God's Maniac

I'd like to take the opportunity to present Lou Talley's website and book.

In Lou's words:

"PTSD is no respecter of persons, knowing many women veterans who have returned home from hostile areas to become dysfunctional as parents who were not that way prior to being deployed.

"I also know of past earthquake victims from 1995 who are still sleeping outside and afraid to go back into their homes or apartments for fear of being caught and buried in another earthquake.

"My book is for all who suffer with PTSD, men, women, children, but especially veterans past and present who suffer with this crippling disorder."

I've read the book and I highly recommend it!

What Makes a Christian Martyr Differ from Other Faiths’ Martyrs?

Have you ever wondered how much persecution and pain you would tolerate for your faith if put into the situation? Are you prepared to face death? I’ve often wondered these things about myself. Here's an insightful article from Answers In Genesis:

“He was a martyr for a good cause.” A person is put to death (often quite brutally) because he refuses to recant his beliefs and teachings when he is demanded to do so by angry opponents. So, we have Muslim martyrs, Jewish martyrs, communist martyrs, Christian martyrs, Buddhist martyrs, Hindu martyrs, etc. They are all the same, right? Not really.

The English word “martyr” is an almost direct transliteration from the New Testament Greek word, martus, which originally meant a “witness.” It was especially used in the early church to signify those who were witnesses of Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection (e.g., Acts 1:22), and consequently many of those apostles died giving testimony of their Lord. In current usage it usually means one who is killed for refusing to renounce their religious faith, practices, and beliefs. The unspoken assumption is that if the person would renounce his beliefs, then he would not be put to death—and thereby avoid martyrdom. History is replete with tales of martyrs: from Old Testament believers, to the Apostles, to the early Church fathers, down to our time, especially in areas like the Sudan, the Middle East, the Philippines, Indonesia, and parts of South America. For the most part, these have been either Jewish or Christian martyrs, and the logical question to ask would be why. Why not Buddhists or Taoists or Hindu martyrs to the same extent? We will consider that question in due course...Read More

Your prayers reveal the level of your maturity

Some of us struggle in prayer. Unfortunately, I confess that I do sometimes. Does it ever feel like an obligation to you?

In his devotional book “Drawing Near: Daily readings for a Deeper Faith” February 18, here’s what John MacArthur says:

“Your prayers reveal the level of your maturity.”

Typically, Paul’s prayers reflected his concern that his readers mature spiritually. That is impossible without prayer, because spiritual growth depends on the Holy Spirit’s power, which is tapped through prayer.

Prayer is so vital that Jesus instructed His disciples to pray “at all times” (Luke 18:1). Paul commands us to “pray without ceasing” (Thess 5:17). Peter said we should be “of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer” (1 Peter 4:7).

Now this is the interesting part:

Scripture gives many commands to pray, but the true test of your spirituality is your compulsion to pray, not simply your obedience to commands. As a Christian you exist in a spiritual realm in which prayer is as natural as breathing is in the natural realm. Just as atmospheric pressure exerts force on your lungs compelling you to breathe, so your spiritual environment compels you to pray. Resisting either brings devastating results.

The more you see life through God’s eyes, the more you are driven to pray. In that sense, your prayers reveal the level of your spiritual maturity. Paul prayed with urgency day and night because he shared God’s love for His people and His concern for their spiritual maturity.

Examine your own prayers. Do you pray from a sense of duty, or are you compelled to pray? Do you pray infrequently or briefly? Do your prayers center on your own needs or the needs of others? Do you pray for the spiritual maturity of others? Those important questions indicate the level of your spiritual maturity and give guidelines for making any needed changes in your pattern of prayer.

Dr MacArthur then suggests that we thank God for the privilege and power of prayer. If we have neglected our prayer or prayed selfishly, we should confess our sin and to ask God to give us a sense of holy urgency in prayers. Are there people we should be consistently praying for?

Dr MacArthur’s suggestion for further study is to read Daniel 6:1-28 in light of the following questions:

What was Daniel’s pattern of prayer?

What accusation did the political leaders bring against Daniel?

What was the king’s attitude toward Daniel?

How did God honor Daniel’s faith?