In over sixty years of walking with the Lord, I have experienced prayer in many settings; from the empty meaningless repetitions to passionate pouring out of heart before God and seeing Him transform me and people as we labored in prayer. I have grown to love my time in prayer.
“It is said of C. H. Spurgeon, that he glided from laughter to prayer with the naturalness of one who lived in both elements. With him the habit of prayer was free and unfettered. His life was not divided into compartments, the one shut off from the other with a rigid exclusiveness that barred all intercommunication. He lived in constant fellowship with his Father in heaven. He was ever in touch with God, and thus it was as natural for him to pray as it was for him to breath.” (1) This quote reminded me of Jesus in Matthew 11. He had just been criticizing the cities of Chorazin and Capernaum for their lack of repentance, and in a very natural way turns to speak in prayer to the “Father, Lord of heaven and earth” (11:25). Our lack of freedom in prayer reflects two serious problems we have. One of these problems is that we do not know the “Father” well enough because we do not spend time with Him in secret. We also do not recognize Him as “Lord of heaven and earth.” Lack of intimacy with God means we do not understand His character or rule, nor how closely He is involved in our daily lives. The other problem, which Spurgeon alludes to, is the compartmental attitude we take toward God’s involvement in what we do and say. We would never say it, but by our actions we think that God is not interested in those parts of our lives that are not “spiritual.” Yet, as far as God is concerned, there is no distinction between the sacred and secular. He wants us to access Him in prayer no matter what we are doing and where. Our attitude toward this will not change until we get to know Him better. Intimacy with Him grows out of a consistent desire and pursuit to know Him! (1) The Complete Works of E. M. Bounds on Prayer, Prince Press, 2000, page 311.
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We have often noted that the Early Church moved forward through prayer. As Jesus left the disciples with instructions to “wait for the promise of the Father” (Acts 1:4), they spent those days in prayer (1:14). These and many other references show how important prayer was to the Church. After Saul was converted and enfolded into the body of Christ at Damascus, Jerusalem, Antioch and other places, he saw the power of prayer working in the Church. When Saul, now Paul, is sent out on his second and third missionary journey, he does not hesitate to ask for prayer: “Brothers, pray for us” (1 Thessalonians 5:25). “Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you” (2 Thessalonians 3:1). “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--” (Colossians 4:3). I have listed these in the order in which they were written so you can see how the urgency of his request for the churches to pray became more intense and specific. He was not asking them to pray for personal matters, but for the advancement of God’s work. That is where his heart was! That is what matters! That is where our hearts should be. Therefore, the fact you are reading this blog means you have some interest in this ministry. I am asking that you invest in something that will impact lives for eternity. Pray for us so that through this ministry the Church will return to Scripture and use biblical methods for the spread of the Gospel to the unreached. Through faithful, genuine prayer we join the heart and work of God. I sat at my desk today writing notes to persons who support this ministry in prayer and became overwhelmed with the whole support system of grace that most of us take for granted. We easily become ritualistic in our prayer life, forgetting that it is a living relationship with Almighty God who is our Father through our faith in the Lord Jesus.
When the disciples asked Jesus how to pray, He taught them to say, “Our Father” (Matthew 6:9). In the final days Jesus had with His disciples, He said to them, “I am ascending to My Father and your Father, My God and your God” (John 20:17). How we need to treasure this relationship as the highest of all relationships anyone could have – it is eternal. Paul helps us understand how to experience and enjoy this relationship with God. God has given the Holy Spirit within us to remind us that we “have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry “Abba Father!” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:15-16). In this relationship, “the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (8:26). How would this change your times of prayer? Can you even begin to realize what this means? Remember these verses as you pray for anything, particularly others. Yes, we must be genuine in our praying, not casual. The Helper is filling in what lacks so that our prayers reach the ear of the Father with the divine touch of the Spirit. If we relied more on the Spirit in prayer, He might also change what we ask for so it agrees with God’s will and purpose. Yangon, Myanmar Tim and Jonathan have just finished training young believer’s through God’s Plan for His Church (GPHC). It was very rewarding to have the disciple/students present the overview or “Big Picture” of GPHC each morning. What is so amazing is that they are even able to do this after only a couple of days! One of our main objectives is to help develop faithful men and women who are able to teach, passing the baton on to the next generation (2 Timothy 2:2). This is just one way in which we challenge and reinforce them to take ownership reminding them this is not our material, it is God’s Plan from His Word. Mandalay, Myanmar After making it back from Hmawbi, Jonathan then headed north to Mandalay to do a weekend training with our dear brother Moses. Mandalay is the capital city of Myanmar and very much the central hub of Buddhism in Myanmar. This is a fantastic opportunity for the Gospel to ring out right in the heart of darkness. Please continue to pray that we could equip those to be “taught by God” as the Apostle Paul so confidently asserted about the church in Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 4:9) Pray also for brother Moses as he has sacrificially given his time to translation work for God’s Plan for His Church in the past and we believe has a key role to play in connecting us with those leaders who are hungry for God’s Word. He is also wanting to translate God’s Plan for His Disciples. The potential impact of this is far bigger than we can imagine. Please pray with us that this tool will accomplish its purpose wherever it is used. One of the most important principles we should learn as believers is that we are crucified with Christ. “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).
A dear brother I knew as a young man, wrote on this verse, and makes it very clear. “The believer is identified with Christ in His death. Not only was Christ crucified on Calvary, I was crucified there as well – in Him. This means the end of me as a sinner in God’s sight. It means the end of me as a person seeking to merit or earn salvation by my own efforts. It means the end of me as a child of Adam, as a man under the condemnation of the law, as my old, unregenerate self. The old “I” has been crucified; it has no more claim on my daily life. This is true as to my standing before God; it should be true as to my behavior. The believer does not cease to live as a personality or as an individual. But the one who is seen by God as having died is not the same one who lives. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me! The Savior did not die for me in order that I might go on living my life as I choose. He died for me so that from now on He might live His life in me. The life which I now live in this human body, I live by faith in the Son of God. Faith means reliance or dependence on Christ, by yielding to Him, by allowing Christ to live His life in me.” William MacDonald, Believers Bible Commentary, Thomas Nelson, 1990, page 696. My wife and I attended a funeral today of a man who was dearly loved and appreciated by his family, church and community. During the service, Psalm 90:12 was read: “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”
This Psalm was written by Moses who experienced the presence of God all his life. God watched over him at birth and saved Moses’ life from the murderous Pharaoh of Egypt who wanted all the Hebrew males killed at birth. Through God’s providential care, the king’s daughter adopted this boy and brought him up as royalty. The preparation of Moses’ life went from forty years in a palace to forty years in a wilderness, until God called him to lead Israel out of Egypt, through another wilderness, into the Promised Land for another forty years. How did Moses acquire wisdom to step into this leadership role? There was no hope of him becoming a Pharaoh. Tending sheep was a very lonely job with not much future. What was the key element in his life that we can learn from that caused Moses to gain a “heart of wisdom”? The key is right in this Psalm. “Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” (Psalm 90:1–2). Moses knew the secret of God’s presence. It was not a passing experience that came and went. Moses’ place and the place for God’s people was dwelling near to God and getting to know Him. In the presence of God, we learn that every day must be lived for Him and lived with wisdom. Wisdom is not gained from this world or through the degrees it gives. It is only learned as we “abide in the shadow of the Almighty” (91:1). Are you counting today so you can gain wisdom in God’s presence? Tomorrow is not guaranteed to you! Count your days carefully! “I am wired by nature to love the same toys that the world loves. I start to fit in. I start to love what others love. I start to call earth "home." Before you know it, I am calling luxuries "needs" and using my money just the way unbelievers do. I begin to forget the war. I don't think much about people perishing. Missions and unreached people drop out of my mind. I stop dreaming about the triumphs of grace. I sink into a secular mindset that looks first to what man can do, not what God can do. It is a terrible sickness. And I thank God for those who have forced me again and again toward a wartime mindset.” ― John Piper, “Don't Waste Your Life”
Freedom is defined differently by many people and many cultures. During one of the worst regimes in history, a reporter was captured by the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. “He was brutally beaten, imprisoned, and mistreated. He lived in the worst possible conditions. Finally, he planned his escape. He ran from one tragic scene to another.
Having endured the rigors of the jungle while being chased by his captors, he finally stepped out into a clearing and looked down. To his utter amazement, he saw the Cambodian border. Down below him was a small refugee camp. His eyes caught sight of a hospital and a flag, and on the flag, a cross. Light returned to his weary face, which said in a dozen different ways, “I’m free. I’m free!” Stuart Briscoe, Spiritual Stamina In another way, we will never realize true freedom until we have understood and experienced being in bondage. Sin is the worst slave master there is. It blinds and deceives and gives false hope and empty promises. It alienates and destroys every relationship you have ever had or hoped to have. Sin will ruin you and your eternal future and bring judgment that is beyond imagination. There is only one way to true freedom. “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36). “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1). God knew how important your freedom was and bought it with the price of His sinless Son! Armies and dictators succeed and fail. Governments and nations rise and fall, but there is only one who has the power to give eternal freedom from sin. Are you living in that freedom purchased by the SON? We are thrilled to announce the publication of a new book and tool for helping new believers in the Lord Jesus to become firmly established in their faith and able to follow a biblical model that is found in the Book of Acts and the Early Church. This tool will help any believer grow and become stronger in their faith. Here is a list of the first thirteen lessons of God’s Plan for His Disciples. 1. The Authority and Sufficiency of the Word 2. The Authority and Sufficiency of the Spirit 3. Water Baptism 4. Members of One Another 5. Lord’s Supper 6. Instructions on How to Study the Bible 7. Practicing How to Study the Bible 8. Galatians: Spirit, Faith, and Pure Gospel 9. Ephesians: Revealing the Plan of Christ 10. 1 Timothy: Order in the Household of God 11. Your Life in Christ 12. Your Life with Christ 13. Spending Quiet Time with the Lord Our purpose in writing this book came from indigenous church planters and leaders asking how to help new believers become mature in their faith immediately after conversion. This inspired the author, Tim Bunn, to write a simple study that helps new believers gain from Scripture a clear understanding of what the Bible says about their salvation and who they are in Christ. If you are interested in receiving an electronic copy or hard copy of this book, please contact us at newfoundationsinternational@gmail.com. It will also be posted on the Resource page of this website in a few days. There is no doubt in our minds that we must bring all believers to maturity in Christ, and some to leadership in the Church. When this becomes a true movement of the Holy Spirit, it will take a very short time for every unreached people group in the world to be reached with the Gospel and the Church made ready for the Lord’s return. We pray that you become part of this movement. Over the years God has helped us plan the future of this ministry. We have often thought how valuable it would be to have a facility where students could come and study God’s Word away from distractions over a four weeks period so they can complete the course. So much of our training has been in smaller segments; an introduction and then two or three follow up five-day sessions. This proved to be ineffective. Students lose interest and commitment because the BIG PICTURE of God’s plan for His Church is not seen all at one time. We have concluded that our strategy must change to be more effective. There have been several locations that were possibilities where we could hold a four-week training, but none of them worked out until now. As we continued to pray and God answered with “a wide door for effective work… opened to” us in S. E. Asia (Romans 16:9). Someone who founded an orphanage is redirecting the leaders to focus on reaching the unreached people groups and develop an Antioch Church. The board of directors are on board with this and today Tim met with several more involved in the ministry along with someone who works along the China border. Their commitment to our philosophy of ministry is such that if we need another building for training they are willing to build it. Tim presented to everyone there on Sunday how strategic their location is and how bringing these orphans out of their tribal groups would help them be willing to reach other people groups. The effectiveness of training them in this setting, before they get established in the traditional mission ways, puts them light years ahead in doing mission work God’s way, with His Word and His power. Will you pray with us that every step along this new path will be directed by the Lord and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Updates will be posted as they develop. |
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