Singapore Moses

► Let us study why it feels like God is so far away and how to bring Gods CLOSER attention:

1. "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us" (1 Jn 5:14). "Ask God for anything and He will give it!" This is not a Bible doctrine. "If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us" (1 Jn 5:14). Again Jesus said, "Whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you" (Jn 16:23). What does this mean? You cannot ask the Father what Jesus Himself would not approve. When you use His name you must have His approval over that request. That's what we mean by God's will. God's mind is revealed in the Scriptures. God's Word is God's will.

2. A novel doctrine is becoming quite popular which repeatedly quotes the verse, "Concerning the work of My hands, you command Me!" (Isa 45:11). The exponents of this doctrine teach the people to command God for whatever they need! What a blasphemy! Read the entire chapter, especially verses 9 and 10, and understand the context. God in this passage as the Creator is challenging us His creatures, "Do you or can you command Me?" Beloved, beware of taking a text out of context. A text out of context is a pretext. No doctrine should be developed on any obscure passage in the Scripture.

3. Using the phrase, "If it is Your will," in prayer is no indication of poor faith. A leper came to Jesus saying, "Lord, if You are willing You can make me clean." He was not rebuked but instantly healed by Jesus (Mt 8:2,3). Jesus Himself prayed to the Father in Gethsemane to remove the cup from Him if it was His will (Mt 26:39).

4. Both in the Old Testament and the New, kneeling has been practised by men and women of prayer (Acts 9:40; 20:36). There is nothing wrong to occasionally sit and pray. But it has become fashionable in many assemblies and Churches never to kneel down. Some argue that what is important is the heart attitude and not the physical posture. This is simply incorrect. Both our soul and body belong to God. The Bible says, "At the name of Jesus every knee should bow...and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord" (Phil 2:10,11; Rom 14:11; Isa 45:23). Are we going to spiritualize this passage also? Then what will be the meaning of "every tongue should confess?" Beloved, "Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker" (Psa 95:6). Let us preserve the Bible culture! We all like the "praying hands." Bent knees, bowed head and folded hands help us maintain a spirit of awe and reverence before the Almighty.

4. Mt 6:5,6, "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray that they may be seen by men... But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place."

5. Of all spiritual disciplines, prayer can most easily become a show-off. It is Pharisaic to go around telling how many hours one prays everyday. Impressing people has no other reward. Prayer is not for parading. The secret of praying is praying in secret. Unless we run to a place of solitude, we will miss the whisper of the Spirit amidst all the bustle.

6. Mt 6:7,8, "When you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him."

7.Prayer is not to tell God what He knows not. It is to verbalise our feelings to a Father as a child. Simple prayers are sublime. Remember the Publican who simply cried, "God, be merciful to me a sinner!" (Lk 18:13). A father knows the child's needs; but he is delighted when the child asks him. That enlivens the relationship. The mother knows when to feed her baby, but her maternal instincts are stimulated when it cries for milk.

October 20 2015 • Report