Dudley's Weekly Message
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 1 Timothy 2:1-6 (ESV)
"This admonition is given by Paul to Timothy as a young leader in the process of disciple-making. It is found in the context of a discussion about how the gospel is to be lived out. Paul has already reminded Timothy that the goal of the gospel message is to produce lives of love (agape) that come from a pure heart, good conscience, and a sincere faith (1 Timothy 1:5). The implication is that any instruction that does not produce this is not the gospel he preaches. He is not impressed with those who have an abundance of head knowledge and theories. He is less impressed with those who think they understand the Old Testament but have failed to see Jesus as its fulfillment. The gospel is aimed first at the human heart, but does not neglect the renewed understanding that results. It changes the priorities of daily living as well as the perspective of life as a whole.
The first priority for those who have been impacted by the gospel is prayer. Paul mentions all kinds of prayers to be employed. They are to include all kinds of people. There is reason to pray for all people without national, ethnic, or social distinctives. He then singles out the leaders. Regardless of the form of government, those who lead affect the lives of all who are citizens of their realm. The hope is to have a life free enough under the established order that the distinctive lifestyle the gospel produces will be highlighted in society.
The prayer, however, is for these leaders to be saved by the one God and one mediator between God and mankind. Our prayers are not limited to petitions for their good decisions and wisdom in leadership. They are part of the "all people" we are to include in our intercessions. No leader can fully reach his or her potential apart form being reconciled to God through Jesus Christ. The best unbelieving leader will be better when he knows God personally and enjoys the enlightened mind that is part of the blessing. It might be considered by some to be politically incorrect to pray for civil leaders to become Christians. Some would even protest the mixing of church and state by such actions. But under the ultimate government of the universe, we are commanded to pray for our leaders with the knowledge that God has made a way for them to have transformed lives, but only through one mediator who alone paid the ransom for us.
Gospel pray-ers are bold and unashamed to embrace the truth. They cannot give up their knowledge of truth in order to appear objective. Leaders deserve to be offered the gospel just like others. They are not bound to be neutral in the area of faith because of their calling to civil service.
Those whose lives are demonstrating the love (agape) the gospel has produced will be intentional in praying according to the truth of the gospel. They love enough to pray the truth." You can visit Dudley's website at www.sclm.org
Showing posts with label Dudley Hall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dudley Hall. Show all posts
7/30/2010
Dudley Hall on Kingdom Prayer
This post is an excerpt from Dudley Hall's monthly message entitled, Praying As Sons, June 2010. You can get read this message in it's entirety by going to Dudley's website. Dudley has been a tremendous help to me on my spiritual journey since 1983. www.sclm.org - Bobby
"Prayer is talking and listening and waiting in the presence of the Father. What could be more satisfying than visiting with the person who knows everything and is essentially good? The more we know him, the more we will love him, and that love is the highest form of life. Prayer then is not primarily a duty. It is the high privilege that sons have because of Jesus’ work.
Prayer is a partnership. One day the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray. This is interesting because they probably already knew how to go to the temple and pray. They knew the posture and the words, but when they watched Jesus pray, they knew something was different. They wanted to be able to fellowship with the Father like Jesus did. He granted their request with the model prayer.
“When you pray, say, ‘Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven….’” Jesus was telling them that they would participate in the expression of the kingdom of God, which had come to earth in him.
Remember, the first man was given partnership with God. Now the last Adam was restoring the dignity destroyed by sin. The followers of Jesus would work with God by praying his kingdom into the earth.
So how would praying the kingdom to come look?
For government, we can pray that God will lead the leaders to make clear and simple laws that will protect the citizens from internal and external oppression, and free them to manage their own lives with opportunity to trade with each other. That is the purpose of government in society.
For the church, we can pray that it will awaken to its societal responsibilities of defining and declaring truth while equipping its members to demonstrate the kingdom of God in every sphere of influence. If it gets distracted from this role, all of society will suffer.
For the home, we can pray that families will model the family of God with mutual submission and clear division of labor, that the members will be nurtured and empowered to discover their destiny in relation to God’s purpose.
For individuals, we can pray for unbelievers to have their eyes opened to see the gospel in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:3-5). We can pray for believers to have eyes opened to see their inheritance in Christ and to walk in it. Both have a “seeing” problem we can address in prayer. Remember, when we pray, God sends lightening and thunder. They can see and hear the truth that will set them free.
This is a day when God is calling his people to take seriously their privilege in prayer. We are partners with him."
"Prayer is talking and listening and waiting in the presence of the Father. What could be more satisfying than visiting with the person who knows everything and is essentially good? The more we know him, the more we will love him, and that love is the highest form of life. Prayer then is not primarily a duty. It is the high privilege that sons have because of Jesus’ work.
Prayer is a partnership. One day the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray. This is interesting because they probably already knew how to go to the temple and pray. They knew the posture and the words, but when they watched Jesus pray, they knew something was different. They wanted to be able to fellowship with the Father like Jesus did. He granted their request with the model prayer.
“When you pray, say, ‘Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven….’” Jesus was telling them that they would participate in the expression of the kingdom of God, which had come to earth in him.
Remember, the first man was given partnership with God. Now the last Adam was restoring the dignity destroyed by sin. The followers of Jesus would work with God by praying his kingdom into the earth.
So how would praying the kingdom to come look?
For government, we can pray that God will lead the leaders to make clear and simple laws that will protect the citizens from internal and external oppression, and free them to manage their own lives with opportunity to trade with each other. That is the purpose of government in society.
For the church, we can pray that it will awaken to its societal responsibilities of defining and declaring truth while equipping its members to demonstrate the kingdom of God in every sphere of influence. If it gets distracted from this role, all of society will suffer.
For the home, we can pray that families will model the family of God with mutual submission and clear division of labor, that the members will be nurtured and empowered to discover their destiny in relation to God’s purpose.
For individuals, we can pray for unbelievers to have their eyes opened to see the gospel in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:3-5). We can pray for believers to have eyes opened to see their inheritance in Christ and to walk in it. Both have a “seeing” problem we can address in prayer. Remember, when we pray, God sends lightening and thunder. They can see and hear the truth that will set them free.
This is a day when God is calling his people to take seriously their privilege in prayer. We are partners with him."
10/20/2009
Jesus Speaks Clearly About Prayer by Dudley Hall
In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
John 16:23-24 (ESV)
"The transfer is about to take place. Jesus has been modeling what life on earth looks like when lived in fellowship with the Father. He is only a few hours away from the most glorious and tragic event in history when redemption will be purchased and the passage way cleared for his disciples to have the same relationship he has enjoyed right before their eyes.
"That day" is very close to them at this point. The disciples have looked for the day when God would judge righteously against the wicked and for the good. They expect it to have immediate military, political, and economic dimensions. It isn't going to play out the way they anticipated, but the day is coming quickly and the ramifications for the disciples are enormous. They will have the same access to the Father that Jesus has demonstrated for them. They will be able to do the works of God as they represent the Son on earth.
Just as Jesus had no need to beg, they will not beg or bribe the Father. He doesn't have to be convinced. He initiated this whole arrangement. They don't have to go through intermediaries. No lieutenant is going to stop them from entering the main office. No personal assistant is going to give them the runaround. They will have the attention a Father gives to his only Son.
They will have to adopt a new perspective. They have depended upon Jesus to relate to the Father and they have lived on what he received. But he is leaving now, and they will have to get accustomed to asking on their own. It will not be easy to believe that the Father loves them as much as he loves the Son. It will not be easy to believe that they can hear his voice and see his hand like the Son.
Circumstances will assist them. They are about to enter the world of intense warfare. Everything they thought was nailed down will come lose. They will be forced to pray. They cannot do what they are called to do with just some lessons they learned from Jesus while walking with him on earth. They will need to trust the Father. It is the only way they can survive. They will find him faithful. He is anxious to show them how much he loves them and how willing he is to answer their prayers as they carry out the work initiated by the Son.
We have the advantage of their testimony. They changed the world around them. They lived in victory and died in triumph. The sword did not deter them, and the courts could not intimidate them. The lived by asking the Father in Jesus' name.
We are the recipients of the same privilege. We have been given the name of Jesus and the invitation of the Father. He promised that it was the way to fullness of joy. No other way will get us there."
John 16:23-24 (ESV)
"The transfer is about to take place. Jesus has been modeling what life on earth looks like when lived in fellowship with the Father. He is only a few hours away from the most glorious and tragic event in history when redemption will be purchased and the passage way cleared for his disciples to have the same relationship he has enjoyed right before their eyes.
"That day" is very close to them at this point. The disciples have looked for the day when God would judge righteously against the wicked and for the good. They expect it to have immediate military, political, and economic dimensions. It isn't going to play out the way they anticipated, but the day is coming quickly and the ramifications for the disciples are enormous. They will have the same access to the Father that Jesus has demonstrated for them. They will be able to do the works of God as they represent the Son on earth.
Just as Jesus had no need to beg, they will not beg or bribe the Father. He doesn't have to be convinced. He initiated this whole arrangement. They don't have to go through intermediaries. No lieutenant is going to stop them from entering the main office. No personal assistant is going to give them the runaround. They will have the attention a Father gives to his only Son.
They will have to adopt a new perspective. They have depended upon Jesus to relate to the Father and they have lived on what he received. But he is leaving now, and they will have to get accustomed to asking on their own. It will not be easy to believe that the Father loves them as much as he loves the Son. It will not be easy to believe that they can hear his voice and see his hand like the Son.
Circumstances will assist them. They are about to enter the world of intense warfare. Everything they thought was nailed down will come lose. They will be forced to pray. They cannot do what they are called to do with just some lessons they learned from Jesus while walking with him on earth. They will need to trust the Father. It is the only way they can survive. They will find him faithful. He is anxious to show them how much he loves them and how willing he is to answer their prayers as they carry out the work initiated by the Son.
We have the advantage of their testimony. They changed the world around them. They lived in victory and died in triumph. The sword did not deter them, and the courts could not intimidate them. The lived by asking the Father in Jesus' name.
We are the recipients of the same privilege. We have been given the name of Jesus and the invitation of the Father. He promised that it was the way to fullness of joy. No other way will get us there."
9/26/2009
Praying For Gospel Penetration by Dudley Hall
"At the same time, pray also for us that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison--that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak."
Colossians 4:3-4(ESV)
We get to participate in the greatest project the earth has ever known. God himself has given us the assignment of taking the gospel to every place. It has the power to transform people and cultures. It is not only addressed to those who want to go to heaven when they die. It promises the restoration of all things which were negatively affected by the intrusion of sin. The gospel is the hope of international peace. It is the hope of economic stability. It is the hope of reconciliation between God and man--as well as between man and man. Nothing being done in government or science or social restructuring even comes close to the importance of proclaiming the gospel.
There is a problem. Much of the church does not believe this. If we should eavesdrop on the prayers of American church members, how much would we hear of praying for the success of the gospel? Are not most of our prayers centered on our desires for personal welfare? We even pray for our government officials to make the right decisions so we can live peaceably (and we should), but little mention is made of praying for an open door for the gospel to have an opportunity to affect situations. Some of us were trained to pray for missionaries, but we usually conclude that duty with a cursory: "And Lord bless the missionaries around the world."
Paul was in prison because he proclaimed a gospel that confronted his culture. It was radical. When embraced, it changed the culture. It upset things. He was more interested in the gospel having an open door for effectiveness than having an open door to the prison he occupied. In prison or out he would be doing the same thing. He had been captured by the message that the resurrected Christ could and would transform everything. Nothing else mattered. If the gospel is the only hope, then why not put everything possible into getting it out into the society.
He was convinced that prayer and proclamation went hand in hand. Sure God could have immediately enforced the judgment settled at the cross on the whole world. But he chose to give us the privilege of partnering with him to enforce the victory over sin, death, and hell. Paul believed that praying was necessary and effective in getting the job done. He was not as interested in marketing his ministry as in praying for the open door of opportunity of the gospel.
This is what new covenant people do. They participate in changing the world by praying as specifically as possible for the word to be preached, for the mystery of Christ to be explained.
Will you join me in this privilege? Please add me to your "missionary list." The success of the preaching relates to the sincerity of the praying.
Colossians 4:3-4(ESV)
We get to participate in the greatest project the earth has ever known. God himself has given us the assignment of taking the gospel to every place. It has the power to transform people and cultures. It is not only addressed to those who want to go to heaven when they die. It promises the restoration of all things which were negatively affected by the intrusion of sin. The gospel is the hope of international peace. It is the hope of economic stability. It is the hope of reconciliation between God and man--as well as between man and man. Nothing being done in government or science or social restructuring even comes close to the importance of proclaiming the gospel.
There is a problem. Much of the church does not believe this. If we should eavesdrop on the prayers of American church members, how much would we hear of praying for the success of the gospel? Are not most of our prayers centered on our desires for personal welfare? We even pray for our government officials to make the right decisions so we can live peaceably (and we should), but little mention is made of praying for an open door for the gospel to have an opportunity to affect situations. Some of us were trained to pray for missionaries, but we usually conclude that duty with a cursory: "And Lord bless the missionaries around the world."
Paul was in prison because he proclaimed a gospel that confronted his culture. It was radical. When embraced, it changed the culture. It upset things. He was more interested in the gospel having an open door for effectiveness than having an open door to the prison he occupied. In prison or out he would be doing the same thing. He had been captured by the message that the resurrected Christ could and would transform everything. Nothing else mattered. If the gospel is the only hope, then why not put everything possible into getting it out into the society.
He was convinced that prayer and proclamation went hand in hand. Sure God could have immediately enforced the judgment settled at the cross on the whole world. But he chose to give us the privilege of partnering with him to enforce the victory over sin, death, and hell. Paul believed that praying was necessary and effective in getting the job done. He was not as interested in marketing his ministry as in praying for the open door of opportunity of the gospel.
This is what new covenant people do. They participate in changing the world by praying as specifically as possible for the word to be preached, for the mystery of Christ to be explained.
Will you join me in this privilege? Please add me to your "missionary list." The success of the preaching relates to the sincerity of the praying.
9/25/2009
New Creation Praying by Dudley Hall
"Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving."
Colossians 4:2 (ESV)
We are examining the benefits of living in the new creation as described by Paul to the believers in Colossae. There is a distinct difference in the way unbelievers and those who are "in Christ " pray. The old creation perspective sees prayer as burdensome, at best. But for those who know Christ personally and understand a little of what it means to be God's sons on earth, prayer is a pleasant privilege.
Three words describe believer's prayer: faithful, watchful, and thankful. First, we are to be faithful and persistent in our prayers. God does not always answer the way we expect or in our timing. He seems to employ delay for the purpose of weaning us from our proclivity to control. He refuses to be reduced to the results of a formula. He will not allow us to define him as a vending machine waiting for us to insert the proper coin. He is more desirous of blessing us than we are of being blessed, but he insists on personal involvement and divine perspective. He wants to strengthen our relationship with him and he wants to open our eyes wider to a bigger mission than our own comfort and success.
He often waits as we pray because he likes to see us refine our own request. We impulsively request deliverance from pain and persecution immediately. He waits as we slowly begin to see how what was once thought trouble is now a blessing, and our requests change. At one time if God had given me the blank check to heaven and I could have asked for anything, I would have asked for good health, good education, good job, and good family. I figured I could take it from there and make a success in this world. He had higher blessings in store for me. He wanted to open my eyes to: forgiveness of sin, relationship to God through Jesus Christ, and the inheritance made real by the Holy Spirit. I am so glad he didn't allow me to settle for my limited and meager requests.
Secondly, new creation praying is watchful. That means we are paying attention to the many ways God answers as well as seeing clearly the issues we should be praying about. God is so anxious for us to partner with him; he gives us clues as to what to ask. Often, we are so panicky we can't see the clues. We are to watch and pray. Someone said that meant we are to pray with our eyes open. Maybe, but it sure means to pray with our spiritual eyes open. God will guide our praying, as well as grant our request, as we refuse to quit and purpose to believe.
Thirdly, we pray thankfully. We approach prayer, even before the request is made, with gratitude. We are grateful that God cares. We are thankful that he has made reconciliation possible. We are grateful that he has given us the name of Christ as our introduction and authority. We are thankful he has granted us the role of managing his earth with the promise of giving us the wisdom needed when we ask. We are grateful that he will take our bumbling prayers and answer them in a way that blesses us beyond our ability to petition.
Colossians 4:2 (ESV)
We are examining the benefits of living in the new creation as described by Paul to the believers in Colossae. There is a distinct difference in the way unbelievers and those who are "in Christ " pray. The old creation perspective sees prayer as burdensome, at best. But for those who know Christ personally and understand a little of what it means to be God's sons on earth, prayer is a pleasant privilege.
Three words describe believer's prayer: faithful, watchful, and thankful. First, we are to be faithful and persistent in our prayers. God does not always answer the way we expect or in our timing. He seems to employ delay for the purpose of weaning us from our proclivity to control. He refuses to be reduced to the results of a formula. He will not allow us to define him as a vending machine waiting for us to insert the proper coin. He is more desirous of blessing us than we are of being blessed, but he insists on personal involvement and divine perspective. He wants to strengthen our relationship with him and he wants to open our eyes wider to a bigger mission than our own comfort and success.
He often waits as we pray because he likes to see us refine our own request. We impulsively request deliverance from pain and persecution immediately. He waits as we slowly begin to see how what was once thought trouble is now a blessing, and our requests change. At one time if God had given me the blank check to heaven and I could have asked for anything, I would have asked for good health, good education, good job, and good family. I figured I could take it from there and make a success in this world. He had higher blessings in store for me. He wanted to open my eyes to: forgiveness of sin, relationship to God through Jesus Christ, and the inheritance made real by the Holy Spirit. I am so glad he didn't allow me to settle for my limited and meager requests.
Secondly, new creation praying is watchful. That means we are paying attention to the many ways God answers as well as seeing clearly the issues we should be praying about. God is so anxious for us to partner with him; he gives us clues as to what to ask. Often, we are so panicky we can't see the clues. We are to watch and pray. Someone said that meant we are to pray with our eyes open. Maybe, but it sure means to pray with our spiritual eyes open. God will guide our praying, as well as grant our request, as we refuse to quit and purpose to believe.
Thirdly, we pray thankfully. We approach prayer, even before the request is made, with gratitude. We are grateful that God cares. We are thankful that he has made reconciliation possible. We are grateful that he has given us the name of Christ as our introduction and authority. We are thankful he has granted us the role of managing his earth with the promise of giving us the wisdom needed when we ask. We are grateful that he will take our bumbling prayers and answer them in a way that blesses us beyond our ability to petition.
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