With Christ in the School of Prayer, by Andrew Murray, 2

This post continues is intended to be a series of excerpts from With Christ in the School of Prayer, by Andrew Murray. I thank the Christian Classics Ethereal Library for making this public domain work available. To see their post of the book, go here. The previous post is here. As usual in this blog, long quotations are in this color.

In connection with this there is another truth that has come to me with wonderful clearness as I studied the teaching of Jesus on prayer.  It is this:  that the Father waits to hear every prayer of faith, to give us whatsoever we will, and whatsoever we ask in Jesus’ name.
We have become so accustomed to limit the wonderful love and the large promises of our God, that we cannot read the simplest and clearest statements of our Lord without the qualifying clauses by which we guard and expound them.  If there is one thing I think the Church needs to learn, it is that God means prayer to have an answer, and that it hath not entered into the heart of man to conceive what God will do for His child who gives himself to believe that his prayer will be heard. God hears prayer; this is a truth universally admitted, but of which very few understand the meaning, or experience the power.  If what I have written stir my reader to go to the Master’s words, and take His wondrous promises simply and literally as they stand, my object has been attained.
 
And then just one thing more.  Thousands have in these last years found an unspeakable blessing in learning how completely Christ is our life, and how He undertakes to be and to do all in us that we need.  I know not if we have yet learned to apply this truth to our prayer-life. Many complain that they have not the power to pray in faith, to pray the effectual prayer that availeth much.  The message I would fain bring them is that the blessed Jesus is waiting, is longing, to teach them this.  Christ is our life:  in heaven He ever liveth to pray; His life in us is an ever-praying life, if we will but trust Him for it.  Christ teaches us to pray not only by example, by instruction, by command, by promises, but by showing us HIMSELF, the ever-living Intercessor, as our Life.  It is when we believe this, and go and abide in Him for our prayer-life too, that our fears of not being able to pray aright will vanish, and we shall joyfully and triumphantly trust our Lord to teach us to pray, to be Himself the life and the power of our prayer.

May God open our eyes to see what the holy ministry of intercession is to which, as His royal priesthood, we have been set apart.  May He give us a large and strong heart to believe what mighty influence our prayers can exert.  And may all fear as to our being able to fulfil our vocation vanish as we see Jesus, living ever to pray, living in us to pray, and standing surety for our prayer-life.

Thanks for reading.

The mission of Christ

The Bible says a lot about the mission of Christ. Here are a few of the highlights. All Bible quotations are from the World English Bible, which is public domain:

Christ came to suffer:
Isaiah 53:3 He was despised, and rejected by men; a man of suffering, and acquainted with disease. He was despised as one from whom men hide their face; and we didn’t respect him. 4 Surely he has borne our sickness, and carried our suffering; yet we considered him plagued, struck by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray. Everyone has turned to his own way; and Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Christ created the universe, and sustains it, and is the owner of it.
Hebrews 1:1 God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds. 3 His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purified us of our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

Christ created the universe, and experienced human life, and came to redeem us.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him. Without him was not anything made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn’t overcome it. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own, and those who were his own didn’t receive him. 12 But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name: 13 who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Christ created and sustains the universe, and is the owner of it. He came to redeem us sinners.
Colossians 1:14 in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins; 15 who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things are held together. 18 He is the head of the body, the assembly, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Christ came to suffer, to experience human life, and to redeem us.
Hebrews 2:9 But we see … Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for everyone. 10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many children to glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 14 Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in the same way partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 17 Therefore he was obligated in all things to be made like his brothers, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.

Much more could be said! Thanks for reading.

Meditation in Scripture

I am ashamed to admit that, until this year, I have not thought seriously about the Spiritual Disciplines. (Also called spiritual exercises or spiritual practices.) As I understand these, they are things that believers ought to do regularly, so as to follow Christ, and to be more like him. I began reading a couple of books (see here and here) on the subject a few months ago. Our pastor just finished a short series based on Spiritual Disciplines. The Bible does not have a list of Spiritual Disciplines, and different authors suggest somewhat different lists.

1 Timothy 4:7b ("Exercise yourself toward godliness.") and Philippians 2:12b ("Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.") are two places where the Spiritual Disciplines are alluded to. Reading the Gospels shows us that Jesus practiced at least some of them, especially prayer, submission, service and solitude. Reading Acts shows us that the early church practiced at least prayer, fasting, and service.

Most or all lists of Spiritual Disciplines include Meditation. There is a type of meditation that, although it may have some benefits, is not Christian. Scriptural meditation, however, is not the same thing. It is not “new age.” New age meditation is about you. Scriptural meditation is about God. Meditation, as defined in Webster’s dictionary of 1913, is “To contemplate; to keep the mind fixed upon; to study.” Here are most of the references to meditation in the Bible, using the World English Bible, which is public domain, except as indicated:

Genesis 24:63a Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the evening.

Joshua 1:8a This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it.

Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked, … 2 but his delight is in Yahweh’s law. On his law he meditates day and night.

63:5b My mouth shall praise you with joyful lips, 6 when I remember you on my bed, and think about you in the night watches.

77:11 I will remember [the Lord’s] deeds; … I will remember your wonders of old. 12 I will also meditate on all your work, and consider your doings.

119:15 (Also Psalm 119:78) I will meditate on your precepts, and consider your ways,

23 Though princes … slander me, your servant will meditate on your statutes. 

119:27 Let me understand the teaching of your precepts! Then I will meditate on your wondrous works.

119:48 I reach out my hands for your commandments, which I love. I will meditate on your statutes.

119:97 How I love your law! It is my meditation all day.

119:99b your testimonies are my meditation.

119:148 My eyes stay open through the night watches, that I might meditate on your word.

143:5 I remember the days of old. I meditate on all your doings. I contemplate the work of your hands.

145:5 Of the glorious majesty of your honor, of your wondrous works, I will meditate.

1 Timothy 4:15a Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; (KJV. Here is chapter 4 of 1 Timothy, which indicates what Paul meant by "these things.")

Most of the occurrences of meditation in the Bible refer to the Law, or to various synonyms for it in Psalm 119. Presumably, the authors were referring to the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, because, in many cases, the rest of the Bible hadn't been written.

There are three places, indicated in green above, where the meditation was to be on what God has done.

We don't know what Isaac was meditating about. The first five books of the Bible weren't written, or weren't mostly written in his time.

One of the occurrences above is marked in red. That one seems to say that, if we run into opposition for our faith, the best strategy is to remember God's power, rather than worry about responding.

I should meditate daily. On what? It's a good idea to meditate -- "contemplate; to keep the mind fixed upon; to study" -- on the Bible. One aspect of the Bible that I should meditate on is to meditate on the life, mission, and character of Jesus Christ. (Passages that should help in that are John 15, Philippians 2, Colossians 1, Hebrews 2, and many others.) 1 Timothy 4 seems to indicate that we should meditate on end times*. It's a good idea to remind myself of what God has done for me, and those I care for, daily. It's a good idea to meditate on the wonders, both spectacular and "ordinary," of God's creation.

Thanks for reading. Meditate on Christ, and the Bible. May I do so, too!

*It's probably not wise to let our meditation on end times dwell too much on whether or not there will be a rapture, and, if there is, when it will be, or about the existence and timing of the tribulation. See here. Rather, we should comfort ourselves by remembering that Christ is returning, at some point, that we will have eternal fellowship with Him, that things that are out of sorts will be put right, and that Christ will be recognized as Lord of all. We should probably also meditate on people who are not ready for Christ's return, and what we might do so that they will become so.

Impressions, by Martin Wells Knapp, 65

In a previous excerpt, Knapp stated that there are four features of "impressions" from God. These are Scriptural; Right (consistent with good morals); Providential (in harmony with God's will); and Reasonable. His discussion of the result of living by "Convictions from Above," according to Christ's example, continues:

Was it not reasonable also that Jesus should further enforce the truth of His gospel by practicing what he preached? Did He not do this? What a contrast in this particular between Him and the hypocritical pretenders of that age and this! He not only proclaimed the importance of prayer, fasting, self-denial, and personal work, but faultlessly exemplified these and all other truths which He preached. In these and all other particulars of His wonderful life He was always in harmony with an
enlightened reason. Calm, self-possessed, and luminous with holy light, He shines forth the great central sun in the gospel system, marred by no spots of ridiculous speech or action. May His misguided followers who are prompted to do absurd things in His name study more clearly this phase of His character, and then aim to be like Him.

4. Jesus' Life was Always in Harmony with Providential Events. Providential opportunities to perform the deeds the Spirit prompted Him to do sprang up as by magic before His coming steps.
 
He came in contact with the occasions and persons essential to His success as naturally as a magnet draws the steel. He never was guilty of the inconsistency of feeling that it was God's will that He should do things which God's providences did not allow Him to do. Forbidding circumstances, such as appall timid souls that know not the secret of God's full grace and guidance, to Him, as to all who will follow in His steps, proved golden chariots to bear Him up the heights of victory. Infuriated fellow-townsmen, ecclesiastical intrigue, and Roman power combined were unable to stop Him in the discharge of a single duty, but each in its way were made to contribute to His glory. He walked so fully in the providential path marked out for Him that there was not a single jar between Him and the events He daily met. Thus His life proves a forceful reminder that the door of providential opportunity always swings open before him whom God leads. May we continue to look to the "Model Man" until, like Him, our lives are thus adjusted to God's providential dealings.

Jesus Always Fully Met the Conditions of Being Divinely Led. His humanity reposed in the lap of the Divine. Dead to the world, saved from self, filled with the Spirit, always putting the interests of the kingdom first, and unhesitatingly following every prompting from above, no matter how great the cost to Himself, the life of Jesus hangs in the gallery of the centuries as "Man's Perfect Model" of meeting the conditions of heavenly guidance.
 
Excerpted from Impressions, by Martin Wells Knapp. Original publication date, 1892. Public domain. My source is here. The previous post in the series is here.

Impressions, by Martin Wells Knapp, 49

In a previous excerpt, Knapp stated that there are four features of "impressions" from God. These are Scriptural; Right (consistent with good morals); Providential (in harmony with God's will); and Reasonable. His discussion of "Convictions from Above" continues:

Humility. All divinely led prove the truth that "before honor is humility." They illustrate the truth of Bishop Taylor's statement, that "humility is like a tree whose root when it is set deepest in the earth rises higher and spreads fairer, and stands surer and lasts longer, and every step of its descent is like a rib of iron." The fact that they have no wisdom in themselves, but have to depend upon another at every turn, tends in itself to keep them lowly. Thus, humbling themselves under the mighty hand of God, he exalts them by guiding them with His counsels, and afterwards receiving them into glory.

The possibility that through a defective judgment or some other infirmity they may be mistaken, also makes them very teachable in regard to all points where God's will has not been unmistakably revealed to them. Jesus, our great Exampler, always divinely led, manifested His humility by divesting Himself of the glory He had with the Father, by taking our nature, by His seemingly humble and ignoble birth, by subjection to His parents, by His occupation as a carpenter, by partaking of our infirmities, by becoming a servant, by associating with the so-called "riff raff" of society, by refusing earthly honors, by exposing Himself to reproach and contempt, and by His death as an outcast criminal upon the despised cross. All who are fully led by God have in them this mind which was also in Christ Jesus, and "walking as He walked," they live amid the profusion and fragrance of the flowers which bloom only in the vale of humility.

Excerpted from Impressions, by Martin Wells Knapp. Original publication date, 1892. Public domain. My source is here. The previous post in the series is here.

Jesus didn't use political action as a way to fix things.

I don't know why some of us, including me, sometimes, think that the way to fix the world is through politics. Jesus didn't try that. There were lots of poor people, but He didn't campaign for higher taxes on the rich to help them. The illegal aliens were running the country, but He didn't try to get rid of them. There weren't any Muslims yet, but there were Samaritans, and He got one of them to be an evangelist to her village, and told a story about the goodness of another Samaritan. The Romans had open carry, but the Jews didn't. There was slavery, and women were second-class citizens. He didn't try a political solution for any of these things. He helped individuals that He came across, lived a sinless life, and died and rose for our sins. That, plus training the disciples, was His way of attacking the problems around Him.

Thanks for reading. For more on how politics is deeply flawed, see here.