No one wants to be exposed or found out. There are certain things that we do that we want to keep doing without any interference from others. Some of these things are innocent and not very harmful, others; are detrimental and possibly totally destructive. Being exposed is uncomfortable and can even be painful. However, it’s good for us.

It’s like waking up in the morning and opening the blinds and seeing the first rays of the sunshine. The initial response is pain. It hurts our eyes, its uncomfortable, we are struggling to gather our senses and see through the brilliance of the light. Then, within seconds our eyes begin to adjust. As the pain fades there lays in front of us the beauty of the sun light and the exposure of all of creation.

I’ve recently been reading through a book by Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones called, “Why Does God Allow War”. The book was first printed in December of 1939. For you history buffs you may recognize that date. It’s the exact time where the US would engage in WWII and the notorious Adolf Hitler begins his reign of destructive and cruel leadership. It is within this context that Dr. Lloyd Jones preaches a series of sermons which are turned into this small book. The first half of the book deals specifically with prayer. Dr. Lloyd Jones in the very first page states:

“In a time of stress and difficulty men and women turn instinctively to prayer. They are conscious of the fact that their fate, and the fate of those who are dear to them, is in the hands of powers greater than themselves”

As you read those words you may have the same feeling in the pit of your stomach. Its the set up that leads you to conviction. Dr. Lloyd Jones continues:

“Prayer is regarded as a mechanism which is designed to produce certain results”

Exposed. Here I was, literally two pages into this book and I found myself in deep conviction. I began to evaluate my own prayer life and realized while I knew how I should approach prayer I found myself in a dangerous position. I realized that my prayer life exposed how I view God. If I came to God in prayer only when I was in great need and functionally prayer served as a mechanism to meet my needs and goals, God was no more than a genie in a bottle.

God: Genie in a bottle or Sovereign God of the Universe?

It’s offensive. How could someone accuse me of viewing God as some genie in a bottle? Yet, here I was; not only accusing myself but declaring the verdict – guilty. My actions unveiled the condition of my heart and some tendencies I fell into. If I don’t keep preaching the Gospel to myself and the truth about who God is, the sovereign creator, sustainer, and King of the Universe; I am prone to dethrone Him and attempt a feeble insurrection and place myself in that place of kingship. The result is that God functionally becomes someone who has a sole purpose of meeting my needs, wishes, and desires.

The way we approach God in prayer gives us an understanding of our Theology of God. What do we believe about God and do our actions line up with our beliefs? Even worse, and more systematic of not having a right view of God is if the only time we truly pray is in the midst of crisis and despair. Dr. Lloyd Jones states,

“This is why, of course, the prayer life of so many is fitful and spasmodic in normal times, and becomes urgent and regular only in a time of desperate need”.

Course Correction:

It is in these moments I am ever grateful that we have a God who is patient and kind with us. We have two options when we are exposed. First, we can fear the exposure and attempt to burrow ourselves deeper into the darkness in a weak attempt at hiding from our creator. Or Second, we can allow the initial pain of exposure to result in a course correction that is navigated by the truth of the Gospel and results in our eyes and heart refocused on the beauty and brilliance of God.

If we look at the prayer life of Moses, Daniel, Isaiah, and even the Apostles we see a model of prayer that brings into perspective the full nature and character of God. If God is who he says he is we should willingly and in eager fashion approach him in humility declaring his worth and seeking his purposes. Petition has its place and even better, God hears and responds to our petitions, however; we need a balance in our prayer life that is centered by the Gospel.

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Grab your Copy of “Why Does God Allow War” By Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones

P.S – I just launched my first e-book and I’m giving it away for free! Grab your copy of Augustine’s 7 Steps To Wisdom!

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Alas! You complain that your soul is out of tune. Then ask the Master to tune the heart-strings – Charles Spurgeon

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When Brittany first told me that she was pregnant I quickly went through the following emotions.

Shock – Excitement – Panic – Oh Crap.

You may have read previously that I am not necessarily a fan of kids. Now I found myself responsible for the life of this little human being. Not only that but I instantly fell in love. All of a sudden I had these intense affections for this gift of God. Then, I had the “Oh Crap” moment. The conversation in my mind went something like this.

Will I be a good dad? Am I ready to be a dad? Does being a dad mean I can’t play air-soft or Modern Warfare 2? Crap…what if I mess up this kid?

The fear of messing up my kids skyrocketed as I realized I did not have the luxury of working a eight to five job and home every afternoon. Being a traveling dad threw our entire household into a tailspin for a bit as we adjusted to this new dynamic. I typically found myself up late at night at hotel rooms thinking about my kids (its hard for me to sleep when I’m on the road). Sometimes my thoughts revolve around the future. What type of men will by boys grow up to be? What type of lady will they marry and bring into the family? How will they interact with their kids and wives? All of these thoughts hinge on the questions, did we do enough raising them?

Both Brittany and I realized a couple things quickly:

1. We have to be intentional with our kids – When people say your kids grow up in a blink of an eye they are being serious. I’ve tried to be intentional with my boy’s in a variety of ways. I’m intentional about commenting to my boys how beautiful their momma looks. This creates a standard for them as they get married.

In many ways my intentionality with my boys is an investment into their future outcome. @Muddamalle
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We intentionally talk about the goodness of God and why we love Jesus. I want my boys to always remember a love and affection for Christ. The greatest gift I could give my boys is a childhood filled with affection, wonder, and awe of Jesus.

2. Our kids foundation has to be the Word of God – If I am really honest with myself, my own wisdom, insight, and intellect is not good enough. It never will be. The best thing we can do for our Children is saturate them in the Word of God. I love Proverbs 1:8-19. Many parents and pastors love using this verse to point out the importance that kids listen to and obey their mother and father. I read this verse and am reminded that kids can only listen and obey when parents are faithful in instructing and teaching their children in the way of the Lord.

3. Praying is essential – Ultimately, our hope for our kids can’t be in our ability or skills. If this is the case we are all in trouble. As we realize that we don’t have everything under control we are left with our only hope being in the Holy Spirit. As a result, it is essential that we spend time in prayer for our kids. My mom spent countless hours praying for me, and I firmly believe that her prayers made a difference. In fact, as we turn to God we can place our hope in the creator of the universe who spoke all things into being. 1 Thess 5:17 tells us to pray without ceasing and Hebrews 5:7 points us to the example of Christ to prayed and was heard because of his reverence. Our prayers makes a difference and we can take hope in the fact that our God is good.   I love that God is faithful and a good father. The scriptures are filled with this reality.

 Will I Mess Up My Kids?

Yea, most likely to some extent, but I’m thankful that Brittany and I can turn to God who gives us direction and a hope not only for our future but for our children also.

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Don’t forget to read the first post of the series that covers discipline!

Helpful Resources:

These two books have been game changers for us as we jumped into this crazy life parenting 3 little boys!

• Give Them Grace
• Shepherding a Childs Heart

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