Tag: faith

Four Reasons Why our Prayers Aren’t Answered When and How we Want Them Answered-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

Listen to my words, Lord, Consider my sighing.Listen to the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God, For to You I pray. In the morning, Lord, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will present my prayer to You and be on the watch-Psalm 5:1-3 NASB 

Christians are instructed to pray about everything all the time, whether we feel like it or not (Luke 6:38, Ephesians 6:18, Philippians 4:6, Colossians 4:2, 1st Thessalonians 5:17, 1st Timothy 2:1, 1st Timothy 2:8, James 5:13-16). Jesus is our model for how, when and why to pray. Jesus prayed constantly. His devotion to prayer was so passionate He often wandered off to pray in seclusion for extended periods of time (Mark 1:35, Luke 5:16, Luke 11:11). 

All that being said: 

Prayer can be tough. Prayer requires self-control, self-denial and perseverance. Therefore, prayer rarely comes naturally to fallen humans, even when the fallen human is redeemed, prayer can be a struggle (Matthew 26:41).  Our desire to pray is often complicated by situations and seasons when our prayers appear to not be “working”. We pray fervently for something we know is God’s will (like spiritual awakening or salvation) and nothing happens; or worse, we pray and the reverse of what we hope will happen happens. The whole messy muddle begs an awkward question: if God is real and He wants us to pray why don’t more of our prayers get answered with a resounding “yes” and “amen”? 

I don’t pretend to know everything about everything. 

What I do know for absolute certain is woefully inadequate. However, one thing I do know for certain is prayer is powerful and it works. When it doesn’t there are reasons why. If we understand those reasons, it helps us to pray more effectively and stay faithful in prayer (Romans 12:12). Following are four reasons for unanswered or slowly answered prayer: 

Freewill-

Nothing tempts us towards spiritual frustration more than praying and fasting for someone we love and then watching them do the exact opposite of what we have been praying they would do. It’s maddening.  Our frustration is often magnified by the fact that when we pray for people, we are most often praying for their salvation, maturity or moral transformation. We KNOW God wants people to be saved and come to a knowledge of truth (Romans 10:13, 1st Timothy 2:1-4, John 3:16). We also know God wants people to live wisely. Idiocy is not God’s will for anyone (Proverbs 8:33, Proverbs 19:20). The number one reason prayers don’t always get answered is because God will not normally overrule the freewill of a human being (Deuteronomy 30:19-20, Ezekial 18: 30-32, Revelation 3:20, Galatians 5:13).  God will allow people to be stupid, refuse God and hurt themselves if that’s what they want to do (Proverbs 12:1, Ecclesiastes 10:3). Unanswered prayers related to salvation are often a clue we should change the direction of our prayers and ask God to bring situations into the person’s life that will cause them to want to seek the Lord. When someone seeks God, they find Him (Jeremiah 29:13) However, sometimes it takes a little hardship to get people there. Once we pray that hard prayer, we must choose to trust Jesus even if our loved one experiences pain or difficulty.

Demonic interference- 

One of the strangest and most enlightening passages concerning unanswered prayer and spiritual warfare is found in the book of Daniel (Daniel 10:1-15). Daniel had been given a series of visions concerning future events then all of a sudden there was radio silence, zero communication from God, so Daniel (in true Daniel fashion) prays harder and enlists some friends to pray with him. In chapter ten an angel (Gabriel) appears to Daniel. The angel tells Daniel in no uncertain terms he is “treasured” by God and that his prayer had been heard and answered immediately. He then explains that the answer was hindered by some sort of extreme demonic interference (verses 12—13). The whole passage is admittedly a bit weird but it along with Ephesians 6:10-18 does help us understand that there is unseen spiritual realm that impacts our world especially where prayer is concerned. 

It’s not time- 

A couple of years ago I had a conversation with a woman and her mother. The woman had severed ties with her parents (her dad was a pastor) as a young adult. For the next THIRTY years she lived as a lesbian, she proceeded to willfully disregard every truth she had been taught as a child. In 2020 she contracted Covid and believed she was going to die. She knew that if she died, she would go to hell. In that moment of realization, she cried out to Jesus and promised Him that if she lived, she would change. She did live and she changed everything. Within a week she divorced her “wife”, gave up some sinful habits, got back into church and reconnected with her parents. Her journey to wholeness and Jesus was a long one (admittedly due to her own stubbornness) but God was faithful in His timing to answer the prayers of her parents and their church community. Would her transformation have been as dramatic and decisive without those prayers? We will never know. But I do know that sometimes God’s immediate answer to prayer “is keep praying”. Then in due time He does things we never believed could happen (Ephesians 3:20-21). 

And finally, 

Sometimes the answer is “no”- 

God knows more than we can ever imagine knowing, as a result He sometimes says “no” to things we think He should He should say “yes”. to In those moments when it looks like the answer is “no” our job is to trust that God really does know more than we do. In those moments we must keep our hearts soft and continue to pray because we never know if the “no” is a “no” or God telling us to wait a little longer and pray a little harder (Luke 18:1-6). 

Growing the Heart of a Spiritual Hero-

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For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield- Psalm 5:12 NKJV

The book of Matthew is getting a lot of read time in my life right now. It is the gospel I chose to read in preparation for Resurrection Sunday (Lent). It is also the book my small group is studying together. 

That’s a lot of Matthew. 

 Reading through Matthew repeatedly and studying it with friends has allowed me to see some things I had never paid much attention to before, like the incredibly diverse list of men and women in the genealogy (Matthew 1:1-17). There are Jews and gentiles, some good guys (and gals), bad guys (and gals), some people no one has ever heard of and some people everyone has heard of.  Matthew’s genealogy proves Jesus came for everyone and everyone needs Jesus (Romans 3:23-24, John 3:16). 

This most recent trip through Matthew has also caused me to think deeply about some parts of the story I have never really thought much about, like Joseph. He’s kind of the unsung hero of the New Testament. Joseph was everything we should all hope to be. He did some truly hard things without complaining and sacrificed more than almost anyone for the cause of Christ. He was also willing to obey God even when it made little (no) sense to do so. Even so, there is not a single song written about Joseph, nor are there (to my knowledge) any books written about him. He was an ordinary guy, with little social standing or formal theological training but he’s the primary reason Jesus survived infancy. Joseph was just an ordinary guy who did a bunch of extraordinary things with little recognition or hoop-la. His story teaches us that any of us can do extraordinary things if we cultivate the right heart. His right heart included the following:   

Joseph showed love and care for someone who (appeared to have) wronged him badly-

In a world where virtually all unbelievers and even many Christians feel it’s justified to retaliate against someone who has done them wrong (Matthew 18:21-35, Romans 12:19), Joseph stands out for choosing the high road when he (mistakenly) thought Mary had cheated on him. No one in his world would have thought less of him for publicly disgracing Mary for sleeping with another man. In fact, many people would have cheered him on and thought more of him for calling out her “sin” in a public manner.  However, the God of the universe deemed Joseph “a righteous man” for wishing to protect a woman he had every reason to believe had wronged him.  It says a lot about God’s heart towards those those who choose discretion and kindness over truth practiced with a hard edge.  

Joseph knew God enough to know when He was speaking- 

One of the most extraordinary things about Joseph is he knew when God was speaking (Hebrews 12:25, John 10:27). He never got confused.  He never wondered if a dream was really from God or the result of too much food the night before. He just knew. That kind of understanding only comes from proximity. Joseph spent enough time with God to know when God was communicating a message. Anyone can do the same. 

Joseph obeyed-  

Obedience is probably Joseph’s number one claim to fame and the source of his greatness. When God told Joseph to take Mary as his wife, he did it. When God told Joseph to take Jesus and Mary to Egypt, he did it. When God told Joseph to go back to Isreal, he did it. He obeyed every time, no questions asked, no arguments and no foot dragging. God is clear: He loves obedience more than He loves sacrifice and great works done in His name (Acts 5:22, 1st Samuel 15:22, 1st John 5:1-3). Cultivating a heart of obedience is relatively simple but far from easy. The key is to obey all the time. If we obey when it’s easy (small things) when the hard stuff (big things) comes up, obedience will feel more like muscle memory than a big painful production.  (Romans 2:13). A life obedience is not easy this side of heaven, but it does bring all sorts of blessing in the next life (James 1:12, Matthew 16:27, Deuteronomy 28:1-2).

Joseph was willing to take on shame that was not his to protect another- 

Joseph was a righteous man not just by God’s standards but also by the standards of man in his time (Micah 6:8, Matthew 1:19). Mary was not. As a young woman pregnant before her marriage become official, she was an object of shame and likely even ridicule in her community.  By choosing to take Mary as his wife Joseph took on her shame as his own. He chose to stand with someone who did nothing but dimmish his reputation and standing in the community. It’s a reminder that God’s people are called to stand with the weak, poor, unpopular and unlovely even when there is no obvious benefit in doing so (Proverbs 14:31, Luke 14:13, James 2:1-6).  

Joseph shows us how to be a spiritual hero. 

His life teaches us God sees the things that no one else sees and rewards righteousness done in secret. In this life Joseph was the furthest thing from a big deal a person can get, although I have a feeling that he will be the biggest of deals in the next (Matthew 19:29-30). May we all be so forward thinking in our actions and attitudes. 

Solving the Worry Problem-

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If I say, “My foot slips”, Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up.In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul- Psalm 94:18-20 NKJV

Worry. 

We all do it. 

Just about every human on earth worries about the past, the future, their careers, their finances, their kids, their marriages, their health and the health of the people they love. Christians worry about the same stuff everyone else worries about. The biggest difference between Christians and non-Christians when it comes to worry is Christians feel guilty when they worry and most non-Christians simply see it as a problem to be medicated into extinction. As a result, worry and anxiety has become big business. In 2007 America spent eighteen billion dollars to medicate anxiety disorders in the United States.  That number does not include what was spent on counseling or herbal supplements used to treat anxiety and worry. 

That’s a lot of worry and a big old pile of money. 

The two questions Christians ought to ask themselves are: 

Is worry a sin? 

And 

What do I do about worry? 

Many Christians believe it is a sin to worry. Team “worry is a sin” believes there are verses that prove Jesus explicitly forbid worry (Luke 12:22-25, 1st Peter 5:7). They also believe His apostles reiterated His teaching in their letters. Team “worry is a sin” also believes any concern expressed over anything is worry and consequently is a sin. Ironically these teachings generate a lot of worry for a lot of folks.

I do not encourage Christians to worry (more on this later). That said, I am a member of team “worry is not a sin” for a couple of reasons. First, there are zero verses that explicitly state worry is a sin.  Furthermore, worry and anxiety do not appear on any of the “sin lists” in the Bible (Romans 1:18-32, 1st Corinthians 6:9-11, Galatians 5:19-21, 1st Timothy 1:8). Most significantly, Jesus’ teachings on worry seems to show deep concern for the wellbeing of the worrier (Matthew 6:25-26). Nowhere does Jesus indicate that worriers are sinning or in spiritual danger due to their anxiety (Hebrews 4:15). It’s also true the Bible makes a distinction between worry and appropriate concern. The apostles did not worry their heads off about anything. However, many of them expressed deep concern over issues in their letters, including false teachers (Acts 20, 2nd Peter 2:1, Jude), bad doctrine (1st Timothy 1:3, Hebrews 13:9, 1st John 4:1, 2nd Timothy 4:3) and sinful people impacting the church negatively (2nd Timothy 3:1-5, 1st Corinthians 5:1-12). There is nothing wrong with showing appropriate concern if your child is running in front of a car or you are being chased by a bear. Nonetheless, it is neurotic and unhealthy to lay around and worry about such things if they aren’t happening.  

That being said.

Just because something is not a sin doesn’t mean it’s beneficial (1st Corinthians 10:23).  To the contrary, Jesus’ teaching in Luke twelve makes it clear that worry is pointless and changes nothing.  So, what do we do about worry? In a broken and fallen world there is no end of things to worry about. However, there are some things we can do that will help us deal with worry appropriately. All of these (if done consistently) will have a bonus consequence of drawing us into closer relationship with Jesus.  

Be proactive about inviting God into the problem-solving process- 

I am convinced that this life is simply a training ground for whatever God has for believers in the next life (Matthew 25:1-29). This means our problems are more than just annoyances or things to get worked up over. They are opportunities to learn and grow into better people so that we are ready for the responsibilities of the next life. This means that problem solving is not running ahead of God (as some say). Instead, problem solving is an opportunity to grow as people learn from God and develop a skillset that will benefit us in this life and the next one. But in order for that to happen we have to invite God into every issue of life through prayer and be willing to let His spirit lead us to problem solve effectively. 

Make a daily practice of remembering the goodness of God-

Sometimes, we worry simply because we have forgotten all the ways and times God has rescued us, provided for us or protected us in the past. Making a practice of remembering how God has come through for us in the past is the best way to prevent the spiritual amnesia that leads to pointless, soul-sucking worry (Psalm 77:11, Deuteronomy 4:12, Psalm 103:2). 

Be intentional about putting the rest in God’s hands-

 I do not think worry is a sin. That said I do think a yearning to be in complete control of everything is (Proverbs 19:21, Psalm 37:4-6). Conquering worry begins with accepting the reality that control is elusive (impossible) in a fallen world. We must also acknowledge that much of our anxiety is related to our fear of loss of control (Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 118:6). It is simply a fact that there will always be things in life that are worrying and even intimidating. Our job as Christians is not to pretend everything is fine when it isn’t. Instead, God wants us to take our worries and fears to Him in prayer until those fears transform into child-like trust and love (Galatians 5:25). 

Three Game Changing Commitments for the New Year-

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This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year for you- Exodus 12:2 NASB 

I tend to be a bit of a curmudgeon when it comes to the New Year, although this was not always the case.  As a child I was fascinated by the whole concept of the New Year.  The notion of getting of a brand-spanking-new-year complete with an opportunity to self-improve felt like a gift to my immature brain. Young Lisa would daydream endlessly about becoming a better person in the new year and swear off all of her bad habits.  These dreams tended to lack any real strategy. Young Lisa did not yet know hope is not a replacement for strategy and hard work.   As a result, young Lisa’s high hopes for a better version of herself would typically be dashed no later than mid-February, when her resolutions to eat less sugar and be nicer would fall to pieces in a frenzied fit of cookie eating after yelling at one of her brothers. 

As a young pre-Christian adult all the New Years hullabaloo felt like a societal construct designed to shame people into doing things they should do all the time, not just at the new year. New Years eve also felt like a weird excuse to overindulge one last time before dealing with the results of all the overindulging that was done in November and December. After becoming a Christian, I found myself frequently annoyed by those who I (secretly) felt over over-spiritualized the new year with “words from the Lord” and Christianized versions of New Year’s resolutions. I also felt a lot of shame over my judgmental spirit. 

Sigh.

All that to say New Years themed posts have never really been my thing. The few I have written I don’t like very much, and if the number of reads they received are any indication, neither does anyone else. Nevertheless, this year I feel inspired to set my curmudgeonly ways aside and try again.  My inspiration is taken from Exodus 12:1-12 where God gives His people parameters for the Passover feast. The instructions given (if followed) would save every first-born in the land from certain death. The Passover feast was more than just a set of instructions regarding a particular situation. Nor was it just a celebration of God’s power or commemoration of a miracle. Passover was also intended to be the start of the New Year for the Israelite people (Exodus 12:2). Imbedded in God’s commands for the Passover are some incredibly useful guidelines that if put into practice become a real gamechanger for any new year. Those guidelines include:

Making a daily commitment to doing life God’s way – 

God’s instructions in Exodus 12 are insanely specific. Nothing was left to chance, nor was there a lot of wiggle room for interpretation.  Everything from the choice of the entrée to what they were supposed to wear while eating the meal were commanded by God. This indicates to me that the life of faith is not meant to be a DIY affair (Leviticus 18:4, Deuteronomy 7:11-12, Matthew 16:24, John 14:23-24). There was only one way to observe the feast of Passover. There’s only one way to get right with God (John 14:6, Acts 4:12, 1st Timothy 2:5) and there is only one way to live a life of faith (Matthew 7:13-14). One very practical way we can commit to doing life God’s way daily is taking passages such as Romans 12, Colossians 3 and 2nd Peter 1:3-11 and make them our blueprint for day-to-day living. 

Make Christian community a priority-

Exodus twelve teaches that the life of faith is meant to be done together, rather than solo. No one was allowed to celebrate the Passover alone. Every family was to check in on the other families around them to make sure that everyone was with someone during the Passover celebration. This is (in my opinion) an indicator into exactly how important community is to those who wish to follow Jesus.  When we have close relationships with other Christians we are protected from false teachings because most false teachers tend to do their most damaging work secretly one-on-one with newer and weaker believers (2nd Peter 2:1). Community also safeguards believers from discouragement (2nd Corinthians 13:11, 1st Thessalonians 5:11, Hebrews 3:12-14, Hebrews 10:24-26). It also ensures our views are challenged in a way that can only make us better and wiser (Proverbs 27:17). It is no surprise that the greatest growth in the early church occurred when the church made relationship and community a very high priority (Acts 2:42-47). 

And finally, 

Make a commitment to be ready for whatever God brings along- 

The Passover was to be eaten fully clothed and in a state of readiness (Exodus 12:11). No one was to be barefoot or beltless. The idea was that everyone should be ready to hit the road the second God commanded it. Therefore, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that Jesus frequently warned His followers of the dangers of not being ready to do His will or for His return (Matthew 24:44, Luke 12:35). God promises blessing and favor for those who choose to be ready to do His will no matter the season (Psalm 119:173, 1st Peter 1:3-6, Revelation 19:7). Therefore, there is no better commitment we can make all year long than to be ready and willing to do whatever it is God is calling us to do at a moment’s notice.

Four Strategies for Being the Light of Christ in “Terrible” Times-

Lisa M. Price1 Comment

Arise, shine; for your light has come, And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth And deep darkness the peoples; But the Lord will rise upon you And His glory will appear upon you- Isaiah 60:1-2 NASB

We live in terrible times. 

We just do. I am not being excessively dramatic, just stating an obvious fact. I will not belabor my point with a bunch of examples of how bad things have gotten, although I would have no problem doing so. Instead, I will point you towards 2nd Timothy 3:1-5. It’s pretty much where the whole stupid world is living right now. Paul’s words read like a brutally honest review of the social media page “Am I the A**hole?” or really any other social media page anywhere. 

It says:  

 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,  traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! NKJV

None of this comes as a surprise to God (Psalm 139:4, Isaiah 40:20, Hebrews 4:13).

God saw this whole messy muddle coming (we just read the prophesy). God also knew exactly how hard and discouraging it would be for His people to live in this period of human history (Galatians 6:9).  Knowing our current situation was ordained by the Almighty begs a critical question: 

What does God expect from His people in terrible times? 

Truth-be-told God doesn’t ask a whole lot those who live in terrible times (or any time for that matter). He doesn’t ask us to change the world. Nor does He want us to hide from the world and exist in a bubble surrounded only by church people. He for sure does not want us to live in a La La land where we pretend everything is great when it isn’t. All God really wants us to do is find ways to shine in the darkness (Isaiah 60:1-3, Matthew 5:16, Philippians 2:15). 

That’s it. 

We are to shine the light of Christ in the darkness of our times. That’s it.  We are not called to change anything in our own power. He just wants us to shine His light in all the dark places; He’ll do the rest. We do that our part by 

Refusing to complain or grumble- 

We become a light that shines in dark places when we cultivate a heart attitude that glorifies God and wins people to team Jesus (2nd Chronicles 7:14, Proverbs 4:23, Mark 11:25, James 4:6-7). It’s simply a fact that no one in the history of forever has glorified God or won anyone to Jesus with grumbling, complaining or faultfinding (Philippians 2:12-15). It just doesn’t happen. We must do what God has called us to do (serve others, love others, provide for human needs) with a spirit of joy and love. This is not always easy, and it certainly doesn’t come naturally to anyone.  In order to obey this command, we must choose to walk in the Spirit at all times and in all situations (Galatians 5:13-16). The Holy Spirit gives us all the power we need to live a life of joy in a hard world. 

Loving the jerks anyway- 

All people are sinners (Romans 3:23). As a result, no one is really worthy of God’s love and grace. Nonetheless, God chooses to love people anyway, regardless of whether or not they are worthy of His love (John 3:16, Romans 5:8, 1st John 3:1). Christians are called to be like God (Matthew 5:48). This means loving unlovable people (jerks) is a big part of our assignment as Christians. It is not easy to love an unlovable person; it helps to remember that from a biblical perspective love is less of a feeling and more of a decision. God wants us to show love to people whether we feel loving or not (1st Corinthians 13). Thankfully, God rewards obedience. Therefore, loving feelings almost always follow the choice to behave in a loving manner. 

Choosing holiness in a world that just doesn’t get it- 

Christians are called to be holy (1st Peter 1:15-16, Hebrews 12:14). Holiness can be defined as: being set apart from sin, walking in truth, adopting right behavior and choosing moral goodness (2nd Corinthians 7:1, Ephesians 4:24, 2nd Peter 1:3-11). Choosing to be holy is a challenge in a world that truly believes such things are only for nubs and fools. Nonetheless, when we choose holiness, we purify ourselves, grow in our knowledge of God and point dying people to a holy God that loves them.

And finally, 

We must understand what we’re dealing with in these times-

The times we live in are not terrible because the average Joe or Jane just woke up one day and decided terribleness is where it’s at.  Our times are terrible because we are nearing the end of all things (Daniel 12, Matthew 24, 2ndPeter 3:3). This means that people (unsaved and saved) are literally taking their cues on how to live from demonic teaching (1st Timothy 4:1). People are being told by social media, self-help books and even some clergy and counselors that contempt, hate, estrangement and hostility are all forms of self-care that lead to peace, freedom and personal happiness. The behavior we see is just an ugly byproduct of spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:10-18). Christians cannot make a real difference using the weapons of this world (hate, estrangement, hostility, division). We shine in the darkness when we use the weapons of heaven: love, grace, kindness, holiness and truth. 

What does the Book of Exodus Teach us about Spiritual Warfare in Real Life?

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Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed- 1st Peter 4:11-13 ESV

I recently started reading through the book of Exodus with a friend. It’s been a minute (as the kids say) since I read Exodus and whenever I reread a book I haven’t read in a while God reveals some new insights. So far, its chapters four and five that have captured my attention. 

In chapter three God introduces Himself to Moses by means of a bush that is on fire but does not burn up (weird). God then promised Moses that the Hebrew people would be liberated after four hundred years of slavery and suffering in Egypt. The whole chapter is (for the most part) pretty upbeat and positive. God does indicate there will a few hiccups along the way (Exodus 3:19-21). Even with those caveats God’s promises to Moses are awesome. The Hebrews will leave Egypt; God will give them a land flowing with “milk and honey “and they will collect great riches as they leave Egypt (Exodus 3:21-22).   

It’s all good.

In chapter four God begins to reveal His plan to Moses.  It all starts with requesting Pharaoh allow the Hebrews to go into the desert to worship God.  God does mention something (almost in passing) about hardening Pharaoh’s heart. Turns out this was a critical bit of information.  

In chapter five everything appears to go sideways. Moses goes to Pharoh. Who was not at all inclined to dismiss his workforce even for a church service (Exodus 5:1-5). Then Pharaoh fights dirty. He accused the Hebrews of laziness and having too much time on their hands. He increased his demands, now insisting the slaves provide their own straw for the bricks, adding more labor to an already labor-intensive process. The Hebrews did not handle this initial hardship well. They grumbled and complained and even accused poor Moses of deliberately trying to ruin their lives (Exodus 5:20-21).

It’s kind of an unpleasant read.

Mostly because these two chapters are more than just biblical history, they are also an example of what spiritual warfare often “looks like” in real life (2nd Corinthians 10:3-5, Ephesians 6:10-18, James 4:7, 1st Peter 5:8, Daniel 10:12-14). There are at least two principals regarding spiritual warfare we can glean from these chapters:

When the spiritual stakes are high obedience doesn’t always mean immediate victory-  

In this narrative Moses obeys God to the letter: he goes to the people, and in the beginning, the people believed Moses and responded in a faithful fashion (Exodus 4:31). Then everything went south. Pharah was disrespectful, spiteful and just plain mean. The people’s faith fell apart in short order. Once their faith began to unravel, they turned on Moses and accused Him of intentionally causing them harm. Moses responded to this development the same way many people tend to respond to difficulty following an act of spiritual obedience. He doubted God and even accused Him of wrongdoing (Exodus 5:22-23). Moses forgot (just like we tend to) that we are playing a spiritual long game. The rewards for obedience in this life are seldom immediate and in some cases obedience to God results an even tougher time in the short run. When evil rages and the going gets tough we must cling to the promises of God and choose to live by faith rather than sight (Habakuk 2:3, Psalm 37:5-6, Ecclesiastes 3:11, Romans 8:28-39, Hebrews 11). 

When the spiritual stakes are high things get ugly fast- 

The people involved in this story (even Moses) did not really understand what was at stake in their situation. God wasn’t just keeping a promise He made to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3, Genesis 15:13-14). God was doing more than showing compassion to a group of people who were being oppressed. He was doing more than building a new nation. God had a bigger picture in mind than any of that. God was literally laying the foundation for the redemption of the human race (Genesis 3:15, Romans 8:2, Revelation 1:5). God had promised the Messiah would come through the nation of Israel (Genesis 18:17-19, Genesis 22:17-18, Genesis 49:10). No nation of Israel means no Jesus. No Jesus means no redemption. Therefore, the spiritual stakes could not have been ANY higher.  When the spiritual stakes are high the enemy of our souls (Satan) fights hard and dirty.  It was true then and it’s still true today. This means that if you are “going through it” right now there is probably more at stake from a spiritual perspective than you are capable of understanding. When Satan fights hard and dirty it simply means God has a bigger plan for everyone involved. 

 This matters because I believe that the number one reason people give up on God and the Christian life is disillusionment. We obey God, pray like crazy and trust God for big things and everything falls apart. Life gets tougher and our trials become more intense. Then the enemy swoops in and tells us God doesn’t love us (Zephaniah 3:17, John 3:16, Romans 8:37-39). Satan whispers in our ear that God is not on our side and the Christian life is just a pointless waste of time. All lies (John 8:44). Truth-be-told, the harder things get from a spiritual perspective the more likely we are to be in the will of God. Spiritual difficulty may also indicate we are closer to Jesus’ return and our redemption than any of us can imagine (Luke 21:1-28). 

What Does Trusting God “Look Like”?

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The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you- Psalm 9:9-10 ESV

Life is full of struggles, events and trials no one (Christian or non-Christian) really understands. 

Kids get sick. Politicians lie. Leaders scheme and mislead. Disasters strike out of nowhere, sometimes wiping away a lifetime of diligence. Friends betray friends. Good people die before we think it’s time. People we thought were decent behave in ways that cause us immeasurable hurt and pain. Children who were raised right sometimes go terribly wrong. Spouses who swore before God to be faithful and true “till death do us part” sometimes don’t. 

This gloomy list could go on forever but I will spare you. 

For Christians all these things (and hundreds of others) are more than a long list of things that vex us or stuff that tempts us towards bitterness (Ephesians 4:31, Hebrews 12:15). All of these things (and hundreds of others) are just an opportunity to trust God with things we don’t understand (Proverbs 3:5-6, Jeremiah 17:7-8, Psalm 37:4-6). 

Most folks tend to think of trusting God as a passive undertaking where we do nothing and God does everything, it’s not. Trusting God is more than just sitting back and patiently waiting for God to transform our mess into a message. Trusting God is an active process. Trusting God is a verb not a noun. There are things we can do that both prove we trust God and cause us to trust God. When we choose to trust God with things we don’t understand, we grow as believers. Our faith is proven genuine and our ability to love God and people is expanded (Hebrews 11, 1st Peter 1:3-9, James 1:2-4). All good things. 

All this begs the question: what does trusting God look like? 

Trusting God is more than a commitment. It’s a series of choices we make every day. The tougher the times the harder it is to make those choices. Some of those choices include: 

Choosing the path of transformation and growth-  

The whole aim of the Christian life is to be transformed into the image of Jesus (Romans 12:1-21, 2nd Corinthians 3:18, Colossians 3:1-25, 2nd Peter 1:3-11). This is a process, never a one and done. Transformation is lifelong journey where we cooperate with the Holy Spirit to take off our “old sinful self” (Romans 6:6, Colossians 3:9, Ephesians 4:22) and “put on” new attitudes and behaviors pleasing to God.  Over time with the help of the Holy Spirit, we are transformed into person who looks, thinks and acts more like Jesus (2nd Corinthians 5:17, Philippians 2:12). Anytime we experience hardship or difficulty we are also tempted (sometimes subconsciously) to put the transformation process on hold and essentially stop growing spiritually. Actively trusting God means we choose to pursue holiness and growth in spite of the things we do not understand. 

Choosing forgiveness and letting God deal with people however He sees fit-  

 One of the most basic (but critical) ways we trust God is to give up our right to seek revenge and /or harbor anger and bitterness towards those who have hurt us. It doesn’t matter if they did what they did on purpose or accident. Nor does it matter if they are sorry for what they did. Trusting God means we believe that God will deal with the people who have hurt us in whatever way is most appropriate, when the timing is just right (Matthew 6:14-15, Romans 12:19).

Trusting God means serving God and others even when we feel like retreating- 

Hurt, pain and betrayal can cause us to shutdown emotionally and retreat from living life to the fullest (John 10:10). Trusting God means we continue to live life running full steam ahead serving God and people both inside and outside our local churches no matter how we feel at the moment (Romans 12:10, Ephesians 6:7-8, 1st Peter 4:10-11). 

Continuing to grow in grace-

Trusting God means that we never allow the tough, ugly stuff of life to make us hard, suspicious and/or callous towards people. Trusting God means we choose to grow in grace. Growing in grace means we do our level best to become kinder, wiser, gentler and more loving in spite of the difficulties we encounter along the journey (Proverbs 1:5, Proverbs 4:18, 1st Peter 2:2, 2nd Peter 3:18, Colossians 1:10). 

Never allowing our brokenness to become our identity- 

For Christians the hurt, pain and trauma we experience in this life is not our identity (Psalm 139:14, John 1:12, Ephesians 2:10). If we are followers of Jesus, we are NOT the sum-total of our most traumatic experiences (Ephesians 4:22-24, Galatians 4:6-7). We are not our worst mistakes. Nor our we our darkest moment. We are children of the King. We were created to be over comers and lights who shine in a dark world (Matthew 5:14, Philippians 2:14-16). Trusting God means we choose to live out our God-given identify of wholeness rather than an identity of brokenness and pain.

None of these things are easy. In fact, all of them are impossible when we try and do them in our own power. The only way to trust God fully with things we do not understand is to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit (John 14:26).  He gives us the spiritual power we need to trust God with the things we don’t understand.  

Becoming a Difference Maker-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds- James 2:17b-18

The very first thing the Bible says about human beings is that we are made in the image of God (1:26-27). This rudimentary theological fact manifests itself in a profound longing to create beauty, build, discover, reproduce and conquer the unknown and unconquered. This universal desire is real-world evidence of the image of God being played out in the lives of ALL people. It does not matter if a person chooses to acknowledge God or not. God’s image is still in them and so are all the aspirations and longings that go along with it. 

All people want to make a mark on this world. 

For those who do not know God this desire is most often revealed in a desire to make money, control events or rule over others and make oneself known (famous). For those who are born again (John 3:1-15) the longing to make a mark on this world should shift into a desire to make God known. If a Christian is correctly discipled, they will, over time, become more God-centered than self-centered (Matthew 28:19-20, 1st Peter 2:9). Therefore, a mature and growing Christian does not want to make a mark on the world simply for their own gain or recognition. A growing Christian wants to make a mark on this world for the good of other people and the glory of God (Matthew 28:16-20). For believers in Jesus good works or making a difference in this world is not optional, nor is it legalism. It is literally what were saved for (Matthew 5:13-16, Ephesians 2:8-10, James 2:17-18). Too often, Christians become discouraged from making their own mark on the world for Jesus because they see the notoriety of “famous Christians” like a Charlie Kirk or Billy Graham and think their contribution to the body of Christ will never have a huge impact, so it’s pointless to try. This is a lie straight from the pit of hell, intended to keep Christians focused on the earthly rather than the eternal.  Every believer was designed by God to reveal God to the world through good works they do in their day-to-day lives. 

The story of Tabithia (Dorcas) is found in Acts 9:36-41. She is the ultimate example of an “average” Christian who became a difference maker by taking her gifts, talents and abilities and using them for the good of others and the glory of God. Tabithia was a woman known throughout her church and community for caring for the needs of others. She was a seamstress who made clothing for the poor in her community (a very big deal back in the day). Presumably, she didn’t just make clothing she also told others about Jesus as she provided for their needs.  Tabithia made such a huge difference in the lives of the people in her community that her death created a huge void in the church and a bit of a crisis in the greater community. So much so, that some of the men in the church went to great lengths to find the apostle Peter in hopes that he could raise her from the dead so that she could continue her ministry. We become that kind of a difference maker by doing the following: 

Make a regular habit of seeking the Lord- 

When we seek God with all of hearts through prayer, Bible study and deep reflection on our Bible study, God reveals Himself to us in very real ways (Jeremiah 29:13, Psalm 105:4, Isaiah 58:2).  The more we know God and the deeper our personal experiences go with God the more spiritual power we will have to make Him known. When we know God intimately, we naturally become good representatives and ambassadors of God in a world that desperately needs a clear vision of God (2nd Corinthians 5:20). 

Find your gift and use it- 

Every Christian has at least one spiritual gift as well as some natural talents (1st Corinthians 12:4-11, Ephesians 4:7-8). Find your gift then ask God to show you how to use it to reach the maximum number of people.  

Figure out what needs to be done and do it-

There is no end to the things that need to be done inside the four walls of the local church. Many of the things that need to be done are not glamorous. However, when they get done God is honored and people are changed. There are people who need to be greeted, coffee that needs to be brewed, meals that need to be made, worship that needs to be led and children that need to be taught the word of God.  By choosing to serve in whatever way is needed in your local church you will glorify God and be used to bring about spiritual transformation in others (Romans 12). 

Don’t pursue followers-

Sadly, in our world many Christians decline to do what they can for the kingdom because they want to do something people will notice and get excited about. Truth-be-told other Christians may or may not notice or care about your contribution, but God will. God sees everything and rewards those who diligently serve Him (Matthew 6:13, Matthew 25:21, Revelation 22:12).

And finally,

It’s critical we remember that the things we do in our own power and strength will amount to very little in this world (1st Corinthians 3:10-15). It’s only things we do out of the overflow of our relationship with God that result in transformation. If you make a practice of seeking God and His righteousness first, the difference making is sure to follow (Matthew 6:33). 

The Biblical Blueprint for Surviving a Painful Personal Betrayal-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

Keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.  Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer- Romans 12:11b-12 NASB

Hurt and betrayal happen in this life.

Both are the sad but predictable outcome of living life in a fallen world (Genesis 3:16-19, Romans 5:12, John 16:33). 

Perhaps the most crushing hurt is the kind that occurs due to a personal betrayal. A personal betrayal can be defined as an event where someone we love and/or trust to do right by us does us terribly wrong. Infidelity, meanness, a falling-out, slander, deception and breaking a confidence are all common forms of personal betrayal.

  The biblical patriarch Joseph (Genesis 37-48) is the biblical poster child for surviving a nightmarish personal betrayal. Among a bunch of other personal calamities Joseph’s own brothers sold him into slavery.  There is no rational justification for their behavior.  Joseph was young and a bit full of himself, but he didn’t do anything awful enough to warrant that kind of treatment.  His brothers were just jealous jerks who lacked impulse control and basic human decency. Joseph’s story is a tough one to read but it gives us with a blueprint for dealing with the pain of betrayal in way that makes space for God to do big things in us and the people around us. In order to survive a personal betrayal, we must:

Do what God puts in front of us to do- 

Joseph could have become an angry person; he had every reason to be. He could have allowed his hurt, anger and depression to harden into bitterness and hate (Hebrews 12:15). No one would have blamed him. He could have curled up in a ball (metaphorically speaking) and just kind of tapped out of life. That reaction would have made sense. He didn’t do any of those things. Instead, he did what God put in front of him to do and he did it all really well (Colossians 3:23).  By making that hard choice, he prevented all the above-mentioned issues, and he changed the course of human history. Most of us will not do anything as historically dramatic as Joseph did. However, we will avoid bitterness, hate and depression if we choose to invest in our relationships, look for the good and honor God in whatever work He gives us to do in the midst of a betrayal. 

Understand the nature of the situation- 

In a very real sense, every betrayal is deeply spiritual (Ephesians 6:10-12). God does not cause people to betray us (Romans 5:12, 1st John 1:5, James 1:13, Romans 8;28). That said, personal pain is one of those things God will use for our good (Genesis 50:20, Romans 8:28) and Satan wants to use for our destruction. In the aftershock of a personal betrayal the enemy will swoop in and whisper that God allowed this awful thing to happen because God doesn’t really see us or love us. The enemy will work overtime to get us to turn away from the only one who can truly give us the help and comfort we need in our deepest pain (2ndCorinthians 1:3-5).  When we understand the spiritual battle at the root of every betrayal it makes it easier to run towards God instead of away from Him (Psalm 17:6, Psalm 30:11). 

Choose to hold on to your integrity- 

Anytime we experience deep pain or loss it’s normal to want to give into fleshly responses like lust, unforgiveness and revenge. This can even morph into a feeling that we are somehow entitled to sin in whatever manner we choose. If we give into temptation our character will wither and nothing good or life-giving will come out of our trial (James 1:12).  Joseph understood this reality. When the opportunity to find consolation in illicit sex came his way, he ran (Genesis 39, 2nd Timothy 2:22). When he was forgotten by a man who owed him a huge favor, he overlooked the offense (Genesis 40, Proverbs 19:11). When he had the opportunity to extract revenge, he blessed those who sold him into slavery (Genesis 45, Romans 12:19). Choosing to hang onto our integrity in the darkest of times gives God space to bless us both in the middle of the mess as well as in the long-term (Genesis 39:19-23, Genesis 41).

Feel out opportunities for reconciliation when they arise- 

Not every betrayal will end in joyful reconciliation (Genesis 45). People don’t always change and as a result reconciliation is not always possible or even wise.  However, it is critical we do what Joseph did and feel out the opportunities for reconciliation when they present themselves, but we need to do it wisely. In what can only be described as a very weird series of events Joseph kept his identity secret and tested his brothers. He gave them a series of tests and then carefully scrutinized their behavior to see if they had changed enough to make reconciliation realistic and healthy (Genesis 42-44). Like it or not, forgiveness is a requirement in a betrayal (Matthew 6:15) reconciliation is not. That said, we are never more like God than when we forgive and then reconcile with people who have wronged us (Matthew 5:48). Therefore, it should almost always be considered. 

And finally, 

We must choose to allow God to work on us and in us in the midst of the betrayal. Betrayal is a given in this life. We live in a fallen world inhabited by sinners. That being said, we get to choose what comes out of us when we are betrayed. We can choose bitterness and hate, or we can choose to let God work in us and on us.  If we choose to let God mold us we will come out of it something beautiful the Father can and will use for His glory (Isaiah 61:3-4). 

How to tell if a Pastor or Christian Teacher has Gone off the Rails-

Lisa M. Price2 Comments

They are from the world, therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. The one who knows God listens to us; the one who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error- 1st John 4:5-6 NASB

Tuesday morning, I read an article about a once-wildly-popular Christian influencer who has gone completely of the rails. This woman claims to be a “big fan of Jesus” and yet she has ditched church, embraced LGBTQ-A ideology and has divorced her husband. She has proudly declared she is experiencing a “sexual renaissance” with a man she is not married to (1st Corinthians 5:9-11). She has also taken to peddling online educational courses. Her website promises that for $69.00 she will teach parents how to best “support” and “affirm” their LGBTQ-A children (Romans 1:18-32, 1st Corinthians 6:9-11).  Another of her courses promises to walk individuals through the process of spiritual deconstruction (becoming apostate).  (1st Timothy 4:1, 2ndThessalonians 1:1-3, Matthew 24:9-10).

Yikes.  

At the risk of coming off as a smarty-pants-know-it-all-I-told-you-so-jerk-face, I totally called this one. Back in January 2020 I wrote a post outlining some concerns I had regarding her theology and views on sexuality. It made me uneasy that conservative evangelicals (one in particular) were endorsing her ministry in spite of some clear indicators all was not well with her from a spiritual perspective.  

This whole messy muddle begs a question: 

How does one tell if a teacher or influencer is about to or has already gone off the rails from a biblical perspective? 

This matters.  There are all sorts of pastors, teachers and influencers with huge followings who are teaching things that bear no real resemblance to traditional biblical doctrine (Acts 20:29-30, Colossians 2:8, 1st Timothy 6:3-5, 2nd Timothy 4:3). Sadly, most of these teachers started out with fairly orthodox Christian views. Nonetheless, they all went off the rails. It’s critical we understand that apostasy does not happen overnight. It’s always a slow slide that typically begins with a teacher or pastor “evolving” on some key issues that make Christianity much more appealing to the average heathen. The evolution ends with a wild, celebratory promotion of every sinful practice popular in our world today. These teachers are, for the most part (in my opinion) unregenerate people who think they are saved (Matthew 7:15-23). Ultimately, ministry is attractive to them because it allows them a way to gain a following and make money (1st Timothy 6:5, 2nd Peter 2:1-3).  Unfortunately, these “teachers” take countless untaught people and those lacking discernment to hell with them. Thankfully, there are always clues teacher or influencer is either apostate or headed in that direction. Following are six indicators all is not well with a pastor, teacher or influencer: 

Their views on sexuality become increasingly more “progressive”-

One clear sign a teacher or influencer is veering from sound doctrine is the decision to embrace LBGTQ lifestyles and sex (gay or straight) outside of marriage. God has not changed His mind on what is or isn’t morally acceptable (Numbers 23:19, Hebrews 13:8, 1st Corinthians 6:9-11, 1st Corinthians 6:18, 1st Thessalonians 4:3-8). It is simply not our place to defy God on these issues. 

Unity is their rallying cry- 

Christian unity is something believers should strive for (Ephesians 4:1-3, Psalm 133:1). As long as they are unified around God and the truth of God’s word (John 17:23).  Teachers who are apostate or flirting with deconstruction tend to teach that unity itself is more important than being unified around God’s standard of truth. 

Psychology is as valid as the Bible-  

 Psychology is a tool.  If psychology is used wisely, it helps us understand the roots of our behavior. When we understand the roots of sinful patterns, that knowledge helps us (along with the Holy Spirit of course) to permanently repent of those sins (Matthew 3:8). Psychology goes bad when it is given the same (or higher) legitimacy that the Bible. Unfortunately, many Bible teachers and influencers disregard biblical mandates and wisdom in favor of psychology that contradicts or undermines biblical instruction.

The world loves them- 

If the secular world invites a Christian on a secular podcast there’s a better than decent chance they are NOT the real deal. Best case scenario, they are likely deliberately dodging some important but hard Christian teachings. People who are dying spiritually do not wish to hear truth (Jeremiah 6:10, Acts 7:52-58, 1st Corinthians 1:18, 2nd Corinthians 4:3-4). Therefore, with a few noteworthy exceptions authentic Bible teachers will not be given prominent secular platforms. 

Their view of God is basic- 

Those veering from sound doctrine love love. Their view of God can be boiled down to “God is love” with zero caveats or disclaimers. God is love (John 3:16, Romans 5:8, 1st Corinthians 13). However, God is also righteous, just and holy (Isaiah 6:3, 1st Peter 1:16, Romans 1:18, Romans 12:1). Any teaching that emphasizes God’s love without giving equal time to holiness is likely false teaching (Psalm 14:34, Isaiah 5:20, Ephesians 1:4-5, Galatians 6:7). 

And finally, 

They avoid the s-word.

Those veering from sound doctrine rarely talk about sin. When they do, sin is nearly always presented in terms of judging people or not showing love to others. There is very little (if any) talk of avoiding certain sins (sexual immorality, greed, jealousy, idolatry, hate, unforgiveness) or repenting of sin. If a pastor or influencer refuses to discuss a subject Jesus didn’t shy away from (Matthew 5:29-30, Luke 13:3-5) there’s a pretty good chance they don’t know Him.  

Spiritually speaking, these are dark times we live in. One key to surviving these times is discernment concerning who’s teaching we choose to follow.  If a teacher or influencer is loved by the world, avoids tough subjects or teaches that anything goes it is best to simply avoid them (1st Timothy 3:1-5). 

A quick note to parents who have children who identify as gay, lesbian or transgender: there are some amazing ministries who will support you and love you. These folks will show you how to love your child WITHOUT celebrating or affirming sin. Please message me if you want info.