"So, on the next day when Agrippa came together with Bernice amid great pomp, and entered the auditorium accompanied by the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in." Acts 25:23
Like strutting peacocks, King Agrippa and Berinice entered the seat of Roman power. It was the best show in town. God had not only provided Paul with a front row seat. He was the main attraction. Governor Festus was merley the master of ceremonies. He set the stage with a few remarks of his own, before Paul set foot on the stage.
"But I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death; and since he himself appealed to the Emperor I decided to send him." v. 25
Appealing to King Agrippa's vanity, the Roman Governor sought his assistance in framing a letter that would be sent to Caesar describing the charges made by the Jews against Paul. This act of self-deprecation was also very self-serving. Governor Festus was highly skilled at the politician's art of covering his bases. As the CEO of Roman authority in the region, he was also adept at CYA. In this case, he would be able to take the credit if all went well, but have someone in line to share the blame if it did not.
"For it seems absurd to me in sending a prisoner, not to indicate also the charges against him." v. 27
Definition of the absurd: a situation in which life seems irrational and meaningless
"The absurd is the essential concept and the first truth"--Albert Camus.
I have no idea what Camus meant, but I this I know. Sometimes God takes His time building the platform He intends to be used for the presentation of His message. The more powerful the message, the greater the stage, the longer the wait. It may be true that time waits for no man, but anyone who has yielded to God's purpose has learned to wait on Him. The Psalmist reminds us that our times, and our enemies are God's hands. Good to know.
"My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me." Psalm 31:15
Note to self: While waiting in the wings of what appears to the be Theater of The Absurd, practice these lines: "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
Paul was being provided with the finest stage in the region. No expense had been spared to build the auditorium. No small effort had been made to assemble the leading people of the city, and the nation. What appeared to be years of waiting in vain, in a prison cell, was actually a rehearsal hall.
Time was not wasted at all. God had been preparing the messenger, and God had been assembling people. Those who had gathered in the auditorium to hear Paul would never have heard God's message, if Paul had not been placed exactly where he was. To the leading people of his day, Paul looked like a prisoner. In the eyes of God, he was a preacher.
God had been guiding circumstances through the hands of Paul's enemies. They were unwittingly carrying out His will to achieve God's purpose. God's purpose is to conform His people to His will, not to make them comfortable with their own will.
Timing is everything. It is a process. In this case it involved the turning of Paul's enemies into instruments in His hands, and the taming Paul into a broken man, useful for His purpose. Broken people are not discarded by God. They are harnessed by Him.
The call of God's child is not the call of the wild, but the voice of The Shepherd. Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice." Paul listened, and learned from Jesus, while he was in God's waiting room. The waiting room became his rehearsal hall before he took the stage to speak for God.
While everything around him must have looked hopeless, meaningless and senseless, it was all being put together for God's purpose. Waiting on God is all about timing, turning and taming.
God's timing involves turning and taming. While you wait on God, pray for the turning of your enemies, and the taming of your soul. Praying enables you to love the former and embrace the latter. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Platform
"So, on the next day when Agrippa came together with Bernice amid great pomp, and entered the auditorium accompanied by the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in." Acts 25:23
Like strutting peacocks, King Agrippa and Berinice entered the seat of Roman power. It was the best show in town. God had not only provided Paul with a front row seat. He was the main attraction. Governor Festus was merley the master of ceremonies. He set the stage with a few remarks of his own, before Paul set foot on the stage.
"But I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death; and since he himself appealed to the Emperor I decided to send him." v. 25
Appealing to King Agrippa's vanity, the Roman Governor sought his assistance in framing a letter that would be sent to Caesar describing the charges made by the Jews against Paul. This act of self-deprecation was also very self-serving. Governor Festus was highly skilled at the politician's art of covering his bases. As the CEO of Roman authority in the region, he was also adept at CYA. In this case, he would be able to take the credit if all went well, but have someone in line to share the blame if it did not.
"For it seems absurd to me in sending a prisoner, not to indicate also the charges against him." v. 27
Definition of the absurd: a situation in which life seems irrational and meaningless
"The absurd is the essential concept and the first truth"--Albert Camus.
I have no idea what Camus meant, but I this I know. Sometimes God takes His time building the platform He intends to be used for the presentation of His message. The more powerful the message, the greater the stage, the longer the wait. It may be true that time waits for no man, but anyone who has yielded to God's purpose has learned to wait on Him. The Psalmist reminds us that our times, and our enemies are God's hands. Good to know.
"My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me." Psalm 31:15
Note to self: While waiting in the wings of what appears to the be Theater of The Absurd, practice these lines: "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
Paul was being provided with the finest stage in the region. No expense had been spared to build the auditorium. No small effort had been made to assemble the leading people of the city, and the nation. What appeared to be years of waiting in vain, in a prison cell, was actually a rehearsal hall.
Time was not wasted at all. God had been preparing the messenger, and God had been assembling people. Those who had gathered in the auditorium to hear Paul would never have heard God's message, if Paul had not been placed exactly where he was. To the leading people of his day, Paul looked like a prisoner. In the eyes of God, he was a preacher.
God had been guiding circumstances through the hands of Paul's enemies. They were unwittingly carrying out His will to achieve God's purpose. God's purpose is to conform His people to His will, not to make them comfortable with their own will.
Timing is everything. It is a process. In this case it involved the turning of Paul's enemies into instruments in His hands, and the taming Paul into a broken man, useful for His purpose. Broken people are not discarded by God. They are harnessed by Him.
The call of God's child is not the call of the wild, but the voice of The Shepherd. Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice." Paul listened, and learned from Jesus, while he was in God's waiting room. The waiting room became his rehearsal hall before he took the stage to speak for God.
While everything around him must have looked hopeless, meaningless and senseless, it was all being put together for God's purpose. Waiting on God is all about timing, turning and taming.
God's timing involves turning and taming. While you wait on God, pray for the turning of your enemies, and the taming of your soul. Praying enables you to love the former and embrace the latter. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Crux
"I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any man before the accused meets his accusers face to face has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges." Acts 25:16
Roman Exceptionalism was based on the rule of law, not the rule of the mob. The Roman Republic had been influenced by the Greek concept of government, but in its purest form it protected the rights of the individual from being hijacked by a lynch mob. In its more adulterated from, rights could be sold, and politicians could be bought. Sound familiar?
Governor Festus took great pains to point this out to King Agrippa. At the same time, he conveniently deleted any reference to former Governor Pontius Pilate. His caving before a rebellious crowd screaming for the blood of Jesus was an epic departure from the fabled Roman custom. It may not have been the custom of Romans to sacrifice the rights of their own citizens, but Jesus, the Jewish carpenter, didn't rate the same kind of protection.
Roman citizenship had saved Paul's life. Plucked from the grasp of the mob, by Roman soldiers, and imprisoned for two years, he would be given the opportunity to present his case before the new Roman Governor Festus and Agrippa, King of the Jewish people.
Governor Festus had been raised in a Roman culture, where the finer points of philosophy were subjugated by the bottom line of problem solving. Though drawing heavily from Greek culture for religion and government, the Romans were a very different people.
Roman dependency upon the law was their strong point. It enabled them to cut to the chase, and find a solution, or an answer to the problem while Greek philosophers were still posing the question. They were a no nonsense bunch. Though never high on sentimentality, they were obsessed with practicality.
Governor Festus was able to cut to the chase, and ignore what sounded to him like mere religious mumbo jumbo. He knew that Paul, as a Roman citizen, didn't deserve to be killed for what he believed. He just couldn't comprehend what the big deal was all about. Romans had gods, but even their priests didn't really believe in them. He was a politician, not a theologian, so he just got to the crux of the matter.
"But they simply had some points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive." Acts 25:19
Paul's assertion was The Crux of the matter. Where the Jews crossed paths and swords with Paul was at the point of the cross. Romans killed criminals with the cross. They didn't teach them a lesson, or torture them with this form of execution. They took life from those who broke Roman law, and did it in the most publicly humiliating way possible.
Festus had to laugh at the thought that someone would believe that a man left dead by Roman executioners could be believed to be alive. Still, what harm could come of it if he did? As obtuse as his Roman senses could be to the spiritual truth of the assertion, Festus had hit the nail on the head. What difference does it really make if a man believes a dead man is alive. Even the Romans wouldn't kill a man for it, yet. It just wasn't practical.
The Crux of the matter is that it makes a huge difference to believers who can sing with joy, "I Serve a Risen Savior." To them, Jesus is not a concept, a religion, an idea, a doctrine, or a dogma. Jesus is alive, and by His Spirit, He lives in those who believe in Him. Those who receive salvation by His grace and yield to His Lordship over their lives are God's children. Believers teach that no one comes to the Father except through The Son.
All this was all lost on the purely practical Roman politician. Still, with Roman intuition, if not spiritual insight, Festus identified it as the bone in the throat and a rock in the shoe to the Jews who sought to kill Paul. He just couldn't understand why. It just wasn't very Roman to choke on the insignificant. They had a tendency to just swallow up nations, and ideas, and use them to their own advantage.
“All religions are equally sublime to the ignorant, useful to the politician, and ridiculous to the philosopher.” Lucretius Roman poet, and philosopher
The Crux of the matter is the stumbling block for the unbelieving world. It is not that they have much of a problem with Jesus as a baby in the manger. The dirty little secret is that they are willing to leave Him there, and reject Jesus in their hearts, and as the Lord of their lives. They may say "Merry Christmas" but it carries about as much sincerity as the pious platitude, "Bless their heart." But I digress.
The rejection of Jesus as Lord is growing more intense, invasive and pervasive, with every passing year. The Crux of the matter, Jesus is alive, drives extreme secularists and theological terrorists to new levels of intolerance. Their mission is to drive the very assertion of the existence of Jesus from the face of the earth, beginning with the public square. Their message is nothing new. They are merely delivering a letter postmarked in hell.
Note to self: Return to sender.
"Merry Christmas" as a greeting or a benediction is holding on in contemporary culture, but not without a fight. Don't expect, The Crux of the matter to catch on anytime soon. If a baby in a manger is a stretch. The empty tomb is a deal breaker. Nothing drives an extreme secularist apoplectic like the greeting, "Jesus is alive!"
The live and let live mentality of Festus, the practical Roman politician, may have been cynical, and manipulative, but it left room for people to believe Jesus is alive. Those days are fast coming to a close unless the fresh wind of The Spirit ushers in the next Great Awakening. Pray for a breath of fresh air, and prepare for the wind to blow. Never forget. "Jesus is alive!" TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
"Prayer is how we set our sails to catch the wind of Heaven." G. Campbell Morgan
The Appeal
" 'No one can hand me over to them, I appeal to Caesar.' " Then when Festus had conferred with council, he answered, 'You have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you shall go.' " Acts 25:11-12
From the mob's grip to the Roman Commander Lysisas, from The Commander to The Council, from The Council back to The Commander, from The Commander to Governor Felix, from Governor Felix to Governor Festus, from Governor Festus to King Agrippa, Paul appeared to be an impotent pawn on a giant chessboard. To the untrained eye, Paul looked as if he was being maneuvered by the hands of powerful men. He was not.
Appearances can be deceiving, because deception is the work of the enemy. Perception is the ministry of The Spirit of God. Praying people must learn to tell the difference, by praying their way through a crisis, rather than talking their way out of it. Whining while waiting is not prayerfulness, just restlessness posing as piety.
Praying does not end the crisis, but it can make sense out of it. Prayerfulness is an admission of helplessness, that recognizes the crisis is so great and so prolonged that a praying person has come to the point where they must admit they are at the end of their rope.
Prayerlessness only encourages a person to make more rope. Postponing prayer doesn't end the crisis. It only ends up prolonging the capacity of the enemy to keep up appearances. Prayer exposes the enemy for the deceiver that he is, and replaces his deception with The Spirit's perception.
Yesterday, Christmas Day, my father came home from the ICU wing of the hospital. From a 2:00AM ambulance ride to the ER, in a pouring down rainstorm, to the mind-numbing scene of Dad's lifeless eyes on the ER gurney, the last six days have been an emotional rodeo.
As we prepared Dad for his trip back to his own home, he said softly, "One of my favorite lessons that I have learned in life is, 'The best is yet to come.' " Dealing with the mountain of paperwork, last minute instructions from the nurses, finding a wheelchair, and deciphering the new list of meds to be picked up at the pharmacy gave me little time to reflect on this. I heard it. I just couldn't receive it. Can I get a witness?
Note to self: In your Dad's 91 years, he has seen a few crises, personal and national. Take his word for it. When you come to the end of your rope. Stop making rope.
In Paul's case, his protective custody crisis had lasted more than two years. During his time in God's Waiting Room, Paul was given a forum to speak of his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ to the most powerful people of his day. While on house arrest, in Herod's palace, in the port city of Caesarea, Paul had access to his friends, and an audience with his foes. He took full advantage of both.
Politicians like Felix and Festus had one thing in common. They both wanted to appear to be doing more than they actually were. The both made a point to do the Jews a favor, while keeping their Emperor happy. When push came to shove, they leaned towards Rome, not Jerusalem. Roman Law wouldn't allow them to throw Paul under the bus, but they were always entertaining the thought of kicking him to the curb. They were graduates of The Pontius Pilate School of Leadership and Political Expediency.
When Festus arrived in port, he wasted no time making the trip from the seashore to the mountains of Jerusalem to meet with the influential Jews of the city. They encouraged Festus to send Paul to them so they could apply Jewish Justice. To be clear, this included an ambush somewhere between Caesarea and Jerusalem. After more than two years, nothing is said of "The Famished Forty" who had pledged not to eat until they had killed Paul. But I digress.
"And the chief priests, and the leading men of the Jews brought charges against Paul, and they were urging him, requesting a concession against Paul, that he might be brought to Jerusalem (at the same time, setting an ambush to kill him on the way). v. 2-3
Festus was no fool, but he instinctively knew when he was being played for one. He said, "let the influential men among you go there with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them prosecute him." v. 5
After eight to ten days in Jerusalem, Festus took his seat on the tribunal in Caesarea, and had Paul brought before him and "the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem." v. 7
Paul proclaimed his innocence before the Jews, and Festus feigned his willingness to assist them. "But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, 'Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to stand trial before me on these charges?' But Paul said, "I am standing before Ceasar's tribunal...I appeal to Caesar." v. 10-11
With this one statement, Paul thwarted the conniving of Festus, and the conspiring of The Jews. By appealing to Caeasar, Paul identified with his Roman citizenship, not his Jewish heritage. God had placed Paul in the right city at the right time in order to become a free born citizen of Rome. This afforded him a superior status to that of the most influential Jew ins Jerusalem. It also granted him the protection of the most powerful Roman in Caeasarea.
Paul was not a victim of circumstances, or a speed bump for the rich and powerful. He was a man on a mission. He was not turning his back on The Jews. His heart would always break, and his prayers would never end for them. His back was turned to the city of Jerusalem, out of necessity for the mission, not out of resentment. His eyes would be focused on Rome, but they would always weep for the his countrymen.
"At the same time, you need to know that I carry with me at all times a huge sorrow. It’s an enormous pain deep within me, and I’m never free of it. I’m not exaggerating—Christ and the Holy Spirit are my witnesses. It’s the Israelites . . . If there were any way I could be cursed by the Messiah so they could be blessed by him, I’d do it in a minute. They’re my family. I grew up with them. They had everything going for them—family, glory, covenants, revelation, worship, promises, to say nothing of being the race that produced the Messiah, the Christ, who is God over everything, always. Oh, yes!" Romans 9:1-5 THE MESSAGE
Praying for our enemies keeps our hearts tender to the touch of The Spirit, while carrying out the very mission that inflames their hatred for us. Paul was able to keep his focus on his mission without turning the abuse he received from his enemies into an excuse to hate them for it.
Paul ran the race towards Rome, by laying aside the weight of his IOUs. Carrying the physical chains, and feeding the spirit of "I OWE YOU ONE" would have become too great a burden to bear. Somewhere in The Waiting Room, Paul found the grace to run the race. When he yoked up with the Lord Jesus Christ, Paul rolled all of those IOUs onto the shoulders of The One who said on the cross, "Paid in full."
Prayer is The Appeal to Christ, to make sense out of the senseless, to make right out of wrong, and God's best out of the enemy's worst. Don't settle for anything less. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Delay
"I will give you a hearing after your accusers arrive also." Acts 23:35
Paul was taken by Roman escort, from the city if Jerusalem to the city by the sea, Caesarea. Jerusalem, with the Temple Mount, was the seat of Jewish law and worship. Caesarea was the seat of Roman power in the region. It faced Rome and turned its back to Jerusalem. The location was not merely symbolic. It was systemic. Rome was the seat of power, and Paul was now under the protection of its authority.
With the ambush of Paul thwarted by the courageous action of his nephew, and the quick response of the Roman commander, Paul arrived safely, and stood before Governor Felix. He accepted the Roman commander's letter of report, and granted Paul a hearing when his accusers arrived from Jerusalem.
What started out as a five day wait for a hearing, turned into a two year imprisonment. For all practical purposes, Paul was held hostage by Gov. Felix. The Roman governor often conversed with Paul about his faith, but what he heard filled him with fear. In actuality, the delay was a ruse. He was waiting for Paul to pay him a bribe before he released him. See Acts 24:24-26
Paul's Roman citizenship, notwithstanding, it didn't free him from the abuses of the system. Gov. Felix was not above renting out his power to the highest bidder. Like most politicians, he was not for sale, but he could be rented. But I digress.
After the schmoozing lawyer, Tertullus, attempted to butter up Felix, discredit Paul, and throw the Roman commander under the chariot, Paul shared his story with the Governor. He summarized.
"'For the resurrection of the dead, I am on trial today.'" v. 21
"But Felix having a more exact knowledge about The Way, put them off saying, 'When Lysias the commander comes down, I will decided your case.' " v. 22
This was just another delaying tactic. The first was a mere five days. This one would launch a two year period of time in which Paul was assigned to one of God's waiting rooms in the Governor's official residence. During his incarceration Paul would be summoned by the Governor to hear him "speak about faith in Christ Jesus." v. 24
Delay can trigger a dangerous opportunity or a creative crisis. For Paul the delay gave him the freedom to speak about his faith in the most powerful palace, and among the highest officials of the land. He took full advantage of it.
For Felix, what appeared as a place of power and control was actually a mirage. He was not the King, but a pawn on this chess board. The longer he delayed receiving what he heard about "faith in Christ Jesus" the harder his heart became. Eventually he was replaced, and his window of opportunity closed.
Paul's window of opportunity was about to open up. All roads led to Rome, and Paul was on a God-given mission to get there.
Appearances can be deceiving. Paul was in God's waiting room, and so was Felix. Paul used this time to strengthen his faith. Felix squandered his opportunity to put his faith in Christ. Sad, but true, he who hesitates is lost. Felix would have been better served by "Carpe Diem." Seize the day.
Note to self: Never underestimate the blessing of The Waiting Room. God's delay is not a sign of His desertion. Delay is often an opportunity for His intervention. Pray your way through every delay, and the hidden opportunities will be revealed, by the light of The Spirit of The Risen Christ.
Nothing is wasted that is invested in prayer. When delay comes, don't stiff arm it, embrace it. The Waiting Room is where praying people find R.E.S.T. They Release Every Single Thing into God's hands by telling it to Jesus, and giving His Spirit the elbow room to make sense out of the senseless. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Name II
"Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name." Acts 22:16
Paul's testimony to the mob that had been attacking him, and seeking to kill him contains an essential key to the opening up of a life-changing relationship with Jesus. It requires a rapid response to any love-initiated encounter with the Risen Christ.
Early this morning I was awakened by a call that my father, Don Miller was taken, by ambulance to the ER at the Baylor University/All Saints hospital in Ft. Worth, Texas. This has been the scene of many family gatherings over the years. They have become more and more frequent since early August. Dad's chronic condition, congestive heart-failure, triggered by high blood pressure, leads to painful and frightening breathlessness. One day the final call from Heaven will come, and he will gladly answer. For now, the crisis has passed. Thank you for praying.
As I was leaving the hospital this morning, I was taking a picture of Dad to send to my sister Joy. She is in Orlando, and at times like this she feels the separation from her Dad. She is his only daughter, a rose among the three thorns, and she wishes she could be by his side, when the crisis is at its worst.
I asked Dad if I could take a picture, and send it to Joy to let her know he was alright. He recognized me, and could understand what I was saying, but the lines of communication with him were just a little blurry. It had been a rough fight to get his breath back.
I had some prayer with Dad, and then before I took the picture, I asked, "Can you say, Jesus?" His eyes lit up and he said the name that turned his life around, and has made all the difference in his life since he first called upon Jesus to save him. I am attaching the picture.
One day, in Monroe, Louisiana, Dad was seated on the steps of a tar-paper covered barracks at Selmon Field. It was a training base for squadrons being prepared to bomb Germany during World War 2. Dad was a cadet, being trained as a navigator. He would guide the bombers to their correct location, in the face of a relentless enemy.
A young man from Alabama sat down next to Dad. Their conversation turned to the sermon that they had both heard that morning at the First Baptist Church of Monroe. Dr. L.T. Hasting preached a simple salvation message, and it had reached a tender place in both of their hearts.
Though they had never met before that moment in time, as they shared together what they had sensed God saying to them that Sunday morning, they agreed to respond to His voice. They didn't know exactly how to to it, but Dad said to his new friend, "Would you think it would be alright if we just shook hands and agreed to accept what the preacher said is true, and receive Jesus as our Savior?"
The two of them shook hands, and Jesus took over Dad's life, through The Person of the Holy Spirit. From that very moment in time, The Name of Jesus lit a fire in his heart. Dad's life has been a life-long passion of letting The Name of Jesus shine through his life to a dark world.
Thanks Dad! You may have volunteered to be a navigator in one war, but God called you to be a navigator in a spiritual war. Your life still lights the way, as you call on The Name of Jesus, and lead others to do the same. Thank you for responding to Jesus when He called your name, and for continuing to call on The Name of Jesus as a man of prayer. The world is a better place for all the light you have shed into it, by calling on The Name.
For the moment, the crisis has passed and the journey continues. Like Paul's, Dad's plans were interrupted, when he responded to Jesus. They were also improved. Through Paul's turn around, millions have found new life through Jesus. Through Dad's turnaround, thousands have found their way to Jesus.
Dad, you have been a great navigator! You have never stopped, "Calling on His name." v. 16
When Paul got up, he could not have known where he was going, but his dependency upon the voice of God intensified every step he took on the journey with the Risen Christ. This is true of all of us. The joy is rarely found in the destination. The joy is found in the journey.
Absolute availability, consistent companionship, daily dependence, or however it may be expressed are all expressions of the one thing that matters. A living, breathing rapid response relationship with Jesus is birthed in prayer, that is marked by "calling on His name." Persistent prayer breathes new life into the relationship on a moment by moment basis.
Note to self: Jesus has never stopped calling your name. Never stop, "Calling on His name." TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Defense
"Brethren and fathers, hear my defense which I now offer to you." Acts 22:1
After Paul was falsely accused of "hate speech" he was beaten by the mob, and taken into custody by the law. His appeal to the Roman commander granted him a brief opportunity to address those who sought to kill him.
Paul shared his personal testimony. It is a vivid presentation of the way God reaches down to a man full of passion and lost in the dark, and confronts him with the light of Jesus. He didn't leave him the way he found him, or make a mere name change. Jesus not only transformed Saul into Paul, but gave him a life full of meaning and purpose. He only does this...EVERY TIME.
"'Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'" v. 21b
Paul quoted Jesus. This has a peculiar impact upon those who hate The Son of God, and everything He died for. It drove them crazy. It still does. The lost world is not so much blinded by the Person of Jesus, as they are offended by The Light. They simply prefer the darkness.
Rebellious people know what they are doing is wrong. They have no interest in a debate about right and wrong. They intend to continue doing what is wrong. Their only alternative is to silence those who speak the words of Jesus and carry out His commission. The salt of Scripture and the light of a Christian testimony is an offense to them that cannot be tolerated. It must be annihilated.
Note to self: Phil Robertson is your brother. Stand with him. I know you have never watched his TV show, and the whole thing has seemed a little silly to you, up until now. But this current firestorm is why God placed him in that place of notoriety. Phil is a lightning rod, and God is going to light up a dark nation by letting The Light of Jesus shine through him. This is not an accident. It is a counter-attack. The enemy always overplays his hand. God is moving the troops to the front of the culture war. Move to the sound of the guns.
"They listened to him up to this statement, and then they raised their voices and said, 'Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he should not be allowed to live!' And as they were crying out and throwing off their cloaks and tossing dust in the air, the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks that he should be examined by scourging..." v.22-24
Recent reaction to remarks made by Phil Robertson in a "GQ" magazine interview have led to his suspension from his own TV show on the "A & E" TV channel. Opponents had either ignored or tolerated all of the antics and opinions of the extended family on show. Let us say, that Louisiana duck hunters aren't the rage at most liberal media cocktail parties, or the guests of honor at GLAAD award presentations. That was true, until the patriarch of the clan, off camera, began to speak freely about his Christina beliefs regarding homosexuality. He crossed the line by speaking his mind. This freedom is reserved for those on the Left. Those on the right are expected to exercise their right to self-muzzle, not to engage in self-defense.
This kind of Religious Liberty and Freedom of Speech always lights up those who want everything tolerated under the sun, except Christian values. What happened to all that obsessive compulsion the secularists hold so dear, about the right of all Americans to have to have freedom of choice, and access to unlimited freedom? It turns out to be a one way street, and the only way you can access it is to make a "Left" turn. It you move in the wrong direction, they will try to put you into the wall.
Paul simply spoke the very words he had heard from Jesus, and they lit up the listening crowd into a raging mob all over again. He was not going to win this debate. The enemy is never interested in a debate. The purpose of the enemy is to annihilate. The strategy is an ancient one.
Paul was dragged into the barracks and the commander ordered him to be scourged. Paul had been plucked from one form of death, and had it replaced by another. The only difference was a legal technicality. Either way, Paul was a dead man.
Once again, Paul claimed his rights of Roman citizenship, under the law. He may have to take the whipping, but he wasn't going to do it without claiming his rights. Only fools do that, and Paul was no fool.
Christian citizens in this nation, and this time, need to get over the foolish notion that turning the other cheek means suffering in silence while their rights as citizens are being peeled off, one at a time. They should follow Paul's lead, and defend their rights under the law. They need not react in fear, but they need to stand up with courage while they still have ground to stand upon.
"Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?" v. 25
This one question had the effect of a red flashing light, and an ear piercing siren. It was more than a warning shot across the bow. It called for an immediate halt to the injustice that was taking place.
Roman Citizenship had its privileges and protections. Any nation that cheapens it citizenship loses its identity. Paul had been born with a passport to freedom, and he didn't intend to give it up without a fight. Christian citizens are saved by grace, but they could learn from Paul's passion for justice under the law.
"When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, 'Take heed what thou doest; for this man is a Roman.' Then the captain came and said unto him, 'Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, 'Yea.' And the chief captain answered, 'With a great sum obtained I this freedom.' And Paul said, "But I was free born." v. 29 KJV
The soldiers backed away from Paul, and the captain deferred to him. They had mistreated a citizen of Rome, and they would be held accountable for it under the law. Paul would still have to face many trials in the days ahead. By calling for the reinstatement and protection of his rights, he delayed the enemy's plan to destroy one Jew, and set in motion a counter-attack that conveyed God's plan to spread The Gospel to the Gentiles.
The defense of Paul's rights would be a long process that would end in his death. The delay would keep him in prison. Paul's prison letters would be penned and sent where his body could not go. They remain the heart of the Bible, and the final authority on the life of the believer and the mission of the church. It was all made possible by taking a stand, and making a defense of his citizenship, under the law.
Pray for Christian citizens to stand up and engage in the culture war that they have invited to come upon this nation, by failing to stand up for Christian beliefs, and to protect Religious Liberty. Pray that their stand would begin by kneeling before God, and asking Him for forgiveness, and mercy.
Pray that God's response to their prayers will lead to a Great Awakening. Pray for a movement of the Spirit of God that involves a long-term saturation of this nation with His Presence, and a climate changing infusion of Christ's character. Let it begin. Lord, do it again. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Stand
"I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city; and I beg of you, allow me to speak to the people." Acts 21:39
The Founders of this nation were very familiar with the Biblical narrative, and the rule of law as it flowed out of the Roman and Grecian cultures. The concept of a citizen is an ancient one, and rooted deeply in Paul's understanding of who he was, and the rights he held.
Paul was not ashamed to call for the protection of his rights, when they were being abused. For Christian citizens to do any less appears to be the path of least resistance, but it is a slippery slope that leads to annihilation. After Paul turned the other cheek, he turned to the law, and claimed his rights. Christian citizens always should.
When citizen's of this contemporary culture devalue their citizenship they withdraw from the public square. Inflating the role of the state, leads to the deflating of the citizen's freedom of speech. Without breath, there is no speech. Without breath there is no life. Take away speech and you take away life. "Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" are birthed by God within the climate of freedom of speech.
The recent heavy handed efforts by the A&E TV Channel to punish "Duck Dynasty" star Phil Robertson for speaking the truth, by purging him from his own TV show, is a chilling reminder of how fragile freedom of speech has become for Christians in this nation. Apparently GLAAD is not "HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY." Go figure. You will be made to care.
The systematic purging of Syria from their ancient Christian heritage has led to the relentless murder of thousands of Syrian Christians. As a boy, I marveled that the nations of the world stood by and watched Hitler's Germany set in motion the annihilation of the Jews of Europe. I asked, "How could that happen in a Christian country?" Today Christians around the world are the victims of a new holocaust being carried out by Islamic Terrorists in many Muslim nations. Even Prince Charles has noticed, so it is really not a secret anymore. It is a scandal of epic proportions.
Rights are fragile things. "Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" are all in the right order and they are gifts from God, not the state. When life is lost, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are of precious little worth. "Happy, happy, happy", indeed. You may want to stand up with Phil Robertson, or you will find yourself standing alone. In this new culture of tolerance and diversity, remember this. You will be made to care.
Paul was exercising his religious liberty when he was attacked by a mob of people in the temple, and very nearly beaten to death before rescued by the commander of the Roman cohort. Freedom to worship has always been under attack, and the enemy is an ancient foe.
Even in Paul's day, freedom of speech and religious liberty were not abstract concepts. They formed the foundation of the lives of people then, and they inspired the founders to inscribe "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" as valuable commodities in the formation of a new nation. Thank God they did.
"While they were seeking to kill him, a report came to the commander of the Roman cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion,. At once he took along some soldiers and centurions and ran down to them; and when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul." v. 31-32
Paul was dragged away from the mob, put in chains, and carried by the soldiers towards the barracks. He was given the dubious safety of protection by incarceration. Within the walls of this sanctuary, he would be scourged by the authorities. They exacted a high price for their protection.
"As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commander, 'May I say something to you?'" v. 37
By his appeal, Paul revealed to the commander that he was not a trouble-maker, but he was a well-spoken man with the credentials of valid, and respected citizenship. This earned him a hearing. Paul took advantage of the forum. Christian citizens should be no less prepared to speak up and to stand up in the face of this culture's own version of mob rule. Register to vote, and vote with Christian convictions. But I digress.
"Paul, standing on the stairs, motioned to the people with his hand; and when there was a great hush, he spoke to them..." v. 40
What we know about Paul is that he used his citizenship as a lever to speak truth into a mob that was motivated to annihilate him. He could have been carried away to the relative safety of the confines of the barracks, but he took his stand in the public square. Christian citizens should do no less.
It is worth remembering, that Paul was very familiar with the kind of rabble-rousing that had been going on to stir the mob up. He once was the man who led a crowd to stone Stephen. He would remind them that he held their coats while they did it. He confessed...
"I also was standing by approving, and watching out for the coats of those who were slaying him." Acts 22:20
There was a time when Paul took his stand against the Lord Jesus Christ, and he stirred people into a rebellious mob. This time, Paul took his stand with the Lord Jesus Christ, and chose to calm the mob down. What a difference in those two stands. The difference is not in the man, but the Lordship of Jesus, in the man. Paul stood up, under the authority of The Lord Jesus Christ.
Kneeling in prayer leads to the courage to take the right stand, at the right time, for the right reason. Paul would later encourage the Ephesian Christians,...
"Therefore take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore...With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit..." Ephesians 6:14-18
Paul knew that when a Christian rises to stand from a kneeling position, they are not just standing on the premises, they are standing on the promises of God. Christian citizens! Stand up! There is too much at stake to hide in the tall grass. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Dilemma
"They kept telling Paul through the Spirit not to set foot in Jerusalem." Acts 21:4
"This is what the Holy Spirit says; 'In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt.' " v. 11
"When we had heard this, we as well as the local residents began begging him not to go up to Jerusalem." v. 12
"For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." v. 13
Paul faced a dilemma. He was resolved to listen to one voice, and to do whatever he was told, and to go where ever his obedience to The Spirit of the Living Christ would lead him. His resolve ran up against the resistance of those who loved him most. This may be the hardest thing in the world to do. It hurts to disappoint the ones we love the most, while at the same time obey The One who loves us most. Prayer helps. More than an aid, it is essential to the resolving The Dilemma.
"After kneeling down on the beach praying, we said farewell to one another." Acts 21:5
The disciples of Tyre, the prophet Agabus, the local residents of Caesarea, and even his closest band of brothers all tried to influence Paul to disobey the sense of direction he was receiving from the Holy Spirit. They even dropped the name of The Spirit in their arguments to get him to make a course direction.
They misunderstood Paul's sense of direction. He was bound and determined to obey the voice of the Lord Jesus, and if The Lord's voice led him to be bound and delivered to the Gentiles, so be it. He had reached that remarkable point in his walk with Jesus that his reward of consistent companionship with Him far outweighed the price he had to pay to have uninterrupted intimacy with Him.
Paul was not in love with the ministry. He was in love with Jesus. Paul was not in love with the fruit of ministry. He was in love with The Root of ministry. Paul loved the disciples who had responded to his message, but he was in love with Jesus. Obedience for him was not marked by a tight-lipped grimace, but a great release of the ownership of his life into the hands of Sovereign God.
The Dilemma for most preachers is the discovery of the joyless existence that being in love with the ministry can bring. Getting off course always appears as such a slight detour, but in actuality it is a terribly significant departure from God's best. Satan is the enemy of the best in the lives of believers. He would be pleased if the ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ would settle for what is good, if it kept them from God's best.
Don't get me wrong. God's best for you is sometimes wrapped in some pretty scary packaging. My wife, Dana, calls her battle with breast cancer her Great Adventure. It looked like a Giant Mistake to me, and I let God know how I felt about it. Perspective is everything. From her close walk with God, Dana could see God at work. From my close proximity to the crisis, I was blinded by the fog of war. I just wanted the fight to be over. Dana wanted to win it. God ignored me, and heard her. YAY! GOD!
There is great danger in focusing on the work of The Lord, without spending time with the Lord of the work. Doing the work of the Lord may build a preacher's career, but walking with the Lord of the work will build his character. Attempting to carry out ministry without being carried through it, by Jesus, always leads to compassion fatigue. When preachers can't tell the difference between being tired of it, or tired in it, the work of the Lord becomes a thankless job, and a pointless journey.
When Paul heard from The Spirit, and headed towards Jerusalem, the greatest spiritual warfare he faced involved friendly fire. There were those who told Paul they had heard The Spirit tell him not to go. He didn't argue with them. He knelt with them in prayer, and when he got up, he simply said farewell to his friends, and got on the boat for Jerusalem. Good call, Paul.
All the way to Jerusalem, Paul would be hindered by well-meaning friends, and perfectly accurate prophets. They all missed the point. Paul's mission wasn't focused on either arrival or survival. He lived only for revival. Paul was a dead man who had no purpose in life, unless revived by The Spirit of God to carry out something "for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ." v. 13
With every breath, and every step Paul took, he was in synchronized rhythm with The Spirit of the Risen Christ. To people who were breathless to warn Paul from impending doom, it looked like Paul was on a suicide mission. They didn't understand they were a little late. Paul was already a dead man.
The infusion of courage for the course ahead, leads to the loss of fear for the consequences, come what may. Paul was bound and determined. If The Spirit led him to a confrontation with his enemies that would result in him being bound and delivered to the Gentiles, then The Spirit would lead him through it.
Paul's imprisonment would appear as a complete disaster, but it was actually all in God's plan to bring Paul to Rome. Along the way, Paul's letters to his friends would become most of the New Testament. Our hindsight on the will of God in this matter is now unimpaired by the fog of war. Sometimes it is hard to obey in the present tense, when there appears to be a clear and present danger. Prayer helps to clear the air, and remove the fear.
Thanks Agabus. If Paul had been deterred by your prophecy, he might not have ever given us Romans 8:28.
"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Roman 8:28
The Dilemma often comes when confronted by the choice of listening to friends or obeying The Spirit's voice. The Dilemma can lead to a detour from God's best, to a settling for good enough.
Prayer purifies a believer's motives and improves their sense of direction. Well-meaning people may try to save a friend from pain, but at the same time a painful experience does not mean that a person has missed God. They might be right in the center of God's will for their lives.
Athletes are sometimes challenged to "Play through the pain." Anyone who has ever heard this platitude knows that it is easier said than done. For the believer, life is a marathon, not a sprint, and around every corner there is another steep hill, or a painful challenge to face. Perhaps obedient believers would have more joy for the journey if they would take a page from Paul's workout manual, and "PRAY THROUGH THE PAIN." He did, and he finished the course. Finish strong. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Company
I remember reading a book in college, entitled, "The Company of the Committed." It was a great title. I have always been a sucker for a good title. It doesn't always deliver what it promises, but I will typically forgive the author, for putting more in their show window than they have on their shelves. A good title is sometimes thought provoking enough to point me in the right direction.
"When he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. And they began to weep aloud and embraced Paul, and repeatedly kissed him, grieving especially over the word which he had spoken, that they would not see his face again, and they were accompanying him to the ship." Acts 20: 36-38
Paul was in the company of the elders of the church. While they were accompanying him to the ship, they were grieving over Paul's departure to Jerusalem. All of this was God's will for them and for Paul, but obedience to The Spirit rarely leads to abstinence from pain. They were hurting over the separation, and they couldn't contain themselves. Tears flowed freely, as they held Paul tightly. They said their good-byes within the context of prayer and pain. They are not mutually exclusive emotions. They are dear friends.
Paul led them in prayer. The bond between leader and elders was not organizational or missional. It was spiritual. They were not held together by an organizational chart, a leadership seminar, or any other kind of man-made substance. The bond had been made in Heaven, and The Spirit that had forged strangers into family filled them with love for one another.
Note to self: There is nothing like it. Settle for nothing less.
"He knelt down and prayed with them all." v. 36
Paul's ministry had been birthed in prayer, bathed in prayer, and it would be buried in prayer. Prayer was not a magic talisman, an invocation, a benediction, a length of beads, or a form of liturgy. It was Paul's passion.
Paul would not take one more breath, or speak one more word, without praying with all those who would be responsible for carrying on the ministry. Kneeling on the dock prepared him for stepping on the deck. It prepared the elders for leaving Paul, and carrying out their mission. The ship would separate Paul from intimate friends, but it would intensify his intercession for them.
"Prayer is how we set our sails to catch the wind of Heaven." G. Campbell Morgan
Prayerless passion may lead to great zeal, but it will shed more heat than light. With a world blinded by darkness, Jesus said, "I am the Light of the world." The childhood song reminds us of our mission in this world, "Let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine."
"He knelt down and prayed with them all." v. 36
My father graduated from Baylor University in 1949. One of the presidents of the university, while Dad was a student, was Gov. Pat Neff. He had been a U.S. Senator from Texas, and Governor of the state. He was a distinguished, silver haired Christian layman called upon to lead the school through the dark day of World War II.
Dad was part of the wave of students who came to Baylor on the GI Bill. These veterans brought wives and children with them to Waco, along with their war record, and a chest full of medals. They were not typical freshmen.
When Dad sensed the spiritual climate of the campus needed an infusion of light, he sought an audience with President Neff. One of his fondest memories is the moment when he was invited by the President to get on his knees with him, beside his desk, and to pray for Baylor. With tears, and passion the old man interceded for the students and for a great spiritual awakening to sweep the campus.
At 91 years of age, it is the one thing Dad tells me over and over again about his days at college. I believe the great Student Revival of 1949 that swept over Baylor, and spread to campuses all over America was a direct response from God to the prayers of a brokenhearted President.
Anyone who has ever had to lead an organization, large or small, knows that prayerless devotion to the task may fill the room with hot air, but it raises no sails to be filled with The Spirit. Prayer prepares the sails to be filled with the wind of Heaven. Talk can suck the oxygen out of the room, and make life hotter than Hell. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!