2 Timothy 2:24-26 English Standard Version

24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

Snares are set to capture things that are free. Our opponents were born in sin just as we were and the devil does not set snares for them. Sin is a snare for those who have chosen to place their faith in Christ.

“I keep stepping in it!”

Does that sound familiar? Repetitive sin is a problem because if you see the trap and step in it anyway, then sin isn’t the problem. Our allegiance is the problem.

There is a vast difference between the sin of ignorance and wilful sin.

Hebrews 10:26-27 English Standard Version

26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.

Keep it up and you’re gonna get burnt.

Revelation 3:19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

Zealous Christianity is an attitude of always being on the right side. The zealous do not wilfully sin. Yes we sin, but not for the sake of pleasure.

A bad proverb is the swimmer. 

The swimmer who wades in a pool is safe, but one who challenges the depths may drown.

I said it was bad, but you get the idea. Fear can be a good thing if it is godly fear.

Don’t test His love. Bathe in it.

And this; A spring needs no bucket, it just flows.

Matthew 6:6-8 English Standard Version

6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

We are not all alike and yet since “we” are the body of Christ, being many different parts, “we” all answer to the “head”, our Lord. This is a simple principle to complex situations.

God knows what we need. Do we?

James 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

That is a clear commentary of the content of many prayers, that many ask for what they want rather than what they need.

• Psalm 5:8 Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me.
• Psalm 25:5 Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.
• Psalm 27:11 Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.

Since He is Lord and the head of the body and “we” listen to Him, those are some examples of prayers that just might steer us away from praying from a place of self-interest.

My personal favorite as I open up His Word each day is: “Where are we going today?”

Is what we pray for insignificant in the eyes of our Lord? We are told after all; Galatians 6:2 “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” If our prayers are for the needs of others, it is not a bad thing.

Bearing the burdens of others goes beyond prayer. Many times we don’t have the resources to help so many people that have a greater need than our own.

Franklin Graham recently said in an ad from North Carolina, “I don’t need your money, I need your prayers.” Now that is one extreme demonstration of faith in prayer. He had money, he had people on the ground, what he needed was our prayers. That is not an unreasonable request.

Have “we” neglected to pray because “we” don’t think God will answer?

James 5:16b The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.