SEMPER PARATUS
Mike Cunningham
AUGUST 25,2013

As usual, the pastor was the first to arrive at the bible study. His thoughts wandered back to last week’s. He remembered encouraging Mac and big and little Jen to make the time to read their copy of the notes that he had used to teach them, and then search the Bible for themselves to see if what he had taught was indeed scriptural fact. The pastor also constantly encouraged the group to add biblical knowledge to their God given faith and apply it in their every-day lives. Unlike big Jen and Mac, he had reason to believe that little Jen wouldn’t even open her bible.

Needless to say, the pastor had been praying and asking God to strongly incline the woman to start studying the Bible. He was very concerned about whether or not she had ever sincerely acknowledged her sins to God and asked Him to forgive her. The pastor knew that there are many people sitting in church pews on Sundays who have deceived themselves into believing that they are Christian’s, but by some of the sinful thing’s they do and say, nothing could be further from the truth. The pastor wasn’t the only one who suspected that little Jen may still be an unbeliever traveling through this world on the road leading to Hell. A number of folks have told him that they have been fervently praying for her salvation. Little Jen didn’t seem to be concerned.

The pastor knew that doctors also have similar experiences with some of their patient’s. The person’s symptoms, together with the lab work and other medical tests indicate that unless he of she modifies their life style big time, and takes the prescribed medicine, then they are dooming themselves to certain death. In essence, these people are committing suicide and it doesn’t seem to bother them.

The pastor cares about little Jen just as he does each of the folks the Lord has brought into his life. Some of them such as little Jen are in the mans daily thoughts and prayers. He likes her very much and has been saddened for quite some time by the possibility that she may perish eternally.

On the other hand, the man is pleased with the spiritual growth of Mac and big Jen. He’s always encouraged by their eagerness to study the Bible, ask questions and learn as much as they possibility can about how they can please God and grow in their faith. Judging from the smiles on their faces each of them will have a lot to contribute to today’s bible study.

“Where do you folks suggest we begin?” “Jen and I know that Jesus has forgiven us of our sins and that when we die we will get to enjoy eternity with Him in Heaven,” said Mac. “We were talking about the wonderful gift of our salvation while we were driving here today,” added big Jen. “That’s music to my ears.” “You always say that, pastor. Here’s something to sing about. We both know Him much better today then when we first believed.” “How can you be so sure?” “We learned it in the Bible, pastor.” “You would be surprised about all the things we learned,” said Mac. “Hey pastor, would you please tell us what else that Bible answer guy had to say? Do you remember how we ran out of time last week?” I’ll be glad to. I’m sure Mac and Jen are interested too. Here goes.”

“According to the Beloved Disciple, those who realize that they are sinners, repent of their sin, and receive him as Savior and Lord may know as a surety that they have eternal life. Thus, says John, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1John 5:13). Not might have or could have—but have eternal life. But with this life must come growth. It is crucial, therefore, to know the ABCs of spiritual growth (Amen, Bible, Church) so we may grow in spiritual strength and vigor.”

“Please remember that I’ll be giving the three of you each a copy of these quotes from Hanegraaff. His insights are very helpful.” “Thanks, pastor” said Mac. Hanegraaff says that,

“First and foremost, we must develop intimacy with the One who has designated himself the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation” (Revelation 3:14). You are likely familiar with the word “amen,” but have you ever taken time to consider what it really entails? Not only is it a title by which Jesus identifies himself, but it means, “may it be in accordance with the will of God.” As such, it is recognition of the sovereignty of God. In effect, it is a way of saying, “Thank God this world is under his control, not mine!” Moreover, it is daily recognition that our wills must be submitted to God’s will. In the yielded life there is great peace in knowing that the One who taught us to pray “your will be done” has every detail of our lives under control. He will not spare us from trial and tribulation but will rather use the fiery furnace to purge impurities from our lives. In this world we will have trouble, but as the Master so eloquently put it, “Take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).”

The “amen” at the end of every one of our prayers reminds us to live with eternity in mind. It is a constant reminder to stop seeing prayer as merely a method by which to obtain things from God and to start seeing prayer as an opportunity to build intimacy with the One with whom we will fellowship for all eternity. Put another way, prayer is a foretaste of something we will experience forever. Paradise lost will one day become paradise restored and a whole lot more. For we will experience something not even Adam and Eve experienced—face to face communication with the One who modeled the principles of prayer and who bequeathed to his disciples the model prayer (Matthew 6: 9-14).”

That’s a mouthful, pastor!” I know it is, Mac.” Big and little Jen each nodded their head in agreement. “Hanegraaff goes on to say that,”

“Furthermore, to grow in spiritual strength it is crucial that we spend time reading God’s written revelation-the Bible. The Bible not only forms the foundation of an effective prayer life but also is foundational to every other aspect of daily living. While prayer is our primary way of communicating with God, the Bible is God’s way of communicating with us. Thus, nothing should take precedence of getting into the Word and getting the Word into us. If we fail to eat well-balanced meals on a regular basis, we will eventually suffer the physical consequences. What is true of the outer man is likewise true of the inner man. If we do not regularly feed on the Word of God we will starve spiritually. As Jesus armed himself with “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (Ephesians 6:17), so must we. Armed with the puny sword of reason, we stand impotent before an archfiend who has studied us thoroughly and is intimately acquainted with all of our vulnerabilities. Armed with the sword of the Spirit, however, we are a terror to Satan and can stand strong in the face of his fiercest temptations.”

“Wilding the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, involves mining the Bible for all its wealth, memorizing the Bible for all its worth, and meditating upon its words. God has called us to write His words on the tablets of our hearts (Proverbs 7:1-3; cf. Deuteronomy 6:6), and with the call He has provided the ability to commensurate with the task (2 Corinthians 9:8; Philippians 4:13). The Bible in essence is sixty-six love letters from God addressed specifically to us. Thus, it stands to reason that we should continually meditate upon them. Our communication with God is only as inspired as our intake of Scripture. Indeed, meditation is a crucial connection between the ingestion of Scripture and an effective prayer life. In the ultimate spiritual battle, Jesus took up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. He had mined, memorized, and meditated on Scripture. Thus, when the slanderer sought to tempt the Savior to turn stones into bread, Jesus was prepared. “It is written,” He said, “Man does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).”

“Finally, those who have inherited eternal life as a present possession will gain spiritual strength and vibrancy by being active participants in a healthy, well balanced church. In Scripture, the church is referred to as the body of Christ. Just as our body is one and has many parts, so too the body of Christ is one but it is composed of many members. Those who receive Christ as the Savior and Lord of their lives are already part of the church universal. It is crucial, however, that all Christians become vital, reproducing members of a local body of believers as well.”

“The first sign of a healthy, well balanced church is commitment to the worship of God through prayer, praise, and proclamation. Prayer is so inextricably woven into the fabric of worship that it would be unthinkable to experience gathering together on the Lord’s Day without it. Praise, likewise, is axiomatic to worship. For it is through the proclamation of God’s Word that believers are edified, exhorted, encouraged, and equipped.”

“A healthy, well balanced church is also evidenced through its oneness. Christ breaks the barriers of gender, race, and social standing and unites us as one under the banner of his love. Oneness in Christ is tangibly manifested through community, confession, and contribution. Community is manifested through baptism, which symbolizes our entrance into a body of believers who are one in Christ. In like fashion, the Lord’s Table is an expression of oneness. As we all partake of the same elements, we partake of Christ, through whom we are one. A further expression of oneness is our common confession of faith—a core set of beliefs, which have been rightly referred to as “essential Christianity.” As with community and confession, we experience oneness through the contribution of our time, talent, and treasure. The apostle Paul exhorts us to “share with God’s people who are in need. “Practice hospitality” (Romans 12:13).

“I came across a great devotional on the web that will tie in with today’s study, pastor. Would it be ok with you if I share it?” “Go right ahead, Mac.” “Thanks. It’s from Dr. Bill Bright of Campus Crusade for Christ. He starts by quoting Jesus who told His disciples to,”

“Ask and you will be given what you ask for. Seek, and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened. For everyone who asks, receives. Anyone who seeks, finds. If only you will knock, the door will be open,” (Matthew 7:7,8).

“Now here’s what Dr. Bright wrote.” “We were conducting a Bible study on the subject of prayer when Amy, a professing Christian most of her life, said, “God never answers my prayers. In fact, I cannot recall a single prayer of mine that God has answered specifically.”

“Tell me about it,” said little Jen. “So what else is new?” “He’s going to Jen. Bright explains that,”

Several others in the group chimed in and said, “Neither can I.” So we turned to this passage and discussed it together. Would God lie to us? Is His Word trustworthy? Or is prayer an exercise in futility? Are we simply talking to ourselves and each other, or is there a God who hears and answers? If so, why have these not had their prayers answered?
First of all, we had to review the qualifications for prayer. Jesus said, “If you abide in Me and My Word abides in you, ask what you will and it shall be done unto you.” The Scripture also says, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” So if we expect to have our prayers answered, Jesus Christ must be the Lord of our lives. There must be no unconfessed sin in our lives and we must be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Further, 1 John 5:14,15 reminds us: “If we ask anything according to God’s will, He hears us and answers,” so we must be sure that we are praying according to the Word of God. As we pray, the Spirit of God impresses upon us certain things for which to pray specifically, such as the salvation of a friend, the healing of a body or a financial need. If the prayer is offered with a pure motive and according to God’s will, we can expect an answer to it. And we cannot pray casually. We must enter into an expectant spirit of prayer, knowing that, when we meet His conditions, God will hear and answer us.

Within a matter of weeks everyone in that Bible study, especially Amy, was inspired by the exciting challenge of prayer. God had truly heard, and again and again, they were able to point to specific answers.
Luke 11:5-13 (NIV)

5 Then he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
6 because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.’
7 “Then the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’
8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man’s boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?
12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?
13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I shall review my spiritual walk to be sure I am meeting God’s conditions: (1) Christ is Lord of my life. (2) I am filled with the Holy Spirit. (3) There is no unconfessed sin in my life. (4) I am praying according to God’s Word. And (5) I am praying specifically. As a result, I expect my prayers to be answered because God promises they will be.” “Two Thoughts each Day,” devotional.

“He’s giving good advice that we all can use.” He certainly is, Mac.” “I agree with both of you, pastor,” said big Jen.” “What else does the bible answer guy have to say, Pastor?” “I’m glad you asked, Jen. He concludes by saying,

“Lastly, in addition to worship and oneness, a healthy, well-balanced church is committed to equipping believers to be effective witnesses to what they believe, why they believe, and Who they believe. The what of our faith is the good news of the gospel. The gospel of Christ should become such a part of our vocabulary that presenting it becomes second nature. We also must be equipped to share why we believe what we believe. As Peter put it, “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1Peter 3:15). And then we must be empowered to communicate the Who of our faith. Virtually every theological heresy begins with the misconception of the nature of God. We know we have discovered a healthy, well-balanced body of believers when God is worshipped in Spirit and in truth through prayer, praise, and proclamation, and where oneness is tangibly manifested through community, confession, and contribution, where believers are being equipped to communicate what they believe, why they believe and Who they believe.”

“In sum, the ABCs of spiritual growth are an enduring reminder to inheritors of eternal life that with spiritual birth must come spiritual growth and spiritual vibrancy. As together we partake of the Lord’s Table we are forevermore reminded that Jesus is “the bread of life” (John 6:35). He is the aftertaste of our deliverance and the foretaste of a coming kingdom in which “the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God himself will be with them and be their God” (Revelation 21:3).”

“This has been a really good Bible study. I wish we had more time, pastor.” “So do I Mac. Until our next one, among other things, I want you folks to also be thinking of the U. S. Coast Guard motto, “SEMPER PARATS,” which means always ready, and put it into practice whenever God gives you the opportunity just as the Apostle Peter says we should.”

1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)
15 Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

Lord willing, next week….