1 John 5:14-15

Since praying is such a common practice for believers, over time it’s easy to fall into habits that result in a lifeless and empty prayer life. Instead of a dynamic conversation with thoughtful requests and active listening for God’s response, our prayers can seem more like grocery lists. Because communication with the Lord is such a vital part of the Christian life, we occasionally need to step back and examine how we’re doing.

Begin by asking yourself these questions:

How effective are my prayers? Is God answering my petitions, or does it seem as if they never go past the ceiling?

Who am I praying for? Are most of my requests for myself or others?

What am I asking the Lord to do? Have I looked in the Word to see what He wants, or am I trying to get Him to intervene according to my plans and desires?

When do I pray? Is it only during emergencies or when I need something?

If you discovered any selfishness in your answers, you’re not alone. Most of us struggle to enter God’s presence with our eyes focused on Him instead of our needs. But the only way we’ll be able to pray with impact is to fill our minds with Scripture so we can find out what the Lord wants to do.

Your prayer life can become effective and dynamic if you’ll approach the Lord with a clean heart (Ps. 66:18), align your requests with His will, and believe He will do what He says (Mark 11:24). Then you’ll be able to pray with absolute confidence knowing that He will hear and answer your petitions.

“Day after day pours forth speech,” says the psalmist of nature’s glory. “Night after night reveals his greatness.”

As a Scot, I grew up with a love of the countryside. My parents would take us on drives to Loch Lomond, to places like the Trossacks (a beautiful hill and moor area) and many more. These early encounters evoked something that I did not (as a non-believer then) understand. It was the power of beauty itself to speak, not in an audible voice of course, but in some very real sense.

Recently, I drove from Florida to Georgia as the verdant green and array of colors were exploding. I’d be captivated by trees blooming in all their glory, wisps of white, pink, and other shades all mingling in a medley of splendor, and then surprised by bursts of red (which I learned were Azaleas). It was all quite wonderful! Now lest you think I am some strange, European romantic, I have to say that this “noticing” is a result of the patient, constant, and enthusiastic education granted me by my wife.

She has always loved flowers. In my early days of “serious” ministry and dedication to God, I often wondered how one could be sidetracked by such trivia, such commonalities. Yes, flowers and things pointed out were nice when a passing glance was permitted, but they were not important in my mind. They were not the real thing, the serious thing, the main show!

Perhaps it was age, or more likely a divine breakthrough, but one day I began to notice. These things were splendid; they were so unique. They had such detail, so much grandeur, and they evoked delight and joy. C.S. Lewis describes a childhood encounter with a miniature garden that his brother had made in a tin box. He describes the sense of longing, the experience of what he called joy, though fleeting, which was profound and real. Though he didn’t know what to call it then, Lewis was gradually awakened to the power and role of beauty, an influence he would employ to great effect in his writings.

Similarly, John Calvin reminded the world that God has given his creatures two books: the book of nature and the word of God. For the Christian, they are not equal in authority or revelatory power, and yet it is a serious neglect to focus on one at the exclusion of the other.

In today’s world, many are sincerely inspired by nature. They love long walks, visits to the country, and absorbing the beauties of the world around. They often make nature an end in itself. They celebrate its magnificence, but are left to see it all as a random outcome of chance and necessity. Some Christians, through neglect, do much the same thing. A number of years ago, some monks in an Austrian monastery had gotten used to overlooking a particular painting that hung in their hallways. One day a visitor looked in astonishment and realized it was a Reubens, the prolific seventeenth-century Flemish Baroque painter. A connection was suddenly made between a work of art and its renowned artist. It caused a sensation, an awakening, not the least of which to its value, which was now known.

The psalmist, the Celts, and many others across the centuries learned to see God’s hand in nature and to celebrate God’s goodness and provision from it. Take a few moments today to look at the birds, contemplate the trees, enjoy a walk, and smell the flowers. Perhaps you may just experience a glimmer of God’s glory, too.

Stuart McAllister is vice president of training and special projects at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia. 

Morning   “At evening time it shall be light.” / Zechariah 14:7

Oftentimes we look forward with forebodings to the time of old age, forgetful

that at eventide it shall be light. To many saints, old age is the choicest

season in their lives. A balmier air fans the mariner’s cheek as he nears the

shore of immortality, fewer waves ruffle his sea, quiet reigns, deep, still

and solemn. From the altar of age the flashes of the fire of youth are gone,

but the more real flame of earnest feeling remains. The pilgrims have reached

the land Beulah, that happy country, whose days are as the days of heaven upon

earth. Angels visit it, celestial gales blow over it, flowers of paradise grow

in it, and the air is filled with seraphic music. Some dwell here for years,

and others come to it but a few hours before their departure, but it is an

Eden on earth. We may well long for the time when we shall recline in its

shady groves and be satisfied with hope until the time of fruition comes. The

setting sun seems larger than when aloft in the sky, and a splendour of glory

tinges all the clouds which surround his going down. Pain breaks not the calm

of the sweet twilight of age, for strength made perfect in weakness bears up

with patience under it all. Ripe fruits of choice experience are gathered as

the rare repast of life’s evening, and the soul prepares itself for rest.

 

The Lord’s people shall also enjoy light in the hour of death. Unbelief

laments; the shadows fall, the night is coming, existence is ending. Ah no,

crieth faith, the night is far spent, the true day is at hand. Light is come,

the light of immortality, the light of a Father’s countenance. Gather up thy

feet in the bed, see the waiting bands of spirits! Angels waft thee away.

Farewell, beloved one, thou art gone, thou wavest thine hand. Ah, now it is

light. The pearly gates are open, the golden streets shine in the jasper

light. We cover our eyes, but thou beholdest the unseen; adieu, brother, thou

hast light at even-tide, such as we have not yet.

 

Evening    “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the

righteous.” / 1 John 2:1

“If any man sin, we have an advocate.” Yes, though we sin, we have him still.

John does not say, “If any man sin he has forfeited his advocate,” but “we

have an advocate,” sinners though we are. All the sin that a believer ever

did, or can be allowed to commit, cannot destroy his interest in the Lord

Jesus Christ, as his advocate. The name here given to our Lord is suggestive.

“Jesus.” Ah! then he is an advocate such as we need, for Jesus is the name of

one whose business and delight it is to save. “They shall call his name Jesus,

for he shall save his people from their sins.” His sweetest name implies his

success. Next, it is “Jesus Christ”–Christos, the anointed. This shows his

authority to plead. The Christ has a right to plead, for he is the Father’s

own appointed advocate and elected priest. If he were of our choosing he might

fail, but if God hath laid help upon one that is mighty, we may safely lay our

trouble where God has laid his help. He is Christ, and therefore authorized;

he is Christ, and therefore qualified, for the anointing has fully fitted him

for his work. He can plead so as to move the heart of God and prevail. What

words of tenderness, what sentences of persuasion will the anointed use when

he stands up to plead for me! One more letter of his name remains, “Jesus

Christ the righteous.” This is not only his character but his plea. It is his

character, and if the Righteous One be my advocate, then my cause is good, or

he would not have espoused it. It is his plea, for he meets the charge of

unrighteousness against me by the plea that he is righteous. He declares

himself my substitute and puts his obedience to my account. My soul, thou hast

a friend well fitted to be thine advocate, he cannot but succeed; leave

thyself entirely in his hands.

But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.   1 John 2:1

“If anyone does sin, we have an advocate.” Yes, though we sin, we have Him still. John does not say, “If anyone sins, they have forfeited their advocate,” but “we have an advocate,” even though we are sinners. All the sin that a believer ever did or can be allowed to commit cannot destroy his interest in the Lord Jesus Christ as his advocate. The name given here to our Lord is suggestive. “Jesus.” He is the kind of advocate we need, for Jesus is the name of one whose business and delight it is to save. “You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”1 His sweetest name implies His success.

Next, it is “Jesus Christ”—Christos, the anointed. This shows His authority to plead. Christ has a right to plead, for He is the Father’s own appointed advocate and elected priest. If He were our choice He might fail, but if God has laid help on one who is mighty, we may safely place our trouble where God has laid His help. He is Christ, and therefore authorized; He is Christ, and therefore qualified, for the anointing has fitted Him fully for His work. He can plead in such a way as to move the heart of God and prevail. What words of tenderness, what sentences of persuasion will the anointed use when He stands up to plead for me!

One more aspect of His name remains: “Jesus Christ the righteous.” This is not only His character but His plea. It is His character, and if the Righteous One is my advocate, then my cause is good or He would not have represented it. It is His plea, for He meets the charge of unrighteousness against me by the plea that He is righteous. He declares Himself my substitute and puts His obedience to my account. My soul, you have a friend perfectly fitted to be your advocate—He cannot but succeed; leave yourself entirely in His hands.

1Matthew 1:21

Family Reading Plan      Ezekiel 37       Psalm 88