the father-child relationship.  In fact, in the sermon on the mount, Jesus uses this illustration regarding prayer, “…[W]hat man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? … If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him”(Matthew 7:9 & 11 NASB).  Jesus’ words paint a picture of God as a good and loving Father who wants to provide for His children.  So, again, why does it seem that some prayers go unanswered?

            We’ve seen from Biblical passages, that prayers may be unanswered because we pray with wrong motives.  Also, sins and lack of repentance separates us from God, so much so, He’s even said that He won’t listen to some people’s prayers.  Some passages portray prayer as a struggle and like other spiritual disciplines (fasting, scriptural meditation, sitting quietly with God, etc.) there is purpose in the struggle.  Moreover, prayer is not an Aladdin’s lamp and God is not a genie just waiting for wish requests.  In His Gethsemane prayers, Jesus submitted His requests to the will of God; that is, He did not demand His own way, but accepted the will of His Father.  From this, we should also see that our prayers should always be submitted to the will of God.

            Therefore, perhaps, we experience unfruitfulness in our prayers for one or more of these reasons.  Examining our prayers based on scripture is one way for us to submit our minds, our desires and our lives to God.  If Spiritual Formation (Christ being formed in us) is our goal, then as difficult as it may be, unanswered prayers can be how God is reaching into our inner selves.  Keep praying.  Examine your prayers in the light of scriptures.  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.*

Written by Pastor Ozzy

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Works Cited

1995. Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible. LaHabra: The Lockman Foundation.

* There are other scriptures that we did not cover, such as 1 Pet. 3:7 that suggests the way a man treats his wife may hinder his prayers.  And Daniel 10:12-14, where something, likely a satanic force impeded the response to Daniel's prayers.  Therefore, we must not forget, we have an enemy of our souls, who is not flesh and blood and his goal is the kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10).

Spiritual Formation (Prayer Life Part 5 Unanswered)

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[Jesus said] “Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you” (Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible, Mark 11:24)

          Some passages in the New Testament, like the one cited above, can make prayer sound like carte blanche; however, the context of this passage explains its meaning.  Jesus makes this statement on the Tuesday morning after the Triumphal Entry.  On Monday morning, Jesus and the disciples were walking from Bethany to Jerusalem and on the way, Jesus cursed a fig tree that He found to be without fruit.  When they arrived in Jerusalem, Jesus saw the corruption of the religious system and in reaction, He drove out the people selling animals inside the temple.  In His zeal, He shouted passages from the prophets, saying that the temple was meant to be a ministry to all the nations, but the ruling religious system had changed it into a den of robbers.  It is the next day, when Jesus and the disciples are making the journey again, that Peter notices the fig tree had withered.

           These events have led to this scene, and Jesus’s statement is made in that context.  The religious system, that had been instituted by God, had failed to reach out to the nations.  John the Baptist had cried out to Israel to make ready the path of the Lord, fill in the ravines and lower the hills and mountains (Luke 3:4 & 5).  The religious system had become a mountain in the path of the Lord.  Because of that, Jesus tells the disciples that by prayer, mountains can be moved.  The disciples, 12 men from the middle of nowhere, with no political connections and no money, cannot undo the religious system.  It’s possible that 11 of the men Jesus is talking to are under 20 years old [only Jesus and Peter paid the temple tax in Matthew 17:27] and the Pharisees/Sadducees have been ruling in second-temple Judaism since late Hasmonean period.  In other words, this mountain is well established, and the disciples are nobodies, with no power to move a mountain themselves.

           In that context, Jesus is telling them that prayer can move mountains standing in God’s way.  This mountain needed to be moved.  It was blocking the Abrahamic promise of blessing to all nations (Genesis 12:3c).  Therefore, prayers offered in accordance with God’s purposes can be prayed with confidence[1].  This understanding is in harmony with John’s explanation, “This is the confidence which we have before 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 which we have asked from Him” (Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible, 1 John 5:14-15).

Growth through unanswered prayers 

Written by Pastor Ozzy

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Works Cited

1995. Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible. LaHabra: The Lockman Foundation.

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[1] Mark 11:25-26 goes on to discuss a person’s prayer and their relationship to forgiving others.

Spiritual Formation (Prayer Life Part 4 Unanswered)

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Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God. (Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible, Colossians 4:12) [emphases added]

         For as secular as our society has become, in the public arena we may still hear from time to time someone make a statement like, “Our prayers go out to …” or “Our thoughts and prayers are with …”.  Yesterday during a televised sporting event, the score was tied and the camera found one fan kissing something on his necklace, and if you had read his lips, he was praying for his team to score.  Have you ever wondered if the person who said, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims,” actually prayed in any tangible way, or if that phrase is just our cliché when there’s nothing else to say?  Some ancient thought expressed in the Mishnah (part of the Jewish Talmud) considered it trivial to pray for birds (Zahavy, Kerakhot 5:3). How much more then for sporting events?  If these are accurate pictures of prayer in our public arena, how much has this influenced our perspectives on prayer?

         In the above-cited passage from Paul, the word he uses translated laboring earnestly is the same word from which we get our English word agonize.  Paul’s companion Epaphras is said to agonize in his prayer for his friends.  Although people who have developed a deep prayer life may be able to relate to this idea, if we were to do a word association exercise, is agonize the first word that comes to your mind when you hear the word prayer?  Perhaps you’ll find it interesting that in Luke, this same word, translated strive, is used by Jesus to tell His followers to enter in the narrow gate (13:24).  In that context, we can see a dichotomy between the path that leads to destruction and the other that leads to life.

          How then do we understand striving to enter by the narrow gate?  Why is the broad road to destruction so appealing?  By exploring those questions, do you see how prayer can be a struggle?  In considering this, we are also reminded how challenges make us better.  Therefore, this earnest labor in our unanswered prayers can be the character-building struggle we need in our spiritual development.  If prayer is as laissez-faire as in the examples highlighted at the beginning of this blog, what kind of character development would be possible?  On the other hand, when we engage in prayer as in wrestling, working, or striving, then we enter into the mystery that is our communication with God.  Perhaps this is why in some cases we experience unanswered prayers.

Did Jesus give carte blanche to prayers?

Written by Pastor Ozzy

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Works Cited

1995. Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible. LaHabra: The Lockman Foundation.

Zahavy, Tzvee. 1987. The Mishnaic Law of Blessings and Prayers: Tractate Berakhot. Scholars Press.

Spiritual Formation (Prayer Life Part 3 Unanswered)

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“So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood. (Isaiah 1:15)

Therefore thus says the Lord, “Behold I am bringing disaster on them which they will not be able to escape; though they will cry to Me, yet I will not listen to them. (Jeremiah 11:11)

            Above are quotes from two of the major prophets[1] where the God of Israel specifically says that although people pray to Him, He will not listen.  During Isaiah’s time, he continually called the Southern Kingdom of Judah to repentance, to forsake the false gods that people where worshiping and to return to faithfulness to the Mosaic covenant.  And although there were some instances of revival between Isaiah’s time and Jeremiah’s time, the nation still followed other gods and broke the covenant with the God of Israel.  Sins and infidelity disconnect people from God.

            One Proverb of Solomon says that God is not with the wicked or lawless and that their prayers He will not listen to (15:29).  These passages seem to express that unconfessed sins and an unrepentant attitude keep God from listening to prayer.  Judge for yourself: two of the most common metaphors in scripture for the relationship between God and His people are the marriage relationship and a father and child relationship (Is. 45:5, Revelation 21:2, and Deuteronomy 32:6, Ephesians 4:6).  Imagine a father/child relationship where the children never obey their father.  Imagine a marital relationship where one spouse is always unfaithful to the other.  These images are how God describes the people throughout the prophets (Is. 1:21, Jer. 3:9).  Moreover, understand the Biblical imagery of the unfaithful one; they commit adultery and then pretend that they have done nothing wrong (Prov. 30:20).  Which separates more, the actual act of adultery or having no guilt or repentance after?  So, consider if an unanswered prayer goes unanswered due to unconfessed or unrepented sins.  God is merciful and ready to forgive (1 John 1:9).  But remember how Satan was described when under the disguise of a snake, he was called crafty, this could be because he is crafty with how sins can snare and trap us.  We’ve already explored other reasons that prayers go unanswered, and next week we have more to explore, but this area of a follower’s life should be examined if their prayer life seems unfruitful.

Struggling in prayer

Written by Pastor Ozzy

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1995. Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible. LaHabra: The Lockman Foundation.

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[1] Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel and often Daniel are considered the major prophets because of the amount they wrote and not because they are more important than the other twelve.

Spiritual Formation (Prayer Life Part 2 Unanswered)

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It's been forty days and forty nights

Down the road of many trials

And I pray it's only for a season

'Cause in the wilderness and in the flood

You're the one I'm thinking of

And I know You've brought me for a reason (Third Day 2003)

[Jesus] fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” (Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible, Matthew 26:39)

            The film The Passion of the Christ starts with Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, his face drenched with sweat as He prays.  Depending on how the synoptic gospels (Matt, Mark & Luke) are harmonized, Jesus has predicted His death and resurrection at least three times before the Gethsemane episode [First M16:21-26, M8:31-37, L9:22-25; second M17:22-23, M9:30-32, L9:43b-45, third M20:17-19, M10:32-34, L18:31-34].  Despite this, we are confronted with an emotional and vulnerable Jesus praying in the garden.  One could get lost in the mystery of the incarnation; but one thing is clear, God the Son is pouring out His heart before God the Father.  Theologians have debated what the cup is; is it the cross and its pain, the separation and isolation, both of these things and more? Whatever it is, one thing is absolutely clear: Jesus wants this “cup” to pass from Him without drinking it.  Yet, His prayer does not end with His want, but with His submission.  “… not as I will, but as You [Father] will.”

            Stop.  Wait.  Don’t go past this event too quickly.  Jesus, the Jesus that healed the blind, the sick, and the lame.  Jesus, the Jesus that turned water into wine, walked on the sea and drove out demons by His words.  Jesus, the Jesus that withstood all the tests and tempting of Satan himself in the wilderness and won.  This Jesus, who knows the Father and has seen the Father and could at once call 60,000 angelic beings to His will (Matt. 26:53), ends His prayer by submitting to the Father’s will.

            This cannot be missed; the Son knew His mission.  He said, “… I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 5:30 NASB).  Therefore, His prayer in Gethsemane follows this pattern.  However, remember what was pointed out above.  Despite having predicted His resurrection, He is praying that the “cup” could pass Him by.  The Gethsemane episode is filled with conflict and we see Jesus in turmoil.  We know how the story goes; but it does not lessen the tension that happened in the garden.  The Son is pleading with the Father, He is praying, “Is it possible that there could be a plan B?”  However, the Son accepts the will of the Father and submits.

            Sometimes it’s good to be reminded of purpose.  The purpose of Spiritual Formation is to allow Christ to be formed within us (Galatians 4:19).  Concerning this Gethsemane episode see what Paul writes:

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:5-8 NASB).

This then is our example for our prayers.

Prayers hindered by sins

Written by Pastor Ozzy

For more information, visit our website

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1995. Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible. LaHabra: The Lockman Foundation.

2003."40 Days." Come Together.