In short, Johnny cannot pray because he’s happy with his narrow prayers; he also refuses Sabbath rest.
“Through prayer Jesus received the Holy Spirit, with wisdom for teaching and the power to do miracles. Through prayer Jesus made disciples, choosing the twelve. Through prayer Jesus did the work of evangelism, calling people to trust Him as the Christ. Through prayer Jesus glorified God, and was glorified by Him. Through prayer He carried forward the missionary work of the gospel. Therefore, if we want to see God work powerfully to change people’s lives through our own teaching, discipleship, and missionary evangelism, we need to spend time with Him in prayer. We will accomplish as much or more by praying than by all our doing.” Slightly adapted....from Phil Ryken in Luke, (commentary), p. 568.One deep, deep root of our prayerlessness revolves around a refusal to sabbath. The Sabbath mandate reminds us that we cannot be busy 24/7. God said for us to cease, to rest, to stop from the work. Accordingly, the presupposition that gets challenged every week concerns a theology of re-creation, re-newal, re-fuel, re-charge and to re-orient. Have we repented of a theology of works? Salvation is by grace through faith, not of works; it is not by being busy. Sumpter, do you hear this? Refuse to guilt yourself into prayer; refuse to busy yourself into approval and fruitfulness in the eyes of men. Rather, waste time; stop to linger; shut it down for leisure in prayer.
Otherwise you’re dead meat, dry in the bones, and you limp along with half-baked ministry.
Go waste some good time in prayer.
G. Mark Sumpter
3 comments:
We've all said it, "Is there anything I can do BESIDES pray?" as if we're getting to the most useful stuff by doing. Thanks for the good reminder, brother.
Good reminder. I have seen how much prayer works. In prayer is the real time we are in fellowship with the Lord. It's like when you take time to have a cup of coffee with a good friend, only this friend can DO ALL and comfort us better than anyone or anything.
Thanks Pastor Sumpter. Too true. We need to waste that time daily, as prayer is a daily thing, and it is also labor. Sounds paradoxical, but Scripture presents prayer both as rest and as labor. The Most we can do is pray!Thanks for the much neded exhortation. next question: Why Johnny cant (or wont) share his faith?
Post a Comment