The Sower Magazine - Prayer

Devoted to Prayer | Prayer Matters! | Phone Fellowship | Keep Asking: Persevering in Prayer

THE SOWER 速

The Sower is the bimonthly magazine of Spirit & Truth Fellowship International

May/June 2009 | STFonline.org

Prayer

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Opening Letter May/June 2009

Answer to Prayer

From the beginning of our marriage our dream has been to live and work at a Christian camp. Much of the time that dream was dim, and honestly, there were times when we laid it down and did not pray about it specifically.

But we never gave up on it either.

I

t is with great thanksgiving and awe that I greet each of you in opening this issue of The Sower, which focuses upon prayer.

In many ways I am now experiencing the answer to years of prayer. For the past 26 years I have resided in South Bend, Indiana, where my wife Mary and I were blessed to fellowship with a wonderful collection of followers of our Lord Jesus Christ.

From the beginning of our marriage our dream has been to live and work at a Christian camp. Much of the time that dream was dim, and honestly, there were times when we laid it down and did not pray about it specifically. But we never gave up on it either. Something would grab our attention and we would once again begin to dream and pray.

A few years ago when Spirit & Truth Fellowship purchased Camp Vision, the dream and our prayers became more focused.

In August of 2008, after months and in fact years of prayer, we moved to Bloomington, Indiana to help with the work at Camp Vision. Leaving behind our family and church (Michiana Christian Fellowship) was not easy. However, convinced of the Lord Jesus’ call, we were ready for the next chapter in our lives.

A very important answer to prayer had to do with Mary’s employment. She was able to continue her career as a registered nurse with the same company she has worked for since 1999. A need for her expertise opened in the Bloomington area and the transition has been quite seamless. Beginning as a volunteer, I was able to get a few painting projects done at the camp before the temperatures dropped. I also began working in the Home Office answering e-mails and beginning to get acquainted with our Fellowship Network.

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Changing careers at age 55 can be a daunting matter. Yet God has been very gracious to me, and on February 1st I accepted an offer to become a full time staff member at Spirit & Truth Fellowship. Honestly, my prayers never went beyond being able to help with the work at Camp Vision. Yet in true Ephesians 3:20 style, I am now charged with oversight of the Fellowship Network and Events, as well as Camp Vision.

These recent changes are not only exciting but also very humbling. I am acutely aware of those of you who financially support this ministry, and I thank you for helping me (and the rest of the staff ) to earn a living through your support. You are ever in our prayers that you would reap as you have sown.

Seeing how the Father has used our dream to draw us toward Him in prayer has brought a new focus to our current prayers. Mary and I are thankful for the opportunity to serve those whose desire is to Build an Enduring Work of Truth.

You are always in our prayers,

Mike & Mary Patten

Credits Publisher Spirit & Truth Fellowship International

®

8 Don’t Blame God - Book

Contents

9 Calendar Corner 17 Video teachings on Prayer 22 Keep Asking: Persevering in Prayer

Volume 11 - Issue 3 - May / June 2009

23 A Time for Boldness

Executive Editor John W. Schoenheit

26 Dear Sower

Production Editors Rachel Darr Jeffrey Blackburn Janet Speakes Renee Speakes

28 The Revised English Version®

Style Editor Bob Maffit

27 TruthOrTradition.com on YouTube

Lead Article

The Vine

The Contender

Devoted to Prayer

Phone Fellowship

Prayer Matters

by Jackson Trigg

by John W. Schoenheit

by Michael L. Patten

Page 10

Page 12

Page 4

Fellowship the nontraditional style. See how you too can fellowship with others even if you don’t live close.

God only gives us a tiny glimpse of the spiritual realm and the spiritual battle, but if we take what we see at face value, we see that often prayer is speaking into existence the legal permission for God to act in our lives.

Partner Profile

Figure of Speech

Fuel For the Fire

Katherine Backlund

Personification

by Katherine Backlund

Page 20

God Knows What’s Best For Us, Even When We Don’t

Page 19

Personification occurs when a thing is spoken of as if it were a person, or takes on the attributes of a person.

Magazine Designer Ryan Maher Staff Writers John W. Schoenheit Mike Patten Dan Gallagher Ryan Maher Production Coordinators Jeffrey Blackburn Janet Speakes

Research Websites TruthOrTradition.com Over one thousand articles pertaining to many biblical issues.

BiblicalUnitarian.com Explore an entire website dedicated to the truth of One God & One Lord.

Prayer is where our relationship with God the Father and Jesus His son becomes living and real.

Home Office 2144 East 52nd Street Indianapolis, IN 46205 888.255.6189 or 317.255.6189 M-F 9 to 5 (ET) Fax: 317.255.6249 STF@STFonline.org www.STFonline.org You may view the electronic version of this magazine at www.STFonline.org/sower View back issues at STFonline.org/backissues All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.

NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984

by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. References taken from other translations or versions will be noted, e.g., King James Version=(KJV). In verses or quotations from other authors, the author has emphasized words by placing them in bold print. Words inside [brackets] have been added by the author.

Katherine Backlund explains why she is a partner with Spirit & Truth.

by John W. Schoenheit

by David Rogers Page 24 We have to realize and accept the fact that we may not always know what’s best for us, but God does.

May/June 2009 | STFonline.org/sower

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Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

Luke 18:1

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Read online at TruthOrTradition.com/devoted

By Michael L. Patten

Devoted to

PRAYER

S

ome of my earliest memories are would be beneficial in the other four areas as well. of prayers I offered as a very young I would like to be able to say that establishing boy. “Now I lay me down to sleep….” prayer as a priority in my life came easily and quickly.

Following my mother’s lead phrase by However, that would be fiction. There have been phrase, as I was tucked into bed each scores of individuals over the years who elevated night, we would then go through the the importance of prayer for me. One such person list of family members one by one. was Bill Hybels, who, in his book Too Busy Not to Pray: “Bless Grandpa and Grandma Brown, Slowing Down to Be With God, provided some structure bless Grandpa Patten,” and so on. From a very early whereby I began to discipline my prayer life. age my mother laid a foundation At about the same time, I of prayer in my life that today organized a group of friends Devote yourselves to continues to serve me well. who were committed to praying prayer, being watchful for others, and they held me Sadly, however, as is often the and thankful. case in our culture, the foundation accountable as a prayer partner. that was laid in my youth was not For several years Covenant Circle - Colossians 4:2 built upon until well into my adult was a group that I had the privilege ____________________ life. Even after serving in ministry to be a part of as we interceded for

BY MICHAEL L. PATTEN for years, prayer was a weakness in one another. my walk with God. As I have looked Like many young people, I back to discover why, and how this weakness was rebelled against discipline, but thankfully, years later I turned into a strength, it became apparent to me that came to understand its value. two things had been missing. First and foremost was priority, and right alongside that was discipline.

Hebrews 12:10 and 11 At some point I decided that my highest (10) Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as achievement in life would be to become a true disciple they thought best; but God disciplines us for our of Jesus Christ. Aware that a disciple is a disciplined good, that we may share in his holiness. follower, I had to honestly assess my life and make (11) No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but adjustments. As I considered the five basics of Christian painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of life (study of Scripture, fellowship, giving, witnessing, righteousness and peace for those who have been and prayer), it occurred to me that a healthy prayer life trained by it.

May/June 2009 | STFonline.org/sower

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WALKING IN WISDOM

In Hebrews 12 the Greek word paidia, translated “discipline,” has to do with the instruction of a child. As any good parent knows, instructing children well requires devotion. It is a matter of dedication and focus over time.

Athlete, Farmer, Soldier

God disciplines us for our good so that we might share in His holiness, righteousness, and peace. I find it interesting that while the first half of Hebrews 12 is largely focused upon discipline, there are also three images present that are important to consider in this discussion. I am referring to the athlete (v.1), soldier (v. 4), and farmer (v. 11). While gumnazo, translated “training” in Hebrews 12:11, from which we derive the word “gymnasium,” is an athletic term, it is also pertinent to the farmer and the soldier.

2 Timothy 2:3-6 (3) Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

(4) No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs--he wants to please his commanding officer.

(5) Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules.

(6) The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.

Athlete

In our culture there are many examples of athletes who excelled due to their devotion in training. Recently I read Quiet Strength: A Memoir, by Tony Dungy. Coach Dungy was recounting a story he had heard about Joe Montana and his approach to training: “Joe had been with the San Francisco 49ers for a number of years, helping them win several Super Bowls. Year after year, the team ran head coach Bill Walsh’s same offense. At the beginning of each season, Bill installed the offense the exact same way, with the plays installed in the same order.

The first play he installed---every year--- was “22-Z In.” Joe Montana could run “22-Z In” in his sleep.

When Paul Hackett became offensive coordinator for the 49ers, he installed “22-Z In” just as Bill Walsh instructed him. Paul realized that Joe knew more about “22-Z In” than he did, but when the meeting was over, Paul saw that Joe had taken three pages of notes. He’d documented exactly how Paul wanted to run the play, as well as all the basics of “22-Z In” and its details. That’s what a professional does.”1

Farmer

When I think of the training required for farmers, I have the memory of my Uncle Jay Patten with whom I spent many summer days as boy. For Jay, his training was like that of farmers in Bible times. His father Wayland taught him, as his father William, and his father James, and his father Samuel before them taught their sons. The lasting impression I have of a dairy farmer is faithfulness. Every day, at least twice a day, cows must be milked. The family farm, which once was the backbone of this nation, was a team effort that required endurance, faithfulness, and trust in God. Examples of athletes and farmers are helpful in the life of a disciple. An athlete must play by the rules. The farmer must be faithful. Both must endure. However, the image of a warrior is critical for the disciplined follower of Jesus Christ because it is a matter of life and death.

Soldier

I am amazed at the vast number of Americans who apparently are unaware that we are a nation at war with radical Islamic Terrorists. Since the 1980’s, our Embassies, ships, and military barracks have been attacked. The World Trade Center was first bombed in 1993 and then brought 6

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down on September 11th, 2001, when we were also attacked in Pennsylvania and Washington D.C. The leaders who perpetrated these attacks have declared war on our country, and maintain that position to this day. Yet many citizens seem oblivious.

Ironically, a similar blindness which is even more pronounced, if that is possible, resides in much of the Christian Church. We have an Enemy that is at war with all that is holy.

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

One of the first and most basic tenets of training for war is being clear about who the enemy is. The history of the Church is littered with examples of brother fighting brother or unbeliever.

This should not be!

Ephesians 6:10-12 (10) Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

(11) Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

(12) For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

The enemy we are to fight is the Devil and his forces of evil. It is the fallen nature of man that focuses on the flesh.

Our fight is a spiritual one. The next thing a warrior must be clear about is his mission. It is a mistake to think we can defeat the Devil and his cohorts.

That is the mission of Jesus Christ. In the meantime our mission is to stand our ground. To do so requires the correct equipment.

Ephesians 6:13-17 (13) Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

(14) Stand firm then, with the belt

Prayer is where our relationship with God the Father and Jesus His son becomes living and real. of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, (15) and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

(16) In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

(17) Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. When a soldier is clear about who his enemy is, knows his mission, and is outfitted for battle, there still remains much training as to how the armor is used most effectively. In addition, strategies and tactics of battle must be perfected.

Ephesians 6:18-20 (18) And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

(19) Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel,

(20) for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Many times when this section of Ephesians 6 is considered regarding the spiritual conflict, verses 10-17 predominate. Often verses 18-20 are used as an exit mechanism or they are ignored altogether. This is most unfortunate, because a warrior who is untrained, even though fully armed can be a detriment rather than a benefit on the field of battle. Notice that verses 1017 only refer to terms of outfitting the warrior and not of his training. Phrases such as; “put on” (10 and 13), “around your waist” and “in place” (14), “feet fitted” (15), “take up” (16), and “take” (17) say nothing about the use of this equipment or the strategies of warfare.

David

The connection between the warrior and prayer is well illustrated in the life of David, the great king, upon whose throne Jesus Christ will one day sit (Luke 1:32). Much of David’s life was defined by war, from the time he stepped up to confront Goliath until the land had been conquered and peace came to Israel (1 Kings 5:3-5). Even though there was much blood on David’s hands, it is clear there was even more prayer in his heart. You will be hard pressed to find one person in the Bible who has more prayers recorded than David (2 Sam.7; 1 Chron. 17, 21; Ps.3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 29, 31, 38, 39, 41, 51, 62, 63, 64, 65, 86, 108, 140, 141 and 143 [and there are more]).

Acts 13:22b ‘…I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’

1 Kings 11:4 As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been.

Jesus Christ

David is a sterling example of the prayerful warrior. Jesus Christ surely May/June 2009 | STFonline.org/sower

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GOD IS FOR YOU, NOT AGAINST YOU.

Don’t Blame God! A Biblical Answer to the Problem of Evil, Sin, & Suffering 276 - Page Book by Graeser, Lynn, & Schoenheit - Updated & Revised - New Cover Design - Only $12.00 (plus S&H) Read key sections / chapters online on our research website at TruthOrTradition.com/dbg Order online at STFonline.org/store or call us toll free at 888.255.6189 (317.255.6189), M-F 9-5 (ET) or fax your order to 317.255.6249.

Also, see the order form on page 11 of the enclosed price list.

This is a book about the goodness of God. This is a book about the goodness of God. The Bible says that God is love, but it is hard to believe that if you think He is the cause of suffering and death. This book shows what He says in His Word: that God does not cause suffering and death. God is for you, and His abiding love for you is fathomless. Understanding what the Bible says about the nature of God and the actual cause of evil, sin, and suffering will help you grow immensely in your love for God and His Son, Jesus Christ. This may very well be the most meaningful book you have ever read about how God can help you deal with the challenges of life.

How can we reconcile the existence of a loving God with the existence of rampant human suffering?

Is God in any way responsible for evil or suffering?

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Is everything that happens God’s will?

Why the seeming contradiction between the nature of God in the Old Testament and the New Testament?

Why did Jesus Christ have to suffer and die?

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Visit our research website at: www.TruthOrTradition.com

learned many lessons pertaining to combat with the evil one from the life of David. One lesson must have been that of trust.

into these 11 verses that there is a sharp contrast to the detail in just one verse (v.

35) regarding Jesus and prayer.

Psalm 86:2 Guard my life, for I am devoted to you.

You are my God; save your servant who trusts in you.

God has made it very clear that we can never pray too much. We are to be faithful in prayer (Rom. 12:12). We should pray on all occasions, with all kinds of prayer, and always keep on praying for the saints (Eph. 6:18), as well as pray continually (1 Thess. 5:17). It has been my experience that as one pays the price and becomes disciplined to pray, the Lord is then able to discipline him in prayer. Prayer is where our relationship with God the Father and Jesus His son becomes living and real. Jesus has left us a wonderful pattern of a conversational relationship with God. As workers together with God (1 Cor. 3:9) we need open lines of communication to effectively fight the forces of evil that are arrayed against us.

It is my belief that it is never too early or too late in one’s life to become devoted to prayer. The Creator of the heavens and the earth longs for dialogue with us.

Being in the presence of God is a truly awesome thing. Jesus has gone into the throne room of God and beckons us there.

Jesus Christ is the ultimate example of a life devoted to God, and he was clearly devoted to prayer.

Mark 1:35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

This verse has long been a model for prayer in my life. God could have had Mark say, “Jesus went outside in the morning and prayed.” But no, the verse stresses the effort and discipline Jesus invested in prayer. We could expect the abbreviated version of verse 35 that I just offered, because Mark’s style of writing is abrupt and terse. He is generally very economical with his words. Yet in verse 35 he goes into extreme detail. Very early, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, went off to a solitary place, and finally, prayed there. When we see this record against the backdrop of his previous day it speaks very loudly of Jesus’ devotion to prayer.

After recruiting Apostles to follow him (Mark 1:20), Jesus entered Capernaum (v. 21) and went to the synagogue and taught the people (vv.

21 and 22). While he is there a man with a demon upsets the presentation, crying out loudly (vv. 23 and 24). Jesus ministers to the man and casts out the demon (vv. 25 and 26). Again, the crowd responds with amazement to Jesus (v.

27). The entire region was all abuzz over the news (v. 28). Jesus heads over to Peter and Andrew’s house, where they find out that Peter’s mother-in-law is ill with a fever (vv. 29 and 30). Jesus goes in and heals the woman, and she gets right up and serves them (v. 31), but the night is just getting started. The entire town shows up at their door with sick and demon-possessed individuals and who knows what time he got to sleep, if at all. So much information is crammed

A Two Way Street

Colossians 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

Note: 1. Tony Dungy, Quiet Strength: A Memoir (Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, IL, 2007), p. 271.

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calendar of events 2009 Teens & 20s Camp July 12 - 18 Bloomington, IN Twenties Conference September 4 - 7 Bloomington, IN Women’s Conference October 1 - 4 Bloomington, IN Men’s Camp October 22 - 25 Bloomington, IN Silent Retreat October 28 - November 1 Bloomington, IN Live Out Loud December 30 - January 2 TBA Register online at STFonline.org/register or call us toll free at 888.255.6189 or 317.255.6189 M-F 9 to 5 (ET)

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The Vine

The Fellowship Network STFonline.org/network

Phone Fellowship

Without fellowship, followers of Christ are starved of the necessary intake of edification, exhortation, and comfort that the Body of Christ has been designed to supply to its members. BY JACKSON TRIGG

I

n August of 2007, I received a couple of messages from friends on MySpace (Susan Johnson and Sarah Whiteside), who I had met through Spirit & Truth Fellowship Teens & 20’s events. The messages informed me that plans were under way to start a conference call fellowship in which like-minded believers all over the country (and continent) could connect over the phone. With much excitement I caught the vision and a few weeks later our Phone Fellowship was born.

Since then, countless blessings have been enjoyed over the phone between believers from more than 6 states as well as us Canadian folk up on the west coast of British Columbia!

With a small number of committed believers we’ve been able to teach the Word to one another, pray and manifest the spirit with each other, and share our lives together. I often tell people about how this fellowship group has been a great pillar of strength in my life and has supported my walk with Christ. Without the Phone Fellowship over the past year and a half, I doubt I would have been able to achieve the things I have done for the Kingdom of God with the same level of quality and success.

This year our small group of believers decided we wanted to have a conference together that wasn’t 10

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over the phone. So with much prayer and anticipation, we began planning at the end of summer and managed to organize a get together in California from December 27-30, 2008. Our time together was superb as we explored the Word on the topic of “What Makes for Quality Fellowship?” It was an awesome and delightful blessing to be together face to face with a group of believers whose origins were California, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, and BC, Canada all in one place! And this all humbly began with five people who shared a common purpose and connected on the phone.

Our conference this past December was a testimony to the fact that fellowship is one of the wonderful things that God has created human beings to enjoy. One dictionary defines fellowship as: “friendly relationship; companionship.” Aren’t friends and companions something that we all desire?

In my experience, I’ve seen that one of our Adversary’s most effective ways of disabling Christians in the spiritual battle is to keep them in isolation.

Without fellowship, followers of Christ are starved of the necessary intake of edification, exhortation, and comfort that the Body of Christ has been designed to supply to its members.

God knows our need for spiritual fuel

and therefore tells us that we should “not give up meeting together,” but that we should continue to “encourage one another” as we live for our Lord Jesus and wait for his return (Heb. 10:25).

Are you enjoying fellowship with other believers in your life, or are you feeling disconnected? Would you like to be involved in a fellowship but all your close Christian friends are hours away from you? Maybe a conference call fellowship could be something for you and your friends. Check it out for yourself at FreeConferenceCall.com God bless you in your quest for fellowship!

A handful of change can change someone’s life. Forever.

Would you like to be a part of sowing God’s Word all over the globe? If so, consider sowing into the website marketing fund.

Every twenty-five cents can help us reach one person searching the internet for biblical answers.

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The Vine

How to start your own phone fellowship...

1. Get the word out 2. Go to FreeConferenceCall.com 3. Set a time 4. Connect with other believers!

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THE CONTENDER

“...I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints� (Jude 3)

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Available online at TruthOrTradition.com/prayermatters

How the Devil Derailed Prayer

F

or many Christians, prayer is not as important as it should be. Many Christians only pray before meals, before bed (when they are children), or in emergency situations. The concept of “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17 - ESV)1 is not a part of the lives of most Christians.

How did the average Christian lifestyle drift so far from what the Bible says to do?

The short answer is that most Christians are taught that everything that happens is God’s will, or “God is in control,” and that even Satan (if the Christian believes in Satan), has to ask God’s permission before he can act.

We all hate meaningless work, and that includes meaningless prayer. Good, solid, powerful, focused prayer takes a lot of work, a lot of time and mental energy. No one wants to make that effort if his or her prayer does not really make a difference.

Unfortunately, that is what the teaching that “God is in control” does; it teaches that our prayers really do not make much, if any difference.

If everything that happens is God’s will, then God’s will gets done whether or not anyone prays. If prayer does not change anything, then what purpose does it serve? We have been told it demonstrates a person’s humility and obedience to God’s command to pray. Also, it has been used as a punishment for sinning (such as in the Roman Catholic Church when prayers are assigned as a penance for sin). Also, it has been said to be therapeutic because confession and prayer are “good for the soul.” It has also been taught that we pray to help align our own thinking with what God is doing, and to humbly accept the will of God.

It was Augustine of Hippo (354 - 430 who discussed and defended the doctrine of “predestination” with such vigor it became an intrinsic part of Church doctrine. The doctrine of predestination played a large part in devaluing the importance of prayer in the everyday life of Christians. It has even been considered heresy that prayer could be effective for salvation. This is why even today there are no “altar calls” for salvation in the Roman Catholic Church, the Presbyterian Church, or other denominations that believe a person cannot choose to be saved because God made that choice for him ages ago.2 Augustine did teach that prayer was valuable and acknowledged that it was a person asking God for His favor. However, his words do not create much motivation to pray. To Augustine, and to the millions of people who follow his teachings, prayer was just asking for things that God already knew He was going to do. According to that theology, prayer does not change anything in heaven or on earth.

The doctrine that “everything that happens is God’s will” is held by many thousands of sincere, God-loving Christians. It has been around for more than 1500 years as a foundational doctrine of many Christian denominations, but it produces bad fruit. For example, the exemplary Christian, Watchman Nee, writes: “Prayer does not alter that which God has determined. It never changes anything; it merely achieves what He has already foreordained.”3 Not surprisingly, Nee, who acknowledges that prayer does seem to change things, in timing if not in essence, also wrote: “God’s people must pray before God Himself will rise up and work.”4 a.d.)

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Nee’s two statements are contradictory. If people must pray to get God to work, then prayer does change things.

On the other hand, if prayer changes nothing, then God’s going to work when His people pray is just coincidence.

Watchman Nee is a wonderful and influential Christian.

Imagine how much more helpful his teaching about prayer could be, if instead of being forced by his theology to say that prayer never changes anything, he could aggressively proclaim that prayer changes things dramatically, because it If God is the cause of sickness and death, then when Jesus healed the sick, does! cast out demons, and raised the dead, he was undoing God’s work, and God’s The Bible says that prayer kingdom would fall apart. makes a difference; it changes things. Scripture never teaches absurd request if Jesus knew God’s will then when Jesus healed the sick, cast that prayer is just a ritual, or just affects was in fact always being done on earth. out demons, and raised the dead, he the one who does the praying. It is true God is not “in control” of everything was undoing God’s work, and God’s that there is no verse that says, “Prayer that happens on earth now, but that kingdom would fall apart. changes things.” Nevertheless, this is does not mean that He is not involved, or the clear teaching of Scripture. We are will not take control in the future. Jesus supposed to learn from the examples Christ will come down from heaven with A World at War God originally created the world in the Bible as well as its statements of the armies of heaven, fight the Battle of under His control. Then, in an act of fact. The many examples of people who Armageddon, and conquer the earth amazing love and trust, God gave prayed and received answers clearly (Rev. 19:11-21). When Jesus Christ rules the rulership of the earth to mankind teaches us that prayer makes a huge the earth in the future, the will of God (Gen. 1:28).

For a short time Adam and difference in what happens on earth. will be done on earth, and the things Eve ruled the earth according to God’s Furthermore, Jesus said, “Ask and it will that make life so difficult now will not will, and it was a blessed place. When be given to you…” (Matt. 7:7a), and “If occur. If God was in control of things the Devil deceived Eve (1 Tim. 2:14), you believe, you will receive whatever on earth both now and in the future, and Adam and Eve sinned, somehow you ask for in prayer” (Matt. 21:22). If we then why would we expect our next life (the Bible does not make clear exactly have to ask for something before it can would be any better than this one? how) the rulership of the world was be done, then we play a significant role Understanding the spiritual situation transferred to the Devil. That is why the in getting God’s work done on earth. that exists today helps us to understand Devil is called, “…the god of this world…” the value of prayer and why God says (2 Cor. 4:4 - KJV), “…the prince [archōn = God is not in control of what over and over again that we should ruler] of this world…” (John 12:31), and happens on Earth pray. There is a state of war that exists “…the ruler of the kingdom of the air…”

We assert that God is not “in control” in the universe today, with God, Jesus (Eph. 2:2). The Devil rules the world, so of what happens on planet Earth. Many Christ, good angels, and Christians on he was able to offer it to Jesus (Luke things that occur are not His will. He one side, and the Devil, demons, and 4:5-7). It is also why 1 John 5:19 says wants all people to be saved, but most evil people on the other.5 The evil that the Devil controls the world: “We know will not. He wants people to live godly occurs on the face of the earth today is that we are children of God, and that the lives, but most will not. God does not not just “good” that somehow looks like whole world is under the control of the want the crime, corruption, and disasters evil. Some theologians try to convince evil one.”6 The world has taken on the that occur around us to happen, yet they us that when someone is murdered, characteristics of the Devil, becoming a do. Why? Because God is not “in control.” raped, or killed, it is the will of God and very dark and difficult place to live.

Jesus knew that God’s will often did not therefore, somehow ultimately good, The earth is now a war zone between happen here on earth, so in “The Lord’s no matter how “evil” it seems to us. Yet, the forces of good and evil, and each side Prayer,” he prayed to his Father and said, Jesus taught us that a kingdom divided wins some battles. Every time a person “…your will be done on earth as it is in against itself cannot stand (Mark 3:24). If gets healed or saved, it is a victory for heaven” (Matt. 6:10b). That would be an God is the cause of sickness and death, God. Every time a person gets harmed 14

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THE CONTENDER or killed, or what is worse, dies unsaved, it is a victory for the Devil. God is trying to help and bless people who live on the earth. However, He is righteous and just, and will not simply step in and take control of what He had entrusted to others. Our prayers open a door for God to work in our lives.

The Bible is full of the imagery of war.

God Himself is called “the Lord of hosts” many times, and the word “hosts” means “armies.”7 But if everything that happens is God’s will, why does God need an army? Who is He fighting? The simple

is a war, a real, genuine, “win some and lose some” war, going on between God and the Devil. God does not win every battle.9 Many verses depict God at war for His people. Psalm 18 is a Psalm that has comforted many people through the years. It tells of a person who was in distress and called out to God for help. God “heard my voice” (v. 6) and responded. First, He got angry (v. 7); so very angry that “Smoke rose from his nostrils…” (v. 8). Then God “…parted the heavens and came down…” (v. 9), and “…shot his arrows and scattered the

God’s will, if the “enemies” were real, and if God was able to intervene when the person prayed to Him for help.

Psalm 18 gives us a glimpse of the importance of prayer. The world is controlled by the Devil, but God is able to act when we ask Him. The whole process of deliverance in Psalm 18 started when the person called out to God for help.

The word “pray” means, “ask,” and if we want God’s consistent help in our lives we have to ask Him for it. We ask (pray), for His help.

The well-known Christian, Brother

We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.

- 1 John 5:19 NIV truth is that God needs an army because enemies…” (v. 14) and “…rescued me Andrew, author of the best-selling book, the world is at war. Theologically, the from my powerful enemy…” (v. 17).

God’s Smuggler, saw prayer change book of Job has been used to trump the Praise God that we have a God who things so dramatically that he wrote huge number of verses that show God will fight for us, but if what is happening the book, And God Changed His Mind.10 fighting the Devil. Theologians use the on earth is God’s will, Psalm 18, and many Brother Andrew’s book is a step forward first two chapters of Job to teach that, others like it, make no sense. If everything from the idea that God’s will is eternally although the Devil is the agent doing on earth was God’s will, the poor man in fixed and always done and that, therefore the evil, he must have God’s permission Psalm 18 would cry out to God about prayer does not really change anything. to act. However, if that is correct, then his suffering, and we can imagine God He asserts that, in the end, God’s will all God would have to is always done, but do to stop evil would he teaches that our be to say, “No!” to the prayers can get God Devil. Furthermore, to change His mind: the “God controls the Devil” theology does “…God’s plans for us not answer all the are not chiseled in clear verses about God concrete. Only His at war.8 For example, character and nature Acts 10:38 (ESV) says are unchanging; His Jesus healed those decisions are not!… who were “oppressed when we see things by the devil.” But happening in the if God had to give world that appear to permission for people be ‘acts of God,’ and to be oppressed, it we disagree with would have been what God seems to be The earth is now a war zone between the forces of good and easier for God to stop evil, and each side wins some battles. Every time a person gets doing (or allowing), granting permission we can ask Him to healed or saved, it is a victory for God. Every time a person to the Devil, than change His mind.” gets harmed or killed, or what is worse, dies unsaved, for Jesus and his it is a victory for the Devil. disciples to expend so Thank God for much effort to get people healed [For calling back and saying, “I know what is Brother Andrew’s book, but it leaves us further study on the book of Job visit going on. Quit complaining. What you with some very important questions: TruthOrTradition.com/job]. are going through is my will and for your “Why should we have to ask God to Scripture says, “The Lord is a man of own good.” Psalm 18 only makes sense if change His mind? Why would He do war…” (Exod. 15:3 - ESV) because there what was happening on earth was not harm in the first place?” If someone has

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cancer, and we pray for the person’s healing and God “changes His mind,” and heals the person, we are left wondering why a good and righteous God would give the person cancer in the first place.

The only satisfying and Scriptural answer to why there is evil, and why prayer actually works and is vital to Christian life, is that the world is at war.

Our prayers give God permission to work in a world that is now controlled by the Devil. How can we give God permission to act on earth? When we become saved, we legally become God’s property, paid for by the death of Christ (1 Cor. 6:19 and 20, 7:23). God can act

efforts, so God must be the One who chooses who gets saved and who does not.

There are many reasons to reject the above argument and assert that mankind does indeed have freedom of will, and there are ample defenses of free will in books and on the Internet.12 Two simple reasons to reject Augustine and predestination are that, first, salvation by grace does not mean that a person cannot have any part in his salvation, it just means that the salvation being offered and accomplished is by “grace,” i.e., we did not deserve it. Second, if we do not have free will, then hundreds of

know what they are (perhaps someone else was praying for us).

It is amazing how many people complain to God about their lives but never diligently pray for God’s help.

Those people are like children who complain to their friends that their parents never get them what they want, but have never asked the parents for anything. The book of James is clear: “You want something but don’t get it…

You do not have, because you do not ask God” (James 4:2). We need to be asking God for help all the time, over and over again, all day long. We need to pray like Paul says, “…on all occasions

God only gives us a tiny glimpse of the spiritual realm and the spiritual battle, but if we take what we see at face value, we see that often prayer is speaking into existence the legal permission for God to act in our lives. on behalf of His property, and when we pray, we sanction His intervention.11 We may never understand why some prayers seem to work and others do not. However, the answer is not that God does not care about us, or that somehow He is doing what seems evil to us but is actually good. God only gives us a tiny glimpse of the spiritual realm and the spiritual battle, but if we take what we see at face value, we see that often prayer is speaking into existence the legal permission for God to act in our lives.

The Importance of Free Will

Since the time of Augustine of Hippo, the Christian Church has for the most part rejected the premise that mankind has freedom of will. The Roman Catholic Church followed Augustine. Later, in the Protestant Reformation, John Calvin and many others, continued with the same basic theology. A summation of the major argument against free will is: If a person can make his own choice whether or not to be saved, then he is saved by his own efforts. Since Scripture says that people are saved by grace, then they cannot be saved by their own 16

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Scriptures have no practical meaning.

If we cannot really do what God asks us to do unless we first have His help, the verses that tell us to choose life, to live godly lives, to be holy, or to be wise, become pointless, and even disingenuous.

To understand the necessity and value of prayer, it is vital that we understand that we truly, genuinely, have free will. God respects the choices that we make for ourselves, beginning with the choice to be, or not be, saved, and then the choice to ask for, or ignore, His help. We have a right to decide to be unsaved. It may be a stupid decision, but we have the right to make it. Similarly, we have the right to live without God’s help.

That may be stupid too, but we have the right to try to fight the Devil on our own and get along in the world without God’s help. As we have seen, the world we live in is controlled by the Devil, and he acquired rulership of it from Adam, who got it from God, so now God cannot just interrupt the Devil’s rulership to help us, even if we need it.

Sometimes it seems like God breaks into our lives uninvited, but there are always reasons for that, even if we do not

with all kinds of prayers and requests…”

(Eph. 6:18). We need to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17 - ESV).

In spite of the Bible’s many exhortations that we need to pray over and over throughout the day, someone may say, “but the Bible says,’ God knows what we need before we ask Him’, so why do we have to ask?” (Matt. 6:8). God does know what we need, but He still has to respect our free will decision to include or exclude Him. As we said earlier, prayer is speaking into existence legal permission for God to act on earth. God is often like a frustrated father whose teenager is saying, “I want to do this all by myself,” but struggling hard to write a paper for school. The father could help a lot, but if the teenager refuses, his options are limited. Let’s not be like the teenager.

God knows what we need, and tells us to ask Him, so let’s ask. Prayer is asking, and each one of us has plenty to ask for in this life, for ourselves, our families, our faith, our country, and much more. Let’s pray and pray and pray.

Speaking in Tongues

The loss in Christendom of the knowledge of the manifestations of

THE CONTENDER the spirit, and especially speaking in tongues, has greatly affected the average Christian’s ability to “pray without ceasing.” Speaking in tongues is a manifestation of the gift of holy spirit (1 Cor. 12:7-10) and not a product of the mind. Each Christian can speak in tongues out loud or silently whenever he wants, and because his mind is not fully occupied with it, is often able to do other things at the same time. Since speaking in tongues is either praying (1 Cor. 14:13-15), or praising God (Acts 2:11, 10:46; 1 Cor. 14:16), a person can pray by speaking in tongues (we say, “pray in tongues”) in many situations in which he would not be able to pray with his understanding. For example, if a person is involved in a conversation, he can speak in tongues when the other person is speaking and still hear and understand perfectly. On the other hand, it would be difficult or impossible for him to pray in English in his mind while the other person was speaking and still fully get what the other person was saying.

The Apostle Paul took full advantage of speaking in tongues, and disciplined himself so that he spoke in tongues much in his life. So much, in fact, that he wrote to the Church at Corinth, “…I speak in tongues more than all of you” (1 Cor. 14:18). The Greek text makes it clear that Paul did not say, “I speak in tongues more than any of you,” but rather that Paul spoke in tongues more than “all of you put together.” So when he wrote, “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17 - ESV) he was not asking the people to do something that he was not doing. To speak in tongues more than the whole Church in Corinth, he must have spoken in tongues throughout the day. We should too. [For further study on speaking in tongues visit TruthOrTradition.com/tongues]

obstacles in a person’s mind, and have to be dealt with. However, the real bottom line has to be that God commands us to pray and we need to figure out how to do it no matter how we feel. We need to start praying because, “…The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (James 5:16).

Although many people do not pray because they think their prayers “sound

bad” or they do not know “how” to pray, the truth is prayer has no “right form.”

Remember, praying is asking, and God looks on the heart. If our hearts are full of humility and faith, that is what matters.

When a soldier under enemy fire says, “God, get me out of this,” that is a great prayer. The soldier is clear about what he wants, and he asks God for it, and God can then respond. In contrast, many

Getting Prayer Back on Track

Many Christians have a weak or nonexistent prayer life. Perhaps worse, when asked about it, they say something such as, “I know I should pray more, but….”

Then they give reasons such as they do not know how, or they do not feel comfortable about it, or their prayers do not sound good. These can be real May/June 2009 | STFonline.org/sower

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long and flowery prayers do not ask for much and do not give God much to respond to. Keep in mind that the Greek words translated “pray” mean to “ask.” In contrast, “praise” is “to express approval, or a favorable judgment or opinion; commend.” To pray (ask) and to praise are different. Many of our prayers today are a combination of asking, praise, and thanksgiving, but we must never lose sight of the fact that God tells us to ask Him for things, and we must continue to do that.

Ephesians 6:18 says we are to be “alert” when we pray, and Colossians 4:2 says that we are to be “watchful” when we pray. What does that mean? Remember, our prayers are speaking permission for God to act down on this earth, both in our lives and in the lives of others. Our needs, and the situations around us, are constantly changing. We must be alert to what is going on around us: to what people are doing, what the Devil is doing, and what God is doing. What is happening around us will determine much of what we pray for.

One of the weaknesses of memorized prayer is that it is “fixed” and cannot adapt to what is happening. Most cultures have memorized prayers. While they can sometimes help us focus on God, Jesus warned us not to think that God will pay attention to us just because we repeat a prayer over and over. Bible versions differ on how to translate Matthew 6:7, but the point of Christ’s warning was that repeating the same memorized prayer over and over, which was the habit of some pagans, did not have a benefit (“… do not heap up empty phrases…” (ESV, RSV, NRSV), “use not vain repetitions” (KJV), “…do not use meaningless repetition…” (NASB), “…do not keep on babbling like pagans…” (NIV)).13 Repeating the same memorized prayer is not the same as praying day after day for the same thing. Jesus taught his disciples to pray again and again for something in order to help it come to pass (Luke 11:5-9, 18:1-7). We can watch in prayer by paying attention to the people and situations around us, lifting them up in prayer. Another way we can watch in prayer is by letting the morning newspaper or newscast become a “prayer guide” for us. We can pray for the people and the situations we

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learn about. Another thing that can be helpful is to keep a “prayer list” of people and things that need prayer.

Another way to be watchful in prayer is to pray for the things we pass as we drive down the road. Americans are in the habit of just listening to the radio or to a CD as we drive, or to just “space out” as the miles go by. However, driving is a wonderful time to pray. We can ask God if there are any specific needs that may exist in the places and people we pass, or just pray in general for God to bless and help those we pass. If Christians would pray for the things they pass on the road, lots of businesses, families, and farms that never get specifically prayed for would get blanketed in prayer, and there is no telling what God could do in response to those prayers.

Conclusion

The teaching that “God is in control” has, knowingly or unknowingly, adversely affected the prayer lives of millions of Christians. Many people are not motivated to pray because they have been told that God’s will comes to pass whether they pray or do not pray, while many others do not pray throughout the day simply because they have never seen that modeled for them by other Christians. Prayer changes things dramatically, and God needs us to ask in prayer, so He tells us again and again to pray. God is willing to do His part if we will do ours. Let’s not sit around complaining about how bad the world is; let’s do something about it! God wants us to do something, and a powerful thing we can do is to pray.

Notes: 1. Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version™, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

2. The man who argued with Augustine, and said that a person could choose to be saved and attain that salvation by his own efforts, was Pelagius. Hence the belief that a person can attain salvation by his own efforts is referred to as Pelagianism.

It is still considered “heresy” by many Christian denominations. We disagree with Augustine and the doctrine of predestination, and assert that God gives each person the choice to be saved and that today, people make that choice by accepting Jesus as Lord (Rom. 10: 9-10).

3. Sentinel Kulp, Secrets to Spiritual Power

(Whitaker House, New Kinsington, PA, 1999), p. 40. Kulp compiled writings from Nee for this book.

4. Ibid., p. 40.

5. I have left “good people” out of the list.

The earth is a spiritual battlefield, and people are only equipped for battle if they are spiritually equipped, which God has done for each Christian by giving him or her the gift of holy spirit. Being “good” to others does not qualify or enable a person as a spiritual warrior.

6. The KJV does not do a good job translating 1 John 5:19, but almost all modern versions get the sense of the verse correct, even the NKJV. 7. The concept of “Yahweh of armies” has not been understood theologically due to the overall teaching that God rules over everything from heaven and everything that happens on earth is His will. If that were true, why would He need an army?

This has led to most versions (KJV, ESV, NASB, RSV, etc.) using the phrase “LORD of hosts,” which is unclear at best, and the NIV using the phrase “LORD Almighty,” which is far removed from the original text.

8. For an explanation of God and Satan in the book of Job, see our book, Don’t Blame God! 9. Many people deny that such a battle could occur because they believe that God has the power to squash the Devil if there were such a war. However, the basis of the war is not strength, but legality and right. God gave the world to Adam, and gave both angels and mankind free will to make their own choices, and now He must fight for His people righteously, and support them in making right choices.

10. Brother Andrew, And God Changed His Mind (Chosen Books, New York, 1990).

11. It was Bob Wilhite who stated that prayer is “sanctioning God’s intervention…”

He is quoted by Cindy Jacobs in Possessing the Gates of the Enemy: A Training Manual for Militant Intercession (Chosen Books, Grand Rapids, MI, 1991), p. 48. Thus, the idea that our prayers give God permission to work is one that is recognized by prayer warriors around the globe.

12. A good defense of free will has been done by David Bennett and can be found at freewill-predestination.com/freewill.

13. Scripture quotations marked (RSV) are taken from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, © 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Partner Profile Katherine Backlund

I am very blessed to be able to partner with this ministry. The events and resources they offer can change more lives, just like mine was.

G

reetings from the beautiful west coast of Canada. My name is Katherine Backlund, and this is a bit of the story of my spiritual journey that has brought me to Spirit & Truth Fellowship.

I grew up very sheltered in the church, which was fine until friends outside it questioned me about my faith. I was asked some very good questions about why Christians do certain things and about the practices we follow. Until then, I had never questioned the things taught by the church, but I found myself at a loss to answer my friends, and, needless to say, that was very frustrating. I did some research and tried to find some solid reasoning for what I believed, but it all seemed to lead nowhere, as each person that I talked to seemed to have his own bias and was unable to prove what was true and right.

After a couple years of this, and nearly compromising what I did

know of God’s Word, I was blessed to meet a strong Christian in school who introduced me to the TruthOrTradition.com website. At last! There I found logical answers to the questions that had been plaguing me for so long. I was finally able to find answers I could trust and stand firm upon. Instead of being cynical about Christianity, I became excited about how blessed we are as believers, and I now know why it is so important to obey God’s commands.

Being frugal and not a traveler, it took some convincing for me to go all the way to Camp Vision for a Teens & 20s Camp in Bloomington, Indiana to study the Bible with others from this ministry. But wow, it was so worth it! I came back inspired, and trained to use concordances and lexicons to continue to learn the truth. Being able to meet other Christians in the camp atmosphere was like getting a taste of Paradise; it filled me with a hope that cannot be taken away.

I have learned to hug my parents

PARTNER

more and try to see others the way Christ sees them. With the help of wonderful role models and leaders I met, I have been healed of past hurts and am empowered to love and serve others.

I am very blessed to be able to partner with this ministry. The events and resources they offer can change more lives, just like mine was. I want others to be impacted by this wonderful organization that has so dramatically touched my life, and I am pleased to give knowing that is exactly what will happen! It is with eager expectation that I wait to see more of the amazing things that God will do through this ministry. Spirit & Truth Fellowship International has connected me with many people who’ve inspired and mentored me.

Thanks to them, I can joyfully stand firm in the truth and encourage others to do so as well.

Katherine Backlund Ladysmith, B.C., Canada

with Spirit & Truth Fellowship International

Sign up online at STFonline.org/partnership To become a partner, go to STFonline.org/partnership or use the enclosed partnership form or call 888.255.6189 M-F 9-5 (ET).

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Figures

Figures of Speech Keys to Effective Communication

Personification

Personification occurs when a thing is spoken of as if it were a person, or takes on the attributes of a person. BY JOHN W. SCHOENHEIT

T

he ability to communicate with words is one thing that sets mankind apart from all other creatures. God is the Author of language, and no one has ever used language as precisely as God does in the Bible, including His use of figures of speech, of which there are more than 200 varieties in Scripture.1 When most people say, “a figure of speech,” they are speaking in general terms of something that is not true to fact. However, genuine “figures of speech” are legitimate grammatical and lexical forms that add emphasis and feeling to what we say and write. In the Bible, God uses figures of speech to emphasize things that He wants us to see as important. Many people who read the Bible never think to ask themselves, “How do we know what God wants emphasized in His Word?” God uses figures of speech to put emphasis where He wants emphasis, so it is important that we recognize and properly interpret the figures of speech in the Bible. Knowing the figures of speech God uses in the Bible helps us to understand the true meaning of Scripture and enables us to more fully enjoy its richness.

The figure we are going to cover in this issue of The Sower is Personification, which occurs when a thing is spoken of as if it were a person, or takes on the attributes of a person. The Greek word for Personification is prosopopoeia, which, interestingly, has come into English in its own right, and appears in English dictionaries with a meaning that is slightly different from the meaning it had in Greek as “personification.” Today, as well as

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meaning “personification,” prosopopoeia is when an imaginary person is represented as speaking or acting.

The figure Personification creates more intimacy, identity, or intensity than does a literal expression of fact. For example, if your car will not start, you can dispassionately and accurately say, “Something is wrong with my car,” or you can express more intimacy and intensity by saying, “She’s dead!” The car is not a woman, and cannot “die.” I was on an archaeological excavation in Israel when our team uncovered a large basalt boulder below ground level. It was too heavy to lift out, so an Israeli graduate student tried to break it with a sledgehammer. Worn out

and pouring sweat after ten minutes of pounding with no results, he announced, “The stone is laughing at me,” a beautiful Personification.

Poets have long known that Personification expresses relationship and emotion better than simple statements of fact do, and so many poems contain Personification. For example, in My Wage by Jessie B. Rittenhouse, life is a person who pays only what it agreed to pay: “I bargained with Life for a penny, And Life would pay no more…For Life is a just employer, He gives you what you ask…any wage I had asked of Life, Life would have paid.” Ella Wilcox portrays the hills and the world itself as alive and responsive: “Laugh, and the world laughs with you; Weep, and you weep alone;…

Sing, and the hills will answer; Sigh, it is lost on the air….” (Solitude by Ella Wheeler Wilcox). Edwin Arnold won an award in 1852 for his wonderful poem, Belshazzar’s Feast, which contains powerful Personifications, including the following: “The rolling thunder and the raging sea, Speak the stern purpose of the Deity, And storms beneath and rainbow hues above, Herald his anger or proclaim his love; The still small voices of the summer day, The red sirocco, and the breath of May, The lingering harmony in ocean shells, The fairy music of the meadow bells, Earth and void air, water and wasting flame, Have words to whisper, tongues to tell, his [God’s] name.”

The poets are not the only ones who know of the power of Personification.

God has been using it in His Word since Genesis.

Bible Study Guide Want to learn more about the Bible? We have a detailed Bible Study Guide that can help you get to know the Bible like never before. Learn about the Greek & Hebrew alphabets, the fundamentals of grammar, figures of speech and much more. Available for free in PDF format.

TruthOrTradition.com/guide Genesis 4:10 (KJV) And he [God] said [to Cain, who had just murdered Abel], What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.

In this beautiful Personification, it is not Abel who cries from the ground, but Abel’s blood, which was horribly and unexpectedly spilled from his body onto the dust, where its life force helplessly wasted away and died.

Genesis 9:5 (KJV) And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man.

In this verse, animals are treated as people who have hands and will bring God’s judgment upon those who are disobedient.

2 Kings 3:19 (KJV) And ye shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.

The Personification in this verse appears in the Hebrew text, because the verb translated “mar” is more accurately “cause pain to” or “grieve.” It grieves the land not to be able to produce crops and thus fulfill its God-given purpose, just as it grieves us (or should grieve us) when we feel that something is keeping us from doing what God would have us do in our lives.

Psalm 77:16 (KJV) The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled.

This verse vividly portrays God’s interaction with nature when He parted the Red Sea and the Israelites passed over on dry ground. God moved so powerfully that even the water was afraid, and made a path for His people.

Proverbs 1:20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares; The entire book of Proverbs is made more intense and personal by portraying wisdom as a woman who is passionately pleading with people to be wise and not to live as fools who will receive the consequence of their foolish actions.

Isaiah 24:23 (KJV) Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Zion….

At this time the sun dominates the earth, shining brilliantly upon all Creation, so Psalm 19:5 compares it to a bridegroom coming out of his bedchamber the morning after his wedding, beaming with delight; and also to a strong man showing up on race day, rejoicing to be able to run. However, when God, in all His glory, comes to reign in Jerusalem, even the sun will be ashamed in His presence.

Some versions, such as the NIV, translate the Personification out of the verse, robbing it of its pathos and power: “The fields are ruined, the ground is dried up; the grain is destroyed, the new wine is dried up, the oil fails.” This verse depicts the land mourning because there is no produce. The Personification creates great intimacy and understanding, because we all know the mourning we feel when we work hard but get no results. For many more figures of speech used in the Bible visit TruthOrTradition.com/figures Note: 1. E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech Used in the Bible (Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, MI, reprinted 1968).

Back Issues of The Sower You can now read back issues of The Sower online in a high quality PDF or in our NEW Flash Version. In the Flash Version, you can actually flip through The Sower like a real magazine. We think it’s pretty cool!

Check it out at STFonline.org/backissues

Joel 1:10 (KJV) The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth.

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Featured Article Available online at TruthOrTradition.com/KeepOn

By John W. Schoenheit

Keep Asking: Persevering in Prayer What does the Bible say about praying over and over for something?

S

ome Christians teach that if you pray for something, and have faith, then you do not need to pray for that thing again. In fact, they say it shows a lack of faith to pray that prayer again, and you should just stand in faith until God answers your prayer. In contrast, there are other Christians who teach that if you want something from God, you should pray over and over for it until you get it.

Which belief is correct?

The answer is that if there is something worth praying for, we should pray over and over for it until we get it.

It is never a lack of faith to do what the Bible says. In fact, the evidence that we have faith is that we do what the Bible says to do. Therefore, if the Bible says to pray over and over for something until we get it, then we are walking in faith when we do that.

The Word of God instructs us in many ways to pray for something over and over until we get it. One of the places we can see this is Matthew 7:7, which unfortunately is usually translated, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” This translation makes it

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seem like we only have to ask one time, which is not true. In the Greek text, the verbs “ask,” “seek,” and “knock” are in the present tense, active voice, and thus describe an ongoing action. The Holman Christian Standard Bible translates the verse correctly: Matthew 7:7 (HCS)1 Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find.

Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

God’s Word tells us to “keep asking,” and then what we are asking for will be given to us. Jesus taught the same lesson in Luke 18. “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up” (Luke 18:1). It

is easy to “give up” in prayer. Sometimes it is difficult to know if what we are praying for is the will of God, so if we pray for something day after day but do not get any results, we may “give up,” and stop praying. That must have been happening to Jesus’ disciples so, using a parable of a persistent widow and an unjust judge, he instructed them to keep praying (Luke 18:2-8).

Widows in biblical times were often taken advantage of because they did not have people to help or defend them. In this parable, a widow kept coming to the judge and asking for justice. Her plea was the same every time: she wanted justice against an adversary, and the judge finally granted her request because she was so persistent. We learn from the parable that if we do not get what we are praying for

“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up” (Luke 18:1).

right away, we must come back to the Judge over and over and keep asking until we have what we want.

When Romans 12:12 says to be “faithful in prayer,” Ephesians 6:18 says “pray in the Spirit on all occasions,” Colossians 4:2 says “Devote yourselves to prayer,” and 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, “pray continually,” it is clear that many of those prayers are for the same thing, and we must ask for what we want over and over again. There are many different reasons that we do not get what we ask for in prayer the very first time we ask, and it is true that sometimes we are not asking for something that God can grant in prayer. However, even if we are asking for something that God wants us to have, sometimes we have to ask more than once for it, so God instructs us in His Word to pray over and over until we get what we have been asking for.

Prayer works, and our prayers make a huge difference on this earth, so let’s be obedient and pray for what we need until we get it.

Note: 1. Scripture quotations marked HCSB are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

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A Time for Boldness Helping others come into a relationship with Christ - By Rachel Darr

B

eing absolutely sure of my faith and knowing that someday I will be with God and Jesus for eternity is the single most beautiful thing that keeps me fired up from day to day, but what about others in our lives? I am daily and painstakingly aware of those in my own life whom I desire would see the light. We all have friends who are still wandering, still searching, and still looking for that one thing to really and truly believe in. Many of us have even encountered times when it seems that no matter how much we speak God’s Word into our friends’ lives, it never seems to get them to open their eyes to the sin in their lives or what they can gain through a relationship with God and Jesus Christ. Sometimes they are too stuck in their own ways, too stubborn to admit they are traveling the wrong path, or too blinded by the sin in their lives. I have learned it is in these times that we can only step back and pray. When Paul was in prison, he wrote to the Colossians addressing this issue: Colossians 4:2-6 (2) Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

(3) And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.

(4) Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.

(5) Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.

(6) Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

In his book “It’s Time to be Bold” Michael W. Smith wrote, “Prayer is the single most powerful tool you have for bringing those you love into a

relationship with Christ” (p. 69).1 If you have reached a point in one or more of your friendships where it seems as if your friends have chosen not to hear you or are too blind to see the gift you are trying to help them obtain, do not give up on them. Pray for them, every time you see them or think about them.

You never know which seeds you have already planted could be taking root. By praying for your friends, you are making a powerful difference in their lives, one that could change their lives forever by leading them down the road to the permanent gift of salvation.

How do you lead a friend into the gift of salvation? By teaching them the Good News of Jesus Christ, God’s son, who died for their sins and whom God raised from the dead, so that he could do the same for all who believe in him. Then share with them these important verses: Romans 10:9 and 10 (9) That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

(10) For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

Any friend you help lead to salvation will be eternally grateful that you took the time to share with him/her the Good News of Jesus Christ, our risen Lord and Savior!

Note: 1. Smith, Michael W., It’s Time to be Bold (Word Publishing, Nashville, TN, 1997).

[For further study on this subject please read our booklet, Becoming a Christian: Why? What? How? at TruthOrTradition.com/salvation]

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May/June 2009 | STFonline.org/sower

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Fuel for the Fire is written by the Teens and Twenties of Spirit & Truth Fellowship International.

God knows what’s best for us, even when we don’t by David Rogers My favorite verse in the entire Bible is Jeremiah 29:11. It says:

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

The other day when I was praying I remembered this verse and I started thinking about all the different requests that we make to God. Many times our prayers don’t get answered, or at least not in the way that we want them to be. As humans with a sin nature, we tend to get impatient and frustrated the longer we wait. But, have you ever stopped to wonder whether the things that we want would actually be in our best interest? The Bible clearly states that God not only has plans for us, but He knows the best way to complete them too. He wants us to succeed and be happy in life,

to prosper and have a good future.

So why is it that we often get mad when we don’t get what we want?

God isn’t lazy and He definitely cares about us, so He must have some reason, right? I believe that most of the time it’s just God protecting us and helping us, even if we don’t realize it at the time.

For a long time when I was younger I simply thought to myself “God is all powerful, He can do whatever He wants, so there’s no

reason that I shouldn’t get what I want right now, right?”

Now let’s forget about all the other things that are wrong with that statement and focus on something that’s a little less obvious; what if the thing I was requesting wasn’t good for me?

I’ll try to explain this a little bit better with a story: When I was a child my parents wanted me to eat vegetables. I hated vegetables and didn’t want

Prayer Matters!

by John Schoenheit (April 2009)

God wants Christians to pray. He urges, even commands us over and over, to pray. We are to pray throughout the day about everything that is happening around us. In this teaching, John Schoenheit examines how the doctrine that “God is in control” and “everything that happens is God’s will” has undermined prayer. The earth is a war zone, and when we pray we participate in the spiritual battle.

Listen to this audio teaching for free at STFonline.org/podcast or TruthOrTradition.com/prayermatters

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to eat them because I didn’t like their taste. Luckily, my parents didn’t let me decide exactly what I ate, and in the end, I had to eat them (the vegetables, not my parents). Because my parents didn’t let me have everything that I wanted, like candy, I was healthier and in the end, happier. If God knows the master plan He has for us then we need to draw on God’s wisdom for our life, not just on what we want.

Our God is a logical God. We have to realize and accept the fact that we may not always know what’s best for us, but God does. If we can trust God and have the faith that He knows what’s best for us, then we can be more blessed and trust in Him to have our best interest at heart. As Christians, we need to use wisdom in our lives. I’ve found that simply praying and asking God to reveal His plan for me in my life works well. If we can be honest with God, tell Him we’re worried and that there are things on our minds, but that we know He’s watching out for us and that we will go where He takes us, then I believe He will bless us and work with us in our lives. As we spend time in prayer without asking God for things, and instead just talk to Him, we will get to know how much He loves us, and that can help to build our trust in Him and help us to believe that He has our best interest at heart.

The Bible stresses the importance of prayer and your requests to God very clearly in Philippians:

Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Prayer is important. It’s something that is supposed to be done constantly, without ceasing, in our dayto-day life. Present your requests to God, and when you do, make it clear that you acknowledge that God knows what’s best for you and act accordingly. God loves us and wants us to be happy, so if we humble ourselves and do what He suggests, we can live life the way that God wants us to and the way we have been called to live. So the next time you get impatient with God for not answering your request, maybe you should step back and ask God if your request contradicts His plan for your life.

Teens and 20s needed!

If you would like to write a short article for Fuel for the Fire, please contact us at STF@STFonline.org

What does the Bible say about...

If you like these kinds of articles, we have a lot more! Find out what the Bible says about many different topics at TruthOrTradition.com/life

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Dear Sower

Email us at STF@STFonline.org

Binding & Loosing

After looking elsewhere on the internet, I was glad to run into your website and the interesting article on binding and loosing from Matthew 16:19 and Matthew 18:18.

As hard as it is to let go of my Pentecostal belief of binding and loosing Satan’s kingdom, above all I am interested in the truth and it certainly appears that you struck the nail on the head.

Gregg T.

Truth Matters

Thank you for your prayers and stand on Truth Matters. I have been re-reading sections of your books Don’t Blame God and The Christian’s Hope. These books, and others, cause great thanksgiving for the truth that is taught and a yearning that others would come to a knowledge of the truth.

So thanks to all of you for your hard work and service to the Body of Christ!

Richard & Rachel Townley Tulsa, OK Editor’s Note: To read key sections of these books online, visit TruthOrTradition.com/DBG & TruthOrTradition.com/hopebook

Divorce FAQ

Excellent article [what the Bible says about divorce] and something I have been debating in my own mind due to circumstances a friend is in.

Thank you, Holly (A MySpace.com friend) Nevada Editor’s Note: To read what the Bible has to say about divorce, visit TruthOrTradition.com/divorce

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Editor’s Note: To read this article go to TruthOrTradition.com/binding

TruthOrTradition.com Fan I just wanted to say that I really like what you are doing. This website is great [TruthOrTradition.com]!

I have also read several of your books and have really enjoyed them.

I like that they rely so heavily on Scripture instead of just tradition/ opinions.

Kenneth Willenburg Fulton, MO Editor’s Note: You can check out our books at STFonline.org/store

Audio Teaching of the Month Thank you so much for all that you do. The monthly teachings are rich with wisdom and helpful tools to live a successful Christian life. Thank you.

Victoria Carrel Charleston, W.V. Editor’s Note: To listen to our teaching of the month visit STFonline.org/podcast or TruthOrTradition.com/audio

Weekend in Portland This past weekend, John Schoenheit was in the Portland, Oregon area and it was such a blessing to hear him teach!

This is not the first time I have heard John and I have met several of you before, but I wanted to take a moment to thank each and every one of you for all you do to ensure that the truth of God’s Word gets out to as many people as possible and for all the information you provide to anyone and everyone who wants it.

After this weekend, I just feel a new level of personal commitment in my own walk and intend on witnessing, which is something I have not done much of in the past because I didn’t believe “I knew enough,” which is such a lie I bought into!

TRUTH is now my first friend on my “top friends” list on my MySpace. com profile. I now have some business cards to pass out and you can certainly count on me becoming a partner and sowing into your ministry.

As I write this comment, I am getting all choked up because of the love I feel for all of you. Again, I thank you!

Denise Burton Clackamas, Oregon Editor’s Note: If you would like to have someone visit your fellowship, please contact our Fellowship Network coordinator, Mike Patten, at Mike@stfonline.org

Send us your Feedback Do you have questions about the Bible? Comments about our articles, audio teachings & videos?

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For further study on the subject of prayer, visit TruthOrTradition.com/prayertopic