Beam 09 September 2016 Nine Characteristics of Biblical Prayer
Transcription
Beam 09 September 2016 Nine Characteristics of Biblical Prayer
THE BEACON BEAM BIBLICAL PRAYER September 2016 Nine Characteristics of Biblical Prayer CONTENTS By Daryl Wingerd Nine Characteristics of rue prayer is not merely a matter of saying the right words. Biblical prayer is characterized and motivated by the right attitude-right thinking about the greatness of God, the beauty of Christ, and our own unworthiness and weakness. Ask yourself if your prayers are characterized by: An Understanding of Your Own Insignificance and Sinfulness When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained; what is man that You take thought of him, and the son of man that You care for him? (Ps. 8:3-4 NASB). If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You that You may be feared (Ps. 130:3-4). The Knowledge that Jesus is Your Only Access to the Father Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh . . . let us draw near (Heb. 10:19-22). . . . you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 2:5). Adoration for God because of His Character and Attributes Ascribe greatness to our God! The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; a God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is He (Deut. 32:1-4). I will extol You, my God, O King, and I will bless Your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable (Ps. 145:1-3). Joyful Praise for God's Work in Creation and Redemption Biblical Prayer ………………pg. 1 Beacon Highlights ………………pg. 2 Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created (Rev. 4:11). Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us Our Greatest Blessing “Biblical prayer is characterized and motivated by the right attitude-right thinking about the greatness of God, the beauty of Christ, and our own unworthiness and weakness.” Beacon Baptist Church 1622 Kirkpatrick Road Burlington, NC 27215 (Continued on page 5) 1 ………………pg. 3 Relentless Love ………………pg. 4 On the Feminine Side ………………pg. 6 Social Media and the Me Monster ………………pg. 7 Phone: (336) 226-5205 Fax: (336) 227-3665 Website: www.beaconbaptist.com E-mail: [email protected] Schedule of Services: Sunday Morning Worship….9:30 AM Sunday School…....11:10 AM Evening Worship…..6:00 PM Wednesday Prayer Meeting…...…7:00 PM IMPACT Clubs........7:00 PM Teen Ministry……....7:00 PM Beacon Highlights for September Special Events for September 04 05 07 10 10-14 11 13 Senior High YAC ESL Labor Day (Church Office Closed) Teen/Parent Focus IMPACT Clubs Teen Homeplace Ministry Ocean City Bible Conference—New Jersey Lord’s Table ESL Elders/Deacons Meeting 14 15 18 20 21 22 25 27 28 IMPACT Clubs Silver Saints Members Meeting ESL Coffee n’Courage IMPACT Clubs Men Sharpening Men ESL Coffee n’Courage IMPACT Clubs IMPACT Children’s Clubs begin Wednesday, September 7, at 7:00 P.M. This is a unique opportunity for Bible instruction through Scripture memory and catechism questions. Age appropriate clubs are designed for children beginning at age three and continuing through sixth grade, meeting each Wednesday night 7:00 to 8:15, through the school year. Your children, grandchildren, and the children of your friends and neighbors will benefit from this stimulating approach to learning! Sympathy ~ We express our heartfelt sympathy to the family of: Don Honeycutt Jane King Peggy Massey Vickie Norris Page Dollie Townsend The Beacon Broadcast Monday thru Friday WITA 1490 AM (Knoxville, TN) WKBA 1550 AM (Roanoke, VA) WKPA 1390 AM (Lynchburg, VA) WBAG 1150 AM (Burlington, NC) WTRU 830 AM (Winston-Salem, NC) WDZY 1290 AM (Richmond, VA) WDZY 103.3 FM (Richmond, VA) WSKY 1230 AM (Asheville, NC) Happy Birthday! 01 07 IMPACT CLUBS 2016-2107 Jane Baird Sherry Carter Lemuel Edwards, Jr. September Member Birthdays 10 14 15 16 22 23 25 30 Margie Holland Sue Ann Phillips Dawn Burns Steve Lynch Jan Via Priscilla Starnes Corey Oakley Kathy Rhoades Linda Nance John Spencer Doris Loftis Alan Starnes Toni Brown Bobby La Tour Gary Barker September Missionary Birthdays 03 04 16 23 25 28 30 Luca Giuliani* David Vaughn Perpetua Johnson* Libby Dreisbach Rose Dreisbach* Noah Johnson* Heide Racke Sunday 9:30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 12:15 p.m. 2:00 p.m. 10:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 7:15 a.m. Monday thru Sunday WPCM 920 AM (Burlington, NC) 9:00 a.m. WCRU 960 AM (Charlotte, NC) 9:30 a.m. WBAG 1150 AM (Burlington, NC) 10:30 a.m. WTRU 830 AM (Winston-Salem, NC) 10:30 a.m. WDRU 1030 AM (Raleigh, NC) 10:30 a.m. WSML 1200 AM (Graham, NC) 8:30 p.m. WLES 560 AM (Richmond, VA) 10:30 a.m. Harbour Light of the Windwards 9:30 p.m. 1400 AM/94.5 FM (Caribbean) Beacon Pastors Gregory N. Barkman Michael R. Karns Robert F. La Tour Gregory L. Phillips WXTH-LP 101.7 FM (Richwood, WV) 10:05 a.m. 10:05 p.m. September 2016 THE BEACON BEAM *Children of Missionaries 2 Senior Pastor Minister of Christian Education Minister of Families Minister of Music Our Greatest Blessing Greg Barkman hat do you think of as your greatest blessings in life? Family, friends, financial security, good health, long life, peaceful existence? Somewhere in this list you will find an item that is considered life’s greatest blessing by the majority of people in this world. But I would challenge you to think beyond these things. Consider how the Apostle Paul concludes one of his epistles: “Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit” (Galatians 6:18). What did Paul identify as the greatest blessing, the subject of his final benediction? Answer, grace. Most readers know that grace is unmerited favor. It is God’s gift to the undeserving, or God’s enablement at our point of need. Grace is God doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Our greatest need is for grace because our greatest need is for God, and for His gracious involvement in our lives. Our greatest initial need is for God’s grace, for without that, we will never be saved from sin and condemnation. Our greatest continuing need is God’s grace, because without it, we cannot be sustained through the trials of life and arrive safely in Heaven when this life is over. We are rich with blessings when we are recipients of God’s grace. We are impoverished beyond description when we are without grace. What is the source of this greatest blessing? In short, God. The longer answer is “our Lord Jesus Christ,” to quote Paul’s statement above. Of course, to receive grace from God is to receive it from Christ, for Jesus and His Father are One. But it is important to remember that our greatest blessings were purchased by Christ for His people with His incarnation and crucifixion. Someone has turned GRACE into acrostic, rendering it “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.” That may be a child’s definition, but it hits the nail on the head. Christ is the object of the Father’s exaltation (Philippians 2:9-11), wherein the Father’s love, honor, and reward are poured out upon the Son. Christ’s blessings, earned by His sinless life and vicarious death, flow to those who are united to Him in faith. “Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity” (Ephesians 6:24). “If we are inclined to consider a rebuke or correction as lack of love, we are mistaken.” What is the primary realm of this blessing? Answer, your spirit. Life’s greatest blessing does not focus on the outward and material aspects of life. Paul does not pray that God’s grace will bestow greater wealth, health, success in business, better marriages and gifted children, as wonderful as these may be in their proper place. Rather, he prays that God’s grace may be with your spirit, the inward and invisible part of your being. What does Paul desire for the Galatians? First, that they be made alive to spiritual realities. That they be enabled to receive God’s Word and appropriate God’s promises. That they be drawn into communion with the living God. What else? He prays that they may be sustained in the midst of 3 trials and the challenges of living as a Child of God in this sinful world, and that they be preserved unto the day of final glorification with Christ. Such spiritual blessings are of far greater value than any material benefit. May God give us a desire for these spiritual blessings. What are the benefits of spiritual blessings? Many benefits have been enumerated above, but there is one more mentioned in the text. “Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.” Brethren. This benediction to the Galatians is the only one to include this word. In the original language, it is the last word in the sentence, and thus the last word of the Epistle except for the final “amen.” It is a concluding reminder of Paul’s love for and connection to the Galatian believers. No matter what they may think of him, criticize him, or reject him, Paul continues to regard them as his brethren. Yes, some of the Galatians were pulling away from Paul because of false teachers who were preaching another Gospel. Some were becoming critical of Paul, whereas others were feeling the sting of Paul’s rebukes because of their wavering embrace of the Biblical Gospel. But in spite of Paul’s sharp language, he still loves them, and considers them his brethren. If we are inclined to consider a rebuke or correction as lack of love, we are mistaken. “Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?” (Galatians 4:16). Is this true of God? When God chastens His children, does that mean He does not love them? Is this true of human parents? When we correct our children, is it because we do not love them? Is this true of Pastors? When they rebuke wandering sheep, is it an indication of lack of love? No, No, a thou(Continued on page 8) September 2016 THE BEACON BEAM Relentless Love Chris Anderson ecause God delights in worship that is biblical, thoughtful and fervent—what we often call intentional—please consider the following overview of the biblical texts and theological themes behind the hymn, Relentless Love. Verse 1 focuses on the eternal nature of God’s love for the elect. Ephesians 1:4-6 describes His love for us as reaching back before the foundation of the world. He loves us because He chose to do so, not because of any merit on our part. His love is an uncaused and infinite love (Ephesians 3:16-21; Jeremiah 31:3). Thus, salvation—from its initiative to its completion—is entirely “of the Lord” (Jonah 2:9; John 1:12-13; Ephesians 2:4-5; Titus 3:4-5). The refrain rejoices in the infinite love of God which was revealed most perfectly in Christ (Love incarnate) and His death on the cross (Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:9-10). God’s love is sovereign in the sense that it is free to do as it wishes—unconstrained by our goodness and undiminished by our sin. Verse 2 pursues the theme of God’s pursuing sinners that fills the Scriptures. Beginning in Genesis 3, sinners have only run from God, yet God has graciously and unrelentingly pursued us. That determined, not-to-be denied love is seen in God’s relationship to rebels like the Samaritan woman (John 4), Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9), and even you (Ephesians 2). Our role in salvation is rebellion (Isaiah 53:6a). Christ’s is rescue (Isaiah 53:11b). Even our ability to respond with faith and repentance is given by God (Ephesians 2:8-9; 2 Timothy 2:25; Matthew 16:17). The fact that we are saved rests in God’s being more determined to save us than we are to remain lost, which is great grace. guarantees its completion. Though we will battle doubt and struggle through hardship, we are preserved from ultimate falling away by the unchanging love of God (Romans 8:35-39; Psalm 36:5-7; 136:26). We persevere in our faith (John 10:27) because we are preserved in our faith (John 10:28-29). has freely bestowed on us inspires and produces our love in return (1 John 4:19; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15). We are new people (2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 John 3:9), and we live like it. Even our desires are transformed and fulfilled by Christ’s love (Psalm 16:11; 23:1; 73:25). Verse 3 considers the fact that the same love that initiated our salvation Verse 4 concludes the hymn by noting that the love which saves and keeps us also changes us. The love which God Chris Anderson is Senior Pastor of Killian Baptist Church in Lilburn, GA September 2016 THE BEACON BEAM 4 Daryl Wingerd Nine Characteristics of Biblical Prayer (Continued from page 1) “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe (Eph. 1:18-19).” in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. . . . In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will (Eph. 1:3-8, 10-11). Thankfulness for God's Kindness in Giving Every Good Thing Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights . . . (James 1:17). . . . let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name (Heb. 13:15). A Sense of Your Need of Strength to Fight against Specific Sins Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak (Matt. 26:41). So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh-for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live (Rom. 8:12-13). Humble Trust as You Ask the Father to Meet Every Need Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You (Jer. 32:17). This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him (1 John 5:14-15). Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Heb. 4:15). A Selfless Burden to Pray for Others With all prayer and petition pray at all times . . . be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf . . . (Eph. 6:18-19). Brethren, pray for us (1 Thess. 5:25). We pray for you always . . . 2 Thess. 1:11). Pray for those who persecute you. . . (Matt. 5:44; also see1 Tim 2:1-2). A Thirst for Increasing Spiritual Wisdom and Understanding Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Your law (Ps. 119:18). For if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding; if you seek for her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will discern the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God (Prov. 2:3-5). I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe (Eph. 1:18-19). Copyright © 2005 Daryl Wingerd. Permission granted for reproduction in exact form. The men who have done the most for God in this world have been early on their knees. He who fritters away the early morning, its opportunity and freshness, in other pursuits than seeking God will make poor headway seeking Him the rest of the day. If God is not first in our thoughts and efforts in the morning, He will be in the last place the remainder of the day. ——E. M. Bounds 5 September 2016 THE BEACON BEAM On the Feminine Side ’ll never do that again!” Marti Barkman What is the common thread in these statements? We read regret, determination to improve, despair in the face of failure, …and an assumption that one can be rid of pesky faults by simply stating so, once and for all. We’ve all made such pronouncements only to have failure dog us when the words are barely out of our mouths. Think of the last time you determined to stop eating junk food as you reached into that bag for just one more chip. What is the problem? Why can’t we stick to our determinations? Why do we continue in weak and sinful ways when we’ve determined untold times to change? Is it possible we miss the goal because it’s the wrong goal? In his book The Pursuit of Holiness, the late Jerry Bridges addresses this important subject. Please take time to read carefully his very helpful writing: “It’s time for us Christians to face up to our responsibility for holiness. Too often we say we are ‘defeated’ by this or that sin. No, we are not defeated; we are simply disobedient! It might be well if we stopped using the terms ‘victory’ and ‘defeat’ to describe our progress in holiness. Rather we should use the terms ‘obedience’ and ‘disobedience’. When I say I am defeated by some sin, I am unconsciously slipping out from under my responsibility. I am saying something outside of me has defeated me. But when I say I am disobedient, that places the responsibility for my sin squarely on me. We may, in fact, be defeated, but the reason we are defeated is because we have chosen to disobey. We have chosen to entertain lustful thoughts, or to harbor resentment, or to shade the truth a little.” So then the goal is obedience, not victory. The problem with victory is that we are always willing to put it off just a little longer. “Just one more time, and tomorrow I’ll do right.” Obedience, on the other hand is an immediate matter with which we are confronted many times a day. It’s easy to see when we apply it to children: Every time a child is told what to do, he is confronted with a choice to obey or disobey that one directive. His response to you, and your response to him will affect what happens the next time. Both obedience and disobedience have a cumulative effect. Longterm obedience produces a pattern of life that looks like victory, for victory is a by-product of obedience. Disobedience puts us in a dangerous place, both physically and spiritually for though we may get by with repeated episodes, we are producing a mind-set of independence, an “I’ll do life my way” attitude that can have deadly consequences. So once we get the goal right, how do we achieve it? Can we just say, okay, from now on I’ll obey every time? What about the times when, honestly, we really don’t care if we disobey? What about those days when victory over sin is not on our list of must-haves? We have to go to the September 2016 THE BEACON BEAM 6 “From now on, this is the way I’m going to act!” “That’s the last time I’m going to say anything negative about anyone.” “Young lady, don’t you EVER speak to me that way again!” “I can’t believe what I just said! After this, I’m keeping my mouth shut.” “Did I really just finish off the rest of that ice cream. Ok…from now on, 1000 calories per day!” “I’ve tried and tried to break this bad habit, but all I do is fail. I’m done trying!” “Other people live irresponsible lives and are doing great…why should I work so hard to be any different?” deeper issue of holiness, “the basic, fundamental, essential element of the Christian life (that is) the real issue at stake. Our problem is that we are more “concerned about our own “victory” over sin than we are about the fact that our sins grieve the heart of God. Obedience is oriented toward God, victory is oriented toward self. This may seem to be merely splitting hairs over semantics, but there is a subtle, self-centered attitude at the root of many of our difficulties with sin. Until we face this attitude and deal with it we will not consistently walk in holiness. A constant obedience is the way to pursue holiness, and holiness is what pleases God. Someone said that self-discipline is “remembering what it is you really want.” Do we want to please God or self? Coffee n’Courage 2016-2017 Book Study “The Wisdom of God” By Nancy Guthrie Please join us for our fall session beginning Tuesday, September 20, at 9:15 a.m. for the morning study and 7:00 p.m. for the evening study. John MacArthur Social Media and the Me Monster utting the ME in Media If there is one word that perhaps best describes social media it is this: self-promotion. The narcissism fostered by status updates and tweets is undeniable. And cultural critics have taken notice. Some respond with humor. A few see it as a good thing. Others are concerned that social media is ramping up society’s psychological maladies—like Narcissistic Personality Disorder. (Of course, what psychologists label “NPD” the Bible calls the sin of pride.) Even the majority of social media users admit that self-promotion is at its core: “A national study fresh out of SDSU is confirming that Generation Y really is Generation Me. The jaw-dropping conclusion? 57% of young people believe their generation uses social networking sites for selfpromotion, narcissism and attention seeking.” In the words of one British journalist: The Me-Man is everywhere. And so is the Me-Woman. They are the millions of men and women . . . from every class, age and profession who want to talk about themselves, expose themselves, and promote themselves in glorious and often gory detail. . . . They blog and bleat and tweet and text you all the time. The medium may vary, but the message is always the same: Me. “Me, Me, Me!” Dr. Lauren LaPorta, Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at St. Joseph’s, sees the popularity of social networking sites as a direct result of the growing narcissism in American culture (due largely to the self-esteem movement of the 90s). Writing for the Psychiatric Times, she observes, “It is my contention that these sites would not have risen to such prominence but for the fact that a generation of narcissists needed an outlet. The millennial generation needed a way to assert their uniqueness, their specialness and garner the attention and praise of the masses. Facebook, MySpace, YouTube and Twitter filled the bill.” But the me-centered world of social media is clearly at odds with the biblical call to humility and selflessness. Consider just a brief sampling of relevant Scripture passages on this subject: Proverbs 16:18—“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling.” Proverbs 27:2—“Let another man praise you and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.” Proverbs 30:2—“If you have been foolish in exalting yourself . . . put your hand over your mouth.” Matthew 23:11–12—“The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.” Philippians 2:3–5—“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves. . . . Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.” To these, a host of other passages could be added. All of them make the same point: God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. When so much about social media panders to pride and shameless self-exaltation, believers need to think about their motives before they jump on the bandwagon. If the goal is simply popularity or personal promotion, it’s time to do a heart check. Our celebrity-driven culture craves for notoriety. But Christians are called to be different. We have died to ourselves. Thus, our concern should not be, “How many people can I get to follow me?” but rather, “How can I bear witness to the wonder of following Christ?” Isaiah 66:2—“‘To this one I [the LORD] will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.’” my “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves. . . . Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:3–5 7 September 2016 THE BEACON BEAM Our Greatest Blessing Greg Barkman (Continued from page 3) sand times No! Our position as a member of the family of God is one of our greatest blessing. If we belong to the Brethren, we are blessed. If God’s grace has brought us into the communion of the Saints, we are blessed. Let us learn to value, cherish, and protect that relationship at all costs. May we resist our Adversary’s attempts to damage this won- derful spiritual relationship. May we fervently cultivate this privilege, and resist every temptation to minimize, undermine, or destroy our relationship to our brethren in the body of Christ. What’s the bottom line? We must recognize our greatest need is for the grace of God. We should seek our greatest blessing in the grace which comes only from God. How? “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). Be alert for areas of destructive pride in your life. Accept gratefully from God those trials that He uses to humble you. Regularly acknowledge your need of grace before the Throne of Grace. Feel your impoverished condition, and plead for grace. O God, to us show mercy, and bless us in Thy grace; Cause Thou to shine upon us the brightness of Thy face; That so Thy way most holy, on earth may soon be known, And unto every people thy saving grace be shown. O God, let peoples praise Thee; let all the people sing; Let nations now be joyful; let songs of gladness ring; For Thou wilt judge the peoples in truth and righteousness; And o’er the earth shall nations Thy leadership confess. O God, let peoples praise Thee, let all the people sing; For earth in rich abundance to us her fruit will bring. God, our own God, will bless us, yea, God will blessing send; And all the earth shall fear Him to its remotest end. (Psalm 67, The Psalter, 1912) Return Service Requested The Beacon Beam Beacon Baptist Church PO Box 159 Alamance, NC 27201 8 PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID ALAMANCE, NC PERMIT NO. 3