The Bulletin
of the
Church of Christ at
New Georgia
Tim Johnson, editor
January 6, 2002
In
This Issue:
"Do
You Pray"
By
Bill Hall
"Making
Difficult
Decisions"
By
Steve Klein
DO YOU PRAY?
The worshiper who would pray in the assembly must do more than bow his head and close his eyes. He must pray. "Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will ho who occupies the place of the uniformed say 'Amen' at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say?" (I Cor. 14:16). This verse suggests four requirements if one is to enter into a prayer.
1. He must listen to the prayer. One cannot legitimately say "Amen" at the conclusion of a prayer if he has not listened to the prayer. "Mind-wandering" is an ever-present problem. We sing, but we don't observe the words of the song. We bow our heads, but we don't listen to the prayer. We sit through the sermon, but our minds wander to things of an earthly nature. Consequently, we attend worship periods, but we don't worship as we ought. If one is to pray, with the congregation, he must listen to the prayer.
2. He must understand the prayer. When a man in the first century led a prayer in an unknown tongue, the worshiper could not say "Amen," for he could not understand the language in which the prayer was spoken. Neither could the worshiper say "Amen" today if the leader has not spoken loudly enough to be heard or if he has used words or phrases which the worshiper does not understand. Those who lead prayers in the assembly should be conscious of the needs of the whole congregation, speaking up where all can hear and using words which all can understand.
3. He must agree with the prayer. A number of years ago, while sitting beside an older preacher, I observed his saying "Yes" or "Yes, Lord" at the conclusion of each separate phrase of the prayer as it was being led. He spoke the words softly enough that I was probably the only one in the assembly who could hear them, but I was impressed. Obviously, this brother was listening to every phrase, determining whether or not he agreed with the phrase, and was then softly speaking his agreement. He was not just sitting through a prayer; he was praying. Occasionally, we hear sentiments expressed in prayer with which we do not agree. To these sentiments we cannot say "Amen."
4. He must say "Amen." The word "Amen" means "so let it be." We long to hear the strong, resounding "Amen" at the close of prayers which we used to hear. We fear that the move away from this practice is just another step toward cold, lifeless formality in our worship periods. We are not contending, however, that one must say the word "Amen" audibly; but we are suggesting that at least in his mind he should say "Amen," thus making the prayer his own prayer. He has listened to the prayer; he has understood the prayer; he has agreed with the prayer; now he speaks to God his "Amen" or approval of the prayer as his prayer. In this manner, he unites with other worshipers in common prayer unto God.
By Bill Hall
Daily life presses us to make decisions. Many are fairly inconsequential, but some have far-reaching ramifications for ourselves and our loved ones. Choices regarding employment, marriage and a place of residence will greatly impact the story of one's life. The local church to which a Christian joins himself may, over the course of a life time, be the difference between making it to heaven's rest or falling short of it (cf. Hebrews 4:1). Just think of the spiritual peril one would have put himself in by deciding to become a member of the church at Laodicea and allowing himself to be influenced by their attitudes (cf. Revelation 3:14-19). Other significant life decisions may relate to choosing friends, disciplining children, and participating in civic or social activities.
Such decisions are important. The thoughtful, mature Christian will see the significance of these decisions, but he will not allow the difficulty involved in making them to detract from the joy he has in Christ. I have observed (and the Bible reveals) that there are three practical steps successful Christians regularly take when faced with difficult decisions.
#1 THEY PRAY
God is ready and willing to hear the requests of His children
(1 John 5:14-15). The apostles relied on Him in making the
difficult decision regarding who would replace Judas (Acts 1:24).
No matter what hard decision confronts us today, we may still,
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and
supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to
God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will
guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).
#2 THEY CONSIDER THE BEST AND WORST SCENARIOS
When faced with the choice of living or dying, the apostle
Paul recognized that either scenario was good and would please him.
To live on was needful for others and would mean increased fruit for
his labor, but to "depart and be with Christ" would be
"far better" (Philippians 1:23). Sometimes in life
the "worst that could happen" is something we could
tolerate if our attitude is right. If we, like Paul, believe
that the most important outcome of any decision is how it affects our
relationship with Christ and His cause, then we will realize that all
the alternative outcomes of some decisions are acceptable.
#3 THEY DETERMINE PROS AND CONS BASED ON SCRIPTURE!
God's word is "a lamp to my feet and a light to my
path" (Psalm 119:105). It is the most practical tool there
is for making life's decisions. In it God has provided for the
Christian "all things that pertain to life and godliness"
(2 Peter 1:3). While a few decisions Christians may face are
not specifically addressed in scripture, many are! Those that
are not specifically addressed are often addressed in principle.
The wise decision-making Christian will take all of the truth that
applies to his situation and use it to make his decision. He
will not make a decision based on what feels good to him or what he
likes best. Rather, he will rely upon God's word to make the determination.
Specifically, before a decision is made, he will have considered (1)
whether or not any option he could choose would hinder his obedience
to Christ and (2) whether or not any option he could choose would
adversely affect the spiritual condition of others. Even a
choice which would not lead oneself into sin may be "a stumbling
block to those who are weak" (1 Corinthians 8:9, 13).
Sadly, there are not a few Christians who fail miserably at making difficult decisions precisely because they do not follow these steps. Often it happens that these individuals will seek advice from others for making tough decisions. When you ask them, "Have you prayed about it?" the answer is, "No, I didn't think about doing that!" Ask them, "Have you considered what God's word says about it?" and you might hear, "Oh, I didn't even know the Bible said anything about it!"
Proverbs 3:5-6 instructs us to "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths." The wisdom of an all-knowing God is at our disposal to help us make difficult decisions. We must trust in Him and avail ourselves of it.
By Steve Klein