A GENTLE REMINDER
These past few days there has been some pertinent statements and quotes on social media that have blest and encouraged and CHALLENGED me. The Church Fathers and Reformers often said they had to REMIND GOD’S PEOPLE OFTEN BECUASE THEY SO QUICKLY FORGET IMPORTNANT TRUTHS.
As Solomon says there is nothing “new under the sun” I guess most I what I share in my blogs is simply to REMIND, CHALLENGE & ENCOURAGE MY READERS.
The first statement is:
DAILY QUIET TIMES DON’T CHANGE THE WAY GOD FEELS AND THINKS ABOUT US, BUT THEY DO TRANSFORM THE WAY WE FEWEL AND THINK ABOUT GOD. Craid Stier.
I am so aware that many Christians who have never been discipled do not have a daily Quiet Time, and there are some who think it is “cool” to just “go with the flow”. One of my past students commented on FB Aregarding adaily Quiet Time that IT IS THE LIFE BLOOD TO THE CHRISTIAN LIFE,
In other words, using a modern picture, it is keeping our spiritual battery CHARGED.
The second statement is:
TRUE REPENTANCE IS FIRM AND CONSTANT, AND MAKES US WAR WAR WITH THE EVIL THAT IS WITHIN US, NOT FOR A DAY OR A WEEK, BUT WITHOUT END AND WITHOUT INTERMISSION. John Calvin.
I have linked this statement with the first, as I believe there are 8 ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS TO DAILY PRAYER,and the first ingredient is CONFESSION AND REPENTANCE. I say that because the Psalmist reminds us in 66:18 NLT If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
MESSAGE If I had been cozy with evil, the Lord would never have listened.
PASSION Yet if I had closed my eyes to my sin, the Lord God would have closed His ears to my prayer.
I wonder have we ever had a time of prayer and deliberately chose not to confess & REPENT ? The Bible says GOD IS NOT LISTENING. We have then wondered why our prayers are not being answered.
I think we need to emphasise that it is not simply confessing (God knows already that you have sinned) but REPENTANCE involves regret and remorse, and a decision BY THE GRACE OF GOD. I WILL TURN AND WALK AWAY,AND SEEK NOT TO FAIL AGAIN IN THAT AREA.
The third statement from an Indian brother :
USE THE ABC’S OF PRAYER
ASK for what you need
BELIEVE you have received
CELEBRATE that God answers prayer.
There is nothing new in all the above words, but I trust the Holy Spirit will take what I have written and use it to speak to your heart, just as the Disciples needed to ask Jesus “how to pray” we sure do too. Amen
