One day in mid-May 1980, I received a call late on a Saturday night at my home in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, a booming bedroom community outside of Tulsa. I had already gone to bed anticipating a busy Sunday at church where Dana and I were serving as the Associate Pastor of Student Ministries of First Baptist Church, B.A. The caller on the other end of the line introduced himself with a rich, deep, baritone voice as the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Houston. I was really taken aback. Instinctively, I covered the phone with my hand, and whispered to Dana, "It's Ed Young! Calling me!!" Actually, it turned out to be Dr. John Bisagno. WOW! Even better!
That phone call ended with an invitation to visit Houston on Memorial Day weekend and consider an offer to move to the city and help Dr. Bisagno pastor 3,000 single adults. Dana and I accepted the challenge to move that August and take on the assignment. As they say, "The rest is history." We spent three years in the fastest growing city in America, at the peak of the oil boom and "Urban Cowboy" culture. It was wild and crazy. Houston had three times the population of San Antonio, and the same number of freeway miles. It was terminally infected with road rage, and "Love Ya Blue" fever. It seems everyone in Houston was from somewhere else. A native Houstonian was a rare as a four leaf clover in a parking lot. Folksy, cowboy hat wearing coach "Bum" Phillips led the NFL, Houston Oilers, and his down home witticisms were always an inspiration. For the uninformed, the Tennessee Titans have their roots in a team once cheered as the Houston Oilers. Miss Ya Blue.
There were 750,000 single adults living in Houston in 1980, and we had a ton of them at HFBC. I don't know what I thought singles ministry would be like, but it involved alot of counseling. The most surprising aspect of all was that it involved a boatload of PRE-MARITAL counseling. The church employed three full time wedding coordinators, and held weddings every weekend. We conducted over 300 weddings a year, and they were often scheduled in rapid fire processions on Saturdays at 10AM, 2PM and 6PM. You get alot of single adults under one roof and you are going to have alot of weddings. Go figure.
Typically, we would have 10-15 singles a week join the church and baptize over 200 of them a year. Not bad for one staff member, and a part-time secretary. I often pointed out to the finance committee that every one of them had a job, and the 1,000 single adults attending Sunday School each week had the same stewardship punch as a church of 2,000 married adults. It never did any good. We were offered the least desired Sunday School space, and denied every request for additional assistance. With all the weddings, we were constantly having to reconfigure our leadership team. The turnover was enormous, but it was a huge boost to the attendance in the Married Young Adult area. After three years of burning the candle at both ends, I had 21 ulcers and a very weary body. I knew I wasn't going to be able to sustain the pace for much longer.
Dana and I led a weekly service for Single Adults on Friday night in the chapel. It started at 8PM and we called it "8's Thee Place." Later it morphed into the more agressive brand, "Single Hearted." This was our mission statement regarding the ministry: Single Hearted: Marked by sincerity and unity of purpose. The purpose of the ministry was to develop churchmen. We were focused on developing people you could count on, not just people you could count. While other ministires in town dealt with the touchy, feely, group hug, and gave singles dating tips, and advice on changing their oil or balancing their checkbook, we pointed them to the Word of God and prayer. Still works. Always will. Nuff said.
We were blessed to be associated with some of the finest people in the world. When we arrived in Houston, Henry and Wilma Hansen adopted us into their family. They treated our six month old daughter, Ashley, as if she was one of their own. Henry was director of our oldest single adult department. He was one of the greatest deacons to ever serve at HFBC, and he was a dear friend to me. Henry went home to be with the Lord not too long ago, but Wilma is still an active member of HFBC. She still sits in the same place in church each Sunday, just one seat over, and she still helps them count the offering. She is the original church lady. Dana and I easily found her in her place when we attended worship on August 7, 2011.
Following the worship service, Steve and Donna Bell hosted us for a reunion luncheon at a Mexican restaurant not far from HFBC. For four hours we were immersed in a steady stream of blasts from the past. It had been almost 28 years since we had seen one another, and although most of the other parts of our bodies had been rearranged, our hearts were all in the right place. It was a memorable time filled with laughter, tears, hugs, stories, and ALOT of pictures of children and grand children. It was a sensory overload of emotion and energy.
I was able to give a brief update of The Response, and thank them for their pastor's participation in the event. Greg Matte is doing a great job leading HFBC into the 21st Century. It did not surprise me to learn that Dr. Bisagno is his greatest cheerleader, and when he is in town he sits right up front to show his support for his pastor.
The Single Adults of HFBC were the first to put out a welcome mat for our youngest daughter, Allyson. She was born 28 years ago this month, the day before Hurricane Alicia hit. It was great getting to introduce her to people who have loved her from the day she was born. Donna and Steve, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am sorry it has taken us so long to get back to Houston. Dana and I look forward to doing this again, real soon.
Following the reunion, Dana and I headed to Katy, Texas to reconnect with Ray and Nancy Lewis. Ray was a deacon at HFBC, and the director of one of my youngest Single Adult departments back in 1980-83. His calm, quiet demeanor was always a great balance to my youthful, wild-eyed intensity. Ray is now 84 years of age, but I still feel my blood pressure lower when I am in his presence. Ray walked by my side faithfully for three years, and guided me away from more than one land mine. He is a pastor's friend, and his wise counsel was always a welcome relief to me. Dana was not sure the Lewises had forgiven us for taking Allyson off to Arizona. When she was only a month old, we moved to take on the pastorate of First Southern Baptist Church of Tempe. It was a long way from Ray and Nancy. Fortunately Allyson was with us when we arrived, and they let us in the house. We spent a very short hour reconnecting the love lines, and having prayer out on their patio before we headed back to Fort Worth.
The reunion we experienced in Houston is a foretaste of what God has in store for us in Heaven. Good friends are never really separated by time and space. When they get together after a long separation from one another, they just pick up where they left off in their last converstation. Love relationships are like that. They are seamless and solid, strengthened by a God-given bond that cannot be broken. We are grateful for the little taste of Heaven we were able to enjoy this past weekend. Thanks Donna and Steve for your kindness and hosptiality. FYI: Next time does the hotel have to be right next door to the Galleria? Just sayin'.
Until we meet again...TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Response
"He who corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself. And he who reproves a wicked man gets insults for himself. Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you. Reprove a wise man and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser. Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." Proverbs 9:7-10
Calling people to prayer takes the courage of a lion and the hide of a rhinoceros. When the focus is on calling pastors to return to the priority of prayer, I suggest gargling with testosterone, and adding extra body armor. From the disciples in the Garden to the ministers of today, there has always been a subtle temptation to drift away in slumber from the priority of prayer. Waking up someone from a deep sleep seldom results in a pleasant response. The Response: A Call to Prayer for a Nation in Crisis, held in Houston's Reliant Stadium on August 6th generated a wide pendulum swing of reactions. They ranged from open hostility, to benign neglect, to active participation. Excuses were many, criticsim was great, but God's call to pray was heard by thousands in spite of the opposition. The harder the opponents of The Response kept shoveling out the criticism, God kept shoveling in His favor. They shoveled out. God shoveled in. God's shovel is bigger than theirs. Always has been. Always will be. Nuff said.
In "Words to Winners of Souls" (1877), Horatius Bonar quoted the personal confession of pious Puritan preacher, Richard Baxter,
"And for myself, as I am ashamed of my dull and careless heart, and of my slow and unprofitable course of life; so, the Lord knows, I am ashamed of every sermon I preach; when I think what I have been speaking of, and who sent me, and that men's salvation or damnation is so much concerned in it, I am ready to tremble lest God should judge me as a slighter of His truths and the souls of men, and lest in the best sermon I should be guilty of their blood. Methinks we should not speak a word to men in matters of such consequence without tears or the greatest earnestness that possibly we can; were not we too much guilty of the sin which we reprove it, it would be so."
Bonar added his own confession, "We are not in earnest either in preaching or hearing. If we were, could we be so cold, so prayerless, so inconsistent, so slothful, so worldly, so unlike men whose business is all about eternity?"
For 73 intense days, Dana and I were privileged to take part in an effort to mobilize Texas Baptist pastors to participate in The Response: A Call to Prayer for a Nation in Crisis. It was Governor Perry's Joel 2 call for a solemn assembly held at the Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas on August 6, 2011. You may want to mark that date down for future reference. Something special took place more important than any Super Bowl that will ever be played in that stadium.
My small part in this great day began when I was invited to attend a meeting in Houston re: The Response on May 24th by David Lane, a long-time friend. David and I met for the first time in August of 1980, while Dana and I were serving as Minister to Single Adults on the staff of Dr. John Bisagno, Senior Pastor of Houston's First Baptist Church. During those three years at HFBC, we were so pleased to see David meet and fall in love with his future wife, Cindy. It was not love at first sight, but Cindy heard from God, and obeyed His call. She took on the daunting mission assignment, and married David. When she got on board the Lane train, we hosted their rehearsal dinner in our home, and our oldest daughter, Ashley, was a flower girl in their wedding. Years later, when I pastored in Fort Worth, David served as one of my finest deacons. He has always been a pastor's friend. God has placed a call on David's life to encourage pastors to turn their hearts to God, and to lead their people to turn the nation back to a focus on a Holy Spirit awakening. He prays for me every day. Dana and I have always felt honored to have him ask us, "Can you help me?"
The meeting in May was hosted by Doug Stringer. Doug and Lisa lead "Somebody Cares," a tremendous ministry in Houston with a world-wide impact. They are two of our newest friends. Their lives are a remarkable story of God's grace, and they bring to the table powerful prophetic and diplomatic skills that can cross generational, ethnic and linguistic lines with superb organizational ability. Doug stook his neck out for The Response, but without losing his head. He became the on site coordinator and communicator for The Response, and God used him to bridge divides and smooth waters that prepared the way for a movement of the Spirit in Houston prior to August 6th. Doug, John the Baptist would be proud of you, and maybe even a litte jealous. Baptists are like that sometimes.
The first week of June, I received a call from the Director of The Response, Luis and Jill Cataldo, dear friends from I-HOP in Kansas City, to assist the amazing Alice Patterson with mobilizing Texas Baptist pastors to take part in the event to be held in Houston on August 6th. I called Alice and asked her to pray for our efforts. After that, she never looked back. The lady is a lazer of light in the darkness. Alice, "Many daugthers have done nobly, but you excel them all." (Prov. 31:29). The web site went public for the first time on June 6th, and our first Response Team conference call took place on June 9th. For anyone who is counting, that is roughly 60 days lead time to mobilize pastors to get their people to a stadium in Houston that seats 71,000 people. We needed a miracle, and God was on the move.
To put the challenge into a more personal focus, I am an interim pastor of Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church. This a great country church with an attendance of thirty people, meeting for the past 107 years, 50 miles north of Fort Worth. It is a wonderful group of sweet people, but not considered the kind of platform from which to leverage Texas pastors who often associate size with significance. When I walked into the church's one Sunday School class on July 31st, they had prominently written across the little white board, PRAY FOR THE RESPONSE IN HOUSTON - AUGUST 6TH. I was moved to tears by their participation. So was God. The prophet Zechariah contained a warning in his question, "Who has despised the day of small things." Not God! He is not leveraged by the prominent or the dominant. He is moved by the slightest whisper of the smallest saint who calls out to Him for help. There must have been ALOT of small churches praying to a big God. Some larger churches sat on the bench. Mt. Pleasant brought their A-Game. Just sayin'.
In some cases the response to the call to prayer in Houston was underwhelming, but often, it was soul-stirring. I was so honored that pastor friends, Ricky Griffin of Amarillo would take time from serving as a pastor at Trinity Fellowship in Amarillo and take his place in prayer. Lakan Mariano drove from San Angelo to Houston to pray for 30 seconds on the platform of The Response. John Yarborough, made the journey from the mountains of north Georgia to intercede for an awakening. They were not alone, but these three men are poster boys for many men who set aside time out of busy schedules to "pray" their part in a call to God to do something only He could get credit for.
In July 2010, Dana and I began our fledgling prayer ministry, TALK LESS! PRAY MORE! After ten months, we were hardly in a position to set aside a ministry we were trying to get off the ground, and volunteer for two months for The Response. In spite of our 35 year investment in Texas Baptists, we felt inadequate for the task of mobilization on several levels.
In light of this, God impressed me I needed to take my personal preparation for The Response to another level. I began to read, "Preacher and Prayer, by E.M. Bounds. I reopened, "Words to Winners of Souls," by Horatius Bonar. It contained, "The Ministerial Confession of 1651." This is a remarkable, startling corporate confession of the ministers of The Church of Scotland during a national crisis. I soon learned calling people to pray and praying are two different things. The Father began to awaken me at 4:oo AM every morning, and I spent three hours of prayer with Him before I began my work of mobilizaiton. It has been an amazing time. Getting up has not been a problem. One morning, I awakened to the sound of someone pounding on my front door. I bolted out of bed and with heart racing, and adrenaline pumping, I looked through the spy glass on the door, but no one was there. I think I heard the Holy Spirit say, "Good morning!" Believe me I was awake before the coffee was made.
The next person I called in this mobilization effort was Ted Elmore. Ted and Cheryl have been leading Texans to pray for years. In the middle of their battle against Cheryl's breast cancer, Ted met me for prayer every week, and took time to provide great counsel and assistance in getting word out to Texas pastors re: The Response. His intimate association with Southern Baptists of Texas was key to this. Many thanks to Jim Richards, Executive Director of the SBTC, and Gary Ledbetter, Editor of The Texan for their willingness to cheer Ted on and to encourage SBTC pastors to support an event they did not plan. May your tribe increase!
Everyone who took part in preparing for The Response, those who attended in Houston, attended a simulcast or logged in on their computer have a story to tell. This is mine. About a week out from August 6th, I began to sense we were going to have a crowd. My concern shifted from mobilizing pastors to sending a personal invitation to an Audience of One. I began to believe we were getting traction for The Response, but I feared we might draw a crowd and miss putting the welcome mat out for The One Person who could make all the difference in the world. I began to pray to The Father to allow His Holy Spirit the elbow room He needed to take part in The Response, and to glorify The Manifest Presence of The Risen Christ, His Son, and Our Savior, Jesus Christ. This was more about me getting it right, than God getting an invitation, but I'm glad I prayed this way. It calmed my fears, and focused my eyes on Him.
Another person who stepped in at crunch time was an old friend, Ron Harris. He helped me to make connection with radio stations throughout Texas who he knew would be willing to assist us with getting the information out regarding The Response. Thanks Ron for lending us your impeccable professional credentials and solid reputation at a critical time when we needed help in clearing the air of all the negative media coverage. Among many, Sharon Geiger at KCBI was a messenger from God. I am grateful, and God was pleased to use your influence to give us favor for such a time as this.
Each team member and attendee of The Response had to overcome obstacles to get to Houston. Some fought cancer, unsupportive church boards, suspicious and cynical critics from the right and the left, and all faced scorching August heat. Dana and I live by faith, and and get paid by works. We had worked hard prior to The Response, blessed with several ministry opportunities. It looked like our needs were being met in time for the big day in Houston. Our work was growing, but our faith underwent a test when the checks we were expecting to arrive were still in the mail before we had to leave home. We left Fort Worth with gas in our car, and eight dollars in our pocket. Our personal and ministry accounts had enough money to allow us to purchase gas to get to Houston. We were not sure we had enough to get back. At best, we would be traveling on fumes when we pulled back into town late Sunday night. We prayed, and went anyway.
Our weekend schedule was tightened and brightened by our daughter Allyson's graduation from Dallas Baptist University on Friday. After she received her M.A. in Leadership from DBU, we grabbed a few quick pics, a quicker lunch, and headed to Houston. We made it to and through Houston in four hours during the peak of rush hour, a miracle indeed. We arrived in time to serve at the welcome desk and register program participants for an organizational dinner at the Reliant Stadium. It was our first time to meet many of the people we had only known by conference calls. Jim and Sharon Garlow, from San Diego arrived together as the sun was setting and the heat/humidity index was oppressively hot. During the ramp up for The Response, she and Jim have been fighting a battle with her cancer at M.D. Anderson. She could see Reliant from her hospital room. She would look from her window during treatments and pray for God to meet her there. Her prayers were answered. She showed up and so did God.
I was able to introduce Dana to Rebekah Ayodele, a beautiful Nigerian prayer warrior who had been praying for years for this kind of solemn assembly to be held in Reliant. From the day the stadium opened its doors, she had been praying and annointing the entrances with oil, asking God to bring His Presence to Houston for a day such as this. The stadium may be the home of The Texans, but The Saints were in the house! It looked like a gathering of the United Nations. Late Friday night, we checked into the hotel and fell into an exhausted sleep.
Dana, Allyson and I were asked by Wayne Hamilton, an amazing and gifted special event coordinator to assist his team with some final behind the scene responsibilities. Dana and I have come to love and appreciate all they do to make events like this move from dream to reality. We also responded to Jill Cataldo's request to assist with the Hospitality Team. This meant we arrived at the stadium at 7:45 AM, and would be on our feet all day. My back went out that morning as we were leaving the hotel. I had to lean on a chair most of the day, but I had a great view of what God was doing out front, and behind the scenes at The Response. When the doors opened, Allyson and I were standing stage right, just beneath one of the huge projection screens. I was praying that the people would come. In spite of all the preparaton, my heart was still in my throat. THEN IT HAPPENED. The doors opened, and the aisles filled with people racing down the steps to the main floor. It was an unending stream of people, RUNNING to enter the room, and to get to the FRONT of the stage. I remember saying to Allyson, with tears in my eyes, "They're coming!" I had to add, "They must not all be Baptists because they're not sitting in the back. They are moving to the front!"
From 8:00 AM-10:30 AM there was a steady flow of people entering the room, and taking part in the prayer and praise that was being offered up for personal and corporate repentance. One of the stadium representatives told us their estimate at that time was 35,000 people. It's their house. They should know. With the coming and going of the day from 8:00 AM-6:00 PM, I would not be surprised if the number of people who came to the event did not exceed 50,000. You feel free to watch the video on http://www.theresponseusa.com/ and make your own guesstimate.
You may not appreciate all of the music or the volume of it, but it didn't seem to bother God. He was there, smiling like a proud parent at a child's birthday party at "Chuck E. Cheese." Senior adults looked on with smiles on their faces as they watched young people worshipping God in a way that they could not fully comprehend, but they totally embraced. My favorite memory of the event involves Richard Ford. He moved from the reserved section out onto the floor of the arena. While the young people danced to the Lord, Richard whirled his battery operated chair in a circle with his head thrown back and a huge smile beaming toward Heaven. Richard is my new hero. I want to be like him when I grow up. Side note: It probably helped that I left the stadium with Bill and Vonette Bright's son, Brad and drove him to Walgreens to buy all the ear plugs they had. When we returned Brad handed them out to grateful senior saints. He could have sold them for a bundle. Remember the eight dollars? The thought crossed my mind, but Brad is a better Christian than I am.
This one thing I know. God's people prayed up, and God showed up. My prayer was answered when The Audience of One arrived on the scene. No one stole the show away from God. No one took His seat of honor. The focus was on Him from the beginning to the end. Governor Perry disappointed his critics by not turning it into a political rally. However, he probably angered them more by praying in the name of Jesus. Throughout the day, children, young people, and senior adults did the same thing. Personal prayer times and prayer groups were initiated from the audience, as well as from the platform.
In mid-July, I was invited by Luis and Jill Cataldo to participate in prayer on the platform at The Response. I love spending time with this couple. They know how to pray and how to laugh. A great way to live. They brought incredible energy and endless grace to a huge task. It is not easy to tell preachers of international prominence to keep their remarks under seven minutes. They kept control of the platform and made sure the prayer meeting did not turn into a preachathon. I am proud to call them friends. I was given 15 seconds to express a prayer focusing on the First Commandment. It doesn't sound like much time, but Luis encouraged us all to be in prayer as we walked to the stage, and allow him or Doug to simply place the microphone before us. They would break into our intimate converstation with the Father, and let others listen in. It made sense to me, so I timed the words, "Father, forgive us for exalting our systems and overshadowing our Savior, in the Name of Your Son, Jesus, Amen." When I got to platform, we were told we were ahead of schedule so the game plan changed to, "Ignore the timer, and let 'er rip." It is hard to believe, but I was a little annoyed. I had already memorized a perfectly good prayer, and now I had to shift gears. So much for prepared prayers. They never seem to work for me.
On a personal note, when I left the platform, I walked back stage and was met by my daughter, Allyson, who gave me a big hug. Right behind her was my wife Dana. She had her cell phone to her ear. I could see from her face that the conversation was important, but it was apparent that it delivered good news. She looked up at me with a smile on her face and announced, "The checks arrived!" What timing! We would be able to get home after all. It always pays to TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Response was a call to prayer for a nation in crisis. That crisis continues, and will not be solved by the change of political leadership, turnaround of the economy, or restoration of national pride. Trusting in politicians, pursuing wealth, and building armies have put us where we are today. The paradox of our dilemma is not lost on God. We worship money, but our currency is engraved with the words, "IN GOD WE TRUST." God is not mocked, and doesn't suffer fools gladly or endlessly. The Response was a call to repentance. Tony Evans took only six of his seven minute time slot and left 60 seconds of change. He pointed us to an exit ramp, that requires the bridge of God's grace for us to continue to cross over the wrong road. He reminded us that turning to access the entrance ramp to the right road must continue. Turning our lives individually and corporately in the right direction is a begining, not an end in itself. We must remain focused with our eyes on Jesus long enough to see His face clear enough to know when He knows enough is enough. A look from Jesus should be enough to give His Church direction, protection and correction.
We left Houston in love with Jesus. A look from Him will quickly remind us if we ever leave our First Love. Until then, join us and enjoy the journey towards a First Love Awakening as Dana and I learn to TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Closet
"It is easier to speak or write about revival than to set about it. There is so much rubbish to be swept out, so many self-raised hindrances to be dealt with, so many old habits to be overcome, so much sloth and easy-mindedness to be contended with, so much of ministerial routine to be broken through, and so much crucifixion of both self and of the world, to be undergone. As Christ said of the unclean spirit which the disciples could not cast out, so we may say of these: 'This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting."
So wrote Horatius Bonar in his powerful, magnum opus to ministers published in 1877. He entitled it, "Words to Winners of Souls." Bonar was a Scottish pastor, preacher, hymn writer and prolific author. His life and ministry spanned the 19th Century from 1808-1889. It is hard to believe the kind of impact that the voice of he and his brothers had on several generations of Scottish believers. Parents often named their sons after these lions of the pulpit. Long before contemporary milk-toast media ministers marketed their brand of Chrisianity, Horatius Bonar and his peers held sway in the land. God, I miss these kind of men.
Recently I was asked if I was reformed. I have been asked that alot lately. I have started responding to the question with this statement, "No I am more radical than reformed. I am redeemed." If you are interested, let me explain. If you mean reformed as in soul-winning George Whitefield, revival praying Horatius Bonar, and Bible preaching Charles H. Spurgeon, count me reformed. I am not impressed by much of what I see that calls itself reformed today. It tries to bully people into a Johnny come lately five point position that does not leave the Holy Spirit any elbow room to usher in the kind of Spiritual Awakening that followed in the wake of undeniably reformed men of God.
My studies have led me to believe that genuine Spiritual Awakening is a whole lot messier than raising hot house plants. It requires a resurrection, and periodic checkups that enable the Church to receive blood transfusions for courageous living.
This is nothing new. Horatius Bonar's quote mentioned at the top of the page is actually the thoughts of a minister in the 17th Century. Bonar went on to say,
"Such was the way in which he set about personal and ministerial revival. Let us take an example from him. If he needed it much, we need it more."
August 6th I will particpate in The Response: A Call to Prayer for a Nation in Crisis. This day was officially called for by Governor Perry of Texas, based on a Joel 2 model for prayer and fasting. Although there is ample historical evidence of founders fathers, and subsequent government leaders calling for a day of prayer and fasting, Perry has been ridiculed by critics from the Left and the Right. Both extremes have taken their best shots, and done a great deal to intimidate the muddled middle into befuddled silence. Afraid of their own shadow or any sudden sign of life in anyone else, many main-stream ministers have chosen to prey on the event rather than pray for it. Every great movement of God has had to experience detractors and distractions prior to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
So the big day has finally arrived. The Response: A Call to Prayer for a Nation in Crisis. When this day was set aside, no one could have known what kind of crisis our nation would be experiencing on August 6th. Unprecedented heat has parched the land. Unreasonable greed has paralyzed Washington. Unstable markets have stolen away life savings. Unconfessed sin leaves the Church in no shape to lead the way out of the darkness. It is indeed time for a day of prayer and fasting. I don't care who called it, I plan to be in Houston, and take part in it. Hope you can make it, but if you can't, pray for us. We need it, and you need the practice. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
I have to go pack, so read what Horatius Bonar would say to you if he were here. He wrote these words to his peers in the 19th Century. They reach out to us with a bold blast from the past.
"We have not been men of prayer. The spirit of prayer has slumbered among us. The closet has been too little frequented and delighted in. We have allowed business, study or active labor to interfere with our closet-hours. And the feverish atmosphere in which both the church and nation are enveloped has found in our closet, disturbing the sweet calm of its blessed solitude. Sleep, company, idle visiting, foolish talking, and jesting, idle reading, unprofitable occupations, engross time that might have bee redeemed for prayer."
The Onslaught
"Do not be afraid of sudden fear nor the onslaught of the wicked, when it comes; for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught." Proverbs 3:25-26
"Man's extremity is God's opportunity." George Whitefield
"Do not be afraid of sudden fear..." What a simple and yet profound statement. Sudden fear...For crying out loud, is there any other kind? Fear confronts us all with the options of fight or flight. In spite of the "NO FEAR HERE" warning label on the package, the adrenaline starts pumping through our veins, and our heart starts pounding when God's unexpected "opportunity" slams into our "extremity."
Don't get me wrong. When the scary spectre of death, destruction OR destiny jumps out of the dark and stares us in the face, fear is generated. God sometimes wraps His greatest gifts in the scariest packaging, and ties them together with the strangest ribbon. Prayer is God's way for His children to bring what He gives to them back to Him, so He can make sense out of it for them.
The couple on the road to Emmaus, apparently witnessed the crucifixion of their friend, Jesus. However, it did not increase their faith, it confused them. Their traumatic experience blinded them from seeing The Risen Christ. They just couldn't make sense out of what they had seen happen to someone they loved so much. When Jesus approached them on the road, He asked them what they were talking about, and He received a full dose of Semitic sarcasm. "Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem, and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?" Luke 24:18
Rather than react in kind, Jesus provided the classic response to them and to anyone else who is ever overwhelmed by death and destruction and in doubt about their destiny and deliverance. He answers their question with a question. "What things?" Luke 24:19
Jesus gave these two people the greatest invitation ever been extended to people confronted by F.E.A.R. The real truth is this...False Expectations Appear Real. It takes the Person of Jesus to walk people through their fear, and to make sense out of what they don't understand by pointing them to the Word of God. "What things?" is still the question Jesus is asking His followers to answer. He lives to make intercession for them. His mission in life is to sit at the right hand of the Father, receive the prayers of His Church and lift up their requests to His Father for them. Talking about fears does not make them go away. Praying about fears places them in the hands of the only One who can turn the IMPOSSIBLE into the HIMPOSSIBLE.
"Nor the onslaught of the wicked..." There are enemies in the physical and the spiritual realm that do not wish the people of God well. They are dedicated to the mission of an ancient adversary who existsts to steal, kill and destroy. Christ followers are not immune from the attacks of those who sought to kill the Founder of The Church. Prayer is the means by which the people of faith seek the direction, correction and protection of their Champion, Jesus Christ. Talking about their extremity caused the couple on the road to Emmaus to miss the opportunity to see Jesus in the middle of their dilemma. Prayer seeks the face of God, and calms the hearts of His children. Talk expands the extremity in the eyes of His children and blinds them from the Presence of His Son seated at His right hand, available to do what they need done the most. What to do? TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
"When it comes." It is not a matter of if, but when some frightening extremity will step out of the dark and shout, "Boo!" When it jumps out, it always comes as a surprise. In spite of the warning from God's word, the adrenaline starts pumpling, releasing energy to run, but not always the wisdom to choose the right road. Jesus warned His disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane, the night before He was crucified, "Pray that you may not enter not into temptation." Luke 22:40
Entering into temptation in a prayerless condition is disobedience to the Word of God, and it is disrespectul to The Person of Jesus Christ. Delayed praying misses God's opportunity, and prolongs our extremity. What to do? TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
So herein lies the lesson. If you feel you are caught in a trap, check your mouth. Feeling caught and being caught are two different things. Prayer enables you to catch yourself before you fall into the trap of talking and discussing what you fear the most. Don't fail to pray to the Lord. He is the Source of your confidence. Only Jesus can make sense out of what you fear, real or imagined. Sudden fear may often be self-inflicted. Fear that is self-inflicted can also be self-deflected by praying as soon as it shows its frightening face. You may be pleasantly surprised that by shutting your own trap you won't be prone to falling into Satan's trap. Prayer may be your first step out of the darkness of doubt and fear. Prayer allows you to hear the sound of sandled footsteps walking right beside you through some of the scariest extremities life can bring. Jesus is the Great Intercessor. He is still saying to His followers, "What things?" What are you saying to Him? TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Misconception
The night before He was crucified, Jesus went to The Garden of Gethsemane to pray. He gave this challenge to His disciples.
"Pray that you may not enter into temptation." Luke 22:40
Jesus withdrew from them a short distance, knelt down and began to pray. The disciples fell asleep. When Jesus saw them sleeping, He reminded them that their prayerlessness was an invitation to the enemy.
There is a contemporary misconception about Satan. It is the misguided belief that the adversary is unable to hit a moving target. This may be why so many Christians refuse to slow down, and why most church calendars fill up with endless activities. Believers who live in the fast lane often end up out of gas on a dead end street. They were tempted to believe that God's business is expressed by busyness. It may be closer to the truth to understand that busyness often leads to barrenness. Prayerless people may be doing more, but the chances are they are enjoying less. Succumbing to the tyranny of the urgent, they forget what is most important. This temptation is nothing new in Satan's arsenal of spiritual weapons, but it is still highly effective.
In 1877, Horatius Bonar confronted his peers, the pastors of Scotland, with his book, "Words to Winners of Souls." He wrote,
"Why is there so little anxiety to get time to pray? Why is there so little forethought in the laying out of time and employments so as to secure a large portion of each day for prayer? Why is there so much speaking, yet so little prayer? Why is there so much running to and fro, and yet so little prayer? Why so much bustle and business, yet so little prayer? Why so many meetings with our fellow-men, yet so few meetings with God? Why so little being alone , so little thirsting of the soul for the calm, sweet hours of unbroken solitude, when God and His child hold fellowship together as if they could never part? It is the want of these solitary hours that not only injures our growth in grace, but makes us such unprofitable members of the church of Christ, and that renders our lives useless. In order to grow in grace, we must be much alone. It is not in society - even Christian society - that the soul grows most rapidly and vigorously. In one single, quiet hour of prayer, it will often make more progress than in days of company with others."
To find out the condition of your heart, you only need to use two diagnostic tools: your calendar and your checkbook. We spend time and money on the things we believe are important. The more we value something or someone, the more time and treasure we invest in that or them. Taking a look at a church calendar, and a church budget will often tell you what a church values. When the corporate preferences are polled and identified, then funds are designated by the church for a staff member to come on board to provide leadership to an area that reflects what the church family holds dear.
Setting aside time to get alone with God was and is something on which Jesus placed a very high value. His time on earth then, and His time in Heaven now is lived in close proximity to His Father. Seated at the right hand of The Father, Jesus lives to make intercession for His followers. What He is and what He does are inseparably connected. It is not a stretch to say, His Church ought to reflect His value system.
When the system overshadows the Savior, it squeezes out His value system and replaces it with a poor substitute, personal preference or political correctness. Nearness to God, and busyness for God do not accomplish the same thing. The disciples felt comfortable enough with their separation from Jesus that they could lower their guard and sleep. Jesus warned them that this was a habit that would lead them down a path they did not want to go. They slept anyway. Sound familiar?
The awakening needed in this nation and around the world begins with a wake-up call for slumbering saints, not a change of presidents, a surge in the economy or a victory over terror. The wise Christ follower will never yield to the temptation to believe anything else matters more than getting alone with God and praying for His protection, direction, and correction.
Exhausted from your busyness? Don't sleep away time better spent with Jesus. At the end of your rope? Stop making rope! Loosen your white knuckled grip on your personal preference, and clear your calendar for a life-changing encounter with Him today. The old hymn said it pretty well, "Tell it to Jesus." TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Hypocrisy
Horatius Bonar was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in December 18, 1808 and died in that very city July 31, 1889. His death took place 122 years ago yesterday, but his words are as powerful today as the day he initially addressed them to his Scottish peers.
Bonar was a man with a passion for prayer and spiritual awakening. In 1877 he published a manifesto on personal repentance to ministers entitled, "Words to Winners of Souls." Bonar challenged the pastors of Scotland to remember their heritage. This was no nostalgic stroll down memory lane. He took them in short order to The Ministerial Confession of 1651. It had been prepared by the Church of Scotland during a national crisis of monumental proportions. This remarkably politically incorrect document was a passionate call for the pastors of Scotland to accept their responsibility for the conditon of their land. It was not a swan song, but a siren. The Confession of 1651 had all the subtley of a bugle blast. It was a medley of Reveille, Recall, and Charge. There is a timely word that bears repeating to any contemporary church, that finds herself in need of a new reformation. It describes:
" Refined hypocrisy; desiring to appear what, indeed, we are not. Studying more to learn the language of God's people than their exercise. Artificial confessing of sin, without repentance; professing to declare iniquity, and not resolving to be sorry for sin. Confession in secret much slighted, even of those things whereof we are convicted. No reformation, after solemn acknowledgements and private vows; thinking ourselves exonerated after confession. Readier to search out and censure faults in others than to see or deal with them in ourselves. Accounting of our estate and way according to the estimation that others have of us. Estimation of men, as they agree with or disagree from us."
WOW! What a statement..."Refined hypocrisy...thinking ourselves exonerated after confession." Apparently, 16th Centuray hypocrites would feel right at home in the 21st Century arena. No generation has ever officially honored hypocrisy. It is usually done with a wink and a nod through back room dealings, and behind the scene wheelings. Being called out as a hypocrite is bad enough, but to have your own peers give a shout out that you have turned it into an art form had to be an intimidating experience for the boys of Knox in 1651.
The ministers of 1651 were in need of a spiritual encounter with the Word of God. They had successfully pursued an intellectual faith, but they had not learned their lessons well. It should not have surprised them. They had to know from even a cursory study of the Bible that Jesus saved His harshest words for the hypocrites. Jesus did not suffer fool's gladly, but he had a special disdain for the self-righteous who put on a false front with a fake door and never led people into The Light. He rebuked religious people who knew how the sytem worked, were willing to work it to their advantage, and kick His Heavenly Father to the curb.
The church, The Bride of Christ, has never been in a greater need of a renewed focus on the only One who can restore their first love for The Groom, Jesus. The lesson from Horatius Bonar's book is urgently needed in 2011. In every generation, The Church, both pastors and people need to fall in love with Jesus. After all, He is the One who called for the First Love Awakening. In 1651, the Scottish Reformation had run into deep trouble, and The Confession of 1651 was issued. In 1877, just 20 years after the Great Prayer Revival of 1857, Bonar saw the same coldness creeping into the hearts of his peers and their people. There is a pattern here. Each generation needs to respond to the call of God to return to their First Love.
It has been over one hundred years since Bonar quoted the heart condition of one man who became a key prayer (not player) in America's First Great Awakening. This movement of God swept up and down the eastern seaboard of the American colonies twenty years before the American Revolution. Prior to it, one pastor in the small town of Northampton, Massachusetts cried out to God, praying:
"I have greatly longed of late for a broken heart, and to lie low before God." Jonathan Edwards
Edward's statement describes the condition of my own heart. It leads me to call out to intercessors, as we begin the final week of preparation for The Response: A Call to Prayer for a Nation in Crisis. It is to be held at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas on August 6th from 10 AM- 5 PM. Thousands have registered on-line. Only God knows if they are people we can count on to show up or if they are people we can only count on to sign up. The stage has been set. The call has gone out. The waiting begins.
As I pray about the event that will soon be taking place, I find myself waiting and wanting for an audience of One to show up. When Holy God shows up in Houston, all will be right. If a huge crowd shows up, but we miss Him, all will be wrong. In truth, we only need One Person to show up for The Response to become something only God can get credit for. Pray that we will settle for nothing less than The Manifest Presence of the Risen Christ, and that His Holy Spirit will sweep through those who are present with a cleansing power and a healing touch, breaking the power of sin in their lives. Please pray that what God begins in Houston will become a sanctified tsunamai that transforms the lives of people throughout the world with a spiritual awakening that has the hand prints of our Sovereign God all over it.
The Confession
Horatius Bonar,1808-1889, a popular Scottish pastor and preacher and a prolific hymn writer and author, has been a hero of mine since 1972. When I left home for a two year assignment to East Africa, my father, Don Miller, gave me a copy of Bonar's small book, "Words to Winners of Souls." Recently, I have sensed a call to return to it, and it has been a real blast from the past on several levels.
First of all, I made extensive notes in the book. This is a habit of mine, and it has served me well when I pick up a book and read it again. The notes have revealed to me my earliest steps in the direction of personal and corporate spiritual awakening. On another level, it brings to light the need for a revival on a regular basis in the life of a pastor and his people, no matter what century, country, or community they may serve.
The great tragedy of American Christianity may be an arrogant belief that the Church has outgrown or matured to a point that it no longer needs to heed any call from God to return to a personal, private, consistent companionship with Jesus. Bonar's book, "Words to Winners of Souls," was published in 1877, but it makes reference to the condition of the Scottish church in 1857. It was not a pretty picture. He called his peers to personal repentance and corporate contrition by reminding them of their heritage, and republishing the Church of Scotland's Ministerial Confession of 1651.
This Ministerial Confession of 1651 was prepared and placed before the pastors of the land when their country was locked into a life and death struggle for survival in a war with England. Oliver Cromwell's forces had proven to be a powerful adversary and the Church of Scotland was on the brink of collapse in the midst of the chaos, confusion and conflict raging throughout Scotland. Every Scottish school boy of 1877 knew the chronology and consequences of these great events, but Bonar pointed the pastors of his day to The Confession of 1651 as a reminder to them of their responsibilty to keep their own hearts hot for Jesus, regardless of the tempestuous times in which they lived.
A brief review of The Confession of 1651 reveals a perpetual, and potent danger that stalks the leaders of the Church in every generation. Pastors constantly face the temptation of allowing the system to overshadow their Savior. In doing so, they may be faithful in carrying out their perceived duties within the Church system, but at the same time fail to maintain their personal intimacy with the Savior who gave His life to establish His Church. In 1651, after self-examination, and personal reflection, the pastors of The Church of Scotland confessed they had been guilty of spending more time in the work of The Lord than they had been spending with The Lord of the work. They had taken great pride in their reformed root system that had grown out of the powerful teaching and preaching of John Knox, but in less than a century, they had lost their focus on Jesus.
I believe the dilemma and the response of the pastors of The Church of Scotland in 1651, and Bonar's call to his Scottish peers in 1857 is a guideline to pastors in America and around the world in 2011. Allow me to share some selected quotes from The Confession of 1651 and see if you agree. Perhaps your own heart has grown cold and even if it is hotter than ever, you could benefit from a reformed reminder with a contemporary exhortation that "except for the grace of God, there go I."
Bonar states, "In the year 1651, the Church of Scotland, feeling in regard to her ministers 'how deep their hand was in the transgression, and their ministers had no small accession to the drawing on of the judgments that were upon the land' drew up what they called a humble acknowledgement of the sins of the ministry. This document is a striking and searching one. It is perhaps one the fullest, most faithful and most impartial confessions of ministerial sin ever made. A few extracts from it will suitably introduce this chapter on ministerial confession. It begins with confessing sins before entrance on the ministry."
- "Lightness and profanity in conversation, unsuitable to that holy calling which they did intend, not thoroughly repented of. Not studying to be in Christ before they were in the ministry; nor to have the practical knowledge and the experience of the mystery of the gospel in themselves before they preach to others. Neglecting to fit themselves for the work of the ministry, in not improving prayer and fellowship with God, opportunities of a lively ministry, and other means and not mourning for these neglects. Not studying self-denial, not resolving to take up the cross of Christ. Negligence to entertain a sight and sense of sin and misery, not wrestling against corruption, nor studying mortification and subduedness of spirit."
OK! That's enough for me for now. Trust me, there is more, but this has to be taken in small doses. Too much light in your eyes will blind you! You also have to get your King James Version on to weed through the overgrowth of prose, but the truth is there if you are willing to look for it.
What caught my eye was the phrase hidden in the middle of the opening salvo of The Confession of 1651. I have emboldened the words for you. In every generation, prayer and fellowship with God are opportunities for a lively minstry. They knew then what we need to remember today. The way you come on is the way you go on.
Pastors who pray their way into the ministry need a gentle reminder to pray their way through the ministry. The more we learn, the more we tend to trust our own experience and expertise. With a little bit of success, or a few wins under our belt, the first thing to get kicked to the curb is humility. With the gaining of professional skills comes a confidence in our ability to perform the tasks required of the system. An active, personal prayer life often atrophies due to an apparent lack of need for advice or counsel from God. This is a dangerous way to live, and invites a relentless adversary to hit a pastor when his guard is down.
Before you recoil at this suggestion, let me ask the question, "Have you prayed too much and enjoyed too much fellowship with Jesus today?" Yeah, me neither. So it seems that in every generation, it falls on pastors to lead the way through the darkness of the system and shed more light on their Savior. Good to know, but it hard to do in a storm, when the winds of turbulent times keep knocking out the power lines! Regardless of the political, financial or social upheaval that surrounds you, don't settle for anything less or place your trust in anything other than personal intimacy with Jesus. The chill in your heart will always be removed by the thrill of getting closer to Him. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Devotion
I can't remember when I was first introduced to Oswald Chamber's devotional book, "My Utmost for His Highest." I do recall that it had all the clarity of sanctified heiroglyphics. I found out later that it had been compiled as a labor of love by his wife, following his death in 1917. She took her notes from all of her husband's presentations and put together this remarkable, daily guide that has impacted the lives of millions.
Dana and I introduced this book to our children, Ashley and Allyson, when we held our morning devotions. Our girls patiently listened, but later admitted they were clueless most of the time about what Chambers meant. I have to agree, Chambers is an acquired taste. His use of the English language is a bit daunting, probably stemming from his professorial bent, and the change in the meaning of words over the past 100 years.
Still, there have been times when the light has shown so brightly in the darkness that the truth of what he was communicating became truly self-evident. My friend, Bob McEwen, is fond of saying, "The Jeffersonian prose, 'We hold these truths to be self-evident...' is a polite way of expressing, 'Any fool ought to get this." Spot on Bob!
There is one Oswald Chamber's statement I often refer to that came as a bolt of light into my own world of spiritual darkness on May 3, 2001. I read it in my copy of "My Utmost for His Highest" as the final words of the May 3rd daily devotional.
"Discernment is God's call to intercession, never to fault-finding."
These ten little words have had a profound impact on my life. In short, they have led Dana and I to invest the rest of our lives in challenging believers to TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
There is hardly a day that goes by that I am not tempted to say what I think, or to say more than I know about another person. The topics of religion and politics are just two areas that draw out an unending flow of a my humble but accurate opinions. I am not alone! Talk radio, cable TV, mainstream media, and casual conversations have a way of becoming independent lecture series that shed more heat than light on just about any subject, celebrity or fellow believer.
No doubt, God gives His people insight regarding the condition of a person's soul and the state of affairs of the community in which they live. The purpose for this insight from God is often misunderstood by His children. It is not a call to bring criticism or ridicule upon someone or their belief system. It is given as a Heaven-sent call to stand in the gap for them, and bridge the chasm by the means of intercessory prayer.
It is difficult to continue to hate someone, when you are praying for them. It is not impossible, just harder. This should not be a surprise to Christ followers. In His Constitution of the Kingdom (Matthew 5-7), Jesus said,
"Pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." Matthew 5:44
Early on, Jesus took a dim view of those who were prone to talk about someone rather than pray for them. Too often the family of God is known more for its aggression than for its intercession. The great tragedy is that the toughest words of criticism a follower of Christ ever speaks are are often directed towards fellow members of God's family.
I have often repeated a little piece of ministerial humor, "Where ever you find two Baptists you will always find three opinions." Indeed, we are known as a skeptical and suspicious people who do not warm up to strangers who operate outside of our Baptist Bubble. We are not a peculiar people in this regard. The Church is made up of a patchwork quilt of prejudices and personal agendas that constantly keep us on our guard from those who would invade our turf or steal our sheep.
So what is a sincere response to a legitimate concern about a person's behavior or beliefs? TALK LESS! PRAY MORE! Chambers said it more delicately and with an English accent. Nothing dresses up the truth like a Brit's way of using the King's English. Almost 100 years later, the printed message carries a powerful punch, even if it is wrapped in Kid's gloves. The point is this. When God gives you discernment about another person, it is not a call to criticize, ridicule, or reject them. It is not an invitation to speak your mind. It is a test to see if you are willing to bend your knees and call out to God on the behalf of someone who is in need of your prayers.
Wrapping ourselves up in our own personal piety and rejecting people we do not agree with on non-essential doctrinal issues leads to the development of a critical spirit. Furthermore, fault-finding seldom corrects the flaw in the person in whom we find the real or imagined fault. People are funny like that. They really do not have much appreciation for the person who publicly depants them. Go figure.
The call is to pray for people you discern are in danger of believing the wrong thing or moving in the wrong direction. Why should your response be one of intercession? Simple...They need it and you need the practice. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Ministry
One year ago, July 4, 2010, Dana and I entered into a new adventure. We launched our prayer ministry called TALK LESS! PRAY MORE! This is something that we had been talking about for over 20 years, and we finally had the courage to take the leap of faith to launch it.
We do not have an office building or support staff. We sold our home and have chosen to rent a house for the forseeable future. We sold our car, and we are now driving a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee that belongs to our youngest daughter. She had no use for it when the AC went out on it, and was told it would cost $1,200.00 to repair it. Our future son-in-law was able to get it repaired for less than $100.00. Pray with us that it lasts thru the summer! With 213,000 miles, Car Max offered us $500.oo for our Jeep, but we believe our Jeep is here to stay.
This past year has been full of exciting new adventures. We have traveled to 18 states, numerous hotels, and conducted TALK LESS! PRAY MORE! in some of the finest churches in America. Our trip to Israel in February of this year was a dream come true. Dana has received a good report from her oncologist, and she and I are training for a half marathon in December. Our daughters have brought us great joy this past year. Allyson graduates with her Master's in Leadership from Dallas Baptist University on August 5th, and Ashley marries Brent Warren on September 16th. We have all been busy!
Please pray for our next great adventure. We serve on The Leadership Team of The Response USA. You can find info on it at the website http://www.theresponseusa.com/ This meeting is a call to prayer to a nation in crisis. Governor Rick Perry issued a Joel 2 call for a solemn assembly of prayer and fasting 60 days ago, and since that time we have been mobilizing Baptists to head to Houston's Reliant Stadium on August 6th. This will not be a carnival, concert or conference. It will not be a politcial rally, patriot party or preachathon. There will be no food concessions, book tables, t-shirts, DVDs or CDs. People are encouraged to bring bottled water and bended knees from 10 AM - 5 PM, and enter into a time of personal and corporate repentance. At this time 50,000 people are registered. It has become a bug light for every activist and atheist looking for a camera and a microphone, so there will be a crowd even if the praying Christians stay home.
Thank you for praying for us during the past year. Please keep it up. We are so pleased that God has entrusted to us the privilege of teaching people how they can find relief in the middle of any crisis when they TALK LESS! & PRAY MORE! Talking has a way of magnifying the danger of the crisis, and praying has a way of magnifying God in the middle of it. Continue to pray with us and for us to be one of God's Magnifiers.
Gratefully Yours and Prayerfully His,
Gary and Dana Miller
TALK LESS! PRAY MORE! MINISTRIES
Contact info:
C/O
The Whitefield Project
P.O. Box 96165
Southlake, TX 76092
gmillerlight@gmail.com
817-975-5054
The Prayer Principle of Separation
"He withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and began to pray." Luke 22:41
The Principle of Separation
Principle: Periodic separation from good relationships carves out time that can be invested in God's best, intimacy with Him.
Jesus found it necessary to step away from those closest to Him. He hungered for a period of time in His life that was, unapologetically, spent alone with God. He did so not as an expression of callousness towards His followers, but as a display of tenderness towards His Father.
Jesus challenged His disciples to follow His example. Repeatedly, they had seen Him go to the mountain or some secret place to pray. Jesus did not tell them to do something that He no longer put into practice. In this passage, the disciples were told to pray that they would not enter into temptation, and then Jesus withdrew to do the very same thing that He told them to do. This kind of integrity, and authenticity marked the prayer life of Jesus. He never outgrew His need for intimacy with God, especially when facing a crisis.
The most dangerous thing a person can do is to enter into temptation in a prayer less condition. Jesus led His disciples to pray, and taught them how to pray, but He did not make them pray. It was a personal hunger that they would have to experience in order to find satisfaction for themselves at the point of their need.
The disciples found their strength in being in the Presence of Jesus. Jesus found His power in the Presence of God. The disciples drained Him, and the Presence of God sustained Him. There were times that He sensed His need for the relationship of Father and Son to be strengthened. He turned to prayer as the means to receive God's direction, and to mold His will to that of His Father's.
Separation from those who need us the most is a price that must be paid in order to experience the Presence of the One who loves us the most. The people who need us the most will not receive what they need from us, if we allow time with them to squeeze out time with God. Jesus was able to give His disciples what they needed as long as He stayed in touch with God. Christ followers must learn this lesson if they hope to avoid burnout or compassion fatigue.
Separation is not so much a matter of getting away from those who drain, but running into the Presence of the One who sustains. Vacations, recreation, hobbies, entertainment, retreats, and even sabbaticals are poor substitutes for His Presence. They serve a worthy purpose, but have limited power to refresh and renew the vision and ministry of a Christ follower. Getting away from people is the beginning, but not the end of the process in this principle.
Getting with God, and accepting His will is the ultimate purpose of prayer. Jesus conformed His will to the Father's will by getting away from His disciples and getting into the Presence of His Father. Getting into God's Presence will exact a price that is paid in time alone with Him. There are some things that God means to say to His children in private, before they can speak for Him in public.
It is possible for loved ones to be a great distraction from meaningful time in prayer. Periodic separation for seasons of prayer exchanges what is good for what is best. Satan is not the enemy of the good. He is the enemy of the best. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. He lives to separate people from God's best for their lives.
Jesus chose to separate Himself from others in order to spend time with God. He was not running away from responsibility, but reaching out to God to provide Him the courage and the strength to give His followers what they needed most, a Savior.
The Practice of Prayer: Carve out time for solitary prayer with God. Withdraw from the ones you love in order to make time to be available to God. Choose the time of day that is best for you. He is ready when you are.
Thought for the Day: It is never too late or too early to choose God's best for your life. Separating yourself from people of good intentions, to spend time with the One who loves you most, will lead to God's best for your life.
"Satan laughs softly at the Church today and says under his breath: "You can have your Sunday Schools...your institutional churches, and your men's clubs and your grand choirs, and your fine organs and your brilliant preachers, and your revival efforts, as long as you do not bring them into the power of the Almighty God, sought and obtained by earnest, persistent, believing, mighty prayer." R. A. Torrey