Praying with "heat"

Let me take you on a little word journey.  This morning I read a passage of scripture In James 5 that really spoke to me.  It was so simple, but God wrote it on my heart as I read it. 

James 5:16 states "The prayer of a righteous man are powerful and effective."

All day long I pondered on this verse.  There is so much hope in this one tiny verse.  It is rich with God's promises.  If I pray, there is power in those prayers.  My prayer as a Christ follower are effective.  They matter, and there is power in them.


As I went back to the same verse and read it this evening, I decided to dissect it.  I read it in the King James Version and it states "The fervent prayers..."  I decided to dig a little deeper.  Little did I know how rich this verse really is!


The New Testament was originally written in Greek.  The original Greek translation for the word "Fervent" is "Zeo".  This is where we get our English word Zealous.  The word "Zeo" was used to describe "Heat; to boil."  It was often used to describe "a boiling of the Holy Spirit".


In other words, James was saying "When a righteous man boils inside......When he burns inside while praying to God for something to happen or change, His prayers are powerful.  His prayers effect the outcome."


This reminded me of Romans 8:26 "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express."


Another thing I thought of was Jacob wrestling with God.  In Genesis 32 we see Jacob wrestle with God all night.  God finally touches Jacobs hip and knocks it our of joint just so Jacob will leave Him alone.  Even then Jacob hangs on until God blesses him.  In the same way, God delights in His children approaching him aggressively when we pray.  He wants us to get in the dirt; to wrestle Him when we pray.  He wants us to be tenacious and beg Him for His blessing.


A few thoughts:

• When was the last time you brought heat to your prayers?

• Have you ever prayed to God to the point you felt like your insides were boiling?

• Do you approach your heavenly Father with bold confidence that your prayers are powerful?  Effective?  Do you believe your prayers can be game changers?

• Do you go into prayers ready to wrestle with God?  Are you willing to pray all night, all week, all year?  Are you willing to wrestle with God for a lifetime until He answers your "groaning" prayer?

I am humbled that I, a sinner who deserves hell, am not only saved from my sins but challenged by God to pray with heat.  I am humbled that my God wants me to wrestle Him over what the Holy Spirit groans inside me to pray.  I am amazed that God, the creator of the universe waits by the phone, ready to hear my prayers and act upon them.  What an awesome God we serve.  I can't wait to pray with passion and power and see my God not only show up but show off!

Bones, Hair & Teeth

If you were to take a shovel to a nearby graveyard and begin digging over someone’s grave, eventually you would reach a casket.  If you were to open that casket and exhume the body, you would find remnants of what that person used to be.  At best, all that would be left would be a pile of bones, hair & teeth.  Without a doubt, no one would argue that the person who used to be there would be considered dead.  There would be no need for a medical examiner.  There is no need for a doctor to determine whether or not they were still alive.

In Luke 15 we hear Jesus tell the story of the prodigal son.  (Luke 15:11-31)  At the end of the parable, we see a conversation between the older “good” son and his father.  He asks his Dad “Why are we throwing a party for him?”  The Father replies “You brother was dead and now he is alive.”

A few thoughts:

• When we meet someone who has not met Jesus, they are dead.  There is no such thing as them getting their life together.  There is no such thing as them pulling themselves up by the bootstraps.  They are dead, and without Christ there is no hope in them “Straightening out” their life.
• Why do we expect any different?  So many times we as Christians/the Church ostracize those lost in sin by requiring them to act alive.  Why are we shocked at a life in disarray when we meet someone without Christ?  Jesus himself said that they are dead.  What are the chances that the body exhumed is going to get up and dance around?  In the same manner, what are the chances someone who hasn’t given their life to Jesus will act like Jesus?
• If we truly grasped this what a difference it would make!  What would evangelism look like if we treated those dead people we come in contact with each day with compassion?  What if we were patient with those who are dead in their sin?  What if we loved people where they are instead of trying to make them into someone they have no hope of being without Jesus?  Effective evangelism looks like this:

1. View everyone as either dead or alive.  (With Jesus or without Jesus)  There is no middle of the road.
2. Love them dead or alive.
3. Tell them the good news of Jesus Christ.

From now on, see people for what they really are:  dead or alive.   Love them in spite of their sin (see Luke 15:1-2)  Be a good example of what Jesus looks like and pray that they come to life instead of trying to bring them to life all by yourself.  That is where true results will take place.

No Earning Allowed!

“I am proud to be a Scientologist!  It’s something you have to earn!”  - Tom Cruise

I turned my television on the other day and heard this statement.  It broke my heart.  When it comes to eternal life, how can we earn it?  The Gospel (the good news about Jesus Christ) is so vastly different from every other religion out there.  In a world that preaches self reliance, self improvement and self control, we see Jesus arrive and change the entire game.  Jesus teaches something entirely different.  He draws a line in the sand and says “I am the way.  I am the truth.  I am the life.  No one can achieve status with my Father accept through me.” (John 14:6)

A few thoughts:

• No matter how hard you try, you can’t stop sinning.  Sin is real, and it’s a real problem.  Sin separates us from God, and one sin brings judgment upon us when a Holy God is the backdrop.  (Romans 3:10-12)
• We need a hero!  If we can’t save ourselves, where do we go?  If we can’t earn our salvation, what do we do?  We look to Jesus.  He came from Heaven as God’s perfect Son, lived a blameless life, and died for you and me to take our place. (John 3:16, Hebrews 4:15, Philippians 2:8)
• It’s not something you earn.  Let me pose this question:  How can you earn a gift?  Did you earn birthday presents from your parents?  Did you earn gifts on Christmas morning?  NO!  They were given to you out of love.  Our status with God is a gift through Jesus.  This way God gets the glory.  It has nothing to do with anything we do.  It has everything to do with God’s goodness.  He hates our sin, but loves us anyway.  That is why we are given the opportunity to accept Christ as our salvation.  How can we brag on ourselves and say we “earned it”?  We can’t.  (Ephesians 2:8-9)
• If you want it, ask for it!  (Acts 2:21, Romans 10:13)  There is only one thing God requires from us when it comes to our salvation:  you have to ask for it.  If you want to REALLY know God, then you can achieve a personal relationship with Him. 

Let me be really serious for a moment.  Listen closely to what I am about to say.  I promise all of this to be true.  I have an intimate, personal, daily relationship with God Himself.  He is real.  He loves me and I love Him.  He speaks to me and I speak to Him.  He is my Daddy, and I am His son.  Because of Jesus, I want for nothing.  I have no need to worry.  He shows up daily.  He provides for me, takes care of me, restores me and gives me a peace that only comes from God.  He gets all of the credit.  I don't deserve to know God, but He saved me anyway!  My life means something.  I live an abundant life of worth, and I owe it all to Jesus!  If you want this to be your story  too then ask Jesus to rule your life.  In your heart, make Him your king.  Say out loud to God:

“God I need you.  God I am a sinner, and I need Jesus to save me.  I want you to be my God, and I want to be your child forever.  I believe Jesus died for me and rose from the grave for me.  Please take over my life and show me how to live for you.”

It really is that simple, and definitely isn’t something you can earn.  For that, I am thankful!