The Attitude

"Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5

The industry standard for an "Attitude Adjustment" in the early church was to realign a member of the church with the character of The Founder of the Church. This beats a Church Covenant nine ways from Dallas, any day of the week, and twice on Sunday.

In other words, never lower the membership bar below the character of The Person of Jesus Christ. A church should strive to be the church Jesus would join if He moved into their town.

The Fruit of The Spirit turns a church into a Farmer's Market with an attractive aroma. The Spirit keeps Christ's church from becoming a machine shop turning out cheap replicas of the real deal. Filling the air with the odor of the sweat of the flesh and the sound of man-made machines may give an appearance of busyness, but a closer look reveals only barrenness.

The Attitude of Jesus is a life-changer for a believer and it is a game change for any church desiring to be marked by...

1. Encouragement
2. Consolation
3. Fellowship
4. Affection
5. Compassion
6. Single-minded
7. Love
8. Unity
9. Purpose
10. Unselfish
11. Humility
12. Deference

This is a short check list, but it serves as a biblical, working model for anyone interested in giving themselves a Spiritual Check Up. Comparing our character to anyone other than Jesus is a fool's errand. It is like a terminal patient comparing his death spiral to the patient in the bed next to him.

Note to self: Comforting yourself with the thought that you have a few more days left than the corpse next to you is neither death-defying or life-giving. Get over yourself, and pray to Jesus. Only He defies death and gives life.

Time and space will not allow a thorough analysis of all these character traits at this time. Grasping the first one is a great start at receiving The Attitude of Jesus.

Encouragement is the first whiff that most people get of a believer's life. It is also the first thing seekers see in the show windows of a local church. The problem emerges when seekers find a church has more in their show windows than they do on their shelves.

There is nothing quite like encountering the reality of the mine-field of attending a church, after having strolled through the fantasy land of their web-site. Things are not always what they appear to be, and truth in advertising is not a hallmark of church promotional campaigns.

Encouragement is the work of The Spirit of Christ, but most believers gather at churches that value the gift of discouragement. Their mission statement is formed by the seven last words of the church: "We never did it that way before."

Encouragement is more than a word of comfort given to shore up a person's morale through a difficult time. It is a blood transfusion for courageous living pumped into the lives of fearful people, transforming them into faithful people.

Encouragement should be the heart beat of every believer that claims to have Jesus living in their heart. A church that loses heart will not stand for what is right, and will run in the face of what is wrong. Without encouragement to stand, it is a safe bet that people will run. A church that is void of encouragement will lose its standing in a community, a country, and a culture EVERY TIME.

"We must not be content to be cleansed, but to be filled with The Spirit. The word Comforter as applied to the Holy Spirit needs to be translated by some vigorous term. Literally it means 'with strength.' Jesus promised his followers 'The Strengthener' would be with them. No lullaby for the faint-hearted. It is a blood transfusion for courageous living."
E.P. Hovey

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Grant

"For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me." Philippians 1: 29-30

I recall the first time I received a grant for my college education. It was a huge source of financial help, and arrived at a crucial time in my studies. When I discovered I didn't have to pay it back, if I kept my grades up, I was over-joyed. It was an amazing source of encouragement, and allowed me to finish my under-graduate work at Baylor University.

The Grant that is mentioned in Paul's letter to the Church at Philippi is no less crucial to the spiritual life of a believer, but suffering rarely proves to be a joyful experience when it first arrives. Still, if the prayer warrior will allow Jesus to make sense out of what they are undergoing, then it will enrich their lives and their love for their Savior like nothing else can.

In the early days of the fall of Communism, Romania was one the last strongholds to crumble under the weight of freedom loving people. I remember hearing Joseph Tson, a refugee Romanian pastor, preach on "The Theology of Martyrdom." Pastor Tson had experienced the fear of persecution and on more than one occasion he had to look into its ugly face. Always arrested in the middle of the night, he would be taken to the intimidating headquarters of the secret police, for brutal interrogation.  His persecutors threatened him with death so many times that he finally demanded it be done. They were shocked and sputtered, "We aren't going to kill you. That is what you want. We don't want to make you into a martyr for your cause."  Then they exiled him. He had won the battle over the fear of death, and his enemy. He lived to see Romanian Christians freed to worship  God in the city squares, as well as in their own churches.

Paul invited his first century followers to embrace suffering as an opportunity to identify with Christ and with him. His challenge is closely related to the persecuted pastor's experience almost 2,000 years later. Some things never change because they are right the first time.

The Grant: "not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake," v. 29

Easy believism and suffering saints are incompatible expressions of genuine Christianity. Today the 21st Century church is in love with the former, and uncomfortable with the latter. Suffering is hard to explain to people who want to hear how they can gain God's best with the least amount of pain.  

"To believe" is a verb form of faith. Many people talk about faith as if it was an entity. Faith is more about energy. Faith is the trust, and confidence placed in someone, something, or some belief. It is more than knowledge. It is an investment of ones' mind, body and soul in an enterprise or action. A person may know the dimensions and the purpose of a chair, but until a person surrenders their standing position to a sitting position on the chair, there is no faith being exercised in it, and no rest received from it.

"To suffer" means in a literal sense to have a sensible experience. It may feel like a good or bad one, and actually be either one. It is something that believers will undergo, and it is a necessary part of the spiritual development of a follower of Jesus Christ.

The maturing process to get the right perspective on suffering takes time. When suffering arrives it feels more like being under the thumb of the enemy than being guided by the hand of God.

God wraps some of His greatest gifts in the scariest packaging. What doesn't make sense is not always a source of joy. It takes the Person of Jesus Christ to make sense out of suffering. No one can do it better. Take it to Him in prayer.

Note to self: Talking to people who have no sense of the purpose of suffering is not likely to make sense out it when suffering comes your way. Pray and remember Jesus knows all about it, and has already been through it.
 
“Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” Luke  24:26

The Grant to believe and to suffer is a two-sided coin forged in the furnace of faith, but stamped with the image of Jesus on each side. One side depicts The Crucified Savior. The other side depicts The Risen Christ. Every believer's life should be marked by the hope that comes from an intimate association with both. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Conduct

"Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents - which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God." Philippians 1:27-28

There were once codes of conduct taught to children at home. These codes were reinforced by the community at church, school and other civic events. They included simple rules for daily living that made it possible for children raised at home to be mainstreamed into a society that had certain expectations.

Unfortunately, Common Sense has been hijacked by Common Core. Let me suggest a return to the former and a rejection of the latter. I recall a few of the things that we once had in common, and made the TOP TEN LIST at my house.

1. Always say, " Please" and "Thank you."
2. Don't hit girls. EVER.
3. Don't talk back to your teachers.
4. Get a spanking at school, you get another one at home.
5. Ladies first, always.
6. Hold the door for a lady.
7. Take your hat off when you enter a building.
8. Rise when a lady enters a room.
9. Say, "Yes Ma'am and "Yes Sir."
10. Say, "May I? Not "Can I?"

This last one would have saved a great deal of trouble for a nation, if the proper response had been remembered. "YES, WE CAN!" should have been met by a resounding, "BUT, you MAY not!" But, I digress.

It should come as no surprise that The Spirit of Christ expects the church founded by The Lord Jesus Christ to have certain manners. These manners are worthy of the Gospel, and mark someone who is a member of the family of God. They include...

1. Stand Firm.
2. One Spirit & Mind.
3. Striving Together For the Faith.
4. Not alarmed by the Opposition.

The Counduct of the early church can be compared to the four corners of a building under construction. If the cornerstones are set correctly, much can be built upon them. If these crucial corners are absent or askew then the building will lack integrity.

Paul prayed for the conduct of the church to be worthy of The Gospel and marked by...

Stability: The early church didn't just stand up, in the face of opposition. They stood firm, upon The Rock of their Salvation. There were no misty sentimentalists in the pulpit or faithless fog bank hanging over the members.

Unity: The mind of Christ and the fulness of The Spirit held the early church together. They were not unified by having the same preference, but the same deference. They deferred to Christ and to one another.

Teamwork: The desire to do well drives a person to make a name for themselves. The desire to serve together with others for a common cause will make a difference. There is no limit to what the local church can do if no one cares about getting the credit, but everyone wants to give God the glory.

Note to self: Failure and victory are both a team effort.

Fearlessness: The early church was marked by a fear of God, more than a fear of man. Though they must have felt fear at one time or another, the members of the early church were not crippled by it. It made them stronger. They took their fear to God in prayer and received from The Spirit of The Risen Christ the courage to face the opposition, come what may.

Praying for the next Great Awakening? It won't come from the White House, or the Church House. It will come from Your House. Set the cornerstones for it. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Choice

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know what to choose. But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again." Philippians 1:21-26

Paul had come to the point of absolute surrender where his will was lost in the will of God. He wasn't free from the desire to live among his friends. He was was just overwhelmed by his desire to depart, and be with Jesus. If he remained, he saw it as a necessary encouragement for others, but not necessarily an improvement for him. What a perspective.

Paul had become convinced that live or die, his mission remained the same, "your progress and joy in the faith, so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus." Paul was absolutely surrendered to the will of God, and completely focused on unplugging his followers from a dependency on himself. His desire was for their joy and confidence to be based on their faith in Christ.

Most of my mentors have passed on to Heaven. As great as they were, they had one common limitation. They simply lacked the capacity to live forever, in the flesh. Arville and Pauline Senter, Dr. W. Fred Swank, Dr. Leon Hill, Dr. Harry Piland, Dr. Paul Gray, Dr. Curtis Vaughan, Dr. Paul S. James, and a host of other men and women of God invested themselves in my life. I miss them all, but no matter how much they meant to me, then and now, they were never meant to be a substitute for The Presence of Jesus.

Paul was held in high esteem by some, undermined by others, betrayed by a few, and today is remembered by millions. His focus in life was on making a difference, not making a name for himself. Jesus makes the difference in a person's life, and this is where Paul spent his time pointing people to find their joy and confidence in living.

Any broken relationship I have ever experienced in my life can be traced to a failure to meet expectations. My failure to meet someone's expectation of me, or their failure to meet an expectation of mine brought about a loss of joy and confidence. Simply put, people disappoint one another. Jesus never fails.

Note to self: The old honky-tonk song of the early 1980s used to say, too many people are "Looking for love in all the wrong places." Expecting from people what only Jesus can provide is a train wreck looking for a place to happen.

"Progress and joy in the faith" is an uplifting phrase, and almost a candidate for a Hobby Lobby throw pillow, until it is examined in the harsh light of reality, and not the warm glow of a scented candle. The word "progress" is rooted in the same word that describes the process by which metal is lengthened and shaped by a metal-smith pounding or hammering it out.

"Joy" is the capacity to see God's hand-prints in the process, In spite of the painful hammering going on in one's life. The one being made in God's image has an over-riding gladness that they are in His hands and in His will.

"The faith" is not an adherence to a set of principles or the embracing of a world view. It describes the secure relationship that has been established with Jesus by placing one's total confidence and trust in Him. The faith is not a concept or a value system, but a relationship with Jesus that is maintained by consistent companionship and believing prayer.

Paul had found this faith relationship with Jesus to be the one thing that he wanted to leave behind for those who may someday be disconnected from him. He knew that Jesus would never leave them or forsake them, no matter what the crisis or the circumstance might be.

Paul's Prison Epistles read like they are written by a free man. His life or death held great importance to him, but he chose to leave them both in God's hands. He focused on praying for those who put their trust in him, to transfer their confidence to Christ. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Relationship

"For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:19

"Your prayers and the provision of the Spirit" are the essential signs of a personal relationship with Jesus. They are the vital signs of a healthy Christian and the foundation of a healthy church. Wise prayer warriors enlist the former, and never let the enemy cut off their supply lines to the latter.

Paul had an over-riding confidence in the knowledge that his life and times were guided by the hand of a Sovereign God. He was not a helpless victim, or a hopeless twig floating down river to eventual destruction. He was a man on a mission, with a message of hope, and he was indestructible until God's purpose for his life had been accomplished. As Ron Dunn so often preached, Paul may have been in prison, but he was "Chained to the Chariot."

Prayer is all about a relationship with Jesus. It is not a cash cow to be milked, a system to be worked, or merely a principle to be applied. Too often, prayer becomes more about "my deliverance" and less about "the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ."

Note to self: For you to know more about the provision of The Spirit, prayer must be less about your will, and more about God's will. Jesus prayed, "Not MY will, but THY will be done." Follow his lead, and lean into The Yoke relationship.

As pleased as Paul was that The Gospel was being spread throughout the Praetorian Guard, he was still interested in deliverance from his guards and his chains. This didn't make him less honest to God. Prayer should always be an honest expression of one's heart-felt desires.

God is not fooled by prayers filled with false piety or empty platitudes, He already knows the desires of the heart before words come out of the mouth.

Paul wanted to be delivered. That is understandable. He called for people to intercede for "my deliverance." That is commendable. He expected "the provision of The Spirit." Jesus is dependable.

Prayer provided Paul the peace of God, while waiting for His timing for Paul's deliverance. In spite of the knowledge that he was expendable, Paul's words do not sound fatalistic, but expectant. Prayer has a way of instilling hope into the hopeless.

The prayers of his friends and the provision of The Spirit took the sting out of Paul's daily confrontation with death. He went to bed chained to a Roman guard, and woke up in the same condition. The delay of Paul's deliverance didn't cause Paul to despair of God's denial of it. He just kept calling on his friends to pray, and and trusting in the provision of The Spirit to deliver him.

Prayer is not just a death-defying discipline. It is a life-giving relationship. Paul drew hope from the intercession of believers, but his personal relationship with Jesus was experienced by personally praying for "the provision of The Spirit of Jesus Christ."

The prayers of others are incredibly encouraging. Anyone who has ever received a phone call, or a prayer card from a friend knows the truth of this statement. Still, they are no substitute for calling out to God for "the provision of The Spirit of Jesus Christ."

The greatest answer to prayer is a poor substitute for The Presence of Jesus. Paul drew strength from the prayers of others. Still, his own prayers were not so focused on his deliverance, as they were focused on The Deliverer.

Undeniably, prayer is a key to provision. Seasoned prayer warriors don't treat prayer as a key to the Treasury Room, but they use it to unlock the arsenal of the weapons of The War Room. Prayer is not about financial welfare, as much as it is about spiritual warfare. Prayer opens up the door to a personal conversation with The Provider. He releases courage into the heart of the prayer warrior to stand with Him in the battle line.

The Spirit of Jesus Christ is The Champion, and The Captain of The Yoke. In both cases, prayer should lead to faithfully lining up behind The Champion for God's protection, and daily leaning into The Yoke, for His direction.

Paul trusted in the prayers of his friends, and the provision of The Spirit for God's direction, protection, and correction. God's delay in providing deliverance does not mean His denial of it. Through prayer, He offers prayer warriors, 'the provision of The Spirit of Jesus Christ." TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Truth

"It is true, that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and God's provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance." Philippians 1:15-19 (The Books of The Bible NT)

There it is. The truth is there for all to see. Preachers have always had to rise above the motives and the man-handling of the message and the mission, by those who have been called to delver one and carry out the other. So much for restoring the purity and the piety of the !st Century Church in the contemporary version of it.

There are already plenty of hipsters and imposters, posing as preachers/ communicators who are busy re-branding the message, and reshaping the mission of the church in their own image.

Note to self: Pray for preachers who resist the envy and the rivalry and deliver the message and carry out the mission, filled with love and goodwill. They need it, and you need the practice.

Paul chose not to cultivate a spirit of resentment, though he knew there were those posing as his friends and preachers of the Gospel who wished him ill. For some reason, these rivals took some special pleasure in adding more weight to Paul's chains. He described them as "supposing they can stir up trouble for me." This was not prison paranoia running wild in Paul's heart. It was disgraceful behavior on their part. Where ever there is light, it always attracts bugs. These preachers were fruit-bearing, just fruit-flies. BIG DIFFERENCE.

"Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you”― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

Paul's joy was rooted in The Spirit of Jesus Christ. He chose to rejoice that "Christ is proclaimed." (v. 18) This joy is not a foolish happiness over the fact that wrong-thinking people refused to do the right thing. Paul was no fool. His response was not the defeatist's passive-aggressive response of "Praise the Lord, anyhow." This hurt him, but he chose not to let it cripple him.

Joy is the capacity to remain calm in a crisis, by placing one's confidence in the strong arm and the sovereign will of God. Joy is based on a firm belief that there is no need to panic, until fear erupts on the face of Jesus. Joy comes from hitting one's knees, and refusing to hit the panic button.

Prayer keeps the fruit of joy alive, by praying for God's will to be done, in spite of the overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Joy is The Spirit's salve for a soul bruised and bleeding from wounds delivered by friend and foe.

By praying, a believer refuses to wallow in self-medicated pity, but chooses to respond with uninterrupted prayer and praise. Joy is produced by engaging in both. Crises, and conspirators will always provides the manure. The Spirit always produces the fruit. Focusing on the former, rarely produces the latter.

When hungry hunters are out of bullets, they reload. Shooting and missing their target is never fulfilling. The smell of gunpowder will never satisfy the stomach. If hunters desire to eat, they must fire again. The RE-load.

When a person is out of joy, they must RE-joice. This is much harder to do than reloading a gun. A person who is without joy is usually the one who has been shot at by an assassin. Still, RE-joice!

Note to self: #2 You can't spell assassin, without writing "ass" twice. Don't be one.

Joyless people often know when they have been targeted by assassins or hit by a crisis, but they also know when they have missed the point. The loss of joy will leave a person vulnerable to misinterpretation of what is happening to them. Paul took heart in the one thing that mattered most.

"The important thing is that in every way, whether from motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,..."

Paul didn't just face betrayal, he replaced it with joy. Entertainment is the world's substitute for joy. It is like replacing salt water with pure water and expecting it to satisfy. The world is always thirsting for something new, or someone funnier to entertain them. Entertainment gets old quick.

Don't settle for the entertainment industry's salt-water swill. What it offers will never satisfy. At best it has the life expectancy of a fruit-fly.

Joy lasts longer because it has an eternal source, The Fruit of The Spirit. When faced with a crisis or a conspirator, choose joy. It loosens the chains. When you lose joy, don't settle for pity. RE-joice. Don't take up an offense. Take a knee. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Circumstances

“Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.” Philippians 1:12-14

Paul described his imprisonment as “my circumstances.” For those who are the masters of disasters, given to holy hyperbole, overstatement and the melodramatic, Paul was the master of the understatement. He had the capacity to remain calm, until he saw what God was up to even in the darkest moments of his life.

Prayer provides night vision goggles, to see the hand of God at work, as well as the futile movements of the enemy. Unexpected, and extreme circumstances often appear to be impeding “the greater progress of the gospel.”  In fact, they may actually by powerfully, and effectively illuminating “the cause of Christ.”

Things are not always what they appear to be. A dead end street may actually be a bridge to a “Great Adventure.” When my wife, Dana, was diagnosed with breast cancer, she immediately embraced it as such. She even called it by that very name. Naming her pain was not an expression of a positive attitude, or wishful thinking on her part. It was a prayerful and powerful perspective. She was neither taking a flight of fancy, nor wallowing in reality. She was “trusting in the Lord.”  Thanks, Dana!

v Faith is a matter of perspective. F.A.I.T.H. = Facing Adversity I Trust Him.

Nothing improves a person’s perspective on the circumstances of life quite like praying through a crisis. Prayerless people hit the panic button at the first sign of a crisis. Prayerful people hit their knees. It is amazing how much a person’s perspective can improve when they allow the circumstances of life to drive them to their knees. Prayerless people will find themselves running in circles if they don’t stop an pray.

Prayerful people are not immune from the crises of life. They are just better stewards of them than prayerless people. Prayer provides “more courage to speak the word of the Lord without fear.” The place of prayer does not provide flimsy camouflage for those looking to hide in the tall grass. It gives the courage to stand on the firing line, right next to The Champion, and lean on Him for the meaning of the battle, and the means to win it.

The Praetorian Guard was an elite outfit, charged with guarding Paul. Praying through his crisis empowered Paul to share God’s love with his guards, in spite of his chains.  Prayer warriors are God’s Special Forces. When given the hardest assignments, they don’t run in panic from them. They pray their way through the dark, until they are standing next to The Champion. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Affection

"For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus, and this I pray that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and discernment." Philippians 1:9

Relationships often swing between two extremes. There is an expression of love that is possible without emotion, and another expression that is driven by it. No doubt, love is something that is done, not just something that is felt before it is done.

However, Paul's words give vivid description of love marked by feelings of longing, and affection. He even prays that those who love him, and those he loves will tap into the abundant resources that are available for even more of this priceless perfume of the church.

When Dana and I lived in Borger, Texas, we were introduced to a fabulous fajita joint. When the huge platters were carried out of the kitchen, they would arrive at our table sizzling and smoking. The air around our table would be a cloud of heavenly aroma. Whenever we left we carried the smell of the place on our clothing. Anyone who ever ate there will be able to recall being greeted by those who encountered them with, "Been to 'The Plaza?' " It was impossible to eat there without being warmed and filled on the inside, and one's clothing covered on the outside, with in the aroma of the place.

Love has a similar characteristic. It carries an aroma that touches the five senses. It is more than a mere feeling, but nonetheless, it can be felt and smelt (sp), specially when it is expressed God's way. When it fails His smell test, it is time to pray for more of it, at the church house, and at your house.

"This I pray" communicates Paul was putting strength, and energy, not wishful thinking into his expression. Prayer is rooted in the concept of wishing, but it is not wishful thinking. Prayer takes wishing to the next level. It places the fondest desires of one's heart before God, and leaves them there. Prayer doesn't hang them on a star.

Prayer is not a Disney concept of, "When you wish upon a star." It takes the strongest longings and deepest desires of one's heart and places them in the hands of God. Prayers are wishes of the heart, but wishes become prayers when they are placed in the hands of God, and with no one else.

Love as mentioned by Paul is the undeniable evidence of an undefeatable goodwill that only The Spirit of God releases in the heart of child of God. This kind of love is the fruit of The Spirit, and it is able to engage disagreeable people and rise above disconcerting circumstances, with the aroma of Heaven.

Note to self: Never settle for imitation fruit in your life. Lost people can tell the difference, and the shelves of the church are empty without it.

Most churches advertise more in their show windows than they have on their shelves. Church brochures, websites, slogans and signs are a great resource for empty platitudes. "The end of your search for a friendly church." Don't believe it, until you park in their spot or sit in their seat. But I digress.

Paul prayed that "love may abound, still more and more." He also indicated that this kind of love that he had for his fellow believers was an emotion, as well as a discipline.

Praying as a discipline without engaging in the love relationship with Jesus, is like ordering from a menu, but skipping the meal. It leaves one empty, not warmed and filled with His Presence. Loving without feeling any emotion is a worthy discipline, but it should not stop a person from praying for what is missing. Every believer should kneel in prayer and ask for God's love to "abound, still more and more." This was Paul's greatest wish It should be the greatest prayer of the church.

Prayer is the key to a love in one's heart for God and for others. Loving and praying are inseparably linked to the discipline and the emotion of love. Prayerless people are in danger of becoming loveless people. Eventually they run out of what they have on their shelves, and if they refuse to pray for more, they start handing out imitation fruit. It doesn't smell the same, and it never satisfies. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Feeling

"For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you are all partakers of grace with me. For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and discernment..." Philippians 1:7-9

OPINION ALERT: Apparently Paul had strong, emotional feelings towards his fellow believers. He had room for them in his heart. If it is right to have believers in his heart, why is it hard to believe Jesus can hold that same place of honor. For those who belittle the idea of a believer inviting Jesus into their heart, Paul carried in his heart "the affection of Christ Jesus." Jesus brought it with Him when He took up residence in Paul's heart. He will do the same, when you invite Him into yours. But I digress.

Paul describes his feeling in a way that makes most men cringe. It has become fashionable of late for men to man-up and avoid talking about their feelings, regarding their relationship to Christ. This may be a backlash to the full court press men have had to endure, being challenged to go full bore Oprah, or become Dr. Phil converts on every issue in their lives.

Tears flowing, voices squeaking, and spewing anguished apologies, men have taken to the talk show circuit or cable news networks to pour out their hearts on a number of male issues. It hasn't been pretty, nor has it been especially productive. Crocodile tears and insincere remorse rarely add up to genuine repentance, or a real turnaround.

In this passage, Paul reveals a great deal about himself, and provides a beautiful picture of the fiery fellowship that warmed the hearts of the members of the early church. The church was not a legion of heartless robots. The felt something for one another, but it was more than a feeling.

Paul was touched by the love of the saints. They were ordinary people filled with an extraordinary love for Jesus and for one another. They were not driven by a set of core values to engage their culture. They were not driven at all, just forgiven, completely. They never got over being forgiven, by the love of God poured out on them at The Cross. They were drawn first to Jesus, then to one another and on to a lost world, by "the affection of Christ."

The church is not a family because they happen to be tied together by a common bond or gathered together in one assembly. Tying the tails of a cat and a dog together can unite them, but it doesn't make them one. Warring armies face each other on the same battlefield, but a family reunion doesn't take place. Two gangs arriving on the same turf doesn't result in an expression of sweet fellowship. Get the picture?

The church is a family because believers have one Father, and God is love. The love of God is released into the heart of a believer, and it is expressed out of the believer as "the affection of Christ." This takes place when facts, faith and feeling all come together, and a person with a broken heart places all their pieces in the hands of Jesus. When He is invited to come into their heart and make all things new, the "affection of Christ" is pumped throughout their body, into the Body of Christ, and towards a world in need of a blood transfusion of Christ's love.

"It is amazing what God can do with a broken heart, if you give Him all the pieces." Samuel Chadwick

The difference in Paul is striking. In Acts he is a raging purist seeking to wipe out heresy, where ever he finds it. In prison, the love of God now pours out of him freely and openly on those he once tried to kill.

In Paul's life, the "affection of Christ" was not just a natural emotion. It was super-natural transformation. Paul didn't just feel differently, about believers, he acted differently towards them. But make no mistake about it, love for others involves feeling, and inspires an expression of that feeling to others.

There is always a tendency, within the family of God, to warn believers to avoid going off the deep end, especially where feelings or emotions are concerned. This is usually wise counsel. The other extreme should be avoided as well, and with all due diligence, GOING OFF THE SHALLOW END.

Cold-blooded, doctrinally pure theology without any warmth, feeling or emotion connected to it, may parse "agape" with precision and perfection. It may result in a death-defying church, but it doesn't always translate into a life-giving one. Paul had a keen mind, and a hot heart. Believers need both if the church is going to have a pulse, and wrap their arms around one another and the world.

Don't be deceived, the love of Jesus abounds in the pursuit of real knowledge and discernment. When Jesus taught the Scriptures to the couple on the Road to Emmaus, they had an encounter with The Word that set them on fire. Their perspective changed. Their heart was warmed. Their sense of direction was changed. They not only learned something. They felt something. They did something.

"And they said one to another, 'Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?' " Luke 24:32 KJV

The "affection of Christ" is the result of consistent companionship with Jesus. Prayer is life-changing, heart-warming, soul-stirring, will bending, character-building conversation with Jesus. The Father will do what ever is necessary, and take as long as is needed to conform His children to the image of His Son.

Are studying and serving more, but still feeling a chill in your heart? Anything that cools your love for Jesus is sin. Prayer melts the ice of a frozen heart, and puts back the pieces of a broken heart. WARNING: Talking about Jesus is not a substitute for praying to Him. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Saints

"To all the saints in Christ who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons: grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:1-2

"The Saints" is a term more likely used in contemporary culture to describe a professional football team in New Orleans, than a group of believers in Philippi. When it is used in reference to another person, it often conveys the negative, not the positive. In others words, "He's no saint."

To describe "saint" without contextualizing it in the ancient text robs it of its rich heritage. In the suffocating darkness of a lost world filled with Roman decadence, Jewish legalism, unhinged immorality, abundant slavery, and toxic religions "the saints" were drawn to The Light. Paul recognized them as being "in Christ." Saints still are.

The Book of Acts contains one of the first references to "saint" being used to describe those who believed "in Christ." It was in the context of Paul's conversion. When Ananias was instructed by The Lord to go minister to the newly converted Saul, he resisted.

"But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem;" Acts 9:13

It is ironic, that Paul once saw "The Saints" as his enemies. By the time he is imprisoned in Rome, he views them as the brightest lights in the darkness. They are the ones he turns towards, in gratitude for all they have done for him. They are held in his memory with high esteem.

In more ornate language, "saint" means worthy of veneration. Simply put it means holy. In Scripture it is used interchangeably with references to The Spirit and The Saints. The two are inseparably linked.

Without The Holy Spirit there are no saints. Without The Saints, there is no evidence of the fruit of The Spirit. They do not co-exist in separate realms. They breathe the same air. It is the air of prayer.

The Spirit fills The Saints and the fruit of The Spirit reveals the character of Christ. The Saints are not the source of the fruit or The Light. They are "in Christ." This means, they are in His light, and they reflect His light. They do not produce their own.

Paul remembered The Saints with joy. It is interesting to note that he writes, "including the overseers and deacons." Much has been made in my own denomination about the qualities and expectations of those who hold these two offices, but not as much is said about The Saints.

Paul's primary focus of his joy was on those worthy of veneration. He started with The Saints. The contemporary church has placed a great deal of emphasis upon leadership development. For the most part this has been a commendable effort. Still, it may be a bit imbalanced. Paul's gratitude didn't begin with praise for overseers and deacons. He started with pool from which they must be drawn. Looking for saints? Don't fish where they ain't. But I digress.

The Saints and The Spirit are both described as holy. One of my earliest definitions of this word came from my friend and preaching professor, Dr. Jimmy Nelson. He described it as being set apart for a purpose, within the context of a message he delivered at Seminary Chapel.

Dr. Nelson had been a pastor in West Texas. It is home to solid churches, ranchers, cattle and wide open spaces. One day, he took part in a round up of calves, with one of his church members. It involved roping the calves, separating them from their mothers, and branding them with the owner's mark. After completing this process on one of the calves, the rancher turned to to Dr. Nelson and said, "Preacher, you can call that one a 'Holy Cow.'"

The rancher had been listening to what his preacher had said in church. The calf was set apart for a purpose, and marked with the owner's brand. It had been a terrifying, painful experience for the calf, and someday it would end in its death. It no longer lived for any other purpose, than the will of its owner. Holy cow, indeed.

Paul honored The Saints for being "in Christ." They were marked by His brand and His character. They shared the one word that set them apart from the world in which they lived. They were holy.

The Saint's Christ-likeness was inseparably linked to The Spirit's fulness. The character of Christ flowed from their lives. They were like diamonds thrown on a black, velvet backdrop. When The Light of Christ shown on them, they gleamed like dazzling stars in the night. The sight of them brought joy to Paul's soul. They were simply unforgettable. The Saints always are.

Prayer transforms The Ain'ts into The Saints. Prayerless people may seek an office, hold a position of authority, and even make a name for themselves. Prayerful people are holy people who know they are branded for some other purpose than their own, and live to honor the name of their Master.

Prayer enables The Saints to hear the voice of The One who called them out of the night and into The Light. Prayer is the means by which they are guided by God's direction, protection and correction. Holy people are not perfected, in the sense that they are flawless. They are holy because they are separated. They are "in Christ" by praying for the forgiveness of their sin, not their willful ignorance of it. The Saints run to The Light and TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!