“It’s Time to Pray, But Not When You Think”

Thursday, May 5th is the 2016 National Day of Prayer.  10’s of 1000’s of churches, religious groups, and individuals around our nation will gather for prayer that day.  Since 1777 most of our nations Presidents have had some emphasis on prayer.  But on April 17, 1952, President Harry S. Truman signed a bill proclaiming a National Day of Prayer must be declared by each subsequent president at an appropriate date of his choice.  In 1988, President Ronald Reagan amended the law so that the National Day of Prayer would be held on the first Thursday of May.

I have been receiving emails from Raleigh area churches and organizations about prayer gatherings all around our city on May 5th.  This is great.  I’m glad this is happening.  I’m glad there is a National Day of Prayer.  There have been non-religious groups that have tried to stop this saying the government cannot proclaim a National Day of Prayer, but up to this point to no avail.  I’m certainly in support of it.

BUT

Here is the conflict for me as a Christian.  Shouldn’t we be emphasizing a prayer life everyday?  I heard someone say a few years ago when I was a pastor of another church in another city as the National Day of Prayer was being organized in that city, “Oh, my day of prayer is fast approaching.  I need to decide what to pray about on that day.”  Really?  Are you saying in someway that you pray one day a year?  You focus your prayer life on one day?  Really?  By the way, this person was a prominent person in the Christian community of that city.

I love the National Day of Prayer.  I’ve participated in gatherings in cities where I’ve have been a pastor.  Please hear me.  I’m not against this day.  But I am for more than this.  It’s time to pray, but not when you think.  I am for prayer everyday!  A Christian that does not have a regular daily prayer time is missing out on a part of the relationship God has called them to as His child.  Think of it this way.  You live with your mom and/or dad in their house everyday.  You have a relationship with them.  You love them and even see them everyday, but NEVER talk to them.  You never speak a single word to them.  What’s up with that?  How does that happen?  How does that relationship work?  I will guarantee that if you do not speak to one another, over time, your relationship will deteriorate to nothing.

It is no different in our relationship with God.  He talks with us through His Holy Spirit.  As His children, shouldn’t we daily, even multiple times a day, speak to Him?  Here are just a few passages from His Word.

“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  1 Thessalonians 5:17

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.  The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”  James 5:16

And Jesus said, “It is written, ‘And My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a robbers den’” Luke 19:46

The gospel accounts of Jesus’ life consistently tell us that Jesus, each day, would retire to pray to His Father in heaven.  He has set the example.  We are to follow.

It is great to gather on the first Thursday in May as a nation and pray.  But please remember, PRAYER has to be a regular part of your every day life.  EVERY DAY! Not just one day!  And if you do, Oh my goodness, you will see your relationship with your Father in heaven taken to another level.  “Pray without ceasing…” is the call.  So my question: How’s your prayer life going?

Blessings my friends,
Pastor Marty

Worship, Grow, Serve

"More Than Conquers"

“But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.  For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, hater of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.”

2 Timothy 3:1-5

“Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.  But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”          

2 Timothy 3:12-13

 I was talking with someone this past Sunday that worked in Colonial Williamsburg as a guide for a number of years.  The topic was raised because my daughter is going this week on a field trip with her class to Colonial Williamsburg.  He said, “Have her ask the class guide about the tunnel.”  What tunnel?  “The tunnel that leads from the House of Burgesses to the Tavern.”  “Really,” I said!  “Yes!  In the colonial era when the House was in Session, at night they would bring in slaves and put their hats on them and have them walk around in the candle light so to appear to the public as if they were still working late into the night.  Then they would go down in the tunnel and travel to the Tavern for drinking.”  Oh, deception!!! I thought.  You, bet! 

Little has changed.  Deceiving and deception has been and will always be at center stage in the world.

My mind went to this Second Timothy 3 text when the Apostle Paul was challenging Timothy as a church leader to be aware of what was happening and watch for the things to come.  When you read this list, and to be honest with you it is a exhaustive list, you cannot help but to say, I see ALL of that going on today.  Selfishness, power and deception all run rampant today.  Paul states that in the last days we will see these things.

So the question is:  Are we in the last days?  I believe we always have to assume we are in the last days.  We are to live and plan for the future, knowing today could be our last.  Living and planning for the future though has to be carefully crafted.  It has to be with a teachable heart.

In my sermon Sunday, I stated that the two followers of Christ on the road to Emmaus had a teachable heart and we have to have that same kind of heart.  With a teachable heart you can keep these things at bay.  You see, Paul goes on to tell Timothy in chapter 3 & 4 that:

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

“Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”  2 Timothy 4:2-4  

You see, we have to be of sound mind and heart.  We have to be teachable by those God has put in charge to oversee the teaching and preaching of His Word.  There will be times of correction and rebuke.  Times of reproof and training.  But remember that they are for your good and the good of the Kingdom.  

Let us never get caught up in the deception of evil, of man, of worldly desires that will turn us to myths, but focus on HIM the author and finisher of our faith.  The more and more you and I focus on Him and His Word, the less this list of evil will be able to tempt us.

As with the Colonial representatives and with our current crop of many elected representatives, deception is the norm.  But of the believer, it can never be!  You cannot serve tw o masters.  In Christ alone we take our stand.

So believer, as you read and re-read these passages from 2 Timothy, please stand firm in the faith of God our Father knowing that persecution, trials, and yes, even heartaches will come, but rest assured that we are more than conquers in Christ Jesus our LORD!  Praise and Glory to Him!  Now and Forever!  Amen!

Blessings, Pastor Marty Duffell

Worship, Grow, Serve