(By David Giarrizzo)

Prayer comes easy when we are thinking about a relative who is in the hospital recovering from surgery; a friend who is addicted to drugs and needs salvation; a short-term mission trip to central Mexico; or a community that has just experienced a major natural disaster. When these things occur, it is a natural reaction of many believers to bow before God’s throne in prayer. Surely we all have on our church prayer lists the names of brothers and sisters that have recently lost their jobs and are in need of employment. We know of those within our flocks who are aching physically, hurting emotionally, or struggling spiritually. And when members of the congregation have urgent, time-sensitive concerns, maybe the elders will enact the church prayer chain.

But what about the “lesser needs”? I mean those things which don’t make it to our prayer meeting lists; the seemingly silly requests of you and me. Does God care about the little things too?

Of course He does; He’s our Father.

Like a dad lovingly cares for his children’s every need,—from the scraped knee to the broken arm; from the lost teddy bear to the departure of a loved one—so our Heavenly Father cares for every need of His children. Sometimes, though, I think we forget this important biblical fact. We forget to live out our own theology—God is sovereign; God is all-knowing; God is all-powerful; God is faithful; God answers prayers. And when we forget these important truths, we forget to ask of God and we keep our problems to ourselves. Thankfully, though, God knows our needs even before we do, and He is merciful to us even when we neglect praying.

“Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. …Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (James 5:13, 16).

When Jesus taught His disciples how to pray, He modeled by praying the words, “Give us this day our daily bread.” In doing so, Jesus was teaching His disciples to be dependent on God for every need, both physical and non-physical. In that same hillside discussion, Jesus reminds His disciples, “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:26). Just as there is no request too large to bring before our infinitely powerful God, there is neither any petition to small for Him to know and care. We need to remember that God can answer all our prayers at once if He saw fit to do so according to His perfect will. We can pray to God to soften the heart of a rebellious child and in the same breath ask the Lord to bless a lunch meeting at work tomorrow. God will answer both petitions in His time, according to His will, without partiality.

Having worked in the business world for a number of years, I have found myself praying to the Lord to provide for me so that I might meet my daily, weekly, and monthly goals. Recently I have witnessed God’s mercy upon the efforts of my hands. In examples such as these, our theology should dictate our methodology. Because of what I know about God from His Word, I am obligated to give Him all the glory for what He has done for me even at my work. We hold fast to the doctrine of God’s sovereignty in our salvation; let us hold fast to the sovereignty of God in all of life. Likewise, if we preach on the importance of prayer, may we always find ourselves praying to the God Who has numbered our hairs and cares for us. We should be humbled by His love.

It is important to note the direct connection between prayer and humility. First, prayer must be born out of a humble spirit that says, “I am powerless in this situation;” or, “But for the grace of God, I am unable;” or, “I can’t do this. Lord, please help!” When we pray, we show our dependence upon God. Spurgeon said it better:

“When thou art naked the Lord will clothe thee; when thou art hungry he will feed thee, when thou art nothing he will be thine all in all, for then it is that he will win glory to himself, and his mercies will not be perverted to feed thy pride. When our mercies magnify the Lord we shall have many of them, but when we use them for the magnifying of our own selves they will depart from us. See, then, dear friend, how necessary it is that we should approach the Lord in the attitude of humility.”

Secondly, prayer produces humility in us when we see God answering our prayers in ways that we would not have chosen. Again Spurgeon preaches to the point:

This exceeding kindness of the Lord all tends to promote humility, and at the same time to help us in prayer; for if the Lord be so greatly good, we may adopt the language of the Phoenecian woman when the Master said to her, “It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.” She answered, “Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” So we will go and ask our Lord to give us crumbs of mercy, and they will be enough for us poor dogs. God’s crumbs are bigger than man’s loaves, and if he gives us what to him may be a crumb, it shall be a meal to us. Oh, he is a great Giver! He is a glorious Giver! We are not equal to his least gift! We cannot estimate his least mercy, nor describe it folly, nor praise him for it sufficiently. His shallows are too deep for us; his mole-hill mercies overtop us; what shall we say of his mountain mercies?

Our prayers should lead us to praise God for those “mountain mercies.” Just stop to think about it: How many times have you been blown away by the way God chose to answer your prayers? As William Cowper penned, “God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform.” And remember the words of God through the prophet Isaiah: “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9). Praise God for His perfect will.

There is always a reason to pray and we have a constant audience with God. He hears our quickly-whispered requests, our every weepy plea. Day or night, wherever we are, God hears us. Even when we can’t quite form the words in our mouths, God knows our needs and He will answer them according to His sovereign will.

What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
-Joseph M. Scriven

May we continue cultivating hearts of humility, attitudes of dependence, and lives of prayer to God our loving Father.

(By: Nick Kennicott)

In preparation for the 2010 Association of Reformed Baptist Churches General Assembly, I find it appropriate to reflect on the poetic genius of Ralph Erskine. As we do Kingdom business, learn from God’s Word, fellowship and receive encouragement from the brethren, and fill our tanks with the goodness of God once again, it is so very important to remember the godly saints on whose shoulders we stand.

With that, we honor you, Mr. Spurgeon – Thank you for stirring our affections for Christ and His Kingdom nearly 120 years later. I look forward to a wonderful week – may the Lord do what seems good to Him!

PART I

This Indian weed now wither’d quite,
‘Tho’ green at noon, cut down at night,
Shows thy decay;
All flesh is hay.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

The pipe so lily-like and weak,
Does thus thy mortal state bespeak.
Thou art ev’n such,
Gone with a touch.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

And when the smoke ascends on high,
Then thou behold’st the vanity
Of worldly stuff,
Gone with a puff.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

And when the pipe grows foul within,
Think on thy soul defil’d with sin;
For then the fire,
It does require.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

And seest the ashes cast away;
Then to thyself thou mayest say
That to the dust
Return thou must.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

PART II

Was this small plant for thee cut down?
So was the plant of great renown;
Which mercy sends
For nobler ends.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

Doth juice medicinal proceed
From such a naughty foreign weed?
Then what’s the pow’r
Of Jesse’s flow’r?
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

The promise, like the pipe, inlays,
And by the mouth of faith conveys
What virtue flows
From Sharon’s rose.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

In vain th’ unlighted pipe you blow;
Your pains in inward means are so,
‘Till heav’nly fire
Thy heart inspire.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

The smoke, like burning incense tow’rs
So should a praying heart of yours,
With ardent cries,
Surmount the skies.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

(By Christopher Powell)

 

This week we’re going to take a break from our blogging through Crosstalk to help address a particularly seasonal problem. I think increasingly in our society and among Christians there is a growing willingness to admit that depression is a daily struggle. This in itself is positive because in the past it has often been a hidden struggle filled with shame. But the fact is many Christians, even famous ones, have struggled with depression in their lives including the great English preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon Winter especially is a time when people experience it more intensely. But, as we examined as a congregation last Sunday night in our series on Ephesians, we do not go through life as lone Christians. The Scriptures are addressed to the Church and as a body we have a responsibility to help one another with good spiritual counsel through the Word of God. This is how we maintain our lives as Spirit-filled Christians focused on giving praise and thanks to our God (Ephesians 5:15-21). The community of faith in the local church is a powerful instrument in the fight against depression.

 

But sometimes there are challenges with help. Depression is something that is easily misinterpreted and often poorly addressed by folks no matter how well intentioned. There is no universal “quick fix” solution to the challenges of depression. There are occasions where big changes happen overnight, but those are not typical. The causes of depression can be a combination of physical and spiritual matters and it varies greatly from person to person. It takes patience, forbearance and love and it is good for Christians to be better equipped, biblically to help each other. If you have someone in your life that you would like to help, or perhaps if you need some encouragement yourself, here are some resources to consider:

 

Depression: A Stubborn Darkness by Ed Welch. It is published through New Growth Press at the Christian Counseling Education Foundation and it is the book I most recommend on depression from a Christian perspective.

 

A free summary article written by Welch on depression was recently published on the Christian Counseling Education Foundation (CCEF) website.

 

Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cure by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. This book written by one of the greatest preachers of the twentieth century (and a former M.D. to the British royal family) is a classic. Although written 45 years ago it has much to commend it to the modern audience.

 

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is something that people experience especially in winter due to reduced access to sunlight which throws off our body resources. Its causes are primarily physiological and the cure can be as simple as sitting in front of a special lamp (bright light therapy) and getting proper diet and rest. Dr. David Murray of Puritan Reformed Seminary posted a helpful video talking about some beginning steps to address this seasonal problem through both physical and spiritual actions one can make to combat these “winter blues”

(By David Giarrizzo)
Some people may view the work of engaging culture as no better than polishing brass on a sinking ship. But I would disagree with that estimation. I believe that the Bible is explicitly clear in setting forth our responsibility here on earth until Christ’s return: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20) This was a command set forth by Christ Himself to every generation of believers to follow. So with this as our foundation for engaging culture—to seek to make disciples of men—may we be fitted with the belt of Truth and the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit as we engage our culture to the glory of God.

Having already considered wrong approaches that Christians take to culture, let us now consider a more biblical approach in our dealings with our culture:

A Right Approach to Culture…

• Stand on Scripture.
• Know the Times.
• Preach the Gospel.

Unfortunately, there is no simple “12-Step Plan for Successful Cultural Engagement.” The truth is nothing worth pursuing is that easy. What I’m proposing is a mindset, not a methodology. It is a philosophy that should encompass our understanding and actions regarding the world. And the actions that flow out of this philosophy should represent a life of devotion to God. Engaging culture requires time and sacrifice. Engaging the culture takes a heart that aches for lost souls. But before someone labels me as being overly simplistic, let us further consider these principles and the implications they have on both the person who seeks to counter the culture and on the culture itself.

Stand on Scripture.
Truly engaging our culture requires biblical discernment. But true discernment doesn’t come easily. A person who seeks to address the errors and abuses of popular culture must know the ultimate standard of morality, that is, God’s Law. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9) A proper knowledge of scripture is primary and essential to a right approach to pop culture.

“The culture is to be constantly judged by the Bible, rather than the Bible being bent to conform to the surrounding culture.” -Francis Schaeffer

When we are firmly established in the Word and confronted with a cultural text or trend, we should be quick to utilize a solidly biblical worldview that has been taught and trained to discern truth from error based on the authority of God’s Word. Calvin described the Bible as glasses which aid us in reading the world around us so that what we see we see through the lens of God’s truth. But this takes effort on our part; therefore we must follow Paul’s admonishment in 1 Corinthians 16:13: “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”

Like trees planted by streams of water, may we ever find ourselves rooted in the depths of God’s Word if we are to be known as faithful evangelists. May we stand firm on God’s Word and use that two-edged sword to distinguish truth from error.

Know the Times.
In 1 Chronicles we read the list of David’s mighty men, and there were those from Issachar who, as we are told, understood the times to know what Israel should. “Of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, 200 chiefs, and all their kinsmen under their command.” (1 Chronicles 12:32) These men in their day were able to look around at their cultural landscape and make sound judgments based on what they observed. They had a discernment based on God’s Word, and they were able to act upon their understanding of the times.

For us today this means taking an active part in our culture. Knowing the times involves being well-read in cultural texts, even well-versed in cultural expressions so as to speak the language when necessary. Dialogue with the culture can serve a noble purpose provided that it has a purpose. More specifically, in order to understand the times, here are a few simple ways to get to know the culture around us without engaging in the sins of the world:

• Begin by stepping out of the office every once-in-a-while.
• Find time to watch a recently-released movie.
• Read a book from the New York Times bestseller’s list.
• Tune to a secular radio station for a day.
• Visit a museum—art, science, or history.
• Watch the news (and feel free to talk back to the television like I do!).
• Become politically active; vote!
• And in all of these things, using the spectacles of Scripture, discern what is true and know what to do.

Preach the Gospel.
“…Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” 2 Timothy 4:2

For all of the world’s problems and the culture’s ailments, there is one important solution, only one cure: The Gospel. There are church groups in America that are preaching relevance and freshness instead of repentance and forgiveness.  But when the truth loses its truthfulness, its very substance is changed from truth to falsehood.  As I’ve said before, if anyone wants to be relevant, let him know his Bible better than he knows his culture. If God’s Word possesses the power of life, then what are some churches doing wasting time with preaching moralism? The Bible doesn’t call on churches or church leaders to have a chit-chat with popular culture over lattes, but to preach the Word!

Charles Spurgeon, a man who lived and died over a century ago, understood the importance of preaching the truth of the Gospel in his day. How much more should we be concerned with preaching God’s truth in our day? Here are Spurgeon’s words on the matter:

“We have a faith to preach, my brethren, and we are sent forth with a message from God. We are not left to fabricate the message as we go along. We are not sent forth by our Master with this kind of general commission – ‘As you shall think in your heart and invent in your head as you march on, so preach. Keep abreast of the times. Whatever the people want to hear, tell them that, and they shall be saved.’ Verily, we read not so. There is something definite in the Bible. We ought to preach the gospel, not as our views at all, but as the mind of God-the testimony of Jehovah concerning his own Son, and in reference to salvation for lost men. If we had been entrusted with the making of the gospel, we might have altered it to suit the taste of this modest century, but never having been employed to originate the good news, but merely to repeat it, we dare not stir beyond the record. What we have been taught of God we teach. If we do not do this, we are not fit for our position.”

May the God of all grace allow us to approach our culture in this way: by standing with our feet planted firmly on the Word of God with an understanding of our times and a desire to preach God’s Word amidst this world of fleeting pleasures.