Harder
pray without ceasing 1 Thessalonians 5:17
Pray – “But have you really prayed about it?” That’s what the woman said when the discussion turned toward prayer about possible choices ahead. “I’ve prayed about this, but I just don’t know what God wants me to do.” Answer: “But have you really, really prayed about it?” Implication: if you want an answer from God you have to demonstrate your 100% trust. You have to work up the emotions, grasp for that last little bit of belief and make sure there is not one shred of doubt anywhere in your mind. You have to prove to God that you are worth answering.
This is “faith in the bottle” prayer. In order to get God to answer, we are required to make sure the bottle is completely full of “faith.” If there is any space inside the bottle where “not believing” still finds room, then God isn’t obligated to answer us. We show ourselves to be less than worthy. Our job is to remove any possibility of doubt and then God must answer. “The prayer of a righteous man” and all that. Pray harder becomes the equivalent of work harder. You want that reward? Work harder. Expend more effort. Put in more hours. Make it happen! You want God’s answer? Employ the same technique in the spiritual realm. After all, God’s goodies sometimes have to be pried from His hand.
When I put it as crassly as this, we reject the idea. But think about our actual behavior. Isn’t this far too often the way we approach needed answers from God? Don’t we act as if God must be cajoled into giving us direction and the way to do this is to prove our worthiness? Pray harder becomes our SOP.
All of this implies that faith is like a substance. I can accumulate more of it by performing certain acquisition rituals. When I have enough in the bottle, God will give me what I want. But the Hebrew idea of faith is a verb. And a “verb” can’t be accumulated. I am either doing the action or not doing the action. I am either exercising faithfulness or I am not. Exercising faithfulness does not depend on how I feel or what I think. It is only a matter of doing what God asks. God asks me to pray. I pray. I beseech Him. It doesn’t matter if I doubt (remember that the word does not exist in Hebrew). It only matters that I speak with Him about my concerns. And then I remember what the rabbis prayed. “Lord, give me a heart malleable enough to be content with whatever you bring into my life. I know Your goodness. Raba emunatecha.”
When the lady said, “But have you really prayed about it?” the other person replied, “Yes, I have, but lots of times life just happens anyway.” Pray and be content.
Topical Index: pray, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, faith, contentment
Luk 18:1 KJV – And he spake a parable unto them [to this end], that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
Luk 18:2 KJV – Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
Luk 18:3 KJV – And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
Luk 18:4 KJV – And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
Luk 18:5 KJV – Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
Luk 18:6 KJV – And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
Luk 18:7 KJV – And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
Luk 18:8 KJV – I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
I believe the process of prayerful supplication is one in which YHVH uses to reveal our depth or lack of faith. We are human and are essentially irrational in our emotion. Accordingly, I don’t know as if any of us haven’t thought of the Almighty at some time to be an unjust judge. I believe He uses His omnipotence to reveal flaws our human thinking and behavior to stretch and mold us. The process of prayer often results in a revealing of where we are in our level of belief or trust. Here again, if we are truly honest, we will admit that YHVH does bear long with his own elect and will avenge those who genuinely trust Him.
Are emotions “irrational”? Or are you suggesting that we are human when we rationally control our emotions? That would be a very Greek perspective. Didn’t God give you emotional responses in order to provide another avenue to holiness and encounter with Him? Why do you think emotions make us “essentially irrational”? I agree with you about the process of prayer, but I think you need to examine the idea of being human a bit more.
Do you have a teaching on “being human”? I would like to read it if you do.
I have written on this quite a few times on Today’s Word but the collection and summary is now only in lecture form. I have given the lecture several time but I don’t think it was ever recorded. I’ll have to do something about that.
Thank you..I will be waiting patiently.
Skip, you do have a recording in two parts on “Being Human”. There is a link to them on June 12, 2012.
We have never been able to get a full recording of these lectures due to technical issues each time, but I am giving them again tomorrow in Durban and will try to record it.
Human Work Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9xFNBgGtT0
Human Work Part 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHmlzg2eqjo&t=48s
Being Human
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9yHeDEPnmE
Are emotions “irrational?” No I’m not saying that. Emotions just are; as you have pointed out, they are every bit part of being human. I can certainly feel bad when I do badly, and feel good when I do well. But, can we trust our emotions to lead our decisions? Plain, simple answer; no.
Didn’t God give you emotional responses in order to provide another avenue to holiness and encounter with Him? I don’t consider Jehovah’s call in my life to be based in emotion. Sure, I felt bad because, contrary to my upbringing, I came to recognize something vital was missing in my life. But, it wasn’t based in my human emotion.
Why do you think emotions make us “essentially irrational”? We are irrational when we live our lives according to our emotions. This is the essence of narcissistic worship. Y’shuah stated that there would come a time when true worshipers would worship the father in Spirit and Truth…don’t see any mention to the effect of worshiping the Father in our emotion here.
I am suggesting that we are more godly when we do control our emotions by bringing every thought captive…to the word of Jehovah. Reminds me of one of the first salient arguments I heard as a young man, over 30 years ago, that helped me to begin to trust Jehovah. I call this Hebraic 101; making the fundamental distinction between viewing Jehovah as an object or subject of our worship. Let me include an excerpt that articulates the point well:
God as the Subject of Worship
The concept of God as an object, an essence who, so to speak, “sits out there” is a Greek idea, not a biblical understanding of God.
The biblical God is the God who acts. He creates, becomes involved with His creation, calls Israel into existence to be His own people, makes Himself known to them in the Law, is present to them in the Tabernacle and leads them into the future. In their history, He gives types and shadows of His forthcoming involvement in history to redeem the world. He becomes incarnate in Jesus, dies for us, is resurrected for us, ascends into heaven where He intercedes for us, will return to complete His redemption of the world in the new heaven and the new earth.
If we are going to use the subject/object distinction, the scenario of God’s story clearly envisions God as the subject and the world as the object. God creates the world, loves the world, cherishes the world and saves the world with His own “two hands”—Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The incredible and radical story of God is that He loves the world so much that He enters into the suffering of the world so that through His death, sin is defeated, death is overcome, hell is conquered. And in His resurrection, life—the true life of the Spirit—is recovered; man and the world are made new. In all these actions, God is not an object, but the subject who is at work in the world, redeeming it and restoring it to Himself.
What Is Worship?
If God is the subject of worship, how then should we worship? Several things are clear: 1) We do not enthrone God or seat Him in the heavenly places. He is not an object who needs us to add anything to His glory. He is most glorious in Himself. 2) Worship remembers, enacts and lives out the story of God. We sing, preach and enact at the communion table the wonders of the God who, as subject, creates, redeems and makes all things new. This worship involves the mind, evokes the emotions, engages the body and all the senses. 3) Doing God’s story impacts us, the objects of God’s actions. Our true worship is to tell and enact how God the subject rescues the world, the object of His love. In worship, God, the subject, shapes us, the object, into the image of His Son so that we offer our lives to God by living into His death (dying to sin) and living into His resurrection (rising to the new life in the Spirit).
Conclusion
Now, for the question: How would your worship change if we once again saw God as the subject and ourselves as the objects of His love? Plan a worship service like this and let me know the difference it makes.
My point is that focusing or trusting our emotion makes us the subject of our worship and not Jehovah.
Honestly Skip, your reaction is not unlike many I have been subject to by those in the Hebrew Roots movement. Concerning the Lk. 18 passage I initially cited, perhaps we would all would benefit by being a bit more “Berean-like.”
My point, perhaps not quite clear, is that God uses emotions as a way to reach into our lives and direct us toward Him. As you see, I didn’t say that emotions were the ONLY way, just one way. I agree that we need to take every thought captive, but that includes EVERY thought. I agree that putting God back into worship is essential. And I agree that focusing on my emotions isn’t the right path. But I don’t think emotions are irrational because I am not ready to adopt the implicit dualism that creates. Emotions are an essential element of the nephesh that God made me and are useful for His purpose when, just like “rational” things, are domesticated for Him.
I have no idea what the Hebrew Roots view is but I would hope that we are both being Berean about this. Be blessed. Keeping writing. Keep digging.
Thanks.
“Lord, give me a heart malleable enough to be content with whatever you bring into my life. I know Your goodness. Raba emunatecha.”
Isn’t this the true test of faith and trust in Him?
Coming from a Pentecostal background, the idea that a specific formula for prayer as described in Skip’s word for today, “conjured” the idea of name it and claim it and doubt not. My experience was such that some would call and ask for prayer but tell you how to specifically pray about an issue. Personally, I have encountered situations where I believe YHWH intervened as a direct result of prayer. However, I recall thinking after hearing testimonies of people being healed or saved from disastrous circumstances, ‘what if it did not turn out the way you prayed…does that diminish the power, justice, goodness or mercy of God?’ Per Job: “shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we receive not the evil?”
Truth-life happens, irregardless. So far as I know, every prayer for healing eventually results in death.
Yet He is YHWH and worthy of worship. Shalom
So is “doubting” Thomas really unbelieving Thomas?
and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. ~John 8:32
Nope, he is the Thomas who refused to ACT on the report of the resurrection. He is the UN-TRUSTING Thomas.
I pray and then I keep walking out the principles He sets forth. Once Rabbi Ralph Messer explained faith to me it greatly impacted me. If I think of my faith and how it might not be very strong at the moment and hope seems so distant then I feel defeated. But, it’s not really my faith at all, but faith in Yah’s faithfulness to me. He’s a big dude and I feel confident in his Faithfulness. Then when I’m walking out the principles, whatever is before me on my road I can handle it better. He’s in control, I just keep walking. He’s know what I’m praying for.
Duty, drudgery or delight?
~ I delight to do Thy will.. ~ (Psalm 40.8)
“Whatever.” What then, is the “difference” between a Christian and a Buddhist? Oh well.. -it’s just my “karma”. The fates are against me, but I will stoically endure my situation because it is the will of the gods. Some are born for happiness- others for sorrow, but “whatever happens”- just “accept it.” Oh? Are we then to “endure” life, or “enjoy” it?
So what then is the difference between “us” and “them?” Isn’t their god every bit as good as ours? And the answer is? “grin and bear it?” No.- As long as there is a God in heaven, the answer is no, for we serve (Easily distracted sheeple, have we forgotten again, as it seems we are “wont” to do) we today, serve a living Savior?
Was it Buddha who was raised from the tomb? or Mohammed? Muslims pray too,- “bless their hearts..”
So what is the decided and defining difference between all of us “praying creatures?” All roads lead to Rome? – No, not at all.
Friends, it is not “faith in prayer” it is (are we listening?) It is “Prayer in faith.” So, what is the difference between the two? “Faith in prayer” may be illustrated by this event in the life of Elisha, ( a praying prophet of God!) All day long he watched and waited patiently (might have even smirked a little) while the prophets of Baal pleaded and danced and shouted and cajoled and most passionately pleaded for their “gods” to bring down fire and consume the sacrifice. This is the best illustration I know of concerning “faith in prayer.” What did Elisha say to them? “Pray harder.” “Kick it up a notch fellas- wake your god up- he seems to be sleeping!” So these blind leaders of the blind prayed with more “passion.” They must have been some kind of worn out at the end of the day! (This whole scene and “the rest of the story” is unfolded before us in 1 Kings chapter 18)
Allright then, if not “faith in prayer” – what is “prayer in faith” all about? Where does “faith” come from? What is the Source? Is “faith” a magic wand we may wave over any situation or circumstance and “auto-magically” cause things to happen or occur in our favor? May these words (from God’s Book) ever be our standard: ~ what do the scriptures say? ~ And why should we care? Because.. ~ without faith-it is impossible to please God ~ How does “any man” know this? ~ (three wonderful words from God’s word) “it is written.”
I’ll ask (again) the age-old question to “any” Adam, “Hath God said?” Would Adam answer differently today, knowing (all too well) and now being well-acquainted with the sorrow, scarring and sickness that always follows sin? And would Adam today, remember the words of His Creator and intimate Friend and then speak accordingly? Would he, (could he) say to the serpent: “Yes, I remember, – God did say..- “and those were the explicit instructions of our Elohim.” Hmmm.. “if only.”
~ Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God ~ What is the Source of our faith? It is the word of God, written and living and unchanging. Do you know our Savior’s Name? May we “fast-forward” to the end of God’s Book and read together these words? ( Again,- it is written) ~ He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His Name is the Word of God ~ (Revelation 19.13) Now while this is still “fresh,” may I ask the very sane question- What is His Name? ~ and His Name is the Word of God ~ Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? ~ Yes. It is. ~and the Word was made flesh and lived among us…~
Where then, does “faith” come from? From the Word of God, which now lives and abides (remains) forever.
~ LORD, teach us (also) to pray ~ (Luke 11.1-4) If only. If only we had Someone. Someone who could teach and instruct us. A Counselor, an “Ezer” and A Guide. Someone to encourage and enable and empower us to pray. (John 14.26)
Who (he inquired) might that “Someone” be? Do we (who now belong to the “always” Good Shepherd”) now, today,- this very moment, have all we need, all that is required to pray? (He has given unto us- all things that pertain unto life and godliness!) Are we now “qualified?” And is it (he foolishly inquired) the “will of God” that we pray? Hmmm… ~ what do the scriptures say? ~ (doesn’t this now seem to be a repeated pattern?) The will of God and the word of God and the wisdom of God, all “seem to be” inextricably linked together! Men, (all men everywhere) ought always to pray- and to “pray without ceasing!” (We would then ~rejoice evermore!” ~ )
“All” because Calvary made prayer possible. ~ For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus ~ (1 Timothy 2.5)
~ Until now you have asked for nothing in My Name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full ~ (John 16.24) The joy of answered prayer. (amen!)
Hi Carl!
Speaking of Adam, i’ve studied to wherein through the Holy Spirit i discovered (it’s right there in the Book. That Authorized Version KJV Companion Bible is really really good study. The Gideon’s Bible is pretty cool too tho. I use them to check when i have a question from the one my Mom gave me – The Life Application Study Bible.) that Adam was the only one sent out of the Garden. Well, other than Cain. Check it out for yourself! I was Hallelujahed!!!
“The remarkable thing is understanding never stays put. It is important always to get a new understanding. Understanding can be improved”. ~Saunders MacLane
Almost 100 years ago, Katherine Bushnell made this observation in her book, God’s Word for Women. The problem, of course, is the rest of the story. Chapter 4 certainly does not paint Havvah as someone who is still experiencing the favor of God in the Garden. And the noun could be read as a class noun rather than an individual. It’s a nice thought, but I don’t think it matches the context.
This is a verse i have studied for some time. As i have studied the culture and the Talmud, i have found that praying at all times was not just something Shaul taught. The Rabbis taught and still to this day teach the importance of prayer at all times. Jewish prayer though is in the form of blessings as opposed to our American prayer of Santa Claus prayers. Jewish prayer begins with, “Blessed are you Lord, our God, King of the universe for…” To pray, begins with blessing God. Blessing God turns our heart from selfishness and greed to one of gratitude and thanksgiving. We see everything from God as a gift, even the tough stuff. God has reasons for bringing the rain or not. Sometimes we need the rain, sometimes we just wish it would stop. Either way we thank him for the rain. And as Skip said, we also pray our hearts are prepared for what we are receiving, the good and the hard.
Barruck HaShem
“Sometimes we need the rain, sometimes we just wish it would stop.”
“Either way we thank him for the rain.”
Hi Matt,
Makes me think of what a friend once told me about what he learned when he lived in a Sikh ashram
He said that what God wants most is to be praised, because God is great
I always tended to think of that as a grateful state of mind, and a good one to be in
But I think the Yogi actually intended the praise to be a process rather than a state of mind
A process of being grateful that creates a peaceful state of mind
A process of being grateful for whatever God gives us
Actually, praying for God to give Me something seems illogical
I tend to think God creates my world and always gives me what He wants
An excellent point, thanks. We see that in the Talmud when the rabbis say “blessed be He” every time they even speak God’s name.
17 pray continually;
18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
19 Do not put out the Spirit’s fire;
20 do not treat prophecies with contempt.
21 Test everything. Hold on to the good.
22 Avoid every kind of evil.
23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Hmmm
On the one hand, Paul’s statements above make perfect sense
On the other, I don’t think in terms of being in Jesus Christ or about the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ
On a personal level, for the last 40 years, if I’m praying I’m using The Lord’s Prayer
For me it is not so much about “working harder” as it is like the “Zen of tennis”
Sometimes I’m “in the zone” and sometimes I’m not
On a clear day I can see forever, but sometimes I’m confused and afraid
My dilemma is that sometimes I’m praying for His will to come
But what I don’t realize is that I already have it and I just don’t like it
I am not accepting His will
And that is creating a problem
Hi Mikie! Honey, U better connect up! Me, i’m the big toenail on Yeshua’s right foot. Yep, yep. Sometimes i pretend that the toenail grows real long, i sharpen it to a point and Yeshua can pop a few baloons with it, LOL!!!! Seems to me he might need to relieve some of the stress from all this mess going on nowadays! So, we kick it!! Good is sooooooooo good!
Lots of other body parts left. Choose yours! Think of one of your favorite movies, the human anatomy, and get yourself on board! 🙂
moi
i’m the big toenail on Yeshua’s right foot. Yep, yep.
Hi jeanette,
That’s funny!
My toenails had never been as long as they were last night
When I cut them
Hope that’s not too weird for ya 🙂
Best Picture Winner: Argo (Grant Heslov, Ben Affleck, George Clooney)
Hi Honey,
Speaking of movies, I saw part of Argo up in Berkeley some weeks ago and fell asleep watching it
The funny thing was that I had watched Gone Baby Gone on Netflix the night before the Oscars
One of the best movies of all time IMO, and had forgotten that Ben Affleck directed it
Of course, Ben’s brother Casey was in the lead role in Gone Baby Gone
And I think Casey is a great actor
A couple of weeks ago, I saw Zero Dark Thirty up in Berkeley with David
IMO it was a 10 times better movie than Argo
Jessica Chastain was outstanding in Zero Dark Thirty; lots of fire in her belly as they say
My daughter took me to see Flight a few weeks ago and I thought it was great too
Denzel who is one of my favorite actors played an Alcoholic Airline pilot
Which brings us back to Saint Paul:
4 But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.
5 You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.
7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.
“Of course, Ben’s brother Casey was in the lead role in Gone Baby Gone”
“It is only a matter of doing what God asks.”
Hmmm
Of course, we don’t always know what God asks in a given situation
We don’t always know which choice is the “lesser of two evils”
And most of us don’t have the Wisdom of Solomon
One “subtext” of the movie Gone Baby Gone is the Wisdom of Solomon
Which “mother” deserves the baby is the Biblical argument in the movie Gone Baby Gone
All the “higher ups” in the community, all likable characters played by great actors
Think the baby should be with a good woman who will properly raise the child
They have illegally stolen the baby from the mother, who is a “whore of Babylon”
So Casey Affleck, who plays a cop, must go “against the grain” of the community
Alienating himself from family and friends
Losing his very lovely girl friend in the process
To do what he believes is the right thing to do
But it is clearly not good, true, and beautiful
Hmmm
So I guess my main point above is that sometimes or maybe more often than not
The truth hurts and the powers above do not pay the big money to those who tell it
Which brings me to my case in point, the Academy Awards
Now I think we need organizations such as the CIA, but don’t think they are All Good
And deserving of all our love (Argo gets the Gold)
Rather the cold, hard, truth is told about our covert operations in the Middle East
In an exceptional film called Zero Dark Thirty
Where the hero is a woman, played by Jessica Chastain
An inspirational performance that shows exactly what it takes to get to the top
In our brave new world
And to get the truth out of our prisoners of war
It is not a pretty picture
The subject of today’s TW is a good example of the clarity and simplicity that can be realized by considering the ancient Hebrew worldview. What a blessing! The sanity that has been brought to my walk in the Way is such a joy. Thank you, Papa. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Amein Skip.
Personal experience has proven to me over and over that Avinu is always listening. He surprises me often by answering a refrigerator prayer. You know, the simple crayon stick drawings that hang on the fridge.
When I wear myself out praying and praying desperate to see an answer for a particular situation suddenly He will answer something I simply mentioned in passing to Him. It’s a reminder that He collects my tears and hears every word that comes from my mouth not just my prayers.
His eye is ever upon me and everything I bring to Him is in His hand. How amazing is that!
Skip, I pray that you would continue the Hebrew Word
as I made a donation about 2 wks. ago through Pay Pal
to your account.
I pray that you or your staff would look into this matter
accordingly as I have been greatly blessed and my faith
is being invigorating! Thanking you in advance
Sincerely yours, Doc Haught
Thank you so much. But I had to laugh. There is no staff. Just me.
Hi Skip!
I’m so glad to know that you laugh! Our Father laughs, you know. Do you remember reading that? I’m definitely going to work on putting together a list of the characteristics of Our Father that will help one better understand that one can definitely have a personal relationship. I can’t recall that you share that observation. Do you? What about love? How do you feel about that? I did read Guardian Angel, you know.
As to your other comment on Judi’s post, I was wondering when you would pop up. Didn’t you like those blessings? There is more than likely one that both you and Judi can recite on my behalf. I do seem to have so much JOY. Wait……… don’t tell me……naw.
Have a blessed day!! Tell Rosie hello for me.
Hi Jeanette,
After responding to your post yesterday, I took Max out for a walk and ran into a young woman
Whose name is Jeana
Jeana has two dogs, one named Two Spot and the other named Calypso
I began to wonder if that was some sort of cosmic coincidence 🙂
My dog Max is going to have to watch out for Calypso
In the Odyssey, Calypso is an egocentric, dominating, goddess
Who holds Odysseus captive for seven years in hopes of marrying him.
Hi Mikie!
I’ve had two dogs! First one i named Gemini, because she had a twin brother. i never knew that dogs could have twins! Did you? Second one i named Gypsy Rose Lee. Called her Gypsy. Along with Gemini was a pet turtle i named Cosmos. Did you know that turtles could have personality? Mine did.
Had a cat that thought it was a monkey too. At least i thought monkey at the time. Could have thought that it was a mountain lion, now that i think about it.
Anyway, let me stop before Skip gets upset (but i hope he laughs!)
p.s. Gemini had a pet frog! Yep. that’s right.