The purpose of prayer

Another look

Gen 24:15 And it happened, before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah...came out with her pitcher on her shoulder.

Background & Context

The servant is a type (symbol) of the Holy Spirit sent by the Father to win a bride for the "heavenly Isaac," the Lord Jesus. The narrative carefully records the preparation for the journey, the gifts carried by the servant, and the sign by which he would know the Lord's chosen woman. Murdoch Campbell elaborates: "It was a sign that was calculated to throw much light on the character and disposition of the girl worthy of his master's son. He was merely to ask her for "a sip"--as the Hebrew word may be rendered--of water for himself; but the one whom God had chosen to be the mother of a great people and a remote ancestress of Jesus Christ would reveal her generous nature and her willingness to serve others by offering him not a mere "sip" of water but an abundant "drink." To this she was also to add the astonishing offer of drawing water for the camels also." Now when we consider that these ten beasts, after the toil of the long desert, were prepared to empty at least four barrels of water in all, the spontaneous willingness of the girl of his prayers to serve man and beast would point to a kindly and unselfish disposition and also to a character of the highest order.

A battle of wills

Here is an example of prayer being answered. An unnamed servant, praying sincerely, who is in the will of his master, notice that she (the answer to his prayer) was already on the way to answer, before the question could be asked. Here is the root of prayer, it is not to get what we ask for, rather to ask for what we will get. There is no doubt, if the servant had just sat there and waited; Rabeka still would have been chosen. It just would have taken a little more time.
There are many people out there who have been disappointed by prayer. Their prayers have gone unanswered, not because of a lack of faith, but rather a lack of understanding. When praying there is a check list to follow:
• Is it in the will of God?
• Is there a relationship with God?
• Are all answers acceptable?

Is it in the will of God?

A prayer outside of the will of God, no matter how heartfelt, will never succeed. Too many times prayers are self serving wish lists, rather than heartfelt desires to align the recipient's will, with that of the Lord's.

Common problems - trials

A trial will no doubt cause the recipient a lot of pain, but there is a meaning to that pain, an appropriate prayer is to ask for strength through the trial, not a pass around it.
Trials come in many different forms, sickness, financial problems, deaths; they never come at a convenient time, which is why they are both helpful, and potentially troublesome. Helpful, because they allow time for the recipient to exercise their faith and test their understanding. Troublesome, because many times the recipient fails the test.
Trials, while very common, are not the only concern. In day to day life an active prayer life is expected. In daily prayers, the Lord's will should be foremost in our minds. A prayer for anything in excess over basic needs should never be seriously expected.
Faith to move mountains, will never change the will of God, nor should it. God is just, God is righteous; His will takes into account factors we can not fathom. Only God, who is outside time and space, can discern the beginning from the end, and set things into motion which will complete the work of God.

Is there a relationship with God?

Another factor that relates directly to prayer, is a personal relationship. In times of trouble, everyone calls on the Lord, that's human nature. However, without a prior relationship, the Lord's reply is sorry "I don't know you." The provision of prayer is for those who have chosen a life of servitude to the King of Kings, not for skeptics and mockers.
One, to truly understand the sin problem, needs to understand what sin is and why God needs to separate Himself from it. Sin is the faithless rebellion of creatures against the just authority of their Creator. God inherently, can not allow his authority to be mocked, if He were too, His very nature would be violated.

Are all answers acceptable?

Finally, God answers prayers in three ways, the recipient needs to both be aware of the answers and willing to accept those answers.
• Wait
• No
• Yes

Wait

God has a wonderful plan for every person ever created. We need to remember that our timeline may not coincide with His. At times someone may ask for the right thing, just not at the right time. In those cases, He will answer "wait."
Faith is not blindly hoping something will workout, instead faith is knowing it will workout and waiting patiently for it too. Blind faith, is ignorant faith; there is enough physical evidence to not be ignorant what God has said will happen. Faith in that should not be blind, believers should be able to recognize the signs for each event. It is only non-believers that will be surprised.
If the answer to the prayer is wait, the initiator of the prayer should not become discouraged, if the prayer is aligned with the will of God, and the initiator is sincere in the asking, then extra time may be needed, although the asker may think they are ready, in Gods timing they may not.

No

It is the hardest thing to say to a child. However, some things may not be suitable for some people. It would be absurd to grant the wish of an uncoordinated five year old, who is asking for a Harley Davidson motorcycle. So true it is with adults, not everyone is capable of making the complex decision of whether or not something is right for them. A person may have all the confidence to do something, yet still be unable to be successful at it.
So true is this in prayer, and when one prays this answer must also be acceptable. Again, within the will of God is a purpose, to do anything outside, or contrary to His will; would be unrighteous. It pains the Heavenly Father, as much as it pains any father to say no to a child; but the safety of a child is more important than the happiness of getting what they ask for.

Yes

The word every child loves to hear. Yet, sometimes this can have unforeseen consequences. A child may ask for a pet and receive it with open arms, to only later find out, that caring for pet can be hard work. Sometimes, a parent might even say yes to a child to teach a lesson, as they get what they ask for, they may not succeed at it due to their own limitations. While some may see this as cruel, it is sometimes the best lesson to teach.
Which is why it is important to also look forward to this answer. Many people recite the old adage "be careful what you wish for, it may come true" and indeed it will; and when it does, that is not a sign of failure on God's part, but a completed lesson on our part.
A yes answer can be very exciting, yet may not always be the best. Just when a person prays, they need to be mindful of the other possible answers.

When prayer doesn't work

Too often there, are stories of people stating they lost their faith, due to an unanswered prayer. This is unfortunate and manly due to lack of information. Prayer as seen by this brief paper, is for the spiritual need of setting the will of humanity on the will of the creator. Too often, people are too focused on selfish things to notice the needs of others.

What about Intercessory prayer?

Intercessory prayer, while it is important is also subject to these concerns. A lifetime of prayer could yield no visible effect, yet it could change countless lives. There is a study that has been recently done on intercessory prayer, which concluded that because no physical ground had been gained, that prayer does not work.
The problem with this line of thought, does not take into effect the spiritual aspect of prayer. A dying person, who is being prayed for, may have a spiritual awakening, yet still die. This can not be measured by any means; but the change can still be life saving. It is a theme that runs deep in the Bible and summed up in Ephesians 6:12:
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places
Yes this is the complete power of prayer and the focus of it. To eliminate this from the action of prayer is to strip the entire process of any meaning. Prayer is not for finding lost car keys, or to keep you healthy, no the purpose of prayer is for spiritual warfare, understanding, and spiritual health.

In conclusion

While this short paper does not even scratch the surface of this subject, an exhausted study would yield the same basic understanding. To an unbelieving world caught up on traditions and assumptions this sounds to oversimplified.
Prayer is not to be taken lightly, it has been a shame that the Christian church has been so careless these past few years and let other doctrinal issues get in the way of a solid core of a praying congregation. A non-praying Christian, is weak and ineffective. The unbelieving world is watching; and today a Christian needs to be spiritually stronger than ever before.
The Christian doctrine is based on being a point of light in an otherwise dark world, the fuel for that light is prayer.

Happy Holidays vs. Merry Christmas

My take on the debate

Defining the American Experience

I live in the Untied States, and I’m a religious person, Christian to be more specific. Every December however we have a huge debate, is it Happy Holidays, or Merry Christmas?

Personally, I don’t care. Merry Christmas is a term I expect to hear on December 24 and 25. For the entire season, starting in November, Happy Holiday is perfect! I feel vocabularies are important, the origin of words, how they are used, why we use specific words, that all matters.

The origins of Happy Holidays simply mean Happy Holy Days. That perfectly sums up the special days in November, December, and January. We start in the US with Election Day, the first Tuesday of the month. It’s a day that is different from all others, as we partake in the function of our representative democracy. That is a Holy Day for our nation and should be celebrated.

Second Holy Day is Veterans Day. On November 11th every year, we set aside a day to remember and thank all those who laid down or risked their lives to ensure our nation and what it stands for is a beacon of light to others.

Next on our list is Thanksgiving, which was originally a day of fasting, and Prayer of Thanks to God, later it turned into a feast, but always kept its focus on reflection and prayer. The tradition dates back to 1789 by a proclamation of George Washington, it commemorates a feast by the Pilgrims in 1621, it also marks one of the busiest days of travel, so families can be together for dinner at least one time a year, It also kicks off the economic engine of the final holy day of the year.

In December, the last month of the year, there is a feeling of closure. While there is a collection of religious holidays in December, I want to talk about Christmas specifically.

Christmas is a secular holiday; it was founded and based on other ancient rituals, and adapted by the Christian church in an attempt to entice others in following Christ, but America built Christmas in it’s own image.  Just to be clear, there is no evidence for the day, or the season of the Christ’s birth. The early Church leaders where not concerned with this stage of Jesus’s life. From reading the accounts in the New Testament, it is fairly clear that it took place in the spring or early summer, not December 25^th. There is an early tradition that Christ’s birth was around the time of Easter, for several saints it was believed that they were crucified on their birthdays.

As a nation we built Christmas into a celebration of family, Faith, Good Will, and Charity. It is an accumulation of the American experience more than anything else, and closes the year with a celebration of excess. From showering our children with gifts, to large family feasts, to large gatherings of friends for parties. The season is more about good times, than religious remembrance.

A week later, on January 1^st, we celebrate the New Year, a fitting end to the Holiday season; it ends the time of house parties, family gatherings, and the debate of whether we say Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas.

So why do we fight about it?

Conflict creates passion. Everyone wants to be connected to something bigger than themselves. We all call it something different. Different church denominations, Theists, Atheists, take your pick. The conflict between groups creates a passion to talk and argue for and against our differing views; it really is just another expression of the American experience.

If you haven’t read up on the History of Christmas here is a great breakdown by history.com:

History of Christmas

History.com Editors

Christmas is both a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon. For two millennia, people around the world have been observing it with traditions and practices that are both religious and secular in nature. Christians celebrate Christmas Day as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, a spiritual leader whose teachings form the basis of their religion. Popular customs include exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, attending church, sharing meals with family and friends and, of course, waiting for Santa Claus to arrive. December 25–Christmas Day–has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1870.

An Ancient Holiday

The middle of winter has long been a time of celebration around the world. Centuries before the arrival of the man called Jesus, early Europeans celebrated light and birth in the darkest days of winter. Many peoples rejoiced during the winter solstice, when the worst of the winter was behind them and they could look forward to longer days and extended hours of sunlight.

In Scandinavia, the Norse celebrated Yule from December 21, the winter solstice, through January. In recognition of the return of the sun, fathers and sons would bring home large logs, which they would set on fire. The people would feast until the log burned out, which could take as many as 12 days. The Norse believed that each spark from the fire represented a new pig or calf that would be born during the coming year.

The end of December was a perfect time for celebration in most areas of Europe. At that time of year, most cattle were slaughtered so they would not have to be fed during the winter. For many, it was the only time of year when they had a supply of fresh meat. In addition, most wine and beer made during the year was finally fermented and ready for drinking.

In Germany, people honored the pagan god Oden during the mid-winter holiday. Germans were terrified of Oden, as they believed he made nocturnal flights through the sky to observe his people, and then decide who would prosper or perish. Because of his presence, many people chose to stay inside.

Saturnalia

In Rome, where winters were not as harsh as those in the far north, Saturnalia—a holiday in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture—was celebrated. Beginning in the week leading up to the winter solstice and continuing for a full month, Saturnalia was a hedonistic time, when food and drink were plentiful and the normal Roman social order was turned upside down. For a month, slaves would become masters. Peasants were in command of the city. Business and schools were closed so that everyone could join in the fun.

Also around the time of the winter solstice, Romans observed Juvenalia, a feast honoring the children of Rome. In addition, members of the upper classes often celebrated the birthday of Mithra, the god of the unconquerable sun, on December 25. It was believed that Mithra, an infant god, was born of a rock. For some Romans, Mithra’s birthday was the most sacred day of the year.

In the early years of Christianity, Easter was the main holiday; the birth of Jesus was not celebrated. In the fourth century, church officials decided to institute the birth of Jesus as a holiday. Unfortunately, the Bible does not mention date for his birth (a fact Puritans later pointed out in order to deny the legitimacy of the celebration). Although some evidence suggests that his birth may have occurred in the spring (why would shepherds be herding in the middle of winter?), Pope Julius I chose December 25. It is commonly believed that the church chose this date in an effort to adopt and absorb the traditions of the pagan Saturnalia festival. First called the Feast of the Nativity, the custom spread to Egypt by 432 and to England by the end of the sixth century. By the end of the eighth century, the celebration of Christmas had spread all the way to Scandinavia. Today, in the Greek and Russian orthodox churches, Christmas is celebrated 13 days after the 25th, which is also referred to as the Epiphany or Three Kings Day. This is the day it is believed that the three wise men finally found Jesus in the manger.

By holding Christmas at the same time as traditional winter solstice festivals, church leaders increased the chances that Christmas would be popularly embraced, but gave up the ability to dictate how it was celebrated. By the Middle Ages, Christianity had, for the most part, replaced pagan religion. On Christmas, believers attended church, then celebrated raucously in a drunken, carnival-like atmosphere similar to today’s Mardi Gras. Each year, a beggar or student would be crowned the “lord of misrule” and eager celebrants played the part of his subjects. The poor would go to the houses of the rich and demand their best food and drink. If owners failed to comply, their visitors would most likely terrorize them with mischief. Christmas became the time of year when the upper classes could repay their real or imagined “debt” to society by entertaining less fortunate citizens.

An Outlaw Christmas

In the early 17th century, a wave of religious reform changed the way Christmas was celebrated in Europe. When Oliver Cromwell and his Puritan forces took over England in 1645, they vowed to rid England of decadence and, as part of their effort, cancelled Christmas. By popular demand, Charles II was restored to the throne and, with him, came the return of the popular holiday.

The pilgrims, English separatists that came to America in 1620, were even more orthodox in their Puritan beliefs than Cromwell. As a result, Christmas was not a holiday in early America. From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was actually outlawed in Boston. Anyone exhibiting the Christmas spirit was fined five shillings. By contrast, in the Jamestown settlement, Captain John Smith reported that Christmas was enjoyed by all and passed without incident.

After the American Revolution, English customs fell out of favor, including Christmas. In fact, Christmas wasn’t declared a federal holiday until June 26, 1870.

Irving Reinvents Christmas

It wasn’t until the 19th century that Americans began to embrace Christmas. Americans re-invented Christmas, and changed it from a raucous carnival holiday into a family-centered day of peace and nostalgia. But what about the 1800s peaked American interest in the holiday?

The early 19th century was a period of class conflict and turmoil. During this time, unemployment was high and gang rioting by the disenchanted classes often occurred during the Christmas season. In 1828, the New York city council instituted the city’s first police force in response to a Christmas riot. This catalyzed certain members of the upper classes to begin to change the way Christmas was celebrated in America.

In 1819, best-selling author Washington Irving wrote The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, gent., a series of stories about the celebration of Christmas in an English manor house. The sketches feature a squire who invited the peasants into his home for the holiday. In contrast to the problems faced in American society, the two groups mingled effortlessly. In Irving’s mind, Christmas should be a peaceful, warm-hearted holiday bringing groups together across lines of wealth or social status. Irving’s fictitious celebrants enjoyed “ancient customs,” including the crowning of a Lord of Misrule. Irving’s book, however, was not based on any holiday celebration he had attended – in fact, many historians say that Irving’s account actually “invented” tradition by implying that it described the true customs of the season.

A Christmas Carol

Also around this time, English author Charles Dickens created the classic holiday tale, A Christmas Carol. The story’s message-the importance of charity and good will towards all humankind-struck a powerful chord in the United States and England and showed members of Victorian society the benefits of celebrating the holiday.

The family was also becoming less disciplined and more sensitive to the emotional needs of children during the early 1800s. Christmas provided families with a day when they could lavish attention-and gifts-on their children without appearing to “spoil” them.

As Americans began to embrace Christmas as a perfect family holiday, old customs were unearthed. People looked toward recent immigrants and Catholic and Episcopalian churches to see how the day should be celebrated. In the next 100 years, Americans built a Christmas tradition all their own that included pieces of many other customs, including decorating trees, sending holiday cards and gift-giving.

Although most families quickly bought into the idea that they were celebrating Christmas how it had been done for centuries, Americans had really re-invented a holiday to fill the cultural needs of a growing nation.

Christmas Facts

            •          Each year, 30-35 million real Christmas trees are sold in the United States alone. There are 21,000 Christmas tree growers in the United States, and trees usually grow for about 15 years before they are sold.

            •          Today, in the Greek and Russian orthodox churches, Christmas is celebrated 13 days after the 25th, which is also referred to as the Epiphany or Three Kings Day. This is the day it is believed that the three wise men finally found Jesus in the manger.

            •          In the Middle Ages, Christmas celebrations were rowdy and raucous—a lot like today’s Mardi Gras parties.

            •          From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was outlawed in Boston, and law-breakers were fined five shillings.

            •          Christmas was declared a federal holiday in the United States on June 26, 1870.

            •          The first eggnog made in the United States was consumed in Captain John Smith’s 1607 Jamestown settlement.

            •          Poinsettia plants are named after Joel R. Poinsett, an American minister to Mexico, who brought the red-and-green plant from Mexico to America in 1828.

            •          The Salvation Army has been sending Santa Claus-clad donation collectors into the streets since the 1890s.

            •          Rudolph, “the most famous reindeer of all,” was the product of Robert L. May’s imagination in 1939. The copywriter wrote a poem about the reindeer to help lure customers into the Montgomery Ward department store.

            •          Construction workers started the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree tradition in 1931.