"They have beaten us in public without trial, men who are Romans and have thrown us into prison; and now they are sending us away secretly? No indeed! But let them come themselves and bring us out." Acts 16:37
Every time someone tries to convince me that being a Christian requires a pastor or a follower of Christ to be a door mat for the forces of secularism, I point them to this passage of Scripture. When Paul opened his heart to the Lordship of Christ, his brains didn't fall out, and his citizenship papers weren't nullified. He stood up.
Note to self: STAND UP!
Paul took his beating, but he wasn't going to be run out of town. He had turned the other cheek, but he wasn't going to let misguided magistrates kick him in the pants. He appealed to The Rights of a Roman citizen. He was a citizen of Rome, by birth. and as such, he was granted certain rights that were protected by law under the authority of The Roman Republic. Good to know. Rights have a way of being swallowed up by the beast of bureaucracy and consumed by ever-expanding government. Rome had both. So do we.
The founders of this nation intended for citizenship to be honored, and granted only to those who could give proof they were willing to make an investment in the nation, not be a drain on it. They had studied their Bibles, the history of Great Empires, the works of philosophy and politics, and determined that the rights of the citizen were supreme over the power of The State. In their new nation, these rights would be protected. That was the only reason for the existence of the government. Anything more was tyranny.
When the Constitution of the United States was framed, and presented to the states for approval, in the eyes of many pastors, it did not offer enough protection for Religious Liberty. Baptist pastors in Virginia, led by John Leland, petitioned James Madison for protections for Religious Liberty. They were not alone. Many feared Religious Liberty was vulnerable to the power of expanded government. They were right. Religious Liberty still is, more than ever.
The result of the skepticism held by those who had witnessed the tyranny of an all-powerful central government was a Bill of Rights. It was offered in the form of essential amendments to the U.S. Constitution. These amendments were offered as protections for their God-given rights as citizens of the new nation.
Take a wild guess at what the FIRST AMENDMENT dealt with in the Bill of Rights. The primary function of this new government would be to protect the right of Religious Liberty.
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."
Today, there are those who believe the role of the church is to take a steady, brass knuckled back slap in the arena of politics, entertainment, sports, or anywhere else in the public square. When over-wrought secularists, and their enablers wring their hands in angst or crease their brow with disapproval, the church is supposed to take another step back into the dark recesses of irrelevancy. Not a chance. Not on my watch. STAND UP!
Eric Metaxas, author of a powerful biography on Dietrich Bonhoeffer, has stated, “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.”
Metaxas has made this application. “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.” Thank you Mr. Metaxas.
The reaction of Paul should be examined carefully,and adopted immediately. He was claiming his rights as a citizen of Rome, but did not see any conflict in doing so as a citizen of Heaven. The most pious among us know that this world is not our home. That is true. Our home is in Heaven, but our feet are on earth. "Singing I'll Fly Away" while being smeared with manure can leave a bad taste in your mouth. Stop singing, and start praying. STAND UP!
Until God calls us home, Christian citizenship is not an option, but a calling to bloom where you are planted. Genuine Christianity is not a matter of pretending you love the taste of secularist manure. The Fruit of The Spirit rises above what is piled upon the believer. Genuine fruit doesn't hide under it. One of the nine expressions of The Fruit is "faithfulness." Christian citizens must be found faithful to exercise their rights as stewards of a republic. If they don't those rights will atrophy from disuse or be severed from them by government abuse.
The two essential expressions of Christian citizenship in a republic are (1) Registering to Vote. (2) Getting out to Vote. These are the twin towers under assault from cultural terrorists who intend to bring down the influence of Christian citizens in this nation. Don't let them do it. If you don't register to vote or fail to vote, the terrorists win. Fight back. Praying in your prayer closet is great preparation for entering a voting booth. Do both.
"Prayer is the battle, and it makes no difference where you are. However God may engineer your circumstances, your duty is to pray. Never allow yourself this thought, “I am of no use where I am,” because you certainly cannot be used where you have not yet been placed. Wherever God has placed you and whatever your circumstances, you should pray, continually offering up prayers to Him. And He promises, “Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do . . .” (John 14:13). Yet we refuse to pray unless it thrills or excites us, which is the most intense form of spiritual selfishness. We must learn to work according to God’s direction, and He says to pray. “Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Matthew 9:38)." Oswald Chambers, "My Utmost for His Highest"
One person is all God needs to start a movement. Paul was one citizen. His hope was not in Rome. His hope was in God. He held dual citizenship in both Kingdoms. While he carried out his mission on earth, he intended to hold the Roman Republic accountable to and responsible for its mission: protect Roman citizen. When his rights were infringed upon, he called for the recognition and reinstatement of them. He did not offer his abdication of them. Thanks Paul.
The Spirit of Christ in Paul gave him the courage to, "STAND UP!" When faced with the easy way out, Paul said, "No indeed!" (v. 37) These two little words should become the battle cry of the Christian citizen's engagement with the culture of rampant secularism. STAND UP!
Even if they are alone in doing so, pastors must voice prayers of intercession for the people in their pews to STAND UP! A new generation of Christian citizens must take on their mantle of responsibility. Pastors must lead their people to understand their privileges, rights and responsibilities as Christiana citizens. This kind of dual citizenship taps the power of Heaven to make a difference on earth. This nation needs a Great Awakening, a revival of virtue, a turn around, a movement of God's Spirit. Prayer prepares the way for it. Anything less is not enough.
The task appears insurmountable, and the aroma of the fear of failure is in the air. Take another whiff. Manure makes great fruit. Rise above it. Talking about what is thrown at you only increases its stench. Praying about it releases the aroma of The Fruit of The Spirit. Bear fruit. When you are tempted to quit, or to quietly take the next beat down, lying down, PRAY! When you pray, kneel and say, "No indeed!" Then...STAND UP!
Prayer is powerful mouthwash. Praying takes the taste of quit and failure right out of your mouth. When you kneel in prayer, The Spirit releases courage in your heart. STAND UP!
The Jailer
"Sirs, what must I do to be saved." Acts 16:30
No matter what the question has been, Jesus has always been The Answer. Prayer rids me of the question marks in my life, and fills me with confidence, in the middle of the darkest night of my soul, in the dullest hour of my day, or in the brightest moment of my life. When I pray, my sight may be impaired by the night, but my hearing improves in the dark. If I listen when I pray, I can hear the voices of three in one. The Heavenly chorus is not the sound of angels, but of The Father, The Son and The Spirit shouting into my heart with authenticity and assurance, "WE ARE ALL HERE!"
TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Annoyance
16 It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling. 17 Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, “These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.” 18 She continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out at that very moment.
19 But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place before the authorities, 20 and when they had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, “These men are throwing our city into confusion, being Jews, 21 and are proclaiming customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being Romans.”
Paul met an obstacle and an annoyance, in the form of a little slave girl, while going to the place of prayer. Prayer attracts the eyes of God, and it strikes fear in the heart of Satan. When Satan hears people praying, he fears the attraction of the power of The Spirit. He meets attraction with distraction...EVERY TIME.
Those who believe the place of prayer is a secluded garden, or a devotional exercise for the faint of heart, soon find out it is a battlefield. Prayer warriors! Be prepared. Take a knee. When you assume the position, you will meet the opposition. Fire when ready.
For every true gift of The Spirit, the spirit of evil has a counterfeit. This slave girl had a spirit of divination. She heard voices. She was in touch with an unseen spirit world. She dazzled the locals with her fortune telling, and made her owners a fortune in the process. The people were paying to get in touch with the gods. Paul knew praying was the only way to get in touch with God. It still is.
Not by accident, or coincidence, but by design, The annoyance met Paul at the place of prayer. The slave girl was a hand puppet under the influence of an ancient evil. When she spoke you could barely see Satan's lips move. Those who embrace prayer as the world class weapon in the battle against evil must be able to discern between the real and the counterfeit.
Note to self: There are people who will tell you they pray for you, but will never let you hear them do it. Saying it and praying it are two different things. Be careful.
On the rare occasion I use a large bill of currency to make payment, the cashier will hold it up to the light. There is an awkward pause in the transaction. Cashiers are trained to look for a mark, and if it is not there, then the form of payment will not be accepted.
When someone brings a word they want to speak into you, or say about you, hold it up to the light. Everything that comes out the mouths of well-meaning people is not a word from God. Test it with time, and the Word of God for accuracy. A good word is not always God's word.
The slave girl had some kind of connection with the spirit world, and her owners profited from selling her skill set to the gullible public. When she spoke under the influence of this spirit of divination, she could predict the future, and tell a paying customer's fortune. This con isn't new, and it is still around.
Sometimes the truth can be spoken by a person who is not granted God's access or authenticity, to be identified with the message. They do not have the mark of The Spirit. They may appear to be in line with the truth, but The Truth is not in them.
The enemy isn't opposed to using the truth to distract people from the true messenger. Paul's message was drawing a crowd, and the owners saw a cash cow to be milked. The puppet master placed his distraction right in the middle of an awakening. If Satan can't stop the truth, he is willing to distract people from the true messengers of the truth. He plans to compromise the messenger or massage the message. By using his false messengers to distort, and dilute the truth, he muddies the water, until it isn't fit to drink.
Every Great Awakening has had its detractors and distractions. The Light always attracts bugs. Jesus had Judas. Paul had the slave-girl, and the contemporary church has voices that claim to speak with authority a word for God, while chipping away at the foundation of the Word of God. When someone has a fresh word for you, hold it up to The Light. The Word never lies, and it is new every morning.
"But Paul was greatly annoyed..." v. 18
The Blue Letter Bible gives a translation that describes Paul as greatly "troubled, displeased, offended, pained, worked up." Paul was greatly worked up. He was not lulled into a "can't we all just get along" philosophy. Good to know.
For everyone who supports the self-muzzling, and emasculation of preachers, take note. Paul was not a punching bag, or a soothing voice, when the truth was at stake. He was not just annoyed at the distraction. He was greatly annoyed at the opposition. He didn't require the endorsement of hell to draw a crowd, and he wouldn't share the spotlight with "the spirit of divination."
The ministry of the church is not a vehicle for people or false spirits to test drive. Nor is it a bazaar where they can hawk their wares at Christ's expense. Paul made it very clear to the spirit of divination to get out of the girl. The spirit in her, and the people intent on using her were not going to benefit from their association with the church. They were told to get out of it. Before there is an Awakening the church is going to have to have a backdoor revival. All that glitters isn't gold, and all that Twitters isn't of God.
Paul knew that the girl was not the problem. He knew exactly who to blame. He fixed the blame and fixed the problem, but there were consequences. There always are.
Paul and Silas were dragged into the market place, taken before the authorities, and accused of letting loose a spirit of confusion in the city. They were not rewarded for doing what was right. They were punished for it. The enemy loves to do this. This is the ultimate distraction to messengers of the truth.
I am not a prophet, or the son of a prophet, but it doesn't take much discernment to see what is coming down the road in this nation. Is there anyone left who believes American Christianity is going to be immune from having their faith tested and their preachers arrested, in the very near future? Raise your hands. I didn't think so.
The pressure from inside the church to compromise with the culture, and the pressure from outside the church to conform to it is immense, and it is intensifying every day. If this greatly annoys you, then The Spirit of Christ is alive in you. The Spirit lives to speak the truth, and to glorify Christ.
When there are prevailing winds of opposition, there must be prevailing prayer. This kind of prayer is the climate in which the prayer warrior trains for the conflict with the opposition. Prevailing prayer sails against the wind. The old timers called prevailing prayer, importunity. It describes a sailing ship struggling against the wind and the current to get into their port of call.
God is always calling His people to pray. He is not calling them to the concept of prayer, to read about prayer, to teach about prayer, to study about prayer, or to preach about prayer, but to PRAY. Annoyed yet? Paul met the opposition at the place of prayer. Expect no less. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Follow-up
"Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are...and he was traveling...strengthening the churches." Acts 15:36-41
After almost 40 years of ministry on the mission field and as a pastor in a local church, God commissioned my wife and I to an itinerant ministry. It is one of the most fulfilling experiences of our lives, connecting with "the brethren" and strengthening the churches. It has an ancient heritage, and we are honored to have a small part in carrying it out in a contemporary setting.
Paul's words reveal his passion. He was driven to "see how they are." The nature of his ministry was itinerant, but he left a part of himself in the lives of the brethren in every city where he proclaimed the word of the Lord. Dana and I can relate.
The pastors and people we have met may be in our rear-view mirror, but we always have Georgia on our minds...and Iowa, California, New York, Nevada, Texas, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Ohio, Minnesota, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Florida, New Hampshire, Virginia, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Israel. You get the picture.
We have planted a part of ourselves in every state and nation we have visited. Along the way, we have also lost pillows, sunglasses, cell phones, clothing, and luggage. Thanks American. Not bitter. No pressure. But it has been almost 10 months. Any luck yet?
There is one common denominator we have found in every church, and in every city we have visited. The pastors and people of the churches are in need of strength and encouragement. We have spent many long nights, long after the meetings with the churches, listening and comforting pastors and spouses. It was not on our agenda, or in our material, but it was the reason God led us there.
Strengthening and encouraging is close to the heart of God. Those who are called to minister in His name will find great fulfillment in being a pencil in His hand, writing a note of compassion and concern on the broken hearts and weary lives of those in need of both.
I remember hearing a great voice for Southern Baptists preaching a powerful word at one of our conventions. It was shortly before his moral failure became evident to his adoring audience. He made a statement that I have never forgotten. He was quoting a discouraged pastor, I am convinced it was autobiographical, and that it revealed his own broken spirit. He said, "I surrendered for more than this." He was right, but he settled for less. Don't do it.
Satan has a strategy. It is discouragement. Fear not. The Father has one as well. He offers strength from The Son and encouragement from The Spirit. Both are released through prayer.
This same word for strengthen is found in Act 14:22, where Paul was...
"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.' ”
Strengthening people comes from praying for people, not just talking to them, or listening to them. Don't take my word for it. Listen to Jesus. He thought it did.
"But I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Luke 22:32
The Blue Letter Bible defines the word used for strengthening, found in Acts 15:41 as...
to establish besides, strengthen more
to render more firm, confirm
It is rooted in the same word Jesus uses as His focus on praying for Peter in Luke 22:32. We should do no less.
Pray for pastors. They need it, and you need the practice. Talking about them either makes them a target for Satan, or an idol for people. Praying for them strengthens the tie that binds them to the throne of God's grace, and releases the tender mercies of your own heart. Whining about their shortcomings rarely turns Sunday services into joyous homecomings. Carving up roast preacher to your family, week after week, only starves your soul, and won't feed theirs. Stop it.
The fear of failure is never far from the heart of a pastor or preacher. Satan will make sure of that. Remember the words of Jesus to Peter? Failure is often a prelude to victory.
The weekly encore anxiety that haunts a pastor of a local church is relentless. Sermons to prepare, messages to preach, hospitals to visit, funerals to lead, weddings to perform, lost to save, vision to cast, meetings to attend, decisions to make, staff to coach, deadlines to meet, counsel to give, and fights to settle are like relentless waves, hitting the same beach over and over again, week after week. They can take their toll on the strongest of rocks.
Praying for your pastor will strengthen their seawall. Praying strengthens the church to provide shelter from the storm, and avoids turning it into a Pearl Harbor, with nothing but attacking planes and sinking ships. Prayer strengthens pastors and people, equipping them to sail out of the harbor and engage the enemy with a message that transforms the culture, one life at a time.
As Dana and I head out this morning to South Carolina, we are praying for the pastors of that state. We are praying for David and Cindy Lane, and the American Renewal Project team that we will joining there. In a few hours we will be leading 600 pastors to pray, and to stand up for Religious Liberty in this nation. They already have much to do, but so much is at stake. Pray for them to have the courage and the strength to do what is necessary to lead the next Great Awakening. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Vision
"When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them...we ran a straight course."
The Vision given to Paul led to a world-changing event, the introduction of the gospel to Europe. From what is now Turkey, Paul headed to northern Greece. Alexander the Great had launched his invasion of the world from Macedonia, and Paul would begin a spiritual conquest from the same location. The world has never been the same.
The Vision is not just a good idea, it is God's idea. Paul had been "forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia." v.6
On another occasion Paul and his team were "trying to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them...they came down to Troas." v. 7-8
These two encounters with the The Spirit give one pause. Certainly the people of these regions needed to hear the gospel, but in The School of Obedience, an existing need does not constitute a pressing call. Paul desired to go to Asia and into Bithynia, but God's call is not about personal preferences. It is about death to self.
Note to self: Never go anywhere God doesn't send you. Whenever God's Spirit calls, or where ever He leads, don't hesitate. Respond immediately. The answer is always, "Yes, Lord."
"A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him, saying, 'Come over to Macedonia and help us.' " v. 9
Certainly the people of Asia and Bithynia needed help. It was just not Paul's call to meet their need. It was God's call to make, not his. Paul listened and obeyed.
In this age of church planting, and rising passion to add starting a church to one's pastoral Bucket List, the wise will listen to what The Spirit says, before they put an unreached people group or a metropolitan area on their "To Do List." There is no lonelier feeling in the world than to be in a place God never put you. There is no more fulfilling place to be than where He calls you. Choose wisely.
One of my early missionary heroes was Wimpee Harper, who served in Nigeria, and East Africa. He drowned while swimming with his children in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Tanzania, near the city of Dar Es Salaam. He is quoted as having said, "No matter where God calls you, the safest place in the world is right in the center of God's will." I stopped by his grave in East Africa in 1974. His death seemed untimely then, and still does today. He went where he was called, and left the results up to God. In God's value system, obedience trumps accomplishment.This only happens...EVERY TIME.
At this juncture, two men joined Paul on his mission, Timothy and Luke. Timothy is introduced by, "And a disciple was there, named Timothy." Luke, the author of Acts, is introduced by, "we." Both become invaluable parts of Paul's team. They shared Paul's vision, and came along side of him to assist him with it.
Vision is insight, and foresight, not hindsight. The naysayers and the second guessers are only gifted with the latter. Vision is birthed in the hearts and minds of people whose voices are familiar in Heaven, and who have become familiar with The Voice of Heaven.
People of vision have learned to discern between a good idea, and God's best. It is not always easy to see what God has in mind, and as any reader of Acts can attest, clear vision is sometimes clarified by walking into a couple of closed doors. The wise person will not kick them in, or blow them open, but turnaround and look for the door God has already opened. Paul did that. We should too.
Satan isn't the enemy of the good, as much as he is the enemy of God's best. If he can get people to settle or be consumed with occupying themselves with the good, and miss God's best, it is a victory for him. The tragedy is not that good was done, but that the best was missed.
“Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”
― John Greenleaf Whittier
Some, like Timothy and Luke are called by God to come and help another person see the vision of God fulfilled. This call shouldn't be seen as a slight or an assignment to play second banana. The Vision belongs to God, not to any one man, woman, or denomination.
There are always those who try to hijack The Vision. The closer they get to it, they begin to think it belongs to them. This sometimes happens to the person God first called to hold onto The Vision, but helpers are not immune from turning into hijackers. Those who are holders or helpers should remember one thing, The Vision belongs to God. Don't play with fire. You are going to get burned.
As Dana and I prepare to launch THE RENEWAL: Columbia, SC, we are honored to come alongside of David and Cindy Lane to see what God has in store for the pastors and people of South Carolina. God has given the Lanes a vision to mobilize the pastors of this nation to raise up an army of Christian citizens who will pray for the next Great Awakening and secure Religious Liberty. The by-product of The Vision is a restoration of a our national Judeo-Christian heritage, and a Christian culture in America. This morning, we are praying and trusting God to launch something in Columbia that only He can get credit for, and man cannot explain. Please be praying with us. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Disagreement
"And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed to Cyprus. But Paul chose Silas and left, being committed by the brethren to the grace of the Lord." Acts 15:40
At least two times in the early days of the church there would be sharp disagreements. One was over a point of doctrine, and the other was over personnel.
For most churches, settling the first is a cakewalk compared to coming to an agreement on the second. The calling and removal of pastors, staff and committee members usually involve some kind of a vote. Every time a church votes it runs the risk of a dividing the house and splitting the sheets.
Personnel issues involve personalities. Everyone has at least one. Some are two faced enough, or psychotic enough to have more than one. One per person is more than enough to ignite disagreements between most people.
The healthy church is not immune to the expression of differences of opinion, nor is a healthy marriage. The lack of use, or the abuse of the process of settling differences is where the disagreements become a chronic disease.
When the point of doctrine was brought to the floor, everyone had their say, but not everyone made the decision. James made the judgment call, not the biggest mouth, the hottest head, or the oldest member in the room. Interesting. No one called him a dictator, just pastor. But I digress.
When Paul and Barnabas couldn't agree on Mark's credentials for ministry, they went their separate ways. The Scripture says it was, "a sharp disagreement." Sharp disagreements are not painless. They cut. They leave a mark. They either fester into gangrene and cause the loss of a limb or they heal, and the body survives to live and serve. Paul and Barnabas chose the latter path. They moved on. Time would tell who was right. It usually does.
I can remember completing a staff reorganization process, and saying to my Staff Development Team Leader, "I am so glad to have our personnel issues settled." This great Christian layman let out a loud horselaugh. He said, "They are never behind you. They are always out in front of you." He was a lawyer, and had a staff of 500 people on his team. I was wrong. He was right. He spoke from experience. I was just hoping for the best.
Leading people means dealing with difficult people. Some disagreements are ancient. I remember dealing with a secretary who came into the office screaming one afternoon about how her daughter had been robbed. I didn't know she was talking about a cheerleader election. She was ranting about how it had happened to her, and now the same families were rigging the show, and doing it to her kid. She was full on postal. think I told her to get her purse and take her show on the road.
There has never been a personnel issue that didn't include dealing with someone who was either insubordinate, ineffective, immoral, or incorrigible. Never under-estimate the power of people to inject the Body of Christ with their particular form of "I" trouble. The staff infection is always a threat to the health of the church.
No matter how much "I" trouble a person exhibits, they always have a following. Trust me on this. Yes, even the immoral ones. One of my church staff members was involved in an adulterous relationship with one of the deacons of the church. When I tried to correct them, their church friends took offense at my interference. They assumed forgiveness meant, live and let live. It doesn't. You can't make this stuff up.
Taking up another person's offense is one of the great sideshows of the main event in a church. Like a puddle of water cut off from the refreshing, cleansing flow of the source, people who engage in it become a source of disease. The malaria carrying mosquitoes that breed in pools of personal preference and pious offenses are deadly to the Body.
Paul and Barnabas disagreed over Mark's effectiveness. The brethren let them sort it out between them without taking sides. Paul questioned Mark's reliability. He had deserted them before, and didn't want to give him a second chance. Barnabas probably questioned Paul's memory. There was a time when Paul had needed a friend, and Mark needed one now. Paul chose Silas, and went his way. Barnabas took Mark and prepared him for future service.
Eventually Paul would call for Mark to assist him. Paul had softened in his stance against the young evangelist, and Mark had matured in his walk with God. Time may not heal all wounds, but it certainly created a healthy bond between these two servants of God. Giving God time, allowed His Holy Spirit the elbow room He needs to develop the character of Christ in both men.
When you disagree with a person, prayer is the greatest healing component that can be brought to the wounded relationship. Praying with someone, and saying a blessing over them softens the heart of the one who prays, and the one who is being blessed.
Note to self. Praying at someone is a powerfully potent way to deliver a message, but it always deepens the wound and widens the gap of disagreement. Get it right. Pray for, not pray at.
Paul and Silas would eventually be separated. Barnabas and Mark would be together for a season. Nothing lasts forever except the love of God. The Gospel is the good news about the love of God expressed to the world, by His Son's death, burial and resurrection. For the church, this is the main event. Never let a sideshow move the spotlight of your life away from a focus on The Savior.
The system breeds systemic, and sharp disagreements between people who take their eyes off of Jesus and focus on their own rights. Dead men have no rights. Resurrected men crucify theirs.
Paul and Barnabas didn't let their disagreement with one another disengage them from their message, and their mission. In the process, God brought about healing to the relationship between Paul and Mark.
When faced with a disagreement on doctrine, or a disagreeable person in life, pray. Prayer invites God's direction, protection and correction, into the rift. The Spirit of God softens the hearts of people to receive His word of wisdom and knowledge. Invite The Spirit to step into every disagreement on doctrine, and every decision you make.
Prayer is the climate in which God gives grace to the humble to be corrected in doctrine, and to be reconciled in relationships. If you have been cut, pray for healing, for yourself, your opponent and your church. Praying brings healing, even in the midst of disagreeing. Praying together doesn't always lead to agreeing with one another. It does, however, stop the bleeding. Let the healing begin. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Prophet
"Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brethren with a lengthy message...Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching with many others also, the word of the Lord." Acts 15:32-35
Last night, Dana and I assisted my Mom and Dad with their departure from a week long hospital stay and a re-entry to their own home. Their doctor made the call at about 5:00 PM, and we pulled up to their home at 8:30 PM. There were certain vital signs and health concerns that had to be in order before the doctor would sign his name to Dad's release. Once those criteria were reached, and the antibiotics had been put into his system, he was good to go. He was one happy camper. Truly, there is no place like home.
I love reading how the ministry of preaching and teaching took hold in the early church. The Book of Acts is so revealing, and always reminding me of the essential vital signs of a healthy church, and the qualified health inspectors that had their hand on the pulse of the Body of Christ. The church that doesn't have these vital signs or ignores the voices of those who give the church regular Spiritual Checkups is not going to survive the evil viruses that the enemy unleashes, to destroy the church.
I attended a seminary that was founded as "The School of The Prophets." When I discovered this reference to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, I remember thinking it was a real stretch to use such a grandiose term to describe who I was. Still, The Founders understood more about preaching and teaching than I did. The term has grown on me over the past 40 years.
Acts refers to prophets in the early church, in such a matter of fact fashion. Two men were introduced as "also being prophets themselves." There was no fanfare, no introduction or name in lights celebrity status attached to this announcement. They were prophets.
To many people the very word, prophet refers to someone who foretells the future. To others it conjures up the mental image of Charlton Heston coming down the mountain in a robe, with a white beard, carrying tablets of stone, and roaring at the scene of chaos in the Hebrew camp. To others it is simply a synonym for preacher, someone who forth-tells the word of God, but doesn't wander into fore-telling the future.
The early church needed prophets, preachers and teachers. Acts reveals them all. The contemporary church is short on them. Guess which expression of the Body of Christ reveals more vital signs? This is not a trick question.
The word prophet is transliterated from the Greek language. To see it written in English, one sees very little change in the root of it in the Greek word "prophetes." See what I mean? It meant "to forth-tell, or to divulge."
In the New Testament, prophets ministered to the early church when "they were moved by the Holy Spirit to speak, having power to instruct, comfort, encourage, rebuke, convict, and stimulate, their hearers." The Blue Letter Bible
Prophets were not glorified genies that came out of a lamp, nor were they people who made glib predictions about the future. They were not entertainers at parties or presbyteries, using their prophetic voice to perform cheap parlor tricks. They had a spirit sensitive to the voice of God, and they heard from God. What they heard, they spoke.
Prophets had that rare combination of courage and humility to speak forth into others, what they heard God's Spirit say to them. Do they still minister to the local church? Some say. "No."... quoting
"Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease." 1 Corinthians 13:8
The major point of that passage, is that selfless love is the motivation for a prophet, not selfish ambition. Others believe speaking forth a strong word, from the Word of God is the current expression of the New Testament model. This expression can be corrupted by an angry preacher venting his spleen, using the bully pulpit to browbeat people into seeing things his way.
Note to self: If you have a prophetic word, have the courage to speak it, but also the humility to say it with a broken heart.
Fore-telling the future, and forth-telling the Word of God are the most common expressions of the prophet. The end result of any expression of this Spiritual gift is the encouraging and the strengthening of the brethren.
To release any prophetic word, void of encouragement to believers, weakens the Body of Christ. It is probably not a word from God. Check the source. Not everything that smells like smoke is HOLY SMOKE. Hell has a way of sending up counterfeit smoke signals. The Wise know the difference.
I Cor. 12:10 reveals that prophecy is a gift of The Spirit. That being true, it will always glorify Jesus and be birthed in prayer. The purpose of The Spirit is to glorify Christ, and Jesus lives to make intercession. To speak a word for God that is not received in the climate of prayer is to confuse one's personal preference with a Biblical reference. Jesus prayed, "Not MY will, but THY will be done." Prophets don't speak until they come to that same place of humility.
Ephesians 4:11 says, "And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ."
The gift of prophecy is not a new idea, but using it as a personal possession is a bad idea. It is a gift, but it doesn't belong to the prophet. It comes from God, and prophets who grieve the Holy Spirit and bring dishonor to Jesus can expect it to have the gift removed from their hands.
Paul feared this most of all. He prayed that he might not ever become a "castaway." There is nothing more pathetic than a prophet shooting his mouth off, and running around naked, without a mantle from God. Wise prophets cover themselves in prayer, before they deliver a message for God.
I Timothy 4:14 says, "Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery."
Paul's warning to Timothy reveals a process in the early church for the setting apart of people for ministry. There were trusted elders, or presbyters who spoke a prophetic word into prospective ministers, and leaders.
Churches that practice the laying on of hands, often neglect the prophetic word. They may fill a slot on a committee, a staff, or a deacon roll, and settle for people who are not filled with The Spirit. This is a toxic virus that attacks the Body of Christ with deadly results. Stop it!
WARNING: Don't ever elect people, God never selected.
Prophetic people have voices that are heard in Heaven, long before they are heard in the church. Prophetic voices are voices very familiar to Jesus. They fill themselves with His Spirit, and linger in the presence of Jesus, as they join Him in the work of intercession.
The prophet seeks nothing more and settles for nothing less than God's direction, protection and correction, in their own lives. They don't rush to the microphone, with a good idea. They must know it is God's idea. They kneel at God's altar, and make sure they are consumed by the fire of God, before they try to shed His light or bring the heat. Prophets will TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Delivery
"Having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. When they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement." Acts 15:31
The Book of Acts provides many brief glimpses into the life of the early church. Those interested in restoring 1st Century Christianity, or capturing the essence of the ancient church would do well to douse the candles and put the spotlight on God's Word. Dimming the lights, lighting a few candles and going acoustical, can be refreshing. But missing the real message of the Book of Acts, is like stepping over dollar bills to pick up nickles. It leads to just another form of pious posing. Deliver the mail, not the ambiance.
Note to self: Worship styles are like stationery. No matter what style of stationery you choose, don't forget to deliver the mail.
The early shepherds were not above gathering the sheep. Many preachers believe they are called to preach, but they just can't be bothered with the effort it takes to gather. They value their study time, their family time, their free time, their workout time, their me time, and fill their week with many worthy activities. The early preachers knew they didn't have much of a message, if no one showed up to hear it. They "gathered the congregation together." Go thou and do likewise.
The early shepherds "delivered the mail." Karl Malone, former star in the NBA for 18 years, and one of the greatest power forwards to ever play the game, was nicknamed "The Mail Man." Malone delivered what his team needed, over and over again. POINTS. Interesting point. Many of these points came after he had been fouled. He still holds the record for the most free throws attempted and made. He played a contact sport.
Preachers deal in the same assets, and know the bumps and bruises that come from playing and praying a full contact game. They always have a few points to make, preferably only three, and they are always on the clock. Unfortunately, few sermons are worthy of Overtime. But I digress.
Word-smithed oratory, self-righteous rhetoric, and technical wizardry are a glorified form of dribbling the ball around the basket, without ever making the shot. Preacher! Stop dribbling. Take the shot. Make it count. Deliver the mail. Make your point. The team needs you to step it up.
"They read it." The test of a preacher is the text of the sermon. Many preachers fill the air with references to authors and quotes of books that fall way outside the realm of Genesis to Revelation. These are well-intentioned efforts to prove study has been made, a library is being built, and the flavor of the week has been consumed. Stop it. Read The Book. Preach the Word. Stay on message. Don't edit "The Script." The Word of God is still the best source for the greatest joy, in this world. Tis the Season. Bring joy to the world.
"They rejoiced because of its encouragement." The letter delivered a great message. The encouragement of the letter, from believers in one city to believers in another. is a classic reminder to preachers that the content of their message is not complete, until joy and encouragement are contained in it.
Joy is that over-riding confidence provided by The Spirit of God. Joy relies on faith in the fact that God is in control, in the midst of a world that is out of control. Joy is a calm assurance of the love of God, in a world that is designed to rob a person of their memory. Constant concussions and crises cause them to forget that they are children, loved by God, The Father, and The Son will never leave them or forsake them. Great preaching brings great joy.
Encouragement is translated from two words, "para klesis." It is the source for the very name Jesus gave to the Holy Spirit, as The Comforter, or The Paraclete. The Spirit of God is The Encourager. The Blue Letter Bible provides a detailed look at the meaning of a word that is much needed in the church today. It means...
a calling near, summons, (esp. for help)
importation, supplication, entreaty
exhortation, admonition, encouragement
consolation, comfort, solace; that which affords comfort or refreshment
thus of the Messianic salvation (so the Rabbis call the Messiah the consoler, the comforter)
persuasive discourse, stirring address
instructive, admonitory, conciliatory, powerful hortatory discourse
OK. That may be way over the top, but encouragement means more than HAPPY! HAPPY! HAPPY! No disrespect intended. Prayer calls out to The Encourager, The Comforter to come along-side as The Helper, The Advocate, and The Spirit transforms fearful believers into faithful disciples.
Praying preachers provide, "persuasive discourse, and stirring addresses" that point people to prayer as their means to be filled with The Fruit of The Spirit, joy. They remind them of their heritage, as children of God, and infuse in them the courage to take their stand next to The Champion, Jesus Christ.
The fearful are not prone to be faithful. They rarely take a stand, unless it is in the tall grass. They hide from the world, when they fail to abide in Christ. People are either hiding or abiding. They either have the courage to stand, or they live life on the run. Preachers are called to deliver a message that transform the fearful into the faithful.
The infusion of courage into the congregation, comes from praying preachers reminding praying people of God's grace. God's grace and favor provide His children with the stamina and sense of direction to run the race, to the finish line. Are you hiding or abiding. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Essentials
"For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials: that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell." Acts 15:28-29
The Essentials are essentially, very simple.
#1. Always agree with the Holy Spirit.
#2. Avoid associating with questionable practices that cast doubt on your new association with Jesus.
#3. Abstain from fornication.
Many believers feel more comfortable with the world, than they feel convicted to share The Gospel with the world. They need to go back to the point, in their walk with God, where they abandoned these three essentials.
Agreeing with the Holy Spirit is the key to a walk with God that provides a believer with His direction, protection and correction. Praying people are agreeing people, nor perfect people. They are not agreeable to what the world tells them is right. They are only interested in what God says is right. They filter everything the world says to them, through The Word of God, and The Holy Spirit. They are not interested in coming down on the right side of history, but they are consumed with HIS story. When in doubt, read the directions.
Note to self: Your walk with God is the next 20 seconds. The moment The Spirit of God convicts you of sin, you must confess it to God, ask forgiveness for it from Jesus, turn from it to Jesus, and be filled with The Spirit. Like breathing, repeat as needed.
The temples of the Gentile world offered sacrifices to their gods. After the worst part of the animal was burned up on their altars, they sold the best of the meat on the street to provide for the expenses of the their system. The early church leaders encouraged their new brothers and sisters to avoid associating with any enterprise that sustained and supported the opposition, and gave the impression that they had not changed teams. Good advice.
Long before Miley Cyrus strutted her stuff on stage, at a recent awards ceremony, she had wandered from a personal walk with God. As a good Southern Baptist girl, she had been taken to church, baptized as a youth into the fellowship of the church, and then taken back to a home, by her parents, where apparently absolutely nothing had changed.
The parents of this young lady sacrificed her on the altar of celebrity and ignored God's direction, protection and correction. The parents were encouraged to do this by the ample financial support of believers who tune into such awards shows to keep in touch with the real world, and worship their idols. No wonder the Sunday night worship service seems so dull, and on its way to extinction. But I digress.
Abstain from fornication. ABSTINENCE! The very word has been turned into a joke by TV talking heads, and advocates of early sex education. God's Word encourages it, but His people are embarrassed by it. This is one of the reasons "Christian" marriages end in divorce, as often as the marriages of those who hold no belief in God. Apparently, even in the church, most marriages are made in heat, not in Heaven.
Fornication includes it all. Sexual impurity of any kind is to be avoided. The question is this. Whose values are going to reign supreme? The world says, "Nothing wrong here. Move along." God says, "Avoid it." HMMMM. Answer: Get with God and agree with the Holy Spirit.
As the message of The Gospel was shared, it transformed the pagan culture, one life at a time. The church was an open door to people who were fleeing from the world, not those who were trying to drag it to church with them. The church has always been the last, great hope for people, who are sick and tired of being lied to by the world.
Listen to Paul's words to the Church at Corinth. This city was at the crossroads of the world, a cesspool of the ancient world, and a repository of every known perversion. The early church was like a gardenia in a garbage can. It had an aroma so different from the odor of the flesh that it attracted the worst of the world to the best that God had to offer, JESUS.
"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, not idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, not thieves, not the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Corinthians 6:9
This is quite a laundry list!. The blood of Jesus is able to transform everything on it into a believer conformed to His character. This is the message of the church, and when anything but THE ESSENTIALS is heard coming from the church, the message is lost in the sound of billions of voices giving the world a piece of their mind. The result? There is no peace of mind, and no peace with God, in the world or in the church.
Praying people are led by praying pastors to become praying churches, always agreeing with the Holy Spirit. This close walk with the Spirit of God provides them with God's direction, protection and correction, not perfection. Praying leads to obeying, and obeying sustains praying. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Grassroots
This weekend I heard Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas talk about a growing movement in the United States. He said a grassroots movement is gaining momentum. Millions of people, more than willing to go about their lives without being involved in governing, now realize their government is intruding into their lives at an alarming rate. They have awakened. This is going to be interesting.
Sen. Cruz walked his listeners through the NSA overreach, the “Drone” filibuster of Sen. Rand Paul, onto the attempt to engage in war in Syria, and the recent rollout of “ObamaCare.” He has witnessed millions of U.S. citizens mobilizing, as they sense a growing menace from the very government that was designed to protect them.
Sen. Cruz stated his case well, and well he should. Though his father was a political refugee from Cuba, and came to America with only $100, Mr. Cruz is a graduate of Princeton, and Harvard Law School. His work experience with Chief Justice Renquist, and his hours logged in a Texas law firm have given him plenty of juice to deliver his remarks. Without a teleprompter or a set of prepared notes, Sen. Cruz was a force of nature. Refreshing.
The most interesting thing to me, about the evening, was a table of young adults that were seated to his left. They were beaming. Their eyes were intensely focused, and the smile on their faces revealed they were pleased with what they heard. By the looks of things, Mr. Cruz is going to be around for a while. The Old Guard G.O.P. had better start listening.
As the Senator talked about a political grassroots movement growing among the citizens of this nation, I couldn’t help but think of what would happen in the Spiritual arena, if such a grassroots movement began to take hold. Lord, let it begin!
Pastors have been timid, about calling prayer meetings that have proved to be tepid in temperature and poorly attended. These preachers would be encouraged to hear their people say, “Enough is enough.” The grassroots in this nation’s churches already say enough. They must begin to pray enough, calling out to God for answers.
Note to self: Lord, let it begin in me.
When Jesus sought to restore His seven drifting churches of Asia Minor, He said to each one of them, “I KNOW.” Jesus is the only one Who really knows the real condition of His church. He is the only one Who has the solution for His church’s condition. Prayer doesn't frame the debate in the church, but it opens the conversation with Jesus, Who founded the church.
Jesus still knows. His people just stopped asking Him for advice. Those who have an ear to hear, must hear from Him again, and be obedient to do what He says. Seeking a second opinion only postpones the next Great Awakening.
When a couple of discouraged disciples wound their way down the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus they were confronted by The Risen Christ. Jesus approached them as they were walking, talking and discussing the things that had happened to them. When one of them sarcastically rebuked Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the only one in this city that doesn’t know the things that have been happening?” Jesus simply asked, “WHAT THINGS?”
With two words Jesus invited two discouraged, and disheartened disciples to tell Him what was sapping their courage and breaking their hearts. He still does. Have you talked to Jesus today about the condition of your heart, your home, your church, and your country? He still knows what to do. He doesn’t need information from you, but you need inspiration from Him. That is what prayer is all about. Jesus specializes in turning the impossible into the HIMpossible. Tell it to Him. What things, indeed!
The grassroots of the lives of those two disciples began to bear fruit immediately. Their lives were turned around when Jesus revealed Himself to them, through the Scriptures. When He acted as if He would go farther, they urged Jesus to stay with them. The next Great Awakening will begin when the most discouraged and disheartened people will come to that point in their lives, when they just can’t get enough of Jesus. Saying enough and praying enough are two different things. Let the praying begin.
The Book of Acts carries an essential ingredient to the fruit of The Spirit, obedience. The character of Christ is simply not produced by rebellious children. The Spirit releases the character of Christ in obedient children. Over and over again the Scripture reveals the fruit of the Spirit in people who are obedient to the command, BE FILLED with the Spirit. Simple, direct, and essential.
For a grassroots Spiritual movement to become the next Great Awakening, it must be rooted in Jesus. Praying people are rooted in and connected to a praying Savior. Jesus prayed, “Not My will, but Thy will be done.” This should be a clue. Prayer is not about you. It is about you being knocked out of you, by an encounter with the will of God. To get over yourself, you must come to the end of yourself, and the beginning of God.
Prayer is designed to change the world, one person at a time. Are you ready for the next Great Awakening? Jesus is ready to start His next movement in you. Prayer can change your world. Let it begin in you.
The next Great Awakening is beginning to take hold in a nation lost in the tall grass. The grassroots are connecting with The Root. Beat the rush. Make your connection. Jesus can do more to change the Spiritual climate of your heart, your home, your church and your nation, with a moment of your humble obedience than you can ever do with a lifetime of your tireless talk and prayerless effort. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!