Warning Signs

Praying til Pentecost Day 24

"Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed." John 20:29

Roadside traffic signs are some of the least appreciated message boards in the world. No one takes them seriously. The "YIELD" sign has to have the greatest inferiority complex. Does anyone ever really yield to the traffic that is already on the main artery? Usually the first response of most drivers is to speed up and squeeze in ahead of the opposition as if a checkered flag is just a few feet away.

The various speed limit signs do get not much respect either. Regardless of the number that is posted on them, they are always rounded up or ignored altogether. Unless there is the presence of the resident patrol officer or state police car, the warning sign does not get much notice.

Flashing lights on the dashboard of a car, or bells that ding with warning signals are meant to be aids in caring for a vehicle or to be careful to buckle up for a safe trip. People have been known to put black tape over the lights and disconnect the seat belt bells. They were the same people who inspired the great Madison Avenue campaign for an oil company, "You can pay me now, or you can pay me later."

The fifty days that separated the disciples from the gift of The Promise of the Holy Spirit were filled with unbelief. The unpardonable sin is the sin of unbelief, and Christ followers should be on the alert for any sign of it creeping back into their lives.

What are some of the signs that should not be ignored?

• Unstable in the face of crisis; talking more, and praying less.
• Nearsighted: determined to live on the basis of "Seeing is believing."
• Bitter: annoyed with God's habit of exposing lack of faith, and a lot of fear in your life.
• Embarrassed by the magnitude of God's promises and the wasteland of your reality.
• Locked in the prison of previous experiences and conventional wisdom.
• Impatient with the pace of events leading up to God's provision and deliverance.
• Exhausted by the effort it takes to make God look good to unbelieving people.
• Fear of consequences resulting from God's failure to get in on your agenda or on your schedule.

Jesus marveled or wondered at the unbelief of the people of His hometown who could trust Him to heal them, but could not find the faith to believe in Him as their Savior. His assessment of the day's work was different from those who had seen him perform miracles in their town. He was of the opinion that He had been unable to do any great work (miracle) there except heal a few people. The last word on the subject says much about what Jesus thought was important. "He wondered at their unbelief." (Mark 6:6)

When Jesus encountered an honest man who cried out, "Help my unbelief." (Mark 9:24) He met him at the point of his need, and helped him through the barrier of unbelief.

Principle: Unbelief is the flashing light on the dashboard of your faith that points out something is not right under the hood of your heart.

Jesus felt very strongly about unbelief in any form, and He especially warned against speaking any blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. "Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven. (Matthew 12:31)

In Greek language, "faith" and "believe" are clearly kissing cousins. They have the same root system, and bear a similar fruit. "Believe" is the verb form of the word "faith." To believe is more than an intellectual assent to a list of dogmas, the checking of the box on a membership card, the signing of a church covenant, or the successful completion of a catechism class. Belief is profoundly rooted in a faith. A person becomes a "believer" when they put their trust and confidence in the Person of Jesus Christ as their only hope of forgiveness and hope of salvation. Belief is an event and a process. It is an instantaneous response to the call of Christ on one's life, but it is also developed into much more by constantly placing it into action in obedience to His commands.

The Risen Lord came into the lives of His disoriented and discouraged disciples to deliver the good news of His victory over death, and the promise of the Holy Spirit who would be sent to them when He ascended into heaven. They would have difficulty grasping what He was saying until the Holy Spirit took hold of them. The result was a transformation of weak men into powerful spokesmen for the cause of Christ.

When the warning signs of unbelief are flashing in your face, and distracting you from the signs that God has posted along the way, don't forget to pray, "Jesus take the wheel!"

Quote of the Day: "As the Father has sent Me, I also send you!" John 20:21

Warning Signs of Unbelief

Praying til Pentecost Day 23

"But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples were saying to him, 'We have seen the Lord!' But he said to them, 'Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.' After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, 'Peace be with you.' " John 20:24-26

One of my favorite plaques is one that I saw written in an imitation Hebrew font with the words, "SHALOM, Y'ALL." It puts the unique Texas twang to the common Jewish greeting to give it a contemporary significance. God always has a way of taking the common things in life and making them uncommonly significant. Three times in the twentieth chapter of John, Jesus says, "Peace be with you." He most probably was making this expression in the popular Aramaic language used among the people of His day. It probably was the word shalom. Shalom was a greeting used among the people of Israel in ancient times, and it remains a popular expression among Israelis today.

When it is translated from the Greek word, eirene, it carries an implication of prosperity, blessing, quietness, rest, or simply peace. Shalom, the equivalent expression in Hebrew, could be used as a salutation or a sendoff. Coming or going it was always appropriate to give a word of blessing.

With this greeting, Jesus was trying to calm the storm in the lives of His disciples. He had already sent them two messages to leave Jerusalem and return to Galilee. He had visited them personally, but one of the remaining eleven had been absent. Eight days later the ten men who had seen Jesus personally tried to convince Thomas they had seen the Risen Lord. He remained unconvinced. His attitude and remarks have pegged him for over 2,000 years as "Doubting Thomas." His name has become synonymous with unbelief and lack of faith. What a bad rap!

The ten disciples who had seen the physical presence of the Risen Lord were still in the same room discussing their options eight days after His personal appearance to them. They were still in the city of Jerusalem, and not a step closer to Galilee. They had heard the truth from the lips of Jesus, but they had not obeyed Him yet. Thomas may have not believed what he had not seen, but the ten disciples had not obeyed what they had heard. Thomas was in a state of unbelief, but the ten were in a state of rebellion. They had heard, but they had not obeyed. Delayed obedience is still a virulent form of disobedience. It is no great substitute for immediate compliance. Delayed obedience is rebellion. Hearing and ignoring what they heard did not place the disciples above Thomas. They were still in the process of taking what Jesus said under advisement. No wonder the disciples are so popular among churches today. Every one of them could be the patron saint of delay.

Eight days later, Thomas was the only honest man in the room. When Jesus entered the room for the second time, Thomas was there. At least he knew, and admitted he was an unbeliever. The other ten men were posers. If they were true believers they would have left a note for Thomas, and left for Galilee. Their act of obedience would have said more to Thomas about their beliefs than all of their pleading and lecturing.

Jesus came with the words of peace to calm the choppy waters in their hearts. The disciples had heard from Him eight days earlier, but they were still trapped in the harbor of their own fears. They had yet to apply what Jesus had already told them to do. Praying and waiting for further clarification of explicit marching orders may make a person appear to be spiritually sensitive, and humble. It is a mere mirage of true belief. In reality, it is true rebellion. The next time we find the disciples they have arrived in Galilee. Their rebellion only postponed a reunion with the Risen Lord. Their obedience put them in a position to hear from Jesus again.

One of the first warning signs of unbelief is being unstable in the face of crisis. It manifests itself in talking more and praying less. The Chinese form the word crisis by combining two different characters. One of the characters is danger and the other is opportunity. They consider crisis to be a dangerous opportunity. Christ followers become Christ "ignorers" when they talk more about a crisis than they pray about it. Christ followers get trapped in this prison of doubt when they fail to apply what they know to be true. Discussing the truth is not as important as applying the truth. Applying the truth always brings about consequences. Delaying to obey the truth brings about consequences too. The wise Christ follower will obey what they know to be true, the first time they hear it, with the right heart attitude and leave the consequences in God's hands. Regardless of the fear, remember, Jesus says, "Peace be with you!"

Shalom y'all!
 

Receive

Praying til Pentecost Day 22

"Receive the Holy Spirit." John 20:22

The message of the Risen Christ to the eleven disciples included a mandate for His mission and the means to achieve it. First they would have to accept the mandate. Before there was any power for the mission, there would have to be an awareness of their weakness for the task. The scope of the vision, and the strength of the enemy made a daunting war look impossible to win.

God specializes in doing the impossible with some of the most improbable people. A quick look around the room at the faces of the ten disciples would not build up a lot of confidence. These were the chosen few who would lead the way in carrying out the world wide movement of God. Among them were a political zealot, a few fishermen, a tax collector, men with anger issues, and an assortment of other wannabees and underachievers. Thomas was conspicuously absent from the gathering mentioned in John's account. Eight days later he would receive a personal visit and a mild rebuke from the Risen Lord for his "seeing is believing" kind of faith. The prospects of Kingdom growth did not look good.

From the motley crew of men hiding out in fear of their lives would rise up and spread out around the globe the message of hope for a lost world. In a few short days they would be transformed into courageous and eloquent spokesmen for the cause of the Risen Christ. What they needed for this transformation to take place had not been received yet.

Jesus told them He would send them out to do what His Father had sent Him to do. He breathed on them and told them, "Receive the Holy Spirit." This was not a little bit of the Spirit, or an early spark of the "flames of fire" that would come at Pentecost. This was a forecast of the spiritual dynamic that would be in play in the post resurrection world. They would be leaving a physical relationship with Jesus, and entering into a spiritual relationship with the Spirit of Christ. To receive the power of the Holy Spirit, they would have to breath in the Person of the Holy Spirit. Their willingness to receive would be preceded by a breathless anticipation. They would have to be out of breath before they recognized the stale air of personal effort and marginal ability was not enough for them to carry out the assignment they had been given. The loss of the physical Presence of Jesus would be replaced by the Promise of God.

One of the great joys of being raised in a Texas church has been the phenomenal "dinner on the grounds" celebrations. It doesn't take much effort to find a reason to throw a feed at a church. Any excuse will do. People who are new to this kind of event are always flabbergasted by the amount of food that is piled up on the tables. They are always amazed at the way the system works. It may not be a "loaves and fishes" kind of a miracle, but it is a pretty unusual way to plan a meal. You bring what little bit you have to the table, and you get to take part in a buffet of bounty. Over the years I have watched people bring everything from a sack full of greasy bologna sandwiches to a pan full of burned bottom biscuits. It just didn't matter. They did what they could do, and they were welcome at the table. One hundred percent of success in this kind of deal is showing up with what you can bring to the table, in order to get in on what you will never receive by sitting at home and pouting about how little you have. Receiving an invitation to one of these gatherings is an experience you do not want to ignore.

The disciples had come to the end of their rope. They had talked the crucifixion of Jesus to death and still did not have a grasp on the power of His resurrection. They were not breathless in anticipation of the Risen Lord, but out of breath from conversation with one another. They had been presented with a series of problems, and their math did not add up. Prayer had not entered into the equation before Jesus entered into the room.

When Jesus breathed into the stale air of a locked room, He unleashed a dynamic that would change the lives of a few men, and they would lead the way to transforming the lives of millions of people. It would all begin with the word receive. To receive what the Spirit could offer to them, they would have to come to the point of their need. When they brought what little they had to the table, God provided abundantly all they would ever need to carry out His mission.

Praying men and women are still in a position to receive what the Spirit brings to the table. People who are breathless in prayer can expect to have power for the journey. "Prayer is how we set our sails to catch the breath of Heaven." G. Campbell Morgan

Quote of the Day: "We do what we believe in; all the rest is just religious talk." Peter Lord

Pass It On

Praying til Pentecost Day 21

"As the Father has sent Me, I also send I you. " John 20:21

The Risen Christ instructed His disciples that the baton of His mission on earth was about to be passed to them. God had sent His Son into the world to share the good news of salvation. Jesus was going home to be seated next to His Father, and He was leaving the eleven disciples behind to take on His mission to the world.

My athletic career reads like a Greek tragedy. It is not an inspiring collection of victories, but it does contain a few chapters of lessons learned in the agony of defeat. One of the greatest lessons I learned was from Coach Clyde Hart of Baylor University. He was my college coach, and is today recognized as one of the premier track coaches in America. I didn't have much to do with the embellishment of his credentials, but I do have an appreciation for the man and his methods. He had a personal interest in sprinters, and the relay races that required the safe passage of a baton from one man to another. He reminded us daily that the baton was the focus of the race. Victory did not go to the fastest man, or the fastest team, but to the fastest baton. Running fast without the safe delivery of the baton would mean defeat. Dropping the baton and finishing the race ahead of a team that was slower, safer and surer would not bring a medal. The baton was the key. We were told to watch our lanes, stay within the lines, focus on the baton, grip it firmly and not to let go until the next man had it in his hand securely. This is hard to do when the arms and legs are flailing, the "spit and vinegar" is flying and aggressive men are merging into a tight space with spikes on their feet and a finish line in their sights. In the midst of a great adrenalin rush, or intense collisions with the enemy the baton can be dropped. We were told to protect the baton, and not to come to the finish line without it.

The disciples were not being invited to enter a fitness program to develop their own spiritual strength. They were being passed the baton of the Gospel, the good news of salvation. They were going to be runners carrying the same message that Jesus had brought from God's lips to men's ears. Perhaps even more accurately, they were being given a commission in a marching army, and told to run to the sound of the guns. They were not heading to the finish line to receive a trophy, but they were being commissioned to charge to the gates of hell and attack.

Death had no hold on Jesus. The disciples were being forewarned that their mission in life was going to be focused on safely delivering the message of God. They were to pass on the good news of eternal life available to people through putting their faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.

Only God knows what the disciples really heard, or understood when Jesus spoke these words to them. The chances are pretty good that they did not comprehend what they were being commissioned to do. At that moment, the challenge of the call was not so important to them as the reality of the Presence of the Risen Lord. When Jesus was with them, He made everything seem possible. Whatever He told them to do probably seemed secondary to the fact that they were within reach of a personal touch from Him.

The joy of His Presence has the capacity to overcome the fear of His mission. When Christ followers focus more on the details of the mission more than conversation with the Master, the demands of the system will always overshadow the Savior. Jesus offered Himself to the disciples first, and then He gave them an assignment.

The power of the resurrection was going to be released in the lives of the disciples through the Person of the Holy Spirit. The purpose of the 50 days of waiting between Easter and Pentecost was two fold. This period of time brought the disciples to the end of themselves so they would be ready to receive The Promise of The Spirit. This 50 day delay also provided travel time that brought the greatest number of people into Jerusalem for a very popular feast day. God would seize the day of the Feast of Pentecost, and deliver His church to have a world wide impact through the lives of obedient Christ followers.

Contrary to popular belief, people really do love to get good news. They may not receive the baton of salvation the first time it is passed to them. The role of the Christ follower is to protect the baton, and pass it on again and again. Run to the sound of the guns, and pass it on.

Quote of the Day: "What powerfully poignant observations Jesus makes on the dangers of being around the Living Word and our still not responding, of having it fall on our ears only as optional pieces of information rather than as required hearing for personal change." Jack Hayford

The Presence

Praying til Pentecost Day 20

"He showed then both His hand and His side." John 20:2

"They gave Him a piece of broiled fish..." Luke 24:42-43

The Risen Christ revealed to the eleven disciples that He was not a spirit, and so much more than a belief, concept or an idea. He was a physical Presence with a real body that people could touch and feel. He was alive, breathing and able to enter into a fellowship with people He loved, and who needed to be in touch with Him. This was a foreshadowing of the kind of impact that the Risen Christ intended for His Body, the church, to have on people who needed a touch from God. The Risen Christ gave the disheartened disciples new hope. The Church of the Risen Lord remains the last great hope of the world.

When I was a small boy I was not a fan of fried chicken or fish of any kind. This was a severe theological dilemma for me. My pastor-father would often remind me that I could never become a preacher unless I could learn to eat fried chicken. He said it was the only meal I would ever see on Sunday when I went over to eat at someones home. Seriously, I remember where I was sitting when I first heard this. Never underestimate the capacity of a child to grasp theological truth! From the vantage point of my chair at the kitchen table of the church parsonage on 1426 South Fitzhugh in Dallas, Texas I could see a great spiritual battle shaping up. The other front I was fighting on was the regularly scheduled fish fries that the men of the church would hold. They didn't like it when I showed up with a hot dog in my hand. The "brotherhood" would often remark that I was in need of some kind of revival in my taste buds before I would be ready to be a preacher.

From the earliest birth pangs of the church, food and fellowship have played a vital role. The eleven disciples were sharing an evening meal of broiled fish. They had already heard two resurrection reports from very reliable witnesses. They had rejected both. Someone had said it was time to eat, and a meal had been prepared. They may have lost their hope, but they had not lost their appetite. In the middle of their meal, Jesus showed up.

After The Risen Lord reproached them for their unbelief, He took a piece of broiled fish and ate it. He was showing them how real He was, and dispelling any further disbelief in His physical Presence. He was in the room, and He was in reach.

Often, I have had people say to me, "Preacher, I'm sorry, but I won't be there with you on Sunday, but I will be with you in spirit." I can't say that their spirit was ever a source of real encouragement to me. I learned to respond to their "excused absence" with, "Thanks for leaving your spirit behind, but cash would be better."

Jesus did not show up in spirit. He showed up in Person. The eleven could see His body. They could touch His body. They could share their meal with Him, and He was able to partake of it. The Risen Christ gives us a glimpse in this encounter of what His Body, the church would be able to do.

The Body of Christ was never meant to be a list of dogmatic principles, a refrigerator of ice cold concepts, or a dust covered tome of stale philosophy. It was going to be established by the The Promise of the Father to provide a physical representation of the Presence of the Risen Lord in the world. It was going to be an exhibit of the capacity of Jesus to be in touch with people and to have fellowship with them. The Apostle John expressed the reality of this representation with the words, "As He is, so are we in this world." (I John 4:17) Thanks John, for keeping it real, and keeping it short and sweet.

When Jesus finished His rebuke of the disciples for their unbelief, He offered them a renewed fellowship with Him. This Sunday, all over the world, the faithful will gather together to hear the Word of God. It is meant to purge the body of believers from the cancer of unbelief and renew their personal touch with their Savior. In most cases food will be involved. It may be communion, coffee and donuts, breakfast, a brunch, dinner on the grounds or an evening banquet, but the people of faith will share a bite or two with one another. For the most part, these meals are intended to break down the barriers between people and draw them closer into fellowship with the local body.

It is interesting to me that one of the earliest encounters of the Risen Lord with His followers included the rebuke of unbelief, a fresh touch from His hand, and a little bit of comfort food. Sounds like an order of worship to me.

Quote of the Day: "The church has enough crowd pleasers already. What we need is a bumper crop of mature believers who are content to pray to an audience of one." Tony Evans

Hard Heart

Praying til Pentecost Day 19

"He reproached them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen Him after He had risen." Mark 16:14 (Luke 24:38)

During his earthly ministry prior to His resurrection, Jesus shared his strongest words of rebuke for the religious elite. He did not suffer their foolishness gladly. He called them "whited sepulchres" and cleared the Temple of all their self-promotion and commercialism. He reminded them His house was to be a house of prayer.

After His resurrection, The Risen Christ presented a sterner voice to those who had been His followers. Whenever their belief in His Presence of His word did not match His expectation, Jesus would reproach them for it. He would not tolerate unbelief in Kingdom. This was cardinal sin.

• The couple on the road to Emmaus heard Him say, "O foolish ones and slow of heart to believe!"
• The eleven disciples heard, "He reproached them for their unbelief..."
• The Church of Ephesus heard,"I have this against you!"

I remember well a conversation with a church lady in Georgia that still chills my heart. She was upset that I didn't present a more politically correct image of Jesus. She wanted to hear about the "meek and mild Shepherd Jesus" of her childhood. She thought that I was sharing too much about the demands of discipleship and His call to reach out aggressively to a lost world around us. I listened as politely as I could, trying to remember Scriptural warnings about treating my elders with respect. I thought I had a piece of insight that might clear this up for her. I should have known better. I reminded her that the Jesus we worship was not comfortable with compromise of His Father's message, and even took out His rebuke out on people who had turned The Temple into a den of thieves. When I explained the shepherds of Jesus' day would commonly use their staff to discipline a wandering or head strong sheep by whacking it on the back or even breaking its leg, I thought she was going to get the vapors. She gasped out, "Well even Jesus sinned!" That is when I got faint. I told her that was not an option for the Son of God. Her response was a change of subject. She said, "You know there are people here who would not vote for you to be their pastor if the vote was taken today!" I responded by saying, "That's why you only get to vote once!" We were so done.

The Christ of the 40 Days was The Risen Lord. He was not an illegitimate carpenter's son living with a cloud of scandal over His head. He was the Son of God and a recent victor over death, hell and the grave. Satan knew He was alive, and Jesus was getting weary of the hesitancy of "The Eleven" to grasp the truth of the victory that He was trying to get into their hands.

The original group of twelve disciples had been cut down to eleven by the suicide of Judas Iscariot. They had hidden themselves away from the religious authorities and the street mobs. They had heard from the women about the Risen Lord and called their story nonsense and unbelievable. Peter had tried to confirm it with his own visit to the empty tomb, but had not seen Jesus. Now the couple from Emmaus had returned with their report of the Risen Lord and the eleven did not believe them either. When Jesus entered the room while the second message was being delivered, the disciples were startled and frightened. They must have looked like they had seen a ghost. It was not their finest hour.

The Risen Lord "reproached them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed those who had seen Him after He had risen." Anyway this passage is translated, it does not produce an image of a sweet Shepherd gently humming a lullaby to the faint-hearted. Jesus immediately delivers a wake up call to the hard-hearted, by dealing with the cancer that will destroy the Body of Christ...UNBELIEF.

This Greek word translated "unbelief" is the source for the word "apostasy." Jesus was not giving the disciples a title they wanted to keep, but they had earned it nonetheless. His words were strong, and deliberate. This was not a hot headed anger as much as a cold slap in the face to an insult given to a superior. If a kinder word would have been appropriate, The Holy Spirit would have called for its use. This was a glass of ice water in the faces of the eleven, and it was meant to be a wake up call for them.

When someone was reproached or upbraided it was meant to defame their behavior as being unwarranted and unacceptable. It paints a picture of the Risen Lord taking their words of unbelief and throwing them back in their teeth. The word describes an action that included taunting, chiding and railing against the disgraceful behavior of a person until they were publicly humiliated. In the military, the upbraiding of a disgraced officer meant that his decorations and medals of past victories were removed from his chest and his shoulders as he was degraded and demoted in the eyes of his men. What Jesus was doing with the eleven was not pretty, and gratefully we are left with little detail of what He said. We only know that He does not coddle unbelief in His citizens, and He purges it from His Kingdom.

They should have known not to take the word of the Son of God lightly. They had been raised on the Scriptures of the Law and the Prophets. In the Old Testament, the concept of "hear" and "obey" are virtually synonymous. The Hebrew word for "hear" is "shema." No less than 40 times from Genesis to Zecharia this same word is translated "obey." When the call to "hear" went out it carried the implication of obedience. To hear was to obey especially then the word came from God.

Life Action Summits have a phrase about obedience that has stuck with me since March of 1995. "Obedience is responding to God the first time He speaks with the right heart attitude." Delayed obedience may ultimately be obedience, but there is the consequence of great liability from even the slightest delay to obey.

The Risen Lord had much to share with His followers. He was not holding out on them, but they were backing up from Him. Unbelief is a thief that robs the Christ follower from a life of hope and confidence in the word of God. It leads to a hard heart and an empty life.

The solution is found in cultivating a responsiveness to the voice of God. To hear is to obey. His wish is our command. The more readily we obey, the better we hear. Obedience is the world's greatest hearing aid. Hearing from God leads to an obedience to God. This cultivates a confidence, a trust or a faith in God's capacity to surprise us with more than we had hoped, and dreamed.

"So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." (Romans 10:17)

Quote of the Day: "Our problem is not so much that God doesn't give us what we hope for as it is that we don't know the right thing for which to hope...Hope is not what you expected; it is what you would never dream...it is the zany, unpredictable dependence on a God who loves to surprise us out of our socks, and be there in the flesh to see our reaction." Max Lucado

Synergy

Praying til Pentecost Day 18

"And while they were telling these things, He himself stood in their midst. But they were startled and frightened and thougt they were seeing a spirit." Luke 24:36 (See Mark 18:14)

I have to admit a fascination with the concept of synergy. When two people cooperate to lift an object that neither of them can lift alone, they are able to do together what they cannot do apart. When two plow horses are harnessed together, they can lift much more together than they can by pulling by themselves.

Synergy is the very energy of teamwork, and it is the essence of power in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus offers His Person and His Power through His Holy Spirit to those believers who will admit their need for His Presence in their lives.

The Apostle Paul was convinced that an admission of his weakness was the key that unlocked the door to the power of the resurrection. He stated, "God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things that are strong." (I Cor. 1:27) To the same church he later explained, "'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.' Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore,...when I am weak, then I am strong." (II Cor. 12:9-10)

I have always enjoyed working with my daughters on projects around the house. When Ashley was a tiny two year old I taught her how to paint. One day, I was painting rooms in the house in Houston and she wanted to help. I gave her a wall and got her started with small brush and a bucket of paint. I showed her with my hand on hers how the brush needed to go up and down and the paint smoothed so there were no bubbles or streaks left on the wall. She was intent on doing what I said, and very precise. Eventually she got bored with the project and I was able to go over it with a more powerful roller and complete what she had started. Spending time with her was my real purpose in teaching her how to paint. I didn't need her help, but I wanted to spend time with her. This may be a clue to the reason God has chosen to call the disciples of Jesus to deliver His message and in the process of getting the message out admitting their need for help.

My previous positive experience in father/daughter bonding convinced me it was safe to get a little more aggressive with our youngest daughter Allyson. She was a three year old and she was intrigued with the way I hammered nails. I got her a hammer and placed it in her hands. She was excited. I cautioned her to let me help her. WE took some nails and began to pound them into a piece of scrap wood TOGETHER. It was a lot of fun for her and me. I had my hand wrapped around hers, and she had her hands on the hammer and the nails. It was a great synergistic effort. No harm! No foul! Everybody was happy. The next evening I returned home and was met at the door by a tearful toddler holding up a mangle little forefinger with both hands. Dana gave me the look. Somehow I knew this was my fault.

Allyson had found the hammer and the nails and started pounding them without my help. The result was an instant disaster. It was a mess! I scooped her up in my arms to comfort her, knowing exactly what had happened. She hit the nail very hard, but the nail was on the end of her own finger. After plenty of blood, ice and tears we came to an understanding. She would not hammer nails unless I placed my hands on top of hers to help her. If she would just admit she needed help, I could bring the power she needed for the task at hand. The power was in the presence of a father placing his hands on the hands of his child while the work was taking place.

"And while they were telling these thing, He Himself stood in their midst." Can you see the synergy that is revealed in that statement? "They" are the two disciples who had recently walked and talked with Jesus for seven miles on the downhill road to Emmaus. They had urged Jesus to stay with them longer, and share a meal. After He blessed the bread and handed it to them, they recognized their traveling companion as the resurrected Lord. The got up that very hour to travel back up the hill to Jerusalem, and faithfully and probably breathlessly delivered the news of their heart stirring encounter with the Risen Christ. The eleven remaining men of the original twelve disciples were not impressed. They had heard this wild story before and they chose not to believe these faithful messengers.

The word "While" triggers the concept of synergy in this passage. The messengers were not responsible for the response to their message. They were faithful to deliver the message and Jesus did the rest. This is a picture of the kind of teamwork that God is going to use to spread His message to a lost world. The message will require flesh and blood to knock on the door. However, the while the messenger is in the process of walking, knocking, and talking to those who need to hear the message, Jesus will take His stand in the midst of their efforts.

God invites the disciples of the Risen Lord to cooperate with Him in sharing the greatest story ever told. The power is not in the courage or the eloquence of the messengers. The power is in The Presence of the Risen Christ. Jesus showed up in the room "while they were telling these things." This is a foretaste of what is to come after the Promise of the Father is delivered to the faithful, and work of the Holy Spirit begins in the heart of every believer.

Prayer is an admission of weakness. Prayerless people are prideful people who would rather do things themselves and not be bothered with coming to God for any help. It is only when a person prayerfully admits their need for strength that the power of the Risen Christ steps in and provides His Presence in the midst of their need. The climate of prayer provides the right atmopshere for the Spirit of God to do what He does best, lift up Jesus. The messenger is not the focus of attention. Jesus is the focus. When a messenger faithfully delivers the message of Jesus, he has done his part. Jesus shows up "while" the messenger is giving a faithful witness of what he has seen and heard about Jesus . This is the synergy of the Spirit of God that makes the message effective.

The Risen Christ reveals the role of the Holy Spirit in His arrival at the room while the disciples were sharing their message. His Presence is always there whenever His followers are relaying His message. The power of prayer revealed the Presence of the Risen Christ to the two disciples at the supper table in the roadside inn near Emmaus. When the physical Presence of The Risen Christ left the room, they ran back up hill to share the good news with an unbelieving group of eleven discouraged men. They showed up to deliver the message and Jesus showed up "while they were telling these things." Praying for the Presence of Jesus to show up to honor the telling of His message is an admission of weakness. It is also an invitation for His power.

Quote of the Day: "The Holy Spirit never descends upon prayerless men. He never fills them. He never empowers them. There is nothing whatever in common between the Spirit of God and men who do not pray. The Spirit dwells only in a prayer atmosphere." E.M. Bounds

Believe it or Not

Praying til Pentecost Day 17

"And they went away and reported it to the others, but they did not believe them either." Mark 16: 13 (Luke 24:33-35)

When we moved to Long Island, New York in 1960 my father made sure we got off "The Island" drove often into Manhattan to see the sights of "The City." This is what the people in the area called New York City. You didn't have to be any more specific than that. Everyone knew what you meant when you said you were going to "The City."

I went to school with friends on Long Island who had lived in the metropolitian New York area all their lives, and still had not been to "The City." I will always be grateful that Dad wouldn't let us cocoon up and hide from one of the more intimidating cities of the world. He generated in us a spirit of adventure that still remains in me today.

We hit the hot spots on our first few trips to New York City. This included the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, Trinity Church, Battery Park, Broadway, Time Square, Macy's, Central Park, Grand Central Station, Madison Square Garden, and many other tourist destinations. One of the visits that appealed to me the most as a young boy was one that took us to "Ripley's Believe it or Not" Museum. WOW! I could have stayed there for days. It was an incredible menagerie of man made cons and unusual natural discoveries. It was sensory overload. Even seeing these things with my own eyes, I struggled with unbelief. I had never seen anything like it. It was way out of my range of reference and personal experience. The proof was set before me, and I had a choice. Just like Ripley said, "Believe it or Not!"

Mark's Gospel account is a fast read. He writes with the heart of a breathless sprinter gasping and grasping for the finish line. He is intent on cutting out the non-essentials and one of his favorite words is "IMMEDIATELY."

With this in mind it is important to notice that Mark places huge importance on the issue of belief. This is the keystone to citizenship in the Kingdom of God. Every person must hear the Word of God, and make a personal response to it. Christianity is just one generation away from extinction, if the story of salvation is not passed down from one generation to another. Each person who hears the story of Jesus must choose to accept or reject His message. Those who hear it regularly and reject Him often do not deserve another chance to hear it while there remain so many around the world who have never heard the story once.

One of the most stunning passages of Scripture is reported by him. He quotes Jesus after he encountered unbelief from the people in his boyhood home of Nazareth. "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and among his own relatives and in his own household.' And He could do no miracle there except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He wondered at their unbelief." (Mark 6:4-6)

Both Mark and Luke report that "The Eleven" were guilty of unbelief...TWICE. They had heard from the women who had met with Jesus at the empty tomb, and they had received a report from the couple who had been met by Him on the road to Emmaus. Jesus had given them two direct command s from reliable messengers to get their show on the road and meet Him in Galilee. He promised them that He would meet them there, but they were going to have to get moving if they wanted to get in touch with Him again. Their response had been unbelief on both occasions.

From Mark's earlier account (Mark 6:4-6) it is clear that Jesus does not consider healing people to be a great work. The King James Version uses this term for miracle, and goes on to remark that Jesus "marveled" at their unbelief. What a statement! The people had no problem accepting His healing power over their sickness. They just could not believe that a carpenter's son could be The Messiah. They had seen with their own eyes what Jesus could do. They just would not give Him their hearts.

The same remains true today. Very few people in this world will turn down prayers to God on their behalf. They are more than willing to receive the benefits that might come their way. This is called having their bases covered. There may be a God. There may not be a God. So why not give the "Man Upstairs" a chance to throw a little something their way. Prayers of healing are answered all the time, for those who are believers and those who are not. This is a phenomenon of God's grace that He has set in place and is an expression of His Sovereignty. The healing is just not considered to be a great work or a miracle by God. It is belief that is the greatest work that is done in the life of a person.

Initial belief in Jesus is a life-saving event. Continuing to place trust and belief in Jesus with a daily walk with Him is a life-changing process. One of my heroes of faith is "Wild Bill" Stafford from Chattanooga, Tennessee. He always puts this idea of belief down on the bottom shelf where I can reach it. Here is one of my favorite quotes from this great man of God.

• "A glance at Jesus will save you, but a gaze at Jesus will sanctify you." Bill Stafford.

When the Risen Christ walked on earth among His disciples for 40 days after the resurrection, He was teaching them about the Kingdom of heaven. His Presence would be provided to them with the gift of The Promise. To get in on what God had for them they were going to have to learn to obey the first time they heard God speak to to them. Unbelief always hinders the greatest work the Spirit of God can do in the life of a believer.

Quote of the Day: "Is Jesus Christ saying to you, 'My child, when will you believe what I say?' Is there a particular problem in your life that has made you become slow of heart to believe? Do not let the stupidity grow. Seek what the Word of God has to say about it. Oh, there is such a need for people who will search the Bible and learn what God is saying to them!" Oswald Chambers

Stay With Us

Praying til Pentecost Day 16

"...they urged Him, 'Stay with us..." Luke 24:30

The Risen Christ initiated every post resurrection contact with His followers. His true followers desired close, continued, and consistent companionship with Him. The couple on the road to Emmaus had a choice to make. After a heart stirring conversation, they could have politely excused themselves, and let Jesus walk on down the road, and away from them. They chose to invite Him to stay with them and share their evening meal.

Crossroads in life are sometimes seen more easily through the rear view mirror than they are through the windshield of immediate circumstances. Knowing God's will for our lives sometimes feels like a continuous Easter Egg Hunt. Every time we get close to the prized egg someone seems to kick it into the tall grass.

Looking back at choices that have been made in life can be a mixed bag of "What if?" and "Thank God!" There are some choices in life that don't really matter. Mixing a paisley patterned tie with a Madras plaid jacket may be a poor fashion choice, but it probably will not end the world as we know it. There are some decisions that have life changing consequences.

As a six year old boy I found a child sized hunger in my heart for a man sized relationship with God. Through the gentle guidance of my father, I asked all of the Jesus I knew to come in and take over all of the life that I had. This decision was a watershed moment that has had a long lasting impact on every other choice I have made.

The choice to go to East Africa and serve for two years as missionary Journeyman was not made with a great deal of insight or prayer. God used my availability and met me there in Tukuyu, Tanzania. When I was 23 years old, He took my first grade faith and introduced Himself to me with a fresh sense of His power and His Presence. Coming to the end of myself was a great way to come to the beginning of God.

Returning to the States and enrolling at Southwestern Seminary had been a long planned out decision. I had felt God's leading of my life towards Fort Worth as early as October 1973. After my first week of classes, I went to the home of Dr. W. Fred Swank to seek his advice. He told me to find a good church and join it and make yourself indispensable to the pastor. He told me that he only recommended men to serve in churches that he had known to be faithful laymen. He said God would take care of the rest of the details. I joined Sagamore Hill Baptist Church the following Sunday, and met my future wife there the following night. Four months later I was on his church staff. I often wonder what would have happened if I had not taken his sound advice.
So glad I did. Dana and I are in our 34th year of marriage. Good call Bro. Fred!

Over the years the choices in life have been relentless. The one common thread that has run through each of them is my desire to know in some form of fashion WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?) I have to confess I was never a fan of wearing the rubber band bracelets imprinted with the letters WWJD. Still, I always appreciated the sentiment behind it. BTW! I found out that during the height of their popularity that the one item shop lifted most out of Christian bookstores was the WWJD bracelets. Got to wonder what was going on in their minds when the five finger discount artists were making that choice!

The two disciples making their way from the scene of a disaster were approached by the Risen Christ. He asked them to tell Him the things that they had been discussing with one another. Sarcastically and resentfully they poured out a laundry list of "What ifs." They were trapped in the pain of the past and the loss of hope for the future. Jesus walked with them and used the Scriptures to unfold what God was about, and as He spoke they had a stirring in their heart that was not there before He arrived. The account in Luke's Gospel says that Jesus acted as if he would go farther, but the couple pleaded with Him to stay and share a meal with them.

I have often wondered what would have happened to them if they had let the moment pass, and let Jesus go on His way. It has become a challenge to me to always make sure I don't ask Jesus to answer my questions about the future, and kick Him to the curb as soon as I find out what I want to know. My walk with God is not so much about knowing about the future, but in getting with Him in the present.

The couple had a choice to make and they chose wisely. They seemed to know instinctively that their future was tied very closely to the continuation of their conversation with this unnamed companion. Their response reminded me of one of my favorite quotes, "Knowing God's will for your life in specifics, comes out of the overflow of a consistent companionship with God." Lloyd John Ogilvie

They did not want the session with Risen Savior to end. When I forget that my walk with Jesus is the next twenty seconds, then I become breathless about the future, and too reflective about the past.

Walking and talking with Jesus brought the couple to one level of God's plan for them. When they invited Him to stay with them, they were taken to a new level of intimacy with Jesus. The power of His prayer over the breaking of the bread seemed to open their eyes to the Risen Christ.

Prayer has the same power today that it did on that evening in Emmaus. Jesus is available to us when we choose to be available to spend time with Him. The life giving power of the resurrection is released through consistent companionship with the One who has conquered death. Spending time in prayer to get answers to our questions about the future is a poor substitute for sitting down and spending time with Jesus and enjoying His companionship in the present. Perhaps we can learn an ancient lesson with contemporary impact on us by repeating the same words to Jesus today..."Stay with us."

The Lord's Day

Praying til Pentecost Day 13

"Now late on the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave." Matthew 28:1

In a few short days, I will turn 60. April 3o, 1950 was a Sunday. My parent's often remind me that I was born on the "Lord's Day." Dad still loves to tell the story about my birth. He had preached his morning message at First Baptist Church of Wilmer, Texas and he and Mom were having Sunday lunch with a family from their church. After lunch they were enjoying a dessert of strawberry shortcake, when it was interrupted by a hospital run to Baylor Hospital in Dallas. Actually, the little hospital was Florence Nightingale on Gaston Avenue. By the mid fifties it had been absorbed into Baylor's expansion. Some things never change.

Over the years my parents have given me a healthy respect for the Lord's Day. They have pointed out that my birth forever changed how they looked at Sunday. They had a son born on the first day of the week, the same day that Jesus rose from the grave. To them, Sunday would always be associated with birth, and all the details that surrounded it. At 88 Dad still loves to recall that he never got to finish his dessert. He says that he drove at a high rate of speed from Wilmer to Dallas, and never saw a sign of a police officer. Fathers did not go to the delivery room in those days, so he waited with the other "expectant" dads in the lobby. After my safe delivery, he left Mom at the hospital and returned to Wilmer to preach the evening message. Did I mention that Dad was a Southern Baptist preacher and this was the fifties? His minister of music surprised him by wearing a special bow tie. Just before the service began, he called for the houselights to be turned off and he turned on his tie. It flashed the message, "IT'S A BOY!"
Dad loves this story!

With the message of the Risen Christ, Sunday is forever marked as a day of new beginnings for all of us. It should not surprise us that God turns the grave into a nursery. He allows the women to return to the tomb, and turns it into a triumph. In spite of their love for Jesus, they could not grasp the concept of the resurrection until they heard Him call their name.

I am so glad that God consistently defies my expectations. One of the first books that helped me begin to see the hand of God working outside of the little box I had placed Him in was, "Your God is Too Small." J.B. Phillips had a way of using the English language that painted a picture of the greatness of God, and the inadequacy of man's effort. One of my favorite Phillips quotes comes from his personal translation of the Scripture. "Don't let the world squeeze you into its own mold." (Romans 12:2) See what I mean?

The world looks at a grave yard as the finale. God defies the odds and turns it into a prelude. Only God would take an instrument of death and turn it into a symbol of hope. When the salve of the cross is placed on the scorched skin of sin, He brings healing and hope that takes away the sting of death.

The Gospel writers all sing the prelude of the Risen Christ's victory song. With beautiful harmony they each add their part to the great message, "He is not here, for He has risen just as He said." All of them sing their part with a unique voice, but they are all on the same song sheet. The prelude beings in Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:1, Luke 24:1, and John 20:1. It continues every Sunday in churches all over the world who look to the Risen Christ to walk and talk with them every day of their lives.

Sunday is more of a birthday than a memorial service. The Son of God said, "I came that they might have life, and have it more abundantly." (John 10:10) You have to love the way God takes the sting out of the grave, and invites people to celebrate life.

Sunday is a day of hope, and it has been forever changed by the power and the Presence of the Risen Christ. The Sabbath day culminated the end of a week of work, and was set aside as a day of rest. This was an emphasis on regaining strength by refocusing on the Sovereignty of God. Sunday was the day the work was to all begin again until the day of rest returned. With the resurrection, Sunday's prominence rose in significance. No longer would it be looked upon as the initiation of the work week, but it would become the celebration of the work that Jesus completed on the cross.

Every Sunday is Easter Sunday, and every day is a day of hope through the power of the resurrection. Regardless of the rough seas that we must sail through on any given day of the week, Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father and prays for us. He has given us the Holy Spirit to dwell within us and call us to the kind of prayer that creates intimate communication between the Heavenly Father and His children. Regardless of the day of the week, prayer puts us in contact with the power of God, and the Presence of Jesus.

"Prayer is how we set our sails to catch the wind of heaven." G. Campbell Morgan.