How Is Your Prayer Life?

As a brand new Christian, many years ago, I struggled with prayer. Since then, I have heard many Christians say the same thing. It always seemed so formal … so stilted. Most of us were familiar with the Bible in language penned in 1611. Speech from that time seemed a bit formal to our ears.

Then I remembered a story related by my Pastor at the time. His son had built a house next door to his own. It became a habit for his pre-school grandson to walk over, enter the house and go for the refrigerator. The pastor confronted this little intruder one day and asked him, “Why do you think you can just come in here when you want, young man!?” The little tyke replied, “Cause you’re my grandpa.”

I then had the same revelation that Martin Luther had in the sixteenth century as he read Galatians 4:4-7, “God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.”

The term "Abba" is felt to convey a sense of affection and intimacy that is perceived to be very much lacking in the far more formal term "father." Abba is actually an Aramaic word, which most scholars feel is the language that our Lord Jesus Christ spoke during His human existence upon this earth.

As expositor, W. E. Vine wrote, "'Abba' is the word framed by the lips of infants, and betokens unreasoning trust; 'father' expresses an intelligent apprehension of the relationship. The two together express the love and intelligent confidence of the child."

Though our God, the Creator of the entire universe and everything in it, is deserving of the highest honor and respect, He is also our “father” … our “daddy”. He loves us as little children

I remember my father as a man bigger than life … however, I also remember the warmth of his strong arms and the love that radiated from his instruction. And, I want to face my heavenly Father on the same terms.

So, if you are having trouble with prayer … in either the frequency of it or the formality of it … just try to envision yourself snuggling up to your “daddy” and telling Him how your day has been.

“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." Romans 8:15-16

Larry Abele - Editorial Team

This Could Be Your Year!

First let me wish a Happy 2009 to all of my brothers and sisters in Christ! May this coming year continue to reveal in you the wonderful Grace of our Almighty God ... Bless you all!

To those who have not yet decided to accept Christ’s freely given invitation to everlasting life … THIS COULD BE YOUR YEAR! We will pray that it is a new beginning for you.

To those who will be making new year’s resolutions. Bless you … and more power to you if you mean to keep them. However, in most cases these resolutions … made in the fit of starting over … dissolve into failure as time passes.

Would you like to make one resolution that cannot fail! Resolve to FOLLOW GOD WHOLEHEARTEDLY!

If you resolve to quit smoking, that cigarette will not help you quit. If you resolve to lose weight that extra helping of dessert is not going to help. If you resolve to love that grouchy neighbor you certainly wont get any help from him.

But, if you resolve to follow God wholeheartedly … God is going to step in and help with that resolution. And you know what, my friends? He is also going to help with the smoking, the dieting and with loving your neighbor!

What does it mean to follow God wholeheartedly? Be committed even though you might be a minority in your office, in your school or even in your own home. Be willing to accept the sovereign choices of God even though they might not be your choices. Be ready and willing to act upon God’s promises given through His Word. Be willing to go out and tackle the world for God … you don’t have to go to Africa or Europe … just across the street. And, be willing to stick to it for life … being a wholehearted follower of God is not a sprint but a marathon.

David … “a man after God’s own heart” said it best in Psalm 37 when he sang,

“Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture, Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.”

David FOLLOWED THE LORD WHOLEHEARTEDLY and so could you. Make that resolution … this could be your year!

Larry Abele – Editorial Team

An Extraordinary Event ...

As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ we sometimes get lost in the trappings that have attached themselves to this day and forget the extraordinary grace that surrounded the event.

I have a friend who is a pest control man. He searches out and eliminates various types of vermin. He presented an idea that is amazing to me.

Sewer rats live in an environment of slime and filth. They are content to live in the sewer and would be uncomfortable living in our world … forsaking the filth with which they are comfortable.

Wouldn’t it be an extraordinary event if one of us … humans … would decide to go down into the sewer, live with the sewer rats and attempt to better them and their lives with the idea of saving them from their plight and eventually inviting them into our world? Disgusting idea … isn’t it?!

Isaiah had the privilege that only a couple men had of seeing into heaven. He wrote in Chapter 6, verses 1-3, “I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.’”

Can we, as humans, wrap our arms around such majesty. Can we imagine the God that created everything and keeps track of everything and is used to bands of creatures continuously praising Him? Many people in the Bible have said that God and Heaven are beyond our ability to reason or even wonder.

Now lets read Philippians 2:5-8, “ … Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!”

God looked upon us … sewer rats compared to heaven … and said, “I love you too much to let you perish. I will set aside the glories of heaven and come abide with you … and I will save you from yourselves. In fact, I will become a sewer rat so you can learn how to live and how to leave your sewer.”

The best we have to offer the Baby in the manger is filthy rags … but, He loves us just the same. Can we do any less than honor that love and love Him back.

Let us never forget the sacrifice He made for us … to come live with us and show us the way. Love that Baby Jesus with all your heart and marvel at that extraordinary event.

Merry Christmas and God Bless you all!

Larry Abele – Editorial Team