Book Review: Praying the Bible

I digested this book in three days!  How could I read it that quickly?  It's just that good and it's only 100 pages long.  Donald Whitney gives a simple and sublime method of praying scripture in this book.  Considering 2 Timothy 3:16, he instructs readers to view each verse of a Psalm as God speaking.  The reader can respond to it in prayer just like you would respond to any other person in conversation.  Then Witney directs readers to go on to the next verse and repeat the process.  He even gives suggestions on how to handle more challenging verses like Psalm 58:6 and how to adapt the prayer model to a group setting.  If your prayer life is as dry as a popcorn fart or you mind is as distracted in prayer as monkeys running through a forest, then pick up this book asap!

Book Review: A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23

This is an older book, but I really relish reading it.  I grew up around cattle, not sheep.  While they are both livestock, they are managed a little differently.  Keller's book is full of insight into the beloved 23rd Psalm.  It's broken into 12 chapters, devoting two chapters to each verse in the poem.  The reader with really meditate on this Psalm.  It also gave me insight to other passages in the Bible that discuss the Shepherd/sheep relationship.  I highly recommend it as background reading for John 10 in which Jesus tells His followers "I am the good shepherd."  Pick up a used copy at a garage sale and enjoy!

Are you a prayer warrior or a prayer worrier?

Philippians 4:6-7 NIV

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Luke 12:25 NIV

“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?”

Sometimes when I pray for someone, I find myself preoccupied with their situation.  Have you ever done that?  You pray for someone but you find yourself troubling over them all day long.  You make a wrong turn picking up your kids from school because your mind wanders to their prayer request.  I’ve heard people say this might be happening because God wants you to contact that person.  That might be true.  If you’re a little like me, you can be a bit of a prayer worrier.  Prayer becomes worrying for that person instead of truly interceding.  Sometimes I have trouble leaving that person and their prayer request in the hands of God.  I made myself a little sign earlier this week to help.  It read:

Rebekah,

I love _________ even more than you do.  You can pray for ___ buy don’t worry about ___.  I hear you and I am working in ways more wonderful than you can imagine. 

God

I put this paper in an 8 x 10 photo frame. I can write the person’s name on the glass with a dry erase marker.  That way I can erase it and write a different person’s name the next time I’m being a prayer worrier.  It has helped me this week.  If you’re a prayer worrier also, you might want to give it a try. 

Book Reveiw: Answers to Prayer by George Mueller

A friend and I have been reading this book.  I highly recommend it.  It’s not long but it’s full of the testimony of a man who saw God work in response to prayer.  My faith has grown by reading it.  Also, I’ve learned a few ways to pray about various situations just by reading his prayers.  I’m going to share a passage with you out of Answers to Prayer that really touched my heart.  

“Oct. 9. – This morning Luke vii came in the course of my reading before breakfast.  While reading the account about the Centurion and the raising from death the widow’s son at Nain, I lifted up my heart to the Lord Jesus thus: ‘Lord Jesus, Thou hast the same power now.  Thou canst provide me with means for Thy work in my hands.  Be pleased to do so.’ About half an hour afterwards I received L30 15s. 

The joy which such answers to prayer afford, cannot be described.  I was determined to wait upon God only, and not to work an unscriptural deliverance for myself.  I have thousands of pounds for the Building Fun; but I would not take of this sum because it was once set apart for that object.  There is also a legacy of L100 for the Orphans two months overdue, in the prospect of the payment of which the heart might be naturally inclined to use some money of the Building Fund, to be replaced by the legacy money, when it comes in; but I would not thus step out of God’s way of obtaining help.  At the very time when this donation arrived, I had packed up L100 which I happened to have in hand; received for the Building Fund, in order to take it to the Bank, as I was determined not to touch it, but to wait upon God.  My soul does magnify the Lord for His goodness.” 

Dear reader (that’s a George Mueller thing, he often addresses his readers as such in his book), I’m praying this for you and for me “Lord, set our hearts to wait upon You only and not to work an unscriptural deliverance for ourselves.”  Mueller’s trial was the financial provision for hundreds of orphans.  My trial is different than that.  Your trial is probably different too.  We’re all tempted to take matters into our own hands; to work and manipulate our circumstances to get us out of the trial faster.  Let us all determine in our hearts to wait upon God only, and not to work an unscriptural deliverance for ourselves.  And Lord, enlighten our minds as we read your Word to understand what you want of us. 

This Question Needs Answering

It had been a busy day.  Our three year old daughter, Phoenix, was exhausted.  She napped until I needed to get Greg, our 7 year old son, from school.  When I put her in the van to go pick him up, she continued to sleep.  Even after Greg climbed into his car seat and nosily greeted both Phoenix and I, she slept.  I carried her into the house and sat down on the couch.  She snuggled up to me, tucking her head into my shoulder, pulling herself close to me.  It was such a delight to cuddle her while she slowly awoke from her nap.  It touched my heart.  It made me wonder, when we draw near to God, does it touch His heart?  Does He delight in holding us?  Let’s take a look in the Bible.

Zephaniah 3:17 says “The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”  This passage seems to indicate that God does delight in the Nation of Israel.  They seem to have to ability to make His heart sing.  Isaiah 62:5 also records God rejoicing over the Nation of Israel.  “As a young man marries a maiden, so will your Builder marry you, as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.”  Here we go again; another passage with God rejoicing over the Nation of Israel.  Must be nice, Israel.  Hosea 11 speaks of a bond between The Lord and Israel that is like the bond between a parent and child.  Verse 1 begins “When Israel was a child, I loved him and out of Egypt I called him my son.” The story continues in verse 4 as “I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love.  To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them.”  Doesn’t this sound like a parent holding a child close, cheek to cheek, delighting in the closeness?  It makes me think of a parent kneeling to talk with a child, getting on his or her eye level.  It is very personal.  All of these Old Testament passages specifically refer to the Nation of Israel.  Romans 11 announces to us Non-Jewish believers that we are grafted into the Nation of Israel.  We now lay claim to the God of Israel and His promises to them. 

Jesus teaches in Luke 15:7 “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”  That’s pretty cool, but what about specifically God rejoicing over us, not just heaven in general.  The Apostle Paul proclaims to us in 1 Thessalonians 4:1 “we instructed you how to live in order to please God.” We have the capacity to please God?  If you want to know how, read verses 3-12.  Hebrews 11:6 speaks of us pleasing God.  “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”  We must believe that He exists.  Additionally, we must believe that the blood of the Lamb makes us able to seek and find Him.  I know my sins are offensive to Him.  Can God get beyond the offal of my sin to embrace and delight in me?  That’s really what we are getting at here.  It’s amazing isn’t it?  Through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross we can move into a relationship described as “God is pleased with you.”  It sounds both too good to be true but also so foundationally true all at once.  God, you indeed surpass our human understanding!  The Creator of Heaven and Earth needs nothing: no food, no water, no shelter, no friends.  But He chooses to want me?  Limited, sinful me?  It’s in the Bible.  Don’t believe me?   Look it up for yourself in Acts 17:24-28.  Even more amazing is this: the Bible insinuates that I can I can touch His heart, so to speak.  Can it really be true?  Does He look at me and smile?  Does He really want to be close to me?

I think He does.  I read Zephaniah 3:17, Isaiah 62:5, Hosea 11:4, 1 Thessalonians 4:1, Hebrews 11:6, Philippians 4:18, Luke 15:11-32 and I begin to believe that God chooses to delight in us.  What about you?  Do you think that He enjoys fellowship with you?  Lord, lead us in the paths of righteousness that go straight to the warm embrace of our Heavenly Father. 

Can I make Him smile?

 Phoenix definitely has the ability to make other people smile. I remember one busy day that my precious girl was very sleepy.  She napped until I needed to get Greg, our 7 year old son, from school.  When I put her in the van to go pick him up, she continued to sleep.  Even after Greg climbed into his car seat and nosily greeted both Phoenix and I, she slept.  I carried her into the house and sat down on the couch.  She snuggled up to me, tucking her head into my shoulder, pulling herself close to me.  It was such a delight to cuddle her while she slowly awoke from her nap.  It touched my heart.  It made me wonder, when we draw near to God, does it touch His heart?  Does He delight in holding us?  Let’s take a look in the Bible.

Zephaniah 3:17 says “The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”  This passage seems to indicate that God does delight in the Nation of Israel.  They seem to have to ability to make His heart sing.  Isaiah 62:5 also records God rejoicing over the Nation of Israel.  “As a young man marries a maiden, so will your Builder marry you, as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.”  Here we go again; another passage with God rejoicing over the Nation of Israel.  Must be nice, Israel.  Hosea 11 speaks of a bond between The Lord and Israel that is like the bond between a parent and child.  Verse 1 begins “When Israel was a child, I loved him and out of Egypt I called him my son.” The story continues in verse 4 as “I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love.  To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them.”  Doesn’t this sound like a parent holding a child close, cheek to cheek, delighting in the closeness?  It makes me think of a parent kneeling to talk with a child, getting on his or her eye level.  It is very personal.  All of these Old Testament passages specifically refer to the Nation of Israel.  Romans 11 announces to us Non-Jewish believers that we are grafted into the Nation of Israel.  We now lay claim to the God of Israel and His promises to them. 

Jesus teaches in Luke 15:7 “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”  That’s pretty cool, but what about specifically God rejoicing over us, not just heaven in general.  The Apostle Paul proclaims to us in 1 Thessalonians 4:1 “we instructed you how to live in order to please God.” We have the capacity to please God?  If you want to know how, read verses 3-12.  Hebrews 11:6 speaks of us pleasing God.  “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”  We must believe that He exists.  Additionally, we must believe that the blood of the Lamb makes us able to seek and find Him.  I know my sins are offensive to Him.  Can God get beyond the offal of my sin to embrace and delight in me?  That’s really what we are getting at here.  It’s amazing isn’t it?  Through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross we can move into a relationship described as “God enjoys you.”  It sounds both too good to be true but also so foundationally true all at once.  God, you indeed surpass our human understanding!  The Creator of Heaven and Earth needs nothing: no food, no water, no shelter, no friends.  But He chooses to want me?  Limited, sinful me?  It’s in the Bible.  Don’t believe me?   Look it up for yourself in Acts 17:24-28.  Even more amazing is this: the Bible insinuates that I can bring a smile to His face.  I can touch His heart.  Can it really be true?  Does He look at me and smile?  Does He really want to be close to me?

I think He does.  I read Zephaniah 3:17, Isaiah 62:5, Hosea 11:4, 1 Thessalonians 4:1, Hebrews 11:6, Philippians 4:18, Luke 15:11-32 and I begin to believe that God chooses to delight in us.  What about you?  Do you think that He enjoys your company?  Lord, lead us in the paths of righteousness that go straight to the warm embrace of our Heavenly Father.