Devotional

“Supernatural”

~ Tommy Ham ~ 1 Comment

To study the life of Elijah is to study prayer. When he prayed, crazy things happened. It stopped raining. A dead boy came back to life. Fire fell from heaven. It started raining again. Another word for crazy might be supernatural. When Elijah prayed, the supernatural resulted. But that is what prayer is. When we pray we ask God to do what only He can do. Prayer defies the laws of physics and common sense. We ask God to intervene in our world. That is supernatural. That is prayer.

The writer of James wants to make sure that we understand that all of us can pray like Elijah. We, too, can see supernatural consequences to our prayer. So we should take lessons from Elijah and learn to pray like him.

When God speaks, take a stand on what he says.  Elijah heard the sound of heavy rain. He knew that sound was God telling him to pray for rain. His faith demanded that he proclaim to the king that rain was on the way. No playing it safe. No keeping it to himself. He publicly and boldly stood on God’s word.

Invest yourself in prayer. Assume the posture. Spend the time. Humble yourself. Continue in prayer. Do the work. Though we can pray our way throughout ever day…as we live it, there are times prayer requires deep personal investment. Engagement. Not casual, drive-by prayer.

Pray for as long as it takes.  Who can predict how long it will be until the answer comes? But if God has promised, the answer will come. Six times, Elijah sent his servant to look for rain clouds. Six times the servant reported nothing. But Elijah did not quit praying.

Watch closely for God to move. The answer to prayer may come initially in the smallest of beginnings. For Elijah, it was a cloud as small as a man’s hand rising out of the sea. How many people even noticed? Only those paying attention…only those watching…will see the initial stirrings of God’s Spirit. But notice we must and act we must!

(These are the teaching notes from 8/19/12 based on 1 Kings 18:41-46.)

“Singular Devotion”

~ Tommy Ham ~ Leave a comment

Week Four of “Elijah” deals with 1 Kings 18:20-21. Elijah challenges the people with this statement:

If the Lord is God, follow him…”

Many people have made a rather casual “commitment” to follow God. This text challenges us to make a singular commitment — an overwhelming, passionate, life-altering, shocking devotion to Him.

  • God doesn’t want to be your first thing but your everything. Many claim to put God first. The problem is that we often have several “close seconds.” God want to be your first, second, third… He wants to be the center of your life from which all else flows.
  • Indecision is a costly thing. Don’t delay in making your life-choices.
  • God will not share your devotion. Understand: God brooks no rivals. None.
  • Following is more than mental assent but requires intensive action. It is behavior and not words. To be sure, words are important. But, as I grow older I learn that talk is cheap. Action costs. Action counts.

“RELIANCE”

~ Tommy Ham ~ Leave a comment

Week two of “Elijah” looked at 1 Kings 17:7-16. There are some lessons we must learn in order to live Spirit-dominated lives:

  • Don’t interpret hard times as God’s unfaithfulness.
  • When one source of provision dries up, God always provides another.
  • God’s provision often violates the laws of common sense.
  • Beginning the faith adventure may be the hardest part of the journey.
  • In God’s economy, we have more than we realize.
  • Thank God for his capacity to make much out of little.

“THROWDOWN”

~ Tommy Ham ~ Leave a comment

Our current teaching series at HBC is a study of Elijah. His life was so in tune with the Spirit of God, that his successor Elisha asked for a “double portion” of the Spirit just to carry on the work. Elijah’s story is amazing but we must remember that he was a “man just like us” (James 5:17). The reason that Elijah accomplished all that he did is that his life was surrendered to and dominated by the Holy Spirit of God.

The first week we studied Elijah’s arrival in the public life of Israel found in 1 Kings 17:1-6. He challenged the king of Israel…warning him of God’s coming judgment.

We see what a life dominated by the Holy Spirit looks like:

  • Adventurous Direction.
  • Risky Obedience.
  • Supernatural Provision.

“A Theology of Risk”

~ Tommy Ham ~ 1 Comment

I love the parable Jesus told in Matthew 25:14-30. Many stereotype Christ-followers as weak, timid, or spineless.  This story paints a different picture. It teaches a theology of risk. Jesus pictures two extremes for his followers: risk or cowardice. He gives two judgments on his servants: faithful or worthless. The two faithful servants risked what the master gave them in order to gain success. They may have had setbacks…the story does not say. But in the end, the result was spectacular.

Jesus values risk-taking.

Helen Keller once said,

“Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.”

To qualify, Jesus empowers risk-taking but it is always done at his leading. If we will follow, he will lead us on an adventure of faith. Risk is born out of prayer…an intimate walk with the Savior. As we discover his heart, we will learn what risks he asks of us.  But risk is demanded of the servant of Christ.

Yet if we follow Christ’s leading, there is really little risk. Courage is needed because there may be setbacks along the way. Following Christ’s leading will invariably bring ultimate victory.

This story pictures two extremes: the successful risk-taker and the worthless risk-avoider.

A theology of risk:

  • Risk doing something over doing nothing. (Accountability demands action.)
  • Risk requires faith.
  • Risk requires sacrifice.
  • Risk requires prayer.
  • Risk requires walking in the Spirit.

I searched the internet for the title of this post and discovered a book on the subject: Faith of Leap, The: Embracing a Theology of Risk, Adventure & Courage (Shapevine) by Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch.  They cite the above quote by Helen Keller.  Have you read it? What were your thoughts?

“Selfish Sorrow”

~ Tommy Ham ~ 1 Comment

How do you respond when confronted with sin?  The answer to this question will determine how intimate you become with God.

Of course, we all sin.  And believe it or not… in the pages of scripture, it is not the original sin that is at issue… but the way we react when challenged about our sin.

One of the jobs of the Holy Spirit is to confront us with our sin.  He may whisper to us while we sit in worship or read our Bible.  He may drop a sudden awareness on us in a startling moment of illumination.  Someone we love may speak the truth in love to us.  Or, we may get caught red-handed and the sudden exposure brings the act of wrongdoing into the spotlight. Whatever the means of conviction, we become aware of sin.

2 Corinthians 7:10 tells us that there are two ways people react:  Godly sorrow or worldly (selfish) sorrow.

Godly sorrow turns our attention to God.  We realize that our sin has offended him.  It is against him, above all, that we have sinned.  The end result leaves us free from regret and guilt with a clean heart and clear conscience.

Selfish sorrow turns inward.  Our only concern is for ourself and what the exposure will cost us. It drives us further from God and deeper into sin…with all its attendant baggage.

Genesis 4 delivers a startling picture of selfish sorrow.  God confronts Cain about his brother.  He evades God’s initial inquiry with a callous, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”  Then, later, when God pronounces judgment, he moans that it is too much for him to bear.

God never confronts or convicts of sin in order to hurt us. Rather, it is always an invitation to reconciliation.  But when we turn our eyes inward, we never recognize God’s invitation.

God’s first response to our sin is always loving.  The question is:  will our response back to God also be loving?

 

“Angry Church”

~ Tommy Ham ~ Leave a comment

Only the second sin ever recorded in the Bible (Genesis 4) happened in the context of worship.  Common sense might dictate that worship would be the last place or time to birth sin.  Worship might seem a preventative.  But if you have spent much time in church or around church people, you know from experience that is not so.

Ever wonder why?

Genesis 4 records that Cain became violently angry when God rejected his offering.  Perhaps he was mad at himself but it seems that he was mad at God.  And anger with God caused him to lash out at another person.  A person has no way to attack (other than verbally) God.  So we turn on people when we are mad at God.  Our anger with God causes us to hurt other people.

That might explain why churches can be hurtful, angry places.  We want to blame God, or someone, when life does not unfold as we would like.  But innocent by-standers often become our targets.  And we unload with ferocity.

In twenty-five years of experience, I have seen the best and worst in church.  When it is good, it is very good.  When it is bad, it is devastating.

Our church recently had opportunity to serve passengers in a train vs. truck collision.  It happened right across from our church and the train passengers were brought to our facility.  People jumped at the chance to serve and they were champions that day.  One passenger, as he was leaving, said, “We saw Jesus here today.”  No sweeter words.

Yet often, conflict is just a decision away.  Try pleasing 400 different people (no, don’t try…that is an exercise in insanity).  Someone’s needs go unmet, someone disagrees with a decision… and the sweet people of God can follow the angry example of Cain.  Murder is not usually the result.  But mayhem can be.

When a person has unrealistic expectations of the church, these moments of mayhem devastate our faith.  “Church should not be a place of anger and vitriol.  Church people should be above all that.”  Alas, church people do not have life all figured out.  They are pilgrims–not disembarking passengers. Disappointment and anger may be worked out within the boundaries of church community.  Often, inappropriately.

Church shows us the best and worst in people.  I guess it has to be that way.  I think this is why so many people decide to give up on church — or give up on a specific church.  But the problem may not be with a particular church.  The grass may not be greener somewhere else.  This is something churches everywhere deal with.  So the next time mayhem rises and the drama gets thick…know that if you hang on, the best of times may be right around the corner.

Or, not.

Five Steps to Biblically Audacious Prayer

~ Tommy Ham ~ 2 Comments

The key to audacious praying is to make sure our prayers are grounded in scripture.  Our requests must be biblically based.  If they are not, our prayer is more wishful thinking than faith-based praying.

In The Message, Romans 10:17 reads:  “The point is, before you trust, you have to listen.  But unless Christ’s Word is preached, there’s nothing to listen to.”

So, audacious prayer must be formed from scripture.  Acknowledging the influence of Don Miller and Steven Furtick, allow me to give you five steps toward developing biblical, audacious prayers.

  • First, identify your need.  Just as in Mark 10:36, Jesus asked a man a simple question:  “What do you want me to do for you?”  We must take time to specifically identify exactly what we need God’s help with.
  • Second, find a promise in God’s word that fits  your specific need.  Audacious praying means transferring the promise of God into your problem.  The Bible is filled with promises.  Search the Bible. Dig for it. God will reveal himself to you.  I cannot tell you exactly how it will happen, but God will make a verse come alive to you.  Through the Holy Spirit’s guidance, you will know.
  • Third, wait on God to give you his promise.  You may discover the promise quickly.  Or, it may take time.  Do not give up.  It is laziness to give up.  Isaiah 30:18 says, “Blessed are all who wait for him.”
  • Fourth, speak the promise.  Joshua 1:8 and Mark 11:23 remind us that God’s word is meant to be spoken.  It is easier by far to keep your audacious prayer to yourself.  There is little risk if no one knows what you are praying.  If nothing happens, you have not put yourself out there.  It takes faith to speak God’s word…to say, “This is the promise God has given me.”  It may scare you to admit what you are asking of God.  You may feel embarrassed or naive.  But speaking — being vocal — is necessary for faith and part of the process.  Find a least one person to whom you can speak your faith, God’s promise, and your request.
  • Fifth, act like you believe the answer is on its way.  Mark 11:24 says, “…believe that you have [already] received it.”  Change your way of thinking.  Let your actions show your faith.  Find a tangible way to express your confidence in God.  Martin Luther wrote, “Mark this, that you must always speak the Amen firmly.  Never doubt that God in his mercy will surely hear you and say ‘yes’ to your prayers.”

Dealing with Depression – Part 1

~ Tommy Ham ~ Leave a comment

In the Christian community, the subject of depression provokes controversy.  It should not.  I wish that it did not.  But it does.  Can a good Christian be depressed?  Many of us feel shame because we do suffer.  Others never get help because they refuse to admit their struggle.  Still others try to tough it out on their own, resulting in years of distress.

I am a depression sufferer myself.  Obviously, this will bias my take on this.  My depression cycles…sometimes better, sometimes worse.  But this is an important discussion to have.

There are three main causes of depression (Comment if I leave something out):

  • Physical issues.  Depression often traces its roots back to physical issues.  Hormone imbalances, blood or brain chemistry faults, and side-effects of illnesses can all be causes of depression.  Physical causes require medical treatment.
  • Life circumstances.  Some seasons of life are tough.  Chronic stressful situations can cause depression.  Trauma can leave a lasting side effect.  Transitions in career, where you live,  marital status, financial ability, or becoming empty-nesters can all leave us emotionally vulnerable.  Adjusting to change or removal of stress can make the depression lessen or go away.  But…not always.
  • Spiritual conflict.  Not all but some depression has spiritual cause.  Some people become depressed because of unconfessed sin.  Some depression results from spiritual attack.  Using biblical strategies to battle spiritual issues works miracles.

These are all legitimate causes of depression.  Depressive responses to these stimuli are not weakness but can be considered normal.

Often, depression sufferers feel alone when they have many companions.  It is not talked about enough but there are many of us.  As there have always been.

In the Bible, many suffered from depression.  Some just for a season and some seemed to have battled it their entire lives.  Who?  David, Elijah, and Jeremiah .. to name just a few.  (For Comment:  who else dealt with depression in the Bible?)

In church history, other well-known individuals famously suffered at the hands of this beast.  Martin Luther, C.S. Lewis, Charles Haddon Spurgeon…

In 1866, Spurgeon told his congregation of his struggle:  “I am the subject of depressions of spirit so fearful that I hope none of you ever get to such extremes of wretchedness as I go (through).”  Luther once wrote that “the content of the depressions was always the same: the loss of faith that God is good and that he is good to me.”

Christians can suffer depression.  Spirit-filled Christians can experience emotional problems.  It is not something to be kept secret.  Too many suffer in silence, believing that something is wrong with their faith.  We can encourage one another by sharing our struggles.

In my next post, I will share some things I have learned about dealing with depression.  But let me say here that there is hope.  If you suffer today, don’t be ashamed. You do not have to deny it. You are not a failure in your faith…or a bad Christian.

Need to Pray

~ Tommy Ham ~ Leave a comment

I woke up this morning before 5:00.  Not unusual.  As I slowly became aware, I felt anxious.  And I knew why.

The last couple of days, I have let my prayer time get squeezed.  I have prayed but not as long or as much as I need.  I have discovered that I begin to come apart if I do not spend enough time praying.

I do not usually know before beginning how much time that means.  Only after I have been praying can I feel God release me.  The last couple of days, I have not waited for that.  I have just run through my lists and moved on.  Not healthy.

So…today…as I woke up… I felt God drawing me back.  Thank you, Father, for pulling on me and not letting me go.  I write this as I begin my day and my prayer time.  I look forward to this time.  I need this time.

And, thank you, HBC family for giving me the time I need.  Thank you for allowing us to hire a Director of Operations to remove much of the administrative load.  (Todd is meeting with the fire inspector while I am in my study!) Now, I have greater freedom to spend more time like this.  A difference-maker…

I will spend time today with the audacious prayer cards you brought to the altar last Sunday.  I will pray because of the increased movement of the enemy in conflict with our praying.  The Holy Spirit is stirring, and I will spend time trying to listen to the Spirit speak to me.

Pray Ephesians 1:17 for me: “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better (NIV).” This verse stuck in that special way recently.  My great desire is to know him better.