Starting Out the Semester Right, Part 2

At an early age, I remember asking my mom a deep, theological question: Why do we pray?  After all, if God knows everything (including what you're about to ask Him), then why pray?  My mom gave a very simple but true answer, "Well, I suppose it's because He wants us to talk to Him!"


Precisely.  God knows every answer to every prayer you'll ever pray, but that doesn't take away from His desire for fellowship with you.  He loves you, made you, and wants to spend time with you.  Not only does it bring the Lord joy to commune with His children, but it helps us out in a number of ways.


What exactly do we accomplish by having daily devotions?  


1.  We're putting our armor on.  Imagine being thrust into battle, exactly as you are at this moment.  No gun, no helmet, no bulletproof vest, no boots... just everyday clothes.  It's just as ridiculous to send a soldier into battle without his armor as it is for you to face temptations from the world, Satan, and you're own flesh without help from the Most High.


2.  We're sharpening our ax.  Imagine trying to cut down a huge tree with a dull ax.  It would be much easier to accomplish your task if you stopped for five minutes and sharpened your tool.  How often do we attempt to hack away at life without preparing ourselves through prayer?  It's amazing how much smoother a day will go after asking God for strength.


3.  We're plugging into the Power Source.  I want to assign a science experiment to each of you.  Try to make a lamp work without plugging it in.  What?  You mean it can't do it in its' own strength?  John 15:5 says that without the Lord, we can do nothing.  What makes us think we can accomplish everything we have planned this semester in our own strength?  We must plug into the Power Source, because we are insufficient in of ourselves.


Also note Matthew 19:26, which states that with God, all things are possible!
                              without Him = nothing
                              with Him = anything
The difference is whether we choose to plug into God's power, or just decide that we can handle it on our own.  Cultivating a relationship with the Lord not only makes Him happy; we greatly benefit from it, as well!  In the next post, I will give some ideas on starting a daily walk with God.

Starting Out the Semester Right, Part 1

Have you ever gotten the shock of your life?  I did -- here at Bible college!  Coming from a church that preaches standards, I started to think that my standards were the measure of my spirituality.  Now don't get me wrong, music and dress are important areas in life that need to be addressed, but these do not determine how healthy you are spiritually.


Remember the story of Mary and Martha?  Even though Martha could be awarded "Miss Multi-Task," Jesus commented that Mary had chosen "that good part" (Luke 10:42).  All she did was sit at Jesus' feet and hear His word!  Martha probably juggled most of the cleaning and meal preparation, yet obviously she missed something.


This story shows two important points:  Even though serving the Lord is extremely important, He would rather you spend time with Him than do something for Him.  Also, we can become so "careful and troubled about many things" that we neglect personal time with the One we're supposed to be pleasing.  Being involved in ministry and going on visitation are good things, but don't put so much emphasis on them that you forget the best things.


If prayer and time in the Word are indeed the measure of your spirituality, then how healthy are you?  Do you feast daily?  Are you malnourished?  You might be wondering, "What's the big deal?"  In the next post, I will explain what exactly we accomplish by having daily devotions.  I'll even answer the question, "If God knows our prayers before we even ask, then what's the point of praying?"  I pray that through this series, you will see how to start out the semester right!

Psalm 55

¹ Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.

² Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise;

³ Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me.

⁴ My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.

⁵ Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.

⁶ And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! [for then] would I fly away, and be at rest.

⁷ Lo, [then] would I wander far off, [and] remain in the wilderness. Selah.

⁸ I would hasten my escape from the windy storm [and] tempest.

⁹ Destroy, O Lord, [and] divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.

¹⁰ Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow [are] in the midst of it.

¹¹ Wickedness [is] in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets.

¹² For [it was] not an enemy [that] reproached me; then I could have borne [it]: neither [was it] he that hated me [that] did magnify [himself] against me; then I would have hid myself from him:

¹³ But [it was] thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.

¹⁴ We took sweet counsel together, [and] walked unto the house of God in company.

¹⁵ Let death seize upon them, [and] let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness [is] in their dwellings, [and] among them.

¹⁶ As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.

¹⁷ Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.

¹⁸ He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle [that was] against me: for there were many with me.

¹⁹ God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.

²⁰ He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant.

²¹ [The words] of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war [was] in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet [were] they drawn swords.

²² Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

²³ But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.