Ephesians 1: 15 - 19 NKJV
Knowing the man Jesus is a wonderful thing. Well, that is until we are nudged to change our own way of thinking. Before long, we are thinking of Jesus not as "there," but as "here." See, more than a few believers get stuck in the belief that Christ bled, died and rose again into heaven after three days in the grave. Now, I have no doubt that Jesus is indeed in the Fathers presence, for this is exactly what we are told in the scriptures {Acts 1:9-11}. However, it is the new Jesus where many christians get tripped up. This is the post crucifiction Jesus. That Jesus who, as the apostle Paul tells us, lives through us today {Galations 2:20}. I know of what I speak, for I struggled with the truth of Christ as it was revealed to me. When that happened, I had to rethink most of what I had been told about Him. Was this the same Jesus who had ascended into heaven and now sits at the side of the Father, or is He somehow among us today? The answer is...yes. As the physician Luke tells us of Christs rise into heaven in Acts, we can also trust that Paul is also correct that when he tells us that it is He who lives through us today. Our knowledge of Him may change, but is Jesus Himself who never changes {Hebrews 13:8}. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. We ourselves are the ones who change. We change from seeing Jesus as simply looking down on us from heaven, seperated from Gods creation, to seeing Him as closer than we have ever been to our Savior. In this the prayer of Paul is answered in that the knowledge of Christ Jesus will be revealed to us {Ephesians 1:17}. Notice that Paul did not pray for Gods provision or for our health, but only that Christ would be revealed to us.
25But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. 26Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Romans 8: 25 - 26 NKJV
This knowledge of Christ in us led us into another conversation this sunday morning. The question was asked, how is it that we should pray? Should our prayers be just a daily wish list for those things in our lives we would like for God to address? Or, is there something more to our own "requests made known to God?" Jesus Himself tells us that our heavenly Father knows even before we ask just what it is we need {Matthew 6:32}. Now, I could easily ask God for a six figure income and a fancy sports car, but is this what I truly need? Is it the material things we need, or our own knowledge of Christ in us? I think Luke hit the nail on the head. For if God already knows what we need, why pray for something He knows we need anyway? No, our prayers should be that our own understanding of Jesus be revealed in us. Now, I'm not saying that a prayer offered to God with a personal request would be ignored, only that when we pray, God already knows what it is we will ask Him. My question to my friend this week was, how do I pray for Gods healing for myself? Well, I wouldn't hear his answer in any sermon I'm sure. As he told me, my prayer should be more aong the lines of, "ok, God, you got this." As He lives through me, He will also work through me in the healing of HIS body. Remember, that man I was has already been put to death, all that's left is Christ {Romans 6:8}. As I live, Christ lives in me as well. Whatever infirmity it is that I am facing, He's going through it with me. So, what is the end result of my healing through Him? Simple, that Christ be glorified. Whatever pain medicines, antibiotics or that I am given, it is through Christ Jesus that I will be healed. Ok, God, you got this.
1Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,2saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. 3“Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, b‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ 4“And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, 5‘yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ”
Luke 18: 1 - 5 NKJV
~Scott~
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