"Camel Knees" Christianity
I watched the service from back home online, and Bro.Messer was talking about prayer. James, leader of the church at Jerusalem, half-brother of Jesus, and author of James, had another name "Camel Knees." He knelt in prayer so often that his knees had become hard and calloused like a camel's.
As Pastor preached, he touched on the fact that this is not how we pray today. We're so wealthy we can pray on pillows. We pray while we fall asleep. But do we fervently pray for
anything?
Prayer is always an area in need of improvement in my life. It's so easy to let the day overwhelm me before I take anything to God. I often cite Lewis, but he said to push all those cares aside and focus on God first thing in the morning. Remember He's there and in control. It's like coming in out of the wind. I do have a prayer list, I just need to remember to look at it!
My Dad taught me the ACTS prayer acrostic : Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication. Before immediately asking God for something, I must praise Him first . "Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name..." is where this comes from. Prayer should really be about Him, not about me. I was challenged in chapel once to pray for five minutes without asking for anything and just praise God in that prayer. It's a really refreshing experience. You praise Him for who He is, what He's done, all He's given you...it's fulfilling, and as a nice by product, you feel better.
Rand Hummel (Wilds) came to chapel here the past two days, and it was awesome. He broke down a verse in Proverbs as an example of how we need to meditate on the Word. It talked about being bound by sin. A thread wrapped around your wrists several times is hard to break. It spoke of the wicked. I know when I read verses about the wicked I kind of skip it, "oh, I'm saved, I'm righteous, that verse doesn't apply to
me!" But that verse does apply to me. The old man is still able to get the best of me. I am still able to respond in the flesh. I can be sinful and blind myself to it. I spent some time that afternoon in prayer confessing, and it was planned by God. Rand's message, my confession, the Biblical confrontation some of us had to have later that evening. All three events were orchestrated by God...how amazing is that? How big is your God? I need to be aware of my sin, confess it, and restore fellowship. As to the confrontation, pray for the situation, and for my influence with a party involved. Pray for wisdom for all involved. (None of these people you know, I promise.)
Ok, wow. This is getting long, and I only got through the first two steps of the prayer acrostic. But we all know how to give thanks and ask God for things/intercede for others, but if I hear a chapel message about either one of those anytime soon, this post will have a second part.
James 5:16 ...the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much...
Isaiah 53
Isaiah 53
1Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
2For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3He is
despised and
rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4Surely he hath
borne our griefs, and
carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him
stricken,
smitten of God, and afflicted.
5But he was
wounded for our
transgressions, he was
bruised for our
iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his
stripes we are healed.
6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the
iniquity of us all.
7He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
8He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
9And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10Yet it pleased the LORD to
bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an
offering for
sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
11He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous
servant justify many; for he shall bear their
iniquities.
12Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto
death: and he was numbered with the
transgressors; and he bare the
sin of many, and made
intercession for the
transgressors.
(emphasis and color, mine)
There's no way I can add to this amazing passage, but I read it in my devotions last night. As Paul said in 2 Corinthians 9:15, "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift." Thank-you just doesn't seem like enough, though. Paul said earlier that we are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body and spirit, which are His by right. He paid for it. Why am I so reluctant to give Him what is already His? Yet I read a passage like that, or hear a message on the crucifixion and I'm humbled once again. He thought I was worth that much, that price. He deserves my all: "All I am, all I have, and all I ever hope to be. " -Rich Andrews
God paid that price for me, for you. Who are we to think God does not love every person we pass on the street or freeway? He paid for their salvation, too. As Lewis said, we have never met a mere mortal. There are no mere mortals. The soul of every person lives forever. We are immortal souls. That is what Christ paid for, the souls of men.
"Thank-you Lord, for saving my soul."
I could have died in my sins but you saved me...I should have been the one to pay, but instead you took my place, Amazing Grace, it's more than just a song. ~The Katinas
