Category Archives: Bible

Ephesians and E.M. Bounds on Prayer

Our sermon at EV Free Conejo Valley Sunday was on this passage in Ephesians. What a goldmine it is. I’m including it here followed by a quote by E.M. Bounds.

Ephesians 3:14-21 (ESV)

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith – that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen”

I read the following quote in the book Between Heaven and Earth compiled by Ken Gire.

E. M. Bounds
(1835-1913) Methodist minister and devotional writer who served as a pastor in the American South and became a POW during the Civil War.

“Prayer is the easiest and the hardest of all things; the simplest and the sublimest; the weakest and the most powerful; its results lie outside the range of human possibilities – they are limited only by the omnipotence of God. Few Christians have anything but a vague idea of the power of prayer; fewer still have any experience of that power. The Church seems almost wholly unaware of the power God puts into her hand; this power is rarely, if ever, used – never used to the full measure of honoring God. It is astounding how poor the use, how little the benefits. Prayer is our most formidable weapon, but the one in which we are the least skilled, the most averse to its use. We do everything else for the heathen save the thing God wants us to do; the only thing which does any good – makes all else we do efficient.”

TENNYSON AND TIMOTHY

From Tennyson’s Idylls of the King, King Arthur, on his deathbed voices to his friend some profound thoughts on prayer;

” Pray for my soul. More things are wrought by prayer
Than this world dreams of. Wherefore, let thy voice
Rise like a fountain for me night and day.
For what are men better than sheep or goats
That nourish a blind life within the brain,
If, knowing God, they lift not hands of prayer
Both for themselves and those who call them friend?
For so the whole round earth is every way
Bound by gold chains about the feet of God.”

I thought this passage was a good one paired with this quote…

I Timothy 2:1-8 (ESV)

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions,that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. I desire then that in every place that men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling;”

“I don’t want to obey!”

I’m a Great Aunt, (pronounced “ont”). When my grand nephew was 2 years old he announced to his mother, “I don’t want to obey!” I love his immature honesty. I don’t want to obey either but I’d never say it outright. I’m passive aggresive in my disobedience. When God reveals an area of my life that needs a change I really test Him. Is that really what you want me to do?  Like, right now? How about next week? Can we go slowly in that direction? Sometimes I can ignore Him completely.

There are times when obedience does come more easily. What sweet times those are. I want to be a more trusting child and say yes quicker to whatever God wants from me. I want to be in His word more so that I know what he requires of me in this relationship with Him.

Deut. 30:11-14-16; (ESV)

“For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, “Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.

“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.”

I’m remembering the song we used to sing in Sunday School, Trust and Obey. Simple but true.

Trust and Obey

(text: John H. Sammis, 1846-1919)

When we walk with the Lord
in the light of his word
what a glory he sheds on our way
while we do his good will
he abides with us still
and with all who will trust and obey

(refrain)

Trust and obey
For there’s no other way
to be happy in Jesus
But to trust and obey.

vs. 4

Then in fellowship sweet
we will sit at his feet
or we’ll walk by his side in the way;
what he says we will do
where he sends we will go;
never fear, only trust and obey.”