Tag: cry

Crying Out To God

Tuesday’s Column: Dale Mail

CRYING TO GOD 

What does it mean to cry out to God? The Hebrew word paints a colorful picture of what goes on in the hearts and minds of those that have cried out in the past, but before we look at the meaning— here are three examples found in scripture. 

Ex. 2.23

“Now it came about in the course of those many days that the king of Egypt died. And the sons of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry for help because of their bondage rose up to God.”

Judges 6.7 

“The Israelites cried out to the LORD because of Midian” 

Ps. 107.19

“Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.”

The word is זָעַק (pronounced zaw-ak’) and it means, “to proclaim/summon together.” 

It’s interesting to note that when God’s people cried out to Him in the examples given above, as well as on many other occasions, God brought salvation. 

From the definition, we can make at least three practical applications.

  1. God brings positive and radical change when His people cry out in a unified manner. Many congregations assemble each year to have special services dedicated to prayer. Some may not appreciate the power and potential these kinds of events can bring about. 
  2. We can move God to action by summoning Him. There are countless testimonies of desperate prayers answered by those who turned to God for answers. There’s always a need to be reminded that talking to God is not simply talking to yourself or yelling into a void. Pray often.
  3. God returns to His people when His people return to Him. In the Bible we often see a unified cry to the Lord take place, once His people have hit rock bottom. From that we learn that God hears the prayers of the distressed— but we also see that being away from God is distressing. The moment God answers, they’re free from captivity. Sin has taken many captive and some feel that God is One who enslaves with Law and commands, but the opposite is true. Freedom is found in Him and He’s faithful to the faithful. 

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”

Galatians 5:1

Dale Pollard

Lessons On Prayer (Luke 18)

Tuesday’s Column: Dale Mail

Dale Pollard

“Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart..” V.1

  1. Sometimes referred to as the spirit of prayer (I Thess. 5.17) 
  2. “And not lose heart” We sometimes fail to pray when we’ve lost hope. This makes us feel distant from God & by not praying we create that distance. 
  3. Jesus lived a prayerful life & we know from Heb. 7.25 “He lives to intercede for us.” 

THE WIDOW AND THE UNJUST JUDGE READ 2-8 

God isn’t the unjust judge, He’s Just. 

So He doesn’t… 

  1. Answer prayers because we’re annoying Him 
  2. God loves to answer us because He loves us 
  3. Jesus and Paul were both persistent in their prayer lives (Mark 14.39, 2 Cor. 12.8) 

The Unjust Judge 

  1. Wasn’t fair— God is 
  2. No personal interest in the widow— God cares for those who pray to Him 
  3. The judge answers the widows cry selfishly— God Has blessed us and continues to do so because it’s in our best interest. 

Verse 8 is worth some thought too! 

V. 8 “When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”

Do we have the kind of faith Jesus will be looking for when He returns? 

  1. We do if we know who God is (not an unjust judge) 
  2. We do if we pray persistently 
  3. We do if we pray even when we lose heart

HAPPY 3RD ANNIVERSARY TO DALE AND JANELLE (10/19)