Follow-up on Fear
May 8, 2009 | Comments Off
Dennis Dull brought a message Sunday that was something a lot of us needed to hear. As I pondered what Dennis said yesterday it made me realize how much of the fear I put on myself. I live a life dominated by fear I do things and make decisions with the idea of not losing ground than taking risks and being aggressive in the confidence that I have in the confession of Christ before men. I am the one that has put the most spiritual and social intimidation on myself. From point two in Sunday’s sermon to “The Power to confess Christ before men; I think it would be helpful for us to acknowledge Christ and confess to ourselves. We need to practice self-talk. The way to overcome “me as my worst enemy” is to meditate on scripture that tells me “I tell you, my friends (remember this word), not to fear those (even myself) who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes I tell you fear him! Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Luke 12:4-7 NASB. The Word goes on to say acknowledge Christ before those who try to intimidate you. Well I do a pretty good job of that — intimidating myself. I don’t have confidence in the abilities, desires, and dreams God has given my so I shrink back and play it safe. I am the one who just sits there and keeps quiet when those around me talking about life, politics, and or religion. I don’t have confidence that the Lord will give me the words I need. Why is it because I don’t have the knowledge? Hardly, it is because I am not walking intimately with him as we have learned in our hall of faith in Hebrews this past month. I need to meditate on scripture that reminds me that “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.” James 5:16b-18. I need to remember “build myself up in my most holy faith”; the faith that is given to me by Christ and that comes by hearing the Word of God. I think that I underestimate the importance of practicing and acknowledging Christ to myself. “FEAR NOT; you are of more value than many sparrows”
I had a conversation at work with a gentlemen that most of the world wants a riskless society and don’t want to suffer. Dave Ramsey made this point in his broadcast April 23, 2009, about how we have been living in a society that wants to make sure that no one fails. We don’t want to suffer, we want the easy life, or at least I do, we focus so much on this that we have a tendency to play it safe. Or we don’t practice the art of saying “NO” even to ourselves. I may be able to count on one hand how many times I have told myself “NO” to something I have wanted; I have not been in a habit of waiting on God’s timing when it comes to wanting stuff or letting my wife and kids have what they want. Thank goodness he has not given up on me and has brought me through a long journey to a more disciplined financial life. Even after all he has done in the past 4-5 years I still suffer from financial intimidation. I don’t think my biggest issue was lusting after money but the anxiety for lack of money. Maybe I should better state the issue. Anxiety to have enough money to get me out of debt and to be able to set myself up as secure for my retirement. I am almost middle age and it is TIME to start being diligent and to plan more for the future than I have been. I need to learn to say “NO” to things and start making my Spiritual Investments in the future. “…For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds! And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life’s span? If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith! And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying. For all these things the nations of the world eagerly; but your Father knows that you need these things. But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give .to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Luke 12:22-34.
Remember I told you to remember the term “my Friends”; now did you see a term in the last scripture “My little flock”; do you also notice how much that language used shows how much he cares for us. Listen to this, tell this to yourself. He cares for me, He watches over me, He values me. He gladly gives me the kingdom. If I ask for a fish He will not give a serpent; I need to continually remind myself of this; yes to talk to myself about this. My God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory. “THE LORD is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack.” Psalm 1:1 amplified translation. I exhort you to talk to yourself and leave you with some other practical advice that Dennis said Sunday: Commune with God, live a life of Integrity, Live within your means, forego wants/desires and use these as opportunities to give, and practice hospitality. We need to have the heart of a giver. Remind yourself daily, hourly, or by the minute if need be “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.” 2Timothy 1:7.
May the Lord Bless you!
Brent Campbell
A Basic Plan For Memorizing Scripture
May 8, 2009 | Comments Off
The benefits of memorizing Scripture are real and lasting. Whether used as a means of taking every thought captive, resisting temptation, as a timely word of encouragement or admonition to yourself or others, or simply as a means of redeeming your time, memorizing Scripture is a discipline that should not be neglected. However, it is a discipline that requires serious, focused effort. Like any worthwhile endeavor, it is wise to have a plan in place before you begin. I by no means consider myself an expert in memorization techniques. The following plan simply comes by way of personal experience. I have used these principles and found them to be very beneficial. This plan is basic and easy to follow however, in practice, it is not easy. Like anything that has real and lasting benefit, if it were easy then everyone would do it.
Before setting out to memorize a passage of Scripture, I always begin by praying and asking the Lord for the ability to memorize His Word - that it might be a means of growing in personal holiness and equipping for service. Memorizing Scripture is a spiritual discipline and like all things spiritual, our sinful flesh will resist us every step of the way. Have you ever noticed how much easier it is to memorize non-spiritual things than it is to memorize something centered around God and/or His Word? It is relatively easy to remember names, phone numbers, addresses, birth dates, anniversaries, etc. but it requires diligent effort to memorize God’s Word. Know this up front - your flesh will resist. Begin with prayer.
2. Write out the passage on note cards
After praying, I then write out the entire passage on note cards. Notice I said write out the passage and not type or “cut and paste”. In Deuteronomy 17:18-19, God commanded that when each of the kings of Israel,
- “…sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them…”
Notice that God specifically commanded the king to write out a copy of the law for himself. Certainly, the king could have ordered one of his scribes to do it for him, but again, God specifically commanded that the king write it for himself. Why? I don’t think it strains the meaning of the text to infer that there is something inherently beneficial to writing out the passage in your own handwriting, as well as subsequently reading it in your own handwriting. I have also found this to be true in practice. I therefore do almost all of my initial memorization work from hand-written note cards and use my Bible for reviewing. I believe that for most people, this process burns it into your memory in a way that typing or reading it in a Bible will not do. Now, if your handwriting is of such quality that you can barely read it then use this as an opportunity to improve your penmanship as well, which, in and of itself is becoming a lost art. Note cards also have the added benefit of being very portable. I almost always have a set of cards with me in my book bag, in my car and on my nightstand. If you have not done this before, I think you will be surprised how much this enhances your ability to memorize Scripture. If you must, you can buy flash cards that have verses already printed on them however, I would only recommend them for those who, because of physical limitations, are unable to write the verses out for themselves
3. Review and recite audibly
This involves another one of your senses (hearing) and further helps to burn it into your memory. A word of note - those around you or those driving in the car next to you might think you are a bit odd for talking to yourself - but that’s OK. If you have been a Christian for any length of time then you are probably already aware that people think you’re a bit odd anyway. Besides, some of us are a bit odd even when we’re not talking to ourselves.
4. Memorize with someone else
There’s nothing like having an accountability partner when attempting to do anything that requires self-discipline. You will wax and wane in your efforts and having someone else memorizing the same passage with you will benefit you both. Ideally, you both won’t wane at the same time and will be able to spur each other on.
5. Keep your memorization sessions short but frequent
I have found that four, five to ten minute sessions each day are more beneficial than one or two longer sessions. If you are memorizing a lengthy passage of Scripture, then break it down into smaller more manageable sections. For me, repetition is the key to burning it into my memory. I have also found it beneficial to work on my verses as the last thing I do before I fall asleep and the first thing I do when I awake.
6. Long-term Reviews
Reviewing a passage of Scripture that you have already memorized is an excellent way to retain it in your memory. I almost always begin my daily Bible reading with a quick review of a passage of Scripture that I have already memorized. I can skim through the entire book of James or the Sermon on the Mount in only about 5-7 minutes. This takes only a few minutes and greatly enhances retention. If I am tired, this also helps kick-start my mind and get it ready to read God’s Word.
7. Meditation
I must admit that meditating on God’s Word is an area in which I have really struggled. Unless I have the Word right in front of me, my mind wanders too much. Having a Bible right in front of me throughout the day is simply not practical. Memorizing God’s Word has greatly enhanced my ability to meditate on it. I don’t use a formal plan for meditating on the Scriptures. As I memorize/recite a passage the Holy Spirit will usually draw my attention to a specific verse or section, and I will then meditate upon it.
8. Study the passage in depth
After committing a passage of Scripture to memory, I will often read a commentary or listen to a sermon(s) on it to enhance my overall understanding of the passage, which further helps with meditation and retention.
That’s it. Nothing fancy. Like any discipline, the more you do it the easier it gets. You will wax and wane in your efforts. The key is to have a plan and follow it consistently. The goal should be long-term growth and success. It is like the Christian life in that it is a race but it is not a sprint. If you try to do too much too soon, you will burn yourself out. A focused, consistent effort should yield long-term success.
- Psalm 119:11 “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”
The More the Merrier ?
May 8, 2009 | Comments Off
When it comes to prayer, the more people we can possibly get to pray for us and with us, the better off we obviously are, correct? In our modern era of instant communication we can easily bombard the Lord with many more prayers from many more people (prayer warriors) so we are obviously at a very beneficial time in history? IS THIS TRUE?
Now before I proceed I would like to anticipate some objections to what I am about to say and answer them up front. 1) I am not saying corporate prayer is unnecessary. This is a very important part of body life in the church. Times that the body comes together united in prayer are some of the most blessed times I have had in my Christian walk. (Now it is time for a commercial free of charge to Pastor Tim; if you have not joined us in corporate prayer or the pastor’s prayer you ARE MISSING A BLESSING). 2) I am not saying we should not help carry our brothers and sisters burdens. The Bible is clear that we should intercede on behalf of other people and we all remember what Paul says in Timothy to offer up prayers for all people.
What I want to discuss is what I see as a trend modern day Christians are falling into, either (not an all inclusive list) through laziness, busy-ness, lack of personal responsibility, or lack of knowledge. I am not questioning motive here, this problem is not caused by ill motive; rather the opposite, we are being well intentioned. I believe that when we have something we want to petition the Lord for, we, for reasons mentioned above, usually go to the computer and let the world know our issue so that they will pray with us and for us. We unconsciously tend to think that this is the best way to get our prayer answered; instead of going to God in earnest ourselves. We all know prayer warriors and we want to get them busy petitioning God for if one can put a thousand to flight, two can put ten thousand to flight; we SELDOM DO the business of prayer ourselves for ourselves. My question to you is this. By the logic just mentioned (many people praying) if prayers are more readily answered this way; what do you suppose people did before technology? Do we get more prayers answered today because we can get more people to pray for the same thing? I have to say that I do not believe prayer works this way and I want to issue a challenge.
Before we send out the email for our request shouldn’t we take the time to go before the Father our self? I believe this is the pattern for prayer and not e-mail chains. The examples I am about to give are individuals in petition with no mention of how many people they have standing with them. One example is the widow coming continually before the judge and the judge giving her the request because of her importunity. How many of us can say we were importunate before we hit the computer. The Bible says the fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Being in Christ we can approach the Father in His righteousness; how many of us are fervent before we type. Paul in the book of Romans says the Spirit helps us when we do not know how to pray, not the e-mail chain. I know we give our Catholic friends a hard time about praying to dead people and not to the Father himself, but aren’t we just as guilty by asking living people to do our task of prayer.
Now I know you have heard this saying “if the shoe fits, wear it”. Many reading this may not be guilty of the above and if not then ignore what I have said. But, if you are like me, and been guilty let’s confess that we are guilty and approach prayer in a whole new way. Let’s take up the challenge to really petition the Father when he lays a request upon our hearts. Then, when it has really been important enough for us to spend some time in prayer with God over, then and only then let us call upon our brothers and sisters in Christ. Let’s not be guilty of asking someone to do for us what we have been unwilling to do.