We Must Pray God's Will

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us (1 John 5:14).

John addressed prayer in 1 John 3:22. There he informed us that God answers our prayers when we are (1) keeping His commands and (2) doing those things that please Him. John now adds a third requirement: (3) we must ask "according to his will" (v. 14). With these three keys in place, John says we can be confident toward God as we pray. Indeed we can know He hears us as we ask, and we can "know that we have what we have asked Him for" (vv. 14-15).

George Mueller (1805-1898) was a great man of prayer who refused a regular salary and financial support for himself or the ministries he led. A leader of the Christian Brethren movement, Mueller said, "Prayer is not overcoming God's reluctance. It is laying hold of His willingness" (quoted in Be Real, 179). Therefore nothing we ask for lies beyond the power of God except that which lies beyond His will, His purpose, His plan.

We might ask why anyone would want something contrary to God's will. It is right to pray according to God's will, and it is wise to pray according to God's will. He knows what is best, and He wants what is best: His glory and our good. God wants to give you what you would want God to give you if you were wise enough to want it.

Now, God's will may be different from what you want, but I believe this: it will always be better than what you want. Romans 12:2 tells us God's will is "good, pleasing, and perfect." I want what God wants for me. I want God's will.

Adapted from Exalting Jesus in 1,2,3 John by Daniel Akin

Book Review: Pastoral Theology by Daniel Akin and R. Scott Pace

Many churches have job requirements for pastors as well expectations. Most of those requirements and expectations can be unrealistic. Some of them may not even be the job of a pastor, but he is expected to it. Some people in the church think all the pastor needs to be is just a guy who knows his Bible.

Daniel Akin and R. Scott Pace have written a book that looks at the theological foundations of the role of the pastor and what kind of man the pastor is suppose to be. The book is titled, Pastoral Theology. Akin and Pace wrote when the church lacks a sound theological basis for pastoral ministry, it will open the door for the church to struggle with improper motives and misplaced priorities which will lead to be insecure about anything.

They continue on to say that a theological driven ministry will help the heart of the pastor and reorient his approach to ministry. This is done not just with sound doctrine but to take a look in the Bible as to what is the role of duties of a pastor. The pastor is to be a man of character who protects the flock. A pastor aspires to be conformed to the likeness of Christ, which should be the desire for all Christians not just those in ministry. A pastor also leans on the leadership of the Holy Spirit as he leads the church.

The pastor is one who leads with the church with grace and truth. He also protects the church from all forms of falsehood. The pastor understands that the church is God's, not his. The pastor also understands the role of the church is not fill butts in the seats, but (no pun intended) to send people on mission to proclaim the gospel of Christ. The pastor also is aware that the primary means God speaks to His people is through the Word of God rightly preached.

This book excellent for those who desire to go into the pastoral ministry. It also would not be a bad idea for this book to be read by anyone in the church to get a better idea as to what the pastor is support to be doing and who he is suppose to be.

Thanks B&H Publishing Group for letting me review this book.

Book Review: A Theology for the Church edited by Daniel Akin

Theology is the study of God. Every Christian is a theologian in some form or another whether they know it or not. In most Baptist churches, theology is not that highly valued. Yes, the Bible is taught, but an emphasis on theology is always pushed aside.

In recent years, there has been a resurgence of understanding theology due to the fact that many Christians do not know what they believe and have been bombarded with false teachers in the media. Daniel Akin has edited a book for such a time as this called, A Theology for the Church. In this book, you have many Baptist pastors and scholars writing about theology that the church needs to know.

This is a revised edition which contains some new elements that were not in the previous edition, which I have not read. This book talks about salvation, the doctrine of the Trinity, the work of Christ, and the doctrine of the church. This book has chapters written from Baptist pastors and scholars from both sides of the Reformed and non-Reformed spectrum. Where else can you find a book that has Mark Dever, Albert Mohler, Russell Moore, and Paige Patterson in one volume? You could probably find one but not in a volume of this size.

This book is written very well. With such precision and theological depth that anyone could want in a book of this magnitude. Granted it is written with men from the Baptist denomination, but everyone, whether you are Calvinist or not, will benefit from this book. While the men who have written this book may not agree on issues such as predestination, they are agree that theology is important.

Thanks Broadman & Holman for letting me review this book.