Teach us to pray part 60: word of wisdom

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?" (Luke 11:13 NASB)

But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:7-12 NASB)

If you are just joining us, we are nearly two months in to a study of Jesus' teaching on prayer. Since He promised the gift of the Holy Spirit when we ask, we are stopping for a bit to consider exactly what the Holy Spirit in us involves. 

In yesterday's post, we saw that every disciple has some manifestation of the Holy Spirit, given for the common good of the body of Christ. There is no cause for pride, as everyone has something and it is all from God, not something we can study or work to obtain. 

Let's look again at a list of those manifestations of the Spirit (ways the Spirit is at work through us). They are: word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, distinguishing of spirits, speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues. 

Today we will consider the word of wisdom. The word translated as "wisdom" is sophia and indicates (in this case) human knowledge and understanding in spiritual things. Macarthur's explanation is so clear they it bears quoting. According to his commentary, the manifestation of the word of wisdom is "the ability to understand God's Word and His will and to skillfully apply that understanding to life."  What is utterly astounding to me is that God wants us to understand His Word and His ways so much that He has provided for us to comprehend His truth. It is not too difficult for us. He has given that understanding to us directly in such a way that those who have the word of wisdom can apply it to their own lives in ways we can see and explain it directly to us in a way that we can understand. 

The ones through whom the Holy Spirit has manifested the word of wisdom will understand Scripture and the things of God in such a way that their lives will clearly reflect truth. They will live what they say they believe. This gift is not just words alone, but a gift for application of truth in their own lives. 

Do you find Scripture hard to understand? Look for a teacher that can explain the truth in such a simple way that you can easily understand. Look for the manifestation of the Spirit in the word of wisdom. 

If this is not the manifestation of the Spirit that you have received, don't fret. We will get to the rest over the next few days. For now, let us pray that God will grant us understanding of His ways, whether it comes to us directly or through another. Even more important, let us resolve to live the truth we know. 

Blood for Blood (A snippet from a work in progress) by Leanna Lindsey Hollis MD

(This is a snippet, a teaser, from one of my works in progress. Hope you enjoy!)

They were where they weren’t. 

The abandoned building was just that. Abandoned. 

Or so it seemed. 

In the game of terror, creating fear and uncertainty was everything, and Farzeen Nouri was a master. He had studied the infidels and their outrageous beliefs until he could use those beliefs against them with ease. This time, they would fear that the BEAST had come forth. Six suicide bombers in each of three United States cities. 6-6-6. They would be frightened out of their minds! Six suicide bombers in each of three European cities. 6-6-6 again. The Christian zealots would call the second round of bombers a confirmation that the BEAST had come, and the world would bow down to him. 

His plan was perfect. He had considered every possible difficulty, every possible complication, and had contingency plans in place for them all. He had considered every possibility except the one thing that was of no consequence because it was, of course, impossible.

Farzeen had come to this tropical paradise from Iran with instructions from Amin Majidi, head of the International Brotherhood of Jihad, to establish a base of operations in the Americas. Shortly after his arrival in Bilswascarma, situated near the border in northern Nicaragua, Nouri had converted a long-abandoned mission hospital into to a training center for terror. Majidi would coordinate the European part of the upcoming project, but Farzeen was in charge of the US portion. He was determined to be successful. Unlike the Americans he targeted, Farzeen Nouri measured his success by the number of dead, maimed, and terrified. 

Teach us to pray, part 59: Manifestations of the Spirit

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?" (Luke 11:13 NASB)

But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:7-12 NASB)

We are continuing our study of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus was clear that the Holy Spirit would be given to us in response to our desire (our asking) for it. We saw yesterday that Jesus did not leave us as orphans, but sent the Spirit to be with us, to comfort us and teach us. If you missed that post, you can read it here. Today we are looking at the manifestations of the Spirit.

Before we go any further, there are a few things we need to understand. 
1) Jesus promised the gift of the Holy Spirit and He expected that we would embrace Him.
2) The work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a disciple of Christ is not optional. If the Holy Spirit is not at work in ours lives, we need to ask our Lord why not, and do it with haste.
3) We serve a God of order and not confusion. Manifestations of the Spirit are not intended to create havoc, but they are not meant to be avoided, either.

With that in mind, let's look at this very exciting bit of truth.

But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

Paul made it clear at beginning of this section that the manifestation of the Spirit is given "to each one". If I am a disciple of Christ (and I am), God has given me a manifestation of the Spirit. If you are a disciple of Christ, God has given you a manifestation of the Spirit. We would do well to carefully consider the list above (more coming on the manifestations) and ask the Lord what He has given us. This becomes important because the manifestations (or gifts) are not given to us to hoard but to use.

These manifestations are also not given for entertainment or to make us proud of what we can do. These manifestations of the Spirit are for one reason: the common good. Taken together, the body of Christ has every gift needed to be the kind of vibrant, world-changing body our Lord intended. Does every church have people in the church with every one of these gifts? Yes. I believe they do. Certainly the body of Christ at large has every one of these manifestations.

There are those who believe that these manifestations were given only to "get the church started". If we have a God who ran out of power in the first century, we have a poor God, indeed. The good news is that we DO NOT have an out-of-power God. Almighty God continues to be omnipotent. He has quite enough power to continue giving manifestations of the Spirit today, and He is doing just that.

Let's look at a list of those manifestations of the Spirit (ways the Spirit is at work through us). They are: word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, distinguishing of spirits, speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues. 

As disciples, the Spirit of our Omnipotent God is manifested in you and me. No one is left out. No one has missed the opportunity for the Spirit to work through us. For today, let's consider prayerfully in which of those ways the Spirit is manifested in us. Are we allowing the Spirit free reign in us? Are we allowing Him to use us for the common good of the body of Christ? If not, why not?

Teach us to pray, part 57: The Spirit of God

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?" (Luke 11:13 NASB)

In this verse, the giving of the Holy Spirit by our heavenly Father is presented as a greater kind of gifting than the good gifts a father might give to a child and implies that, if we ask for the Holy Spirit, God will grant it. "How much more" indicates that the gift of the Spirit will be given in abundance, and that the Spirit is something for which we should ask.

If we are to ask for more of the Spirit, what is it, exactly, for which we are asking? Matthew 28:19 tells us that the Holy Spirit is the third part of the Triune Godhead. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 

The words translated as "The Holy Spirit" are hagios pneuma. Hagios is a word used to indicate something or someone as "most holy". Pneuma can mean "breath" or "wind" and is used as both to describe the Spirit of God. In this instance, it is used to indicate the Spirit of God, as close as our breath, infusing our life. Just as the body does not give life to the spirit but the spirit gives life to the body, even so the Spirit of God infuses us as believers with the divine life of Christ that comes to those who trust in Him.

Martin Luther described our human spirit as the "highest and noblest part" of us, "the house where Faith and God's word are at home", the part of us that allows us to "lay hold of incomprehensible, invisible, eternal things." The Holy Spirit, then, is the Spirit of God, dwelling in us in such a way that it produces spiritual attributes and gifts in us. Thayer's translation describes the Spirit of God as "august, full of majesty, adorable, utterly opposed to all impurity." 

When the Spirit dwells in us, as it must if we belong to Christ, He brings an opposition to all impurity. Our tendency toward impurity, toward the sin and darkness of this world, cannot peacefully coexist with the Spirit of God. If we are to be filled with the Spirit of God, if we are to enjoy the companionship of the Spirit, we must relinquish the ways and desires of the world. We, too, must oppose the impurity that marked our lives before Christ.

To understand this gift of the Spirit, to enjoy the Spirit, we must begin by looking at ourselves. Our lives before Christ were full of darkness and sin, but the blood of Christ cleansed us from all unrighteousness. Without the work of the Spirit in our lives, convicting us of sin and leading us toward the righteousness that only God can give, we would quickly return to the sin that so easily besets us. 

As we begin to study the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the instruction of Christ to pray for the Spirit, we must consider whether or not we are allowing the Spirit of God access to our lives. Is the Spirit directing us or not? Are we continuing to embrace the same sin that has caused so much sorrow and destruction in our lives or are we allowing the Spirit to convict and cleanse us of that sin? If we are to have the gifts of the Spirit, we must first have the cleansing of the Spirit.

Tomorrow, we will look at this gift in more detail, but for today, let us allow the Spirit to shine the Light of God in our darkness, relinquish that darkness and sin, and once again experience the cleansing grace that only Christ can give.

Teach us to pray, part 56: The difference between good and best

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?" (Luke 11:13 NASB)

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him! (Matthew 7:11 NASB)

Both of the verses above refer to the discussion about the ability of earthly fathers to give good gifts to their children.  If earthly fathers, with the propensity to sin and evil common to all mankind, can give good gifts when their children ask, how much more will our Heavenly Father be generous with what is good when we, His children, ask? 

The first point of significance in these verses is the difference between an earthly father and our Heavenly Father. As humans, our tendency is toward sin and rebellion against God. Even when we love (our spouse, children, family, friends) it is an imperfect love, colored by events in our past and circumstances of the present. We don't know what the future will bring nor how our decision of today will affect our children in the future. Even with our imperfections, God has placed in each of us an ability to love our children in a way that gives us an idea of His love toward us. 

Just as a father is overwhelmed by love for his newborn, takes delight in his toddler, enjoys spending time with his child and joyfully gives that child good gifts, our Heavenly Father delights in us, enjoys time with us, and joyfully gives good gifts to His children. 

The difference between the gifts of our earthly father and Heavenly Father is that God is omniscient. He knows everything, including the long-term consequences of that for which we ask. He knows the difference between what is good and what is best for us. 

We (myself included) have a tendency to want whatever it is that we want with a certainty that what we want is also what is best. God must shake His head at some of the things I have requested. What a blessing that He gave me what I needed instead of what I thought I wanted! 

As I look through my prayer list and ponder those things for which I have asked but have not received, it is important that I understand that God's decision about my request is not just final, it is best. There are some things for which I can pray with certainty, knowing that it is God's will. The salvation of a lost person or a prodigal is always God's will. Prayers for those in authority, for wisdom in making decisions, for provision and protection, for the peace of Jerusalem, for the persecuted church are all things for which we have been instructed to pray. I can pray with perseverance for those things I know are within the will of God. 

For those requests about which I am less certain, I still ask. Along the way, though, I've learned to relinquish my will to His. "I want what You want, God, more than what I want, for I know Your plan is best." That's usually our point of struggle, isn't it? It is the certainty that what God wants for us is absolutely, unequivocally best that brings tremendous peace as I pray. Until I believe that without reservation, how can I trust His provision? 

In this business of prayer, there is one thing I must understand. God knows best, and I do not. When I can embrace His ultimate wisdom, it is much easier to embrace His will. As we pray today, let us embrace the truth that God knows best. Suffering is never wasted. God can bring good from even the most horrible circumstances. 

His ways may be inscrutable to us, but they are always best. Let us, then, ask for what we will, but let us also submit our will to His. 

Don't just give us what we want, Lord. Give us what is best. 

Teach us to pray, part 55: Eggs and Scorpions

Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?" (Luke 11:11-13 NASB)

Jesus gave these examples comparing earthly fathers with our Heavenly Father. When a child asks a father for a fish, that father does not reward his child with a snake instead. If the child asks for an egg, his father does not give him a scorpion instead, does he? Both the scorpion and the snake are not only different from what was requested, but are deadly to a child (and to adults, as well). A human father would not fulfill a child's request by giving him something that was similar in appearance to what the child requested but deadly in its nature.

Although we, as humans, are inherently evil, we do not intentionally put our beloved children in danger. We do not put something in their hands that seems to be what they want and need but will harm them. (I recognize that there is evil in this world and there are some parents who would not stop at harming their children, but, in general, this is true.)

If we, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to our children, know how to provide for them in ways that are good and pleasant, how much more will God do good for us when we ask him? In fact, implied in this verse is a very important truth. When we ask God for something, He does not respond by giving us something that will destroy us, even if it is that for which we have asked.

In this asking, my tendency is to be like Jairus, whose daughter was gravely ill. Jesus was nearby, but Jairus spent valuable time and money trying everything humanly possible to save his daughter. It was only when she was breathing her last breaths that he turned to Jesus. It was only then that he was willing to wait for whatever Jesus brought his way. 

It has taken years for me to learn that our Father can be trusted. When there is a need, I can depend upon Him to supply it. His provision may not look exactly like I expected, but it will not be something that will harm me. His provision is always good.

After decades of following Christ, I still have to remind myself of the truth of His goodness in answering prayers, to remind myself of all the kindness God has shown me.

'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 NASB

We will look at Luke 11:13 tomorrow, but for today, let us embrace our heavenly Father's generosity and goodness, acknowledging that the One who created us for companionship with Him will never spitefully respond to our requests with the instrument of our destruction. Our heavenly Father is good and His gifts to us, His children, are good, as well. We can depend upon that goodness. His plans, and His gifts in response to our prayers, are good, for our benefit, our future, our hope.

Therefore, let us make our requests known to God and give thanks for what He has already done for us.

"Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything.

Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done." 

                                   Philippians 4:6 NLT

Teach us to pray, part 54: those who knock

"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened. (Luke 11:9-10 NASB)

There is an amazing fact about knocking that I need to remember. I am not the only one knocking. Christ Himself is knocking, too. 

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me." (Revelation 3:20) 

Imagine that! Christ longs to visit with me and knocks on the door of my heart while He waits for me to invite Him in. "I will dine with him and he with Me" is just one more example of the relationship for which I was created, for which you were created. 

This verse is generally held to be a verse related to salvation. Certainly, that first opening of the door of our heart when Christ knocks is our salvation moment, but that is not the only time He knocks at the door of our hearts. Our Lord longs to have times of intimacy with us on a daily basis, just as God walked and talked daily with Adam and Eve in the garden. 

Knocking with unbridled enthusiasm as we ask repeatedly that our requests be granted is one of the prayer-actions Christ has granted to us. In our determination to achieve the desire of our heart, however, let us not overlook the quiet, persistent knocking of our Lord Jesus, who longs for us to swing wide the door of our heart so that we might spend time with Him.

You may be thinking, "Why does Christ knock if His Spirit in already residing within me?" Perhaps the metaphor of a house will be helpful. When a guest wants to enter my house, they usually knock on my outside door. Once inside, they have free reign to make themselves at home in the open rooms. 

It is when I go into a room, wishing for a bit of privacy, that I close the door. Before entering that private place, the one in which I have cloistered myself, those who wish to enter usually knock. 

In that same way, I can withdraw from Christ, metaphorically shutting the door of an area of my heart, and stepping away from closeness with Him. I can "hide" by distancing myself from Him. It is in those times that He gently and quietly knocks with the same persistence as at the start, for He longs to share my hurts, my sorrows, my confusion. He longs to turn my isolation into companionship, my sorrow into joy.  

It is all too easy to drown out the sound of His knocking with busyness or the clamor of sin. When I allow myself to be still and silence the clamor, I can hear that gentle knocking. It is then that I face a beautiful decision and a divine opportunity. Will I allow Christ access to more of me or not? 

Only in eternity, when we are made perfect in the presence of God, will we fully abandon ourselves to His presence. Only then will the knocking end, for our communion with Him will be made complete. 

For now, He knocks and we must answer, so let our answer be "more of Christ in me". Let us swing wide the doors of our heart in utter abandon to the One who longs to fill every empty place with the sweetest presence imaginable, heal every hurt, and fill our lives with the love, joy and peace that only He can give. 

He is knocking. What will be our answer?