Prayer: Why Do We Need To Pray?

People often ask . . .

"Why do we pray?"
"If God knew how my life would turn out before
I was born, why should I pray?"
"Will it change the outcome?"
"Is praying a step of obedience?"

The following verses can make a person wonder this very thing: "Why pray?"

• Matthew 6:32-34, "For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
• Matthew 6:8, "Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."
• Isaiah 65:24, "Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear."
• Luke 1:13, After maybe as long as forty years of prayer for a son to be born Zechariah hears the angel tell him, "Zechariah, your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son. . . "

Some people answer the question, "Why pray?", by simply saying we should be obedient. But, praying just to be obedient is a very weak and a non-motivating answer. At least, for me it is not a satisfactory answer. But, of course, that is why a lot of Christians do a lot of things, such as, go to church, read their Bibles, get baptized, etc. They have no idea what they are doing or why it is important. They just know we are supposed to do it. The Christian life is much more than just being obedient. There is a game plan and God wants you to understand "Why" we do things.

Human Will and Responsibility

• God originally created man to rule and to have authority (Genesis 1:26)
• Man is not an animal, he was created in God's image and was God's representative on the earth.
• Man was given free will, told what was right or wrong, and told of the consequences for his actions. (Genesis 2:16)
• When Adam sinned it effected him, his world and all of mankind (Romans 5:12)
• The Exodus Generation, for example, was given a promise, but chose not to follow God's plan. They did not want what God wanted. (Deut. 1:26)
• The second generation after the Exodus had the choice of blessing and cursing set before them. They could chose which one they wanted. (Deut. 11:26)
• They were also told to chose between life and death. (Deut. 30:19)
• Man is unique, then, because he can make decisions that effect his sphere of operation or his realm of authority.
  

God's Ultimate Sovereignty and Man's Responsibility/Authority

• Imagine God's Absolute authority (sovereignty) being a large circle or bubble.
• Everything is in this bubble and under the authority of God. It includes time, history, angels, material, humans, etc.
• Inside this large bubble are much smaller bubbles (or, kingdoms) which represent each of our own spheres of control, operation, responsibility or authority.
• God has ultimate responsibility but inside his bubble (realm, kingdom) he has granted individuals to have their own bubble.
• This bubble is our lives, the things we can control and influence.
• We do have responsibility and we do make a difference. We can control what comes in and what goes out of our lives to a very great extent.
• God wants to place his truth, his salvation, his promises into our lives, but we have the authority. If we do not want his plan, like the Exodus generation did not want his plan, we can reject it. But, if we do want his will or his promises we are the one's to allow it into our bubble.
• If there is something we need, God has already made a way for it, but we must ask.
  

God Makes Promises and Plans; We Seek Him and His Promises

• James 4:2, "You do not have, because you do not ask God."

  James 4:1-2 describes people wanting things (food, provision, education, etc.) but they covet, fight, quarrel and kill to get it. God says they don't have because they have not asked him. They weren't asking for bad things, but they went about getting what they needed and wanted in their lives (their bubbles) with out walking in God's ways, trusting God's promises and asking God for what they wanted.

• 2 Corinthians 1:20, "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ. And so through him the 'Amen' is spoken by us to the glory of God."
  

  Every promise (that applies to us) is available to you as a believer in Christ. So, our position is to speak the 'Amen' or, the 'so be it'. Our job is to ask for it, seek for it, to want it and allow it into our lives.
  Notice:
  1. It is "in Christ," or "through him" which means "in Jesus name."
  2. We speak the "Amen", or the prayer, request. We open the door to our realm of authority for God's promise.
  3. This is "to the glory of God." When we receive God's promises through prayer God is glorified.

God's Promise to Elijah and Elijah's Prayer for God's Promise

• James 5:13-18 - these verses include "Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops."
  

  This verse is true but in both cases (no rain, and lots of rain) God had already made a promise. Elijah's job was to hear, proclaim and pray for the promise.

• 1 Kings 18:1, God promises he will now send rain on the land
• 1 Kings 17:41-44, Elijah prays seven times before the promised rain comes.
  

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives;he who seeks finds;
and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."
Matthew 7:7-8

"Yet you have not called upon me, O Jacob,
you have not wearied yourselves for me, O Israel."
Isaiah 43:22

During the next few weeks in church we will be discussing the basics of prayer. I will be attempting to make prayer more understandable so that it is more natural to pray and more productive for our lives. You need God in your life. We need God in our nation.

Watch this sermon in RealPlayer here
Listen or download the .mp3 here

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

Examining John 6:44

John 6:44-47, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. . . Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me . . . I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life."

• "draws" is the same word used in John 12:32, "But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."
• "draw" (" 'elko" or actually "helko") is the key word here for Calvinist. Please listen to R.C. Sproul discus this word in his book "Chosen by God" and then read the text directly from Kittel's Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (vol. 2 of 10).

Sproul writes concerning the word "draw", or Greek "helko", in John 6:44:

"The key word here is draw. What does it mean for the Father to draw people to Christ? I have often heard this text explained to mean that the Father must woo or entice men to Christ. Unless this wooing takes place, no man will come to Christ. However, man has the ability to resist this wooing and to refuse the enticement. The wooing, though it is necessary, is not compelling. In philosophical language that would mean that the drawing of God is necessary condition but no a sufficient condition to bring men to Christ. In simpler language it means that we cannot come to Christ without the wooing, but the wooing does not guarantee that we will, in fact, come to Christ."

Sproul now continues:

"I am persuaded that the above explanation which is so widespread, is incorrect. It does violence to the text of Scripture, particularly to the biblical meaning of the word draw. The Greek word used here is "elko". Kittel's Theological Dictionary of the New Testament defines it to mean to compel by irresistible superiority. Linguistically and lexicographically, the word means "to compel." To compel is a much more forceful concept that to woo. To see this more clearly, let us look for a moment at two other passages in the New Testament where the same Greek word is used. In James 2:6 we read: "But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts?" Guess which word in this passage is the same Greek word that elsewhere is translated by the English word draw. It is the word drag. Let us now substitute the word woo in the text. It would then read: "Do not the rich oppress you and woo you into the courts?" The same word occurs in Acts 16:19. "But when her masters was that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities." Again, try substituting the word woo for the word drag. Paul and Silas were not seized and then wooed into the marketplace."

Sproul has told you what he wants you to know about the word "draw" or "elko" (actually " 'elko" or "helko"). Now, I would like to tell you the rest of the story concerning the Calvinist "key word" from their pivotal verse found in John 6:44.

First, Sproul doesn't tell you all that Kittles TDNT says about the word "helko." Quoting now from volume 2, page 503:

"The basic meaning is to "tug" or "draw." In the case of persons (Acts 16:19; 21:30; James 2:6, [notice all three of these verse were used by Sproul to get the meaning "drag"] ) it may mean to "compel" . . . It may also mean to "draw" to a place by magic . . . It is used of a magnet . . . (drawing the hungry as by a magnet to the Cyprian loaves) . . . of the inner influence of the will . . . More comparable with the Johannine usage is that of Porphyrius Ad Marcellam. . . the beauty of the good . . . . In the OT helkein is used of powerful impulse. The obscure heilkuksan se of Song of Solomon 1:4 is somehow meant to express love. The word is used of mother love in 4 Maccabees 14:13; 15:11 . . . The original refers more to patience. The Septuagint is thinking, not so much of drawing out in deliverance but of drawing to oneself in love. This usage is distinctively developed by John . . . Force or magic may be discounted, but not the supernatural element."

Second, Sproul is correct in his use of the samples from the New Testament but he is once again selective and avoids using these:

• Song of Solomon 1:4, "Take me away with you - let us hurry! Let the king bring me into his chambers." Which in the Greek Septuagint says, "Draw me after you - we will run. The king has brought me into his chambers."
  
• Jeremiah 31:3, "The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: 'I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness."
• John 12:32, "But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."

A couple of things need to be pointed out as we go past these verses above.

1. How do you think the bride was being taken into the king's chamber? Drug by her husband? Sproul would seem to think so if he would have continued.
   
2. In Jeremiah the Lord is telling the nation that had rejected him and who were on their way to a national over throw that "I have drawn you." Yet, they did not respond. Also, notice the "drawing" came from an "everlasting love" from eternity past. Yet they rejected it.
   
3. Jesus said he would "draw all men to" himself." If that was irresistible why do they not all come? The determining factor is each man's response.

Another factor to consider is that there is another word in the Greek NT used for "drag" which is the Greek word "suro." It is used for "dragging in a more violent and aggressive sense. It never means "draw." The difference can be seen in John 21:6, 11 (helko) and John 21:8 (suro). In John 21:6 and 11 the fishing net is first attempted to be "drawn" to the disciples on the boat, but the attempt fails. Then in 21:11 Peter "draws" the net to himself up on shore. The difference is seen between verse 8 when the net could not be drawn to the boat and later when it was drawn by Peter on the shore. Since the disciples could not "helko" (draw) the net to the boat they instead "suro" (dragged) the net behind the boat as they made their way to shore. If John had wanted to record Jesus saying in John 6:44, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me drags him," he could have used the word "suro." He did in John 21. Instead the word "helko" is used which has a rich history of not meaning to "drag". Once, again, Mr. Sproul doesn't go here.

One more thing concerning "helko" in John 6:44. The verb "draw" is in the subjunctive mood, the aorist tense and the active voice.

• The active voice means God, the subject, will do the action of the verb.
  
• The aorist tense conveys a point of action in the past.
  
• But, most interesting, is the subjunctive mood which is not the mood of reality (indicative mood) nor the mood of command (imperative mood), nor the mood of desire or wish (optative mood), but instead it is the mood of potential which indicates the verb could potentially happen.

Luther says concerning this word in this passage of scripture: "The drawing is not like that of the executioner, who draws the thief up the ladder of the gallows; but it is a gracious allurement, such as that of the man whom everybody loves, and to whom everybody willingly goes."

Augustine says, "If a man is drawn, says an objector, he comes against his will. But we answer if he comes unwillingly, he does not believe; if he does not believe, he does not come. For we do not run to Christ on our feet, but by faith; not with the movement of the body, but with the free will of the heart . . . Thank not that you are drawn against your will; the mind can be drawn by love."

Chrysostom says, "This expression does not remove our part in the coming, but rather shows that we want help to come."

John Phillips says concerning John 6:37: "God does not act in an arbitrary way nor in defiance of the human will when he draws people to Christ. Someone once tried to persuade me that God has chosen some people for salvation and chosen other people for damnation. Such an idea is monstrous. God does not arbitrarily and sovereignly damn the greater part of the human race into an existence they did not seek, on terms they did not select (so-called "total depravity"), under impossible handicaps they did not choose (depraved in will and 'dead in trespasses and sins'), dominated by forces they cannot control (the world, the flesh, and the devil), into a ruined family (Adam's) they did not themselves plunge into original sin, just in order arbitrarily to send people to hell for not choosing a salvation offered only to the 'elect.' That may be some people's idea of God and some people's view of salvation, but such concepts make God out to be a tyrant worse than any in the history of the human race. However, such is not the God of the Bible and such is not the kind of 'salvation' offered us." (The John Phillips Commentary Series, "Exploring the Gospel of John")

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

Calvinism? Reasonable Doubt! (part one)

Comparing Calvinism with Reality and Scripture

"I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please."
-Isaiah 46:10

In a universe of created beings with freewill, God knows the details of history and fulfills his purpose. God does not need to override freewill because in his power and wisdom he will do all that he pleases. Since God knows the end from the beginning, his eternal council had already decided all his counter moves before time began. The God of scripture has more wisdom, power, patience and love than the divine tyrant of Calvinism.

Basic Calvinism (Reformed Predestination)

The five major tenets of Calvinism are easily remembered with the acronym TULIP.

T = Total Depravity

U = Unconditional Election

L = Limited Atonement

I = Irresistible Grace

P = Perseverance of the Saints

Total Depravity means that humans are incapable of doing anything good concerning their own salvation. Calvinism teaches that because of this totally fallen state we can not even respond to God's offer of salvation. Thus, in Calvinism, God must give man faith before man can accept God's grace.

Unconditional Election means that there are no reasons (or, conditions) why certain men have been chosen (elected) by God to be saved. The men who are saved where elected by God based only on God's will. This also means God did not look into the future and chose to save those he knew would except his offer of salvation. Some people are elected for salvation, others are not.

Limited Atonement means that Jesus died on the cross only for the sins of those he unconditionally elected (or, those he chose for no reason). Jesus' death was enough to pay for everyone's sins, he just bore the sins of those he had chosen.

Irresistible Grace means that when God calls the elect men that he died for they can not resist. If you are elect, then Jesus paid for your sins, God will give you the faith and you will respond to his call. If God calls you, you will come. If he hasn't elected you, he didn't pay for your sins and he won't call you, because you can't be saved. Everyone hears the call of the gospel with their natural ears, but only the elect hear the inward call of God and respond.

Perseverance of the Saints means, obviously, you can't lose your salvation since God elected you, called you, gave you the faith and made you accept his grace. The Father elected you, the Son died for your sins, the Spirit has applied salvation and you are eternally secure.

Scriptural Balance and Refutation of TULIP

T= Total Depravity: Balance and Refutation by Scripture

Scripture shows that total depravity does not mean men do not have a free will or that they do not have the ability to respond to God, or that they can not hear God, or understand God. Total depravity means that men can do nothing to save themselves and their whole nature (spiritual, physical, mental, emotional, will, etc) is corrupted (not destroyed) by sin.

1. Fallen men have free will

2. Fallen men can respond to God

3. Fallen men can hear God

Genesis 3:10, After Adam fell he could still hear God, "I heard you in the garden and I was afraid . . . so I hid."

Genesis 4:6, God spoke to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?" and Cain heard and responded to God when God spoke, "Am I my brother's keeper?" (4:9)

4. Fallen men can understand God

Romans 1:18-19 - ". . . the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them

Romans 1:18-19 - ". . . being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God, nor gave thanks to him (1:20,21) . . since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to depraved mind." (1:28)

U= Unconditional Election: Balance and Refutation by Scripture

The error of unconditional election goes in two directions. One, it claims that some people are elected by God, others are not based only on God's choice. Two, this election is not based on anything man can do, including man's willing acceptance of salvation. Unconditional election means God did not respond to man's faith in time or in eternity past through foreknowledge, but instead God chose some people for salvation and rejected others before time began.

1. The Bible makes it clear that faith is a necessary condition for receiving salvation:

Ephesians 1:13, "You also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit."

Romans 5:1, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Acts 16:3, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved."

Romans 3:30, "There is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith."

2. Faith is not a work. Belief in the truth is non-meritorious. Faith is a response of the will. Faith with the heart is no more a work than seeing with the eyes is a work.

John 3:14, "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." (Israelites were healed by "looking" at Moses' snake, just like anyone who "believes" in the Son of God will be saved. No effort, just results.)

Romans 4:5, "To the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness."

Romans 3:27, "Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? no. but on that of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law."

3. Election, choosing, predestination is based on God's foreknowledge of our free will response to the offer of salvation and the ministry of the Holy Spirit:

Romans 8:29, "For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son."

1 Peter 1:2, ". . . who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father"

4. Notice the full process of salvation from eternity past to the application of the blood of Christ in time. First Peter 1:2:

Eternity Past:
" . . . who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father. . . "

Testimony of the Holy Spirit in time offering salvation:
". . . through the sanctifying work of the Spirit . . . "

The response of faith ("obedience of faith" Romans 1:5):
" . . . for obedience to Jesus Christ . . ."

Receiving of Salvation by the individual believer:
" . . . and sprinkling by his blood."

L= Limited Atonement: Balance and Refutation by Scripture

God loves all people, not only the elect. Jesus died to save all people, not only the elect.

1. God loves all people

Romans 2:11, "For God does not show favoritism."

Matthew 5:45, "He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." (Would it not be ironic if God would give everyone sunlight and rain, but only a few the offer of eternal life?)

2. God calls all people

Matthew 22:14, "For many are invited, but few are chosen." (Read the parable before this which basically means the Jews were invited but few accepted the invitation, so additional invitations were sent out to the Gentiles. Refusing the invitation in this parable results in that person not being chosen.)

3. God is love and love does not force its will, but instead is patient, kind. Love is not rude, it is not self-seeking. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

2 Peter 3:9, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

4. Jesus died for all people in all the world through out all time.

Matthew 23:37, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, . . . how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings but you were not willing."

John 1:29, "Look, the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"

John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Romans 5:6, "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, . . . But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Matthew 5:46-48, "If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." - I would assume this means the perfect God would die for every one's sins, not just the elect. Jesus would go to the cross for those he knows will never be his brothers.)

1 John 2:2, "He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world."

2 Corinthians5:14-19, "For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. . . All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them."

1 Timothy 2:3, 4, "This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth."

1 Timothy 2:6, "The man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men."

Hebrews 2:9, "He suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone."

2 Peter 2:1,"They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them."

I= Irresistible Grace: Balance and Refutation by Scripture

Scripture shows that God's grace, or calling, or drawing, to salvation is not irresistible.

1. Scripture shows that mankind has the free will to reject God's grace.

Matthew 23:37, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, . . . how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings but you were not willing."

John 3:19, "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light."

John 5:39, 40: " These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life."

John 8:24, "I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am you will indeed die in your sins."

John 12:37, "Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him."

Acts 13:46, "Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we not turn to the Gentiles."

Acts 14:2, " But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers."

2. Scripture shows that mankind has the free will to accept God's grace:

John 1:12, 13: "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God."

John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

John 6:37, "Whoever comes to me I will never drive away."

John 6:40, "For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal live."

John 6:47, "I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life."

John 12:42, "Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him."

Revelation 22:17, "The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!' And let him who hears say, 'Come!' Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life."

P= Perseverance of the Saints: Balance and Refutation by Scripture
This refers to once saved, always saved. The main problem with Calvinism is the issue of man's free will in response to God's offer of salvation. Once salvation has been secured there is no reversing the process. Salvation is eternal. The believer has been given everlasting life. At this point of TULIP, the scriptures and logic agree with "P".

2 Corinthians 5:17, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come."

Ephesians 1:13, 14, " . . . the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession."

Scripture supports a form of "T" (total depravity; corruption of the will, not destruction) and scripture absolutely teaches "P" (Perseverance), but "U" (unconditional election), "L" (limited atonement) and "I" (irresistible grace) require a manipulation of scripture that distorts the clear reading of the text and the consistent witness found through out scripture.

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

The End of the World According to Islamic Theology

Watch this short 2:22 YouTube video to understand the Islamic view of the end of the world. It appears their first trumpet by the angel Rafael causes a mild breeze to blow around the world causing a type of "rapture" of the faithful before the second trumpet brings destruction on those who remain. Take a look:


Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com