The 5,000

Ø “Looking toward Heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves, He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.”  Matthew 14:19

Ø “And looking up toward Heaven, He blessed the food.” Mark 6:41

Ø “Looking up to Heaven, He blessed them.” Luke 9:16

Ø “Having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated.” John 6:11

Giving thanks to God for the food provided by a young boy is the one common denominator in all four Gospel records of the miracle of The Feeding of the Five Thousand. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John revealed Jesus asked God’s blessing on the food before distributing it to His disciples to pass on to the people.

John’s account provides keen insight into the mind of Christ, and shows how His process always had a purpose. The Son pointed seekers to The Father as the source of their provision.

“A large crowd followed Him, because they saw the signs which He was performing on those who were sick.” (v. 2) Jesus asked Phillip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that they may eat?” (v.5)

“This He was saying to test him, for He Himself knew what He was going to do.” (v.6)

Jesus always does. Saying the blessing, giving thanks, or saying grace are all expressions of one of the earliest forms of prayer taught to a child. Children are not born with a streak of gratitude, but an attitude of entitlement. Wise parents teach their children to thank God for their food, but don’t stop teaching their children how to pray, until their prayer life matures and develops into so much more.  But I digress.

Three of the Gospel accounts record that Jesus looked towards Heaven, before He prayed. The Bible does not mince words, nor does it waste words.  Words mean things. Looking towards Heaven is not a throw away line, but a lifeline to the source of answered prayer, The Father in Heaven.

When Jesus was asked by His disciples, “Lord, teach us to pray,” He began with the words, “Our Father, who art in Heaven.”  Jesus turned to The Father in believing prayer whenever His life, and ministry was on the line.

The Father’s children will follow His Son’s lead into the arena of believing prayer, and look toward Heaven. If their lives reveal no heart for prayer, they do not have the life of Jesus in their hearts.  Full of themselves, and not of His Spirit, prayerless people do not look toward Heaven, but wander into the tall grass searching for man-made answers to man-made problems. Prayerlessness never ends well.

"Most Christians pray sometimes, with some prayers and some degree of perseverance, for some of God's people. But to replace 'some' with 'all' in each of these expressions would be to introduce us to a new dimension of prayer." John R.W. Stott

"…Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints" (Ephesians 6:18 ESV)

Jesus placed His disciples, in an impossible situation, ON PURPOSE. This reveals the mind of Christ, the heart of God, and the purpose of prayer. Prayer is not about pleading with God to provide fair weather for the church picnic. Prayer is about turning the impossible into the HIMpossible.

“God’s purpose for your life is to knock you, out of you.” “Wild Bill” Stafford

The sooner God’s people get on board with what The Father has in mind for His children, the sooner they will embrace prayer as part of His process for maturing them, not pampering them.  Jesus knew exactly what He was doing when He asked one of His disciples to meet the needs of 5,000 people. Jesus knew the score. He was looking for His disciples to get into the game. He still is.

Panic may not be the purest motive for believing prayer, but it is a great motivator for it. Coming to the end of a rope is not a call to make more rope. It is a call to prayer. Jesus knew Phillip was aware of prayer as a ritual, and a sign of the righteous on feast days. He just didn’t believe prayer was the breath of life every day.

Jesus brought His disciples face to face with reality, and pointed their eyes to The Father. The miracle of the Feeding of the 5,000 was not the distribution of fish and bread, but the grace of God flowing into an impossible situation in the form of answered prayer.

“Peace is the blessing of believing prayer.” Don Miller

Recently, I walked my 92 year-old father back to his room at his retirement center. He softly spoke these words to me.  I can’t put them into context, except to say, they were on his heart, and they came out of his mouth at a time I needed to hear them. Thanks, Dad.

When faced with an impossible crisis, a difficult choice or an exasperating person, even believing prayer may begin in real panic, but it leads to real peace. Peace does not come from the answer to a prayer, but from the blessing of The Presence of The Father in the midst of the crisis, the choice, and the contrary. Where there is prayer, The Father is there.

Jesus faced the impossible, by turning to The Father in prayer, and thanking Him for what He had already provided. A small boy’s lunch was an unlikely source for a great miracle. God sometimes delivers His greatest gifts in very small packages. A baby in a manger was The Father’s signature statement on this truth.

The attitude of gratitude releases the favor of The Father to step in and to do more than a prayerless person could ever imagine. Jesus prayed, and The Father spread His favor, and the disciples fed the people. Believing prayer turns panic into peace, and the impossible into the HIMpossible. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Mountain

“It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God. “ Luke 6:12

Pulling an “all-nighter” is college talk for cramming for an exam. Jamming information into an empty head in a short period of time may not be studying, but it beats failing. Been there done that.

Praying all night is seldom turned to with the same consistency as worrying all night, fishing all night, driving all night, or a host of other things that people are willing to go without sleep to perform. Jesus chose praying all night to deal with His enemies and to intercede for His friends. His followers would be well served to follow His lead.

Luke’s Gospel records more about the prayer life of Jesus than any other writer in the New Testament. Though he was not an eye-witness to the earthly ministry of Jesus, and never privileged to hear Him pray in person, the prayer life of Jesus had a powerful impact on Luke’s life.

Within the context of a crisis, Jesus always turned to prayer. “It was at this time,” Jesus was squeezed between the rage of His enemies and the selection of His disciples.

When the Pharisees saw Jesus heal a man’s withered hand on The Sabbath, they simultaneously lost their minds, and found their “reason to accuse Him.” While they spewed and accused, Jesus “went off to the mountain to pray.”

“But they themselves were filled with rage, and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.” Luke 6:11

Praying throughout the night, on The Mountain was not a matter of escaping his enemies by taking a religious retreat. Jesus prayed all night to fight for His friends, without being distracted by His enemies.

All night on The Mountain, Jesus prayed and battled, for the souls of twelve weak men. All would serve alongside of him, during his earthly ministry.  One would betray Him, and another would deny Him. When He went to The Cross, all would desert Him, save one. These apostles would be privileged to follow Him on earth, and responsible to carry out His mission after He ascended into Heaven.

Note to self: Whenever there is a crisis of leadership, in the church, in the city or in the country, it is time to pray. Follow Jesus.

“And when day came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also called as apostles.” Luke 6:13

Recently I was asked to complete an 18-part questionnaire, sent by a Pastor Search Committee seeking a reference on behalf of a dear friend. Reading it was like waking up on the last day of school, and discovering a term paper I had forgotten to write. It was put together with all of the best intentions. The flashing light on my dashboard was how little emphasis was placed on the prayer life of the next man that would lead this church.  Only one of the 18 questions dealt with this vital area of leadership. Jesus placed a high priority on it. But I digress.

Jesus entered into prolonged and intense prayer before He selected The Twelve. Praying through and after the selection of leaders within the church would be a vast improvement over what most churches do to nominate and elect people to places of responsibility.

A prayerful selection process must not be replaced by prayerless elections that are merely popularity contests. A prayerless process seldom discovers prayerful leaders, but it often empowers powerful politicians.

The Mountain was a place of refuge, but it was not an escape hatch. Jesus went to The Mountain to pray. His enemies were active. Jesus chose not to be defensive, but pro-active. Turning his back on His enemies was not a way of running away from those who hated Him.  Praying all night was His way of turning to His Father who loved Him.

The devil is an accuser. He throws the fiery darts of his accusations against The Father’s children to see if they will stick.  People who are constant critics, and perpetual putdown artists do the devil’s work. They may not be evil personified, but they are handpuppets of the evil one.

“At this time” Jesus chose not to engage His enemies or escape them. He interceded for them. He never stopped. With His last breath, on The Cross, Jesus would gasp out in prayer.

“Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”  

Prolonged, private prayer is the climate in which forgiveness towards enemies is cultivated and intercession for friends is rooted in the life of a prayer warrior. Jesus went to The Mountain to pray, driven by the conspiracies of His enemies and His concern for the weaknesses of His friends.

Praying throughout the night, Jesus turned his focus away from his enemies, and towards The Father, while interceding on behalf of His friends.  Prayer focuses on The Father’s solution, not the enemy’s pollution.

Jesus did not hide His head in the sand like the proverbial ostrich. He turned His eyes towards The Father in Heaven. Prolonged prayer enables the prayer warrior to focus upon The Champion, in the middle of the battle, and not the enemy.

Praying throughout the day maintains a clear connection and consistent companionship with Jesus. Still, from the evidence of The Savior’s life, there are times when prolonged periods of uninterrupted prayer are needed. Breaking the power of The Accuser is found by praying, and entering The Presence of God.

Going to The Mountain clears the air, and clears the mind of the prayer warrior from the accusations and the conspiracies of the enemy. In the clamor and confusion created by forces of evil, it is impossible for prayerless voices to shout down the sound of the enemy camp.

Praying all night removed the voices of His accusers, and enabled Jesus to hear the voice of The Father.  Praying will improve the hearing of His followers. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Wilderness

“But the news about Him was spreading even farther, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.” Luke 5:15-16

The scene depicted in this passage of Scripture is nothing less than a dream come true, for most preachers. With everything going right all around Him, Jesus got up and left town.

When Jesus left for The Wilderness, it was no fit of encore anxiety. It was his personal habit, and deeply ingrained in His character. Withdrawing to The Wilderness was a clear reflection of His dependence upon private intimacy with The Father. Jesus valued intimacy with The Father over the intensity of public ministry.

 “But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness to the wilderness and pray.”

Jesus made a habit of slipping away to pray. Those who fail to follow His lead will fail to deal with the temptation of celebrity. They soon slip up and stray. His followers, but especially His preachers should follow His lead, and get away to pray, before they slip up and stray.

Public ministry sometimes leads a preacher into the spotlight, and blinds Him to the danger of stepping too close to the flame of the footlights. Those who don’t make time to pray are drawn towards the light like a moth to a flame. Mesmerized by the siren sound of their own voice, they head towards the rocks. This only happens…EVERY TIME.

There is genuine danger in spending too much time on the stage, and too little time in The Wilderness. Enjoying the sound of one’s own voice, and walking into one’s own afterglow leads to a fall. The wise preacher will follow Jesus and withdraw from the crowd. The Wilderness provides the climate where weary followers can listen to The Father’s voice to receive His fresh direction, protection and correction.

I recall having lunch with a famous pastor who was in transition. He had resigned a prestigious pastorate and taken a sales position to provide for his family. I asked him what caused him to make such a drastic change in his life. His response remains one of the more prophetic statements I have ever heard. The following quote is a summary of his remarks, and a faithful tribute to him and to his journey.

“There was a time when there wasn’t a banquet, barn raising or barbecue in this state that wasn’t complete unless I was on the program. I began to enjoy hearing my own introductions, and reading my press clippings. The more I was on stage, the more blinded I was by the seductive light of celebrity. Eventually, I fell off the stage and found myself in the orchestra pit.”

It pleases me to say that this preacher has been restored to active and effective service. His journey has been painful to watch. It must have been excruciating to live.  God’s grace really is amazing. But I digress.

Who needs The Wilderness? Every Christ follower must continue walking with Jesus. He has never rescinded His first call.  “Follow Me!” Jesus often went to The Wilderness. The wise go wild, not mild. Get with Jesus.

What is The Wilderness? It is separated space, away from others, where there is enough solitude to offer enough silence to hear from God, not others.

Where is The Wilderness? It may be a distant place, but it can be as close as a chair, a corner, a closet, or a corner of a table in a coffee shop. It may be a place or a time of day.

When do I go to The Wilderness? OFTEN. The word used for “often slip away” communicates a spirit of compliance and a willingness to let go of what God has provided. Those who have success in ministry will not try to hold onto it with a white-knuckled grip. Those who experience failure will not consider it a permanent condition. Anytime success or failure interferes with personal intimacy with The Father, it is a time of crisis. Both conditions offer an opportunity to go to The Wilderness.

Preachers must hear from The Father, as well as gifted commentators. Downloading sermon notes of the guru of the week may provide something to say on Sunday, but only spending time alone with The Father will anoint a preacher with a fresh word from God.

How can I get to The Wilderness? This is a question each person must answer on an individual basis. At the very least, it requires the shifting of priorities, and the carving of time out of schedules already tightly packed with what appear to be very urgent matters. Seasons of life change. How one gets to The Wilderness may change, but the discernment between the urgent and the important is found in The Wilderness.

In The Wilderness prayer warriors are, “deprived of the aid and protection of others, especially of friends, acquaintances, and kindred.” Blue Letter Bible Commentary

There is no easy road to The Wilderness. Obstacles and excuses block the way to the flow of milk and honey. Go there anyway.

Prayer matters because intimacy mattered to Jesus. He chose what was important over what was urgent, and found a time and a place to get alone His Father in The Wilderness. Those who follow Jesus will often get away with The Father in The Wilderness. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Priority

“In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.” Mark 1:35

Mark’s Gospel reveals the habit of Jesus that undergirded The Priority He placed on private, personal prayer. Before His day got away from Him, Jesus met privately with God, before He undertook public ministry.

Luke the physician and historian, served alongside of Paul and Mark, during the aged apostle’s first imprisonment in Rome. There is little doubt that Mark shared with Luke the habit of Jesus to set aside time for intimate communication with The Father, before anyone or anything else could interfere with The Priority of a private conversation between The Father and The Son. Luke recorded,  

“When day came, Jesus left and went to a secluded place, and the crowds were searching for Him, and came to Him and tired to keep Him from getting away from them.” Luke 4:42

The Reformer, Marin Luther, gave his best three hours to God early in the morning. Those who pray before their day begins,  find they serve more effectively throughout the day. Prayerless intensity for the work of The Lord is a poor substitute for prayerful intimacy with The Lord of the work. Prayer warriors  learn to value intimacy over intensity.

“Prayer is the intimate communication between the Heavenly Father and His child.” Don Miller, Pastor, Preacher & Prayer Warrior

Setting aside time to meet with God, early in the morning, may appear to be a forced form of communication, especially for those who aren’t blessed with a biological clock that is set to rise before dawn. The world seems to be divided among those who are morning people, and those who are afflicted with morning sickness.  Can I get a witness?

Rising early is not a major problem for some people. They may not have a stronger desire for prayer. It may be a sleeping disorder. On the other hand, the snooze button was invented on purpose, not by accident. People do love their sleep. The issue for Jesus was one of a private priority, not personal preference.  He set one, and discarded the other.

Since The Father never sleeps, it is doubtful that early risers are held any closer to His heart than those who start their day a bit later. Still, Jesus started His day with The Father. Before He allowed anyone else to have a piece of Him, Jesus wanted to be at peace with His Father.  People at peace with The Father are not as likely to give people who disrupt their schedule a piece of their mind.

The Priority of prayer early in the day is not about The Father having time to meet with His children. It is about His children making time to meet with Him. They get with The Father before anyone else has a shot at setting the pace or suggesting a sense of direction for their day.

Perhaps the most pretentious of self-righteous people are those who have to remind those around them that they have just had their “Quiet Time.” These kind of announcements are more irritating than inspiring.

Note to self: Someone who has just spent time in The Presence of God shouldn’t have to announce it.  If people can’t tell it, by the look on your face, don’t get in their faces and tell them about it. Jesus was thinking of you when He said, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men.” Matthew 6:1

Those who have set aside time to meet with The Father in the morning may begin this habit out of sense of necessity, but it soon develops into intimacy. The fondness for The Father’s comforting Presence, becomes far greater than their own personal preference for a comforting mattress.  Poet Ralph Kushman expressed it this way.

“I met God in the morning When my day was at its best, And His Presence came like sunrise Like a glory in my breast.

All day long the Presence lingered, All day long He stayed with me, And we sailed in perfect calmness O'er a very troubled sea.

Other ships were blown and battered, Other ships were sore distressed, But the winds that seemed to drive them Brought to us a peace and rest.

Then I thought of other mornings, With a keen remorse of mind, When I, too, had loosed the moorings With the Presence left behind.

So I think I know the secret, Learned from many a troubled way; You must seek Him in the morning If you want Him through the day.”

Reformers, poets and preachers have all discovered that there is no substitute for establishing The Priority of Prayer. Robert Murray M’Cheyne, 1813-1843, Scottish pastor who died at 29 years of age, discovered in his short life this profound truth.

"I ought to pray before seeing any one. Often when I sleep long, or meet with others early, it is eleven or twelve o'clock before I begin secret prayer. This is a wretched system. It is unscriptural. Christ arose before day and went into a solitary place. David says: 'Early will I seek thee'; 'Thou shalt early hear my voice.' Family prayer loses much of its power and sweetness, and I can do no good to those who come to seek from me. The conscience feels guilty, the soul unfed, the lamp not trimmed. Then when in secret prayer the soul is often out of tune, I feel it is far better to begin with God—to see his face first, to get my soul near him before it is near another."

Making time and having time are not mutually exclusive. The habit of the former is closely related to the availability of the latter. Anyone interested in setting The Priority of Prayer is going to have to discover that time of the day when it is most conducive for them to establish unbroken communication with The Father. It is rarely the same for everyone, and it is not likely to remain unchanged throughout one’s life. The point is…PRAY!

Setting The Priority means that something else will have to be interrupted or discarded to make time for prayer. Those who set aside time to get with God are rewarded. Meeting with God, before anyone else or any other interruption is worth the price that is paid to set The Priority.

Jesus prayed and paid it all. Those who pray at all soon learn to do so A.S.A.P. They gain a fresh understanding of the value of intimate communication with The Father.  TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Baptism

“Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He was praying, Heaven was opened.” Luke 3:21

The Gospel of Luke records one of the earliest examples of the prayer life of Jesus. It should come as no surprise that it also documents one of The Father’s earliest answers to His Son’s prayer.

“And the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, ‘You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.’ “ Luke 3:22

The powerful energy and synergy of prayer is revealed within the context of these two brief verses. The Son prays, The Spirit descends, and The Father commends.

Prayer is the catalytic converter that transforms the doctrinal concept of The Trinity into a powerful expression of The Presence of God. There is simply nothing else in the world like prayer to usher in His Presence. Prayer brings The Father, The Son and The Spirit together like nothing else ever will.

“Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized.” V. 21a

Prayer is the essential key to any Spiritual Awakening on a personal and corporate level.  Prayer thrives in the climate of obedience. Prayer expresses a spirit of dependence upon The Father, expecting Him to respond to the needs of His child.

As Jesus launched His public ministry, He identified with the humble spirit of repentant people who were responding to the message of John the Baptist. While they were expressing their own public symbol of repentance, He engaged in His own private ministry of intercession.

As the sinless Son of God, Jesus had no personal need to repent of any sin. Still, His Spirit was drawn to the spirit of repentance of God’s people. Within this context of the private conviction and public repentance of God’s people, Jesus was praying.  

Praying led The Son to identify with the people, and yield to the symbol of baptism. It was not a symbol of His repentance of sin, but a sign of his humility and obedience to The Father. In no small measure, His heart must have been moved with compassion to identify with those whose hearts were tender to The Spirit’s conviction of sin.

“And while He was praying, Heaven was opened.” V. 21b

Jesus began His ministry in prayer, but perhaps more importantly, He continues His ministry by intercession in the present tense. He is seated at the right hand of The Father. The Son lives to intercede.

“Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:25

There is one glaring omission of Mel Gibson’s movie, “The Passion of The Christ.” There is only a faint suggestion of The Resurrection, but there is no reference at all to The Risen Christ’s ministry of intercession.

Those who wear a crucifix to honor The Savior’s passion in the past tense, would be well served to remember His intercession in the present tense. Perhaps replacing the wearing of a crucifix with another symbol, nail-scarred, praying hands, would improve a believer’s perspective on the ministry of the living Christ.

Note to self: Jesus is not on the cross. He died. He was buried, and raised from the dead. He is seated at the right hand of The Father. He is not continually dying on a cross. He is praying for you.  When you pray, He fills your life with His Presence. PRAY!

“Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.” Romans 8:34

The Bible clearly reveals, when Jesus prays, Heaven opens. This is the point of prayer. Prayer is not about sending God a “selfie.” Prayer doesn’t give Heaven a glimpse of your life on earth. Prayer brings Heaven to earth, and makes a difference in your life.

When The Son prays, The Father listens, and responds with The Spirit. The intercession of God’s Son, provides what The Father’s children need the most, His Spirit.

“The Holy Spirit descended upon Him.”  V. 22a

The power of prayer is not a product of the eloquence, but dependence. Power is produced by The Presence of The Spirit. Before The Spirit descends, believing prayers must ascend. Those who humbly depend on The Father as their only hope of deliverance, and yield their will to His direction, protection and correction put themselves in the right position to receive The Spirit’s anointing.

“Bodily form like a dove.” V. 22b

There is simply nothing like The Presence of The Holy Spirit. There is no substitute on earth for Heaven’s Gift. He is God, not some white bird, flitting and flying around, feathering the nests of those who claim to have a permanent hold on His Presence.  He is The Spirit of God, and cannot caged by any one person or one denomination. The dove was a sign, not a substitute.

Painting a dove on the sign of a prayerless church, or wearing a silver dove around the neck of a prayerless person will not bring His Presence. But I digress.

The Spirit can be received within the context of believing prayer, or He can be grieved, by the lack of it.  Those who humbly pray experience His power. Those who try to tap His power by dropping His name, without bending their knees or yielding their will, won’t be touched by the power of His Presence.

The Spirit is closely identified with The Son, in the ministry of intercession.  When The Son prayed, The Spirit descended. When The Father’s children pray, The Spirit identifies with their spirit of dependence on The Father, not the eloquence of His children. The Spirit makes up for what is lacking, by interpreting choking words spewing out of broken hearts, and delivering them to The Son. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

“In the same way, The Spirit also helps our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we should, but The Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of The Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Romans 8:26-27

The Team

“Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow workers. Philemon 1:25

During the mid-20th Century, Billy Graham assembled one of the greatest evangelistic teams to ever serve together. He was assisted by Cliff Barrows and George Beverly Shea on stage, and served behind the scenes by priceless men like T.W. Wilson.

At the news of his friend’s death, Billy Graham said of T.W., "We prayed, laughed and wept on hundreds of occasions. I feel his loss very deeply, but I know where he is. He is in the presence of Jesus, and that's where he longed to be.”

“In an interview with Christianity Today, song leader Cliff Barrows said Wilson's ‘great gift was to identify, to sympathize, and to minister to people who were such a vital part of our organization. I met him as a freshman in college in 1940, and he was very warm and personal to me as a freshman. Barrows said, ‘Wilson thrived in a team-based approach to ministry…people whose hearts God has knit together.’ ”

Epaphras, Mark, Demas, Aristarchus, and Luke  formed a prototype band of brothers with The Apostle Paul. The world has granted Paul the spotlight, but these men made it possible for him to carry on in spite of his heavy weight of ministry.  Like T.W., they deserve to be remembered and honored.

A team is always greater than the sum of the parts. Someone is always in the spotlight, or the tip of the spear in any great enterprise. The spotlight of success or failure brings name recognition that others on the team are not granted. Wise team leaders know they get more credit and blame than they deserve for any success or failure. The wisdom is not in knowing this is true, but in sharing both success and failure with the rest of the team. Success and failure are both a team effort. But I digress.

Epaphras was described by Paul as, “my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus.”  Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke were mentioned as, “my fellow workers.” There is a difference, but the common denominator is Paul’s personal sense of ownership. These men shared a personal relationship with Paul. They were not only on his team. They were in his heart.  As Cliff Barrows would say, “knit together.”

A great team is not built by great talent, but by a healthy personal pride in and identification with others.  There is nothing like the synergy of a plan and a people merging into a powerful force to accomplish more together than they could ever do apart.

Epaphras, whose name meant lovely, was instrumental in the conversion of the Colossians (Colossians 1:7).  He was the messenger who brought Paul the good news of the progress of the gospel, of the Colossian’s "faith in Christ Jesus" and of their love toward all the saints (Colossians 1:4). Paul regarded Epaphras as, "our beloved fellow-servant," "a faithful minister of Christ" (Colossians 1:7), and "a bondservant of Christ Jesus" (Colossians 4:12).

Mark was the John Mark of the New Testament, whose unfaithfulness earlier in his life had been the source of a division between Paul and Barnabas.  Subsequently reconciled with Paul, Mark stood with the aged apostle at his hour of need. The Gospel of Mark bears his name. Paul’s use of Mark’s name, may have been a reminder to Philemon of his own forgiveness towards a brother who had once failed Paul, but had been restored to usefulness. (2 Timothy 4:11)

Aristarchus was a Greek Macedonian of Thessalonica (Acts 27:2), who journeyed with Paul to Rome, and shared his prison experience with him as a fellow worker. This is the same Aristarchus seized by a mob and dragged into the theater of Ephesus. (Acts 19:29).  This is not the place on the stage that most preachers envy.

Demas served Paul well during his first imprisonment in Rome, but unfortunately did not finish well. Paul’s final word on Demas was a disappointing epitaph. He is described in 2 Timothy as having deserted Paul and as, "having loved this present world." (2 Timothy 4:10) God often hits straight licks with crooked sticks, as long as they remain in His hands.

Luke was Paul’s beloved physician. His credentials as a fellow worker are abundantly clear by his authorship of The Gospel of Luke and The Book of Acts.  He didn’t just write the history of the early church. He made history.

It is amazing what can be accomplished if no one cares who gets the credit. An individual who craves the credit for success, but is unwilling to share the blame for failure, is not a team leader, nor a team member. Criticism of a leader or a team member reveals more about a critic’s lack of character than the one they disparage.

At least one member of Paul’s team did not make the final cut. Paul’s consistent prayers for those who were in positions of responsibility fill his writings. Paul prayed for Demas, but the failure to finish the race is evidence that Demas did not start praying for himself. He is the poster boy for those who pray hard enough to get a title, but do not pray long enough to finish the task.  TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Confidence

“…Refresh my heart in Christ. Having the confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say. At the same time also prepare me a lodging, for I hope that through your prayers I will be given to you.” Philemon 1:20b-22

Paul’s “Confidence in your obedience” is developed through the essential process of mutual intercession.  His expectant intercession is expressed by,  “Refresh my heart in Christ.” Paul’s expectancy and confidence in being refreshed by Philemon’s obedience to Christ was based upon his prayer for his friend, and Philemon’s persistent intercession for Paul. He framed his expectancy as a hope “through your prayers.”  

Paul’s confidence in Philemon’s obedience was not based upon Philemon’s great work for The Lord, but his hope rested upon his brother’s great walk with The Lord. Paul and Philemon were not perfect men, but they were both praying men. As such, they were brothers in Christ. When they faced any hint of separation, they did not get in each other’s faces. They fell on their faces before God, on behalf of one another.

Within the climate of their mutual intercession, Paul developed an over-riding sense of a persuasive power at work in him.  Separated by many miles, and facing a possible difference of opinion with his brother, Paul prayed for Philemon. By praying for his brother, Paul was reminded that they were joined in the heart of God as brothers in Christ. Through each other’s prayers, their bond with The Father, produced brothers in love, not brothers in law. May their tribe increase.

There may not be any more beautiful expression of expectant intercession than, “Refresh my heart in Christ.”  Praying for his brother raised Paul’s level of expectancy in Philemon because he had confidence, or trust in Christ to complete the work He had begun in his friend’s heart. Christ was Paul’s source of a great relief and refreshing, but have no doubt about it. Confidence came to him by praying for a work that only Christ could do through Philemon.

Paul’s confidence was placed in Christ, not Philemon, but his expectancy was no less of a relief and a refreshing to him. The refreshing was rooted in the source of Philemon’s sense of direction and correction. Refreshing confidence came from Christ, to Paul, as he lifted up his prayers for his brother.   It helped knowing his brother was doing the same for him.

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it, until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6

Confidence in Philemon’s willingness to respond in obedience to Paul’s request of him was generated by Paul’s intercession for him. To the Greeks of Paul’s day, confidence meant, “to be persuaded of a thing concerning a person.” Of course the Greeks had a god by the same name, but Paul’s confidence in Philemon didn’t come from a man-made idol. This kind of confidence came from Paul’s trust in Christ and his intense intercession for his brother.

Note to self: Jesus finishes what He begins. Expect some refinishing to be done on you and in others. Pray through the process, for yourself and for others.  Yielding to the touch of His Spirit’s hand on your heart speeds up the work Christ intends to do in, and gives you patience with His work He has yet to finish in others. Resisting prolongs the process, and postpones the completion.

Paul interceded for Philemon to see things from Christ’s perspective, not Paul’s point of view. Philemon interceded for Paul’s release, and safe return to him.

From a human perspective, Philemon would be hard pressed to receive Onesimus, an escaped slave, as his brother in Christ.

Paul prayed for Philemon and asked him to receive his escaped slave as Paul in the flesh, and welcome him in the same way. Philemon’s obedience to Paul’s request would refresh the aged apostle’s heart, because it would reveal God’s answer to his prayers.

Any separation or irritation between brothers should initiate intercession for one another. Prayer warriors intercede with confidence for their brothers and sisters and expect reconciliation, instead of perpetuating separation between each other. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Benefit

“If then you regard me a partner, accept him as you would me. But if he has wronged you in anything, charge that to my account; I, Paul am writing this with my own hand, I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well). Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.” Philemon 1:17-20

Early in ministry, I shared a laugh with a seminary buddy of mine, when we were both serving as student ministers. I asked him how it was going, and he responded, “I have discovered that I love the ministry, but it is people that I can’t stand.” We laughed at the clever contradiction in terms. Forty years later, it isn’t so funny. Too many contemporary pastors of the church pattern themselves as ranchers, rather than shepherds. They may be faithful to push the herd towards living water, but don’t know their sheep by name.  Some are better at name-dropping than remembering the names of those under their care.

As brief as it is, this prison epistle to Philemon reveals a great deal about the heart of Paul, and the body life of the early church. With all the uncertainties he faced in his own imprisoned condition, and with his concern for all the new churches struggling to survive, Paul found time to focus on the life of one escaped slave, Onesimus. He took off his church planter hat and turned into a Christian counselor seeking to reconcile the breech between two brothers, Philemon and Onesimus. He prayed for them, and called them by name before he took them to task. Intercession must precede intervention.

Comments on Paul’s writings usually emphasize his passion for God, but short change his compassion for people. Paul’s concern for Onesimus reveals that the early church was not the birth of a new religious order, but a creation of The Father.

Paul described the members of the early church as partners and brothers. The church was not an organization, but a living organism. The Body was made of many parts, and not one of them was insignificant. Anyone who has ever hit a little toe on the corner of the bed has been reminded of this simple truth.

The early church leaders performed as partners, not as greedy competitors. The church meeting in the home of Philemon was under the authority of The Apostle Paul, but the leader and the people were also held closely to Paul’s heart. When he referred to Philemon as his partner, Paul didn’t put the emphasis on his authority over Philemon, but on his relationship with him.

 "Rules without relationship always breed rebellion."

The source of the quote is not clear, but that doesn’t cloud the truth of it. Some say it comes from Jay Strack. Others attribute it to Josh McDowell. Regardless of the source, the truth remains. Parents, pastors and partners who disregard the importance of investing in relationships are in for a rodeo of rebellion when they try to enforce their rules.

The leaders of the early church recognized each other as partner, but received their fellow members as brothers.  These two aspects of relationship may be the most important legacies left by the ancient church to the contemporary church. As the Christians of the Middle East are being exterminated or exiled from lands that were the birthplace of Christianity, only the hardest of hearts cannot find enough compassion to lift up a prayer for their partners in ministry and brothers in Christ.

Paul appealed to Philemon as his partner, and encouraged him to receive Onesimus as his brother. As partners, Paul was willing to assume the cost of reconciliation. The healing of a breech always comes with a price. It takes the sting out of the cost when a partner shares the hit.

In any relationship, someone has to be willing to pay what it takes to make things right.  Under Roman law, Philemon had been wronged, and he deserved to be made whole. Under God’s grace, Philemon was being challenged by Paul to give up his legal rights and receive Onesimus as a product of God’s grace.   

Talk is cheap, and advice is worth what is paid for it. Advice is much more valuable if the one who is dispensing it is willing to foot the bill for it.  Paul stepped up.

“I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well).”

In my last church building project, I vouched for the services of a contractor who had been recommended by the contractor’s pastor. The contractor cheated our church, by taking payment without finishing the job, and lied about making it right. I ended up paying out of my own pocket to make the church whole.  The contractor’s pastor advised me to just let it go. His advice was accurate, but it would have been easier to swallow if he had offered to split the cost with me. Can I get an Amen?

Paul was not just willing to pray, but was offering to pay to prime the pump for the grace of God to flow through Philemon’s heart to his brother Onesimus. Paul was willing to pray as long as it took, and to pay whatever it cost to bring Philemon and Onesimus together, by God’s grace.

“Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.”

Paul had called on Onesimus to return to Philemon and make restitution. He prayed for Philemon to offer Onesimus restoration. Being reimbursed financially was not all Philemon needed. To be made whole he needed to embrace his former slave as his new brother in Christ. Paul could require Philemon to do it, but he interceded for him to hear from God and follow The Father’s heart, not his own. To take the sting out of the process of the birth of grace in Philemon’s heart, Paul offered to pay for the cost of the delivery.

The Benefit that came to Paul for his praying and paying, would be the privilege seeing the grace of The Lord in the heart of Philemon.  A movement of God in one person’s life is often a prelude to a movement of God on a grand scale. Imprisoned as he was, Paul envisioned and anticipated the answer to his prayer. He said The Benefit would “Refresh my heart in Christ.”

“Refresh” is used interchangeably in the Bible with the concept of rest. The Blue Letter Bible Commentary defines it as…

“to cause or permit one to cease from any movement or labour in order to recover and collect his strengthto give rest, refresh, to give one's self rest, take rest, to keep quiet, of calm and patient expectation.”

Jesus described refresh as the relief that can be found in The Yoke with Him. “I will give you rest.” - Jesus Matthew 11:28

Intercession softens the hardest of hearts in believers, and prepares them to make restitution and to offer restoration.  Prayer reaches to Heaven, and calls on The Father to heal the breeches between His children on earth. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Heart

“I have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart, whom I wished to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my imprisonment for the gospel; but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will.” Philemon 1:12-14

“Sending my very heart” indicates that Paul had a heart for prayer and a heart for doing what was right. When church leaders want to get their way, they are tempted to bring the heat to remove the obstacle in their path.

When Paul expressed his desire to get what he wanted, he gave away his heart. Bringing the heat from exerting personal effort and exercising the art of gentle persuasion may bring a good idea into reality, but miss God’s idea in the long run.

Paul set the example of a man who didn’t need to lead with his need to get what he wanted. His life was marked, by giving his heart away, not getting his way. He didn’t lead by compulsion, but by intercession.

Compulsion operates on “My Will.” Intercession has a heart for “Thy Will.” The process of intercession conforms “Free Will” to Thy Will.” Prayer is an investment of one’s time and one’s heart into a heart transplant in the life of another person. The Spirit’s surgery cannot be rushed, but it can be ushered in by intercession.

Paul refused to rationalize his need and use it as leverage over another person to get what he wanted. He was aged, imprisoned, and in need of comfort. Onesimus offered to him relief of his need, but Paul saw a danger in it.

If the service given to Paul by Onesiumus appeared to be theft on his part, in the eyes of Philiemon, it could cause a breech between two brothers, and disrupt the fellowship of the local church. An escaped slave was no small matter. The escape of Onesimus caused a loss of face for Philemon in the community, and constituted a substantial loss to him financially.

Rather than command Philemon to get on board with what God had done in the heart of Onesismus, Paul prayed for the master to have a change of heart towards his slave and receive him, as his new brother in Christ.

Praying begins by yielding one’s will to The Father’s will. This is how Jesus prayed. After hearing Jesus pray, His disciples said, “Teach us to pray.” Jesus began with two words, “Our Father.” All believing prayer begins by a child placing compete trust in a loving Father to do what is right for them. Prayer is not about getting what the child want. Prayer is all about the child getting on board with The Father’s will.

Again, Jesus modeled the purpose of prayer. He prayed until His will was conformed to His Father’s will. When Jesus prayed, He gave His heart away to God, and received The Father’s heart as His own. The heart of prayer is the matter of the heart. Jesus prayed, “Not My will, but Thy will be done.” The purpose of prayer is for the Father to implant His heart into His children. Prayerless children are heartless indeed.

To know The Father’s will is one thing. To receive The Father’s will is quite another thing. Praying softens the heart and opens the hands of the prayer warrior to receive The Father’s will.

Intercession is the process by which a prayer warrior calls on The Spirit of Christ to develop the mind of Christ in the heart of another person. Paul prayed for Philemon, not because Paul needed a devotional exercise, but because Philemon needed a heart transplant only The Father could give.

Leaders without followers are not marching at the head of an army. They are only taking a walk by themselves. Shouting out orders to people who have no heart to follow will never launch a movement of God. Praying for potential followers to receive a new heart for The Father prepares the church to receive the next Great Awakening. Unless hearts are prepared to receive the change The Father is capable of bringing into a person’s life, new believers will be stiff armed in the parking lot, before they ever get to the pews. Prayer prepares the heart and improves the vision of the local church to have new hearts and open arms.

My wife and I assist our local church by serving on the front lines. I put out the Welcome Mat in the parking lot, meeting and greeting people as they arrive. She serves at the Welcome Desk in the entrance of the church, seating guests in the Worship Center.

Most churches would be well served to give some fresh attention to the way they meet, seat and greet guests. Like fresh paint, hospitality covers a great deal of sin. Effective hospitality begins by showing up before guests arrive, and involves meeting, greeting and seating them before there is any hope at connecting with them. Ninety percent of success in connecting people to a local church hinges on the first ten minutes they spend on the parking lot. But I digress.

Philemon was being asked by Paul to see the change The Father had made in Onesimus. He was no longer a slave, but a saint. He was Paul’s child, and Philemon’s brother. Paul interceded for Philemon to have a change of heart towards a man that had wronged him. Prayer softens a hurting heart to receive healing, and prayer gives courage to risk being hurt again.

A great deal was at stake in the life of Onesimus and the local church. The Father is grieved when His children do not value what He has done in giving a person new life in Christ and adopting them into His family.

Onesimus was a real slave, but his life also serves as a poster child for what happens when The Father unleashes a Great Awakening. Relationships get cleaned up with The Father and get real messy with His children, all at the same time.

A hardened heart only leads to a stiffened arm. A softened heart leads to open arms. This only happens when The Father’s children pray for one another to love one another, to forgive one another, and welcome one another with open arms. When they pray for one another His children send each other His heart. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The R.E.S.T.

“For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother. Therefore, though I have confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper, yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you – since I am such a person as Paul, the aged, and also a prisoner of Christ Jesus.“ Philemon 1: 7-9

Paul’s prison epistle to Philemon is filled with beautiful word pictures that serve as a glimpse into a time capsule of the early church.  Paul received “joy” and “comfort” and the saints were “refreshed” as a result of Philemon’s investment in their lives by hosting a local church in his home. He gave the members of the early church more than the use of his home. He gave them his heart.

One of the temptations facing the contemporary church is the lure to follow the lure of the current culture and exchange priceless joy for cheap entertainment.  Laughing at someone else’s expense, giggling at a child’s use of foul language, convulsing over a comedian’s bathroom humor are all poor substitutes for Christian joy.

Joy is not a matter of temporary happiness gained by connecting a perfect chain of events or waiting breathlessly for the perpetual punch-line. Joy is an over-riding confidence in the heart of a child of God, who has learned to trust The Father to guide them through the stalls and the storms of life. Some things take time.

“Paul, the aged” had learned his lessons well. If prison was a test, he was not going to stay after school, or skip the final exam.  His joy was not in recess, but in rest.

Paul led an escaped slave, Onesimus, to saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and sent him back home to make things right with his master, Philemon. For social justice advocates, the little book of Philemon is always a troubling piece of Scripture.

The simple truth is this. Dead men have no rights. Long before there was an American Christianity that elevated Religious Liberty to unknown heights, there was a Biblical mandate for believers to make things right with those they had wronged. Onesimus had to have struggled with his decision. Doing the right thing is never easy, and personal rights always die a hard death. Onesimus died to himself, and his will and went back home.

Perhaps the freedom Paul discovered in his own imprisonment encouraged Onesimus to obey Paul’s counsel to return home to slavery. If Onesimus had not done so, Paul’s letter to Philemon would not be in our hands today. Obedience has consequences. Disobedience does too. Thanks, Onesimus, for praying and obeying. May your tribe increase.

My friend, Michael Catt, has been led to develop a ministry with a message of personal revival to pastors and people all over America. He has called these gatherings, “ReFresh.” I thought of him and Sherwood Baptist Church of Albany, Georgia when I read, “The hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.”  Thanks, Michael!

“The saints have been refreshed through you” is a great life message. This statement reveals the impact of Philemon’s life on the early church. It should be the personal passion of every preacher standing in the pulpit delivering a message to the people in the pews.  PREACH IT!

“Refreshed” means to give a person the opportunity to cease from labor in order to recover, to collect strength, or to catch their breath. It carries the concept to take a rest, to take ease or give rest. It is the same word used to describe the way of life Jesus had in mind for His disciples, when He said,

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

The paradox of Christianity includes the unique relationship between spiritual freedom and the slavery of the yoke. Those who yield to Jesus as their Savior, also receive Jesus as their Lord. These two concepts are inseparable to salvation.

Note to self: EMBRACE BOTH!

Walking with Jesus is not a free exchange of ideas between two people holding independent lecture series. It is a life of obedience and submission to the will of The Master. Anything less is rebellion, and a spirit of independence will never lead to dependence on Jesus.  Refreshing rest is found in His Presence.

Prayer is the pause that refreshes. It is the real thing, and the only thing that keeps a believer walking in a synergistic relationship with The Captain of The Yoke. Many come to Jesus for the rest that is found in the initial forgiveness of sin, but they fail to continue yielding to His will for the rest of their lives.  

Restless Christians are prayerless people who proudly gather no moss. Sadly, they never bear fruit.  Sound familiar? “Apart from Me, you can do nothing.” The Lord, Jesus Christ

Philemon discovered a way to refresh the saints of the early church. Michael Catt is calling the contemporary church to rediscover prayer as the missing ingredient in finding this kind of rest. The message of ReFresh is a call to prayer for the next Great Awakening. Join him in it, and let it begin in you.

Rest is only a prayer away on a personal and a corporate level. Those who pray will find they are refreshed when they R.E.S.T. and Release Every Single Thing to Jesus.  TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!