The Junction

"So being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went...they began to proclaim the word of God in the synagogues...and they had John as their helper...But Elymas was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze on him, and said, 'You are full of deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord? Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time.' Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord." Acts 13:4-13

For the preacher of good news, The Junction of unction and dysfunction is found at the corner of But and Then. "But Saul...filled with the Holy Spirit" faced the opposition, and called for God's hand to fall on the person who was being used as the devil's own personal hand puppet. "Then the proconsul believed." Praying preachers and praying churches meet God at The Junction. They don't focus on the dysfunction. They call out to God for unction.

Prayer bridges the span of time between BUT and THEN. The false prophet was blind long before Paul called for a physical blindness to fall upon Him, by the hand of God. The proconsul had been led away from the faith, by this man who could not see what God was doing. This is what false prophets always do. They speak authoritatively, but lead blindly. Listening to them, and following them never ends well. So much is going on in Acts 13. Paul is emerging as the leader of the missionary team. Barnabas and Saul is transitioning into Paul and Barnabas.

The issue of John Mark returning to Jerusalem, may have been a result of homesickness, sea sickness or battle fatigue. Whatever the reason, he left Paul and his companions and went home. John Mark's departure would eventually end a great ministry relationship between these two powerful road warriors, but the mission would continue. The opposition of the false prophet was real. Not much has changed. The sons and daughters of Elymas are still with us. Opposition to the preaching and teaching of the Lord is rooted in hell, and people who take part in it, give evidence of bearing fruit that fell from the devil's family tree. False prophets are those who oppose clear Christian doctrine. The opposition is sightless and relentless. They do "not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord." v. 10

To make something crooked is to distort its original intent, to pervert its primary purpose, to detour it or someone from their correct course of action or something's proper function.

Crooked is a deviation from, The Blue Letter Bible's understanding of the word... "to turn, turn around to turn one's self (i.e. to turn the back to one of one who no longer cares for another) metaph. to turn one's self from one's course of conduct, i.e. to change one's mind" Crooked people are not interested in people being converted into straight people. Anyone who is not straight is crooked. They have been robbed of their true sense of direction, lost God's hand of protection and invited His hand of correction. Pray for God to move and get out of the way.

This may explain why people who are opposed to the truth of God's word on any subject, are in desperate need of an adjustment. They are out of alignment, and if left uncorrected their temporary condition becomes permanently set. They are terminally handicapped by their rebellion to the straight way. Crooked people who refuse to realign their lives with "the teaching of the Lord" will be broken beyond repair. Paul declared on behalf of a righteous God, that the opposition fall under the hand of God. When God moved His hand, towards the opposition, it resulted in the opposition being exposed as a fraud, and a blind guide. Praying against opposition is not a matter of name-calling, but a matter of calling out to God, in the name of Jesus, under the influence of The Spirit.

The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their right name. The most intolerant people are always calling for tolerance. The most elite are always calling for diversity. Why? They are crooked people. They are bent. They are deceived. They are blind. They are guided by the sound of their inner voice, but cannot recognize that they have become a dummy sitting in the lap of an evil ventriloquist, putting words in their mouth, and a hand in their back, leading them in the wrong direction. When he is done with them, they are put in a dark box. Don't listen to them. Paul declared war on the opposition, and asked a righteous God to declare Himself in agreement with His mission, to move people in the right direction. Elymas may not have felt the hand of God, as much as he felt God's thumb on him. Either way, it resulted in the proconsul being set free from his own blindness.

Pray for God's hand to move, in the name of Jesus and give the Holy Spirit some elbow room. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

Note to self: The proconsul was amazed at the teaching of the Lord. Make sure you don't miss the Grand Canyon of God's Word, by stopping short of His grandeur for a quick photo op at the sign. The sign always points to the Creator, not the paint brush. Preach and teach the Word.

The Joy

"And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit." Acts 13:52

My first experience with the word "joy" came at the birth of my little sister. My parents gave her the name, Joy Dawn. After two sons, a daughter brought them joy, indeed. She still does.

The word is difficult to define, but the absence of joy in a person's life leaves a hole in the soul that can only be filled by Jesus. The world thirsts for joy, but has substituted entertainment as the source for it. Drinking from the well of entertainment is like swallowing salt water. It creates more thirst, and never satisfies the deepest craving of the soul with joy.

Joy is the God-given, Spirit-filled, blood bought capacity of a believer in Jesus Christ to rise above the intimidation of the immediate. Joy places confidence in the promises of God, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you." It is not based on happenstance, or the need for good things to happen in order to be HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY. Apologies to the dudes of Duck Dynasty. I mean no disrespect.

Joy is a Spirit-driven response, from within the heart of a person who has had a heart transplant. At their conversion, they exchanged their fearful heart for a joyful heart. They put their trust in God, in the name of His Son, Jesus, and they received the Person of the Holy Spirit. From that moment on, the character of Jesus flows through them developing in them an awareness of the Father's love, and His capacity to care for His children...come what may.

Joy is the child-like quality that rests in The Father's ability to care for His own. It is based on His sterling reputation as a promise keeper. Praying to the Father, in the name of Jesus, keeps the intimacy of the relationship between Father and child clearly in mind. When crisis comes, rather than losing heart, or giving God a piece of their mind, The Spirit releases joy in their heart, and a genuine peace of mind.

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

Joy is the over-riding sense of well-being in the face of overwhelming circumstances or irritating people. Happiness is based on having things go "My Way." Joy is content to have things go "His Way." The joy is in the journey, and the journey is with Jesus. Joy looks into the eyes of Jesus to see if He is disturbed by what is happening around Him, and follows His lead.

Note to self: When Jesus panics. Feel free to panic. Until then, enjoy your walk with Him. What else have you got to do?

The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. Note the combination. This is no coincidence. The lack of joy reflects emptiness. The presence of joy reflects fulness. Be filled with the Spirit is not a suggestion. It is a command. Joy comes in the morning, but why wait. Joy is as close as your next act of obedience. Be filled.

The disciples were filled with joy, in spite of the things that happened to them, not because of the things that happened to them. Look at the laundry list of grievances that the early disciples could have brought before God. They didn't turn the record of wrongs into a "Whine List." They turned it into a prayer list. Big difference.

Moaning and groaning through a list of wrongs rarely leads to joy. This is not praying. It is a form of complaining. The Spirit knows the difference. He is charged with interpreting your prayers to The Father. He is not running a "Complaint Department." Stop complaining. Start praying.

Praying leads to joy, when it reminds you that the company you keep is more important than the people who have rejected you. The early disciples were beaten, imprisoned, murdered, harassed, slandered, run out of town, and "filled with The Spirit." The result? JOY.

Joy is not a because of kind of emotion. It is an in spite of kind of perspective. Joy turns, "I can't believe they are doing this to ME", into "Jesus, I can't believe WE are going through this together." Joy doesn't pretend something doesn't hurt, or someone isn't offensive. On the contrary, it takes the hurt and the offense to Jesus, and walks with Him through the pain and the rejection, until confidence is restored in the face of the crisis.

Praying can deteriorate into whining, if it fails to lead to listening to the voice of Jesus. Praying improves your hearing. Listen when you pray, "WHAT IN THE WORLD IS HAPPENING?", and you will hear Jesus say, "I have overcome the world." Calm down. Kneel down. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Mission

"And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their mission, taking along with them John, who was also called Mark." Acts 12:25

One of my favorite coffee cups has a cartoon of Moses returning from the mountain, carrying two tablets of stone. The caption, over one Hebrew standing next to his neighbor in the crowd states, "Oh, great. Another mission statement." I think that is hilarious. Spot on. Sad, but true.

The proliferation of and fixation on mission statements have done very little to fulfill the original mission statement of The Founder of the church. Jesus said, "Make Disciples!" It just doesn't get any clearer than that. Barnabas and Saul stayed on mission, and took John Mark with them to learn how it is done.

Jesus followed the Hebrew form of discipleship. It was built on relationship, and the development of character. The Greek form of discipleship was based on education and the accumulation of knowledge. Guess which path proves the most effective in the development of leaders?

Scriptural truth casts a dubious eye on the pursuit of education, as the sole source of enlightenment. Paul warned Timothy of posers who were..."Always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." 2 Tim. 3:7

I have always been challenged by The Mission statement, "To Know Him, and To Make Him Known." My failure to carry it out is always rooted in my disconnection from Jesus, by pursuing information about Him. Seeking facts about Jesus is not the same thing as spending time with Him. Anyone who has ever logged a few intense semesters in seminary can serve as my expert witness on the veracity of that statement.

The Mission remains the same. MAKE DISCIPLES! The people who carry it out change, from generation to generation, but the mission statement is not up for review. The Mission is like a baton passed from one runner to the next. It doesn't have the capacity to change, but it does have the capacity to be dropped. Pass it. Don't change it. Never drop it.

Potential disciples will disappoint you. Some just don't make the cut. Others take more time than others to bear fruit. Barnabas and Saul would disagree, when they inspected John Mark's fruit. Their disagreement led to the dissolving of their partnership. Paul joined Silas and stayed on mission. Barnabas took John Mark under his wing, and developed a disciple. Years later Paul would write to Timothy, his younger disciple...

"Make every effort to come to me soon...Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service." 2 Timothy 4:9,11

The result? The team changed, but The Mission was not dropped. It was passed on. Jesus was made known, and disciples were made. This is the end game.

The Mission is not so much about collecting a crowd of listeners, as much as the developing the character of disciples. Many churches base their strength and health, solely on the average number of people who attend their services on Sunday. Could be true. But....

Note to self: Stop it! If you think this is a sign of excellence, you deserve to be operated on by a surgeon who showed up for class, but never did his homework. Stop it!

The Mission is MAKE DISCIPLES. Disciples have the character of Jesus. This takes time, and it is developed in the climate of prayer. Churches or Christians that grow over night into sensational expressions of a movement of God should be inspected carefully. Look at The Root and The Fruit. Anyone who is rooted in Jesus will bear His fruit.

Note to self #2: Anything that grows over night in your yard is usually a weed.

The Mission is about character, not crowds. The Holy Spirit is on a mission to knock YOU out of YOU, so YOU can be filled with JESUS. This is why discipleship begins in YOU, but it ends in the death of YOU. To get over yourself, YOU must die to self, and be filled with The Spirit.

The Holy Spirit releases the character of Jesus in disciples, and convicts them of any sin that keeps them from staying on their personal mission of being conformed to the character of Christ. Abiding in Him, leads to being like Him, not just knowing about Him.

A disciple looks and acts like Jesus. Squeeze a disciple and Jesus comes out. Squeeze next to a person in a pew, or sit in their favorite spot, and you will find out what a church member does when they are put under pressure. Big difference.

Telling someone about this process is easier than living it out in front of them. Discipleship can get pretty messy. Developing character is not done in the classroom. It requires homework, and there is a lot of lab work, with few failed experiments and explosions along the way.

My life verse is my guiding light in my own, on-going mission of being conformed to the image of Christ, and leading others to be His disciples. It will take a life-time.

"For I am confident of this very thing. That He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6

The Mission was birthed in intercession. Jesus prayed for His will to be conformed to The Father's will. The Mission is sustained and maintained through intercession. Paul prayed for his disciples, "always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all." Philippians 1:4

The Mission requires that we should do no less, than Jesus, and no more than Paul. Make Disciples. 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 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!