![]() Perhaps in one of the best books on prayer that I have read “A Praying Life” Paul E. Miller argues for embracing the explainable mystery that exists in following Christ. I have included text from this book on pages 110 through 112. I recommend reading this book, it is a good read. Something mysterious happens in the hidden contours of life when we pray. If we try to figure out the mystery, it will elude us. The mystery is real. Many things in life cannot be observed directly. In quantum physics, you can’t observe a particle’s speed and mass at the same time. Sexual love in marriage is beautiful; sexual love observed is pornography. The act of observing changes sexual intimacy. So things just disappear when you try to capture or observe them. Prayer is strikingly intimate. As soon as you take a specific answer to prayer and try to figure out what caused it, you lose God. Trying to dissect how prayer works is like using a magnifying glass to try to figure out why a woman is beautiful. If you turn God into an object, He has a way of disappearing. If you are going to enter this divine dance we call prayer, you have to surrender your desire to be in control, to figure out how prayer works. You’ve got to let God take the lead. (p. 110-112) C.S. Lewis pointed out that if you could see through everything eventually you see nothing. “you cannot go on ‘explaining away’ forever you will find you have explained explanation itself away. You cannot go on ‘seeing through’ forever. The whole point of seeing through something is to see something through it…if you see through everything, then everything is transparent. But a wholly transparent world is an invisible world. To ‘see though all things’ is the same as not to see.” (p. 77) There are three Bible texts that I have found that support this. 2 Timothy 3:7 Always learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. There are those who are always looking for an explanation but are not able to draw any kind of conclusion so that are in a state of constant searching. The only thing that they are certain of is that a person cannot be certain. They are certainly uncertain. I Corinthians 2:14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. These truths can only be “discerned” with a spiritual mind. Spiritual truth cannot be derived by the natural mind. It is the same as person trying to drive to Hawaii from California in a car. I Corinthians 3:18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of the world is folly with God. For it is written “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “the Lord knows the thoughts of the wise that they are futile.” One cannot appreciate the mystery of Godliness if they are worried about appearing foolish to unbelievers. The topic of Godliness is simply way too complex for the human mind. That is why we must embrace its mystery. If you need things to make sense before you place your faith in them you will never see answered prayer.
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I had spent a considerable amount of time with concerns over the present-day emphasis on repentance. My reason for concern was that it seemed like repentance was being used as a back door for “works” to enter into the Salvation equation. I am an ardent defender for Salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, because the scriptures clearly teach that. There are also places where any other gospel that does not promote faith in Christ is a false one and needs to be regarded with a curse. I decided to simply look up the words “repent” and “repentance to see what the Bible says about the subject. What I found I share here in this post. I think you might find this interesting… Here is a short study of the interplay between faith and repentance. I have underlined phrases and words that are relevant to repentance (changing the mind). I will conclude at the end. A Key Passage Acts 26:6 And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, Act 26:7 to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king! Act 26:8 Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead? Act 26:9 “I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Act 26:10 And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. Act 26:11 And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities. Paul Tells of His Conversion Act 26:12 “In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. Act 26:13 At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. Act 26:14 And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ Act 26:15 And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. Act 26:16 But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, Act 26:17 delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you Act 26:18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ Act 26:19 “Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, Act 26:20 but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. Act 26:21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. Act 26:22 To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: Act 26:23 that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.” Act 26:24 And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.” Act 26:25 But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. Act 26:26 For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner. Act 26:27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” Act 26:28 And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?” Paul shares both about how he had to change his mind about Jesus, and how the Lord sent him to help the Gentiles to open their eyes so they can turn (repent). He also seeks to have Agrippa to turn based on belief in the writings of the prophets. I can't help but see the connection of what Paul tells Agrippa to what he writes in Romans 10 that "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Here Paul is not calling on Agrippa to just believe, but to act on that belief. Agrippa understood of "becoming a Christian" of which he was not willing to do. So here, we can see how repentance is important to receiving salvation. Some interesting passages from Luke's Gospel Passage 1 Lukek 3:7 He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Luk 3:8 Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Luk 3:9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” Luk 3:10 And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” Luk 3:11 And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” Luk 3:12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” Luk 3:13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” Luk 3:14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.” John the Baptist warned the crowds not to come to be Baptized if they have not repented of their sin. He is not interested in leading others in going through the motions of a religious ritual but in getting people to repent. He tells the tax collectors and the soldiers to change their behavior which is the same as repenting. Passage 2 Luk 5:27 After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” Luk 5:28 And leaving everything, he rose and followed him. Luk 5:29 And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. Luk 5:30 And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Luk 5:31 And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Luk 5:32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” Notice that the call for Matthew (Levi) to follow Jesus in discipleship IS THE SAME as the call to salvation! Jesus mentions that "sinners were called to repentance." Passage 3 Luk 15:1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. Luk 15:2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” Luk 15:3 So he told them this parable: Luk 15:4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? Luk 15:5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. Luk 15:6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Luk 15:7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Passage 4 Luk 24:45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, Luk 24:46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, Luk 24:47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. Luk 24:48 You are witnesses of these things. Luk 24:49 And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” Other Passages from various places Passage 5 Rom 2:1 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. Rom 2:2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. Rom 2:3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? Rom 2:4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? Passage 6 Heb 6:1 Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, Heb 6:2 and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. Heb 6:3 And this we will do if God permits. Passage 7 2Ti 2:23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 2Ti 2:24 And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 2Ti 2:25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 2Ti 2:26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. Passage 8 Repentance applied to believers Co 7:8 For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. 2Co 7:9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. 2Co 7:10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 2Co 7:11 For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter. This last passage is the only place where we see repentance applied specifically to believers not for salvation but for "salvation without regret". Paul is assured that because of their response to rebuke by godly grief they were showing themselves "innocent" (true Christians). Conclusion: REPENTANCE is IMPORTANT! If we believe, we must decide to turn away from a faithless ungodly life toward faith in God. I often find stuff throughout my studies that I am not able to preach on at the time. I will post some of these things here in my blog. Also, I may preach on something that you did not understand, I welcome you to ask me if you need any clarification or you have other thoughts and ideas. I don't consider myself much of a pack rat. But this morning I was planning on throwing away some old journals that I kept years ago that are taking up space on my shelves. I started to sort through them and could not bring myself to throwing them away. There were sermons and ideas that I wrote down from the past that I totally forgotten about. So I will hold on to them for a little while longer...hopefully I will write out some of those ideas that I never got to preach on. My shelf of old journals |
Bro. WillI am a 52-year-old Southern Baptist Pastor with my wife Jennifer and two daughters Katie and Bridget. Archives
March 2022
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