The Advice

"Men, you ought to have followed my advice and not to have set sail from Crete and incurred this damage and loss. Yet now I urge you to keep up your courage, for there will e no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me, saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.' Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been told. But we must run aground on a certain island." Acts 27:21b-26

Paul was not above giving into the temptation to use a few of the most satisfying words in any language, "I told you so." Yet, he did not linger over them. There was still the pressing matter of being in the same boat with a ship of fools.

At this point, Dr. Phil's classic two-part question comes to mind. It is always a healthy reminder to any man interested in winning an argument. "Do you want to be right, or do you want to be happy?" Good questions.

Cong. Bob McEwen often says, "The Founders got it right, and in the right order. 'Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.' Liberty and happiness are of precious little value without life."

Paul may have given the right advice, but he was in the same boat with those who ignored it. He was tossed by the same waves, and being driven off course by the same wind. His life was still in jeopardy, no matter how right he had been.

Note to self: Being proved right among people who are in the wrong only gives short-term satisfaction. The impact of their decisions may have proven you right, but it is a bitter pill to swallow when the consequences of their choices are still impacting your life. It is like patting yourself on the back while someone else is still hitting you in the face.

Paul may have enjoyed a brief moment of reinforcement, but he quickly shifted his emphasis towards encouragement. This is always a great way to tap down the arrogance that comes with being right. It avoids generating resentment that is often caused by being proved wrong.

Christians who are proven right do little to create hunger and thirst for righteousness in people, by serving crow and force-feeding it to those who are already gagging on their own errors in judgment. Stop serving this slop.

Paul's advice may have been right, but his efforts at damage control in the middle of the crisis is where the application of God's direction, protection and correction would be felt the most. Paul was the man of the hour, and the Roman Centurion could tell time. He knew a leader in a crisis when he saw one, and he wisely followed Paul's counsel.

Paul received a visit from an angel of the Lord in the middle of the shipwreck. This encounter reminded him of two things. He belonged to God, and he was a servant of God. Paul drew courage from both, and passed it on to those around him. Good to know.

Paul's fear was put to flight by his faith. "I believe GOD," trumps" I fear THIS!"... EVERY TIME.

It is tempting to say,

"I don't believe this!"
"I don't deserve this!"
"I don't like this!"
"I don't accept this!"
"I won't put up with this!" and so on.

What is T.H.I.S.? It is The Hurt I Suffer.

Paul didn't deserve what was happening to him. He was in the middle of it, anyway. Life is a gift from God, but He has a way of wrapping it up in some very scary paper, with a ribbon all tied up in knots.

Happiness is rarely the initial response generated by a surprise package marked "Special Delivery" and "COD." Often a gift from Heaven can make a person's life feel like a living hell. Looks can be deceiving, and feelings come and go. What's a person to do?

Believe God. Paul did. You can too. Praying is believing. Fearing is doubting. Don't delay. Pray. It's never too late, and rarely too early.

Prayer has a way of taking fear and transforming it into faith. One of God's great gift to His children is the offer of intimate conversation with Him in the middle of an intense, intimidating, and immediate crisis. Prayer feeds courage. Prayerlessness feeds discouragement. Order off the right menu.

Note to self #2: Prayer does not require eloquence from you, just dependence on God. Don't wait til you feel like praying to put your fear in God's hands. Holding onto fear will never turn it into faith. Let go of T.H.I.S.

Suffering is inevitable, but fear is disposable. When rough water tries to sink your boat, throw fear overboard.

One of Paul's greatest assets was his capacity to remind himself that he was expendable. Too many preachers think they are indispensable, when in truth they are like a hand in a pail of water. While their hand is in the bucket they stir things up, but when their hand is removed the water settles down. It doesn't matter if a preacher pulls his hand out of the pail or if he kicks the bucket, the next word out of the congregation's mouth will simply be, "Next!"

Note to self #3: Get over yourself. Die to self. Paul did. You can too. Daily.

Encouragement can be infused into ay crisis du jour, by praying through it, not by talking about it. Prayer reminds the prayer warrior that he belongs to God, and serves Him without any claim to survival. Revival is a term that refers to new life being given to something or some one that has died. Praying for survival without longing for revival feeds the delusion that we are indispensable, when in fact we are expendable.

There is great encouragement and freedom that comes with the release of fear. By praying to and believing in God, fear is jettisoned, and frees the prayer warrior from the crucible of the disposable. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Importunity

"From there we put out to sea and sailed under the shelter of Cyrprus because the winds were contrary." Acts 27:4

This simple statement reveals the climate in which the character of Paul and the content of his message would be best revealed to his captors, companions and crew. From the moment Paul left Caesarea, and sailed towards Rome, his voyage would be met with hardship, delay, destruction, and ultimately, safe delivery.

"When we had sailed through the sea along the coast of Cilicia, and Pamphylia,...When we had sailed slowly for a good many days, and with difficulty had arrived off Cnidus, since the wind did not permit us to go farther, we sailed under the protection of Crete, off Salomne, and with difficulty sailing past it we came to a place called Fair Havens..." v. 7-8

These head winds were just beginning to take their toll on the progress of the voyage that would take Paul to Rome. It was not only marked by relentless delays, but real danger.

"When considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous,...Paul begin to admonish them...'I perceive that the voyage will be met with damage and great loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.'" v. 9-10

Words mean things. If not properly understood, they may sound very similar, but carry two completely different meanings.

Note to self: Importunity and opportunity are not the same thing. Learn the difference.

The Greeks understood opportunity as a fleeting moment that must be seized, or it will pass by, never to return. Importunity on the other hand was the capacity to face enduring, relentless, winds of adversity, and by sailing against them, arrive at the correct port with cargo and crew intact.

The Roman Centurion listened to the professionals, and looked at the calendar. He went with his gut feeling, took a vote, and with the first first opportunity to set sail, seized the day. Like many people, the soldier was accustomed to calling the shots. People who are seldom right, keep making the same wrong choices because they are never in doubt about their infallibility.

"But the centurion was more persuaded by the pilot and the captain of the ship than by what was being said by Paul...the majority reached a decision to put out to sea...when a moderate south wind came up, supposing that they had attained their purpose, they weighed anchor and began sailing..." v. 12-13

Investors are encouraged to seize opportunity, the moment it presents itself. Platitudes persist. They warn that opportunity will pass you by. He who hesitates is lost. This may be true about opportunity, but importunity is a result of enduring long-winded resistance, not encountering fleet-footed opportunities.

Intercessors are challenged to embrace importunity, no matter how long relentless head winds last. The pay off for one is an increase in capital. The result of the other is the development of character. Importunity trumps opportunity every time. Persistent prayer develops reliance on God. Prayerlessness prioritizes self-reliance. Prayer cultivates the former and crucifies the latter.

Jesus described importunity as the persistent prayer, or the shameless audacity to continue making a relentless request to a friend. He honored importunity. So should we.

"I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth." Luke 11:8 KJV

Paul's voyage to Rome would provide him with many opportunities to sail into the wind, nautically and spiritually. He would be forced by necessity to pray for God's direction, protection, and correction.

Before Paul arrived safely at his port of destination, he would find himself in many crisis-driven situations caused by the prayerless decisions made by others. It simply didn't matter who was making the waves. The consequences of prayerless decisions impacted Paul when they hit his beach.
Ain't it the truth.

Reading about Paul's shipwreck is not for the faint of heart. The dangers were real. The losses were real. Sometimes, I read the last chapter of a book to find out how the story ends. In Paul's case, the cargo was lost, the ship was destroyed, but no lives were lost, and the mission continued.

"And so it happened that they all were brought safely to land." v. 44

Eventually Paul would be beheaded, but on this day, he appeared to be the only one who was keeping his head. Prayer has a way of placing the crisis where it belongs, in the hands of Almighty God, and leaving the results up to Him. People of prayer are always candidates for a Ph.D* available only to those who are enrolled in the University of Adversity. *Pray Hard! Daily! TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Anniversary

"Come magnify the Lord with me, let us exalt His name together." Psalms 34:3

Dana and I were married on January 1, 1977. It was an eventful day on so many levels. For the weak at heart, you may want to stop reading now.

We had a rehearsal at the church on New Year's Eve and it was followed by a dinner for our wedding party at the home of friends in Fort Worth. We were looking forward to the big day, a night at the bridal suite at the brand new hotel at the DFW airport, and then a road trip to beautiful Ruidoso, New Mexico for our honeymoon.

It had been a hectic week before the wedding. The lady that was going to bake the wedding cake was involved in a car accident, and broke her arm. The florist didn't have the floral arrangements ready, and this required a last minute trip to wholesale vendor and taking on the task of decorating the church ourselves. Still, we were good to go.

The rehearsal went smoothly enough, and the dinner at the Taylor's was a gracious evening filled with good food, family and friends. When Dana and I said goodnight, we thought the worst was behind us. We were wrong.

When I arrived to decorate the church the next morning around 9AM, I was met by our Executive Pastor, and the words, "The church flooded!" I laughed, and said, "Very funny, Charlie, I don't need any more challenges." He wasn't kidding.

The beautiful, blue Texas sky, and the brisk winter air didn't tell the whole tale. After we left the rehearsal, Dana had left her wedding dress in the Bride's Dressing Room of the church, for safe keeping. That night the temperature had dropped and the copper pipe in that very room burst. It flooded the room, and the water flowed from there, soaking the brand new carpet in the worship center, and collecting in a six inch pool at the foot of the stage. Charlie was right. The church flooded."

My future mother-in-law discovered Dana's dress floating in the water, in the Bride's Room. The scream that came from that room was something that made my knees buckle. I turned around and didn't look back. My father-in-law was an insurance claims adjustor. He called Blackmon-Mooring, and Charlie called the fire department. I got on the phone and called the men of the church and said something like, "All hands on deck!" They came. What took place from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM still rates, in my estimation, as one of the finest hours of the church. I'm not kidding.

For the uninformed, January 1st used to be BOWL DAY. I mean one day, with no VCR, DISH or recording system available, the biggest college football venue was experienced. If you weren't in front of the TV, you missed it.

Firemen, adjustors, and 50+ men worked all day to squeeze water out of the wall-to-wall burnt orange carpet, and pump it out of the church. Stay with me, remember this was the Seventies. Fortunately it wasn't shag, just something called Autumn Rust. It stayed until 1992, with just a faint aroma of mildew. But I digress.

Using huge, long-handled squeegees and pushing them down the aisles of the church hundreds of times, forced most of the water towards the altar area. From there it could be suctioned pumped out into the street. It was a long day, but about a half-hour before the wedding, the fire chief said it was damp, not dry, but close enough. He took the squeegee out of my hand and said, "Son, you've got a wedding to go to. Go get ready. We'll finish up." I went to pack, grab my tux, and get back to the church in time for the next challenge.

All day long, the blue sky had been turning gray. In Texas this is called a "Blue Norther." From somewhere north of Canada, an ice storm came barreling into the DFW area, just as people were making their way to the wedding.

Some guests had accidents along the way, and others ended up in ditches. The young people of the church who had promised to really deco my car were thwarted by the sheets of ice pounding down on them and covering my car with almost an inch of protective ice. I admit to standing at the window, watching them suffer, and laughing at them. Nothing personal. Still warms my heart.

Well, Dana had not been told about any of this. Her first sign of a problem came when she felt the squishy feel of the carpet under her feet as she walked down the aisle. I remember two things at that point. She was beautiful and I was there. It had taken me two years of selling from both sides of the desk to get her to see this as God's plan for her life. I was relieved she showed up. Between my Dad, Dr. Swank, Rev. Charlie Gilmer, Ron Harris, and Dr. Curtis Vaughan the knot must have been tied pretty well. It has lasted 37 years.

Not to belabor the point, but that night during the wedding reception there was a fire in fellowship hall. The firemen returned for cake and punch. I asked the Fire Chief to stick around and be my best man. As we headed out the door to the brand new Marina Hotel at the DFW airport, we were not aware the airport had been shut down.

When we arrived in the lobby of the ONLY hotel anywhere near the runways, it looked like a scene out of the Fall of Saigon. Angry people were packed in the lobby, and holding up $100 bills shouting at the desk clerks, offering to rent a couch for the night.

Dana and I looked at each other and waded into the fray. When we got to the desk, we were told our room had been given away. I explained that a pre-paid room can't be given away, but it can be upgraded. It took some clarification to change the clerks mind and our accommodations, but there was room for us at the inn. We were so exhausted, we decided to eat breakfast. Neither one of us had eaten all day.

The next day we slid and skated over icy roads all the way to New Mexico, only to be hit with a snowstorm when we arrived in Ruidoso. We left town ahead of another storm, and arrived in Forth Worth, unannounced and hid out, and set up our one bedroom apartment.

Looking back at that series of events, leaves me exhausted. I remember wondering if God's hand was on us. It felt more like we were under His thumb. Still, 37 years later, I sometimes wonder the same thing. Can I get a witness?

In June 1980 Dana and I surrendered ourselves to apply Psalms 34:3 with a new level of intensity. Since then we have prayed our way through crises marked by economic downturns, real estate booms and busts, cancer, chemo, chaotic churches, and child rearing.

Talking always seemed to prolong the crisis du jour, but praying together has proved to be the best way to provide God's perspective in the middle of it. Praying doesn't always end a crisis. It just gives courage for it, and develops character in it.

Recently, I watched "It's a Wonderful Life" with my family. The George Bailey character is sitting at a bar, covering his mouth to disguise his despairing prayer, "I'm at the end of my rope." Crises always have a way of driving prayerless people to pray. Unfortunately, for most people, once their crisis ends, so does their praying.

My favorite line in the movie is the statement made by George Bailey, after he gets punched in the mouth, shortly after he tells God he is at the end of his rope. He says, "That's what I get for praying." Been there. Often. You too?

Note to self: When you come to the end of your rope, STOP MAKING ROPE. Start praying.

Making rope can tie a person, a marriage or a nation up in knots. Man-made solutions are a poor substitute for Christ-centered living. Praying together magnifies God, and exalts Him in the middle of the crisis. Prayer makes much of God. Talk makes much of the crisis. Which one do you want more than the other?

Talking is a form of self-medication, and it leads to an addiction to the sound of one's own voice. Praying improves one's vision and hearing all at the same time. Prayer provides night vision to see what God is up to in the darkest moments of our lives. Prayer also tunes our ears to hear God's voice to receive His direction, protection and correction. No matter what the crisis may be, and no matter when it hits...TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!...TWO-GETHER.

The Purpose

"But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things which I will appear to to you; rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.' " - Jesus  Acts 26:18

In the early 1990's, churches were led in a feverish emphasis upon vision statements, purpose statements and mission statements. All of this was well-intentioned, and did a great deal of good to refocus the human and financial resources of the church on what mattered most. None of them ever improved on what Jesus said to Saul, on the road to Damascus.

Any significant encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ begins with being knocked off a high horse. This should come as no surprise.

"Pride cometh before a fall." Solomon

Prayerless people are prideful people pursuing pointless purposes and unproductive priorities that fail to point people in the dark towards The Light. Praying people are not close-minded to a good idea. They are just more inclined to determine if it is God's idea, before they mobilize the church to do it.

Note to self: Stick with the basics. You don't have to act on every good idea you have. You have been called to be a minister and a witness of God's idea. His will is found in His Word. When in doubt, read the directions.

Saul was knocked down a prideful man. Paul got up a different man. Saul's idea led him to be a murderer and a fanatic. The majority was cheering him on his way. God's idea was for Paul to be a minister and a witness.

The transition from murderer to minister was the result of One Person calling his name. No matter how you count the votes, Jesus is always the authority and the majority. Count His vote first. The rest don't matter.

Paul's calling came with a warning label. Jesus was going to rescue him from the Jews and the Gentiles. The calling, the rescuing and the sending were a package deal. When Paul found himself in need of a rescue, it was not going to be a result of his rebellion, but because of his obedience. Even when Paul was shipwrecked, he would be right on course.

Paul's mission was going to take him to people who were under the dominion of Satan. They were lost in the dark. He would point them to The Light. Paul was not called to dim the lights, but to open the eyes of people to The Light.

Engaging the culture does not include saying to people who are missing the target, "Good shot!" Sin is a matter of falling short of God's best. God's forgiveness is granted by Jesus to those who admit they have fallen short, not to those who want to move the target and demand a do-over.

Sanctified is a word that is losing more and more clout, with every passing day. It is usually attached to a sarcastic insult, not an honored status. It refers to the process of becoming more and more like Jesus, as His character is released in the life of a believer, by His Holy Spirit.

People who have left the darkness, and dominion of Satan live in the light of the Presence and The Person of The Lord, Jesus Christ. They are citizen's of His Kingdom, and Jesus is the Lord of their lives. His Word, His will, His way, His truth, His life are the standards by which everything is judged.

Jesus is the final authority, and the ultimate measurement of God's best. Any good idea that does not meet His ideal is simply not good enough to be called God's idea. Earning God's approval is an idea rooted in man-made religion. It minimizes the cross, and maximizes man's effort.

Receiving an inheritance is still God's idea. It is based upon a relationship with Jesus, not a man-made religion. The Gentiles would be invited into the family of God by putting their faith, or their trust in Jesus. They would become heirs to the inheritance by admitting their need for a Savior, and receiving His death on the cross, as God's gift of forgiveness of their sins.

Birth is an event. Character is a process. New birth is an event. Sanctification is a process. The birth date establishes a relationship, and reveals a family resemblance. Character is developed over a life-time. It is not measured by what is done on one day, but what is reinforced every day. In time the child develops the kind of character that is rewarded and reinforced by the authority figures in the home.

Faith in The Lord Jesus Christ is both an event and a process. It involves believing in Him as Savior and yielding to Him as Lord. Believing and yielding are not two sides of a coin that people use for purchasing or earning their salvation. It is a gift from God.

Receiving the gift of God's forgiveness for sin involves a faith in Jesus marked by believing in Him and yielding to Him. The event initiates the relationship, the process completes the character.

Paul never got over getting up. When he heard Jesus call His name, his next step was one of obedience. His walk with Jesus would take him to some very strange places, and Jesus would rescue him out of some extremely dangerous circumstances. Every step along the way, Paul became more like His Savior, and a lot less like Saul. Prayer not only changes things. Prayer changes people. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Permission

"You are permitted to speak for yourself." Acts 26: 1

King Agrippa is so far over his head in deep water that he doesn't know he is drowning in his own arrogance. Entering the room with all the pomp and circumstance of a Cecil B. Demille movie scene, he actually believes he has called the meeting. He granted Paul permission to speak for himself. Paul only intended to speak for God. Game on.

Note to self: Real preachers don't have to ask permission. They just do it. PREACH IT!

Agrippa was a weak man with a big title. He owed his throne to Rome. He had no gravitas, just avarice. His world revolved around himself, and he was addicted to breathing his own ether.

Showing up in Caesarea, the Roman stronghold and seat of power, acting like he was in charge, Agrippa was was like a midget talking smack at a slam dunk contest. Though he officially ruled more land mass than Herod the Great, Agrippa was an empty suit, holding onto a title and a position of power. In Texas this kind of man is described as, "Big hat. No cattle."

By having Paul stand in front of him, Agrippa had stepped onto a cosmic chessboard, and engaged in a spiritual warfare that he was ill prepared to win. He wore a crown in the political world, but he was a pawn in the spiritual realm.

Year's earlier, Paul's King had knocked him off of his own high horse, on the Road to Damascus. In Caesarea, standing in front of King Agrippa, and Governor Festus, he appeared to be a prisoner. To them he was merely a pawn to be used and abused for their amusement. He was not. Appearances can be deceiving.

Paul spoke with clarity and boldness. King Agrippa gave him a hearing, but he didn't hear what Paul was saying. Rather than taking charge and calling for Paul's release, he responded with wishful thinking, "This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar." (v. 32)

Within this chapter is contained the dilemma of those who have maneuvered themselves or find themselves in seats of power. They become blinded by the trappings and symbols of power, and lose sight of The Source of it.

King Agrippa and Governor Festus had two different reactions to Paul's testimony, but the result was the same. Festus thought Paul was a crazy man spouting nonsense. Agrippa nervously patronized Paul with, "In a short time you will persuade me to be a Christian." (v. 28)

Both men refused to yield control of theirs lives to the Lord Jesus Christ. They had made their choice. Game over.

The message of Paul to the men of power of his day was not any different than the message that people need to hear today.

"That the Christ was to suffer, and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He would be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles." (v. 23)

As symbols of the Jewish and Gentile people, Agrippa and Festus were well positioned to see The Light of the Gospel. God's hand had moved them onto the chessboard, and they were face to face with a man who could point them to "The Way, The Truth and The Life." They looked at Paul and missed Jesus. All they could see was a pawn. They missed The King.

Of all men, King Agrippa should have been sympathetic to Paul's dilemma. His life story reveals a checkered past. He too had been imprisoned by Roman authority. By saying aloud, what he had been wishfully hoping for, the death of Tiberius, he had been put in prison. Following the death of Tiberius Ceasar, the new Emperor Caligula presented him with a gold chain, equal in weight to the iron chains he had worn in prison.

In closing his remarks, Paul said to King Agrippa, "I would wish to God,...not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains." (v. 29) It is worth noting that at that point, "the king stood up." (v. 30)

Apparently Paul was right on the mark, and Agrippa couldn't take any more hits. His chains may have been turned from iron to gold, but Agrippa was still a prisoner of his own pride. Paul was the only free man in the room. True believers always are.

Prayer clears the air of the fog of war, and reveals the rules of engagement. Too many prayerless people are playing and not praying. They think life is a game of checkers and the run around screaming "King Me!" They refuse to be a pawn in the hand of God, and get in the real game. They use the same board, but play the wrong game.

There is a huge difference between a play-er and a pray-er. Prayer sets a person free from their pride, and prepares them to be used in the hands of God, for His purpose, not their own. To the one who would be king, get in the game. 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 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!