The Condition

"There are six things which the Lord hates, yes, seven which are an abomination to Him. Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers." Proverbs 6: 16-19

Proverbs reveals the heart of God. It serves as a Leadership Training Manual for the young princes, governors, rabbis, and judges of Israel. God's character takes shape as each chapter unfolds more and more about His will and His way for His people. Perhaps the most succinct synopsis of what He holds dear is the revelation of the things he hates the most. Reading it is like taking part in an autopsy of The Fool. All the body parts are identified, and the cause of death is catalogued. It leaves even the casual observer with an inclination to hold his breath, as the stench in God's nostrils begins to reach his own. The list is short, but it is long enough to cause the reader to hope for it to end sooner than later.

The point is clear for the future leaders of the land. Love who God loves, and hate what God hates. Don't change the price tags of His value system. The currency of the realm is God's character, and He is the bank you go to get what you need. The Wise hear and obey God. The Fool ignores God, takes his own counsel and makes up the rules as he goes along.

Prayer brokers a heart exchange between you and God. When you pray, you come to God with your heart, but you leave with His heart. Rushed and harried as people are by the cares of their lives, they seldom spend enough time in God's Presence to receive what He has for them. They have such tight grip on their "Whine List" that they forget to leave it with Him and refuse to take hold of what God wants to give to them. Putting God on speed dial for a quick solution to a long standing problem in your life seldom transforms your restless heart into a peaceful one. Receiving God's heart requires you too pray long enough until God completes the transplant. God is not done with you until you have His heart in you.

The only condition of Paradise was obedience to God's commands. From the very beginning of His relationship with man, "The Lord God commanded the man." Genesis 2:16. Intimate communication is based on obedience of the child to the Father's command. "Prayer is intimate communication between the Heavenly Father and His child." Don Miller, Bible Based Ministries

"In the beginning" God ordained obedience to Him as the basis upon which His favor is found and His blessing is received.

Hearing the voice of God and obeying what He says to do are one in the same thing in the mind of God. The Hebrew language places equal importance on hearing and obeying, by utilizing the same word for both. The Hebrews understood that to hear God was to obey God. Hearing God speak was not a matter of receiving information or increasing intelligence. It required a response. The only condition to an unbroken relationship between God and man was immediate, complete, and absolute obedience. Disobedience to God resulted in Paradise Lost. There will be no semblance of Paradise regained by cultivating a deaf ear and a rebellious spirit to the commands of God. "The Father in heaven asks, and requires, and actually expects, that every child of His yield Him whole-hearted and entire obedience, day by day and all the day." Andrew Murray, "The School of Obedience," 1898

Obedience to the commands of God is the condition upon which Paradise is regained. God provides a way for His disobedient children to get back in touch with Him. The whole redemption of Christ restores obedience to its place of honor. The call to spiritual awakening at this time in the life of The Church is an invitation of The Spirit of God to restore what has been lost.

When Jesus confronted the Church at Ephesus, He challenged them to return to their First Love. His call to them was not for renewed effort, but restored intimacy. Obedience to His call has always required a response. Can you hear Him praying for you? He lives to intercede for His followers. Respond in kind. Through prayer make your voice familiar in Heaven. Prayer enables you to take your disobedient heart and place it in the hands of Jesus. The Son intercedes for you with the Father, and The Spirit transplants God's heart in you.

Prayer is a heart exchange. It transforms you into an obedient child of God who loves who He loves and hates what He hates. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
 

The Watch

"For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He watches all his paths." Proverbs 5:21

One of the discoveries a new father makes is the joy it brings to their child to call out, "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy...Watch me!" The most important thing for my two little daughters was the need to verify that Daddy was watching them. Every time they attempted to repeat something they had just learned to do, or if they were about to enter into a new adventure, they would call out, "DADDY! WATCH ME!" It still brings a smile to my face when I recall those times when it meant the world to them to have their Daddy's eyes on them. It still means the world to me, and now from the predawn hours, until I call it a day, I am still watching over them whether they know it or not. Some things never change.

Dads know a child can be relentless in the pursuit of their undivided attention. It is not enough for them to know that they are being heard. There must be eye-contact. There must be acknowledment. It is hugely important that their call is heard, but then in addition to this, they MUST be seen. Children have been known to drive their fathers to exasperation with the constant, repeating of and ramping up of the attention-getting cry, "Daddy. Daddy. Daddy. Daddy. Daddy? Daddy? Daddy? DADdy! DADdy! DADdy! DADDEE! DADDEE! DADDEE!" The call of the child is for the father of the child to make eye-contact with their own child to assure the child that their words are being heard and their presence in acknowledged. No other Daddy will do. Their call is directed to the one who they want to impress the most.

Being heard and being seen are evidently HUGELY important to little girls. I can remember times when my girls would call out to me while I was on the phone, in the middle of another conversation, or watching a particularly exciting sports program on TV. I would ignore their cry for a while, knowing deep down inside that it was futile to do so. When I just couldn't stand it any longer, I would blurt out, "Why don't you just go ahead and ask the question?! Why do I have to be watching you when you say it?" For them, it was more about eye-contact with me than the answer they got from me. What they were looking for was a sense of my presence and interest in their life. If they wanted a really good answer, they were smart enough to know they could go ask their mother. What they wanted was time with me.

Note to fathers of little girls: Your daughters get their sense of self-worth and self-esteem from you. Don't make them vulnerable to the schemes of others who are willing to give time to them to get what they want from them. Give yourself to your little ones. Make time for them in your life. Let them know that they are important to you. I will yield to the parents of little boys to speak on the possiblity of any similarities.

The message of Proverbs reminds us that the Father is always watching over His children. He is aware of the choices made and the paths taken by His children. This is not meant as a threat to His children, but an invitation to seek His direction, protection and correction. The Wise child of God will never tire of running into their Father's Presence and calling out, "Watch me!" The Fool hides behind their own "I" problem and refuses to make eye-contact with their Father. They are deluded into believing that God cannot see what they are up to if they don't put it before Him. Prayer becomes harder and harder for them the longer they postpone coming into His Presence willingly. The Wise know that nothing is hidden from God. They have learned that any degree of separation from the path He has chosen for them is best corrected by immediate admission to Him and themselves that they are off course. Prayer promptly intitates immediate obedience and avoids the accumulative error that separates children from the awareness of their Father's watchful eye.

Prayer makes eye-contact with your Father. It brings joy to His heart to have His children cry out to him, "Watch me!" Two things break your Father's heart, rebellion and repentance. When a child separates himself from the love of their Father it is because of the "I" problem. Whenever you find sIn in your life, you will find "I" right in the middle of it. Children with an "I" problem need to run into the Presence of their Father more than ever, and call out, "Watch me!" Prayer is practicing the Presence of the Father, and it leads a child to a new level of confidence in His desire to listen and look at them with love in His eyes for them.

Don't make excuses for your "I" problem. Talking about your separation from the Father only prolongs the degree and lengthens your distance from Him. Praying puts the turnaround into motion. Prayer enables you to face your Father, and make eye-contact with the one who was watching you all the time you thought you were on your own. Trade your "I will" for
"Thy will" today. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Balance

'Two things I asked of You, do not refuse me before I die: keep deception and lies far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is my portion, that I may not be full and deny You and say, 'Who is the Lord?' Or that I not be in want and steal, and profane the name of my God." Proverbs 30:7-9

My wife, Dana, is the most even-keeled person I have ever known. Her favorite word is...BALANCE. The sole exception to her passion for balance is her love for shoes. However, in her defense, she would point out to you that her workout shoes are made by New Balance. The siren call of a shoe store is hard for her to resist, but in her eyes her passion for shoes is not an inconsistency to her philosophy of life. She reminds me that she always maintains her balance by buying two shoes at a time, one for each foot. How can you argue with logic like that?

Proverbs records the ancient writer's prayer for balance in his life. His call to God was for a blessing to be relieved from the tug of war between his need and his greed. Reading his request to God, reveals to us that he has known the chaos and confusion of trying to discern the difference between the two. He has determined that he wisest thing for him to do is to ask
God for help in pointing out what is best for his life.

Lies and deception have always been a part of the contest of wills that takes place between seller and buyer. Proverbs reveals the struggle in the heart of a person that comes under that influence of a consumer culture. Truth in advertising is a moving target in any generation. To be aware is to beware of the pitfalls of believing everything a salesman tells you to close a deal. There has rarely ever been better advice than, "Let the buyer beware."

The balanced life begins at the point of prayer. Prayer is the means by which we can ask God for help in revealing the difference between our need and our greed. A person who becomes satiated with everything he needs is often the very first to resent God's delayed response in granting what they want and when they want it. People who feel entitled to what they want and take it rather than wait for God to give it to them are no better than common thieves.

Prayer purifies our motives and clarifies the difference between our wants and our needs. God's delay does not necessarily mean God's denial, but the process of praying does remind us God is the source of all provision. Prayer places our need and our greed before God, and lets Him make a judgment call on what is best for us. God is not a divine delivery boy for petulant children who pout when they hear the word "No."

In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus taught the fundamental lesson of "The School of Prayer." Facing the crisis of the crucifixion, He prayed, "Father, not as I will, but Thy will be done." Grasping for what looks good to us is a poor substitute for waiting on God to provide His best for us. When the lines get blurred between your need and your greed. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Breath

"Like a city that is broken into and without walls is a man who has no control over his his spirit." Proverbs 25:18

"Your walk with God is the next 20 seconds." In December 1986, I had been in very long meeting with a former NASA engineer, when I heard him make this statement. It was a life-changing moment. A month later, I met with him for a followup session, and had a chance to thank him for his input. He did not remember saying it to me. Go figure. I believe God used this short, simple phrase from this man to get my attention. He wanted to focus me on the breath in my lungs, before I tried to get a handle on His future plans. Think about it. Without being able to take a deep breath and get out a stop watch, how much breath do you already have in your lungs? Without warning, what do you have at your disposal to do business with God? I know, I know, it is a personal question. For some it may be more, and for others a bit less, but for me, it is 20 seconds.

For the past 25 years I have tried to keep breathing on a regular basis. That is how the system works. I know it is alot more complicated than that, but I can't get into a study of the whole cardio-pulminary connection without getting a bit queasy. So there you have it. Keep breathing on a regular basis and you will live. Use the breath in your lungs to keep walking and talking with God on a regular basis, and you will find it hard to drift into breathless panic or detour from a close walk with Him.

The problem is this. Life has a way of knocking the breath out of us on a regular basis. When Emmit Smith, former running back for the Dallas Cowboys, surpassed Walter Payton's NFL rushing record, someone figured out how many miles he had run. It was not very impressive compared to marathon runners. It takes on a whole new level of achievement when you realize those two guys had to run all those miles getting knocked down and getting back up every 3-5 yards. Looks a little bit like sport imitating life. Can I get a witness?

Proverbs warns us about losing control of our spirit. The Hebrew word means breath, and refers to the content and the character of a person's heart that flows out of person's mouth when they are under pressure. People under great pressure seldom say things under their breath. Crises on their mind or fears in their heart have a tendency to come out of their mouth. The older a person gets, the less control they seem to have over their mouth. Speaking one's mind has sometimes been referred to as the privilege of old age. It can also be a sign of approaching dementia. You are never get too old to watch your mouth.

"He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city." Proverbs 16:32

The Roman army was described as patient, or long-tempered. That would mean that as a military force they were not quick to take an offense, but when they were finally put into the field, there was going to be hell to pay. They were not in the habit of going to war unprepared, unarmed, or unaware of the consequences. The opposite is usually true of the short-tempered. They rush in where angels fear to tread. They speak their own mind before they seek to know God's mind. They bring a knife to a gunfight and end up stabbing themselves. The former description never found its way into active use in contemporary language. The second is alot more familiar to us. Little wonder that the God-breathed Scriptures describe two of the Spirit's characteristics as, "The fruit of the Spirit....is patience...self-control." Galatians 5:22-23

The sad truth is that we often find the fruit of the field to be more reliable than what we try to pass off as the fruit of the Spirit. When you squeeze an orange, you get orange juice. You can wrap a Christian in the latest holy logo wear, but when you squeeze him you don't always get what is on the label. Pressure on a Christian reveals the breath in their lungs and the focus of their lastest conversation. If they have been listening to the fears of their heart, and been intimidated by the things on their mind, it is revealed by the breath of their mouth. When our breath sheds more heat than light on the crisis around us, it is time to let God's light shine on the darker corners of our nature. He always picks up right where we left off in our last conversation with Him.

"The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all the innermost parts of his being." Proverbs 20:27

Dr. Bill Hendrick was one of my seminary professors. His sanctified sarcasm speaks to me at this point. He always said this whenever anyone in the class asked permission to ask him a question in the middle of one of his lectures.

"Halitosis is better than no breath at all."

Talk is the bad breath we spew when we panic under the pressure of something we do not understand or cannot control. Prayer puts the same breath to better use, and calls on Jesus to step in and provide life support. When we are under attack by the enemy, talk reveals our vulnerable position and encourages them to keep pouring it on us. Prayer calls on our Champion, Jesus Christ, to take the field. When we pray, we have the courage to stand next to Him. Prayer takes the fright out of us, and the fight out of the enemy. They don't want any part of what Jesus brings to the battle. The enemy does not fear us, but as Sam Chadwick used to say, "... he trembles when we pray."

Jesus approached a down-hearted couple on the road to Emmaus, and found them talking about all the things they had seen happen in Jerusalem. The more they discussed, the more they were depressed by what they had experienced. Jesus stopped them, and asked them what they were talking about. Cleopas responded to His simple request with the bad breath only prolonged panic can put in a person's mouth. He rebuked Jesus for not being aware of all "the things" that had taken place in the last few days. Obviously, it had been over 20 seconds since their last conversation with Jesus. Their absence from Him had not made them more sensistive of His Presence with them. It always happens that way. Jesus spoke two little words that will always turn a panic into a promise.

"What things?" Luke 24:19

Talking results in alot of hot air, but it does not provide the breath of life. Talking about a crisis does not have the power to provide power to move us through the crisis and onto victory. It is bad breath. Talk leaves us stranded, vulnerable, dead in the water and reveals our weakened position to the enemy. Prayer calls for reinforcements, and gives us the courage to take our stand next to our Champion, and face the worst the enemy can throw at us. Prayer is the means by which our breath is put to the best possible use. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

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

The Release

"Do not say, 'Thus I shall do to him as he has done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.' " Proverbs 24:29

"I owe you one." This simple, phrase can carry two totally different meanings in contemporary culture. It is often expressed on an occasion when someone has done a good deed to us. Sensing a genuinely benevolent urge to return the favor ASAP, we say, "I owe you one." It is not a threat, or a promise to payback an offender for an offense suffered at their hands. It is an acceptable response to a gesture of goodwill. It is a gentle reminder to us that we are indebted to people who invest in us.

On the other hand, we sometimes use it when a resentful, malevolent spirit sets in, after we have suffered an offense. After the dirty deed has been done to us, we may be powerless to do anything about it. We may appear to the casual observer, or to our offender to have the grace to rise above the offense, at that point in time. This does not mean we have forgiven or forgotten about it. It just means, we can wait. Uttered under our breath, or written down as a mental promisory note, it warns of the wrath to come. Don't be shy. Say it loud. Say it proud. "I owe you one."

Offenses are often so unexpected, or of such consequence that a swift reaction is not in order or even possible. Those who are adept at collecting IOUs know the proper payback to the offender often requires dedicated preparation and deliberation. Initially, there a sweet satisfaction in the anticipation of the justice that will be delivered to the one who has given us a piece of their mind, stolen a piece of our property, or treated us like a piece of dirt.

Don't be deceived. This sweet, satisying feeling never lasts. Sinking your teeth into revenge leaves a bitter after taste. Prolonged chewing on something that makes you want to vomit, rarely improves the flavor of it. Trust your gag reflexes. Spit it out. Collecting IOUs creates ravenous hunger for vengeance that will eat out your heart. Chasing down people you intend to payback will rob you of your health.

God has a better plan. He desires His children to lead a debt free life. Prayer enables you to bring your IOUs to Jesus and to let Him settle your accounts. It is not a matter of letting someone get away with what they did to you. Prayer is all about letting go of what your IOUs are doing to you. Letting go of a debt does not mean someone is getting away with what they have done. It just means that prayer allows you to turn over the responsiblity of payback to the proper authorities.

Jesus set out the citizenship standards of His Kingdom in the Sermon on the Mount. He was speaking to a gathering of powerless, and abused people whose country had been invaded. They were living under the power of an evil empire, and being victimized by occupying soldiers, political sellouts, blood sucking tax collectors and religious hypocrites. The crowd was filled with people whose resentments to their condition ranged from nationalistic zealots filled with rage to the victimized peasants who had little hope for survival. It was not a pretty picture. Jesus challenged them to rise above their debt-ridden lives and become investors in a new Kingdom.

"You have heard that it was said, "AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.' But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt let him have your coat also. Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you." Matthew 5:38-42

Are you kidding me? Jesus called for His citizens to be known as investors, not debtors. His Kingdom would not be built on revenge or paybacks. His people would not be known as passive aggressive victims or stingy, selfish hoarders. They would not be borrowers. They would be givers. He spoke these words to people who lived in a country that was looked upon by the political powerhouse of the day as the backwater of the Roman Empire. They were called upon to live as citizens of His new Kingdom, not to fight for survival in the old one. His words had to be shocking and revolutionary to people who had focused their hope in life on the possibility and promise of a political change agent coming to their rescue. They wanted someone who was going to drive the Romans into the sea, not lead them to carry their baggage to the beach. Turning the other cheek did not sit well with men who intended to stab the next Roman soldier in the back. His words probably seem just as obscure today to people struggling to make sense out of the chaos around them.

Paul underlined the words of Jesus to the church at Rome, "Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, 'VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,' says the Lord. 'BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:17-21

"Never" is a powerful word. It is about as restrictive,emphatic and all inclusive as any word can be. Paul uses it twice to set Christ followers on notice. Get the point? Step back from your collection of IOUS and give God the elbow room to do something about them. Taking matters into your own hands only postpones what God intends to do when you get out of the way.

In a state of prayerlessness these words always sound a bit harsh? Prayer will improve your appreciation for them like nothing else will. When you get slapped in the face by an offender, your head usually turns in another direction. Use it as an opportunity to turn your eyes upon Jesus. It has probably been a while since your last conversation. Use the offense as a chance to get caught up on how things have been going.

God has Jesus seated at His right hand. His Son has been assigned the task of receiving reports from you on what others have done to you. Don't be surprised if Jesus, The Intercessor, calls upon you to enter into a personal debt solution program. This will involve PRAYback, but never PAYback. Based on the prayer life of Jesus, you will be dropping the sinister use of the phrase, "I owe you one." Jesus prefers, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." You will discover that PRAYback is better than PAYback. Don't get me wrong. It is harder to hate those you pray for, not impossible, just harder. Pray for them anyway. They need it, and you need the practice.

Collecting a backlog of IOUs is a result of prayerlessness. Hiding what you owe to others from the eyes of Jesus does not release you from your debts. It raises your debts to the next level, and provides you no hope of release from them. Holding on to IOUs is a form of self-incarceration in a self-made debtor's prison. God never intended to serve as the warden of a prison built with your own hands, but He does have the power to release you from it. Prayer provides the release you need from the prison bars built by every IOU that you still hold in your hands.

Remember, letting go of the IOU does not mean God is letting someone get away with anything. It just means you have let go of the offense and placed it in His hands. He is the one who will deal with the person who inflicted it. Prayer gives God elbow room to do what He does best. He longs to release you from debts you hunger to PAYback. He releases you from your personal debtor's prison when you PRAYback those you once wanted to PAYback. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Heart

"Do not let your heart envy sinners, but live in the fear of the Lord always. Surely there is a future and your hope will not be cut off." Proverbs 23:17-18

Thirty years ago, Dana and I rebranded our singles ministry in the city of Houston with the logo, "SINGLEHEARTED: Marked by Sincerity and Unity of Purpose." Our mission was to equip single adults to take their eyes off of themselves and focus their attention on a first love relationship with Jesus. They responded to this with a zeal and a devotion that I have seldom seen matched. Never underestimate the power of a group of people who sincerely believe that life is not about them, but it is all about Him.

Proverbs is filled with warnings about guarding and protecting one's heart from selfish desires, strange women, and unrepentant sinners. The heart needs to be harnessed for the best, or it will wander into the worst. The heart of the matter has always been the matter of the heart.

"Do not eat the bread of a selfish man, or desire his delicacies; for as he thinks within himself, so he is. He says to you, 'Eat and drink.' But his heart is not with you." Proverbs 23:6-7

This passage gives us a clue to inner the recesses of the heart. It is the repository of the true self. A person's words cannot be trusted, if their heart is twisted.

"Every man's way is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the hearts. To do righteousness and justice is to be desired by the Lord more than sacrifice. Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, is sin." Proverbs 21:2-4

Greek education dealt with the development of the mind, but Hebrew education focused on the heart. The collection of information by the student did not necessarily lead to wisdom. Elevation of the mind was nowhere near as important to the Hebrews as intallation of wisdom. Hebrew teachers focused on the creation of character in the life of their student. Education of the mind without the protection of the heart would lead the Greeks to focus on themselves as the center of attention. Hebrew teaching led a student to look to God for direction, protection and direction.

"Trust in the Lord, with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

Chasing after what really looks good to us, but in reality is not best for us is not a new temptation. Contemporary culture seems to have an obsessive compulsive urge to identify with celebries or attain rock star status. Seeking to be in the picture with cultural icons has always been relentlessly pursued, even before the invention of the camera or cell phone.

There has always been a temptation for the "Have Nots" to look upon the lifestyles of the rich and famous "Haves" with a voracious hunger. The point seems to be that this kind of longing for what others have, property, popularity, possessions, or power, is ultimately disrespectful to God. Looking at what others have and convincing yourself you are entitled to a piece of their property is a sin against God.

Proverbs warns against an "envy" of sinners that would lead a person to be jealous of or to be zealous for, or to provoke themselves into a passion for something that someone has. The word "sinner" describes someone who is exposed to condemnation, one who bears blame, one counted culpable, or reckoned as an offender against God. It is unacceptable to God for His children to envy the life and the property of those who choose to be separated from Him. Looking to other people and wishing for what God has not provided them is not child-like, but childish.

The Ten Commandments explicitly and extensively warned God's people not to covet what others had. This would protect their hearts from harboring thoughts of dissatisfaction and discontent. Looking upon the possessions of others with a seething, relentless resentment, or a work stopping, wishful thinking are two extremes of the pendulum of covetousness.

"You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor." Exodus 20:17

The Law of God specifically forbids the cultivation of a culture of covetous class envy. God's plan was never about a redistribution of wealth based upon the dissatisfaction and discontent of the "Have Nots" taking what they want from the "Haves." God's Law pointed out the blind logic that was a result of an "I" problem on the part of the "Have Nots." They were called upon to resist looking upon the "Haves" as source for getting hold of what they considered to be their "fair share" of property that did not belong to them. Desiring what others had did not make it theirs. They were to look to God for their needs, not take what others had to satisfy their wants.

The Hebrews saw the heart as having the capacity to: incline to understanding, hold fast to, keep, trust, flow, be inscribed upon, be wise, be perverted, be sickened, be in pain, rest, be open, be joyful, be sad, be cheerful, instruct, be haughty, be proud, rage, plan, be cleansed, be channeled, be weighed, be pure, be foolish, be given, hold abominations, and reflect the truth. They believed that what was on the inside of a person was going to come out, sooner or later. Long before people start hanging out with and enjoying the company of those who have offended God, their heart was regularly inclined to lean in their direction through misguided envy.

"As in water face reflects face, so the heart of a man reflects man." Proverbs 27:19

Spiritual Awakening begins with a wakeup call to those who have given their hearts to God. The Hebrews understood the heart to be the seat of the emotions and passions. In a man's heart resides the capacity for moral character and courageous living. The heart was a term used to describe the mind, the will and the emotions. From it flowed the knowledge and undertanding necessary to think clearly and to engage in reflective memory. Quoting God's word to others has value, but it pales in significance to the capacity and passion to apply it to one's own life.

A hardened heart is resistant to God's touch, but persistent prayer, like consistent rain, softens the heart of person to receive instruction from the Word of God. Prayer puts a person in a position to revere again what they once held dear, time with the One who has their best interests at heart. Prayer reflects the heart of a person who believes The Father knows best. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Authority

"Many a man proclaims his loyalty but who can find a trustworthy man?" Proverbs 20:6

Recently at "The Response" in Houston, Texas, Tony Evans delivered a powerful six minute message that crystalized the role of pastors and the churches they lead during these tumultuous times. He gestured towards the playing field of Reliant Stadium. He reminded the thousands of people in attendance for the day of prayer and fasting that the arena in which they stood would soon host two opposing teams. These two teams would line up against one another in a quest for dominance on the field of competition. They would be joined by another team, the team of the officials. This third team would carry a rule book provided by the commissioner of the league. The officials could only maintain their integrity by maintaining their objectivity. They were accountable to the commissioner of the league for applying the rules of the game in equal measure to the two opposing teams. If they sided with one team or the other, they would lose their voice as a team of officials. If they did not remain impartial, theywould have to answer to the commissioner, and face the consequences for their lack of integrity.

The message was not lost on those who heard what the preacher said that day. The conflicts that are raging in our nation and around the world today will never be settled by pastors and their people siding with one warring faction or the other. The Church, the team of officials, must maintain the prophetic voice of their Commissioner and adhere to The Rule Book.

Pastors should never exchange the prophet's mantle, the shepherd's staff, or the two-edged sword for pom poms. When a pastor or his people take on the role of a cheerleader for a popular person or a particular political party, they violate the covenant of their office, and the mandate of their mission. The influence of the pastor's office does not come from associating with powerful people who are in authority. The power comes from a pastor being a person under Authority.

Jesus extended His highest praise for a Roman Centurion who came to Him requesting healing for his sick servant. Jesus offered to go to the man's home and honor his request. The Centurion said that he was not worthy to have His Presence in his home, nor was it necessary for Jesus to make the trip. He knew instinctively that Jesus needed only to say the word and His will would be done. He was familiar with the chain of command. He gave orders every day, and men carried them out based upon the authority of his Emperor in Rome. He saw in Jesus the same principle of power at work. By submitting Himself to the Authority of God, Jesus tapped into the power of God to transform people into the children of God. Scripture records the Centurion's insightful words, "For I too am a man under authority." Matthew 8:9

The role of prayer in spiritual awakening is all about keeping the people of God under the Authority of God. Whenever pastors lead their people to believe in other politicans and processes more than they believe in God and the power of prayer, they have forfeited their place in the chain of command. God's word is clear. The rule book states,

"First of all then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that they may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity...Therefore I want men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension." I Timothy 2:1-8C

Democratic elections have not always been held, and Christians have not always been able to select their own political leaders. They have been commanded to pray for them anyway. Paul told Timothy that God intended for His Church to be known as a source of prayer for and not criticism of "all who are in authority." Christians have not always played for the right team. They have sided with one party or the other and tried to muscle their way onto the stage of history by throwing their weight to one side and then the other. The Church must never forget that their voice comes from God, and His Rule Book is The Authority. His word must be applied equally to those who need God's direction, protection and correction. To do anything less is a gross misuse of power, and tempts God to pull His pastors and His people out of the game and replace them with those who serve under His Authority.

Pastors who take their opinions very seriously, but refuse to make prayer a priority need to remember the principle, "What a leader does in moderation, the people will do in excess." A prayerless pastor leads to an opinonated people and a powerless church. It is hard to believe, but people can convince themselves that it is possible to fix their problems without ever fixing their eyes on Jesus. Too often, the people in the pew model what they have seen from the pastors in the pulpit.

Jesus set the bar for anyone facing a crisis and in need of finding the power of God in the middle of it. He went to the Garden to pray on the night before He was crucified. His final words point us to the place that prayer is meant to bring us all...to the end of ourselves and to the beginning of God. The words of Jesus are the GPS for arriving at our correct destination in prayer, "...yet not as I will, but as You will." Matthew 26:29

The role of prayer in spiritual awakening: It is a wake-up call to the condition of our own hearts. Pridefulness leads to prayerlessness. Prayerlessness leads to carelessness. Carelessness leads to rebelliousness. Whenever anyone or anything becomes more important to us than being under The Authority of God we are in need of a heart transplant and a course correction. Prayer softens the hardness of our heart and replaces it with a willingness to yield to the touch of His Spirit on those areas of our life that have drifted out from under The Authority of His Word and the intimacy of His Presence. Prayer restores a fellowship with Jesus and allows His pastors and His people to hear His voice guiding them back to the place where they left their First Love.

Pray for those who are in authority. They need it and you need the practice. Don't subsitute a love for your party, your political celebrity or your country for a love for God's Son. America has no reason to exist without being "One nation under God." We get the kind of nation and the kind of leaders we pray for. Finding yourself in need of a First Love Awakening?...TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Name

"A good name is to be more desired than great wealth. Favor is better than silver and gold. The rich and the poor have a common bond. The Lord is the maker of them all." Proverbs 22:1-2

Elections seem to be coming around earlier and staying on the scene longer than ever before. Names of potential candidates for national office are being offered up and torn down with regularity and intensity. From the right and the left, critics search for a kernel of "truth" that can be turned into a salacious sound bite or a scandalous series of articles. The whole process is mind-numbing, and it sheds more heat than light on the search for the best candidate. It is no small wonder that the electorate is left wondering if anyone's name is above reproach, or if any candidate is really who they say they are. Looks can indeed be deceiving, and all that glitters is not gold.

"A good name is to be desired more than great wealth." This should remind Christ followers that they would do well to invest in God's value system. This piece of advice comes directly from the lips of a man who had unlimited access to God's wisdom and had virtually limitless supplies of the world's gold and silver reserves. King Solomon had a net worth then, that would make Trump's treasure look now, like chump change. Still, after looking at his balance sheet, the wisest man in the world assessed a good name as a greater commodity than gold or silver. God has never changed the price tag He placed on character.

Current economic woes have spiked gold prices, and its value is at an all time high. It is nearing $2,000 an ounce. and shows no signs of weakening. It has become a reliable hedge against the falling dollar andthe roller-coaster rides of the unstable stock markets of the world. Over the centuries, gold has retained its value because it does not tarnish or rust away, when tested by the ravages of time. For as long as man has desired wealth, gold has been a valued portion of his portfolio. Men have sold their character, their country, and their children to get it and to keep it. As beautiful as gold is, the pursuit of it has not always provided a pretty picture. It indeed brings out the good, the bad and the ugly in the character of man.

God values a good name. When people come to the end of themselves, they do so because they have lost confidence in their own self-worth. They only turn to their Maker for correction, direction and protection, after they have reached spiritual bankruptcy. Rich and poor are in need of the same guidance and good name that only their Maker can provide. Each must recognize their true condition of need, before they are willing to take hold of this priceless gift from God. His good name cannot be purchased, it must be received. His favor cannot be bartered for or nor can one bid for it on the open market. His name is offered to those who are weary of their self-made status, and desire for their Maker to adopt them as one of His children.

God provides access to His Presence through prayer. His children are invited to enter into an audience with their Maker, not by making a name for themselves, but by invoking the name of His Son, Jesus. God values prayer, and the name of Jesus. The Wise look at these two commodities the way The Fool looks at silver and gold. The Wise pursue God. The Fool pursues gold. The Wise desire God. The Fool desires gold. The Wise accesses God, by invoking the name of Jesus, and receives favor from His Father. The Fool assesses gold. By investing in the price of it, he draws his sense of self-worth from it.

Self-made people rarely turn to their Maker for correction, direction and protection. Unless their value system proves to be unreliable and their treasure has been taken away from them, they place very little value on what God holds dear. The loss of their money often leads to the loss of power and prestige. In the world's system, this results in a collapse of their status and a devaluation of their "good name." They discover the harsh reality of the consequences of having what was once trusted become rusted. There is truth in the warning I once saw on a sign over a vendor's counter, " 'In God We Trust,' but everyone else better have cash."

God's currency does not come printed with the phrase, "In God We Trust." God loves His Son, Jesus, and God places great value in prayer. It is the currency of Heaven. God seated Jesus at His right hand to intercede for His children. Anyone who desires the favor of God will never try to devalue what He treasures the most. God offers His good name to His children, and grants access to His Presence through the name of His Son, Jesus. The Wise have learned,

"Your net worth is based on what money can't buy and what death can't take away." Adrian Rogers

Invest in God's value system. Make prayer a priority in your portfolio. You can't lose. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Purpose

"The fear of the Lord leads to life, so that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil." Proverbs 19:23

Paul Revere's name has become synonymous with a ride made during the tumultuous days leading up to the American Revolution. His purpose was to warn the "Minute Men" of New England of an impending crisis. They were in danger due to the imminent arrival of the British forces that were marching towards them from the city of Boston. His message was not a symbolic gesture made in anticipation of inevitable defeat. It was not meant to sound a retreat in the face of overwhelming odds. He initiated a call to patriots to take a stand against a formidable enemy. The rest, as they say, is history.

I find it interesting that the name of our patriot horseman was Revere. "Revere" is an English word often used as a synonym to provide a contemporary expression of the phrase, "the fear of the Lord." Paul Revere was certainly an instrument used to put a sort of "the fear of the Lord" in the hearts of his fellow patriots. By their quick response to run to the sound of the guns, the "Minute Men" would effectively put the enemy on the run, and chase them back to Boston.

God's wisdom instructs us that, "The fear of the Lord leads to life." God expects His children to revere, respect and respond to His voice. There are times God's voice provides a calming, soothing touch to the restless heart that brings satisfied sleep in the face of a fear. On other occasions, God's word calls His children to awaken from their slumber, and to take their stand in the battle line beside their Champion, Jesus Christ.

There are times that a soul-satisfying sleep is a great expression of worship. It reveals a trust in the Omnipresent, Sovereign God to protect His children. Frantic and fearful children are not faithful representatives of The Father's loving concern for them. When they stay up all night talking about a crisis, or wrestling with it, they rob themselves of the rest they need, and they reflect poorly upon the Father's reputation in the eyes of others.

This Old Testament admonition is matched by the New Testament concern of The Apostle Paul, when he warned the Church at Ephesus, "Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time because the days are evil...being subject to one another in the fear of Christ." Ephesians 5:15-21

Soldiers have always had to respond to the call to take their stand in the line of battle, if there was to be any hope for victory. Three times, in Ephesians chapter six, Paul urged Christian soldiers to take their stand. They were not called to charge or retreat, or to discuss or debate. They were expected to stand next to their Champion, and to be "strong in the strength of His might." (Ephesians 6:10) They were reminded to put on "the full armor of God so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm." (Ephesians 6:13)

In his book, "Turnaround Churches," George Barna described prayer as the church's world class weapon in the battle against evil. Prayer turns the eyes of prayer warriors towards the face of their Champion. Praying shifts their attention from their enemy, and locks their eyes onto the One who has already defeated, death, hell and the grave. They take their marching orders from their Commander in Chief. If Jesus doesn't panic, they will not panic. If Jesus stands firms, they will stand with Him.

The purpose of prayer is to provide the courage to stand and the boldness to speak in the face of an intimidating and relentless enemy.

"With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel." Ephesians 6:19

Prayer is the means by which the warrior calls on Jesus for the power of His Presence to demoralize and to defeat the enemy. There is no secret code ring necessary to tap into this power. There is no glib phrase or a magic mantra that unleashes the Manifest Presence of Jesus. His sole purpose in life is to respond to the call of God's children and to intercede for them. He is not trying to hide His Presence from God's children. Jesus, throuch His Spirit, is constantly calling His followers into His Presence. The feelblest prayer from the faintest saint ovepowers "spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." Prayer reminds fearful prayer warriors that they are not alone, and provides them the courage to stand firm and speak up. Prayer reminds the enemy that their defeat is as certain, and His shield is more than "able to extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one."

There is an appropriate time for deep, satisfied sleep. There is a contentment and peace in knowing that God has taken the field, and Jesus keeps us untouched by the evil that surrounds us. There is also a time to hear a call from God's Spirit to awaken from slumber and to take a stand against evil. There are times when evil takes the field in defiance of God, and unless prayer warriors take their place beside their Champion, holy ground is given up that need not be conceded to the enemy.

There is a prayer movement taking place throughout the world. The Church has begun to hear the wakeup call to take their place in the battle line in an unprecedented way. This ride of The Spirit of God warns of a spiritual invasion that need not be tolerated. The Spirit calls for God's children to revere His voice and respond with courage to stand and boldness to speak against a spiritual enemy that has already been defeated. The battle trumpet rends the air. Run to the sound of the guns. Take your place next to your Champion. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. He will turn your fear into cheer. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

"The one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless study, prayerless work, or prayerless religion. He mocks at our wisdom, laughs at our toil, but he trembles when we pray." Samuel Chadwick

The Audience

"O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together." Psalm 34:7

King David's Psalm of praise focuses on The Audience of One. When the glory of God becomes the priority of our lives, individually and corporately, everything changes. David's life never shined any brighter than when he was reflecting glory to God for the favor of God that was being directed towards him. David was not immune from becoming full of himself. His Psalm was an eloquent reminder to return humbly to The One who took him from the pasture and placed him in the palace.

Proverbs offers another powerful reminder to husbands tempted to think of themselves as the king of their own castle. Finding a good wife often leads them to the misguided belief that they are equipped to make her a better wife by finding fault in her. Finding fault with a gift from God does not increase the chances of finding favor with God. Don't change the price tag on something God values very highly. Praying with your wife reveals you share God's value system. He holds prayer and people very close to his heart. You should too.

"He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord." Proverbs 18:22

Since June of 1980, these two scriptures have taken on a significant role in my marriage. Dana and I had been married for three and a half years, when we came to the conclusion that we needed to take the focus off of ourselves if we were going to have any hope of building a lasting marriage. We were parents of a six month old baby girl, and actively serving on the staff of a growing church in a sprawling bedroom community of Oklahoma. We were stressed, stretched and struggling to make the transition from ME to WE. The harder we worked at our marriage, the more focused we became on our own navels. The new little bundle of blessing that arrived at our home added to the trauma and the drama of building a family.

A study of Luke 24 presented by my father, Don Miller, led me to believe that the two people on the road to Emmaus may very well have been a married couple. Recently, I came across an audio recording of the late, Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse. He was a great Presbyterian pastor who went home to be with the Lord in 1960. I was thrilled when I heard him make the same observation as my father. Reading the passage with this perspective has had a powerful impact on our marriage and ministry.

"And behold two of them were going that very day to a little village name Emmaus...and they were talking with each other about the things which had taken place. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them...And He said to them, 'What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?' " Luke 24:14-17

The couple had talked themselves into a dilemma that was moving them downhill literally and spiritually. What was required in their lives was a change of focus and a change of direction. In the middle of their conversation with one another, Jesus took the initiative. He broke in and asked them to tell Him what was on their minds. The husband, Cleopas, responded with a saracastic remark, but Jesus simply responded to his initial annoyance with two inviting little words, "What things?"

This is the point. The trauma and drama of crisis, real or imagined, can blind us from the only One who can make a difference in the middle of the chaos and confusion of life. Talking about a problem magnifies the size of it, until Jesus is not recognized as being available to do something about it. Praying takes the problem to Jesus, and He provides hope for a solution. HOPE arrives by H-Having O-Our, P- Perspective, E-Elevated.

One year ago, Dana and I responded to God's call to lead people to TALK LESS! and PRAY MORE! These four little words will change your direction in life. It is never too early or too late to start taking Jesus up on His invitation, "What things?"

Recently, I gathered with thousands of people in Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas for "The Response: A Call to Prayer for a Nation in Crisis." I was not surprised by the secular cynics who sought to block this prayer meeting being called by a Chrisitan who also served as a governor of the state of Texas. I have to admit I shocked at the spirit of Cleopas that came growling out of the snarled lips of many members of the Christian community. They criticicized the man, the motive, the mandate, and the managers of the event. They missed the point completely. The focus of The Response was not on the one who inititated it, but on The Audience of One who called for it.

When the great spiritual awakening known as The Fulton Street Revival of 1857 broke out in New York City, it transformed a nation in crisis, and impacted a world with a message of hope. Newspaper editor, Horace Greeley, sought to document the prayer meetings taking place around the city during lunch hour, by dispatching reporters on horseback and by carriage to the various locations. They reported over 10,000 people were praying during the noon hour, and calling out to God to step in and pull the nation out of the current financial collapse. In one year, one million converts flooded into the churches of America. Millions more would be touched by this movement of the Spirit in America and around the world. Jesus stepped in then, and Jesus is knocking on the door of His church today. I believe with all my heart that He is still asking His people to talk to Him about what is going on in their lives and their nation.

Time will tell if the thousands who participated in "The Response" of 2011 in Houston, Texas or thousands more who watched the simulcast was a "flash in the pan" or if it was a signal of a movement of God that will have long lasting impact and divine duration. That decision is all in God's hands. What remains in our hands is "a nation in crisis." The question of Jesus to the couple of the road to Emmaus remains to be answered by us today. Will we keep talking to each other about it or answer His invitation to tell Him "What things?"

I choose to focus on The Audience of One, and respond to the call of Jesus to return to my "first love." The voice of critics, secularists or saints, must not drown out His call in my ears. I must tell Him more about "the things" that are on my mind. I must stop talking to others more than I talk to Him. He is The Audience I must focus upon.

Don't be confused about God's value system in these days. Talk is not cheap. It is costly! It robs us of hope, and blinds us from seeing the face of The Audience who is seated at the right hand of The Father, and is available to hear us when we pray. Jesus is available, and accessible and attentive. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!