The first, last, longest, and shortest prayers in the Bible.

The first prayer.  It has been more difficult to isolate the first prayer in the Bible, but here are three tries.  The problem in the early chapters of Genesis is that the occasions people are recorded specifically speaking to God it is in the context of a conversation that God initiates.

1. Genesis 4:26b points out a time when men started calling upon the name of the Lord.  But this is not really a specific prayer.

25 Adam had relations with his wife again; and she gave birth to a son, and named him Seth, for, she said, “God has appointed me another offspring in place of Abel, for Cain killed him.” 26 To Seth, to him also a son was born; and he called his name Enosh. Then men began to call upon the name of the Lord.

2.  In Genesis 19 Abraham prays for God to allow Abimelech's household have babies again.  Here the essence of the request is given, but not the words.

17 Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maids, so that they bore children.18 For the Lord had closed fast all the wombs of the household of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

3.  In Genesis 24 we find Abraham's servant praying to the God of Abraham for help locating a wife for Issac.

12 He said, “O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today, and show lovingkindness to my master Abraham. 13 Behold, I am standing by the spring, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water; 14 now may it be that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar so that I may drink,’ and who answers, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels also’—may she be the one whom You have appointed for Your servant Isaac; and by this I will know that You have shown lovingkindness to my master.”


The last prayer in the Bible is pretty straightforward.  In the second to the last verse in Revelation, John prays, "Come, Lord Jesus."  And we continue to pray that prayer today.

It is very possible I have missed something in Genesis.

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The longest prayer in the Bible is found in Nehemiah 9:5-38.  Most of the prayer is recounting their history of suffering with the closing observation, "So we are in great distress."  Verse 38 says that they are signing an agreement to keep God's laws presumably so that He would begin blessing them again.

The shortest prayer may be found in Nehemiah too.  It takes place in chapter two when Nehemiah prayed a quick prayer between the king asking him a question and his answer.  However, since this reference doesn't tell what he prayed the shortest prayer probably needs to go to Peter's brief and heartfelt prayer in Matthew 14:30 as he sank into the water after he had begun to walk on the water to Jesus.  “Lord, save me!”  Now, that's a prayer ALL of us can heartily join in.

TBC MEN'S BREAKFAST CHALLENGE- Relationships

I remember a few years ago when Curt Shacklett led the elders and deacons through Kent Hughes’ book Disciplines of a Godly Man.  I was struck by the title of chapter five, “Discipline of Friendship.”  I guess that I had always thought of friends as a nice social connection.  The idea of friendship as a discipline indicated that relationships are something that I should intentionally pursue for the benefit of the church, to bless others, and for my own Christian walk. 

Relationships are also essential for discipleship, a TBC core value.  I want to challenge every man at TBC to attempt to regularly (a least once a month) meet with at least two other men.  Find a relationship with a peer so the two of you can encourage and challenge each other spiritually.  Find another relationship where you are either mentoring (discipling) or being mentored.  These relationships with men at TBC can strengthen our church and benefit you and those you meet with.

Travis Jones is an example of someone who pursues these intentional relationships.  At our men’s breakfast, he is going to share some practical principles and pointers on how to engage in relationships with other men. 

“Few of the truly valuable things in life just happen.”  --Kent Hughes

Jehovah's Witnesses

Probably the most glaring error of the JW’s is that they believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is a god not the God.  They have a works salvation scheme.  Have both doctrinal and some sociological characteristics of a cult.  I have put these links in order of priority.

GotQuestions.org—Short overview

https://www.gotquestions.org/Jehovahs-Witnesses.html

Cold-case Christianity with J. Warner Wallace: “A Brief Overview of the Jehovah’s Witness Worldview”

http://coldcasechristianity.com/2014/a-brief-overview-of-the-jehovahs-witness-worldview/

Christian Research and Apologetics Ministry—Links to several resources about Jehovah’s Witnesses

https://carm.org/jehovahs-witnesses

ReligionFacts: “Jehovah's Witnesses Beliefs”—A non-evangelical summary of their beliefs.

http://www.religionfacts.com/jehovahs-witnesses/beliefs

ChristianAnwers.net—“How do Jehovah’s Witnesses’ teachings about Christ compare with Scriptures?”

Defense of Christ’s deity geared toward JW’s

https://christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-r005.html

Bible.org—This page has several good articles about Jehovah’s Witnesses.

https://bible.org/gsearch?search=Jehovah%27s+witnesses

JOURNEY: ADVOCATES – QUESTIONS by Sean McDowell

JOURNEY: ADVOCATES – QUESTIONS  by Sean McDowell

Why do we go to Google, Youtube, and other search engines to find answers to our questions?  Because we believe, at least generally, that we will find helpful, reliable answers to our questions.  In 1 Peter 3: 15, the Apostle Peter says to sanctify Christ as Lord in our hearts, to always being ready with an answer for the hope within and to give it with gentleness and give it with respect. Here’s a question that’s important for us to think about.  What would it take for you and me to live the kind of life that would invite questions from other people?  How do we live our lives in a certain way that others want to know the source of our hope?  And what are some questions we can ask other people to help them along their spiritual journey? 

A few years ago I co-wrote Is God just a Human Invention with a friend of mine named Jonathan Marrow.  The goal was to provide succinct answers to the seventeen biggest questions skeptics and atheists were asking about God.  Christians were reading, and I was getting a good response.  I started thinking to myself, “How can I get other non-believers to read it and engage with the ideas?”  So I called up one of the largest skeptic groups in the area where I live and said I would be happy to sit in the hot seat of your group and answer questions that people in your group would have towards a Christian.  I went up there and they had questions about God, questions about the Bible, political questions, and even specific questions about what I believed about the soul.  It was a blast.  Before the event began I had asked the leader if it was okay if toward the end I could ask them some questions.  Now I could have asked this group of skeptics how they explained the origin of information in DNA, or the origin of the universe, or how they explain the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus.  While those are great questions I decided to take a different approach.  Instead, I asked the questions like, "What are blind spots to Christians have?  What bad impressions to Christians often leave?  And how can Christians improve their interactions with skeptics?"  

I’ll never forget a lady sitting right in front to my right who was 70 years old said, “Listen.” 

I said, “Tell me what you mean.” 

She said, “A lot of my Christian friends want to speak to me, tell me why I’m wrong and preach at me, and occasionally tell me I’m going to Hell, but when I want to share my beliefs, they don’t want to listen to me.  Why should I listen to them when they don’t listen to me?”

And a fellow in the back who is maybe fifty years old described himself as a former Christian.  He said, “Stop slandering atheists.” 

And I said, “That’s a pretty serious charge.  What do you mean?” 

He said, “Look, I’m an atheist, but occasionally I’ll just show up, and I’ll go to church.  People don’t know who I am, or why I’m there.   And I just listen.”  He said, “Almost every time I show up, I hear some cheap shot, often from the stage, about atheists or some other non-Christian group.”

Here’s the bottom line.  If we don’t treat non-believers the way that Christ called us to, they so often won’t even hear what we believe is true.  The Bible tells us that Jesus came in grace, and he came in truth.  He came in grace which is a loving relationship.  And he also spoke truth.  We are called to speak the truth.  We can‘t compromise truth, but we must do it in love.  If we mess up the relationship, so often people won’t even hear what we believe is true.  If we want people to ask us questions about our faith, we need to be living the kind of lives that invite inquiries.  We need to live the kind of lives that make people wonder, "What is the source of that person's hope?"  

We also need to be ready with some thoughtful questions we can ask other people to help them along their spiritual journey.  Here are some specific questions that I found helpful in my own experience and relationships. 

First, What do you believe?  It’s important to find out what the other person believes.  Proverbs 18:13 says it is foolish and shameful to answer before you hear.  To have an honest conversation with somebody you first have to understand what the person really believes.  And that person is only going to share what they believe when we ask good questions and really listen. 

Second, “Why do you believe it?”  What reason does a person have for his or her beliefs?  Proverbs 20:5 says that the purposes of a man’s heart are like deep waters, but a person of understanding is a person who can draw it out.  In other words, people have a deep reason for why they believe what they do.  And sometimes people know those reasons and sometimes they don’t.  Take my father for example.  Before he became a Christian he was an angry agnostic.  He looked for ways to shoot Christians down and prove that they were wrong.  One thing he did before he realized it at the time is he would hear people talk about a heavenly father, and he thought, "Why would I want a heavenly father?"  That idea turned him off.  Why? Because his earthly father was abusive and absent.  His relationship with his father was a deep reason that gave him some anger against God.  People have deep reasons for why they believe as they do, and it takes wisdom and listening and patience to help draw out what those real reasons are. 

The third question is “Where do we agree?”  Where can we find common ground?  Finding common ground is a powerful way to have meaningful, spiritual conversations with other people.  When we find common ground, often someone’s guard will go down, and they will listen in a way they wouldn’t have listened before. 

When I was meeting with these skeptics, they were surprised to find out that even though we clearly disagreed on a number of significant issues, how much we actually have in common. 

And the fourth questions is, “Where do we disagree?”  I’ve had at least two significant conversations with skeptics about the origins of the universe.   And each of these conversations we talk about the science and the philosophy, that points toward the universe having a beginning.  As we got back to the basis of the argument, I said to them either you have to believe that the universe can come into existence from nothing, or you believe that there is a cause outside of space and time that speaks the universe into existence.  Which do you find more reasonable?  And both of them looked me right in the eye and said a universe from nothing is most reasonable.  Now in some ways, I am not exactly sure where to take the argument from that.  So I just said back to them, “Here’s where you and I differ.  I think its more reasonable that there is a God that speaks the world into existence.  You think it’s more reasonable that something can come from nothing."  All I was trying to do is clarify the cost of being an atheist.  Now interestingly in a matter of time, one of them actually became a believer.  

In my experience, most people are willing to have genuine, spiritual conversation.  If we treat people the way they want to be treated, they will often return the favor to us.  If we really listen to people and value their opinion, most people will listen back and value what we have to say as well.  You have learned some powerful lessons in this study, and you are ready for spiritual conversations.  Now don’t think you have to have all the answers.  If someone asks you a tough question, simply say, “I don’t know,” and then go find an answer so that you’ll know next time.  If you are willing to ask good questions, listen to people, and stick with people through their journey, I think you will be amazed at how God will use you in people’s lives to make a difference with them spiritually. Go forth.

  https://awanaym.org/journey-curriculum/advocates/journey-advocates-questions

Starter questions for writing a Christian Testimony

LIFE BEFORE CHRIST

--What was your life like before you trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord?

--Describe two or more things about your life before you became a Christian.

--Background: did you grow up in church?  If so, what was that experience like?  If not, what was your original worldview?

--Be careful not to glamorize how "bad" you used to be.

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--What were your attitudes? Needs? Problems?

--What did your life revolve around?  What was most important to you?

--Where did you look for security? Peace of mind? Happiness? Significance?

--Where were you spiritually before receiving Christ, and how did that affect you - your feelings, attitudes, actions, and relationships?

--On what did you rely on for security and happiness?

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--What did I think of God? Of Jesus?

--In what ways was God drawing you to Christ?

--When did you begin to feel convicted about your sins?

--What circumstances caused you to think about the Lord?

--Who were the people that influenced you toward the Lord?

CONVERSION TO CHRIST

--When were you first exposed to dynamic Christianity?

--How did you learn about the gospel? Include 1 or 2 verses from Scripture.

--When / where did you first hear the gospel?

--If a church played a part in your conversion, tell how you came in contact with that church and who or what you remember from your first visits.

--What were your initial reactions to Jesus Christ?

--What were your initial reactions to Jesus?

--What feelings did you struggle with right before your decision?

--When and why did you begin to feel positively about Christianity?

--What was the turning point in your attitude?

--What motivated you to invite Christ to be your Lord and Savior?

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--How and why you became Christian

--Specifically, how did you receive Christ and His forgiveness?

--Where were you? Alone in your room? Driving in your car? At a church service?

--Who talked to you about becoming a Christian?

--What actions did you take to become a Christian?

--How did you come to accept Christ and give Him complete control of your life?

--How did you yield your life to Christ? What did you say?

--What thoughts went through your mind?

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--How did you feel after you accepted Christ?

LIFE AFTER CHRIST

--What happened after you trusted Christ?

--Did you struggle with your faith?

--What kind of problems did you face?

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--How are you different than you were before?

--How did your life begin to change after you trusted Christ?

--What changes did you see in your life? In your attitudes? In your actions?

--How long did it take before you noticed any changes?

--What area of your life has the Lord changed most significantly?

--How have the changes in your life influenced others around you?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Describe two or more things that are different about your life now that you are a Christian.

--What other benefits have you experienced since becoming a Christian?

--Why are you glad that you are a Christian?

--How did God answer prayer, or strengthen you in difficult situations?

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--What makes you excited about living for Christ today and in the future?

--What makes you sure that you are going to heaven?

--What does Jesus Christ mean to you now?

--What does Jesus Christ mean to you now?

--Finish this sentence: "My prayer is....

Hell links

• What the Bible Says About Hell  https://bible.org/article/what-bible-says-about-hell
• Content On: Hell  https://bible.org/topics/403/Hell
• A KINDER, GENTLER THEOLOGY OF HELL?  https://www.tms.edu/m/tmsj9j.pdf
• 7 Truths About Hell   https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/7-truths-about-hell/
• Articles arguing against Hell -- http://www.ukapologetics.net/2hell.htm
• 8 Real Photographs That "Prove" Hell Exists on Earth  http://www.cracked.com/blog/8-real-photographs-that-prove-hell-exists-earth/
• CARM Hell  by Matt Slick  https://carm.org/hell
• Theopedia HELL   https://www.theopedia.com/hell 
• The Doctrine of Hell Article By: Douglas Groothuis  http://www.equip.org/article/the-doctrine-of-hell/

Discussion Questions

Matthew 19:13-15  “…for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”

1.     Why was it so surprising that the children were held out as an example of those who will inherit the kingdom of heaven?  What traits do children have that make them especially suited for the kingdom of heaven?

Matthew 19:16-29  “Whatever you love more than Christ will burden and drag you down.”

2.     How rich are we? (globalrichlist.com)How do our riches impede our relationship with God? 

3.     How can we tell that everything we have belongs to God?

Matthew 20:1-16  “Many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

4.     How was the different pay to the last and first workers a surprise?  How did the first workers respond?  Why?

5.     What "hints" did Jesus give about greatness in the Kingdom?

Matthew 10:17-34  “God wants to turn the understanding of greatness upside down.”

6.     How did Jesus describe the greatest in God’s Kingdom?

7.     In what ways did the two blind beggars contrast with James and John?

Matthew 21:1-11   “Jesus came as a humble, unexpected, and unrecognized king. Jesus is inviting you to recognize and welcome Him as your King. “ 

8.     Why did Jesus choose to make such a public entrance to the city of Jerusalem?  What prophecy did Jesus fulfill with his “Triumphal Entry?”  (Zechariah 9:9) 

9.     What are some repercussions of accepting Jesus as your King?

CONNECTION Discussion Notes

Matthew 19:13-20:11

April 8, 2018

Discussion Questions

Matthew 19:13-15  “…for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”

1.     Why was it so surprising that the children were held out as an example of those who will inherit the kingdom of heaven?  What traits do children have that make them especially suited for the kingdom of heaven?

Matthew 19:16-29  “Whatever you love more than Christ will burden and drag you down.”

2.     How do our riches impede our relationship with God? (How rich are you?  globalrichlist.com)

3.     How can we tell that everything we have belongs to God?

Matthew 20:1-16  “Many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

4.     How was the different pay to the last and first workers a surprise?  How did the first workers respond?  Why?

5.     What hints did Jesus give about greatness in the Kingdom?

Matthew 10:17-34  “God wants to turn the understanding of greatness upside down.”

6.     How did Jesus describe the greatest in God’s Kingdom?

7.     In what ways did the two blind beggars contrast with James and John?

Matthew 21:1-11   “Jesus came as a humble, unexpected, and unrecognized king. Jesus is inviting you to recognize and welcome Him as your King. “ 

8.     Why did Jesus choose to make such a public entrance to the city of Jerusalem?  What prophecy did Jesus fulfill with his “Triumphal Entry?”  (Zechariah 9:9) 

9.     What are some repercussions of accepting Jesus as your King?

Full sermon video & audio are available on the TBC website, www.tulsabible.org (bottom of Home Page, select Sunday Sermons, then by date)

Key Texts

5.

Matthew 19:13-15 

Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, ¹⁴ but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” ¹⁵ And he laid his hands on them and went away.

Matthew 19:23-24 

And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴ Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

Matthew 20:25-28  But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. ²⁶ It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, ²⁷ and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, ²⁸ even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Matthew 20:29-34  And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. ³⁰ And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord,[a] have mercy on us, Son of David!” ³¹ The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” ³² And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” 33 They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” ³⁴ And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.

8.

Zechariah 9:9

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!

    Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Behold, your king is coming to you;

    righteous and having salvation is he,

humble and mounted on a donkey,

    on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

 Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew by J.C. Ryle 

The plain truth is, that our Lord knew well that the time of His earthly ministry was drawing to a close. He knew that the hour was approaching when He must finish the mighty work He came to do, by dying for our sins upon the cross. He knew that His last journey had been accomplished, and that there remained nothing now in His earthly ministry, but to be offered as a sacrifice on Calvary. Knowing all this, He no longer, as in time past, sought secrecy. Knowing all this, He thought it good to enter the place where He was to be delivered to death, with peculiar solemnity and publicity. It was not fitting that the Lamb of God should come to be slain on Calvary privately and silently. Before the great sacrifice for the sins of the world was offered up, it was right that every eye should be fixed on the victim. It was suitable that the crowning act of our Lord's life should be done with as much notoriety as possible. Therefore it was that He made this public entry. Therefore it was that He attracted to himself the eyes of the wondering multitude. Therefore it was that all Jerusalem was moved. The atoning blood of the Lamb of God was about to be shed. The deed was not to be "done in a corner." (Acts 26:26.)   -

AWANA Journey Advocates / Lesson 7.2 Falsehood with Sean McDowell

AWANA Journey Advocates / Lesson 7.2 Falsehood with Sean McDowell

These are my note from the lecture and not the exact things Dr. McDowell said on the video clip.

Here is the logic some use to "prove there is no God.

First Premise: If God is all-powerful, He could stop evil.

Second Premise: If God is all good, he would stop evil.

Third: Premise: Evil Exists, or at least evil acts happen.

Conclusion: Therefore, an all-powerful, all- good god does not exist.

If these three premises exist, then the conclusion follows.  If we are going to prove that this conclusion is false, what do we have to do?  Show that one of them is false.  If we can show that one of these premises is untrue then the conclusion does not follow.  

Premise One:

Eastern religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, and others of the sort will typically begin with the third premise.  What would a pantheist say about the third premise?  They will deny that there is good and evil because they believe all is one.  So distinctions between yesterday and today, me and you, mind and matter—all these distinctions are artificial, so they actually solve the problem of evil by saying there is no such thing as evil.  Logically speaking this does get us out of the problem of evil.  Is that a meaningful, substantial way to solve the problem of evil by saying it’s not a problem at all?  Does that resonate in your heart?  When you look at the world in your experience is it fitting to you to say, “Evil doesn’t exist.”?  Getting rid of evil by saying it doesn’t exist seems like too high a price to pay. 

Premise Two:

All of you agree that God is all-powerful, but we have to ask a more basic question.  What does it mean that God is all-powerful or omnipotent?  Can God do anything we can conceive of?  Can God make a rock so big that He can’t move it?  People raise that challenge and say, “If God can make a rock so big he can’t move it, He is limited.  If He can’t make a rock so big he can’t move it, He is limited.”  These are ways to trick or confuse what we mean by God is all powerful. 

You can’t bend a paperclip into a square circle.  Could God bend a paper clip into a square circle?  By definition, a circle has no points and if it has points, it is not a circle.  By definition, a square has four points and can’t be a circle.  A square circle cannot exist.  Even God cannot make a square circle exist. 

What do we mean when we say, God is all-powerful? Theologians have wrestled with this for centuries.  When we say that God is all-powerful, we mean that God can do everything that can be done.  If power can do something, then God can do it.  But power alone cannot make a square circle so there are actually some things God can’t do.  This isn’t a limitation on God, it is a recognition that some things in themselves are impossible and cannot be.  How many of you have told a lie?  Can God tell lies?  In the book of Hebrews it says that “God cannot lie.”  Does that mean you can do something that God’s can’t do, therefore you are more powerful than God?  Does that follow?  A lie is not a strength.  It’s actually a weakness, an imperfection.  So God cannot lie, not because He lacks power, but because he is morally perfect.    

When we say that God is all-powerful, we don’t mean that God can do anything conceivable, we mean God can do everything that power can do that is consistent with his moral nature. 

Even God can’t make a world with beings that are genuinely free and then force us to do what is good.  If God forces us then we are not truly free.  God can and will stop evil, but God can not make a world with genuine free will where humans can make meaningful choices and then turn around and force us to always choose what is good. 

Premise Two:  When you see someone suffering or drowning, or someone being bullied or taken advantage of.  If you had the power, wouldn’t you step in and stop it.  Yes, but every day certain kinds of evil happen and God doesn’t stop them.  Does that make you better than God?  What are some reasons that God might allow suffering and evil.? Maybe God has reasons for the evil and suffering in the world.  If God had reasons or a purpose, should we expect to always know what they are? 

If I told you there was an adult elephant in this room, how quickly could you determine whether that was true or false?  You could look around and instantly determine it was false.  What if I told you there was a flea in this room?  A flea would take a lot more search.  You wouldn’t expect to see a flea from your seat just looking around. 

If God is all-powerful if God is self-existent if God is eternal--He sees the past and the present and the future and how every decision he makes affects other people, should we honestly expect to know why every time God allows suffering and evil. 

Most of us can think of times where there is suffering and evil and good comes out of it. Evil and suffering can make people think about eternity in a way they never have before.  Can you see how God would allow something like that to happen?  Maybe because God is good, He realizes the depth of our depravity, how distracted we get, how we get caught up in our sin, and He allows some evil and suffering to draw us to Him.  God has a bigger plan.  Will we trust Him?

“God whispers in our pleasure, but He shouts in our pain.  Pain is God’s megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”  --C.S. Lewis