When we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior, He gives us four helpers for our Christian walk. These are to give us guidance in our lives. Otherwise, we wander around aimlessly as Christians.

A New Heart

At salvation we were made new. We became new creations in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says that our old life has passed away and all things are made new inside of us. Previous to salvation we had a wicked heart (Jeremiah 17:9). After salvation we have a hunger and thirst for the things of God, a craving for righteousness (Matthew 5:6).

The Holy Spirit

Jesus promised to His disciples that He would leave a Comforter with them after He was gone to heaven. Not only would the Holy Spirit come to the believers, but He would teach and guide the believers in the ways of God (John 14:26; 16:23).

When Jesus was ascending into heaven He said that the disciples should tarry in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit came upon them. At that point, they would be filled with the power of the Holy Ghost to go to the world with the Gospel (Acts 1:8).

A new heart and the Holy Spirit are given to us at salvation. These are things we cannot separate ourselves from–nor would we want to. We can ignore the leading of the Holy Spirit. We can suppress the new desires that God implants in us at salvation. However, we can never fully go away from those two heavenly helpers. Thankfully, they are with us now and through eternity.

The next two heavenly helpers, though, can be ignored. Many Christians neglect the wonderful gifts we have in the Bible and the local church. Some Christians have never even held a copy of the Bible, not because they don’t want to, but because it is not available where they live. They would love to have what so many of us take for granted.

The Bible

The Bible is a light and lamp for our lives (Psalm 119:105). It was given to guide, reprove, rebuke and encourage us as we live in this world (Proverbs 6:23).

Maybe you have never picked up the Bible and read it to find out how God wants to work in your life. God has provided the help, but you have not appropriated it.

A Local Church

Paul told the pastors working around Ephesus to care properly for the church that God’s Holy Spirit had entrusted to them. Pastors are overseers, not masters. They are shepherds who are to feed the sheep with the precious teachings of the Bible (Acts 20:28). This verse says that the church is His precious possession purchased with His own blood. The church is important to Christ. Important enough to die for.

A Christian can live without a church, but he will never be all God intended for him. The church is a heavenly helper that should be loved and respected.

When preaching to the congregation where I heard these points mentioned, Pastor David Cross said, “When we were saved, the Lord gave us a heart to follow Him, His Spirit within us to guide us, His perfect Word to teach us of His way, and He places us in His earthy family (the local church) to nurture us, to edify us and to perfect us for the work of the ministry (Ephesians 4:11-13).”

[Taken from sermon notes from Christmas Sunday 2011 at Faith Baptist Church.]

This is an honest question, what does “effectual fervent prayer” mean? As someone read James 5:16 recently I wrote down in my ever-present notebook, “what means effectual?”

I know what I think it means, but I finally got around to looking it up today. According to several dictionaries I read, the essence of ‘effectual’ is, “sufficient to produce a desired result.”

The verse in full reads:

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

—James 5:16

The context is praying for one another, especially those who are struggling physically and spiritually. The follow-up verse says that Elijah was a man like we are (i.e., he had problems too), but he was able to pray and accomplish God’s purposes.

It seems to me that verse 16 is not talking about a way to pray (as I always thought), but about answered prayers. When you pray and it produces the desired result then it is effectual. That seems to say to me that not all prayer is effectual. Not all prayers are “sufficient to produce the desired result.”

[pullquote]Availeth: While the word “avail” is used today to mean “take advantage of” or “to be of benefit” it used to mean “to have value or worth.”[/pullquote]

Does this mean that we don’t pray in an effectual way which avails much; rather, that when we pray and it is of worth or value it is therefore an effectual prayer?

Does that question even make sense to anyone besides me?

In other words, the result of “effectual prayer” is not what “availeth much,” but prayer that “availeth much” is “effectual.”

Then there is the word “fervent” in there. Literally the etymology of that word is “boiling, hot, glowing.” Figuratively it means “violent, impetuous, furious.” One of the early uses of the word (according to Etym Online) is “empassioned.” While our prayers probably should not be “violent, impetuous and furious” they certainly should be passionate.

Taking the whole phrase “effectual, fervant prayer” we can draw some thoughts to apply to our prayer life.

• Prayer may not always be effectual
• To be effectual, prayer should be passionate
• You can’t have prayers that have value or worth without it being something you are passionately concerned about

What are your thoughts on these words? I have not done a Greek word study on them yet to see what their original language meanings are. Maybe I will do that and let you know the results. In the mean time, do you have any comments on what this verse seems to be saying? Write them below.

In the story of the healing of Naaman the leper we are told about a maid from Israel. We know very little about her, but what we do know we can draw some lessons for our lives.

And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.

—2 Kings 5:2, 3

She Obeyed the Call

She could have resisted going with the Syrians when she was captured, but she probably would have been killed. We don’t know how old she was. She was apparently old enough to know about God and His prophet Elisha. That would indicate she was old enough to have resisted. However, she chose to obey the call to go to a new place.

She Loved the People

This little maid was captured and held as a slave yet she showed love for the people she was with. She could easily have been bitter against the Syrians and her owners (or even bitter towards God). But she shows a level of love and respect for Naaman and his family. As a little missionary in a foreign land she loved the people she was called to serve.

She Shared the Good News

Naaman had a problem that he could not solve. While the little girl was also powerless to heal her master, she knew someone who did possess the power Naaman needed. She knew the Lord. She knew about the Lord’s prophet. She could not deliver God’s healing on her own. She shared the good news that she knew with her master whom she chose to love. She was a witness of the power of God to those who were around her.

Many of you have not been called to foreign service as a missionary, but how are you doing with the people around you? Missionaries sometimes struggle to love the people enough to share the good news with them. We all need to love our neighbors and those who surround us enough to share the good news of the Gospel with them: whether they be from our native country or some far-off land.

[This little girl even inspired a historical fiction book about her. I read it in school but don’t remember anything about it. I may have to find a copy and read it again.]

Do you feel God’s call in your life to be a missionary? Have you considered where you should go to get the specialized training you need? One thing that is sorely lacking in many new missionaries’ lives is the training that they should have before embarking on their journey.

Here are a few different training schools and program suggestions for missionary training. There are also some general guidelines that will help you in choosing the right places to look.

Pastor

I always recommend that people first talk with their pastor and let him know that they are considering missionary work. Your pastor will give you specific recommendations based on what he knows about your personality and character. Most pastors will be thrilled to know that God has called you into the ministry. However, some know that this means they will be losing a good worker in the church. Pastors know they should encourage you, but also be sympathetic that your announcement may be difficult for them at first.

Your pastor can tell you about Bible schools and training sessions you would need for missionary work. You pastor will probably recommend that you start by getting a Bible degree. This is important because it is the foundation for all Christian missionary endeavors.

Beyond Bible college, your pastor may not know about other missionary training schools that are available. I trust these suggestions will help you narrow your search as you prepare for the mission field.

Mission Boards

Your pastor should help point you to a mission board that is in line with the doctrine and ministry philosophy of your church. Many mission boards will have some type of training program that they offer to their own missionaries. Read the rest of this entry

Philippians 4:10-20

¹⁰ But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. ¹¹ Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. ¹² I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. ¹³ I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. ¹⁴ Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction. ¹⁵ Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. ¹⁶ For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. ¹⁷ Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. ¹⁸ But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. ¹⁹ But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. ²⁰ Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

In verse 19 God promises to bless churches that have the right focus on world missions. We see that from the very beginning the church at Philippi was concerned for Paul and the missionary effort.

A church that is focused on world missions has a concern for others. (v. 10)

The church at Philippi had a concern for Paul and the work he was doing. They were a church that looked for opportunities to be a blessing to those who needed the Gospel. Paul says that they were full of care for him and the ministry, but they didn’t know how to give and help.

A church that is focused on world missions is content in the Lord. (v. 11-13)

Paul said that he did not need anything from the church because the Lord gave him the strength and ability to endure the ministry. There were times when the ministry was easier than other times. Paul was content in the things the Lord brought to his life. He was teaching this great missions-minded church to be content in the things they are called to do.

A church that is focused on world missions is committed to the work of Christ. (v. 14-16)

This church partook in the ministry of Paul. He had traveled from place to place and this church looked for ways to be a help and a blessing to him. They were committed to the Great Commission. They were as committed to the cause of world evangelism at the time Paul wrote this as they were when Paul started his ministry. The church at Philippi was consistent in their commitment.

A church that is focused on world missions has credit in God’s accounting. (v. 17, 18)

The Philippian Christians would benefit from the work Paul was doing. Paul said that he was thanking the church for their gifts to him—not because he wanted more stuff from them, but because he wanted them to have fruit (rewards) to be added to their account in God’s eyes. Paul said that their offering was a sweet and acceptable offering to God.

A church that is focused on world missions exists to see God and Christ glorified. (v. 20)

The whole point of this passage is not to glorify one church or to lift up the missionary, but to bring glory to God.

Are you missions-minded?

Are you:

• concerned for others?
• content in the Lord?
• committed to the work of Christ?
• receiving credit in God’s accounting?
• glorifying God?

[This is adapted from a message preached by Daryl Wilson at Faith Baptist Church in Jefferson City, TN.]