The Distance

"The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayers of the righteous." Proverbs 15:29

"If I could hear Christ praying for me, I would not fear a million enemies. But the distance makes no difference. He is praying for me." Robert Murray M'Cheyne

This morning I woke up with the sobering realization that this is the last day I will have my little family of four under the same roof, and under the same name. My wife and daughters are fast asleep for a little while longer. Hopefully, changing the battery in one of the chirping smoke detectors will help them rest without any further interupptions.

Tonight we go to a rehearsal to prepare for the wedding of our first born, Ashley. She will spend tonight with us for the last time as a Miller. She will change her name to Warren on Friday night, and it comes as no surprise that she won't be living under my roof or under my name any longer. This is a great day for her and a sad day for me all rolled into one. Don't ask me to explain it. I can't. It must be a Dad thing.

There have been so many "last minute" things to do to prepare for the wedding rehearsal and dinner, that the final hours are coming at me with the speed of light. There has been the moving of our daughters from their apartment to our home. We transferred Ashley's furniture over to her fiancee's home, and painted bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchen. Allyson downsized and moved in with us for a few months. She needed time to let the dust settle after serving as Maid of Honor, taking on a new job, and graduating with her Master's Degree in Leadership from Dallas Baptist University. Her move-in meant a move for me too. My upstairs office had to be reduced and relocated downstairs. I sifted through my shelves and culled out, gave away or reboxed my books for storage in the garage. Did I tell you this has been the hottest summer on record in Texas? We have chosen to do the craziest of things in the hottest of times.

There are family and friends gathering, from all over the country. Some are on the road, and expected momentarily. Others are heading to the airports and their ETA's are in God's hands. We are anticipating a houseful in a few short hours. There will be a wedding rehearsal at the church and a dinner at a restaurant tonight. Dana will host a Bridesmaid's Brunch in our home on Friday morning, and then it will be time to head to the church to decorate and prepare for the wedding at 7:00 P.M.

It doesn't take much of a prophet to foresee that solitude to reflect on this day in such a concentrated space and tight time frame will be hard to come by. These early morning hours are quiet enough now for God to give me a little peace of His mind. I'm going to take advantage of his availability while everyone else is sleeping.

Father, thank you for placing Ashley into my life. She has been an answer to my prayers and the deepest longing of my heart. As a young husband, I recall the season of my life when you placed in me a hunger to be a Daddy. It was a new feeling for me. I had never experienced anything like it.

When Dana and I discovered she was expecting, it was a great day in our lives. We couldn't wait to share the good news with everyone we knew. We will always be grateful for those folks at First Baptist Church of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma who prepared such a soft landing zone for Ashley. When they discovered that the church's health insurance plan did not cover pregnancy, they put together a party and raised up a "Money Tree." When we picked the fruit, we had $2,500.00 to pay for the hospital and medical bills. God, you have such a great and generous family. Thank you for letting us be a part of it all these years.

Ashley, you have been loved by some of the finest people God ever made. You may not remember their names, but just the same, never forget them. They have not forgotten you. I am so glad that you arrived in my life on December 6, 1979. I will never forget what Sharon Ross said to me that day. She was standing next to me at the window of the hospital nursery. You were only a few hours old, but already such a beautiful little girl. I was trying to take it all in when she said, "That is a little blank slate, and you can write on it anything that you want." I almost passed out with fear. I had never felt so indadequte for task in all my life. I still do. Being your Daddy has been one of the greatest joys of my life. Trainng up a child in the way she should go has brought me to the end of myself so many times. Often I felt unprepared for the calling, and I called out to God on your behalf for Him to do for you what I could not do. I believe my prayers have been heard. You are an amazing work of His grace and His handprints are all over your life. Thank you for listening to God when I did not know what to do.

My heart has ached for you to know the love, the companionship and the completion that comes to a person when God brings a mate into their life. Truly, Dana has been God's perfect gift to me. I have prayed that your marriage partner's heart would be stamped with the same undeniable impression, "MADE IN HEAVEN." Again, my prayers have been heard. Receive Brent as God's perfect gift to you. God picked him. God prepared him. You prayed for him. Don't stop. "No complaints. No exchanges. All sales final." THE MANAGMENT.

Back in December 0f 2010, you were facing another birthday, and you could not see what God had in store for you. You needed hope. I felt strongly impressed to buy your wedding dress for you as a statement of faith in God's plan for your life. In days of old, young ladies would prepare for their wedding day, and marriage by setting precious items, momentos, or clothing in a hope chest. I felt you needed to place your hope in God, and prepare for this day with a sense of expectation and joy. It was my joy to take you out and buy your wedding dress before God revealed His choice of your husband. I loved seeing your face light up with the idea that God was up to something in your life. Never forget that you are always on His mind, and He is always planning how to place the gift of His grace in some new package just for you.

God's delay does not always mean His denial. It may mean that He is doing such a great work that He wants to complete His finishing touches on His gift. He loves to see the look on His child's face when He exceeds their expectations. You might recall, the night I shared with you about my sense of urgency for your dress, I was scheduled to have coffee with Brent at the Starbuck's in Southlake Town Center. He and I spent the evening catching up on what had been going on in his life. In a few weeks, he was asking my permission to step into your life, and ask you into his. The rest of your love story has yet to be written, but I really like the intro.

Ashley, I have always enjoyed our morning times together. Since you were a little girl in second grade in Borger, Texas, we have been going out on breakfast dates together. I was so glad when the day came that we moved from Burger King to McDonalds. Then we graduated to I-HOP, and a real breakfast menu. Recently you have shared your love for Starbuck's with me. So, today Starbuck's it is. I look forward to our last cup of coffee with Miss Miller, but I am looking forward to many more with the lovely Mrs. Warren.

Remember that your Heavenly Father is only a prayer away. Keep Him on speed dial. He has a great long distance plan. I am on call too, and always will be proud to be called...

Your Daddy.

The Wedding

"On the third day there was a wedding...and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding." John 2:1-2

"Whatever He says to you, do it." John 2:5

"Fill the waterpots with water. Draw some out now..." John 2:7-8

In just a few days our daughter, Ashley, will marry her fiancee, Brent Warren. Today is the 12th, and on the 15th we head to the rehearsal. Three days to go. So much to do. So little time.

I have been in my share of weddings, and conducted hundreds of them. This is not my first rodeo, but I feel strangely unprepared for the occasion. It is different from anything I have ever done before.

Don't get me wrong. I couldn't be happier for them. They are in love, and their story is one for the ages. God made them for each other, and He has put them together. God has begun something in their lives, and He has promised to complete it in them. Marriage has always been God's plan for turning two people into one, and Ashley and Brent are ready for the next step.

Dana and I have prayed for Ashley to find God's man, and to be patient enough to give Him the elbow room and the time to prepare a husband for her. I have seen God work in Brent's life. I saw God call him into the ministry when he was a college student. I was there when he was ordained to the ministry. For over 20 years I have watched God develop him into the kind of man He uses. Humble. Available. Teachable. Moldable. Dependable. Expendable.

Dana has prayed for Ashley's husband and for this day with an intense fervor long before she was born. Dana carried the significance of this day in her heart while carrying Ashley in her womb. When Dana was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer in March of 2008, she determined to do everything in her power to be a part of this special occasion. She prayed with more power and greater passion than I had ever seen. She asked to be granted God's favor for healing, so she would have the privilege of taking part in her daughter's wedding day. Her prayers were answered. Mine too. This is a big deal.

Any Dad who has ever viewed the Steve Martin version of "The Father of Bride" can remember the scene where he hears his daugher's unexpected engagement announcement. He hears her, but cannot process what she is saying. He can only "see" her sitting across the table from him as as his little girl. It is a great scene, and based on more fact than fiction. I can relate to Dad's who have a tough time letting their little ones grow up. This is a big deal too!

Back to The Wedding. I am meeting with Ashley and Brent tomorrow to go over the final details of the wedding ceremony. Father's of the Bride and Ministers conducting the wedding have one thing in common. They come at the end of everything else. Rings - check. Counseling - check. Church - check. Invitations printed-check. Invitations addressed -check. Invitations mailed - check. DJ- check. Music - check. Flowers - check. Decorate- check. Photographer-check. Cake-check. Food-check. Beverage- check. License- check. Minister - oops! It happens all the time, but I have learned over the years, it always pays to have the last word.

I love the fact that marriage was God's idea. This is what I love the most about Ashley and Brent's wedding. God put them together, and they have invited Jesus to take part in their great day. They are following in a grand and glorious tradition of couples who expect the Son of God to show up at their wedding, and do something in their lives that only He can get credit for. The couple at the wedding in Cana made sure that Jesus was invited. To their great joy, he decided to show up. Note to any future wedding planners out there: Jesus shows up where He is invtied. The Bible records the first miracle of Jesus, the turning of water into wine. It may not have been his first miracle, because His mother, Mary, said to the servants,

"Whatever He says to you, do it."

Mary seemed to be aware of the potential of something special breaking loose any time her son took hold of what others couldn't handle. Mom's are like that. They are special ladies who always seem to have a sense that God is on the move in the lives of their children. The wise mother doesn't panic when life overwhelms their kids, they pray and point them to Jesus.

"Whatever He says to you, do it." What great advice! Ashley and Brent, I cannot improve on this. I believe no less of a miracle takes place every time a couple invites Jesus to take what they give Him, and do something with it that only He can get credit for. You are both called, anointed and accomplished servants of God. He has done great things through you individually. It is only the beginning of what He has had in mind to do through you as a couple. Don't forget the lesson of the couple in Cana. They invited Jesus to show up at the beginning. When their challenge was put in His hands, He orchestrated a happy ending. Coming to the end of yourselves is the best preparation for receiving from Jesus what He wants to do for and through you.

Ashley: Thank you for being patient with me, and allowing me to discover the joy of being a father to a precious little girl who has become a woman of God. I am so proud of you, and always feel a little taller when I am introduced as Ashley's Daddy. I will always be there for you. I have passed my sword of protection to your warrior husband to stand by your side. I have kept my shield, and I will hold it over you both as you take your stand as husband and wife next to your Champion, Jesus.

Brent: Thank you for allowing God to work in your life. Continue to yield to His will for your lives as Ashley's husband. Run to Jesus and let Him walk you both through every trial, test, tear and triumph. Take this sword from my hand and protect my daughter with your life. She is worth fighting with and fighting for. She is an amazing woman, and I am grateful that you receive her as God perfect gift to you.

Well nuff said. Time for me to take my own advice and TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Wise

"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." Proverbs 9:8-10

God is reachable. Prayer makes that possible. The Wise are teachable. Humility makes that possible. The distance between reachable and teachable is only as far away as a teachable spirit. People who know it all are very common, and so are their first cousins... The Fools. The Wise cultivate a heart that is open to receive the seed of God's Word. They allow it to take root until it bears the fruit of His character, and they are able to reap a harvest of His wisdom.

The wisdom literature of Proverbs points out that success in life is a result of meeting God at the juntion of the vertical and the horizontal. Being rightly related to Him holds the key to being rightly related to others. Self-absorbed people blasting through life politely ignoring God end up running over others who get in their way. When someone gets the idea that God is merely a speed bump on their road to success, they do not mind crashing through a crowded crosswalk filled with ordinary people.

"The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their right name." Author Unknown

Prideful people are prayerless people. There I said it. Calling pride by the right name leaves some hope for putting it where it belongs. It must be kicked to the curb or it will constantly try to get in the driver's seat. Prayerless people have great difficulty yielding the steering wheel to God and allowing Him to be in control of their lives. They have grown accustomed to being large and in charge. They don't know where they are going, but they are making great time. Racing everywhere they go, running on fumes, and terrorizing anyone who gets in their way, they seldom stop and ask God for directions. The last words out of their mouth as they crash through the last barricade and plummet over the cliff is, "Jesus Take the Wheel!" It is little wonder that the writer of Proverbs saw this coming from a long way off.

"The wise at heart will receive commands, but a babbling fool will be ruined (thrust down)." Proverbs 10:8

My first born, Ashley, opened up a Twitter account for me. She has introduced me to the sound byte world of Tweeting. I love the gentle reminder that flashes on the screen, when I have used more than my 140 characters to Tweet my message to the waiting world. It is profound to be told by an unseen monitor of the account that I must be more clever. WOW. That is a nice way of saying, "You twit!" It gives me pause, causing me to distill my thinking into less expansive prose or write in unintelligible text-speak. U No Wht I mn?

A recent study of the Hebrew word, "wisdom" led me to "Hebrew for Christians." Thanks to John J. Parsons I learned that the Hebrews defined wisdom (khohkh-mah) as a noun that meant wisdom or cleverness. They thought of the wise man (khah-kahm) as one who was prudent and clever. The Hebrews believed that the sage advice of a person who was wise at heart came from walking circumspectly. This describes someone who had lived a life clever enough recognize what they had learned was a landmine, and to see the wisdom in walking around it rather than stepping on it. They did not yearn to personally experience the trauma and drama of an explosion. They chose to learn, not to yearn. I was reminded by Parsons that the "wise" are "clever." I couldn't agree more. I think the person who had a hand in setting up the automatic warning on my Twitter account might agree with him too. Less is more. Be brief. Be clever. Be safe. Be quiet.

"A babbling fool will be ruined (thrust down)." What a statement! It makes a strong case for keeping one's proverbial pie hole shut. Clever people are those who learn to listen to the one in authority. A fool yearns for the sound of his own voice. Go figure. Clever people learn to pray through a crisis. The Fool yearns to talk his way out of it.

The writers of Proverbs would feel right at home on a Twitter account. Very few of the statements made in the thirty-one chapters of this book would violate "The 140 Rule." The prose, parallelisms, and poetry of Proverbs are brief, to the point and packed with wise counsel.

The clever person will learn to pray. They hear and obey God's voice. The Fool debates with God and delays obedience to His counsel. The Wise learn to listen. The Fool yearns to speak. The clever learn. The foolish yearn. One humbly places themselves under authority and listens for marching orders. The other grabs the command seat, and starts giving directions. Humility leads a clever person to realize that there is no need to experiment with every disastrous decision in life. The humble do not yearn to use their lives as a test lab or their bodies as a crash dummy to prove God wrong. Through prayer they yield to His perspective, His principles, and His Person. They are wise because they have learned to listen. They have heard God's voice, and have come to trust His direction, protection and correction. They are clever because they have come to the end of themselves, and the beginning of God. They are not whipped down, stripped down versions of what God had in mind for their lives. Through prayer they have learned to rest in God's best for them. Through prayer they turn their eyes towards Jesus, and away from themselves as their center of attention and center of gravity. Prayerless people are prideful people focusing only on themselves and their own solutions.

"Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less." C.S. Lewis

The Wise lead the way to the next great spiritual awakening. It will begin in the Church, and it will be a result of the obedience of Christ followers to the commands of Jesus. He described what He was looking for from His Church as a First Love Awakening. Jesus called His Church to remember that leaving Him and serving Him are not compatible concepts. Lack of intimacy with Him reveals a corrupted character that must be corrected. The Wise hear and obey. They learn to TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Revelation 2:7

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!