We cannot stress this enough. Pray and pray some more. Pray about everything! Praying is simple, so keep it simple. Christianity is in decline in the UK. We can only ponder why? Is this because Christian leaders are more concerned about their self-importance, luxury lifestyle or their stature of how much they know about the Bible, they like to be intellectual or academic to impress the big wigs to keep their salary prospects high, however, a homeless person comes along and asks for help, but they are shooed away. The church is CLOSED, now move along.
Here is a telling scripture.
1 John 3:17
“But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?”
1 John 3:17 is a great scripture for people to check their hearts, this includes Christian leaders, as scripture is there not just for the congregation but for the leaders to. Who did Jesus come for? Let’s take a look in Luke 4 v 14-20.
Luke 4:14-20
14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
We love Jesus. Thank God that He sent His Son to help the poor. If you are a Christian leader and you are genuine, this article will not bother you, but if you are a leader, its niggling at you and there is a conviction then the good news is you can confess your short comings to the Lord. The process of letting Him start ironing out the creases in the heart muscle (that we all have) can begin. Just in case you forgot here is that wonderful scripture in 1 John.
1 John 1v9
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Back to the main point
If you have been hurt in a church and put down. We are calling on people to pray and to keep it simple. Have a relationship with God in prayer and ask all kinds of things and that He help the poor as a central theme.
You may well be in a situation where a leader pulls rank on you saying you need to know this about the Bible and that, don’t lose heart, or get upset, go straight to God in prayer and have a deep relationship with him in prayer, keeping it simple. You will see fruit flow from it. Praying and being diligent in prayer is an education in itself.
Why do we say it is an education in itself? Check out this scripture in Psalm 119 in one of the stanzas, specifically in verses 98 and 99.
Psalm 119
98 “Your commands are always with me
and make me wiser than my enemies.
99 I have more insight than all my teachers,
for I meditate on your statutes.”
God does not need a Bible college to educate you about the Bible. By keeping your walk with God simple in prayer, spending time with him and meditating on His word, it can lead to you knowing more than your teachers. The Psalmist is not boasting pridefully, he is simply saying he has spent so much time with God in prayer and His word it has been an education for Him.
Conclusion
Again, pray and pray some more. Pray about everything! Praying is simple, so keep it simple and pray and enjoy a deep intimate relationship with our Father in heaven thanks to Jesus, and let the fruit flow from it glorifying our Father in heaven.