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2009-11-21

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Thursday, February 12, 2009 11:37 AM

PASTOR BURNS: Seeking God together

By DAVE BURNS, pastor, Foundation Church

1 Timothy 2:8 (NIV)

I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.

Lifting up holy hands requires a couple of things: one on our part, and one on God’s part.

Let’s first talk about God’s part (that’s the part where we don’t really have to do anything).

When we say “holy,” we’re saying “separate, or set apart.” When we lift up holy hands we are lifting up hands to God that have been set apart to do his work.

Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

We have been set apart for God and by God. This is what is meant by holy hands.

It’s the lifting up part that causes us troubles. When we lift our hands to God, we are lifting our very lives in sacrifice and submission to him. When we do this in prayer we are echoing Chris’s words in the Garden of Gethsemane: “…May Your Will be done,” (Matthew 26:42b).

And for those of you who have experienced it, God’s will is not always my will. Truth be told, they are usually polar opposites. My will is focused on one thing: me. My will is all about self-centeredness and self-preservation.

God’s will, on the other hand, is more focused on his ministry. Anger and disputing, backbiting and gossip, are all examples of my will clashing with God’s will.

It even happens with churches. Sometimes churches find their will violently opposed to God’s will. I think that’s why we have these separations between denominations, between churches, between fellow Christians.

We are not putting our petty differences aside and focusing on the one who unites us, Christ Jesus.

This is a call for the body of Christ to become united in our community of Ottawa, lifting up holy hands in prayer. I believe that God is ready and waiting to do some amazing things in this community if we seek him together.

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PASTOR BURNS: Seeking God together

By DAVE BURNS, pastor, Foundation Church

E-mail this story to a friend | Print this article | Enjoy the convenience of home delivery of The Ottawa Herald.

E-mail this story to a friend | Print this article |
Enjoy the convenience of home delivery of The Ottawa Herald.