Tuesday, April 23, 2013

The Prayer of Agur Part II


Surely I am more stupid than any man, and I do not have the understanding of a man. Neither have I learned wisdom, nor do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.  Who has ascended into heaven and descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has wrapped the waters in His garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name or His son's name? Surely you know!  Proverbs 30:2-4 

We have been going through a sermon series on one of the all-time best-selling books in any category: “The Prayer of Jabez.”  This week we are looking at another person in the Bible that also had a special prayer – a man named Agur (awgoor).  Yesterday we learned that Agur asked God for only two things: Remove from me falsehood & lying and give me neither poverty or riches.  Today we are going to start with the first request:

 Remove from me falsehood & lying

Agur prays for the removal of some specific things that are false in his life:

·   Remove: to cast or drive away; to loose
·   Falsehood: useless, vain living; idolatry
·   Lying: to be found as one

It is as if Agur at one time or another has walked in the false things of this life and now desires to be set free from them.  We too must guard our mind, motives and mouth from the falsehoods that come knocking upon our hearts door.

Falsehood of the Mind
Our mind is to be set on Christ and, like Agur, we must pray seeking from God that falsehood be removed far from our minds.  The apostle Paul speaks of the war of falsehood going on in us.  But there is another law at work within me that is at war with my mind. This law wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.  Romans 7:23 NLT  Years ago Tim LaHaye wrote a book entitled Battle for the Mind with the premise that if Satan can control the mind he can control the body.  For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.  Proverbs 23:7a  Like Agur we should pray for God to remove falsehood from our minds and protect them!

Falsehood of the Motives
How pure are your motives?  You know … the reason you do what you do and say what you say?  Are they lingering in false motives of glorifying self or pure and upright motives of glorifying the Lord?  In verse 2-3 Agur speaks of lacking understanding and knowledge and in verse 4 he speaks of being inferior in attitude and ability.  Jesus speaks to us of pure motives in the Beatitudes.  Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. Matthew 5:8  The "why" of all we do is to be guarded against becoming self-motivated leading us into falsehood.

Pay close attention to the falsehoods all around you.  Ask God to remove any falsehoods that are hindering you and to protect your mind.  Ask Him with a sincere heart to make your motives pure as well.  
Scripture to Claim:
Mixed motives twist life into tangles; pure motives take you straight down the road…
Proverbs 21:8a  (MSG)

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