While Ryan is away on vacation this July, we are having guest bloggers here at JustOneMore.info. This week’s guest is CrossPoint’s Minister to Students – Dave Snyder. Dave and his wife, Brooke, have one daughter, Eden, and have been at CrossPoint for just over 6 weeks. Dave enjoys reading, disc golf, and hanging with his sugar mama. You can find out more about Dave by following him on Twitter  - @DBoneSnyder.

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people”

1 Timothy 2:1, ESV

Have you ever promised someone that you would pray for him or her?  Have you failed in that promise?  It seems the honest thing we should do as followers of Jesus is to either fulfill our commitment in intercession prayer or not make the promise to begin with.

For example, what if when someone asked for prayer, we replied with, “I really hurt for you, but I since I won’t remember your request, I can’t promise you I will pray.” What a horrible thing to say in church!  Well, at least it’s honest.  You see, we tend to treat prayer like a passing gesture instead of a divine privilege.  May this blog post today encourage you to pray…and really pray.

Paul wrote this verse with great passion to his young friend in regards to biblical worship.  1 Timothy 2 is immersed with a Spirit-led guideline for worship.  It should come to us at no surprise that prayer begins the section.

Without pure and honest prayer, how can we truly worship?  How can we believe and trust in the greatness of God if we refuse to speak to Him?  Friend, we have a divine privilege each day to enter into His presence through Christ, our Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5).

I believe it’s time we quit treating prayer like a nice comment or gesture and handle it with graceful privilege.  As the bride of Christ, let us pray for one another with sweet intercession.  May our prayers for our leaders not be for our selfish conclusions but rather God’s sovereign plans.  May our promises to pray for others not be forgotten.

Why did I write on this today?  Well, last night after the Wednesday night movie time with my students, I walked into the student center to grab a bottle of water.  As I was walking into the room, some students were circled together near the stage.  My intern was on the stage with a mic in his hand praying.  I grabbed the bottle of water quietly and proceeded to the door.  Right before my hand touched the door, I heard my name lifted up in prayer.  I stood near the door for almost a minute as my dear friend prayed for me.  The sweet intercession brought sweet peace to my soul as I drove home after a long day at the church.  I was prayed for that night.

Pray.  Pray for someone today.  Make a promise to pray for someone else…and really do it.

While Ryan is away on vacation this July, we are having guest bloggers here at JustOneMore.info. This week’s guest is Denny Burk. Denny is the Dean of Boyce College and Associate Professor of New Testament at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He is also the editor of The Journal for Biblical Manhood & Womanhood and a contributor to the forthcoming bookDon’t Call it a Comeback: The Old Faith for a New Day (Crossway, 2011). Denny and his wife Susan reside in Louisville with their three children ages 4, 2, and 1 month.

While Ryan is away on vacation this July, we will have guest bloggers here at JustOneMore.info. This week’s guest is Rick Lance. Rick is a state missionary and executive director with the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions. He recently celebrated 40 years of ministry, including pastorates at First Baptist Church, Tuscaloosa; First Baptist Church, Cullman; and West End Baptist Church, Birmingham. Rick and his wife, Pam, have two daughters, Noelle and Allison, and are members of Vaughn Forest Baptist Church, Montgomery.

Bobby Welch

Most Baptists do not believe that foot washing is an ordinance. Yet it is a biblical concept. The vivid description of Jesus washing the feet of His disciples is one of the best depictions of servanthood anyone can imagine. The scene must have shocked Peter and the other disciples, but this did not stop Jesus from taking a towel and washing the feet of these ordinary men who had become His followers.

Recently, Bobby Welch, former president of the SBC, led a brief devotional for a meeting of executive directors from state conventions all over North America. This veteran pastoral/missions leader read the words of Scripture, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news.” Then he challenged us to group together in twos and pray over each other’s feet.

My prayer partner was Bob White, executive director of our neighbor state convention in Georgia. I kneeled down and placed my hands over his feet (shoes) and asked the Lord to use the influence of Bob White to continue to “bring the good news” to people. When I concluded, Bob then kneeled down and prayed a similar prayer over my feet.

Afterward, Bob and I spontaneously hugged each other in an act of Christian love. Few times in my life has such a simple act meant so much to me. I was moved to tears, and I glanced around the room and I saw so many Christian leaders kneeling down and praying for each other. I wish I had taken a picture of the scene. Well, in one way I did take a picture. It was a mental one, tucked away in the archives of meaningful moments in my ministry.

We may not believe that foot washing is an ordinance, but we do believe in praying for each other. When you pray over the feet of Christian leaders, you are making a commitment to pray for these brothers more than just at that particular moment. For years to come, Bob White will be uppermost in my prayers. I am praying that his feet will become even more beautiful in “bringing the good news” to others.

Thank you, Bobby Welch, for helping me, and I am sure many others, to learn to pray in this profoundly simple way for my brothers in the ministry. This moment is etched in my memory for the rest of my life. I now have an even more special bonding with my friend, Bob White. May his ministry be blessed as his “beautiful feet” are used to serve the Lord.

The Lord’s Prayer reminds me that I am never alone

Our Father in heaven…

The Lord’s Prayer reminds me that God’s purpose for your life is always bigger than my life

…hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…

The Lord’s Prayer requires I see myself as needy.

Give us this day our daily bread…

The Lord’s Prayer reminds me of God’s daily call to give the same to others as God has given to me.

…and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

The Lord’s Prayer reminds me that my biggest struggle in life exist inside, not outside, of me.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

The Lord’s Prayer reminds me that true heartfelt prayer ends as it begins – with recognition of God’s kingship and glory.

For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

St. Bernard of Clarivaux said, “Dear brothers, you should never doubt your prayer, thinking that it might have been in vain, for I tell you truly that before you have uttered the words, the prayer is already recorded in heaven.  Therefore you should confidently expect from God one of two things: either that your prayer will be granted, or, that if it is not granted, the granting of it would not be good for you.”

I shared responsibilities with a minister from Arkansas in a wedding last weekend.  Toward the end of the service he prayed a powerful written prayer for the newlyweds.  I asked for a copy of the prayer to share with you.

We need more prayers like this prayed over our marriages – for newlyweds as well as for not so newlyweds.

Heavenly Father, You have established marriage for the welfare and happiness of mankind.  Yours was the plan and only with You can we work it out with joy.  You have said, “It is not good for man to be alone.  I will make a helper suitable for him.”  So we look to You to provide what  _____ and _____ will need to have a magnificent marriage.

(more…)

My good friend, John Thweatt, from First Baptist Pell City reminded me of this great prayer from The Valley of Vision.  I encourage you to use this prayer in your daily time alone with the Lord.

LIFE-GIVING GOD

Quicken me to call upon thy name,
for my mind is ignorant,
my thoughts vagrant,
my affections earthly,
my heart unbelieving,
and only the Spirit can help my infirmities.

I approach thee as Father and Friend,
my portion forever,
my exceeding joy,
my strength of heart.

I believe in thee as the God of nature,
the ordainer of providence,
the sender of Jesus my Savior.

My guilty fears discourage an approach to thee,
but I praise thee for the blessed news
that Jesus reconciles thee to me.

May the truth that is in him
illuminate in me all that is dark,
establish in me all that is wavering,
comfort in me all that is wretched,
accomplish in me all that is of thy goodness,
and glorify in me the name of Jesus.

I pass through a vale of tears
but bless thee for the opening gate of glory
at its end.

Enable me to realize as mine the better,
heavenly country.

Prepare me for every part of my pilgrimage.
Uphold my steps by thy Word.

Let no iniquity dominate me.

Teach me that Christ cannot be the way
if I am the end,
that he cannot be redeemer
if I am my own savior,
that there can be no true union with him
while the creature has my heart,
that faith accepts him as Redeemer and Lord
or not at all.

The Valley of Vision

Let’s work on the next command from 1 Thessalonians 5.  Yesterday the command was to “rejoice always”.  Today the Word of God instructs us to “pray without ceasing”.

The Word of God teaches:

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Everybody prays, right?  But does everybody pray without ceasing?

How does one pray without ceasing?

Years ago I purchased a small paper-back book titled, The Practice of the Presence of God, by  (1641 – 1691).  Brother Lawrence was a lay brother in the Carmelite monastery.  His primary job was to cook and clean the dishes.  Brother Lawrence’s thoughts on practicing the presence of God even in the most menial of tasks spoke volumes to me about praying without ceasing.

Brother Lawrence’s approach was simple, extremely simple.  First, he would fill his mind with thoughts of God in prayer before going off to work in the kitchen.  Then in the kitchen he spent “intervals of this time, as well as before and after his work, in prayer…As he proceeded in his work he continued his familiar conversation with his Maker, imploring His grace, and offering to Him all his actions.”

Brother Lawrence records:

O my God, since thou art with me, and I must now, in obedience to thy commands apply my mind to these outward [tasks], I beseech thee to grant me the grace to continue in thy presence; and to this end do thou prosper me with thy assistance, receive all my works, and possess all my affections.

Although his first few attempts were difficult, Brother Lawrence eventually developed a “habitual, silent and secret conversation of the soul with God.” What was his secret?  Brother Lawrence learned to start and end his day with God, but to also continue, private conversations with God throughout the day.  And that is what it means to practice the presence of God.  Thus, it has been my experience that when I practice the presence of God I learn to “pray without ceasing.”

Make note of this: to pray without ceasing is both a science and an art.  Continuous prayer, just like rejoicing always, is a science you must cultivate.  An individual who develop the discipline to pray, learn to pray continually.  Additionally, continual prayer is an art, in that you must respond to the moment or situation to offer that kind of prayer.  By following the leadership of the Holy Spirit you learn the knack to pray always.

Here is an idea that I think will help you in the science and art of learning to pray without ceasing.  Why not conduct your own research on the subject?  First, place a post-it note near your desk or in your automobile that simply says, “PRAY!” Then let that note remind you to utter short, one-sentence prayers to your Heavenly Father throughout your day. Look for external prompts like conversations, situations, news, food, decisions, relationships, sights, aromas and other such reminders to cause you to pray. As your day progresses make note of what you pray.  Record what happens as you pray.  Thanks to Brother Lawrence, I believe the key to pray without ceasing is to practice the presence of God.

Most people spend more time preparing for the celebration of Christ’s birth, than they do for the celebration of His death, burial and resurrection.  I, for one, try to take advantage of the weeks leading up to the Resurrection Day by spending more time in prayer, Bible study and reflection.

Below is a powerful prayer we can use to begin our Lenten participation:

Gracious God,

Father of my Lord Jesus Christ and also my dear Father, I thank you that you have permitted me to see another Lenten season, during which I am privileged again to meditate on the Cross of Christ with its many comforting spiritual lessons.  May this holy season bring me rich personal blessings.  Cause the message of the slain Lamb of God to impress upon my heart and mind the awfulness of my transgressions and to lead me to Calvary for pardon and peace.  Lead me to see that my sins caused His great agony in the Garden; that my transgressions nailed Him to the Cross of Calvary; that He was forsaken by His own that I might not be forsaken by you; that He died so that I might not die eternally.

O Lord Jesus, grant that especially during this sacred season the story of your wondrous love for me may draw me closer to you so that in gratitude for your great love I may rejoice in my redemption, walk with you in willing obedience, and follow your example of love and sacrifice.

O Holy Spirit, during this Lenten season grant all Christians a double measure of your outpouring to arouse the indifferent listeners, to stir up the lukewarm, to encourage the timid, to assure the doubting, to calm the disturbed, and to console the sorrowing.  May troubled souls everywhere by the message of Lent be led to sincere repentance and trusting faith in the Cross of Calvary, so that, dying to sin, they may live to you now and forever.

(Taken from My Prayer Book, Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, MO)

Periodically during the next 33 days remaining in Lent we will draw our attention to Christ, His cross and Him crucified.

Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly,
Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see Thee in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold Thy glory.
Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.
Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter Thy stars shine;
Let me find Thy light in my darkness,
Thy life in my death,
Thy joy in my sorrow,
Thy grace in my sin,
Thy riches in my poverty,
Thy glory in my valley.

Reprinted from The Valley of Vision