Tag Archives: Prayer

The Light of a Candle

 Psalms 18:28-29 “28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. 29 For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall” (KJV).

David reminds us of a great promise here. I have found it beneficial to ask lots of questions when I read and study Scripture. I also read the verses multiple times; placing emphasis on different portions of the text each time I read it. Typing this made me think about doing a teaching series on studying the Bible. Something I may work on for the future. But for now, let me share what the Lord has shown me today.

When I think of a lit candle, I picture the dim flickering light that is produced. When my wife and I have a power outage in our home, we have plenty of scented candles throughout the house to light. We light the candles in order to navigate and continue our day or night.

As we navigate through life, we are bound to have moments of darkness. We can all remember times when things were just not going as we had planned. Or maybe you are experiencing that right now. When we focus on the Lord, placing him at the forefront of our thoughts and actions; we allow him to light the candle of our lives. If we try to light the candle, it may not be bright enough. All we have to do is find a candle; He will illuminate it for us.

Think of it like this – Have you ever tried to find a verse in the Bible to prove a point, have you ever tried to force something out of it. Trying to find a verse that will provide comfort for someone, but it just doesn’t fit or make sense to the person? That is what happens when “we” light the candle.

 On the Other Side…

Have you ever been talking with someone and the Holy Spirit allowed the perfect verse to come to mind; then you share it with the other person, they light up and find immediate comfort. Reading and studying His word, allows us the opportunity to store up an emergency supply of candles. When the lights go out – He will light the candles and provide us the ability to see. How bright will depend on the amount of candles we have stored up.

Once He lights the candle, we will be able to navigate through the battles we face. As David states “run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall”. What a beautiful and bright candle to keep ready… But the candles not only help us personally, they also help us share His truth to others.

Psalms 119:105 “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (KJV).

In Christ,

The Silent Preacher

Answer the Phone

 Genesis 34:1-7 “1 Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the women of the land. 2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he seized her and lay with her and humiliated her. 3 And his soul was drawn to Dinah the daughter of Jacob. He loved the young woman and spoke tenderly to her. 4 So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get me this girl for my wife.” 5 Now Jacob heard that he had defiled his daughter Dinah. But his sons were with his livestock in the field, so Jacob held his peace until they came. 6 And Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him. 7 The sons of Jacob had come in from the field as soon as they heard of it, and the men were indignant and very angry, because he had done an outrageous thing in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, for such a thing must not be done” (KJV).

In the first verse, I was filled with a few questions, such as: Was Dinah naïve, rebellious, or just plain ignorant in the ways of the world? Why was it so important for Dinah to venture out and get to know the women of the land? Did she not get advice from Leah her mother, and why was she out sightseeing by herself?

After asking myself these questions, I was led back to Jacob, who was in charge and responsible for his family. I have to wonder why Jacob was staying so long in this pagan neighborhood and putting his family at risk. He should have kept on traveling to Bethel and continue growing in the Lord and teaching his family.

When we disobey the Lord, we put ourselves in danger as well as our family. Lot pitched his tent near Sodom, eventually he moved into the wicked city. Jacob pitched his tent in Shechem and this wicked city is pulling him and his family into their wickedness.

Three times the word “defiled” is used to describe the wicked deed of Shechem. The young prince claimed that he did it because he loved her and wanted her for his wife, but committing violent rape and keeping the girl confined to his house was a strange way to show his love for her.

His actions and words witness to the fact that God’s people and the people of Canaan had very different moral and ethical beliefs. Jacob was silent when he heard the tragic news. Since his sons were in the field with the sheep and cattle and he could do nothing without their help, he was wise to wait.

It is interesting to note in the latter part of verse 5 it says “Jacob held his peace until they were come”. We can see here that Jacob was failing in his spiritual leadership, instead of turning to the Lord for wisdom he became quite comfortable asking his sons what to do in difficult times.

It is very important to remind ourselves and take note of where we get our advice from, especially spiritual advice. This is a lesson I teach on a regular basis in my class. I have fallen prey to the advice of friends and family. I have made the mistake of letting my emotions control my actions. The lesson I learned, ensure the advice you are given is according to His truth. If it does not line up, then follow the Lord’s wisdom. I also believe it is important to explain to those who gave the advice, why you did not follow what they said. This opens the door to witness and help others, even if they do not agree; you have an opportunity to plant a seed of truth.

God will do the watering and shine the light. There may be times when the Lord shines that light right away and you will be able to see that seed grow; other times it may be years later. But remember, all things are in His timing. Acts 1:7 “And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power” (KJV). Hamor is the father of Schechem and goes out to meet with Jacob and discuss his son marrying Dinah. Hamor was very wealthy and had some authority in the land. His meeting with Jacob appears to be an attempt to “fix” the mess his son has gotten into. Jacobs’s sons come out of the field after hearing what happened and they are furious.

Application

We must be careful that we do not seek satisfaction in the world, outside the purpose and plan of God. Sin is a process that leads to defiant acts. All it takes is someone to believe that this little sin is no big deal, and then it has turned into a big deal. A great Christian saying goes like this “Sin will take you further than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you ever wanted to pay” (Unknown Author).

Look back at Jacob’s deception towards his father, one lie turned into many lies and ended up costing him twenty years working for Laban and two wives later he is still dealing with the consequences of a little white lie. He got his advice and instructions from his mother, but never measured it against the Lords truth. Those little white lies are now growing so big that his daughter Dinah was attacked physically and taken hostage.

When God calls you, make sure you answer the phone, listen to the message and take good notes. You don’t want to get the message wrong; it could cost you more than you were willing to pay. For Jacob it began as a little white lie, and quickly turned into more lies, and then a quick getaway in order to escape the wrath of his brother and father. When it came to taking care of his children, he did not listen to the Lords wisdom and let Dinah spend time with worldly friends.

What could have stopped the progression of his sin? Look back to Gen. 31:13 “I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out of this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred” (KJV). But Jacob was slow to obey the Lords command.

In Christ,

The Silent Preacher

When in Doubt

 Acts 12:18-24 “18 Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter. 19 And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode. 20 And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king’s country. 21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. 22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. 23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost. 24 But the word of God grew and multiplied” (KJV).

When we face difficult times in life, whether alone or as a church, we often struggle to find answers. We may try different things in order to break out of our troubling times. As I stated in yesterday’s post “If Only…” prayer should be the first place we go and should remain our highest priority. The church prayed fervently for Peter’s deliverance. The Lord answered those prayers by sending an angel to free Peter. The text today provides an answer to why prayer is important.

Have you ever been faced with a trial because you stood up for what you believed in? Have you ever been judged for being a Christian; called a “Bible Thumper”, “Holy Roller”, etc. Some Christians will fight back, but there efforts will only make things worse. How we handle ourselves during difficult times is important. We are being watched by the world and those around us. If we take matters into our own hands, we may be robbing ourselves and the Lord, an opportunity to witness to others.

The Lord allowed Herod to take the life of James and throw Peter into prison, but prayer was the only answer for his persecution. Herod was dealt with, and ended up dying a horrible death (eaten by worms).

Without valleys, there could be no mountain tops. You can’t jump from one mountain top to another without traveling through a valley. When the church prayed for Peter, the Lord set him free and made sure Herod would not bother them again.

Reflection

Sometimes the best way to witness and share the gospel to others is when we are struggling in the valleys of life. It is a blessing to know that God can use anyone; at any moment in life, to be a witness for Christ. I was reminded of the Welsh Revival of 1904 when, “A young girl named Florrie Evans, who had been a believer a few days, rose and with a trembling voice said simply, “I love Jesus with all my heart.” The other young people’s hearts were melted. A powerful spiritual awakening that brought 100,000 people to Christ was under way” (Roberts, E. 1905).

In Christ,

The Silent Preacher

Reference

Evan Roberts, in W. T. Stead, ed., The Story of the Welsh Revival (London: Fleming H. Revell, 1905)

If Only…

 Acts 12:1-7 “1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. 2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) 4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. 5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. 6 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. 7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.” (KJV).

King Herod mentioned in the first verse is the grandson of Herod the Great, he is known as Herod Agrippa I. Herod, in an effort to please the religious high priests, begins to attack the believers that remained in Jerusalem. Here we see a clear picture of what the prophet Jeremiah preached “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9, KJV). Herod was seeking popularity in order to achieve favoritism in Jerusalem and he was willing to do anything to gain it. What began as pride in the heart quickly turned into hate, and finally became an outward display of wickedness.

“Vex certain the church”, to afflict against the church, specifically anyone who claims the name of Christ. The affliction would have begun as physical beatings, imprisonments, high taxes, or fines. But this did not satisfy the king’s hunger for fame and quickly turned into a death penalty for James brother of John. Once the king saw how pleased the Jews were about the death of James, he ordered Peter to be placed into prison.

Sixteen guards were assigned to watch over Peter in prison. Herod probably heard about Peter’s prison escape from Acts 5:19, which would explain the amount of guards placed. It was also Roman custom to have two guards on the outside with two guards on the inside, the inside guards would be chained to the prisoner. Each set of four guards would stand watch in six-hour shifts.

As Peter sat in prison, we see the church praying continuously and with a purpose for Peter. The church was in trouble, with the death of James and now Peter held in prison, awaiting his death sentence, there was a need for such prayer. Through their prayers, the Lord sent an angel to set Peter free.

Reflection

If only Christians would seek prayer like the early church. Prayer is something we could all do more of, as individuals and as a church. What fascinated me with this text is how the angel smote or knocked Peter to wake him up. This leads me to one application for this text: it was through faith and believing that allowed the prayers of the church to be answered. Remember that despite the hardship and conditions that Peter was facing, his faith was so strong that he slept while being in prison, chained to two guards, and knowing he was facing a death sentence. Do we pray with the same faith? Or do we pray in desperate times only seeking quick relief? Do we pray with the same faith as Peter? As a church are we praying with this type of faith? Are we gathered together in one accord, praying fervently? Something to consider and reflect on…

Matthew 21:22 “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive” (KJV).

Mark 11:24 “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them” (KJV).

Acts 1:14 “These all continue with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren” (KJV).

In Christ,

The Silent Preacher