The praying church

Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, his upper rooms by injustice, making his own people work for nothing, not paying them for their labour. Jeremiah 22: 13

‘Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar? Did not your father have food and drink? He did what was right and just, so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?’ declares the Lord.   ‘But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain, on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion.’ Jeremiah 22: 16 - 17

When we returned to South Africa last month, there was a definite feeling that things had got worse in the nation. I was always quite optimistic about South Africa believing that the relatively smooth transition to black majority rule between 1990 and 1994 was an indicator that South Africa would not go the way of so many African countries.  Now it feels like there is an inexorable slide towards ever increasing violence, strikes such as those in the mining sector, racism and corruption.  The ANC seems to have little regard for the welfare of the people especially the poor.  Social unrest with violence has flared up everywhere, even in the relatively peaceful Western Cape which is not governed by ANC. 

The reason can perhaps be found in the fact that in January to celebrate 100 years of ANC, the party dedicated the nation to their ancestors. Now Christians from all over the country are rising up in prayer and repentance to God. Last Saturday Christians from all denominations were invited to a prayer meeting in the centre of Cape Town to dedicate the Western Cape to the Lord. There are other prayer initiatives all over the country culminating in a national prayer meeting on December 2^nd in Pretoria. As the organisers say, ‘2012 began with the ANC dedicating the nation to its ancestors. May this year end with millions of Christians calling out to God in repentance & prayer to forgive our sins and heal our nation.’

The Bible makes it clear that God is greatly concerned about injustice, oppression, unrighteousness and society’s attitude towards the weak and disadvantaged.  God does not want us taking advantage of others but wants society to look after the poor, needy and those unable to look after themselves. The church is called to lead the way.  All nations have the disadvantaged and there is injustice and unrighteousness in even the most sophisticated democracies. Family breakdown, divorce, abortion, greed, selfishness, corruption and so on are apparent everywhere not just in the less developed nations.

Only God can turn a nation around and the church is the answer to any nation’s needs – not the government and politicians.  Self interest and the need to be re-elected always seems to turn even the best politicians and parties from the path of selfless service to the nation.  The church however is called to serve the nation in which it is placed.  Christians are called to pray for their leaders and bless them unto righteousness.  Prayer is the weapon by which we wage war against unrighteousness, extortion, injustice, corruption, greed and selfishness.

Our nations are facing huge problems at this time and they desperately need a praying church. The people especially the weak and poor need righteous leaders supported in prayer by the church to help them. Our leaders need wisdom, knowledge and insight to solve some of the huge problems they are facing and these will come through a praying church.

 Let us rise up in prayer that God’s Kingdom will come on earth in our nations as it is in heaven. 

 

Reaping the fruit of righteousness

Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds. Isaiah 3:10

Sometimes it can be really hard to keep going doing the right thing when all around appear to be doing whatever they like and getting away with it. However the Bible is full of references to reaping what we have sown and this verse encourages us that righteous deeds will bear good fruit. What is more this fruit is enjoyable.

If we have taken some time tending a peach tree, looking after it through the frosts, weeding round it, fertilising it, protecting the young fruit, when it does produce beautiful ripe peaches we enjoy them. It is the same with the deeds of righteousness. It may take a lot of effort through difficult times to produce it but when we do, we will enjoy the fruit of our labours.

The Bible is full of sowing and reaping and it is abundantly clear that you reap what you sow. In the natural if you plant an apple pip you will get an apple tree not a peach tree or if you sow carrot seed you will get carrots not parsnips. It is exactly the same in the spiritual. What you sow, you will reap (Galatians 6:7).  If you have sown righteously, you will reap the fruit of righteousness.

However fruit takes time to grow. It may appear that ungodly people are reaping good things from bad seed but they are not. In the fullness of time their fruit will come forth from what they have sown.  Paul encourages us: Let us not become weary in doing good for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9 It may feel like nothing is coming from our sowing but it will.

I believe God wants to encourage and strengthen us today to not give up doing what is right even in the face of discouragement and the apparent lack of fruit and in the face of the unrighteous deeds of others which may appear to be prospering. We will eat of the fruit of our righteousness because good seed produces good fruit and God wants us to enjoy it.

Our righteousness come from God alone

But now a righteousness from God apart from the law has been known to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3: 21 – 24

It is a sad fact that many Christians are struggling to please God by acts of righteousness and even sadder are those who are trusting in their good deeds and righteousness to get into heaven. In fact it is quite alarming how many born again Christians believe that good works are the key to heaven.

Somehow we know we are all sinners, saved by grace but the good news that believing on the Lord Jesus Christ alone for our salvation is just too good to be true. Maybe – but true it is!.

When we yielded our lives to him, our filthy rags of self righteousness were taken away and we were given the crystal clear, pure white robe of righteousness that comes from God alone. We did nothing to earn it. It is ours, bought for us by Jesus and his wonderful death on the cross. We are justified by Jesus alone which means that all our acts of sinful selfishness have been replaced by the pure clean record of Jesus’ righteousness. He has done it all and that and that alone is the basis of our eternal life in heaven with God.

We must ask the Holy Spirit to instil in us the truth that our righteousness comes from Jesus alone. As the old hymn says, ‘My hope is built on nothing less, Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.’  Anything we do, any acts of kindness and service are done out of love and thankfulness for all Jesus has done for us. They don’t impress him or win us his favour or blessing. We have those already and they certainly will not open heaven’s door to us. That door was opened wide on the day we gave our lives to him. It should lift a great burden from our hearts that we cannot do anything to earn our eternal life. We just need to relax and enjoy that which has already been given to us by our wonderful Lord.