There's a Thin Line Between Demands and Prayers

There’s a Thin Line Between Demands and Prayers

“Lord, teach us to pray.” –Luke 11:1

 

I was watching a sermon by Andy Stanley titled, ‘Our Father’.  In the sermon, Pastor Stanley talks about our approach to prayer.  While watching the sermon, the Lord revealed to me that I’ve been imposing my will during prayer time, and not his His will.  Wow!  That blew me back a few steps.  I’m spending time in His presence, writing in my prayer journal, set up a quiet space like everyone says.  Going through all the right motions, only to find out I’m doing it all wrong.  Now what do I do?  Go back to the drawing board as they say. 

Instead of, ‘Lord, do You see this, and I need You to do this to fix this situation’, try, ‘Lord, You are sovereign.  You know all, and You see all.  Nothing takes You by surprise.  I trust You to fix this situation how You see fit.  Your will, Lord, not my will.”  The purpose of prayer is to surrender our will, not impose it.

When the Lord prayed, He surrendered His will to His Father.  During the most difficult time in His life, when He knew what lie ahead for Him, Jesus surrendered His will.  In Matthew 26:42 as Jesus was praying, He said, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.”  Jesus surrendered His will, even though He knew it meant giving up His life. 

Surrendering your will for God’s will may put you in an uncomfortable place, but what better place to be but in His will.

Margaret Slaughter

Who's In Control?

Who’s In Control?

“In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.” –Job 12:10

 

Recently, I visited a new car wash.  You pull into the cashier line, select your car wash from several different options, and pay.  Once I paid, I was instructed to wait in line until the wash is ready.  No rushing, because the automatic arm prevents you from going until it’s my time.  As I pull up to the wash, there’s a person signaling me to pull forward.  Now, I’ve reached the wash and I’m instructed to put my car in neutral and not hit the brakes.  Here’s where it gets uncomfortable.  I am right on the bumper of the car in front of me.  When I actually enter the wash, I cannot see in front, back or side of me because of all the wash strips.  It makes me nervous because I know the car in front of me is just inches away and I’ve been instructed not to brake.  I was tempted to brake a few times.  My car is moving, but I’m not in control.  This made me think, is this symbolic of my relationship with Christ?  The need to be in control?  The desire to brake when things are too close or uncomfortable? 

 

Isaiah 14:24 says, “The Lord of hosts has sworn: ‘As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand.”  Even when we don’t know what lies ahead, God does.  But do we really trust that?  I know I’ve been guilty of not trusting God’s plan.  I like knowing details.  What’s coming next.  Well, news flash!  God does not have to report to me.  In God’s Word, He tells us over 365 times, ‘Fear not’.  That’s a daily reminder that God has it all under control!

 

If God’s Word is true, and I do believe that it is, then I should stand on Numbers 23:19 NLT, “God is not a man, so he does not lie.  He is not human, so he does not change his mind.  Has he ever spoken and failed to act?  Has he ever promised and not carried it through?”

 

Will I continue to struggle with the need to control every aspect of my life?  Maybe.  But if I stay in God’s Word and stay prayerful, giving over control to an all knowing, all seeing, all powerful God will become easier.

Margaret Slaughter

Recognizing Jesus

Recognizing Jesus

A couple of years ago I had to get a second opinion mammogram.  As I’m sitting there, half clothed and talking to God, I hear, ‘Margaret!”  I look up and there is a woman that I do not recognize at all.  She starts talking to me, and says she remembers me from elementary school.  Elementary school?  During the conversation I realize she really does know me, but I still did not recognize her.  How many times have you not recognized God?

Remember Samuel?  The boy whom his mother, Hannah had prayed so hard for that Eli the priest thought she was drunk.  Hannah promised the Lord if He would give her a son, she would give him back to Him. (1Samuel, Chapter 1)

Fulfilling the vow to the Lord, Hannah turned Samuel over to Eli the priest so that he could serve the Lord, and assist Eli (1Samuel, Chapter 2).  During this time, “messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon.” But our Lord is not a common kind of Lord!  One night as Eli and Samuel were sleeping, the Lord called Samuel.  Not recognizing the Lord, Samuel ran to Eli and said “here I am, did you call me?” (1Samuel, Chapter 3).  The Lord called Samuel two more times, without Samuel recognizing Him.  On the third time, Eli had to tell Samuel it was the LORD calling him.

How many times has the LORD called you, and you did not recognize Him?  Suppose Samuel had missed the call of the LORD?  All the messages for the people of Israel would  have never been delivered.  How many missions, messages, blessings have been missed because of our failure to recognize the LORD?

In the 10^th Chapter of John, when Jesus identified Himself as the Son of God, the people questioned, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense?  If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”  Jesus’ reply is important for us to remember, “I have already told you, and you don’t believe me.  The proof is the work I do in my Father’s name.  But you don’t believe me because you are not my sheep.  My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

Let’s not miss our assignment. Spend time with the Lord so that you recognize His voice, and follow Him.

Missionary Margaret Slaughter

Among Them, Not of Them

Among Them, Not Of Them

I attended dinner, and the ladies at my table were sharing jokes back and forth.  After awhile one said to me, “you are the kind of friend we would have to leave in the car when we go to do something bad”.  Later that night I started to think, what made her make that statement.  Was it because she knows I’m a Christian? Or was it because I didn’t participate in the joke-telling? Or maybe it’s because she knows that I’m a Missionary?  Either way, I would like to think it’s because although I’m ‘among’ them, I’m not ‘of’ them. 

 Many times throughout Jesus’ ministry, He spent time ‘among’ people that others thought He shouldn’t.  Why is that important?  How will people experience the love of Christ, or see demonstrations of Christ-like behavior if Christians separate themselves?

The 2^nd Chapter of Mark is a perfect example.  Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, and ‘many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples’ (verse 15).  The Jewish tax collectors were regarded as outcasts, and to eat with a person was a sign of friendship.  When the Pharisees saw this, they questioned Jesus’ disciples about the company He was keeping.  Jesus replied, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (verse 17). 

Jesus saw the dinner at Levi’s house as an opportunity to share the Good News with those who needed it most.  He didn’t require them to change before coming to Him.  He met them where they were. The fact that Jesus saw beyond the persons ‘sin’ to their need, certainly inspired them to know Him better.

There is an old quote that says, ‘Be careful how you live.  You may be the only Bible some person ever reads.’  What a true and powerful statement.  What are people ‘reading’ when they see you go about your daily life?  Do they experience the love of Christ, and see the attributes of Christ?

If we are to reach the lost, we must come in contact with them. “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matthew 9:38).  Are you ready?

Missionary Margaret Slaughter

Agape Love

Agape Love

 

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I love german chocolate cake.  The sweet mixture of coconut, and nuts, and chocolate cake is delicious.  I also love the color red, and reading a good book.  After God, I love my husband and my family.  Love takes on many forms, and it has different meanings depending on the situation or context.

Everyone knows February 14^th is Valentine’s Day, which is synonymous with LOVE.  But I thought we’d explore a different type of love . . . Agape love.

Agape love is defined as: selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love.  Agape describes the kind of love Jesus Christ has for His Father, and for us, His followers.  Agape love is what was displayed when Jesus sacrificed His life for us on the cross.  (“For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16 NIV)

Agape love is not a feeling.  It is a love that gives, without expecting anything in return.  It shows itself in action. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8 NIV). How selfless is that!  Would you be willing to give your life for someone that is not even giving you a second thought? 

Ephesians 5, verses 1 and 2 says, “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” 

If we are to be imitators of Christ, then we are to put forth our best effort in displaying Agape love to others, not expecting anything in return, and not ‘keeping score’.   What if Christ ‘kept score’ of all the grace and mercy he extends to us daily?  We would never be able to repay Him. 

How shall we display our Agape love for others?  Galatians 5:14 sums it up best: “For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’”.

In this month of love, and all the year through, let’s display our Agape love, and watch God change things.

Missionary Margaret Slaughter