Andy Bonikowsky's Blog, page 16
December 28, 2017
Those Prayers
He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. (1 Kings 19:4)
There are at least two reasons to pay close attention to Elijah’s prayer life. One is because God highlights it and the other is that it is actually quite remarkable!
Now many of us have memorized James’ phrase, “the effectual, fervent prayer...”, we have read books on it, and we have heard messages from it. But have we personally paid attention to it?
Let’s do that now, taking a few minutes to look back at Elijah’s prayer life.
Here are a few general observations that should catch our attention.
First, there is an array of kinds of prayer. Not a full array, but still a fairly broad one. There are private ones and public ones. There are peaceful ones and violent ones. There are ones for provision and others for destruction. Prayer then, is good for all areas of life.
In the second place, not all of his prayers were answered as he wanted. One, at least, appears to have been ignored. Or, if that’s too painful an answer, it was met with a “No”. He asked God to let him die, but no bolt of lightning came from heaven. Here there is a lesson too. God’s perspective was higher, much higher, than Elijah’s, and the overall picture reveals that His way was perfect for the situation.
And then, the one I find particularly interesting — the timing of the divine answers.
Why on earth does God sometimes answer immediately and at other times only after repeated prayers? Most of Elijah’s recorded prayers seem to have been answered right away, like for drought or fire; others distinctly were not. In fact, there is a specific emphasis made on how many times he had to pray and how odd the positions were. Three prayers were cried out as he stretched on top of the widow’s son; seven times he bowed his head between is knees before the rainstorm would come!
Again, why did the prophet have to go through all of this? What was going on?
Quite obviously, God was thinking way beyond what anyone else had in mind. He was setting up a timeless course on prayer, one that through the ages would never expire. And just in case, 900 years later, He would post a New Testament reminder (James 5:16-17) to make sure it didn’t get totally eclipsed by the various writings of prophets and disciples. These were prayer tips He wanted every successive generation of His children to learn. And what were some of them?
That God’s plan was the ultimate one, not Elijah’s.
That God’s goals were the priority, not Elijah’s.
That God’s timing was what mattered, not Elijah’s.
This last point is perhaps the one I most often need to remember. Are there not prayer requests that I have repeated to God many times? Maybe not three or seven times, but 300 or 7000 times. Do I not have burdens on my heart for which I have wondered, “Why, oh Lord? Why so long? Why do I have to keep asking for the same thing over and over again?”
And what about you? Are you satisfied with your prayer life — you never wonder, you never get impatient with God, you never quit?
Elijah’s experience is meant to make us think. The number of times we have to pray is, in a sense, irrelevant and so is the amount of time that goes by. For God, three minutes or seven weeks are simply components of a master plan, one that only He can see. The only thing that really matters is that God’s will is done and He is glorified.
Dear Father, you have called me to a life of faith. This not only involves prayer, but it many times means praying without knowing how things will unfold. Help me not only accept this, but embrace it with the peace that comes from knowing you have everything under control. Amen.
(JAM#166)
There are at least two reasons to pay close attention to Elijah’s prayer life. One is because God highlights it and the other is that it is actually quite remarkable!
Now many of us have memorized James’ phrase, “the effectual, fervent prayer...”, we have read books on it, and we have heard messages from it. But have we personally paid attention to it?
Let’s do that now, taking a few minutes to look back at Elijah’s prayer life.
Here are a few general observations that should catch our attention.
First, there is an array of kinds of prayer. Not a full array, but still a fairly broad one. There are private ones and public ones. There are peaceful ones and violent ones. There are ones for provision and others for destruction. Prayer then, is good for all areas of life.
In the second place, not all of his prayers were answered as he wanted. One, at least, appears to have been ignored. Or, if that’s too painful an answer, it was met with a “No”. He asked God to let him die, but no bolt of lightning came from heaven. Here there is a lesson too. God’s perspective was higher, much higher, than Elijah’s, and the overall picture reveals that His way was perfect for the situation.
And then, the one I find particularly interesting — the timing of the divine answers.
Why on earth does God sometimes answer immediately and at other times only after repeated prayers? Most of Elijah’s recorded prayers seem to have been answered right away, like for drought or fire; others distinctly were not. In fact, there is a specific emphasis made on how many times he had to pray and how odd the positions were. Three prayers were cried out as he stretched on top of the widow’s son; seven times he bowed his head between is knees before the rainstorm would come!
Again, why did the prophet have to go through all of this? What was going on?
Quite obviously, God was thinking way beyond what anyone else had in mind. He was setting up a timeless course on prayer, one that through the ages would never expire. And just in case, 900 years later, He would post a New Testament reminder (James 5:16-17) to make sure it didn’t get totally eclipsed by the various writings of prophets and disciples. These were prayer tips He wanted every successive generation of His children to learn. And what were some of them?
That God’s plan was the ultimate one, not Elijah’s.
That God’s goals were the priority, not Elijah’s.
That God’s timing was what mattered, not Elijah’s.
This last point is perhaps the one I most often need to remember. Are there not prayer requests that I have repeated to God many times? Maybe not three or seven times, but 300 or 7000 times. Do I not have burdens on my heart for which I have wondered, “Why, oh Lord? Why so long? Why do I have to keep asking for the same thing over and over again?”
And what about you? Are you satisfied with your prayer life — you never wonder, you never get impatient with God, you never quit?
Elijah’s experience is meant to make us think. The number of times we have to pray is, in a sense, irrelevant and so is the amount of time that goes by. For God, three minutes or seven weeks are simply components of a master plan, one that only He can see. The only thing that really matters is that God’s will is done and He is glorified.
Dear Father, you have called me to a life of faith. This not only involves prayer, but it many times means praying without knowing how things will unfold. Help me not only accept this, but embrace it with the peace that comes from knowing you have everything under control. Amen.
(JAM#166)
September 16, 2017
The Lord is MY shepherd
I do not read the Bible because others do, or don't.
I do not pray because others do, or don't.
I do not go to church because others do, or don't.
I do not witness for Jesus because others do, or don't.
I read, and pray, and go to church, and witness, because...
The Lord is MY shepherd!
Psalm 23:1
I do not pray because others do, or don't.
I do not go to church because others do, or don't.
I do not witness for Jesus because others do, or don't.
I read, and pray, and go to church, and witness, because...
The Lord is MY shepherd!
Psalm 23:1
September 14, 2017
The Eternal God and You
He knew everything about you; and still does, and always will.
He knows everything you are doing, have done, and will do.
He will always know everything you've done, are currently doing, or will do.
Isaiah 57:15
He knows everything you are doing, have done, and will do.
He will always know everything you've done, are currently doing, or will do.
Isaiah 57:15
September 12, 2017
What we would say if we knew how
Sometimes the goodness and grace of God is so . . .
That we have no adequate words to describe it.
Fortunately He knows our hearts and what we would say if we knew how.
That we have no adequate words to describe it.
Fortunately He knows our hearts and what we would say if we knew how.
September 7, 2017
Sin destroys. But God gives hope.
It destroys relationships, it crushes marriages, it alienates friends, it wipes off smiles, it saddens the eyes, it hurts congregations, it swallows up joy, it takes out families, it wreaks havoc on health, it robs peace, it mars the future, it kills harmony . . . it leaves an ugly mess.
But out of the blackest ashes God can make fresh, green life sprout up for His glory. That’s HOPE.
Romans 15:13
El pecado destruye. Dios da esperanza.
Destruye relaciones, machaca matrimonios, aleja amigos, borra las sonrisas, entristece los ojos, daña congregaciones, se traga el gozo, rompe familias, destroza la salud, roba la paz, estropea el futuro, aniquila la armonía . . . deja atrás un desastre.
Pero de las cenizas más oscuras Dios aun saca el maravilloso brote verde de la vida. Eso es ESPERANZA.
Romanos 15:13
But out of the blackest ashes God can make fresh, green life sprout up for His glory. That’s HOPE.
Romans 15:13
El pecado destruye. Dios da esperanza.
Destruye relaciones, machaca matrimonios, aleja amigos, borra las sonrisas, entristece los ojos, daña congregaciones, se traga el gozo, rompe familias, destroza la salud, roba la paz, estropea el futuro, aniquila la armonía . . . deja atrás un desastre.
Pero de las cenizas más oscuras Dios aun saca el maravilloso brote verde de la vida. Eso es ESPERANZA.
Romanos 15:13
Sin destroys. God gives hope.
It destroys relationships, it crushes marriages, it alienates friends, it wipes off smiles, it saddens the eyes, it hurts congregations, it swallows up joy, it takes out families, it wreaks havoc on health, it robs peace, it mars the future, it kills harmony . . . it leaves an ugly mess.
But out of the blackest ashes God can make fresh, green life sprout up for His glory. That’s HOPE.
Romans 15:13
El pecado destruye. Dios da esperanza.
Destruye relaciones, machaca matrimonios, aleja amigos, borra las sonrisas, entristece los ojos, daña congregaciones, se traga el gozo, rompe familias, destroza la salud, roba la paz, estropea el futuro, aniquila la armonía . . . deja atrás un desastre.
Pero de las cenizas más oscuras Dios aun saca el maravilloso brote verde de la vida. Eso es ESPERANZA.
Romanos 15:13
But out of the blackest ashes God can make fresh, green life sprout up for His glory. That’s HOPE.
Romans 15:13
El pecado destruye. Dios da esperanza.
Destruye relaciones, machaca matrimonios, aleja amigos, borra las sonrisas, entristece los ojos, daña congregaciones, se traga el gozo, rompe familias, destroza la salud, roba la paz, estropea el futuro, aniquila la armonía . . . deja atrás un desastre.
Pero de las cenizas más oscuras Dios aun saca el maravilloso brote verde de la vida. Eso es ESPERANZA.
Romanos 15:13
August 15, 2017
One at a time
The glorious will of God for you will happen as you keep adding one obedient day to another. (Matt 6:34)
August 8, 2017
Too random to be random
For a long time now I have enjoyed reading the Bible multiple times each year. One of the blessings that grows out of this exercise is the powerful collection of proof that comes together, proof of the eternal and infinite qualities of the Bible. One of the categories that springs out from the sacred pages is what we might call: Echoes of the Old Testament that ring in the New. These many different kinds of echoes are so randomly scattered across multiple books and authors that they cannot be ... random! They are irrefutable proof, straight from the mouth of God.
Just one example: The Lord Jesus in John 13 warns His disciples about Judas, the traitor. And in that warning, He says, "I'm telling you this before it happens, SO THAT YOU WILL BELIEVE."
This is not at all the first time God used this kind of argumentation.
700 years earlier, Isaiah attacked the very concept of false gods with exactly the same line of reasoning! In the end, there is no blinder person than he who does not want to see.
Fortunately for all of us, the Lord is the Master who opens the eyes of the blind...
(Isaiah 41:22-23) Let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen: let them shew the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come...Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together.
42:9, Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.
Just one example: The Lord Jesus in John 13 warns His disciples about Judas, the traitor. And in that warning, He says, "I'm telling you this before it happens, SO THAT YOU WILL BELIEVE."
This is not at all the first time God used this kind of argumentation.
700 years earlier, Isaiah attacked the very concept of false gods with exactly the same line of reasoning! In the end, there is no blinder person than he who does not want to see.
Fortunately for all of us, the Lord is the Master who opens the eyes of the blind...
(Isaiah 41:22-23) Let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen: let them shew the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come...Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together.
42:9, Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.
July 29, 2017
The Sun - What or Who?
As with everything God does, the closer you look at it, the more amazing it is--exactly the opposite is true of any man-made object.This is a NASA picture of flares and a coronal mass ejection on the sun--whatever that is!
Two very different questions come to the human mind when it thinks about the morning ball of fire that marks each day of life.
WHAT makes it happen so precisely, so systematically, so beautifully.
Or WHO...
Which question I end up trying to answer will become a determining factor in my eternal destiny.
Genesis 1:16
July 14, 2017
The Choice
Each of us today will make a decision between two ways to live.
BY SIGHT. We can live by sight, thinking and reasoning exclusively on the basis of the circumstances we see around us - family problems, church issues, financial challenges, health matters, etc... If we live only on this level we will always be bouncing back and forth, banged around by events that hit us from all sides, and life will be mostly sour.
BY FAITH. Or we can live by faith, understanding that reality is not only about what we see. In fact, what we see is the lesser factor. There is an invisible God who with infinite wisdom governs every detail of our life and of everyone else on the planet. Living with this perspective will bring peace and joy and hope.
THE CHOICE IS OURS
2 Corinthians 5:7
BY SIGHT. We can live by sight, thinking and reasoning exclusively on the basis of the circumstances we see around us - family problems, church issues, financial challenges, health matters, etc... If we live only on this level we will always be bouncing back and forth, banged around by events that hit us from all sides, and life will be mostly sour.
BY FAITH. Or we can live by faith, understanding that reality is not only about what we see. In fact, what we see is the lesser factor. There is an invisible God who with infinite wisdom governs every detail of our life and of everyone else on the planet. Living with this perspective will bring peace and joy and hope.
THE CHOICE IS OURS
2 Corinthians 5:7
