How to Cry Out to God

In the tragic storms of life Jesus specializes in calming waves and silencing the winds (see Mathew 14:22-33). It is amazing. How can Jesus do such things? How indeed. He is God! 

Bad news, danger, and pain all cause us to look for help. As believers, we dwell with the almighty God, who is able to help us. At those moments when we are hit by life’s circumstances, we can cry out to Him. In the Bible, crying out refers to speaking audibly with great emotion concerning an urgent need. God invites us to use this form of prayer to communicate that we desperately need His mercy.

·         Start with humility: It takes humility and faith to share our heart’s concern aloud. Crying out is a way for God’s children to express trust in the Lord’s ability and willingness to help. “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). By calling upon Him with such urgency, we also lay down our pride and any attitude of self-sufficiency.

·         Inviting God into your situation: The Word of God assures us that our Father hears our cries and responds. In Psalm 3:4, David wrote, “I was crying to the Lord with my voice, and He answered from His holy mountain.” When we speak the names of God aloud and call for help in name of Jesus, we invite His power into the situation. Remember that there is strength in just speaking His name.

·         Waiting upon the Lord: “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His Word I put my Hope” (Psalm 130:5). When we cry out to God, He may remove the problem immediately, yet we often have to wait for His perfect timing. Harsh circumstances might even be allowed to remain for His good purposes. But we can always count on His comfort and presence, which enable us to live with joy and hope.

Seeking Guidance to Grow

By forsaking the worldly way, believers have chosen a narrow path (Matthew 7:13). However, we’re not wandering blindly on it. The Holy Spirit is our guide. He directs our steps toward new opportunities and offers discernment so we can make wise decisions that keep us on course for God’s will (1 John 1:8-10).

It is the nature of this journey that we have to stop often and seek guidance. God is pleased to respond to earnest requests for direction, as He wants to keep His followers in the center of His will. Many Christians wonder how to pursue divine guidance.

·         Seeking God’s guidance and direction involves a pattern that begins with cleansing. In other words, the first place to look is at yourself. Ask, “Father, do you see anything in my life that might interfere with my understanding what you are saying?” Sin shuts down the guidance process: it strangles the power flowing from the Holy Spirit and thereby clouds our judgment (1 Thessalonians 5:19). First John 1:9 tells us that God cleanses unrighteousness when we confess our sins. The Bible also contains a clear warning for those who refuse to relinquish a rebellious habit or attitude and the Lord does not hear their cries (Psalm 66:18). As He brings to mind problem areas, lay them before the cross and give them to the Lord.

·         Cleansing is a continual process while receiving guidance from God. The Holy Spirit brings sin to our attention as we’re equipped to deal with it. So on the way to receiving His clear direction, we may revisit this step often and in that way can experience a time of rich spiritual growth and renewal. Doing things God’s way is not always easy; but it’s always worth it.

Measuring your Spiritual Growth

“When I was a child, I spoke like a child; I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known” (1 Corinthians 13:11-12).  

Since our Heavenly Father wants us to mature in the faith, we should stop from time to time and examine our lives to see if we're making progress in this area. Physical growth is fairly easy to evaluate, all you need is a tape measure. But how can you tell if you're growing spiritually?

·         Desires: Have you noticed that your childhood toys no longer interest you? The maturing process changes our desires in the spiritual realm too. When we're growing, the world's pleasures lose their appeal, while our hunger for God and His Word increases. We are eager to be with Him and share with others how He's working in our lives.

·         Understanding: When you were young, your perception of the world was very limited. In the same way, we lack spiritual understanding when we're new believers. But in time, we begin to see life from God’s perspective. Trials and temptations become opportunities for growth, and service for the Lord becomes an honor instead of a burden.

·         Selflessness: The most obvious sign of a child's immaturity is his or her selfishness. He wants his way, and he wants it now! Hopefully that is no longer characteristic of you. A mature believer is submissive to the Lord, willing to wait, and more concerned about others than themselves. How are you doing in these three areas of growth? Maybe it's time to let go of a few childish ways in order to grow into a mature believer. The greatest evidence of maturity is love. When the Lord and other people have first place in our hearts, it's then that we're most like Jesus.

The Narrow Way

Are Christians Narrow-Minded to say that Jesus is the only way to God? We sure are, because Jesus Himself was, is, and always will be. The only way to God is a Narrow Way.

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In John 10:9, Jesus said, “I am the door. If anyone enters through me, he shall be saved.” Of course, not all men enter through Him. This does not mean they enter in through another way; rather, it means that they do not enter in at all. Jesus totally rejected the popular notion that God is a castle on a hill with many doors. Jesus said, “I am the door”, the only door. He opens and no one can close. And He closes and no one can open (Rev. 3:7). Jesus changed the metaphor slightly and said, “I have the keys” (Rev. 1:18). If you want into Heaven with God, you have to go to Jesus.

In the Sermon in the Mount, Jesus had this to say: “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it” (Matt. 7:13-14).

·         All men are one of two roads. Most are on the wide road that leads to destruction, that is, eternal Hell. Oddly, many people think that they must be right because the majority of people agree with them. Wrong. Most people are wrong and are on the wrong way. Truth is not determined by a majority vote. These words tell us something else. Jesus taught that most me go to Hell to suffer for their sins (see Matt. 25:41). Jesus rejected the view that says that all men will be saved from their sins and make it to Heaven with God, regardless of their religion. If they do not turn to Jesus, they will certainly go to Hell, not to God.

By contrast, Jesus is the way to God. He is the narrow way, what Peter called “the right way” (2 Pet. 2:15). Are Christians narrow-minded to say that Jesus is the only way to God? We sure are because Jesus Himself was. The one way to God is a narrow way. God said it, so be it!

Getting Back on Course

“Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” (2 Peter 3:17-18).  

·         It’s never too late: No matter how far away from God you have drifted, you're always welcome back. That's the lesson from Jesus' parable about the prodigal son, the young man who foolishly followed a pleasure-filled path to ruin before returning to his father and finding redemption (Luke 15:11-32). Perhaps ruin has not yet come to you, but you know that your heart has grown cool to the things of God. Whatever your drifting story, make this the day that you point yourself back to the Lord.

·         Admit the truth: As with any sin, the first motion toward getting back on course is to acknowledge that you have slipped away from the Lord. Then you confess and repent, which is like turning your boat in the opposite direction and paddling toward God with all your strength. If you're wondering exactly how to do that, I suggest this strategy: In the morning and before you step out of bed, give yourself to God by acknowledging Him and surrender your entire life to Him for the day. When something comes up that runs counter to His plan and consider pursuing it, the Holy Spirit will remind you that you belong to Him. Only God's way will do for each of us.

·         You make the choice: Every day we choose whether to row or drift. As for me, I choose to vigorously pursue God. Peter gives a warning to be on guard against attitudes and ideologies that would carry you away from truth (2 Peter 3:17). Instead, choose to paddle your lifeboat toward the Lord by meditating on Scripture, praying, and living obediently. Practicing the spiritual disciplines keeps a heart warm toward God.

God Is at Work

“So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jews persecuted Him. Jesus said to them, ‘My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I, too, am working.’ For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill Him, not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. Jesus gave them this answer: ‘I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by Himself; He can do only what He sees His Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does” John 5:16-19.

Throughout the Bible, we observe God at work in people's lives. Sometimes He acts in dramatic fashion, as in parting the Red Sea to allow the Israelites to escape the Egyptian army. At other times it may seem as if He is not taking any action. Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus that their brother needed His help, but Christ delayed before traveling to their home “So the sisters sent word to Jesus, ‘Lord, the one you love is sick.’ When he heard this, Jesus said, ‘This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.’ Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus” John 11:3-6.

Our Father has given us the Holy Spirit to help us recognize His presence and handiwork. The Spirit cultivates spiritual discernment in us so we can understand when and where He's at work. In addition to spiritual discernment, we must develop patience because the Lord operates according to His timetable, not ours. After being promised numerous descendants, Abraham had to wait until he and Sarah were beyond childbearing years before she gave birth. Impatience can cause us to take matters into our own hands and therefore make mistakes.

The Lord's efforts can bring delight, as was the case when Hannah bore a child: “I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him” 1 Samuel. 1:27. “Then Hannah prayed and said: ‘My heart rejoices in the Lord; In the Lord my horn ‘ is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance” 1 Samuel 2:1. His plan can also lead through painful times, which was Joseph's experience. Before the Lord elevated him to a position of authority to help his family, Joseph was sold into slavery and unjustly imprisoned.

Jesus told the disciples that His Father was always at work and so was He. We will be encouraged and strengthened in our faith when we recognize the ways in which God is operating. These glimpses of His handiwork will motivate us to stay the course and help us maintain a godly perspective on life.

Let your Conscience be your Guide?

“The goal of this commandment is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk. They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they confidently affirm” 1 Timothy 1:5-7.

There is an old saying that goes like this: “Let your conscience be your guide.” This folk tale seems to make sense since our conscience is designed to help us discern right from wrong. However, people cannot always trust their internal radar to steer them correctly. This is particularly the case with those who do not follow Christ and who do not have the Spirit of God within them to reveal truth or to offer His guidance for making wise choices. While those who do believe in Jesus as their Savoir and diligently practice His ways do have the Holy Spirit, they too  should be careful not to continue to sin in their life, as a sinful life can interfere with the way the sensor for morality functions.

A conscience programmed with scriptural teaching is a trustworthy conscience. Those who believe in God and follow His ways build a stable and sensitive spiritual radar system by applying God’s truth to their lives. They are committed to thinking and doing in ways that honor and please the Lord. Then, when sinful thoughts or choices come across that radar, a trustworthy conscience will deliver a warning.

A person with a reliable conscience will have a strong desire to obey God. He or she won’t settle for what just feels right or might look good, but instead seeks God’s will for their lives. They do not rely solely on the conscience but also incorporate prayer and Bible reading. When their spiritual radar does sound the alarm, they are willing to draw back, and consider the leading of the Holy Spirit, and the Scripture. .

For the believer, the conscience isn’t designed to be our guide. Rather, it is a tool of the Guide. The Holy Spirit not only convicts us of sin, but also guides our minds and heart towards godly principles and leads us onto the path of righteous living. The Holy Spirit is our Guide and He uses a variety of tools to conform us to the likeness of Christ. “For those God foreknew to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers” Romans. 8:29. Let the Holy Spirit be your Guide.