Author Archives: Drew Haninger

Divine Purpose with Elijah

God has a purpose, a divine purpose resting behind every event in life. Many times we do not realize it till we look back and see God’s hand working, protecting and guiding us. Why did we meet this person, why did we end up at this church, at this fellowship, at this function in the body of Christ.

So now look at a few events in the Bible about Elijah.

Sea of Galilee, Israel

Sea of Galilee, Israel

It was not what Elijah did,  but who he was that is most significant. People love the story of the burnt sacrifice and how God proved that Jehovah is God. But the real significance of Elijah’s life and ministry is that he is a man who was available for whatever the Lord wanted to do. He followed The Lord, or to use a hard term for many “He Obeyed The Lord“. Elijah was a person what followed the Lord. Again not what he did, but that what he did was what the Lord was doing.

Even thought Elijah’s Prayer was wonderful, yet he is a person the Lord could use in any situation. Elijah prayed and the rain stopped, Elijah prayed and the rain came. The Lord could use him in any direction. Elijah could be used by God even when the direction or plans seem to change.

He did not stick to a program, but was available in many situations. I am not saying we should not have programs, but what if the Lord adjusts it or suspends it for a time, or sometimes terminates it?

Elijah is mentioned a few times in the New Testament, but not even mentioned in the great chapter on faith in Hebrews 11.

One day Jesus took a few disciples (Peter, James and John) to a high mountain, perhaps  it was mount Hermon in northern Israel.

Mount Bachelor, Oregon

Mount Bachelor, Oregon

And there appeared with Jesus two people from the Old Testament:  Moses and Elijah. These two represented the Law and the prophets. But why not Samuel, I always personally thought Samuel should be the top represented prophet, but God choose Moses and Elijah to appear with Jesus.

The two were talkng to Jesus, Luke says they were talking about Jesus’ death.

Then Peter had a “great idea”, no it was a “bad idea”. Peter wanted to build a great monument to all three people: Jesus, Moses ands Elijah.  So the Father started to speak from heaven saying “This is my son,  Hear Him“.  We should never get distracted from Jesus.

All these events and activities have a divine purpose. These all show we need to follow Jesus and not be distracted by other things. We need to follow Him.

Martin Luther Rediscovers the Bible

In the 1500’s there were many men and women who helped to change the world, but none as much as the German monk-turned-professor Martin Luther. He helped reform Christian tradition by speaking against the many religious errors of his day and comparing them to what the Bible actually teaches.

Lake Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

Lake Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

One area was the doctrine of justification by faith and works. Luther taught that the Scriptures declare a sinner is justified by faith in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9) and not by works of penance. It is by grace that a believer is saved, plus nothing. Luther brought people back to what the Bible teaches, and not what traditions were teaching. That gracious salvation would lead to a changed life of good deeds, not the other way around.

Another problem that Luther wanted to fix was the medieval view of indulgences… a document Christians could buy which was supposed to pardon a person from the sins they had committed. Luther criticized this teaching because he believed it replaced the Biblical doctrine of repentance (1 John 1:9-10).

Another tradition Luther objected to was denying the authority of the Bible, by elevating religious traditions above the Old and New Testaments. Luther faithfully preached that the Bible, not the church, is the ultimate authority over matters of faith and life (Acts 5:29). Because the Bible was only allowed in Latin, an academic language, Luther chose to translate the Word of God into the German tongue so that any literate person in his land could read the Bible and learn its glorious message.

Lake Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

Lake Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

Luther and his fellow Reformers also helped restore congregational singing, lay leadership, the sanctity of common work for the glory of God, and a renewed focus on the centrality of the gospel in every area of a Christian’s life. While Luther had real flaws, he played an undeniably important role in the development of theology and the church in the 16th century.

Lake Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

Lake Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

Spurgeon and Prayer Time

Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) was a man of Bible study, prayer, preaching and teaching. It has been estimated that he preached to over 10 million people.

Idaho Sunset

Idaho Sunset

Spurgeon loved Bible study, prayer and preaching.

Here is a great quote on prayer from C.H. Spurgeon:  Of course the preacher is above all others distinguished as a man of prayer.  He prays as an ordinary Christian, else he were a hypocrite. He prays more than ordinary Christians, else he were disqualified for the office which he has undertaken.   

Best Time To Pray – Mornings

The best time to pray is in the morning. Enjoy this short video on Prayer in the morning.

The Bible is a book that tells a story. The story the Bible tells is God’s story. So the Bible is not written by God as a theology book, it is written to tell a wonderful story.

So in the Morning enjoy reading God’s story. So enjoy this animation about morning prayer and Bible reading.

God loves morning prayer time. What a great time to pray and think about God, the source of our life. The Morning sets the direction for the day.

Little Spokane River and Reflections

Little Spokane River and Reflections

Pray, and Let God Worry

A new Christian song encouraging us to pray and let God worry about our life. The phrase was inspired by Martin Luther who in the 1600’s wrote to his wife in a letter “…Pray, let God worry…”

Enjoy a short devotional music song video on “Pray Pray Let God Worry”

Martin Luther (16th century monk) said “Pray, and let God worry“. Which means don’t worry, give the concern to God. He can handle it.   Paul in Philippians 4:6 said: “Don’t worry; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” 

Enjoy a short devotional video on “Pray, Let God Worry”

Little Spokane River Area

Little Spokane River Area

Anxiety never seems to go away.  Anxiety and worry seem to be part of life.

Here is a video in which I shared on this subject.

So we need to pray and turn towards the Lord by praying, reading the Bible, singing or listening to inspiring Bible music.

Little Spokane River Area

Little Spokane River Area

Sometimes we need to back off and focus on God. In the world there are problems but have faith in Jesus.

Pray and Let God Worry

Pray and Let God Worry

Don’t lose sight of Jesus.

Little Spokane River Area

Little Spokane River Area

In the gospels, Peter needed to keep his eyes on Jesus not the raging stormy waters.
Peter sank when he looked at the water.  He needed to get his vision and perspective back on Jesus.

In Matthew 6:33  Jesus said: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”

Pray, and let God worry – Martin Luther

Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Hebrew 13: 5-6  be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Psalm 103:1-5, A Psalm of David

Psalm 103:1-5, A Psalm of David

Isaiah 30:15 For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel;
In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.

So Isaiah is saying you need to slow down and trust God, but some of us have a hard time doing this. Just trust in Jesus.

Pray, Let God Worry

Pray, Let God Worry

God Designed the Universe

When you pray and think about God, consider God’s creation.

Priest Lake, Idaho

Lots of Colors at Priest Lake, Idaho

Consider the design in the universe from the mass, energy and structure of the stars, planets, gravity, and light. Consider the heavenly beauty both in visible light and invisible light like radio waves.

Priest Lake, Idaho

Light Reflections at Priest Lake, Idaho

Then consider the design and laws holding the atom and molecules together. Then consider living things like plants and animals, and how they live and reproduce.

Two Geese at Priest Lake, Idaho

Two Geese and family at Priest Lake, Idaho

He designed their beauty in a coded language in the tiny, small DNA molecules in the center of each cell. How could that tiny code with millions and billions of instructions describe a plant or animal.

Then consider how this God loves us and cares for us and how He answers prayer.

Prayer is Motivated by God

In Psalm 50:15 it says “and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me” Here God is motivating us to pray at any time especially when there is trouble. So God is encouraging us to pray. Sometime we do not feel like praying, we want to do something else. But it is so simple to pray, just say “God I come to you right now!”

Idaho Sunset

Idaho Sunset