The Encourager

"Barnabas...when he came, and had seen the grace of God,...exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith...then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul." Acts 11:22-25 KJV

"He's such a nice guy." This insipid phrase has become the mission statement for Settlers Anonymous. Pastor Search Committees, Deacon Selection Teams, Elder Boards, and brides in search of husbands have all fallen for this foggy mist of a lost soul, posing as a man of God. Stop it!

Correct me if I am wrong. The Bible never uses "Nice Guy" to describe a man, redeemed by the blood of Jesus, conformed to His image, by the Holy Spirit, and transformed into a man of God.

Mose was called a friend of God, but he was not a nice guy. He had anger issues. David was a man after God's own heart, but he was not a nice guy. He had fidelity issues. Elijah was a mighty man of God, but he dealt with depression. Peter, well, enough said there. Sorry Peter. He was force of nature, but not a nice guy. James and John were called "The Sons of Thunder", but never a couple of nice guys. Get the picture?

Saul was still marked by mayhem, and murder, when Barnabas found him and brought him to Antioch. Nice guys may indeed finish last, but one thing is for certain, they are not who you think of when you look at the faces of the men, God used to shape, serve and sacrifice their lives for the story of redemption.

Barnabas, his Hebrew name meant son of consolation, son of exhortation, or son of comfort. Very rarely does a name indicate a man's mission in life, but in this case, the name fit the man. Barnabas was The Encourager. If he had not reached out to Saul, there very well might never have been a Paul, and a great deal of the New Testament. Encouragement goes a long way.

I recently received a note from a friend, thanking me for sending a thank you note to her husband. She said, "His love language is words of affirmation." I was reminded that it never hurts to speak, or write a word of encouragement to those, whose lives we touch. What enriches others, will not leave us in poverty. If you have the opportunity, invest in others. Barnabas did. The world is a richer place for it, and Heaven is full of people who were changed as a result of his life of encouragement.

Note to self: You never know how far a word of encouragement may go to turn one person's life around. God can use one person to change the world. Change the world, one person at a time. Be an encourager, not a discourager. The world is full of the latter, but encouragement still matters.

Very little is known of Barnabas, but what is known about him describes him as The Encourager. He didn't make a name for himself. He made a difference. His character matched his name. The name is not always matched by character.

Barnabas was a Cypriot Jewish convert, and a landowner. Acts records when the Jerusalem Church was in need, he sold his land and gave the money to them. Generosity is always encouraging. When the recently converted Saul needed an introduction to the apostles in Jerusalem, he brought Saul to them, and vouched for him. Encouraging indeed.

When the work in Antioch prospered, and he was in need of help, Barnabas encouraged Saul to join him and worked with him a year in that city, giving Saul much needed gravitas and street creds among the people. They later conducted missionary journeys to other cities, and saw great response to their message among the Gentiles. When they were called to Jerusalem to defend what they were doing, Barnabas stood with Saul, as an advocate for Gentile believers to be welcomed into the Christian community. Thanks, Barnabas!

When Paul emerged as the dominant voice in their working relationship, Barnabas accepted that role, and continued to encourage Paul, not resent him. When Paul sought to discipline a young evangelist, by leaving him behind. Barnabas could do nothing less than be himself. He separated himself from Paul, and invested himself in the young man. It was in his Spiritual DNA.

Note to self: Encourage others. Investing encouragement in others will not impoverish you. It will enrich you in ways you cannot imagine. Don't even think about it. Do it.

I want to be like Barnabas, when I grow up. Encouragement is the by-product of a changed life. Praying for someone is the most encouraging thing you can do for them. Talking about them can be the most discouraging. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Repentance

"Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life." Acts 11:18

Peter was part of a leadership group, convinced they had received the gift of The Spirit from God, but they were not so convinced that the gift was to be shared with others. They were more than stunned, when Peter returned to Central Control, with news of Gentiles being baptized into their Holy Club.

The Chosen People were very proud of their Abrahamic Covenant relationship with God. The circumcision of males was a sign of a covenant between Abraham and God, and a promise that the nations of the world would be blessed by the descendants of Abraham. Somewhere along the way, they forgot why they were chosen, and began to take pride in the fact that they were chosen, and others were not. They were not happy at the prospect of church growth, if it came at the cost of losing their unique identity with God, and having to rub shoulders with "those people."

"Those who were circumcised took issue with him, saying, 'You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.' " Acts 11:3

Translation: You got some 'splainin' to do!

"But Peter began speaking and proceeded to explain to them in orderly sequence, 'I was in the city of Joppa praying..." Act 11:5

Notice the sequence. Prayer was the first thing Peter offered up, as the key component of his explanation. Prayer explains a lot! Talk is cheap, but there is great value in prayer.

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

Prayerless people miss out on a great deal of what God has in mind. The prayerless make up their own minds, without seeking God's mind, and end up losing their minds, in the process.

Any prayerless person or prayerless church that makes decisions, without seeking God's direction, protection and correction, will become so open-minded, their brains will fall out. The praying person yields their will to God, through prayer, and discovers God is a great deal bigger than they ever thought He was, and His family is a great deal larger than they ever had in mind. Prayer will keep a person in touch with God, and His Spirit will reveal, from God's Word, what God had in mind, in the first place.

"The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them." Isaiah 9:2

The early church fathers didn't mind shining the light on the Gentiles, if they were free to point it at them, to expose their sin. They didn't want to use the light to guide Gentiles home to God. A flashlight is a useful tool, if it points to the right path, but it can cause blindness, when someone shines it right in the face of a person who has lost their way. Shine the light, but shine it right. Point it to the right path, not right in someone's eyes. If they turn, they will thank you for it. If they don't turn, their refusal to repent is on them, not on you. If their failure to turn doesn't bring you to tears, you may want to check your heart, and your motives.

In this mad rush of the contemporary church to reach out to seekers, without offending their sense of direction, it is worth remembering that Peter looked like he was out of his mind, when he reached out to people who did not know how to get to Jesus. Praying led him to obeying the words he had heard Jesus say. Praying always improves a person's memory and their level of obedience.

"And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' Acts 11:16

Two thoughts: (1) Praying and obeying the word of the Lord improves your memory.

Peter had filed away, in his mind, more of the words of Jesus than the Bible contains. He had walked and talked with Jesus for three years. Diligently reading every word of Jesus recorded in the Bible, may take minutes, perhaps hours, but not years. Peter had forgotten more about Jesus than we will ever know, this side of Heaven. Praying hit the recall button in Peter's mind.

(2) Jesus repeated what He thought was important. The fact that Peter recalled, "how He used to say", gives some indication that Jesus said it more than once. Peter still forgot it. It took the Holy Spirit to remind him of what was truly important. The Holy Spirit honors the words of Jesus. He never makes up His own words. He points to Jesus. He only does this...EVERY TIME.

In Texas, when a man gets himself hung up on something trivial and misses the significant, people say, "He steps over dollar bills to pick up nickels." I was on a plane coming home from Baton Rouge this week. It was one of those American Eagle machines: Small seats, smaller overhead bins, low ceilings, narrow aisles, wide flight attendants and over-booked.

By the time "Cramp Air" landed at DFW, I was ready to fight my way off the plane, like a rat off a sinking ship. I looked down, with my hands filled with carry on, and no room to move, and I saw two dimes on the floor. Two dimes! Not a nickel, but two whole dimes. I thought about it. Generally speaking, I'm not too proud, to pick up a penny, and this treasure trove was worth way more than that. I didn't do it. I got off the plane. My mission was to get home, not pick up more baggage, Not even 20 cents worth.

Peter and the boys at Central Control had forgotten the mission. They were sending missionaries all over the known world in wider, and wider concentric circles. The problem was that they didn't see the value in drawing Gentiles into their circle. They had a rule that wouldn't allow them to have any contact with them. They were focused on keeping the rule, and the rule kept them from seeing what was truly valuable to God...lost people

Jesus had established "The Outback Rule" long before the steak house hit on it. "No Rules. Just Right." Those who are made right by Jesus, don't need rules. They are filled with His Spirit and ruled by Jesus. Measuring oneself against others, always makes a person look taller in their own eyes. Measuring oneself, by the stature of Jesus, proves anyone to be vertically challenged. There are a lot of little self-appointed and self-anointed apostles running around today. Avoid people interested in being rulers, but don't give any evidence of being ruled. Jesus rules. Follow Him.

The saved don't just seek Jesus, they follow Him. They make a turn from their way to His way. They get off their high horse, and walk with Him, in a new direction. This is repentance. Not penance. Penance can ride a slow horse to hell, but still arrive at the same destination, unless there is a turn around. Penance shows sorrow for sin, but repentance turns from it. Heading in the wrong direction will wear you out, and kill your horse. When the horse is dead, dismount. Turn around, and start walking with Jesus. This is called repentance. It is life-changing, life-giving and completely essential evidence of the saving grace of Christ.

"God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to stand in God's way.?' When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God saying, 'Well then..." Acts 11:17-18

The Gift of the Holy Spirit comes after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. Good to know. Prayer places us in the way of this same Holy Spirit, and He brings a spirit of humility, and proper perspective, to prayerful people.

Prayerless people are prideful people, full of themselves, but not the Spirit of God. They tend to get in the way of God, not in a good way, but in a restrictive way. If they don't step aside, the collision won't stop God, but it will leave a mark on them.

Note to self: Pray and get out of the way.

"They quieted down and glorified God." Apparently, the early church was not a quiet place. It was a rowdy place. They did church loud! When they disagreed, they didn't do it silently or politely. They didn't mind speaking their mind, but the saving grace of the early church was their willingness to come to the end of themselves, personally and corporately and receive the mind of Christ. At the end of the day, all that mattered was the answer to one question, "What did Jesus say?"

The mind of Christ will only be secured by prayerful people. Long held personal preferences, prejudices, and policies die hard. Those that don't may prove to be death defying, but they will never be life-giving. They just kill the church. Stop the insanity. Have you lost your mind. Get off your high horse, and down on your knees. You will find your right mind, by moving in the right direction. It leads to the mind of Christ, and a heart for lost people.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Wrap-Up

Please pray for us as we wrap up THE RENEWAL: Baton Rouge - Mr. David and Cindy Lane have been joined, by 500 pastors and spouses, and it has been a powerful meeting. Pray with us, asking God to mobilize pastors to return to their people and to equip them to register to vote, and to prepare them to exercise their Christian Citizenship and to defend Religious Liberty. Thank you for praying.

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Thank you for praying for us yesterday. We had a great day with the 500 pastors and spouses of Louisiana. This morning, the doors open for The Renewal: Baton Rouge, at 6:55 AM and we wrap up the event at 10:30 AM.

We kicked the day off with Governor Bobby Jindal. He shared his personal testimony, regarding his decision to follow Jesus Christ as his personal, Lord and Savior. It was powerful, and gave evidence of a sincere heart, and genuine fruit. We also heard Cong. Bob McEwen of Ohio, Dr. Laurence White of Texas, Pastor Ken Graves of Maine, Dean Mat Staver of Virginia. Mr. Tony Perkins of D.C. and Mr. Chad Connely of South Carolina. It was an All-American lineup.

Between each session, we had the pastors join us in prayer, along with you. God blessed us with a great response. At last count we had 125 pastors commit to lead a STAND UP! SUNDAY

The Healer

"Jesus Christ heals you;" Acts 9:34

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever. Don't take my word for it.

"Jesus Christ, the same, yesterday, today and forever." Hebrews 13:8

Dr. W. Fred Swank, long-tenured pastor at Sagamore Hill Baptist Church of Fort Worth, Texas had this verse of Scripture printed on his personal business cards. Every preacher ought to take a page out of his playbook, and remind people in the pews that Jesus doesn't change. He changes people. Thanks Bro. Fred. Wish you were here.

In the Gospel of John, it records Jesus referred to Himself, in the present tense. I AM The Bread of life. I AM the Good Shepherd. I AM The Door. I AM The Light of the world. I AM The Vine. I AM The Way, The Truth, and The Life. I AM The Resurrection and The Life. See what I mean? All present tense. All the time.

Jesus didn't say, "I will be." He didn't say, "I was." He said, "I AM." Whoever God is, He is. He didn't lose any portion of God's character, when He became a baby. He didn't become less of who God is, when He became a man. He didn't give up any of God's power, when He died on the cross. He revealed God's power, when He rose from the tomb. He didn't abdicate His Lordship, at His Ascension. He glorified God, when He took His place, at His right hand. He is!

NOW! Jesus intercedes for His Church. This means He prays for His followers, by name. He never ceases to be Who He has always been. He is God. The early church preachers believed Jesus was a real, and as present, in their lives as the breath in their lungs. They never stopped believing He was God. When crisis came their way, they met it head on...IN THE NAME OF JESUS.

The dangerous preacher today is not the one who mentions the name of Jesus, but the one who uses the name of Jesus. There is a difference between a name-dropper, and a name changer.

It may be a man thing, but I am going to go out on a limb here. Hyphenated marriage names have always bothered me. It is so English. In other words, it is foreign to me. Women who never drop their father's name, to take their husband's names, may be making a point, when they should be tying a knot. Anything hyphenated, more easily identifies the point of separation. It doesn't strengthen the bond. It may lead to a form of unity, but it doesn't guarantee oneness. Just stop it.

Note to self: If you tie the tails of a dog and a cat together, you have unity, but you don't have oneness. Saying a few words over them, and serving punch and cake, won't transform one into the other. Having an open bar will only make things worse.

A celebrity stalker may be able to drop a name, and even get a photo op, but will not be invited to dinner. To use a celebrity's name or wear their logo on one's clothing, may speak volumes about hero worship, but it doesn't translate into a relationship. Going to a concert doesn't make a fan a family member. The entertainment factor gained from it is not intimacy. It is a form of delusion.

Note to self: You have an Arnold Palmer sand wedge. Don't expect it to make you Arnold Palmer, when you play at Bay Hill. It is his home course, not yours. Stay out of the sand.

The preachers of the early church spoke the name of Jesus. They were close friends with Jesus. They took him at His word, when He said that there would be a day, when He would call them friends, not just servants. That day had come.

When they got up, they called on Jesus. When they went about their daily business. They called on Jesus. When they were in trouble, they called on the name of Jesus. They lived and breathed, an uninterrupted, continual conversation with Jesus. Their prayer life developed and sustained a consistent companionship with Jesus.

Jesus had prayed that His disciples be one, just as He and the Father are one. This was not a prayer that the disciples get along with one another. It was a prayer for His disciples to know the uninterrupted flow of The Power and The Presence of The Promise of God, that would be available to them, through His Spirit. The world in which they were going to live and launch His church was going to need to see Jesus flowing through them, not preachers full of themselves.

The Spirit of Jesus is the only source for the life and the love of Jesus, to be available to the disciples of Jesus. When sin interrupts, it separates, and hyphenates the believer from his namesake. Dropping The Name of Jesus is not the same as taking the name of Jesus. Wearing the name of Jesus is not the same, as bearing The Name of Jesus.

Peter spoke just a few words, and by healing one man, and raising one woman from the dead. He did so, in the name of Jesus. To Aeneas, he introduced The Person and The Power of Jesus, into the present tense of an immediate crisis, by announcing, "Jesus Christ heals you." (v.34) To the woman, he said, "Tabitha, arise." (v.40) Interesting to note, that each person was called by name. Jesus still does. Can you hear him calling yours? Never doubt it!

"Many believed in the Lord." Acts 9:42

You think? I bet they did! Today, most of the time, healing is prayed for, when people aren't in the room. It is less embarrassing that way. When prayers are answered, and people are healed, the typical response is, "Well, it must not have been as bad as we thought."

The early church preachers didn't offer Jesus, as a by-product of healing. They believed He was The Healer. What they knew He did, when He walked with them, they believed He never stopped doing. They called on Him, with a confidence in Him, based on consistent companionship with Him. Prayer that is all about immediacy, but not interested in intimacy, falls short on both counts.

Peter didn't offer up prayer to Jesus, or call on Him, with whimsical wishful thinking or panic-driven showmanship. He simply placed what was impossible for him, in the hands of the only one Who could do something about it.

This is the essence of prayer. Jesus takes what we give Him, and turns the impossible into the HIMpossible. Talking about a crisis only prolongs the degree of separation, from our namesake, Jesus. Prayer ends the sense of fear, in the middle of the crisis. Prayer assures us Jesus is in the now. Prayer continues our conversation, in His name, and improves our companionship, with The Name, until we are one with Him. Don't miss the intimacy, by focusing on the immediacy. Start earlier. Pray longer. The Healer is waiting for you.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Season

"So the church...enjoyed peace, being built up, and going on in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase." Acts 9:31

After a season of persecution erupted, at the launch of the church, a season of peace took its place, in the life of the church. Perhaps no greater words of wisdom have ever been strung together than, "This too will pass."

This peace was not so much an end to hostility, but a season of relief. It was a lull before the storm. Jerusalem would fall, and The Temple would be destroyed. By 70 A.D. the population of the city would be scattered to the four winds, by the Roman Legions of Titus. This peace preceded a persecution of the church that would reach new levels of depravity, throughout the Roman world.

This season of peace was marked by a building program that should never end, in the local church. People were being built up in "the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit."

The church was described as the "ekklesia" or the "called out ones." There is no church without First Responders. People responding to a call from God, have a passion to gather together. There are all kinds of gatherings or assemblies or groupings. Birds of a feather may flock together, but they don't form a church.

Erwin McManus wrote a book that described several different kinds of gatherings. A group of owls is referred to as a scholar. A group of rhinos is called a crash. A group of buzzards is called a committee. I am not making this up.

It is possible to draw a crowd, by attracting people who want their needs to be met. It doesn't make it a church. Just because people congregate, and even propagate a message, doesn't mean it is a church. There is a big difference between Lifeway and Amway.

Just because something grows doesn't mean there is life in it. Something that is death defying, is not always life-giving. Just because a body grows larger, does not mean it is getting healthier. A physical body can experience the growth of gangrene. This kind of growth will lead to amputation of limbs or there will be an expiration of life. See what I mean?

People who hear the voice of God calling them to come out of the world and into His Presence, form an assembly of responsive followers, with others who have heard His call. The church that continues to seek God's direction, protection and correction continues in the direction of their first step, walking down a long road of obedience. This is what is called "going on in the fear of the Lord." The way believers come on, is the way they go on. They hear and they obey.

Short-sighted church growth strategies focus on increasing in number, without increasing in "the comfort of the Holy Spirit." The early church grew in number, but never outgrew their dependence upon the ministry of The Holy Spirit. When a church loses this dependence, they declare their independence, and the man-made fireworks begin. Between all the duds that have misfired, and the destruction caused by the implosion of wild-fire, the church can be on fire, but give off more heat than light. When it does, it gives Holy Smoke a bad name.

Following the Jesus Revolution of the late Sixties and early Seventies of the 20th Century, there was a natural by-product called "The Deeper Life Movement." People who had experienced, a deepening of the appreciation of the work of the Holy Spirit, sought to sustain it, on a personal level and in a corporate setting. It is easier said than done.

Another wing of the church looked at the invasion of the Spirit of God, caused by the Jesus Revolution, and sought to perpetuate it through "The Church Growth Movement." Taking business models, leadership principles, advertising techniques, waves of high-tech communication systems, pop psychology, pop music, and the emerging social media, the leaders of this movement baptized them all, under a banner of "Whatever It Takes." The results are mixed. The churches grew larger, but their influence on the culture diminished. They turned the keys of the kingdom over to the inmates of the asylum. Now that's just crazy.

The comfort of the Holy Spirit refers to a robust relationship with Jesus, and a consistent companionship, with the Spirit of Christ. Both wings of Spiritual Awakening have their strengths and their weaknesses. Too often advocates of either one of these wings, try to put a feather in their cap, by plucking the other wing bear, and exposing it to ridicule. This pious plucking often leaves image of The Dove of the Spirit, appearing as a plucked chicken, in the eyes of those who need The Spirit of God the most.

To be sure, focusing on "Deeper Life", to the exclusion of "Church Growth", turns the church into a saints only country club. Focusing on "Church Growth" without equipping people, to be filled with the Spirit, leaves them full of themselves. This doesn't reflect the New Testament church found in Acts.

The early church showed signs of health. The people who indicated they had a relationship with Christ grew in number. Those who gathered together, with the church, also increased in their capacity to draw comfort from The Spirit of Christ. Their relationship with Christ led them to fellowship with His Spirit. There is no substitute for either one. The Dove has two wings, not one.

Comfort is one of those potent words that has undergone a transformation, down through the years. It has been diluted, and left out in the heat, until it has become a victim of etymological evaporation. What was once understood to mean a blood transfusion for courageous living has come to resemble a patronizing pat on the back. There is little comfort in the phrase, "There. There!"

When Bishop Odo rallied the troops of William the Conqueror, at the Battle of Hastings, he shouted "Con Fortis." The translation of the Latin refers to Odo comforting his boys. He was calling for the Norman soldiers to take courage, put an end to their retreat, and return to the battle. When they did, they won the battle. The rest, as they say, is history. Comfort, indeed.

Contemporary comfort bears little resemblance to courage. It settles for the removal of stress, the end of responsibility, and being conformed to the image of the couch. Big difference.

For the contemporary church, too often, its comfort is drawn from a satisfaction with life in a demilitarized zone. It is maintained by short sermons, preferred music, and a padded pew. No fuss. No muss. No fear. No tears. 'Tis The Season. Pick up The Wings. Cowboys kick off at Noon.

Spiritual Awakening always brings about a disruption of The Comfort Zone and a commission of the church, to enter The Fire Zone. When the next Great Awakening comes, don't be surprised if a Genesis of The Comforter is not followed, by an Exodus of the comfortable.

Dana and I served as fire-fighters, and first responders for several years, on a Volunteer Fire Department. We kept an instrument by our bed, that was connected with the 911 dispatcher of our area. It would go off at all times of the day and night. It would awaken us from a deep sleep and launch us out the door, in the middle of the night to "only God knows where." Spiritual Awakening will do the same thing.

Our experiences, as a first responders, ranged from house fires to wild-fires. Life and death situations took us from the birth of a child, to the death of an elderly person. We sometimes crawled under cars to pry people out of wrecks or carried people down stairwells in body bags. It was impossible to know what was coming next, but what we knew was this. We would not be alone. When we got to the station, we would be met by brothers and sisters who heard the call, and would go with us, to meet the crisis.

The church should do no less. There are seasons of life that prepare us for what is coming down the road. The church is experiencing an off-season of monumental importance. Every church member should prepare themselves, during this off-season, to defeat the opponents that have grown over-confident, with their winning streak over the church. There is much on the line. Prepare yourself for the next Great Awakening.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Unsung

"But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus." Acts 9:27

Stephen, Philip, Ananias and Barnabas all played a part in bringing Saul, The Assassin, to the end of himself, and preparing him, to be transformed into Paul, The Apostle. If Paul became the engine of the early church, driving it to doctrinal purity, these four men were the tires on the ground, that carried him down the road. Thank God, they were there when he needed them. The world is a better place, because they served, in such an unsung, but essential manner.

The Scripture provides very little biographical information about these four unsung saints, so there is always the danger of saying more about them, than the Bible actually reveals. Yet, there is always the opposite danger of not mentioning them at all, or giving them faint praise, indeed.

Saul was there, when Stephen was stoned to death. Stephen was there for Saul. While Saul held the coats of the stoners, Stephen lifted the stoners up to Jesus. It had to be an unforgettable moment, in Saul's life. It was significant enough for Jesus, to rise, from His seat at the right hand of The Father, and stand in honor of the first martyr of the church. Things are not always what they seem. God's redemptive plan is often revealed, by opening some very scary packages.

There are very few people in the world who have not had a helping hand, from someone else, that lifted them up, so they could stand on their shoulders, to enable them to accomplish more than their helpers would be able to do themselves. Unsung heroes, if gathered together, would form a massive choir, but all their praise would go to God.

Note to self: Get over yourself. You didn't get where you are by yourself. Self-made men are full of themselves. "You are full of yourself", is not a compliment. Stop wearing it like a badge of honor.

On a personal note: Thank you Father, for bringing people into my life, who have taken the time to invest in me, and who have believed in me, when I couldn't believe in myself. I wouldn't be who I am without You bringing them, into my life. I am humbled by the mention of their names, in Your Presence.

Stephen interceded for Saul, though he may not have known his name. Ananias got over his fear of Saul, and introduced him to The Spirit of God. Barnabas embraced Saul, when others sought to judge him. Philip paved the way for Saul, by introducing the people of Caesarea to The Gospel. It was a good thing Philip did so, because The Apostles couldn't wait to send Saul on his way, out of Jerusalem, and down the road to the port of Caesarea.

"But when the brethren learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus." v. 30 b

I may be wrong, but in my humble, but accurate opinion, this move has all the markings of "Good riddance!" It shows very little evidence of "God bless you!" It carries with it, a sigh of relief, more than a prayer of commission. I have to believe, at least one of The Twelve whispered, "We'll never hear from him again."

Saul may have been given a license to preach, but only Barnabas laid hands on him. This was not an ordination service. It was more like an exile. Saul was being sent home to the minors. Perhaps they thought Saul wasn't ready for the Big Leagues. "The Brethren" appeared to have kept Saul at arms length. Only Barnabas embraced what God was doing in his life. I want to be like Barnabas, when I grow up.

All four of these men played an essential role in getting Saul grounded in his faith, helping his ministry to get traction, and launching the transformation of The Assassin into The Apostle. The redemptive power of unsung saints is more than just a force of nature, it is the evidence of the hand prints of God, on the hearts of His people, and the soul of Christ's church.

Redemption doesn't come without intercession. Jesus is praying for someone you know right now, to become an instrument of God's grace. Think of the most unlikely person you know, and

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Chosen

"Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake." Acts 9:15

Jesus chooses and calls those He intends to use, as His instruments. Those who bear His name, as a badge of honor, need to remember, they were not chosen to serve, as an honor guard, at a cemetery, for the "Unknown Christian." They soon find out they have been drafted, into active duty, in a war against evil. Their enemy is real, ruthless, and relentless. There will be casualties and consequences. Wounded Warriors, indeed.

Posers, who anoint themselves, with the title of preacher or pastor, soon find out that it comes with a price. Those who campaigned for the job, rarely have a clue what it is going to cost them. What looked like a bright career to them, blinded them, from the sight of the cross.

Preaching is not a career choice. It is a calling from Jesus. Those who are called to it, will suffer in it. Seminary won't prepare a person for it. Only The Spirit of God can do that. What Ananias said to Saul, remains true for every person called to serve and suffer, as "an instrument of Mine."

"The Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road...has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." v. 17

The call of Saul began in the heart of God, at a time and place that is not revealed to us in The Scripture. We only know, when the call was revealed, on the Road to Damascus. When the Lord Jesus called him by name, it was unexpected by Saul, by those who sent him, by his traveling companions, and by those who feared him most. Behind every person who is called to preach, or pastor, is a group of surprised people. This only happens...EVERY TIME.

Those who are not called to preach, pastor or lead a local church, often launch a successful campaign, to do so. As a candidate, the task looks easy enough. Once their name is on the sign of the church, or the door on their office, they quickly complain about the painful consequences.

The perspective, from the pulpit, is quite different, from the view from the pew. From a padded seat, posers in waiting see parade passing them by, and run down the aisle, to get out ahead to lead it. From what they could tell, based on what they saw in the flaws of the person in front of them, anyone could do it. Posers never know, the parade they were racing to lead, was a march up Calvary's Hill.

The seismic shift from campaigning to complaining, is swift and earth-shaking. Too many people see preaching as a career, or a casting call to be rock star. The truth is this. It will rock your world.

WARNING: If you are called to lead His church, you are called to die, on your own cross. Take up your cross, personally. The pain is personal. It is real, and it is relentless. You aren't meant to survive the cross. You are meant to die on it. Suffering is a painful lesson, Saul would have to learn. He never forgot it. He said, "I die daily." Follow his lead.

In his call, Saul was told there would be a price to pay, for bearing the name of Jesus. It involved suffering. Today's brand of preacher fills their Facebook posts with pics of their latest meal, at the hippest restaurant, or images of people, under theatrical lighting and makeup, lifting hands and gazing intently in well-choreographed worship sets. No cross. No blood. No offense. No suffering. No truth. Don't believe a word they say.

In January 1975, I heard my father read this passage of Scripture to me, as I prepared to head off for my second semester in Seminary. We were sitting at the kitchen table of the parsonage in Kings Park, New York, sharing a cup of coffee. It was before dawn, and we were having a final word together, before I started the drive that would take me through New York City, and down the road, back to Fort Worth. Dad's verse for the new year was,...

"That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His suffering, being conformed to the image of His death." Philippians 3:10

Two weeks later Dad was in the ER, and his life was hanging in the balance, from an exploded colon. The subsequent infection that set in, led to three more surgeries, over a two year period. I saw a robust, powerful man reduced to less than 90 pounds, and plagued by three bags hanging from his stomach, to remove the waste from his system. The sight and smells of his suffering were vivid, and his scars linger still.

The result? It took Dad's prayer life to a new level, and the lives of thousands of people have been enriched, by the ministry that was birthed out of his suffering. How? The process was this. He took his suffering to the cross, and left it there. He walked hand in hand with Jesus, to the cross, and remained in intimate communication with Him, after the cross. He observed..

"Prayer is the intimate communication, between the Heavenly Father, and His child." Don Miller

Suffering was not something Saul was going to be able to avoid, if he stayed on the course The Lord Jesus called him to follow. Suffering is not a curse of the call, it is the key to effectiveness in it. Complaining about suffering is not the same thing as praying in it and through it. Complaining only magnifies the pain. It never reduces it.

Don't get me wrong. Prayer is not a spiritual form of pain management. Nor is it an insipid response, to intense suffering. Explaining suffering doesn't remove it, and complaining about it doesn't relieve it. Prayer puts it where it belongs, on the cross. The Lord Jesus, The Risen Christ, by His Spirit of Promise, resurrects the consequences of suffering, transforming a suffering saint into a changed person. It is a painful process, and it has a purpose.

Note to self: The Spirit of Christ, takes the name of Jesus, from the logo on your shirt, and moves HIM to the recesses of your heart. Pray when you suffer. You would be wise to stop trying to complain about it or explain it away. Never forget. If you are called to it, Jesus will see you through it.

Suffering doesn't make sense, unless it is nailed to The Cross, and left there, until Jesus does something with it. His Spirit is more than able to release His character into anyone who is suffering with their Savior, not just searching for a solution. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control..." Galatians 5:20

The Way

"Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, and asked for letters from him...so that if he found any belonging to the Way...he might bring them bound to Jerusalem...and as he was traveling, it happened..." Acts 9:1-3

Saul, his name was rooted in the Hebrew word that meant "asked for" or "prayed for." It was a popular name, and many parents named their sons, after the first king of Israel, who lost his life defending Israel from her enemies. Saul was obsessed with destroying the followers of Jesus, and he went out of his way to murder anyone who believed He was "The Way, The Truth, and The Life."

NOTE TO SELF: When your enemies can clearly state what you believe, and still hate you for it, wear their hatred like a badge of honor.

Saul didn't frame the debate, between his views and those of the believers of Jesus. He released his hate against them. Hate never debates. Hate has no other mission, but to annihilate. The hatred for Jesus is ancient, and is rooted in the soul of hell and the heart of Satan. He is jealous of His Person, and His position, and intends to wipe His name from the lips of believers and the pages of history.

There is a misconception that hatred can be dispelled, by explaining more clearly the differences, between the dispensers of hate, and their victims. The pressure seems to always be on the victims, to explain themselves. If they would just not be so offensive, then there would be no offense generated against them. The Rodney King School of Theology 's vision statement is really an insipid question, "Can't we all just get along?" Not likely.

Jesus said, "I AM the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father, but by me." John 14:6

Preachers who believe there is more than one way to a right relationship with God, have lost their way, and cannot be considered preachers of The Way. Saul knew the difference. He had no interest in walking across the street to break up a meeting of people who had no idea where they were going, but he would walk or ride a slow horse to Syria, to destroy anyone who knew Jesus was The Way. Hate still will.

Look at the strategy. "Breathing threats, and murder" escalated into a desire, to put muscle behind the breath, and carry out the murder. This is how it always begins. When intimidation doesn't silence the preachers of The Way, then the next step is annihilation. Remember, hate doesn't debate. Hate annihilates. Hate doesn't require a clearer explanation. It is clearly intent on one thing, the annihilation of those who get in their way. Don't be surprised if diversity and tolerance has no love lost for The Way, The Truth and The Life.

The strategy of the enemy has never changed, because it is very successful. Preachers who muzzle themselves, at the first sign of intimidation, may not die a martyr's death. Their fate is worth than death. They become death-defying, but they fail to be life-giving.

Saul hated the preachers and the people of The Way, because they wouldn't stop talking about Jesus. What's a preacher to do, when what he is called to preach, stirs up hatred? PREACH JESUS, anyway.

Preaching is a calling, not a career. Those who have a calling, will deliver a message. Those who have a career, are going to try and protect it. Some will do it, by changing the message. Others will study it, like a dead frog in a laboratory setting, until it is so dissected, and the frog hair sliced so fine, that there is no jump left in the frog. They end up talking The Gospel to death, and robbing it of the life-giving power of The Risen Christ.

I repeat. PREACH JESUS! It drove Saul crazy, and it will be like a bone in the throat and the rock in the shoe, to anyone who is heading in the wrong direction. Preachers care called to STAND UP! SPEAK UP! and never shut up, until their voices are snuffed out, like flames in the night, by those who can't stand to hear name of Jesus.

Saul exposed himself, by his hatred for those who follow Jesus. People still do. It simply doesn't matter, if people gag every time His name is spoken, or if they stumble over His name, when they choose the wrong way to God. Jesus is The Way.

Pray your way to the filling of The Spirit, and the courage to PREACH JESUS! Your preaching will improve, and your opposition will be intense, but...

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Message

"The Spirit said to Philip, 'Go up and join this chariot.' Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, 'Do you understand what you are reading?' And he said, 'Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?' And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him...Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him. Acts 8:29-35

Charles Haddon Spurgeon was fond of telling his student preachers that he could find Jesus, in every text he preached. Unfortunately, some preachers can't find Jesus, no matter what text they use. Philip was a forerunner of Spurgeon's preaching strategy. PREACH JESUS!

Note to self: When you preach, let the Scripture be your starting blocks, and when the clock starts, run to Jesus.

When Jesus intercepted the couple on the Road to Emmaus, He walked them through Genesis to Malachi, and revealed God's redemptive story. He was convinced, it was all about Him, from start to finish. Good to know. Some preachers second-guess Jesus, looking for a second opinion, from people who know a great deal about the Bible, but don't seem to be able to find The Word. Listen to Jesus.

The Spirit pulled Philip out of a booming Spiritual Awakening in Samaria, and moved him down into the desert, to meet one man struggling with getting a grip on the word of God. In God's scheme of things, this made perfect sense. He always makes the wisest use of manpower.

"Philip ran up" to the man who was in the chariot. There is something about this statement that warms my heart, and gives me an appreciation for Philip. It would have been understandable, if Philip had been less than enthusiastic about taking an assignment that put him on the backside of the desert, instead of in the middle of a Great Awakening. He didn't drag his feet. He ran to meet the challenge. I want to be like Philip, when I grow up.

Philip took this Isaiah 53 passage, about The Suffering Servant, and he pointed the Ethiopian eunuch to Jesus. IT ISN'T HARD...

"But the Lord caused the iniquity of all to fall on Him." Isaiah 53:7

"Yet He Himself bore the sin of many and interceded for the transgressors." Isaiah 53:12

See what I mean? A little more impressive is Philip's ability to lead the Ethiopian to a commitment to baptism. I have read Isaiah 53 over and over again, and can't find anything about it. Even more impressive, was Philip's ability to find water in the middle of the desert, so the Ethiopian could be baptized. Philip may be my new poster boy for Southern Baptists. But I digress.

"When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, ...he kept on preaching the gospel to al the cities until he came to Caesarea." Acts 8: 40

Philip was 100% available to the Holy Spirit's agenda, and when he was given a task to perform, he ran to it. When Philip was given a text to explain, he ran to Jesus. Where ever he went, or where ever he ended up, one thing was a constant in the life of Philip. He preached Jesus. May his tribe increase.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Conjunction pt. 2

"So, when they had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, and were preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans. But..." Acts 8: 25-26

The Conjunction is that point in time, when the Holy Spirit refuses to be ignored, dismissed, or put on hold, by people who refuse to understand His mission and their commission. The Apostles remained in Jerusalem, while the church was scattered. Then, in their absence, the Spirit of God ignited The Samaritan Awakening. They did come down the mountain, from Jerusalem to inspect it, but they hadn't been a part of starting it. It wasn't long before "they started back to Jerusalem." v. 25

There may be a pattern emerging here that is not very flattering to The Apostles. When the persecution of the church scattered believers to the four winds, Philip, one of The Seven, not one of The Twelve, "went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to them." v. 5

Apparently he wasn't authorized to start an Awakening. "Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive The Holy Spirit." v. 14

The Apostles were not in on the start of this fresh movement of The Spirit. They had remained in Jerusalem, while the rest of the church was scattered. They had not expected it to happen. They had not planned for it to take place. When it did, they felt compelled to put it in its proper place, under their direction. Leading from behind is not new.

The history of Spiritual Awakening is filled with stories of the Holy Spirit's freedom of movement. He cannot be marginalized, by those who believe they were called to organize Him. The Holy Spirit moves through people willing to be used as instruments, for the honor and glory of God, in the name of His Son, Jesus.

Whenever a group of people believe they can mold and manipulate The Spirit of God, for their own purposes, they are in for a rude awakening, and they postpone the Great Awakening. This only happens...EVERY TIME!

The Sanhedrin, The Apostles, various versions of the religious elite, posturing political hacks, and well-intentioned denominational leaders, have often tried and failed to do it. The Spirit of God refuses to wear the logo or puff up the ego of people who refuse to obey Him, but want to direct and correct Him.

Note to self: It is always foolish, to be granted access to a fresh movement of The Spirit of God and then try to attach your logo, and ego to it. You don't own what you didn't create. STOP IT!

The last great movement of The Spirit of God, in this nation, was in the late Sixties and early Seventies of the 20th Century. It began outside the control of organized religious structures, creating angst and anxiety in most of their leaders, when it crashed the party they had painstakingly planned, and placed on their denominational calendars. For the most part, it was a youth movement. It was messy. It was potent, and it was real. It is now referred to as The Jesus Revolution. I miss it, mess and all, more than ever.

When The Apostles arrived on the scene in Samaria, they immediately began to supervise and sanitize what they found there. In this particular case, it is hard to separate what was in need of correction, from what they perceived to be out of order. They were convinced the Samaritans needed to have the same experience they had encountered, when The Spirit came upon them.

Certainly, there is no salvation without The Spirit of God, and there is no real Spiritual Awakening, without His Presence. In any event, in their own minds, the Samaritan Awakening didn't receive their blessing, until The Apostles had put their hands on it. The Spirit of God already had. That should always be enough.

When did The Apostles get enough of what The Spirit was doing in Samaria? Scripture says, "They started back to Jerusalem." For some reason, the capitol city held great attraction to Peter. For a country boy, raised in a rural seaside fishing village in The Galilee, he had acclimatized to big city life very quickly. He wouldn't be be last country boy to forget his roots, and come under the influence of the view from HQ. Denominational offices are filled with them.

Space will not allow me to expand on this, but let it be said. Peter struggled with expanding the grace of God beyond the lines, of his own prejudices and preferences. Could it be that pure-bred Peter was having a tough time swallowing what The Spirit was pouring out on people he had hated for years. Jonah had a problem with it, years before this. IT HAPPENS. Perhaps the greatest work in Samaria, The Spirit had in mind, was the work He wanted to do in Peter. More on that later.

In the middle of the last Spiritual Awakening, too many people who were not a part of starting it, tried to get out in front of it, and take credit for it. Before The Spirit was finished, they made plans to harness His efforts for their team, and "started back to Jerusalem." The history of Spiritual Awakening reveals that it begins with the hand prints of God all over it, and ends when the hand prints of man have contaminated it.

Note to self: The Father will not allow you, or anyone else, to put a feather in your cap, by taking credit for what The Spirit of Christ does. He refuses to allow The Dove to be treated like a plucked chicken. He will simply remove The Spirit from your grasp, and move on, in the lives of people who understand Spiritual Awakening must be received, with the gentle hands of stewardship, not ownership.

"BUT an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, "Get up and go south to the road that DESCENDS from Jerusalem...So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch..." Acts 8:26-27 (CAPS are mine)

Oh my! Samaritans AND an Ethiopian eunuch! No wonder The Spirit of God sent Philip. Peter was probably already stretched to the max. The Spirit of God uses people who function best as flexible instruments of God's grace, in His hands. He searches the hearts of those who let go of their prejudices and personal preferences, to take hold of His mission, and embrace it, as their commission.

Prayer enables you to see the Spirit of God at work, at The Conjunction. Prayer transforms your dysfunction, into His function, by removing your prejudices and preferences, and replacing them with the privilege and passion of participation. Prayer prepares you to be part of something only The Spirit of God can do. Meet Him at The Conjunction of "But God."

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!