The Call

"While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work which I have called them.' Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit...they sailed to Cyprus." Acts 13: 2-4

When I was a fifth grader, my family moved to Long Island, New York. In September 1960, my Dad, Don Miller, was called and commissioned as a Home Missionary, Evangelist and Church Planter. After serving as pastor of a large Dallas church for eight years, and serving as President of the Dallas Pastors Conference, Dad heard a call to go to New York.

I will never forget, as a ten year old boy, being invited into my parent's bed room at 1426 South Fitzhugh, and asked to gather around their bed, with my siblings, and kneel in prayer. The Call was a life-changing moment for our family.

We had been to New York City in 1957 for the Billy Graham Crusade. It had been held in the old Madison Square Garden, and had made quite an impact on The City. Dad had been commissioned by the Dallas Times Herald to do an article for the evening paper. Even as a child, I could tell something had happened to Dad, on the New York trip. He couldn't stop talking about it. Three years later, we were on our way back.

When I entered Main Street School in Farmingdale, New York, I was a real oddity. They had never met anyone from Texas. Their questions proved their knowledge of The Lone Star State was limited to Lone Ranger reruns or B-Westerns. They thought we all rode horses to school, and fought Indians along the way. I am not making this up.

One of the earliest memories I have of the deepening of my faith, was the question I was often asked by my new friends. "Why did you leave Texas to come to New York?" On the face of it, the question seems simple enough. My answer came readily to my lips. "God called us here." That is when the questions really started flying.

What had been an acceptable, and understandable statement to my friends in Texas, made no sense whatsoever to my friends in New York. They had never heard of any such thing. They asked, "How did He call you? Did you hear His voice? Did it scare you? Did He send an angel? What did He say, exactly?" And on, and on, and on, the questions poured out.

I am a little bit ashamed to say, I wasn't sure how to respond. We were speaking a different language. More than a Texas twang and a Long Island brogue separated us. We were from different worlds. Since that day, I have been intrigued by the way God calls His people to serve Him.

In Acts, the call to serve came directly from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is first and foremost a prayer agent. He interprets our prayers to God, even when they take the form of groanings too deep for words. In turn, the Spirit convicts people of sin, and transforms them by conforming them to the character of Christ.

Though a prayer agent, the Holy Spirit is not a free agent. Nor is the Holy Spirit a junior partner in the Trinity. He is God, The Spirit. He is no less God than, God, The Father and God, The Son, but He glorifies both. His greatest work, may very well be, the influence upon someone to pray, "Not My will, but Thy will be done." This is where The Call begins.

In Acts, it was in the climate of prayer that Barnabas and Saul were "set apart...for the work to which I have called them." v. 2

This climate of prayer is crucial to The Call. Prayerless people do not have their hearts tuned in to the voice of God. Prayerful people hear God call. Prayerless people have the voice of God on MUTE. When He calls they simply do not hear Him.

Set apart carries a positive and a negative connotation. It sometimes means to ostracize someone. It can mean pulling them out of an intimidating situation. It also refers to a special assignment for a specific purpose. Paul spoke of being set apart from his mother's womb by the call of God. So much for that Road to Damascus experience. Paul described his call this way...

"But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace,..." Gal. 1:15

The Call is heard best in a climate of prayer, but God is more than able to get a person's attention, where ever he or she may be. The Holy Spirit is not limited by the borders of any state of the union or shocked by any state of rebellion.

The Holy Spirit calls people to die to their own agenda, and to live for Christ. Prayer and fasting loosen one's grip on the call of the world, and open one's heart to receive The Call of God. Do both.

Some people are consumed with The Call of the Wild. Others are comatose from The Call of the Mild. It just doesn't matter to the Holy Spirit. If God calls a person to Himself, the Holy Spirit gives people the courage to get over themselves. Prayerless people, running over a cliff or hiding in the tall grass have two things in common. They are both separated from God's will, and candidates for being set apart for it.

Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. To hear The Call, first, READ THE WORD, second, LISTEN TO IT, third, OBEY IT.

On a trip through lower Alabama, I passed by an old radio/TV station. The rusted tower, and aged, neon-sign, with the old call letters were no longer sending out signals or guiding people to tune in. They were disconnected, and no longer served their original purpose. I found that image a bit depressing, until I drove down the road a few miles, and saw a new station, taller tower, and different call letters. The message was being sent and received, in a different place, by different announcers to a new audience.

Prayer exchanges your call letters for God's call letters. Prayer doesn't lead you to tune in to others or to have them tune in to you. Prayer tunes people into God, and keeps your life in tune with His. Prayer allows the Holy Spirit the elbow room He desires to have in your life, to transform you into a faithful messenger of God's plan of redemption, and an authentic representative of His Son's character. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Call

"While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work which I have called them.' Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit...they sailed to Cyprus." Acts 13: 2-4

When I was a fifth grader, my family moved to Long Island, New York. In September 1960, my Dad, Don Miller, was called and commissioned as a Home Missionary, Evangelist and Church Planter. After serving as pastor of a large Dallas church for eight years, and serving as President of the Dallas Pastors Conference, Dad heard a call to go to New York.

I will never forget, as a ten year old boy, being invited into my parent's bed room at 1426 South Fitzhugh, and asked to gather around their bed, with my siblings, and kneel in prayer. The Call was a life-changing moment for our family.

We had been to New York City in 1957 for the Billy Graham Crusade. It had been held in the old Madison Square Garden, and had made quite an impact on The City. Dad had been commissioned by the Dallas Times Herald to do an article for the evening paper. Even as a child, I could tell something had happened to Dad, on the New York trip. He couldn't stop talking about it. Three years later, we were on our way back.

When I entered Main Street School in Farmingdale, New York, I was a real oddity. They had never met anyone from Texas. Their questions proved their knowledge of The Lone Star State was limited to Lone Ranger reruns or B-Westerns. They thought we all rode horses to school, and fought Indians along the way. I am not making this up.

One of the earliest memories I have of the deepening of my faith, was the question I was often asked by my new friends. "Why did you leave Texas to come to New York?" On the face of it, the question seems simple enough. My answer came readily to my lips. "God called us here." That is when the questions really started flying.

What had been an acceptable, and understandable statement to my friends in Texas, made no sense whatsoever to my friends in New York. They had never heard of any such thing. They asked, "How did He call you? Did you hear His voice? Did it scare you? Did He send an angel? What did He say, exactly?" And on, and on, and on, the questions poured out.

I am a little bit ashamed to say, I wasn't sure how to respond. We were speaking a different language. More than a Texas twang and a Long Island brogue separated us. We were from different worlds. Since that day, I have been intrigued by the way God calls His people to serve Him.

In Acts, the call to serve came directly from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is first and foremost a prayer agent. He interprets our prayers to God, even when they take the form of groanings too deep for words. In turn, the Spirit convicts people of sin, and transforms them by conforming them to the character of Christ.

Though a prayer agent, the Holy Spirit is not a free agent. Nor is the Holy Spirit a junior partner in the Trinity. He is God, The Spirit. He is no less God than, God, The Father and God, The Son, but He glorifies both. His greatest work, may very well be, the influence upon someone to pray, "Not My will, but Thy will be done." This is where The Call begins.

In Acts, it was in the climate of prayer that Barnabas and Saul were "set apart...for the work to which I have called them." v. 2

This climate of prayer is crucial to The Call. Prayerless people do not have their hearts tuned in to the voice of God. Prayerful people hear God call. Prayerless people have the voice of God on MUTE. When He calls they simply do not hear Him.

Set apart carries a positive and a negative connotation. It sometimes means to ostracize someone. It can mean pulling them out of an intimidating situation. It also refers to a special assignment for a specific purpose. Paul spoke of being set apart from his mother's womb by the call of God. So much for that Road to Damascus experience. Paul described his call this way...

"But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace,..." Gal. 1:15

The Call is heard best in a climate of prayer, but God is more than able to get a person's attention, where ever he or she may be. The Holy Spirit is not limited by the borders of any state of the union or shocked by any state of rebellion.

The Holy Spirit calls people to die to their own agenda, and to live for Christ. Prayer and fasting loosen one's grip on the call of the world, and open one's heart to receive The Call of God. Do both.

Some people are consumed with The Call of the Wild. Others are comatose from The Call of the Mild. It just doesn't matter to the Holy Spirit. If God calls a person to Himself, the Holy Spirit gives people the courage to get over themselves. Prayerless people, running over a cliff or hiding in the tall grass have two things in common. They are both separated from God's will, and candidates for being set apart for it.

Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. To hear The Call, first, READ THE WORD, second, LISTEN TO IT, third, OBEY IT.

On a trip through lower Alabama, I passed by an old radio/TV station. The rusted tower, and aged, neon-sign, with the old call letters were no longer sending out signals or guiding people to tune in. They were disconnected, and no longer served their original purpose. I found that image a bit depressing, until I drove down the road a few miles, and saw a new station, taller tower, and different call letters. The message was being sent and received, in a different place, by different announcers to a new audience.

Prayer exchanges your call letters for God's call letters. Prayer doesn't lead you to tune in to others or to have them tune in to you. Prayer tunes people into God, and keeps your life in tune with His. Prayer allows the Holy Spirit the elbow room He desires to have in your life, to transform you into a faithful messenger of God's plan of redemption, and an authentic representative of His Son's character. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Glory

"And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God glory...but the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied." Acts 12:23-24

Herod mobilized the earliest form of government persecution of the church. He probably didn't have any personal interest in the defense of the Jewish religion, but as a politician, he knew he needed to keep his constituency happy. Most are glad to do it, if it means staying in power.

Persecuting Christians included arresting and killing their boldest leaders and scattering the rest of the frightened flock. Herod's real interest was staying in power. He loved the glory that came from those who loved the way he threw his weight around.

Politicians who harass, pressure or persecute God's people are out of their weight class. They are Light Weight fighters showing up for a title match in the Heavy Weight Division. It never ends well, but they never seem to learn the lesson.

"But the word of the Lord continued." It still does. Thank God.

Herod's abuse of power became a powerful incentive for the early church to pray. When Peter was arrested, the rest of the flock must have wondered, what is going to happen to them. Instead of running in circles, or off the cliff, they dropped to their knees. They started praying. God rescued Peter and removed Herod. The church's real interest is prayer, not staying out of trouble.

There is no transcript of the prayer meeting that was going on when the angel of the Lord set Peter free from prison. That may be a good thing. If one existed there would probably already be books, throw pillows, conferences, and some kind of cult following constantly claiming "The Prayer for Peter." At the very least, there would be a cottage industry sustained by the marketing of the same exact words spoken, when Peter was released. Like that would ever happen.

Prayer is all about getting over oneself, and getting with God. When prayer becomes focused on getting something from Someone, intimacy is crushed under the boot of immediacy. To know what prayer is all about, listen to how Jesus prayed. He dimmed the light on His own will, and magnified the will of The Father. Follow His lead.

There is no need to apologize for praying for a specific need in the midst of a crisis. The early church prayed for Peter, and though we have no clear record of it, they probably prayed for themselves. God heard. The angel arrived. Peter obeyed. The church was amazed. God was glorified. Praying and amazing go hand in hand.

Answered prayer glorifies God. When it magnifies the person praying, it shines the light on the fruit, but misses The Root. Jesus told His disciples to get over themselves and abide in Him. Just as He chose to pray, in order to abide in The Father, they needed to stay in touch with Him. He reminded them that without Him they could do nothing. He further told them to ask anything in His name, and it would be done for them. Answered prayer is all about the right connection, not the right words. Stay connected.

For a prayer warrior to take credit for answered prayer is not only ridiculous, it is treasonous. Answered prayer is fruit. Jesus is The Root. Praying connects a person to The Root, any fruit that does not reflect glory on Him is stolen fruit.

Stolen valor is a shameful thing. It is an illegal act that describes those who lie about taking part in a military experience. They are pathetic posers. They wear a uniform of an honored branch of service they never entered. They display medals they never earned, and take credit for facing dangers they never encountered. When they are exposed for who they are, they claim to have been misunderstood, misquoted, or misguided. In truth, they are must miserable people.

Herod was a man who craved glory. God simply won't share it with those who won't honor Him. Herod became so full of himself, he exploded. His death brought relief to the church, for a season. Persecution did not end, because it did not begin with Herod. It began with Satan. His downfall was his own twisted desire to have the light of the glory of God shifted to him. In his strategy, any hand puppet will do. Don't let him put his claws in your brain.

Prayer keeps the church focused on propagation, not persecution. After Herod's death, the Scripture says, "The word of the Lord continued." They didn't forget what the relief of persecution was all about, a season of freedom to share the good news about Jesus. They didn't focus on themselves, but on "The Word of The Lord." Share it!

A praying church and a praying pastor shine the light away from themselves and towards God's Son. The glory of God is their mission in life. Praying people come to the end of themselves, by giving God the glory for what He has done for them. He sent Jesus into the world to rescue people from their sinful condition. Glory to God, indeed.

Herod tried to rob God of His glory, and destroy His people. God dispatched him to the ash heap of history. Back in the day, parents probably named their children after Herod. Today parents name their children after Peter. They don't even name their dogs after Herod. Taking credit for what God does, may make a name, but it never makes a difference. To God Be The Glory. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Glory

"And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God glory...but the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied." Acts 12:23-24

Herod mobilized the earliest form of government persecution of the church. He probably didn't have any personal interest in the defense of the Jewish religion, but as a politician, he knew he needed to keep his constituency happy. Most are glad to do it, if it means staying in power.

Persecuting Christians included arresting and killing their boldest leaders and scattering the rest of the frightened flock. Herod's real interest was staying in power. He loved the glory that came from those who loved the way he threw his weight around.

Politicians who harass, pressure or persecute God's people are out of their weight class. They are Light Weight fighters showing up for a title match in the Heavy Weight Division. It never ends well, but they never seem to learn the lesson.

"But the word of the Lord continued." It still does. Thank God.

Herod's abuse of power became a powerful incentive for the early church to pray. When Peter was arrested, the rest of the flock must have wondered, what is going to happen to them. Instead of running in circles, or off the cliff, they dropped to their knees. They started praying. God rescued Peter and removed Herod. The church's real interest is prayer, not staying out of trouble.

There is no transcript of the prayer meeting that was going on when the angel of the Lord set Peter free from prison. That may be a good thing. If one existed there would probably already be books, throw pillows, conferences, and some kind of cult following constantly claiming "The Prayer for Peter." At the very least, there would be a cottage industry sustained by the marketing of the same exact words spoken, when Peter was released. Like that would ever happen.

Prayer is all about getting over oneself, and getting with God. When prayer becomes focused on getting something from Someone, intimacy is crushed under the boot of immediacy. To know what prayer is all about, listen to how Jesus prayed. He dimmed the light on His own will, and magnified the will of The Father. Follow His lead.

There is no need to apologize for praying for a specific need in the midst of a crisis. The early church prayed for Peter, and though we have no clear record of it, they probably prayed for themselves. God heard. The angel arrived. Peter obeyed. The church was amazed. God was glorified. Praying and amazing go hand in hand.

Answered prayer glorifies God. When it magnifies the person praying, it shines the light on the fruit, but misses The Root. Jesus told His disciples to get over themselves and abide in Him. Just as He chose to pray, in order to abide in The Father, they needed to stay in touch with Him. He reminded them that without Him they could do nothing. He further told them to ask anything in His name, and it would be done for them. Answered prayer is all about the right connection, not the right words. Stay connected.

For a prayer warrior to take credit for answered prayer is not only ridiculous, it is treasonous. Answered prayer is fruit. Jesus is The Root. Praying connects a person to The Root, any fruit that does not reflect glory on Him is stolen fruit.

Stolen valor is a shameful thing. It is an illegal act that describes those who lie about taking part in a military experience. They are pathetic posers. They wear a uniform of an honored branch of service they never entered. They display medals they never earned, and take credit for facing dangers they never encountered. When they are exposed for who they are, they claim to have been misunderstood, misquoted, or misguided. In truth, they are must miserable people.

Herod was a man who craved glory. God simply won't share it with those who won't honor Him. Herod became so full of himself, he exploded. His death brought relief to the church, for a season. Persecution did not end, because it did not begin with Herod. It began with Satan. His downfall was his own twisted desire to have the light of the glory of God shifted to him. In his strategy, any hand puppet will do. Don't let him put his claws in your brain.

Prayer keeps the church focused on propagation, not persecution. After Herod's death, the Scripture says, "The word of the Lord continued." They didn't forget what the relief of persecution was all about, a season of freedom to share the good news about Jesus. They didn't focus on themselves, but on "The Word of The Lord." Share it!

A praying church and a praying pastor shine the light away from themselves and towards God's Son. The glory of God is their mission in life. Praying people come to the end of themselves, by giving God the glory for what He has done for them. He sent Jesus into the world to rescue people from their sinful condition. Glory to God, indeed.

Herod tried to rob God of His glory, and destroy His people. God dispatched him to the ash heap of history. Back in the day, parents probably named their children after Herod. Today parents name their children after Peter. They don't even name their dogs after Herod. Taking credit for what God does, may make a name, but it never makes a difference. To God Be The Glory. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Gathering

"Many were gathered together and were praying." Acts 12:12

The one consistent response of the early church was the immediate connection between a crisis and a prayer meeting. When they were faced by a dangerous opportunity and importunity, they leaned towards the latter, in order to face the former. In other words, they prayed.

When Jesus faced The Cross, He prayed. When the disciples faced The Commission, they prayed. When the church faced The Persecution, they prayed. Can you see a pattern here?

Talking your way through a crisis only prolongs the crisis and postpones the victory. Praying through a crisis, releases it into God's powerful hands. Talking about it keeps it tightly gripped, in your helpless hands. HMMMM. What to do? PRAY!

In most churches, the easiest way to fill a room is to declare a crisis. The hardest way to fill a room is to call for a prayer meeting. This says more about the state of the church, than any four color brochure, and state of the art web-site can cover up.

Few people would be drawn to invest their lives in a church that emblazoned across its entrance, "The end of your search for a powerless church." Yet, the message is clear, just the same. No prayer. No power. No power. No purpose.

The purpose of God is to conform His children to the likeness of His Son. Crisis is one of The Father's time-tested, and well-proven methods to bring His children to the end of themselves, and to develop His Son's character in them.

Prayer releases the pain of a fearful heart, and fills it with the gain of a joyful heart. Joy is not the absence of pain, and fear, but the over-riding confidence that rises above both. The prayerful are transformed, from the fearful into the joyful.

When Peter knocked on the gate, after being guided out of prison, by the angel of the Lord, he was met by Rhoda. Every church worth their salt has a greeter at the front door. Rhoda could have used a little more training.

"When she recognized Peter's voice, because of her joy she did not open the gate, but ran and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate." v. 14

See what I mean. "Because of her joy" transformed a despairing prayer warrior into a public announcer. Some people stay in the prayer closet so long, they forget to look up and see what God has done in response to their prayers. Rhoda may have mishandled Peter, but she didn't miss God. Forget about that training. She was spot on!

"They said to her, 'You are out of your mind!' But she kept insisting that it was so. They kept saying, "It is his angel.' But Peter continued knocking and when they had opened the door, they saw him and were amazed." v.16

Praying and amazing go hand in hand. Prayer is not the air of despair, but the air of desperation. Despair is a result of talking a crisis into a death-defying force of intimidation. It is impossible to talk a crisis to death. Talk keeps breathing new life into it.

Prayer doesn't drive a stake in the heart, of a life-sucking crisis. Prayer shoves the Word of God, down its throat. When faced with your next crisis, the first words out of your mouth should be, "Say AH!"

When faced by an intimidating crisis, pray. You will be amazed at what God will do when you insert The Word, into the throat of a liar. It stops the lies from overwhelming you, and released The Truth in you. Answered prayer is always an amazing experience.

"You are out of your mind!" What a great response to answered prayer. Prayer should be so outrageous that it should sound like crazy talk to those who don't believe God intervenes in the affairs of men. Don't pray at the level of a cynic's expectation. Pray at the level of your desperation. The desperate are not in despair. They are sucking in air, and breathing out prayer. Big difference.

Most people pray for the sun to come up, but would rather sit in the dark. The prayer warrior prays for the sun to come up and puts on sunscreen. Pray expectantly. If you have breath in your lungs, you have hope, and the capacity to see what God can do with a praying preacher and a praying church. That's not just crazy talk. You will be surprised by joy, and amazed by God. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Gathering

"Many were gathered together and were praying." Acts 12:12

The one consistent response of the early church was the immediate connection between a crisis and a prayer meeting. When they were faced by a dangerous opportunity and importunity, they leaned towards the latter, in order to face the former. In other words, they prayed.

When Jesus faced The Cross, He prayed. When the disciples faced The Commission, they prayed. When the church faced The Persecution, they prayed. Can you see a pattern here?

Talking your way through a crisis only prolongs the crisis and postpones the victory. Praying through a crisis, releases it into God's powerful hands. Talking about it keeps it tightly gripped, in your helpless hands. HMMMM. What to do? PRAY!

In most churches, the easiest way to fill a room is to declare a crisis. The hardest way to fill a room is to call for a prayer meeting. This says more about the state of the church, than any four color brochure, and state of the art web-site can cover up.

Few people would be drawn to invest their lives in a church that emblazoned across its entrance, "The end of your search for a powerless church." Yet, the message is clear, just the same. No prayer. No power. No power. No purpose.

The purpose of God is to conform His children to the likeness of His Son. Crisis is one of The Father's time-tested, and well-proven methods to bring His children to the end of themselves, and to develop His Son's character in them.

Prayer releases the pain of a fearful heart, and fills it with the gain of a joyful heart. Joy is not the absence of pain, and fear, but the over-riding confidence that rises above both. The prayerful are transformed, from the fearful into the joyful.

When Peter knocked on the gate, after being guided out of prison, by the angel of the Lord, he was met by Rhoda. Every church worth their salt has a greeter at the front door. Rhoda could have used a little more training.

"When she recognized Peter's voice, because of her joy she did not open the gate, but ran and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate." v. 14

See what I mean. "Because of her joy" transformed a despairing prayer warrior into a public announcer. Some people stay in the prayer closet so long, they forget to look up and see what God has done in response to their prayers. Rhoda may have mishandled Peter, but she didn't miss God. Forget about that training. She was spot on!

"They said to her, 'You are out of your mind!' But she kept insisting that it was so. They kept saying, "It is his angel.' But Peter continued knocking and when they had opened the door, they saw him and were amazed." v.16

Praying and amazing go hand in hand. Prayer is not the air of despair, but the air of desperation. Despair is a result of talking a crisis into a death-defying force of intimidation. It is impossible to talk a crisis to death. Talk keeps breathing new life into it.

Prayer doesn't drive a stake in the heart, of a life-sucking crisis. Prayer shoves the Word of God, down its throat. When faced with your next crisis, the first words out of your mouth should be, "Say AH!"

When faced by an intimidating crisis, pray. You will be amazed at what God will do when you insert The Word, into the throat of a liar. It stops the lies from overwhelming you, and released The Truth in you. Answered prayer is always an amazing experience.

"You are out of your mind!" What a great response to answered prayer. Prayer should be so outrageous that it should sound like crazy talk to those who don't believe God intervenes in the affairs of men. Don't pray at the level of a cynic's expectation. Pray at the level of your desperation. The desperate are not in despair. They are sucking in air, and breathing out prayer. Big difference.

Most people pray for the sun to come up, but would rather sit in the dark. The prayer warrior prays for the sun to come up and puts on sunscreen. Pray expectantly. If you have breath in your lungs, you have hope, and the capacity to see what God can do with a praying preacher and a praying church. That's not just crazy talk. You will be surprised by joy, and amazed by God. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Stand

"And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter's side and woke him up, saying, 'Get up quickly.' And his chains fell off his hands." Acts 12:7

The Rescue of Peter from Herod's jail, was a turning point in the life of the church, and the life of Herod. Peter's arrest had all the signs of a disaster for the church. It wasn't. Looks can be deceiving. Remember The Cross?

Herod was an actor on a stage, playing a role, drawn from a script, written by the audience. He discovered his popularity rose when he attacked the church. He intended to keep The Jews happy, no matter how much it cost the church. His only purpose for living was doing whatever it took to stay in power. He was a true politician.

Peter slept through the all-night prayer meeting, but the angel of The Lord was dispatched to set him free, as a result of it. Rest is an honorable condition of the heart, but sleeping, when God calls us to action, is never a wise thing to do.

Prayer is a key component to freedom. Praying for forgiveness, set a person free from the wages of sin. There is life at the foot of the cross, when people bend their knees and ask The Savior to forgive them, and restore their relationship with God, in the name of His Son, Jesus.

There is life-giving grace given to those who ask God for the power to forgive those who have wronged them. Jesus did it on the cross. Stephen did it, as the stones pounded the life out of him. Do you see a pattern? Follow their lead.

Praying for the release of Peter, must have appeared like a fool's errand, to those asked to gather for an all-night vigil. The church prayed anyway. Remember. Looks can be deceiving. As the prayed, the angel of the Lord appeared...SUDDENLY.

The word means to come upon someone without warning, to be placed next to something, or someone. It means to stand, to stand by someone, or to stand near someone. When God's people kneel in prayer, He dispatches His angels to stand with them.

Luke must have interviewed John Mark for this story. The Gospel of Mark contains the word, IMMEDIATELY, 17 times to describe the dramatic way God unfolds the story of redemption. It is a gentle reminder to weary prayer warriors, that the watchmen on the wall can take hope in knowing God hears and responds to the cries of His children. When He stands with them, things change...SUDDENLY.

"A light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter's side and woke him up, saying, 'Get up quickly.' And his chains fell off his hands." Acts 12:7

The prayers of God's people require a response from their leaders. Peter slept through the prayer meeting, but God wouldn't allow him to sleep through the rescue. God provided Peter with the ultimate wake-up call. He sent an angel to give him light in the dark, and a kick in the pants. The rest was up to Peter. He had to STAND UP, to be set free.

Without making Peter's unique experience, an industry standard, it still should be stated that sleeping through the revolution is a sure-fire way to stay in prison. The church was praying, but their leader had to STAND UP! Nothing has changed in the last 2,000 years.

Churches who pray for their pastors have an expectation that they should STAND for God, and His people. Government leaders who do not understand their stewardship, as servant's of the Most High God, are courting disaster. Christians would be wise to hold them accountable, not join them for a photo-op. Standing next to a wayward politician when God ushers him off the stage can prove embarrassing. Ask Billy Graham. He still flinches when he hears the name, Richard Nixon.

When Peter got up, he did it quickly, and the chains fell off his hands. His swift response to the angel's call to STAND, was an answer to prayer.  Any leader, pastoral or political,  would be wise to respond to a call to prayer and fasting. It is a sign that God is up to something that they never expected to happen.

 If pastors or politicians choose the paralysis of analysis, over the call to action, they will miss the opportunity for deliverance, for themselves and their people. To miss out on leading what God has in store for His people is to forfeit the mantle of leadership. Those who won't forfeit it, need to have it taken away from them, whether they be pastors or politicians.

The cry of God's people requires a response from His leaders. There can be a bone-weary battle fatigue that sets in, and weakness the heart of a pastor, preacher, or patriot. The opposition has been so strong for so long that it is hard to believe God will ever come through. Looks can be deceiving, but the feeling of failure, true or not, can be very intense. It is a lie. Don't believe how you feel. KNEEL first, then, STAND  UP!

Despair takes the air out of a person's soul. Prayer puts it back in. Prayer is the air God's people breathe, in the dark of night, and in the face of intimidation and annihilation. When God's people pray, their cries are heard in Heaven, and Heaven moves to earth, to bring light in the night, to set them free from the grasp of the enemy, and to make a way, when there seems to be no way.

Breathe deep. Keep praying. Keep believing. Wake up!  STAND UP! TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Earnest

“About that time King Herod began to harass some who belonged to the church. He had James, John’s brother, killed with the sword. When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he arrested Peter as well.” Acts 12:1-2

“While Peter was held in prison, the church offered earnest prayer to God for him…Suddenly an angel from the Lord appeared and a light shone in the prison cell.” V. 5-7

In May of 1978, when Dana and I bought our first home, we were introduced to a number of new terms. One of the most intriguing terms described the concept of “earnest money.” At the end of our search for a home, the realtor explained that the builder would hold the desired property, if we would provide him with earnest money. We discovered that a check of $500.00 would secure our selection of our $47,500.00 dream home. Our investment in what we desired, gave the builder the confidence to take it off the market, while we qualified for our first mortgage. It was a miracle. I didn’t have $47,500.00, but I was earnest to get it. That’s all it took.

Acts records Herod  “began to harass some who belonged to the church.” (v.1)

Instead of distancing themselves from “some who belonged to the church”, the Body of Christ, invested in them. When the leader of their movement was arrested, they called a prayer meeting for Peter, and the future of the church. It was a turning point. It always is.  

“The church offered earnest prayer to God for him.” v. 5

Satan’s strategy has never changed. He can’t stop what Jesus did on the cross. The Bridge to God is finished. Jesus said so. Those who trust Jesus as their Lord and Savior, have a secure path to God, and a home in Heaven. While believers remain on earth, Satan intends to harass, intimidate, hurt and annihilate what they hold dear.

He is able to steal, kill and destroy things, and people, but he cannot stop God’s redemptive plan. He is able to rob people of their joy, on the way to Heaven, but The Bridge is connected to God, by the way of The Cross. He cannot destroy what Jesus finished, he can only detour people from following Jesus, as “The Way, The Truth, and The Life.”

One of the first things the enemy of Jesus does to destroy any movement of God, is to take out the leaders. This gives followers pause to wonder, and to think what might happen to them, if this is what can happen to their leader. It is efficient, and effective on everything and everyone, except a praying church.

When Satan used people as his willing hand puppets to nail Jesus on the cross, many followers scattered. When Herod arrested Peter, it was by design, not by accident. Cut off the head, and the body will die. This is not hard to comprehend. Herod’s harassment was designed to be efficient, but, again, I say, it proved totally ineffective on a praying church. It always is. Remember…

“The church offered earnest prayer to God for him.” V.5

Earnest is a word that comes from the verb meaning “to stretch out the hand.” Simply put, it means to be stretched out, earnest, fervent, resolute, and tense.  When applied to prayer, it doesn’t describe wrapping oneself up in a self-composed, thin-lipped grimace of pain management. Earnest prayer releases the pain and throws out hurting hands to God. With broken hearts, tear-filled eyes, and hurting arms raised to Heaven, earnest prayers invites His Presence to step in and fill the void. Earnest, indeed.

“It is amazing what God can do with a broken heart, if you give Him all the pieces.”  Samuel Chadwick

The intensity of this kind of prayer cannot be overstated. This word is used only three times in the New Testament. The most vivid descriptions of its meaning is found in Luke 22:44, when it highlights the prayer life of Jesus. Got the picture?

“And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling on the ground.” Satan proceeds with his strategy. He has no grand plan. He is content with intimidation and annihilation. It is so efficient, and effective, except when it encounters a praying church.

Earnest prayer is almost always preceded by intense harassment. This can take a wide range of forms, from the mild to the wild. The various translations of The Scriptures stumble all over themselves translating Herod’s harassment into just about any act of evil; seizing, imprisoning, killing, mistreating, and generally, doing the church as much harm as possible.

What was the response of the early church? EARNEST PRAYER. Just like Jesus. Good to know. Stop looking for a better role model.

Earnest prayer is in The Spiritual DNA of The Body of Christ. It has been squeezed out, or substituted with word-smithed, pleasant, perfunctory, invocations and benedictions. These pale signposts are inserted at the beginning and the end of a religious gathering. A monotonous, mantra posing as an invocation is almost a foolproof guarantee that absolutely nothing of any importance is going to be done here today. The benediction is usually a pious form of saying, “I told you so.”

Earnest prayer is a cry to God, but it is more like a battle cry. This kind of praying is heard in Heaven, and strikes fear in the enemy camp. This kind of praying sounds like jets flying over the heads of the enemy. If it doesn’t wipe them out, it weakens their knees, and causes them to look up. It reminds them that their days are numbered, and God is watching. Whining warns the enemy, you are afraid. Praying reminds the enemy they are afraid. Stop whining. Start praying.

Dana and I live near Alliance airport in Fort Worth, Texas. It is visited by all kinds of commercial and military aircraft. On occasion, we have had pilots for the aerobatic team, The Blue Angels, fly over our home. There is nothing like it. When they fly over my home, I am forced to duck…EVERY TIME! Even when I am indoors, I can’t resist the urge to lower my head. When I am walking outdoors and over-taken by one of these powerful weapons of warfare, I flinch when I hear the sound overhead. It is an intimidating experience, even though I know they represent my protectors and my country. I have started saying when I hear them, “I love The Sound of Freedom.”  It helps!

Earnest prayer is the SOUND OF FREEDOM, and it strikes fear in the very heart of the enemy that is producing the harassment. Earnest prayer gives courage to the intimidated, as the sounds of intercession rise from their throats to the ears of God.

What comes from their pain, gains access to Jesus, by means of The Spirit. Seated at the right hand of the Father, Jesus intercedes for His church. God moves in response to the prayers of His people, the intercession of His Son, and the interpretation of His Spirit.  

Earnest prayer moves Heaven. Heaven invades earth, by means of earnest prayer. Pious platitudes may make a great slogan for a throw pillow, but they don’t strike fear in the heart of the enemy. Stop throwing pillows. Start the invasion of The Spirit.

The early church turned harassment into a prayer meeting, not a business meeting. The early church gathered to call on God to step in, and do something that only He could do. God welcomes the lowly and the contrite, into His Presence. Earnest prayer is their access code. Prayer transforms any jailhouse into a house of prayer. At the first sign of incarceration or intimidation, The Body of Christ must invest in intercession. Be earnest! TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Reversal

"They sent Barnabas and Saul to take this gift to the elders." Acts 11:30

This reference to the twin towers of missions, places Barnabas ahead of Saul, as the leader of the ministry. There would come a time when the roles would be reversed. References of the two would soon become Paul and Barnabas. Paul's preaching, passion and overwhelming persona would eventually overshadow the exhorting, and encouraging Barnabas.

Reversals of fame, fortune and faith are revealing. Crisis always reveals character, but seldom develops it. When Paul began to outshine Barnabas, The Encourager didn't take his light and go home, he continued to let it shine.

The Bible doesn't say a great deal about Barnabas, after he and Paul part company. When they disagreed about the role a young evangelist would play in their ministry, they ended their working relationship. It must have been a sad day for both of them. From what is known about both of these men, it didn't appear to end their love relationship. It never should.

In the matter of stewardship of one's call to serve God, one size does not fit all. In the eyes of denominational leaders, and a hero worshiping public, men and women of fame and fortune are sought out as photo-ops to represent their movement or to be the next scalp on their celebrity photo wall. The greater the name, the celebrity has made for themselves, the louder the sound it makes when it is dropped.

Note to self: Don't ever confuse a small church, as a sign of a small man. Scripture warns about despising the day of small things.

There had to have been groaning and bemoaning voices, back in the day, who sadly reflected on the ministry failures of Barnabas. "I remember when" kind of people seldom really see what God is up to in the life of those who He has called to serve Him. In God's eyes, there are no insignificant roles to play in His Kingdom work.

The way God made the human body, and the references Scripture makes of the church, as The Body of Christ, give guidance in this matter. Anyone who has ever hit their little toe, in the middle of the night, has learned how important the smallest part of a unified body can be. I feel your pain, indeed.

Jesus saved Saul. Barnabas encouraged Saul. Barnabas enlisted Saul. Barnabas led Saul. Barnabas played a role in the enlistment, encouragement and exhortation of a man who would be used by God, in a way that God would not use him. This is always a tough assignment, but it is an essential one in The Kingdom. Pride comes before a fall, and it needs to die, after the call.

As the Hebrew Saul, became more identified as Paul, the missionary to the Gentiles, he overshadowed Barnabas. In this process, Barnabas encouraged a young evangelist, John Mark. Paul rejected John Mark, due to his lack of maturity. This is what attracted Barnabas to him. The young man needed what he could give him, encouragement. When Barnabas could not leave John Mark behind, Paul left Barnabas. Barnabas enlisted John Mark, anyway. Paul enlisted Silas, and sailed away.The result? The reversal of roles, eventually led to a separation of these two men of God, but the ministry didn't end. It expanded.

One of the transitions in the life of a minister is the outgrowing of the man, from his mentors. In the early stages of ministry, immaturity, inexperience, and insecurities abound. Mentors help fill in the gaps, and round out the missing parts in the man, until God's Spirit develops the bone and muscle, and the grit and determination of a man of God. It is a slow process. Anything that grows overnight is a weed, not an oak

As a messenger of God matures, he is never above the need for accountability, but his number of mentors shrink, and he is less likely to take advice from everyone he meets. He comes into his own, by hearing, "Thus saith the Lord." The older he gets, he is less likely to be impressed with, "When I was your age."

Barnabas played the role God gave him. He was an encourager. When Paul's ministry began to develop and mature, he outgrew and overshadowed his mentor. It was not a sign from God that Barnabas was no longer needed. It was an opportunity to continue what he was called to do.

Note to self: Barnabas didn't try to to demean and destroy Paul's ministry, when it began to overshadow his own. He just kept shining. People in the dark, need The Light, more than you need your name in lights. You will never outgrow the song of your childhood, "LET IT SHINE! LET IT SHINE! LET IS SHINE!"

Prayerfulness purifies your motives. Prayerlessness putrifies your soul. When someone's light overshadows your own, pray for them. What you see about their ministry will often make you envious of them. What you don't know about their ministry would buckle your knees, if it was placed on your back. Before you whine about what God is doing for them, and not doing for you, pray for them. What you don't know is how much encouragement they need to keep moving under the weight of the assignment God has placed on their shoulders. Before their knees buckle, bend your own. Believe me. Someone is doing it for you. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Support

"Prophets...stood up and, inspired by the Spirit, predicted that a severe famine would over take the entire Roman world...the disciples decided they would send support to the brothers and sisters in Judea, with everyone contributing to this ministry according to each person's abundance." Acts 11:27-29

Everything I own, wear, eat, drive and hold dear, has been provided to me, as a result of the financial support of Christians. They were inspired by the Spirit, to give as God prospered them, to the cause of Christ. It was passed on to me. I am grateful for the heritage of this passage of Scripture.

When I was born, my father was the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Wilmer, Texas. When I came home from Baylor Hospital in Dallas, a medical institution established with the sacrificial giving of Texas Baptists, I was moved into the church parsonage of a Baptist church.

When I was educated at Baylor University, I received scholarships, and grants provided by generous Christians. My seminary education was underwritten by gifts from churches who gave to the unified stewardship program of the Southern Baptist Convention. It helped reduce the cost, and shortened the length of time needed to complete my degrees.

After being raised in a pastor's home, serving on the mission field, on staff of the local church, and as pastor of Baptist churches for 30 years, there is nothing of value held in my name, that wasn't first given in the name of Jesus. My family has been richly blessed, by the generosity of God's people.

Before Obamacare, we found out our insurance policy, at our first church out of seminary, had no MAMAcare. Dana and I were facing the birth of our first child, without any healthcare coverage. To put it in perspective, I was earning $15,000.00 a year. The hospital bill for our first child would be $2,500.00. When the church found out their policy was insufficient, they threw a "Money Tree" Party and raised the financial support, to pay for the birth of our child, Ashley.

I still remember bringing Dana and Ashley home from St. Francis Hospital, and then showing up at the church office to announce the news, "She's paid for!" The horse laugh coming out of the Senior Pastor's study was a bit chilling. The next words I heard were, "You just made a down payment!" He had four daughters. He knew what he was talking about. Thanks for the heads up, Leon. You were right. But, I digress.

The support of the Christians in Antioch, for their brothers and sisters in Judea, is a vital sign of a healthy church. Generosity is in the Spiritual DNA of a believer. When they heard of a need, they met it, giving as God had prospered them. They didn't get the calculator out, to cut a check for a cause. They didn't quibble over how tightly the last decimal point was to be squeezed. They gave out of their abundance to a family member in need, and placed it in the hands of reliable messengers. They made sure it was delivered in a timely fashion, to those who needed the support more than they did.

"Jesus did not die by fractions on the cross." Dr. Jack McGorman, New Testament Professor and Greek scholar

Note to self: The next time someone wants to argue over the validity of a 10% tithe, remind them Jesus gave 100%. It isn't a sacrifice until you have given it all.

The knot between "The Haves" and "The Have-Nots" was not tied by government fiat, but by The Spirit of Christ. Giving to those in need is not a mandate of the government, but it is the mission of the church. A stingy Christian isn't a sign of God-ordained frugality, but a creation of one's own selfish desires.

In his book, "The Tragedy of American Compassion", Marvin Olasky, documents how the welfare state expanded, in the early 20th Century, after progressive Christians grew impatient with or disdainful of the time-tested Judeo-Christian model of bonding with those in need. Bonding was eventually replaced with a bloated bureaucracy. In 1989 the United Hebrew Charities said: "If every person possessing the capability should assume the care of a single family, there would not be enough poor to go around."

The need for the support of the persecuted church has never been more obvious. In a recent speech, Sen. Rand Paul, described vividly, how all over the world, the evidence is growing of an Islamic Jihad against Christians. This is no accident, or coincidence, and should come as no surprise. Satan hates the name of Jesus. His church, as the Body of Christ, is going to be attacked, until it is either defended by friends, or annihilated by enemies. The battle is raging all over world. Expect it to arrive, to a neighborhood near you, very soon.

The persecuted church is nothing new. The 2nd-century Church Father Tertullian wrote that "the blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church." His implication could not be clearer. The church not only survives, but thrives under persecution. It can withstand being opposed, but it can't survive being ignored, or compromised.

Once the church no longer makes a difference, it no longer matters. Make a difference in someone's life today. Invest in their greatest need. It may not have anything to do with money. Praying for someone is the greatest investment you will ever make in them. Talking about someone often deteriorates into a withdrawal from their net worth, not an investment in them. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!