By: Mike Riley

  Tool #1: Practice

We are commanded to pray (1 Thess. 5:17; Phil. 4:6). If it is something Christians are expected to do, then getting in and doing it is important! A prayer must not be long or eloquent to be effective (Neh. 5:19; Matt. 6:7-8; Luke 18:9-14). Maturing in prayer life will find us developing the discipline of prayer so that we turn to God first in our lives when joys or sorrows or anything prevails (Jas. 5:13; 1 Pet. 5:6-7).

Tool #2: Pattern

Studying the prayer life of Jesus or some of the great heroes of faith like David, Nehemiah, Daniel, or Paul help in the who, what, when, where, why, and how of prayer. Nehemiah was skilled in seamlessly weaving prayers into his daily work in big and small challenges (Neh. 5:19). Pray while driving, cooking, working, etc. Withdraw, reflect, meditate, and worship Him! 

Tool #3: Posture

Sometimes the standard posture, “let us bow our heads and close our eyes” can be more of a hinderance than it can a help. Sometimes when David prayed, he laid prostrate on the ground (2 Sam. 12:15-16). Some stood, some knelt, while others sat (Dan. 6:10; 1 Kings 19:4; Acts 20:6; Neh. 8:4-6). Jesus often looked up towards heaven (Mark 6:41). When praying privately, there is wisdom in considering these other prayer postures.

Tool #4: Planning

Jesus would, in the busyness of life, often retreat by Himself and spend time with His Father in prayer (Mark 1:35; 14:35; 5:16; 9:18). Daniel made a habit of praying three times a day to the point that his enemies knew his prayer life was a constant in his life (Dan. 6:10). For someone wanting to improve his/her prayer life: set an alarm on the phone or on the computer, retreat away from the daily grind, and plan to spend scheduled, meaningful time talking to Our Father in heaven.

Tool #5: Program

What do I pray for? I would pray, but I don’t know what to say! For folks like these, begin with the question Jesus asked blind Bartimaeus, “What do you want Me to do for you” (Mark 10:51)? What pressing concerns can God address? What weights can God lighten? Bible reading and praying scripture to God is a great program as well. As a practical note, “Echo” is a free prayer app that a person can list their personal prayer requests and the app will keep those for remembering throughout the day (See Tool #4).  

By: Mike Riley

The opposite of following God’s pattern in His word is to neglect it. This removes God’s pattern from a person’s life. Additionally, adding things to God’s pattern does not produce what God desires. Will God be pleased?

Consider Cain and Abel. Cain was a tiller of the ground and Abel was a shepherd. Cain offered the fruit of the ground in worship to God. Abel brought the firstlings of his flock. God respected Abel’s worship, but God was not pleased with Cain’s (Genesis 4:1-5). Why was God pleased with Abel’s but not Cain’s?

The book of Hebrews answers this question. Hebrews 11:4 states, “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it, he being dead yet speaketh.” First John 3:12 also helps us to understand; this verse says that Cains’s works were evil, but Abel’s were righteous. How could Abels’s works be righteous? God instructed Abel on how to please Him. Abel heard God’s word and presented that offering by faith, for faith comes by hearing God’s word (Romans 10:17).

Abel had a pattern from God, and he followed it. Cain did not. Cain offered worship that he invented. It was an offering of his own righteousness. It was not what God wanted. It was not pleasing to God. Mankind needs a pattern to avoid presenting his own righteousness to God. However, when we follow God’s pattern, God counts it as righteousness (Romans 4:3, James 2:23).

By: Mike Riley

The plea of churches of Christ today is to restore New Testament Christianity into the lives of as many as will receive the gospel. Preaching the gospel without expecting those who believe it to change their lives is not sufficient. To this end, the churches of Christ preach, and the Bible teaches, that the gospel contains all the information that we need to do this (2 Peter 1:3; 2 Timothy 3:17).

  This revealed information constitutes a pattern to restore New Testament Christianity. Each person must be concerned with restoring and following the New Testament pattern in his life. Some say that the New Testament contains no such pattern. If that’s true, then restoration is impossible. One cannot restore anything without knowing something about the original pattern. On the other hand, if the New Testament contains such a pattern, restoration of New Testament Christianity is necessary to be a Christian.

  Does the New Testament contain such a pattern? Jesus tells us that there is such a pattern. He said, “The seed is the word of God” (Luke 8:11). God’s word is like a seed. Every seed contains a complete pattern to restore the plant from which it came. We do not expect a seed from an apple tree to grow an orange tree, and vice versa. We expect a seed that contains the pattern of an apple tree to produce an apple tree.

So is the word of God. When individuals observe and obey God’s word, as revealed by Jesus Christ in the New Testament, they follow a pattern that produces Christians. They have restored what God desired. With such, God will be pleased, for one will have grown out of the word of God what God put into it.

By: Mike Riley

First Peter addresses those who have been scattered abroad by persecution, particularly those who have been born again through the redemption of the blood of Christ struggling to be faithful. Peter encourages them to stand steadfast and remain faithful even in adverse situations.

In chapter two, Peter calls attention to the fact that these Christians, through their new birth, have left behind the things of the world, malice, guile, hypocrisy, envy, and evil speaking. He encourages these Christians to drink the honest milk of the word to grow in their faith.

 If they continue to grow, they will be part of the spiritual house of God as living stones. Their edification is based upon the foundation of Christ, and their acknowledgment of His preciousness.

When we think of the word “precious” we think of something that has inherent value, and worth, is highly prized, and rarely obtained. In the movie and book series, “Lord of the Rings,” those who are taken with the “one ring” often refer to it as “precious.” 

The devotion that these characters display to the ring reflects their servitude and misguided zeal toward it.

When speaking the word “precious” (in regard to the ring) they reveal love, devotion, zeal, and jealousy. While the ring represents something evil, do we have the same love, devotion, and zeal toward that which we know is good?

The Bible says that Jesus is precious to us who are born again to righteousness, edification, and sanctification. In 1 Peter 2:7 we have this statement, “Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious.” Is Jesus precious to you? Do you value Him like you would value your most prized possession?