The Denial

“If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” Colossians 2:20-21

One of the more fascinating aspects of contemporary Christianity is the renewed interest in some of the more liturgical expressions of faith. This probably will run its course, but if it points people back to their ancient root system it will be a noble journey.

On the other hand, any addition of man-made religion to a faith completed by Jesus on the cross of Calvary is a dangerous precedent. The relationship with Jesus begins with death, not a renewed effort to live a better life, or to deny oneself the comforts of life.

Putting rouge on a corpse is an illusion of life. It makes for a less frightening view of the body, but it doesn’t breathe new life into it. When people walk by a casket, they seldom throw insults at the body of the person reclining in it. It would be poor form. The fact remains that any harsh words would have no impact. Dead people just don’t take offense at being disrespected, nor do they mourn at their own funeral.

Life with Jesus begins with death, but it releases new life. Being born-again is a joyous encounter. Self-denial is a daily walk with Jesus impacted by the power and The Person of The Risen Christ. It is not a mourner’s marathon of physical denial.

Dead people do not become more alive by denying themselves nourishment, their favorite hobby, or watching less TV. The dead are not impacted by the same things as people who are still living under the influence of “the elementary principles of the world.”

Paul warned the members of the early church to avoid being sidetracked from the joyous celebration of repentance by man-made penance. Penance and repentance are not the same thing.

In truth, the believer is dead to an old way of life, and is not “living in the world.” There is no need to submit to man-made religion that orders them, “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!”

This is where the confusion of new life in Christ and death to self collide. Believers are born-again people trapped in physical bodies that remain on earth until Jesus returns or death frees them to go home. They hunger, thirst, and experience every other feeling, and emotion with the same intensity that any unredeemed person does. This delay clouds their perspective on death and denial.

Self-denial is not the denial of oneself certain things, but the denial of one’s self. It is possible to be empty of food, and filled with pride. It is possible to penniless and prideful. It is possible to take one’s last breath, and express pride with one’s last gasp.

Taking food out of a dead man’s mouth, or stealing property from his hand will not make him a better man or make him more alive. It is pointless. Dead men do not respond to disrespect or denial.

Paul’s reminder to the early Christians is a timely one for the contemporary church. Humiliating the flesh by denying it certain privileges may be a form of penance, but it does not indicate the state of repentance.

Repentance is the death to self. It is a turn around that leads to new life in Christ. Penance is a removal of non-essential things that inconveniences the flesh without dying to self.

Paul would add, “I die daily.” 1 Corinthians 15:31 His life was no one-time encounter with his pride. He would spend the rest of his life nailing it to the cross.

Death to self or self-denial is not the denying of oneself certain things, but the crucifying of selfish pride every day. This is not a sad forced march to the cross. This is a race to repentance, knowing that it is at the cross where new life is received. What Jesus nails to the cross dies, and He breathes new life into those who have had all their debts canceled.

“When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which were hostile to us, and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” Colossians 2:13-14

Dying to self is a daily celebration of living debt free. It begins with death, but ends in revival. Prayer is how the revived continue to breathe the fresh air of forgiveness. Praying keeps nailing pride to the cross, and breathing new life into a spirit of repentance.

Note to self: It won’t hurt you to deny yourself a few things, but don’t confuse penance with repentance. Never deny what Jesus did for you on the cross. Laying off the chocolate chip cookies at Lent may make you a thinner man, but what Jesus did at The Cross put to death your sinner man. Take a deep breath, and celebrate, but don’t forget the nails. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Overflow

“Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. “ Colossians 2:6-7

Nothing mars the beauty of a child or marks the immaturity of an adult quite like the attitude of ingratitude. One of our earliest parenting battles involved teaching our oldest child to say, “Thank you.” We were totally embarrassed one night by her stubborn resistance to saying those two words. We were in the home of two special people who had done so much for her. Jack and Sharon Ross had wisely walked us through the nine months of waiting, had been there for her birth when our parent’s could not,  and had been a huge part of Ashley’s first year of life.

While serving in Houston, Texas, we made a return visit to Jack and Sharon’s home, during the trauma and drama of  “The Terrible Two’s.”  After Jack had done something particularly nice for Ashley, we asked her to say, “Thank you.” She replied, “No.” That launched a battle of the wills between Dana and Ashley that included three marches down the hallway to the bedroom, followed by three distinct popping sounds. Each time Ashley would return rubbing her behind, but still shaking her head. On the final trip she said defiantly, “Thank you.” Jack and Sharon had the good grace to stifle their laughter, throughout the ordeal. Jack said, “Don’t ever give up.” Wise words.

Paul describes the early Christians as “overflowing with gratitude.” This is centuries before the birth of the The American Dream , and the expression of it’s  peculiar offspring, Health and Wealth Christianity. These people were facing persecution, and rejection for what they believed. Still, they did not hold on to their faith with a thin lipped, tight lipped grimace. They revealed to their community and culture an excessive, extravagant, and exuberant spirit of thanksgiving.

The floodgates of gratitude were unleashed when they…

“Received” – The came along side of Jesus. They did not just join in. They were all in. They take their place alongside of another Him, not in a private initiation, but in public identification with Him.

“Christ Jesus The Lord.” – They put an end to their rebellious attitude. They embraced Jesus as their Champion, They were not embracing a concept, but entering into a relationship, on a first name basis with the love of their life, Jesus. They lowered the flag of their rebellious state, and pledged allegiance to their new King.

“Walk in Him” – Their destination was Heaven, but they were filled with the joy of the journey with Jesus. The word walk is so simple, but it means the sense of direction with not only with Him, but it is about Him. The path that is chosen is not up for discussion or debate. It is more of a dance than a forced march, and always Jesus leads.

“Firmly rooted” – Grounded in the love of God, the character of Christ, and the fruit of the Spirit, the early Christians remained in consistent companionship with Jesus. The Fruit flowed from The Root. The not only bloomed where they were planted. Their fruit was sweet, not bitter.

“Built up in Him”   - Trust in Jesus was the foundation, and the base upon which everything was built.  Their lives had integrity because their faith was placed in and aligned with their Cornerstone,

“Established in your faith” - The height of building is established and rests on the foundation. The integrity of a Christian rests upon the reliability of their Foundation. These early Christians rested in Jesus.

“Just as you were instructed” – These grateful Christians never outgrew their dependence upon their earliest instructions. The way they came on is the way they continued on. When in doubt, they read the direction, and followed the original instructions. They did not revise, improvise, or compromise the truth. When the tests came, they had The Answer. His name was Jesus.

“Overflowing with gratitude.”  - These early believers were marked by abundant joy. The fruit of their faith was a full fragrance and an overwhelming aroma. They lived life with extravagant excess. They poured out Jesus from lives that were far from perfect. They were forgiven. They were cracked, but useful vessels. Their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ was not held in or sealed in tight containers sitting on the shelf. Their faith was always leaking out, spilling over and running out into the street. When the crises of life squeezed them, they spewed out what was on their label. Those who encountered these early believers walked away with Jesus all over them.   

The word for gratitude is rooted in a response of thanksgiving that is generated by an act of forgiveness. Anyone who has ever had a debt forgiven knows what this feels like.  Removing the crushing weight of a mountain of debt brings relief.  Those who experience it don’t have to be entertained to be happy. The instant that the debt is taken off of their backs, a smile hits their face.  

Note to self: When you received Jesus in your heart, your face should have been informed about His forgiveness of your debts. Don’t forget to remind your face on a regular basis.

Praying in the name of Jesus, and thanking God for pouring out His gift of love will develop the attitude of gratitude. Thankless people are prayerless people who need to be reminded that they have been forgiven. Prayerless people act like ungrateful children, not mature believers.  Prayer will put a smile on the face of anyone who discovers what it means to receive God’s love and live debt free. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Struggle

“For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf…and for all those who have not personally seen my face, that their hearts may be encouraged…for even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ.” Colossians 2: 1-5

Paul’s insight into prayer as the means by which The Body of Christ ministers to one another in spite of great distances and great challenges is a powerful weapon in the hands of prayer warriors. The weapon of prayer is not for the faint of heart. Paul calls his intercession a struggle. It was an agony of soul that kept him ever mindful of those he knew intimately, and persistently praying for others who had never seen his face.

When Jesus prayed in The Garden before His crucifixion. He agonized with such passionate intercession and intimate communication with The Father that sweat poured out of his body like great drops of blood.

When Paul prayed for those he loved and missed, he wasn’t ashamed to call his intercession an agony of the soul.

With intense intercession Paul called out to God on behalf of those who were separated from him, but were still within the protective arms of The Spirit of God. As he prayed, his agony turned to rejoicing. They were able to sense his presence in spirit, and he was able to sense the stability of their faith in Christ. This is the beauty and the double blessing of a life intercession.

Since August 7, 2013 my father, Don Miller, has been in and out of ER and ICU units battling congestive heart failure, and a host of other issues that come with the aging process. Today, March 9, 2014 Dad turns 92 years of age.  During these past few months he has spent close to 40 days in the hospital. On more than one occasion the doctors in the ER have left us to say our good byes. Dad has defied the odds, faced the struggle to take his next breath and he has pulled through.

There have been many times we have called upon people, unable to be physically present in the middle of these crises, to pray for Dad. They have done so, and we are grateful.  Words are not adequate to express our debt of gratitude for people who have taken these requests for intercession seriously and agonized with us in prayer.

Time and again, when the struggle was great and Dad was at his weakest point, I would whisper to him, “People all over the world are praying for you.” His eyes would light up, and he would say, “Oh, I know it. I can feel their prayers. They are more real to me than I can tell you.”

Though he could not see their faces, he could sense their presence. With a memory clouded by drugs and the ravages of time,  Dad was not always able to place a face with a name, but he was always able to sense a person’s presence with their prayers.

Prayer brings comfort to those who are making the effort to pray, and it impacts those who are on the receiving end of it. There is a bonding of the spirit between those who pray and those who are being prayed for that cannot be explained. It must be experienced. It is a result of the ministry of The Spirit of Christ in the lives of both the sender and the receiver. The Spirit makes the connection, and grants the intercessor a spirit of presence in the midst of the struggle that has God’s handprints all over it.

The esprit de corps of prayer warriors is not based on wearing the same uniform, marching in a parade under the same banner, or singing the same war songs. It is a spirit of steel bonds forged in fire, and it exists only between people who have been through the same struggle together. Prayer is not designed as symbol of personal devotion, but it is provided as a weapon of war.

Note to self: Pray in The Spirit. Intercession is not all about you.

Today, I will have the privilege of sharing birthday greetings with my Dad from his friends all over the world. They are a collection of priceless comments from those who have been through the struggle with him. Though separated by miles and years, the bond between these praying people and my Mom and Dad is real.

On behalf of the Miller family, thank you for being there in spirit. You were there when Mom and Dad needed you. They sensed your presence, and we did too. God bless you! TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Purpose

“We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.” Colossians 1:28-29

Paul was imprisoned in Rome, and yet this man of God found great purpose in this. Paul discovered that power was available to him in spite of the restrictions imposed upon him by this. He was incarcerated by Roman authority, but at the same time liberated by God’s authority.

Paul was a prisoner in Rome, but an ambassador to the world. By Roman power, Paul’s body was chained to one man. By God’s power his message was communicated to “every man.”  His purpose in life was not choked out, by this, or by any other crisis. It was given a more powerful voice.

Appearances can be deceiving. Things are not always what they seem to be. Wisdom is the capacity to see life through God’s eyes, without being blinded by the punch in the face from the unexpected or undeserved crises of life. Wisdom is not the capacity to always avoid every crisis. It is the humility to remain teachable in the middle of this crisis.

When the United States was attacked by Japan at Pearl Harbor in 1941, it was a major disaster, but it was not a complete disaster. Most people reacted in panic at the sight, smells, and sounds of the crisis. A few wise leaders assessed the damage and came up with a proper response to hit.

When wise eyes assessed crisis, they noticed that Japan had attacked on a Sunday. This miscalculation left the majority of the sailors safely on shore. It also meant that trained, highly motivated, and able seamen were available to begin the counter attack. The repair facilities were not damaged. This meant the ships that were sunk, could be raised, repaired and returned to the battle line much faster than originally expected. The attack galvanized and mobilized the American people for the long road to victory. Cooler heads prevailed. Wisdom responded to the crisis, from December 1941 to September 1945. The rest, as they say, is history.

Paul’s response to his crisis of faith was to continue to “proclaim Him” during the crisis, not to blame Him for it.  Paul kept his eye on Jesus.

Paul’s preaching, proclaiming, announcing, declaring, admonishing, and teaching were influenced by walking with Jesus. Praying through the crisis led Paul to God’s purpose for this crisis, not to complaining about it.

"We have to pray with our eyes on God, not on the difficulties."  Oswald Chambers

Paul’s purpose in life was to lead God’s children to maturity in Christ, not to raise spoiled brats who always expected to get their own way. There is a huge difference between being childlike and childish. Being complete in Christ begins with a childlike faith that refuses to be childish.

Recently an 18 year-old daughter in New Jersey sued her parents. When they enforced their ground rules, she left the house. She broke fellowship with the family, but wanted the financial benefits of the relationship. The judge determined she was out of line to live in rebellion to her parents and expect them to support her life-style. Paul would have agreed with the judgment, completely.

Much has been made of the word purpose in the past 20 years. Most of it has been helpful. In this case, the word is not specifically mentioned, but it makes it no less inferred. The word “this” refers to maturing or completing believers in Christ. There is no substitute for proclaiming Jesus as the only answer for the questions of life. In the late 1980’s there was a song that proclaimed, “When answers aren’t enough, there is Jesus.” It was right on target.

Paul never forgot about this. He refused to say, “I don’t deserve this. I don’t need this. I don’t receive this.” Paul accepted this, and put it in the hands of Jesus.

T.H.I.S. = The Hurt I Suffer

By praying his way through T.H.I.S., Paul led people to maturity in Christ. Paul labored for this great purpose. He strived against great odds to do it. He was not a patsy, a pushover or a victim of circumstance. His pride got in the way. Still, he strived not just to introduce people to Jesus as the means to be saved completely, but to show them how to appropriate His power to behave properly.

Note to self: When you are hit with T.H.I.S. Take it to Jesus in prayer and leave it there. If your pride is hurt, let it lead you to the humility to learn from T.H.I.S. Paul did.

Paul tapped into a power that was mightily available within him to rise above the crisis, not just to endure it.  The language describes an effort that was sheer agony for Paul to yield to this dynamic energy to be released through him. His flesh would resent and resist T.H.I.S.  In the end, prayer led him to settle for nothing less than more of The Spirit of God. Prayer warriors always do the same. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Preaching

“…fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, that is the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you the hope of glory. We proclaim Him, …” Colossians 1:25b-28a

Nothing burns in the soul of man quite like holding onto a secret. The urge to splurge is relentless, and all consuming. Women usually get a bad rap as gossips, but anyone who has ever been around preachers knows they can sing like a canary, “I Love To Tell the Story,” with or without permission.

“I’ve Got A Secret” was a 1950’s family show, and I recall viewing it on our black and white TV set. The very title was provocative. There is something seductive about someone who is filled with a secret, and can’t wait to spill it. The mystery of The Gospel is not a secret to hold, but good news to share about Jesus.

Paul preached like a man on fire with the mystery of God’s love for the Gentiles. He never got over God’s amazing grace poured out on him in such a lavish fashion, and how God spilled out His grace onto The Gentiles.  

Raised as a Pharisee, Paul likely woke up every morning thanking God he was born a man, a Jew, but not a woman. Gods’ grace had been held hostage for centuries. Prideful people chose not to share it with others.

After Paul encountered Jesus on the Road to Damascus, he graduated from the School of The Desert, and became a man enflamed and on mission. The redemption story began as a “Light unto the Gentiles.” Paul had seen The Light and he was a humbler man for it.

Paul considered himself to be the worst of sinners and the least of men. When a preacher begins to think of himself as the best of men and the least of sinners it limits the preaching of the secret. Making The Gospel difficult for people to understand or impossible to accept is not preaching the secret. It is hiding it.

Confused preaching calls people to “Stand Up for Jesus” but adds the disclaimer, “But not so fast.” There are enough enemy obstacles in the grace race without firing an unloaded gun at the starting line.

Preachers “fully carry out the preaching of the word of God” when they can say, “We proclaim Him.” Paul didn’t hold onto the secret, as if people were trying to steal something that wasn’t made for them. Paul shouted the message of Jesus in the streets. Jesus was not a secret to be hoarded with an elitist motto of,  “Us Four and No More.”  Paul’s message was, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Jesus still is.

Paul fully preached the word of God. He was so full of the word of God there was no room for anything else. When the enemy tried to jostle him or knock him down, the word of God spilled out of him. He was an educated man, and a saturated man, filled to the brim and overflowing with nothing else but God’s direction, and correction.  He was not a man of many philosophies or personal opinions. He was full of God’s word.

"The word of God is the food by which prayer is nourished and made strong."  E. M. Bounds

Note to self: Pray like Jesus. Preach like Paul. Get over yourself. This is not some steep mountain to climb. Getting over yourself begins with stepping on the molehill you have named in your honor. Preach Jesus!

Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the powerful 19th Century English pastor was honored as “The Prince of Preachers.” He was eloquent and effective at calling people to Jesus. He held preaching in great esteem, but he placed his highest evaluation on the call to pray.

“I would rather teach one man to pray than ten men to preach.”  Charles Spurgeon

Prayer prepares a preacher to declare, announce, publish, proclaim Jesus as the best kept secret to people who need good news in the worst way. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Minister

“Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake,...I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church…Of this church I was made a minister, according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God.” Colossians 1:24-25

Paul was writing to the Church at Colassae, during his first Roman imprisonment. He was encouraging them to stay focused on The Light of the incomparable, and unchanging Christ, not on the shifting shadows of man-made philosophy.

Paul’s suffering on their behalf brought him joy. He saw his own personal passion of The Christ, not as a burden to bear, but a privilege to share. As a God-made, not a man-made minister of the church, Paul thought it totally proper to suffer as Jesus had suffered.  He responded to it in prayer to bear joy. He chose not to react to it and reap bitterness.

 Prayer provides God-made minsters with sterner stuff. Those who are prayerless will inevitably fear the pain, and never embrace it. They will serve only for their own gain, and within their own comfort zone.  Prayerless people will let them do it, and promote them for it. Paul prayed for an infusion of joy when there was an intrusion of suffering.

My own call to ministry came at a very early age. I was eight years old when I sensed God drawing me to a ministry in the local church. My Dad was my pastor, and though I grew up in the family business, I never felt the pressure to follow in his footsteps. I often heard my Dad say to young men seeking God’s direction for their lives, “If you can stay out of the ministry, stay out.”

It sounded like great advice, and I took it to heart.  After negotiating with God for 16 years, I found myself on staff at Sagamore Hill Baptist Church of Fort Worth, Texas working for Dr. W. Fred Swank. Notice I didn’t say serving with him. I was working for him.  Big difference.

For 42 years Dr. Swank had marched a couple of hundred “preacher boys” through his unique boot camp. At 67 years of age he was not interested in the concept of shared ministry or having anyone take him to school on their personal philosophy of ministry. It was his way or the highway. Those who thought otherwise were free to prove him wrong, somewhere else.

Dr. Swank was not afraid to speak his mind. He had developed it into an art form. One day I asked him how he had been able to see so many young men enter the ministry in his church. He said, “I called some, and God called some. The one’s God called seemed to make it.”  Honest man.

Paul was a God-called, God-made minister, not a self-made man. As a minister he had one mission. Serve the church. He considered suffering or being inconvenienced in this service as his fair share of sacrifice. It was his way of “filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions.” V. 24b

This does not suggest that Paul thought the work of Christ had not been completed on the cross. It was an expression of his passion for carrying out the Great Commission The Risen Christ had proclaimed before His Ascension. The Spirit of Christ at Pentecost infused the church with the power to carry out The Commission.

The integrity of the minister is at stake when things are faced with serving the church when things are at their worst, not when things are at their best. In every sense of the word, a God made minister is able to show up and say to the church in a crisis, “We are Him, here.”

” By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world.” I John 4:17

The Church describes a gathering of people called out their private homes into a public setting to come to make a decision and to take unified action regarding a pressing matter.

A person may well be able to engage in private worship God on the golf course, deer hunting or sitting in front of a TV set. They are not a part of the church until they join others to worship together, and coordinate their service within a unified ministry that is far greater than their own personal effort.

“The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. “ Aristotle

The Church is an expression of The Spirit’s synergy in the lives of a group of people. It is a body of people, not just one person.

Note to self: Don’t be a Lone Ranger leaving a silver bullet, one crisis at a time. Join the Body of Christ to amass far greater fire-power. Too many people see themselves as the Lone Ranger, when in truth they are more like Barney Fife. They talk big, but have one bullet in their pocket, and nothing in their gun.

The Body: This is not a mere reference to physical, human anatomy. The word,“soma” is used of a number of people closely united into one society, or family. It can be a social, ethical, or spiritual body. The church, as Christ’s Body is an expression of the character and the conduct of Jesus.

The Head: Jesus is the Head of The Body. The church is His body, and He has called it out to assemble in a public place to communicate, deliberate, celebrate, and activate.  The assembly requires His direction, protection and correction.

The Minister: This word is transliterated in English as “Deacon.” It originally referred to one who executes the commands of another. At its most literal translation it refers to someone seen hastening through the dust. It provides an image of a person who is not dust-covered by laziness or lack of service, but is running down the path so fast, that their obedience is observed by the cloud of dust they are raising, as they run in response to the command of the master.

The Minister is a steward, not an owner. Prayer minimizes “MINE” and values “THINE” as the driving force in the heart of the minister. Praying preachers are reminded daily that they are hands in pail of water. Allowed to remain, they can stir things up a little. If God moves their hand from the pail, the water calms down.  TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Reconciler

“For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.” Colossians 1:20

In 1950’s Southern Baptist life, graduating from “Sunbeams” to “Royal Ambassadors” was a right of passage for every boy. It offered a chance to play baseball, but it presented a steep learning curve. The R.A. theme song changed dramatically from “Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam” to “Oh be ye reconciled, thus sayeth my Lord and King, Oh be ye reconciled to Him.” It was not quite as comforting as the words “I’ll be a Sunbeam for Him.” This may be why this battle cry never really caught hold, and was never a match for the bold G.A. Anthem, “We’ve a story to tell to the nations.” But I digress.

Praying in the name of the incomparable Christ, reminds the believer that there is no continuous fullness of The Spirit, without being regularly reconciled with God. Fullness communicates quantity, but reconciliation establishes purity. For someone to desire more of The Spirit, but have no interest in the character of Christ is not love. It is lust. Love is released by reconciliation, but lust defies satisfaction.

Fullness of The Spirit releases the moral purity of The Son when it establishes peace with God. Being right with God requires reconciliation between God and man. Prayer maintains the established peace with God, and prepares a praying person for fullness and usefulness.

Reconciliation begins with prayer, and initiates peace with God. Prayer maintains this reconciliation, and sustains the peace of God. This word translated “reconcile” means to restore completely to a former state of harmony.

Note sot self: Toot your own horn, but follow the leader of the band.

“Do not have your concert first, and then tune your instrument afterwards. Begin the day with the Word of God and prayer, and get first of all into harmony with Him.”  Hudson Taylor

One of the great sales pitches of any physical weight loss program is the presentation of “Before and After” pictures. There is nothing quite so compelling as proof positive of the results experienced by those who have used the product or followed the workout regimen.  What is not so well advertised is the answer to the question, “Where are they now?” Initiating a plan is the first step. Maintaining and sustaining the results requires diligence, and a daily walk down a long road, not an easy one.

In the spiritual world, what was once established at a point in time is much more difficult to sustain over the long haul. Still, when sin is reconciled “Before and After” results are very clear in the mind of God.

“And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds…” v. 21

Prayerless people take the breath out of a life of reconciliation that began in prayer. They may have prayed for the peace of God at some point in their lives, but chronic prayerlessness breeds alienation from God, not reconciliation with Him.

Talking their way through every crisis, rather than praying their way through life, prayerless people trade the peace of God for the dubious luxury of giving God a piece of their mind. Speaking one’s mind or having half a mind to give God a piece of it, is not the same as humbly praying for God’s direction, protection and correction.

“Yet now He has reconciled you in His fleshly body through death.” v. 22a

Prayer enables a person to receive new life in Christ, based upon His death on the cross.  Continuous prayer breathes new life into a reconciled person’s hunger to die to self. Praylessness feeds the foolishness of putting more rouge on the corpse and calling it life. Praying in the name of The Reconciler, puts “MY WILL” to death, and breathes new life into “THY WILL.”

Jesus lives, NOW, to present His followers to His Father. He FORMERLY died on the cross, but left the tomb, and is NOW seated at the right hand of The Father. Jesus stands in the gap for the children of God. He died once, but He intercedes continuously. The children of God are reconciled by His crucifixion, but their reconciliation is sustained by His intercession.

The Spirit fills those who are reconciled to God through Christ. Prayerless people are prideful people who leave sin unconfessed, and remain unfilled. The fullness of The Spirit is not about getting more of God. Fullness is about making more of oneself available to be reconciled to God. What The Reconciler began on the cross, He desires to continue. Don’t look for the thrill of the fill, without going in for the kill. Death to self precedes the fullness of The Spirit.

“…to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach.” v. 22b

Prayer initially grounds the prayer warrior on the high ground of reconciliation. Praying maintains and sustains the prayer warrior’s stand on “the hope of the gospel.”

H.O.P.E. = Having Our Perspective Elevated

“If indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul was made a minister.” v. 23

Paul lived to serve. He didn’t live to lead, nor did he live to preach. God made him a minister. He was not a self-appointed apostle with a self-made ministry. Paul’s life had the handprints of God all over his mind and ministry. If his ministry appeared to diminish, and the lives of his disciples flourished, his ministry was accomplished.

”Made a minister” was more to Paul than a title to put on a business card or a means to exercise authority and jurisdiction over people. It was a call to intercede for those who were reconciled to God in Christ. He lived to see them continue on in life, the way they were once reconciled to God, through death. Prayer and death to self are friends.

Paul never waivered in preaching the hope people have to enter into a relationship with God, by turning to Jesus as The Reconciler. Sustaining prayer was a sign of their appreciation for what The Reconciler did for them, and it was their only hope of constant communication with The Father. It still is. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Image

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things have been created through Him and for Him.  He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church, and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.” Colossians 1: 15-18

Once again Oscar night has come and gone. It is the annual “Super-Selfie” Hollywood takes of itself and presents to the world. This year’s annual exercise in self-congratulation was followed by a tsunami slobber fest of appreciation for one actor’s generic shout out to God.

Well-spoken, heart-felt, and awkwardly received, it caused quite a stir.

It reminded me of the late 60s and early 70’s when rock and roll singers would squeeze an obscure reference to Jesus into one of their songs. Immediately there would be a breathless surge from the ranks of Jesus People to elevate a new hero to worship. There always seemed to be a gnawing hunger to be validated by the culture they were trying to escape.  The heros didn’t always prove to believe what they sang or said.

Consider this warning, from an aging rocker. Words mean things, but they don’t always mean what you think they mean. People do what they believe in, and all the rest is just verbal gymnastics.  When people mention the name of God without the slightest reference to Jesus, don’t anoint them Christian of the Year. Time will tell if their use of God’s name is cultural name-dropping or if they truly give Jesus “first place in everything.” v. 18

Note to self: Jesus has earned first place. Give it to Him.

“He is the image of the invisible God…” Jesus is not the pronoun of a perpetual expletive. Hollywood has often shown a fondness for using the name Jesus, as long as it is framed as a curse word.  Recent successes of Christian films have put a dent in this freight train, but are not likely to knock it off the track.  The real money is still put into films that curse the name of Jesus or delete it altogether. Cursing Jesus is the new politically correct F-bomb, and Allah gets a pass. But I digress.

Paul’s exceptional expression of honor and respect for The Incomparable Christ provides a timely reminder to contemporary Christians about The Son of God. When the movie comes out, make sure you compare it to the original script. You will find it in The Scriptures.

Jesus is not a curse or a concept. He is The Image of God. As a man, he expressed the character, and exercised the authority of the living God. By praying to God, in the name of Jesus, His Spirit takes believing prayer and moves Jesus out of the past tense of a religious icon, and into the present tense of consistent companionship.

Praying in the name of Jesus raises Jesus to first place in the eyes of His own followers, and drives His enemies crazy.  Through prayer Jesus is no longer positioned as a victim, but The Victor who…

·      REVEALS GOD TO MAN “…the image of the invisible God…”
·      REVEALS GOD IN MAN “the firstborn of all creation…”
·      LIVES TO CREATE “…by Him all things were created…”
·      BRIDGES HEAVEN & EARTH“…both in the heavens & on earth…”
·      PRECEDES ALL LIFE “…He is before all things…”
·      HOLDS LIFE TOGETHER “…In Him all things hold together…”
·      LEADS THE CHURCH“…He is also head of the body, the church…”
·      BEGINS ALL LIFE “…He is the beginning…”
·      CONQUERS ALL DEATH“…the firstborn of the dead…”
·      REIGNS AS CHAMPION “He Himself will come to have first place in everything.”

Pray in the name of Jesus. It puts the spotlight on The Champion, not on the culture. When the system or self-centeredness overshadows The Savior, the image of God is shoved off the stage. Prayer focuses on The Savior. Talk elevates self. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Rescue

“For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”  Colossians 1:13

One of the great surprises of seminary was the little piece of information that The Scripture was written without use of punctuation, paragraphs, chapter headings, or verse structure. The manuscripts were written in what appear to be a writer’s dream, one great run-on sentence. In light of this, perhaps he most bitter pill to swallow at seminary was the dubious honor of being introduced to the author Kate Turabian. Her little book was the standard for excellence for any paper turned in to the professor. Every time I saw the red ink on my paper, I wanted to turn in one of Paul’s manuscripts and see what Kate would have done with it. Can I get a witness?

Unbroken in sequence or sentence structure is Paul’s prayerful spirit of gratitude for “the inheritance of the saints of Light.” He is filled with love for Jesus, and thanksgiving to God for rescue and redemption, through the forgiveness of his sin.  Paul’s words are divided by verse structure and chapter headings, but his attitude of gratitude is like an express freight train under a full head of steam. It is barreling down the track, and fully loaded with thanks.

“…giving thanks to the Father…for He has rescued us…” v. 12-13

Paul never got over being forgiven. A good memory is a great cure for pride. Prayer reminded Paul that without the “forgiveness of sin” there is no rescue, transfer, or redemption.

Prayerless people tend to believe one of two lies. They either believe they don’t need to be forgiven or they become convinced that they deserve to be forgiven. Prayerful people live in a state of gratitude for being forgiven. The border of the state of forgiveness begins at the sign of humility. Entering The Kingdom of The Son requires a walk past The Cross and The Tomb, before coming to The Promise. Skipping these guideposts cause prideful people miss The Rescue. Forgetting these essential turning points, even forgiven people lose the joy of The Redemption.  

David a man after God’s own heart, allowed his pride to inflate his personal preferences and to overshadow sound wisdom. When confronted with his sin, he responded in humility, and prayed…

“Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You.” Psalms 51:11-13

The Rescue: This describes deliverance, freedom, escape, and is rooted in a word that describes flowing. The Rescue requires a deliverer. Jesus pours out God’s love into empty people to receive escape from sin, a relationship with The Savior, and a transfer to safety.

The Transfer: Antihistamine is more familiar than metahistamine, but they both refer to an action applied to a stand. Antihistamine moves against an infection that is causing a blockage in the nasal passage that interferes or stands in the way of breathing. Replacing “Anti” with “Meta” describes a change of location of the stand. With forgiveness there is no place to stand any longer in rebellion against God. Forgiveness transfers a Christian to place of peace with God.

The Redemption: This refers to a release gained by the payment of a ransom. Deliverance requires Jesus to be The Deliverer. Liberation calls for Him to be The Liberator. The Blood of Jesus was the payment, or the ransom for sin. It was made by the sinless Son to satisfy the holy character of The Father.  Holiness cannot embrace sinfulness.

The Forgiveness:  Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door of redemption. Pardon for sin does not minimize it or rationalize it. It forgives sin. There is a release from bondage or imprisonment from the penalty of sin, because God allows the sacrifice of His Son to take the place of those who sinned against Him. He lets go of the sin, as if they had never been committed. Commission of sin is replaced by remission of sin. God no longer holds the offense against the offender. He lets go of the sin, and embraces the forgiven. No forgiveness. No fellowship.

The Sin:  Missing the mark, or falling short of the target, at the slightest level disqualifies a person from entering The Kingdom of Jesus.  In archery competition, one sin, and an archer is disqualified. Sin is serious business to God, and when He let’s go of it to forgive, He expects His children to let go of it to live. Holding on to what God has forgiven is evidence of pride and rebellion, not humility and forgiveness.

There is no greater need in the church today than a willingness to take sin seriously at every level. The church must not miss God’s best by moving the target closer to their poor aim. The target is the character of God, and it is through Jesus that forgiveness for falling short of God’s holiness is received. To accept less than God’s best is to cheapen the price paid by His Son. Precious blood provides no cheap grace.

Paul never got over being forgiven. His gratitude knew no bounds. Prayerful people are grateful people who let go of what God forgives. Prideful people never let go of sin, and transfer it from the past into their present and call it peace with God.

Prayerful people let go of sin, and take joy in knowing God no longer holds it against them. Prideful people pretend sin never happened or if it did, it wasn’t their fault. Prayerful people aren’t interested in coming down on the right side of history. They agree with God on what He says is wrong. Prayerless people attempt to appear generous, and change the price tags on the cost of sin, but they only cheapen the price Jesus paid to forgive it. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.  Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.” I Corinthians 6:9-11

The Request

“We have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints of Light.” Colossians 1:9b-12

Paul’s prayer will never make it on the best seller list of throw pillows, trinkets, and T-shirts found at the local Christian bookstore. It can’t be squeezed onto a bracelet or a bumper sticker and be read without a magnifying glass. It won’t be found on the laundry list of most prayer meetings, because it doesn’t ask for health or wealth. Pray it anyway.

Paul rejoiced when Epaphras informed him of “your love in the Spirit.” (v. 8 ) He was thrilled to hear what God was doing in the lives of the Christians of Colossae. His investment had not been in vain. The fruit of his labor remained.

Paul said he had been praying for these loving people “since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints.” (v.4) Planting a seed in the lives of others spurred Paul to pray for the fruit of love to continue to grow.

Paul stated that the gospel, they had received was not a dead log of dogma, but a living tree “constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in your also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth.” (v. 6)

The Request now prayed by Paul, was for those who have received this fire of The Spirit to grow in grace until their faith glowed in a dark world as “saints of Light.”

He prayed for them to “be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” They already had a spark of love for God, and a love for the saints. Paul prayed to fan the flame, and to add fuel to the fire of The Spirit in the lives of these loving people.

Where there is the fruit of The Spirit, the love of Christ abounds. This love is vertical and horizontal. This love hungers for God, and embraces others. It is constantly growing, upward and outward. Anything less is imitation fruit, and an unbalanced expression of The Good News.

“The fruit of the Spirit is love….” Galatians 5:2

The Request is not a poetic hit list of platitudes.  It is a prayer breathed intensely and strategically onto the lives of the early Christians to fan the flame, and fuel the fire in their hearts. Paul prayed for them to…

1.    Be Filled
The knowledge of God’s will is the only guide to spiritual wisdom and understanding. There is a difference between skim milk, and rich cream. There is great danger in watering down the milk of The Word. Never settle for God-Lite.

2.    Walk Worthy
The love relationship with Jesus is marked by a consistent walk with Him, not merely eloquent talk about Him.  Walking in a manner worthy of the Lord “pleases Him in all respects.” It never pleases Him to have people talk about Him who have no interest in walking with Him.

3.    Bear Fruit
The fruit and the root are inseparable. There are seasons when fruit is abundant. There are times when it is dormant. When it becomes non-existent, there has been a disconnection. The root never changes. The fruit is essential. When there is no fruit, prayer provides the fresh connection with The Root.

4.    Inspect Fruit
There is a difference between good fruit and bad fruit. An abundance of the former can be impacted by contact with a small amount of the latter. Judge every good work by its capacity to produce the right fruit, not just make a great effort. Busy-ness can lead to barrenness. When it does, start praying and pruning.

5.    Know God
Knowing God and knowing about God do not mean the same thing. A keen mind and a hot heart are crucial to knowing God and making Him known. To know Him and to make Him known flows from a personal experience with God’s love, not just a great education about it. Get a good education. Get over it. Get with God.

6.    Grow Strong
God’s strength is perfected and released through the weakness of anyone who will admit they need “more of THEE and less of ME.”. Living on yesterday’s manna and reliving past victories are no match for the power of an enemy that feeds on prideful people.  

7.    Stand Firm
Standing firm and suffering long with a joyous spirit mark the Christian who has attained the maturity of a seasoned, battle-tested warrior. There is no panic at the sight of the enemy or the sound of battle. The prayer warrior closes ranks and draws near to The Champion for the duration of the conflict.

8.    Give Thanks
The family of God is an amazing creation. The love of The Father poured out upon the lost world through The Son. This was a shock to Satan. The sacrifice of The Son satisfied The Father’s character, and qualified the children to share in the inheritance. They were no longer lost in the dark. Through the love of Jesus they became “The Saints in Light.”

Talking about the darkness falls short of thanking God for The Light. Let it shine! Let it shine! Let it shine! TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!