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Your Prayers Are Eternal

5×5×5 Bible Plan

Read: Revelation 5
Meditation: Revelation 5:8

“And when he took the scroll, the four living beings fell down before the Lamb.  Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.”

Shift Your Focus… It is not uncommon for us to feel as if prayer is an exercise in futility; that either our payers are unheard, or if they are heard, that they don’t really matter. We don’t always feel this way, or else we would never pray. But sometimes we do sense that the heavens are brass and our prayers simply disappear like a puff of smoke into the atmosphere.

According to this verse, however, all of our prayers matter to God. They rise up to heaven and are offered as precious and pleasing incense before his very throne. God will not answer every prayer according to our desires—thankfully. I share this observation with Jean Ingelow: “I have lived to thank God that all my prayers have not been answered.” As Mother Teresa rightfully observed, “More tears are shed over answered prayers than unanswered ones.” Yes, thankfully not all of our prayers are answered in the way we want, but each prayer is an act of worship offered in faith that blesses the very heart of God.

Now there is nothing wrong in hoping for the answer to your prayer. God’s Word is clear in that our Father desires to give us those things we ask for in prayer. So don’t quit expecting your answer. But pray with this added dimension: The greatest answer to prayer is the act of prayer itself.

You see, prayer is practicing the presence of God. It is entering his very throne room in the great court of heaven. It is exercising faith in the One who rewards those who believe that he exists and diligently seek him. It is placing your needs, concerns and hopes into the hands of a loving Father who delights in your dependence and is pleased to provide for your needs according to his gracious will.

Hopefully, the answer you are expecting will be in line with his will to act. But if not, your act of prayer does far more in the unseen realm that you will ever realize this side of eternity.

So keep praying!

“If Jesus Christ is bringing you into the understanding that prayer is for the glorifying of His Father, He will give you the first sign of His intimacy—silence.”

Prayer… Father, I lift my prayer to you today simply as an act of worship. May I, and this prayer, please and glorify you. You know my heart, you know my needs, you know your will for my life. Fulfill your perfect plan for me—whether it come in the form of some great and miraculous intervention, or simply through the intimacy of your silent presence.

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Worship—Now and Then

5×5×5 Bible Plan

Read: Revelation 4
Meditation: Revelation 4:8

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”

Shift Your Focus… When you read John’s awesome, breathtaking description of God upon his throne, it only makes sense that the continual activity of heaven is the worship of the Almighty.  What else can the angels, elders and all living creatures do except to fall before the Creator and worship?

That, too, is what you and I will do when we get there.  One second in God’s presence and we will be overcome with worship. Our eyes, our minds, our mouths, our hearts, our bodies—every fiber of our beings—will be completely and irrevocably undone when we finally gaze upon him who loves us more than we can comprehend, and infinitely more than we deserve, and we, like the other occupants of heaven, will fall before the throne and join the chorus singing,

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”

That day is coming—sooner that you think.  Finally, freely and fully, you will be able to express your love and devotion to God without earthly limitations.  Until then, you have opportunity to worship God in the community of the saints as you gather to praise him in church.  When you lift your voice in song, you are practicing what you will be doing one day in heaven.

So lose yourself in the wonder of worship now.  You are only engaging in the activity of heaven.  If you are bored with worship now; if don’t like the style of worship now; if you see worship as the warm up act for the sermon now—then you are not going to enjoy heaven all that much.

The next time you have opportunity to worship, imagine yourself before the throne of God with all of the redeemed—and cut loose with your praise.  The details of the worship service do not matter—the song selection, the style of music, the worship leader, the skill of the musicians.  Worship is not for you anyway; it is for God.

So express yourself as best you know how and give all the glory and praise to God.  Make it your aim to bring a smile to your Heavenly Father’s face.

You are going to do that some day in heaven. Why not perfect your worship in the here and now!

“The Scotch catechism says that man’s chief end is ‘to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.’ But we shall then know that these are the same thing. Fully to enjoy is to glorify. In commanding us to glorify Him, God is inviting us to enjoy Him.”  ~C.S. Lewis

Prayer… Father God, you are worthy of praise.  All glory and honor belong to you.  You are holy, and you alone deserve my worship.

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The Best of Churches, The Worst of Churches

5×5×5 Bible Plan

Read: Revelation 3
Meditation: Revelation 3:7 & 14

“To the church in Philadelphia…To the church in Laodicea…”

Shift Your Focus… To paraphrase the unforgettable opening line of Dickens’ classic, A Tale of Two Cities, “It was the best of churches, it was the worst of churches.”

Throughout the centuries, Biblical scholars have interpreted the letters to the seven churches in Revelation in a variety of ways.  Some have suggested that these letters are written literally to seven contemporary churches throughout Asia Minor during the time of John’s imprisonment, describing real conditions that existed in those churches.  Others suggest that these seven churches represent eras of church history, with the last two, Philadelphia and Laodicea, concurrently representing the condition of the church at the end of time.

I lean heavily toward the latter, but however you wish to interpret, the message to these last two churches is clear, and quite applicable to the church in our day:

One, God assesses the condition of his church far differently than we do.  What we consider weak, ineffective and unattractive in a church God treasures because of that church’s fidelity to his Word.  Size, slickness and sizzle do not impress God if his Word is not being honored above all else.

On the other hand, what we might consider attractive, powerful, and impacting in a church because of its bigness, buildings and budget, God may assess as way off the mark because Biblical truth has been neglected or compromised, all in the name of cultural relevance and church growth.

That leads to the second thought:  Beware of all the bells and whistles when evaluating the church.  If these last two churches do represent the condition of the church in the last days, it is rather obvious that many of today’s churches are indeed the church at Laodicea.  Don’t get caught up in the personality cult and celebrity worship of TV preachers or the hype of the mega-church.

Ask yourself:  Does my church honor God’s Word above all else?  Is my pastor and are my spiritual leaders truly people of God—full of the Holy Spirit, evidenced by the fruit of the Spirit in their lives and passionate about fulfilling the purposes of God for the church without compromise?  Is this a church with whom God is well pleased?

If so, then you’ve got a great church.  If not, start praying!

“God evaluates by character not charisma.”

Prayer… Father, purify you church, that we might be the Bride of Christ, pure, spotless, and ready for the return of the Bridegroom.

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Rx for Spiritual Coldness

5×5×5 Bible Plan

Read: Revelation 2
Meditation: Revelation 2:4-5

“Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.”

Shift Your Focus… Like the love of a husband and wife that grows cold through the years, so a church can grow cold in their love for the Lord.  That would certainly hold true for individual believers as well.

You can do all the right things—go to church, sing in the choir, give in the offering, teach a Sunday School class, participate in an outreach, share your faith—yet not be head-over-heels in love with Jesus like you were when he first redeemed you.  Your actions are there.  Your head is there.   But your heart isn’t! It’s not like you hate God, or are angry with him.  It’s not even that you ignore him or are indifferent to him.  You just have not kept loving him as the number one priority.

Here’s the deal:  God wants your heart more than anything else. So what can you do if passionate love for the Lord has waned in your walk with him?  Jesus gave John the cure in verse 5:

First, you must remember what it was like when Jesus first found you!  Remember the passion, the energy, the willingness, the excitement you had for the Lord in those days.  You were consumed with him.  Jesus calls you to literally bring that back to mind and dwell on it until you long for the thrill of those days once again.

Second, you must repent!  You have forsaken your number one priority:  To nurture a loving relationship with Jesus Christ.  To neglect that is a sin, an offense to the One who loved you so much that he gave his life to redeem you.  Allow sorrow over grieving him to fill your heart.  Ask him to forgive you, and then make a 180-degree turn in your present behavior so as to live in congruence with your prayer of repentance.

And three, return to the things you did at first.  Rediscover the joy and thrill that you once knew in walking with Jesus.  Go to church with an attitude of anticipation.  Enter into worship with joy.  Express your love to God with passion.  Share you faith with the lost.  Serve the poor.  Give generously.  Act like you are in love with Jesus, and soon you will feel love for Jesus like you did at first.

The Lord wants your love more than anything else.  Love him first.  Love him early and often.  Love him again as you did at first. Love him above all else, and everything else will fall into place.

“If you continue to love Jesus, nothing much can go wrong with you, and I hope you may always do so.”  ~C.S. Lewis

Prayer… Jesus, I do love you.  However, I have taken you for granted.  I have often been more engaged in doing things for you than in loving you. Forgive me.  With the help of your Holy Spirit, I will keep my love for you as the first and highest priority of my life.

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The Blessing of Reading, Hearing and Doing

5×5×5 Bible Plan

Read: Revelation 1
Meditation: Revelation 1:3

“Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.”

Shift Your Focus… John, the human author of the Revelation, promised God’s blessings upon those who read and acted upon the words of his prophetic revelation.  The same double blessing applies to all of God’s Word—both Old and New Testaments alike.

Today, when you read the Bible, there is a blessing that will be upon you.  You are not just reading another book, you are reading God’s Book.  You hold in your hand the very revelation of God himself, inspired by God, revealing God’s nature, God’s will for all of mankind—which includes you—and God’s plan for the ages.

To all who read with an open heart and a humble spirit, God’s favor will rest.  But there is another, even greater blessing:  It is for those who not only read the Word of God; it is for those who act upon it.  Divine blessing awaits those who translate their belief into behavior.

As you read this portion of Scripture, the Revelation of John, what behavior is required of you?  Simply this:  Since this prophecy concerns God’s plan for the end of days, you must seek to apply it in readying yourself for Christ’s return.

So then, how do you actually live such a ready life?  First, you must live with an end-time perspective.  Verse 7 says, “Look, he is coming with the clouds…”  Jesus is coming soon, and everything you think, say or do ought to be lived in the light of his return.

Second, you must realize that you have been redeemed to be both a king and a priest in God’s eternal reign.  Verses 5-6 remind us, “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priest to serve his God and Father…”  You are going to rule and reign with Jesus in the eternal kingdom soon, so you ought to act like a king and priest now!

And third, until then, you must patiently endure trial and tribulation.  In verse 9, John reveals himself as “your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus…”  John was able to endure great hardship—harder than you will ever face, most likely, because he knew what was coming.   When you know the end of the story—that you win—you can put up with anything in your present circumstances.

Reading and receiving the blessing promised in this book requires you to adjust your beliefs and your behaviors to it.  So develop an eternal perspective, act like the priest of God’s kingdom that you are, and patiently endure difficulty, and you will be handsomely rewarded for it!

“Looking forward to the eternal world is not…a form of escapism or wishful thinking, but one of the things a Christian is meant to do.”  ~C.S. Lewis

Prayer… Dear Lord, I have read the opening words of your Revelation of end-time events.  Now bless me, I ask.  And even more, strengthen me to put it into practice this day—and everyday until you return.

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Contend For The Faith

5×5×5 Bible Plan

Read: Jude 1
Meditation: Jude 1:3

“Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.”

Shift Your Focus… In ancient China, the people desired security from the barbaric, invading hordes to the north, so they built the Great Wall of China. It was 30 feet high, 18 feet thick, and more than 1500 miles long!  It’s still there, so large that astronauts can see it from outer space.

The goal of the Chinese was to build an absolutely impenetrable defense—too high to climb over, too thick to break down, and too long to go around.  But during the first hundred years of the wall’s existence China was successfully invaded three times, due to no fault of the wall. Rather, the barbarians simply bribed a gatekeeper and then marched right in through an open door.

God has provided us with a strong doctrinal wall, bigger and better than the Great Wall of China.  That wall is the body of doctrine Jude refers to as “the faith.” It is our job—not just mine as a pastor, but yours, too, as a child of God—to guard that doctrinal gate, defend our spiritual borders, and contend for the faith.

Why this call to contend? Look at verse 4:  “For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.”

Apparently Jude, who by the way, was the younger half-brother of Jesus, preferred to write a happy little missive about “heaven,” but something called “hell” had gotten in the way.  Something dark and dire was threatening the church—a hellish invasion of false teachers bearing false doctrine—so Jude uses this letter to tackle it head on, and he gives two ways in verse 4 to spot these dangerous spiritual phonies, who, by the way, are still at work in the church today:

One, we are to take note if they dilute the impact of sin. Jude says they “change the grace of our God into a license for immorality.” This false teaching says that since your good works can’t save you anyway—only God’s grace can, which is true—then you might as well not worry about sin. The theory is that since the sin nature that separates you from God is covered by grace at salvation, so also ongoing acts of sin are covered by grace as well. You’re covered, you’re forgiven, so if you sin, no big deal!

Well, that’s close to the truth, but it’s a shade off because it minimizes the offensiveness and destructiveness of sin! It’s a false and abusive view of grace that will lead people straight to hell!

And two, we are to take note if these false teacher deny the deity of Jesus Christ.  Jude says, “They deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.” To deny the deity of Jesus in any way, shape or form is to deny his authority and power, the veracity of his life and teaching, the efficacy of his death and resurrection, and with it, the entire foundation of the Bible and your Christian faith. If you weaken or deny this cardinal truth, your faith is a waste of time. The deity of Jesus Christ is ground zero in the fight for doctrinal purity—and ultimately, our eternal security—so you must contend for it.

The word “contend” in the Greek text came from the word, agonidzomai, which meant to agonize over something.  It was used in athletics of a competitor straining every muscle to win the contest. You and I have been called to agonizingly compete, defend and contend for the once-for-all faith that God has entrusted to us.

You probably remember that unforgettable line from Marlon Brando, a washed up prize fighter in the movie, On the Waterfront: “I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody”?  Well, in a more important realm than either movies or boxing, the realm that counts for all eternity, the spiritual realm, you are called to be somebody who contends for the faith.

My friend, you and I must defend our doctrinal borders and contend for our faith, with vigor and passion! It’s not an option; it’s your calling—and mine, too!

So go ahead, be a contender!

“A false interpretation of Scripture causes that the gospel of the Lord becomes the gospel of man, or, which is worse, of the devil.” ~Jerome

Prayer… Father, keep me ever vigilant, contending for the faith that you’ve entrusted to me and every other follower who bears your name.

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Where Are You Investing?

5×5×5 Bible Plan

Read: II Peter 3
Meditation: II Peter 3:11

“Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be?”

Shift Your Focus… Many believers live like Planet Earth is their forever home. They set their priorities, plan their activities, and spend their money like this is all there is. Hopefully you are not one of them because this old worn out world is nearing the end of the road.

As I write these words, by contrast, I think of my brothers and sisters in the poverty-stricken regions in the East African countries where the Petros Network is planting churches. Those churches are thriving, and so are the individual believers, despite extreme poverty and intense opposition. By watching their lives, you quickly come to realize that they who have so little material wealth have so much more joy that we who have so much yet have so little joy. By comparison, they are the far richer people than we.

Why? Because they have put their hope in the Lord. They are looking forward to a city whose architect and builder is God. They have very little by the world’s standards, and even what little they have, they hold loosely. They have invested everything—sometimes they have even given their lives—in the eternal kingdom of our God. They have made good investments that will produce ever-increasing returns throughout all eternity.

We need to take stock in the kinds of investments we are making. Ask somebody who knows you well what they have observed your priorities to be. What does the way you spend money or plan your calendar or live your life in general tell them about you? If your life is like mine, they would likely conclude that you are making far too big of an investment in a world that is soon going to come to a fiery end. Now in all honesty, that’s a very bad investment, isn’t it?

Peter asks the question that, given the fact that our planet and everything in it will melt away, what kind of people should we then be? How then should we live? Then he gives the answer:

We should make every effort to live holy and blameless lives (verses 11b & 14)

We ought to be anticipating God’s promises rather than promoting the things of this earth (verse 13)

We ought to be focusing on Christ’s return more than the remainder of our days on earth (verses 12 & 13)

We ought to be at peace with God and keep pure in our faith (verses 14-17)

We ought to be giving every effort to our spiritual growth (verse 18)

To live any other way shows that we are still investing in the ephemeral stuff of earth rather than the invaluable stuff of heaven.

Take a look around. Whatever you see is going to vanish soon. Only what is done by faith will carry over to and count toward the next life.

Today is a great day to start making better investments—eternal ones—because eternity is going to be here before you know it—as some say, “in the twinkling of an eye!”

“The one and only characteristic of the Holy Spirit in a person is a strong family likeness to Jesus Christ and freedom from everything that is unlike Him.” ~Oswald Chambers

Prayer… Lord, my hope is in you and not in the things of this earth.  I will hold things loosely and cling tightly to you.  Enable me to live the kind of life today that will prove on that final day that I have been rich toward the things of God.