Selfless Christianity

By Steve Dewhirst

Contrary to what is often taught these days, Christianity is not all about me. It's not about making me happy or prosperous, and it's not even about making sure I get to heaven when I die. It's not about wor­shipping with a fun church which provides hours of entertain­ment for my children. It's not about listen­ing to pseudo-spiritual blather designed to make me feel good about myself and boost my self-esteem. It's not about making busi­ness contacts in a socially prominent con­gregation or rub­bing shoulders with the "right people." And Christianity is certainly not about politics in this present world.

Christianity is about God. It's about glori­fying Him. It's about honoring Him for His grace and mercy manifested in the gift of His only Son. It's about living in eternity, of­fering never-ending testimony to the riches of His lovingkindness. It's about focusing our lives and attention upon service to the Creator and Redeemer.

Christianity is not about us. It's about loving God by serving Him and serving men made in His image. Christianity doesn't ask, "What can everyone else do for me?" But, "What can I do for somebody else?" Christi­anity doesn't wallow in self pity because others are not paying enough attention to us; Christianity pays attention to others. It doesn't just talk about being hospitable, but actually practices hospitality. It doesn't just talk about being close to brethren, but seeks to develop real relationships with brethren. It doesn't just pay lip service to the importance of worship and Bible study, but actually attends and participates even when the presentation of God's word isn't particularly entertaining. It doesn't ap­proach worship from the standpoint of "Will I enjoy this?" But, " Will my presence here truly honor God and encourage other disci­ples?"

True Christianity is selfless. Me-centered Christianity is no Christianity at all. Me-centered Christianity is the spirit of the age, but surely not the spirit of Christ. Self­less Christianity recognizes that God is un­der no obligation to save us, but desires to save us because of His own incompara­ble love, grace, and mercy. Any view of Christianity that focuses on self is not a biblical view. The Christian who is con­sumed with self can never be consumed with God. &

Lord, Prop Us Up

Author Unknown

Every time I am asked to pray, I think of the old deacon who always prayed, "Lord, prop us up on our leaning side." After hearing him pray that prayer many times, someone asked him why he prayed that prayer so fervently.

He answered, "Well sir, you see, it's like this...I got an old barn out back. It's been there a long time, it's withstood a lot of weather, it's gone through a lot of storms, and it's stood for many years. It's still standing. But one day I noticed it was leaning to one side a bit. So I went and got some pine poles and propped it up on its leaning side so it wouldn't fall. Then I got to thinking about that and how much I was like that old barn. I've been around a long time. I've withstood a lot of life's storms. I've withstood a lot of bad weather in life, I've withstood a lot of hard times, and I'm still standing too. But I find myself leaning to one side from time to time, so I like to ask the Lord to prop us up on our leaning side, cause I figure a lot of us get to lean­ing at times.

Sometimes we get to leaning toward an­ger, leaning toward bitterness, leaning to­ward hatred, leaning toward cussing, lean­ing toward a lot of things that we should not. So we need to pray, 'Lord, prop us up on our leaning side, so we will stand straight and tall again, to glorify the Lord."' &

Examples in Prayer

By Bob Myhan

 

The Bible narrative is replete with accounts of persons whose lives seem to have been filled with prayer. Seeing how they and others bene­fited from their communion with God will help us to better appreciate the greatest force on earth, and will assist us in praying more frequently during our own earthly sojourn. Let us, then, consider five typical prayers.

The Entreaty of Abraham

(Genesis 18:23-33)

Abraham is the archetype intercessor. In his dialogue with God concerning the fate of Sodom, he implored God to spare that wicked city for the sake of ten righteous people. The Lord promised that He would; unfortunately, there were not ten found. But, when Sodom and Gomorrah were de­stroyed, “God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the over­throw” (Genesis 19:29). Thus, it appears that Lot was spared, at least in part, be­cause of his uncle’s intercession.

The Plea of Hannah

(1 Samuel 1:9-16)

Hannah is the model for earnest prayer. “In bitterness of soul,” she “prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore,” because she was barren and wanted a child. “A woman of a sorrowful spirit,” she “poured out [her] soul before the Lord,” speaking “out of the abundance of [her] complaint and grief.” Truly, she was among the “poor in spirit,” of whom Jesus said, “theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:5). Hannah’s plea did not fall on deaf ears. The Lord heard her appeal, gave her a child and that child became one of Israel’s greatest judges and anointed that nation’s first two kings.

The Request of Solomon

(1 Kings 3:5-9)

When God told Solomon to ask whatever he wanted, it was implied that the request would be granted. Solomon, of course, asked for wisdom, and in so doing became a pattern for us. God has also promised to give us whatsoever we ask (Matthew 7:7-11), and He has specifically said that we may solicit wisdom (James 1:5).

The Petition of Hezekiah

(2 Kings 19:14-19; Isaiah 37:14-20)

Hezekiah routinely took his problems to God in complete reliance upon Him, which is not only to be admired, but also imi­tated. God will always answer peti­tions that are in harmony with His prom­ises. He had promised the king protection (19:7); thus, Hezekiah had God’s word as the founda­tion of his faith. So it is even to­day; when one’s prayers are assuredly based upon the promises of God, they will be an­swered (1 John 3:21-22).

The Confession of David

(Psalm 51)

As David points out in this psalm—which scholars think was written shortly af­ter his adultery with Bathsheba and mur­der of Uriah—we must be broken-hearted over our sins, if we would petition God for pardon (v. 17). And here we have the ideal request for mercy—one that includes an admission of guilt. &