THE BIBLE: The Old Testament (The Basics)

Genesis - Exodus - Leviticus - Numbers - Deuteronomy
Joshua - Judges - Ruth - 1 and 2 Samuel - 1 and 2 Kings
1 and 2 Chronicles - Ezra - Nehemiah - Esther

Job - Psalms - Proverbs - Ecclesiastes - Song of Solomon

Isaiah - Jeremiah - Lamentations - Ezekiel - Daniel
Hosea - Joel - Amos - Obadiah - Jonah - Micah - Nahum
Habakkuk - Zephaniah - Haggai - Zechariah - Malachi

 

The first seventeen Old Testament books (Genesis through Esther) can be referred to as narrative because they tell a continuous story of past events. The last seventeen Old Testament books (Isaiah through Malachi) are prophetic because they speak of present and future events. In between are five poetic books (Job through Song of Solomon), also referred to as wisdom literature.

Since five poetic books are sandwiched between seventeen books of narration and prophecy, the Old Testament can be viewed as a “poetry sandwich”.

The first five narrative books (Genesis through Deuteronomy) are also known as the Torah, the Law, or the Pentateuch. They relate events from Creation to the death of Moses. The final twelve narrative books (Joshua through Esther) are also called the History. They relate events from the death of Moses through Esther.

Likewise, the seventeen books of prophecy can be subdivided. The first five (Isaiah through Daniel) are called Major Prophets because they are the longest prophetic books. The last twelve (Hosea through Malachi) are called Minor Prophets because they are shorter in length. The terms “major” and “minor” thus reflect overall length rather than importance. Some of the Minor Prophets, though shorter in length, are as important as all the others.

 

 Questions

 

Fill in the blanks below:

 

1
The first seventeen Old Testament books (Genesis through Esther) are called ________ books because they tell a story about past events.

2
The last seventeen Old Testament books (Isaiah through Malachi) are called ________ books because they proclaim a message about current and future events.

3

The middle five Old Testament books (Job through Song of Solomon) are called ________ books because they relate a truth through meter and verse.

4

The Old Testament is basically a poetry ________ (17 books on each side with 5 books of poetry between).

5

The first five Old Testament narrative books (Genesis through Deuteronomy) are also known as the Pentateuch, the ________, or the Law. They tell the story from Creation to the death of ________.

6

The next twelve Old Testament narrative books are known as the ________. They tell the story from ________ through ________.

7

The first five Old Testament prophetic books (Isaiah through Daniel) are called the ________ Prophets because they are longer.

8

The next twelve Old Testament prophetic books (Hosea through Malachi) are called the ________ Prophets because they are shorter.

9

The terms “Major Prophet” and “Minor Prophet” thus reflect ________, not importance.

10

Who am I? I consist of 39 books. The first 17 are narrative (5 books of Law and 12 books of History). The last 17 are prophetic (5 Major Prophets and 12 Minor Prophets). My middle 5 books are poetic. I am the ________.

 

Answers
1. narrative     2. prophetic     3. poetic     4. sandwich    

5. Torah, Moses     6. History, Joshua, Esther     7. Major     8. Minor    

9. length     10. Old Testament

THE BIBLE: The Basics

The word bible comes from biblos, a Greek word which means book. It is not one book but a collection of books. This collection is also referred to as scripture.

 There are 66 books in the Bible. An easy way to remember this is to change each b in bible to a 6: 6i6le.

 The Bible is divided into two main sections, the Old Testament and the New Testament. There are 39 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament. An easy way to remember this is the equation: 3 x 9 = 27.

 Over 99% of the Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew. This language bears little resemblance to English and is read from right to left. Over 99% of the New Testament was originally written in Greek. This language looks similar to English and is read from left to right. Less than 1% of the Bible was written in Aramaic. This was the language Jesus spoke.

 The books of the Bible were first written on stone tablets, leather skins, or sheets of papyrus. Unfortunately, all of these original writings have been lost. In fact, the number of Bible words that we have today in the author’s original handwriting is zero.

 What we do have, however, are manuscripts of the original writings, meticulously hand-copied over thousands of years. Some of these manuscripts are older than others. They are considered more reliable because they are closer in age to the original document. Some consist of entire books of the Bible, but many pieces or fragments of books have been discovered as well. The oldest and most famous ancient manuscripts were a part of the Dead Sea Scrolls discovered in Palestine in the twentieth century.

 Using these available manuscripts, scholars have translated the Bible from the original Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic into hundreds of languages and dialects, the number of translations still growing each year.

 

BASICS: questions 1-10

 Fill in the blanks below.

1

The word “bible” comes from the Greek word “biblos” which means ________.

2

The Bible is not one book but a ________ of several books.

3

The Bible contains ___ books.

4

The Old and New Testaments consist of ___ and ___ books, respectively.

5

An easy way to remember the number of books in each testament is the equation: __ x __ = ___.

6

Greater than 99% of the Old Testament was originally written in ________.

7

Greater than 99% of the New Testament was originally written in ________.

8

Less than 1% of the Bible was originally written in ________, the language Jesus spoke.

9

The number of words from the Bible available today in an original author’s handwriting is ___.

10

Though not available today, the original writings were meticulously ________ over the years and have been ________ into many languages.

Answers  

1. book      2. collection     3. 66     4. 39, 27    
5. (3 x 9 = 27)      6. Hebrew     7. Greek    
8. Aramaic     9. zero     10. copied, translated

GAMEDAY: The Sermon in the Stadium (based on Jesus' Sermon on the Mount)

When they were seated, he began to teach them:

We are in a football stadium tonight. Championship teams have played here. Games have been won and lost on this field. But I’m here to tell you about the greatest game of all. It is a different game than football. There are no stadium seats, no spectators, not even a sideline. The game of life consists of a playing field, nothing else. Everyone is a player, and that includes you. The choice you have is not whether you play but how you play.

God is the Owner of the field on which the game of life is played. Never forget this – you are playing on His turf. He is a loving Owner. He cares about His players more than they can imagine. Never forget this – God loves you. And He is not an absentee Owner. He is always present at His field. Never forget this – God is at your fingertips.

Some of you tonight are searching for God, as if He is somewhere else. Quit searching, for He is here. Some of you are not looking for God at all. Start looking, for He is here. Some of you have already found Him. Continue your discovery, for He is here.

Yes, God is here, right at your fingertips. If you consider yourself poor, you are really rich, because God is here. If you are grieving, rejoice. God is here. If you suffer abuse, endure, because God is here. If you are loving and peaceful and forgiving and consistent, and thus are playing by His rules, don’t give up. He is here, and He approves.

Many of you are running from God. Stop! There is no other field to run toward. You can’t escape His presence. Many of you are running to get to God. Stop! He is with you already. Many of you are ignoring God, as if He can be ignored. Stop being ignorant! He is here, even if you don’t acknowledge Him.

You have heard that you can enter God’s presence by going to church. But I tell you that going to church won’t bring you into His presence. You’re already there. You have heard that you can reach God by reading the Bible. But I tell you that reading the Bible won’t do it. He was with you before you opened the cover. You have heard that you should live right and do good to get close to God. But I tell you loving one another and giving to the needy won’t usher God into your world. He is here, right at your fingertips, whether or not you play by His rules. Don’t misunderstand me. I have not come to do away with church, the Bible, or good deeds. I have come to give them their proper place. They don’t manufacture God’s presence; they celebrate it.

It’s God’s field on which you play, His rules by which you are judged, His life that you have been granted. You cannot change this. You can try to make your own rules. You can put on a uniform of another color and fight against Him. You can pretend He’s not there at all. You can even claim the field as your own, seeking to usurp His ownership. But nothing really has changed. He is still the Owner, you the player; and He is here, right at your fingertips.

Don’t judge others. You’re way behind on the scoreboard yourself. Don’t fret over possessions. None of it is really yours. Don’t show off when you are good. God’s approval is all that matters. Be like salt. It flavors the main dish but does not get the praise. Flavor your world in a way that brings glory to God. Be like a spotlight. It shines so the singer will be seen and applauded. Shine your light so that God will be seen and praised.

Do you know how much God loves you? He sent His Son to His field as a player so that you would know the truth. You killed His Son, as if rejecting the truth would destroy it. But God’s Son defeated death and rose from the grave. He lives today and proclaims the truth to you: “God is here, right at your fingertips.”

The day before a football game, one coach carved a game-winning play into a rock. The other coach drew his game-winning play in the dirt. On game day there was a heavy rain. The wise coach’s play remained, because it had been carved in a rock. The foolish coach’s play was destroyed, because it had been drawn in the dirt. Who do you think won the game?

If you hear my words tonight and act on them, it will be like carving your life in a rock. Nothing will defeat you. Victory will be yours. But if you hear my words and do not act on them, you will be drawing your life in the dirt. You will not survive the storm. Your defeat will be lopsided. 

Listen to the voice of Jesus: “I am the Rock. Carve yourself in Me.”

THE STATE OF THE CHURCH - Part 16: Organization

As a physician, I am amazed daily at the human body. From the cellular to the macroscopic level, we are the most intricate living organisms on Earth. Finely tuned, our bodies are maintained at a core temperature of 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, a blood pH of 7.4, and a resting heart rate between 60 and 100 beats per minute. I could, of course, give other examples, but the point is clear: a lot of organization is required to keep an organism like the human body running efficiently.

The Church likewise is an organism. Paul, in fact, refers to it as the Body of Christ, and he goes on to say that we are the individual parts, the arms and legs, of the Church. As with the human body, a lot of organization is required to keep this organism running efficiently.

Even in the first century, we see an organized Church. There are church positions: pastors, bishops, elders, and deacons. There are church meetings: councils, conferences, and worship events. Within worship itself, there is singing, preaching, offering, and personal testimony. Admittedly, the organization is elementary by today's standards, but there is no doubt that it is present.

In its most primitive days, therefore, the Church relied on a simple level of organization to exist. Such organization is more complex today, consisting of multiple layers of hierarchy, ritual, and specialization within denominations and among local congregations. Some people argue that the organization is excessive. They claim that it is too cumbersome and actually hinders the mission of the Church. They recommend a return to a more simplified, less regulated structure. Others take the opposite position, advocating more sophistication and oversight as the answer to today's problems.

What, then, is the answer? Should churches today become more or less organized? Are we too complex or not complex enough? My reply is that the question is the wrong one. The issue is not complex versus simple. Our focus instead should be this: whether or not we are doing our best to keep the organism healthy. Our question should be: "Do our organized efforts maintain the vital signs of the Church within the parameters necessary for its spiritual health?"

To help you understand what I mean, let's return to the human body. Imagine that someone starts an organization whose purpose is to make the human body operate at a core temperature of 102 degrees Fahrenheit, a blood pH of 8.0, and a resting heart rate of 25 beats per minute. Imagine that millions of dollars are spent and countless hours of discussions take place seeking to make this happen. Such an effort, no matter how simple or complex the planning, would be doomed to failure. Why? Because the human body is designed by God to run at preset vital signs. To divert the body away from these essential parameters is to plunge that body into a state of disease.

In the same way, God has given the Church, the Body of Christ, some preset essential vital signs. In the preceding weeks, we have focused on eleven of these essentials: baptism, belief, Bible study, charity, communion, discipleship, evangelism, fellowship, prayer, repentance, and worship. As we now examine Church organization, the twelfth essential, we need to focus most on the purpose of our organized efforts. Any organized church structure or activity that alters or distorts the essentials is doomed to failure, simply because God designed the Body of Christ to run on these essentials. To steer a congregation away from these vital parameters is to lead it into a state of spiritual disease and disrepair.

If a church fails to plan, it plans to fail. This old saying is indeed true. But we must be aware that bad planning is a recipe for failure as well. Today's churches must ensure that all their organized plans serve to bring the essentials into focus. If not, the end result will be organized chaos and nothing more.

NEXT WEEK

Part 17 - Solid, Liquid, or Gas?

THE STATE OF THE CHURCH - Part 15: Fellowship

Ice cream socials, pot-luck dinners, mid-worship handshakes, summer church picnics, and Christ-focused team sports. These are the first images that come to mind when Christian fellowship is mentioned. When God's people are together, food and fun seem to abound. 

But does this define what Christian fellowship really is? Surprising as it seems, the answer is "no". The activities above are the result of true fellowship, not fellowship itself. They are the tributaries of the River of Fellowship, examples of events that can happen when a church is truly in fellowship.

To learn the deeper meaning of the word, we must go back to the New Testament book of Acts. In the second chapter, Luke tells us that the early Jerusalem Christians "devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, to fellowship, to breaking of bread, and to prayers" (v. 42). The Greek word used here is koinonia, from the root word koinos (common). It appears eighteen other times in the New Testament. Review all of these verses and you will begin to see what fellowship between Christians really is and how it begins. 

Consider, for example, this verse:

God is faithful, by whom you were called into the koinonia of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord. -1 Corinthians 1:9

Koinonia here is vertical more than horizontal. It is a spiritual unity between a believer and God. This, in fact, is the most common usage of the word. Christian fellowship, therefore, begins with a relationship of oneness with God through Jesus Christ. Take this vertical component away, and koinonia becomes impossible. To be in fellowship with our Christian brother, we must first be in fellowship with God. When divine-human oneness occurs, the horizontal component of fellowship naturally follows. 

Christian fellowship is not a contrived, forced, and superficial interaction between humans at church. It is an inevitable outpouring of the unity between those humans and God. Fittingly, the framework of fellowship is cross-shaped. It points upward to God in Heaven and then reaches outward to mankind on Earth.

Unfortunately, koinonia in Acts 2:42 is usually viewed only in its horizontal dimension, as fellowship between the Jerusalem believers. A closer look, however, reveals that koinonia could be interpreted here as both horizontal and vertical. This is exactly how the verse should be viewed. A picture should form in our minds of a group of first-century Christians in fellowship with God and, as a result, in fellowship with each other. To separate the two or to prefer one over the other never entered their minds.

Christian fellowship becomes something else, something much inferior, when the vertical and horizontal components are not equally embraced. And this is the subtle danger facing the Church today in its fellowship activities. During worship services, Christians must shake hands with their brothers and sisters while clutching with the other hand the nail-scarred palm of Jesus. They should enjoy being teammates in sports while also enjoying the blessings of being drafted into Christ. As they eat their pot-luck dinners and ice cream desserts, they must do so having already feasted at the table of their Lord. 

To see clearly the two aspects of koinonia, read the following verse:

That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have koinonia with us; and our koinonia is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. -1 John 1:3

This intertwining of vertical and horizontal is what makes Christian fellowship unique.

Fellowship is an essential Church activity. Its inclusion in the list of Acts 2:42 makes this clear. Congregations today must make sure that their fellowship is koinonia and not a cheap substitute. If they build their fun and food activities upon the firm foundation of their oneness with Christ, they will succeed. If they do not, the fellowship they offer will be no different than that which the world gives... and just as transient.

NEXT WEEK:

Part 16: Organization

THE STATE OF THE CHURCH: Part 14 - Giving

Have you ever had to compromise during a disagreement with someone? If so, didn't you make sure your most important issue remained intact? Wasn't there something concerning which you refused to bend? 

That's exactly the situation the Jerusalem church leaders faced when they found themselves disagreeing with Paul and Barnabas. The subject of debate was the acceptance of Gentiles into the Christian faith. The Jerusalem contingent believed non-Jews should embrace Judaism as well. Paul believed that circumcision and other Jewish customs should be optional, not mandatory. The final result was a compromise: the Jerusalem leaders gave their blessing to the Gentile mission, as long as Paul agreed to one stipulation.

Can you guess what this stipulation was, the one issue about which the Jerusalem church refused to bend? Paul tells us exactly what it was: "All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do" (Galatians 2:10).

This should be sufficient evidence to prove that charity, also referred to as benevolence and giving, was considered an essential activity of the first century Church. Supporting evidence would include Barnabas, who sold a piece of land and gave the proceeds to the young church in Jerusalem; Paul, who twenty years later collected an offering from churches in Asia Minor, Macedonia, and Greece for the same struggling Jerusalem congregation; and the first deacons, who were ordained by the young church to help serve the unfortunate.

Today, benevolence is practiced by virtually every church in every denomination. Granted, you can find some congregations that appear out-of-balance, focusing on building programs more than benevolence, worship services more than charity, numerical growth more than giving, congregations who have placed on the back-burner what first century Christians deemed essential. But even these churches give to the needy, albeit less than Jesus, Paul, and the Jerusalem leaders would recommend.

Where does giving to the poor rank in importance among the activities of your local church? What percentage of your church's annual budget is set aside for this purpose? Is your church's charity out-of-balance by first century standards? These are the difficult questions congregations must ask and answer and, if found wanting, correct.

We live in a wealthy nation, so prosperous that our "poor" are often "rich" compared to the poor of third world countries. Our government subsidizes the needy, providing food, housing, and spending money. Unfortunately, many of our less fortunate have no desire to change their lot and thus have become government-dependent. These unmotivated people have become addicted to receiving benefits and are now wards of the state. Ironically, they spend a lot of time and energy (i.e., they work hard) to obtain and maintain these benefits. If you doubt this is true, just ask anyone involved in benevolence ministries or government subsidy programs. They will tell you that many poor people are poor by choice.

I am afraid that some Christians and churches have used this to justify their lack of benevolence today. But I am also convinced that this excuse will not pass the test of the first century. Jesus ministered to people,  regardless. When he fed the 5000, for instance, he did not exclude those who were not really hungry or those healthy and wealthy enough to go to town and buy their own supper. Likewise, when Barnabas gave his money to the Jerusalem church without stipulation, I am sure he knew that some unmotivated individuals would be helped by it. Paul, too, surely knew that a portion of his offering would be received by those who could have helped themselves. Regardless, they all gave to the poor, and so should we.

May I propose a compromise? Go ahead, churches, and build your elaborate buildings. Permission is granted for you to focus on vibrant Sunday worship. Proceed with your well-intentioned plans for church growth. My only stipulation is this: as you build, worship, and grow, you must spend an equal amount of your time, energy, and money helping the poor. 

If you agree to this compromise, sign here on the dotted line, right beside the signatures of Paul, Barnabas, Peter, James, and John. Don't sign, however, unless your motive is right. Remember the words of Paul: "If I give all I possess to the poor but have not love, I am nothing." That's right, giving for the wrong reason leads to spiritual bankruptcy. Beware, lest in giving to the poor you become the poorest of all!

NEXT WEEK

Part 15 - Fellowship

THE STATE OF THE CHURCH - Part 13: Prayer

The early church was a praying church. If you need evidence, consider the following:

Acts 1:14 - They were "continually united in prayer" after the ascension of Jesus.

Acts 1:24 - Before selecting Matthias to replace Judas, "they prayed."

Acts 3:1 - Peter and John were at the Temple for prayer when they healed a lame man.

Acts 6:5 - Deacons were chosen so that the Twelve could "devote themselves to prayer and to preaching."

Acts 6:7 - When the deacons were selected, the Twelve "prayed and laid hands" on them.

Acts 8:15 - When the Samaritans began to believe, the church "prayed for them."

Acts 9:40 - Peter prayed before raising Tabitha from the dead.

Acts 10:9 - Peter was praying on his housetop when he received the vision about the acceptance of Gentiles.

Acts 12:5,12 - The church prayed for Peter while he was in prison.

Acts 13:3 - The Antioch church prayed for Barnabas and Paul before their first missionary journey.

Acts 14:23 - Paul and Barnabas prayed for churches they planted in Asia Minor. 

Acts 16:13 - Paul, Timothy, Luke, and Silas were at a place of prayer when they met Lydia and baptized her.

Acts 16:16 - The same men were on their way to prayer when they met and healed a demonized slave girl.

Acts 16:25 - Paul and Silas prayed and sang while imprisoned in Philippi.

Acts 20:36 - Paul prayed with the Ephesian Christians before leaving them the last time.

Acts 21:6 - Paul prayed on the beach before sailing to Rome.

Many churches today are no longer praying churches. They regularly sing songs, hear sermons, take communion, and study the Bible but do not often pray to God. Although they have never heard of Thomas Jefferson's religious views, these churches have become very Jeffersonian in their approach to prayer.

In regard to his religious views, Thomas Jefferson was a deist. He, like Voltaire and all other deists, believed that God was active in creation but since has been passive. He believed that “in the beginning” God wound up the universe as one would wind a clock; thereafter, He let it run its course. After the first chapter of Genesis, He never again interfered with the universe, removing Himself from the everyday lives of men and women. To Jefferson, God was unapproachable. He gave humanity “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” then He left us alone. 

Jefferson could not fathom such a long-distance God intervening and doing the miraculous. Any thought of the Divine breaking into the natural world was considered absurd. Nothing supernatural had occurred since creation, so he advised everyone to quit looking for miracles altogether. This, of course, placed him at odds with much of the Biblical story. So Thomas Jefferson, in an attempt to mesh the scriptures with his own personal theology, took it upon himself to amend the Bible. He eliminated every gospel reference to the miraculous and compiled the remaining verses into what became known as the Jeffersonian Bible. Even the resurrection of Jesus, the focal point of Christianity, was eliminated and dismissed as untrue. To say the least, this abridged version of the gospels stirred quite a controversy!

Now I can relate in part to what Jefferson was trying to do. I understand what attracted him and other intelligent men to deism. This philosophical view was (and is) nothing other than an attempt to mesh the existence of God with all the suffering in the world. Deists, past and present, refuse to explain suffering by limiting God’s power or knowledge or even His love, choosing instead to worship a God whose availability is limited—a God, alas, who is not available at all. God has distanced Himself from us. He formed us then forgot us. We, according to the deists, are presently the victims of divine neglect, examples of the old adage, “Out of sight, out of mind.” This means, as a corollary, that deists worship a God who will not answer prayer.

Sadly, many church congregations, if they are honest, would here concede to the deist. How often their prayers seem to fall on deaf ears! How few, if any, of their petitions are granted! If asked to give personal testimonies on answered prayer, how awkward  they would feel, stuttering and groping for an example! Granted that stories of miraculous prayer do exist (entire books have been written about them), they always seem to happen somewhere else. Thus many churches find themselves in regard to prayer much like those deists. They have abandoned all faith in its utility. While they refuse to assert that God has totally removed Himself from the world, they get the impression that at least He has withdrawn from their prayer bench. To use a well-worn phrase, their prayers seem to go no farther than the ceiling. And since nothing is seemingly accomplished time after time when they pray, the inevitable happens: they quit praying altogether. They become like that apathetic mouse in the psychology experiment who, having tasted the unpalatable pellet so often, will not even venture to see if the next one could be real. In this state of learned helplessness they live—believing in God but seldom, if ever, praying to Him. 

Before I speak directly to these congregations, let me address deism in general. I must admit that deism is one logical way to think of God and, in particular, one way to make sense of suffering in the world. But it is, at best, pessimistic. At worst, it is downright depressing. It is also has a shaky and tenuous foundation, for if just one example of miracle could be documented in history, deism would be declared once and for all false. If only one occasion could be found where God intervened in the world, Jefferson and his colleagues would have to change their tune. They would have to reinsert the gospel verses he omitted, because a single divine intervention opens wide the door to the possibility of others.  

Fittingly, the pin that bursts the bubble of deism is the very miracle upon which Christianity is founded: the resurrection of Jesus. I believe the weight of the evidence points toward its veracity. At least on this one occasion, it appears, the miraculous occurred. Although some people may disagree with me, they must  admit this: if the resurrection did happen, deism crumbles at its foundation.  

Before going on, an inherent inconsistency about deism should also be exposed. Deists ask us to deny the possibility of the miraculous in the present, but even they acknowledge the miracle of creation “in the beginning.” If God was a miracle-worker back then, how can deists exclude any possibility of miracle now? To me, they are being just as presumptuous as those overly religious folk who see a miracle at every turn.

And, now, to the subject of prayer. I do not claim expertise in the art and manner of prayer. All I can and will offer is what seems to make sense from personal study and experience. In keeping with a popular trend, I will present my thoughts on prayer in the form of a Top Ten List: 

TOP TEN TRUTHS ABOUT PRAYER

• The primary purpose of prayer is communion, not petition.  It is, as George MacDonald puts it, a “coming-to-one” with God. This sense of fellowship with God is truly prayer’s “sole end.”

• God is aware of every prayer. Nothing that happens, including my prayers, goes unnoticed by Him.

• Honesty is the best policy. God knows my thoughts before I say a word. He is big enough to handle anything I throw His way. (If I need proof, I can read the books of Job and Lamentations.)

• Some prayers of petition are answered. The possibility exists that God, infinitely powerful, will intervene and grant my requests.

• Many prayers of petition are not answered. Don’t ask me why, but God does not always intervene, even when I pray for deliverance from illness or injustice. In these times I must yield to His sovereignty, trust in His power, wait for His justice, and cling to His love.

• More prayers are answered than it seems. I believe that God hears and answers more of my prayers than I imagine and that someday I will fully understand this and give thanks.

• Most miracles are not the result of prayer. Every time I suture a laceration, I am reminded of this. All I do with the nylon thread is approximate the edges of the wound. A few days later I remove the thread. In between, healing occurs, and to me it still is a mystery and miracle. So many things, trivial to me and taken for granted, are just as miraculous. What I need here is not prayer but perception.

• The motive is more important than the method. Forget about time of day, posture and position, sentence structure, etc. If I come to God with a heart desirous of communion, I'll be better off than the person has attended all the seminars but has not attended to his heart.

• Private is more important than public. I should pray in private more than I pray in public. I believe that no one should ever know how much I pray in private. The more I pray in private, the more important it is that no one knows.

• Hard prayers should be prayed more than easy prayers. It’s easy for me to ask God for something or thank Him for something. It’s quite a bit harder for me to pray for my enemies, default to His will, grant and seek forgiveness, or surrender my life in service. If it is true that “prayer changes lives,” then I am convinced that this hard road is the path that must be taken. The hardest way back is often the surest way home.

I hope that these ten truths prove somewhat helpful as churches face the uncertainties of prayer. This much is certain: they will be of help only to those congregations who choose to pray. 


NEXT WEEK
Part 14: Charity/Giving/Benevolence

THE STATE OF THE CHURCH - Part 12: Worship

Isaac Watts was to his generation what contemporary Christian songwriters are to ours. He had the audacity to write church music in hymn form, a welcome change to many but an abomination to many others. Over time, his musical style became the norm. 

Today, the hymn is the traditional standard and contemporary music the radical alternative. And, just like in Watts' day, battle lines have been drawn. Some churches have decided to remain traditional. Others have gone completely contemporary. Some have a blended service that includes both hymns and praise songs. A growing number of churches have three separate worship events each Sunday - one traditional, one contemporary, one blended. 

"Blended" Christians have no problem with this arrangement. They say they can worship through any musical style. "Traditional" and "contemporary" Christians, however, often cannot tolerate any type of music than their own. They either gravitate to a church with similar worship tastes or campaign to convert the music of their present church into what they like.

The sad irony is that all the recent focus on worship styles has tended to negate worship itself. Unlike the first century believers, we do not have "everything in common." We are not "in one accord." Somehow we must get back to basics and return to our worshipping roots. We must concentrate more on substance than on style. Traditional music lovers must be open to the newer forms, finding ways to embrace the good and ignore the bad. Likewise, contemporary music lovers must not close their hearts to anything traditional. They must find ways to cling to the old while exploring the new. Without this spirit of compromise, we become rigid and selfish, just the opposite of our Lord. 

Jesus embraced both old and new during his ministry. His teaching in the synagogues was fresh, even radical, but he never tried to change the format of synagogue worship. He was focused on the hearts of worshippers instead of worship style. Why can't we be the same? Why do Christians on both sides of the music debate continue to act so unlike Christ? Would a modern day Apostle Paul have to admonish us that in Jesus Christ there is no difference between traditional and contemporary? Has musical preference become something we worship, an idol, that takes our eyes off God?

Don't mistake what I am saying. I am not implying that everyone has to learn to enjoy all styles of music. Musical preference is personal, just like food preference. Just as it is impossible for us to enjoy certain types of food, it is impossible for us to enjoy all types of music. And I am not implying that the only good service is the blended service, just as I would never say that the only good meal is a blend of Mexican, Chinese, and European. What I am saying is that the focus should be on the main thing. With food, the main thing is nourishment of our bodies. With worship music, it is the nourishment of our souls. 

Today, as we gather in our churches, we must consider what is best for us and act accordingly, even if this means joyfully singing a song we don't particularly like. If one of my patients hated liquid medicines to the point that it affected his or her health adversely, I would advise that patient to consume the medicine anyway, regardless of the dislike. In the same way, if a particular worship song seems distasteful but bears a message good for our souls, the proper course is to swallow hard and sing along anyway. A mature adult knows that a medication, even one that tastes bad, must be gladly received because of its benefit to the body. A child, on the other hand, kicks and screams, concerned only about the bad taste. Are we acting as adults when it comes to worship? Do we still lift our voices during music we don't like, knowing that the words convey a message we should hear? Or do we pout and shut our mouths (and hearts) to the spirit of the song?

I am afraid that we have forgotten what is most important: the place where worship is taking us. Picture in your mind a van carrying a group of people to a particular destination. Suppose the van broke down, and the only way to get there was to catch a train. What would you think if the passengers refused, saying they do not like trains? If you could talk with them, you would tell them that the main thing is getting to where they are headed and that the van is just one of many vehicles that can serve that purpose. You would recommend they ride the train even if they prefer vans. When it comes to worship, the situation is no different. Music is the vehicle and fellowship with God the destination. If the musical style you are offered is not your favorite and you refuse of get on board, what is the result? Will you ever get to where you are going? 

Hundreds of years ago, when kings ruled Britain, a phrase was commonly used when coming into the presence of the monarch. As they bowed before the all-powerful, sovereign king, they would refer to him as Your Worthship. Gradually, the phrase evolved into the word worship, and there is no better way to define it. Worship is bowing our hearts before our King and telling Him how much He is worth. As congregations continue to sing whatever style of music they choose - be it traditional, contemporary, or a mixture of the two - they should never forget that the reason they are "congregating" is to worship their Sovereign Lord. They must focus their attention on the presence of God in their midst and, in wonder and awe, sing to Him in unison, "You are worthy!" As they do, it doesn't really matter if they are accompanied by electric guitar or pipe organ.

NEXT WEEK
Part 13 - Charity/Giving