The Risk

"Since we have heard that some of our number to whom we gave no instruction have disturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls, it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Acts 15:25-26

The term used to describe the men who would deliver one of the first messages of Religious Liberty were called "men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Along with beloved Barnabas and Paul, Judas and Silas would be sent. All four shared a powerful testimony. The were recognized by their peers as, "Men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." May their tribe increase.

The first message of Religious Liberty dealt with the protection of believers from having a religion forced upon them that no longer had any jurisdiction over them. The time had passed when God would write His word on tablets of stone. He would now write it on their hearts.

" 'Behold, days are coming," declares the Lord, 'when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers...I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people...I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.' " Jeremiah 31:31-34

This was my first text I was called upon to prepare and to preach in my first semester in seminary. My written sermon got an A. I was pretty proud of it. I was invited to preach it at First Baptist Church of Athens, Texas. That was in November of 1974. I am still waiting to be invited back. Some things are easier to write than they are to preach. But I digress. Still, can I get a witness?

These men represented a much larger number of people who no longer leaned on a religion, but had a relationship with Jesus. Jeremiah's prophecy had been fulfilled in them. Words mean things. The risk they had taken to receive Christ as Savior, paled only in significance to the risks they continued to take to share Jesus with others.

The early preachers had entered into a risky business indeed. They were described as...
"Men that have hazarded their lives" KJV
"They've looked death in the face time and again for the sake of our Master Jesus Christ." The Message
"These people have devoted their lives to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Common English Bible
"...imperiled their lives..." Orthodox Jewish Bible
"...given up their lives..." Young's Literal Translation

The term used in the King James Version, hazarded, was linked as early as 1540 with the English language. It was used to communicate what takes place when a person gambles, wagers or hazards everything on a bet. In other words, these men, risked it all. Their response to the risk they faced was to double-down. They bet the farm, lock, stock and barrel, on their relationship with Jesus. They gave themselves over. They gave themselves up. They put it all on the line. They held nothing back.

Get the picture? "Men who had risked their lives." They could not be intimidated by key men, because they knew Who held the keys. Thanks Vance Havner! With their lives, they unlocked The Door of salvation, and pointed people to Jesus.

“A man who is intimate with God will never be intimidated by men.” Leonard Ravenhill

In this case of Religious Liberty, the preachers set themselves against centuries of traditional, and cultural assumptions. They didn't dial down the rhetoric or withdraw from the public square. They proclaimed the truth in the church, and in the streets. In doing so, they risked everything, including their lives.

They did not seek the spotlight, but they walked willingly into the cross-hairs. They were not fanatics seeking martyrdom. They were simply witnesses. As faithful witnesses, they changed their cultural landscape. In the process, the meaning of the word for witness became a synonym for martyr. Risking all simply meant putting it all on Jesus, and letting it ride, come what may. You bet your life, indeed!

"Nothing of any great significance has ever been accomplished without the element of risk. Mark through the word risk, and write in the letters F.A.I.T.H." Dr. John Bisagno, 1983 message at Single-Hearted of FBC, Houston

Thanks, Bro. John. No man has taught me more about putting faith in God for the big thing, more than you. My own father, Don Miller, taught me to trust God for the impossible. His life of faith showed me time and again how putting faith in God is a matter of giving God the elbow room He wants in my life to turn the impossible into the HIMpossible. GOD only does this...EVERY TIME!

Dr. John Bisagno and my Dad, Don Miller, are the two men who have been the Barnabas and Paul of my life. They showed me how to risk it all, and give my all to Jesus. They taught me that the life of faith was truly a great adventure, and that the joy is always in the journey, not in the arrival at a destination. From them, I learned that the song, "I Surrender All" says it all. Giving our 10% falls far short of what God's son gave to us. He gave His all. God expects no less from His preachers.

"Jesus did not die by fractions on the cross. He gave His all." Dr. Jack McGorman, Professor, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas

Preachers who have hazarded their lives, and are willing to face death without flinching in the face of it, are much needed today. 2,000 years ago Religious Liberty was in peril due to the pressure to conform to a religion that had fulfilled its purpose. Once it had prepared the way for Jesus, the baton was passed. A new race of believers was created, and a new race began. That new race was not meant to be a sprint to serve Jesus, but a walk believers take with Jesus.

Today, the peril of Religious Liberty still comes from within. There are those who are genuinely in love with Jesus, who have allowed criticism from the world to intimidate them into a self-muzzled insignificance. They are the contemporary friends of Job. They have seen how people react to what they really believe, and blame the preacher for the conflict. As a result, they intend to get preachers to withdraw into the confines of their church walls, and boldly proclaim to believers only, what they truly believe.

Note to self: You can only do this until the walls of the church are torn down by people who intend to snuff out The Light. Like the song of your youth says, "Let it Shine! Let it Shine!. Let it Shine!"

In a democratic republic, founded with an appreciation for the contribution made by preachers and Christianity, the Separation of Church and State has been replaced by the intimidation of Church by State. This is a huge difference, and in the face of it, preachers must stand up. Preachers should not be bullied into backing down by those from the State, nor should they be shamed into dialing down their message, by those from within the Church.

Don't take my word for it. Eric Metaxas, no stranger to taking a stand in the public square, says this...

“There is a fundamental misunderstanding of the separation of church and state. The church is to be protected from the state. Not the reverse. People have divorced faith from public life, mostly because of this misunderstanding.”

“If the church had been the church in Germany, had stood up and spoken loudly, as one, they could have won. But they were timid, just as Christians are timid now on so many issues. The church has to be heroically, courageously vocal. People will suffer because the church has not stepped up and lived out the faith we claim to have.” ERIC METAXAS

At a time when preachers are being told they need to come down on the right side of history, they need to stick the landing. Preachers must be found standing tall, not hiding in the tall grass. Standing tall is always done best on one's knees. Preachers are best grounded when their knees are on the ground. Surrounded by bullies who want to put your face in the dirt or Job's friends who want to throw dirt at you? Take The Risk. Stand up! TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Belief

"But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they are also." Acts 15: 11

The DNA of the church is linked to the blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross of Calvary. This is the common bond of all who believe. Believers are not linked by a common love for music, architecture, church government, nationalities, style of worship, or softball jerseys. Any family resemblance a believer has to The Father is directly linked to his connection with The Son. The fruit of The Spirit never falls far from Calvary's tree.

Jesus said, "Apart from me you can do nothing." Prayer is the first point of connection, a believer has with the tree of Life. The wise believer bears fruit by keeping themselves connected to The Root. Prayer connects a believer to Jesus, and consistent praying is the connection that releases His direction, protection and correction. A believer is never finished praying until they arrive at the same point Jesus arrived at when He prayed. "Not My will, but Thy will be done." BELIEVING Prayer always turns MY into THY. EVERY TIME.

Believe is the verb form of faith. Today, much is said of faith, value and virtue. It is appears they are inanimate object, a set of beliefs, rules, regulations, or forms of organized religion. Believe is faith in action. To believe in Jesus is the trust a person places in Jesus, and on Jesus. Belief is placed in a person, the Person of Jesus Christ.

Little children are very capable of memorizing and repeating rules and regulations. It doesn't mean they believe them. It just means they know them. This is the weakness of the childhood catechism that informs a child of the truth, but leaves them without a relationship with Jesus, as the Way, The Truth and The Life.

Believing in Jesus is more than a prayer that is prayed at the first day of of one's birth into the family of God. Believers are those who continue to allow the blood flow of Jesus, move through their veins until their lives take on the character of Christ. The fruit of the Spirit is all about consistent companionship with Jesus, and unbroken connection of The Savior's vine to the believer's branch.

"I am The Vine. You are the branches." Jesus

In Acts, Peter, Paul and Barnabas emphasized to the self-appointed fruit inspectors of the Jerusalem Council, that the Gentile believers were saved the same way the Jewish believers were saved. They were rescued from their sins, through the grace of Jesus. They didn't deserve to be rescued. They received grace, unmerited favor, from God through Jesus.

"We are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus." Peter

Grace is not a girl's name, or a quick prayer thrown up to God before a meal. It is the favor of God. Grace is poured out on people by bringing them to an awareness of their sinful condition, and an acceptance of His only Solution...Jesus. Grace is freely dispensed, but it cost God His Son. Grace is free, but it is not cheap.

It is an amazing experience to share the gospel with people and see them come to the awareness of their sin and to the acceptance of the grace of God, through the Person of Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. It is equally amazing to see people reject God's gracious offer of forgiveness, and to choose to live in separation from Jesus.

The same gospel message, heard by two different people, will often provoke two different choices. One choice leads to personal repentance, and the other to personal rebellion. Grace is personal. God chooses to offer unmerited, undeserved favor, but believers must choose to receive it. Amazing Grace, indeed.

Who is saved? God knows. What does a saved person look like? Clean.

"And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us; and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith." Acts 15:9

The saving grace of God cleanses the heart of a believer, from their past sin, and a love for anything that leads them into sin. Their love for sin is replaced with a love for Jesus. This may be why prayer is so difficult to maintain, in the life of a believer. When people are more in love with the world, they feel uncomfortable spending time in the Presence of Jesus. The love of sin kills a love for prayer. Prayer reveals sin. Prayerlessness denies it, and covers it up.

The early believers continued on course, in the way they came on board. They prayed. We should too. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Bretheren

"Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." Acts 15:1

"And when Paul and Barnabas had great dissension and debate with them, the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others should go to up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue." Acts 15:2

Thank God for "The Brethren." There is always going to be an issue that brings dissension and debate in the church. A recent conference in California was held to keep the church pure of strange fire. The debate over the legitimate use of the gifts of the Spirit, and the illegitimate abuse of them will always rage.

The dissension between those who are on either side of the reformed issue rarely sheds more light on the subject, but it certainly brings the heat. This is not what Scripture calls the fire of God. Thank God that in the middle of debate and dissension, cooler heads are able to prevail, and find the balance between personal preference and Scriptural evidence. The issue that faced Paul and Barnabas was crucial to the expansion of church. If it was to move beyond a side-show of the Jewish religion, Christianity must stand on the finished work of Christ.

Nothing has changed. Jesus said on the cross, "It is finished." He did not say, "In addition." Anyone who puts their faith in the finished work of redemption that Jesus completed on the cross will be saved. Salvation is based on Jesus Christ + nothing. Zero. Nada. Zip. Earnest believers must accept no substitutes, but can always expect a number of additions, auditioning as essentials. They are not.

There were in Paul's day, as there are today, members of the sect of the Pharisees. They just can't give God's Spirit the elbow room that God's grace allows. In short, when confronted with the work of grace God was doing in the lives of the Gentiles, "some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, 'It is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.' " v. 5 In their understanding, and experience, belief in Jesus was just not enough.

They had some additions. They included, the symbol of circumcision and the Law of Moses, before they were willing to grant the Gentiles acceptance into the fellowship. Thankfully, "The elders came together to look into this matter." v. 6 Peter never stood taller among "The Brethren." He said, "Why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?" Good question. Thanks Peter.

Graciously, Peter expanded, "We believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way they also are." v. 11 Interesting side note: Luke records in the Book of Acts that Barnabas and Paul were relating what God had done through them. Notice that the order of Barnabas over Paul had been restored.

The Brethren in Jerusalem, apparently still had a difficult time accepting Paul as the dominant spokesperson of the two missionaries. Paul was still on probation, in their eyes. So were the Gentiles. Fortunately God was the final judge of both of them, not The Brethren.

James listened along with the rest of the people. When all was said, something was done. He said, "Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God among the Gentiles." v. 21

With this word of wisdom, a measure of God's grace was released in the gathering. "Then it seemed good to the apostles, and the elders, with the whole church" to send messengers with James's Judgment. This is an interesting insight into early church decision making. There was plenty of discussion. There was even a fair amount of dissension. BUT there no secret ballot.

There was no rolling of the "dice." There was no debate after the decision was made under the leadership of The Spirit. The release of The Spirit's decision was made by the leading pastor of the local church, James. The Brethren were made up of apostles, elders, and vocal believers.

They all had input on the issue, but one person made the call. "After they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, 'Brethren, listen to me." Peter has always held the position of the chief of the Apostles. He had input, but he didn't make the call. Barnabas and Paul, no matter what order you put them in, said their piece, but did not make the call. There was not a ballot vote taken, nor a church split hatched. James, as the lead pastor of the first church made the decision.

Could it be that the emasculation of the pastor of the local church, by assigning him subservient status to committees, congregation and convention leadership has led to a lack of leadership in the local church? I believe it has. But I digress. We may disagree over the importance of the way the decision was made. There is no way the importance of what was decided can be overstated. There is nothing that can be added to what Jesus finished at the cross. Nothing. His finished work is not up for debate. His grace is sufficient.

Prayer purifies personal preferences, and keeps the finished work of grace from being an unfinished "To Do" List. Jesus prayed, "Not MY will, but THY will be done." Believers must not hold onto personal preferences, and then hold them over the heads of other believers, like hoops for a circus dog to jump through.

If the Bible doesn't say it, don't add it to the finished work of God's grace through His Son, Jesus Christ. The Brethren and the Sisters of the contemporary church would do well to release the wisdom of The Spirit into the decision making of the local church. It is always wise to...TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Door

"They began to report all things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. And they spent a long time with the disciples." Acts 14:27-28

The early preachers spent their time bragging on God, and encouraging people to walk through doors He alone opened for them. They spent a great time with the people they were leading to faith in Christ. This was their recipe for creating a depth of understanding, in what the people were hearing preached, and a depth in personal relationships the people were having with the preachers. These two things are always a great combination.

Today the mega church pastor or TV preacher is held up as the glorified spiritual guru. There is no interaction, no accountability, but a great deal of hero worship. Question: Who comes to visit you when you are in the hospital, when you have lost your job, or there is a death in your family? That person is your preacher.

There is a misconception that the longer you spend time getting to know one another, the more you will love one another. Not necessarily. Sometimes the more you get to know someone, the more you find out about them, and each discovery of fresh knowledge makes you hate the very person you once loved.

One out of two marriages end in divorce in this country. The average length of service for a youth minister in a local church is one year. The average length of stay of a pastor is two years. Apparently it doesn't take contemporary church people long to get to know one another, or to get enough of one another.

The sermon topic of the early preachers was, "Look at God." When the sermon topic of the contemporary preacher becomes "Look at Me" find another church. When your preacher is always the hero of all of his own stories, and there is little air left in his lungs to praise God, take a deep breath and run for the exit.

There is nothing wrong with preaching that tells "all things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith." The problem begins when a preacher forgets his place in God's order of importance. God is the hand, the preacher is the glove. God inserts his hand, and the glove moves with power. God removes His hand, and the glove is lifeless. Jesus said, "Apart from Me, you can do nothing." He meant it. Preachers! Never forget it.

God opens doors. People walk through doors. Anytime people stop walking through the doors of your church, check the message and the messenger. Praising oneself, for personal accomplishments is first cousin to taking credit for what God has done. Don't do it unless you have the strength to sustain what God has initiated. If you can't finish, what God starts then don't hint that you had anything to do with it.

Note to self: He did it. You didn't. You can't. Don't start.

"He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles." This is a phrase that reminds me of how close I came to missing out on what God had in store for me. The Jews were the chosen people. They were meant to be a light to the Gentiles. They forgot their place. They forgot to shine, but basked in the glory of being chosen. Thankfully, through Jesus, God widened the arc of The Light to include Gentiles, and that eventually included me.

I do not share the honor or the distinction of having Jewish blood flow through Me. All I am and ever hope to be is the result of having the blood of Jesus flow over me. His blood purchased my pardon, and folded me into the family of God.

When God opened the door for me, in February 1957, with childlike faith in Jesus, I walked through it. I became a son of Abraham, by faith, not by birth or by works. I was not born into the family of God, and I did not work my way into it. Through faith in Christ, I was reborn into it. Thank God.

The first step a person takes toward Jesus is counted as a step of faith. The early preachers were willing to take a long walk with people they invited to step through the door God opened for them. We should too.

In this long walk, praying and sustaining go hand in hand. Praying for people who are on a long journey sustains their strength and courage for it. It also keep a preacher from being annoyed by the very people he is leading. Never underestimate the power of a praying preacher to turn annoying people into anointed ones.

Praying releases the sustaining power of God's Spirit, and under-girds and strengthens preachers and people, no matter how heavy the load or how long the road. You never really know someone until you travel with them. The journey begins when people walk through the door, it won't last long without praying with them and for them.

Prayer turns an annoyed preacher into a an anointed one, and an interruption into a divine appointment. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

"Discernment is given for intercession, never fault-finding." Oswald Chambers

The Quote

"After they preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, 'Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.' When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed." Acts 14:21-24

Wedged in between the itinerary and organization of the early church is a quote that is never found on a church brochure or Hobby Lobby throw pillow. Did you see it?

"THROUGH MANY TRIBULATIONS WE MUST ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD."

Now that is not surprising to anyone except American Christians. Somehow, the popularity of The Rapture has convinced the contemporary American Christian that the Highway to Heaven is paved with gold and lined with thornless rose bushes. The rest stops are clean and plentiful, the drive thru windows are efficient and cheap, and as soon as you say a prayer of salvation, the coast is clear and Tribulation free. Read your Bible.

Note to self: THROUGH MANY TRIBULATIONS WE MUST ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

WOW! Who knew? How in the world did the early church preachers gather a crowd of seekers with that on their brochure, and with a welcome mat that said, "Martyrs Welcome" They didn't even serve Starbucks coffee.

What was the difference? They focused on the good news of the gospel, "strengthening the souls of disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith." They shared a letter or two, but didn't hire a publicist to recommend to their followers their latest book. Instead hey "commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed."

Their word of counsel to their followers was not filled with platitudes or panaceas. In essence they told them, "This is going to hurt, and it is going to take a while." The remarkable result? The church exploded in growth.

When people are desperate for relief, the truth is liberating. Truth is all that matters to people who have been lied to all their lives. When in doubt, tell the truth. There is more than one tribulation. Just ask the Christians in China, Pakistan, Rwanda, Cambodia, and Cuba. The list is actually much longer. But I digress.

The Roman world was bankrupt morally and spiritually, and on the brink of financial collapse. The Romans had paraded their pantheon of gods before their own people, but no one really believed in them any more. They forced their governmental system on conquered nations, and devoured the people and their own citizens with bone-crushing taxation. People were forced to support mobs of unemployed people, and were helpless to stop the system that poured their hard earned resources into the moral sewer called Rome.

Sound familiar? History repeats itself, if the lessons it teaches are ignored. Get ready for history class. America is going to have to stay after school for sleeping through the last 50 years.

God's provision for a sleeping church is a Great Awakening. This kind of Spiritual Awakening is only provided in response to a desperate praying person, who sets the bar for praying people, who then turn their purpose for gathering together into praying churches.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist or a seasoned word-smith to see the correlation between tribulation and trouble. The simple truth is this. The American form of Christianity is in trouble. My own brand of expression of Christianity, Southern Baptists, have bragged for decades that they are the largest non-Catholic denomination in America.

Note to self: With bragging rights comes a target on your back. Duck Dynasty indeed. Word for the day! DUCK!

For the past few years, courageous leaders of our convention have tried to sound a warning that all is not well. Convention presidents, pastors and statisticians have pointed out the decline in baptisms and loss of enthusiasm for the gospel in established churches. Their answer? Start new churches. Why? It is easier to give birth than to raise the dead. Good to know.

Still. Is there no hope for an Awakening, a raising of the dead? Jesus said, "I AM THE RESURRECTION." He did not say, "I WAS." The call to discipleship includes a mandate to face tribulation with a heart filled with encouragement and strength that comes from being filled with the Holy Spirit. It has always been so. It should not be a surprise now.

Pray for the next Great Awakening to revive, instill new life, in the existing church. Pray for the Spirit of God to breathe new life into people who have grown weary in well-doing, or have lost hope in their Savior, while serving a system. Pray for the movement of God's Spirit to energize an empty people who have come to the end of themselves, and are desperate for His Way, His Truth, and His Life. JESUS!

You may feel alone. You are not. A Great Awakening is great because it is greater than the sum of the parts. I was having lunch with my Father, Don Miller this week. At 91 years of age his memory is fading, but he said, "I draw comfort from the words of man who spoke them into me years ago. I don't recall who it was who said them, but they comfort me nonetheless. He said, 'God and I make a majority.' " Thanks Dad. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Healing

"We are also men of the same nature as you, and preach the gospel to you that you should turn from these vain things to a living God..." Acts 14:15

When Paul and Barnabas preached, the favor of God was upon them. Paul had the ability to see spiritual hunger in a person, with his eyes of faith, and speak physical healing into the limbs of the same lame man. The argument will never end, over whether this kind of power has ended or continues to be manifested among God's people. The one thing that should never be in doubt is Paul's response to being used as an instrument of God's grace. He turned the focus on the living God, and away from himself.

I was raised to believe that the wise preacher will always give God's Spirit all the elbow room He wants, and not try to fit Him in a box. When the Holy Spirit is treated as a lap dog, on a short leash, His power does not diminish, but the usefulness of the preacher does.

The preacher's ability is limited only by His availability to be of use to The Spirit of God. The preacher who is full of himself will never be filled with the Spirit, no matter how much ability, education, eloquence, or experience he may have.

When any usefulness of a preacher is immediately hijacked as the means for self-adulation, or self-promotion, the Holy Spirit lifts God's hand of favor from the self-appointed expert. The Holy Spirit feels no obligation to inflate a preacher's delusion of grandeur. He moves God's hand upon any available preacher who is not in a self-deluded daze. This always results from preachers breathing their own ether.

Paul and Barnabas were relatively new at the missionary game, but in their earliest days of usefulness, they learned to GIVE GOD THE GLORY. They "preached the gospel." This meant that they called people to turn to the living God. Too many preachers believe God is alive, but preach as if He is dead. They talk about God in the past tense. Paul and Barnabas were convinced God was I AM, not I was. Preach it!

The gospel is good news to people who hunger and thirst to have a God shaped vacuum filled in their hearts. The lame man's terminal disease was not physical, but spiritual. Jesus knew this. When He healed people, Jesus often marveled at their unbelief. He still does.

"Faith healers" often forget that people who are healed without the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, may not limp into hell, but they go there anyway. The Gospel was the focus of Paul and Barnabas, and it turned people to a living God.

Note to self: This kind of preaching also turned people to the rock pile. They threw stones at Paul, for preaching the saving grace of the gospel. Put on your helmet of salvation. You are going to need it.

"...with difficulty they restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them...but they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city." V. 18-19

Fame can be fleeting. Every preacher who experiences some portion of it, should memorize this statement. "THIS TOO WILL PASS!" The same crowd that sought to worship Paul was able to be whipped into a mob that tried to kill him. People can be fickle. Preachers who seek their sense of self-worth from a crowd of people will never find the peace that comes from being grounded in the favor of God.

Sometimes being grounded in peace comes from being face down in the dirt. "Supposing him to be dead...while the disciples stood around him, he (Paul) got up and entered the city." v. 20

Healing is an act of God. Make sure if God does it through you that you give all the glory to Him. Praying for healing is honorable. Trusting God for it is faithful. It may make a name for you on earth, but preaching the gospel will make difference in Heaven. Prayer and preaching bring Heaven and earth together at the junction of God's unction and man's dysfunction.

Spiritual healing trumps physical healing...EVERY TIME. Just ask Jesus.

"And He could do no miracle there except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He wondered at their unbelief." Mark 6: 5-6

Praying and preaching are the twin towers of The Gospel. Healing people physically and spiritually comes from God pouring out His favor on people who do both. Pray for your preacher. Preachers need it, and their people need the practice. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Division

"Therefore they spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders be done by their hands; but the people of the city were divided; and some sided with the Jews, and some wit the apostles." Acts 14:3

The Book of Acts reveals how The Truth creates a division between believers and disbelievers.

Note to self: Don't change The Truth to make disbelievers more comfortable with their poor choice. You are called to comfort the afflicted, and to afflict the comfortable. Speak boldly.

There is a fantasy that floats through the minds of those who conjure up thoughts of the next Great Awakening. They envision a time and a place when the people will embrace The Truth in such great numbers that all will be well, and the conflict with evil will end, in their life-time. It doesn't hurt to pray for a dream to come true, but the wise are prepared if it doesn't.

Word to the wise. Be prepared. Scripture reveals that The Truth creates believers and generates opposition. Disbelievers are not content to disagree, they have to destroy. Why? The Truth is not up for debate. Satan knows that. The true secularist is the contemporary pagan. As such there is no room for a source of truth that is greater than themselves. Ego-centrists breathe their own ether, until they feel equipped to do their own brain surgery. They become so open-minded their brains fall out.

Note to self: #2 When Jesus came into your heart, your brains didn't fall out. Know your history. Read The Scriptures. History of Great Awakenings teach us that the opposition takes it up a notch, when The Truth is believed.

Disbelief may go underground or be overwhelmed for a time, but It doesn't go away. It lurks around, searching for a weak link in the armor of Army of Awakening. The battle for a soul of a person or a nation involves an ancient strategy, and a lasting hatred for The Truth.

One of the first signs of weakness that the enemy looks for is a weak voice. Paul and Barnabas "spoke boldly." Their boldness came from their "reliance on the Lord." When eloquence of speech becomes a substitute for reliance on the Lord, a lion in the pulpit may roar, but he strikes no fear in the enemy.

The enemy knows when a preacher has freedom in the pulpit, and when when he is chained to it. This is one of the main reasons terminal secularists want to limit Religious Liberty to the confines of the pulpit and the church auditorium. Opposition to The Truth at its very earliest stages is willing to let the lion stay alive as long as it is kept on a short leash. It can't be left free to roam the streets, or roar in the public square. The self-muzzling of preachers and their public neutering has been going on for quite some time. It began in earnest when "Land Slide"

Lyndon Baines Johnson, as Senate leader sought to intimidate preachers with legislative fiat, in the 1950's. Since then Hollywood's version of a preacher, chaplain or pastor has usually lined up with the pervert, the charlatan or the pathetic. Remember the poor Irish Catholic priest who served the M.A.S.H. unit in the popular sitcom of the 1980's? The man of God was daffy, dizzy, and disrespected, but Hawkeye was cool. See the difference? It is a pattern often repeated. It is designed to diminish the office, by belittling the man. At best, the lion is scripted as a cuddly mascot, but never a bold leader. The Scripture reveals a different kind of preacher. Preachers are to be bold, but never self-reliant.

How does a preacher rely on the Lord? Glad you asked. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Contrast

"I have placed you as a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the end of the earth." Acts 13:47

When I was a small boy, there were times that I woke up in the middle of the night, at the end of a night mare, filled with fear, and afraid of the dark. I would cry out in the night, and my Dad would rush in and turn on the light. What a relief. On other winter mornings, comfortable in my warm bed, and under the covers, I didn't want to wake up. My Dad would turn on the lights, and I would scream at the intrusion. It felt like an icepick in my eyes. It was the same light, and I was in the same room, but I was in two very different places.

Preachers know what this feels like when they preach the same word to people and get a similar contrast in their reactions to it. The light of The Word either guides people to Truth, or it blinds them to their own sinful condition. It depends on where they are, not what The Word says. The Contrast is always revealing.

Paul and Barnabas followed a certain protocol when they entered a city. They went to the synagogue and shared The Gospel, and if it was received they returned. If it was rejected they turned to the Gentiles. It was in Pisidian Antioch that their ministry to the Gentile community became prioritized. The reception of the people of the city was enormous. It was large enough to inspire the jealousy of the Jewish leaders.

"Nearly the whole city assembled to hear the word of the Lord, but when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting the things spoken by Paul, and were blaspheming." Acts 13:45

The opposition did not intimidate Paul and Barnabas. They "spoke boldly and said, 'It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles." V. 46

The Contrast between The Jews and The Gentiles could not have been greater. "When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed." V. 48

While the word of the Lord was being spread, "The Jews incited the devout women of prominence and the leading men of the city and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their district."v. 50

The only protest the two missionaries made was the shaking off of the dust of their feet at the city limits. They moved on and were "continually filled with the joy and with the Holy Spirit." Acts 13:52

I recall reading an Anglican Bishop's remarks, comparing his life of ministry to that of Paul's. He said, "When I arrive in town they serve tea. When Paul arrived a riot broke out." He seemed sadly embarrassed at the comparison. Perhaps we should all feel the same way.

The Gospel is Light. Light has a way of pointing the way for those who are seeking direction, and blinding the eyes of those who do not want to be awakened. It is the same Light. The contrast couldn't be greater.

People who are comfortable in their sin do not want to have it exposed. People who are ashamed of their sin want to know the way to have it removed. Preach the same Word to both, but don't expect the same reaction.

This is the dilemma any preacher faces when speaking The Word, and framing Jesus as The Way, The Truth and The Life. Anything said about Jesus that is absolutely true will still have people absolutely opposed to it. Preach Jesus anyway. Those appointed to eternal life will believe. Those who are not ready to receive eternal life will continue in disbelief. Keep spreading the word. Just because some will reject it, doesn't mean it isn't true.

Note to self: Don't kid yourself. You are not anointed to know who are the appointed. Preach The Truth. Leave the results up to God.

Praying is the greatest preparation a preacher can make before shedding light on those who will hear The Word. Prayer cleanses the preacher's motives, fills him with the Spirit. Prayer softens people's hearts, improves their hearing, and opens their eyes to receive The Word of God. Delivering The Word is more than just spreading the truth around. It requires preparing the ground to receive it. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Grace

"Paul and Barnabas, who speaking to them, were urging them to continue in the grace of God." Acts 13:43

That must have been quite a scene. People hearing the Gospel for the first time, and then begging for more. It is the picture of every preacher's dream coming true, a listening audience hungering for more.

The response of Paul and Barnabas to their willing listeners should be in every preacher's playbook, and shared with his audience before he finishes his message: URGE THEM TO CONTINUE IN THE GRACE OF GOD.

I have a deacon friend who helped me focus my preaching, after he lost his business. He encouraged me, "Give people hope." Thanks J.C.

His point was well-taken. People need hope. When people attend church, it is rarely a sign that they have it all together. The opposite is often true. Their lives are falling apart, and they are in need of a fresh perspective on how to pull it all together.

H.O.P.E. in my understanding of the word is HAVING OUR PERSPECTIVE ELEVATED. The people who heard Paul and Barnabas are no different than those hearing the Gospel for the first time today. They need H.O.P.E. They are burdened down by fear, real and imagined, and in need of grace, free and undeserved.

Grace in its most basic definition is the gift of God. It is His unmerited favor poured out on those who need to be forgiven, but are in no position to ask God for favors. It is closely related to mercy, and the opposite of judgment.

In the determination between the saved and the unsaved, grace is the key component. It is impossible to be saved without grace, and it is equally impossible to earn it. It is a gift. It is free, but it cost God His Son to make grace available to those who receive it. Free does not mean cheap.

In the arena of grace, the way you come on is the way you go on. Paul and Barnabas exhorted, encouraged, or urged their listeners to "continue in the grace of God." This is a great reminder.

Those who are recipients of God's grace have a tendency to begin to believe they deserved it, after they receive it. Grace was not meant to separate the pious and the pagan with the former exercising a sense of superiority or lording it over the latter. Unfortunately, the longer people live under grace, the more they develop a wicked streak that tries to keep people under the law.

Judging people who do not possess the grace of God, is like expecting and inspecting fruit from dead trees. It is a fool's errand. Living in the first phase of grace, and being unwilling to continue to grow in grace produces stunted trees with bitter fruit. Both miss the mark.

"Discernment is given for intercession, never fault-finding." Oswald Chambers

If God gives you discernment about the lack of grace in one person's life, or a crop failure of it in the life of another, pray for both. You get no favor from God for delivering judgment, but by growing in grace.

Note to self: Don't be so quick to take credit for something God did in your life that you did not deserve. Show some grace.

Praying for people who are not growing in grace is a full time job. There will be no lack of material from which to build your prayer life. Praying for people to live under grace will make you a bigger person. Stop praying and you stop growing in grace.

Talking about people leads to running them down, but it never builds you up. Judging their lack of grace makes you small in the eyes of God, and in the eyes those who hear you do it. Stop trying to build your own reputation by tearing other people down. Show some grace. Pray for them.

Paul and Barnabas urged people who were in the first stage of grace, to continue in it. This is the New Testament message. There is so much more that God wants to release, of the character of Christ in the lives of those who follow His Son. He didn't just offer them grace to be saved, but to be conformed to the image of His Son.

Being conformed to Jesus eventually transforms a person in the eye of those who know them best, and hate them the most. God's favor saves, but it also invests the character of Jesus into the lives of those who stay connected to Him. Prayer is that point of connection, where the fruit of the character of Jesus is released through the branches of His family tree.

Continuing in grace takes place by continuing in prayer. Is their any resemblance between your prayer life and the prayer life of Jesus? He prayed early and often for those He came to seek and to save. His fruit never falls far from His tree. Show some grace. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Point

"...you who fear God, listen..." Acts 13:16

Paul's exhortation to the people focused on God's redemptive plan of action. He connected the dots for them, giving an overview of how the hand of God had been on the people of Israel to reveal His love for them, through Jesus Christ.

He reminded them...
God chose our fathers and made the people great...
God led them...
God put up with them...
God destroyed seven nations...
God distributed their land...
God gave them judges...
God gave them a king...
God removed the king...
God raised up David...
God testified...
God brought a Savior...
God raised Him from the dead...
God fulfilled His promise...
God forgives sin through Jesus...
God gives grace to continue...
(see Acts 13:17-43)

Last night I watched a Will Smith and son movie. One of the more thought provoking statements made by the character portrayed by the elder Smith was... "Fear is not real. Danger is real." The point being that fear is generated by a person's insecurities about the future. When one's mind runs wild, imagining things that may never happen, it will require a person to periodically "take a knee."

Fear must be controlled if the danger is going to be faced. Good advice. Paul's advice was "FEAR GOD AND LISTEN." When prayer deteriorates into giving God advice, rather than take His advice, it is no longer prayer. Pious Whiners posing as Prayer Warriors rarely engage the enemy. If they do, they are defeated.

The point of prayer is to fear God, and to listen to His voice, not give Him a piece of one's mind. Venting is not praying. It is whining. Praying people and praying preachers build praying churches, filled with those who seek God's direction, protection and correction. Note to self: Whining your way through your next crisis is no way to take your prayer life to the next level. Take a knee. To fear God means to respect Him, and to expect the consequences.

The Blue Letter Bible identifies fear with the same word that is commonly used for phobia. It defines it, when applied to God, as the willingness to reverence, venerate, to treat with deference or reverential obedience. There are consequences to obedience, and there are consequences to disobedience. God is not some permissive parent seeking to be a pal to His children. He intends for His children to exhibit His character and bring honor and glory to Him, if they bear His name. God Almighty has a redemptive plan and His children not only receive the benefits of it, but engage in the battle for it. The danger is real. Too many of God's children fear the enemy, more than they fear God. They hide in the tall grass when they should be standing in the battle line. Fearing God begins with listening to Him. Hearing His Word leads to reading His Word. Reading His Word leads to studying His Word.

Studying leads to memorizing His Word. Memorizing leads to meditating on His Word. Meditating leads to living His Word. You may be the only Bible someone ever reads. Don't be a misprint. Fearing God establishes Him as Your final proof-reader and ultimate Auto-correct. The point of prayer is to lead a person to fear God. Prayer has the capacity to create a bond, and an intimacy between man and God. It is this intimacy that draws a person to an ever deepening conversation with God, and an ever-widening sphere of influence on others.

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

When we were little ones in Sunday School we sang, "DEEP and WIDE." I'm not sure what that was all about, but I find myself humming it today, as I dwell on the thought of intensifying, and deepening my fear of God, and widening my influence on those who seek Him. Sing it loud. Sing it proud. Listen. Some preachers use this word to recall a congregation's attention to the point of the message. Parents use it make sure a rebellious child is not ignoring their counsel. TV commentators and pundits lead with the word to add gravitas to what they are about to say in their meaningless, meandering monologue. Listen is a good word, used 400 times in the New Testament.

Again, The Blue Letter Bible provides a wide definition of this Greek word used to form the word acoustics. It means to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf...to hear...to attend to, consider what is or has been said...to understand, perceive the sense of what is said...to hear something...to perceive by the ear what is announced in one's presence...to get by hearing learn...a thing comes to one's ears, to find out, learn...to give ear to a teaching or a teacher...to comprehend, to understand. Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice." Listen, indeed.

The Point of the Christian life, is to be on point. Prayer is the tip of the spear, and the world class weapon in the battle against evil. The enemy fears a praying preacher and a praying church. Give him both. To fear God, and listen, take a knee. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

"The one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, and prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray." Samuel Chadwick - English revivalist preacher (1860-1932)