In our winning-obsessed culture, it’s easy to make your successes part of your identity. We must resist this temptation because our identity is in Christ.
When participating in a competition the desire to win is natural. The joy in success is incomparable and the feeling produced is such that one would want it replicated. But what happens when the desire to win becomes the end goal for the Christian? What happens when winning is no longer just an outcome but becomes the Christian’s identity?
What are you like when you win?
Whether it’s a games night, a sporting event or a project at work – we all want success. In a competitive environment, your opponents become your de-facto enemies and even when facing friends; they have to be defeated. There is no situation in which losing is acceptable and playing games for fun is unfathomable. Consequently, rivalry and division are inevitable (Galatians 5:20 and Philippians 2:3).
The attitude displayed towards friends at a game’s night may grant you the win but may cause you to lose the relationships you hold dear. For those of us who are competitive, do we consider how we come across to those we deem opponents? Have the invitations to the game nights that you were regularly invited to decreased over the years?
Do your teammates still enjoy playing with you at the local 5-aside football? Does your producer enjoy recording music with you still? Has the desire to win overshadowed the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control that is the fruit of the Holy Spirit? (Galatians 5:22-23). When winning becomes our identity, people become obstacles to our ultimate goal.
Your faith in Christ is your ultimate identity
Winning and confidence go hand in hand. As the wins increase so too does the confidence that your level of performance can be replicated and maintained. However, what may have begun as confidence can transition into arrogance? Where winning was once something you did, it has now become who you are. Desiring to be successful in your chosen field is an admirable thing to desire.
The issue arises when the root of your joy is found in your achievements and not in Christ. If you are in Christ, you have a new identity (2 Corinthians 5:17). Your life is no longer defined by your sin, mistakes or successes but by Christ (Galatians 2:20). Therefore, your wins don’t define you; neither do your losses diminish you. Your security is no longer found in what you have achieved but in the One who holds your life in His hands and will never let you go (John 10:29).
This world is passing away and your successes will pass away with it. Don’t destroy the relationships you treasure so profoundly for a win that you will likely neglect as you chase the next target. Instead, as you pursue success, remind yourself that irrespective of whether you win; your identity in Christ is one you will never lose.
‘The root of anxiety is failure to trust all that God has promised to be for us in Jesus’ – John Piper
Anxiety is an extremely human emotion because it involves being faced with uncertainty about the present and future as well as being prone to high-stress situations and the triggers that come with them. Therefore, we as human beings can sometimes relate to being paralysed with worry, uneasiness, fear and even dread. Anxiety can also be the trauma response to circumstances of our past. So, if our past, present and future have the potential to make us primed for anxiety, the question is how can we as believers trust God amid all our anxiety? This is the question this article seeks to answer by building a foundation of the peaceful nature of God and his kingdom and how it serves practically as the antithesis of our anxiety. We will also explore the role our trust in God and His Kingdom must play in it. It is my prayer that you will be equipped to trust God amid anxiety as you read this article in Jesus’ name.
Exchange anxiety for peace
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus
Philippians 4:7
Let’s build a foundation by first understanding the nature of God and His Kingdom. Paul asserts that the ‘Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and Joy (Romans 14:17). He also characterised peace as a fruit of God’s Spirit (Galatians 5:22). This peace is a state of tranquillity, rest and calm for the soul. It’s what Paul tells the believers to allow to guard their hearts, He also tells us how we ought to do that as believers through prayer, supplications and letting our requests known to God. Being anxious for nothing is imperative in this verse but it is impossible without trust because it doesn’t tell us that we would have nothing to be anxious about. If we go to God with all of our reasons for anxiety and we commune with him through it he can exchange it for his peace. The beauty of having a relationship with God is we get to experience His nature and Kingdom namely peace when it goes against everything we should be experiencing because of our experiences this is why God’s peace is said to surpasses understanding.
Sleeping in the storm
“That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith? They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” Mark 4:35-41 Much like the different storms we face in life, the storm made the disciples anxious. Our storm could be a crisis in our relationships, career, faith, health and overall well-being. When there’s conflict in those areas the human response which Jesus rebuked his disciples for is to be anxious. Jesus rebuking them for their lack of faith means their anxiety was rooted in their lack of trust in God. They questioned Jesus on how he could be asleep, and he questioned them on their lack of faith. The reason why Jesus wasn’t a product of his circumstance was because of His trust in the nature and Kingdom of God. To be in a state of sleep is to mirror the tranquil state of rest and quiet of God and His Kingdom and that’s what trust gives us a license to do when we should be anxious.
Woman standing on a rock and looking in the distance
What does trust look like?
1. Concluding that the good, bad and ugly circumstances life presents you are working for your good and seizing the opportunity they present, to be conformed into the image of God. If we have the right attitude, we will find the hardest trials often mature us in godly character. (Romans 8:28-29; James 1:2-4)
2. Trusting that the cross of Jesus Christ heals the wounds of your past. The anxiety induced by the past is not exempt from what Jesus’ death and resurrection heals, it might require vulnerability on our part but that vulnerability is what’s necessary for the building blocks of intimacy which is rooted in trust. David’s Psalms are an amazing picture of this. (Psalm 43,22 and 51)
3. Casting all of your cares (worries, anxieties, fears) unto God because you know that He cares for you. This trust is rooted in God’s caring nature as a loving Father and it allows you to prioritise seeking God’s kingdom and nature resolving that He will look after you in the present and future. (1 Peter 5:7), (Matthew 6:28-34)
4. Living by faith in God and not by sight, if we live by sight then the things we experience have great bearing on our well-being, but if we live by faith entrust that bearing to God. We can only live by faith and not sight if we rest in God’s sovereignty. (2 Corinthians 5:7; 2 Corinthians 4:18)
5. Leaning on the community of believers around you to help share your burden and encourage your faith. This could be a brother or sister in Christ or a mentor and leader that can listen you, intercede for you and encourage you with truth. (Galatians 6:2; Hebrews 10:24-24; Proverbs 27:17)
As human beings living in a fallen world life continues to give us reasons to be anxious and to give into worry and fear, but we serve a God whose nature and Kingdom are in direct opposition to anxiety because He is our peace. Our capacity to embody his peace amid anxiety-riddled circumstances hinges on our trust in Him. Our trust is facilitated by our awareness which is enriched by communing with God through our prayer, supplications and thanksgiving. In communion, we embody Christ and follow in his footsteps which means we can trust God to bring peace to the anxious storms of our lives.
It has become a common consensus that to reach your goals, a period of effective planning must be undertaken to provide a clear path to achievement. The world will share with you many ways to effectively plan this year, but as Christians how does our approach to planning differ?
Before I highlight the ways to be an effective planner, it is imperative to understand that Jesus too valued the importance of planning. In Luke 14:28 Jesus states that “suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it”. In this scripture, Jesus emphasises the importance of planning before engaging in a task. Planning gives a clear sense of direction and helps to identify and take into consideration the cost of what you intend to embark on.
Is it in God’s will?
One way we can be effective planners is to be led by God when planning. Although this may sound very cliché, what does this actually look like? Often when planning and setting our goals, we ask God to bless the plans we made of our own volition and often outside God’s desired plans. A more effective process of planning places God’s desires at the forefront and therefore aligning our plans with His. In this instance where our plans align with His plans for our lives, you can be confident of the eventual fulfilment of your plans. Proverbs 16:9 states that “the heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps”. Instead of asking God to bless plans you have already made, ask God what you should be focusing on so that your will and His will are fully aligned. This way we do not waste time focusing on the wrong things.
Keep Wise Godly Counsel
Secondly, a way to effectively plan is to keep wise Godly counsel. Proverbs 11:14 expands on this by stating that “where there is no guidance, a people fall, but in the abundance of counsellors there is safety”. When planning we do not always have the answer and can struggle to effectively plan if we rely solely on our own knowledge. Therefore, it is extremely valuable to surround yourself with knowledgeable and wise counsel who can help you see different perspectives and thoroughly consider future alternatives. Given that the kings of the bible saw the importance in seeking wise counsel, I believe that we should also see this component as important to the planning process. Also, having wise Godly counsel helps us to effectively plan in alignment with God’s will.
The fundamental component to effective planning is initially aligning your desires with Gods. This way you will have confidence that whatever you work on will be fruitful because you have the approval of God. Moreover, after establishing an alignment of desires, factors such as seeking wise Godly counsel can help aid the planning process to ensure that the steps to establishing your vision are clearer and this is how we can become more effective planners in 2023.
In this life various barriers to effective planning exist such as poor time management, overexcitement or pride, but the most important barrier is being unaligned with God’s will. Without the full backing of God, this misaligned stance can often lead to wasted time.
Growing up as a student-athlete life was somewhat simple. Win at any cost and make sure you don’t lose. Before I became a serious Christian, I had never considered how my desire to win might spill over and mature into pride or give way to the temptation to cheat or cut corners. I just simplified life into a win-or-lose binary and this made things simple. I wish I could say this view was left in my childhood, but in many ways, it continued into my professional life. Maybe you can relate to me a little. So many of the interactions at work can be seen through this simple binary, am i winning or am I losing, is helping me or them (whoever you conceive them to be).
This is of course not healthy, but it can be difficult to work out what to do with your desire to win and advance your position after you become a Christian. We are warned about Pride in Galatians 6:4, Isaiah 2:12 and even James 4:6. A Christian would do well to run away from pride, however, how much of our fear of pride can lead us into apathy and indifference, where we don’t assert ourselves and watch life pass us by.
I sat down with Kare Adenegan, a British Paralympian who is also a devoted Christian to see how her faith influences her desire to win in the sport.
Kare started wheelchair racing at the age of eleven after watching the London 2012 Paralympic Games. Four years later, she became a Paralympic Medalist in the T34 classification (Silver 100m, Bronze 400m and 800m), representing Paralympics GB at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. She also won two silver medals (100m and 800m) at the Tokyo 2020 Games, and recently won silver in the 100m at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
As a Christian athlete, how has your Christian walk influenced your desire to win
Personally, I don’t think my relationship with God has made me want to win any more or less. However, because my identity is rooted in Christ, I know that winning doesn’t define me or change God’s view towards me. Being a Christian athlete is empowering because faith in Jesus provides an eternal perspective on the sport. Of course, I want to win, but it really isn’t the end of the world if I don’t win, and God’s will for my life might be contrary to my athletics ambitions and that’s okay.
How do you check that desire to win at any cost necessary?
The ‘win at any cost’ mindset is essentially idolatry. We have to invite God to have his way with our sports. Winning at all costs also suggests a willingness to act against your morals and values in order to win. My desire to be a successful athlete was once an idol in my life because I thought it was a firm foundation, but COVID, lockdown, and a postponement to the Paralympic Games in 2020 caused that idol to fall.
I prevent my desire to win from becoming an idol by constantly consecrating my athletics career to God in prayer and committing each training session to him. I try to have the mindset that I’m winning for his glory instead of my own.
Does being a Christian make you happy when other people win instead of you?
Kind of. If someone wins instead of me, I am happy for them because I recognise that they have worked hard to win. At the end of the day, the winner is the one who has put in the most work and has reaped their rewards on the day of the competition. So I always sincerely congratulate the winner, but at the same time, being a competitive athlete means that I also have the mindset that I need to work harder.
Being a Christian means that I am called to show love to my competitors, and I really do love them and respect their grind.
What advice would you give to someone trying to get their mojo back after a period of apathy in their sport?
Remind yourself of your why? If you don’t know why you’re doing sport then you won’t be motivated to do your best. If you are struggling to find your ‘why’, start with this. if you are a Christian, your sport can be your place of worship. Paul writes in Romans 12:1, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship”.
We can use our bodies as living sacrifices as we do our sport. When you are low in motivation, reflect on the fact that God has given you a body with immense capabilities to be used for his glory. Worship him by using your body and talents. Exalt him in the successes and trust him through the challenges. If this is of interest, I explore what it means to participate in sport for God’s glory with guests on my podcast, ‘Sporting For His Glory’. Having conversations about faith and sport on the podcast has definitely boosted my own motivation to train hard and compete with purpose.
I think also during times of apathy towards sport, it’s important to revive the enjoyment of competing and training. It’s very easy to become bogged down by internal pressures and the expectations of others, and the result is often a lack of enjoyment in what you do. Forget your goals for a moment and simply enjoy the way that exercise makes you feel. Enjoy being active. Enjoy the process of training and build from there.
The Bible is clear about the fact that fellowship and community are important.
Each of us is made in the image of a relational God, we are designed for fellowship and community on some level. It’s not healthy to be an isolated Christian. However, for many of us, being a Christian embedded in a spiritually healthy and supportive community is easier said than done. Perhaps it feels like an unrealistic aspiration. I’m not sure where you find yourself as you’re reading this, but let me share a few thoughts about finding and then flourishing in the right community. Where do you even start?
What are we seeking in community?
Are you at a stage in your Christian walk where you feel you have loads of encouragement and wisdom to impart to other Christians? Or are you feeling in a place of need to receive that sort of input from others? Answering this question honestly requires discernment.
I’m able to look back and identify that when I first went to uni, I lacked humility here. I thought I was way more spiritually mature than I actually was, and I threw myself into Christian societies with zeal, but not positive zeal, it was prideful zeal. Jesus warned that “if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” (Matthew 15:14) I had an ill-intentioned desire to be some sort of spiritual leader, but what I didn’t know was that I had a lot of spiritual growing up to do first.
It’s not my intention to be negative, and I’m certainly not saying that if you’re young you can’t give your peers spiritual support or impart valuable wisdom. After all, Paul urged Timothy “don’t let anyone look down on you because you’re young” (1 Timothy 4:12). My simple intention here is to gently ask you to start by searching your heart and working out your motivations.
Evaluate your spiritual life. Consider what you would most benefit from, and what you feel most called to pour yourself into. Once you have done this as a first step, you should have an idea of what you need in a community.
Biblically Based Community
Although it might seem obvious to some, it’s worth saying we should seek a biblically based community. No matter how friendly and inviting a community may seem, it’s vitally important to ensure that it’s built on solid ground, in other words, that it is grounded in gospel truth.
Jesus warns his followers of certain types of “spiritual leaders” who “come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves” (Matt. 7:15) – he tells them to watch out. When you’re looking for a community to be involved in, watch out. How can you do that practically?
A good step would be to find out if the community has some sort of doctrinal basis, or “what we believe” resource (if it doesn’t, I would be wary). The doctrinal basis should entail what the community fundamentally believes. It should give you an idea of the priorities and motivations that drive it. Often this can be found on the community’s website, if not then I’d recommend getting in touch with someone involved in the leadership and asking for it.
Compare it to God’s word, make sure that it doesn’t compromise or twist scripture in any way. I know that’s easier said than done, and perhaps you don’t feel in a position to make that discernment. If that’s the case, I’d recommend getting a trusted more mature Christian brother or sister to assist you with that, but primarily praying about it. Ask God for wisdom to help you assess whether it is a Biblically grounded, solid community to get involved in.
Enjoy the blessing of community
Community and fellowship with other believers is a good gift from God. Being encouraged, challenged, and inspired by other believers is a rich blessing that ought not to be taken for granted.
When you go through challenges and hardships in life, you’ll find your Christian community to be extra precious. Proverbs 17:17 says “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” (my emphasis). Ten chapters later in Proverbs, we read that “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” (27:17)
So we learn that we are called to be there for each other in times of adversity, and also that God uses us as tools to “sharpen” each other. That sharpening could be through keeping each other accountable in battles with habitual sin, it could be through reading the word and praying together regularly, it could be through going out of our way to practically support someone we know is going through a hard time. Those are just a few examples, but the point is clear – we should facilitate each other’s growth and spiritual development, not hinder it.
The beauty of community is that it is mutual, in a healthy Christian community, you give and you receive blessing and encouragement to and from fellow brothers and sisters.
I pray that as you read this, you are able to find a healthy, Biblically-grounded Christian community, and enjoy the blessings of sharpening and being sharpened, for God’s glory.
In the church today many conversations around navigating friendships have been and are still being had. It has also become common rhetoric to instantly cut off friends who do you wrong. The scriptures detail many examples of friendship, such as David and Jonathan, Ruth and Naomi and Elijah and Elisha. These are all great examples with lessons we can take about friendship. But what does it look like to be a friend like Jesus? We have ultimately been called to be like Christ, and throughout his 33 years of living, Jesus handed us the blueprint to follow. So, what can we learn from his life of perfection?
Sacrificial Love
Jesus displayed sacrificial love. In John 15, Jesus really focuses on the idea of love and its importance. In verse 9, Jesus states that “as the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love”. We have been called to love like the Father and like Jesus. We have been called to operate from a place of love. Love should underpin our decisions and actions. A love so great that Jesus says in verses 12 and 13,
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater Love has no one that this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
John 15:12-13
We are called to sacrificially love one another. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you are expected to die for your friend. This means that we should put our friends first when making decisions. Ensure that the love Jesus has for us is reflected in your relationships with your friends. A love that can be characterized as sacrificial shows no hesitation. It knows no bounds. It is a love that is unconditional. This is why in John 13:14 Jesus insisted on washing the feet of his disciples and commanded that they should also wash one another’s feet.
A Friend who Encourages
Jesus was an encourager. He uplifts the lowly. He provides hope when there is no way. When Jesus inhabited the earth, on many occasions he offered encouragement to his disciples. In Matthew 10, when sending out his disciples he repeatedly instructed them to ‘not be afraid’. In verses 26, 28, and 31, Jesus repeats the phrase “Do not be afraid”. Jesus’ example of encouragement can be applied to our friendships.
We are called to be in communion and support one another, with encouragement being a form of support. Life is full of trials and tribulations, and alongside confiding in the Lord, your friends can play an important role in upliftment.
iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another
Proverbs 27:17
Proverbs 27:17 states, “iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Jesus’ words of encouragement gave the disciples boldness. In a similar way, receiving encouragement helps facilitate the removal of fears we may face. These fears may be hindering us from fulfilling our destiny. A friend who fails to encourage can be very dangerous. Therefore, encourage like Jesus did.
We can learn many lessons about friendship from Jesus. Jesus displayed a sacrificial love and was an encourager among many other things. It is important to take these lessons into our friendships and be like Christ.
Social media can be a hotbed of online controversies. It provides a platform for impassioned discussion on the scandals and disputes of the day. We spend hours of our lives on the digital space. So how do we engage with online controversies in a God-honouring way?
Respectfully and sensitively
Firstly, we must engage with online controversies respectfully and sensitively. Far too often, online discourse is marked by offensive and distasteful words. A lack of understanding and empathy is rife. This fails to appreciate that these can be sensitive issues where people are hurting. Therefore, rudeness and a craving of controversy is unprofitable and lacks compassion (2 Timothy 2:23; Titus 3:9; 1 Peter 3:8-9). Sensitivity and respect are needed. Engage with these issues in a manner which does not belittle the situation or the feelings of others. Don’t add fuel to the fire, but desire healthy discourse. As far as possible, promote peace and reconciliation which can only be rooted in respect and sensitivity toward people and the issue at hand.
Choose your words wisely
Engaging with online controversies requires you to choose your words wisely. Whether you have 140 characters, 280 characters, or even create a detailed thread, the online space leaves room for misunderstanding. There is only so much you can communicate through a screen, so you must choose your words wisely. Your words can easily lead to misunderstanding and misinterpretation. Therefore, consider what you are trying to say, and which words best communicate that. A wise word can bring encouragement (Proverbs 15:1) and promote reasonable discussion. Precisely used language leaves less room for miscomprehension. But a reckless use of language can cause harm and offence (Proverbs 12:18). So before you type, choose your words wisely.
Know When to Speak
A fool can speak at any time, but a wise person is one who knows when to speak. Thus, engaging in online controversies requires you to know when to speak and when to be silent. Are the wounds still fresh? Has the mourning process just begun? Will your words add any substance to the discussion at hand? Or will your silence, your presence and support be more helpful? An eagerness to speak may show disregard for the present circumstance, or even worse, lead to a loss of control and bursts of rage. Uncontrolled anger only serves to make matters worse. So be slow to speak and quick to listen (James 1:19-20).
I can guarantee that when you next pick up your phone and open social media, you will see another online controversy. How will you respond this time? Respect and sensitivity is key. You must choose your words wisely and know when to speak. This requires exceptional self-control and wisdom. These things don’t come to us naturally. You can’t do it (perfectly) without Jesus. This is because they are an outworking of a life transformed by Him. So abide in Jesus; stay connected to Him, because apart from Christ, the Holy Spirit cannot bear these fruit in your life and lead to a more God-honouring way of engaging in online controversies.
Three helpful meditations for new Christians and more mature Christians looking for a refresh.
The period just after becoming a believer can be a little disconcerting. Yes, you are now a believer, however, you may not feel very different. Before I became a Christian, I imagined my salvation experience might be dramatic; something like what Jesus experienced when he was baptised by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:13-17). In this account, the writer details ‘heaven was opened, and he [Jesus] saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him’ (16). Instead, my decision to follow Jesus took place in a small church in Woolwich, southeast London next to a ‘chicken and chips’ shop. Still, something miraculous happened. I was snatched out of the kingdom of darkness, adopted and placed into the kingdom of light. This is what you may be experiencing yourself.
Becoming a believer means you are justified.
Justification: an act of God whereby He pronounces a sinner to be righteous because of that sinner’s faith in Christ.” We are justified, or declared righteous, at the moment of our salvation.
Your sanctification journey has just begun and will continue till Jesus returns. Here are some meditations for you as that journey begins.
Find a church Hebrews 10:25, “do not forsake assembling,
The importance of finding a local assembly to join cannot be overstated.
This means being part of a local group of people where you are known and you know other people.
When trying to find a good local church, it’s good to remember that, just like the people in them, no church is perfect. However, there are many important issues that should be considered when choosing a church. Some people live close to only a few churches, and their choices will be limited, but for others, there are many more options. Be sure to pray about the churches you’re considering, to be sure you’re following the Lord’s leading as you search. Begin your search online, or in a local phone book, to see all of your options. Be especially sure to read a church’s doctrinal statement or statement of belief to find out about their stance on important issues. If from this initial research, a church seems to be good and solid, visit the church (including small groups or Sunday school classes) for several weeks while prayerfully considering whether to join as a member. Listed below are some important things you should consider in your search to find a church.
Commit to prayer 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “pray without ceasing”
Prayer is essential to our spiritual growth, because it develops Christ-likeness, builds our connection with God, and expands our confidence in God. So if we want to be mature believers who bring God glory, then we must be women of prayer. Not to get our way, or to change God’s mind, but to line up our hearts, mind, and will with His.
Prayer is more than merely talking to God; it is a relationship with God. In fact, praying to God is the most intimate thing you can do in your faith. As we pray, all is laid bare before our heavenly Father. There is nothing you can hide from God when you pray.
But prayer is also educational. When we pray, God reveals Himself to us. As we pray, the Holy Spirit brings long-forgotten Bible verses to our minds that strengthen and encourage us. No wonder our Lord said this:
Men ought always to pray, and not to faint. (Luke 18:1 KJV)
Get serious about the word 2 Timothy 2:15 “Study to show yourself approved unto God”
We are right in the middle of the information age where all kinds of strange doctrines can be found online. In a sense, they are an indication of the end times we are passing through. In 2 Timothy 4:3 we are warned about the end times ‘For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but having itching ears, they shall heap to themselves teachers in accordance with their own lusts.’
In such a time, it’s imperative that whatever you believe is anchored by the word of God. It’s important that you develop a critical and discerning eye. Test everything you hear and be vigilant. Be a Berean.
The Bereans lived in the Greek city of Berea, also called Beroea, in the time of the Apostle Paul, about AD 50. These people, mentioned in Acts 17, are best known for searching and studying the Bible for themselves and not merely accepting what they were taught.
It’s a marathon, not a sprint
All in all, remember that being a Christian is a marathon and not a sprint. You have an amazing life ahead of you which you get to live whilst being in community with the Holy Spirit. Be patient with yourself and always know that you are working from God’s approval and not for his approval. This is why the Gospel is good news!
A new year begins and there is no doubt many people will be writing new years resolutions. Is prayer on your list?
As believers, prayer is often neglected. Even though we are encouraged to ‘pray without ceasing’ in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, many of us still find it hard to pick up this spiritual discipline. Here is the reality, the only way to make 2023 truly an amazing year is to walk closely with God and the only way to do that is to pray.
The best prayer comes from a strong inward necessity. We have all proved this to be true. When our lives are serene and placid, our prayers are apt to be dull and listless. When we reach a crisis, a moment of danger, a serious illness, or a heavy bereavement, then our prayers are fervent and vital.
I remember once hearing “the arrow that is to enter heaven must be launched from a bow fully bent”
What is Prayer?
The most basic definition of prayer is “talking to God.” Prayer is not meditation or passive reflection; it is a direct address to God. It is the communication of the human soul with the Lord who created the soul. Prayer is the primary way for the believer in Jesus Christ to communicate his emotions and desires with God and to fellowship with God.
Prayer can be audible or silent, private or public, formal or informal.
All prayer must be offered in faith (James 1:6), in the name of the Lord Jesus (John 16:23), and in the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26). As the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia puts it, “Christian prayer in its full New Testament meaning is a prayer addressed to God as Father, in the name of Christ as Mediator, and through the enabling grace of the indwelling Spirit” (“Prayer” by J. C. Lambert).
The wicked have no desire to pray (Psalm 10:4), but the children of God have a natural desire to pray (Luke 11:1).
Prayer is described in the Bible as seeking God’s favour (Exodus 32:11), pouring out one’s soul to the Lord (1 Samuel 1:15), crying out to heaven (2 Chronicles 32:20), drawing near to God (Psalm 73:28, KJV), and kneeling before the Father (Ephesians 3:14).
Pray about everything
Paul wrote, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7). Worry about nothing; pray about everything.
Everything? Yes, God wants us to talk with Him about everything. The seemingly mundane things and the things you deem very important. All of it aids communion and so is worth talking to God about. One of the crucial ways to reframe prayer is to see it less as making requests and more s drawing near to a God that ways to know you intimately.
How often should we pray?
The biblical answer is “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). We should keep a running conversation going with God all day long. Some find the ACTS formula of prayer helpful, but there is really no special formula for how to pray in the Bible.
(Adoration, Contrition, Thankfulness, Supplication) This simple acronym guides us in speaking with God in prayer.
We should just do it. We can pray under any and all circumstances. Prayer develops our relationship with God and demonstrates our trust and utter dependence upon Him.
Drawing near to Him
One of the conditions of successful prayer is that we must draw near to him with a true heart (Hebrews 10:22). This means a genuine and heartfelt desire to commune with him and to share with him the deep desires and worries of our hearts. Prayer is the growth of a soul as we come in contact with God. As the soul grows, the prayer life deepens.
It doesn’t have to be perfect
Some time ago, a school teacher in New York taught the Lord’s Prayer to her class, and they all learned it. Then one time she called up her pupils one by one and asked each one to repeat the Lord’s Prayer. One of the boys said, “Harold be Thy name” instead of “Hallowed be Thy name.” Another said, “Give us this day our jelly bread.” Another said, “Lead us not into Penn Station.” Another said, “Deliver us from eagles.”
Now, this is understandable because little children do not know these words. And I’m quite sure that God is able, if the heart is right, to give us this day our jelly bread. It is possible to say things that are theologically wrong, and yet if the heart is right toward God, He can sort out the difficulties.
But this is a baby prayer. When you’re asking for something, you are praying the lowest form of prayer. As your prayer life develops, it should go beyond this.
Now secondly, as a child develops a little, he’s taught to say “thank you,” and he’s taught not only to say it to his parents but he’s taught to say to God, “Father, we thank Thee for this food.”
The child then learns about Thanksgiving Day in school. It’s associated with the image of a pumpkin with a cut-out face, the picture of the Puritans hunting turkeys in the fields, or the Puritans bowing their heads on thanksgiving.
Third comes intercession. Intercession is where we stop asking for something just for ourselves and our little circle and begin to plead with God for blessings for others.
We need to shift gears
Many people have been taught that prayer is a cheap way to get anything. When they find themselves in desperate need they pray, and they do not get an answer. A boy prays, “Oh God, I want to pass that exam,” or a girl prays, “Oh God, don’t let me be the only girl who doesn’t get asked by a boy to Winter Wonderland this year.” And if she happens to be the only one who doesn’t get the invitation, she may say in despair, “Oh, I don’t believe in prayer; it just doesn’t work.” As a result, her whole spiritual life may become a mess because she has not been taught the true nature of prayer. Prayer is not saying to a distant God, “Do this and that,” but prayer is basically getting to know God.
Much of the difficulty of spiritually growing up is the shifting of gears that takes a child out of spiritual childhood into spiritual maturity. When we are children, we live largely on our parents’ faith. We say what they say; we have what they have, and we do what they do. But then comes the time when we have to shift gears, and we have to know God alone. For it is only when we know God that we begin to develop into the higher brackets, the higher attitudes of prayer.
If 2023 is to be your best year yet, it must be lived in close communion with God. This comes through a daily and intentional prayer life. Start small and keep it simple. Communicate with God, he is speaking to you.
The longer you have a gift the less you tend to appreciate it.
Today’s Christmas meditation comes from my 3 and 5-year-old niece and nephew. Those children have a way of teaching me things even when they aren’t trying. It has become a little bit of a Christmas tradition for me to spend the holidays with them over in Texas. When I arrived there this time around for the holidays, we played, caught up and of course, I gave them piggyback rides. Later that evening, I cleaned up and went into their rooms. It was until long till I saw last year’s Christmas presents on the floor. In what could only be described as a pile of forgotten toys, I saw gifts from Christmases past overflowing a cupboard. Toys, trucks, princess dolls and the like, they had it.
It dawned on me that the presents they were able to open afresh on Christmas day would soon end up in this very pile I was looking at. I chuckled and walked away with the idea for this short article in mind. I’m sure we can all relate to this if we have younger children or nieces and nephews. When they open their Christmas presents, their eyes immediately light up with wonder and excitement. Within a year, this glee subsides, and the gifts look stale and are largely abandoned.
Now, as adults, we may not receive toys this Christmas but it’s interesting to consider and assess our approach to the Christmas message and to the Gospel that underpins it all. To consider whether we receive it with glee and excitement or whether it has become a stale and mundane part of a thoughtless tradition. Or perhaps our love for the true Christmas message has been overcome by rampant consumerism and festivities.
In revelations 2;4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.
Having commended the church at Ephesus for its doctrinal integrity and perseverance in the face of adversity, Jesus reveals in verse 4 what He found lacking in the Ephesian church. It had abandoned the love that characterized its early history. What remained was devotion to the truth, but not devotion to the Lord. A previous gleeful reception of the truth had grown cold.
Context Summary
Revelation 2:1–7 is the first letter Jesus dictated to John, intended for the church at Ephesus. This congregation is praised for patient endurance and for rightly rejecting false apostles. Despite such an excellent beginning, however, Ephesus had abandoned its first love. They were drifting into coldness and rote religiosity. Jesus instructs the church to remember its early days, repent, and conduct itself as it had done initially. He promises a reward to the victor.
What would a marriage be like if a wife performed all the duties of a wife but without genuine love for her husband? What would a marriage be like if a husband continued to work to provide an income for His family and kept on performing the usual household duties that fall to a husband, but no longer loved his wife? Wouldn’t the marriage be a cold, sterile relationship? On the other hand, duties performed out of love for one’s spouse give meaning and warmth to one’s marriage.
The decline of the church at Ephesus from a deep love for Jesus to a dead orthodoxy prefigures the history of the early Church from Pentecost to the mid-second century. The Ephesian church’s love for Jesus had grown cold, leaving only slavish obedience to rules and doctrines. Jesus’ rebuke needs to be taken seriously today by every church. Sound doctrine and service are important, but they should be grounded in a deep love for Jesus.
Perhaps this Christmas is the time to prayerful ask God to rekindle your love and passion for the truth. To pray and Ezekiel’s prayer
“I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.”
Ezekiel 11:14-21
The prayer is that God would make this heart of flesh and embodied experience for you. This does not necessarily mean you should get into the ‘Christmas Spirit but it does mean you should take to consider how you continue to be excited by the greatest gift you ever received.
