Passing on A Legacy of Worship

Love GOD, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that's in you, love him with all you've got! Write these commandments that I've given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates.Deuteronomy 6:5-9 (The Message)

Get them inside you, and then get them inside your children”. I don’t think the order of these statements is an accident :). I think there’s a reason God instructs us to get His words inside of us first before getting them inside our children. Just as with most things in life, our children learn from what we model. So, if we desire our children to be worshippers, we must live a lifestyle of worship before them---ouch, I felt that. :)

I think this begins with our own personal concept of what worship is. If we equate worship with singing, and raising our hands, but we feel decidedly uncomfortable doing either, then what? Are we destined to be awkward squawkers, making a joyless noise unto the Lord? :) Good news! Music is merely a vehicle of worship, and it is only one expression of worship. As for hand-raising, well, that is merely an outward expression of an inward thought of the heart--- and guess where God’s attention is?:)And whose attention matters? If our hearts are focused on worshipping God, it doesn’t matter if our hands are still at our sides. :) I kind of think that when we really get caught up in who God is, the music and words of songs can sometimes inspire the heart in ways that no other medium can… even if we’re not singing ourselves. You might even at times find a freedom inside that finds new ways to express your heart to God. In the end, the point is that it is between you and God :), and that is all that really matters.

Romans 12 says that when we, “offer your [our] bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your [our]spiritual act of worship.” If the way we live our lives becomes a spiritual act of worship then the following questions come to mind: Do we honor God in our speech? In the way we treat our spouse? Our neighbors? Do we use our gifts and talents for His glory in every context we’re in, not just at church where other Christians are watching? Do we take time to thank God for things, and acknowledge His presence, or admire Him at times other than before a meal or in a church setting? Ouch, ouch and ouch again :). When I look at the way I live in the daily details of life, I don’t see a life that consistently reflects a heart of worship. “Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 7:24-25) Apart from Him we can do nothing… not even worship Him. I am so very thankful for His grace that works in us both to will and to do His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13)

Today many of the messages our children receive come not only from watching us, but also from the media that’s available to them: books, television, and music. What better resource for us as parents than to use these mediums as agents for good---to help us live out Deuteronomy 6:5-9, and nurture our children in a lifestyle of worship.


Here are some resources to consider:

Jesus A-Z, by Yvonne Riley, et als. Narrated by Crystal Lewis. Part of being able to worship authentically is knowing the object of our worship well. This book is a great stepping stone to this as it describes the attributes of Jesus in language that a child (5-6+, though I began using it with Nikki when she was 2 ½ year old) can understand. The CD also includes a couple of original songs written and sung by Crystal Lewis. She has some children singing with her as well.

Passion Hymns for a Kid’s Heart, by Joni Eareckson Tada (stories behind the hymns & devotionals, includes CD)

Hip Hop Hymns ( a fun way to get kids to learn those wonderful hymns of the faith with theologically sound words, and music they can relate to---a great “bridge”)

Worship Jamz (1-3, Christmas)"dance-to-able" renditions of familiar hymns, Christmas songs, and praise & worship songs

Praise Baby Series (similar to the Baby Einstein concept of random images of children,
nature and other objects set to music)

Kids in Worship songs sung by kids for kids; top-quality music ( unlike some of the "cheezy" stuff that's out there :))

Here I Am to Worship: Kids-- kid-friendly renditions of popular worship choruses, sung by kids for kids, again "top-quality" music

Seeing God in Nature

"…for since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities---his eternal power and divine nature---have been clearly seen,
being understood from what has been made"...
(Romans 1:19-20)

As I began to explore the idea of helping kids understand and know God better in order to enable their worship to go deeper, I feel like the Lord just blew my mind wide open about the importance of looking at nature with more than a casual glance. Why? because God knew that we would never understand all of who He is so He created a world full of amazing things to show us. Why would God do this? Because of His incredible love. Now that's romance. He didn't just send us a bouquet of roses to show us He cared-- He sent an entire universe! His love is extravagant. I feel so ashamed of how many days go by when I ignore the "roses" He sent, or casually glance at them and say "those are nice". Or worse, get lost in the "roses" describing their delicate beauty, and enjoying their fragrance without offering so much as a thank You for the handmade, delivered-in-Person, gift. Our God is so amazing. He deserves so much more than we give, and even if we gave more it wouldn't be enough. But even in that, He offers compassion, waiting, pursuing and wooing instead of retreating like a rejected suitor. In light of all this, don't you just feel like running to Him, falling at His feet and worshipping Him? If you do, don't just think on it, DO IT. You only have an audience of One.

During the weeks prior to preparing for the presentation, I had the God Gazer team do an assignment in which they were to look at nature and see if they could discover something about the character of God. They were then asked to express their hearts in a worship poem using the phrase “God You’re Like”, or “God is like”. Below are a few examples of their worship poems.

God is like a lovely morning made perfect and serene. Every single detail made beautiful, just as if it had been planned before time began. Kaylan Fodor (5th grade, God Gazers)

God You’re like a Bougainvillea. You are still and calm. When something comes along that is bad you scratch it with your thorns, and it goes away. God You’re like the color of the Bougainvillea. Magenta. You are bright and you draw people near to You. You’re always there for me. God I love You! By Gabrielle Courtney (5th grade, God Gazers)

God is like an eagle, soaring in the sky.
God is like an eagle, He spends His time up high.
He lives above in heaven, where His angels form a throng.
Together as a chorus they sing their happy songs.

God sees the things we do each day, He knows it when we fall.
While eagles fly up in the sky, watching animals and all.
They both are watching from above, they see the things we do.
But only God does this in love, the love of me and You.
By Alex Kate Halvey (5th grade, God Gazers)

Dear God Letters of Worship

Inspired by Chapman’s book, Teaching Kids Authentic Worship, I first decided
to try one of her “Worship Moment” ideas when I taught at Cornerstone Christian Academy last year.

Imagine if you will a regal looking chair sitting at the front of the room, and a half circle of sweet little faces looking up at the Person seated in this chair. This class of first graders was told that a Special Guest had arrived, and was seated in the chair, and that He was God. They were then asked to speak “You are” statements to Him, telling Him all the things they admired about Him. Before they began, one little girl said, can we sit in His lap?. I said, I thought that He would think that was okay ☺. So one by one, these little ones “boldly approached the throne of grace”, and sat on their Father’s lap and whispered their words of admiration in His ear. It was the most precious time. What an amazing picture of worship.

Another one of Chapman’s suggested “worship moment” activities was to have children write “Dear God” letters, in which they were to pen “You are” statements that focused entirely on who God is without mentioning themselves. I included a few that were written last year by some of Cornerstone Christian Academy’s second and third graders as well as a few that were written this year by members of the God Gazers Worship Team.

Dear God,
You are the Perfect Lamb. You died on the cross for all sins. You rule over all. You made everything. You are Almighty. You are the best! I say these things in Your [name]. Skye (2nd Grade)

Dear God,
You are Our Savior. You are holy . You are Our Salvation. You are so cool. You are perfect. You are joyful. You are righteous. You are merciful. You are awesome. You are the best.. You’re the One who created us. You’re the King. You’re more important than anyone. You cannot sin or lie.
Writer known by God ☺ (2nd Grade)

Dear God,
You are merciful. You have worked in my heart. You are majestic. You are the One and only King. You give mercy. You died for everybody’s sins. You made people.
From, Jack (2nd grade)

Dear God,
You are merciful. You love us. You are majestic. You are everyone’s King. You died on the cross to save us from our sins. You gave us animals like tigers and an elephant. You gave us eyes to read your Word and ears so after we have heard it we can tell it too.
Nathaniel (2nd Grade)


Dear God,

You are so awesome! Your love is so amazing! You are forgiving. Your son has to be so brave to die for all the people on the Earth. No one is like You. You are so powerful. You are the Alpha and the Omega. Jehovah Jireh. You have all of Your followers wanting to be exactly like You! Our name is God Gazers for a reason. You are the strength of the world, the Rock, the Salvation, the Shield! You are the only living God. No one is like Him.”

Love, Your Servant, Logan (6th grade, God Gazers)

Dear God, You are so loving. You are so kind. You are the Alpha and the Omega. You are the Great I Am. You are the Creator of all mankind. You love no matter; big or small, white or black, smart or dumb, blonde or brunette. You know the past, present and future. You died on the cross. You sacrificed Your one and only son. You rose from the dead. You did hundreds of miracles. Yet, you still treat human beings as though they matter! You are totally amazing!
With all the love in my heart, Your servant, Lexi (6th grade, God Gazers)

Coming Back to the Heart of Worship

“Worship is about/for God not me. He is the object. He is the focus.
He is the one whose pleasure it is for. He is the real audience. So it is not about what I feel, or what I get out of it. It is about what I give…”
(Jack, Chris London School of Theology , Spring 2004)

Coming Back to the Heart of Worship
In response to the phenomenon of young people walking away from God in their teenage years, Kathleen Chapman, author of Teaching Kids Authentic Worship, began researching the most effective way to help kids stay “glued” to God. This is what she discovered:

The glue is not church attendance. It is not Bible Study, not a prayer meeting, not music or singing, not memorizing verses, not tithing, and not faithful service. It is not baptism and not some mysterious theology or ritual connected to any particular religion or denomination. The glue is not simply loving God. The glue is worshipping God. (Chapman, Kathleen, Teaching Kids Authentic Worship (p..22))

Worshipping God, means having all our attention focused on Him. When all our attention is focused on Him, we are reminded of who He is. We are reminded of all the things He is, and all the things He does. In light of who He is, our troubles are eclipsed, our hope is secure, and our reality is filtered through the proper lens. In order to worship God, you need to know Him intimately. When we know Him intimately, we are more likely to stay close to His heart.

As I continued to read this book (TKAW), these simple truths seemed profound to me. It seemed somewhat silly to be moved to tears by something so basic, and yet I was. I think it was because I was finding myself yearning to come back to the heart of worship… I felt myself identifying strongly with the sentiment, “I’m sorry Lord, for the thing I’ve made it [worship], when it’s all about You, it’s all about You, Jesus.”


In wondering if children could understand the concept of worship, Chapman relates the fact that many youngsters can wax eloquent about prominent sports figures and the latest fads. They have no problem focusing all their attention on one thing. ☺

I firmly believe that the battle for kids hearts and minds will be won when they can worship God authentically. If they are able to focus all their attention on Him on a consistent basis, they will come to know His character, and find wonder, fulfillment, adventure, unconditional love, security, boundaries, and standards for holiness—–all the things they’re searching for. In God’s presence they will discover a sense of worth when they understand that the God of the universe intimately cares for and understands who they are, that He has in fact, designed them right down to the last molecule. Kids will still be kids—they will still be tempted (as we all are). As one of my former students put it, “the World’s voice seems louder”. Perhaps in helping them grow in worship they can adjust that volume switch a little, and the World’s voice will become background noise as they tune in to that still small voice calling their name.

This book moved and inspired me, and challenged the way I thought about worship. I highly recommend this book for those who desire to help their children worship authentically. It’s practical and insightful, and best of all you can probably read it in one sitting.

Q: What is worship?
A: All our attention focused on God

Correctly Handling the Word of God

Interestingly enough, Nikki has a read-along Bible for kids on CD that she listens to, often on her own, and several of those Bible stories talk about killing, etc. It seemed ironic to me that I spend so much time trying to guard Nikki from that kind of content in other media, but hadn't really thought about having to be careful with the Bible too! :) A verse came to mind that has me thinking, about "correctly handling the Word of God". There are some things that she's not really equipped to "correctly" handle. And so, I'm hoping to go through some of those stories that she's already heard with her again so we can talk about them. This link is for an article that is from CCM (Contemporary Christian Music magazine) that is written by one of my favorite Christian artists, Nichole Nordeman. She's an amazing songwriter. She has a 3 year old son, and in this article she's talking about the challenge of reading Bible stories to them when they are this young. She has a great sense of of humour but wisdom as well. It kind of sums up what I'm talking about.
http://www.nicholenordeman.com/article.aspx?id=486638

References to Prayer in Heidi

I've been reaquainting myself with some of the classics in preparation to read them to Nikki, and I just finished reading Heidi. There is a dialogue on prayer between Heidi and Clara's grandmother that spoke to me, and kind of emphasizes what I was most challenged about in my prayer life last semester.

Heidi (The Whole Story edition)
pp.146-147

"And do you pray to Him every day to make you happy again?"

"No, not any more"

"I'm sorry to hear that. Why have you stopped?"

"It's no use, " Heidi told her. "God didn't hear me and I daresay that if all the people of Frankfurt pray for things at the same time, He can't notice everybody and I'm sure He didn't hear me."

"Why are you so sure?"

"I prayed the same prayer every day for a long time and nothing happened."

"It isn't quite like that Heidi. God is a loving Father to us all and knows what is good for us. If we ask for something it isn't right for us to have, He won't give it to us, but in His own good time, if we go on praying and trust in Him, He'll find us something better. You can be sure it's not that He didn't hear your prayer, for He can listen to everybody at once. That's part of the wonder of it. You must have asked for something He thought you ought not to have at present and probably said to himself, 'Heidi's prayer shall be answered but only at the right moment so that she will really be happy. If I answer it now perhaps later on she'll wish she hadn't asked for it because things may not turn out as she expects.' He has been watching over you all this time--never doubt that---but you have stopped praying, and that showed you did not really believe in Him..."

Then speaking to her grandfather later, Heidi says, (p.191)

"If God, had let me come back to you at once, like I asked in my prayers, none of this would have happened. I should have brought Grannie a few rolls I had saved, but they would soon have been gone, and I wouldn't have been able to read. God knew what was best, just as Clara's grandmamma said He did, and see how perfectly He arranged everything. I'll always say my prayers after this, as Grandmamma told me to, and if God doesn't answer them at once I shall know it's because He's planning something better for me..."


These passages from Heidi reminded me of this passage from scripture:

“And so I tell you, keep on asking,

and you will receive what you ask for.
Keep on seeking, and you will find.
Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds.
And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
(Luke 11:9)

What did Jesus Know About the Rest of the Story After His Death?

During our class last Tuesday (11/6), it was suggested that Jesus was concerned that His separation from God would be eternal rather than temporary, that this concern was expressed in prayer while at Gethsemane, and that this is the prayer that was answered, as referenced in Hebrews 5:7. I've been turning this thought over in my mind, and it keeps bumping up against a couple of things:

1. Though I do believe that Jesus "grew" into an understanding of the Father's will ( as it seems He actively sought the Father out about it during His lifetime [John 5:30]), I think that He was aware that His separation from God, though complete, would be temporary as He knew He would rise from the grave on the third day.

In Luke 24:46 Jesus says "Yes it was written long ago that the Messiah must suffer and die and rise again from the dead on the third day." (If He was brought to life---the key to the saving work on the cross; without the resurrection our faith is useless [1 Corinthians 15:17]---could He still remain eternally separate from God?)

In John 16:28 when He is speaking to the disciples He says, "Yes, I came from the Father into the world, and I will leave the world and return to the Father."

Isaiah 53:10-12 ( a portion of scripture Jesus would have been familiar with during His lifetime) says:

After he has suffered, he will see the light of life [b] and be satisfied [c]; by his knowledge [d] my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, [e] and he will divide the spoils with the strong, [f] because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (Could a reward of this nature be possible if He was eternally separated from the Father?)

In Hebrews 12:2b "He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward". (Could Jesus embrace joy being separate from the Father for eternity?)

2. Could Jesus, as part of the Godhead, truly be separate from the Father for eternity? That seems to somehow go against His very nature.

I don't think this needs to take away from the idea that Jesus was willing to pay the cost, no matter how high, even if it meant eternal separation, but, I don't think this is what Christ believed, and I don't think it is what He prayed. Blackaby in Experiencing the Cross says it this way: "Jesus grasped fully the message and the promise of Scripture. And because He trusted His Father and remained yielded and obedient to His will, He knew that death---even deepest death---would not be the end of the story."

However, there is still a puzzle over how Jesus' prayer was answered. If we look at the prayer Jesus prayed in Gethsemane as recorded in Luke 22: 42-45, there may be another possible answer to this question.

42 “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” 43 Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. 44 He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.[a]

Perhaps the answer to Jesus' prayer was, "My Son, I can not take this cup of suffering from You, but I can strengthen You to endure it", and then the angels came and ministered to Him. When he returned to His disciples He kept exhorting them to pray lest they fall into temptation... perhaps this is the very thing He was wrestling with.

However, this is a guess as well. We don't really know the full extent of what he prayed. What is recorded in scripture is probably only a portion of it.

Pruning

I truly don't have a "green thumb". I could say I have a "black thumb", and that would be true in more ways than one :). In response to lesson 9, question 2, I looked up pruning on the internet and found this article. http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/pruning/pruning.html There's probably far more information there than anyone needs to know about pruning :), however read from the point of view of a spiritual analogy, I found it intriguing. Much of the language of pruning lends itself to insightful observations. It's just one more example of how the Father uses nature to explain who He is, and how He works with us.

Enjoy!

p.s. any insights you discover from reading this article would be welcome :)

Christ Made Sin

I just wanted to explain my statement in class today that "not only did Christ bare our sin, but scripture says that Christ became sin". 2 Corinthians 5:21 says,

21 God made him who had no sin to be sin [a] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (NIV)

1 Peter 2:24 He himself carried our sins in his body on the cross. He did it so that we would die as far as sins are concerned. Then we would lead godly lives. His wounds have made you whole. He personally carried away our sin in his own body

Henry Blackaby in his study Experiencing the Cross summarizes it this way: "Jesus---the One who knew no sin, the One who had never sinned---was made the essence of sin for us, all by the deliberate action and purpose of God the Father". That takes some pondering.

A later question in the study asks: How would you explain the concept of "Christ made sin" to someone who had never heard or read anything from the Bible?

He personally carried away our sin in His own body so we don't have to carry the burden of it in our own flesh any more. It was as though for a moment in time every vile, wicked, putrid thing mankind has ever done or imagined doing He allowed Himself to be covered with, as though He committed those sins Himself. It's like taking someone else's cancer into your own body so they do not need to suffer death or the effects of the disease.

Actually, it's deeper than just taking our "cancer" from us into His own body; it's as though He became the disease and in so doing when He died, the disease died with Him, bringing with it the ultimate cure, so no one would ever have to die from "cancer" again (should they choose to receive His sacrifice on their behalf).

First We Pray: Lesson 8---Question 9

How had Christ lived His entire life in preparation for the crucifixion---submitting to the will of the Father?
A. Describe Christ's ordeal in the Garden of Gethsemane.

B. What did Christ's obedience accomplish for the world and for us?

I would like to recommend the study Experiencing the Cross, by Henry Blackaby. There is a book, and a companion study guide.

For a person who "grew up in a Christian home", hearing the phrase "Christ died for my sins", was fairly commonplace, and over time, the depth of meaning was "lost" for me. This study, more than any other has enabled me to see the depth of Christ's sacrifice for me, and how it truly impacts every day of my life. Without Christ's work on the cross I would be forever floundering in my sin, unable to choose life, living out my death sentence every day---bound to my flesh with no escape. My life would be without hope, meaning or purpose. But, "in the cross... He made complete and total provision for every aspect of what sin has done or ever could do."(Blackaby)

First We Pray: Lesson 7---Question 10

What did Peter ask Christ concerning forgiveness? What did Jesus tell him? What do you think Jesus meant?

Peter chose a number I'm sure he thought was reasonable, or perhaps even generous, and Jesus came back with an answer that blew apart Peter's little box called "forgiveness". I think Peter gave an exact number because he was looking for a loophole; a time when he could rightfully say, "You've wounded me one too many times, I'm not required to forgive you this time". Christ could have given Peter an exact number, but He chose to frame His response using the concept of "multiplying". In other words, I think Christ was saying, "You need to open your heart wider, Peter. You need to have an attitude of forgiveness that allows you to be prepared to forgive others as often as is necessary---even beyond what you might feel is generous, and often beyond what you are humanly capable of".

First We Pray: Lesson 7---Question 8

Isaiah 43:25 tells us that God forgives us "for His own sake". What do you think this means?

I think this is referring to the idea that God has a reputation to uphold, and in many cases to repair because of the many atrocities that are done "in His name". Also, when God forgives, people are transformed. When people are transformed they become living, breathing testimonies of the awesome power of God, and this in turn draws others to Himself. Ezekiel 36:22a,23b says it this way:

22-23 "Therefore, tell Israel, 'Message of God, the Master: I'm not doing this for you, Israel. I'm doing it for me, to save my character, my holy name ...I'm going to put my great and holy name on display, the name that has been ruined in so many countries...Then the nations will realize who I really am, that I am God, when I show my holiness through you so that they can see it with their own eyes. (The MSG)

Etiquette Guidelines for Posting

I just wanted to mention a few etiquette guidelines for posting:

1. Please keep the tone of the posts respectful. Especially if you are responding to someone else’s post, but also if you are referencing other people or people groups in your post.
2. Using caps is generally considered the equivalent of “shouting” over the internet. Consider reserving them for expressions of wonder and delight :).
3. You may wish to keep the personal content more general in nature. Though this blogspot is “Not public”, it is still on the internet.
4. In any kind of discussion, there are always ideas expressed that are different from our own. Love can cover a lot. :)

I look forward to iron sharpening iron.
In His love, Cathy

How do the Jews Reconcile Their Beliefs about the Messiah?

The question “how do the Jews reconcile their belief that the Messiah has not yet come with the Messianic prophecies in Old Testament scripture?” has come up a few times. From the little bit that I have researched, I think they believe that Jesus did not fulfill “all” the prophecies, at least not in the manner they expect them to be fulfilled. According to this particular website, they also seem to reject the idea that the Messiah will be a “savior”, or that he will have a divine nature. This was astounding to me. I had always assumed that they were waiting for the same Messiah that we understand Him to be, but that He just hadn’t arrived yet. According to this website (Judaism 101) http://www.jewfaq.org/moshiach.htm , written from an observant orthodox Jew’s point of view, who has a background in legal research, this is what Jews believe about the Messiah.

The word "moshiach" does not mean "savior." The notion of an innocent, divine or semi-divine being who will sacrifice himself to save us from the consequences of our own sins is a purely Christian concept that has no basis in Jewish thought. Unfortunately, this Christian concept has become so deeply ingrained in the English word "messiah" that this English word can no longer be used to refer to the Jewish concept. The word "moshiach" will be used throughout this page.

The Moshiach

The moshiach will be a great political leader descended from King David (Jeremiah 23:5). The moshiach is often referred to as "moshiach ben David" (moshiach, son of David). He will be well-versed in Jewish law, and observant of its commandments (Isaiah 11:2-5). He will be a charismatic leader, inspiring others to follow his example. He will be a great military leader, who will win battles for Israel. He will be a great judge, who makes righteous decisions (Jeremiah 33:15). But above all, he will be a human being, not a god, demi-god or other supernatural being.

It has been said that in every generation, a person is born with the potential to be the moshiach. If the time is right for the messianic age within that person's lifetime, then that person will be the moshiach. But if that person dies before he completes the mission of the moshiach, then that person is not the moshiach.

If you peruse the rest of the website you can get a fuller picture of the orthodox Jewish belief system. The "welcome" page tells you a little bit more about the author of the website.

First We Pray: Lesson 6--Question 4B

What part did the Jews play in bringing about God’s plan for the world?

Because of their rejection of Christ, salvation was made available to the rest of the World.

I think that sometimes we as Christians are very hard on the Jews. I think we sometimes assume that because God was so intimate with them as a people, because He so clearly revealed to them the signs to look for when the Messiah came, that they shouldn’t have missed it, that it should have been “obvious” to them. And for some of them, it was. They became the early church. I think we sometimes forget that like Saul/Paul, though not always quite so dramatically, the opening of the eyes of the spirit is a supernatural event. The ability to recognize Him, was something only God could do. Consider: if the Pharisees and High Priests recognized Him as the Messiah, Christ would never have been crucified. (2 Corinthians 2: 5-10) If the Jews had not rejected Him, the Good News would not have been open to the Gentiles.... to us. For our sake, many of the Jews were “kept” blind, their hearts hardened for His purposes.


This does not “excuse” them. They are still held accountable for their choice, but their redemption is coming. When the eyes of their spirit are opened imagine how devastating it will be to know they crucified the very one they’d been longing for, but also how humbling and overwhelming to see that He submitted Himself to that death for their sake.(Acts 2:22-40). Romans11 does an excellent job of summarizing it all.

Romans 11: 25-26a

25 I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters,[g] so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ. 26 And so all Israel will be saved.

Romans 11: 7-8, 11-12, 28-32

7 So this is the situation: Most of the people of Israel have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have—the ones God has chosen—but the hearts of the rest were hardened. 8 As the Scriptures say, “God has put them into a deep sleep. To this day he has shut their eyes so they do not see, and closed their ears so they do not hear.”[d]

11 Did God’s people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! They were disobedient, so God made salvation available to the Gentiles. But he wanted his own people to become jealous and claim it for themselves. 12 Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the people of Israel turned down God’s offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when they finally accept it.
28 Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 29 For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn. 30 Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead. 31 Now they are the rebels, and God’s mercy has come to you so that they, too, will share[k] in God’s mercy. 32 For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone.

I don't know about you, but those verses are kind of hard to wrap my mind around (verses 7-8, 32 in particular) . I think that is why Paul follows this passage with these words (Romans 11:33-36):

33 Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! 34 For who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice?[

l] 35 And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back?[m] 36 For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.

Amen indeed.

First We Pray: Lesson 6--Question 2C

Why does Satan want to keep us from prayer?

If we were to consider some general principles of warfare in response to this question, it becomes clear why Satan seeks to keep us from prayer. As a tactical maneuver, if the lines of communication are shut down between the target's troops and Commander in Chief, the troops become very vulnerable. They become susceptible to lies or misinformation, making them unaware of what’s really going on. Soon they begin making decisions without all the intel that’s needed. Essentially, the troops are fighting "blind" with no opportunity to receive intelligence about the Enemy; strategies can’t be shared; morale can’t be boosted; they can’t call for back-up and rescue attempts are sabotaged. In sum, broken lines of communication can be devastating to the troop's ability to fight effectively. Death and casualties are imminent.

If Satan keeps us from prayer, in essence shutting down our lines of communication, his goal is accomplished: disappointment, discouragement, dejection, despair, and demoralization have an opportunity to set in and keep us separated from God---a kind of spiritual death.

First We Pray: Lesson 6--Question 6(b)

How do we separate what we can appreciate and participate in from the aspects of the world that would not be God’s choice for us?

1 Corinthians 10:23 tell us that “Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial”. Anything that takes my focus away from Christ, or that is ultimately destructive to the spirit is not beneficial. God's word will help us discern what is beneficial. The following scriptures speak to the role that the Word has in our lives:

James 1:25 25 But those who look intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continue in it—not forgetting what they have heard but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

Psalm 19: 7-14 The law of the Lord is perfect. It gives us new strength. The laws of the Lord can be trusted. They make childish people wise. The rules of the Lord are right.They give joy to our hearts. The commands of the Lord shine brightly. They give light to our minds. The law that brings respect for the Lord is pure. It lasts forever. The directions the Lord gives are true. All of them are completely right. They are more priceless than gold.They have greater value than huge amounts of pure gold. They are sweeter than honey that is taken from the honeycomb. I am warned by them. When I obey them, I am greatly rewarded. Can I know my mistakes? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep me also from the sins I want to commit. May they not be my master. Then I will be without blame. I will not be guilty of any great sin against your law. Lord, may the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing in your eyes. You are my Rock an my Redeemer.

Psalm 119:9 & 11 How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word and following its rules... I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

First We Pray: Lesson 6--Question 6(a)

How is it possible for us to be in the world but not of the world?

It’s all about perspective (the lens through which we filter & view life); passion (what it is that consumes our heart, time, thoughts, and emotional investment---essentially what it is that drives us) and priorities (what it is we value, what or who is most important to us). If our perspective, passion and priorities are under the influence of the Holy Spirit and guided by the truth of God’s Word, our identity will be defined by whom we are in Christ rather than defined by the world’s standards. If we know who we are, and essentially Whose we are, where we are, that is, “in the world”... will not matter. (Romans 12:1-2)

1 And so, dear brothers and sisters,[a] I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.[b] 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.