Recipe for Disaster! Part 2

Good day. Today we are posting Part 2 of a newsletter series Recipe for Disaster! written by our dear brother, fellow steward and ambassador of the mystery of Christ, Larry Gazelka. Our prayer is that you will be blessed and encouraged by this newsletter series. Have a very blessed and prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. ***You can download a copy of the writing for personal use only by clicking on the Built Anew Ministries Archive page link above and scroll to the year 2024.

Recipe for Disaster!
Vol 26 n9
Part 2
 
In the last newsletter, we talked about how the disciples asked Jesus Christ how they should pray.
 
Matthew 6:5-9 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. 9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. KJV
 
One must also remain mindful of the fact that many of the religious people of that day or era used the same prayers for certain things over and over. How often do you see people wanting to make a spectacle of themselves when they say they are praying?
 
Even in today’s world, how easy is it for people to get caught up in what the masses are doing, rather than being followers of Christ? People want to follow the masses, or where the most people are going. What would have happened if Noah had decided to do that?
 
How easy can it be to get caught up in what everyone else is doing or saying? If it seems that those people are successful by the numbers that they have following, isn’t it easier to want to imitate them? We can then see why we are counseled to continue in the faith, grounded and settled, and not moved about by any or every new religious fad that comes along.
 
Colossians 1:23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; KJV.
 
Note that it says to continue in the faith, and we know, or should know that faith is by hearing, stopping all that you are doing, and giving full audience to that which Father wants to talk with you about.
 
Romans 10:17 And this proves that faith comes from a Message heard, and that the Message comes through it having been spoken by Christ. (Weymouth NT translation)
 
So only going on what you hear other people speak or say, and then acting upon it, isn’t this a recipe for disaster? How often are people quick to quote other people, yet ignore that which the Word of God says?
 
Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: KJV
 
The reflections of Erasmus upon the strait gate are lively. How strait, says he, is the gate, how narrow the way, that leadeth to life! In the way nothing is to be found which flatters the flesh, but many things opposite; poverty frequently, fasting, watching, injuries, chastity, sobriety. And as for the gate, it receives none who are swollen with the glory of this life, none that are elated and lengthened out with pride; none who are distended with luxury. It does not admit those whose spirits are laden with the fardels of riches, nor those that drag along with them in affection the other implements of the world. None can pass through it but naked men, who are stripped of all worldly lusts, and sealed with the image of God. (Coke commentary)
 
It is a strait and narrow gate, and few be there that find it!
 
In this present evil world, in the lower nature, there are many who would devise schemes and trickery in an attempt to separate you from those things that the Lord has provided you to be able to get through this life. How much does one do to protect those things that Father has given you to have stewardship over?
 
Now for a moment think about how valuable your new life in Christ is. One must not forget that there is one that wants to steal your hope in Christ; his aim is to kill you spiritually so that you are no longer a threat to his kingdom, and thus destroy you spiritually in the process. In other words, creating a recipe for disaster.
 
How often does one forget that it is the simplicity of the Gospel of Christ? Anything we ask in His name, that will he do that the Father might be glorified through the Son.
 
John 16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. KJV
 
John 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. KJV
 
If you were using a recipe for a certain dish, and you only used half of the ingredients called for, how do you think that would turn out? Isn’t the same true in our spiritual walk, that if we only use half of the recipe for prayer, what do you think the results will be?
 
 
That you may know Him,
In the service of Jesus Christ,
Larry Gazelka
 
LarryGazelka©2023