A Heart Set on God

 

John MacArthur reminds us that because we live in such a free and prosperous society we tend to put our security in ourselves and where we live rather than depending on God's grace. We have accepted the idea that we have the best in our physical blessings and are not really concerned about spiritual blessings. Why should I be concerned about my relationship with God as long as I have good health, enough money, a good home, good car, and for some of us, a good computer, one dog and one cat, a good wife and happy children?

 

Likewise we look at the church with the same eyes of prosperity. If things are going well we thank ourselves for doing such a good job. If there is growth then we are responsible for it and we confuse human success with divine blessing. The materialism of the world is present likewise in the church. Everything must have a numeric value to it or we are not interested. Many live as though God is not necessary. If we count the amount of time we talk to him, then he is not necessary at all.

 

Think about your own children. Arletta and I have five children and a foster daughter. We have nine grandchildren. Some of our children we hear from regularly, several times a week. We never hear from our foster daughter. Rarely do we hear from our grandchildren. Some of them have not even taken the time to say "Thanks" for expensive gifts. What does that say about our relationship. If we were pragmatic non-Christians, we might say to the non-communicators, "Someday, when the final will and testament is read, you may find yourself receiving a token dollar. You did not have time for us when we were alive and we have nothing for you in death."

 

People who choose to ignore God all their lives even though they claim to be Christians may find themselves in a similar boat, except that this boat is crossing the river Styx on its way to Hades.

 

MacArthur then adds, "Christians can actually behave like practical humanists, living as if God were not necessary. When that happens, passionate longing for God and yearning for His help will be missing—along with His empowerment." So we are called upon by Paul to "pray at all times" (Eph. 6:18) and to "devote yourselves to prayer" (Col. 4:2).

 

THE FREQUENCY OF PRAYER

• How often did Jesus pray?
  
  • Ministry lasted only three and a half years
    
  • Prayer was a daily habit
    
  • Often early in the morning
    
  • Usually alone
    
  • Had special places to pray, such as the Garden of Gethsemane or the Mount of Olives
    
  • "Prayer was the spiritual air that Jesus breathed every day of His life."
    

"He urged His disciples to do the same. He said, "Keep on the alert at all times, praying in order that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place" (Luke 21:36)."    

• Frequency of prayer in the early church
  
  • The 120 before the Day of Pentecost gathered in the Upper Room, "with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer" (Acts 1:14).
    
  • The first 3000 converts were noted for being involved in prayer.
    
  • The apostles believed prayer was their most important ministry (Acts 6:4)
    
  • The consistent practice of the Apostle Paul(Rom. 1:9–10; cf. 1 Cor. 1:4; Eph. 5:20; Phil. 1:4; Col. 1:3; 1 Thes. 1:2; 2 Thes. 1:3, 11; Phile. 4)
    
  • Paul: "Pray without ceasing." Also Phil 4:6, Col 4:2; Romans 12:12; Ephesians 6:18