Does God Answer Prayer from an Unsaved Person?

September 11, 2014 Stephen Jones 1 Comment

A friend recently asked me, “Does God answer the prayers of the unsaved (or does He only answer prayers of repentance and conversion)?”

In short, my answer was no — God does not answer prayer from an unsaved person. Here’s why.

Access to God is only possible through Jesus Christ our high priest and mediator (1 Tim. 2:5). Hebrews 4:15-16 says “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

No high priest, no access to God. No access to God, no answered prayer. Those who do not know Christ or possess His Spirit cannot possibly fellowship with God in prayer (Eph. 6:18).

Even for believers, when there is unconfessed sin or selfish motives, prayer becomes powerless. The psalmist writes, “If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened” (Ps. 66:18; cf. 1 Pet. 3:7; James 4:3). If that is true of a believer, how much more for an unbeliever who is still under God’s wrath (John 3:36).

So I believe the first prayer God hears and answers is when a person “calls upon the name of the Lord” in repentance and faith (Acts 2:21). He delights to hear the bleating of a lost sheep and is swift to come to our rescue.

In times of crisis (such as this very day thirteen years ago on 9/11) people do seem to have an instinct to cry out to a higher power for help. Perhaps this is due to God’s law written on our hearts (Romans 2:14) mixed with a bit of superstition. But these prayers only make it to God when they are made humbly in the name of His Son Jesus, beginning with a cry for forgiveness and eternal life.

Sadly, all other prayer — no matter how sincere — is just idolatry to a god of their own imagination (Ps. 115:3-8).

Photo credit: Curtis Perry

Shepherding

Guard the Weapon that is Your Tongue

September 3, 2014 Stephen Jones Leave a comment

Blood was everywhere. A friend had borrowed my brand new Swiss Army knife to slice an apple, but sliced his thumb instead. Thankfully, we were able to find some napkins and stop the bleeding quickly.

I’d never expected my pocketknife to be a weapon. I bought it for useful things like cutting cardboard, tightening screws, and opening bottles. But its sharp edge had the potential for great harm.

Did you know words can be a weapon too? The Bible warns “How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness… Every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed… but no human being can tame the tongue” (James 3:5-6).

Watch out. Your tongue is a weapon of mass destruction. It could spark a fire that will do irreversible damage.

So let me ask you, how’s your language? Do you ever boast or blaspheme? How about complain or gossip? Do you ever lie or use a harsh tone of voice? All these are sins of the tongue.

Jesus says our words reveal what’s in our heart, and that God is listening all the time. A divine tape recorder is running day and night, being stored up as evidence when we stand before God in judgment. “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matt. 12:36-37).

For some of us, that’s a frightening prospect. But it doesn’t have to be. God has the power to cleanse our hearts and transform our foul mouths into voices of praise. David prayed, “Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise” (Psalm 51:14-15).

Once our hearts are washed clean, our tongues can fulfill the purpose for which they were created. To sing. To pray. To bless and build up others.

Your words don’t have to be a weapon. When God gets a hold of your life, that tongue can become a useful tool for good.

This article first appeared in The Minister’s Message page of our local newspaper, The Hi Desert Star.

Photo credit: djwtwo

Gospel

Fishers of Men

August 29, 2014 Stephen Jones Leave a comment

The fishing rod is clean, tackle box is stocked, and lunch is packed. You climb into your boat and gaze out over the lake. Hmm. Where to start?

If it’s your first time out, you might want to begin by asking the locals about the best fishing spots. Maybe it’s out in deep water, or along the shore where a creek spills into the lake.

Jesus says we are all to be “Fishers of Men” (Matt. 4:19). We are to find people and rescue them by bringing them to Christ. Wouldn’t it make sense to start with the prime fishing spots?

One of the most strategic areas of evangelism is children. Missiologists have even coined the term “4-14 Window” to describe kids between the age of 4 and 14 who have a higher likelihood of accepting Christ.

Certainly, God is sovereign, and we should evangelize every age. But children do have a uniquely tender heart and teachable spirit. They are precious in the eyes of God and deserve a significant amount of time and ministry.

We’ve been praying for years that the gospel would spread in our community. Perhaps our church’s new Awana program is one way God is going to do that.

Books

Book Review: The Invisibles

August 21, 2014 Stephen Jones 1 Comment

“When I grow up, I want to be invisible.” Most kids would never say such a thing, but David Zweig shows they may be missing out on the most satisfying careers of all.

Most of us don’t value the things we can’t see. “Out of sight, out of mind,” the old saying goes. But that doesn’t mean they’re unimportant. In fact, some of the most essential jobs in the world happen behind the scenes. That’s the premise of Invisibles: The Power of Anonymous Work in an Age of Relentless Self-Promotion.

Think “Wayfinding” sounds unimportant? Think again. Walking through an airport without careful work by a wayfinder like Jim Harding would be an exercise in panic and confusion.

Ever heard of “simultaneous interpretation?” Probably not. But without gifted interpreters like Giulia Wilkins Ary, international diplomacy would come to a grinding halt.

With a background in fact-checking, the author began to notice that behind every great enterprise, there were people quietly doing their job, far away from the spotlight, who were absolutely essential. He calls them, the “Invisibles.” “The invisibles, as I define them (really, as they came to be defined through my research), are highly skilled, and people whose roles are critical to whatever enterprise they are a part of” (p. 7). In fact, about the only time they become “visible” is when their job is done poorly.

Zweig identifies three common traits across his research. Invisibles will have (1) ambivalence toward recognition; (2) meticulousness; and (3) savoring of responsibility. Their success lies not in being the center of attention, but doing their job well and getting out of the way.

As a Christian, this book took on even deeper meaning for me. Jesus Himself said that true greatness is in humility rather than self-promotion. “Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it” (Lk. 17:33).

Perhaps John the Baptist was the greatest Invisible of all. He saw himself as merely the “friend of the bridegroom” whose sole purpose was to fade into the background and let Christ take center stage. “The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease” (Jn. 3:29-30). Can I say the same?

Invisibles was not only interesting and fun to read; it was thought provoking. Am I content to remain invisible? Who are the invisibles that could use a simple word of appreciation? Are we raising the next generation to value the things that matter most?

Shepherding

The Most Important Quality in a Leader

August 7, 2014 Stephen Jones Leave a comment

Humility is perhaps the single most important quality in a leader. Like the pillar of a bridge, it may lie below the surface, but the integrity of the entire structure stands or falls on that one area.

Oswald Sanders writes, “Humility is the hallmark of the spiritual leader. Christ told his disciples to turn away from the pompous attitudes of the oriental despots, and instead take on the lowly bearing of the servant (Mt. 20:25-27). As in ancient days, so today humility is least admired in political and business circles. But no bother! The spiritual leader will choose the hidden path of sacrificial service and approval of the Lord over the flamboyant self-advertising of the world” (Spiritual Leadership, p. 61).

I would rather have a humble man with mediocre skills and mold him into a servant of God, than to have a naturally-talented man who is full of arrogance. It doesn’t matter how gifted a man is in preaching, or music, or biblical languages, or theological prowess. If he’s cocky and divisive and looking for others to serve him, he’s going to do far more damage than good in the church.

So how do we cultivate humility? I recently had this discussion with some guys at the church, and we brainstormed a number of ways to develop a humble heart that delights the Lord: Love and serve your enemy; Encourage one another; Depend on the Holy Spirit; Admit your spiritual emptiness before God; Pray for God to give you a heart of humility; Practice the spiritual disciplines and fight the flesh; Have a “big view” of the greatness of God.

C.J. Mahaney gives many more practical suggestions in his little book Humility: True Greatness …

At the beginning of each day: Reflect on the wonder of the cross; Acknowledge your need for God; Express gratitude to God; Practice spiritual disciplines; Seize your commute by memorizing and meditating on Scripture; Cast your cares upon him; Stay charged up with a prayerful attitude.
At the end of each day: Avoid cosmic plagiarism (taking credit for your gifts); Accept the gift of sleep; Make your final thought an expression of gratefulness to God for His sacrifice in Christ.
Plus some other ideas: Study the attributes of God; Study the doctrines of grace; Study the doctrine of sin; Play golf as much as possible; Laugh often, and laugh often at yourself.

God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). May He find much reason to fill our church with His grace.

Question: In what areas of ministry do you feel most susceptible to pride? Click here to leave a comment.

Photo credit: Lee Harkness

Pinch Of Clay